Alain Tascan, Netflix's President of Games, envisions a future where the younger generation might not be as enamored with gaming consoles as their predecessors. In a recent interview with The Game Business following a Netflix presentation in San Francisco, Tascan discussed the evolving landscape of gaming. He questioned whether today's eight and ten-year-olds are dreaming of owning a PlayStation 6, suggesting that their interests are shifting towards more versatile, screen-agnostic gaming experiences. "Look at the younger generation. Are eight year-olds and ten year-olds dreaming of owning a PlayStation 6? I am not sure," Tascan remarked, highlighting a trend where kids are more interested in interacting with any digital screen, regardless of location—even in the car.

While Tascan admits a personal fondness for console gaming, having worked at major studios like EA, Ubisoft, and Epic Games, he believes that clinging to traditional console models could limit Netflix's growth. "With console, you’re thinking about high definition, you’re thinking about the controller... If we look at this older model, I think it will restrain us," he explained.

Netflix has already made strides in the gaming arena by offering game adaptations of its IPs, such as "Stranger Things 3: The Game" and "Too Hot to Handle: Love Is a Game," alongside notable titles like "Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas – The Definitive Edition," all accessible directly from a mobile phone. Tascan emphasized Netflix's commitment to this mobile-first strategy, aiming to develop party games and position the platform as a hub for kids and gamer families.

Tascan is focused on reducing barriers to gaming. "I am very vigorous about lowering friction and eliminating it if we can," he stated, pointing out various frictions such as subscription models, the need for multiple controllers, expensive hardware, and download times. "But the other friction is having enough controllers for family. Having a piece of hardware that might be expensive, that’s another friction. Waiting for a game to download, that’s another friction," he added, aiming to streamline the gaming experience as much as possible.

Netflix's investment in gaming has seen significant growth, with game engagement tripling in 2023. However, the company also faced setbacks, including the closure of its AAA studio in October 2024 and recent cuts at Oxenfree developer Night School Studio, which Netflix acquired in 2021.

Despite Netflix's shift away from consoles, major players like Microsoft, Sony, and Nintendo continue to advance in the hardware space. Nintendo is poised to unveil its next-generation console, the Switch 2, in an upcoming Direct presentation, where fans eagerly await details on features, release dates, and pre-order information.