Netflix is jumping into gaming. Can it succeed where others have stumbled?

The industry can be a tough egg to crack, as even the mighty Amazon has found, writes James Moore

Netflix has an eye on gaming and has appointed a mobile specialist to lead the push (Reuters)

Netflix might be the reigning monarch of streaming but it is also under pressure.

In addition to the competition for the streaming dollar it faces from deep-pocketed rivals, notably Disney, it has been grappling with slowing growth in its home market where consumers have also shown some resistance to its attempts to force through price rises.

It is against this backdrop that the company is attempting to push into another highly competitive market: gaming. The hire of Mike Verdu, who joins as vice president of game development, reporting to chief operating officer Greg Peters, is a statement of intent. Verdu’s CV includes previous stints at EA Mobile, Facebook and Zynga, which is a good indication of the area Netflix is looking to target.