Netflix has been making a push into the video game scene with its acquisitions and steadily growing games lineup that has a mix of big notable experiences and smaller titles. The streaming company has now revealed another step in that process of building up its video game portfolio, as it is opening a studio in Helsinki, Finland, which will be a “world-class” team that aims to develop “a variety of delightful and deeply engaging original games.”
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VP of Game Studios Amir Rahimi announced the move on Netflix’s website. Marko Lastikka, who worked on 2014’s mobile game SimCity: BuildIt, will be the studio director. While it has yet to be confirmed what type of game it will make, Rahimi implied it will make something different from Netflix’s three other teams, as they all have their own “strengths and focus areas.”
Rahimi explained that Netflix chose Finland because of its talent in the area. Next Games, which Netflix also acquired, is based in Helsinki. Supercell (known for Clash of Clans) and Rovio Entertainment (the Angry Birds developer) are also in Finland, meaning there are plenty of successful mobile game developers already in the country. The country is home to some AAA teams as well like Remedy Entertainment, known for titles like Max Payne, Alan Wake, and Control, and Housemarque, which developed 2021’s PlayStation 5 game Returnal.
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