Mumbai: Netflix has made its first big move in expanding its gaming portfolio with the acquisition of Night School Studio. The company has also launched a trio of casual mobile games in select European markets, according to a report by TechCrunch.

“We’ll continue working with developers around the world and hiring the best talent in the industry to deliver a great collection of exclusive games designed for every kind of gamer and any level of play,” noted Netflix vice president – game development Mike Verdu. “Like our shows and films, these games will all be included as part of your Netflix membership — all with no ads and no in-app purchases.”

Founded by Sean Krankel and Adam Hines in 2014, video game creator Night School Studio is best known for its critically acclaimed debut game "Oxenfree."

“Netflix gives film, TV, and now game makers an unprecedented canvas to create and deliver excellent entertainment to millions of people,” said Night School Studio's Krankel. “Our explorations in narrative gameplay and Netflix’s track record of supporting diverse storytellers was such a natural pairing. It felt like both teams came to this conclusion instinctively.”

Netflix has mentioned its plans to enter the gaming industry amidst intense competition in the streaming business with competitors gaining subscribers rapidly. Netflix launched its first gaming title based on the "Stranger Things" franchise in Poland. These titles became available via a ‘Games’ tab within the Netflix app to subscribers.  

The company launched three casual games including "Shooting Hoops," "Teeter Up" and "Card Blast" to Netflix members in Italy and Spain. Subscribers from Spain and Italy will gain access to these trio of gaming and the two existing "Stranger Things" titles that have already been released.

Netflix plans to launch games in other markets including the US in the near future. It began with Poland as an initial test market because the country has an active mobile gaming audience that made it a good fit for early feedback.