Netflix Opens New Studio Led by Former Overwatch Boss

By Tanner Dedmon

Netflix is opening another game development studio with former Overwatch boss Chacko Sonny set to take charge. Mike Verdu, the vice president of Netflix's gaming division, confirmed the news of the new studio and its lead this week in comments shared with TechCrunch that talked about Netflix's continued expansion into gaming as well as Sonny's start with the company which Verdu said should be a signal that Netflix is "in it for the long haul."

Details about the new Netflix studio only consisted of the confirmation that a studio was indeed opening in Southern California and that Sonny would take charge. Sonny previously served as the executive producer on Overwatch at Blizzard Entertainment while overseeing the overfall development of that game and Overwatch 2. He was one of several high-profile departures which took were announced amid the sexual harassment and abuse claims levied against Blizzard.

And now, he'll be at Netflix overseeing the new studio. In the same comments shared with TechCrunch, Verdu used Sonny's arrival as way to tout the gaming plans Netflix had in place.

"He could have done anything, but he chose to come here," Verdu said. "You don't get people like that coming to your organization to build the next big thing in gaming unless there's a sense that we're really in it for the long haul and in it for the right reasons."

After first beginning to offer games on its platform via mobile devices, Netflix has since continued its expansion into the medium by making efforts towards game development via acquisitions and new studios. The company first acquired Night School Studio, the creators of Oxenfree and Oxenfree II. It acquired Boss Fight Entertainment afterwards in March 2022, and a few months later, acquired Next Games, the creators of Stranger Things: Puzzle Tales. Prior to this latest studio based out of Southern California, Netflix's most recent studio move was the formation of a Helsinki-based studio.

Netflix did not say yet what this new studio in California will be working on nor did it announce any other talent aside from Sonny.

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