Netflix Inc. has acquired Night School Studio, an independent video game developer.
Financial terms of the deal between Night School in Glendale, and Netflix in Los Gatos were not disclosed. It is the streaming company’s first acquisition in the gaming sector.
Night School co-founder Sean Krankel said in a blog post at the company website that Netflix gives film, TV and now video game makers a canvas to create and deliver excellent entertainment to millions of people.
“Our explorations in narrative gameplay and Netflix’s track record of supporting diverse storytellers was such a natural pairing.” Krankel wrote in the blog post. “It felt like both teams came to this conclusion instinctively.”
Founded in 2014 by Krankel and his cousin, Adam Hines, Night School has established itself as an up-and-coming gaming studio with the hit game “Oxenfree” and other titles, including a mobile game based on the television series “Mr. Robot.” It is currently in development on a second “Oxenfree” game.
Mike Verdu, vice president of game development for Netflix, said in a release that the company was inspired by Krankel and Hines’s mission to set a new bar for storytelling in games.
“Their commitment to artistic excellence and proven track record makes them invaluable partners as we build out the creative capabilities and library of Netflix games together,” Verdu said in the release.
As with all streaming content on the service, the games will be included in a Netflix membership, with no ads or in-app purchases, Verdu added.