According to Game File with Stephen Totilo, Mike Verdu has parted ways with Netflix. The streaming giant had brought Verdu on board in 2021 to spearhead its gaming endeavors, leveraging his experience as a former executive at Oculus and EA. Under Verdu’s guidance, Netflix released numerous new and ported titles and established an in-house game development operation. However, in mid-2024, the company shifted its gaming strategy and hired Alain Tascan, Epic Games’ executive vice president for game development, to lead its gaming efforts. Verdu continued to serve as the VP for games until November 2024, when he was appointed Vice President of generative AI for games.

On his LinkedIn profile, Verdu described his role as driving a “once in a generation” inflection point for game development and player experiences using generative AI. He emphasized his focus on a creator-first vision for AI, positioning it as a catalyst and accelerant for creative talent. Verdu has yet to update his LinkedIn profile to reflect his new role. As Totilo noted in his newsletter, Netflix’s gaming efforts have undergone significant changes since Tascan took the helm.

In 2022, Netflix hired former Overwatch director Chacko Sonny to lead an internal AAA studio known as Team Blue. The company also brought on Halo executive Joseph Staten and God of War art director Rafael Grassetti to work on a multi-platform AAA game for a new IP. Nevertheless, in October 2024, Netflix shut down Team Blue. The company had also lost Leanne Loombe, who headed its second and third-party gaming development and publishing efforts. Loombe recently became the head of games at Annapurna Interactive, following a mass exodus where all 25 members of the studio’s team collectively resigned. Furthermore, in early February, Netflix canceled its release plans for six games that were previously scheduled to arrive on iOS and Android, including Thirsty Suitors and Tales of the Shire: A Lord of the Rings Game.

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