Netflix on Wednesday said it will add a soccer simulation title to its gaming portfolio as the streaming major looks to leverage the FIFA World Cup 2026 to strengthen its push into video games.
The soccer title will be developed and published by Delphi Interactive, which is also working on a premium James Bond game titled 007 First Light, and will be created in association with FIFA, the sport’s governing body.
Netflix said the game will launch in time for the FIFA World Cup, the world’s most-watched sporting event, scheduled to begin in June next year in the United States.
Netflix has recently prioritised party games and well-known franchises, including Rockstar Games’ GTA: San Andreas and Red Dead Redemption. The company is also the front-runner to acquire several Warner Bros Discovery assets, including its video game studios, in a deal valued at USD 72 billion.
The studios are behind popular franchises such as Mortal Kombat, Batman Arkham and Hogwarts Legacy, and an acquisition would give Netflix entry into the lucrative big-budget games market.
The FIFA game will join a suite of games playable on televisions via Netflix, including party titles such as LEGO Party! and Pictionary: Game Night, in which smartphones are used as controllers.
