Netflix | The Verge

GTA VI looks just as great as we could hope for

2026-08-28T08:21:57-04:00

Netflix and Rockstar Games finally debuted their "extended look" at Grand Theft Auto VI. It showed that the new game looks to keep much of the spirit of GTA - exploration, driving, crimes, shooting, and cinematic story scenes. But everything just looks much better than previous entries, with impressive graphics, densely packed rooms, and detailed environments. The footage was captured on PS5, according to the end of the video.

A key focus of the game seems to be how protagonists Jason Duval and Lucia Caminos work together. In one scene, it appears you play as Duval as he hangs out of the window of a car that Caminos is driving so he can sho …

Read the full story at The Verge.

Netflix reportedly considers opening its app to other streamers

2026-08-24T13:09:26-04:00

Netflix executives have considered making third-party streaming services available within its app, according to a report from The New York Times. The recent discussions reportedly centered around bringing Peacock and Fox One to Netflix, though it's unclear whether the streaming giant would sell subscriptions to the other services or add their content to its app.

While Amazon's Prime Video and Roku have long sold subscriptions to rival services, the move would be a major change for Netflix, which has only joined bundles with other streamers. YouTube - Netflix's biggest rival - will also include access to Peacock as part of its Premium subscr …

Read the full story at The Verge.

Blue Eye Samurai’s second season will hit Netflix in January

2026-08-21T09:24:55-04:00

“I choose revenge.” | Image: Netflix

Good news for Blue Eye Samurai fans: Netflix has shared the first trailer and release timeline for the second season of the animated series, and confirmed the series' return for a third and final season. The second season's new teaser ends with the announcement that it'll be available to stream on Netflix in January 2027, though the exact date was not specified.

Co-created by Amber Noizumi and Michael Green, Blue Eye Samurai follows the story of Mizu, a samurai who conceals her gender and mixed-race heritage after facing a life of discrimination, on a personal quest for revenge. The first season concludes with the revelation that Mizu's amb …

Read the full story at The Verge.

Netflix is closing two game studios

2026-08-13T17:11:44-04:00

A screenshot of Oxenfree II: Lost Signals from Night School Studio. | Image: Night School / Netflix

Netflix plans to shut down two of its gaming studios, as reported by Game File and Variety, as it makes a bigger shift toward party games and titles streamed to TVs.

One of the studios being shut down is Night School Studio, creators of the Oxenfree series. Netflix bought Night School in 2021, and it just released a horror experience called Unhinged for TVs and launched a mobile game in 2025 tied to Black Mirror. The other studio that's set to close is Helsinki-based Moonloot Games, which was created in 2022.

Netflix's big push into TV-based games kicked off late last year and was a pivot from a mobile-focused approach that featured presti …

Read the full story at The Verge.

Netflix says around 300 titles used generative AI

2026-07-17T06:07:36-04:00

A scene from The American Experiment, one of the Netflix titles to use generative AI | Image: Netflix

Netflix says roughly 300 titles on its platform used generative AI, most of which occurred in post-production. The streaming service revealed the news in its second-quarter earnings report released on Thursday, saying it's "increasingly leveraging these tools to deliver higher quality output more quickly and at a lower cost."

It also provided some examples of titles that used AI, including The American Experiment, Glory, and Brasil 70: A Saga do Tri. These shows used the technology to "create highly complex sequences," including "enhanced crowds, historical battle sequences, and worldbuilding establishing shots." During Netflix's call with …

Read the full story at The Verge.

Netflix is turning into YouTube

2026-07-10T12:29:50-04:00

Netflix has shows and movies. And video games. And live sports. And podcasts. And also, apparently, YouTube videos? For a company that used to seem like the next big thing in TV, it all feels a little frenetic, and maybe a tad desperate. For a company that sees sleep as its primary competitor, it might all make perfect sense.

On this episode of The Vergecast, David and Nilay try to figure out why Netflix continues to expand its content machine and whether the company's ongoing YouTube-ification makes any sense at all. Many have tried to compete with YouTube; none have succeeded. Does that mean Netflix might inch its way up the Go90 Scale of …

Read the full story at The Verge.

Netflix reportedly considers adding always-on channels

2026-07-09T19:00:31-04:00

Netflix is thinking about adding always-on channels that would stream specific shows and movies, according to The Wall Street Journal. The move sounds like a Netflix version of always-on services like Pluto TV and Tubi, except the big hook for those is that they're free - because of the ads you have to watch. Netflix has seen success with its ad-supported tier, which is increasingly popular, but it costs $8.99 per month after a recent price hike.

Netflix is also apparently considering selling bundles that would include other streaming services, something else that competitors like Apple TV and Prime Video already offer. The company has bee …

Read the full story at The Verge.

Netflix is about to host videos from BuzzFeed, Condé Nast, and other publishers

2026-07-08T05:48:02-04:00

Starting on August 3rd, Netflix's streaming library will include video content from dozens of digital media brands including BuzzFeed, Condé Nast, Hearst Magazines, People Inc, and Tastemade. As reported earlier by TechCrunch, the deal includes a mix of licensed past videos and new ongoing series that would have typically been published on YouTube or other online platforms, like Architectural Digest's "Open Door" or Vanity Fair's "Lie Detector Test."

As Netflix puts it, the deal will allow subscribers to watch content "from around the Internet without having to leave Netflix." The announcement follows a Bloomberg report earlier this week …

Read the full story at The Verge.

Netflix is using an AI-generated Gene Wilder voice in its Willy Wonka reality show

2026-06-30T13:24:34-04:00

A new teaser trailer confirmed that Wonka's The Golden Ticket will premiere on Netflix on September 23rd, following its Squid Game reality show in the trend of creating real competitions based on fictional torture scenarios. While the sets seen in the trailer are real and not some Glasgow-style AI fakes, the voiceover is AI-generated.

Deadline reports that Netflix worked with AI audio company ElevenLabs with consent from Wilder's family, after working on productions re-creating the voice of Michael Caine and Stan Lee. It also continues Netflix's 2021 partnership with the Roald Dahl company, and is separate from the Charlie vs. the Chocolat …

Read the full story at The Verge.

Netflix’s next TV gaming experiment will scare the hell out of you

2026-06-23T12:01:14-04:00

As part of the latest evolution of its gaming initiative, Netflix has made a big push into cloud-based games you can play on your TV, much in the same way you'd watch a movie or show on the service. So far, these games have been pretty tame. Things like trivia, party games, and a weirdly dated FIFA. But Netflix's next release goes in a completely different direction: It's an interactive horror experience that's gruesome, terrifying, and quite possibly the future of the company's gaming efforts.

The new game is called Unhinged, and it launches on Netflix on June 30th. It's developed by Night School Studio, which is best known for the Strange …

Read the full story at The Verge.