iWorld
Netflix acquires video game creator Night School Studio
Mumbai: Netflix has made its first big move in expanding its gaming portfolio with the acquisition of Night School Studio. The company has also launched a trio of casual mobile games in select European markets, according to a report by TechCrunch.
“We’ll continue working with developers around the world and hiring the best talent in the industry to deliver a great collection of exclusive games designed for every kind of gamer and any level of play,” noted Netflix vice president – game development Mike Verdu. “Like our shows and films, these games will all be included as part of your Netflix membership — all with no ads and no in-app purchases.”
Founded by Sean Krankel and Adam Hines in 2014, video game creator Night School Studio is best known for its critically acclaimed debut game “Oxenfree.”
“Netflix gives film, TV, and now game makers an unprecedented canvas to create and deliver excellent entertainment to millions of people,” said Night School Studio’s Krankel. “Our explorations in narrative gameplay and Netflix’s track record of supporting diverse storytellers was such a natural pairing. It felt like both teams came to this conclusion instinctively.”
Netflix has mentioned its plans to enter the gaming industry amidst intense competition in the streaming business with competitors gaining subscribers rapidly. Netflix launched its first gaming title based on the “Stranger Things” franchise in Poland. These titles became available via a ‘Games’ tab within the Netflix app to subscribers.
The company launched three casual games including “Shooting Hoops,” “Teeter Up” and “Card Blast” to Netflix members in Italy and Spain. Subscribers from Spain and Italy will gain access to these trio of gaming and the two existing “Stranger Things” titles that have already been released.
Netflix plans to launch games in other markets including the US in the near future. It began with Poland as an initial test market because the country has an active mobile gaming audience that made it a good fit for early feedback.
iWorld
T20 World Cup ’26: India–England semi-final sets global streaming record of 619 million views on JioHotstar
India–England semi-final records 65.2 million peak streams
MUMBAI: The ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 set a new milestone in global sports streaming, as the India–England semi-final drew record digital audiences on JioHotstar.
The match on 5 March registered 65.2 million peak concurrent viewers, the highest ever recorded for a live event on any streaming platform worldwide. The semi-final also generated 619 million views, making it the most streamed T20 international match in history.
The landmark audience numbers were driven largely by viewers in India, setting a record achieved within a single market, rather than through aggregated viewership across multiple countries.
The high-scoring encounter between India national cricket team and England cricket team produced 499 runs across both innings, fuelling widespread fan engagement across platforms.
According to the International Cricket Council, the digital record surpassed the previous global benchmark of 65 million concurrent viewers, set in November 2024 by another international streaming platform.
Across television and digital platforms combined, the semi-final reached more than 320 million viewers, while total watch time exceeded 23 billion minutes, making it the most watched T20 international match ever.
“This World Cup demonstrates the immense passion of cricket fans and the progress made in bringing the game closer to audiences worldwide,” said ICC chairman Jay Shah.
“This moment reflects the scale of cricket fandom in India and the technological capability required to serve hundreds of millions of viewers simultaneously.”
JioStar vice-chairman Uday Shankar, said the audience surge underscored the future of large-scale digital entertainment.
“One in every three Indians tuned in to watch the second semi-final. Delivering such an experience at scale requires the very best of technology,” he said.
The 619 million views during the match also eclipsed the 533 million views recorded during the final of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024.
With the final yet to be played, the 2026 tournament has already set multiple benchmarks in audience reach and digital engagement.
India will face the New Zealand national cricket team in the final on 8 March at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. The match will be broadcast on the Star Sports Network and streamed on JioHotstar.
