As Netflix continues to expand and refine its evolving gaming strategy—an initiative that has recently ushered in an exciting new phase centered around social and television-themed party games—the company is now advancing that vision by enabling players to craft personalized digital avatars. This step forward will be made possible through a strategic acquisition that reinforces Netflix’s ambitions in the interactive entertainment landscape. Specifically, Netflix has announced the purchase of Ready Player Me, a company renowned for its sophisticated cross-game avatar technology designed to let users maintain a cohesive digital identity as they move between different gaming experiences. According to Ready Player Me’s CEO, Timmu Tõke, this collaboration will empower Netflix players to carry their unique identities and passions seamlessly across the platform’s gaming ecosystem, unifying personal expression and fandom in a shared digital space.
At the moment, Netflix has not provided an official timeline regarding when these customizable avatars will be introduced, nor has it clarified which of its growing suite of games will be the first to incorporate them. As reported by TechCrunch, these details remain forthcoming, underscoring that the company may still be in the process of fully integrating Ready Player Me’s technology into its gaming infrastructure. Financial specifics of the acquisition have also not been publicly disclosed, reflecting Netflix’s usual discretion with strategic deal terms.
Following the acquisition, the core Ready Player Me team—comprising roughly twenty highly specialized professionals—will formally join Netflix’s internal organization. On the company’s official website, Ready Player Me has announced that its standalone services, which have been widely used by thousands of independent developers to power cross-platform avatars across various games and digital environments, will wind down and eventually become unavailable as of January 31, 2026. This transition appears to signal a decisive pivot from supporting a broad external developer base toward concentrating entirely on advancing Netflix’s proprietary gaming efforts.
Reflecting on this significant development, Tõke emphasized that Ready Player Me’s ultimate vision has always been rooted in the dream of enabling users to carry their avatars—and by extension, their digital identities—across a multitude of games and interconnected virtual worlds. He explained that the company’s journey up to this point had been a long and independent one, driven by the aspiration to transform that vision into a tangible, accessible reality for players worldwide. Tõke expressed enthusiasm about the next chapter: as part of Netflix, the Ready Player Me team will be able to amplify their technology and expertise on a truly global scale, reaching a vast international audience. In his view, this collaboration not only aligns perfectly with the company’s founding mission but also allows them to contribute directly to Netflix’s bold and rapidly unfolding vision for the future of interactive gaming and entertainment.
Sourse: https://www.theverge.com/news/848252/netflix-avatar-company-ready-player-me-acquisition
