串流影音平台進入遊戲市場之策略分析: 以Netflix和Disney+為例

Abstract

OTT串流影音產業的興起，改變過往傳統影音產業生態。OTT串流影音業者的競爭者已擴大至任何可以吸引消費者「眼球」的產業，而遊戲產業長期在娛樂產業占有重要的市場，核心遊戲玩家對遊戲的願付價格高，使用遊戲的時間久；手遊產業的發展快速，吸引遊戲公司在應用程式商店上架自家的手遊。

Netflix和Disney都積極朝往遊戲產業發展，Netflix推出Netflix Games，以免額外付費的方式提供訂閱用戶串流影音以外的娛樂選擇，加值Netflix平台；Disney則是授權Disney旗下品牌影音內容的角色IP給外部遊戲公司製作及發行，目前並無在Disney+推出遊戲。

本研究欲分析Netflix和Disney公司在遊戲產業的發展與策略，比較Netflix與Disney對自家串流影音平台和遊戲的定位及策略。供應面強調內容供應商與訂閱用戶之間的網絡效應，需求面強調訂閱用戶使用影音和遊戲的網絡效應及互補性，藉此分析Netflix與Disney+是否應在串流平台上加入遊戲。

本研究分析結果顯示Netflix應積極在Netflix平台上布局遊戲，短期以降低流失用戶、增加用戶對平台黏著度為目標，中長期以吸引外部遊戲玩家為目標，提高跨遊戲和影音的互補性，強化其影音和遊戲的正向網絡效應。Disney在遊戲和影音的定位差異大，授權遊戲和影音的客群較不重疊，雖然Disney透過外部遊戲商製作和發行遊戲將Disney旗下品牌觸及到更廣的客群，但Disney可以建立影音和遊戲的多邊網絡效應，增加Disney授權遊戲玩家及Disney+的訂閱人數。透過上架外部遊戲到Disney+，讓Disney+用戶更有機會接觸到平台外部的Disney授權遊戲，同時吸引外部遊戲玩家加入Disney+，增加Disney+的訂閱人數，進而吸引更多的內容供應商和遊戲開發商上架內容到Disney+，同時讓Disney+用戶在未來使用更多迪士尼旗下品牌的相關業務。

The rise of over-the-top (OTT) streaming services have changed the viewership one can have from the traditional media services. Competitors of OTT streaming companies have expanded to any industry that is fighting for consumers'' attention, especially the gaming industry, which has dominated the entertainment industry for a long time with core game players willing to pay higher prices and spend more time on games and casual game players benefited from the prevalence of mobile games.

Giant OTT streaming companies have dived into the gaming industry. In recent years, Netflix had been actively acquiring video game companies, such as launching Netflix Games to provide subscribers with more entertainment options without additional fees. Disney’s gaming strategy aims at partnering with gaming developers and publishers from all over the world to distribute its diverse brands to wider external game players. So far, no games are launched on Disney+.

This study aims to analyze the development, positioning, and strategy of Netflix and Disney+ companies in both the gaming industry and streaming platforms. This study will focus on the supply of network effects between content providers, platforms and subscribers; and the demand for customer complementarity of streaming videos and games. In all, this study aims to analyze whether Netflix and Disney+ should add games to their streaming platforms.

The results of this study show that Netflix should actively deploy games on the Netflix platform, with the short-term goal of reducing churn rate and with the medium and long-term goal of attracting external gamers, and strengthening network effects between its videos and games. Disney can use Disney+ as a tool for encouraging network effects between stream users and gamers. This will give Disney+ users more incentives to continue using Disney branded products and services.