Netflix first voiced an interest in using games to deepen its fan experience during an earnings call in April, and its plans to enter the market have progressed since.

Netflix co-CEO Ted Sarandos said on Monday that he’s “thrilled” with the company’s efforts to move into gaming, tapping into a $173.7 billion market. 

The streaming service dipped its toes into gaming before but has picked up its efforts in recent months.

• A 2018 “Black Mirror” episode called “Bandersnatch” was a choose-your-own-adventure special and essentially one of Netflix’s first interactive games. It has since created a “Stranger Things” game with an outside developer.
• In May, a report from The Information said the company was looking for an executive to oversee its expansion into video games. By July, it hired former EA and Facebook executive Mike Verdu, who worked on “The Sims” and “Plants vs. Zombies” franchises.
• The same report said Netflix has considered selling an Apple Arcade-like bundle of games, and that its games would not feature advertisements.

While there’s no set timeframe for the company, multiple reports in July said the streaming platform wants to offer video games within the next year at no extra cost. 

The addition could boost Netflix’s subscriber base, which had one of its lowest quarterly showings in Q2 despite a 19.4% year-over-year revenue increase to $7.34 billion.

Peloton has had a dramatic year, but its financing options are nonetheless prized for their stability by the banking industry.

Peloton contracts with lender Affirm to offer zero-interest loans on its connected bikes and other fitness machines, which are then often packaged and sold to financial institutions in search of a safe bet.

• Peloton, Affirm’s biggest client, generated around 20% of the lender’s $870.5 million in revenue for the fiscal year ending June 30.
• Unsecured loans to Peloton customers formed the bulk of the $845 million Affirm has garnered since 2020 from packaging zero-interest loans. The interest from these loan packages starts at just over 1%.
• In August, the at-home fitness giant lowered the price of its signature bike to $1,495 from $1,895. Its treadmill retails for $2,495. It resumed treadmill sales on Aug. 30, following a costly recall. 

The company recently released its own apparel line and is believed to be working on a rowing machine.

While Peloton’s revenue related to product sales dipped in the second quarter, subscriptions to its workout service have grown steadily.

The company more than doubled its connected fitness subscribers to 2.3 million in the fiscal year ending June 30, bringing in $541.7 million from that segment.

Amazon has struggled to gain purchase as a video game producer, but it’s seeking to reverse its fortunes with “New World.” 

The open-world game, released Tuesday for $40, has received strong reviews and seen promising early sales numbers from limited prereleases.

• Amazon said it had over 1 million sales during a two-week test period over the summer, making it the top-selling game on Steam at that time.
• A previous big-budget release, “Crucible,” peaked at 25,000 players before Amazon scrapped the project.
• The company is spending around $500 million annually on gaming.

Amazon is also building out the capabilities of Twitch, the streaming platform it bought in 2014 for around $1 billion. Twitch made approximately $2.3 billion in revenue last year.

The tech giant filed a patent for technology that would superimpose a video game streamer’s face onto the character they are controlling, with real-time facial expressions corresponding to the player’s. The feature could be used to enhance the streaming experience and potentially in metaverse platforms.

The company rolled out a slew of new products on Tuesday, including a home robot and a video conferencing device for children that includes games.

Amazon also added a fitness class service and a nutrition plan provider to its $3.99 per month Halo subscription service, which integrates with its Halo fitness wearables.

The Buffalo Bills plan to sell personal seat licenses to cover a portion of the cost to build a proposed new $1.4 billion stadium, according to The Buffalo News.

The team will sell a maximum of 50,000 PSLs at around $1,000 apiece, raising a minimum of $50 million in fees.

Purchasing a PSL will be required for every Bills season ticket holder.

• The PSLs will be transferable and can be resold to a third party.
• The licenses may also offer access to parking, food, drinks, and other amenities.

PSLs have been used to fund more than half of the NFL’s 30 stadiums, with every new venue opening since 2009 taking advantage of them. 

Depending on the market and seat, PSLs can fetch an asking price of more than $100,000. A total of 20 of the NFL’s 32 franchises require season ticket holders to purchase PSLs. 

The Bills’ new stadium proposal suggests a 17% reduced capacity (60,000 seats) compared to the team’s current home, Highmark Stadium, which seats 71,608. 

The county committed $227 million toward extensive renovations at the venue in 2013. The Bills’ lease there — which includes a strict no-relocation clause — ends in 2023.

Highmark Health acquired naming rights for between $4 million and $6 million a year in March.