Netflix Games has announced the departure of its former president and vice president of General Artificial Intelligence, Mike Verdu
Mike Verdu, who was serving as VP of generative AI at Netflix Games, has departed from the company.
While Netflix confirmed Verdu's exit to Game File, they did not explain the reasons behind his short tenure or who would be succeeding him.
Verdu began his tenure at Netflix in 2021, tasked with setting up its gaming sector. Following a restructure in leadership in November 2024, he transitioned to overseeing generative AI for the gaming division, with former Epic Games executive Alain Tascan stepping in to direct Netflix’s games segment.
At that time, Verdu expressed optimism about the advancements in AI, saying, "Many view [AI] technology with fear, but I am a game-maker at heart..." He noted its potential for innovation within the gaming sector.
In recent years, Netflix has been significantly expanding into the gaming market. Since Verdu's appointment in 2021, the company has bought several studios, and established two internally, though it announced plans to shut down a studio in California and canceled six game launches earlier in the year. Additionally, staff reductions affected Night School Studio, a subsidiary of Netflix.
Presently, Netflix’s game offerings are restricted to mobile phones, with total downloads surpassing 210 million by September, covering more than 100 releases.