Netflix Nets Estonian Startup 'Ready Player Me' to Boost Gaming Avatar Technology
Online streaming giant Netflix has acquired Estonian startup Ready Player Me to strengthen its position in the gaming sector. The startup has developed a cross-game avatar technology that allows users to maintain the same digital identity across multiple games. Ready Player Me CEO Timu Teke confirmed the acquisition in a LinkedIn post. The news was reported by Engadget.
This acquisition is part of Netflix’s new gaming strategy, which emphasizes easy-to-play multiplayer games and the development of content-based gaming experiences.
The Ready Player Me team, comprising around 20 employees, will join Netflix, although among the four founders, only Timu Teke will continue working with the company in the future.
The technology allows avatars to be transformed using artificial intelligence to match the distinct art styles of various games. While Netflix has not yet announced when or in which games this technology will be implemented, the startup’s avatar system could add a new dimension to Netflix’s gaming experiences, especially with its recent focus on party games and sports-themed projects.
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