Welcome to the Tech Mem Ride Home for Thursday, July 15th, 2021. I'm Brian McCullough today.

Netflix hires a big name gaming executive.

Netflix retires fleets.

Facebook wants to make it rain for creators.

T.S.M.C. says the chip shortage is starting to ease.

Amazon launches serialized storytelling,

and one of the biggest unicorns in the world just six

Xt in less than a year. Here's what you missed today in the world of tech.

It's a Mark Germin scoop Thursday, but this time the scoop is not about Apple. And this time he has the assistance of his Bloomberg colleague Lucas Shaw.

The boys are reporting that Netflix has hired ex

Facebook and EA executive Mike Verdu as VP of game development at

Netflix. This is in aid of, according to sources, Netflix's plans to offer

gaming within the next year. Quote, the games will appear alongside current

fair as a new programming genre similar to what

Netflix did with documentaries or stand-up specials. The company doesn't currently

plan to charge extra for the content the people said who asked not to be

identified because the

deliberations are private.

Netflix has been seeking ways to keep growing, especially in more saturated markets such

as the US. That's included building out its kids programming, opening an online shop to sell merchandise,

and tapping Stephen Spielberg to bring more prestigious movies to its lineup. The company remains

well ahead of streaming rivals such as Disney Plus or

...