Netflix meets Zynga, but make it AI.

Former Netflix Games VP Mike Verdu and Zynga legend Mark Pincus just launched a new startup: Playful.AI — and they’re not thinking small. Their mission? Reinvent game development and player experiences using generative AI.

Based in San Francisco, Playful.AI is co-led by Verdu and Pincus as co-CEOs, with Verdu also acting as CFO. Joining them is Richard Sun, Netflix’s former GenAI Games Director, now stepping in as CTO.

Verdu, who once spearheaded Netflix’s push into gaming, described AI as “a once-in-a-generation inflection point” — a way to supercharge development speed and unlock entirely new creative frontiers. From AAA studios to indie teams, he sees AI as the accelerator that puts next-gen tools in everyone’s hands.

“I haven’t been this excited about games since the ’90s — back when every few months a new title redefined what was possible.”

With a team of industry heavyweights and a bold vision, Playful.AI isn’t here to follow trends.
They’re here to rewrite the game.