Netflix targets survival game 'Fortnite'

Netflix, moving to fend off the challengers in the war for streaming media dominance, is taking aim at competitors from the video game world, notably 'Fortnite.' The dominant online television service has begun efforts to become more interactive as part of an effort to keep its viewers from turning to service like Epic Games 'Fortnite' and Microsoft Xbox video games.

Netflix chief executive Reed Hastings spoke of competition from the video game sector this month as he discussed the quarterly results from the company with 140 million worldwide subscribers."I think about it really as us winning entertainment time away from other activities... Xbox, 'Fortnite,' or HBO or a long list," Hastings said.

"We compete so broadly with all these different providers." A billion hours of television content is watched daily in the US, and Netflix accounts for about a tenth of it, according to Hastings. Hastings was asked about plans by Disney to launch a streaming television service this year, pulling coveted content such as shows starring blockbuster Marvel action heroes in the process.

But he appeared to focus on how consumers spend their screen time, including the growing market for participatory games and eSports including 'Fortnite'.