Netflix acquires metaverse identity platform Ready Player Me, a review of funding history

2025-12-20 02:44:10

Abstract generation in progress

【BitPush】Streaming media giant Netflix announces the acquisition of the metaverse identity platform Ready Player Me. The specific amount and terms of the acquisition have not been disclosed yet, but reports indicate that Ready Player Me will cease operations on January 31, 2026, and all team members will join Netflix.

Ready Player Me’s funding history is quite impressive. The company has received approximately $72 million in investment support. The investor lineup is luxurious—well-known figures in the tech industry such as Roblox co-founder David Baszucki, Twitch co-founder Justin Kan, and GitHub co-founder Tom Preston-Werner have all participated in investing in this company.

This acquisition reflects the emphasis that large tech companies are placing on metaverse identity solutions. As a metaverse identity platform, Ready Player Me was once a hot project supported by a16z. Now, being acquired by streaming media giants like Netflix also indicates that the metaverse ecosystem is gradually maturing.

View Original

This page may contain third-party content, which is provided for information purposes only (not representations/warranties) and should not be considered as an endorsement of its views by Gate, nor as financial or professional advice. See Disclaimer for details.

8 Likes

Reward
8
10
Repost
Share

Comment

0/400

NftRegretMachine

· 2025-12-23 01:04

Another wave of big fish eating small fish, a $72 million financing leads to an acquisition outcome. Is this the story of web3? Ready Player Me is shutting down, and those early investors' expectations are likely to be dashed. Has Netflix really started to go all in on the Metaverse? But why do I feel this shift is a bit strange? Despite raising so much money, it still couldn't avoid the fate of being acquired. Why does it feel like the big companies are the ultimate winners? Those star investors' insights aren't necessarily correct either, haha. In fact, I think this broken identification platform never had much of a future. Netflix probably only took over for the team. So, the road of Metaverse identification seems to be just like this in Netflix's eyes.

View OriginalReply0

DegenTherapist

· 2025-12-22 20:27

Spent $72 million on financing and ended up being acquired by Netflix. Do these investors feel the pain? --- Another Metaverse project is dead. Ready Player Me is real, but the Metaverse dream seems not to have awakened yet. --- Netflix's acquisition is quite interesting, but shutting down the site in 2026 is really harsh, directly taking over the whole platform. --- Among the investors are co-founders of Roblox and Twitch... This lineup shows that this thing was indeed hot at the time, but now it has still been eaten up. --- I just want to know what exactly Netflix acquired. Did they focus on their technology or just want to keep these people alive? --- The Metaverse identification solution sounds very futuristic, but it didn't survive past 2025. What a irony.

View OriginalReply0

PessimisticLayer

· 2025-12-22 13:55

Wait, is Netflix now starting to play with Metaverse identification? This trap is a bit outrageous. With 72 million in funding, they secured a bunch of pro investments, but still ended up being acquired. Is entrepreneurship in the Metaverse really this intense? That said, Ready Player Me has its shutdown scheduled for January 2026... does this mean Netflix already has other plans? After raising so much money, they still got eaten by big tech. Being an entrepreneur is really tough. Netflix wants to do everything. Are they really optimistic about the Metaverse or just into buy-buy-buy? The talent competition has escalated, it seems. To be honest, I still don't believe in this Metaverse trap, but the amount of money Netflix is throwing around is indeed fierce. With the shutdown in 2026, what do they plan to do in the year and a bit in between?

View OriginalReply0

LoneValidator

· 2025-12-20 03:14

72 million USD funding was finally acquired by Netflix, what else can be said, the metaverse dream is shattered --- It seems that all the money invested by the big shots ultimately became Netflix's lunch --- Another startup that got eaten, investors are probably going to suffer heavy losses this time --- Shut down by 2026? That’s a sign of no prospects at all, not even able to hold on until 2027 --- Is Netflix really betting on metaverse identity? But it feels a bit like industry consolidation --- David Baszucki, Justin Kan, these people really have vision... --- 720 million USD in funding finally acquired and shut down, is this the current state of web3 startups? --- Wait, is Ready Player Me really that valuable? Why acquire it?

View OriginalReply0

VibesOverCharts

· 2025-12-20 03:12

Another Web3 project that got eaten up, raising $72 million, but still couldn't escape the fate of being acquired by a big company... Is Netflix trying to jump on the bandwagon before the metaverse cools down completely? Wait, stopping service in 2026? So are the VCs investing in Ready Player Me losing out or do they have inside information? Honestly, I feel a bit regretful about Ready Player Me. People like David Baszucki still have vision, but unfortunately the timing wasn't right. If Netflix could really develop the identity system, it would be quite interesting, but it feels like after acquisition, it just gets put on the shelf. Are the metaverse identity race really this competitive these days? Does Netflix have to join in?

View OriginalReply0

ServantOfSatoshi

· 2025-12-20 03:11

Another project has been acquired, the metaverse is really cooling down The $72 million funding was forcibly taken over by Netflix. When will these investors see a return? Closing in 2026? It seems Netflix just wants to poach talent Isn't this just big companies cutting leeks? Small and medium startups really have no way out What about Ready Player Me? In the end, it was still acquired, it's scary So how much did Netflix actually spend? It's opaque The metaverse isn't as hot as imagined; reality hit too hard Netflix probably wants to integrate the metaverse identity into its ecosystem Investing so much still can't escape the fate of being acquired, a bit of a sigh After the merger, they shut down the service. This routine is becoming more and more familiar

View OriginalReply0

SatoshiChallenger

· 2025-12-20 03:10

Ironically, the "Metaverse Identity Platform" raised $72 million but was ultimately silenced by big corporations. This is what market validation looks like. They raised so much money, yet it will shut down by January 2026. I just want to ask those investors how they’re feeling right now [cold laugh]. Interesting, big companies acquire not for the product but to poach talent. Frankly, Ready Player Me itself has little value. Data speaks: another Metaverse concept dies at the commercialization hurdle. I'm not criticizing; this is a typical bubble cycle—raising money is easy, surviving is too hard. I suggest everyone remember this case. Next time someone touts the Metaverse identity, use this as a benchmark. From the funding amount, it’s indeed luxurious, but looking at the survival time, it’s just laughable. Objectively, this seems more like a "dignified liquidation" rather than a strategic acquisition.

View OriginalReply0

FortuneTeller42

· 2025-12-20 02:55

Haha, another entrepreneurial dream swallowed by a big company. The $72 million was ultimately acquired by Netflix. --- Honestly, Ready Player Me had a really strong lineup, what a pity. --- Does Netflix want a piece of the metaverse identity pie? Feels a bit late, doesn't it? --- Ending service in 2026 is a bold move. After raising so much funding, this is the final outcome. --- The investors are all big names, but it seems they couldn't prevent the fate of being acquired. --- So, is Netflix really optimistic about this track, or is it just to defend against competitors?

View OriginalReply0

MetaverseLandlord

· 2025-12-20 02:49

72 million USD funding was forcibly taken over by Netflix and shut down in 2026... Is this called "value"? lol --- Another ending to a metaverse story, feels like the usual pattern of being acquired by big companies --- Ready Player Me is directly shut down, do those investors feel pain... What are David Baszucki and others thinking? --- Netflix really buys everything, is this their final desperate attempt for their "metaverse dream"? --- Wait, the entire team joining Netflix? Is this a move to stir things up inside Netflix or is it really over? --- This deal probably issued a formal death certificate for Ready Player Me.

View OriginalReply0

TopBuyerBottomSeller

· 2025-12-20 02:48

It's another ending to a funding story, with 72 million poured in and ultimately eaten up. Netflix's move is quite interesting, directly acquiring the team as a package. Shutting down the service in 2026? Feels like the metaverse identity thing is still a bit too ahead of its time. These big shots have really sharp investment eyes. David Baszucki and others have been involved in quite a few projects, but this time it seems they still haven't waited for the "metaverse era." The acquisition amount is undisclosed, so mysterious.

View OriginalReply0