Netflix is off to a strong start in 2026, with double-digit revenue growth. These are its first quarterly financial results since its bid to buy Warner Bros. Discovery—and create a true kids media powerhouse—fell through.

The global SVOD doesn’t seem to have missed a beat though, and is heading into the rest of the year with some big plans, including growing its new Playground app for kids games and launching a vertical video feed on mobile.

Here are highlights from Netflix’s shareholder letter and earnings call yesterday afternoon:

Revenue: Q1 revenue grew 16% to US$12.2 billion

Kids games in focus: Netflix highlighted its new kids games app Playground in both the shareholder letter and earnings call, highlighting that cultivating it is a focus for the streamer. The hub for kids games (aimed at ages eight and under) launched last week with bespoke versions of existing games in its catalogue, featuring brands such as Peppa Pig, Sesame Street and Storybots. The hub crucially allows kids to explore new games on their own, without a parent needed to download the games individually.

“Our goal is to become a destination where kids’ favorite worlds come to life through games and interactive experiences,” said Netflix co-CEO Greg Peters during the earnings call. “This extends a long history in which we have treated kids as a special audience that deserves special care.”

Playground plans: The app adds value to memberships and could help with retention, so Netflix plans to build it out. Roughly 10% of kids profiles have played Netflix games, and almost half of kids view content on mobile devices and tablets. The streamer plans to add several more games in the coming months.

Upcoming kids titles: Beyond games, some of the streaming launches on the way include a package of Sesame Street content, including more episodes of season 56 (June 8), more Ms. Rachel (pictured, this summer) and season seven of CoComelon Lane (April 20). On the film side, upcoming releases include Skydance’s new CG-animated comedy Swapped (May 1), Netflix Animation Studios/Paper Kite Productions’ Cinderella spin-off Steps (2026) and Sony Pictures Imageworks’ Charlie vs. The Chocolate Factory (2027).

Vertical video push: At the end of the month, Netflix is launching its vertical video feed on mobile. It’s been testing vertical video since last year, with a system for scrolling through clips from existing titles, which is meant to help users discover more titles on the platform.

Reed Hastings is leaving the board: The streamer’s co-founder is stepping down as chairman after nearly three decades at the SVOD. He led Netflix’s evolution into a global streaming player, and left the CEO role in 2023.  

Q2 predictions: Netflix expects revenue will grow 13% from last year’s US$11 billion, which would be roughly US$14 billion.

2026 forecast: Netflix is still predicting full-year revenue of US$50.7 billion to US$51.7 billion, which would be 12% to 14% growth compared with 2025. That increase will be driven by continued membership growth and a doubling of its ad revenue to US$3 billion, according to the shareholder letter.