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All the news about Netflix’s gaming efforts

Netflix is making a big push into video games. The company first dabbled in games with interactive titles like Black Mirror: Bandersnatch and a Carmen Sandiego game. But starting in 2021, it made gaming a much bigger priority — Netflix hired a former EA exec and let people play a selection of mobile games for free as part of their subscriptions.

Since then, Netflix’s gaming arm has launched player gamertags and started hiring to develop a “AAA PC game” while bringing on big names like former Halo lead Joseph Staten. Ubisoft has even announced several games in development for Netflix, including an Assassin’s Creed title to go with a new live-action series the two companies are working on. Netflix also rolled out more big-name titles like Monument Valley and a Tomb Raider roguelike. Most Netflix subscribers haven’t tried its games yet, but that might change soon.

In August 2023, it launched the first tests for its cloud-streamed games that let you play its titles on a TV or on the web, which could help Netflix more easily compete with other non-mobile gaming platforms.

We’ll be watching Netflix’s gaming efforts closely, and you can read our coverage right here.

  • Netflix continues run of excellent indie games with Hades in March

    Netflix continues to strengthen its lineup of games with Hades launching on iOS mobile on March 19th. The launch comes with a fancy new trailer highlighting how mobile controls will work for the escape-from-hell roguelike and you can pre-register for the game here.

    Hades represents the latest in a handful of popular games Netflix is adding to its growing roster. You can already play Oxenfree II, Kentucky Route Zero, Before Your Eyes, and Spiritfarer, while Katana Zero, Sonic Mania Plus, and Braid are due sometime this year. Late last year, Netflix added the Grand Theft Auto trilogy, which became its biggest gaming launch despite Netflix not sharing what “biggest gaming launch” meant in hard numbers. Netflix is also working on direct streaming of its games to TVs and PCs, testing the program in the UK, Canada, and to select users in the US.

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  • Ubisoft turns Rainbow Six teeny tiny for new game on Netflix

    The typically gritty world of Rainbow Six is getting a colorful makeover. Ubisoft just revealed the franchise’s latest spinoff, a mobile game called Rainbow Six: Smol that shrinks down the tactical action and adds a whole lot of goofy personality. The game is available now through Netflix games on both iOS and Android.

    “We saw an opportunity here to widen the audience a bit, with a more approachable take on the Rainbow Six universe,” creative director Renaud Forestié tells The Verge. The game features what Forestié describes as the pillars of the franchise — which include the Operator characters and destructible environments to open up new strategies — but introduces a top-down viewpoint and a cutesy art style. You can get a taste for it in the trailer above.

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  • GTA is Netflix’s biggest gaming launch so far.

    It’s not clear how many people have downloaded the mobile GTA trilogy via Netflix, but in today’s earnings report it says the release is “...our most successful launch to date in terms of installs and engagement, with some consumers clearly signing up simply to play these games.”

    That said, gaming remains a relatively minor part of Netflix’s business. Despite claiming that “engagement tripled last year,” the company said that games are still “small, and certainly not yet material relative to our film and series business.”


    A screenshot from the mobile version of Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas.
    Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas.
    Image: Rockstar Games
  • Richard Lawler

    Dec 23, 2023

    Richard Lawler

    Performance testing Grand Theft Auto’s latest remastered re-release.

    Rockstar’s attempt at launching Grand Theft Auto: The Trilogy — Definitive Edition in 2021 went so poorly that the PC version was removed from sale for a while. Now, the bundle (GTA III, GTA: Vice City, and GTA: San Andreas) is available on mobile devices and for no extra cost if you have Netflix.

    So how does it run? Digital Foundry’s iOS analysis is here, finding that despite an uneven framerate and iffy gamepad support, it “probably offers the best portable experience at the moment.”


  • Andrew Webster

    Dec 14, 2023

    Andrew Webster

    How to easily find the GTA trilogy (and other games) on Netflix

    A screenshot from the video game Grand Theft Auto: Vice City.
    Grand Theft Auto: Vice City.
    Image: Rockstar Games

    Netflix just released its biggest games yet. The Grand Theft Auto trilogy — which includes GTA III, Vice City, and San Andreas — is now available on both iOS and Android, and the games are all free to play if you’re already a Netflix subscriber. But while the streaming service has offered mobile games for a while now (and added some excellent titles to its library), actually finding games you want to play can be a bit fiddly. In the mobile Netflix app, every game is confined to a single row, which means lots of scrolling around icons that don’t seem to be in any particular order.

    It’s definitely easy to miss things. So here’s a handy trick for finding all the games Netflix offers — and it works on both Google Play and the App Store.

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  • Sean Hollister

    Dec 13, 2023

    Sean Hollister

    Netflix will have 86 games by year’s end, nearly 90 more in dev, 10 of those in-house.

    Netflix blog:

    By year’s end, we’ll have 86 games available —all included with every Netflix membership without ads, in-app purchases or extra fees. And with nearly 90 more games in development, we’re just getting started.

    Axios reports 10 are developed in-house, and that “it’s going to be a while” before Netflix streams games broadly (as opposed to download). One of the upcoming games is Sonic Mania:


  • Ash Parrish

    Nov 29, 2023

    Ash Parrish

    Netflix gets its biggest games yet with GTA trilogy in December

    Graphic depicting three women from the Grand Theft Auto trilogy with the text “Grand Theft Auto The Trilogy Definitive Edition”
    Image: Netflix

    Netflix is adding the Grand Theft Auto: The Trilogy — The Definitive Edition to its ever expanding, ever impressive roster of games just in time for the holiday need-a-20-minute-break-from-the-family season.

    Grand Theft Auto: The Trilogy — The Definitive Edition (which we’re going to call the GTA Trilogy for simplicity’s sake) is a remaster of GTA III, GTA: Vice City, and GTA: San Andreas. Players can pre-register for the games starting today on iOS and Google Play. It will be available both in the Netflix mobile app and offered separately to Netflix subscribers in the App Store and Google Play.

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  • Andrew Webster

    Nov 13, 2023

    Andrew Webster

    Netflix says the cloud will let it expand beyond mobile games

    A screenshot from the video game Hades.
    A mobile version of Hades is coming to Netflix in 2024.
    Image: Supergiant Games

    As Netflix’s foray into cloud gaming expands, so, too, will the kinds of games the company offers. “We feel like there is a real big opportunity with cloud to create a certain type of game experience that really is tailored to Netflix on TV,” says Leanne Loombe, Netflix’s head of external games.

    Netflix’s cloud gaming efforts are still very early and follow nearly two years of releasing games exclusively on mobile. Right now, only two titles are available as part of a cloud beta test on TVs and PCs, including Oxenfree. But as the service grows to include more titles, Netflix says that the kinds of games offered will differ based on platform — meaning there will eventually be titles on Netflix designed to play only on your television or PC and not a smartphone. No specifics were announced but think console-style games that don’t translate well to a touchscreen.

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  • Jay Peters

    Oct 16, 2023

    Jay Peters

    Netflix tests streaming games to US TVs to take on PlayStation and Xbox

    An illustration of the Netflix logo.
    Illustration by Nick Barclay / The Verge

    Netflix is expanding its games streaming beta to the US, the company announced in an update to a blog post. The feature, which lets you play games streamed from the cloud on devices like your TV or a computer, launched first in August in Canada and the UK.

    In the blog post, Netflix notes that it’s a “limited” beta test, so it seems like this won’t be available to too many people to start. (Netflix used that same “limited” language with the initial launch in Canada and the UK.) Like with the original test, the only two games available to stream are Oxenfree from Netflix’s own Night School Studio and another game titled Molehew’s Mining Adventure.

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  • Andrew Webster

    Sep 12, 2023

    Andrew Webster

    Football Manager is coming to Netflix.

    The long-running soccer management game returns on November 6th, available on the usual assortment of consoles and PC. The surprising part is that Football Manager 2024 Mobile will be exclusive to Netflix subscribers, after the series appeared on Apple Arcade last year. Unfortunately, you won’t be able to transfer your save on Netflix (a new feature for the series) — bad news for my long-running career dominating the K League.


  • Andrew Webster

    Aug 22, 2023

    Andrew Webster

    Netflix is launching a new series of story games, starting with Love is Blind

    Netflix is announcing not only a new game today but also a new line of narrative-driven experiences. It’s called Netflix Stories: Love is Blind, and — unsurprisingly — it’s a mobile game based on the popular Netflix reality show, where players can take on the role of a new contestant. It seems similar to the existing title Too Hot to Handle: Love is a Game, which Netflix says is one of its most popular games.

    The Love is Blind game launches on September 19th, and interested parties (who are also Netflix subscribers) can preregister to download it now. Perhaps more interesting than the single new game, however, is that the streamer says that more of these “Netflix Stories” titles are also in the works, including ones based on Money Heist and Virgin River. All of the games will be contained in a new app. Here’s how the company describes the effort:

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  • Jay Peters

    Aug 14, 2023

    Jay Peters

    Netflix now has 70 mobile games available for subscribers.

    The number is steadily creeping up, and there are some great games to choose from. However, if you’re one of the lucky few who can test out the company’s streamed games, you’ll only have access to two titles; hopefully Netflix adds more to that lineup soon.


  • Jay Peters

    Aug 14, 2023

    Jay Peters

    Netflix finally streams video games, too

    A screenshot of Oxenfree.
    Oxenfree is one of two games available as part of Netflix’s initial cloud gaming test.
    Image: Night School Studio

    Netflix is kicking off the first public tests of its cloud-streamed games. Beginning Monday, some Netflix subscribers in Canada and the UK will be able to check out Netflix games streamed to select TVs, connected TV devices, and on the web from Netflix.com.

    In a blog post, Netflix VP of games Mike Verdu characterized this as a “limited beta test” to a “small number of members,” so not all subscribers in Canada and the UK will have it right away. But even though this initial launch is small, it marks a potentially huge moment for Netflix’s gaming ambitions.

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  • Ash Parrish

    Jul 28, 2023

    Ash Parrish

    Two years later, Netflix is still experimenting with games

    Key art from The Queen’s Gambit Chess and Oxenfree II: Lost Signals featuring a side-by-side split of art from both games against a red and black gradient background
    Image: Netflix / Ripstone Games / Night School

    It wasn’t terribly shocking when Netflix announced it would be adding games to its platform. Instead, the news was treated with a mild disinterest. “Games” on the platform at that point were the “choose your own adventure” style interactive TV shows like Black Mirror: Bandersnatch and Carmen Sandiego: To Steal or Not to Steal. Though Bandersnatch had a hot moment, buzz for the “game” didn’t last terribly long. Then, when actual games first started rolling out on the platform, they were little more than inconsequential time fillers with names like Shooty Hoops.

    Then, Netflix acquired Night School, makers of Oxenfree and now Oxenfree II: Lost Signals. Indie hits like Into the Breach and Kentucky Route Zero started showing up alongside smaller, Netflix IP-based games like Nailed It! Baking Bash. Now, in the two years since the Great Netflix Gaming Experiment began, the platform’s gaming offerings encompass an impressive range of genres, complexity, and narrative substance, putting BAFTA winners next to games best suited for commutes and waiting rooms. And it’s long past time to consider Netflix not only a well-established streaming platform but an emerging (and serious) video game publisher.

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  • Andrew Webster

    Jul 12, 2023

    Andrew Webster

    Oxenfree II is a perfect spooky sequel — and one of Netflix’s best games

    A screenshot from the video game Oxenfree II: Lost Signals.
    Oxenfree II: Lost Signals.
    Image: Netflix

    When the original Oxenfree debuted in 2016, it was hard not to make Stranger Things comparisons: from the synth-heavy soundtrack to its story of kids grappling with the supernatural, the vibes were very similar. So it made a lot of sense when, in 2021, Netflix acquired Oxenfree developer Night School Studio as part of its burgeoning games effort. Now we have Oxenfree II: Lost Signals, which is an ideal sequel: it’s another creepy adventure game that stands on its own but also builds on the original in smart ways. It might also be the best video game released under the Netflix label so far.

    As a game, not much has changed in Lost Signals. It’s a 2D adventure where you wander around a beautiful small town, doing lots of talking and fiddling with radios in order to commune with paranormal forces. The story is where things have progressed. The first game followed a group of friends, led by a teen girl named Alex, who accidentally opened a portal to another realm while partying on a nearly deserted island. Lost Signals takes place a few years later and puts players in the role of Riley, a 30-something who has returned to her hometown Camena after a long time away.

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  • Andrew Webster

    Jul 7, 2023

    Andrew Webster

    Get caught up on Oxenfree before the sequel drops.

    The spooky teen adventure game Oxenfreewhich is now under the Netflix umbrella — is getting a sequel called Lost Signals on July 12th. But given that the original came out years ago, you’ve probably forgotten what actually happened on Edwards Island — which is likely why Netflix put out this handy recap.

    And if you haven’t played Oxenfree yet, it’s only a few hours long, and just the thing if you’re in the mood for a Stranger Things vibe.


  • Andrew Webster

    Jun 17, 2023

    Andrew Webster

    One of Netflix’s biggest games is getting a sequel.

    And you may be surprised to learn that it’s based on the reality show Too Hot to Handle. Here’s a first look. Netflix says it’ll be available to subscribers “soon.”


  • Andrew Webster

    Jun 6, 2023

    Andrew Webster

    Netflix is launching its Queen’s Gambit chess game in July

    The big game coming to Netflix this summer is... chess. But not just any chess: on July 25th, subscribers can download a new mobile title called The Queen’s Gambit Chess based on the streaming series of the same name. It sounds like the experience will combine story and character elements from the show with teaching players the ins and outs of the classic board game.

    Here’s the official description:

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  • Andrew Webster

    May 24, 2023

    Andrew Webster

    It’s a goo time.

    World of Goo is one of the best, squishiest puzzle games from the last two decades, and now it’s free to play on mobile if you have a Netflix account. A new “remastered” version was just launched for subscribers, and it looks like the same adorable fun as the version that debuted way back in 2008.


  • Andrew Webster

    May 2, 2023

    Andrew Webster

    Laya’s Horizon on Netflix makes flying both exhilarating and soothing

    A screenshot of the video game Laya’s Horizon.
    Image: Snowman

    The latest game release on Netflix manages to capture the thrill of flying — while somehow also turning it into something chill.

    Laya’s Horizon is the newest game from Snowman, the studio best known for serene snowboarding games like Alto’s Odyssey. And in many ways, it’s an experience that builds on what the team has done in the past. Instead of boarding through procedurally generated 2D worlds, in Laya’s Horizon, players are soaring through a handcrafted 3D open-world island full of secrets to uncover. It’s one of the best games to hit Netflix’s fledgling gaming service to date.

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  • Andrew Webster

    Apr 26, 2023

    Andrew Webster

    Netflix is getting a beautiful new wingsuit game on May 2nd

    Tears of the Kingdom isn’t the only upcoming game about soaring through the skies. Today, developer Snowman, the studio behind the Alto series, properly unveiled its next release: Laya’s Horizon, which was first teased last month. The debut trailer shows off a beautiful world where players soar through forests, mountains, and towns utilizing something like wingsuit flying. It seems like a natural evolution of the Alto games, switching the 2D snow (and sand) boarding gameplay for three-dimensional flying.

    Laya’s Horizon is also notable as it’s coming to Netflix, where it will be free to subscribers on both iOS and Android. It’ll be Snowman’s second release on the service following the jump-free platformer Lucky Luna. The streaming service has made a slow and steady push into mobile gaming and is looking to expand to other platforms in the future as well.

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  • Jay Peters

    Apr 19, 2023

    Jay Peters

    The Shovel Knight puzzle game is coming to mobile.

    Shovel Knight: Pocket Dungeon is joining Netflix’s mobile games lineup. Developer Yacht Club Games hasn’t said exactly when, but I’ve wanted an excuse to check this game out since reading Kotaku’s review, so I’ll almost certainly give it a whirl.


  • Jay Peters

    Apr 18, 2023

    Jay Peters

    Netflix’s next mobile game is here.

    Ubisoft’s Mighty Quest Rogue Palace, a new action roguelike, is launching today. Check out the game’s launch trailer below — it looks like it could be a lot of fun.


  • Jay Peters

    Apr 17, 2023

    Jay Peters

    Joseph Staten, who helped get Halo Infinite over the finish line, is joining Netflix

    An image showing Master Chief
    Image: 343 Industries / Xbox Game Studios

    Joseph Staten, Halo Infinite’s former head of creative who just announced he was leaving Microsoft, will be the creative director for a new AAA game from Netflix, Staten announced on Monday.

    “In my work life, there’s nothing I love more than collaborating with others to build worlds filled with iconic characters, deep mysteries, and endless adventures,” Staten wrote in a short Twitter thread on Monday. He didn’t share many specific details about the new game, but he says it will be a “brand-new AAA multiplatform game and original IP.”

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  • Jay Peters

    Mar 30, 2023

    Jay Peters

    Netflix might let you use an iPhone to control games on your TV

    An illustration of the Netflix logo.
    Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge

    Netflix is working on a feature that would let you use your iPhone to control games on your TV, according a new report from Bloomberg and code shared by MacRumors contributing writer Steve Moser. Netflix recently said that it wants to make its games “playable on every Netflix device that you have,” and being able to use your iPhone to play TV games could be one way to help with that mission.

    According to Moser, the iOS app apparently contains code that says: “A game on your TV needs a controller to play. Do you want to use this phone as a game controller?”

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