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Have you heard about Netflix mobile games? Neither have a lot of people, but it’s already available for mobile users worldwide. Find out more about this move and what’s next for Netflix.
What Is Netflix Gaming?
On November 9th, 2021, Netflix announced that their games were available globally on Android and iOS devices.
Want to see for yourself? Open up the Netflix app on your phone and check out the tabs at the bottom. There’s no additional cost to access these games, all you need is a Netflix subscription.
Some of their most popular games at the moment are Asphalt Xtreme, Stranger Things 1984, and Card Blast!
Public Reception
So far, reviews for the new addition have been less than raving. Business Insider said Netflix games “isn’t as exciting as we’d expected” and Digital Trends said, “At the moment, Netflix provides no reason to draw people away from playing on console, PC, or even other mobile games.”
The biggest complaint is that Netflix doesn’t seem to be taking advantage of its franchises. Other than the two Stranger Things games (Stranger Things 1984 and Stranger Things 3: The Game), the rest of the games are similar to the ones you can get for free from the app store, or can play on an airplane tv.
However, Netflix isn’t giving up.
Next Games Acquisition
Netflix’s recently hired VP of game development, Mike Verdu (who previously worked on Facebook’s Oculus and EA Games), says that his goal is “to build a library of great games for our members to enjoy.” That’s why Netflix just bought Next Games on March 1, 2022 for approximately $72 million USD.
Next Games is a mobile game development company based out of Helsinki, Finland. Among other games, they developed the Stranger Things games that are already in Netflix’s game library.
Netflix’s plan is to keep building its library. In their 2022 shareholder letter, they said “In 2022, we’ll expand our portfolio of games across both casual and core gaming genres as we continue to program a breadth of game types to learn what our members enjoy most.” So it seems like more IP games are in the pipeline.
So, is Netflix’s foray into mobile gaming paying off? It’s off to a slow start, but the Next Games acquisition may be what they need to get their feet off the ground.
More About Netflix
If you’re interested in learning more about Netflix and its management strategies, check out our guide to Reed Hastings’s book No Rules Rules.
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