More from All the news about Netflix’s gaming efforts
There are a bunch of new games available on Netflix today! Cozy Grove: Camp Spirit is out now, as is The Case of the Golden Idol. If you like those Netflix interactive fiction games, then Netflix Stories: Perfect Match will be right for you, or just play some Hearts. Also, while not available today the streamer has announced that Thirsty Suitors is coming to the platform soon.
About three years after becoming VP of Netflix Games, Mike Verdu gave this statement to GamesIndustry.biz:
I am so proud of what we’ve accomplished, and excited to start a new team at Netflix on the cutting edge of game innovation.
He will apparently stay on as VP until a replacement is found and then work on “new technologies” (maybe something in the cloud?) in game development.
[GamesIndustry.biz]
That’s not quite how J.R.R. Tolkien started The Hobbit, but that’ll be how it goes when hobbit life simulator Tales of The Shire arrives exclusively on mobile via Netflix. Netflix also announced a ton more games joining the service this month and beyond including several games based on Netflix shows, The Case of the Golden Idol, and Don’t Starve Together.
Every week in May, Netflix will release a new game starting today with Sonic Mania Plus. On May 14th go back in time with Braid, Anniversary Edition which includes a brand-new Netflix exclusive level. Paper Trail comes the week after on May 21st and finally Netflix’s own choose-your-own romance game, Virgin River launches May 29th. Katana Zero is also coming in May with a release date coming soon.
[Netflix]
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.”
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.”
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:
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.
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.
Netflix finally streams video games, too
Oxenfree II: Lost Signals and The Queen’s Gambit Chess could not be more different, and yet both are key to understanding Netflix’s gaming philosophy.
The spooky teen adventure game Oxenfree — which 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.