A Netflix subscription is the best way to play mobile games. That is not a statement I thought I’d make back in August 2021 whenNetflix Games launched with a pitiful selection of titles, but the service has blossomed into a fantastic platform for mobile gamers.
This isn’t the first big name that Netflix has snapped up. Other significant titles include expansions tomobile gaming staples like Reignsand ports of PC indie hits likeInto the Breach. The company’s aggressive approach has also seen it acquire exclusive mobile rights to well-reviewed games like Oxenfree 2 and Moonlighter.
This can be frustrating for those who don’t want to pay a subscription fee to play games, and it can seem even more bizarre when Netflix’s strategy doesn’t seem to be working. Or is it?
Netflix is banking on a long-term approach to its gaming strategy
Back in 2022, we reported on statistics that showed thatjust 1% of the service’s user base had downloaded a title from Netflix Games. A year later, thenumbers haven’t improved at all. But according to Netflix, a 0% year-over-year growth is apparently a good thing.
The company is reportedly taking a “crawl, walk, run” approach to gaming, seeking to plant the seeds for future success rather than gambling on short-term growth. Despite the lack of data points to support this confident statement, Netflix certainly isn’t gearing up for a Stadia-style shutdown anytime soon.
The company is said to bein discussions to license a game based in Rockstar’s Grand Theft Auto series, which would be the biggest name yet, and there are plans to expand beyond mobile gaming into the game streaming world, something that probably should have been there from the start.
Netflix’s core users form the foundation for future gaming growth
The slow growth of Netflix Games on mobile can partly be attributed to the fact that themost used device to watch Netflix shows in 2023 was a TV. But even though the total number of mobile users is still significant (78.7m unique mobile viewers in September 2023 compared to 132.1m unique TV viewers), the roadblock of forcing users to download games from their device’s app store causes a severe drop off in engagement.
But regardless of what platforms Netflix Games ends up spreading to, it’ll bring its library with it. While it faces stiffer competition on iOS due toApple Arcade’s curated selection of high-quality gameson Android, it is unparalleled. Many of its games, like Dead Cells, are already available on the Play Store but as one-time purchases roughly equivalent to the cost of a monthly Netflix subscription with ads (Netflix Games is included in every Netflix subscription tier). So, if you want to keep up to date on thebest Android gameswithout breaking the bank, you’ll need a Netflix subscription.
