Netflix released its first video games, both drawn from Stranger Things, to a single country as a test. This is what shipped, who could play it, and what the terms tell you about where the company is heading.
What Netflix released
Netflix announced it would be releasing not one but two Stranger Things games. The section was available only to users in Poland as part of an initial test, and the company said it was working to improve the experience over the following months.
The titles are Stranger Things: 1984 and Stranger Things 3, developed under licensing agreements in 2017 and 2019 respectively to accompany the second and third seasons of the series.
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- Two licensed games appear in a limited test for subscribers in Poland
- Choosing a game leads out to the mobile app store for a separate download
- Play stays on Android mobile devices rather than streaming to a television or computer
Why the launch was this small
The company said it was still in the early stages of development. It would keep improving the games section and make it available worldwide, but it wanted to test the feature with Polish players first, over a small initial trial period.
Netflix stated its objective plainly: free games for subscribers, with no ads, no advertisements and no in-app purchases. Every subscriber would get access.
The hire behind it
Netflix Gaming brought in Mike Verdu in mid-July, and that is the move that made games development possible. Verdu has worked at Zynga, EA Mobile and Facebook’s AR and VR division, and this article reads the appointment as what accelerated the company’s plans to launch a games service later that year.
What a Polish subscriber had to do
Can you play games on Netflix? Yes — though at the time only Polish Android users could, through the Netflix app on their phones.
Opening the Netflix app shows a list of newly released games. Selecting one redirects to the Google Play Store, where Netflix Gaming is downloaded and installed on the device. After installation, and after signing in, both titles appear individually inside Netflix Gaming.
The constraint worth noticing
The games can only be played from the mobile app. Contrary to what most people assumed, the Stranger Things titles cannot be played on a computer or a television — the company confirmed it did not plan to stream them, and would let users download them instead.
What happens next
Now that Netflix has entered the games market, the obvious question is which series gets adapted next. Netflix gave no information about when the games would reach other countries or iOS devices, so both remain open.
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Frequently asked questions
What were the first Netflix video games?
Two Stranger Things titles: Stranger Things 1984 and Stranger Things 3. Both were developed under licensing agreements, in 2017 and 2019 respectively, to accompany the second and third seasons of the series.
Who could play them?
At launch the games section was available only to users in Poland, as part of an initial test, and only to Android users of the Netflix app on their phones. Netflix said it was working to improve the experience in the coming months.
How does a subscriber get to the games?
Open the Netflix app and you see a list of the newly released games. Selecting one redirects you to the Google Play Store, where Netflix Gaming is downloaded and installed on the device, and once you sign in the titles appear individually inside Netflix Gaming.
Can Netflix games be played on a television or a computer?
No. The games can only be played from the mobile app, contrary to what most people assumed. Netflix confirmed it did not plan to stream them and would let users download them instead.
What is the commercial model?
Netflix stated the objective as free games with no ads, no advertisements and no in-app purchases, available to all subscribers. That is a different model from most mobile gaming, and it is the part worth watching.
Who is running Netflix Gaming?
Netflix hired Mike Verdu in mid-July to lead its games development. He has worked at Zynga, EA Mobile and Facebook’s AR and VR division, and this piece reads that hire as what accelerated the company’s plans for a games service.
