Netflix Unveils Dark and Gory Game Featuring Zoë Kravitz and Sadie Sink from the Creators of Oxenfree

Netflix’s gaming aspirations may have been dialed back, but they’re not entirely off the table. The company has announced a new narrative-driven horror adventure game, Unhinged. Touted as an “immersive gaming experience,” Unhinged features Zoë Kravitz and Sadie Sink as two friends, Ava and Claire, who must collaborate and communicate via cell phone to evade a killer lurking in a deserted apartment building.

In Unhinged, your phone becomes a controller and integral to the gameplay. Not only does it allow you to maneuver Ava, but it also serves as your connection to Claire, who lives just across the street. When Ava gets a call or message, your phone rings or vibrates, with audio playing through the speaker. Troy Baker joins the cast as Ben, a character you can also interact with through your phone.

Developed by Night School Games, the studio behind Oxenfree, Unhinged is one of Netflix’s few remaining gaming subsidiaries. Netflix acquired Night School Games in 2021 as part of its strategy to integrate gaming with its streaming services. Over the next few years, the company launched or acquired several studios and became the exclusive mobile platform for various indie and AAA titles, including Sonic Mania, Hades, and the Grand Theft Auto series. However, it soon became clear that gaming wasn’t yielding the returns Netflix anticipated. In 2024, the company closed one of its studios before it could release a game. This Southern California studio, staffed by former Halo and Overwatch developers, was working on a traditional AAA title at the time of its closure. The following year, Netflix also shut down Boss Fight Entertainment, sold Cozy Grove developer Spry Fox back to its founders, and removed many popular games from its service.

Since then, Netflix has adopted a more casual approach to gaming, shifting its focus toward party games and tie-ins with its own properties. The launch of Unhinged could indicate a return to the interactive experiences reminiscent of Black Mirror: Bandersnatch, or it might be the final effort of a notable developer before Netflix decides to sell or shut it down. Unhinged is set to launch on Netflix on June 30th.