Netflix Appears to Have Cracked the Code on Gaming
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How it started
Boggle has transformed into a spectator event in my home. Everyone gathers around the TV while one of us plays, with the crowd either shouting out words or waiting for their turn. It gets pretty loud! The best part is that this experience is happening entirely through Netflix. The streaming giant has been trying to break into gaming for about five years, and aside from a few notable titles like Grand Theft Auto and Squid Game: Unleashed, it hasn’t made a significant impact. However, with its relatively new TV games launched last year, including Boggle and various party games inspired by everything from Lego to Knives Out, Netflix may have finally found a gaming approach that fits its platform. No controllers are needed; each player simply uses their smartphone.
As Netflix broadens its offerings beyond traditional TV and movies, venturing into live sports and interactive talent shows, these types of games could become a fundamental aspect of the service. And it all kicks off with Boggle.
How it’s going
The journey to this point hasn’t been smooth. Netflix began rolling out games in 2021, and at first, it seemed promising. Games were included with a regular subscription, and the service offered a well-curated selection of mobile games. There were ports of beloved indie titles like the sci-fi strategy game Into the Breach, alongside exclusive games like the thrilling adventure Laya’s Horizon. These were complemented by games based on Netflix shows like The Queen’s Gambit and Love Is Blind. If you were on the hunt for quality mobile games, Netflix was surprisingly a solid choice.
The issue? Few people seemed to notice — early reports indicated that less than 1 percent of subscribers actually engaged with the games. This didn’t deter Netflix, which invested heavily in the gaming sector, adding major titles, acquiring developers, and even attempting to establish a AAA studio. However, the strategy was inconsistent and frequently shifted.
For example, last year, Netflix’s president of games, Alain Tascan, outlined four key pillars to define the company’s gaming direction, stating, “we need to find our voice.” Yet, changes have continued since then. Two games highlighted during that event in 2025 were the battle royale Squid Game: Unleashed and the upcoming cozy MMO Spirit Crossing; since then, Netflix shut down the studio behind Unleashed, and Spirit Crossing developer Spry Fox opted to go independent. Despite significant investment, Netflix has faced numerous setbacks, including the closure of its AAA studio before it even launched a game.
Competing in the gaming space is tough. Other wealthy companies like Amazon have struggled to gain traction, and even massively popular titles like Fortnite face challenges. The problem with Netflix is that its gaming efforts often felt disconnected from its other offerings. While having Hades on my phone is cool, it required me to actively seek it out. It wasn’t something I could stumble upon while browsing Netflix, which is what the company aims for.
The new TV games address this disconnect. Previously, Netflix’s games were separate apps you had to download. Now, they’re integrated into the main Netflix app, with a dedicated tab alongside movies and shows, making them feel like a natural part of the service. My family can watch Wake Up Dead Man and then jump straight into a Knives Out-themed mystery game. Games are no longer a separate entity; they’re simply part of Netflix.
What happens next
The TV games seem to be off to a solid start, but a few things need to happen for them to truly become a core component of Netflix. First, they need more variety. There’s a lot of potential to expand the offerings and attract different audiences. The initial lineup of TV games has mostly focused on family-friendly party games, but Netflix has also seen success with narrative-driven experiments like the choose-your-own-adventure Black Mirror spinoff Bandersnatch. The Stranger Things-esque adventure game Oxenfree is currently available on TVs (Netflix acquired Oxenfree developer Night School in 2021), which is a promising step toward diversifying the game selection. There’s plenty of room for growth.
The games also need to be more widely accessible. Right now, Netflix’s TV games are in a sort of beta phase, available on select platforms — mainly smart TVs and streaming devices — but not universally. For instance, I can play games through Netflix on my Roku stick, but not on my Apple TV. Ensuring they’re available across all devices will be crucial.
Most importantly, Netflix needs to commit to this direction. The initiative won’t succeed if the company decides to shift its strategy again in a few months. It needs to give subscribers time to realize that they can play games here too. The early years of Netflix games have been marked by chaos, inconsistency, and a lot of trial and error. Something has finally clicked — now Netflix needs to build on that momentum.
