A lot has changed in the past few months. Netflix has gone from zero to 60 since June, seemingly releasing a notable new game every few weeks. That sudden explosion hit another high note this week with the release ofDesta: The Memories Between, a standout mobile title that’s exclusive to Netflix members.
While Netflix may not have a true killer app just yet, it has built up animpressive library of gamesin just a few short months. If you already have a Netflix subscription, you might want to start paying attention to what’s included with your monthly payment. By the end of the year, you might find yourself playing Netflix games more than you watch shows on the service.
Mobile done right
Netflix’s growth as a serious gaming competitor is sudden, but not necessarily surprising. The company turned heads in 2021 when itacquiredOxenfreedeveloper Night School Studio. It was a statement acquisition at the time. In picking up an indie studio with a critically beloved game under its belt, it seemed like Netflix understood that content was king. Just having games wouldn’t be enough — they needed to be good.
Netflix was slow to capitalize on that moment, but that changed in June. The first signs of success came when the streamer launchedPoinpy, one of its first notable exclusives. Created by the studio behind mobile hitDownwell, the colorful vertical platformer gained positive buzz from major gaming publications like Gamespot and Polygon. At the moment, it’s thesecond-best-reviewed mobile game of 2022, according to Metacritic, just behind a port of 2019’sDicey Dungeons.
That seems to be an intentional strategy so far when it comes to ports of existing games. The service just added a mobile version ofOxenfree, a narrative game that only requires some simple taps to play. The service will get a mobile version of this year’sImmortalitytoo, which could wind up being the definitive way of playing it if all goes well. Even those who have played titles like this before may find themselves wanting to revisit them with more tactile controls.
Netflix’s original offerings are nothing to write off either at this point. Just this month, the service added two solid titles from indie developers with histories of success.Lucky Lunais a maze-like platformer from the team behindAlto’s Odysseythat plays like a modern reimagining of Pac-Man. Its latest game,Desta: The Memories Between, comes fromMonument Valleystudio Ustwo. While it’s a total departure from that classic, it’s a charming tactical dodgeball game with an emotionally resonant narrative at its core.
Netflix’s game library is still growing, but there’s a lot of promise on the horizon. We already know that the service will add another standout indie gem inSpiritfarerand a mobile version ofDevolver Digital’s upcomingTerra Nil, a promising reverse city builder. If you want to avoid having a gaming backlog as long as your Netflix queue, you might want to start playing now.
