Netflix will release 40 new games this year and has another 70 games in development with its partners. It also has 16 games currently being developed in-house.
The leading entertainment company has already launched 55 games as of November 2021. When all of them are released, the total number of games will be 181.
This year, games across different genres, such as RPGs, narrative adventures and puzzle games, are scheduled for monthly release.
Highwater, a strategy game with themes of societal collapse and environmental disaster from Demagog Studio — a developer from Serbia — was released on the platform earlier this month.
Per its official statement, Netflix plans to expand its collection of games by incorporating Ustwo’s Monument Valley series. Initially, it will introduce Monument Valley 1 and 2, puzzle games designed with an isometric perspective for mobile devices.
These games were released in 2014 and 2017 and will become accessible on Netflix in 2024.
Last year, Updated Panoramic Editions of both Monument Valley games were made accessible to PC gamers for the first time.
Ustwo CEO MarÃa Sayans said the Netflix versions of the games would not have any differences compared to the current arrangements and would include all paid in-app purchases.
Other games to be released
Netflix also confirmed that Mighty Quest: Rogue Palace — a game in the rogue-lite genre in the same universe as The Mighty Quest for Epic Loot — will come out on April 18.
Teaming up with Ubisoft, Netflix will develop a game with an enhanced formula, a more complex storyline and improved frenzied action gameplay.
It is the second of three exclusive games from Ubisoft to be launched on Netflix. Valiant Hearts: Coming Home, the first exclusive game, was released in January.
The California-based company also announced that a game called Terra Nil, created by South African developer Free Lives, would be released on March 28. Terra Nil is a game where players restore a lifeless terrain into a thriving ecosystem using a reverse city-building technique.
Netflix also hinted at a collaboration with Super Evil Megacorp — the company responsible for creating Vainglory and Catalyst Black. However, the company has yet to disclose any additional information.
Netflix’s plans for gaming service
During a press briefing, Netflix VP of external games Leanne Loombe said the company’s primary focus is “on mobile today.”
She also mentioned that Netflix is developing its own cloud gaming technology, which VP of gaming Mike Verdu previously revealed during TechCrunch Disrupt in October of last year.
Per Loombe, the company envisions that cloud gaming will provide a seamless experience on any screen, which aligns with its goal of allowing subscribers to play games on any Netflix-supported device.
She further emphasized that Netflix aims to provide games suitable for all its subscribers by expanding its collection to attract both avid gamers and those who do not typically play games.
“Just like we did with the streaming side of Netflix, we are building this curated portfolio with extremely talented external developers because we want to achieve that variety and that diversity within the portfolio of games,” Loombe said.
Netflix did not provide any exact numbers regarding the performance of its gaming services among its subscribers. However, Loombe assured that the company is satisfied with the progress they have made in terms of user growth.
Most Netflix subscribers have not embraced the company’s game initiative. As of last August, less than one percent of users were regularly engaging with its games.
To work on that, Netflix is trying to encourage its audience to play games on mobile devices. It plans to achieve this by offering games related to popular franchises that correspond to Netflix shows without involving microtransactions.
Netflix has earlier revealed plans for tie-in games associated with popular shows such as The Queen’s Gambit and Shadow and Bone.
