Netflix is not satisfied with being the on-demand video-streaming giant that it already is. For years now they have been expanding their investment in gaming, working with developers to create games based on original programming and to integrate their titles on popular platforms like Roblox and Fortnite. Now they’re taking the next major step by testing mobile games within the Netflix app itself, initially in Poland. Two Stranger Things games that have been previously available on Google Play can now be played in-app.
“Stranger Things: 1984” and “Stranger Things 3” are games available on the Apple App Store, Google Play Store, and eventually desktops and consoles. Netflix subscribers in Poland will now be able to see these games on their mobile app’s center tab although they will still be redirected to install the game from the Play Store. But in order to play the game, they will have to log in using their Netflix credentials.
Let’s talk Netflix and gaming.
Today members in Poland can try Netflix mobile gaming on Android with two games, Stranger Things: 1984 and Stranger Things 3. It’s very, very early days and we’ve got a lot of work to do in the months ahead, but this is the first step. https://t.co/yOl44PGY0r
— Netflix Geeked (@NetflixGeeked) August 26, 2021
After installing it, they will be able to go back to the game either from the Netflix app or the by launching it from the app itself. Those who have previously downloaded the game from the Google Play Store will not be impacted by these changes and can in fact launch the game from their Netflix app as well. But new users of the game will now need a Netflix subscription to sign up and launch the game initially as they will now be available exclusively to subscribers.
The Stranger Things: 1984 game is previously known as Stranger Things: The Game and is a collaboration with gaming studio BonusXP. The game’s events occur between Season 1 and 2 of the series. Meanwhile Stranger Things 3 is of course a playable version of the third season of the Netflix hit so if you haven’t seen it yet, there are spoilers there. The show is expected to return for its 4th season sometime in 2022 so expect a new game in the next couple of years.
This test is meant to see if mobile gaming is something that Netflix users will be interested in and also see what improvements they can make to the overall functionality, not necessarily to the game itself. There’s no news if they’ll be expanding the testing to other countries eventually.
