Netflix Sure Botched Its Gaming Launch, Huh
Not that I’m surprised, but Netflix Games is pretty lousy. It could still grow into something pretty cool down the line, but first impressions are not stellar, and we all know how important those are - especially in games. I’m not upset about the offerings - free is free, after all - but I can’t help but feel like Netflix totally botched a huge opportunity to break into mobile games in a big way.
You may not have even heard about Netflix Games yet, and I wouldn’t blame you. The platform arrived last November on Android and iOS devices as a free add-on for Netflix subscribers. If you open the Netflix app on your phone, you’ll see a new tab at the bottom called Games. Unfortunately, you won’t actually find much to play in that tab.
At launch, Netflix Games featured around a dozen very casual games like Dominoes Cafe, Bowling Ballers, and Wonderputt Forever. That selection has grown by just a couple in the last four months, most notably with roguelike card game Arcanium and League of Legends spin-off Hextech Mayhem. More are on the way, including 2011’s brick-breaker Shattered Remastered and non-microtrans version of rail shooter Into the Dead 2, but there’s no release dates and, crucially, no big hitters on the way - at least that we know about.
Related: How To Take Better Screenshots Of Your Games
Hextech Mayhem is the closest thing Netflix Games has to a flagship title, but it missed the opportunity to drop the game when it would have made the biggest impact. Arcane was the biggest show on Netflix when Netflix Games launched back in November. Hextech Mayhem is a casual rhythm gaming starring Heimerdinger, one of the most beloved characters from Arcane, and would have been the perfect game to introduce Netflix mobile
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