Netflix has had its share of struggles this year. The streaming giant lost 970,000 subscribers in the second quarter of 2022, and has been making major strategic adjustments in hopes of rebounding for most of the year.

One of the areas in which the company has been banking on seeing growth is in its expanding library of mobile games. The platform has added games from some of its most popular IPs, including “Stranger Things” and “The Queen's Gambit.”

To their credit, Netflix has been attempting various strategies to get subscribers playing. The company is developing both a mobile game and an animated series based on the popular card game “Exploding Kittens,” while also releasing a first-person shooter for the first time with “Into the Dead 2: Unleashed.”

Despite these efforts, the numbers for Netflix’s games have been lackluster so far. According to a report by CNBC, Netflix’s games see an average of 1.7 million daily users, or less than one percent of the total subscriber base of 221 million.

These numbers have not dissuaded the company from expanding its offerings, however. Netflix plans to more than double its catalog of mobile games from 24 to 50 by the end of 2022, signifying a significant investment in the space

Chief Operating Officer Greg Peters sees more games developed on popular franchises as the key, explaining, “I would say the eyes that we have on the long-term prize really center more around our ability to create properties that are connected to the universes, the characters, the stories that we’re building.”

Customers who subscribe to Netflix have access to all of its games via the mobile app for free, with no additional in-app purchases. The games are included in the price of a Netflix subscription, but the games themselves have to be downloaded via the app.

In its efforts to increase consumers’ engagement with its service, Netflix is venturing into new territory with mobile games. While it is still early days for the project, if the streamer is able to find compelling synergies between its series and movies and its games, it could continue to build a platform that is indispensable for for younger generations.

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Netflix

Netflix is a leading subscription-based video streaming service that offers on-demand access to an extensive library of over 3,000 movies, 2,000+ TV shows, and a growing collection of acclaimed Netflix originals. Renowned for producing groundbreaking content, Netflix has become a cultural powerhouse with hit originals like “Stranger Things,” “Wednesday,” “Squid Game,” “The Crown,” “Tiger King,” “Bridgerton,” “The Witcher,” and “Black Mirror.”

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The platform constantly updates its catalog, introducing fresh content alongside timeless classics and international hits. Netflix’s commitment to storytelling has also earned critical acclaim, with award-winning exclusives such as “Roma,” “Marriage Story,” “The Power of the Dog,” “Mank,” and “Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom.” In 2023, their animated film “Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio” won an Academy Award for Best Animated Feature, further solidifying Netflix’s reputation for high-quality content.

Recently, Netflix has expanded beyond standard movies and TV titles with the addition of video podcasts, and is also exploring a digital store that would offer third-party streamers within the app.

Netflix offers three plans – stream on 2 devices in HD with the “Standard with Ads” ($8.99) plan, on 2 devices in HD with the “Standard” ($19.99) plan, and 4 devices in up to 4K on the “Premium” ($26.99) plan.

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