Netflix Games Scraps Six Upcoming Indie Games From Their Roster Including Don’t Starve Together

Netflix has been making significant strategic shifts in its gaming division recently. They've unveiled their lineup of upcoming shows and games for the year, which sparked excitement but also raised eyebrows due to some notable absences. Notably, Netflix Games has decided to remove six previously announced titles from its mobile gaming portfolio.

Six Games Dropped from Netflix's Lineup

If you were eagerly awaiting the mobile versions of Don't Starve Together, Tales of the Shire, Compass Point: West, Lab Rat, Rotwood, or Thirsty Suitors via Netflix Games, you'll need to look elsewhere. These games didn't meet Netflix's evolving criteria for their gaming catalog. This isn't the first instance of Netflix pulling the plug on anticipated games; Crashlands 2 also faced a similar fate despite undergoing beta testing in certain regions.

Netflix's New Gaming Strategy

Netflix's decision to drop these titles aligns with a broader shift in their gaming strategy. The company is increasingly focusing on narrative-driven games and those inspired by their popular TV shows and movies, moving away from indie titles. For example, Netflix Stories is set to introduce games based on beloved series like Ginny & Georgia and Sweet Magnolias later this year.

What's Next for the Dropped Games?

While these games won't be available on Netflix, many are still finding their way to other platforms. Don't Starve Together, originally announced for a June 2024 release on Netflix as part of a trio from Klei Entertainment, will now be ported to mobile by Playdigious. Similarly, Lab Rat and Rotwood have been dropped from Netflix's plans, but Rotwood is available in early access on Steam.

Tales of the Shire: A Lord of the Rings Game, a cozy life sim, was initially slated for a fall 2024 launch but has been postponed to early 2025. The absence of the Netflix Games logo from its website suggests it won't be part of Netflix's offerings.

Compass Point: West, developed by Next Games (a studio owned by Netflix), was one of the earliest announced titles for the platform, making its cancellation particularly surprising.

Lastly, Thirsty Suitors, a stylish, story-driven RPG from Outerloop Games and published by Annapurna Interactive, was intended for a mobile release via Netflix but has since been dropped.

Exploring Other Netflix Games

While these six titles won't be available on Netflix, the platform still offers a variety of games on the Google Play Store. For those interested in Netflix's gaming developments, keep an eye on their evolving catalog and upcoming titles like those in Netflix Stories.

For more updates on Netflix's gaming strategy and the latest additions to Netflix Stories, stay tuned.