Netflix has 232 million subscribers, but it has been trying to attract even more with its mobile games selection. In July, Oxenfree 2: Lost Signals will release, but will it finally make Netflix games worthwhile? This indie darling comes from a Netflix-acquired studio meant to broaden the streaming giant’s gaming profile. With the upcoming dry month, it could move the needle to make Netflix a respectable company in the gaming space. We need to consider quite a few things to determine if this will lead to the wave of gamers that the company has been crossing its fingers for. On July 12, we will see if it delivers or flatlines.
Will Oxenfree 2 Make Netflix Games Worthwhile?
The pandemic era has brought a new area to Netflix’s strategies: mobile gaming. Lost Signals developer, Night School Studios, was the first company acquired by Netflix in 2021. Since then, the streamer has bought Spry Fox, Next Games, and Boss Fight Entertainment. It has not been long since that ball started to roll, but 99% of the over 200 million subscribers have not been interested in the free games. Although big IPs like Transformers, Spongebob, and Stranger Things have games on the platform, they have not captured much of an audience. The money spent on studios and game development is burning a hole in the company’s wallet, especially as about 70 games are in development.
While quality first-party games like Oxenfree 2 and its predecessor certainly help to build up Netflix’s gaming stable, its third-party line is nothing to sneeze at. Seeing the Netflix service offering recent indie hits like Terra Nil, Sam Barlow’s Immortality, and Spiritfarer shows that the company is serious about its gaming division. Creating partnerships with these developers captures more attention. It starts momentum by allowing people to try out games with positive word of mouth and reviews on the streaming service for free, rather than gambling on if a game will be worth the money.
Oxenfree 2 could boost Netflix’s subscriber numbers, but confidence in the company is at an all-time low. Shows getting canceled shortly after release and a lower quality of media compared to other streaming services have hurt its reputation. Gamers already think it does not have what it takes to make it after Google’s failure with Stadia and the inconsistencies of Amazon. Branding has significance for audiences and has not looked good for Netflix in recent years.
Indies can help increase subscribers, but a megahit AAA game is the way for Netflix to be a viable place to play games and boost its subscriber numbers. One of these anticipated big-budget projects will come from former Halo Infinite leader Joseph Staten, who started at Netflix back in April. He signed on to helm a AAA multiplatform project that will be a new IP. Getting big names from the industry to work on higher-budget projects with a bigger marketing push will give Netflix a greater chance of success than indie games like Oxenfree 2. It is why the dominators of the industry, like Xbox and PlayStation, push for these blockbuster releases.
While it could find an audience across multiple platforms and gather people who played the first game, Oxenfree 2 likely won’t garner the subscribers Netflix is looking for. The game will add to Netflix’s respectable roster of mobile games, but probably not enough to create a significant boost in streaming subscriptions. Hopefully, when AAA games start to release, more people will think about getting on board to both satisfy their mobile gaming needs and add to their movie and TV streaming selections.