We first heard about Netflix' potential foray into the gaming space back in May 2021. Rumors about this venture popped up again in July but hinted at plans for 2022. A week after that, Netflix itself confirmed the reports and announced that it is indeed entering the gaming space, but did not reveal more details apart from the fact that games included in its service will come at no additional cost. Now, the company has started testing its gaming service on Android in Poland.
As revealed by Netflix Poland's Twitter account, the firm has launched its gaming service in the country. Currently, it features only two games, namely Stranger Things: 1984 and Stranger Things 3: The Game. The titles make sense given that they belong to Netflix's well-established Stranger Things intellectual property (IP) and are already available on the Google Play Store.
This is where we get some more answers to how Netflix will distribute games. As can be seen in the screenshots above, the titles will be displayed inside the Netflix app, which will basically act as an installer. Once the game has been downloaded from the Play Store, you can launch it from directly within the Netflix app.
It is important to note that Stranger Things 3: The Game costs $9.99 on the Google Play Store. However, if you are a Netflix subscriber, you can download both games for free, which is a decent saving for those interested in mobile gaming. Netflix has confirmed that there will no ads or in-app purchases in any games on its service.
The company has further stated that this is just its first step in this venture. It's unclear when the service will roll out in more countries and platforms. It will also be interesting to see if the firm adds non-Netflix IP to its service down the line.
