Netflix has been making some significant moves recently, and their latest list of upcoming shows and games for this year stirred quite a buzz. While the list included some exciting announcements, it was also notable for what was missing. For example, Netflix Games has decided to drop Don’t Starve Together from its lineup, and it's not the only game to face this fate.
There Are Six Names Missing!
The streaming giant has opted to remove six previously announced games from its mobile gaming offerings. If you were eagerly anticipating playing Don’t Starve Together, Tales of the Shire, Compass Point: West, Lab Rat, Rotwood, or Thirsty Suitors through Netflix Games, you'll need to look elsewhere. These titles didn't meet Netflix's criteria as they fine-tune their gaming portfolio. This isn't the first instance of Netflix pulling the plug on games; Crashlands 2 also faced cancellation, despite undergoing beta testing in certain regions.
This move reflects a larger shift in Netflix's gaming strategy, focusing more on narrative-driven games and titles tied to their popular shows and movies, rather than indie games. A perfect example of this shift is Netflix Stories, which is set to introduce popular shows like Ginny & Georgia and Sweet Magnolias later this year.
So, What About the Games that Netflix Promised Like Don’t Starve Together?
Fortunately, most of these games will still see the light of day, just not through Netflix. Don’t Starve Together, initially slated to be the first mobile version of the co-op survival hit, was announced in June 2024 as part of a trio of Klei Entertainment games headed to Netflix. Now, Playdigious is taking the reins to bring it to mobile platforms.
The other two Klei Entertainment titles, Lab Rat and Rotwood, have also been removed from Netflix's plans. Thankfully, Rotwood is still available on Steam in early access. Tales of the Shire: A Lord of the Rings Game, a cozy life simulation game originally set to launch in fall 2024, has been delayed to early 2025 and won't be part of Netflix’s lineup, as indicated by the removal of the Netflix Games logo from its website.
Compass Point: West, developed by Next Games (a studio owned by Netflix), was among the first titles announced for the platform, making its cancellation particularly surprising. Lastly, Thirsty Suitors, a stylish, story-driven RPG developed by Outerloop Games and published by Annapurna Interactive for Steam and consoles, was meant to be available on mobile through Netflix but will no longer be.
This wraps up our update on Netflix Games' decision to scrap these titles. Meanwhile, you can explore other offerings from Netflix on the Google Play Store. And since we're on the topic of Netflix, don't miss out on the exciting news about Netflix Stories adding Ginny & Georgia and Sweet Magnolias later this year.
