Want to play the best Android games? You'll need a Netflix subscription
Netflix isn't just for streaming
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A Netflix subscription is the best way to play mobile games. That is not a statement I thought I'd make back in August 2021 when Netflix Games launched with a pitiful selection of titles, but the service has blossomed into a fantastic platform for mobile gamers.
Likely planned to offset the Netflix's steadily decreasing subscriber count, it's clear that in 2023, it contains the best-curated selection of games on Android, far better than Google's own Play Pass subscription.
In the spirit of Halloween, Netflix released Dead Cells on its gaming library along with all DLC, including the latest Castlevania expansion. This roguelike metroidvania has sold over 10 million copies across platforms, making this one of the most notable additions to its library. Just like every Netflix Games release, this comes at no additional cost to Netflix subscribers.
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This isn't the first big name that Netflix has snapped up. Other significant titles include expansions to mobile gaming staples like Reigns and ports of PC indie hits like Into the Breach. The company's aggressive approach has also seen it acquire exclusive mobile rights to well-reviewed games like Oxenfree 2 and Moonlighter.
This can be frustrating for those who don't want to pay a subscription fee to play games, and it can seem even more bizarre when Netflix's strategy doesn't seem to be working. Or is it?
Netflix is banking on a long-term approach to its gaming strategy
Back in 2022, we reported on statistics that showed that just 1% of the service's user base had downloaded a title from Netflix Games. A year later, the numbers haven't improved at all. But according to Netflix, a 0% year-over-year growth is apparently a good thing.
The company is reportedly taking a "crawl, walk, run" approach to gaming, seeking to plant the seeds for future success rather than gambling on short-term growth. Despite the lack of data points to support this confident statement, Netflix certainly isn't gearing up for a Stadia-style shutdown anytime soon.
The company is said to be in discussions to license a game based in Rockstar's Grand Theft Auto series, which would be the biggest name yet, and there are plans to expand beyond mobile gaming into the game streaming world, something that probably should have been there from the start.
Netflix's core users form the foundation for future gaming growth
The slow growth of Netflix Games on mobile can partly be attributed to the fact that the most used device to watch Netflix shows in 2023 was a TV. But even though the total number of mobile users is still significant (78.7m unique mobile viewers in September 2023 compared to 132.1m unique TV viewers), the roadblock of forcing users to download games from their device's app store causes a severe drop off in engagement.
Netflix is, somewhat ironically, the latest big name to join the game streaming market. The company recently expanded its cloud gaming service to the US, which allows subscribers to play a limited selection of games from the Netflix Games library on their TV using their phone as a controller.
But regardless of what platforms Netflix Games ends up spreading to, it'll bring its library with it. While it faces stiffer competition on iOS due to Apple Arcade's curated selection of high-quality games on Android, it is unparalleled. Many of its games, like Dead Cells, are already available on the Play Store but as one-time purchases roughly equivalent to the cost of a monthly Netflix subscription with ads (Netflix Games is included in every Netflix subscription tier). So, if you want to keep up to date on the best Android games without breaking the bank, you'll need a Netflix subscription.
