Netflix has been making some significant moves in its gaming sector recently. They released their upcoming lineup for the year, which included some exciting additions but also highlighted the absence of several previously announced titles. Notably, Netflix Games has decided to drop Don’t Starve Together from its mobile lineup, and it's not the only game to face this fate.
There Are Six Names Missing!
The streaming giant has pulled the plug on six games that were initially slated for release on their platform. If you were eagerly awaiting the chance to play 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 align with Netflix's refined gaming strategy, which is now focusing more on narrative-driven games and titles based on their popular shows and movies. This shift isn't new; Netflix previously removed Crashlands 2 from its lineup, even after starting beta testing in some regions.
So, What About the Games that Netflix Promised Like Don’t Starve Together?
Despite the disappointment, fans of these games can still look forward to their release on other platforms. Don’t Starve Together, which was set to be the first mobile version of the co-op survival game, will now be ported to mobile by Playdigious. Announced in June 2024 as part of a trio from Klei Entertainment, it's one of several titles that Netflix has decided to part ways with. Lab Rat and Rotwood, the other two Klei titles, have also been dropped by Netflix, though Rotwood continues to be available on Steam in early access.
Tales of the Shire: A Lord of the Rings Game, a cozy life sim, faced a delay from its planned fall 2024 launch to early 2025 and will no longer be part of Netflix's offerings, as evidenced by the removal of the Netflix Games logo from its website. Compass Point: West, developed by Next Games (a studio owned by Netflix), was one of the first titles announced 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 set to hit mobile via Netflix but is now off the table.
As Netflix continues to refine its gaming portfolio, fans can explore the latest offerings on the Google Play Store. Meanwhile, Netflix Stories is set to expand with the addition of popular shows like Ginny & Georgia and Sweet Magnolias later this year, aligning with their new focus on narrative-driven content.
