Squid Game: Unleashed is good for Netflix, but bad for indies
Where will we be when less brings in so much more?
- Netflix Games have made a bit of a splash by making Squid Game: Unleashed free for all
- For a service usually reliant on indie games, what would a switch to more tie-ins mean?
- Good, bad, and would it precipitate a change to Netflix's gaming model?
It seems as if the near-constant retort when you mention Netflix Games is, "They have that?" Despite a pretty hefty roster of great indies, and a few tie-ins to their lineup of shows, Netflix has always struggled to get eyeballs onto this obscure section of their subscription. So as 2024 came to a close and 2025 began I wasn't expecting much to really change.
But then Netflix made a surprising move as they announced they would be releasing their latest tie-in Squid Game: Unleashed as free-to-play for all, including non-subscribers (for a limited time at least). They’ve also gone even further in tying it into the original show, with events like a watch-along party to encourage players to dip into season two to grab new gear.
Seems good, right? Well, yes, because as I've often said Netflix Games is a surprisingly good way to experience some great-quality releases on mobile on a service that a lot of people already have.
But it does have me worried. Not losing sleep worried, but concerned because it represents a new and less welcome avenue for Netflix’s gaming service. It’s a major change to how they usually make their releases. And if it's successful, or even if this in-your-face tie-in content is the wave of the future, it may interfere with what's quietly chugged along in the background so far.
To start, I should lay it out what exactly the service is for those of you not already familiar with Netflix Games. The streaming giant’s gaming catalogue is included in the usual subscription and allows users to download a bevvy of great titles directly to their iOS or Android device. This includes the usual wave of tie-ins and a sheen of shovelware, but also some great independent releases too!
While we may currently enjoy an unprecedented, and building, wave of indies on mobile you only need to look back a few years to see when mobile was considered stormy waters for anything but a phone-first release. However, for those who didn’t have the money or the inclination, Netflix Games is a way for these potential players to get their mitts on top releases such as Into the Breach or Dead Cells.
That’s where I’ve often felt that Netflix’s strength really lies in gaming, as it boasts some truly great entries that otherwise likely wouldn’t be able to find an audience or even a widespread release on mobile. However, whether it’s good or not, Squid Game: Unleashed could represent an unwelcome shift away from this previous safe niche for indies.
IP dominationNow, I don’t want to sound naive or anything; we all knew that Netflix Games’ primary purpose would be to somehow support the wider ecosystem of the streaming platform. Get people watching, keep them hooked, etcetera etcetera. That means releases which tie into new movies and shows. You need only look as far as the fact that the upcoming Carmen Sandiego (itself based on the Netflix show) is set to come to mobile via the service ahead of both console and PC.
However, we’ve already seen the usual issue with game streaming services arise, even at the cost of some of the exclusives Netflix had such as Shovel Knight Pocket Dungeon The fact is that Netflix has been the one at fault in the past for not making the service easier to discover for users who might otherwise pass it by; so I'm lacking in faith that they might not try and take the easier route, especially with their ambitions for bigger projects being cut back by the closure of their highly-touted studio.
My worry and I’m sure the concern for many fans who have stuck with Netflix from the early days, is that Squid Game: Unleashed is a harbinger of things to come; a release that’s made purely to promote a show but manages to get big enough that it pushes out the indie fare that has supported Netflix Games since its inception.
Squid Game: Unleashed may be simple, but a multiplayer release requires a lot more in the way of back-end support than single-player. So unlike other tie-ins which have slipped by the wayside, much like Squid Game itself, I feel that Netflix may see more potential in beating the metaphorical dead horse rather than trying to continue having a diverse line-up.
Is it any good?Now, I will admit I’m no expert when it comes to Squid Game: Unleashed, or indeed the series it’s based on; but I did put a few rounds into it just to try it out. And my opinion is as most people have had, that it’s alright but it also doesn’t feel like it really does anything all too different from the myriad of fan adaptations out there. Did it make me want to watch the show? Probably not, but indeed the fact that I’m talking about it and the show itself is probably the intention.
Indeed, if you’ve playing something like Fall Guys or any other microgame collections you’ll probably know how this works. And while it does manage to be both short and sweet, without leaving you confused (especially if you have even a passing familiarity with how the competitions in the show work) I also do find it quite obnoxious that it pairs a relatively simple format with the usual bevvy of flashy currency wins and skins.
The question of how stuff like Squid Games’ massive marketing push relates to the overall themes of the show is a prominent one, and while it’s far from the first or most egregious to do it there is something rather tonally confusing about a death game being turned into a fun multiplayer romp.
But in fairness...Now, I do have to give Netflix one thing, which is that I'm genuinely surprised they didn't try and capitalise on Squid Game in this way sooner. Arguably, I think that is what undercuts my point because it seems clear that they needed a variety of other fan adaptations (the most well-known being the myriad versions on Roblox) to light the way.
In this case, I'd hazard a guess that we could almost call Squid Game: Unleashed a bit of a fluke, a rare flash in the pan where they finally realised they had a ready-made gaming service and a concept that could easily work for a multiplayer party of death. But at the same time, I usually find that all it takes is one happy accident for things begin to change rapidly.
Now, I don’t think that this means Netflix is going to shed all of its popular indie releases all at once or anything, and I’ve no doubt that the more popular ones are going to remain on the service. However, Carmen Sandiego and Squid Game: Unleashed are much different beasts compared to say, something like Too Hot to Handle or Stranger Things where their tie-ins had a much more low-budget feel (for lack of a better term).
Netflix, and many other streaming services, have been in choppy waters for some time now. So while I would’ve previously hoped they would leave their extended service alone, with things like ads now being included in their shows I think that the dam has been firmly breached. The only question now is to what extent things change, not if.
I’ve no doubt that the possibility of paying more for Netflix Games might be on the cards in future, despite my thinking that’s a terrible idea. And if it does, and they stick to the new release strategy of making their tie-ins free for all, I’ve no doubt that it’ll change the face of what has thus far been a pretty solid service chugging along in the background.
