Netflix is continuing to build its gaming platform with more and more titles added regularly, but a recent report has noted that less than 1 percent of the OTT giant’s 221 million subscribers play them on a regular basis. Launched last year in November, Netflix Games is primarily used by the platform to promote its upcoming shows, or just to keep a general hype going around its most popular shows, including Stranger Things. The recent findings come after Netflix lost 1.3 million users globally between May and the end of June.
These games by Netflix need to be downloaded as separate apps, and can only be accessed by subscribers. As per data from app analytics firm Apptopia, obtained by CNBC, Netflix’s games have been downloaded a total of 23.3 million times. On average, Netflix games have seen only 1.7 million users per day globally. That’s less than 1 percent of Netflix’s total subscriber base.
Netflix Games can be accessed with an active Netflix membership and come with features such as no advertisements, no in-app purchases, and no extra fees. The lineup includes titles such as Stranger Things: 1984, Hextech Mayhem: A League of Legends Story, and Exploding Kittens. A total of 50 games are expected to be featured on Netflix’s catalogue by the end of 2022, including a new chess game based on “Queen’s Gambit”.
Netflix has been steadily losing subscribers recently, with over 200,000 subscribers leaving the streamer during Q1 2022 — for the first time in over a decade — followed by 1.3 million more in the second quarter. The platform has let go of around 450 employees to cope with the slowing revenue growth. “These changes are primarily driven by business needs rather than individual performance, which makes them especially tough as none of us want to say goodbye to such great colleagues. We’re working hard to support them through this very difficult transition,” Netflix had said in a statement.