This is The Stepback, a weekly newsletter unpacking one key tale from the tech landscape. For more Netflix coverage, follow Andrew Webster. The Stepback lands in subscribers’ inboxes at 8AM ET. Sign up for The Stepback here.

How it started

Boggle has turned into a family spectator event at my place. We all gather around the television as one person plays, with the group either calling out words or eagerly awaiting their chance. There is plenty of shouting. Yet it is a game my household can jump into without hassle, and as soon as play begins, others gradually wander in to participate. The unexpected twist is that this all unfolds directly via Netflix.

The streaming leader has spent nearly five years attempting to conquer gaming, achieving only occasional successes like Grand Theft Auto and Squid Game: Unleashed, without leaving a major mark. However, its newer TV games, introduced last year and featuring titles such as Boggle plus party games tied to Lego and Knives Out, suggest Netflix has at last discovered gaming that aligns perfectly with its platform. No controllers required: Players simply use their personal smartphones.

As Netflix pushes further into areas beyond standard TV and films, including live sports and interactive talent shows, these games could emerge as a foundational element of the service. It begins with Boggle.

How it’s going

The path here has been challenging. Netflix began introducing games in 2021, and at first, it looked promising. Games came bundled with standard subscriptions, starting with a well-chosen array of mobile titles. Highlights included adaptations of acclaimed indies like the sci-fi strategy hit Into the Breach, alongside exclusives such as the thrilling Laya’s Horizon. These joined Netflix show-inspired games like The Queen’s Gambit and Love Is Blind. For quality phone gaming, Netflix proved an unlikely standout.

The catch was low awareness - early data indicated fewer than 1 percent of users engaged with games. Undeterred, Netflix poured resources in, bringing on big titles, buying studios, and briefly pursuing its own AAA development team. Yet efforts lacked steady direction, with strategies evolving frequently.

For example, last year Netflix games president Alain Tascan detailed four core pillars to shape gaming ambitions, noting to me that "we need to find our voice." Shifts have continued, though. Two titles spotlighted at that 2025 event were the battle royale Squid Game: Unleashed and the cozy MMO Spirit Crossing; Netflix later closed the Unleashed studio, while Spry Fox, maker of Spirit Crossing, exited to pursue independence. The company has spent heavily on gaming, facing mostly setbacks. That AAA studio closed without releasing anything.

Gaming remains a tough arena. Even giants like Amazon have faltered, and hits like Fortnite face headwinds. Netflix’s issue was that games felt detached from its core business. Hades on mobile is neat, but required deliberate discovery. It was not discoverable amid Netflix browsing and did not retain users in the primary app, Netflix’s goal.

The TV games address this. Previously, games meant separate mobile downloads. Now they appear alongside movies and shows in a top app tab, blending naturally into Netflix. My family watches Wake Up Dead Man, then dives into a Knives Out-themed mystery game. Games are now woven into Netflix itself.

What happens next

TV games show promise, but key steps remain for them to anchor Netflix. Variety is essential to attract diverse users. The initial focus on family party games holds appeal, and past narrative tries like the interactive Black Mirror tale Bandersnatch succeeded. Oxenfree, a Stranger Things-style adventure from Netflix-owned Night School (acquired in 2021), now runs on TVs - a solid move toward expansion. Growth potential abounds.

Wider access is crucial too. TV games are in limited beta on select devices like smart TVs and streamers, but not universally. I access them on Roku but not Apple TV. Universal device support is vital.

Above all, Netflix must commit long-term. Frequent pivots would derail progress. Subscribers need time to discover the gaming option. Past efforts suffered chaos, flux, and trial-and-error. Something works now - Netflix should nurture it.

By the way

Netflix is not alone; Apple Arcade has shifted from indie havens despite its premium mobile game roots.
Microsoft’s Xbox Game Pass faces flux too, with recent price reductions and departing marquee titles.
Though TV game stats are unclear, Stephen Totilo of Game File observed in April that Netflix’s controller app led iOS rankings.

Read this

The New York Times covered last year’s TV games launch extensively, quoting Tascan on future plans: "if we are able to bring this more innovative, more approachable, frictionless experience, we will start having new partners."
For deeper Netflix insights, check my interview with David Edery, cofounder of Spirit Crossing maker Spry Fox.
Keza MacDonald, The Guardian’s games editor and Nintendo book author, praised Netflix’s prior games as the service’s "best-kept secret."

Follow topics and authors from this story to see more like this in your personalized homepage feed and to receive email updates.

Andrew Webster