Netflix Games Scraps Six Upcoming Indie Games From Their Roster Including Don’t Starve Together

Netflix has been making significant adjustments to its gaming lineup, and recently announced a list of upcoming shows and games for the year. However, fans noticed some anticipated titles were missing from the list. Notably, Netflix Games has decided to remove six previously announced games from its mobile offerings, including Don’t Starve Together, Tales of the Shire, Compass Point: West, Lab Rat, Rotwood, and Thirsty Suitors.

Six Games Removed from Netflix's Lineup

The decision to drop these titles reflects Netflix's efforts to refine its gaming portfolio. This isn't the first instance of such a move; Crashlands 2, for example, was also removed despite having undergone beta testing in some regions. This shift indicates a broader strategy at Netflix, leaning more towards narrative-driven games and titles inspired by their popular series and films, such as the upcoming additions to Netflix Stories featuring shows like Ginny & Georgia and Sweet Magnolias.

What Happens to the Promised Games?

Despite their removal from Netflix Games, most of these titles are still set to launch elsewhere. Don’t Starve Together, initially announced in June 2024 as part of a trio from Klei Entertainment, will now be ported to mobile by Playdigious. Similarly, Lab Rat and Rotwood, the other two Klei titles, have been dropped by Netflix but Rotwood continues its journey on Steam in early access.

Tales of the Shire: A Lord of the Rings Game, a cozy life simulation game, faced a delay from its planned fall 2024 release to early 2025. Its absence from Netflix's lineup is confirmed 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 earliest titles announced for the platform, making its cancellation particularly surprising.

Lastly, Thirsty Suitors, a stylish, story-driven RPG by Outerloop Games and published by Annapurna Interactive for Steam and consoles, was also supposed to come to mobile via Netflix but has been dropped from their plans.

Conclusion

Netflix's decision to scrap these games is part of their ongoing strategy to curate a more focused gaming portfolio. While fans may be disappointed, many of these titles will still be available through other platforms. For those interested in what Netflix Games is currently offering, you can explore more on the Google Play Store.

For further insights into Netflix's gaming and entertainment plans, keep an eye out for updates on Netflix Stories, which will soon feature popular shows like Ginny & Georgia and Sweet Magnolias.