It looks like Netflix is taking another huge step backward from its involvement in video games. It’s been announced that a whopping 20 games are being removed from the service, including big names like Hades, and even Netflix exclusives like Monument Valley 3.
It’s fair to say we didn’t view Netflix’s move into gaming with long-term optimism. The video streaming service’s intention to stream games, too, was announced in the rubble of Google’s abysmal attempt, Stadia, while the majority of its offerings—though often excellent—were for a long time confined to mobile devices. Clearly the company had big intentions, at one point setting up a AAA studio, Team Blue, with names like Chacko Sonny, formerly of Blizzard; Joseph Staten, known for his work on Halo; and God of War art director Rafael Grassetti. However, that didn’t survive for long, with the studio closing late last year having not released anything, not even a potential game’s name.
It was only this time last year that Netflix declared it was developing an enormous 80 new games to be added to the 96 already hosted by the service. And it’s important to note that there are some all-time classics among what’s already there. GTA San Andreas, Oxenfree, Dead Cells, Kentucky Route Zero... These are games people want to play.
However, it’s now known that their numbers are in fact going to drop by 20, with names like Hades, Braid, Monument Valley and The Case of the Golden Idol to be lost throughout July. Even more notably, some of the games listed as leaving were until now exclusive to the service, such as Rainbow Six: SMOL and Monument Valley 3. It’s unclear at this point what will happen to these games, and whether they will be made available to play anywhere else.
This move follows not only the closure of Team Blue last November, but also the move that same month to delist 20 of Netflix’s interactive television programs. Four remained, however, including popular experiments like Black Mirror’s episode “Bandersnatch,” and Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt: Kimmy vs. the Reverend, but even these are now gone as of May 2025. (For some reason Bear Grylls’ You vs. Wild remains available.)
While there’s been no official announcement, it does seem somewhat unlikely that Netflix’s previously announced plans to release a new internally developed game every month will be met. These, however, are mostly intended to be tie-ins with new shows and movies, so perhaps the company will push ahead with them as promotional material.
It does seem safe to say that Netflix’s ambitions to break into original gaming, however, look to be pretty much over. Here’s the full list of games departing the service next month, most of which are gone by July 14:
- Battleship
- Braid, Anniversary Edition
- Carmen Sandiego
- CoComelon: Play with JJ
- Death’s Door
- Diner Out: Merge Cafe
- Dumb Ways to Die
- FashionVerse
- Ghost Detective
- Hades
- Katana ZERO
- LEGO Legacy: Heroes Unboxed
- Ludo King
- Monument Valley
- Monument Valley 2
- Monument Valley 3
- Rainbow Six: SMOL
- Raji: An Ancient Epic
- SpongeBob: Bubble Pop F.U.N.
- TED Tumblewords
- The Case of the Golden Idol
- The Rise of the Golden Idol
- Vineyard Valley
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