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

Netflix recently announced its upcoming slate of shows and games, generating excitement but also revealing some surprising omissions. Six previously announced mobile games have been dropped from the Netflix Games lineup: Don't Starve Together, Tales of the Shire, Compass Point: West, Lab Rat, Rotwood, and Thirsty Suitors.

This isn't Netflix's first instance of removing games after initial announcements; Crashlands 2 faced a similar fate. This shift reflects a broader change in Netflix's gaming strategy. The company appears to be focusing more on narrative-driven games and titles based on its popular shows and movies, rather than a diverse portfolio of indie games. Netflix Stories, for example, is adding adaptations of Ginny & Georgia and Sweet Magnolias this year.

The Fate of the Missing Games

While disappointing for Netflix subscribers, most of these titles are still in development elsewhere. Don't Starve Together, initially slated for a Netflix mobile release, will now launch via Playdigious. Lab Rat and Rotwood, both from Klei Entertainment, have been removed from Netflix's plans, though Rotwood remains available in early access on Steam. Tales of the Shire: A Lord of the Rings Game, delayed until early 2025, has also been removed from the Netflix Games platform.

The cancellation of Compass Point: West, developed by Netflix-owned Next Games, is particularly noteworthy given its early announcement. Finally, Thirsty Suitors, a stylish RPG, will not be coming to mobile via Netflix, despite its releases on other platforms.

The removal of the Netflix Games logo from the company website further confirms these cancellations. To see what other games Netflix currently offers, visit the Google Play Store.