Just last year, Netflix caused quite a stir when it chose Canada above the US to trial new updates to its previously existing mobile gaming service.
In September 2023, the entertainment giant announced it would be testing games compatible with PCs and TVs among a “limited number” of subscribers in the UK and Canada. Two games were initially made available to play: Oxenfree and Molehew’s Mining Adventure. Now, a few months on, how has the service developed and how is digital gaming faring in Canadian provinces?
The Gaming Landscape in Canada
Before we dive into updates to its gaming service, it’s important to state that it’s not as though digital gaming doesn’t exist in Canada without Netflix. The country is home to a burgeoning eSports scene, with teams like Vancouver Titans (currently ranked World #8 in the Overwatch division) and star players Artour ‘Arteezy’ Babaev and Kurtis ‘Aui_2000’ Ling reaping trophies and titles at national, international and world championships.
Then, there are the key developments that have seen the iGaming sector rise in profile throughout some Canadian provinces. In April 2022, a landmark ruling was made by the Ontario Court of Justice to legislate the practice of online real money wagering, opening up the market for international operators including the renowned PokerStars Casino to launch online casino gaming platforms (among other verticals) in the territory. Canadians now have access to a regulated market of probably fair, secure digital casino games such as slots, blackjack and roulette, which is proving to be a boon for the national economy too.
Video gaming has been a part of the Canadian business landscape since the early days of the industry, with an array of top studios like Ubisoft headquartered in the country (Montreal). Meanwhile, according to Statista, the total number of gamers in the region will exceed 5.5 million by 2027.
That’s not to say, though, that Netflix Games won’t contribute to the ongoing development of the industry in the country. There’s no denying the convenience that will come from being able to stream games directly to your TV using a multi-content service. Plus, mobile gaming will never lose its appeal, particularly as smartphones and data packages become cheaper, widening the accessibility of the sector to a broader demographic of potential gamers. It’s too early to tell just what kind of impact the trial of Netflix gaming has had in Canada so far, but it’s certainly going to play a contributing role by the time annual stats roll around.
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What we Know so Far About Netflix Gaming
Now, let’s take a look at the development of Netflix Games, not just in Canada but on a wider scale. Here’s a summary of everything we know so far:
Summer 2023
Prior to its beta trial in Canada and the UK, Netflix Games had a pretty impressive total of 70 mobile titles in its library, a number of which were based on existing IP such as Stranger Things.
September 2023
Following the limited beta launch, the company announced the release of a new mobile game, Netflix Stories: Love Is Blind. It may bear somewhat of a resemblance to the pre-existing Too Hot to Handle: Love is a Game, but this new release nevertheless demonstrates Netflix’ commitment to developing gaming experiences based on original IP.
November 2023
A major coup occurred last winter with the arrival of Football Manager 2024 Mobile on the Netflix platform. Although new features like save transfers aren’t available when playing via the streaming service, it’s still a landmark event in the growth of Netflix Games — especially given the fact that it trumped even Apple Arcade in gaining exclusivity of the 2024 edition.
December 2023
The biggest games yet to hit the service arrived as 2023 was drawing to a close. Netflix added the Grand Theft Auto trilogy (GTA III, Vice City and San Andreas) to its mobile library, enabling subscribers to play all three titles for free across iOS and Android devices.
February 2024
By last month, we were still waiting for the PC and TV gaming arm to develop. But, with the arrival of another mobile exclusive in the form of Rainbow Six: Smol (an adorable reworking of the highly popular eSports title), Netflix is certainly making good on its goal to add a further 90 titles to the platform before the year is out.
