Since the launch of Netflix Games in November 2021, the service has been actively working to promote and encourage its paying subscribers to utilize the gaming feature included in their subscription.
The efforts put in by Netflix are evident, and the numbers reflect their dedication. In the two years since its launch, Netflix has leveraged its established catalogue of valuable intellectual property, acquired studios for creating new content, secured big-name exclusives, and outlined ambitious plans to dominate the gaming industry. Their commitment to expanding beyond mobile gaming is also clear, with the aim to attract top talent by offering lucrative salaries.
It’s evident that Netflix is serious about establishing itself as a major player in the gaming industry.
After 25 months of determined efforts, the latest data from Sensor Tower reveals that Netflix games have been downloaded 81.2 million times worldwide across the App Store and Google Play in 2023, marking a significant 180% increase from the 2022 figures of 28.7 million installs and 5.2 million installs in 2021. Notably, the fourth quarter of 2023 accounted for 53% of the annual total, a considerable increase from 36% of the installs in 2022.
Highlighting Major Success
Examining the statistics, the recent success of the platform, despite being the result of years of hard work and investment, can be attributed to the addition of Rockstar’s Grand Theft Auto franchise. Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas is the most downloaded game on Netflix, while GTA: Vice City comes in at the sixth position, and GTA III at 11th place in 2023.
Furthermore, the combined downloads for the trilogy indicate a total of over 6.4 million downloads within a week of their arrival on the platform, accounting for an impressive 17% of Netflix’s 2023 gaming downloads. The addition of GTA led to a doubling of monthly downloads in November 2023 and a tripling in December.
It’s clear that the addition of GTA has been incredibly successful, prompting Netflix to explore further high-value intellectual property for inclusion in 2024. Additionally, the company has been rumored to be working on its own AAA games that will be released across multiple platforms. Plans for cloud gaming and cross-platform capabilities have also been announced and are set to be available later this year.
Ultimately, Netflix’s dedication to gaming is now reaping significant rewards, positioning the company as a serious contender in the gaming industry. Their future moves and partnerships are definitely worth keeping an eye on.
