While Netflix's mobile gaming platform, Netflix Games, is relatively unknown, its newest offering, Oxenfree, might just be the game that brings the platform to public relevance. Oxenfree is a graphic adventure indie game that was first released in 2016 by Night School Studio to rave reviews and various awards and accolades.
This year has not been the greatest for Netflix, with the streaming service reporting 200,000 subscribers lost in the first quarter of 2022 when it expected to add over two million. Many believe that Netflix's foray into the gaming world is a way to keep users engaged between releases of flagship series such as Stranger Things. However, for the most part, the gaming platform has flown under the radar until now, even for subscribers of the streaming service.
Netflix Games has boasted some interesting releases such as Exploding Kittens, first developed as a tabletop card game, and Hextech Mayhem Netflix Edition, a rhythm game based on League of Legends, which Netflix has also developed into the hit series, Arcane. However, the lack of interest in Netflix Games has largely kept these titles from thriving. Most of its games are fairly simple tie-ins to hit series, or they're the kinds of games that were popular on Facebook in the early 2010s, à la FarmVille. While these types of games have their audiences, it's hard to imagine them as the kinds of games that people would gravitate to Netflix Games for. This is where Oxenfree might be able to shake things up.
Netflix Games' other offerings have either been games meant for more casual audiences or new releases that may appeal to gamers but lack an audience because of the platform's limited public awareness. Oxenfree sets itself apart since it's already a hit indie game with a pre-established audience. In this way, it should be able to attract more public interest as it already has word-of-mouth buzz going for it. Fans who have already played Oxenfree will be eager to share the game with those who haven't, especially since it's freely available on a streaming service that at this point seems almost universal. Gamers who haven't played the game could migrate to Netflix Gaming where they can play it without the price tag that comes on platforms like Steam.
Another promising element of Oxenfree's release on Netflix Games is that it's approachable for non-gamers. While it isn't a visual novel per se, it does play very similar to one and can be classified as an interactive narrative with playable elements rather than a game. Gameplay is relatively simple, and the focus is more on the decisions players make than the actual gameplay mechanics. Also, the game is perfect for those who just can't get enough of Stranger Things. Like the show, Oxenfree is a love letter to '80s adventure movies like The Goonies and has elements of horror, mystery, and the supernatural. All these factors make Oxenfree an easy pitch for anyone who might not play video games very often but loves to binge Netflix in their free time.
With its already stellar reputation in the gaming community and its ease of entry for newer gamers, Oxenfree is the perfect game for Netflix to kick off a more ambitious foray into the gaming world. On an even deeper level, Oxenfree's fascinating plot, superb voice acting, and familiar premise might just make it a gateway game for subscribers of the mega-popular streaming service to keep coming back for more.
Oxenfree is currently available for free on mobile for Netflix subscribers in over 30 languages.