By Sagar V. Mankar 
On Thursday, Netflix announced the cancellation of six upcoming games, including a highly anticipated Lord of the Rings title. This decision reflects the streaming giant’s evolving strategy to focus on more “party” gaming experiences.
Here are the six canceled games (via What’s On Netflix):
- Tales of the Shire: A Lord of the Rings Game – Originally set for a fall 2024 release, later postponed to early 2025. It will still launch on other platforms like PS5, Xbox, Nintendo Switch, and Steam.
- Don’t Starve Together – A co-op survival game from Klei Entertainment, planned for a mobile debut on Netflix.
- Lab Rat – An indie puzzle game from Klei Entertainment.
- Rotwood – An action-packed beat-em-up from Klei Entertainment, currently in early access on Steam.
- Compass Point: West – A mobile strategy game developed by Netflix’s internal studio, Next Games.
- Thirsty Suitors – A critically acclaimed, story-driven RPG from Outerloop Games and Annapurna Interactive.
These are not the first games to be canceled; Crashlands 2 and Placid Plastic Duck were also recently removed from development, even though the latter was undergoing beta testing in several regions.
The move corresponds with recent comments from Netflix co-CEO Greg Peters, who emphasized a focus on narrative-driven games, party games, children’s content, and titles based on well-known intellectual properties.
This strategic realignment has already led to some significant changes within the company. Last year saw the closure of AAA game studio Codename Blue, and December brought the removal of several games from the service including two of the most downloaded games of GTA Trilogy.
The success of “Squid Game: Unleashed” has helped shape this new approach. The game has attracted millions of downloads and built a thriving Discord community, demonstrating the potential of games based on popular Netflix shows.
Looking ahead, Netflix has announced plans to add WWE 2K games to its roster this autumn. Additionally, new interactive fiction games based on popular Netflix shows like “Ginny & Georgia,” “Sweet Magnolias,” “Love is Blind,” and “Outer Banks” are in development under the Netflix Stories brand.
A Netflix representative explained these changes simply: they’re “part of adjusting our portfolio as we learn more about what our members like.”
The company is also exploring new territories, including the development of a Stardew Valley-inspired life simulation game powered by AI and various projects involving dual-screen gaming experiences.