Netflix has recently started a small beta test for cloud gaming in the United Kingdom (UK) and Canada. As someone who has studied Netflix’s portfolio of assets over the last few years as well as some agreements Netflix has with some major game publishers like Ubisoft, we are going to go over some of the top games that we could potentially see on Netflix Cloud Gaming.
Game One: Afterparty
Okay, this one is easy to start with, “Afterparty” is a 2019 adventure game where you play as deceased best friends Milo and Lola who find themselves staring into eternal hell unless they can outdrink Satan who, if defeated, will return you to earth. The reason this game is my easy first pick is that the developer of “Afterparty” is Night School Studios which was acquired by Netflix in September 2021 and is a studio that has already released two games on Netflix – one of which “Oxenfree” is one of the beta cloud games.
I’d say the likelihood of “Afterparty” coming to Netflix via cloud gaming is inevitable; so, keep a look out for this game as it could appear at any time.
Game Two: Scott Pilgrim vs. The World The Game; Complete Edition
Okay, this game might seem like a weird inclusion as it’s a tie-in to a film from 2010 but let me explain. Netflix is currently producing an anime series based on the “Scott Pilgrim” line of graphic novels alongside this the developer and publisher of this game is Ubisoft which is known for being a huge supporter of cloud gaming services like Amazon Luna and the now defunct Google Stadia. If Netflix wants to really test the power of their cloud tech as well as build hype for the Netflix adaption of “Scott Pilgrim” which is titled “Scott Pilgrim Takes Off” then this could be a good game to license.
The likelihood of this game coming to Netflix cloud gaming is medium in my opinion as we don’t know how long Ubisoft has the license for this game, nor do we know if Netflix will be interested in expanding their deal with Ubisoft.
Game Three: Narcos: Rise Of The Cartels
Now this game might be confusing to some as many readers might point out there already is a game based on the hit “Narcos” collection of television shows. The mobile game is “Narcos: Cartel Wars” which isn’t the same game as “Narcos: Rise Of The Cartels.” “Narcos: Rise Of The Cartels” is a “brutal” turn-based action strategy game and it’s based on the first season of the original “Narcos” television series.
The likelihood of this game getting added to Netflix via the cloud is a little bit more difficult to surmise than a game like “Afterparty” which is a game fully controlled by Netflix. Netflix doesn’t actually own the “Narcos” IP but does control the streaming rights. The studio behind “Narcos: Rise Of The Cartels” is BonusXP which recently shut down and the publisher is Curve Digital which has no preexisting agreement with Netflix for cloud gaming, however. But, don’t lose hope as deals can always be made.
Game Four: The Dark Crystal Age Of Resistance Tactics
Similar to “Narcos” there is a game based on this relatively popular Netflix sequel to the original “The Dark Crystal” film. However despite the popularity in niche communities “The Dark Crystal Age Of Resistance” was canceled after one season. There are quite a few similarities when it comes to the issues between this game and “Narcos.” Both games were developed by BonusXP (RIP) and both are based on Netflix shows that aren’t wholly owned by Netflix. One of the biggest differences however is the fact that, instead of being a strategy game, “The Dark Crystal Age Of Resistance Tactics” is a turn-based RPG which is a genre Netflix needs to expand on to keep players engaged for longer periods.
I would say the likelihood of this game coming to Netflix cloud gaming is also a medium if Netflix wants to negotiate with publisher En Masse Entertainment to license this game it would be a good look and could potentially lead to increased interest in Netflix reviving “The Dark Crystal Age Of Resistance” series.
Game Five: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Cowabunga Collection
Okay, so this game is likely depending on how far Netflix is willing to go with the publisher. The publisher of “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Cowabunga Collection” is the widely known (for better or worse) Konami, who hasn’t released a game on Netflix yet – but has worked with Netflix to adapt the popular game series “Castlevania” into a Netflix anime franchise. Now, if Netflix wants to license this game collection, it should run fairly well as the bulk of the games are from classic gaming platforms from roughly forty years ago and should easily run on a high-powered server. If you are hungry for some turtle power now however, Netflix does offer the game “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder’s Revenge” which is available for download on iOS and Android devices.
Game Six: Valiant Hearts The Great War
This one is a likely one! “Valiant Hearts The Great War” is the original game from Ubisoft in this franchise. Netflix had a three-game deal with Ubisoft which included an untitled “Assasin’s Creed” game, “Mighty Quest: Rogue Palace” and you guessed it, “Valiant Hearts Home Coming.” Netflix could easily expand its deal with Ubisoft to include the original Valiant Hearts game, but whether or not they do, we don’t know yet. I would like to see Netflix work with Ubisoft to bring “Valiant Hearts The Great War” to Netflix via cloud gaming alongside working with Ubisoft on an adult animated series showing the stories from the war, but alas it is but a dream.
Final Thoughts:
There we go, these are my top picks for games we could see on Netflix’s Cloud Gaming service when the platform is fully rolled out. What do you think? Did I miss any games you expected to see on such a list? If so let us know on social media at @CloudDosage on Twitter or tweet me on @NetflixGamerYT on Twitter.
