Netflix delisting 23 game titles: Difference between revisions
Created page with "{{IncidentCargo |Company=Netflix |StartDate=2024-12-23 |Status=Pending Resolution |ProductLine=Netflix Mobile Games |ArticleType=Service |Type=Digital restrictions |Description=Netflix delists 23 games from it's Netflix Mobile Games line. Save games not transferable. Few titles were Netflix exclusive }}" |
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{{ | == Background == | ||
| | Netflix is a subscription based video-on-demand streaming [https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/website website] that primarily distributes original and acquired [https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/movie films] and TV shows in multiple languages to end [https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/consumer consumers]. It also offers a library of [https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/video%20game video games] for mobile devices like Android based Smartphones, Apple's iPhones and iPads | ||
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| | == Incident == | ||
| | Netflix has been slowly delisting video games from it's library<ref>{{Cite web |last=Moore |first=Kasey |date=2024-12-24 |title=‘Vikings: Valhalla’, ‘Mighty Quest’, ‘Slayaway Camp 2’ & ‘Desta: The Memories Between’ Joins List of Netflix Game Departures |url=https://www.whats-on-netflix.com/news/vikings-valhalla-mighty-quest-slayaway-camp-2-desta-joins-list-netflix-game-departures/ |url-status=live |website=whats-on-netflix}}</ref> with the largest delisting of 23 titles<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |last=Moore |first=Kasey |date=2025-06-23 |title=Netflix To Remove Over 20 Mobile Games Including Monument Valley Trilogy and Hades |url=https://www.whats-on-netflix.com/news/netflix-games/netflix-to-remove-over-20-mobile-games-including-monument-valley-trilogy-and-hades/ |url-status=live |website=whats-on-netflix}}</ref> announced on 23<sup>rd</sup> June 2025<ref name=":0" />. The news came as a surprise to many users with many left wondering whether their saves would carry over to other devices or if the games would be available on any other online video game store at all<ref>{{Cite web |title=22 Games Leaving Netflix Games in July 2025 |url=https://www.reddit.com/r/NetflixGamers/comments/1liud3f/22_games_leaving_netflix_games_in_july_2025/ |url-status=live |website=Reddit}}</ref> . This also left all the games previously downloaded, unplayable due to the games requiring to communicate with Netflix servers on start up<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |last=Parrish |first=Ash |title=Netflix is letting go of some of its best indie games |url=https://www.theverge.com/news/692227/netflix-games-delisting-hades-braid-gaming-strategy |url-status=live |website=The Verge}}</ref> | ||
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| | Netflix's own website confirms, video game saves would not carry over to other devices on video games bought on other online video game stores<ref>{{Cite web |title=How do game saves work on Netflix? |url=https://help.netflix.com/en/node/123943 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250601052303/https://help.netflix.com/en/node/123943 |archive-date=2025-06-01 |access-date=2025-08-12 |website=Netflix}}</ref>. The wording "Unlimited Access"<ref name=":2">{{Cite web |title=Netflix Mobile Games |url=https://help.netflix.com/en/node/121442/us |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250617163902/https://help.netflix.com/en/node/121442/us |archive-date=2025-06-17 |access-date=2025-08-12 |website=Netflix}}</ref> for Netflix Games on their website can be considered deceptive advertising<ref>{{Cite web |title=Deceptive Advertising: Definition, Types, and Examples |url=https://www.torhoermanlaw.com/false-or-misleading-marketing/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250614085555/https://www.torhoermanlaw.com/false-or-misleading-marketing/ |archive-date=2025-06-14 |access-date=2025-08-12 |website=TorHoremanLaw}}</ref> | ||
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}} | The video games already downloaded will not work post July 15<sup>th</sup> , the date for 21 out of the 23 games that were scheduled for delisting. <ref name=":1" /> | ||
== Follow up == | |||
Developer reactions suggest the delist announcement from Netflix was a sudden move, rather than a preplanned initiative, according to discussions on their Discord servers <ref name=":3">{{Cite web |last=Moore |first=Kasey |title=“Out Of Our Control”: Developers and Gamers React To More Games Being Pulled from Netflix |url=https://www.whats-on-netflix.com/news/netflix-games/out-of-our-control-developers-and-gamers-react-to-more-games-being-pulled-from-netflix/ |url-status=live |website=What's-on-Netflix}}</ref> The founder of Color Gray Games said, in relation to their two games (The Rise of the Golden Idol and The case of the Golden Idol) that were in the list of games leaving the app on 15th July, 2025 - “''This is all recent news for us, and all the practical implications are yet to be worked out. Once we have more information, we will update you''.” | |||
Players would need to buy the video game again upon re release on new digital stores like Steam, Apple app store, Google Play store. <ref name=":3" /> | |||
No official statements were given by Netflix on the situation besides announcing the departure. Netflix's new president of games who was previously the VP of game development for Fortnite at Epic Games said in an interview in March of 2025, "''readjust and focus on fewer areas with more intention''"<ref>{{Cite web |last=Webster |first=Andrew |date=2025-03-21 |title=Netflix has a new plan for games |url=https://www.theverge.com/games/633481/netflix-gaming-strategy-alain-tascan-interview |url-status=live |website=The Verge}}</ref> highlighting the delisting might be a part of Netflix's new strategy for its video game library. | |||
== Netflix's Terms of Use == | |||
Netflix has no specific Terms of Use for it's video game's library. Instead the general Terms of Use apply to all of Netflix's services. Each specific game has it's own Terms of Use as directed by the company that developed the game. | |||
Netflix's mobile game page advertises "Unlimited access to more than 80 exclusive mobile games"<ref name=":2" /> without clear wording for what "Unlimited" means. Point 4.4 from Netflix's Terms of Use states "''The Netflix service, including the Netflix content, is regularly updated. We therefore do not guarantee that particular content will be available on the Netflix service at any given time"''<ref>{{Cite web |date=2025-08-12 |title=Netflix Terms of Use |url=https://help.netflix.com/en/legal/termsofuse |url-status=live |website=Netflix}}</ref> contradicting the advertisement. The full point reads as follows<blockquote>4.4. The Netflix service, including the Netflix content, is regularly updated. We therefore do not guarantee that particular content will be available on the Netflix service at any given time. We may give you the opportunity to watch live or special events (including replays of such content) or to enjoy new additional features. Such content and new features may contain commercial breaks and other types of commercial messages and advertising formats (“Advertisements”). Our service may also contain limited commercial content, such as branded content or sponsorship messaging, promos for Netflix content or information about other Netflix goods or services. Netflix does not endorse or sponsor any advertised products or services and any interactions with advertisers, including through engagement with interactive advertisements, are at your own option and risk. In addition, we continually test various aspects of our service, including our websites, user interfaces and promotional features. You can turn off test participation at any time by visiting the "Account" page and changing the "Test participation" settings.</blockquote>There is no point in Terms of Use of specific games studios that address the specific advertising of ''"Unlimited Access''<ref name=":2" />''"'' on Netflix. If we take the example of <u>OXENFREE II: Lost Signals</u> ,a game developed by Night School LLC acquired by Netflix in September of 2021, which is available on Netflix for download; it's terms of use states the following points<ref>{{Cite web |date=2025-08-12 |title=Netflix Games Off-Service Terms of Use & Privacy Statement |url=https://nightschoolstudio.com/privacy-tos-en/ |url-status=live |website=Night School Studio}}</ref><blockquote>6. Ownership of the Games | |||
We and our affiliates and licensors own all rights in the Games, including, without limitation, all content within the Games.</blockquote><blockquote>11. Disclaimers of Warranties and Limitations of Liability | |||
IF YOU ARE A RESIDENT OF THE EUROPEAN UNION OR THE UK, THE NETFLIX PARTIES MAKE NO WARRANTY THAT THE GAMES WILL AT ALL TIMES MEET YOUR REQUIREMENTS OR BE AVAILABLE ON AN UNINTERRUPTED, SECURE, OR ERROR-FREE BASIS. | |||
IF YOU ARE NOT A RESIDENT OF THE EUROPEAN UNION OR THE UK, THEN THE GAMES, GAME CONTENT, OR ANY FEATURES OR FUNCTIONALITIES ASSOCIATED THEREWITH, ARE PROVIDED “AS IS” AND “AS AVAILABLE” WITH ALL FAULTS AND WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND. TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, THE NETFLIX PARTIES DO NOT GUARANTEE, REPRESENT, OR WARRANT THAT YOUR USE OF THE GAMES WILL BE UNINTERRUPTED OR ERROR-FREE. NOTWITHSTANDING THE FOREGOING, THE NETFLIX PARTIES SPECIFICALLY DISCLAIM LIABILITY FOR THE USE OF THE GAMES AND ANY GAME CONTENT, INCLUDING VIRTUAL GOODS.</blockquote>These suggest the mobile game developer and Netflix hold full rights to revoke the license and delist the game from the library rendering your downloaded game unplayable, yet it's advertised as "Unlimited Access<ref name=":2" />" | |||
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