Netflix has some great games, but nobody plays them

Since last year, Netflix has offered its subscribers access to free video games. Now data shows that less than one percent of its users actually play any of these games. And while the streaming giant has announced more games are coming to its service, very few of its 200 million+ subscribers are likely to care.

Already in November Netflix started offering games as part of its subscription servicewhich starts with five first titles: Stranger Things: The Game, Stranger Things 3: The Game, Card Blast, Teeter Up, and shooting hoops. It’s since been added more and now has over 25 mobile games which can be downloaded via the Netflix app on Android or iOS devices. Some of these games—how into the breach– are also very good. And all these games contain no ads or microtransactions.

As reported by CNBCvia data from app analytics companies Apptopia, Netflix games have been downloaded just over 23 million times and have an average daily audience of 1.7 million. That might sound good on paper, but it’s basically nothing compared to Netflix’s 221 million subscribers. What this data seems to show is that about 200 million people who have access to Netflix’s library of games aren’t currently playing them, or maybe don’t even know they exist.

However, with a solid slate of games that continues to grow, Netflix is ​​struggling to get anyone to care. Apptopia’s data shows that all of these games combined have 1.7 million daily viewers. There are now hundreds of crappy mobile games that alone have double.

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Last year Netflix COO Greg Peters said investors It plans to be “experimental” and “try a lot of things,” while explaining that the company is focused on “the long-term prize” of making popular games that are “connected” to Netflix shows and movies hold true.

And while Netflix says it will double its current games library by the end of the year, since only one percent of its subscribers play those games, it’s hard not to wonder how long it will be before the streamer decides its foray into gaming is too expensive and not worth it ?

Keep in mind that Netflix is ​​currently having a user retention issue. Since the beginning of this year, the streamer has lost 1.2 million subscribers. In response to the declining numbers, Netflix has cut jobs, slashed spending and canceled shows. Creating and supporting a library of games to compete with game pass or Apple Arcade is not cheap.

For example earlier this year, Netflix paid over $70 million to buy up the studio behind a stranger things puzzle game. That’s nothing, and at a time when the company wants to cut costs and compete with other vapers, it’s questionable how long it will continue to finance this game experiment.