Netflix cancels Lord of the Rings Tales of the Shire and five other games

Netflix has confirmed that it will not go ahead with six games it previously planned to release. A spokesperson for the streaming giant has reportedly said that the six games, including the Lord of the Rings game Tales of the Shire, are no longer coming out for Netflix Games due to a change in strategy. These aren’t the first games to be publicly announced and later cancelled. Recently, Netflix confirmed that Crashlands 2 will not be released despite undergoing beta testing in select regions. Similarly, the company also announced that Placid Plastic Duck will not be making its way to Netflix Games. Here’s a list of all the latest games that Netflix has cancelled:

• Tales of the Shire: A Lord of the Rings Game – Originally set for a fall 2024 release on Netflix, the game has now been delayed to early 2025. The Netflix Games logo has been removed from the title, however, it will still launch on PS5, Xbox, Nintendo Switch and Steam.
• Compass Point: West – One of the first titles planned for Netflix’s library, developed by Next Games, but the game’s release has now been scrapped.
• Don’t Starve Together – The co-op survival game from Klei Entertainment was set to debut on mobile but will no longer be released.
• Lab Rat – An indie puzzler from Chump Squad, originally announced for Netflix has also been cancelled. But, the title remains available on other platforms.
• Rotwood – An action beat-em-up title from Klei Entertainment, initially planned for Netflix but now only available in early access on Steam.
• Thirsty Suitors – A story-driven RPG from Outerloop Games and Annapurna Interactive, previously announced for Netflix, but will now be available only on other platforms.

What Netflix said about cancelling these games

In a statement to What on Netflix, a spokesperson said that these games were no longer planned for release as they are “part of adjusting our portfolio as we learn more about what our members like.”
In 2024, the company shut down one of its AAA studios, despite still operating Netflix Games Studio and owning external teams like Night School Studio, Boss Fight Entertainment, and Next Games.

During a recent earnings call, Netflix co-CEO Gregory Peters emphasised the company's commitment to expanding its gaming portfolio, aiming to launch "bigger and bigger games every year."

He noted that Netflix is currently refining its approach to game releases, which may explain the recent cancellations.
Going forward, Netflix will focus on narrative-driven games based on its franchises while also developing party and couch co-op games for TV via cloud streaming.

While Netflix’s gaming presence is primarily on mobile, the company continues working on cloud technology to stream games directly to TVs and computers.

“We think of this as a successor to family board game night or an evolution of what the game show on TV used to be. So we're excited about delivering some cool experiences in that space,” Peter noted.


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