To celebrate this year's Stranger Things day (November 6), Netflx have re-released the previously free-to-play and supported by microtransactions Stranger Things: Puzzle Tales.

As a Netflix exclusive (i.e. Netflix subscription required) and minus microtransactions.

In August it was reported that Netflix's 221 million subscribers had only made a total of 23.3 million downloads from their then 24 game catalog.

With an average of 1.7 million daily users.

That's poor.

Mobile gaming is both hugely popular and viciously monetized.

As a PC gamer we regard such games as too simplistic and the business model completely ghastly.

Re-releasing games stripped of microtransactions sounds good to us in theory, but maybe gamers who play mobile games are conditioned to accept integrated gaming and demands for their money.

Netflix spent $72 million (US) to acquire developer Next Games and their small stable of games including this.

Will that investment pay off?

Stranger Things: Puzzles Tales is free to download now, for Netflix subscribers.

[ Main Image: Stranger Things Puzzle Tales trailer. Credit: Netflix via Twitter. ]

References

Spangler, Todd (March 2, 2022). Netflix to Acquire Finland’s Next Games, Maker of ‘Stranger Things’ and ‘Walking Dead’ Titles, for $72 Million. Variety.

Stebbins, Jack (August 8). Netflix is expanding its push into video games, but few subscribers are playing along. CNBC.

Stranger Things: Puzzle Tales. Homepage. (viewed November 7, 2022)

Stranger Things: Puzzles Tales [@STPuzzleTales] (November 6, 2022). We're back! Twitter.