gaming
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Netflix's gaming platform is live, but only in Poland

Two Stranger Things games are available now through Netflix's mobile app on Android.

Screenshots of Netflix's mobile app and gaming platform.

Netflix's gaming service is live now in Poland for Android users. Two existing Stranger Things games are the first titles.

Image: Netflix

Netflix's foray into gaming has officially started, if you live in Poland. The streaming service announced on Thursday that users of its Android app in Poland can now try its in-the-works gaming platform with two existing Stranger Things games made by Netflix's developer partner BonusXP, a Texas-based studio. The games were first developed and released in 2017 and 2019, respectively.

"Today members in Poland can try Netflix mobile gaming on Android with two games, Stranger Things: 1984 and Stranger Things 3. It's very, very early days and we've got a lot of work to do in the months ahead, but this is the first step," reads the company's announcement. Netflix is promising no ads or in-app purchases, and any games that normally cost money — such as Stranger Things 3 — are now included free with an active Netflix membership.

Netflix's expansion into gaming has been a long time coming. The company has dabbled in games for years now, releasing Stranger Things titles and also exploring interactive media with specials like "Black Mirror: Bandersnatch." Earlier this year, the company began signaling its efforts to take a more serious stab at developing games. In July, the company hired Mike Verdu from Facebook's Oculus and later that month confirmed in a letter to investors that it would be focusing its efforts on mobile titles for now.

Nick Statt

Nick Statt is Protocol's video game reporter. Prior to joining Protocol, he was news editor at The Verge covering the gaming industry, mobile apps and antitrust out of San Francisco, in addition to managing coverage of Silicon Valley tech giants and startups. He now resides in Rochester, New York, home of the garbage plate and, completely coincidentally, the World Video Game Hall of Fame. He can be reached at nstatt@protocol.com.

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