Season 7 of “Black Mirror” has made a grand entrance with an intriguing addition—a brand new mobile game linked to one of its episodes. The game, “Thronglets,” developed by Netflix’s Night School Studio, serves as a captivating companion piece to the episode “Plaything.”
This unique game invites players into a world where they nurture virtual yellow pets, striving to keep them alive and thriving. The twist? Success in caretaking leads to replication, making it an increasingly challenging task to manage their needs. More than just Tamagotchi nostalgia, these quirky beings are sentient and interact with players in unexpected ways. As you gather resources and develop technologies to advance, the creatures offer insights, such as suggesting to use bones instead of axes to chop trees faster. This intriguing moral dilemma forces players to decide whether to make sacrifices for speed.
Netflix is shifting its gaming focus, and “Thronglets” is a perfect illustration of their strategic pivot. Known for its eclectic mix of indie titles, familiar favorites, and games inspired by Netflix’s intellectual properties, the company is now honing in on four areas: narrative games linked to Netflix shows, children’s games, multiplayer party experiences, and potential mainstream hits. Games based on big series, such as “Thronglets” tied to “Black Mirror,” bring fresh excitement to the table and are likely to captivate a broad audience.
Now available to Netflix subscribers on both iOS and Android, “Thronglets” marks a notable moment—it’s the first time a game has been directly woven into the storyline of a specific episode. The move comes as Netflix refines its previously scattered gaming approach, exploring ways to seamlessly integrate its most successful original content into the gaming world.
With “Thronglets” and other potential mainstream releases on the horizon, Netflix is not only revolutionizing how we experience its shows but also enhancing engagement in the digital playground. Another success story like “Squid Game: Unleashed”—which hit an impressive 20 million downloads—could well be in the making, signaling a promising future for Netflix’s innovative gaming ventures.
