Mobile games often rely on advertising, in-game purchases, and pay-to-win mechanics to finance the games, but Netflix is an exception.
Have you played a game on your phone in recent years? If so, you have surely noticed the typical problems of the platform: pay-to-win mechanics, ads, and plenty of in-app purchases.
I can’t remember the last time I played or saw a mobile game that didn’t meet at least one of these accusations. The monetization madness simply robs me of the fun of enjoying a game on my smartphone, especially since I only use this platform when I’m on the bus, train, or waiting at my hairdresser’s.
The monetization of a game just doesn’t seem fair to me when it confronts me with pay-to-win elements. And intrusive ads that take up part of the already limited screen space are not a pleasant alternative either.
The problem is that even as a passionate gamer, you don’t always want to carry around a Nintendo Switch or a Steam Deck. Yet, you always have your smartphone with you. Still, for me, it has been more pleasant in recent years to just not play at all and instead endure boredom on a long train ride than to torture myself with pay-to-win games.
The platform became irrelevant to me as a gamer because I couldn’t get along with the monetization of many mobile games and was tired of investing my time to maybe find that one game that I consider fairly financed.
And now, years later, it seems that Netflix is creating an opportunity to once again enjoy mobile games with appropriate funding.
One of the games on Netflix is a rhythm game called “Hextech Mayhem: A League of Legends Story,” which costs €8.99 on Steam. Here, we include the official launch trailer:
Mobile Games Without Pay-to-Win and Ads
Don’t get me wrong, I’m an incredible miser. Accordingly, I’m not a fan of subscription models and avoid paid memberships if possible. Nevertheless, I am a fan of movies and series and a Netflix customer.
This doesn’t mean that I agree with all the company’s decisions, but binge-watching series is part of my daily routine. The fact that I can now download and play games on Netflix as a customer is, in a way, a bonus.
Netflix has the advantage that it doesn’t rely on the, in my opinion, annoying features of many mobile games due to the subscription model: pay-to-win, ads, and in-game purchases. The new co-CEO of Netflix, Greg Peters, also stated this in an investor call in June 2021 when Netflix announced its entry into the gaming market.
For me as a gamer, this means that I can have fun with the games without hindrance. I know from the start how the games are financed: through the subscription. I will never have to deal with pay-to-win mechanics or annoying ads there.
Not a Full-fledged Gaming Product, But a Bonus
I want to emphasize again that Netflix’s offer is not comparable to the Xbox Game Pass or PlayStation Plus for me. It is not a standalone and full-fledged gaming product.
Yes, I get access to games by paying a subscription. But no, the selection of games is not phenomenally large, and the available games are not AAA titles. As I said, it is a worthwhile bonus that I as a customer of a streaming service for movies and series get.
Consequently, I would not sign up for a Netflix subscription just to occasionally play a few mobile games. But if I’m already a Netflix customer, it’s a very good opportunity for me to play games that are fairly monetized.
If you are a Netflix customer and want to check out the game catalog of the streaming service, read on MeinMMO, how you can play games on Netflix.
