The 2016 supernatural mystery game Oxenfree, developed and published by Night School Studio, is now available on mobile via Netflix. Fans of the awarding-winning indie game have been waiting for the release ever since Netflix acquired Night School Studio in September 2021 as part of its ongoing efforts to expand into the video game space.The subscription video streaming service first began taking steps to integrate gaming into the platform in 2018 when it partnered with Telltale Games. Since then, a number of titles have been released on Netflix, which are playable on portable devices like Android and iOS phones and tablets. The company acquired mobile developer Boss Fight Entertainment in March 2022, and on September 26, Netflix announced that it will be starting an internal game studio in Helsinki, Finland.Now, six years after release, Oxenfree will be playable with a Netflix subscription. The game has already been available on mobile devices since 2017, as well as on PC and last-gen consoles. The perk of the title being added to Netflix is that access is included in a standard Netflix membership, and the service currently offers more than 25 mobile games, some of which are exclusive to the platform.
Night School Studio is also currently developing Oxenfree 2: Lost Signals, which was originally slated for release in late 2021 on PC, Switch, PS4, and PS5. It’s unclear at this point whether the sequel title will now launch as a Netflix exclusive or if it will still be available on other platforms. Lost Signals is set five years after the events of the first game and introduces a brand new character named Riley.
Though some people might be excited at the prospect of Netflix branching out into video games and now even starting its own studio, others are not so enthusiastic. The company raised subscription prices at the beginning of the year, resulting in a drop in subscribers for the first time in a decade, and many people are blaming the introduction of games to the service for the price hike. Another rate increase was recently announced for some countries like the UK, and combined with rising costs due to inflation, people are again threatening to cancel their subscriptions.
Those who stick with Netflix, however, will be able to enjoy a unique and memorable game that has earned its positive reception. Oxenfree made a lasting impact on the indie game scene, and many fans have praised its appealing graphics, atmosphere, and sharp writing. Night School Studio even toyed with adapting the story into a movie, an idea that was later discarded in favor of a TV series, which is even more plausible after the developer’s acquisition by Netflix.
Oxenfree is currently available on Mobile, PC, PS4, Switch, and Xbox One.
Sources: Tom's Guide, Digital Trends