Netflix Launches New Version of ‘Game Dev Tycoon’ With IP Tie-Ins [Exclusive]

In 2012, players got a simplified, entertaining taste of what it’s like to work in the video game industry and build up a massive studio over years of releases with the debut of Game Dev Tycoon from Greenheart Games. Collider can now exclusively reveal that the business simulator is the latest addition to Netflix’s growing lineup of games, though it comes with a twist. Like other titles made available to subscribers, this will be an exclusive version of the game featuring tie-ins to some of Netflix’s biggest IP that will change how it’s played and add some extra flavor.

Game Dev Tycoon was a hit upon its release, garnering overwhelmingly positive reviews on the gaming platform Steam. Beginning in the 1980s amid the golden age of arcade gaming, players start in their garages as aspiring developers with minimal resources and manpower. Over time, the goal of the game is to research new technologies, craft game engines, release games, and cultivate a following through those games until you reach the heights of real-life giants like Nintendo, Bethesda, or Activision Blizzard. More challenges and possibilities open up as players grow their businesses, allowing them to create online game stores like Steam, host MMOs that require constant server upkeep, or even develop consoles.

Netflix’s edition of the game adds a few extra systems to explore throughout the development process. Rival developers can also take inspiration from the streamer’s catalog, releasing rival games like “Orange is Back” and “Squish Game.” New story events, meanwhile, recreate the real history of these IPs, with moments that mirror what happened during their development in real life and require players to exercise sound judgment to guide their company through the challenges. To extend the reach of their games, players can now also market with in-universe content creators and streamers who can share the title with their audience, either shooting it into the stratosphere or earning it widespread backlash.

‘Game Dev Tycoon’ Joins an Ever-Expanding

First launched in 2021 for Android and iOS users, Netflix’s mobile game catalog has been quietly hoovering up some beloved titles and developing tie-in projects since its debut. BAFTA-nominees Death’s Door and Dead Cells lead a list of games making the jump to the streamer alongside Spiritfarer, Shovel Knight Pocket Dungeon, and Grand Theft Auto: The Trilogy among others. Netflix also acquired Night School Studio, the banner behind the indie darling Oxenfree, in 2021, giving it an in-house studio with proven hits to its name.

Netflix has shown a willingness to get experimental with its gaming ventures too. The upcoming animated series Exploding Kittens ties in with a mobile version of the original card game which is currently available through the streaming platform. Updates will roll out for the game as new episodes of the show release, all in hopes of creating an ever-evolving world of entertainment. With its references to the hottest Netflix shows and movies, Game Dev Tycooncould offer opportunities for future additions based on what audiences are watching too, though it’s unclear at this time how much post-launch support the game will receive.

The Netflix edition of Game Dev Tycoon is available now exclusively for subscribers. Check out a few stills from the game in the gallery above.

Play on Netflix