There has been a slight erosion in the subscriber numbers of Netflix in recent times. The talk in the market has been that such a dip is not inevitable but will also continue as there are too many choices for the general public.
But even as its viewership base shrinks, Netflix has been smart enough to spread itself and increase its revenue-making potential. For instance, take Stranger Things, one of the biggest hits ever on a streamer. Right around the time of its first season in 2016, Netflix spotted a winner in it. And by 2017, around its second season, the platform apparently greenlighted the development of mobile game on Stranger Things. Mind you, Netflix formally got into the business of mobile games only in November 2021.
And now Stranger Things: 1984, Stranger Things 3: The Game have already helped the streaming service generate millions of downloads. It is abundantly clear that there is a demand for games based on Netflix's original properties.
Netflix Stranger Things: 1984 is its top mobile game
According to the blog 42matters.com, "Netflix currently boasts a catalog of 49 gaming apps, including 24 for Android and 25 for iOS. And these aren’t mere vanity projects. The vast majority have well over 100,000 total downloads. Some, such as those tied into the Stranger Things universe, have even surpassed the 1,000,000 downloads mark."
Netflix Stranger Things: 1984, Stranger Things 3: The Game, and Netflix Exploding Kittens led the way for Android, while Stranger Things: 1984, Netflix Exploding Kittens, and Netflix Asphalt Xtreme came out on top for iOS, according to the blog.
It is not just through gaming that Stranger Things has got money for the platform. It is possibly generating millions of dollars through product placement, too. product placement trackers have noticed 140 products during the first seven episodes of Stranger Things 4. A company that analyses placements in movies and web series has pegged the advertising value of being featured on season three of Stranger Things at $15 million. The numbers for the fourth season are expected to be more. The estimates hover around $25 million in free publicity for appearing on the show. That is indeed some cool money.
As gaming, advertising and traditional streaming converge, Netflix seems to be getting its act together, even though the race is far from being over. Its rivals are now slouches. Amazon has shrunk the gap between game development and streaming, offering both original series and games such as Lost Ark on Amazon Prime. Make no mistake about it, Netflix has its task cut out. But hit series like Stranger Things are making things easier for it.
