Netflix reveals June 2025 release date for Squid Game season 3, and its first clip teases a new mini-game that'll have a big impact on Gi-hun and his fellow contestants

• Netflix has announced when Squid Game season 3 will be released
• The hugely popular show's final chapter will arrive in late June
• Season 3's first clip was shown exclusively to Next on Netflix 2025 attendees

Get ready for Gi-hun's final hurrah, everyone, because Netflix has confirmed when Squid Game season 3 will debut on its streaming platform: June 27, 2025.

First announced at Next on Netflix 2025 last night (January 29) before being publicly revealed almost 24 hours later, Squid Game's final season will bring Seong Gi-hun's (Lee Jung-jae) quest to stop the deadly games to an end. However, as one of season 3's first-look images – check them out below – reveals, he'll need to escape captivity first before trying to rally the latest games' remaining contestants again in a bid to thwart Front Man once and for all.

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Squid Game's first season unexpectedly took the world by storm following its September 2021 release. Indeed, thanks to Tiktok and positive word of mouth, Lee Dong-hyuk's survival drama series was soon catapulted to the top of Netflix's most-watched TV shows list of the year. Since then, it's not only gone onto become one of the best Netflix shows of all-time, but also set a seemingly unbreakable record as one of the best streaming service's most-watched TV Original ever. Not even Stranger Things, the first major hit Netflix had on its hands, could stop its unrelenting match to the number one spot. I suspect Stranger Things season 5 may run it close once it's released later this year, though.

But I digress. Squid Game season 1's meteoric rise and enduring popularity meant that the wait for its second season was an excruciating one at best. We already knew that Squid Game season 3 would be released sometime in 2025 – indeed, it was confirmed as much last August. Even so, with plenty of other big Netflix series set to return this year, it's good to know that there won't be such a long break between last season and the hugely successful Korean language show's forthcoming final chapter.

New season, new games

Full spoilers follow for Squid Game season 2.

Squid Game season 3's official release date and first-look images weren't the only things that Next on Netflix 2025 attendees were treated to. I was present at the UK edition of the now-annual event and, as part of the Los Angeles edition, the first portion of which was livestreamed to us, Netflix exclusively showed us the first clip from season 3. Major spoilers immediately follow for said footage as well as season 2's soul-crushing finale, so turn back now if you don't want to know anything.

The clip showed the latest edition of the games' remaining participants standing in a rectangular room. A giant gumball machine, which contains red and blue balls, is situated in the middle, with Squid Game's iconic pink-colored jumpsuit-wearing armed personnel standing guard.

When instructed, each contestant turns the gumball machine's handle until one of the balls drops down to be collected. Those who received a red one are told to stand in a red rectangle, whose shape is outlined on the floor. The same is true for participants who collect a blue ball. The clip ends with a disheveled and emotionally devastated Gi-hun approaching the machine to collect the final ball, which happens to be red. He's still wearing the games' famous green tracksuit, too, which is now stained with the blood of murdered best friend Park Jung-bae (Lee Seo-hwan), who was gunned down by Front Man/Hwang In-ho (Lee Byung-hun) after Gi-hun's failed rebellion in season 2's final episode.

The separation of the games' remaining contestants throws up some interesting conundrums. In season 2, at the end of each game, participants were asked to vote on whether the games should continue or not. After voting, each person was sorted into one of two camps: those who wanted to leave were given a red badge with an 'X' on it, while those who wanted to continue were given a blue badge with a 'O' adorning it.

The gumball machine mini-game completely upends that formula. Indeed, its 'random chance' element means anyone in the red camp could receive a blue ball and vice versa, meaning they could be reassigned to another group. That proves to be the case, with mother-son duo Park Yong-sik and Jang Geum-ja separated into opposing camps. Apart from voting differently after this season's 'Red Light, Green Light' game, they've both voted to leave at the end of each round. Seeing them, as well as some of season 2's other main supporting cast members, placed in a different group than before, means they'll have to form uneasy alliances with players they previously disagreed with. They may even be forced to compete against former allies, too, which will only raise the stakes in the remaining games.

I'll be reporting on Squid Game season 3 in the lead up to and during its release, so keep it locked to TechRadar for more news as and when I have it.

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