Cowabunga! How Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Is Entering Netflix's Mobile Gaming Universe

One of the most iconic children’s cartoons of the 1980s and 1990s also spanned a series of arcade game hits.

In the same arcade style famous from the series, streaming giant Netflix Inc (NASDAQ: NFLX) now has a mobile game version fans of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (TMNT) will want to hear all about.

What Happened: Streaming giant Netflix made a push into mobile gaming with the launch of games based on its own hit shows such as "Stranger Things" and also through a series of acquisitions of gaming companies over the past year.

Now, Netflix could have a hit mobile game that appeals to nostalgic fans of the TMNT brand, which in the past included animated series, bestselling toys and arcade games.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder’s Revenge is a modern take on the famous arcade games in TMNT history. The game was released on consoles and for PC in 2022.

Netflix now launched a mobile game version available for iOS and Android users that are free to play for all Netflix subscribers, as reported by The Verge. 

The game can be downloaded on mobile phones by users who sign in with their Netflix subscription.

“Kick shell with Leonardo, Raphael, Donatello, Michelangelo or other familiar friends in this totally tubular ‘80s-inspired beat ‘em up. Cowabunga!” the game description reads.

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Why It’s Important: Netflix launched mobile games in November 2021 as a push to diversify from streaming and capture a larger piece of the overall entertainment industry.

The move was also seen as a way to fight churn and gain subscribers.

Benzinga reported on the rumors of gaming offerings from Netflix in May 2021 and shared how the move could help the company in the future. Since that time, the company launched dozens of games and acquired studios to help expand its presence in the space.

In 2022, game data showed Netflix had 1.7 million daily active users and 23.3 million downloads in around a year’s time.

The company continued to aggressively expand its gaming presence with offerings from popular brands such as Hello Kitty, Spongebob Squarepants, Exploding Kitties and Head’s Up.

Netflix offers mobile games for free to all subscribers with no ads or in-app purchases. The move could diversify the company.

Subscribers of the newly launched ad-supported plans also get access to the games library, which could help entice new users to try both streaming and games for $7 a month.

Paramount Global (NASDAQ: PARA)(NASDAQ: PARAA) is the owner of the TMNT brand thanks to the 2009 $60 million acquisition by Viacom.

A new TMNT animated movie will be released by Paramount in theaters on Aug. 4, 2023, from the minds of Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg.

Netflix ended the third quarter with 223 million subscribers.

The company will announce fourth-quarter earnings and subscribers figures on Jan. 19 after market close.

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