Netflix is going against its tradition of paywalling its steadily growing offering of mobile games by making its upcoming “Squid Game” battle royale title available for free to non-members for a “limited time” at launch.
Debuting Dec. 17 ahead of the premiere of the second season of the hit South Korean-drama, “Squid Game: Unleashed” is described by the streamer as “the definitive ‘Squid Game’ video game.” No end date has been set for the “limited time” free window, but Variety has learned the game will remain offered to non-subscribers through at least the “Squid Game” Season 2 premiere Dec. 26.
Like Netflix’s other mobile games, “Squid Game: Unleashed” will not include any ads or in-app purchases.
Per Netflix’s description for “Squid Game: Unleashed”: “Prepare for fast, heart-pounding action and brutal competition in this multiplayer battle royale game. Play with friends (or enemies) online and see if you have what it takes to outlast and defeat all the other contestants in each twisted tournament. With deadly challenges pulled from the series and more new games inspired by classic childhood activities, each round is a dark trip down memory lane. Can you make it through playtime alive?”
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“’Squid Game’ is Netflix’s most watched series ever, and we want everyone around the world to be able to take part in its return by making Unleashed available to everyone, which is a first for Netflix Games,” Netflix Games president Alain Tascan said. “’Squid Game: Unleashed’ is all about playing with (or against) your friends in the iconic games from the series like Glass Bridge and Red Light Green Light, so we’re inviting everyone into the chaos this holiday season.”
The announcement that “Squid Game: Unleashed” would be free to non-Netflix members at launch was made out of the Game Awards in Los Angeles on Thursday, where Netflix also debuted new footage from Season 2.