Sorry, mobile gaming fans, looks like the new Lord of the Rings game is no longer making its way to iPhones and Androids by way of Netflix Games. Recent changes have led to the decision to scrap certain games from the platform’s list of upcoming titles.
My heart did a little drop while reading about this, as for a second, I thought that Tales of the Shire got canceled. Turns out that no, it’s still in the works, it just may not come to mobile anymore as Netflix Games was to exclusively release it.
This all comes as part of Netflix adjusting its portfolio, and changing what it offers to align better with what its members like. Now, I don’t know about you, but some shows I enjoy got the axe by Netflix, so I’m not entirely sure I trust its judgment when it comes to what an audience actually wants.
Along with the new Lord of the Rings game no longer making its way to the service, Don’t Starve Together by Klei and Playdigious is scratched off the list, too. The two teams are still working to bring the game to mobile, releasing on the App Store and Google Play instead of through the Netflix Games app.
Recently, the mobile version of Shovel Knight Pocket Dungeon departed from Netflix, which makes me wonder even more about what the service thinks people want – given that Shovel Knight is a well-loved franchise. What this means for the future of the service is unclear. Allegedly, as reported by Whats on Netflix, the company will focus on party games, and child-friendly entertainment going forward. But, then, we recently got Squid Game: Unleashed which may not count as a family-friendly game.
Well, you can still safely wait for the Tales of the Shire release date, and check out the best new mobile games and upcoming Switch games in 2025 here, too.