Netflix has been pushing hard in the mobile game arena, but it’s not stopping there. The streaming platform recently partnered with Asmodee to bring three of its most popular franchises to the tabletop. Asmodee is a tabletop game mega-publisher that owns multiple tabletop design studios as subsidiaries, including Days of Wonder, Fantasy Flight Games, and Z-Man Games. They publish some of the most popular and best-selling board game franchises, including Catan, 7 Wonders, Ticket to Ride and Pandemic.
In the licensing agreement with Netflix, Asmodee has produced games based on three of its most popular shows: Stranger Things, Squid Games, and Ozark. Each game uses a variety of mechanics inspired by its respective show. For example, Ozark is an area control game where players try to control locations from the show to gain the most money, while Stranger Things: Attack of the Mind Flayer is a social deduction game where players try to help their team (Sane or Possessed) win by either staying sane or possessing all players. Squid Game is a party game where players guide and bluff their team of players through six card games based on the rounds from the series.
The Netflix licensed games from Asmodee will be available exclusively at Walmart stores starting on July 30, and each will be priced at $24.86. These new titles are just the latest Netflix licensed tabletop games. Stranger Things in particular has been a popular source, with Stranger Things Monopoly making headlines for potential spoilers of Season 4. Asmodee has previously adapted other popular series, such as Black Mirror and Queen’s Gambit, into tabletop games.
These also are not the only new releases Netflix has coming to the tabletop. CMON Games, best known for the Zombicide series of miniatures games, is also getting into the action with its own licensed Stranger Things game. Stranger Things: The Upside Down is a cooperative game from designer Rob Daviau, the designer of Pandemic Legacy who also brought back the iconic 80s board game Dark Tower with the highly successful Return to Dark Tower. Stranger Things: The Upside Down will be released in 2023.
Interpret’s New Media Measure® shows that while Netflix subscribers spend less on board and card games, fans of specific franchises such as Stranger Things are bigger spenders. Fans of Stranger Things spend on average about 25% more than general Netflix subscribers on board games, card games, and collectibles. Netflix is using its intellectual properties to keep people engaged in their worlds, build brand loyalty, and attract new viewers. According to Interpret data, its strongest licensing match for board and card games may be an unexpected series—Black Mirror fans spend 80% more than general Netflix subscribers on tabletop games and collectibles.
