Netflix has quietly closed the doors of Boss Fight Entertainment, the Texas-based studio best known for developing Squid Game: Unleashed, a mobile adaptation inspired by one of the platform’s most successful series. The closure marks a turning point in Netflix’s gaming experiment, as the company reevaluates how it integrates games into its entertainment ecosystem. 
Despite the game’s promising launch and initial global traction – reaching the #1 position in 26 countries – it seems the title didn’t sustain the long-term engagement Netflix was hoping for.
Founded in 2013 by industry veterans including David Rippy, Boss Fight was acquired by Netflix in 2022 as part of a major gaming expansion plan. The acquisition was meant to give Netflix a stronger foothold in interactive entertainment, an industry the streaming giant viewed as an extension of its storytelling empire. However, as enthusiasm cooled, it became evident that not every studio could fit into Netflix’s evolving vision of what gaming should represent under its brand.
Rippy confirmed the shutdown in a heartfelt LinkedIn post, reflecting on a decade of work that saw the team create “many games to be proud of.” He thanked Netflix for the opportunity and expressed gratitude to colleagues and fans alike. “We worked with some amazing people and made games I’ll always be proud of, including Squid Game: Unleashed,” he wrote. “To anyone hiring, please consider my colleagues – they’re exceptional professionals.” Rippy also mentioned that he and his co-founders would be taking a short break before deciding on their next project.
Interestingly, this announcement comes not long after Netflix Co-CEO Greg Peters praised Squid Game: Unleashed in the company’s latest earnings call, describing it as a model for the type of story-driven, emotionally rich games Netflix plans to build internally. The timing underscores a quiet but clear strategic shift: Netflix wants fewer third-party projects and more games developed in-house that directly tie into its blockbuster franchises and family-oriented properties.
According to a Reuters report, Netflix’s new focus will be on party games, narrative-driven titles, and kid-friendly experiences – genres that align better with its existing library of shows and films. This suggests that Netflix’s gaming future may lean toward experiences that feel like extensions of its cinematic universe, blurring the line between binge-watching and gameplay.
Despite Boss Fight’s closure, fans of Squid Game: Unleashed can take a bit of comfort knowing that both the game and Netflix Stories will remain active for now. Whether these titles will receive future updates remains to be seen, but for many players, this chapter marks the end of a short-lived yet fascinating experiment in merging Hollywood storytelling with mobile gaming.
Netflix’s approach is getting more selective – and perhaps more demanding. The real question, however, is whether this new, streamlined gaming vision will ultimately pay off. Can Netflix’s next generation of in-house titles make players feel the same excitement, tension, and emotion as their favorite series? Time, as always, will tell.
3 comments
Netflix should stick to movies not games imo 😂
Crazy timing, didn’t the CEO just say it was doing great??
Tbh the game was fun for a week then boring, no surprise here