Netflix to acquire The Walking Dead: No Man’s Land developer Next Games

Netflix is acquiring Finnish mobile game developer Next Games in a deal expected to close by the second quarter of 2022. 

This acquisition is the latest move on the streaming giant's part to expand into gaming. The deal, valued at over $74 million, marks Netflix's second acquisition of an existing video game studio. Netflix added Oxenfree 2 developer Night School Studio to its portfolio in 2021, and there's likely more still to come. 

"We are excited for Next Games to join Netflix as a core studio in a strategic region and key talent market, expanding our internal game studio capabilities," said Michael Verdu, vice president of Games at Netflix, in an official announcement. "While we're just getting started in games, I am confident that together with Next Games we will be able to build a portfolio of world-class games that will delight our members around the world."

Next Games previously developed Netflix tie-in title Stranger Things: Puzzle Tales and two entries in The Walking Dead video game series: The Walking Dead: Our World and The Walking Dead: No Man's Land. Netflix confirmed its first foray into gaming would be focused on titles for mobile devices ahead of launching five different games within the Netflix app. 

It's unclear what genres or properties the developer is set to tackle next. With the fourth season of Stranger Things set to debut later this year, it's highly likely we could see another game within that universe as the studio's next major project. 

Be sure to catch up on all the latest moves surrounding Netflix's foray into gaming.