Netflix has had a game based around the Stranger Things series in mind for quite some time. The game was originally going to be developed by Telltale, but had to be re-evaluated following sweeping layoffs at the company. Now Netflix has announced it’s going forward with a Stranger Things mobile AR game.
The new game was announced following E3 2019. The streaming giant Netflix is going ahead and continuing to reach into the gaming industry with a new offering based on the smash-hit Stranger Things show. The game, for now simply called Stranger Things, is a mobile AR game that will function similarly to Pokemon GO.
The game is being developed by Next Games and aims to capture the themes of the show in a solid mobile game. Next Games CEO Teemu Huuhtanen said of the game in a press release:
“Our core focus will be to deliver on Stranger Things’ rich and intense themes like friendship and supernatural adventure, and translate these into snack-sized entertainment on your mobile device.”
The Stranger Things game keeps the show’s 1980s inspiration and is crafted by reimagining the show in the style of a Saturday morning cartoon. It’s a puzzle-based RPG that relies on location-based gameplay, much like Pokemon GO before it. This allows players to explore the Upside Down as they go about their daily routine and work with other players to fight back against the evil sneaking into our world.
It’s no surprise that Netflix would try to capitalize on the wild success of Stranger Things by taking the characters and storyline into another medium. Whether the story and vibe of the show can translate to a mobile game remains to be seen, but the production certainly seems to be in good hands.
Stranger Things mobile is in development for iOS and Android and is slated for a 2020 release date.
