Cloud gaming, for the most part, is still uncharted territory for the most part. But Netflix Games is sparing no expense; classic Grand Theft Auto Trilogy games, consisting of GTA 3, Vice City, and San Andreas, will be added to the service for subscribers to enjoy on Dec. 14.
These games are the very first big names to make their way onto the service, with Minecraft: Story Mode previously serving as the only real enticement, and even then it appealed to a far more niche audience. GTA: The Trilogy games are still considered some of the best of all time, although playing them through Netflix Games will come with a few caveats that weren’t mentioned in the initial announcement.
First and perhaps most divisively for potential players, the Netflix Games service is currently only available for mobile devices, like smartphones and tablets. This means the versions of the GTA games available through said service are going to be the mobile ports released all the way back in 2013 as opposed to the more recent Definitive Editions. This also means that players who exclusively use Netflix on devices like smart TVs or gaming consoles won’t be able to play the games at all.
Fortunately, there’s a silver lining. Access to Netflix Games is included with your standard membership, so at the very least you won’t be out any more money than usual if you do decide to try out the very best of PS2-era gaming on your mobile phone. This is definitely for the best, as there’s little else on the service that could justify a price hike.
This move feels like Netflix’s first real attempt to gain recognition in the gaming world—after all, there’s no bigger name than Grand Theft Auto, and buzz around the series is at an all-time high thanks to the impending December reveal of Grand Theft Auto 6. The hope seems to be that a bit of that hype will bleed over into their service, but it’s a bold move that will almost certainly require continued momentum for Netflix to really make its mark. But who knows? Cocomelon: Play With JJ might miraculously turn out to be the smash hit Netflix Games needs.
