Game Studio Leaves Netflix to Welcome More Players

A beloved indie game studio just walked away from Netflix to make sure no one gets left behind.

Spry Fox, the team behind cozy mobile hits like Triple Town and Alphabear, bought itself back from the streaming giant after three years. The reason? Their upcoming game Spirit Crossing is all about bringing people together, and limiting it to Netflix members would shut out too many potential friends.

"People want to be able to play with their friends," explains Spry Fox cofounder David Edery. "If their friends are not Netflix members, that's kind of a problem."

Netflix acquired the studio in 2022, giving the developers freedom from worrying about monetization strategies. Edery admits his team "just never were that good at making money from our games," so the partnership made practical sense at the time.

But priorities shift when your vision grows bigger. Spirit Crossing isn't just another mobile puzzle game. It's a large-scale multiplayer experience designed to foster genuine friendship and community in a fantastical world.

The timing worked out as Netflix pivots its gaming strategy away from mobile titles toward TV-based games. Other studios, including those behind successful games like Squid Game: Unleashed, faced closure during the shift.

Why This Inspires

Spry Fox's decision represents something rarely seen in today's corporate gaming landscape: choosing access over security. Walking away from a major streaming company's resources takes courage, especially for a studio that struggled with monetization in the past.

The move signals a refreshing philosophy in game development. Instead of building walls around their creation with membership requirements, they're tearing them down. Spirit Crossing's entire premise centers on connection, and the studio refused to undermine that mission with artificial barriers.

In an industry often criticized for exclusive deals and walled gardens, one small team decided inclusion matters more than corporate backing.

Now everyone with a friend who wants to explore a fantastical world together can do exactly that, no subscription required.