Launched in November 2021, Netflix Games has provided its users with a variety of mobile titles. These games are offered at no extra cost to those with active subscriptions, all in Netflix’s attempts to expand beyond streaming into interactive entertainment. Its games Library is accessible through iOS and Android mobile devices, and all are free of ads and in-app purchases. Netflix Games has expanded its reach since its creation, acquiring notable game studios like Night School Studio and Boss Fight Entertainment to develop original content and attract new customers.

Netflix Games hit a major milestone and made waves in November 2023, when it acquired the exclusive mobile rights to Grand Theft Auto: The Trilogy – The Definitive Edition. This meant that all Netflix users suddenly had free and unlimited access to remastered versions of Grand Theft Auto III, Grand Theft Auto: Vice City, and Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas, all on their smartphones. Gaining the exclusive rights to this groundbreaking trilogy caught the attention of gamers around the globe, putting Netflix Games on the map. Within the first few months of the trilogy’s release, it sold approximately 10 million copies, surpassing company expectations and making it a highly desirable collection of titles.

Netflix recently announced the removal of two out of three of these titles only ae year after adding the Grand Theft Auto trilogy to its Library. Grand Theft Auto 3 – The Definitive Edition and Grand Theft Auto: Vice City – The Definitive Edition both left the service entirely on December 13, rendering Netflix’s version of the downloaded games unplayable. This marks the first major removal of a game from Netflix’s catalogue, leaving users wondering if other titles might also leave, and which ones are most likely to go. The removed titles are still available via the Google Play Store and App Store, but Netflix subscribers must now shell out $2o to access them.

One Netflix representative explained that none of the Netflix titles are guaranteed permanency under the streaming service’s current setup.

Just like with series and film, games will be removed from Netflix as licenses expire. Players will notice a ‘Leaving Soon’ badge and be notified by the app itself well in advance of removal.

Fortunately for GTA fans, it seems like San Andreas will remain on Netflix for a while longer, as the game lacks the aforementioned “Leaving Soon” card. This makes sense, as San Andreas was easily the most popular of the three former GTA titles on the Netflix catalogue, according to What’s On Netflix.