Squid Game is a popular Netflix series that was released in 2021. In November 2023, a new TV series called Squid Game: The Challenge was released, which was based on a harmless competition and had a much lighter tone. The show follows similar mechanics as the original series, but without physical harm to contestants, making it appropriate for a wider audience. And now, Netflix is taking it one step further by creating a video game version of the popular series, Squid Game.
The Netflix Games Vice President Mike Verdu announced the news on the Netflix blog. However, he only provided one sentence without indicating the release date. All we know for now is that the video game involves competing with other players in games from the hit series.
Squid Game, Netflix’s most popular show to date, achieved remarkable fame despite minimal promotion. Its unconventional name didn’t hinder its widespread popularity. The absence of a significant ad campaign is notable, yet the social media frenzy was immense, generating numerous memes and sparking various TikTok challenges.
No piece of streaming media has ever become a word-of-mouth phenomenon at the scale and speed that this show has reached. As per a report by Vice, Netflix has released official Squid Game merchandise. However, there are allegedly reports of a large quantity of fake Squid Game merchandise being produced in China, where the show is not officially available for streaming. These unauthorized products are being sold by Chinese retailers who are taking advantage of the Squid Game craze, and they are being sold all over the world.
This is not the only controversy surrounding Squid Game; a year after its announcement, Squid Game: The Challenge on Netflix has been at the center of another. Squid Game: The Challenge on Netflix, despite its initial anticipation, faced criticism for its divergent approach, sparking debates on the creative direction.
The controversy further intensified as viewers questioned the adaptation’s fidelity to the original series, prompting a broader discourse on the challenges of translating complex narratives across different formats.