Unleashed will be playable at launch without a Netflix subscription

Netflix announced at The Game Awards that its Squid Game multiplayer mobile title will be playable on Android and iOS without an active Netflix subscription when it arrives on December 17. However, the free everyone period will only be available for an unspecified “limited time”.

Squid Game: Unleashed lets you play with friends online in a series of mini-games. The races are either taken directly from the series or thematically similar “classic kid activities” (just with added death).

The party royale game takes cues from Mario Party franchisebut his inspiration may have been much more direct… and circular. In 2021 indie developer Dani posted Crab game for Windows, macOS and Linux. The title made no attempt to hide that it was inspired by the Netflix series (crabs, squids…get it?) that was taking the world by storm at that time. Its Mario Party-style mini-games were originally Squid Game races presented in the form of a cartoonish video game. However, it later expanded to include races other than the series.

Although we haven’t played yet Squid Game: Unleashedthe gameplay in its trailer bears a striking resemblance to Crab gameincluding (roughly) his cartoon-like art style. To be fair, the two might play a lot differently than the Netflix trailer suggests. But based on what we’re seeing now, it looks like Netflix took inspiration from an indie developer who took inspiration from its series. (Cue Xzibit.) But hey, at least Netflix doesn’t seem to have condemned an indie developer to oblivion.

Regardless of such battles in the gaming industry, Netflix’s Party Royale game is designed to promote Squid game Season 2. It starts streaming on December 26. Squid Game: Unleashed launched exclusively on the Netflix app for Android or iOS on December 17. You can check out its trailer below.