Ava Brooks 
Nov 30, 2023
Netflix is set to launch “Grand Theft Auto: The Trilogy — The Definitive Edition” on December 14, unveiling three popular mobile games as part of its gaming expansion strategy. This move aims to strengthen Netflix’s gaming arm, which has been gradually evolving, coinciding with the heightened anticipation for the forthcoming Grand Theft Auto VI.
The trilogy comprises “Grand Theft Auto III,” “Grand Theft Auto: Vice City,” and “Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas” — games that individually cost $11.99 for non-Netflix users on the App Store. However, Netflix subscribers will have access to this collection without any additional charges on both the App Store and Google Play Store. This addition will significantly enrich Netflix’s gaming library, already boasting over 80 titles including “Heads Up!”, “Cut The Rope”, and “Bloons Tower Defense 6.”
The timing of the release on Netflix aligns intriguingly with recent statements from Rockstar Games, the franchise’s developer, hinting at an imminent trailer drop for Grand Theft Auto VI early next month.
The console version of “Grand Theft Auto: The Trilogy — The Definitive Edition” surpassed commercial expectations for Take-Two Interactive, Rockstar Games' parent company. This success on consoles anticipates similar outcomes for its mobile counterpart.
Netflix’s gaming venture, launched in 2021, has experienced gradual growth. However, the platform's gaming services, offered free to subscribers, only garnered an average of 1.7 million users last year, a fraction of its 221 million subscribers. Netflix’s co-CEO, Greg Peters, acknowledged this as a deliberate phase of growth during an earnings call, emphasising a step-by-step approach to introduce gaming genres to users.
The addition of the GTA trilogy to Netflix’s gaming library is a strategic move, aiming to capitalise on the franchise's immense popularity among gamers. “Grand Theft Auto V” remains the third-best-selling video game of all time, having sold a staggering 190 million copies over the past decade, a testament to its enduring popularity alongside “Minecraft” and “Tetris.”
