Netflix is launching Minesweeper as part of its selection of subscriber-only games, and the game is now available for iOS as well as Android users. The classic puzzle game that most people know from Microsoft Minesweeper, available in Windows 11 and versions dating back to 1990, has fresh colorful graphics and new modes.
Netflix’s take on the classic game looks a whole lot like, the old Minesweeper, but it adds a Journey Mode that takes players to different levels across world stages as well as unique daily challenges.
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Can Netflix’s Minesweeper Attract More Subscribers?
While looking for and flagging sea mines on a grid is a logic puzzle that’s often cloned in plenty of money-seeking games on the Play Store and App Store, Netflix subscribers will not find any in-game ads or microtransactions in the streaming service’s new edition.
Games might not be the biggest reason subscribers come to Netflix, but a lot of indie games, aged triple-A titles, and now Minesweeper’s S-tier idle time-killing abilities coming to the service continue the company’s attempts to maintain the stickiness of its service with subscribers.
Netflix isn’t the only company making waves in the mobile and casual gaming spectrum. Places as varied as The New York Times, LinkedIn, Apple Arcade, and Microsoft are all striving hard to be in the space.
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Microsoft Announces Digital Xbox Consoles And New Games
Microsoft kicked off its annual Xbox Games Showcase on June 9, launching a new all-digital version of its Xbox Series X and S consoles. This seems like an important decision in the company’s ambitions to modernize its gaming hardware and cater to a budding digital-first audience.
Apart from the ordinary Series X and S models, Microsoft showcased a special edition of the Series X with a hopping 2TB storage. The exhibition is crucial for Xbox and Microsoft, as the gaming industry is seeing a rough patch.
Several game publishers are witnessing lower revenues, layoffs, and studio closures. The release of disc-less variants of the Xbox Series X and S could boost its sales, establishing Xbox as a worthy opponent to Sony’s PS5. The updated hardware portfolio is part of the company’s overall plan to attract gamers in the face of adverse market conditions.
During the event, Microsoft released trailers for over a dozen of games, including the much-anticipated Call of Duty: Black Ops 6. Besides, the company also showcased "Doom: The Dark Ages," the most recent installment in the popular "Doom" series. Fans also got to see the next "Gears of War" game, marking the end of a five-year wait for the console’s popular title.