Stranger Things: Puzzle Tales – Picture: Next Games
Stranger Things: Puzzle Tales has been removed from Apple App Store and the Google Play Store in recent days with the game being revamped and headed exclusively to Netflix Games in the near future.
Developed by Next Games (currently in the process of being purchased by Netflix) Stranger Things: Puzzle Tales is the mobile puzzle RPG that uses the Netflix IP with hundreds of levels. The game has been free up until now with it being supported with in-app purchases.
Now the game is being removed and reset with the game set to receive a revamped version in Q4 2020 according to the Next Games website. That means any existing players of the game (who may have spent hundreds within the app) will soon see their progress deleted as the game moves to Netflix where there won’t be in-app purchases.
Why Stranger Things: Puzzle Tales is shutting down
The game featured a notice in recent days confirming that it’ll be removed from the app store although if you’re an existing player, the game will not be going offline (but you need to keep it on your device) for a few months at least.
The notice within the app reads as follows:
“We have had many exciting adventures with you around Hawkins, and later this year, those adventures will be bigger than ever – because Stranger Things Puzzle Tales is moving to Netflix exclusively in late 2022!
In order for us to prepare for this move, we will be making some changes to the current live game.”
Those changes include:
“- In-app purchases will be turned off.
– The game will no longer be available to download via the app stores.
– We will add free items, Goo and Radios to the shop and the premium Task Pass will be available to all (restarting May 20th) to help you advance in the game in the absence of in-app purchases.”
It’s worth noting, however, the game is set to go offline for existing players on August 15th, 2022 with them noting that there will be “no more updates to the current version of the game” but insists there will still be “player support.”
The move has been controversial to say the least. Its dedicated fanbase voiced their frustrations on platforms like YouTube with one commenter saying:
“This news really sucks for those that spent so much time and money and advanced far into the game, but maybe now since it requires a Netflix subscription and no in-app purchases or ads, maybe it won’t be so hard to get items and level up characters. Also, now we know how best to advance, what characters are best to level up first, and we can correct any mistakes we made previously. Depending on what changes they make, I may still play or just cut my losses.”
Existing players, according to a support article, will be able to get a Puzzle Tales Progression Pack once the game relaunches by filling out a form.
Excluding interactive specials, Netflix is currently home to 18 mobile games since the initiative launched in November 2022 with that number expected to hit 50 by the close of 2022.
Of course, Netflix Games already has a few Stranger Things games available for free to all Netflix subscribers already. They’ve got Stranger Things: 1984 and Stranger Things 3: The Game (both developed by BonusXP) available on the platform.
Are you disappointed in the way Netflix and Next Games are transitioning the game over to Netflix Games? Let us know in the comments.
h/t FilmNewsAndMore on Twitter for the heads up.
