Netflix Closes Night School Studio and Moonloot Games

Netflix has announced the closure of Night School Studio and Moonloot Games, a Helsinki-based studio. This decision also involves the elimination of additional roles across the company's gaming teams, although the exact number of affected employees has not been disclosed. The move comes after Netflix's acquisition of Night School Studio in 2021, as part of its expansion into the gaming market, and the hiring of Mike Verdu as VP of game development. Night School Studio is known for its titles Oxenfree and Oxenfree 2: Lost Signals, with its latest release being Unhinged. Moonloot Games, founded in 2022 by Marko Lastikka, was reportedly working on a project similar to Animal Crossing. A Netflix spokesperson stated that despite the changes, games remain a key area of focus for the company, with the goal of expanding the variety of entertainment offered to its members. The closure is part of Netflix's efforts to prioritize its key focus areas and streamline its execution, following a series of strategic decisions including the cancellation of six game launches in February 2024 and the redefinition of its games division strategy around four core pillars.