At the height of its success, Telltale Games was a powerhouse developer thanks to its foothold on episodic games and a host of partnerships with other companies, ranging from The Walking Dead to Batman. It was no surprise then when Telltale Games announced that its next partnership would be with Netflix to produce a Stranger Things game, owing to the show's ongoing success. Sadly, fans' excitement for the project was short-lived, as following the studio's sudden shutdown in 2018, most of its projects were canceled regardless of development, Stranger Things included.
In light of the studio having undergone a takeover in 2019 and Stranger Things' fifth and final season drawing near, the case for Telltale Games to bring back its Stranger Things game has never been stronger. Netflix has frequently proven its desire to expand its platform to include gaming in recent history, and remaining committed to episodic gaming aligns perfectly with its current framework of entertainment. By returning to Telltale Games and its solid track record of delivering episodic games, combined with the current popularity of Stranger Things, Netflix could strike while the iron is hot.
The Current State of Stranger Things' Games
When Netflix agreed to partner with Telltale Games for a Stranger Things game, the show was still in its infancy. Just as Telltale Games' Game of Thrones intertwined with HBO's show, Stranger Things would have attempted the same, taking place between the first and second seasons. However, beyond a few bits of the Stranger Things project leaking online such as clips showing Will Byers interacting with his mother Joyce and another where he attempts to evade the Demogorgon, not much else is known about the story or how it would factor into the series overall.
Following Telltale Games' initial closure, the project was scrapped, with Netflix confirming that it was hoping to produce a Stranger Things with another studio. However, despite several years having passed since then, the games that Netflix has under the Stranger Things banner are several mobile games developed by BonusXP, a possible VR Stranger Things game, and collaborations with other series such as Dead By Daylight and Fortnite. Though some of these projects are well received so far, some players noted that they just weren't the storytelling experience that could have been delivered by Telltale Games.
The Likelihood of Telltale's Stranger Things
Were Telltale Games to revive its Stranger Things project, then it would have ample content to work from as a basis for a concurrent game. Not only is the show moving towards its final season, but Netflix has confirmed it's entertaining the idea of spin-offs following this, which would provide Telltale Games justification for the new game to be brought back. With time jumps between each Stranger Things season, Telltale Games could set a game between these just as it had originally intended to do so, while adding host of new characters and settings to explore.
Unfortunately, upon Telltale Games' initial closure, the rights to the project went back to Netflix, so should the studio decide it would like to revive the series, it would need to convince Netflix to once more give it the green light. Given that the project already had a difficult start following repeated rejections by Netflix and was only agreed to following a leadership reshuffle at Telltale Games, persuading Netflix to recommit to the project could be an impossible feat.
On the other hand, Netflix has been pushing to expand its services into the gaming scene for some time now, but it has kept this on its periphery. Reviving the Telltale Stranger Things game and making it exclusive to Netflix Gaming could help provide a solid foundation for future games on the platform, especially if these were episodic games that appeal to dedicated Telltale fans. Other developers like Devolver Digital have already expressed interest in Stranger Things as well, so should talk about possible spin-offs be true, then Netflix could have many more games to come.