Netflix Games to roll out three Grand Theft Auto games in December

Netflix's video game division has some good news for Grand Theft Auto fans agonizing over the years-long wait for the release of Grand Theft Auto VI's release. 

Netflix Games is rolling out "Grand Theft Auto: The Trilogy — The Definitive Edition" on the App Store, Google Play and its own mobile app on December 14, the company said Wednesday. The remastered trilogy, which has been optimized for mobile gameplay, includes three popular titles from the famous franchise: Grand Theft Auto III; Grand Theft Auto: Vice City; and Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas, according to the statement. 

The games will be included for all Netflix subscribers, and they won't have ads, in-app purchases or extra fees, Netflix said. Netflix subscribers can pre-register to download the games when they drop, according to the streaming service. 

Meanwhile, GTA maker Rockstar games said earlier this month that the trailer for the next game in the Grand Theft Auto franchise will drop in early December, offering gamers a first look at the latest entry.

The three-game pack's latest version, which was released in 2021, features enhanced graphics and gameplay upgrades, TechCrunch reported. The collection's titles originally dropped between 2001 and 2004, according to Rockstar Games' website. 

Netflix Games' GTA release comes as the company's gaming service is ramping up its efforts to court new users. The gaming platform, which debuted in 2021, has grown slowly despite building a library of more than 80 titles, including Cut the Rope and Country Friends. 

Less than 1% of Netflix's 221 million subscribers play games daily on Netflix Games, CNBC reported, citing data from app analytics firm Apptopia.  

The game pack's console version "performed great" with gamers, Strauss Zelnick, CEO of Rockstar-owner Take-Two Interactive, told CNBC in 2022. In fact, Take-Two Interactive told investors last year that sales of the remastered GTA trilogy on consoles exceeded 10 million, video game trade publication Video Games Chronicle reported. 

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Elizabeth Napolitano

Elizabeth Napolitano is a freelance reporter at CBS MoneyWatch, where she covers business and technology news. She also writes for CoinDesk. Before joining CBS, she interned at NBC News' BizTech Unit and worked on the Associated Press' web scraping team.