{"rewrite":{"id":"r_f79fad9aef86a47b352d1402","clusterId":"c_9c3c40a37d7bc8ba0e2639b2","slug":"netflix-closes-night-school-studio-and-moonloot-games","model":"deepseek-v4-flash:free","headline":"Netflix Closes Night School Studio and Moonloot Games","summary":"Netflix is closing two of its game development studios, Night School Studio and Moonloot Games, according to a report from Game File that the company confirmed. Night School Studio, known for the graphic adventure game Oxenfree, was acquired by Netflix in 2021. Moonloot Games, based in Helsinki, Finland, was established as an internal studio in 2022. The closures come less than five years after Netflix began its full push into gaming in 2021. Night School Studio had just released the horror game Unhinged in July, which uses a smartphone as a controller. A Netflix spokesperson told Game File that the company is making organizational changes to focus on games with broad appeal, such as children's games, party games, story-driven works, and titles like the FIFA World Cup Launch Edition. The spokesperson also expressed gratitude to departing staff. Netflix has already closed or sold several other studios since 2024, including Team Blue, Boss Fight, and Spry Fox. After these closures, Netflix's gaming division will consist of a central team that works with external developers and the studio Next Games.","whyItMatters":"The closures mark a retreat from the in-house studio model Netflix pursued after entering gaming in 2021, leaving its gaming division with only a central team and Next Games, a shift toward mass-market and party games.","webCardHtml":"\u003cp\u003eThe closures follow a pattern of shrinking the in-house studio roster. Netflix closed Team Blue, a studio with former \u003ci\u003eCall of Duty\u003c/i\u003e and \u003ci\u003eHalo\u003c/i\u003e developers, in October 2024; Boss Fight, which made the \u003ci\u003eSquid Game\u003c/i\u003e mobile game, in October 2025; and let Spry Fox go independent in December 2025. After the two new closures, the gaming division is left with a central team that works with external developers and Next Games, a studio that makes party games.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNetflix CEO Greg Peters praised \u003ci\u003eUnhinged\u003c/i\u003e and the \u003ci\u003eFIFA World Cup Launch Edition\u003c/i\u003e as having \u0026#34;very strong numbers\u0026#34; during an investor call in July. The company is shifting toward streaming games to PC and TV, using smartphones as controllers, a scheme \u003ci\u003eUnhinged\u003c/i\u003e already uses. A spokesperson told Game File: \u0026#34;We are deeply grateful to the talented colleagues we are saying goodbye to today. We thank them for their contributions to Netflix and wish them all the best in their future endeavors.\u0026#34;\u003c/p\u003e","blueskyPost":"Netflix closes Night School Studio and Moonloot Games, just weeks after Night School shipped the horror game Unhinged. The company says it's focusing on party games and mass-market titles.","twitterPost":"Netflix's game studio purge continues: after Team Blue, Boss Fight, and Spry Fox, now Night School and Moonloot are gone. What's left is Next Games and a central team. Is the in-house era over?","threadsPost":null,"newsletterBlurb":"Netflix is shutting down two more game studios, Night School Studio and Moonloot Games, as it pivots to party games and mass-market titles. The closures leave its gaming division with just a central team and Next Games.","attributionJson":"[{\"source\":\"Automaton\",\"url\":\"https://automaton-media.com/articles/newsjp/netflix-20260814-460128/\",\"title\":\"Netflix、\\\"ゲーム事業本格参入\\\"のために買収・設立したスタジオ2社を一挙に閉鎖。わずか5年足らずで、ゲーム戦略急転換\"},{\"source\":\"GIGAZINE\",\"url\":\"https://gigazine.net/news/20260814-netflix-shut-down-two-game-studios/\",\"title\":\"Netflix closes two game studios, shortly after new release\"},{\"source\":\"Game Spark\",\"url\":\"http://www.gamespark.jp/article/2026/08/14/170679.html\",\"title\":\"Netflix closes two of its game studios, possibly shifting focus to party games and other mass-market game development\"}]","lintFlagsJson":null,"lintHits":0,"costUsd":0,"inputTokens":10982,"outputTokens":1443,"status":"published","repairAttempts":0,"nextRepairAt":null,"factsAttemptedAt":1786675077,"createdAt":"2026-08-14T02:32:01.000Z","publishedAt":"2026-08-14T02:36:44.000Z","updatedAt":"2026-08-14T02:32:01.000Z"},"cluster":{"id":"c_9c3c40a37d7bc8ba0e2639b2","canonicalTitle":"Netflix、“ゲーム事業本格参入”のために買収・設立したスタジオ2社を一挙に閉鎖。わずか5年足らずで、ゲーム戦略急転換","representativeArticleId":"a_2f30b95f1589eb9b9b4b6722","sourceCount":3,"writtenSourceCount":3,"writeAttempts":0,"isSolo":false,"entitiesJson":"{\"anime_titles\":[],\"manga_titles\":[],\"work_titles\":[],\"studios\":[\"Night School Studio\",\"Moonloot games\"],\"people\":[],\"type\":\"business\",\"domain\":\"games\",\"is_roundup\":false}","contentType":"news","status":"published","firstSeenAt":"2026-08-14T01:15:46.000Z","lastSeenAt":"2026-08-14T02:20:03.000Z","updatedAt":"2026-08-14T02:36:44.000Z"},"attribution":[{"source":"Automaton","url":"https://automaton-media.com/articles/newsjp/netflix-20260814-460128/","title":"Netflix、“ゲーム事業本格参入”のために買収・設立したスタジオ2社を一挙に閉鎖。わずか5年足らずで、ゲーム戦略急転換"},{"source":"Game Spark","url":"http://www.gamespark.jp/article/2026/08/14/170679.html","title":"Netflixが同社傘下のゲームスタジオを2つ閉鎖。パーティーゲームを中心としたゲーム開発に方針転換か"},{"source":"GIGAZINE","url":"https://gigazine.net/news/20260814-netflix-shut-down-two-game-studios/","title":"Netflixが2つのゲームスタジオを閉鎖、新作リリース直後に"}],"entities":{"anime_titles":[],"manga_titles":[],"work_titles":[],"studios":["Night School Studio","Moonloot games"],"people":[],"type":"business","domain":"games","is_roundup":false},"keyFacts":["Netflix is closing Night School Studio, acquired in 2021, and Moonloot Games, established in 2022.","Night School Studio released the horror game Unhinged in July 2026, which uses a smartphone as a controller.","Netflix's gaming division will consist of a central team and the studio Next Games after the closures.","Netflix previously closed Team Blue in 2024, Boss Fight in October 2025, and Spry Fox in December 2025.","A Netflix spokesperson cited a focus on children's games, party games, story-driven works, and broadly appealing titles as the reason for the closures."]}