Mobile game developer and longtime Netflix partner BonusXP has announced on Twitter that it has will be closing its doors after eleven years in the industry, no official reason for the closure has yet been provided.
The statement reads,
We have begun the difficult process of ceasing operations at BonusXP. We have enjoyed making games for you over the last 11 years.
Our focus is on helping our team find their next opportunities.
If you are looking for great game talent, please contact us at info@bonusxp.com.
— BonusXP (@BonusXP) June 1, 2023
BonusXP launched in 2012, and in 2017 and is most well known for their work on mobile titles in partnership with Netflix. They developed games based on popular series Stranger Things, including Stranger Things: 1984 and Stranger Things 3: The Game through this partnership, both of which were later launch titles for Netflix Games. The studio would also go on to produce a tie-in game for another Netflix property, Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance, in 2021.
The company is actively seeking to help its team find new opportunities within the industry.
Stranger Things have happened
Despite the fact that mobile gaming is the most profitable and popular sector of the gaming industry, 2022 proved to be a challenging year which saw many developers and publishers reporting year-on-year losses.
Gaming as a whole saw an explosion of popularity during the pandemic, with mobile gaming in particular seeing record profits as people turned to their phones for new forms of entertainment. Mobile gaming’s success is due, partly, to a low entry barrier, however this implies a low exit barrier as well, with players being more willing to reduce their spending on mobile gaming than other platforms. With the world reopening following the easing of lockdown restrictions worldwide, the mobile gaming market declined 6.4% in 2022 as the market normalised.
Additionally, recent changes to ATT regulations have forced game makers to rethink their user acquisition strategies, making it more difficult for companies to successfully monetise their products.
This turbulence has led to several games companies closing their doors, and while it’s currently unconfirmed whether this is the reason for the closure, it’s possible that BonusXP has been unable to adapt to the changing market conditions.
We listed Netflix as one of the top 50 mobile game makers of 2022.
