Spry Fox Parts Ways With Netflix
Spry Fox, the Seattle studio known for cozy titles like Cozy Grove, is leaving Netflix and becoming independent again. Netflix originally bought the studio in 2022 as part of its push into videogames, hoping to expand beyond streaming TV and movies.
During its time under Netflix, Spry Fox focused on Spirit Crossing, a new cooperative life sim designed around kindness, community, and playing together. Even though Spry Fox is no longer owned by Netflix, the streaming company is still publishing the mobile version of Spirit Crossing.
The big difference now is that Spry Fox is free to explore other platforms for Spirit Crossing, which could include PC. For anyone who loves relaxing life sims on desktop instead of phones, that is a very welcome change.
Studio co founder David Edery summed up the goal behind Spirit Crossing. He said the game is built to connect players, bring people together, and inspire kindness. Because of that, the team wants to reach as many people as possible across different platforms. Going independent again gives Spry Fox more control over how and where that happens.
What This Means For PC Gamers
Right now Spirit Crossing is confirmed as a mobile release with Netflix still handling the publishing there. However Spry Fox has made it clear that it wants a wider audience and is openly eyeing more platforms. For PC gamers, that opens the door to a future PC port instead of yet another mobile exclusive that never leaves phones and tablets.
For fans of cozy games and life sims on PC, this is significant for a few reasons.
Spry Fox already has a track record with PC players through games like Cozy Grove, which many people discovered on PC as an alternative to Animal Crossing style experiences.
A multiplayer focused life sim that treats cooperation and kindness as core mechanics fits nicely into the growing niche of chill co op games on PC, especially for players who want something relaxing rather than competitive.
Leaving Netflix removes some of the pressure to remain locked inside the Netflix mobile ecosystem, which historically has limited where and how people can play these games.
The author of the original piece even notes they are excited about the possibility of a PC version. They enjoy life sims but are not keen on trying to convince their PC gaming friends to commit to a mobile exclusive. That is a sentiment many PC focused players will recognize.
Netflix Games And Its Changing Strategy
Spry Fox leaving Netflix is not happening in isolation. It is another sign that Netflix is still figuring out exactly what it wants its gaming division to be. In the last few years the company has made some big moves, some positive and some much more worrying for developers.
On the positive side Netflix has hired serious industry talent, including bringing in former Epic executive Alain Tascan as president of Netflix Games. It also posted a high profile job listing for a Director of Generative AI for Games, offering up to 840,000 dollars per year. That suggests Netflix is investing heavily in experimental tech and long term game projects.
But at the same time Netflix has also made some harsh cuts. Team Blue, a studio that Netflix created to chase the next big thing in gaming, was shut down suddenly before it could even release a game. After that closure the company laid off a number of staff at Night School Studio, the team behind Oxenfree.
Compared to those events, Spry Fox becoming independent again seems much more friendly and controlled. There is no sign of a dramatic shutdown or cancelled project here. Spirit Crossing is still moving forward on mobile, and the studio itself continues on under its own banner.
For Netflix, this might be a sign that it is narrowing its focus on certain types of projects and technologies, especially those connected to streaming and advanced AI. For smaller studios that want to reach players across consoles and PC, full independence may simply make more sense.
A Cozy Future That Might Include PC
Right now we do not have a confirmed PC release date for Spirit Crossing. All we know is that Spry Fox wants to bring the game to more platforms and that the studio is no longer tied to Netflix ownership. For PC gamers that alone is a promising sign.
If you enjoy life sims, farming style games, and other cozy experiences on PC, Spirit Crossing is one to keep an eye on. Its focus on cooperation and kindness, mixed with Spry Foxs existing reputation among cozy game fans, could make it a strong addition to the PC library once it breaks out of mobile.
More broadly, this shift shows how fast the gaming landscape around big media companies can change. Studios can be bought, sold, or shut down within just a few years. For players, however, the important takeaway here is simple. A well liked cozy game studio just got more freedom, and that makes a PC version of its next big project far more likely.
Until there is an official announcement, Spirit Crossing remains a mobile title under Netflix publishing. But thanks to Spry Foxs new independence, PC gamers now have a real reason to hope that this gentle multiplayer life sim will eventually arrive on their platform of choice.
Original article and image: https://www.pcgamer.com/games/life-sim/netflix-sells-the-studio-behind-cozy-grove-back-to-its-original-owners-freeing-the-studio-to-bring-its-mobile-life-sim-to-other-platforms/
