What you need to know
- Grand Theft Auto III, Grand Theft Auto: Vice City, and Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas will each come to the Google Play Store, with new apps optimized for mobile.
- The games will be free for Netflix subscribers of every tier, and will be available starting Dec. 14.
- You can pre-register to play the games starting now. They'll also be available on iOS and in the Netflix mobile app.
Netflix is known for its on-demand streaming and password-sharing crackdown, but the service has been making strides with its push into gaming, especially with the latest announcement related to the GTA series.
Some of you might be surprised to learn that your Netflix subscription includes access to more than 80 mobile games. But the biggest game on Netflix, by far, will soon be Grand Theft Auto. Netflix announced yesterday that Grand Theft Auto: The Trilogy – The Definitive Edition will be available to subscribers free of charge starting Dec. 14.
The trilogy includes Grand Theft Auto III, Grand Theft Auto: Vice City, and Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas, and each game will be optimized for mobile gameplay. Since the newest of those titles was released in 2004, any of the best Android phones will have more than enough power to run a trilogy game smoothly.
Netflix says that these GTA games will be available on the Google Play Store, App Store, and in Netflix's mobile app. There are already listings for the apps on the Play Store and App Store, with Netflix listed as the app developer, although separate listings from Rockstar can still be found on the Play Store.
Although the company listed Dec. 14 as the release date for the GTA trilogy in its press release, the app pages in the App Store list Dec. 15 as the expected release date. On the Play Store, the pages only reveal the app is "coming soon."
Presumably, after downloading the game, you'll need to sign in with your active Netflix account to confirm your subscriptions. Then, you should be all set to play around in Liberty City, Vice City, or San Andreas on your mobile device.
Mobile games likely won't be a reason to buy Netflix, but it could be a way to get more value out of your existing subscription. That could be a big factor as the company continues to raise subscription prices. Currently, the standard plan costs a whopping $15.49 per month.
However, Netflix said that the games add "further value to all Netflix memberships," which means people on the standard with ads plan ($6.99/month) should be able to play the GTA trilogy for free. The company also noted that the games are completely ad-free.
If you already have a Netflix plan, it can't hurt to download the GTA trilogy on your mobile device. It's a pretty neat time-waster, and although graphics have come a long way since the trilogy debuted, they're still fun games. You can register to play the games now, with availability starting next month.
