Monument Valley Makers DITCH Mobile! What's Next?!

Monument Valley developer ustwo is making a surprising move: a full-on pivot to PC game development. The studio, practically synonymous with gorgeous mobile gaming thanks to the Monument Valley series, is citing concerns about the long-term reliability of relying on platforms like Netflix and Apple as its primary distribution channels. It's a pretty significant shift, considering their entire identity has been built on mobile-first experiences.

Monument Valley Makers DITCH Mobile! What's Next?!

For those unfamiliar, Monument Valley was more than just a game; it was a cultural touchstone. Released in 2014, it became a flagship title for Apple's App Store, its Escher-esque landscapes and tranquil gameplay captivating millions. The sequel followed suit, debuting exclusively on iOS before landing on Android. Just this year, ustwo partnered with Netflix for Monument Valley 3, marking their second major collaboration with the streaming giant, following Desta: The Memories Between in 2022.

Ustwo CEO Maria Sayans openly admits that working with both Apple and Netflix initially proved incredibly fruitful, providing the studio with a "lucrative and stable business," allowing them to expand and experiment. But, looking ahead to 2026, the studio clearly sees a potential downturn in that seemingly endless stream of revenue.

"Ultimately, you are one step removed from your audience and dependent on their content strategy, so it is not a solid base to build a long-term business around," Sayans explained in a recent statement. "We needed to wean ourselves off that dependency by continuing to invest in our own IP, building porting and publishing skills in-house, and strengthening our direct relationship with our audience." Makes sense, right? You can't build an empire on someone else's land.

What's really interesting is that this concern isn't exactly new. Last year, around the launch of Monument Valley 3, lead producer John Lau hinted at the decision to renew the Netflix partnership stemming from the App Store's evolving landscape. It seems like ustwo has been carefully weighing its options for quite some time.

And then came the kicker: Netflix yanked Monument Valley 3 from its service a mere six months after launch. Sayans described the move as a "total surprise," especially considering the years of development and significant marketing investment. "A number of games were taken off the service at the same time, so I assume it is related to the evolution of their content strategy and priorities," she added. Always sucks when that happens. On the bright side, ustwo used it as an opportunity to tweak the game's ending and add more post-launch content, better tailoring it for a premium experience, rather than a subscription-based one.

Ustwo isn't alone in feeling the shifting sands of Netflix's gaming ambitions. We've seen Netflix shutter Team Blue, their Southern Californian AAA studio, and the layoffs at Oxenfree developer Night School Studio. And let's not forget the recent sale of Spry Fox back to its founders. It paints a picture, doesn't it? While Netflix is still clearly invested in gaming, its strategy seems to be in constant flux. ustwo's move feels like a smart, albeit somewhat bittersweet, decision to regain control of its own destiny. The PC gaming world awaits.