Squid Game: Unleashed out now, free for Netflix members and non-subscribers

• Squid Game: Unleashed is out now on iOS and Android
• It's the first time that Netflix has offered one of their games for free, for all players
• Duke it out in death games inspired by the show and beyond

Well, just in time for the holidays the folks at Netflix have done what I previously thought unthinkable, and offered a new release free for all; subscribers and non-subscribers alike. And perhaps unsurprisingly it takes the form of a battle royale based on arguably one of their most popular series, Squid Game: Unleashed; available now on iOS and Android.

The Korean drama which took the world by storm follows a group of down-on-their-luck competitors offered the chance by mysterious benefactors to participate in a series of death games, all themed after common children's pastimes. The grand prize? Nearly $40m in cash.

Squid Game: Unleashed is perhaps a mite less distressing than its inspiration, but nonetheless sees you duking it out with fellow competitors to see who the last person standing will be. Whether that's iconic scenarios from the show, such as the Glass Bridge, Red Light Green Light and Dalgona; or new and even deadlier challenges.

The decision to offer Squid Game: Unleashed freely to all players could be taken as a sign of desperation, but more likely I think it's quite a shrewd move. After all, one big purpose of Netflix Games as a service has been to produce tie-in media for their lineup of shows and movies. And what better way to get people back into Squid Game, or introduce it for the first time, than with a fast and furious multiplayer offering?

That and the fact that one of the biggest hurdles any multiplayer release needs to address is player count. Restricting Squid Game: Unleashed just to subscribers might've left regular members feeling a bit lonely. But with this move, they ensure a likely healthy player base at the very least.

In any case, it looks to be a fun release. But if you want to get Ahead of the Game, why not check out our column for upcoming releases that we've gotten hands-on with a bit earlier?