Black Mirror's Thronglets Becomes a Real Game – and It’s Just as Creepy as You'd Expect

If you’ve ever watched an episode of Black Mirror and thought, “Wow, this would make a really messed up video game,” then Netflix has a surprise for you. Thronglets, the fictional virtual pet game from Season 7’s unsettling episode Plaything, is now a real, playable game available for free on mobile—if you're a Netflix subscriber. Developed by Night School Studio (Oxenfree), Thronglets turns retro pixel art nostalgia into a slow-burn nightmare you can carry in your pocket.

Let’s rewind a bit. Plaything follows Cameron Walker (played by Lewis Gribben), a washed-up games journalist obsessed with an obscure '90s game called Thronglets. As his obsession deepens, he becomes the prime suspect in a murder, and the episode takes a dark dive into gamer culture, digital obsession, and psychological horror. The always-brilliant Peter Capaldi plays a key supporting role, and the return of Will Poulter’s Bandersnatch character Colin Ritman adds extra layers for long-time Black Mirror fans.

Now, Thronglets exist outside the screen-within-a-screen. It functions as a twisted homage to Tamagotchi-style pet sims, letting players care for (and slowly lose control over) a group of “cute” creatures that evolve—or unravel—into something far more disturbing. Netflix describes it as: “These pixel art critters won’t just take over your phone; they could take over your life.” That’s not just marketing spin. The more you play, the more the game’s dark undertones begin to surface. It's less about high scores and more about slowly building dread.

The meta-experience goes deeper with the inclusion of The Ritman Retrospective, a mockumentary-style series of video fragments you unlock as you play. These snippets dig into the (fictional) development of Thronglets at the in-universe studio Tuckersoft, giving off strong Control or Alan Wake-style vibes. Mohan Thakur, the boss at Tuckersoft (played by People Just Do Nothing’s Asim Chaudhry), and Colin Ritman both feature heavily, blurring the line between lore and parody in a way only Black Mirror can pull off.

This release is another reminder of how Black Mirror has continually blurred the lines between games and storytelling. From the choose-your-own-adventure Bandersnatch to the VR horror of Playtest, the series has long had one foot in the gaming world. And that’s no accident—Black Mirror creator Charlie Brooker was a games journalist in the 90s, working for PC Zone. His inside perspective gives these episodes a biting authenticity, not just in tone but in the specific language of gaming culture: the obsession, the gatekeeping, the nostalgia, and the buried trauma.

With Thronglets, Netflix isn’t just cashing in on a fun idea—they’re exploring how to extend the Black Mirror universe into interactive media in a way that’s far more immersive (and insidious) than a typical tie-in. The fact that the game slowly evolves (some players say devolves) the longer you care for your Thronglets adds an extra layer of creepiness. It’s as if your Pokémon started gaslighting you and recording your every move.

This isn’t Netflix’s first foray into gaming either. They’ve already released playable content for Stranger Things, Love Is Blind, and most recently, Squid Game: Unleashed. But Thronglets feels more aligned with what Black Mirror does best—pulling the rug out from under you in a way that’s not just unsettling but deeply reflective of our relationship with technology.

So if you’re brave (or curious), Thronglets is available now via the Netflix mobile app. Just don’t get too attached to those “harmonic” little critters. And maybe don’t play it right before bed.