Three years after its initial debut, Netflix (NASDAQ:NFLX)’s Squid Game has returned with its second season, delivering significant viewership and global engagement. The dystopian series, known for its compelling portrayal of socioeconomic disparities through life-and-death games, has captivated audiences once again, solidifying its position as a cultural phenomenon. Leveraging a robust marketing strategy, including collaborations with brands and a mobile companion game, Netflix ensured the show’s widespread visibility in an already competitive streaming landscape.
How did Squid Game Season 2 compare to its predecessor?
In its first 28 days of availability, Squid Game Season 2 logged 152.5 million views globally, making it Netflix’s second-most-watched non-English season and the third-most-watched season overall, trailing only its predecessor and Wednesday Season 1. Notably, the new season broke first-week records with 68 million views and 132 million global viewing hours, surpassing previous benchmarks set by its debut season. Netflix highlighted the performance, stating,
“Squid Game Season 2 is on track to become one of our most-watched original series seasons.”
Did global demand for the show grow with its second season?
According to Parrot Analytics, which tracks metrics like online engagement and social media buzz, Squid Game Season 2 became the most in-demand TV series globally within a day of release, outperforming the second-place title by 404%. It consistently outpaced the first season in audience engagement metrics, underscoring its enduring appeal and the effectiveness of Netflix’s promotional efforts.
Samba TV data revealed that 2.24 million U.S. households watched the Season 2 premiere within four days, making it Netflix’s top debut of 2024. Over its initial 15 days, 3 million households viewed the premiere episode, though this fell below other Netflix titles’ longer-term sampling. Despite this, binge-watching habits, driven by a three-year anticipation gap, contributed to a strong early viewership surge.
Nielsen data further confirmed the show’s dominance, reporting that the combined 16 episodes (from both seasons) generated 4.9 billion viewing minutes in just four days during Christmas week. This figure marked the highest weekly total for any streaming title in 2024, far surpassing other highly anticipated series like Bridgerton and The Boys.
When Squid Game first premiered in 2021, it became an unexpected global sensation, significantly boosting demand for non-English content on streaming platforms. However, while the first season’s success was largely driven by organic word-of-mouth, Season 2 benefited from a meticulously planned promotional campaign, including partnerships and integrations that created sustained interest over a shorter time frame.
As Netflix looks ahead, the focus shifts to the upcoming third season, which is anticipated to conclude the series. While the commercial success of Season 2 has set a high bar, a critical challenge will be maintaining this momentum and addressing mixed reviews, which, though positive overall, were less enthusiastic than the acclaim received by the debut season.
Squid Game Season 2 demonstrates that sequel success in the streaming era often relies on more than just storytelling—it requires a multifaceted strategy combining marketing, release timing, and audience engagement tools. As the show’s global footprint continues to grow, its performance underscores the importance of strategic planning in driving audience retention, particularly for serialized content. Viewers and industry analysts alike will likely scrutinize how Netflix leverages the series’ popularity to strengthen its position in a fiercely contested market.
