Netflix confirms ‘Squid Game’ season 2 is coming this year — here’s what we know

(L-R) Park Hae-soo as Cho Sang-woo and Lee Jung-jae as Seong Gi-hun in Squid Game
(Image credit: Netflix)

It’s been a long time coming but Netflix has finally given a firm release date update on "Squid Game" season 2, and it’s good news. 

As part of a recent shareholders letter (spotted by Variety), it’s been confirmed that "Squid Game" season 2 will premiere on the streaming service later this year. While we don’t have anything more specific than “2024” at this time, expect more significant updates to follow in the months ahead. 

For now, we can only speculate as to exactly when "Squid Game" season 2 will land on Netflix, but the back half of the year seems like a solid bet. The first season arrived in September 2021, and perhaps its sophomore season will arrive around the same time. Although, a debut in the final months of the year shouldn’t be discounted. 

Netflix has yet to share any plot details for "Squid Game" season 2 but series creator Hwang Dong-hyuk shared in an interview with the Korea Herald that there will be “new games and characters, as well as a deeper plot and message.” Perhaps this time, players will forced to compete in a blood-soaked version of tag, or maybe a deadly spin on hopscotch. 

Hwang also commented on the expectations that come with following up such a popular first season: “We are burdened with the pressure to do well, but we will make sure to repay viewers with a good result.”

‘Squid Game’ is a key Netflix show 

If you somehow missed the "Squid Game"’ hype, the thriller series follows a group of people competing in deadly versions of classic children’s games to win a large cash prize. The first season ended on a dramatic cliffhanger, and while I won’t spoil anything, its ambiguous ending proved there are still stories left to tell in this world. 

The show quickly became a monster hit for Netflix, breaking all records to become the service’s most-watched show of all time — a title it still holds to this day even if "Wednesday" came pretty close to overtaking it in 2022. 

Netflix capitalized on "Squid Game’s" continued popularity with a game show spinoff, called "Squid Game: The Challenge" last year. And Netflix CEO Ted Sarandos previously said, “The ‘Squid Game’ universe has just begun.”

"Squid Game" season 2 will headline a big year for Netflix. In 2024, several fan-favorite shows are set to return including "Emily in Paris," "Bridgerton" and "F1: Drive to Survive." But there will also be plenty of new shows including Guy Ritchie’s "The Gentlemen", a live-action adaptation of "Avatar: The Last Airbender", and the streamer’s biggest bet of 2024, a complex sci-fi thriller from the makers of "Game of Thrones" called "3 Body Problem".  

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Rory Mellon
Entertainment Editor (UK)

Rory is an Entertainment Editor at Tom’s Guide based in the UK. He covers a wide range of topics but with a particular focus on gaming and streaming. When he’s not reviewing the latest games, searching for hidden gems on Netflix, or writing hot takes on new gaming hardware, TV shows and movies, he can be found attending music festivals and getting far too emotionally invested in his favorite football team. 

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