Global 'Squid Game' mania lifts Netflix quarter

South Korean drama 'Squid Game' debuted on Sept 17 and surprised Netflix executives by becoming the streaming service's most-watched original series in its first month. - Bloomberg

SEOUL (Reuters): Netflix Inc's global sensation 'Squid Game' helped lure more new customers than expected, the world's largest streaming service said on Tuesday (Oct 19) as it predicted a packed lineup would further boost signups through the end of the year.

After a sharp slowdown in the first half of 2021, Netflix added 4.38 million subscribers from July through September to reach 213.6 million worldwide. Wall Street analysts had projected 3.86 million additions, according to Refinitiv data.