Song Ji-woo's Player 196 moves in Red Light, Green Light in Squid Game season 2 episode 1_ Netflix reveals Squid Game season 2’s record-shattering viewership numbers and confirms season 3’s return window. Three years after season 1 took the world by storm, season 2 returned on December 26 with all seven episodes. The new season follows Seong Gi-hun (Lee Jung-jae), the sole survivor of the deadly games in season 1, as he attempts to locate the recruiter and stop more from falling victims to the con. Squid Game season 3 has already been confirmed, and it will finish the show.

Squid Game season 2 broke Netflix’s record within its first week. With a total of 68 million views in four days, the show garnered the most views ever on the platform for a show in its first week, beating the score previously held by Wednesday at 52.6 million. The dystopia survival series is currently ranked No. 1 in 92 countries and is Netflix’s seventh most popular non-English TV show. Along with a clip that teases the upcoming final season, the streamer confirms that Squid Game season 3 will return in 2025.

What This Means For Squid Game

Squid Game Dominates Netflix After 3 Years Despite Mixed Reviews

Gi-hun looking devastated in Squid Game season 2 Gi-hun and Jung-bae in Squid Game season 2 Gi-hun looks directly at a Squid Game guard as we see the guard in his pink outfit from behind in Squid Game season 2 Dae-ho and Jung-bae in Squid Game season 2 Gi-hun looks into the distance as he stands against the sky in Squid Game season 2 Gi-hun looking devastated in Squid Game season 2 Gi-hun and Jung-bae in Squid Game season 2 Gi-hun looks directly at a Squid Game guard as we see the guard in his pink outfit from behind in Squid Game season 2 Dae-ho and Jung-bae in Squid Game season 2 Gi-hun looks into the distance as he stands against the sky in Squid Game season 2

In 2021, Squid Game season 1 was a massive hit with more than 265 million views within its first month. The first season had a strong debut on the streaming service and secured a large global audience along with critical acclaim, taking home six Emmy Awards, including a lead actor win for Lee. It didn’t take long for Squid Game to be known as one of Netflix’s most popular shows.

The highly anticipated season 2 continues the first season’s viewership trend, attracting an even bigger audience during its opening. This is likely because Squid Game has only been able to amass a bigger audience during its hiatus. On the other hand, while the series’ first season received an overwhelmingly positive reception among fans and critics, reviews for Squid Game season 2 have been mixed. The series’ Rotten Tomatoes scores dropped from 95% to 82% in the second season among critics, and 83% to 64% among viewers.

Our Take On Squid Game Season 2’s Viewership

Season 2 Only Tells The First Half Of The Story

Lee Jung-Jae as Gi-hun, holding a gun to his head, in Squid Game season 2

Though there might have been some concerns that interest in Squid Game would die down during the extended gap between seasons, it is clear this has only increased excitement. The viewership numbers suggest people have been binge-watching the show during their holiday breaks, and the odds are good season 2 will break the all-time record set by season 1. It’s likely that Squid Game‘s success has little to do with reviews this time; even with a more middling response, people were probably going to check out the new episodes anyway.

Netflix’s confirmation of the season 3 release window puts the show’s return in less than a year, confirming that Squid Game season 2’s cliffhanger will be resolved much sooner than that of season 1. While the dystopian K-drama will end in the third season, creator Hwang Dong-hyuk has confirmed that Netflix isn’t done with the Squid Game universe. The record-shattering viewership is a positive sign that there might be more similar projects or an expansion of the franchise in the near future.