Netflix releases first Squid Game season 3 tease amid record-breaking season 2 debut

As Squid Game shatters viewing records for Season 2, we’ve got the first peek at Season 3!

It’s been three years since Squid Game became an international sensation. The story of a man (Lee Jung-jae) trapped in a series of murderous “games” took off better than anyone dreamed. It inspired a reality show and won Jung-jae an Emmy award. All told season 1 amassed 265.2 million views, making it Netflix’s most-watched series of all time.

So expectations were high for Season 2, which dropped on Netflix on December 26. Yet it’s amazing that, per TVLine, the show has been shattering records for viewing not just for Netflix but other streamers.

According to Netflix’s data, Squid Game Season 2 has (as of early Dec. 31) amassed 68 million views, breaking the record for most views for a show in its premiere week. That had been set by Wednesday, with 50.1 million views in 2022. (For those wondering, Netflix defines “views” as total stream time divided by runtime).

The English title TV list was topped by the Christmas Day coverage of the Baltimore Ravens vs Houston Texans NFL game, highlighted by Beyonce's halftime performance.

Getting that many views in just a few days is amazing, and the number will likely keep growing over the holidays when folks love to binge-watch more. It fits as Season 2 amps up the stakes leading to a stunning finale (which you can easily read recaps of here at Show Snob). 

Thankfully, the wait for Season 3 won’t be nearly as long for fans!

Get a peek at Squid Game Season 3

To tie in with the news of the show’s success, Netflix also released the first teaser image for Season 3, confirming it will be released in 2025 which had previously been reported. It features the “mascot” Young-hee, with a male counterpart, hinting at the upped stakes. 

Speaking to Variety, Squid Game creator Hwang Dong-hyuk dropped hints that the show may return for its third (and final) season, perhaps as early as next summer.

"But what I can say is, after Season 2 launches, I believe we will be announcing the launch date for Season 3 soon. I probably expect that to launch around summer or fall next year."

Without many spoilers, Season 2 ended on a huge cliffhanger that left Gi-hun in a dark position and trying to survive a new twist in the game. Fans are very happy they won’t have to wait a full year or more to see that unfold. 

For now, fans can enjoy the record-breaking Season 2 of Squid Game and marvel at how this sensation shows no signs of slowing down.

Squid Game seasons 1&2 are streaming on Netflix.