Netflix’s Squid Game Season 3 has set a new viewership record, amassing 106.3 million views within its first 10 days of release. The series had an explosive debut, with 60.1 million views in just the first three days, making it the third most-watched non-English language series in Netflix history.
The third season premiered on June 27, 2025, and quickly reached the top spot in all 93 countries where Netflix tracks viewership rankings. This is the first show ever to achieve such a global debut.
Alongside the record-breaking numbers, the season generated 4.56 billion impressions across Netflix’s social media channels, the highest engagement ever for a Netflix campaign.
The success of Season 3 also boosted interest in previous seasons. Season 2 climbed back to number three with 2.8 million views, while Season 1 returned to the charts at number six with 1.7 million views during the same period.
Despite the massive viewership, critics gave the new season mixed reviews. Additionally, the social media buzz around Squid Game Season 3 has been noticeably quieter compared to the cultural explosion following the original season, which became a global phenomenon.
This quieter reception fits a growing trend called the “ghost show” phenomenon, where shows attract intense initial attention but then quickly fade from public discussion even as they maintain steady viewership numbers.
The season’s finale featured a dramatic and emotional conclusion, with main character Seong Gi-hun sacrificing himself to save a newborn baby, delivering a powerful message about humanity. This ending marked a change from the original creator’s plan, offering a more impactful conclusion.
