Picture Credit: BET
We’ve got some bad news for fans of classic 2000s sitcoms. The first three seasons of the beloved comedy-drama The Game are officially slated to leave Netflix US in mid-August 2026 following a first removal back in mid-2023.
As we approach the end of the month, we are starting to piece together the full list of movies and television shows scheduled to depart the service in August. Joining the list of departures will be the defining early seasons of Mara Brock Akil’s hit series, The Game. Akil, as you may know, went on to produce and showrun Forever for Netflix, which will soon return for season 2.
Currently, Netflix is displaying a removal notice on the title page for the series indicating that the “Last day to watch” is August 14th, 2026. That means the series will officially drop off the platform at midnight on August 15th, 2026.
One of Last of the 2020 “Strong Black Lead” Wave to Leave
For those who track Netflix’s library closely, the departure of The Game marks the end of an era.
Back in the summer and fall of 2020, Netflix made headlines when its Strong Black Lead initiative brought a massive wave of seven classic Black sitcoms to the platform. The historic rollout included Moesha, The Game, Sister, Sister, Girlfriends, The Parkers, Half & Half, and One on One.
If you’re wondering if any of those other beloved shows are still streaming on Netflix to soften the blow, the sad answer is no. As we’ve covered previously here at What’s on Netflix, the licensing deals for the other six shows expired throughout the late summer and fall of 2023. The Game (alongside Girlfriends and The Parkers) managed to survive their removal dates on the platform significantly longer than those other titles, making it the very last survivor of that legendary 2020 lineup to finally pack its bags.
Presumably, Girlfriends is due to exit Netflix this September and The Parkers in October, but we’ll keep you posted.
Why were Seasons 4-9 of The Game never on Netflix?
If you’ve been binging the show on Netflix, you might have noticed that only the first three seasons are available. Over the years, we’ve frequently been asked if or when Netflix would ever add Seasons 4 through 9 to finish out the story.
The answer comes down to network television history and shifting streaming rights. Originating as a spinoff of Girlfriends, the first three seasons of The Game originally aired on The CW between 2006 and 2009 before the network unceremoniously canceled it. The show was famously resurrected by BET in 2011, where it ran for six more highly successful seasons.
Netflix’s licensing deal with CBS Television Distribution (now Paramount) only ever covered the “classic” CW era of the show (Seasons 1-3). The later BET seasons were purposefully held back meaning Netflix was never in a position to stream the complete series.
Where will The Game stream next?
Because the series is ultimately owned by Paramount, the natural streaming home for the series going forward is Paramount+ (and its sister platform, BET+), but it was one of the many shows yanked back in mid-2023, and it’s not streaming anywhere else (beyond VOD services) according to JustWatch.
For a complete rundown of everything leaving Netflix in August 2026, keep it locked right here on What’s on Netflix.
Will you be sad to see seasons 1-3 of The Game depart Netflix? Are you planning a final binge-watch before mid-August? Let us know in the comments down below.
