"Squid Game 3" Tops Global Charts One Day After Release... Reviews Are Mixed

Ranked No. 1 Globally on FlixPatrol
Mixed Reviews from Critics and Audiences
Tomatometer at 83%, Popcorn Score at 51%

The Netflix original series "Squid Game" Season 3 claimed the global No. 1 spot just one day after its release.

According to FlixPatrol, an online content service ranking site, "Squid Game 3" ranked No. 1 worldwide in the Netflix TV program category as of the previous day, June 28, 2025. By country, it topped the charts in all 93 countries tracked by FlixPatrol, including the United States and the United Kingdom. FlixPatrol compiles its rankings based on country-specific scores derived from Netflix's "Top 10" lists and other metrics.

The fact that "Squid Game 3," released on June 27, 2025, rose to the No. 1 content spot worldwide within a single day is attributed to the global buzz generated by its previous seasons. Season 1 of "Squid Game," released in 2021, became the most successful Netflix TV show among both English- and non-English-language content, achieving sensational popularity worldwide. Season 2, released late last year, also immediately climbed to No. 1 in TV show viewership rankings during its debut week and, on a cumulative basis, ranked third among TV shows, following "Squid Game 1" and "Wednesday" Season 1.

However, reviews for "Squid Game 3" have been mixed. While international critics gave it high marks, general viewers felt it fell short of expectations. On Rotten Tomatoes, the American film and drama rating site, the Tomatometer score based on critics' reviews stood at 83%, but the audience score, known as the Popcorn Score, was only 51%. This means that nearly half of viewers who watched the show gave it a negative review.

This contrasts with Season 1, which received a Tomatometer score of 95% and a Popcorn Score of 84%, earning acclaim from both critics and the general public. The Washington Times in the United States commented, "As an Emmy-winning series, it should have delivered an emotionally weighty conclusion," and added, "Squid Game failed in this regard, ending with a cameo appearance by a famous actor and leaving the audience with little to ponder." The Guardian, a British daily, noted, "The brutality is more intense, the violence is relentless, and the satire is gradually disappearing," and pointed out, "There is spectacle, but it is not as sharp as before."