Netflix is preparing for an epochal change, since, as officially confirmed by sources within the company, interactive content will soon disappear from the platform’s catalogue. November is the last month in which customers of the giant operating in the streaming distribution of films and television series will be able to benefit from this type of content: from December 1st, in fact, all formats that involve the active participation of the user in the development of the plot they will no longer be reachable.
According to what was reported by the online portal “The Verge”, a Netflix spokesperson confirmed the rumors that had spread in the last period: “Technology has served its purpose, but is now becoming a burden as we focus our technological efforts in other areas”said Chrissy Kelleher.
Currently on the interactive content There are 24 titles on Netflix, but from the beginning of next month only 4 of them will be available to subscribers: specifically, “Black Mirror: Bandersnatch”, “Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt: Kimmy vs. the Reverend”, ” Ranveer vs. Wild with Bear Grylls” and “You vs. Wild”.
It is certainly not a minor turning point, since in 2017 the company had decided to focus heavily on this type of content which saw the active participation of its audience with the aim of encouraging its use. Netflix launched interactive titles for the first time with “Puss in Book: Trapped in an Epic Tale”, although the most successful series was undoubtedly “Black Mirror: Bandersnatch”, also due to the fact that the plot changes in profoundly depending on the choices made by the user.
In addition to franchise-based specials like “Carmen Sandiego” and “Boss Baby,” the company also attempted to offer a series of daily quizzes like “Trivia Quest”. The content, which works like the board game of the same name, also allows you to carry out challenges with friends, but if it was decided to torpedo this too, evidently the attempt did not have the desired success.
This removal could be a clear sign of Netflix’s difficulties in making space for itself in the industry gamingin which it could continue to invest in a different way, however difficult it may be.
The platform has been trying to open up in that direction for some time, without ever taking a significant step forward: as reported by “The Verge”, “Netflix’s game streaming beta is still in testing despite expanding to the US more than a year ago”.