Netflix Is Removing Nearly All of Its Interactive Titles

According to The Verge, Netflix plans to delist almost all of its interactive shows and films as of December 1st. Only four of the 24 interactive titles will remain: Black Mirror: Bandersnatch, Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt: Kimmy vs. the Reverend, Ranveer vs. Wild with Bear Grylls, and You vs. Wild. From the report: The removal of the titles marks a disappointing conclusion to Netflix's earliest efforts into interactive content. The company first launched the interactive titles in 2017 with Puss in Book: Trapped in an Epic Tale, and I remember being wowed (and horrified) by paths in Black Mirror: Bandersnatch. In addition to specials based on franchises like Carmen Sandiego and Boss Baby, Netflix also tried ideas like a daily trivia series and a trivia game you could play with a friend. But the relatively few titles available suggests the format wasn't much of a hit -- Puss in Book has apparently been gone for a while. "The technology served its purpose, but is now limiting as we focus on technological efforts in other areas," spokesperson Chrissy Kelleher says.

Netflix has interactive titles?

[dgatwood]

What's an interactive title?

No, seriously. Just like the whole Netflix game studio thing, I keep hearing about companies like Netflix cancelling things that I've never heard of and didn't even know that they did. Not that I would necessarily care even if I did know, but I've actually seen one of the shows that one of those interactive titles is based on, and I *still* haven't heard of it.

Maybe Netflix should use that top box to highlight new features instead of wasting it on shows that I am almost never interested in.

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[VertosCay]

What's an interactive title?

No, seriously. Just like the whole Netflix game studio thing, I keep hearing about companies like Netflix cancelling things that I've never heard of and didn't even know that they did. Not that I would necessarily care even if I did know, but I've actually seen one of the shows that one of those interactive titles is based on, and I *still* haven't heard of it.

Maybe Netflix should use that top box to highlight new features instead of wasting it on shows that I am almost never interested in.

That was my question. Are we supposed to yell at the TV now?

Re:Netflix has interactive titles?

[93 Escort Wagon]

Are we supposed to yell at the TV now?

I've been doing that for 50 years - even without Netflix's help!

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[newcastlejon]

Do you remember the "choose your own adventure" books? Same thing, but a film.

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[Firethorn]

So basically just what I was thinking. Of course, my problem with the "choose your own adventure" is the same I have with a lot of RPG games - my reaction on what I'd do when the choice comes up matches none of the options.

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[93 Escort Wagon]

If you want Calculon to race to the lasergun battle in his hover Ferrari, press 1.
If you want Calculon to double-check his paperwork, press 2. Enter now!

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[Gilgaron]

Bandersnatch was kinda fun because the same choices looped would change. I recall Kimmy Schmidt being enjoyable too, not sure I tried the others. Not sure why they'd remove them unless they had trouble carrying the tech forward to new interface standards or something.

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[upuv]

You beat me to it.

What interactive titles? And what exactly are they? Follow your own adventure style? Was it restricted to a subset of devices?

I've never even heard about these things before.

Were they any good?

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[havana9]

Bandersnatch was an interactive title. The viewer could choose what happens in the next senes and the story goes on differen sides.
Or if you prefer a cartoon with damsel in distress and adventures in dungeons, think about Dragon's lair, but instead of using a CAV laserdisc, a streaming device it's used.

Purpose

[Kunedog]

The technology served its purpose

Have they done enough research that they feel the interactive ad trials are ready?

How exactly is Netflix removing a feature, news fo

[jasonw61]

Explain:

Re: How exactly is Netflix removing a feature, new

[Fortnite_Beast]

I think we're supposed to comment on the Minimum Viable Product and how Netflix runs as a lean startup at scale, or something. Maybe say a few words about enshitification while we're at it. And in closing, complain that there was no Cowboy Neal option in any of the interactive choices.

Re:

[upuv]

Seems all the streamers do this some what on purpose.

By trimming the catalogue occasionally they can concentrate viewing on a few titles. Ones with more favourable licensing terms etc.

But also they have the ability to re-release titles in the future to make it appears as if the platform is getting a lot of new material over time. In actuallity it's just a refresh of an older title.

thanks f***

[kalieaire]

i've always hated the fact they were trying to put stupid games and interactive bs. i go to netflix to watch stuff, i don't have any braincells to use anything else.

Interactive entertainment has always been BS.

[Eunomion]

If you really want interactivity, it's called gaming. And if you really really want interactivity, it's called doing stuff in reality. People who pay to watch movies and TV shows want the service they're buying to do the work, obviously. But for some reason they forget that every decade or so and introduce "interactive entertainment" like they just discovered a new concept.

Bandersnatch is great

[26199]

It's about a games programmer in the 80s building a "choose your own adventure" game ... the choice of subject matter makes it possibly the only good interactive TV show, ever.