Netflix is ending support for its slate of interactive movies, shows, and experiences.
Game Developer has learned the streamer will no longer be supporting interactive experiences such as Battle Kitty, Trivia Quest, We Lost our Human, and many more.
All interactive shows and films–with the exception of Black Mirror: Bandersnatch, Kimmy Schmidt, Ranveer vs Wild, and You vs Wild–will be removed as of December 1, 2024. Netflix feels the technology initially served its purpose but is now limiting the company as it attempts to focus on other areas.
The news initially spread on social media. Matt Layzell, creator of the streamer’s animated series Battle Kitty, claimed on Instagram that his show and others like it would be removed as Netflix “wipes the slate clean of their interactive programs.”
The loss of these playable shows speaks to the larger delisting saga that has occurred in recent years, and the lack of official, proper preservation for games and other interactive media.
Back in January, a Game File report alleged Netflix had already wiped its hands of the whole interactive endeavor entirely. Mike Verdu, then-head of Netflix Games and now the VP of its GenAI division, said at the time the streamer “[was] not building those specific experiences anymore.” While he said Netflix “learned a ton” from the format, he also acknowledged it was stifled by “very limiting” technology.
Since then, Netfix has put a greater focus on grabbing games for its titular service, like Oxenfree II, Hades, and the remastered Grand Theft Auto trilogy.
It also recently shut down its big triple-A studio that was developing an original project for PC and consoles. That team’s staff included longtime industry alums like Halo’s Joe Staten and Overwatch’s Chacko Sonny, and Netflix is now reaffirming its position as a mobile-first developer.