Netflix has quietly introduced interactive titles over the past few years but with the release of Black Mirror: Bandersnatch, the mainstream has now been exposed to Netflix’s new form of storytelling.
How do the Interactive Titles on Netflix work?
As you’ll notice, the main difference between the normal Netflix player and the enhanced version for user choice navigation is removing the progress bar.
You may remember older YouTube videos that let you choose how the story goes. There were two ways of achieving this effect.
- The first way (which is the way Netflix doesn’t do it) is to offer two links at the end of the video, which represents the user’s choice. Each choice would redirect you to a new video to complete the story.
- The second way (and how Netflix does it) is to offer users choices that refer to specific timestamps.
You can actually see how the interactive specials are working on select devices, specifically on those that allow you to debug your watching. In the top right, you can see a time bar. When important decisions come around, the title can jump to other points in time.
Why doesn’t it work on all devices?
Not all devices support interactive titles. Chromecasts are the most notable devices that do not support it, as well as Apple TV. You can see the full list here.
Full List of Interactive Specials on Netflix
| Cover | Title Name | Language | Rating | IMDb |
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Disclaimer: Data presented is for Netflix US. May not 100% reflect the full Netflix library.