Netflix earlier this year debuted its first interactive experience for children. Puss in Book: Trapped in an Epic Tale launched in partnership with DreamWorks Animation, affording tykes the option to choose between branching narratives.
Now, it’s the adult’s turn.
According to Netflix Chief Content Officer Ted Sarandos, the response to the aforementioned Puss in Book and another choose-your-own-adventure show, Buddy Thunderstruck: The Maybe Pile, was enough to convince them to experiment with a similar concept for grown-ups.
Details are scarce but according to Bloomberg, viewers would be able to pick which storyline to follow then go back and watch the same show again with a different result. Fans of the Choose Your Own Adventure books from a few decades ago should feel right at home.
The question, of course, is whether or not adults will be interested in interactive video. The concept has been around for a while now but hasn’t really caught on with larger audiences. I have my doubts (kids can make anything interactive) but I suppose only time will tell.
The BBC in September announced the development of an interactive audio drama for Amazon Echo and Google Home smart speakers called "The Inspection Chamber." Perhaps this development also influenced Netflix's decision?
Netflix, with more than 109 million subscribers worldwide, seems like an ideal test bed. The streaming giant also has the budget to make it happen. The company spent around $6 billion on original content this year and could shell out as much as $8 billion in 2018.
https://www.techspot.com/news/72178-netflix-developing-choose-own-adventure-series-adults.html
