Key Points
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Netflix interactive features now include live voting, party games, and new ways for users to engage with shows and friends.
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The Netflix platform update also brings a kids’ UI redesign, immersive homepages, and vertical video tests on mobile.
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The company aims to make watching more active and social rather than just passive streaming.
Netflix Interactive Features Bring a New Way to Watch
Netflix interactive features are taking streaming to the next level with the introduction of live voting, living-room party games, and immersive experiences across devices. The company wants to make watching content a two-way activity where viewers can participate, respond, and play — not just sit back and watch.
At the TechCrunch Disrupt conference, Netflix CTO Elizabeth Stone shared that the platform is working on several interactive upgrades to make entertainment more fun and social. These include live audience voting during shows, multiplayer-style games you can play on your TV using your phone, and dynamic home screens that change themes based on holidays or special releases.
Netflix is also testing a vertical scrolling video feed on mobile devices, allowing users to quickly browse short clips from its shows and movies — similar to the experience of scrolling through Instagram Reels or YouTube Shorts. However, Stone clarified that the intention is not to copy social media platforms but to help users discover new content faster.
These changes show Netflix’s focus on engagement — transforming from a platform you watch to one you interact with.
Netflix Platform Update Adds Live Voting for Shows
The Netflix platform update will debut live voting with the reboot of the iconic talent competition show Star Search. This feature will allow audiences to participate in real time while watching live. When a performance airs, viewers will see a prompt on their screen to cast a vote within a limited time window. Once the live broadcast ends, the voting feature closes, ensuring only real-time participants can influence results.
This marks a significant step toward interactive television. Viewers will no longer be passive spectators but active participants shaping show outcomes. Netflix says it plans to expand this idea to podcasts once video podcasts from Spotify begin integrating into Netflix’s ecosystem in 2026.
This kind of interactivity can make entertainment more thrilling — imagine watching a singing competition where your vote actually helps decide who stays or leaves. It’s also a clever move by Netflix to keep users engaged longer on its platform and attract new audiences looking for community-driven content.
Netflix Interactive Features Expand with Living Room Party Games
Netflix interactive features will also bring “living-room party games” that turn your TV into a shared gaming hub. These games will work similar to the popular Jackbox party packs — one person opens the game on a smart TV while friends or family join from their phones using a code.
The games will include trivia, drawing challenges, guessing rounds, and time-based puzzles — all designed for fun group play. This addition reflects Netflix’s growing focus on gaming as an extension of storytelling and entertainment.
Netflix has already invested in mobile gaming, with titles inspired by its own shows like Stranger Things, Money Heist, and Love Is Blind. Now, it’s extending that interactivity to the living room, where group experiences have traditionally been the strongest.
This initiative is part of Netflix’s long-term plan to blur the line between watching and playing — a strategy that could help it compete with both gaming consoles and social entertainment apps. The party games are expected to roll out later this year, with more additions coming in 2026.
Netflix Platform Update Redesigns Kids Interface and Home Experience
The Netflix platform update also includes a major redesign for kids’ profiles and home screens. Netflix wants to make navigation easier, safer, and more enjoyable for young viewers. The new kids interface will feature bright visuals, simplified menus, and a navigation bar with sections like “My Netflix,” where children can see saved, liked, and watched titles.
What makes it smarter is real-time personalization — recommendations will adapt instantly as kids interact with the content. This means if a child watches a few episodes of Boss Baby, similar titles will automatically move up their homepage.
Netflix is also testing animated and themed homepages for all users. The first themed version rolled out for Halloween, with a festive design and background animations. More themes are planned, including a holiday version and even a Bridgerton-themed homepage. These immersive designs create a more cinematic feel right from the moment users open the app, making the experience fresh each season.
This feature aligns with Netflix’s larger goal — turning streaming into a visually engaging journey rather than a static menu of thumbnails.
Netflix Interactive Features Include Vertical Video Scrolling for Mobile Users
Another key part of the Netflix interactive features rollout is the testing of vertical video feeds on smartphones. The company is experimenting with scrollable, bite-sized video clips that showcase short scenes from its movies and shows.
Instead of browsing long lists or reading descriptions, users can swipe through quick snippets to get a feel for the tone and quality of a show before committing to watch. This design mirrors popular short-video platforms but serves a different purpose — to help users discover Netflix content faster without switching to social media.
Elizabeth Stone emphasized that this move is not about mimicking TikTok but rather enhancing the browsing experience. For Netflix, the goal is to reduce the “decision fatigue” users face when choosing what to watch. By offering these quick previews, Netflix hopes to make scrolling inside its app as addictive as scrolling on social media — but with a clear path to full-length viewing.
Netflix Platform Update Aims to Make Streaming More Active and Social
The Netflix platform update represents a major shift in how the streaming giant views entertainment. Instead of focusing solely on high-quality content, Netflix now wants to emphasize interaction and participation.
By combining live voting, social-style gaming, themed visuals, and short-form browsing, Netflix is building an ecosystem that keeps users engaged longer and more meaningfully. This strategy also helps Netflix stand out in a crowded market where rivals like Disney+, Amazon Prime Video, and Apple TV+ are competing fiercely for attention.
These new features also hint at Netflix’s long-term vision — to make streaming not just something you do alone, but something you share. Whether it’s voting for a performer, playing a quiz with friends, or enjoying a themed homepage, Netflix wants to transform streaming into a connected, living experience.
Conclusion
Netflix’s shift toward interactive entertainment marks a new era in streaming. The combination of live voting, living-room party games, and personalized experiences shows that Netflix isn’t just evolving — it’s reinventing what digital entertainment means.
By merging storytelling with interactivity, Netflix is ensuring that viewers are not just watching the story — they’re part of it. As these features roll out in 2025 and beyond, Netflix is setting the stage for a future where streaming feels less like television and more like a community.
