Netflix Releases First Build-Your-Own-Adventure Movie

Taking entertainment to the new level, Netflix, Inc. NFLX is now allowing subscribers to jump right into the thick of the plot.

The company released a new episode of the animated kids show "The Adventures of Puss in Boots" with a twist. The new installment allows viewers to choose the plot of the story, according to a report in the New York Times.

Kids Don The Director's Cap

The new offering, designed as an interactive episode, would last 18 to 39 minutes. By the press of the finger, viewers become directors, dictating the course of the story every two to four minutes.

While "Puss in Boots" is the only interactive series currently available on Netflix, a second kids series is slotted for next month and a third next year. Because of the fresh media experience, these are merely experimental offerings — a chance for Netflix to see how build-your-own shows are received. Depending on how successful they are, Netflix could expand these types of shows beyond children's programs, the Times report said.

Competition Spurs Innovation

The planned interactive series has come about as Netflix grapples with competitors such as Amazon.com, Inc. AMZN and Hulu, as children continue to gravitate toward content disseminated through digital platforms.

The report noted that Amazon has made a host of PBS content exclusive to itself by acquiring most of PBS's library of original series, thus making it unavailable on Netflix or Hulu.

The interactive series was in the works for about two years, according to the Times story, with the creative team vested with the responsibility of developing plot points.

Meanwhile, Hulu boasts a virtual reality project geared toward adults, implemented in a series called "Door No. 1." This choose-your-adventure show concerns a 10-year high school class reunion. Meanwhile, PBS for its part, is also working on digital interactive games, which would complement the program just watched.

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The Vetr Community Continues To Love Netflix _________ Image Credit: "Puss in Boots mascot at Puss in Boots premiere at Moore Park, Fox Studios in Sydney, Australia."By Eva Rinaldi - http://www.flickr.com/photos/evarinaldiphotography/6409155811/, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons