Netflix is exploring new ways to engage viewers who often divide their attention between streaming content and their smartphones. Acknowledging that multitasking during viewing is common, the company is testing interactive experiences that integrate a viewer’s phone into the narrative and gameplay.
The latest example is Unhinged, an interactive game developed internally by Night School Studio. Releasing Tuesday, the title features voice performances from Zoë Kravitz, Sadie Sink, and Troy Baker. Unlike Night School’s previous work on a “Black Mirror” tie-in, Unhinged is an original, standalone experience designed to be accessible to both gamers and non-gamers. Players use their phones as controllers, receiving calls and texts within the game that mirror real smartphone functions such as flashlight use and battery management. The phone also serves as the protagonist Ava’s device, adding layers of immersion and tension as players navigate a dark building during a storm while responding to in-game interruptions.
Alain Tascan, Netflix’s president of games, confirmed that the company is studying how to incorporate the reality of viewers’ divided attention into their content strategies. “I’m in front of the TV, I’m using my phone. This is a reality. We know. We’re not here to judge, but we’re here to say, OK, can we do something special about it?” he said. Sean Krankel, head of narrative games at Netflix and a Night School co-founder, noted that Unhinged deliberately embraces distractions, allowing notifications and calls to play into the game’s atmosphere rather than automatically blocking them.
Attention spans have become a critical concern for both video streaming and gaming industries. Actor Matt Damon, involved with Netflix through the Artists Equity venture, has discussed how expectations for viewer attention at home have dropped, citing conversations about reiterating plot points multiple times to accommodate distracted viewers. While Netflix has disputed claims of any formalized scripting formulas based on these ideas, the company acknowledges the challenge posed by competing digital distractions such as TikTok.
Video games, traditionally a highly engaging medium, are also facing competition for users’ attention. Industry analyst Matt Ball and Xbox’s chief strategy officer have highlighted declines in engagement due to alternative platforms and services. Netflix’s foray into gaming has seen modest uptake; a 2022 report noted that about 1 percent of subscribers played its games, and the company has shuttered one acquired studio.
Night School’s Unhinged aims to lower barriers to entry by providing a short, immersive experience focused on interaction through the phone. Players guide Ava and her friend Claire as they navigate a city blackout and an unfolding crisis. The game’s director, Sam Warner, emphasized that the player’s phone functions as both a critical tool and a source of tension, simulating real-life dependency on mobile devices.
Netflix executives suggest this approach is still in its early stages, with possibilities for future social features that connect users through their phones even when physically apart. However, developers acknowledge the challenges inherent in balancing engagement with interruptions. “I do think of my phone as like a portal to, like, a hell world,” Warner said, “but it does make a great controller.”
As Netflix experiments with intertwining screen and second-screen experiences, the company is seeking ways to adapt storytelling and gameplay to the realities of contemporary media consumption habits.