Netflix just announced big new features: Here’s everything coming to the platform

Netflix has unveiled a series of upcoming updates that promise to change how users watch, play, and interact with content on the platform.

Netflix has announced several updates to its streaming platform, which focuses on interaction, gaming, and user experience. The company’s Chief Technology Officer (CTO), Elizabeth Stone, outlined these changes during the TechCrunch Disrupt conference. The new updates include second-screen experiences, real-time voting, redesigned Kids profiles, party games, and vertical video feeds. Let’s take a closer look at what's changing ahead.

Interactive and Real-Time Features

Netflix is introducing fresh interactive updates that could change how viewers watch, play, and explore content. (Pixabay)

By MD Ijaj Khan

Ijaj Khan is a technology journalist and Senior Content Producer at Hindustan Times, with over three years of experience covering the consumer technology industry. His work spans smartphones, laptops, wearables, gaming, appliances and AI - from hands-on reviews, comparison and buying guides to breaking news and in-depth features that help readers cut through the noise and make informed decisions. Before joining HT Tech, he worked with Jagran New Media, where he sharpened his instincts for fast-paced digital reporting. He holds a Post Graduate Diploma in English Journalism and Mass Communication from the Indian Institute of Mass Communication (IIMC), Delhi. Whether he's testing the latest flagship smartphone, tracking a major AI announcement, or putting a gaming laptop through its paces, Ijaj approaches every story with the same goal - making technology feel relevant and easy to understand for everyday users, not just enthusiasts. When he's not in front of a screen for work, he's usually travelling to a new city, hunting for great food, or keeping tabs on what's next in tech before everyone else catches on.

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Netflix plans to make viewing more interactive through second-screen tools such as live polls and audience participation. The company tested these features earlier this year during the live cooking show Dinner Time with David Chang, where viewers could vote in real time.

A key part of this expansion will appear in the reboot of Star Search, expected to launch next year. Viewers will be able to vote for contestants directly from their TVs or phones while watching. According to Stone, this approach gives audiences a chance to influence what happens on screen and feel involved in the outcome. Those who stream the show later will miss the voting window, keeping the experience live and time-sensitive. Netflix also plans to extend real-time responses to video podcasts, which will connect with Spotify’s upcoming podcast integration on the platform.

Party Games Coming to Netflix

Stone also confirmed that Netflix will introduce “living room party games” this year, with more expected in 2026. These games will allow users to play together using their phones as controllers, similar to Jackbox-style game packs.

Five interactive titles are expected to arrive by the end of 2025:

• LEGO® Party! – A four-player game with various challenges.
• Boggle Party – A multiplayer word game for up to eight players.
• Pictionary: Game Night – A drawing and guessing game.
• Tetris Time Warp – Players compete for high scores across different Tetris modes.
• Party Crashers: Fool Your Friends – A guessing game where players identify the one who doesn’t know the topic.

Redesigned and Immersive Interface

Netflix is also rolling out a redesigned homepage with animated and themed experiences. The first of these will be a Halloween theme, followed by a Holiday version in December and a Bridgerton-themed experience in development.

For younger viewers, the Kids profile will receive an updated layout with easier navigation and a new “My Netflix” section. This feature offers real-time recommendation updates and combines saved, watched, and liked titles. The design follows the interface refresh introduced earlier this year for regular profiles.

Vertical Video Experiments

Netflix is experimenting with short-form vertical videos for mobile viewers who prefer quick clips. The company is currently testing a vertical video feed featuring scenes from Netflix shows and films. Stone said Netflix aims to offer viewers more casual viewing choices without directly copying other platforms. Further developments in this area are expected through 2026.