Skip to main content
  1. Home
  2. Entertainment
  3. News

Netflix tests out patch reward system to hook more young viewers

By

Netflix is testing out a new feature that would allow children to earn so-called “patches” by watching certain episodes of TV shows. The feature was first reported on Twitter, but Netflix sent a statement to Variety confirming that the feature was real.

“We are testing a new feature on select kids titles that introduces collectible items for a more interactive experience, adding an element of fun and providing kids something to talk about and share around the titles they love,” a Netflix spokesperson told Variety. “We learn by testing and this feature may or may not become part of the Netflix experience.”

Recommended Videos

The shows which feature patches are highlighted by red lock icons for those users who are part of the test group. However, the patches themselves don’t appear to do anything aside from providing users a small reward for watching certain shows. The response from parents on Twitter has been mixed, with some saying the patches are a way to make watching TV more fun while others worry that it could help turn kids into binge watchers.

Related

Whether or not this feature will become a main part of the Netflix experience remains to be seen. The company is often testing out new features to see how how audiences respond. The fate of the new patch system will likely depend on a couple of factors, the first being whether or not it succeeds in getting children and families to spend more time on the platform. The second major factor will likely be parental response. If a lot of parents end up complaining about the system, then Netflix may simply scrap it regardless of how well it does in the area of user retention.

Editors' Recommendations

Topics
Eric Brackett
Eric Brackett
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Netflix’s new ‘mystery box’ aims to help kids find new shows
Children watching TV.

Netflix has launched a new “mystery box” feature aimed at helping kids to find new shows to watch on its streaming service.

Much like the “play something” button that Netflix added to its service last year to help adults quickly find fresh content instead of wasting time endlessly scrolling, the new kids-focused feature diverts the little ones to new content that Netflix’s algorithms thinks they’ll enjoy.

Read more
More long-term subscribers ditching Netflix, survey suggests
Netflix app icon on Apple TV.

Netflix's current woes have been highlighted by recently published data that suggests an increasing number of its long-term subscribers are ditching the streaming service.

The results of a survey conducted by data analytics firm Antenna and reported on by The Information show that 13% of cancellations in the first quarter of this year were linked to Netflix subscribers who’ve been with the service for at least three years, compared to 10% in the same period a year ago, and 5% in the same period two years earlier.

Read more
Netflix’s Cobra Kai season 5 shows no mercy in first trailer
The cast of Cobra Kai.

In The Karate Kid, Daniel LaRusso (Ralph Macchio) and Johnny Lawrence (William Zabka) were bitter rivals. But they put that rivalry aside, for the most part, and teamed up to face Terry Silver (Thomas Ian Griffith) in Cobra Kai season 4. Daniel and Johnny pooled their talents to instruct the next generation of karate-loving teens in the battle for the soul of the valley. And they failed.

You see, Silver is a man who makes his own luck. And he rigged the All Valley Tournament to ensure that his student, Tory Nichols (Peyton List), would win. As season 5 begins, the results of that tainted win have made Cobra Kai the most popular dojo in town. In fact, Silver is franchising it all over the valley, and it's already caused Miyagi-Do Karate to close its doors. While Johnny has moved on, Daniel isn't giving up yet. That's why he's called upon another former rival, Chozen (Yuji Okumoto), to help him turn the tide.

Read more