Netflix Adds a Random Element

Grace Edwards 30 Apr 2021

Netflix is adding a randomness element to the app. If you don’t know what to watch, it will offer a random show once you push a specific button.

No more mindless scrolling! Netflix launches a new feature that will make a fateful decision for you; which show to watch. 

If you feel lost browsing its immense catalog and don’t know what to watch now, its Play Something button will help you and your escapism.

Basically. It’s the reworked Shuffle Play button, which saw the light a year ago. Like a TV-magician, the app will shuffle dozens of its shows and draw one out of the bag to entertain you.

It’s a matter of debate, though, how “random” this algorithm truly is. Possibly, it will dissect your preferences and put recently watched shows under a microscope to learn which genres you cherish the most.

And though personalization is cool in a way, it also makes things predictable. As a result, you can miss out on new terrific series/films that you wouldn’t typically watch. And as you know, the brain goes a bit stale if you don’t “shower” it with new impressions.

The feature will premiere globally sometime in the first half of 2021. So, the days of endless scrolling will be over soon.