Illustration by What’s on Netflix
I’ve been resisting writing and publishing this article for quite some time. Still, after the last few weeks and more new developments, it’s becoming clear: Netflix’s product is notably getting worse with features removed, and worst of all, everything new is just playing catch-up to Netflix’s competition.
For those unfamiliar with the term Enshittification, it was coined by Cory Doctorow to describe how the internet and digital platforms purposely (or inadvertently) make their products worse over time. If you’ve used Google in the past year since September 2023, you’ll know exactly what this means, with the product notably declining in quality. It has also been applied to platforms like TikTok and Facebook. Should Netflix now really be included in that list?
Over the past few years, Hollywood has been undergoing incredible change. The old cable business that propped up most legacy studios is completely disappearing. The box office is still in a depressed state, and the number of streaming services has ballooned. All those and more factors have made for a perfect whirlwind of headwinds, and while Netflix is certainly thriving, at least on paper, it’s not immune to market forces.
In many ways, Netflix is still the gold standard for what a streaming service should be, and to be fair, many of the ways Netflix has gotten worse from a bird’s eye perspective do impact all the other players in the field, too: price increases, stripping away of cheaper subscription options in favor of ad-supported tiers (thankfully, Netflix hasn’t gone the Amazon route here – yet), and of course, the password-sharing crackdown.
Netflix’s worsening extends beyond just those things, however.
For example, one of the features set to be removed (or at least rolled back) is Netflix’s innovative “Interactive” functionality, which allows you to make decisions for the story unfolding right within the user interface. Over two dozen interactive movies and series were released beginning in 2017, but by December 2024, most of them will have departed, and it’s unclear how long the others will remain available. Netflix’s gaming efforts, especially after closing its AAA studio, seem to be focused on mobile games, cloud games, and generative AI. The latter is just what gamers are clamoring for! Netflix explained the removal: “The technology served its purpose, but is now limiting as we focus on technological efforts in other areas.”
Another is Netflix’s Windows app. It was recently overhauled over the summer, removing features like Downloads, a lifesaver for many who relied on their Windows laptops to watch titles while traveling. In addition, 4K and 5.1 audio were stripped. The app is essentially just a web browser tab instead of its own native app, and although Netflix says new features were introduced, like live events and ads, it’s hard to see that it was a worthy trade-off.
There are other smaller niggles me and my family regularly encounter, too, but it is hard to quantify ultimately. My family members have been informed that their televisions, sometimes only a few years old, will no longer be supported, creating headaches. My brother, who uses Starlink for his internet, regularly has to reset his entire Netflix and internet because regional-specific content becomes unavailable, with the service telling him he’s using a VPN when he’s absolutely not. Again, additional headaches.
Netflix’s Incoming UI Update May See The Biggest Step Back
Picture: Netflix
If those things don’t convince you that Netflix is worsening, you may soon join the chorus of complaints when the new user interface rolls out. Netflix’s user interface has always been best in class, making browsing effortless across different sections. The streamer algorithm and dedicated “Continue Watching” rows always appear at the right time to let you dive back in.
The upcoming UI refresh, set to hit connected devices like TVs, was first teased in June of this year and has been slowly rolling out to select users ever since. There’s no official release date for a broad launch, but we suspect it may be very soon.
In fact, we wrote about this subject shortly after the first users began seeing the new UI, and feedback has only gotten worse. The major refresh forgoes most of that and makes simple things like finding out what’s coming soon and switching profiles an almighty chore.
Common complaints about the new interface are that it’s big and clunky, seems to prioritize games above all else, is ridiculously slow, and is noticeably dumber than you want. It also removes popular sections like the New & Popular tab in favor of, well, nothing.
One user wrote on Reddit: “The new interface is awful. Everything is too big, so I’m getting significantly less information on my screen while browsing. There are no more new and upcoming tabs to see what will be released in the upcoming weeks and months. It’s altogether a step down from the previous interface.”
For the moment, users can opt out of this new design through Netflix’s test participation option, but soon enough, you won’t have the choice.
What New Innovations Is Netflix Working On?
To be fair, it’s not like Netflix’s tech team is sitting on their hands doing nothing, but the two major new features that’ve come to Netflix in 2024 (or at least refined and prioritized) are hardly new.
The biggest priority for Netflix, especially ahead of 2025, when the WWE begins rolling out on Netflix weekly, is its live product. It conducted a series of live experiment streams, starting with The Netflix Cup and The Netflix Slam (both failed to drum up much of an audience) and mixed success with other formats such as stand-up comedy, cooking, and a con artist communicating with the dead. Of course, there was also a major blunder earlier this year with a Love is Blind Reunion, which went spectacularly bad, i.e., it never even started because of technical gremlins. On the whole, though, Netflix Live has improved, but it’s 2024. Most of Netflix’s competitors have been doing live events (with actual sports and huge audiences) for years.
Although this is clearly a major focus for Netflix right now, it seems to be a bit behind the curve compared to its competition. YouTube introduced live streams in 2011, and Prime Video has consistently streamed live video since 2019 (with actual sports people want to watch it must be added). In fact, most of their competitors have had 24/7 live streams baked into their interface for the past few years. This is all to say Netflix is behind and has a lot to prove with its two Christmas NFL games and WWE next year.
Picture: WWE
All other improvements have been relatively minor. They’re currently rolling out Netflix Moments, which allows you to share clips from your favorite shows (something Hulu allowed you to do way back in 2012—yes, 12 years ago). We’ve seen plenty of other minor updates, too, like Netflix mobile games introducing achievements earlier this year (something Xbox introduced in 2005) and experimental kids’ playlists. All of which doesn’t warrant much more than a shrug, in my opinion.
What do you think? Is Netflix’s product getting worse? Let us know in the comments down below.
