Netflix is about to let viewers decide how their favourite shows end, with interactive storylines

Netflix Inc. is about to let you decide how your favourite show will end.

The streaming service is developing a slate of specials that will let viewers choose the next storyline in a TV episode or movie, according to people familiar with the matter. The company expects to release the first of these projects before the end of this year, said the people, who asked not to be identified because the plans are still private.

Viewers will get to choose their own storylines in one episode of the upcoming season of “Black Mirror,” the Emmy-winning science-fiction anthology series. The show is famous for exploring the social implications of technology, including an episode where humans jockey to receive higher ratings from their peers. The fifth season of the show is expected to be released in December.

The foray into choose-your-own-adventure programming represents a big bet on a nascent form of entertainment known as interactive TV. As Netflix expands around the world, it’s looking for new ways to lure customers. By blending elements of video games with traditional television, the company could create a formula that can be applied to any number of series.

Netflix upended the business model of television by delivering new episodes of a season all at once – letting viewers watch shows on-demand rather than live. But so far, the two-decade-old company has done little to change the way shows are conceived or produced. It releases the same 25-minute sitcoms, hourlong documentaries and two-hour movies as other TV networks.