June 21 (UPI) -- Netflix is embarking on a new form of television that asks viewers to choose how an episode pans out with the release of Puss in Boots spinoff, Puss in Book: Trapped in an Epic Tale.
Described as an interactive adventure, the feature now available on the streaming service, works similar in fashion to a Choose Your Own Adventure book where a viewer gets to decide which turn the story takes.
Trapped in an Epic Tale asks viewers to make a choice every two to four minutes including whether or not the main character encounters angry or nice bears by using a television remote, touchscreen or a game console controller.
"They are used to pressing play on the remote, setting it down and then just leaning back on the couch and letting Netflix roll," director at product information at Netflix Carla Engelbrecht Fisher told The New York Times. "In this case, we actually need them to hold on to the remote. We don't want it lost in the couch cushions. We need you to lean forward a little bit to engage with the choices."
The choices also affect how long Trapped in an Epic Tale lasts, with the episode able to run from 18 to 39 minutes depending on which path viewers take. The Puss in Boots spinoff is the first of the planned interactive outings including an upcoming episode of children's series Buddy Thunderstruck which arrives on July 14.
"Kids are already talking to the screen," Fisher told The Verge. "They're touching every screen. They think everything is interactive."
Currently, Netflix's interactive slate is only available on some modern smart TVs, game consoles, iOS devices and Roku devices.
