After FIFA, Netflix brings this interactive horror game for its users

Netflix is expanding its cloud gaming lineup with a new interactive horror title called Unhinged. The game, developed by Night School Studio, will launch on June 30 and marks a shift from the streaming platform’s earlier TV-based gaming experiments such as trivia games, party titles and FIFA-themed experiences.According to Netflix, Unhinged is designed as an interactive horror experience that can be played directly on a television using a smartphone as a controller. The game comes from Night School Studio, the developer behind Oxenfree, which Netflix acquired in 2021.Set inside an apartment building during a storm, Unhinged follows a young woman named Ava, who is trying to escape while a killer stalks the building. The experience is designed to be completed in under an hour and focuses on decision-making rather than traditional gaming mechanics such as combat or inventory management.“We wanted to make sure that this could feel like a TV show or a movie. There are so many people out there who might love an interactive horror experience, but who don’t want to get good at aiming, survival mechanics, or rationing their ammunition. All of our design decisions were about how to make this thing really simple to interact with and approachable," Night School co-founder Sean Krankel said.

How Netflix’s new horror game Unhinged works

'Unlike conventional console games, Unhinged uses the player’s smartphone as Ava’s in-game phone. Players use the device to control a flashlight, choose routes, interact with objects and answer calls from other characters.The game features voice performances from actors Zoë Kravitz, Sadie Sink and Troy Baker. Instead of directly controlling the protagonist, players make choices at key moments, often under time pressure, influencing how Ava navigates dangerous situations.

According to Krankel, the game originally included more complex features such as branching dialogue systems and additional phone applications, but these were removed to better suit Netflix’s cloud gaming platform.Netflix and Night School Studio have also positioned Unhinged as an experience that can be enjoyed by both players and spectators. While only one person controls the game, others can watch and participate by suggesting decisions during tense moments.“We wanted a horror experience that somebody can get through in one night, which is how we envisioned it,” Krankel said. “Our hypothesis is that there’s really a market out there for that, and a lot of people who want something short and consumable.”The launch of Unhinged comes as Netflix continues experimenting with gaming formats that blend elements of television, movies and interactive entertainment, while expanding its cloud gaming offerings for subscribers.