Netflix's new Shuffle Play promises to prevent endless scrolling

Netflix to launch Shuffle Play as it passes 200m users worldwide
(Image credit: Netflix)

Spend more time browsing Netflix's catalogue than actually watching it? We feel you, and we bring you good news. Netflix's new Shuffle Play feature aims to help put an end to endless scrolling by handpicking titles based on your viewing history.

Having been tested at the end of last year, Shuffle Play will soon roll out globally. The streaming giant made the announcement as part of its latest financial results, which revealed it had passed 200 million subscribers around the world (as reported by Variety).

Shuffle Play uses an algorithm to serve up content based on your viewing history. The idea is to avoid overwhelming viewers with too much choice and simply pick something for them to watch. It's a bit like spinning a wheel of pre-selected content and seeing what you land on – press one button and Netflix will pick something for you. That should spice up your Saturday nights, eh?

Indeed, it promises to spell an end to countless hours spent trawling Netflix's library in search of something to watch. Hoorah.

The feature will arrive for all customers in the first half of this year.

Meanwhile, Netflix continues to grow. In the final three months of last year, it added over eight million new subscribers, taking its total of new subscribers for 2020 to 36 million. That also took its global total of paying customers to over 203 million.

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