Netflix could be working on a new way to keep you as a subscriber. After rapidly losing subscriptions, the streaming giant added a mobile gaming platform, is reportedly planning to introduce an ad-supported tier, and — now — it is looking to broaden its content with live streaming shows.
Netflix has confirmed to Deadline that it’s in the early stages of launching live streaming for its unscripted shows and stand-up specials. This might allow Netflix to broadcast reunions of some of its series and provide live voting for competitive productions such as Dance 100.
The new feature could also be used to broadcast live comedy specials. For example, Netflix recently held an in-person comedy festival called Netflix Is a Joke Fest, which featured over 300 stand-up performances. The company will make recordings of around 12 of them available to watch soon. But if it decides to organize the festival again, instead of releasing only a fraction of the event, it could broadcast the whole thing while it is happening, thus letting its subscribers get the full experience.
Having live shows will allow Netflix to stay in the race with major competitor Disney+, who is already acquiring and broadcasting multiple live shows — like Dancing with the Stars and the Academy Awards. It is highly likely that Netflix is also planning to develop other formats, specifically designed for the live setting.
At the current moment, we don’t have any information on when exactly the platform plans to launch this new feature.