Netflix introduces ‘Play Something’ shuffle function

Streaming service Netflix starts today with the worldwide rollout of the new shuffle function ‘Play Something’. Through this feature, users are presented with a title chosen based on their viewing history, viewing preferences, and their saved movies and series.

The ‘Play Something’ button will soon be found in the navigation bar on the left side of the television interface, as well as as the tenth row on the Netflix homepage and under each user’s profile name. When a user clicks on the ‘Play Something’ function, a streaming service algorithm will choose a movie or series based on the user’s viewing history, preferences and saved titles. Also unwatched films and series can be presented. If a viewer isn’t happy with Netflix’s suggestion, they can click the ‘Play Something Else’ button to get a new suggestion.

Netflix has been testing the shuffle function on its TV apps since the middle of last year. During the presentation of the quarterly figures early this year, the streaming service confirmed that the feature would actually come during the first quarter of 2021.

Greg Peters, Netflix’s chief operating officer, said many users using the service “don’t know exactly what they want to watch.” With the shuffle function, the company wants to “provide a solution for the people who want to skip browsing,” it sounded at the time.