Tonight could be your last chance to play Bandersnatch on Netflix

Off the back of the recent announcement that Netflix is rolling out an updated user experience across TV and movile apps, the streaming giant also made the surprise decision to move away entirely from interactive specials, such as Black Mirror's Bandersnatch and Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt: Kimmy vs. the Reverend. Netflix isn't simply pivoting away from developing new interactive specials, it's removing the very technology that underpins them, meaning the existing specials will no longer be available on the service, or anywhere for that matter. 

Netflix first began removing interactive specials in November 2024, when there were still a total of 24 titles available. Today, there are three left on Netflix Australia: Bandersnatch, Kimmy vs. The Reverend and You vs. Wild but all three are scheduled for removal on the 12th of May 2025 (that's tomorrow in the US). 

Curiously, none of the specials feature the same 'Leaving soon' in Australia that they reportedly do in the United States, though that could be a simple oversight. We can confirm that all titles have been removed from the Interactive Specials landing page. 

For the unitiated, Netflix's Interactive Specials are unique choose-your-own-adventure style episodes where the action momentarily pauses at regular intervals, allowing the user to select from multiple branching choices. To date, Bandersnatch is still the best and most ambitious example of this, featuring over 150 unique scenes and at least 10 different endings. 

The timing of this decision might make sense in the context of Netflix's new UX overhaul, and its generative AI and "TikTok-like features" but it's otherwise extremely odd timing to remove Bandersnatch, in particular. 

Black Mirror Season 7 only just released last month and one episode in particular, Plaything, served as a sequel of sorts to Bandersnatch, even bringing back actors Will Poulter and Asim Chaudry to reprise their roles from the interactive special.  While not interactive itself, the episode Plaything did release alongside a video-game tie-in, Thronglets (the video game at the centre of the new episode's mystery.) 

Netflix hasn't shown any interest in preserving its interactive titles thus far. There is, however, a passionate group of fans working on archiving the material before it disappears for good. Those efforts aside, tonight might actually be your last chance to experience Bandersnatch as it was originally intended.