Interactive entertainment vs streaming: in the story, not watching it
There is only so much to watch. When you have finished your shows and you are scrolling for something, anything, to put on, the problem is not the catalog. It is that watching is passive. Interactive entertainment is the other option: a story you are inside instead of one you watch.
Watching versus playing
A streaming show on Netflix is made once and plays the same for everyone. You follow along. Interactive entertainment hands you the lead: you step into a protagonist, make the choices, and the story bends around what you do. It is closer to being the main character than to watching one.
When each one fits
- Reach for streaming when you want to switch off and let something wash over you.
- Reach for interactive entertainment when you want to be in it, when another episode is not scratching the itch.
| Interactive entertainment | Streaming | |
|---|---|---|
| Your role | The protagonist | The audience |
| The story | Bends to your choices | Fixed, the same for everyone |
| What it asks of you | Make choices in plain words | Nothing, you watch |
| Every time | Plays differently | Plays the same |
A different kind of evening
Youniverse Maker is interactive entertainment you can start in about two minutes. Pick a world, step into a protagonist, and play through a story that reacts to you, illustrated as you go. It is what you reach for when you are done watching and want to be in something instead.