Netflix could be about to drop its feature that shows you how well you “match” with titles, according to The New York Times.
The streaming service currently shows users a percentage indicating how much they might be into a TV show or movie, sitting right underneath the title. It’s part of Netflix’s recommendations system that uses the platform’s algorithm to make suggestions based on your viewing history and how you rated other titles. Right now, I’m apparently a 92 percent match for The Brothers Sun, which I bloody loved.
But according to the NYT, and also confirmed by IndieWire, the “Match” percentage feature’s days are likely numbered. As reporter John Koblin notes, “That tool is apparently a bit confounding to most members, and it is probably on the way out.”
Mashable has reached out to Netflix for further information.
If Netflix does ditch the “Match” tool, it’ll be the latest on the platform Netflix has experimented with then removed, following the “Surprise Me” button that was quietly binned in February. The shuffle tool used Netflix’s algorithm to sway that heaving tombola of content and suggest something the user would have a statistically high chance of liking (using this button, my Netflix account constantly pointed me to Ginny and Georgia, which makes sense considering how much Gilmore Girls I’ve inhaled).
According to the NYT, Netflix is instead putting its energy into its more successful tagging function — when you’re scrolling through the streaming platform, you might have noticed Netflix (or rather, 30 human taggers) adds certain adjectives under the titles of shows and movies like “irreverent” for Sex Education, “swoonworthy” for Bridgerton, “gritty” for Narcos, and so on. As Koblin notes, it’s a strong point of difference for Netflix from its rivals like Max, Hulu, Disney+, Paramount+, Apple TV+, and more.
Meanwhile, Mashable’s got our own recommendations of the good stuff to watch on Netflix, whether you want the best TV shows or movies or documentaries — we’ve got you covered.
