As spicy as you want it: interactive fiction games put forward a new kind of narrative

In late May, in a 58m Bel Air hilltop mansion, influencers, reality stars and other Angelenos milled around Netflix-branded TV screens displaying choices to be made: Are you a Gemini or a Capricorn? What color are your eyes? The party marked the launch of the streaming giant's latest offering: a slate of Choose Your Own Adventure-style mobile games inspired by its most popular reality television shows, and attendees were selecting the traits of their digital avatars. "I better be a character!" Selling Sunset star Jason Oppenheim exclaimed as he paused near the top of a staircase that led to a reflecting pool with the Netflix logo floating in it.