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Netflix is getting Minecraft: Story Mode later this year

Netflix is getting Minecraft: Story Mode later this year

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Kids, start your pickaxes

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Last year, we reported that Netflix was expanding into episodic, interactive content aimed at kids, starting with Puss in Book: Trapped in an Epic Talea series that took Shrek’s Puss in Boots and dropped him into an adventure where he’s attempting to escape from a storybook — and Buddy Thunderstruck, which showcases the hijinks of the eponymous Buddy, a truck-racing dog. Apparently these initial efforts were successful: As TechRadar reports, Telltale Games will be adding the interactive Minecraft: Story Mode to the service this fall.

Story Mode takes place in Minecraft’s world and follows Jesse, a new character (who, it should be said, can be either male or female), in their attempts to save the world. According to Netflix, its version of the game will be a “five-episode interactive narrative series,“ with TechRadar clarifying that the experience will be “delivered via video files and will accept commands via any remote equipped with directional and select buttons.” The format should work well with Telltale’s games, which mainly rely on point-and-click mechanics. TechRadar also reports that Telltale is developing a standalone Stranger Things game for traditional gaming platforms.

Minecraft: Story Mode initially debuted in October 2015. It remains to be seen exactly what Netflix’s version is going to look like, but the company does stress that it has no interest in adding traditional games to its service at the moment. “We don’t have any plans to get into gaming,” a company spokesperson said in a statement. ”There’s a broad spectrum of entertainment available today. Games have become increasingly cinematic, but we view this as interactive narrative storytelling on our service. "

Update June 13th, 8:25PM ET: Updated headline and added quote from Netflix spokesperson.

Correction June 13th, 2:00PM ET : An earlier version of this story misstated that Telltale Games was creating a Stranger Things adaptation for Netflix. That property will be a standalone game.