Netflix Steps Out of the Screen into Experiential Houses

In a rather exceptional move, Netflix, the prominent streaming company, reaches its customers-viewers beyond the screen and enters the physical space in newly created experiential hubs, titled each a Netflix House. When we say ‘physical’, it actually means that the House harbours a virtual world of fiction and fantasy by tangible means within the physical space of a building structure. The stories, characters and sceneries of the TV shows and cinematic films of Netflix (also a production company) are very much present in the House through the themes it features.

It is perhaps not so exceptional if we look outwards at other ventures that bring fictional stories and characters from books, films or TV shows into physical, tangible presence in forms of theme parks (e.g., Disney, Universal Studios, Asterix). It seemed less expected so far of Netflix to take this route, but it just did, thus it is a bit surprising, and it looks exceptional for Netflix in becoming more accessible and tangible to its customers this way. The Neftlix House is intended by its concept to offer much more than amusement and entertainment, aimed at creating adventure and thrill for visitors through their active participation — it seems to be planned concisely to curate immersive experiences.

The first Netflix House, and the only one at the moment, just opened this month, on 10 November 2025, in the premises of King of Prussia mall nearby Philadelphia in Pennsylvania. The indoors site of Netflix House Philadelphia occupies 100,000 square feet (~11,000 square meters) and entails the theme-driven halls, a cinema theatre, a restaurant and a shop (described further below). A second Netflix House is planned to open next month, on 11 December 2025, in Galleria Dallas mall in Dallas, Texas. The third House is scheduled to open a little farther away in 2027 in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Netflix House Philadelphia offers four core activities:

• Play interactive games (e.g., a mini-golf course with 9 holes referring to shows, puzzles)
• Explore theme-driven experiences, including immersive role play VR story-based experiences, two interactive and playful 60min featured experiences (*), and exhibition ‘studios’ that showcase themes from popular TV series and films by Netflix (in which visitors walk into theatrical scenes). In most if not all of these experiences, visitors are actually active participants, and they get multiple photo-opportunities (with intention that photos will be shared by participants on social media)
• Taste, that is, eat & drink in Netflix Bites restaurant (with reference to food consumed in shows)
• Shop for the merchandising of characters and artefacts adopted from TV and film.

The classification above, adopted from the website of Netflix, is not clear-cut, particularly with regard to Play and Explore. First, the games, VR experiences, and 60-minute featured experiences all appear to include interactive elements of action that induce greater engagement of participants. Second, games to play (e.g., puzzles, challenges) are apparently included during experiences to explore. Third, the themes of stories from specific TV series and films can appear in multiple experiences of different kinds. Admission to the House, its restaurant & shop is free, yet participation in interactive games, immersive VR and featured experiences is on a pay-as-you-go basis (early booking is advised on the website).

• Note (*): The story-themes underlying the two featured experiences (FE) are expected to be rotating. The first two themes for these experiences are Wednesday: Eve of the Outcasts and ONE PIECE: Quest for the Devil Fruit. More generally, the TV shows & films presented in the House in Philadelphia include Wednesday (e.g., FE), Squid Game (e.g., VR, golf), Stranger Things (e.g., VR), Rebel Moon (e.g., VR), Floor is Lava (e.g., golf), Is It Cake? (e.g., golf), Bridgerton (e.g., golf), ONE PIECE (e.g., FE). Any of the story themes, besides FE, may be expected to be replaced too as new shows on Netflix network become popular.

The exhibitions in the House showcase “over 20 of the streaming giant’s most beloved titles”. Showing programmes or films of Netflix on screen also receives room in the House in Philadelphia as it contains a 200+seat cinema theatre for special screenings (VisitPhilly, announcing the Netflix House, 14 November 2025). Smaller screens also appear across the site for displaying short video clips. It is noteworthy that the House combines various digital technologies within its physical estate.

The visual scenes in the Netflix House Philadelphia look fascinating in the richness of vivid colours all around, as can be seen in pictures and video clips displayed by the company (on the website and in its YouTube channel — watch this Drone Tour for Inside Look). The array of colours applied is impressive: sky blue and dark blue, red, pink, yellow, green, purple and more, which mostly seem “pure” or saturated. They also appear more striking with the varied applications of lighting, depending on the function and theme of the space. Many of the exhibits, including the game facilities, look joyful and even toy-like. Whether in darker and more dramatic space sceneries or in brighter and more joyful space sceneries, they mostly seem (as judged from the video) playful and stimulating.

The VMSD retailing, visual merchandising and design magazine describes the new Netflix House venture in an online article as: “The concept houses sensory-driven experiences and retail merchandise” (VMSD, 12 November 2025). In this introduction, the magazine highlights two essential attributes of this concept: its focus on appealing to the senses of visitors, and merchandise offered in its shop, based on popular TV programmes and movies. The visual stimulation is reflected in the description above of sights, colours and lighting around the House, and it is probably also salient in the VR experiences; sounds would likely play the auditory sense in the different thematic experiences, and taste would be activated in the restaurant area. Visual merchandising in the Netflix Shop, which looks overall delighting and attention-grabbing, also seems a significant feature.

One may also get a glimpse into the thinking behind the concept development and the construction work of the House in Philadelphia in this Behind the Scenes of the Build. Note, for example, the ‘red envelope’ gate at the exterior entrance to the House which is meant to commemorate the early days Netflix sent DVDs by mail. A key aspect in the approach of Netflix managerial team is a focus on appealing to and connecting with their fans as their most devoted customers-viewers. They are the customers who are expected to know better and more of their streamed TV series and films. Some of the key statements and explanations are also included in a news release by Netflix (About: News, 13 November 2025).

Marian Lee, chief marketing officer, describes in the video how the time has come to bring experiences from programmes into real life closer to their fans. In the news release it is stated: “Netflix House is our new permanent, year-round fan destination where you can explore, taste, play and shop your favorite shows and movies IRL” (boldface added). Greg Lombardo, VP Experiences, adds that along with the “pretty big undertaking” of constructing the House, it was nevertheless a “fantastic opportunity for us” at Netflix of “being accessible… and meet our fans where they are, our new neighbors in that Philadelphia region”, hence there could not be a better location. In reference to the earlier days hinted via the ‘red envelope’, co-CEO Ted Sarandos explained at the opening ceremony in Philadelphia: “This is what we did even when the technology was different — we built fans. And this Netflix House here is to celebrate the fans” (Netflix News). Lee also explains in the video the choice of location and the importance of including the ‘red envelope’ as a symbol reminiscent of Netflix’s origin in design of the House. Lombardo further emphasised the necessity of building an environment that is “changeable and refreshable”, presumably intended at updating experiences according to new popular stories from TV shows and films.

Lee is also quoted in VMSD’s article saying: “This is a fandom coming to life, where you can actually step inside the worlds you’ve been watching and loving for years” — thereby CMO Lee lays down the connection between the content of the TV series and flims that Netflix is video streaming and the representation of parts of those virtual worlds in the physical Netflix House, and on the way she also commends the long-term relationship of Netflix with its fans. While the Netflix House would welcome visitors from wide circles of customers-viewers, it is obvious that the management of Netflix looks forward to appeal primarily to their fans since they are likely to be the more familiar with and devoted to their programmes, and therefore can be expected to become more deeply engaged and to enjoy the experiences curated in the Netflix House. We might hence call it the Netflix Fandom House.

It is clear as well that a key to success would be in creating immersive experiences for the fans. In borrowing from the mapping of experiences outlined by Pine and Gilmore in the Experience Economy [Ref.], the experiences in the Netflix House must be more than Entertainment. In viewing shows or films by streaming, the story content and images can absorb viewers, but they are largely passive ‘recipients’ of the stories on screen and cannot influence their progression. In the House visitors should be allowed to take greater part in the story. As active participants, Pine and Gilmore explicate, “customers personally affect the performance or event that yields the experience” (p. 39). That seems to apply, for example, to participants in VR experiences or the featured experiences. and possibly also in playing certain games.

On a second dimension that distinguishes between absorption of and immersion in experiences, for being an immersive experience the customer has to connect with it more closely or intimately, or the experience draws the customer more deeply or wholly (‘submerging’) into its environment. As figuratively described by Pine and Gilmore, in an experience that “goes into” the guests (e.g., watching TV), they are absorbing the experience, whereas if the guests “go into” the experience (e.g., virtual game), they are immersed in the experience (p. 40). If visitors or guests become immersed in the featured, VR or game experiences at the Netflix House, and they are more active participants, these experiences may be entitled as Escapist. However, we may also consider the impact of the interior design with its colours, lighting, exhibits or facilities — even if the visitors are less active during their experience but are still immersed in the environment through its visual design, story and theme, we may relate to their Aesthetic experience.

Two Netflix Houses are expected to operate by the end of 2025: the House in Philadelphia and forthcoming in Dallas. The concept and its execution in the Netflix House Philadelphia look promising, but it will take another year to see how well it indeed attracts Netflix fans (and customers overall) to visit, and what reactions the Houses receive, especially from the more active guest participants. Will the experiences be favourable, fascinating, engaging or enjoyable as expected? In the course of time, Netflix will have to assess how many Houses are required in the US to adequately reach its fans, and in which locations. Furthermore, as a global provider of streaming services, it may need to consider locations in other regions of the world. Perhaps even more crucial, Netflix will have to be agile and decide in time when to replace stories for theme-driven experiences and choose the best appropriate ones. That will require constant research and feedback (e.g., through its databases of viewership tracking and customer surveys). This new venture seems intriguing, and there will be a lot to watch for.

Reference:

The Experience Economy: Competing for Customer Time, Attention and Money; B. Joseph Pine II and James H. Gilmore, 2020; Boston, MA: Harvard Business Review Press. (Note: The fourth kind of experience, Educational, characterised as absorb/active, might apply, for instance, if viewers watch documentary programmes streamed by Netflix and learn perhaps on history or nature).