Netflix reveals Unhinged, a TV horror game controlled by your phone

Netflix’s Unhinged launches on June 30, letting subscribers play an interactive horror game on TV while using their smartphone as the controller.

Published By: Shubham Arora | Published: Jun 24, 2026, 06:51 PM (IST)

Netflix is adding another game to its growing library, but this one is a little different from what subscribers are used to. The streaming platform has announced Unhinged, an interactive horror game that plays on your TV while your smartphone works as the controller. The game arrives on June 30 and has been developed by Night School Studio, the Netflix-owned team behind Oxenfree and Oxenfree II: Lost Signals.

The announcement comes just days after Netflix launched FIFA World Cup: Launch Edition, showing that the company is continuing to expand beyond movies and TV shows into interactive entertainment that subscribers can access directly from the Netflix app.

A horror story with familiar voices

Unhinged follows the story of Ava, voiced by Zo Kravitz, who wakes up inside an apartment building during a powerful hurricane. With the electricity gone, she soon realises she may not be alone inside the building.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1lsV9I2NDO8

Throughout the game, Ava stays in touch with her best friend Claire, voiced by Sadie Sink, and the building's superintendent Ben, voiced by Troy Baker. Players have to explore the building, solve situations as they unfold, and find a way to safety while dealing with whatever is lurking in the darkness.

Netflix says the experience has been designed to feel closer to playing through a movie or TV episode than a traditional video game. A complete playthrough is expected to last roughly as long as an episode of a television show.

Your phone becomes the controller

Unlike traditional console games, Unhinged does not require a dedicated controller. Players only need a Netflix subscription, a compatible TV, and a smartphone.

The game will appear inside the Netflix Games section. Once it is launched, users can scan a QR code displayed on the TV to connect their phone. From there, the phone becomes the controller, and moving it changes the direction of Ava's flashlight inside the game.

Netflix has also added another layer of interaction through audio. Whenever Ava receives a phone call or text message during the game, the player's own smartphone will ring, vibrate and play those sounds directly through its speaker. Background music and environmental sounds will continue playing through the TV, creating a split audio experience.

Two ways to play

Players can choose between two different gameplay modes depending on how they want to experience the story.

Story Mode removes the timer completely and also prevents the player from dying. This option is meant for those who simply want to follow the narrative without worrying about difficult gameplay sections.

Standard Mode is designed to be more challenging. During tense moments, a timer appears on screen and players must quickly search the environment for the correct interactive object before time runs out. Missing the objective results in Ava's death, although the game restarts from the latest checkpoint instead of sending players back to the beginning.

Unhinged will be available through the Netflix Games section starting June 30. It also becomes the second TV-playable game introduced by Netflix this month after the release of FIFA World Cup: Launch Edition on June 11, which lets subscribers play as any of the 48 national teams competing in the FIFA World Cup 2026 across 16 official stadiums.

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