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From Casting Rooms to Creator Phones: How Netflix’s Casting Move Changes Avatar Distribution

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2026-01-29

10 min read

Netflix cut casting in 2026 — creators can replace the gap with avatar-driven second-screen controllers to boost engagement and revenue.

Hook: Your multi-device playbook just changed — fast

Creators and publishers: if your distribution strategy relied on mobile-to-TV casting for frictionless multi-device playback and social viewing, Netflix’s January 2026 removal of phone casting is a wake-up call. Suddenly the predictable second-screen pathway millions of viewers used to extend engagement has narrowed — and that gap is an urgent opportunity for avatars, second-screen avatar controllers, and new distribution patterns to take center stage.

Why this matters now (short version for busy creators)

In late 2025 and into January 2026, streaming platforms accelerated moves that re-shape multi-device playback: Netflix quietly pulled broad phone-to-TV casting support, and mobile-first platforms like Holywater built momentum with fresh funding for vertical streaming experiences tailored to phones. Those shifts mean:

Casting as a universal fallback is weaker. Mobile apps can no longer assume viewers will cast to living-room screens the way they used to.
Mobile-first viewing continues to grow. Short-form and vertical platforms are doubling down on mobile-native UX and companion interactions.
There’s a user-experience gap for multi-device playback and social co-watching. Creators who bridge that gap can capture attention and revenue.

The strategic opening: avatars and second-screen controllers

Think of avatars not as gimmicks but as functional bridging layers between devices and people. A second-screen avatar controller can serve three business needs at once:

Device control — remote playback, timeline scrubbing, and synced playback across screens.
Social presence — a persistent, expressive representation of a viewer or host that shows reactions, comments, and cues in real time.
Monetizable engagement — skins, stickers, avatar gifts, premium co-watching rooms and influencer-led experiences.

Why creators should care

Beyond novelty, second-screen avatar controllers solve immediate pain points creators and publishers tell us about every day: losing cross-device continuity, declining time-on-screen for long-form content, and fewer live co-watching opportunities. Implemented well, avatars increase dwell time, lift direct monetization (tips, paid rooms), and create new data signals you can use to tailor recommendations and sponsorships.

Context: the Netflix casting change and the state of multi-device playback (2025–2026)

On January 16, 2026, reporting surfaced that Netflix had removed broad casting support from its mobile apps — a decisive departure from the casting paradigm it helped normalize. As The Verge noted in early coverage of the change, casting is now limited to legacy Chromecast devices, specific smart TVs, and a few smart displays. This effectively reduces an easy, platform-agnostic path for mobile users to move playback to larger screens.

“Fifteen years after laying the groundwork for casting, Netflix has pulled the plug on the technology.” — Janko Roettgers, The Verge (Jan 2026)

At the same time, companies like Holywater raised new capital to accelerate mobile-first, vertical streaming and serialized short-form content. This bifurcation — less universal casting and more mobile-native content — produces both fragmentation and fertile ground for innovation.

How second-screen avatar controllers fill the gap

Second-screen avatar controllers convert your phone (or wearable) into a smart, identity-rich remote that does more than press play. Below are the core capabilities that matter to creators and product teams:

Secure pairing alternatives — QR codes, short-lived tokens, and cloud-based device linking replace cast discovery protocols that may be deprecated or restricted.
Synchronized playback — low-latency synchronization using WebRTC, WebSockets, or cloud media clock services keeps avatar expressions and reactions in line with the main screen.
Avatar persistence — a viewer’s avatar state (appearance, reaction presets, custom emotes) follows them across sessions and devices so social context is preserved.
Contextual overlays — AR or templated overlays on phone screens guide interactions, show secondary content, and let hosts use avatars to direct attention without interrupting the main video.

Practical integration workflow — step-by-step for creators and dev teams

Below is an actionable blueprint you can adapt in 8 steps. This is intentionally platform-agnostic and prioritizes product-market fit and safety.

Define the experience — Decide if your avatar controller is for co-watching, influencer-hosted premieres, live shopping, or companion narrative (e.g., character-guided commentary). Map KPIs: engagement lift, session length, ARPU per user, retention.
Choose avatar modality — 2D expressive avatars (lighter, mobile-optimized) vs. 3D real-time avatars (more immersive). Consider Ready Player Me, Wolf3D, or bespoke Unity/Unreal models depending on budget and performance needs.
Select connectivity stack — For pairing: QR + OAuth tokens. For sync: WebRTC for sub-second events, or WebSockets with a server clock for <100–300ms sync tolerance. For media control: a cloud remote-playback API that can call into device SDKs or use an HDMI-connected companion agent. Consider observability patterns from consumer platforms for reliable sync (observability patterns).
Implement the pairing flow — Display a QR or short PIN on the TV/host device. Authenticate the phone to a user identity and link the avatar profile. Use expiring tokens and confirm device trust before granting playback control.
Map controls to UX affordances — Play/pause, timeline scrub, subtitle toggle, audio track selection. Add avatar-specific controls: reaction presets, voice effects for hosts, camera-triggered emotes. Prioritize accessible gestures and haptic feedback; prototype fast with kits like TinyLiveUI for real-time UI components.
Add monetization hooks — Premium avatar skins, paid reaction packs, exclusive co-host rooms, sponsored avatar apparel. Architect server-side ownership records (not tied to fragile marketplaces) and integrate with existing user wallets or subscription frameworks (creator monetization playbooks).
Moderation & privacy — Build moderation pipelines for avatar language, gestures and generated content. Capture consent for avatars that represent real people; anonymize telemetry where required; support account-level parental controls. Follow legal & privacy guidance (privacy & compliance).
Measure and iterate — A/B test avatar presence vs. control, track relative lifts in watch time, social shares, and revenue per session. Use event streams (Kafka, Pub/Sub) and analytics guidance (Analytics Playbook) for real-time insights and personalization models.

Technical building blocks and partners to consider in 2026

These are sensible choices for creators building second-screen avatar controllers now:

Real-time communication: WebRTC, LiveKit, Agora, Twilio Programmable Video for low-latency sync.
Avatar engines: Ready Player Me for cross-platform avatars; Meta’s open avatar SDKs; Unity’s MARS for AR overlays; custom Unreal avatars for high-fidelity experiences.
Cloud media sync: Media clock services from cloud CDNs or custom NTP-based servers for consistent timestamps across users — see broader observability patterns.
Identity & auth: OAuth 2.0, device trust tokens, PKCE, and short-lived pairing tokens. Integrate with SSO for publishers and influencer platforms; bake these flows into your orchestration strategy (cloud-native orchestration).
Monetization & wallets: Traditional payments (Stripe, Apple/Google in-app where required), plus non-custodial wallet support for virtual goods when appropriate — but avoid tying revenue models exclusively to risky or immature marketplaces (creator monetization).
Moderation: Real-time text and voice moderation tools, content classification APIs (Google, Microsoft, open-source models fine-tuned in-house). Also consider server-side and edge moderation hooks (edge functions for micro-events).

Revenue models that scale with avatars

Creators can combine multiple revenue streams — choose a mix that fits audience expectations and platform rules:

Freemium avatar features — basic avatars free, premium skins or emote packs paid.
Paid co-watch rooms — ticketed interactive premieres where hosts use avatar-driven storytelling to increase perceived value.
Sponsorship integrations — branded avatar apparel or product placements in avatar interactions.
Tips and microtransactions — in-room gifts that animate avatars on the main screen.
Data & personalization services — anonymized insights about engagement patterns sold to partners or used to optimize content creation (analytics playbook).

Case studies & practical examples

1) Co-watching with a creator avatar (live premiere)

Scenario: An influencer hosts a 30-minute premiere, their phone acts as the controller and avatar. Viewers join via QR, their avatars appear on a viewer roster and can send synchronized emotes that briefly animate on the TV. Measurement: +18% session length, +24% in-chat purchases.

2) Companion vertical content for second-screen storytelling

Scenario: A serialized short-form drama (mobile-first) uses avatar controllers to present secondary character POVs during key scenes. Viewers on phones can switch avatar narratives, creating branching watch patterns and paying for premium branches. Outcome: new micro-subscription revenue and deeper retention.

3) Live commerce with avatar hosts

Scenario: Hosts control product showcases via avatars that gesture and demo. Purchases occur in the companion app with one-tap payments; avatars celebrate purchases with visible on-screen badges. Result: higher conversion because the avatar reduces friction and builds trust.

Risks, tradeoffs and platform realities

No solution is free of downside. Consider these common issues before you ship:

Platform restrictions — App stores regulate in-app purchases and remote control mechanisms. Your architecture must comply with Apple/Google policies and streaming licensing terms — read about edge and server choices when designing payments and controls (edge functions).
Performance and battery — 3D avatars and constant connectivity can drain devices; optimize for low-power modes and progressive fidelity.
Privacy and identity — Avatars mapping to real identities require explicit consent flows, privacy notices, and GDPR/CCPA compliance where applicable (privacy & legal guidance).
Moderation complexity — Real-time avatar speech and gestures can cause abuse; invest in moderation tooling and human review for high-risk rooms.
Fragmentation — Home and living-room devices vary widely; design graceful fallbacks when full sync isn’t possible.

Metrics that matter — what to track first

When you launch a second-screen avatar controller, prioritize a small set of actionable metrics:

Engagement lift — percent change in watch time per session with avatar enabled vs. control group.
Conversion rate — purchases or tips per session tied to avatar interactions.
Retention delta — 7/30-day retention differences for users who used avatar features.
Sync success rate — percent of pairing attempts that result in sustained synced sessions without drift.
Moderation events — counts and types of abuse reports or automated blocks.

Future predictions: what to expect through 2027

Based on industry moves in late 2025/early 2026 and broader trends, expect the following:

More streaming platforms will restrict or re-architect casting. Companies will favor cloud-originated playback and tighter DRM, making local-cast paradigms less reliable.
Mobile-native companion experiences will proliferate. Short-form platforms and studios will ship avatar-driven second-screen features to lock in mobile audiences.
Standardization pressures will grow. An ecosystem of pairing standards (QR+token, cloud session handoff) and avatar interoperability specs will emerge as creators demand portability — expect frontend and component patterns to consolidate (frontend module evolution).
Monetization will diversify. Avatars will become premium engagement channels — not just vanity items but performance-boosting tools for creators and brands.

Quick checklist — launch an avatar-powered second-screen in 90 days

Define experience and KPIs (week 1)
Prototype pairing flow and sync (weeks 2–3) — try TinyLiveUI for rapid prototyping
Ship a 2D avatar + basic reactions MVP (weeks 4–6)
Integrate monetization hooks and analytics (weeks 7–9) — follow creator monetization approaches
Run closed beta and iterate moderation (weeks 10–12)

Final takeaways

Netflix’s decision to curtail casting is less an end and more a pivot point. For creators, influencers and publishers, the lesson is straightforward: don’t wait for legacy protocols to carry your multi-device UX. Build companion experiences that treat phones as identity-rich, interactive controllers — and use avatars to preserve social continuity across devices. When implemented thoughtfully, second-screen avatar controllers can replace the convenience of casting with richer social value, new monetization, and measurable engagement lifts.

Call to action

If you’re a creator planning a 2026 launch, start with a short pilot: pick a single show or creator, implement a QR pairing + 2D avatar MVP, and run a two-week live beta to validate engagement and monetization signals. Want a checklist or partner recommendations tailored to your budget and audience? Reach out — we can map a bespoke roadmap and hands-on playbook to get you live in 90 days.

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Contributor

Senior editor and content strategist. Writing about technology, design, and the future of digital media. Follow along for deep dives into the industry's moving parts.