It's no secret that Netflix likes to binge-watch, although not everyone does. Now it seems that Netflix has a plan to reward those who watch more than one episode at a time. But only if you subscribe to ad-supported Netflix.

Starting in the first quarter of 2024, Netflix will launch a "three for the price of four episodes" kind of campaign. Simply put, every time someone watches three episodes in a row, a fourth episode will be delivered ad-free.

Netflix announced this new "binge ad" initiative in a blog post marking the first anniversary of the streamer's ad-supported tier. Details of this new feature are unclear, but the use of the word "continuous" suggests that the user must continue to watch the same program throughout, and that switching to another program will restart the countdown.

This is just one of many changes Netflix has implemented to its ad-supported tier over the past 12 months. These include raising the base resolution to 1080p, offering two simultaneous streams, and offline downloads (which are expected to be available by the end of this week).

According to Netflix, all ad-supported Netflix subscribers will be able to download shows and movies from the library. This is something that competitors do not allow.

Fifteen million people subscribe to Netflix's ad-supported tier, and sweetening the pot this way will draw more people in. No one likes ads, but given the high cost of streaming, it may be a necessary compromise for legitimate access to favorite shows and movies.

Keep in mind, though, that Netflix plans to increase the types of commercials you see in the future. This will include sponsorship deals on specific shows, as seen in the latest season of Love is Blind. In addition, beginning early next year in the US, subscribers will be able to incorporate QR codes in their ads.

In any case, if you are already a fan of binge-watching, you will actually see fewer ads. In other words, not only will you save money, but you may see up to 25% fewer ads in the future. Not as good as no ads, but certainly better than none.