You likely already know that streaming video is a big deal right now. For the past several years, streaming platforms have been competing for dominance, and Netflix has pretty much been seen as the company at the top of the game. However, recently more streaming platforms have come into existence. Disney+ started up in late 2019, and now HBO Max is starting to make some waves.
Everyone Seems to Have a Streaming Service Right Now
At the moment, the streaming wars are really heating up. Many different companies have streaming platforms right now, and consumers have lots of choices. There are big players such as Netflix, Hulu, Disney+, and Amazon Prime Video, but you also have small streaming services in niche genres. If you want to have a streaming platform specifically for anime, then you have Crunchyroll, and there are other niche streaming networks that have dedicated followings.
The reason why the phrase “streaming wars” is being thrown around so much right now is that the big companies are fighting to outdo each other. Big new names are entering the fray as well, and they’re trying to gobble up other small streaming networks to bolster their platform. For instance, the new Peacock streaming service has just acquired exclusive streaming rights to the WWE Network in the United States. Companies are making bold moves to try to ensure that they have the most appealing streaming platform around.
The Future of Streaming Services
The future of streaming services looks bright at the moment, but changes are likely on the horizon. As you might expect, it’s unlikely that so many streaming services will be able to co-exist. It seems inevitable that some of the streaming services will fold or get absorbed into their competitors. Competition can lead to innovation and other good things, but it also means that the streaming rights to shows are being divided up between many different platforms.
In the early days of streaming, you could have just one subscription to Netflix and feel like you had access to most everything. These days, you’ll have to remember which streaming service has the rights to your favorite show and which one is currently streaming your partner’s favorite show. It’s likely that there will always be a competitive streaming video market, but things might consolidate a bit if services such as HBO Max or Peacock fail to catch on. Regardless, the next few years of the streaming wars will likely be very dramatic and interesting.