It has probably grown into one of the most famous brands in the world. In any case, with 182 million paying subscribers, it is by far the most used streaming service for films and series. Although Netflix has been at the top for a long time, the competition is also increasingly clear. Despite that high number, Netflix has to keep an eye on that.
The Netflix success story
The Netflix empire started by sending DVDs to customers, but once streaming shone on the horizon, the company completely collapsed . A golden grip. Netflix decided not to come up with an episode every week like traditional television programs, but to place an entire season in one go. Bingewatching was soon a fact and Netflix completely changed the way we enjoy entertainment.
Not only for viewers, but also for actors. Where a movie actor used to not want to be seen in a TV series, this is now seen as the best way to show more of your arts. In addition, productions on streaming platforms are also increasingly seen on award shows. The Netflix movie Marriage Story even earned an Oscar this year.
Netflix is not just about logistics. It’s about personalization, such as the handy tips in the app and by email, but also the fact that someone who loves romcoms sees a different box art with the same film than someone who watches action films. Moreover, it makes everything even more personal by also broaching very personal matters in films and series. The 13 Reasons Why series is an example of this. A series of which the CEO says: “It is controversial, but nobody has to watch it.” And that actually stands for how Netflix is in any case: taking risks is allowed. And you see, the streaming service itself has done well.
Many competing streaming services
It is hugely impressive when you look at how Netflix is so in a relatively short time ‘ has a huge fan base behind them. After all, normally Disney is the great ruler of everything to do with entertainment. The most successful films of all time? Of the top 10, there are 8 of the Mouse House and Disney has considerably more channels to make people a fan anyway.
Yet that was not enough for Disney, which subsequently invested not only in the American streaming service Hulu, but in November also launched its own service Disney + . With ambitious plans: it wants to have about 90 million subscribers by 2024. It now has 28.6 million paying subscribers, which is not bad for the first six months, with the service only available in a few countries. But 90 million at the same time is a big bite more, a bite that probably should also be taken from the subscriber base of Netflix.
Disney is not the only one who wants to make Netflix more difficult. HBO Max goes live on May 27 (in America), NBC releases the Peacock streaming service in July, and then there’s Amazon finding more and more ways to get its streaming service Amazon Prime Videoto push. Then we are only talking about international streaming services, because in the Netherlands there is also Videoland, Horrify, NPO Start, NLZiet, Ziggo Go and more. Now these streaming services will certainly not just beat Netflix, but the world is changing.
The television subscription in decline
This means that fewer and fewer people opt for a classic television subscription with channels such as we have NPO 1, 2 and 3 here, plus RTL 4, SBS 6, Veronica , and so on. More and more people are choosing to watch a streaming service. And for more and more people, the idea that there isn’t necessarily one is becoming more normal. Disney + is certainly a good example of this. Although it offers a fun mix of genres thanks to National Geographic, Star Wars, Marvel, Pixar and its own unique Disney offering, the service is unlike Netflix.
The typically family-oriented library does not contain any gory or violent movies , no arthouse, no dramas: something that Netflix has a very wide range. This allows you to use Disney + and Netflix well side by side. After all, you can now find the Disney classics, but also the Star Wars films or a blockbuster like Avengers: Endgame no longer on Netflix. In short, a double subscription is not so surprising.
Video-on-demand
The prevailing virus also plays a role, a knife that cuts both ways for the red N: on the one hand, more people know how to find Netflix, because more time is spent near the television. On the other hand, people are also more tired of Netflix, because they have more time to watch. This makes it more attractive to look at other streaming services. Especially now that the cinemas have been closed for a long time and many a film release is on video-on-demand services such as Pathé Thuis there is also a lot of consideration for such services – albeit at a considerably higher amount- watch the brand new movies.
While on the one hand you will easily return to Netflix the moment you have already seen a lot, because all those series that you have already seen will come again with a new season, Netflix would can use a real hit from a series. A series like HBO’s Game of Thrones, which loosens the tongues and can ensure that even someone who dislikes fantasy develops a fascination for the series. Even if only to be able to talk to the coffee machine. Netflix hasn’t had those series in a while. The most talked about offer of late was mainly the documentary series.
Binge-watching or better not?
And maybe this is where Netflix’s habit of putting it online for a whole season is playing tricks on it. There are a few more series that offer an episode every week, but the tension would be built up better by choosing that weekly release more often. As much as one likes to binge, shouldn’t the public sometimes be protected from themselves? Disney + has proven with The Mandalorian that a weekly new episode can be very effective. People therefore discuss episode by episode, sometimes in detail, instead of having to discuss an entire season at once, often not mentioning small details anymore.
Another thing in which Netflix gets competition is in monthly price. Disney + with its 6.99 euros is one euro cheaper than Netflix, but Amazon Prime Video is even much cheaper. This streaming plan comes along with a Prime plan that gives people on Amazon additional benefits. At the moment it costs 2.99 euros per month and with that you get access to a lot of films and series. The offer is slightly better compared to that of Netflix: Amazon has its own films and series, but also offers content from all kinds of distributors, with even fairly new films such as Hustlers and It: Chapter Two. You pay considerably less for it, but the menu structure and the possibilities for personalization leave something to be desired.
Now Hustlers and It: Chapter Two are films that are less than a year old, it is expected that the cinema will also be in the future it is increasingly losing streaming services. Many new films are already coming to Netflix, but they are often made by Netflix itself. What if a film distributor makes a deal with Netflix to have the new blockbuster no longer premiere in theaters but on the streaming service? People will always want to keep going to the cinema, if only for a date on neutral ground or for an afternoon enjoying a beloved movie in costume with other fans. However, in this scenario, a family that spends 80 euros on tickets and snacks and drinks for the average cinema visit will rather choose to stay at home with snacks from their own refrigerator.
Streaming Service War
That is a big plus for Netflix in principle, but it can also trigger a true streaming service war. For example, if HBO’s streaming service Max often takes off with these exclusive film deals, people would rather have a subscription there. And especially if streaming services are similar in genres and offerings, then Netflix is more likely to leave the field in this case. We had to see whether this will really happen on a large scale. After all, those blockbusters in the cinema sell a lot of tickets: per person, instead of a streaming service that is used by entire families and even families.
With its huge subscriber numbers, Netflix does not have to be afraid of competition, but where it Netflix had had some sort of streaming service monopoly for years, Netflix should now make more room for other players in that market. The question now is whether Netflix can and wants to do that, or indeed launch the attack by bringing major film releases to the platform as soon as possible and possibly opting for more weekly releases of series episodes instead of a binge-able season in one go. place the library. In addition, Netflix absolutely has to continue to take risks, because that is what it eventually became – when no one dared – to become such an icon. easily stream to your television? Then read our article with all possibilities for streaming media to your TV .
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