Over the past couple of years, online entertainment as a whole has continued its ongoing trend of huge growth – just a year and a half after release, popular streaming platform Disney+ had managed to rack up over 100 million global subscribers, gaming platforms have grown at record rates as online casinos for these sites and platforms have become amongst the most popular, and alternative media like podcasting has also seen huge success with more listeners than ever. But as the global health crisis slows and a return to normal life begins, will this have an impact on online options? And if so what’s next for online entertainment as a whole?
Streaming may look for continued to change – The big streaming platforms were able to share some good news at the start of the year as box office hits were looking to find simultaneous release with online platforms bringing video-on-demand options for newer releases, whilst there has been a little drama along the way, this may be a continued goal. Many directors have outspoken concerns about this by suggesting the cinema experience shouldn’t be replaced with at home options, but the numbers speak for themselves and where the box office struggled online streaming was able to thrive and could show a changing of the guard with online streaming primed to continue much in the way it has.
Gaming also looks to continue growing – Esports has quickly become one of the most popular forms of entertainment in the world with the biggest events bringing in hundreds of millions of viewers and often beating traditional sporting options for viewership – at the start of 2020 with the global postponement of many sporting events, many viewers turned to esports instead and helped to bolster the numbers further which certainly haven’t dropped. Viewer hours continue to increase, and online gaming as a whole looks to continue its year-on-year growth as the most popular form of online entertainment.
No slowing music and podcasts too – A change to remote working has opened the doors for personal listening on a bigger scale, and platforms like Spotify have certainly noticed the change recorded record numbers of those listening to music and those tuning into podcasts too – the signing of big podcasting names over the past couple of years has certainly helped this case but all podcasting platforms are reporting the same news as a whole – as a favourite for those whilst on the job, this is certainly one that won’t slow.
As a whole, online entertainment looks to be doubling down on all of the success it has been finding and won’t let up any time soon, a return to normal doesn’t seem to be having any drawback from these platforms as those who have made the adjustment look to continue new habits well into the future.