Who is winning the streaming wars? Netflix certainly dominated streaming before it was even a thing. Their DVD service renting by postal mail was revolutionary at the time, and it’s often credited as the reason for the demise of Blockbuster and video rental stores. However, even back then, the leadership of Netflix knew their business model was not going to age well, and so they created a dominant streaming service when no one else was really looking into it.
For some time, Netflix dominated the nascent industry, but now there are many competitors. So the question remains, who is winning these streaming wars?
Netflix is certainly not as dominant as it used to be. When no one else had a subscriber base big enough to pay royalty contracts for lots of movies and TV shows, Netflix seemed like they had it all. As many media companies started up their own streaming services or were preparing to, they started letting their deals lapse with Netflix or started asking for lots more money.
Netflix wound up pivoting to original content. Their first two original productions, House of Cards and Orange Is the New Black, both became cultural phenomena in their own right. However, in just a few years after, Netflix went from having two shows to releasing entire seasons of shows every single weekend of the year.
If anyone is giving them a run for their money, it’s Disney Plus. This streaming service has blossomed quickly with explosive subscriber numbers. In addition to having a treasure trove of Disney content, this streaming service also has most of the Marvel universe plus everything and anything Star Wars related. These mega-franchises have tens of millions of ardent fans who have flocked to the streaming services in service to their beloved brands.
Amazon Prime has undoubtedly carved out a niche for itself as a streaming service that is available free of charge to anyone with Amazon Prime. Hence, their membership numbers are certainly respectable.
The idea of who is winning the streaming wars might be a bit subjective. Disney Plus is undoubtedly having its moment across America. However, Netflix will reap dividends off its growing pile of original content over time since no royalties will ever be necessary. Also, Netflix is certainly winning the international growth game.