Our options for entertainment online are almost endless. There is a seemingly infinite pool of content for us to consume and enjoy, with new videos, games, podcasts and shows being released on a regular basis.
The freedom of the internet means that there is entertainment content available for everyone. Most people will have multiple entertainment platforms that they use on a regular basis, yet somehow, there are still entertainment platforms that fail to secure an audience. Here is a look at four online entertainment platforms that have gained immense popularity in recent years and one that surprisingly failed to take off.
Steam
Online gaming is very popular right now. It has begun to overshadow console gaming, and most PC gaming now has some type of online component. Steam is the ultimate online gaming platform. It is the largest online gaming marketplace, selling titles from AAA developers, micro indie studios and everyone in between. It has also become one of the most trusted review and game discussion platforms.
Steam does have some tough competition and is likely the reason that cloud gaming is being embraced by the big developers and console companies. Alongside traditional and mobile video games, online casino games have found a huge audience. This has led to the development of dedicated online casino gaming platforms. The online casino platform is likely the fastest-growing online gaming platform in NZ and many other countries. Xbox Live has a huge user base, and the PlayStation cloud gaming service currently in beta testing has garnered a lot of positive attention. Video games are such a huge market that there is plenty of room for all of these platforms to succeed.
Twitch
Twitch is the result of a truly new form of online entertainment: live streaming video games. Watching gamers who are experts at a particular game mastering speed runs or following those who are simply engaging entertainers has become a popular form of entertainment. Even people who aren’t that dedicated to gaming can enjoy watching really talented players performing at their best.
Twitch is the most popular live streaming platform. Some Twitch streamers can become entertainment personalities with millions of subscribers. Through subscriptions, brand deals and in-stream donations, Twitch can be an incredibly lucrative platform for these gamers. Twitch is also the platform of choice for streaming esports tournaments, an area that has recently exploded in popularity.
In addition to live streaming gaming content, Twitch provides a platform for other types of live content. These include music events, creative content such as live painting or drawing, and daily life streaming. By diversifying, they have been somewhat successful in reaching new audiences.
Spotify
Spotify is the leading audio platform right now. It was initially one of many music streaming platforms, but over the last few years, it has risen above the competition to become the industry leader. Part of this success is because they offer users a variety of ways to access their content – either for free with some ads or via a series of subscription plans for different-sized households.
Another reason for its success is that it expanded into the world of podcasts. Podcasts have become one of the most popular forms of online entertainment. By embracing podcasts and producing their own exclusive and original content, they’ve been able to attract an even wider share of the market.
Netflix
In October, Netflix will end its DVD mailing service and finally become a fully online platform. It is now the world’s largest and most popular video streaming service. It has become so successful that it now produces a huge amount of its own content, occasionally working with major directors or providing funding for art house directors from around the world.
While some people become incredibly loyal to one streaming service, many people have several subscriptions to streaming services. Netflix’s main competition comes from Hulu, Amazon Prime and Paramount+. Netflix’s controversial new stance on account sharing might be a big enough blow to its popularity to give other streaming services a chance to replace Netflix at the top.
Meta
Meta was sold to audiences in Mark Zuckerberg’s initial infomercial about its release as a virtual replacement for reality. It would be a limitless world where our avatars could meet, socialize, work and play. The money from investors poured in, and early users were excited for what could be in store.
That vision never materialized, however. Instead, the metaverse is a digital ghost town. The avatars still don’t have legs and nothing works quite as well as it should. The dwindling number of users who still visit the metaverse are either children running amok, people with a financial interest in the metaverse succeeding, devoted users or the occasional curious onlooker.
The metaverse isn’t dead, but it may just as well be.
