When HBO Max enters the streaming competition in the UK and goes toe to toe with the others on equal footing. I believe they have the content to really challenge Netflix. I actually think it’s one of the reasons why Netflix has gone to try and acquire Warner Bros. That would be a huge deal for them, and also, it would extend Netflix’s dominance in terms of the content they could offer subscribers. It could also be a window of opportunity for them to raise prices further.
HBO Max has the content to really challenge the status quo. By bundling up with Sky Ultimate it gives people instant access and gives the service a window of opportunity to get people binging on that content. Amazon and Apple are raising the stakes as well, but for me personally, I feel like Paramount Plus are also the ones to watch. With Netflix, Paramount Plus, and HBO Max and Disney being bundled within the Sky ecosystem. Even on an ad tier plan. That’s a lot of eyes on your product, and especially if they choose to go ad-free on one service and then jump to the next the following month.
Apple doesn’t have that so their content is going to need to become stronger and they’ve been very aggressive in that recently. We all know Amazon Prime is a critical component these days. So nearly everyone has it. But with this much competition it’s only going to do one thing. There’s a race to bring subscribers the best content they can. That’s a good thing in itself because that means better quality content and we have the opportunity to really become engaged in what each platform might offer in the future.
If the streaming wars haven’t already begun, they certainly have now and it’s going to be interesting who can nail down that Warner Bros acquisition.
How do the others respond? Increasing output and creating more engaging shows. That’s what wins you eyes on your product. While also, staying competitive on pricing.
Craig Clark
From gaming industry headlines to all things Manchester United and entertainment, Craig covers the stories everyone's talking about — alongside his own published works.