[{"content":"","date":"4 September 2022","permalink":"/blowfish/tags/amazon/","section":"Tags","summary":"","title":"Amazon"},{"content":"","date":"4 September 2022","permalink":"/blowfish/tags/apple/","section":"Tags","summary":"","title":"Apple"},{"content":"","date":"4 September 2022","permalink":"/blowfish/","section":"Blowfish","summary":"","title":"Blowfish"},{"content":"","date":"4 September 2022","permalink":"/blowfish/categories/","section":"Categories","summary":"","title":"Categories"},{"content":"","date":"4 September 2022","permalink":"/blowfish/tags/disney/","section":"Tags","summary":"","title":"Disney"},{"content":"","date":"4 September 2022","permalink":"/blowfish/tags/netflix/","section":"Tags","summary":"","title":"Netflix"},{"content":"","date":"4 September 2022","permalink":"/blowfish/tags/prediction/","section":"Tags","summary":"","title":"Prediction"},{"content":"","date":"4 September 2022","permalink":"/blowfish/tags/product/","section":"Tags","summary":"","title":"Product"},{"content":"","date":"4 September 2022","permalink":"/blowfish/categories/product/","section":"Categories","summary":"","title":"Product"},{"content":"","date":"4 September 2022","permalink":"/blowfish/tags/strategy/","section":"Tags","summary":"","title":"Strategy"},{"content":"","date":"4 September 2022","permalink":"/blowfish/categories/strategy/","section":"Categories","summary":"","title":"Strategy"},{"content":"","date":"4 September 2022","permalink":"/blowfish/tags/streaming/","section":"Tags","summary":"","title":"Streaming"},{"content":"LastJulyandforthefirsttimeever,streamingviewershipsurpassedcable.Thestreamingwarsbeganaround2010whenNetflixintroducedtheirfirststreaming-onlyplanwithnoDVDrentals,otherplayers(cough,cough…Blockbuster)laughedatthetime…littledidtheyknow.Adecadeafter,there’samultitudeofstreamingservicesavailableformainstreamentertainmentandalsoforspecificniches(e.g.,CuriosityStream-documentaries,Crunchyroll-anime,etc.).\nHowDidWeGetHere?#Thisquestioncouldturnintoitsseriesofposts,akaaverylongandboringanswer.Theshortversion,Netflixhitgoldwhentheylaunchedtheirstreaming-onlysubscriptionservicethatallowedcustomerstowatchwhattheywantedwhentheywanted.ThiswasamassiveshiftfromthelinearTVexperiencewhereyoueitherhadtowaitinfrontoftheTVtowatchyourfavoriteshow,recordandwatchitlater,orwaitforarerun(funfact:therewasanotheroptiontosetaremindertowatchyourshows:D).NotonlydidNetflixlaunchawaybetterproducttoconsumecontent,butitalsochangedthewayusersdiscoverednewseriesandmoviesbyrecommendingnewshowsbasedonprevioushistory.Usersflockedtothisservice,whichwassignificantlybetterthanthealternativesandalsocheaperthantheaveragecablesubscriptionatthetime(i.e.,cuttingthechord).\nAfterNetflixshowedeveryonehowpeoplereallywantedtoconsumecontent,severalplayerswereinterestedinreplicatingthatmodelthemselves.Traditionalcontentproducers(e.g.,HBO,Disney,etc.)sawawaytocontroltheirdistributionchannelandgetadirectrelationshipwiththeircustomers.Otherplayers,likeAppleandAmazon,sawagoodopportunitytoexpandtheirservicesubscriptionstrategybyofferingyet-another-servicetotheiruser-base.Thisyear,mostoftheseservicesreachedhundredsofmillionsofpayingusers,andthecompetitioninthisindustrywasneverbeenthisstrong.\nMassiveInvestmentinContent#Oneofthestrongsignalsofthiscompetitionisthehugeamountsofmoneybeingspentincontentproduction.HBOjustreleasedHouseoftheDragon,aprequeltotheirhitseriesGameofThrones.Thefirstseasonhadanestimatedproductioncostofjustunder$20millionperepisode,makingthe10episoderuncostafull$200million.Incomparison,GameofThronescostaround$100millionperseason,withtheaveragecostperepisodestartingaround$6millioninseason1andgoingupto$15millioninthefi