The streaming wars are pointless

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Ernesto Aguilar

Disney+’s colorful interface appeals to a distinct audience

Competition has recently become intense between companies that offer direct to home streaming services. On Nov. 12, the Walt Disney Company launched their highly anticipated exclusive streaming service, Disney+. In 2020, even more streaming services, such as HBO Max and NBC’s Peacock, are going to be launched. However, the competition is baseless as each streaming service available is unique and tailored toward different audiences.

When Disney+ launched, the internet blew up with articles that analyzed it and the effect it would have against other services, most notably Netflix. Some argued that Disney+ would triumphantly prevail while others objected that Netflix would remain the household brand it always has been.

While these arguments have an impressive amount of support, streaming services can’t be compared or put to compete with each other. Each streaming service is uniquely tailored to fit a target demographic.

Disney+, for example, marketed the idea that all of Disney’s favorite titles would come together with other iconic works, produced by Pixar and Lucasfilm for example, to deliver the ultimate family entertainment experience. This made the service appeal to people, such as myself, who have a desire for the classic Disney nostalgia.

When streaming services are compared to other streaming services, the differences between them cannot be anymore obvious. Disney+ can be seen as more family oriented than the movie goer’s dream that HBO is. Netflix can also be seen as the most diverse in terms of content. Offering mature titles such as 13 Reasons Why and child-friendly offerings such as a few Disney movies, it can be seen as a balance between mature and family friendly.

Because of the differences, competition is pointless. It is only natural that people want to pay for what they want. When a customer is presented with a selection of streaming services, they will choose the one that best fits the interest of who is going to use it. A hardcore Disney fan will most likely select Disney+ while a cinema affcionado might choose HBO instead.

However, some customers who are already subscribed to other streaming services may choose to unsubscribe and choose new ones as they come out. As a whole, this will not do much to hurt existing platforms. The existing platforms continue to attract more customers and are owned by multimillion dollar companies who continue to produce content for those who are dedicated fans. Passionate aficionados will already have subscribed to streaming services and stay after new ones come out.

At the end of the day, customers are going to choose the service that appeals to them the most. No company is going to gain or lose drastically from the competition because everyone has distinct tastes when it comes to entertainment. For example, my subscription with Netflix did not end after I subscribed to Disney+. In fact, I kept my subscription with Netflix in order to be able to watch content with varying themes in demand. Netflix has offerings that are more mature, while Disney+ has offerings that are family friendly. The perfect balance of the two works out as I have access to “the best of both worlds” at all times.