• Light/Dark
  • Ever wanted an RSS feed of all your favorite gaming news sites? Go check out our new Gaming Headlines feed! Read more about it here.

There are too many streaming services

Chrome Hyena

Chrome Hyena

Member
Oct 30, 2017
8,768
Title says it all. There are too many streaming services. The entire point I thought was to give a good option to cable/satellite tv but the streaming landscape is becoming super fragmented.

We have:

Netflix
HULU
YouTube tv
Crackle
Playstation cue
DC UNIVERSE
Disney streaming service
And a slew of anime streaming services.

When will saturation hit for all these services and force them to begin consolidating like some anime streaming services have (VRV gives you funimation and crunchyroll for cheaper than both).

Could their be a chance to see something like a Netflix/HULU/DC or Disney combo service? And how much would you pay for it?
 
Goldenroad

Goldenroad

Attempted to circumvent ban with alt account
Banned
Nov 2, 2017
9,475
Crackle is done iirc. Also, this is not really a problem in Canada. We can't get DCU, Hulu, PS Vue or a slew of other services. I'm not sure why having more options would be a problem for anyone.
 
PhilosopherDirtBike

PhilosopherDirtBike

Member
Nov 1, 2017
3,201
Get used to it unless you're willing to pay $60 a month for Netflix. Changing the distribution model isn't going to magically make tv cheaper to make, especially when the new model takes commercials out of the equation.
 
Pwnz

Pwnz

Member
Oct 28, 2017
14,279
Places
Netflix, Hulu, Amazon, and HBO for me. Not to hard to navigate even from my Vizios apps. If there are a few more I may cave in and get a roku or something to aggregate this shit.
 

mrmoose

Member
Nov 13, 2017
21,162
Consolidating might be worse for the consumer, though.

Right now, as a consumer you can basically hop around and catch up, you don't need them all at once (and you don't have the time to watch everything anyway). Now sheer laziness/momentum usually means that people don't cancel and resubscribe, but you have that option.

for instance, I usually just subscribe to HBO when GoT starts. I'll probably try out DC Nation when YJ is out.
 
Waddle Dee

Waddle Dee

Banned
Nov 2, 2017
3,725
California
All I'm subbed to is Netflix and yeah, it's really annoying just how much I still can't watch due to how fragmented all these shows and movies are.

I really dread the Disney streaming service for this very reason. It's far too costly to subscribe to 3 or more of these.
 
HStallion

HStallion

Member
Oct 25, 2017
62,261
Streaming services are the new "TV Channels". Each has its own TV series, movies, gameshows, and so on. Entertainment is slowly becoming ala carte but not through the old school traditional channels but simply because you can purchase whatever streaming services that fit your desires. Want horror films? Check out Shudder. Want breadth? Try Amazon Prime or Netflix. Quality? HBO and so on. There are even streaming services dedicated totally too really niche types of shows and movies like films by and for black folks.
 
Pwnz

Pwnz

Member
Oct 28, 2017
14,279
Places
Yeah, please don't bundle them into one service. Then media companies with bundle it with fucking sportsball and rates will increase and ads will be added to pay for sportsball and for coke/Hooker board of directors parties.
 
TarpitCarnivore

TarpitCarnivore

Member
Oct 25, 2017
20,207
You're comparing full streaming TV replacements with OTT networks.

Also you don't need to sub to all of them. If you are feeling compelled to have all them that's a you problem more than anything. This was always going to happen and why people cautioned against al la carte programming.

The upside of all this is you cancel anytime.
 
Darknight

Darknight

"I'd buy that for a dollar!"
Member
Oct 25, 2017
22,798
For years people screamed for ala carte; now we have it. I told people for years you're not going to like it when we get it.
 
Daitokuji

Daitokuji

Member
Oct 27, 2017
2,602
They are all super cheap @ ~$10 a month with no contracts, hardware or any long term commitments required. I see no problem whatsoever with the current streaming landscape.
 
Remember

Remember

Banned
Oct 29, 2017
2,484
Chicago, IL United States
Chrome Hyena said:
And a slew of anime streaming services.

When will saturation hit for all these services and force them to begin consolidating like some anime streaming services have (VRV gives you funimation and crunchyroll for cheaper than both).
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...

Thank goodness Crunchyroll was so forward thinking when it came to this. It was smart to see the writing on the wall and combine forces with Funimation instead of compete.

I'm hoping eventually Netflix and the Disney Service do the same. Their 'Movies Anywhere' Ultraviolet/code service idea was incredible.
 
Darknight

Darknight

"I'd buy that for a dollar!"
Member
Oct 25, 2017
22,798
Daitokuji said:
They are all super cheap @ ~$10 a month with no contracts, hardware or any long term commitments required. I see no problem whatsoever with the current streaming landscape.
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...

Well I see the problem in fragmentation. No longer do you get a consistent interface and it's not always easy to know what is on what service. That's a step backwards.
 
Septimus Prime

Septimus Prime

EA
Verified
Oct 25, 2017
8,500
Yeah, it's getting kind of annoying. I have Netflix, Hulu, Amazon, and HBO now, and I'll probably get Disneyflix and WB, and then I have some of the free TV channel ones, like AMC and CW.

Luckily most streaming boxes can handle them all fairly seamlessly.
 
Pwnz

Pwnz

Member
Oct 28, 2017
14,279
Places
Darknight said:
Well I see the problem in fragmentation. No longer do you get a consistent interface and it's not always easy to know what is on what service. That's a step backwards.
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...

Cable companies weren't consistent. Each area had different channel numbers, guides, controllers, etc. You want consistent, get a roku or apple tv.
 
Daitokuji

Daitokuji

Member
Oct 27, 2017
2,602
What you described is like taking 3 steps forward and one step back. I have never felt compelled to sign up for more than one service at a time either. There is enough content on any one of these to last for months.
 
Darknight

Darknight

"I'd buy that for a dollar!"
Member
Oct 25, 2017
22,798
Pwnz said:
Cable companies weren't consistent. Each area had different channel numbers, guides, controllers, etc. You want consistent, get a roku or apple tv.
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...

People didn't subscribe to multiple cable services though. You subscribed to one service that had all your TV content. That's not the same comparison.
 
Chaos Legion

Chaos Legion

The Wise Ones
Member
Oct 30, 2017
16,905
This is only the beginning.

Apple
Amazon
CBS All Access
Universal (with maybe WarnerMedia and Sony Pictures)
 

mrmoose

Member
Nov 13, 2017
21,162
Darknight said:
For years people screamed for ala carte; now we have it. I told people for years you're not going to like it when we get it.
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...

Ala carte would suck in a traditional network model, because there usually isn't an archive of all previously aired content you'd have access to once you subscribed.

In a streaming world, except for the wonky ones like DC having rotating comics and some minor variance in what's available, for the most part all the content that is exclusive to a provider will be available when you resubscribe. I'd say ala carte is fine, at least for the consumer. At least until they start putting restrictions like "can't resubscribe for X months" in there.
 
Jessie

Jessie

Member
Oct 27, 2017
9,921
Just wait until Appleflix and Disneyflix launch. They'll both be AAA, so you'll have to sub to watch all of the hot TV shows.
 
Sgt. Demblant

Sgt. Demblant

Self-requested ban
Banned
Oct 25, 2017
7,030
France
Disney's got you. Give them one more decade.

Meanwhile, I just discovered Filmstruck last month and I'm still completely blown away. What an incredible library they have.
I used to rotate between Netflix and Amazon Prime every other month but now I think I'll go Filmstruck half the year and the rest will be split between the remaining services.

Having just one all-encompassing streaming service would be great but ultimately, competition is good. And this is still way better than fucking tv and cable. So I don't mind too much the multiplication of these platforms.
 
PlanetSmasher

PlanetSmasher

The Abominable Showman
Member
Oct 25, 2017
115,496
pa22word said:
I've always considered this to be a weird complaint.

You're never going to have enough time to actually watch everything, so why stress about not having access to it? Rotate subscriptions if catching a show on one service is a big deal.
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...

It's a pain in the ass to constantly subscribe and unsubscribe to multiple services. Also they often raise their prices and if you unsubscribe you have to resub at the higher rate.
 
elektrixx

elektrixx

Banned
Oct 26, 2017
1,923
The five things I want to watch are on five different services. It's gone back to being TV channel packages.
 
Armadilo

Armadilo

Banned
Oct 27, 2017
9,877
How can people complain about variety, like it's all an option, you don't need all the subscriptions just how you don't need all the tv channels
 

see5harp

Banned
Oct 31, 2017
4,435
I don't pay for any of those weird ass services. Who the fuck pays for Crackle and You tube tv.
 
Xbox Live Mike

Xbox Live Mike

Prophet of Truth
The Fallen
Oct 29, 2017
2,434
USA
I sub to Hulu and Netflix, it's good enough for me. To be honest I'm just going to sit down and watch The Office again and MAYBE catch up on TV shows that are streaming. Still better than dropping $80 for cable.
 
Daitokuji

Daitokuji

Member
Oct 27, 2017
2,602
pa22word said:
I've always considered this to be a weird complaint.

You're never going to have enough time to actually watch everything, so why stress about not having access to it? Rotate subscriptions if catching a show on one service is a big deal.
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...

This. I don't get why people sign up for multiple streaming services.
 
PlanetSmasher

PlanetSmasher

The Abominable Showman
Member
Oct 25, 2017
115,496
Armadilo said:
How can people complain about variety, like it's all an option, you don't need all the subscriptions just how you don't need all the tv channels
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...

No one channel is good enough to get you everything you want to watch. If you watch a bunch of shows on several networks you're fucked unless you pay each of them.
 
jefjay

jefjay

Member
Oct 25, 2017
2,111
It is annoying, but it's also why I bounce around. I subscribe for 1-2 months, watch what I've missed since I last subscribed, cancel and move on to the next.

Would I rather have a couple I could just scribe to all the time? Sure. But this is ok. When Disney comes out I'll do the same there. Subscribe for maybe a month a year between my HBO and Hulu months. No biggie.
 

Deleted member 32374

User requested account closure
Banned
Nov 10, 2017
8,460
The golden age of Netflix is over and it isn't coming back. It future is it's original content.

Hulu still has network tv the next day and most of the tv shows that left Netflix. Diseny, don't fuck up Hulu.

Fuck Amazon with 100 foot Amazon echo delivered directly into bezobulbs asshole.

Not giving Disney money every month to relive childhood.

Shudder is fun in the autumn and I LL check out flimstruck, thanks for the rec Sgt Demblant.
 

see5harp

Banned
Oct 31, 2017
4,435
Netflix and Spotify is all you really need. Especially when someone you work with definitely pays for HBO and you can just use their login.
 
Sheng Long

Sheng Long

Moderator
Oct 27, 2017
7,590
Earth
You don't have to get them all too. Options are good. Entertainment as a whole is filled to the brim with options. Games, TV, Movies, Books, Music etc are all flowing with options. Way too much for any one person to enjoy them all. It's a good time to be alive.
 
Jayson's Rage

Jayson's Rage

Member
Oct 24, 2017
222
Still better than being tethered to bullshit cable packages. This way you choose the services you want piece by piece without having local bullshit shoved down your throat
 
Zulith

Zulith

Member
Oct 25, 2017
4,739
West Coast, USA
Best thing you can do is share accounts -- ideally with people in your household. One person pays for 1 or 2, another person pays for 1 or 2... etc., and share. Spread the costs just like with any other expense.
 
Derrick01

Derrick01

Banned
Oct 25, 2017
7,289
Herein lies the problem with cord cutting. If you want most of what you had before you have to sign up for 6 different services and pay almost the same amount in the end. You have to really cut down on what you want to watch.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.