Physical media is either dead or dying. Recent advances in how people consume their entertainment technology hasn’t yet hugely impacted other markets, but two developments from this week showcase how we can expect streaming content to disrupt traditional media. There are big highs and lows in terms of announcements, but there will be fallout soon enough from both of them. Whether you are interested in movies or videogames, there’s big news and new technology trends incoming.
Netflix and the unbearable lightness of streaming
The original online streaming service provider, Netflix, is reacting to a verity of theater chains refusing to show its new movie, Beasts of No Nation, this week. Four large theater chains, including regal, Cinemark, Carmine and AMC have refused to display the movie because Netflix is offering a simultaneous at-home streaming release, according to Ars Technica. Netflix’s rejoinder to this was that they don’t need traditional movie houses to show their movies, as their user base is a far larger audience than people who still go into dark rooms near the highway to watch screens.
This change highlights a major factor in the competition between Netflix and traditional movie houses, which is that Netflix is always going to be a more convenient experience. Why go anywhere when everything you want is at home?
Valve and the wired world of gaming
Major software marketplace operator and in-game purchase superstar Valve has announced this week that it will be producing something called the Steam Link. This $49.99 hardware will stream any content from a computer within a home to a TV or monitor on that home network. After years of saber-rattling, Valve has finally issued its first major shot against consoles. This hardware would effectively obviate the need for home entertainment consoles for those looking to play big budget game releases on their TVs.
Previously, PC gaming and console gaming have been separate platforms. One arena focused primarily on experiences that were best suited to a keyboard and mouse, while the other could put its attention solidly on experiences more suited to players sitting on a couch, far away from their screen. Now, however, the lines are blurring. It remains to be seen how major makers of gaming consoles like Nintendo, Sony and Microsoft respond to this change, and whether or not PC and console gaming will remain separate.
