Streaming services are heading towards a disappointing future

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Streaming services had the potential to change the entertainment industry for the better.  

What previously felt like something fun to use, is slowly becoming something I sadly no longer have interest in. 

I remember in the 2000s and early 2010s when people had to select different packages of channels to watch on cable. To be honest, I’d be surprised if anyone used at least half of the channels they bought in a package since, at least from my experience, you’d just pick your favourites and scroll through everything else. It eventually adds up over time, and some of that money that might as well be thrown into a garbage can. 

With the idea of streaming services starting up like Netflix, a platform where you could have everything from current and older movies to T.V. shows all in one place, you could stick to your favourites, exploring new content, or even just watching low-quality content with friends for some memorable experiences. Back then, a single streaming service at an affordable price with all you could watch content was simple, convenient, and something to last for the years to come. 

Now, there’s plenty of streaming services for people to choose from, meaning you have to choose which ones to bother investing in and decide which content you might not view enough to get your money’s worth. 

It’s no longer just Netflix hosting a majority of T.V. shows and movies. Now, we have Disney+ providing its massive library of content, in both its creations and what Disney has obtained from other entities like Hulu and 20th Century Fox. There’s also Paramount+, Crave, Amazon Prime Video, and Apple TV, all of which have a monthly subscription fee that feels like it keeps increasing. 

With all these options and fees, it’s as if we’re slowly heading back to where entertainment originally was when it came to cable. We’re back to having to pick and choose which favourites to keep up with and take in a bunch of media that we might not even get the chance to watch before the subscription fees have to be renewed. 

After using Netflix for several years and Disney+ for about a year, I honestly haven’t bothered to keep up with the subscription fees. I feel I didn’t get enough out of what I was paying for. I’m only paying for YouTube Premium if I want something to watch or listen to in my spare time while travelling or winding down.

Back in the 2000s, I remember hearing stories of people using questionable means such as burning movies and T.V. shows onto CDs from places like Blockbuster as a way of getting around paying fees to see them. That was an age of piracy. With the many streaming services around with lackluster plans, pirating movies and T.V. shows feels like something that may be an appealing option for those who aren’t able to afford all those streaming service plans. 

I hope we’ll get back to a simpler solution of being able to keep up with all the content we love and have it available in just one place. For now, YouTube, manga, light novels, and gaming is more than enough to keep me entertained.