Last year, they all came crawlin' back to Steam, and this year was another strong one for Valve.

From the opinion piece:

Last year, I pointed out how many big publishers came crawlin’ back to Steam after trying their own things: EA, Activision, Microsoft. This year, for the first time ever, two Blizzard games released on Steam: Overwatch and Diablo 4.

  • MashedTech@lemmy.worldEnglish
    15·
    1 year ago

    What I’m wondering: is this going to happen to the many streaming services as well? They’re many and expensive. Are they going to consolidate in a few or are they going to lower their prices so that they don’t continue to lose users?

    • AstridWipenaugh@lemmy.worldEnglish
      38·
      1 year ago

      No. They’re repeating cable history. The great bundling has already begun. Hulu and Disney are being rolled together. You’re going to have fewer options moving forward. You’ll have to buy the netflix-hulu-disney-peacock-hbo-starz bundle or the other one with all the rest. Then they can keep cranking up the price because it’s all or nothing. Prices will go up until too many people choose the “nothing” option, then they’ll start doing a “build your own package” to let you drop half and save 10% just because you want one of the services.

      • Bgugi@lemmy.worldEnglish
        6·
        1 year ago

        It will just keep getting worse until some new “disruptor” enters the marketplace. That one will be great for a while, then collapse into a new archipelago of shitty cash grabs.

        I’m just wondering what the next big thing will be… Maybe some kind of local macro-kiosks that have mechanical DRM units that store all the data so they don’t have to negotiate with the non-open ISPs. You could probably even include impulse sales of physical merchandise and consumables while people browse for the media they want.

    • Ullallulloo@civilloquy.comEnglish
      81·
      1 year ago

      The unpopular ones like Paramount+ and Peacock will probably lower their prices, rely on ads, realize they can’t keep the lights on with their lower prices, and probably sell to Amazon or Disney someday. The larger ones will consolidate the popular content and continue raising their prices and inserting more ads. The previous prices were just a loss-leader to get people to sign up.

    • yamanii@lemmy.worldEnglish
      4·
      1 year ago

      HBO and Disney are already delisting some shows and selling the rights for the more successful ones to buy and add it to their catalog.

    • woelkchen@lemmy.worldEnglish
      2·
      1 year ago

      are they going to lower their prices so that they don’t continue to lose users?

      If they lose users, they’ll increase the prices for everyone else. Then they’ll lose even more and increase prices even more.