From live concerts and movie releases to cloud gaming and podcasts, entertainment has increasingly been shifting from traditional outlets like brick-and-mortar venues and the television set to the online sphere. Here is a look at what is in store for the online entertainment industry for 2022 and beyond.
Streaming live events
Entertainment like music concerts, theatrical performances, and stand-up comedy have always traditionally taken place in physical venues. But that has started changing in recent years, and with many venues shut in 2020 and 2021, the shift to streaming live events online has rapidly become much more popular. Even when live venues open again, the trend of moving to the online sphere will continue to gather pace in 2022 and beyond. Many musicians and performers are prioritizing digital media like video-conferencing platforms to engage with their fans. In addition, more and more movies are being released directly online rather than at cinemas, and that trend is also certain to grow in the coming years. So-called over-the-top video content for media and entertainment platforms like Netflix and Hulu reached $20.1 billion in the US in 2017 and is expected to reach $30.6 billion in 2022.
Game streaming
It is not only live performances and movies that are gaining traction online. Game streaming is becoming one of the biggest entertainment areas on the web, both in terms of people broadcasting themselves playing video games like RPGs and first-person shooters or casino games like blackjack and roulette, and people watching games that are being streamed. Whether you play games at this online casino or play e-sports and MMOs, it is now simple for you to record your gaming sessions and broadcast yourself on popular platforms like Twitch. Remember, it is important to ensure the gambling sites you use best fit your needs via an independent reviewer such as bestcasinosites.
As streaming continues to become more popular in 2022 and beyond, you can expect to see many more streaming platforms emerging to give big names like Twitch a run for their money.
Podcasts
Television ratings have been falling for years while watching digital content has continually been increasing. In turn, that has led to less advertising expenditure on television. In 2018, advertising investment in television fell by 2%, largely due to a shift by advertisers to digital channels. People are watching all kinds of video content in place of shows on the box, but one area of digital entertainment is particularly seeing a spike. This year, it is expected that 120 million people in the United States will listen to podcasts at least once every month; and that is just the figure for one country. Experts suggest the number will grow to 164 million by 2023. There are currently around 1.5 million active podcasts and that number is continuing to grow. But within the podcast trend, there is also a growth of amateurs turning their hobby into a legitimate business model. As more professional podcasts spring up, television ratings are sure to continue to drop.
Fans Directly Supporting Creators
One of the biggest trends in the online entertainment industry in the last few years has been fans directly supporting creators. Many creators of podcasts, streams and other content have a challenging time living off revenue obtained via advertising on platforms like YouTube, especially when those creators cover a niche topic. Crowdfunding sites like Patreon have exploded with fans helping finance creators directly. Of course, the fans benefit as well, because they receive some rewards, such as bonus content or access to a live Q & A session, in return for their donations. The crowdfunding method of support is a trend that will most certainly continue to grow in 2022 and beyond.