Reply to Topic
It is a symptom of a greater disease. Some make jokes about how "streaming is the same as cable now," but it isn't a joke, really. When Netflix's streaming service was created, it purposely imposed a "squeeze" on the television market, offering a deal that was too good to be true and was clearly unsustainable (look no further than the mountain of debt they accrued over the years). Eventually, that "too good to be true" offer had to be leveled out, raising the prices, imposing an ad-supported version, and, inevitably, seeing a decrease in content. By disrupting the status quo, other companies made streaming services as well, spreading the entertainment industry across a dozen different streaming services. As the prices continue to increase, the price difference between having cable and enough streaming services to satisfy all your different interests has become either a thin line or non-existent.
Currently, I have a subscription to Peacock, Hulu, Disney Plus, Max, Netflix, Shudder, Amazon Prime, Paramount Plus (I technically receive a free membership to this), and this doesn't even factor in my subscriptions to Xbox Game Pass and PlayStation Now.
It's a lot, but I like to think I am savvy with it. I received a year's worth of Hulu for less than $10 (ad supported) and I usually don't have my subscription to Shudder or Xbox Game Pass unless I have a specific title I want to play / watch.
In the end, it probably about evens out to what I would spend if I bought every movie I watched and if I bought every videogame I played. It is just a lot more complicated and, in spite the original promoted intent, it is a lot less convenient.
Currently, I have a subscription to Peacock, Hulu, Disney Plus, Max, Netflix, Shudder, Amazon Prime, Paramount Plus (I technically receive a free membership to this), and this doesn't even factor in my subscriptions to Xbox Game Pass and PlayStation Now.
It's a lot, but I like to think I am savvy with it. I received a year's worth of Hulu for less than $10 (ad supported) and I usually don't have my subscription to Shudder or Xbox Game Pass unless I have a specific title I want to play / watch.
In the end, it probably about evens out to what I would spend if I bought every movie I watched and if I bought every videogame I played. It is just a lot more complicated and, in spite the original promoted intent, it is a lot less convenient.
