Netflix is focused on dominating as much screen time as possible, according to a recent investor report, and reportedly “compete[s] with (and lose[s] to) Fortnite more than HBO.” The Netflix vs Fortnite implications suggest that the video streaming platform is losing consumers to YouTube, having dominated Google’s 2018 trends list as the most popular search term of last year.
The earnings report issued by Netflix explains that YouTube as a platform contributes “thousands of competitors” to the screen time market, with “low barriers to entry” for those wanting to create content. Netflix estimates that it earns around 10 percent of screen time in the US, ahead of competitors HBO or Hulu, the latter of which was reported to be “small compared to YouTube.”
“When YouTube went down globally for a few minutes in October, our viewing and signups spiked for that time,” the report stated, demonstrating the reasoning behind the Netflix vs Fortnite issue. For Netflix, video games content is likely to remain a thorn in its side through 2019, draining screen time from the streaming service.
In addition to its YouTube presence, Fortnite was also the most-played Switch game of 2018 in Europe, coming out on top despite Nintendo’s own releases of Smash Bros. Ultimate, Pokemon: Let’s Go! Eevee and Let’s Go! Pikachu. Last year, it became so popular that the game surpassed existing records to reach 8.3 million concurrent players.
In Netflix’s plan for 2019, along with a price hike in the US, the on-demand service is hoping to expand further into its original series with bigger headline features like Black Mirror: Bandersnatch, and funding larger PR campaigns to secure their audience.
Hulu has previously attempted to draw the gaming audience over to its platform with four original esports shows announced back in 2017, but esports have since remained largely YouTube and Twitch based content.
