Fortnite Scares Netflix More Than HBO
We don’t tend to think about cross platform competition. We dive deep into the battles between Microsoft and Sony, Netflix and Hulu, and all of the competing triple-A studios in a battle royale. However, they truly are in direct completion with one another. Any time you pick up a controller, you’re choosing that over a movie or TV show, and vice versa. Netflix has taken this into account and considers one game in particular to be their biggest rival.
Netflix addressed the video game versus streaming service issue recently. In a message to investors, Netflix declared that Fortnite was a bigger threat to their profit margins than other networks. They told their financial backers that they “compete with (and lose to) Fortnite more than HBO.” That’s a big slight on arguably the top TV network around, and a major feather in Fortnite’s cap.
This comes after Netflix announced their highest price hike in history. It’s only $2, but that shows how committed they are to creating new content. It also shows a belief in their product, but even the greatest companies can face challenges from outside forces. The streaming service recently brought in former Activision Blizzard CEO Spencer Neumann, possibly to help gain an insider’s perspective in their battle against video games.
Few games have ever dominated a market quite like Fortnite. The game claimed around 200 million players worldwide in November 2018, a number that has likely grown in the months since. The game continues to churn out money for Epic Games and rack up countless hours of playtime. Anyone hoping for massive fanbases—including Netflix—needs to fear Fortnite and its addictive nature.
As for HBO, they still have one last card up their sleeves: Game of Thrones. The final season debuts April 14 and should pull in record numbers of viewers. However, the final season only contains six episodes to draw audience members from Netflix and Fortnite alike. That’s a short run on top, and the following numbers will likely justify Netflix’s dismissive attitude.
Do you think Netflix should worry about Fortnite? How would you hope to compete with the money-printing game? Can HBO realistically compete with Netflix? Sound off in the comment section below. And be sure to follow DFTG on Facebook and Twitter for more gaming and entertainment news!
Drew Weissman230 Posts
Drew is a freelance writer for DFTG. He's the former Managing Editor of Haogamers and has been published in the Chicago Tribune and The Paragon Journal. He also edited the novel Three Brightnesses and Artist Journey: Rachta Lin (2016 and 2017 editions).
