Source: Pixabay – CC0 Creative Commons
Netflix might be one of the most popular streaming services to date, but should this success be taken for granted? Today, we are witnessing something big, something that no one could have predicted a couple of years ago – the downfall of Netflix. Or so it seems. To most, it might seem baffling considering that Netflix announced that more than 700 original series would be released beginning with 2018. In this article, we are going to talk about the decline of one world’s most appreciated streaming services.
Of Netflix, Numbers, and Customer’s Choice
What’s up with Netflix these days? Well, although the service has a little over 100 million subscribers and content by the dozen, something doesn’t feel quite right. Granted that the database is bigger than ever and that there’s no way somebody can watch everything without turning into a vegetable but launching a ludicrous number of new movies and series is hardly what you would call “natural.”
Specialized websites such as neflixguides.com reveal that prices might be soon increasing, their list of incoming shows produced by the company leaning more towards documentaries and reality shows rather than TV shows and movies. Is this a consequence of the company trying to retarget the audience? A brazen move considering the social climate, but what about what the public really wants?
In reality, Netflix is losing ground, and we fear that its downfall might be written in the wind. Backtracking a bit, the customers have begun to migrate ever since Disney announced that it will no longer air movies and series on Netflix. Might not be something of consequence but do keep in mind that Disney’s move of buying things like the Marvel and Star Wars series, has made it a reputable adversary.
There’s also the matter of that out-of-the-box-freshness. So far, Netflix has produced some great series. One cannot but admit that The Crown, Bojack Horseman or Stranger Things are nothing if not riveting. Still, we have to think about that since 2017; the company has had more to lose than to win.
We can all recall the monumental failure behind shows like Neo Yokio, Santa Clarita Diet, Iron Fist or Girlboss, originals that were doomed from the very beginning due to their filler side. Even with these drawbacks that cost Netflix over $6 billion, the company announced at the beginning of 2018 that it plans on investing a whopping $8 billion into 700 new movies and series. Talk about a daring move!
But will that be enough to put Netflix back on track? No one can say for certain, but, at the same time, we cannot ignore the signs. At the end of the day, there’s no such thing as brand loyalty. At least not when it comes to streaming services. And when it comes to choosing a streaming subscription with high-quality content over one that shows all of the signs of decline, the customer won’t think twice before making a decision.
Truth be told, the company gambled with Altered Carbon. It should have been an instant box-office smasher considering the cast and the plot. It wasn’t meant to be, unfortunately, and it was proven by its cold-hearted reception.
Marketed as a visual game-changer and jaw-dropper, fans were in for a salty surprise when the series aired. Most of them were expecting a fresh perspective on the cyberpunk genre, but instead got a cross-over goulash – something that looks like the offspring of Bladerunner and Repo! The Genetic Opera. Netflix’s marketing campaign could have been partially influenced by CD Projekt Red’s upcoming title. It’s a distinct possibility.
From where we stand, we believe that Netflix’s popularity loss could have been fueled by the company’s inability to deliver a product despite the customers giving them precise indications of their needs. For instance, when the company announced The Gilmore Girls reboot, everyone was excited to see Netflix’s play on the series.
Unfortunately, this reboot was so badly received, that the producer could not give a straight answer when asked about a sequel. The signs were always there and, right now, Netflix cannot cast them aside. Maybe the streaming service is doomed to fail, or maybe something unexpected will happen, something that will make customers want to come back or buy a new subscription.
Conclusion
Are Netflix Originals losing their popularity? With the lack of new and refreshing content, no customer is motivated enough to stay behind just for reheated TV dinners. Something is bound to happen because the signs are more than obvious. We can’t say for sure if this is the tipping point, but we should admit that the company has been feeding its customers more boring content than it cares to admit.
