Live Streaming Services, Net Neutrality & What It Means For Your Customers

MEDIA AND BROADCASTING

Article | June 14, 2021

Those who have been following MIDiA’s games coverage for a while will have seen our posts about the growth problem of esports and suggestions around putting focus on the entertainment angle, rather than just on the sports angle, in order to most effectively capitalise on the opportunity. We have known for a while that esports viewers are only a subset of the broader games-related video viewing audience.We also know that esports audiences enjoy live entertainment in general, more so than many other entertainment consumer segments. MIDiA’s Q1 2021 consumer survey enabled us to dive deeper into how this opportunity can be approached. As a part of our upcoming Esports Viewer Dossier 2021 update, we have looked at the esports viewers, in comparison to consumers who say they watch games-related videos but not esports. The former represents the current state of play, while the latter represents esports’ potential audience growth opportunity.

Article | June 14, 2021

This is the ‘super-bundle’ that we (and the wider industry) have been speculating about ever since Apple revealed plans to launch subscription services for video, news and games – Apple TV+, Apple News+ and Apple Arcade respectively. From Apple’s point of view (not to mention its customers’) a single, discounted subscription covering its range of services makes a lot of sense. Music rightsholders are wary, however, with plenty of uncertainty around how the royalties from such a super-bundle would be divided between the different forms of entertainment.

Article | June 14, 2021

Ever since the Oculus Rift was first introduced, people have wanted a Mirror’s Edge VR game. Years later, Stride looks to deliver where EA hasn’t. The first footage for Stride, which debuted over the weekend, promises essentially a VR doppelganger of DICE’s beloved series. Players hop between rooftops using parkour, avoiding enemy gunfire and taking opponents down as they go. But while the game sounds similar to Mirror’s Edge, it looks practically identical; bleached-white buildings are peppered with vibrantly-highlighted objects you can use for progression.

Article | June 14, 2021

Sony has announced it will be holding a special event for the PlayStation 5 tomorrow, March 18. The tech company took to Twitter today to share the news, stating that lead system architect Mark Cerny will be delving into the console’s system architecture and its influence on the future of gaming. News of the upcoming event comes as Microsoft shared the full specs for its new Xbox Series X just a day ago, and as Sony has already provided information on the power of the PlayStation 5 back in 2019. The PS5, with its eight-core CPU and custom GPU, will support 4K gaming at 120Hz, 8K resolutions, and 3D audio, while featuring a speedy SSD and lower power consumption option.