Netflix may be an entirely separate medium to Epic Games’ Fortnite, but that doesn’t mean the game isn’t a threat to the streaming giant.
During an investor meeting, Netflix actually confirmed that it sees Fortnite as more of a competitor than the likes of Game Of Thrones‘ channel, HBO.
It all comes down to what’s called “consumer screen time,” which both television and gaming both compete for.
Netflix told investors [via Games Industry]: “We compete with (and lose to) Fortnite more than HBO,
“There are thousands of competitors in this highly fragmented market vying to entertain consumers… Our growth is based on how good our experience is, compared to all the other screen time experiences from which consumers choose.”
Besides it’s not only screen time. My household spends easily way more on Fortnite than Netflix.
— Alberto Escarlate 🚌 (@cacheop) January 18, 2019
With over 200 million registered players (many of whom play without paying thanks to the game’s free-to-play Battle Royale mode), it’s understandable that Netflix cites Epic as one of its most major competitors.
A smart company knows its competitors much better than analysts. Netflix competitors talk about Hulu, Amazon Prime while Netflix correctly defines its competitor as Fortnite and YouTube. You see in your home and you will get the answer.
— Deepak Singh (@smarket) January 18, 2019
Based on some of its choices in 2018, it seems Netflix is keen to branch out into the world of gaming, offering choose-your-own-adventure style shows including Minecraft: Story Mode and Black Mirror: Bandersnatch, both of which were very well-received by consumers.
It’ll be interesting to see how the new series of HBO’s Game Of Thrones, due out in Spring this year, will influence the numbers for both Epic Games and Netflix. It’s one of the most-watched shows of all time, and its final season is almost guaranteed to pull in unprecedented numbers.
Featured Image Credit: Netflix/Epic Games