Surprising predictions part 4

 How Netflix and TikTok are banking on gaming to secure their future

With more than 5 million users worldwide, TikTok has quickly become one of the top apps in recent years, especially among teenagers and young adults. Its popularity suggests that TikTok, which was purchased by Chinese gaming giant Tencent in 2018, has tapped into an important demographic group -- and could end up providing an innovative platform for brands to market their products. That’s why popular streaming services like Netflix are partnering with TikTok, with the hopes of capitalizing on this growing gaming culture to bring in new audiences.

Understanding the digital game space

For years, the gaming industry has been one of the most profitable in terms of entertainment. In 2020, it is estimated that the global games market will be worth $159.3 billion dollars. This is largely due to the rise in popularity of mobile gaming and live-streaming platforms like Twitch. As we spend more time than ever before indoors, it's no surprise that streaming services are turning to gaming to capture our attention. The game being used for this experiment? Fortnite, a popular online multiplayer game. 

Fortnite was chosen because it takes advantage of many elements common to other video games: individual players acting as protagonists within a larger story; competition with other players or groups; and rewards such as money or items for completing tasks (like killing opponents). 

While you can watch others play Fortnite through Twitch, YouTube Gaming, or Mixer, there are only two ways you can stream your own gameplay: through Nvidia Shield TV or by using Android/iOS phones. The result? A new type of viewership - where people watch for hours on end just to see someone else play a game. 

TikTok is also trying out different types of gaming on its platform. So far, they've tested PUBG Mobile and Fortnite in Brazil with positive results. After seeing how successful these initial tests were, they decided to test out Overwatch, Clash Royale, Minecraft and League of Legends among Brazilians aged 14-24.

This makes sense given the trends we're seeing worldwide: 18% of gamers say they want to see themselves playing a particular title instead of watching someone else do so. And it looks like TikTok and Netflix might have found a way to tap into this growing desire.

While it remains to be seen whether or not gaming will actually take off on either of these platforms, both companies stand to gain from giving us what we want. With over 1.5 million people watching TikTok’s first gamer who streamed her own gameplay, and nearly 2 million followers now following his account, it seems likely that this craze won't go away anytime soon. There are still some downsides to these experiments. Namely, that TikTok does not allow users to upload videos longer than 15 seconds. When content creators tried uploading longer videos, their clips would get deleted without warning. 

TikTok has since apologized for removing the videos and announced that they'll give creators more freedom when it comes to length of videos. Yet while this change should alleviate some concerns about having a variety of content on the app, I'm curious if anything can really compete with live-streaming services like Twitch when it comes to providing an immersive experience for gamers. It's hard to predict which strategy will work best for Netflix and TikTok. It's possible that the increased pressure to combat gaming addiction on Twitch may lead to a decline in viewers, which could be bad news for these two platforms. It could also mean that gamers will choose a different service, like YouTube Gaming or Mixer, which already has the immersive experience of live-streaming built in. 

Netflix and TikTok are banking on gaming becoming a new norm in the entertainment world, but it remains to be seen whether or not this gamble will pay o 

Looking at two examples, Fortnite and Pokémon Go

Both Netflix and TikTok have dabbled in the gaming world before, but they're now turning to it in a more serious way to ensure their continued success. Fortnite is one of the most popular games in the world right now, and by partnering with it, Netflix is able to tap into that huge audience. Similarly, TikTok has partnered with Pokémon Go to create a new augmented reality game that will get people using the app even more. Gaming is a huge industry, and by teaming up with it, these two companies are ensuring their futures. But how does this work? For example, when someone plays Pokemon Go on their phone and there's an Eevee nearby in real life, that character pops up on screen for them to catch. People can then send the virtual Eevee over to other players through our platform's messages function as well as see others' catches when playing themselves - creating a new social aspect for Pokémon Go! It's also not just about throwing some pokemon skins or whatever onto the existing game: TikTok created its own fully immersive augmented reality-style PokèMON GO experience that is unique to our users. We've already seen hundreds of thousands of posts from excited fans eager to share their latest adventures out in the wild - and we know it's only going to grow from here. With millions of downloads, this partnership is giving us tons of brand recognition, increased user engagement (both on TikTok and Pokèmon Go), and access to a whole new community. And this isn't just working for entertainment apps like Netflix and TikTok: tech giants like Google and Facebook are doing the same thing, too. They want to make sure they're staying ahead of any potential competitors, and gaming is something that appeals to all ages. So what makes a successful campaign? Obviously, you need an insanely good product or service. In addition, though, you need to be willing to take risks. Remember what happened with Facebook? They were so worried about missing out on something else if they invested in one company rather than another that they missed out on investing in Snapchat altogether. Today Snapchat is worth around $25 billion while Facebook has lost $150 billion since 2016 alone! The moral of the story: If you don't risk anything, you'll never win anything - so go for it!

What we can learn from these two

As we all know, the entertainment landscape is constantly evolving. What was popular yesterday may not be popular today, which is why it's so important for companies to stay ahead of the curve. That's why Netflix and TikTok are turning to gaming to secure their future. Gaming is one of the fastest-growing segments in tech right now, with a worldwide revenue projection of $137 billion by 2020. It's also one of the most immersive mediums out there, where brands can engage with audiences in ways that they never could before. For example, while watching Stranger Things 3 on Netflix, users can play a game called Stranger Things: The Game that lets them explore Hawkins Lab or collect hidden items in order to unlock exclusive behind-the-scenes content about Stranger Things 3. On TikTok, developers have partnered with some of the app's top creators to release new games like Showpawt!, an RPG mobile game where players battle against famous YouTubers like David Dobrik. These types of collaborations allow celebrities and influencers to reach a larger audience without having to break into the world of video games themselves. And because these games make it possible for more people than ever before to watch celebrities on YouTube or stream TV shows from Netflix, these companies will be able to grow their viewership without having to compete with other platforms who might have cheaper options available. Games also allow these organizations to keep developing highly interactive content even when budgets are tight. When designing Stranger Things: The Game, for instance, the team used Unreal Engine 4 as opposed to trying something different entirely just because they couldn't afford it. Games can help bring in valuable data as well; at Telltale Games, designers use analytics data about how often users tap on certain areas of the screen during gameplay sessions to help better inform design decisions going forward. In short, games are revolutionizing the way media companies connect with consumers and each other.

Concluson

The popularity of gaming has exploded in recent years, with gamers of all ages and backgrounds flocking to the genre. And it's no surprise that Netflix and TikTok are both turning to gaming to secure their future. For Netflix, it's a way to keep people subscribed to their service. And for TikTok, it's a way to attract new users and keep them engaged. But the real winner here is the gaming industry, which is poised to take over the world. Gamers now have more options than ever before: from Nintendo Switch to Xbox One S, there’s something for everyone. It's an exciting time to be a gamer, but what does this mean for other entertainment industries? Will games replace movies and TV? Will Netflix go bankrupt as more and more people subscribe to game streaming services like Twitch? It's impossible to say for sure. What we do know is that 2018 was an incredible year for gaming - and 2019 will be even better. The next 12 months should see the release of highly anticipated titles such as Borderlands 3, Splinter Cell 2020, Marvel Ultimate Alliance 3: The Black Order, Cyberpunk 2077 and Resident Evil 2 remake. Plus, the next generation of consoles will make gameplay smoother and more immersive than ever before. So grab your controller or headset because 2019 promises to be one hell of a ride! 

If you want to enjoy some of these upcoming releases at their best, then it may be worth splashing out on a top-notch gaming monitor. A monitor can make your games look sharper, crisper and clearer so you can experience everything they have to offer - including increased immersion thanks to superfast refresh rates (up to 144Hz). High dynamic range monitors also deliver lifelike colors so you can bask in realistic graphics that put reality into perspective. When choosing a new monitor, don't forget about size too; larger monitors let you see more at once and aren't quite as eye-straining during long sessions. With resolutions ranging from 1080p up to 4K and panel types including IPS, TN and VA - how do you choose the right one? Luckily, there are plenty of great resources online that offer invaluable advice. These include CNET's guide to understanding specs, Trusted Reviews' top 10 list of best gaming monitors under $1000 and Toms Hardware's round-up of 4K monitors for PC gamers. But ultimately, it boils down to what you're looking for. Do you need a 60Hz monitor or would 144Hz suffice? Do you prioritize resolution or panel type? Would HDR improve your gameplay experience? The only person who knows the answer is you - so use our handy buying guide as a starting point for finding your perfect screen! Let's start with the basics: resolution. Most high-end monitors are now 4K, and rightly so. 4K offers four times the resolution of full HD, making it perfect for graphics professionals and those who demand a flawless viewing experience. Other considerations to bear in mind are screen size and refresh rate. The higher the number of frames per second, the smoother your gameplay will be - so if you play fast-paced competitive shooters or racing games, look for monitors that support 120Hz or 144Hz panels. Finally, consider your budget. All of the aforementioned points are important, but they won't do you any good if you can't afford a new monitor. Fortunately, there are monitors available to suit every budget. You can pick up a decent 1080p monitor for less than $200, or invest in a 4K model for around $600. If you have more money to spend, you could spend upwards of $1,000 on a top-of-the-line ultrawide monitor with a 144Hz refresh rate and 2560x1080 resolution. Whatever your budget, there's a gaming monitor that will satisfy your needs and make 2019 your best gaming year yet! 

In short, Sony's latest consoles provide brilliant bang for buck while Microsoft and Nintendo are doubling down on growing communities. However, both come with risks: Microsoft because of its significant focus on Xbox Game Pass content instead of exclusives; Nintendo because it has already given indications that its next console might not support current games. There's no doubt we'll be playing video games into 2029, but when you look past today’s AAA studios—and adopt a broader view—you’ll find an industry taking shape around user-generated content.