Since the home broadband revolution in the early 2000s, internet access has been expanding worldwide at an incredibly fast rate. It is estimated that 60% of the planet’s population now have access to the internet, which is over 4.5 billion people.
An internet connection has fast become a modern necessity, thought of in much the same category as running water and electricity. A website or app is now the first port of call for many people when seeking medical advice, customer service or banking access, and when paying bills, shopping for clothes or ordering groceries. In many countries, it has infiltrated every aspect of modern human existence, including work, play, communication, education and creativity.
As faster mobile internet is rolled out across the globe, upgrading users from 3G and 4G to the much faster and more reliable 5G, internet usage is set to grow even further. Any business worth its salt puts a lot of effort into curating a profitable online presence, and the online arena is where the greatest innovation is currently taking place. The entertainment world has certainly been one sector to seize the opportunities suggested by this new ultra-connected society, and most forms of entertainment can now be accessed online. As faster connections become usable by a greater number of the global population, more ambitious and exciting developments will be made in the name of amusement and pleasure. Here are just a couple of examples detailing how platforms across different entertainment disciplines are bringing thrilling new content to the masses.
Gaming
Gaming of all types has experienced a renaissance over the past decade or so, with the internet changing the face of console, PC, mobile and handheld gaming almost beyond recognition. The fact that online play is now seamlessly incorporated into many AAA titles like Call of Duty, Skyrim and Grand Theft Auto as well as obvious contenders such as World of Warcraft, Minecraft and League of Legends means that gamers are more connected than ever before. Battle royale games like Fortnite and PUBG have taken the world by storm lately, and subscriptions to services like PlayStation Now, Nintendo Switch Online and Xbox Game Pass have significantly increased in numbers. Even indie games are getting in on the action, with cooperative survival game Among Us acting as the breakaway hit of 2020 and being much utilised by distant groups of friends and strangers alike.
The world of iGaming has also gone through significant changes since the dawn of the millennium, with online casinos providing quality classic table games to eager players everywhere. The popularity of the sector has given rise to review websites like Arabian Betting, which check out all the available platforms and advise interested gamers according to factors like number of games available, security details, and where to find the best online casino bonuses. The clear and concise online guides provided go a long way towards explaining the sometimes-confusing world of different online bonuses and offers, so that customers can concentrate on having fun. The bonuses themselves reward both new and loyal players for trying out casinos and services, as well as giving them a risk-free chance to discover new games.
Movies & TV
This year, American movie production company Warner Bros. announced that all of their upcoming titles would be released simultaneously in both cinemas and through online streaming service, HBO Max. This is an unprecedented step for a major Hollywood player and one which pays testament to the power of the internet in 2021. It’s thought that the movies will remain online for much the same period of time that they appear in cinemas, before being taken down again. This will give audiences the chance to choose whether they’d like to view new releases in the cinema, at home, or indeed use both options open to them.
Over the past few years, global streaming services like Netflix and Amazon Prime have been leading the charge in TV too, with big budget popular television series made in-house and exclusive to their individual platforms. Shows like Bridgerton and Cobra Kai have netted Netflix millions of views, much as The Expanse has done for Amazon Prime. The future of studio productions seems set in the hands of the streaming services, with Amazon poised to purchase MGM and Disney Plus churning out brand new movies and TV series from their stable of well-loved characters.
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