Online Entertainment Platforms 2021

There are so many options at our fingertips nowadays to keep us entertained. With massive application ecosystems and a host of streaming platforms to choose from, it can be hard to know what to watch, play or listen to. Try these options out if you’re in the market for something fresh.

Gaming Services

Watching big-budget content from the comfort of your sofa is amazing, but sometimes you crave a more hands-on experience. It’s never been so easy to play triple-A titles, even if you don’t have the new generation of home consoles, the Xbox Series X/S, or Playstation 5.

Google Stadia was unveiled in 2019 and requires only an internet connection and a compatible controller to get playing. Stadia streams games to your TV, phone, tablet, or computer in real-time from its servers, letting you jump into a game of Destiny 2 or Cyberpunk 2077 anywhere and at any time. The service is still growing and building out its gaming library, and with YouTube streaming integration, you’ll be sure to see it become a home to gaming eSports competitions as the service matures. 

If you prefer to take things at a different pace or aren’t in the market for bombastic and graphically demanding games, there are many options available today. If you’re in the mood for some Texas Hold’Em or Omaha, one such example is the well-established gaming platform PokerStars. Their software client is easy to navigate on all devices, iOS and Android, or computers and Mac. With a wide range of game types and stake levels, there are plenty of options to suit your mood. 

Another overlooked option for the casual gamer is Facebook’s in-house Instant Games platform, which lets you play classic board and minigames, from Scrabble to 8 Ball Pool, with anyone on your friend’s list. Send them an invite and get playing. Just don’t forget to boast about your victory on your newsfeed afterward!

Media Streaming

Netflix had its humble origins as a DVD postal service akin to Blockbuster video back when we still consumed the vast majority of our entertainment through physical media. But in 2007, Netflix made its first foray into offering streamed television and movies to its customers on a subscription model. Nowadays, Netflix rules the roost and still manages to hang on to its dominant market share. A massive 30% of all content streamed through media networks still takes place on the platform, and shows like Cobra Kai – which happens to have a local connection – garner massive audiences.

It felt as if Netflix held a total monopoly on the space for a long time, so much so the phrase “Netflix & chill” entered modern parlance to describe streaming parties with your friends, family, or loved ones. All of that is changing now, and while the competitors still have a long way to go to match Netflix, new players in the space are offering compelling packages you might want to check out. 

The major new kid on the block is Disney+, which has been in development for over a decade and has had Netflix firmly in its crosshairs since its inception. What Disney+ can offer in response to Netflix’s growing catalog of original content is Hollywood itself. The service is home to the Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Simpsons, Pixar, Star Wars, Disney Film Studios, National Geographic, and releases from Touchstone Pictures, Searchlight Pictures 20th Century Fox. 

That’s some serious cinema, and Disney is wasting no time putting those mega-franchises to work in the form of new content for its platform. In the Star Wars galaxy, there’s hit series The Mandalorian and hotly anticipated series Obi-Wan Kenobi starring Ewan McGregor and Jedi prequel saga The High Republic to look forward to. Fans of the MCU have enjoyed the recent release of WandaVision and held out for the recently announced Black Panther spin-off series set in Wakanda. This impressive catalog distinguishes itself from commendable rivals Apple TV+ and HBO.