Geek Culture
Netflix cracks down on password sharing worldwide
After a delay, Netflix’s password sharing crackdown is reaching U.S. and international subscribers. After experiencing cancellations in regions where it had already implemented “paid sharing,” the streamer delayed the debut till the summer. U.S. Netflix consumers must either remove people from their account or pay $7.99/month for an additional membership for non-household members.
In weeks and months, many of worldwide markets will undergo similar transformations.
Current members can examine which devices are signed into their account and remove unwanted ones, as well as reset their password, to make this transfer smoother.
A “Transfer Profile” feature lets Netflix account sharers move their viewing history and watchlist to their own account.
Netflix informed investors that despite early cancellations, the password enforcement will benefit its long-term development and financial health.
Netflix co-CEO Greg Peters said the password enforcement in its first supported markets was similar to how subscribers reacted to pricing increases during its first-quarter earnings.
“We see an initial cancel reaction and then we build out of that, both in terms of membership and revenue as borrowers sign up for their own Netflix accounts and existing members purchase that extra member facility for folks that they want to share with,” Peters told investors on the April earnings call. “First of all, it was a strong validation to see consistent results in these new countries, because there are different market characteristics different from each other and also from the original Latin American rollout countries,” he said.
Netflix tested the feature in Latin America before adding Canada, New Zealand, Portugal, and Spain this year. It will reach more global markets today, including Brazil, Bolivia, Belize, France, Germany, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, the Philippines, Malaysia, Israel, Thailand, Taiwan, Switzerland, Sweden, and others.
The corporation may have postponed the crackdown in Q1 to avoid hurting net additions. Last quarter, the corporation added 1.75 million global customers, below Wall Street’s 3 million projection, to 232.5 million accounts.
It announced at results that U.S. members would receive the password-sharing adjustments “on or before” June 30. Netflix may have accelerated the timing.
Netflix revealed on its blog today that it will email U.S. account sharers.
“One household per Netflix account,” the firm advises. “Everyone living in that household can use Netflix wherever they are—at home, on the go, on holiday—and take advantage of new features like Transfer Profile and Manage Access and Devices,” the post adds.
The email, labeled “An update on sharing,” lists options and links to support documentation.
Netflix explains in a press email that it is “now starting to roll out updates to sharing to countries around the world, including the U.S.”
Netflix has yet to see the effects of a password crackdown in the U.S., where it faces increased competition for users’ time and money.
Today, HBO Max becomes Max, a new service that combines HBO and Discovery+ content, doubling the amount of programming. Paramount+ will add Showtime next month on June 27. Disney plans to merge Disney+ and Hulu into one app. Subscribers get more content with some price increases. Netflix is charging more for the same.
Gaming
Recruited Since Last Month: More Than Eight Million Helldivers 2 Players
The relentless force of Helldivers 2 shows no signs of slowing down, as recent reports indicate that Arrowhead Games Studios, the Swedish developer behind the game, has sold over eight million copies since its release on both PS5 and PC just last month.
According to TD Cowen analyst Doug Creutz (thanks, VGC), who spoke to Bloomberg, it is believed that the game has exceeded expectations in terms of performance. It’s amazing how word-of-mouth buzz and the unconventional guerilla marketing strategy keep driving up recruitment numbers week after week. Arrowhead’s studio motto, “A game for everyone is a game for no one,” reflects their unwavering commitment to their unique internal design philosophy.
It appears that the PC community has recently surpassed the PlayStation fanbase in terms of player numbers and platform preference. However, thanks to crossplay, both groups continue to benefit from the growing popularity of gaming. Although it’s not particularly thrilling to see yet another service game achieve rapid success, the hardcore nature of Helldivers 2 fills us with optimism for Sony’s ongoing live gaming endeavors. We anticipate dedicating ourselves to the defense of Super Earth for many years to come.
What are your thoughts on Creutz’s sales estimate? Does it come as a surprise to you? Does it exceed or fall short of your expectations? Have you noticed any changes in your level of enthusiasm for the Democratic Party? Has it waned or grown stronger? We would greatly appreciate your feedback in the comments section below.
Gaming
Exciting news for gamers! A wide selection of PS5 and PS4 games are now available at discounted prices, but only for this weekend
Don’t miss out on this limited-time opportunity to grab some amazing titles at a fraction of their original cost. Sony clearly understands the potential of the PS Store, as it consistently adds a plethora of new titles every week. This allows for future opportunities to offer discounts and promotions on these games. It’s evident that sales are consistently growing each month, with the introduction of time-limited weekend offers in addition to the usual sale events.
This weekend brings another round of exciting deals, with significant discounts on several popular PS5 and PS4 games. For instance, Star Wars Jedi: Survivor is now available for £35.99/$35.99, while DiRT 5 Year One Edition can be purchased for just £14.79/$15.99.
Here are a few other standout moments we noticed:
- Back 4 Blood Deluxe Edition: £8.99/$8.99
- BioShock 2 Remastered: £3.99/$4.99
- Borderlands 3 Next Level Bundle: £9.74/$10.49
- EA Sports PGA Tour Deluxe Edition: £16.99/$16.99
- LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga Deluxe Edition: £17.99/$20.99
Hurry up and make your decision before the offers expire on March 19th. Don’t miss out on your chance to snag some great deals. For a comprehensive list of all the latest offers, make sure to visit this page. And don’t forget to share your purchases with us in the comments section below!
Gaming
Geoff Keighley’s Summer Game Fest on 7th June keeps the spirit of E3 alive
E3 is long gone, but that doesn’t mean we won’t have any exciting video game events this summer. Geoff Keighley, the host, has just revealed that the highly anticipated Summer Game Fest event is making a comeback on Friday, June 7th, at 5 PT/5 p.m. ET/10 p.m. BST. The event will be streamed live from the YouTube Theatre in glamorous Los Angeles.
We have a date!@SummerGameFest streams live on Friday, June 7 from @youtubetheater in Los Angeles, with thousands of in persons fans and millions watching online.
A cross-platform LIVE showcase of what's next for video games.
Public tickets on sale May 7th. pic.twitter.com/krQada8uuS
— Geoff Keighley (@geoffkeighley) March 13, 2024
In a recent tweet, Keighley assured his followers that a large number of fans will be present at the event, both in person and online. He expressed excitement about the upcoming cross-platform showcase, where the future of video games will be unveiled. Presumably, PlayStation and other gaming companies will have their own separate livestreams. However, Sony has a tendency to support Summer Game Fest, so it’s worth keeping an eye out for any announcements from them.
If you’re thinking of going, tickets will be available for purchase starting on Tuesday, May 7th. It’s definitely an event worth noting on your calendar. So, what are your expectations for this year’s Summer Game Fest? Feel free to share your dream announcements in the comments section below.
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