Biggest story of the year for Netflix: moving to the future
Biggest story of the year for Netflix: moving to the future
The world’s largest streamer has made huge steps in diversifying its library, be it with more on-demand content, sports, or even podcasts.
Netflix started 2025 with a bang, announcing in January that it was raising prices on all of its plans in the United States. Doing so kicked off a year filled with returns of beloved Netflix titles such as “Stranger Things,” and many more. While the streamer no longer provides updated subscriber numbers in its quarterly earnings statements, it has undoubtedly grown past its last-reported figure of 300 million customers.
It’s hard to see how any competing streaming service in the world will ever catch up to Netflix, and that leaves it free to begin charting a course for the future. Netflix spent much of 2025 doing just that, making major updates to its library and features and stepping toward its next phase of existence.
The most obvious step that Netflix has taken in transitioning toward the future is acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery. The purchase of WBD’s streaming and studio segments will give Netflix a treasure trove of incredibly popular intellectual property to develop, including the DC, Game of Thrones, Harry Potter, and Lord of the Rings franchises, to name a few. The transaction could also open up a new revenue stream for Netflix if it remains true to its word to continue releasing films from the Warner Bros. studio theatrically.
The acquisition of WBD still has to survive the regulatory process, however, and it’s got a long way to go before it’s across the finish line for good. In the meantime, however, Netflix has made several other moves to compete in a new age of streaming — including a notable pursuit of video podcast streaming opportunities.
There are several reasons for Netflix to be so dogged in its attempts to lock down podcast licensing deals, as it has done with both iHeartMedia and Spotify. But one of the most compelling is its desire to pull as much viewership as it can from YouTube, which consistently attracts a higher percentage of overall TV viewing, according to Nielsen.
Sports have also become an increasing focus for Netflix, which acquired the Home Run Derby and several MLB games starting in 2026. The streamer has also increased its focus on combat sports throughout 2025, offering several boxing matches featuring Jake Paul and other major names from the sport. Netflix will continue to stream NFL games on Christmas Day in 2025 as well, and the hire of Elle Duncan to serve as its lead on-camera sports talent indicates it’s not done seeking out sports opportunities, either.
Netflix has come a long way from the DVD-by-mail service that was one of the first to give on-demand streaming a real try. It has made blunders along the way, but those mistakes are mostly distant memories today. Netflix made many steps to continue growing in 2025, and given the streamer’s history, most of those moves will probably pan out pretty well.
Netflix
Netflix is a leading subscription-based video streaming service that offers on-demand access to an extensive library of over 3,000 movies, 2,000+ TV shows, and a growing collection of acclaimed Netflix originals. Renowned for producing groundbreaking content, Netflix has become a cultural powerhouse with hit originals like “Stranger Things,” “Wednesday,” “Squid Game,” “The Crown,” “Tiger King,” “Bridgerton,” “The Witcher,” and “Black Mirror.”