The Death of Passive Entertainment? Why the Future Belongs to Those Who Build With Their Audience
There's a consumer misconception that streaming platforms are imploding. Subscription costs creeping up like a dodgy landlord, market saturation, and ‘streaming fatigue’ from an overwhelming number of services are making audiences more selective.
The reality is, these platforms do produce high-quality content, content we love. We consume so much of it, at such a relentless pace, that we’re permanently hunting for the next fix. And because streaming services want to keep us entertained without haemorrhaging money, they’re stuck in a near-impossible conundrum: how do they keep delivering Emmy-worthy shows, must-see movies and other water cooler-worthy content while managing spiralling costs and the ever-fickle tastes of an audience that gets bored approximately every 17 seconds?
Could the passive binge be over?
A big part of me wails NOOOOOOOO! Some of my biggest life moments have been powered by a good old way-too-many-hours-long cozy-up in front of the TV. During rounds of IVF, when I needed an escape, nothing else worked except Gossip Girl and Pretty Little Liars. When I needed professional inspiration nothing did it for me like following Peggy’s rise from nervous noob to copy chief in Mad Men. And I’ve savoured the endless hours spent debating plot twists and reliving the best moments of Succession with workmates.
But another part of me says: maybe it’s a good thing. Because as much as I love a binge, there’s also something excruciating about realising you’ve just spent an entire evening staring passively at a screen. Not so much seizing the day as sitting on your arse.
Having said that, humans need stories, distractions, and worlds to fall into. And if we’ve learned anything from Netflix, Apple, and Amazon, it’s that the best of this industry doesn’t just sit still and hope we keep pressing play.
The loneliness epidemic and the search for connection
It’s 2025, and while we’re more digitally connected than ever, loneliness is at an all-time high. We scroll, we swipe, we double-tap, but for many, especially young people, remote workers, and those living alone, the question remains: are we really with anyone?
Digital communities are becoming a fundamental part of how we interact. Billionaire investors have suggested that investing in AI, entertainment, and community is crucial because, as productivity increases, people will have more free time. What will we do with it? Seek connection. Build communities. And, somewhere in there, perhaps there’s a way to do that while weaving in entertainment.
Is the future of entertainment co-creation over consumption?
Is community collaboration the future of entertainment? Could streaming platforms build series IP in collaboration with their audiences? What if entertainment wasn’t something handed down from on high but something audiences helped build? Some brands are already doing this – letting fans shape campaigns, characters, even entire franchises.
Juliet Bennett Rylah recently wrote about Incention, a blockchain storytelling platform backed by a16z crypto and hyped by director and screenwriter David S. Goyer (Blade, The Dark Knight, Foundation). Goyer is launching his new sci-fi concept, Emergence, where mysterious relics appear through a white hole. The twist? Other creators can contribute – stories, podcasts, comics, music, art – expanding the Emergence universe collaboratively. While not entirely new, this model signals a shift toward decentralised, fan-driven IP creation.
The evolution of streaming: from passive to participatory
When the world stopped in 2020, storytelling transformed. Filming shut down, production pipelines dried up, and suddenly we were all trapped indoors, scrolling endlessly through streaming platforms, hoping, praying to find something engaging or new.
Then something weird and brilliant happened. Unable to produce, we ran out of our own stories, so Netflix gave us other people’s.
Shows like Money Heist and Squid Game became part of our cultural DNA almost overnight. Subtitles didn’t matter. Dubbing didn’t matter. What mattered was the feeling, the gut-punch thrill of watching something that didn’t play by the rules. Netflix reminded us that storytelling doesn’t have borders, it just needs guts.
Fast forward to 2025, and Amazon, Apple and Netflix are still rewriting the rules. Amazon with Fallout, the huge video game franchise that's now a hit series on Prime fuelled by fans, Netflix' latest collaboration with Tottenham Hotspur FC, Just Eat, Johnnie Walker, and Spotify – along with Peggy Gou at Drumsheds for the Squid Game Rave – was a massive experience where deeply connected fans (and not-yet-fans) continued to be part of its world beyond the screen.
Apple TV is pushing storytelling into immersive territory, too. For the Severance launch, it staged a striking live experience, planting a glass-walled cubicle in New York’s Grand Central Terminal, where three of the show’s cast members carried out the mundane tasks of their eerie corporate world. Whether you were there, posted about it, or just felt the FOMO, it was a moment that extended the show into reality, blurring the line between entertainment and experience.
The future: connection and participation over consumption
The potential death of passive entertainment signals a new era where storytelling isn't just about broadcasting a message, but about building a two-way connection with audiences. Many of them no longer want to sit back and consume – they want to engage, influence, and participate in the stories they love. The most innovative streaming platforms have completely rewired how we consume stories and what we expect from brands. No longer passive, audiences want to feel something, to be part of something.
Safe, predictable campaigns won’t cut it anymore. What people crave are immersive worlds, emotions they can’t ignore, and stories that challenge them to think differently. So how can brands and platforms come out as unexpectedly victorious as AFC Richmond against Man City? By building, inspiring and tapping into communities. Don’t pander; provoke. When you create something bold, smart, and real enough, your audience will do the work for you. They’ll show up, remix it, reinterpret it, and carry it forward. The real question isn’t if your brand can afford to embrace participation; it’s whether you’re willing to set aside the ‘them and us’ model, roll up your sleeves, and truly engage with your audience. Because when you connect meaningfully, you build trust, respect, excitement, and loyalty. You just need to let go a little, and, as Mr Lasso put it, BELIEVE.
