What’s interesting is that the strike was about AI on the surface but underneath it was really about the streamers having all the power. Production costs are so high that streamers hold all the cards. They will offer you a deal but they take everything. And if the cost of production goes down, I think a lot of creators are wondering, rightfully if they can have more of the upside on what they create, but also if they can hold more of the IP and ownership. That’s a good question to ask.
I think that the future of this industry is actually going to be bottom-up instead of top-down. It’s going to be creators increasingly going to fans for their funding over going to streamers with studios. I think the entire model is about to flip on its head. It will take a while, but if this flip happens, it’s going to be very exciting to see.
Imagine if you could watch your favorite show without any fear that they would cancel it unexpectedly or kill off a beloved main character. This is the kind of thing that can happen when fans have a little bit more of a step in the room, in terms of content creation. It’s always a balance, but right now it’s a little too imbalanced on the streamer and studio side.
