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Netflix doesn’t have a content problem. It has a category problem.

Everyone thinks Netflix’s next move is obvious:

More shows.

More IP.

More gaming.

This mini-book argues something far more uncomfortable:

Gaming isn’t Netflix’s future. Creators are.

And whoever figures that out first will own the next decade of storytelling.

This is not a cheerleading piece for Netflix.

It’s a Category Lens teardown of what’s actually happening in media—and why the biggest threats to Netflix don’t look like Disney or HBO.

They look like:

YouTube

TikTok

MrBeast

And a generation that never grew up with “TV” at all

What happens when Hollywood isn’t the center of storytelling anymore?

Netflix won the last war by inventing binge-worthy streaming and original content.

But that category is maturing.

And when categories mature, the rules flip.

Here are a few key points:

[01:29] - Netflix announced plans to offer gaming products on its streaming platform in 2021.

[14:46] - YouTube is bigger than Netflix, with over 2 billion monthly active users compared to Netflix's 214 million subscribers.

[21:41] - Netflix should focus on signing digitally savvy, independent talent rather than just legacy talent.

[33:26] - Netflix could become the next legendary film school, offering online certifications in filmmaking and related skills.

[38:43] - The next generation of creators are digital natives, and Netflix should build an incubator for these emerging video creators to stay ahead.

This mini-book isn’t about Netflix.

It’s about the next giant film category.

And the uncomfortable truth that whoever builds it first will make everyone else look old.

Arrrrrrr,

Category Pirates

Eddie Yoon

Christopher Lochhead