Netflix and other streaming platforms have disrupted traditional entertainment, allowing the public to view shows whenever and wherever they like. (Supplied photo)
As with most industries, there has been an evolution in the entertainment industry since it first began. The first movies were just “movies” or moving pictures with no sound. Then came talkies (self-explanatory) and cinemas, and the power shifted from the hands of studios to the hands of individual actors. Film is just an example, but the same is true of all kinds of entertainment: gambling, clubbing, gaming, events…everything starts one way and eventually adapts to the demands of its audience.
In 2026, the entertainment industry is in the middle of an evolution that had its rumbly beginnings during the pandemic. Though “anywhere entertainment” started as a response to a worldwide crisis, it has become a response to economic factors and a desire to live more authentically and in the moment. Anywhere entertainment will never completely erase destination entertainment, but it has been the main contributor to the decline we’ve seen in recent years. Let’s take a closer look.
What is Destination Entertainment?
For the majority of the 20th and 21st centuries, entertainment went a certain way. You decided what you were going to do:
- Movie theatres for films
- Stadiums for sports
- Arcades for gaming
- Concert halls for music
- Living-room televisions for broadcasts
- Theme parks for immersive experiences
Then you and your family or friends got dressed up to the appropriate degree, and you took a train, plane, or automobile to the place where the entertainment was located. When the pandemic struck, and everyone was restricted to their own homes and to a very small number of people for their entertainment desires, things had to change very quickly. While Netflix, for example, already existed and many other film companies had their hands in straight-to-TV movies and the like, many entertainment companies had to pivot at a radical speed to ensure they didn’t lose what took decades or, in some cases, more than a century to build. Casinos were in the same boat: They went from being mostly in-person businesses (though online casino services did already exist in many parts of the world) to having a big enough online offering to retain their customer base.
Digital devices and high-speed Internet makes entertainment more accessible than ever. (Supplied photo)
What is Anywhere Entertainment?
Now that the pandemic is long over, things have softened for many of these entertainment businesses as people have been out and about for years. The thing was, when behaviours went “back to normal,” they didn’t really— many people’s economic state and also their preferences and desires had changed on a more long-lasting basis. The world had seen that it was possible to remain in their safest, happiest, and most comfortable space and still have entertainment right there in that space that equals or sometimes even tops the entertainment that they had previously had to leave their spaces to access.
In 2026, anywhere entertainment is in full swing. And this doesn’t just mean entertainment in our home spaces; it also means:
- On public transport. Don’t miss your new episodes because you’re on the bus!
- While travelling. Nothing is more relaxing than a game or two of online poker while the fire crackles in your cabin and the rain pours outside.
- During work breaks. Turn your brain off with a little scrolling.
- In waiting rooms. Honestly, when are doctors ever on time? Enjoy a few minutes of a football game while you wait.
- Almost anywhere with connectivity!
How Did This Transition Happen So Fast?
Mobile phones are all-in-one tools for entertainment viewing and content creation. (Supplied photo)
Mobile Technology
The smartphone knocked every other cellular device out of the running and quickly became the most important entertainment device ever created. Releasing a device that combined television, radio, gaming, books, and social interaction into one portable screen was never going to create disruption in the entertainment industry!
Streaming Services
Content is available instantly and in bulk rather than at scheduled times on certain channels only. We all have access to essentially the world’s entire library of content if we have the right streaming services and subscriptions.
Cloud Infrastructure
Games, videos, and experiences can be delivered from remote servers, minimizing our dependence on specialized hardware that can push costs through the roof. Access is being democratized in a way that means more people are able to enjoy more things at better costs.
Social Media
Entertainment is no longer just consumed by passive audiences; it is shared, remixed, and discussed in real time, it’s created and appreciated and remade in ways that include the audience and ask them to contribute to the experience.
Attention Economics
Entertainment increasingly competes for small moments throughout the day (consider the fact that the average watch time on an Instagram reel is now around 11 seconds) rather than dedicated blocks of leisure time.
Unusual Locations
Taking clubbing out of clubs and crafting spaces for events like silent raves or sunrise dance parties at beaches opens up a whole new world of entertainment to those who may not have been interested in trying it before. It’s not home, but it could be anywhere you like!
Evolving Entertainment
While destination entertainment will never be over, the rise of anywhere entertainment has changed the landscape of the entertainment industry forever. We can’t wait to see what changes are around the corner!
