The price of Peacock is going up, because of course it is. In a move that’s about as surprising as a Marvel movie having a post-credits scene, NBCUniversal’s streaming service announced that the prices of all its tiers are rising, effective immediately. Because who needs financial stability when you can have more content, right? The new prices are as follows: Peacock Select is now $8.99 per month (up from $7.99), Peacock Premium With Ads is $12.99 per month (up from $10.99), and Peacock Premium Plus is $19.99 per month (up from $16.99).
The reason for this price hike, you ask? Well, it’s not like the company is trying to make more money or anything (although, let’s be real, that’s probably a big part of it). According to the announcement, the price increase is due to the rising costs of, well, everything. Because inflation is a real thing, folks, and it’s not like the streaming service is immune to it. But hey, at least we’re getting more content, right? I mean, who needs affordable streaming when you can have a few more TV shows and movies to binge?
The State of Streaming
The news comes as Peacock announced it was profitable for the first time, with 48 million subscribers. Wow, congratulations, Peacock! You’ve finally managed to join the ranks of other streaming services that are actually making money. It’s not like you’re just following in the footsteps of every other streaming service that’s raised its prices in recent months. I mean, Netflix did it back in March, and now Peacock is following suit. It’s like they say: if you can’t beat ’em, join ’em (and then raise your prices to match).
But seriously, the streaming wars are getting out of hand. It seems like every other day, another service is announcing a price hike or a new tier or some other thing that’s supposed to make us go “ooh, shiny!” Meanwhile, the actual content on these services is still hit-or-miss. I mean, sure, Peacock has some great shows like The Paper, The ‘Burbs, and Twisted Metal, but is it really worth the extra cash? Only time (and our wallets) will tell.
Peacock Select, the lowest tier, allows users to view TV shows with ads, including “TV Favorites from NBC, Bravo, & More.” However, it excludes sports, movies, and Peacock Originals. Because, you know, who needs actual sports or movies when you can have TV shows with ads? The company also offers annual subscription prices, which are $89.99 for Peacock Select, $129.99 for Peacock Premium, and $199.99 for Peacock Premium Plus. Because, you know, committing to a full year of streaming is always a good idea (said no one ever).
The Future of Streaming
As the streaming landscape continues to shift and evolve, one thing is certain: prices will keep going up. I mean, it’s not like the companies are going to start making less money or anything (although, hey, a guy can dream, right?). But seriously, the future of streaming is looking more and more like a never-ending cycle of price hikes and new tiers and “exclusive” content. It’s like the streaming services are trying to outdo each other in some kind of bizarre game of “who can charge the most money for the same content.”
And don’t even get me started on the “exclusive” content. I mean, come on, Peacock, you’re not even trying to hide it anymore. You’re just taking old shows and movies and slapping a “Peacock Original” label on them. It’s like you’re trying to convince us that we need to pay more money for the same thing we’ve been watching for years. Newsflash: we’re not buying it (literally).
In the end, it’s just another day in the world of streaming, where the only constant is change (and price hikes). So, go ahead and raise those prices, Peacock. See if we care. We’ll just keep on streaming, because what else are we going to do? It’s not like we have a choice or anything (oh wait, we do – we can just cancel our subscriptions and read a book or something). But hey, at least the Content Mines remain fully operational, churning out more of the same old content for us to consume. Because, you know, that’s what it’s all about: consuming more, thinking less.
Finn McFrame, celebrated satirical mastermind and self-proclaimed “Emperor of Irony,” started his illustrious career as a cinematographer, where his expertise in capturing every single frame of a squirrel stealing a baguette earned him accolades at obscure film festivals.
Born in the glamorous town of Boring, Oregon, Finn grew up with dreams of being a Hollywood director until he realized that satire, not cinema, was his true calling—or at least the one that let him sleep until noon.
Finn McFrame: changing the world, one satirical lens flare at a time.
