Netflix Experiences 50% Collapse In Library Titles

In the past four years, Netflix has experienced a staggering 50% collapse in their total title count.

While most users were likely already aware that world's largest streaming service had less titles than it used to, many subscribers would be completely surprised to know that there is half of the amount of content that used to be available for streaming in 2012.

After doing extensive research, the folks over at Exstreamist discovered that there are currently 5,302 available titles in the US Netflix library that includes both TV shows and movies. The exact number of titles that were available in 2012 cannot be confirmed, but sources who used to be employed by Netflix have indicated that there was around 11,000 titles in the peak of the streaming service's content.

So why is there about half as much content as there used to be on Netflix? Apparently several major content owners have been terminating their contracts with the streaming service, and are not willing to give Netflix the distribution rights anymore. Also, the recent trend by Netflix has been to spend less and less on acquired content.

In what seems like a successful move on the surface, Netflix has been placing more of their resources to developing original content such as shows like House of Cards, Orange is the New Black, Narcos, and many more. However, creating shows like these can be shockingly expensive, and does not scale in the same way that acquired content can, according to Exstreamist.

In addition to the company's lack of content, Netflix has also struggled to expand internationally. As streaming rights are outrageously complicated, the availability of shows/movies from country to country varies drastically.

Some Netflix users may argue that the service should offer more titles like it used to four years ago. However, other subscribers have been of the opinion that while the quantity has gone down, the quality has remained just as strong or even gotten much better.

Do you think Netflix should be more focused on acquiring content or creating new original content?

[H/T Exstreamist]