While we all know the big names that are currently engulfing the digital entertainment space, few know of the software that’s propping them up. For the most part, proprietary software is a bit rare when looking at what powers leading entertainment brands, with even the most dominant, at least at one point, leaning on the platforms of others. Here, we’re looking into some of those that are more important than you may know.
Amazon Web Services
The eCommerce goliath that seems to be positioning itself as the eCommerce site has its tentacles in many areas beyond that which the Prime membership grants access to. In 1994, it started as an online book store, but by 2002, it had already launched what is now an on-demand cloud computing platform, Amazon Web Series (AWS). It just so happens that a fellow online colossus has leaned on AWS itself, Netflix.
Once, Netflix was a home-delivery movie and series provider, but it sensed the switch to digital early enough to get a foot in the door. By 2008, the 1997-founded media company had outgrown itself, with its on-premises servers not being enough anymore. So, it switched to AWS, which offers database storage, content delivery, computing power, and a tremendous amount of flexibility and scalability.
Pronet Gaming
One of the most rapidly-growing spaces of online entertainment – predominantly because much of the US is finally opening up to the industry – is that of online betting, specifically, online sports betting. Now, betting on the NHL, NBA, NFL, MLB, MLS, and sports from around the world are readily available, both before kick-off and during, in the form of live betting.
For many of the biggest platforms, the power comes from Pronet Gaming. Its online sportsbook software handles over 1,200 betting markets and over 35,000 in-play events per month. As it’s so fast and accurate in its data and operation, betting sites that utilize the platform know that their players are getting odds that truly reflect the current situation in live games as well as competitive odds beforehand.
Surprisingly, the elements that make this high-tech platform are distinctly low-tech, and yet they allow players in the US to bet on something like a live soccer match in Eastern Europe. To get their market-leading speed, Pronet Gaming has over 4,000 data journalists and over
10,000 umpires and referees feed betting data into the system, which alters the platform in less than two seconds.
Unity
While there’s a lot of hype about the low-brow, but very accessible, Roblox platform for creating games – or “experiences,” as they call them – the most trusted platform for new, up-and-coming, and indie developers is Unity. Some of the biggest hitters to be forged on Unity include Cuphead, Subnautica, the eSports sensation Hearthstone, Untitled Goose Game, Among Us, and Escape from Tarkov.
The Unity platform offers everything that a game creative could need to craft the next indie sensation. It’s not just the ability to build gameplay and levels, though, as users of the platform also gain access to a tremendous range of cinematics and animation production software. The platform is so versatile, in fact, that it’s become a leader for the increasingly popular spaces of mobile, AR, and VR game development.
AWS, Pronet Gaming, and Unity are powering so many of our favorite entertainment products, and yet, so few know the role that these platforms play in the rise of entities like Netflix.
