PwC: Streaming Market Shifting to 'Scale and Sustainability'

Netflix's $82.7B WBD Acquisition Signals End of Stand-Alone Platform Era; EA, Lakers Megadeals Drive 61% Surge in H2 2025 M&A... PwC Projects "Most Active M&A Market in Years" for 2026

The global streaming market is undergoing a decisive shift toward 'Scale and Sustainability.' Netflix's proposed $82.7 billion acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery—the largest streaming M&A deal in history—signals the end of the stand-alone platform era.

Combined with EA's $55 billion private equity buyout and the $10 billion Los Angeles Lakers sale, megadeals are cascading across the media and entertainment landscape, driving a 61% surge in M&A deal value in H2 2025 compared to the same period last year. Global consulting firm PwC affirms that "content is king" remains as relevant as ever, projecting the 2026 M&A market to outpace activity seen in recent years.