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Netflix Dominates APAC Streaming Market, Pulling Ahead of Warner Bros Discovery

  //media-entertainment.news-articles.net/content/ .. rket-pulling-ahead-of-warner-bros-discovery.html
  Published in Media and Entertainment on Monday, December 8th 2025 at 7:51 GMT by Deadline.com
      Locale: UNITED STATES

Netflix Wins the APAC Streaming War – Warner Bros Discovery Struggles to Keep Pace

The latest “Deadline” report (published December 12, 2025) paints a clear picture of the shifting fortunes of the two biggest names in global streaming: Netflix and Warner Bros Discovery (WBD). While Netflix continues to expand its share of the Asia‑Pacific (APAC) market, WBD’s revenue from the same region has slipped, signalling a growing divide that could reshape the entire streaming ecosystem over the next few years.

1. The Numbers that Matter

Netflix’s APAC revenue of $8.8 billion not only eclipses the entire domestic market of any single APAC country (for example, Japan’s total media revenue is just $4.5 billion) but also represents a 12‑percent jump over the 2024 figure of $7.9 billion. In contrast, WBD’s $1.9 billion fell 6 percent from $2.0 billion a year earlier. The report notes that WBD’s decline is largely driven by its international streaming arm, Discovery+, which saw a 9 percent drop in subscription revenue across the region.

2. What’s Fueling Netflix’s Growth?

a) Localized Originals and Subtitles

Netflix’s continued investment in region‑specific content is highlighted as a key driver. The platform released 18 new original series in 2025, with 12 of those produced in partnership with local studios in India, South Korea, and Southeast Asia. “We’re not just translating titles; we’re adapting narratives to local contexts,” says Netflix’s APAC Head of Content, Kim Jae‑hoon, in an interview cited by the article.

b) Strategic Partnerships with Telecom Carriers

Netflix is deepening its carrier bundling initiatives across APAC. In India, the company partnered with Jio, offering a 12‑month free trial to all new Jio subscribers. Similar deals are underway in Vietnam (with Vinaphone) and Indonesia (with Telkomsel). These bundling agreements have reportedly increased Netflix’s active subscriber count in the region by an estimated 3 million.

c) Ad‑Supported Tier Expansion

Netflix introduced an ad‑supported tier in Japan, Australia, and the Philippines. While still a small fraction of its total revenue, the new tier has added $0.3 billion in ad revenue and $0.4 billion in subscription revenue in the first six months.

d) Marketing Spend

According to the report, Netflix’s APAC marketing spend grew from $600 million in 2024 to $750 million in 2025—a 25 percent increase. The majority of this budget went to digital advertising and regional influencer campaigns.

3. Why Warner Bros Discovery Is Lagging

a) Heavy Reliance on Global IP

WBD’s portfolio remains heavily dominated by U.S.‑centric IP such as “Friends,” “The Big Bang Theory,” and “Stranger Things.” The article cites that only 15 percent of WBD’s content catalog is produced outside North America. While some of these shows enjoy popularity in APAC, the lack of truly local content has limited subscriber growth.

b) Competition from Local Giants

The article points out that local streaming services—like Tencent Video in China, GMMTV in Thailand, and ZEE5 in India—have captured significant market share by offering free ad‑supported content and region‑specific dramas. In fact, a study cited by Deadline shows that 60 percent of new streaming subscriptions in Southeast Asia are to local platforms.

c) Pricing Challenges

WBD’s “Discovery+” subscription in the APAC region has a price point roughly 20 percent higher than the average price of local competitors. The report also notes that WBD’s premium tier, “WBD Max,” was discontinued in the region last year due to “low uptake.”

d) Organizational Disarray

An internal memo leaked in July 2025 (reference linked in the Deadline article) reveals that WBD’s APAC content team had “ongoing budget constraints and shifting priorities.” This internal friction, coupled with a lack of clear strategic focus, has hampered WBD’s ability to roll out new content on a consistent cadence.

4. The Broader Market Context

The Deadline piece contextualizes Netflix’s dominance by comparing it to the overall streaming market in APAC. A recent Statista report (cited in the article) estimates that the region’s streaming revenue reached $100 billion in 2025, with subscription‑based services accounting for 70 percent of that figure. Netflix alone captured 8.8 billion of that amount, or roughly 9 percent of the total market—a figure that rivals the combined revenue of several smaller competitors.

WBD’s APAC revenue represents only 1.9 billion, roughly 2 percent of the market. Even when combined with its sister brand, HBO Max (which earned $0.9 billion in the region), WBD’s APAC revenue remains dwarfed by Netflix’s haul.

5. What the Numbers Mean for the Future

a) Netflix’s Growth Trajectory

The report argues that Netflix’s continued APAC expansion is unlikely to plateau anytime soon. With a projected subscriber growth of 5 percent year‑over‑year and a potential new revenue stream from a proposed “Netflix Gaming” service, Netflix’s revenue outlook for APAC in 2026 is projected at $9.7 billion.

b) WBD’s Strategic Re‑Alignment

WBD’s leadership, as disclosed in a leaked strategy memo, is pivoting toward “local partnership models.” The company plans to invest $500 million in local content studios across India, China, and the Philippines and will negotiate co‑production deals for upcoming flagship series.

c) Implications for Advertisers

The article highlights that advertisers will increasingly target Netflix’s ad‑supported tier, which offers a highly engaged audience in high‑growth markets like India and Vietnam. WBD’s advertising revenue is expected to grow 15 percent in 2026, but it will still trail Netflix by a substantial margin.

6. Bottom Line

Netflix’s aggressive expansion, localized strategy, and strong marketing engine have cemented its position as the APAC streaming powerhouse. Warner Bros Discovery, meanwhile, is grappling with a heavy reliance on U.S. IP, pricing pressures, and internal strategic missteps. While WBD is taking steps to revamp its approach, the data suggests that Netflix’s lead is unlikely to shrink in the near term.

The Deadline article urges industry observers to keep a close eye on Netflix’s next moves—particularly its foray into ad‑supported and gaming services—while noting that WBD’s future will depend largely on how effectively it can pivot toward local content creation and competitive pricing. As APAC continues to grow as a streaming juggernaut, the battle for subscribers, ad dollars, and brand dominance will only intensify.