Piracy Surges as Streaming Costs Rise and Platforms Multiply
November 16, 2025 – A decade after the explosion of online streaming was expected to end entertainment piracy, the trend is reversing—fast. Digital piracy of movies and television shows is surging again across the United States, and analysts say the culprit is the very industry that once promised convenience and affordability.
With nearly every major media company launching its own platform in recent years—Disney+, Max, Peacock, Paramount+, Apple TV+, ESPN+, and others—the cost of “cutting the cord” has quietly climbed back to cable-era levels. Instead of paying one or two services, viewers now face a fragmented landscape where their favorite shows are scattered across multiple apps, each requiring its own subscription.
“People feel like they’re being nickel-and-dimed,” said one media analyst. “When you need five or six subscriptions just to follow your favorite franchises, consumers begin looking for shortcuts.”
Data from digital security firms shows a sharp rise in piracy traffic, with illegal streaming sites and torrent networks reporting year-over-year increases. Some platforms have seen double-digit growth in the past 24 months. Industry observers note that the return of exclusive content “walled off” behind separate pay barriers is a major driver—a reversal of the early streaming era when Netflix consolidated access in one place.
The economic strain is also fueling the trend. With inflation pushing household budgets to the limit, media subscriptions are often among the first expenses cut. Families who once paid $12.99 for a single service now face bills exceeding $70 a month if they want access to the same breadth of content.
Producers and studios warn that rising piracy threatens revenue and could limit future investments in original programming. But critics argue the industry created the conditions for a resurgence by prioritizing subscription growth over consumer convenience.
As Hollywood continues to fracture into competing platforms, experts predict piracy will remain a growing problem—unless the industry finds a way to make legal streaming simple, affordable, and accessible again.
