In what was arguably probably the most anticipated weekend ever in streaming, the primary seven episodes of Netflix’s Stranger Issues Season 4 squared off in opposition to the newest launch from the Star Wars canon, episodes 1 and a couple of of Disney+’s Obi-Wan Kenobi. To raised perceive the affect of those new streaming releases, we dove into the viewing knowledge for each collection throughout Might 23-Might 29, 2022, utilizing Nielsen Streaming Content material Rankings, which gives syndicated measurement of packages and episodes by streaming service. 

Regardless of the marginally earlier launch of Obi-Wan compared with the brand new Stranger Issues content material, the beforehand obtainable seasons, coupled with the variety of episodes launched, resulted in an insurmountable minutes considered benefit for staff Stranger Issues. The children from Hawkins (the fictional city in Stranger Issues) delivered 5.1 billion viewing minutes throughout the 4 seasons in comparison with 1 billion for the well-known Jedi knight. But it surely’s essential to grasp the general context of each of those premieres, and the underlying calculations. So far, we have now been streaming audiences based mostly on minutes, however right here we’ll add different statistics for added perspective and comparability. 

The discharge of Stranger Issues Season 4 made it solely the third title to ever break the 5 billion weekly viewing minute mark and locations it third general (Tiger King had 5.3 billion and Ozark notched 5.2 billion, each through the pandemic lockdown interval in March 2020). The present seven episodes of Season 4 (two extra are to comply with in July) accounted for over 4 billion minutes by themselves.

For Disney+, Obi-Wan Kenobi represents the biggest authentic collection premiere weekend ever on Disney+, and it is just the third non-movie title on the streamer to exceed 1 billion viewing minutes. (Loki additionally did it twice in July 2021 however with 5 episodes and the next week with six).

However minutes considered gives a bonus to packages which have extra content material both by means of a number of seasons, extra episodes or longer length episodes. From a “minutes obtainable” perspective, Stranger Issues has a definite benefit in all three classes with 32 episodes versus two for Obi-Wan Kenobi, in addition to longer durations inside these 32 episodes. However for a extra direct comparability of the 2 premieres, we’ll deal with the primary episode of every launch (Stranger Issues Season 4, Episode 1 and Obi-Wan Kenobi Season 1, Episode 1) and take a look at the whole viewers within the common minute of every episode.

Aligning the 2 episodes, it’s clear that Disney+ had a stable begin with projected viewers within the common minute on Friday. In that case, the primary episode of Obi-Wan Kenobi achieved a 4% benefit over the corresponding Stranger Issues episode (6.2 million whole viewers vs. 6.0 million whole viewers) and gained the primary full day of availability. Nonetheless, trying on the whole premiere weekend tally, Stranger Issues Episode 1 attracted 12.7 million viewers within the common minute versus Obi-Wan Episode 1’s 11.2 million viewers.

Conversely, once we take a look at minutes considered, the distinction in episode length (53 minutes for Obi-Wan Kenobi Season 1, Episode 1 vs. 76 minutes for Stranger Issues Season 4, Episode 1) turns into extra obvious and, together with the receptive shoppers themselves, helps present Stranger Issues with a 38% benefit for Friday and a 63% tilt by the top of the weekend.

Regardless of the way you calculate it, streaming has kicked off the summer season of 2022 with two blockbusters, a lot to the delight of viewers who responded with a mixed 6.2 billion viewing minutes.

And with extra releases scheduled all through the following few months, we’ll proceed to watch Nielsen Streaming Content material Rankings, which allow our purchasers to grasp viewers habits throughout linear and streaming content material to most successfully place and worth their programming. The Streaming Content material Rankings service gives protection of content material throughout Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Hulu, Disney+, AppleTV,+, with plans to increase to different providers within the close to future.