Karol Severin

Karol is a co-founder and Research Director at MIDiA. With over a decade of experience in consumer research, industry analysis, and consulting, Karol oversees the direction, coverage and quality of all MIDiA’s research output. Prior to co-founding MIDiA, Karol gained experience in TMT market research and consulting, as well as an entertainment industry startup founder. He holds a business management degree from Queen Mary, University of London, with specialisation in strategy, quantitative methods, and entrepreneurship.

Gamers: The new frontier of music’s fan-centric growth

Cover image for Gamers: The new frontier of music’s fan-centric growth
Karol Severin
Artists direct
DIY artists
gamer behavior
Music companies have begun to realise that as their industry has grown, it has also transferred much of its previous fan value into the subscription and song economy. The outbreak of COVID-19 and the subsequent halt of live music events (which, since the advent of streaming, became music’s key way of monetising fandom) increased the urgency with which monetising fandom in the digital era needs to be addressed by artists and their representatives.
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Microsoft’s interest in Discord confirms MIDiA’s prediction

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Karol Severin
acquisition
Microsoft
Discord
In November 2020, we wrote the below in our annual predictions report . “Upping gaming experiences via ‘infrastructural acquisitions’: As non-gaming entertainment increasingly embeds in games, companies will look to upgrade their ecosystems to cater beyond consumers’ gaming needs and instead focus across their entire digital entertainment and social lives.
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Why Roblox is well set to withstand the COVID bounce effect

Cover image for Why Roblox is well set to withstand the COVID bounce effect
Karol Severin
Roblox
lean-in consumption
dyi
Roblox has launched an initial public offering (IPO) this week. Timing-wise, the twice-delayed IPO aligns with the world getting closer to opening up, and out-of-home competitive pressures returning. This invites questions around how much of the current valuation is aided by a temporary, artificial COVID-related boost, as opposed to fundamental trends which will drive growth for Roblox during the ‘new normal’.
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PS5 and Travis Scott partnership illustrate PlayStation’s/Sony’s cross-entertainment future

Cover image for PS5 and Travis Scott partnership illustrate PlayStation’s/Sony’s cross-entertainment future
Karol Severin
ps5
PlayStation5
Travis scott
Over the last year we have written a number of times that Sony’s future is cross-entertainment , while Xbox’s future is cross platform . This stems from their respective strengths and weaknesses. Sony would find it, at best, incredibly challenging to compete with Microsoft on cloud, cross-platform, or the depth of its pockets.
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More consumers intend to buy PS5 than Xbox Series X, but both companies will be content with their trajectory

Cover image for More consumers intend to buy PS5 than Xbox Series X, but both companies will be content with their trajectory
Karol Severin
Xbox
PlayStation
games consoles
With both PS5 and Xbox Series X having sold out their pre-order stock, the winter holiday race is heating up. Following Microsoft’s acquisition of ZeniMax Media, we wrote that the acquisition is unlikely to have a short-term impact on console sales, and rather play a larger role in the conversion of existing and new users to Game Pass.
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Microsoft’s Zenimax acquisition is about the future of Games Pass more than console sales

Cover image for Microsoft’s Zenimax acquisition is about the future of Games Pass more than console sales
Karol Severin
Games
games consoles
Zenimax
With the acquisition of ZeniMax Media, Microsoft is gaining an important content asset for its portfolio – Bethesda’s games. And while the timing of the announcement certainly won’t make Sony too happy as it is about to launch PS5, the key benefits of this acquisition are tied to the future of Xbox Game Pass, rather than to who will sell more consoles this holiday season.
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Post-Pandemic Programming
Surviving and Thriving in the Recession

Cover image for Post-Pandemic Programming
Mark Mulligan, Tim Mulligan, Karol Severin, Alistair Taylor, Keith Jopling and Hanna Kahlert
Apple
Apple
live
COVID-19 caused dislocation and disruption to the global entertainment business. Now, the recession and the prospect of further pandemic peaks have created an unprecedented outlook for entertainment companies. Many of the shifts that occurred during lockdown will define the new market dynamics.
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