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Go out, party, and socialize—or stay in and head online? The statistics show that option two is the most popular, and for good reason. What began during COVID-19 lockdowns as a way to connect has taken on a life of its own.
For many people in 2026, streaming videos, watching celebrities live via their social media platforms, multiplayer gaming, and online gambling are still the preference over going out for dinner and drinks.
Why is staying in now more popular than going out? It all started with the pandemic…
What Prompted This Rise
During the COVID-19 pandemic, most countries imposed lockdowns on their citizens, lasting for months on end. People were virtually prisoners in their own homes and needed to find alternate sources of entertainment and connections.
The Digital Habits Born During Lockdown
The lockdowns were an emotionally challenging time for many people. Some were locked down with partners (a whole other source of problems arose there), but many were isolated alone. The craving for connection, even if not physical, was met by online communities. NPR reported that global internet traffic increased by up to 60% in the early weeks of lockdowns.
Video chats on platforms such as Facebook, Zoom, WhatsApp, and Microsoft Teams took off, allowing people to stay connected virtually.
Forums and online discussions also peaked during this time, with Discord, Twitch, and Reddit seeing significant rises in traffic.
Working from home (WFH) started as a foreign feeling for many who were used to the daily commute and having a dedicated workspace. It didn’t take long for the convenience to become the appeal, and many viewed WFH as a positive.
Classrooms also went online, allowing teachers to conduct their classes and students to continue learning.
Most nighttime venues closed, and without any entertainment outlets, people at home found ways to spend their time. Streaming movies and TV shows and playing online games were the most popular forms of entertainment.
What Habits Stuck
The return to the “new normal” was gradual and uneven, and for some people it never fully happened. The newfound convenience of working and studying from home, and cutting out commute times, created the rise in hybrid work and school environments.
While online meetings initially felt foreign, they soon became comfortable and, for many, preferred. Zoom daily meetings increased from 10 million to 300 million, and remain high to this day.
Streaming movies and online gaming didn’t experience the drop most experts predicted. In fact, post-pandemic was the beginning of the streaming wars, when new players arrived to compete with Netflix.
The “New Normal” – Why People Continued to Stay In
As the pandemic eased and lockdowns ended, people were able to get on with their lives. Yet the bars, clubs, movie theaters, and restaurants didn’t see their pre-COVID traffic. What happened? People realized that staying in had its perks.
Physical Entertainment Can Be Expensive
Something unexpected happened during the lockdowns: many people discovered that they were saving money. It turns out that entertainment can get expensive.
For example, spend a night out in any major city, and once you’ve paid for transport, food, drinks, and entry fees, that’s $100–$150 that you’ll never see again. Staying in, ordering food delivery, grabbing a bottle of wine from the local store, and streaming movies will cost around $40. You could do that 3–4 times a week to spend the same as one night out.
Since the pandemic ended, the cost of living has increased, meaning that nights out cost even more than they did pre-COVID. Staying in and saving money is one of the many examples of the “new normal.”
How Celebrities Entertained Fans During Lockdown
Celebrities took advantage of the lockdown situation to provide entertainment for their fans. One notable standout was the Travis Scott x Fortnite (April 2020) virtual concert, which had an estimated 12.3 million viewers. In March 2020, DJ D-Nice hosted a series of Club Quarantine sessions on Instagram Live, and his audience included Michelle Obama, Rihanna, and Jennifer Lopez.
John Mayer’s Current Mood Instagram live talk show brought musicians together during the pandemic, and today, he still uses social media platforms to connect with his fans. Coldplay’s Chris Martin created the #TogetherAtHome series and continues doing live-stream acoustic performances.
Instagram Live and YouTube Live have become the go-to platforms for celebrities to interact with their fans, release new music, and collaborate with each other. Fans no longer need to fork out for concerts if their budgets don’t allow for it; all they need is their favorite social media platforms.
The Gen Z Digital Phenomenon
Gen Z hit their late teens during the lockdown years. Instead of hitting bars, their interaction was exclusively online. This demographic took to this concept faster than any others, and today, digital socializing isn’t a substitute; it’s the default.
Gen Zers drink, smoke cigarettes, and attend nightclubs much less than previous generations did. Their preference to stay inside and online predated the pandemic and is their “new normal.”
How People Are Getting Their Entertainment Digitally
People discovered that many of the forms of entertainment they got outside their homes transferred almost seamlessly online, and that’s now how they consume it.
Live Streams and Virtual Events
Live celebrity streams, pay-per-view virtual concerts, and exclusive digital premieres have become major nighttime draws. People will ensure they stay in to be present for these events.
The biggest example of this is Beyoncé’s halftime performance during the NFL Ravens-Texans Christmas Day game, streamed on Netflix. The game itself peaked at 31.3 million average-minute viewers in the US, with her halftime performance driving a viewership spike to 27 million.
Multiplayer Gaming
During the lockdowns, multiplayer gaming connected like-minded individuals locally and globally. The uptake continues with millions logging on after work or school.
Gaming juggernaut Steam hit a record 41.66 million peak concurrent users in October 2025, with peak gaming hours typically falling between 7 pm and 11 pm nightly.
Marvel Rivals attracted over 10 million players within its first 72 hours of release in late 2024, surpassing 20 million total players by year-end.
Online Casinos Become the Gambling Preference
Many casinos closed their doors during lockdowns, and gamblers discovered online casinos offered equal amounts of excitement and, in some cases, even more variety. Depending on their location, players had access to regulated or unregulated offshore options. Regardless, the global online gambling market exploded during the pandemic, growing from $64.13 billion in 2020 to $72.02 billion in 2021, a 12.3% CAGR—and it’s never looked back. The market is projected to increase from $117.5 billion in 2025 to $186.6 billion by 2029.
The benefit for so many players is that online gambling is available 24/7 and accessible from any device. This activity fits naturally into the late-night digital leisure pattern.
As the sector has grown, so has the need for due diligence. Many countries around the world are imposing strict regulations. In Australia, it’s banned federally, and to date, the government has successfully blocked 1,200 illegal sites. In the USA, only seven states allow online casino play, while south of the border federal oversight is similarly applied on a province-by-province basis. And although some sketchy offshore options exist, most players know how to check online casino legitimacy in Canada to make informed choices.
The Future of Digital Nightlife
Staying in is the new going out. The infrastructure supporting digital nightlife continues to improve. Consumers have access to faster internet, better devices, and improved platforms.
Interaction with others is the driving force of nighttime digital use. Connecting with family, friends, and celebrities, regardless of location, keeps people online.
The peak evening hours of 7 pm to 11 pm, which were once the period of the most digital consumption, have now become the hours in which digital culture is created.
