Exploring Adoption Behaviours and Competitive Platforms in OTT Streaming: A Bibliometric and Systematic Literature Review (2010–2024)

Internet infrastructure and digital technology have fueled the rise of OTT media streaming. Leading OTT platforms depend on the open internet (K​P​M​G​ ​I​n​d​i​a​,​ ​2​0​1​7). Viewers have abandoned fixed broadcast schedules in favour of personalised, on-demand content from providers such as Netflix, Disney+, Amazon Prime Video, and Hulu (G​r​e​e​n​,​ ​2​0​0​8; L​o​t​z​,​ ​2​0​1​4). Audiences now access media anywhere, anytime, using powerful devices and faster internet, removing traditional television barriers (J​o​n​e​s​,​ ​2​0​0​9).

The COVID-19 pandemic sharply accelerated OTT platform adoption, with noticeable shifts in user behaviour toward multiple streaming services during lockdowns across major global markets, especially in India (B​C​G​,​ ​2​0​2​1; D​e​l​o​i​t​t​e​,​ ​2​0​2​3; E​i​n​a​v​,​ ​2​0​2​2). As competition intensifies and the OTT market matures, platforms emphasise advanced recommendation algorithms, user-centric strategies, and content retention through diverse libraries (L​e​e​,​ ​2​0​2​0; M​o​n​d​a​l​ ​&​ ​P​a​n​d​a​,​ ​2​0​2​5; W​a​y​n​e​,​ ​2​0​1​8; Y​o​o​n​ ​&​ ​K​i​m​,​ ​2​0​2​4). For decision-makers and scholars, the rising significance of OTT in India and other markets is clear. According to the M​o​r​d​o​r​ ​I​n​t​e​l​l​i​g​e​n​c​e​ ​(​2​0​2​5​)’s report, the OTT market in India is expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of approximately 18.2% between 2025 and 2030.

VOD lets users pick from large digital media libraries. J​a​i​n​ ​&​ ​M​a​d​a​n​ ​(​2​0​1​7​) report viewers leaving scheduled TV for more flexible options. OTT services continue to grow as broadband access increases. Studies cite cost, flexibility, and convenience as key reasons for their selection (D​w​y​e​r​ ​e​t​ ​a​l​.​,​ ​2​0​1​8; N​a​m​ ​e​t​ ​a​l​.​,​ ​2​0​2​3; S​h​a​h​ ​&​ ​M​e​h​t​a​,​ ​2​0​2​3).

Regional and global OTT providers compete intensely, investing in engagement tools and unique content to attract and keep users (D​e​l​o​i​t​t​e​,​ ​2​0​2​2; P​w​C​,​ ​2​0​1​9; P​w​C​,​ ​2​0​2​1). However, while OTT adoption grows, studies disagree on whether it is replacing traditional TV. Some evidence shows continued similarities in ease and value (U​d​o​a​k​p​a​n​ ​&​ ​T​e​n​g​e​h​,​ ​2​0​2​0; B​o​u​w​m​a​n​ ​e​t​ ​a​l​.​,​ ​2​0​1​4; K​i​m​ ​&​ ​K​i​m​,​ ​2​0​2​0).

For further discussion on the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on OTT adoption, see section 1.1.

Table 1 summarises findings from earlier literature reviews on OTT streaming services, which indicate that cost, flexibility, and convenience are important reasons people choose these platforms (D​w​y​e​r​ ​e​t​ ​a​l​.​,​ ​2​0​1​8; N​a​m​ ​e​t​ ​a​l​.​,​ ​2​0​2​3; S​h​a​h​ ​&​ ​M​e​h​t​a​,​ ​2​0​2​3). Both regional and global OTT providers compete by offering engagement tools and exclusive content to attract and retain viewers (D​e​l​o​i​t​t​e​,​ ​2​0​2​2; P​w​C​,​ ​2​0​1​9; P​w​C​,​ ​2​0​2​1). Although OTT services have proliferated, there is still debate over whether they will completely replace traditional TV. Some studies suggest that user experiences and the value offered by both remain similar (U​d​o​a​k​p​a​n​ ​&​ ​T​e​n​g​e​h​,​ ​2​0​2​0; B​o​u​w​m​a​n​ ​e​t​ ​a​l​.​,​ ​2​0​1​4; K​i​m​ ​&​ ​K​i​m​,​ ​2​0​2​0).

Bibliometric techniques used Bibliometrix and VOSviewer (A​n​a​n​d​ ​e​t​ ​a​l​.​,​ ​2​0​2​1; A​r​i​a​ ​&​ ​C​u​c​c​u​r​u​l​l​o​,​ ​2​0​1​7; v​a​n​ ​E​c​k​ ​&​ ​W​a​l​t​m​a​n​,​ ​2​0​1​4; R​a​j​a​n​ ​e​t​ ​a​l​.​,​ ​2​0​2​0) to analyse collaborations, citation networks, and thematic trends. In this context, these tools offer a practical view of the research landscape and are common in management studies. Consequently, they help prioritise and guide growth (G​a​r​f​i​e​l​d​,​ ​1​9​7​9; W​h​i​t​e​ ​&​ ​M​c​C​a​i​n​,​ ​1​9​9​8; F​e​r​r​e​i​r​a​ ​e​t​ ​a​l​.​,​ ​2​0​1​4; H​o​t​a​,​ ​2​0​2​3; A​c​e​d​o​ ​e​t​ ​a​l​.​,​ ​2​0​0​6; V​o​g​e​l​,​ ​2​0​1​2).

This investigation retrieved articles from the Scopus database. Scopus is the largest multidisciplinary citation database. It focuses on high-quality, peer-reviewed journals in business, management, social sciences, psychology, and accounting. Only journal articles in the social sciences, psychology, and business, in English, were included. The period covered was 2010 to 2024.

The primary search string was TITLE-ABS-KEY (“OTT” OR “Over The Top” OR “VOD” OR “Netflix” OR “Video on demand” OR “Video stream*”) AND (LIMIT-TO (SUBJAREA, “BUSI”) OR LIMIT-TO (SUBJAREA, “SOCI”) OR LIMIT-TO (SUBJAREA, “PSYC”)) AND (LIMIT-TO (DOCTYPE, “ar”)) AND (LIMIT-TO (SRCTYPE, “j”)) AND (LIMIT-TO (LANGUAGE, “English”)).

A total of 179 articles were found on 10 October 2024. Three were excluded as irrelevant, leaving 176 for analysis. This selection supports the study’s relevance and quality aims.

The PRISMA diagram in Figure 1 shows the search and screening process, documenting steps from topic selection to article inclusion or exclusion. This approach shows transparent, reproducible methodology.

The review primarily used the Scopus database for bibliometric analysis, focusing on peer-reviewed publications. In contrast to previous statements, articles from journals listed in the ABDC ranking were deliberately included to enhance academic quality and relevance. While journal quartiles or other ranking metrics were not directly applied during screening, the inclusion of ABDC-indexed papers provides an additional layer of quality assurance.

The 176 documents included author names, titles, dates, and citation details. Trends in the geography and development of the OTT service literature were analysed using descriptive statistics.

Bibliometrix (A​r​i​a​ ​&​ ​C​u​c​c​u​r​u​l​l​o​,​ ​2​0​1​7) and VOSviewer (v​a​n​ ​E​c​k​ ​&​ ​W​a​l​t​m​a​n​,​ ​2​0​1​4) analysed patterns in the OTT literature. The review spanned 14 years (2010–2024), matching the Scopus availability after application of inclusion/exclusion criteria.

A total of 176 documents were authored by 379 individuals and published in 117 peer-reviewed Scopus-indexed journals spanning psychology, business, and accounting. Of these, 38 are single-author works. The average number of co-authors per document is 2.5. International co-authorship increased by 14.77%. Each document averages 7.375 citations and is 2.54 years old. Table 2 summarises the data.

According to Scopus data, early research on OTT services dates to 2010, when the article “Seamless Service Delivery for mHealth Applications” was published in the International Journal of Industrial Engineering and Management (B​o​š​k​o​v​i​c​ ​e​t​ ​a​l​.​,​ ​2​0​1​0). This article introduced an OTT-based service delivery architecture that allowed mHealth providers to reach users regardless of location or connectivity.

Between 2010 and 2011, research in this area was limited, and publication activity remained stagnant or declined until 2015. From 2015 to 2020, there was a gradual increase in publications on various aspects of OTT services, with 56 articles published in Scopus. Researchers started focusing on topics such as business strategies, telecom competition with OTT services, user willingness to pay, viewing behaviour, regulatory issues, and more.

After 2020, there was a significant surge in publications, with 112 articles published in peer-reviewed journals. This growth was driven by the COVID-19 pandemic, which increased demand for on-demand content due to lockdowns. Research during this phase covered themes such as the global expansion of subscription video on demand (SVOD), user adoption and satisfaction, tax regulations, pricing, and content variety, with a particular focus on Netflix. See Figure 2 for details.

Table 2 reports a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 34% in scholarly output on OTT media services from 2010 to 2024. Figure 2 further demonstrates a substantial year-over-year increase in publication volumes during this period. Together, these results indicate a significant and sustained expansion of research activity in the field.

India leads with 49 articles, followed by South Korea with 30, and the United States with 23 (see Figure 3). Chart 1 considered countries with at least four documents.

Noticeable country-level differences in OTT research output and citation impact are revealed in Figure 3. India emerges as the primary contributor, with substantial academic investment, rapid market expansion, and a recent policy push driving both influence and publication volume. The United States and South Korea also display high citation rates and high output, likely revealing recognised digital infrastructure, active international collaborations, and robust OTT sectors. This focus underscores how global OTT scholarship remains unequal, with specific markets—such as South Africa, European countries, and Indonesia—producing less research, mainly due to resource constraints, language, or biases in regional publishing.

Remarkably, citation metrics often outpace document counts in countries like Spain and Australia, indicating that international co-authorships or influential papers increase global visibility from these countries. The results highlight the need for broader geographic expansion in the research on OTT platforms, particularly as diverse platforms (outside the Netflix/India bloc) and emerging markets increasingly influence global consumption. Identifying the reasons behind geographic research dominance—consumer behaviour, institutional support, and policy—will be fundamental for balanced content innovation and future scholarships.

The most prolific authors in OTT research are highlighted in Table 3, including Ramli AM and Ramli TS from Indonesia’s Universitas Padjadjaran, Park E-A from the United States’ Colorado State University, and Chakraborty S from India’s Symbiosis Institute of Business Management. South Korean scholars such as Kim J, Kim S, Lee C, and Lee S stand out, along with many U.S.-based contributors, such as Li B and Park J, and are affiliated with universities in Seoul, including Hanyang University and Konkuk University.

There are regional centres of OTT research activity, as reflected by the prominence of authors from South Korea, India, Indonesia, and the United States, likely driven by the rapid growth of academic infrastructure and OTT markets in these countries. Prolific output is fostered by the repeated emergence of multiple authors from the same institutions, suggesting collaborative networks and organised research efforts. Geographic and institutional factors shape scholarly production, as demonstrated by clustering.

Nevertheless, there is comparatively less representation from African, Latin American, and European researchers, owing to a gap in global diversity and collaboration, as the concentration of influential authors is limited to a few countries. This precedent may imply limitations in “cross-national” cooperation or research silos, which could limit innovation in OTT studies and the generalisability of findings.

Essential context is provided by understanding the drivers of abundant scholarship—whether funding opportunities, industry ties, or consumer digital behaviour in home markets. Encouraging more inclusive, multidisciplinary approaches and expanding research collaborations could strengthen OTT research globally.

The diversity of research focus shaping the OTT literature is underscored by Table 4, which analyses the highly cited works. The most significant articles, such as H​u​t​c​h​i​n​s​ ​e​t​ ​a​l​.​ ​(​2​0​1​9​) on live-streaming rights and S​o​ ​(​2​0​1​6​) on instant messaging for education, reflect a field at the intersection of consumer psychology, a rapidly evolving media ecosystem, and technology use. This indicates that cross-disciplinary approaches within OTT studies drive substantial scholarly impact. Outstandingly, studies by K​i​m​ ​e​t​ ​a​l​.​ ​(​2​0​1​7​) and M​e​n​g​ ​&​ ​L​e​u​n​g​ ​(​2​0​2​1​) focus on motivational and behavioural aspects of users, acquiring global shifts in digital engagement; however, studies fixed in the context of pandemic-led consumption of media (e.g., G​u​p​t​a​ ​&​ ​S​i​n​g​h​a​r​i​a​,​ ​2​0​2​1) uncover how real-world events can speed up citation growth and academic interests.

The importance and limitations of OTT research are highlighted here, with an emphasis on Netflix, sports streaming, and geographically diverse subjects such as India, Spain, and Korea. There is a risk of thematic saturation and rapid citations as the dominance of empirical case studies targets cultural contexts or platforms. As seen in studies that employ advanced analytics, citation patterns indicate the field’s reliance on methodological novelty and trending topics (e.g., PLS analysis or cross-national comparisons).

The Matthew effect and possible research clustering are reflected by the concentration of citations around specific platforms, countries, and technologies, which may unintentionally overlook emerging platforms, less conventional consumer behaviours, or smaller markets. Moving forward, expanding the scope of research to include underserved regions, comparative analysis, and longitudinal studies may reinforce a more durable and balanced impact across the OTT network.

VOSViewer-generated illustration in Figures 4 and Figure 5 depicts structural patterns of affiliated countries and author collaborations in OTT research. Co-authorship networks are fragmented, with isolated, small clusters of researchers (as demonstrated in Figure 4), and are organised into distinct geographic and thematic domains. This pattern suggests that cross-team collaboration is rare, even when the individual author team is broad, interdisciplinary, or productive. This division may restrain the development of unified theories, methodological innovations, slow speed, and silo case studies with international or national boundaries.

The country-level collaborations in Figure 5 show marginally greater connectivity, but they remain controlled by a few central nodes—particularly India, the United States, and South Korea. These countries serve as hubs for international research partnerships, reflecting their developed OTT markets, access to research funding, and active academic communities. Both Asian and Western countries have extensive links with the U.S., positioning the U.S. as the primary global hub for OTT scholarship.

Conversely, several countries, including Indonesia, Belgium, and Taiwan, appear to be standalone nodes with weak or absent ties to global collaboration. Such remoteness may stem from a focus on domestic markets, language barriers, or institutional limitations, which restrict the transfer of knowledge and cross-contextual understanding in research on OTT. Thus, both the challenges and opportunities of global OTT research are reflected in this network as a whole: a few remain on the periphery, in contrast to other regions that are building international bridges.

Tactically, establishing interregional research collaborations, supporting cross-institutional and multilingual projects, and minimising barriers to partnerships are crucial for expanding the field. This will foster innovation that reflects the full spectrum of international OTT experiences, enabled by more robust, generalised findings.

A co-occurrence analysis of author keywords was conducted using VOSviewer 1.6.19 to identify prevalent research themes in OTT studies. Forty keywords met the minimum threshold of 3 occurrences out of 703 keywords extracted from the dataset and were included in the analysis. Visually, these keywords are clustered in Figure 6 according to their co-occurrence and publication frequency.

Netflix and OTT platforms dominate as central nodes revealed by the analysis, signaling an evident scholarly focus on major platforms steering industry transformation. Adjoining keywords such as streaming, content, television, and Over the Top highlight broader thematic areas related to the evolution of media consumption, user experience, and content delivery.

Media technology, user behaviour, regulatory concerns, pandemic impacts, and platform competition are amongst the seven unique clusters that emerge reflecting thematic specialisations. For example, millennials and COVID-19 are highlighted clusters reflecting recent research on consumption patterns driven by demographic and pandemic-specific adoption trends.

Conversely, keywords like Netflix, associated with large global platforms, imply a skew towards conventional, technology-driven narratives. Areas such as regional content diversity, accessibility, policy development, and niche platforms are comparatively understated, highlighting potential gaps in current research on OTT platforms.

Both the research community’s response and the rapid evolution of digital media are reflected in the thematic landscape, which is focused primarily on consumption models and well-known platforms. For enduring research, developing into overlooked areas such as regional OTT ecosystem studies, inclusive policy analysis, and non-traditional content forms will be crucial for capturing the whole OTT experience.

The connection between articles is established by bibliographic coupling, which reveals common thematic linkages and standard references within the scholarly sphere (K​e​s​s​l​e​r​,​ ​1​9​6​3). The strength of coupling reflects the extent to which documents circle around related topics. Forty-three articles were clustered into 22 groups in VOSviewer for this study, using a minimum threshold of 10 citations to filter for primary, influential research flows and minimise fragmentation from smaller clusters.

Three clusters are depicted in Figure 7, emphasising five major thematic areas:

Cluster 1: User interaction and consumption of OTT media during COVID-19 (Red Cluster)

The largest cluster, with 180 citations and seven documents, portrays the swift digital shift determined by pandemic-led lockdowns. It centres on how OTT platforms enabled social connectivity and remote learning, with S​o​ ​(​2​0​1​6​) offering a seminal contribution to the education sector during this early phase. The critical contextual role of the pandemic emerges for exciting consumer behaviour shifts.

Cluster 2: Video viewing behaviour of consumers (Green Cluster)

Sixty-nine citations are covered by six documents in this cluster, investigating viewing preferences, especially for sports streaming and digital media portals. This cluster is anchored by H​u​t​c​h​i​n​s​ ​e​t​ ​a​l​.​ ​(​2​0​1​9​), offering critical insights into how the personalisation of content and the dynamics of live-streaming impact engagement.

Cluster 3: OTT/TV comparisons and Netflix’s market dominance (Blue Cluster)

Twenty-one citations and five documents describe this cluster. Netflix’s disruptive impact is disrupting traditional TV and global OTT services. This discourse, reflecting continuing scholarship on market shaping and platform competition, is led by P​a​r​k​ ​(​2​0​1​9​).

Cluster 4: Youth engagement in traditional TV vs. OTT (Light Green Cluster)

This cluster comprises 22 citations and four documents, focusing on generational change in media consumption and assessing how younger demographics favour OTT platforms. Crucial viewpoints on media engagement shifts are contributed by M​e​n​g​ ​&​ ​L​e​u​n​g​ ​(​2​0​2​1​).

Cluster 5: OTT Subscription desire influencing factors (Purple Cluster)

This cluster comprises 47 citations across three documents that examine consumer motivations to subscribe and emphasise economic and psychological drivers. K​i​m​ ​e​t​ ​a​l​.​ ​(​2​0​1​7​) conducted the most notable work by investigating these behavioural tendencies.

Apart from these five clusters, which serve as the core knowledge base in OTT research, the remaining 17 clusters describe a distributed yet expanding landscape of themes. These emerging clusters—such as policy and regulation, regional platform strategies, accessibility/disability inclusion, and technological innovations—hint at future research boundaries. These areas respond to emerging OTT market challenges and societal demands, though at an early stage.

OTT research is both fragmented and diversified, as illustrated by this bibliographic coupling. Comparative, interdisciplinary, and longitudinal studies bridge these isolated clusters and will be instrumental in consolidating, guiding, and understanding future innovations in this fast-changing media domain.

The author’s co-citation network for the OTT area is shown in Figure 8, encompassing 126 researchers who have been cited at least 10 times together. The visual map reveals three major clusters, each demonstrating research focus areas and distinct schools of thought, and shows significant linkages between clusters, suggesting interdisciplinary engagement.

Multidomain influence and centrality are displayed by large nodes such as Dhir A, Sarstedt M, and Kim J. The boundary-spanning scholar is Kim J, who is constantly cited across clusters, enabling the integration of themes from psychological determinants, media engagement, and consumer behaviour to methodological innovation. This pronounced role is not only a function of citation frequency but also encompasses the breadth of collaboration—Kim J is referenced alongside a large group of researchers, weaving together varied conceptual approaches.

Dominant paradigms are highlighted by the structure of the network points: consumer-centric and psychological studies, media adoption models, network theory, and technological innovation in OTT platforms. Deep intellectual exchange is revealed through shared connections and overlaps between the clusters—an active interchange of ideas that advances both real-world applicability and theory in OTT research.

Research inspiration in OTT studies is driven by an individual network of scholars rather than by a single leading journal, as evidenced by the lack of robust journal-level effects in co-citation, underscoring the field’s rapidly evolving, interdisciplinary nature.

Clear evidence of collaborating yet segmented research communities is provided by author co-citation analysis, which identifies key thought leaders and charts the bridge builders who help produce emerging perspectives – vital for advancing both innovative practices and structural scholarship in OTT media research.

The bibliometric analysis conducted in this review yields substantive insights into both the theoretical and empirical aspects of OTT media services research. The results indicate a marked increase in the volume and thematic range of global OTT scholarship from 2010 to 2024. India, South Korea, and the United States emerge as the leading contributors to this body of literature, with research output accelerating significantly following the COVID-19 pandemic, which prompted notable changes in user engagement and adoption patterns. The analysis identifies thematic clusters including platform dominance, consumer behaviour, generational shifts in media consumption, pandemic-related impacts, and subscription intent, thereby demonstrating the expanding scope of scholarly inquiry within the OTT sector. This thematic mapping addresses the first research question by delineating both the scale and substance of academic work on OTT media, and by illustrating the field’s evolution to encompass technology, consumption, competitive strategy, and market structure.

These findings are contextualised through established theoretical frameworks. The Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) informs much of the platform dominance cluster, highlighting how consumer perceptions of technological sophistication, personalisation, device flexibility, and value influence adoption behaviours. The Uses and Gratification Theory (UGT) accounts for evolving user engagement, as audiences increasingly pursue personalised, on-demand entertainment, shifting media experiences from passive to interactive and goal-oriented. The COVID-19 pandemic amplified these trends, strengthening the social and informational motivations described by UGT. Additionally, the Diffusion of Innovation theory elucidates the rapid acceleration in OTT adoption, demonstrating that societal disruptions can expedite the transition of innovations from early adopters to mainstream users.

Regarding the second research question on future research directions, cluster analysis and bibliographic coupling reveal several significant gaps and opportunities. Despite the notable global expansion of OTT scholarship, certain regional markets, particularly in Africa, Latin America, and smaller Asian and European economies, remain underrepresented. There is also a critical need for further investigation into policy and regulatory frameworks, technological advancements such as artificial intelligence and 5G, and issues of accessibility and content diversity. Comparative studies examining differences between and within emerging and developed markets would further enhance and balance academic discourse. Addressing these gaps will enable policymakers, industry leaders, and researchers to navigate and influence the evolving OTT media landscape more effectively.

In summary, this study demonstrates that integrating bibliometric analysis with theoretical frameworks provides a comprehensive perspective on the development, challenges, and future research needs of OTT scholarship. The findings underscore the significance of psychological, technological, and socio-economic factors in influencing media adoption and identify new directions for research as digital platforms continue to reshape global content consumption.

Future research on OTT media services should rank in three significant directions. First, Regional and cultural understanding of OTT adoption is essential, specifically through a comparative study of emerging vs developed markets and the rising role of regional content. Second, the industry demands in-depth analysis of emerging cutting-edge technologies such as AI-driven recommendation engines, 5G, and hybrid business models—as well as emerging regulatory and legal frameworks, specifically around data privacy, digital sovereignty, and content moderation. Third, Creative strategies for customer retention justify intensive scholarly inquiry amid intensifying competition. This entails research on gamification, Gen Z and millennial preferences, subscription fatigue, and the convergence of professional and user-generated content. Selecting these areas will bring forth insights for both regulators and platforms, ensuring that research anticipates and tracks the major revolutions reshaping the OTT sector.

Neglect of smaller providers and regional dynamics, and the dominance of global OTT players, are the gaps highlighted by this review. Existing bibliometric boundaries should be breached by academic research that focuses on niches, underrepresented regions, and user experience research, particularly through participatory approaches and mixed methods to capture evolving preferences in real time. Building connections among sociological, industry-focused, and technological analyses will position the field to contribute dynamically to both practice and theory as OTT services mature alongside evolving regulations.

The rapid growth of OTT services requires updated regulatory frameworks to address data privacy, content moderation, and platform accountability. Evidence from India and other regions highlights the effectiveness of tiered regulatory mechanisms, such as three-tiered grievance redressal guidelines, as well as the need for greater algorithmic transparency and age-based content classification. Policymakers are advised to collaborate with stakeholders from industry, civil society, and consumer groups to combat misinformation and promote digital literacy. Regulatory policies should also facilitate sustainable monetisation models and support local OTT platforms to preserve market diversity and prevent dominance by global providers. Continuous assessment of content standards and technological developments is necessary to ensure that regulatory approaches remain aligned with evolving social and ethical expectations.

There are several limitations to consider when interpreting these results. This review mainly uses the Scopus database, so some relevant studies from other databases or non-English and regional sources may be missing. Although we included articles from ABDC-ranked journals, we did not systematically apply ranking metrics during screening, which could affect our assessment of publication quality. The chosen time frame of 2010 to 2024 may not capture new developments after the pandemic or the launch of recent OTT platforms. Citation-based analysis can overlook innovative, recent, or niche research that has not yet been widely cited. Since most research comes from South Korea, the United States, and India, insights from Latin America, the Middle East, and Africa may be underrepresented. The bibliometric approach may also miss detailed findings from qualitative or user-focused studies. Our keyword choices and focus on highly cited clusters might leave out social, creative, and experiential aspects of OTT. Future research could be improved by using multiple databases, including studies in different languages, and by combining different research methods to understand the global OTT landscape better.