7 Major Streaming Services That Were Shut Down (And Why They Failed)

First video on demand Current In 1998, Hong Kong Telecom launched iTV, which radically changed the way we watch our favorite movies and TV shows. Now, the market is dominated by a handful of streaming platforms that have become synonymous with watching popular media from the comfort of your home, whether they were early adopters or online. Netflix or Disney+home to all things House of Mouse and Marvel.

However, the popularity of live streaming has also led to fierce competition, with some early giants in the space collapsing and others trying to carve out a niche but failing to capture enough market share to thrive. Here are seven defunct live streaming platforms that we either miss or laugh at. Yet each is a prime example of how competitive the live streaming space has been and continues to be. Rest in peace, brave pioneers and failures; you did your best.

7 Quibi

Launch: April 2020 — Discontinued: December 2020

Quibi The company was founded by Hollywood executive Jeffrey Katzenberg and former HP CEO Meg Whitman, and launched in April 2020, having raised nearly $2 billion in funding. Quibi's approach was to provide easily digestible content.Each episode was about 10 minutes long and was meant to be watched on a phone, a streaming service for those in a hurry and the ever-waning interest of younger generations. The platform offered original content, including launch content such as 50 cases of horrora horror anthology that managed to produce two seasons, and a “fan-made” re-creation of The princess bride From director Jason Reitman called Home Movie: The Princess Bride.

Spending too much money on too little content

Even before its launch, there were signs of potential failure.Online commentators were already using it as a punchline for many jokes. Concerns about a paid streaming service competing in the same space as YouTube and TikTok, which is free, came to fruition when Quibi announced it was shutting down six months after its launch. Along with misunderstandings about the market, there were rumors of internal conflict among the owners, massive spending without a clear direction, and content that many considered mediocre. Fans may not miss Quibi, but they certainly miss its humour.

6 Seeso

Launched: January 2016 — Discontinued: November 2017

Seeso It was a previous streaming service launched by NBCUniversal in January 2016, Focus only on comedic content.In the case of Seeso, it successfully filled a gap and offered some high-quality content that ended up moving to other platforms after it shut down on August 9, 2017. This includes: UCB Showwhich will see a second season on Starz, and the live-action/animated series produced by Rick and Morty Creator Dan Harmon, Harmonquest, Moved to the now-defunct VRV streaming service. As for high-quality comedy shows, Seeso had great potential.

Not quite a comedy gold mine.

The niche nature of Seeso is what ultimately led to the streaming platform's sinking.Even with some shows that fans enjoyed, it pales in comparison to its competitors in terms of content offered and failed to capture much of the market share. At its peak, Seeso only reached around 300,000 users, not enough to keep it running. While other platforms that stick to a specific genre (Shudder) have found success, perhaps one of the inherent drawbacks of focusing on comedy is how subjective the genre is, making fans less likely to immerse themselves in a platform dedicated to it. It was good while it lasted, at least.

5 yahoo screen!

Launched: June 2006 (as Yahoo! Video) — Discontinued: January 2016

yahoo screen! The online streaming service has its roots in an early concept; although it launched in 2011, the service was a rebranding of Yahoo! Video, which launched in 2006. The change was aimed at trying to become a competitor in the ever-growing streaming market, with Yahoo! Screen offers original and licensed content.included Saturday Night LiveThe platform even hosted one season of community As part of its original programming.

Remember when we used to use Yahoo!?

The streaming service was going to have a relatively long life, closing its doors in 2016 after posting huge losses. As has happened with many streaming services that have come and gone, Yahoo's screen collapses under the weight of fierce competition It didn’t offer much original content to keep viewers invested. Of course, it also didn’t help that Yahoo!’s search engine was in steady decline, with its numbers dwindling throughout the 2000s and 2010s, leaving it with a 1.19% share of internet searches. If things had gone differently, and we were all using Yahoo! to search for our favorite entertainment news and gossip, we might still be watching Yahoo! Screen in 2024.

4 DC Universe

Launched: September 2018 — Discontinued: January 2021

It will be launched on September 15, 2018. DC Universe The streaming service has hosted some of DC's best original programming, including the much-loved superhero comedy show Death PatrolThe success of Netflix (now) Titansand the noise Harley Quinn. The platform has also become the go-to place for everything DC related.giving fans reason to get excited about old, original shows based on their favorite heroes and villains.

Great choice, bad timing.

The DC Universe is still going strong, sort of, changing to DC Universe Infinite in 2021 and continuing to host comic book content. However, its move away from video content made sense, and many felt it was inevitable when it was announced that the service would fold into another streaming service due to its oversight by Warner Bros. Most of the content will fall under the HBO Max brand, with the platform’s popularity offering more value to subscribers. Unfortunately, its downfall has meant fans have missed out on a lot of great programming, including only giving them one season of swamp thingBut the move made sense.

3 Strack movie

Launched: November 2016 — Discontinued: November 2018

Strack movie It launched on November 1, 2016, only to close its doors two years later, on November 29, 2018. Despite not offering original programming, the streaming service was beloved by movie buffs for its selection of classic films and foreign films. This will also include hosting a large portion of the Criterion Collection of films. Before the company launched its own streaming service in 2019. That made it invaluable to many at the time, and the announcement of its closure had many filmmakers and actors trying to convince Warner Bros. of its value.

It was once the best place for classic, art and foreign cinema.

Still, Strack's film was not considered as essential to its creators as it was to its fan base.which was explicit but not substantial enough. As part of the corporate restructuring following AT&T’s acquisition of Time Warner, the streaming platform was shut down, with most of its programming being merged into HBO Max, which became WarnerMedia’s primary focus. At the very least, this change also prompted Criterion to create their own streaming service, giving their vast catalog a permanent home. It was a huge loss for streaming at the time, but nowadays, FilmStruck remains an afterthought.

2 Popcornflakes

Launch: July 2010 — Discontinued: June 2024

Popcornflakes It was one of the first innovative streaming platforms to offer free, ad-supported streaming, something that later platforms like Tubi and Plex took advantage of. The platform was conceived in July 2010, and focused primarily on independent films, drawing most of its catalog from Screen Media productions behind notable independent films like Animal companies, bad batch and Bel CantoThis has given the platform an interesting catalogue of independent works that are often lost on other platforms and the opportunity to view them for free. Popcornflix has also benefited from being available on multiple devices.

The slow downfall of a streaming service

Popcornflix's major failure was the disastrous ending of Chicken Soup for the Soul Entertainment.which owned Screen Media, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy on June 29, 2024; this came after reporting losses of $636.6 million in 2023. Everything had to be thrown away; all assets, including Popcornflix, had to be liquidated. It’s hard to say that Popcornflix is ​​“missing,” but it was a streaming staple for so long, existing outside the confines of others, that it was certainly recognized; however, with better free streaming platforms taking its place, it feels like a relic despite only closing this year. If you’re feeling nostalgic, there’s still a YouTube channel that carries on the streaming platform’s legacy.

1 Funimation

Launch: January 2016 — Discontinued: April 2024

Founded in 1994, Funimation One of the first pioneers of anime distribution, its move to streaming in 2016 seemed like a natural progression. The streaming service has offered some of the most popular anime of all time, including notable action titles like Dragon Ball, My Hero Academyand Attack on TitanThere were over 800 series on the service, including dubbed and subtitled versions. Additionally, users could use the service to access titles purchased through codes redeemable for physical media. While the service could still operate with its size and catalog, The decision was made to merge it with Crunchyroll on April 2, 2024.both owned by Sony Pictures.

The end of the anime streaming era

Funimation’s demise isn’t just a fond memory, it’s a point of contention among anime fans, as its merger with Crunchyroll could see those who redeemed codes for digital copies lose access to many shows and movies. While Crunchyroll has tried to mitigate this by offering access to lost properties through other means or offering discounted subscriptions to other users on a case-by-case basis, reactions have been mixed—and that’s even before the increased subscription cost is addressed. Funimation will miss those who built libraries on the platform.Although other streaming companies like Crunchyroll and Netflix have embraced the cause of providing premium anime content, its closure is likely to remain a sore spot for anime fans for a long time.