Remember a few months ago, when Amazon denied rumors that its free, ad-supported streaming service Freevee would be shutting down following the introduction of ads to Prime Video? Well, things have changed.
As reported by Deadline on Tuesday, Freevee will be "phased out" over the coming weeks. The good news is that its original series, including Bosch: Legacy, Jury Duty, and Judy Justice, are already available on Prime Video and will remain there. Additionally, in territories where Freevee has been available, its content will still be viewable in front of the paywall for non-Prime members. Amazon addressed the shutdown with the following statement:
“We have built Prime Video into a first-stop entertainment destination where customers can personalize their viewing experience by streaming exclusive Prime member entertainment produced by Amazon MGM Studios, licensed movies and series, content from other services as an add-on subscription, live sports, blockbuster movies and series to rent or buy, FAST Channels and the complete Amazon Freevee content offering. To deliver a simpler viewing experience for customers, we have decided to phase out Freevee branding. There will be no change to the content available for Prime members, and a vast offering of free streaming content will still be accessible for non-Prime members, including select Originals from Amazon MGM Studios, a variety of licensed movies and series, and a broad library of FAST Channels – all available on Prime Video.”
Freevee launched in 2019 as IMDb Freedive, changing its name to IMDb TV a few months later before rebranding once more to Freevee in 2022. It gained some popularity not only as a place to watch a number of Prime Video shows for free, including The Wheel of Time, The Summer I Turned Pretty, and A League of Their Own, but for its own original content. Specifically, it scored three Primetime Emmy nominations for its hoax reality series Jury Duty.
However, once Prime Video introduced ads early this year, the distinctions between that streaming platform and Freevee started to blur. Prime Video subscribers now have to pay an additional $2.99/month to avoid ads.
The streaming market may have just gotten a little bit smaller, but that doesn't mean there's still not an overwhelming bevy of options to choose from. For more, check out our ranking of the major streaming services available currently.
Alex Stedman is a Senior News Editor with IGN, overseeing entertainment reporting. When she's not writing or editing, you can find her reading fantasy novels or playing Dungeons & Dragons.
