Funimation "Forever" content license revocation: Difference between revisions

''On April 2nd, 2024 Funimation, a paid media-streaming platform was shutdown as part of a merger with another media-streaming platform known as Crunchyroll.''<ref name=":0">https://help.crunchyroll.com/hc/en-us/articles/22843839604500-Funimation-End-of-Services ([http://web.archive.org/web/20251209052704/https://help.crunchyroll.com/hc/en-us/articles/22843839604500-Funimation-End-of-Services Archived])</ref> ''This was a planned merger as a result of Sony's acquisition of both companies. The retirement of Funimation also revoked licenses for and removed access to all previously purchased digital copies of Funimation content without an automatic refund or replacement.''<ref name=":0" />

On February 7th, 2024, it was announced that Funimation would shut down and transition to Crunchyroll on April 2nd, 2024.<ref name=":1">https://www.theverge.com/2024/2/8/24065940/funimation-shutdown-crunchyroll-digital-library ([http://web.archive.org/web/20260120013929/https://www.theverge.com/2024/2/8/24065940/funimation-shutdown-crunchyroll-digital-library Archived])</ref><ref>https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2024-02-07/funimation-app-shuts-down-on-april-2-as-its-accounts-merge-with-crunchyroll/.207344 ([http://web.archive.org/web/20260130141433/https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2024-02-07/funimation-app-shuts-down-on-april-2-as-its-accounts-merge-with-crunchyroll/.207344 Archived])</ref> Users were notified at that time that subscription prices would increase and users would permanently lose access to their digital library without any mention of a refund or replacement.<ref name=":1" /> Shortly afterwards, articles were published by major digital news outlets such as Ars Technica and the Verge, with both users and journalists remarking on the largely negative outcomes of this merger.<ref name=":1" /><ref name=":2">https://arstechnica.com/culture/2024/02/funimation-dvds-included-forever-available-digital-copies-forever-ends-april-2/ ([http://web.archive.org/web/20260214204116/https://arstechnica.com/culture/2024/02/funimation-dvds-included-forever-available-digital-copies-forever-ends-april-2/ Archived])</ref>

On April 2nd, 2024 Funimation was shut down. Users permanently lost access to any digital content they had purchased from Funimation or redeemed through a code provided with a physical blu-ray or DVD product - content that had previously been advertised to users as being available "forever." <ref>https://www.cbr.com/funimation-shut-down-forever-digital-copies-fooled/ ([http://web.archive.org/web/20251004103415/https://www.cbr.com/funimation-shut-down-forever-digital-copies-fooled/ Archived])</ref> Users were notified in advance that In order to continue streaming content, users would have to sign up for a new subscription tier with Crunchyroll or let their subscription with Funimation automatically transition into a new, more expensive subscription with Crunchyroll. Notably absent from the notification, was any indication that existing digital content that had been purchased would be inaccessible in Crunchyroll.