A bit of a letdown to report this morning to some, but it looks like Netflix will continue its trim of Hasbro content this February, this time Transformers Prime and Rescue Bots will be seeing a departure. The Generation 1 cartoon left Netflix earlier this year as well.
You can see the full list of shows/movies leaving here.
Leaving Feb. 2Jem and the Holograms: S1-*3
My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic: S1*-4
Pound Puppies: S1-*3
Transformers Prime: S1-*3
Transformers: Rescue Bots
If you haven’t done so already, it’s time to watch Transformers Prime and Rescue Bots! Make the jump to discuss with fellow fans of the show.
Fenrys
To clarify my preference for windows 8, remember im using it on a tv, the ui was practically made for use with a remote on a tv. Used an xbox 360 or xbox one? The start menu is a very similair interface. 8/8.1 is an excellent os for very specific types of uses, namely touch screen and htpc, it may be crap on a traditional desktop/laptop however it is nearly flawless out of the box without modding when it comes to usong it on a tv. Also the majority of people I know prefer the all in one aspect of a pc over having several devices hooked up to a tv. Also that $375 as I mentioned is less than you will pay for a new current gen console and you get more for the money.
TCJJ
I think you're missing the point.
The keywords here are "if you know what to do" and "a day to setup", as well as "$375".
First of all, YOU know what to do. Most people don't. I'm not disagreeing on it being easy – I could probably set the thing up in under a day without ever looking anything up, because I'm all too familiar with (most of) the technology – and this isn't bragging: I'm simply saying that I could (probably) do this in less than a day, in comparison to, say, my parents that barely know how to use a computer, who would take weeks (or months or years) to learn how to do it, and so, really, how fast and well you can set it up just depends on your experience (and granted, I haven't done this, so hey, it may take me a few days. I don't really know. But that's besides the point).
Then you have the price. Netflix is ~$10 a month. Okay, it's per month vs. a one-time payment of ~$375 (although granted, I would never buy a pre-built computer, especially not one that cheap, but that's just me, and so in my situation, the price would be much higher, making it worse), but most people prefer the monthly payment because it's "only" $10.
Add on the fact that a lot of people don't want to play video games on their DVR (and I know isn't a DVR as such, but my point is that that's how they view it), and you've got a situation where people aren't comfortable with this whole deal. It costs more (technically not, but I've already made that point), you have to personally know how to set it up (or get someone to do it for you, and if it isn't family or friends, it'll definitely cost), and it's this multi-purpose machine, the vastness of which will confuse and scare a lot of people from wanting to use it.
Netflix, on the other hand, is easy. My parents, who barely can use a computer, already know how to use Netflix (okay, my mum does. My dad is brain-dead, more or less. It's as if he has no ears or something). They may not be great at using it, but they get it. I'd even argue that the Netflix UI (at least on PS3, which is the one they are used to) is kinda rubbish, but they get the gist of how to use it, because it's (somewhat) intuitive.
Also, Windows 8 is crap. Please never recommend it again (and this is from someone who owns Windows 8. For clarification, there are good parts to it, but if you want any semblance of decency from Windows 8, you need to modify it quite extensively, even if most of that is just built-in settings – most end-users do not know how to do this off the top of their heads). I am MOSTLY serious when I say this.
Fenrys
I dont argue your points, in fact I agree with most of them. However a htpc is extremely easy to setup if you know what to do. Ive been working on mine for 7 years but im a tech guy. I recently did a setup for a friends family, it took a day to setup the software I use and the pc was an excellent prebuilt one from Costco that cost $375, which is less than a current gen console at full price. Add in what you gain with gaming possibilities on a pc hooked up to a tv and with my preferred combo on windows 8 os/steam/media browser or plex and it is a pretty seamless experience
Strike Creamsicle
I'd love to see the numbers of how many people paid extra for "the hub" just to watch Transformers Prime. I expect, once you account for rabid transformers fans, it was exactly zero.
In a June 2011 debt filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission, Discovery Communications indicated that the channel may be worth less than previously believed, based on low viewership figures.
it was announced on October 7, 2014 that Transformers: Robots in Disguise—a sequel to Transformers: Prime that was originally slated to premiere on Hub Network, would instead premiere on Cartoon Network in early 2015.[28] Hasbro Studios president Stephen Davis felt that Cartoon Network was a more appropriate home for a Transformers series
Source
So yeah, that worked out for them real well.
Strangely, the same page claims that over 72 million people had access to Discovery Family as of August 2013. I'm guessing that number has decreased since then. Or maybe they just decided that a cartoon for kids would work better on the cartoon network, where they could reach a larger potential audience.
That's one way to look at it. The more important way for Hasbro, though, is "we had a bigger potential audience when our shows were on Netflix, now our potential audience is much smaller".
Think of it like this: pretend Hasbro has just cancelled production of all disc-based media of Transformers shows. Prices on the secondhand market skyrocket, to the point where it would cost you hundreds of dollars to watch Transformers Prime. But! You can still go to some random website and watch this show. Not from your TV, of course, or your xbox, or bluray player, or smartphone, or iPad.
Are you going to sit in front of the computer all day to watch this show? Are you going to put your kids in front of the computer all day to watch it? Or are you just going to find something else to watch, something that is more convenient for viewing?
Also, I think we have different definitions of "for free". Pretend you don't have your HTPC. How much would it cost for you to build one, and how much time would it take to configure it the way you want and have it integrate into your entertainment center seamlessly? (Seamlessly is key, because a lot of people won't even bother with a home theater PC if they find out they need to use a wireless keyboard and mouse to do anything with it).
Now, once you've added up all of that time and money, ask yourself: would you do all of that to watch just one show?
I sure wouldn't.
I hope this is just the usual "rights negotiation" nonsense that goes on with these media companies, but if it isn't and someone at Hasbro thought this was a really good idea, they're really shooting themselves in the foot on this one.
Veritas Prime
I'm pretty sure my cousin hasn't finished Prime and I told him about RID 2015 a couple of months ago. Also there goes one of the reasons I want a Netflix account because I haven't watched G1 and BW.
Fenrys
Well that sucks, I know the hasbro channel on roku has a lot more
Galvacron 3
Eh, I have all of Prime on DVD and I couldn't care less about Rescue Bots so I' not broken up over it.
castrobabble
I just checked, Tubi TV only has the 1st season of both Beast Wars and G1.
TCJJ
Well, there goes my plan for LEGALLY watching Rescue Bots later in the year.
I'm really getting sick of this shit happening. It's 2015: they need to stop being so stingy with licenses and figure out how to make this sort of thing viable. Services such as Netflix, Amazon Prime and Hulu Plus all become necessary as they progressively have less and less of the same content, and at that point, they're barely even competing any more. I swear that all the companies out there are just trying to make it as hard as possible for any of us to watch anything legally in any convenient matter.
At this point in time, it just seems like money-grabbing for the sake of it, and tempting a lot of people just to go pirate because it's easier and cheaper. Look, I have zero problem with paying for one of these services (although seriously, screw Hulu Plus with all the Goddamn ads. I get why they still have ads on a paid service, but I don't have to like it), but when I have to pay for ALL of them and STILL not get all the content I want, that's ludicrous.
These companies should be competing on the quality of their services and the experience they provide to customers, not what content they have. Sure, they're always going to have "exclusives" or originals, but having half their damn libraries being different is not competition.
At the end of the day, I just don't think most big companies understand how this stuff works yet. We want it available whenever we want it to be, and we want it now. We should not have to go out and spend hundreds of dollars on DVDs just to watch the entirety of a TV show (Classics Doctor Who, fuck you), nor should our easiest or, sometimes, only option be to pirate this stuff. Okay, you will never eliminate piracy, but there are quite a lot of people that pirate stuff because it's far more convenient and far cheaper (and I'm talking free vs. hundreds of dollars, not free vs. a Netflix subscription or a couple of DVDs) than the legal alternative (if there is one).
SeanTF1967
Also I forgot Netflix was your source, Buy the DVD's and Blu Ray's
Chief Gage
What wwwhhhyyyyy!!!!!!!!!!
Nnnnooooooooooooo!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
SeanTF1967
I bought the DVD's and Blu Ray's but my cousin will be mad, he used to watch G1, BW, Prime and RB on it, he will be mad
EnergonWaffles
I find it much more likely/logical that the contracts of the shows just ran out along with all the other January/February contracts (there are many- most of BBC's ran out too, and more), than any attempt by Hasbro to force people to watch RID15.
This cut involved everything produced by Hasbro, including their non-TF shows. The exceptions are MLP:EG and Predacon's Rising, because those were on a different contract.
SeanTF1967
There is a season 1 boxset coming out in March, if that helps your son, for only $34.50
Rumblestorm
This is why I don't have netflix.
They get rid of all their good shows/ movies and ultimately replace them with something shitty.
Autovolt 127
I knew it was inevitable but damn….Netflix is getting rid of everything.
Fenrys
that may be the case, and you do make valid arguments. However hasbro did exactly the same thing with the hub. Everyone with cable has cartoon network but if you wanted to watch prime you had to pay extra for the hub. Granted this move doesn't affect me since I do run a home theater pc hooked up to my tv, but the content is available for free to watch without a subscription, and more than what netflix ever had. If you choose not to use the venues in which it is available then that is on you not hasbro.
Ravage101
BTW petitions work guys and gals! Save "Doctor Who," Netflix! Petition
'Doctor Who' to remain on Netflix – CNN.com
Might want to start one for all Transformer shows, yes?
Ravage101
^That's correct!
The problem is Netflix has not hired any good negotiators, "DEAL MAKERS".
It's been happening for years.
For example; 24, very successful show…good investment. Hulu still has all seasons and so does Amazon Prime. So what's the problem? Why won't Netflix compete? Simple, Hulu and Amazon have better incentives for licencors.
No one knows where Netflix are hiring these flunky un-motivated negotiators but seriously they all need new people. Removals of good shows make me want to search for a better deal and spend my TV dollars else where.
Doing things that make your customers look at your competition is very bad business, plain and simple.
Strike Creamsicle
Consider the average home entertainment setup. TV, Blu-ray player, maybe a game console. All of these things can be connected to the internet and all of these things have a netflix app.
So people watch things on Netflix, because it is convenient, it's cheap, and you can watch it on literally anything. Game systems, smart TVs, tablets, smartphones, bluray players, whatever. It is EVERYWHERE.
Saying "well it's available on Roku and some other website" is not going to fly with people. Who wants to buy another box to plug in to the TV, or hook their computer up to the TV every time they want to watch a show?
They're seriously just eliminating a huge portion of their potential audience by doing this. I'm a gadget geek and I can't be bothered to buy a Roku and add it to the console stack, and I'm sure not hooking a computer up to the TV and dealing with their crappy website. So what are the people who aren't gadget nerds going to do?
"Oh well, Transformers isn't on netflix anymore. I guess you kids will just have to watch something else."
And they lose more of their audience.