Today, after months of rumors, Amazon made it official that they are shutting down Freevee, the ad-supported streaming service, and it will be phased out over the coming weeks. The platform, known for originals like Jury Duty, Bosch: Legacy, and Judy Justice, will see its content fully integrated into Prime Video.
This was officially confirmed to Deadline. It also comes as reports came up earlier this year that Amazon was looking to shut down Freevee only so that Amazon could deny them at the time.
This move comes as little surprise following Amazon’s introduction of ads to Prime Video earlier this year, blurring the lines between the two services. While Freevee offered a completely free experience, Prime Video now provides a hybrid model with both free, ad-supported content and premium subscription offerings.
No layoffs are expected as a result of this consolidation. Freevee’s content and business teams were previously integrated into Amazon MGM Studios and Prime Video, respectively.
What does this mean for viewers?
- Free content remains: All Freevee content, including original series, licensed movies, and FAST channels, will remain accessible on Prime Video for free.
- “Watch for Free” designation: Content previously labeled as Freevee will now be identified as “Watch for Free” on Prime Video.
- Simplified experience: Amazon aims to streamline the viewing experience by consolidating all content under the Prime Video umbrella.
An Amazon spokesperson stated, “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…”
The end of an era?
Freevee, originally launched as Freedive in 2019, underwent several rebrands before landing on its current name. It gained recognition for its original programming, with Jury Duty notably earning four Emmy nominations.
While Amazon hasn’t released specific viewership data, they reported a tripling of Freevee’s monthly active users between 2020 and 2022.
This consolidation marks a significant shift in Amazon’s streaming strategy, solidifying Prime Video as a central hub for both free and paid content. It remains to be seen how this will impact the company’s advertising business and overall viewership.