Crackle, the free ad-supported streaming service, has a history that stretches back to the early days of online video. It was one of the first cord cutting services and now it has shut down. Here is brief history of Crackle and what happened.
Early Days as Grouper (2004–2006)
Crackle’s origins lie in Grouper, a company founded in 2004 that focused on peer-to-peer file sharing, instant messaging, and multimedia streaming. This was a time when online video was in its infancy, and platforms like YouTube were just beginning to emerge. Grouper aimed to provide a platform for users to share and discover content, tapping into the growing interest in online video.
Sony Takes Over and Rebrands (2006–2018)
In 2006, Sony Pictures Entertainment acquired Grouper for $65 million, recognizing the potential of online video distribution. A year later, Grouper was rebranded as Crackle, shifting its focus to become a multiplatform video entertainment network and studio.
Under Sony’s ownership, Crackle established itself as a free, ad-supported streaming service, offering a library of movies and TV shows. This was a novel concept at the time, as most online video platforms were primarily user-generated content. Crackle differentiated itself by providing access to Hollywood productions but with commercials.
Expansion and Evolution (2011–2019)
Crackle expanded its reach by launching apps on various devices, including Bravia TVs, PlayStation 3, Roku boxes, and Sony Blu-ray players. It also partnered with Xbox Live to bring its content to the Xbox 360.
Sony invested heavily in the service even with original content like Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee.
In 2018, the service was renamed Sony Crackle, further aligning it with its parent company. However, just a year later, Sony sold a majority stake in Crackle to Chicken Soup for the Soul Entertainment, and the name reverted to Crackle.
Crackle Today
This week Chicken Soup for the Soul Entertainment shut down Crackle—or more accurately just let it stop working. The site is still there, but nothing plays as the company is going through bankruptcy with plans to shut down. This comes as its parent company has run out of money after a huge amount of debt related to its purchase of Redbox.
This soft, almost quiet, end to one of the groundbreaking services that helped launch cord cutting is a sad end for what was once one of the best known cord cutting services out there.