Amazon Prime users outraged after major change introduced to streaming service
Topics: Amazon, TV And Film, Amazon Prime
Rhiannon Ingle
Featured Image Credit: Amazon/Stefano Madrigali/Getty Images
Topics: Amazon, TV And Film, Amazon Prime
There's nothing better than snuggling up on the sofa after a long day with a plate of piping hot food, a cosy blanket and a whole load of distraction-free binge-watching to look forward to.
However, it seems we may have to say goodbye to that blissful set-up and some Amazon Prime users have been left completely outraged after the introduction of a major change to the streaming service.
Earlier this week (5 February), Amazon Prime Video started rolling out adverts across the United Kingdom for the first time ever and, let's just say, some subscribers are far from happy with the change.
Advert
The new tier system was introduced late last month (29 January) for the US and Canada and now applies to customers in Germany and the UK unless they spend another £2.99 each month to enjoy an ad-free experience.
Amazon has said this will 'allow us to continue investing in compelling content and keep increasing that investment over a long period of time'.
"We aim to have meaningfully fewer ads than linear TV and other streaming TV providers," the streaming giant told customers via email.
Many subscribers have since rushed to X, formerly Twitter, to share their frustrations with one person hitting out: "Gotta applaud Amazon, they take a platform we are already paying for, slap adds on all the content then ask us for more money to get rid of the adds. Monopolies be like..."
A second quipped: "Amazon Prime has ads now unless you pay extra, I think I hate this little lifeeeee."
"Prime Video decided to start putting ads into a service I'm already paying for? Looks like no more watching Prime Video for me," slammed a third.
A fourth chimed in: "Just cancelled mine and left the comment that ads are a deal breaker and that their service is useless with them."
Another Amazon Prime user, who claims to be familiar with the industry, hit out: "Work in the industry and the steaming ad revenue is the new frontier. They’ve created basic cable but you pay them directly.
"This is the 'revolutionary' future of streaming. They are all going to raise prices until the as supported tier makes sense.
"What they don’t understand is that they’ve created an entire generation that WILL NOT WATCH ADS. If that means piracy? Then piracy will become a thing again."
"And I just cancelled. Got a refund for the rest of my year's subscription," revealed a sixth while a final Amazon Prime user echoed: "Sigh, just another reason to break out the eye patch and parrot.
"When I ditched Netflix, I thought I would regret it. Won't regret this one either."
What do you make of the change?