The days of free video are over at Hulu.
The streaming service, home to both broadcast network series like Scandal and Brooklyn Nine-Nine and original series like The Path and Casual, is eliminating its free offering and going full-time subscription, this according to Variety. The company plans to wind down the no cost version in the weeks ahead.
“As we have continued to enhance that offering with new originals, exclusive acquisitions, and movies, the free service became very limited and no longer aligned with the Hulu experience or content strategy,” Hulu senior VP Ben Smith said in a statement.
This shift shouldn”t come as a huge surprise considering how few titles were available on Hulu without a subscription. Furthermore, the free version wasn”t available on services like Roku or on mobile platforms.
Hulu currently offers two pricing packages – $7.99/month with limited commercials and $11.99/month for the commercial-free option. This pricing is in the same general range as rival Netflix which charges anywhere between $7.99/month and $11.99/month depending on the service.
Hulu will be undergoing a series of changes in the months ahead. In 2017, they plan to roll out live streaming of major cable stations including CNN, TNT, Fox News and others. The pricing, full channel list and timing has not yet been announced.