How long is “forever”? When it comes to digital media, eternity could be months away.
Funimation, the Sony-owned anime streaming service, recently announced that subscribers' digital libraries on the platform will no longer be available starting April 2nd. For years, Funimation has told subscribers that they can continue to stream digital copies of the movies and shows they purchase. But to qualify it: “It's permanent, but there are some limitations.”
Funimation's parent company Sony acquired rival anime streaming service Crunchyroll in 2021. Since then, it has been suspected that Sony would somehow integrate the services. This week, Funimation announced that they would be shutting down their app and website on his April 2nd, and that his Funimation account would become his Crunchyroll account. According to Funimation's announcement, a large portion of Funimation's catalog is already on Crunchyroll.
However, in addition to offering video streaming, Funimation also dubbed and released anime as physical media, with DVDs and Blu-rays sometimes containing digital codes. Subscribers to the Funimation streaming service can add these digital codes to Funimation and stream content from the platform.
Funimation claims that customers will have access to these digital copies “forever,” so I can see why someone would think this is a reliable way to access their purchased media. For people who don't have the space, resources, or interest in maintaining a library of physical media, this was a good way to store valuable shows and movies without spending more money. It also provided an easy way to access your purchased media online, for example, if you were traveling and wanted to watch an anime DVD you had purchased.
But soon, people who discard or lose their physical media, or who don't have a way to play DVDs or Blu-rays, will have no way to access the digital copies they were entitled to by purchasing physical copies.
Funimation's announcement reads as follows:
Regarding refunds, Funimation's announcement directs customers to contact their support team to “review options available to you based on your payment method,” but they may not be able to purchase DVDs or items you may not have purchased had you known they were unavailable. There is no mention of refunds for Blu-rays. Don't stream “forever”.
What “eternity” means in the world of streaming
Funimation's support page for digital copies (which, as of this writing, hasn't been updated in four years) states that Funimation's idea of perpetuity includes limitations and a link to Funimation's Terms of Use . Under these Terms, Funimation may “immediately suspend or terminate the availability of all or any part of the Services and/or Content (and any elements or features thereof) for any reason and without prior notice. It is stipulated that it is possible. He also states that Funimation's website, apps, services, and all of its content are owned by Funimation and its partners.
So, of course, even if you thought you were buying a digital copy “forever,” the bitter truth is that you didn't actually own it. But it's surprising to hear that people who rely on digital copies to preserve their purchased media didn't properly understand (or even read) these terms before disposing of their physical copies. Not.
