Squid Game: The Challenge may have been controversial—but it was a huge hit for Netflix, and now there’s good news for both the streamer and fans who’d much rather have the real deal than the reality competition spin-off: the smash hit South Korean thriller will finally return this year.
Squid Game: The Challenge may have been controversial—but it was a huge hit for Netflix, and now there’s good news for both the streamer and fans who’d much rather have the real deal than the reality competition spin-off: the smash hit South Korean thriller will finally return this year.
In its Q4 2023 earnings report from earlier today, Netflix announced that starting in Q2 2024, its cheapest ad-free “Basic” plan will be completely gone in Canada and the UK. You haven’t been able to sign up for this tier since last July, but now, even current subscribers will no longer be able to keep their ‘Basic’ plan, which was originally $10 or £7 per month but bumped up to $12 or £8 in October. In other words, you’ll basically be forced into one of the two more expensive ad-free packages (from $16.49 or £11 per month) or the cheaper ad-supported plan ($6 or £5 per month).
It’ll be interesting to see which side the current user base will lean towards when they eventually have to make their decision, but it’s clear that Netflix wants to boost its ad business, rather than relying too much on the constant price hikes — as is the case with the entire streaming market, it seems. After all, the ads plan currently accounts for 40 percent of all Netflix sign-ups in its ads markets, according to the earnings report. We wouldn’t be surprised if the same will be applied to the US before long. “We’re looking to retire our Basic plan in some of our ads countries, starting with Canada and the UK in Q2 and taking it from there,” Netflix added.
The company is also seeing success in gaming, with user engagement in this area tripled in 2023. The Grand Theft Auto trilogy, which only arrived on the platform on December 14, is credited as Netflix’s “most successful launch to date in terms of installs and engagement… with some consumers clearly signing up simply to play these games.” But the firm added that it’s still early days compared to the scale of Netflix’s core streaming business, with no figures significant enough to share just yet. Who knows, maybe we’ll see another leap with the 2024 gaming lineup.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/netflix-is-killing-its-cheapest-ad-free-plan-in-canada-and-the-uk-in-q2-024458235.html?src=rss
BMW has signed a first-of-its-kind deal to put “humanoid” robots to work at one of its factories. The robots, which are designed to be more operationally flexible than traditional industrial robots, will supposedly assist the luxury car manufacturer with various parts of the manufacturing process.
When your landmark film gets a surprise, history-making Oscar nomination, there’s cause for celebration. And that’s exactly what the team behind Godzilla Minus One did earlier today when the film was nominated for Best Visual Effects.
Ever wondered what a masked maniac in the vein of Friday the 13th’s Jason Voorhees does in his downtime—or what it might be like if Terrence Malick made a slasher movie? In a Violent Nature, which just debuted at the Sundance Film Festival and will stream on Shudder, sets out to answer both questions.
When your landmark film gets a surprise, history-making Oscar nomination, there’s cause for celebration. And that’s exactly what the team behind Godzilla Minus One did earlier today when the film was nominated for Best Visual Effects.
BMW has signed a first-of-its-kind deal to put “humanoid” robots to work at one of its factories. The robots, which are designed to be more operationally flexible than traditional industrial robots, will supposedly assist the luxury car manufacturer with various parts of the manufacturing process.
Apple has yet to confirm the existence of the Apple Car, but it appears this thing hit another snag on the way to its big reveal.
Audiences at the time might have been fooled, but 25 year later, everyone knows The Blair Witch Project is a work of fiction. But even without that “true story” gimmick going for it, the movie remains surprisingly potent, both taken on its own and when considered in the context of not just 1999’s other horror…
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