Netflix killing off its DVD-by-mail service after 25 years - going exclusive to streaming in September 2023

[Wadmodder Shalton]

Alot of us remember the time in the Era before streaming, there was video stores and with it video rental.  Among our memories of our childhoods include the likes of Blockbuster and Hollywood Video/Movie Gallery, where we would rent out the latest VHS tapes, DVDs, Blu-ray discs and video games. Aside from the usual brick and morter stores there was also DVD-by-mail from the likes of Netflix, the now biggest video streaming streaming service.

 

Now for this year for the latter company, Netflix is planning to kill off its DVD-by-mail service after 25 years of service, becoming a video streaming only service after September 2023. This makes Redbox the only DVD rental service still operating in North America, besides "The Last Blockbuster" in Oregon.

 

Given that most of us now use streaming to watch our favorite TV shows and movies, few of us care about or collect VHS tapes, DVDs or Blu-ray discs unless it's for the extras not available on streaming, if any TV show or movie isn't available on streaming services, or if any TV show or movie was only released/issued on analog home video formats (VHS, BetaMax, CED and LaserDisc) and never released/reissued on digital home video formats (VCD, DVD, HD DVD and Blu-ray).

 

What are your opinions on this topic? Feel free to provide comments on this thread.

[Ludi]

This will surely be a tragedy for the 15 residents of Wyoming.

[noob_killer012345678]

 

[dasho]

Ok, but the cool thing about downloading backups of movies and shows that I definitely legally own is that my kids can't scratch them.

[vyruss]

what the hell is a dvd

[Biodegradable]

I guess we can congratulate Netflix for finally cancelling something that WON'T result in pissing people off.

[Wyrmwood]

I'd switched to streaming years ago and wasn't actually aware this was still a thing. That said there were advantages, many older titles are not on the regular steaming cycle, so if I fancy watching Lost Boys or Army of Darkness my only option now is to buy from Prime or something. Same deal with older TV shows, boxsets were available on LoveFilm that don't stream on Netflix. Pretty sure we don't even have a blu-ray/DVD player set up right now though, my girlfriend scrimped on her X-box and bought the digital download only version and my current PC doesn't have a disc-drive either.

Edited April 20, 2023 by Wyrmwood

[Artman2004]

Wait, people STILL used it?

[Spooner5020]

I still buy DVD’s and Blu rays. I don’t trust streaming not to edit the movies.

[xavrua]

I'll be honest... I thought they stopped that service years ago lol. Now the better question... what will those loyal customers of 25 years get in return?

 

[Graf Zahl]

I never used streaming. If there was one service to have all content I might reconsider, but seeing each studio having their own service, the monthly costs make it all very unattractive.

I still buy BluRays when I like a movie and know I'd rewatch it

[Mr. Alexander]

DVDs and Blu-Rays are good, and I often get them at the library. I haven't used the Netflix DVD service in a long time, but I'm sorry to see it go, because its selection was pretty good even as recently as a few years ago. Physical media have their problems, like scratches on the disc or the artifacted black spaces of particularly old DVDs, but if you have one, it can't be pulled away from you because the server space it takes up can't be justified by some distant bean-counter, so if I can get a TV show or a movie on DVD, I make sure to do so.

[xavrua]

1 hour ago, Spooner5020 said:

I still buy DVD’s and Blu rays. I don’t trust streaming not to edit the movies.

 

I agree with this, they can remove movies that is on their streaming service as well which Netflix does extremely often. Collecting Blu-rays is a nice hobby to have - AND you can watch it whenever you want without worrying if its gonna be available in a few months down the line.

[Mr Masker]

They ran out of things to cancel, so now they're just digging through the stuff they forgot to cancel.

 

Rest in peace Netflix mail service, I forgot you existed for like... a year maybe.

[MS-06FZ Zaku II Kai]

Yeah a lot of you who are cheering it and/or are otherwise indiferent to it should feel the burn like I have, when Netflix without warning pulled down DEATHNOTE anime while I was IN THE FUCKING MIDDLE OF WATCHING IT, GOD DAMN YOU, YOU FUCKING COCKSUCKERS!!!!!!!!!!

 

 

 

Ehhm, sorry got a little carried away.

[Wyrmwood]

Got to wonder, where are all the disc's going? Bulldozed into a land-fill probably, what a waste.

[dasho]

20 minutes ago, Wyrmwood said:

Got to wonder, where are all the disc's going? Bulldozed into a land-fill probably, what a waste.

 

Thrift stores, if VHS is anything to go by.

[Amiga Angel]

I still buy DVDs and Bluerays and also watch streaming services

[Wyrmwood]

9 minutes ago, dasho said:

 

Thrift stores, if VHS is anything to go by.

 

Donated to libraries would of been better I think, but at least thrift stores are better than dumping. I know how wasteful big corporations can be.

[Biodegradable]

9 hours ago, Wyrmwood said:

Donated to libraries would of been better I think, but at least thrift stores are better than dumping. I know how wasteful big corporations can be.

 

And unlike VHS tapes, they're more likely to be actually bought from said thrift stores since DVDs aren't obsolete yet.

[Murdoch]

I am honestly surprised it was still going.

[Wadmodder Shalton]

On 4/20/2023 at 8:41 AM, Spooner5020 said:

I still buy DVD’s and Blu rays. I don’t trust streaming not to edit the movies.

Yeah, I agree, streaming services are trying to use digital technology to edit certain details of movies to modernize the classics; looking at you Disney+

 

Most of us would prefer seeing the original cuts as shown in theaters, rather than a butchered extended version; looking at you George Lucas.

[Rudolph]

I am surprised the DVD-by-mail service was still active up until now. Were there still many users?