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Sony Pulls Plug On PlayStation Vue Streaming Service Amidst Fierce Competition

Subscribers of Sony’s PlayStation Vue now have up to January 30, 2020 to enjoy the last few months of live-streaming TV content, as the service is headed towards a shutdown.

Following repeatedly failed attempts to offset its rising costs, Sony has made the decision to pull the plug on the Vue, citing competition. “Unfortunately, the highly-competitive Pay TV industry, with expensive content and network deals, has been slower to change than we expected. Because of this, we have decided to remain focused on our core gaming business,” the team said in a blog post announcement.

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“PlayStation fans can continue to access movie and TV content through the PlayStation Store on PS4 and via our partnerships with top entertainment apps,” the Japanese giant added.

Having made its debut back in 2015, during the early days of the pay-TV era, Vue never quite caught on with TV fans. Like most of its competitors then, the service came with a skinny bundle of channels in tow, and offered subscribers additional premium options, such as sports and entertainment, in exchange for a higher monthly subscription fee. With its exorbitant US$50 entry-level plan, however, the Vue tanked greatly in the market.

The rise of online streaming platforms like Netflix, Hulu, and HBO has also increased the competition field, especially with cheaper packages, original productions, and greater show variety. HBO, for instance, is set to usher in their newly-announced HBO Max service in May 2020, which will include Game of Thrones prequel House of the Dragon and an all-new original Green Lantern series.

Coupled with the likes of Disney+ and Apple TV+, the age of streaming is bound to continue thriving as the cable TV model slowly fades out of the picture – the PlayStation Vue just so happens to be the latest victim.