In October, the streaming service formerly known as Starzplay announced grand plans to expand its availability in partnership with Sky across Europe.
The service was rolled out on Sky Q and Sky’s IPTV-based devices (Stream & Glass) in the UK and Ireland on the 25th October. It was due to continue its rollout on Sky’s devices in Germany and Italy by the end of the year.
But on Thursday, the streamer confirmed that it would be closing its service across much of Europe, performing a U-turn on its pending rollout on Sky’s devices beyond the UK and Ireland.
The U-turn followed the announcement that the company had reported an operating loss of $1.75 billion.
The good news is that there’s no change for current or potential subscribers in the UK and Ireland, and the app will remain available on Sky’s devices. The current subscription rate is £5.99 a month in the UK and a cheaper €4.99 in the Republic of Ireland.
Following the imminent closure of Lionsgate+ in France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Benelux and Scandinavia, the UK and Ireland will remain the only part of Europe that still has access to the service.
The abrupt move does however indicate that the tide may now be turning on streaming services. The splintering of the market has meant it has become increasingly expensive for households if they want to access a range of content from multiple providers. Last week, Netflix responded by launching a cheaper ad-supported option.