Customers feel cheated: Amazon Prime Video is removing popular functions without notice – despite an additional charge

• In February, Amazon made Watch Parties only available to customers with ad-free subscriptions.
• Only a short time later, the function has now completely disappeared from the streaming service.
• Many fans are angry because the function justified the ad-free subscription in the first place.

If you have subscribed to Amazon Prime Video, you have had to prove your nerves lately. First, Amazon introduced advertising breaks for Prime Video, then annoyed customers with the high price for the ad-free subscription and now they are taking away one of the functions for which many of them took out the new subscription in the first place.

But from the beginning. As with Netflix and other streaming services, you have previously been able to organize watch parties on Amazon Prime Video. This function was available to all subscribers until February 2024, after all there was only one subscription.

However, then Amazon introduced commercial breaks during streams. Since then, in addition to the normal subscription for 8.99 euros per month (or 89.99 euros annually), you have to pay an extra 2.99 euros per month if you want a subscription without advertising. With this change, the Watch Party function also became only available to customers with an ad-free subscription. Since the beginning of April, the function has also disappeared for these subscribers.

Amazon cancels watch parties without prior information

This is not only shown by numerous complaints from Prime Video customers in the provider’s help forum, Amazon has also now admitted that the function has been permanently removed:

Please note that the option to create a Prime Video Watch Party is no longer available.

Amazon

In Amazon’s help forum, customers give vent to their dissatisfaction. According to their own statements, many paid the additional costs for the ad-free subscription mainly or even solely because of the Watch Party function. Additionally, there was apparently no warning from Amazon that the feature would disappear. Some are now demanding an explanation from Amazon, some want their money back.

Not Amazon’s first unannounced change

In the past, Amazon Prime Video customers have only been sparsely informed about serious changes. This also includes the audio and image quality restrictions for Prime Video subscription users, which have been in effect since February 2024 and which Amazon only commented on afterwards.

Streaming services in the test: Netflix, Disney+, Amazon and Co. in comparison

If you can’t do without watch parties while streaming, you might now consider canceling your subscription and subscribing to another streaming service that still allows watch parties.

If you don’t know what watch parties are: They are the opportunity to watch series and films over the Internet in a live stream with other people who have also subscribed to the service.

Other providers also annoy customers

A look at streaming competitor Netflix shows that it’s not just Amazon Prime that is currently testing how far it can push its customers. Drastic changes were made there too without much warning. After a price increase, you now pay a proud 20 euros for Netflix.

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