Viewster Announce Premium Service

IncendiaryLemon

Captain Karen
Viewster Inc., the worldwide video streaming service Viewster's new Los Angeles-based subsidiary, told ANN on Wednesday that it is launching a multi-faceted subscription service called OMAKASE.

Part of the service will be ad-free HD video, including both anime simulcasts and more obscure titles. Shows Viewster already streams will become available in HD for subscribers, while the new additions will usually also be available for free SD streaming with ads.

http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/20 ... ase/.90730

Sounds like it's going to work similar to how Crunchyroll works now.
 
I'm curious. Is this service US exclusive or worldwide? It's pretty confusing considering the article has referenced the US branch rather than the European one.
 
Ad-free HD video. That's more like it. Now Viewster has finally got my attention. Now to wait and see on prices, UK availability etc.
 
NormanicGrav said:
I'm curious. Is this service US exclusive or worldwide? It's pretty confusing considering the article has referenced the US branch rather than the European one.

That's true but it later on mentions their partnership with Anime Ltd and their European streams. What's also odd is the addition of a bimonthly merchandise box. I hope they do a payment plan without that as I'm not sure I'd want to pay however much they probably expect you to pay for it. For me to sub to this service, I'd want a major focus on back catalogue. Crunchyroll already get two thirds of the currently airing shows and I find it quite rare I want to watch a currently broadcasting show CR doesn't already have so if they get a good back catalogue of older shows, something CR lacks, I'd be interested.
 
Weird, this sounded like what they were planning to announce at Otakon, so I'm wondering if ANN have accidentally broken a hold clause or something, and they did make it sound on twitter like whatever they announced at Otakon would be US-only. But it's possible by "US' gift" they were literally referring to the beta boxes.


Also, "third area of content" presumably means manga, unless anybody can think of anything else?
 
Buzz201 said:
Weird, this sounded like what they were planning to announce at Otakon, so I'm wondering if ANN have accidentally broken a hold clause or somethin

Yeah, I believe that was the case as during a discussion about their new premium service they asked me if I was attending Otakon...

Either way, I will definitely be subscribing to them, especially if they keep up this pace of adding titles to their cataloge!
 
Definitely interested in this at the minute but it really will depend on the price.

Already paying for a hefty Crunchyroll sub and Viewster really don't end up with a lot of shows I'm dying to see each season as either the ones they do get Crunchyroll also has, or I'm not fussed enough about to not just outright pass on watching them. (Probably a mistake in some cases seeing how good Blood Blockade Battlefront has proven to be!). Relying on a decent back-catalogue probably wouldn't sell it to me either considering a lot of older shows that are any good I've already seen. I'm hoping a PS3/4 app turns up at some point soon as well as that's one thing pushing me away from them atm.

I am fairly interested in the boxes they're talking about giving away every couple of months, but I bet that's US only...
 
An update on the Omakase service, Viewster have announced that users can sign up to the service (as long as you have a user account, which is free and quick to sort out) and could also win a prize (special goodies for celebrating the Omakase service) if you manage to spread the word out.

More details on that here.

Terms & Conditions include:
- Accessibility is restricted to United Kingdom, United States and Canada
- Require a Viewster account, it's free to sign up.
- The Prize's closeout date is TBA but users will be notified in a week's time once closed.
 
I think the inherent flaw is Anime is so vast that you're very likely to end up with a bunch of merch from a show you've never seen, making it pretty pointless.
 
I really hope it's not the only way this platform is going to go. It's bad enough when the BR Market gets stuffed with feelies when I just want to watch the damn cartoon I don't need it happening with VOD.
 
Perhaps the fact that their blurb about it says 'selective merchandise', that you can select what shows etc you like and/or dislike?
 
Like I Said, I'd rather the cost not be inflated by some Lootcrate medoes with me having to junk the five million POP figgures it'll no doubt stuff in there.
 
Do people actually enjoy loot crates? The whole concept has always just seemed like a goofy marketing gimmick to me - surely even he most open-minded, wide-ranging in tastes 'nerd' type would find most of the stuff in them generic tat they had no lasting use for?
 
Yeah, it always seemed kind of weird to me. Like you could either spend the £15 odd a month on a box of random crap full of junk you probably will use once or twice for novelty's sake or just not use at all and throw away or you could spend it on something you actually care about and want to own. The only thing I like about Lootcrates and the like from what I've seen from Ashen's unboxing them on Youtube are the T-Shirts. A lot of them look nice and are exclusive to the service. Then again, you're still gambling your money essentially, you might get a T-Shirt that you don't like or don't get.
 
I'm curious to see how many people have managed to reach 20 sign-ups for this whole Omakase service. It's pretty tough, I got 350 clicks but only 11 have signed up. I wouldn't call it a flaw but it's quite unfair for some. Heck I would have had a better chance if the links were working properly when it first started, I guess first come first serve is the key to these kinds of competitions.
 
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