The FandangoNOW and Vudu services have now merged. In addition, Roku device owners will need to be aware that FandangoNOW has been replaced with Vudu on their devices, with the latter now taking on the role of the main online store for video rentals and purchases. This is the result of a previous acquisition deal and highlights Fandango’s intention to push forward with Vudu over its own-branded FandangoNOW service.
At a time when a number of deals were being done for various streaming services back in 2020, Fandango purchased Vudu from Walmart. At the same time, Fandango already had its own FandangoNOW service. Unlike its traditional movie ticket service, FandangoNOW was specifically designed to make it easier to rent and buy movies online.
Considering the overlap between FandangoNOW and Vudu, it has now been confirmed that the two services are becoming one. The outcome is what is now being referred to as the ‘new Vudu’ with the announcement stating consumers can expect “a bigger, better on-demand entertainment platform” that’s loaded with the option to stream titles for free, as well as the ability to rent or buy from a video catalog that includes more than 200,000 movies and TV shows.
As part of the same merger, the change will also see FandangoNOW being replaced by Vudu as the official store on Roku devices. This Roku-specific change takes effect today with the FandangoNOW app expected to be updated and changed to the new Vudu experience in the process. Roku device owners should not need to do anything, as the app is expected to automatically update in the coming hours or days.
For those that have built up a purchased movie collection over time with FandangoNOW, they do have the option of transferring their account, along with their entire video collection, over to Vudu. From that point on, they will then be able to access all of their purchased movies and TV shows via Vudu.
In reality, this is likely to be a better option for consumers overall. Whether typically accessing FandangoNOW directly, or indirectly on a Roku device, the newly combined service is expected to offer a richer experience and will allow consumers to access their FandangoNOW and Vudu purchases in the one location. Not to mention, the new Vudu should be as readily available on devices, if not more widely available.
Source: Vudu
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