Warners Bros. Discovery has not been having a great time recently, and is going through a wave of increasingly desperate cost-cutting initiatives because of it. Several of those movements have felt particularly targeted at the studio’s animated offerings, from its inability to release finished films, to selling off its current, past, and would-be successes to other streamers. But now its latest indignity comes at the cost of Cartoon Network’s online presence.
Variety reports that week Warner completely wiped the Cartoon Network website–previously home to an archive of clips and full episodes of a wide variety of animated series, including the likes of Steven Universe, Teen Titans Go!, We Bare Bears, Adventure Time, and other past and present CN series–leaving nothing and redirecting visitors to a message encouraging them to instead sign up for Max.
“Looking for episodes of your favorite Cartoon Network shows? Check out what’s available to stream on Max (subscription required),” the message on the redirect page reads. “Sign up for Max, where you can also create a Kids Profile with ratings restrictions and additional privacy protections to keep it fun and kid-friendly! Cable subscribers, continue to enjoy your favorite CN programming on your TV and connected apps as well!”
As well as removing free access to series, the Cartoon Network website also hosted years of beloved flash games relating to its shows. While many have been erased over the years through various site redesigns–and archived elsewhere for nostalgic fans–at least some of the current archives are still accessible via international versions of the Cartoon Network website in regions where Max is currently unavailable.
The news comes after Warner recently announced plans to shutter its dedicated streaming service for classic animation, Boomerang. Last week, the studio confirmed that Boomerang would cease operations on September 30, moving its library and subscribers to Max on an ad-free tier.
Want more io9 news? Check out when to expect the latest Marvel, Star Wars, and Star Trek releases, what’s next for the DC Universe on film and TV, and everything you need to know about the future of Doctor Who.
cartoon networkDavid ZaslavMaxStreamingWarner Bros.
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