During its heyday, Popcorn-Time.to had millions of active users, but these and other forks have lost their luster. The hacking tool that once had Netflix CEO Reed Hastings worried decided to shut down. The team informs TorrentFreak that lack of use is the main reason behind this decision, which is likely the result of competition from other pirated tools.
When the original Popcorn Time app was released eight years ago, we billed it as "Netflix for pirates. "
The software offered a clean, easy-to-use interface for streaming pirated movies and TV shows, all powered by BitTorrent.
Rivaling Hollywood and Netflix
In the years that followed, Popcorn Time had to endure many legal threats, mainly from Hollywood. The original developers were quick to throw in the towel but the open source code was copied widely with Popcorn-Time.to emerging as one of the leading forks.
During those early years, millions of people used the software. This was a major concern for Hollywood and Netflix also became concerned when Google searches for Popcorn Time began to rival Netflix's in some regions.
"Piracy remains one of our biggest competitors," said Netflix CEO Reed Hastings. commented in 2015, specifically mentioning the growing popularity of Popcorn Time.
This triggered a wave of enforcement actions, including a demand in the US, addressed to the alleged operator of Popcorn-Time.to (later .tw). That case was ultimately thrown out after the film companies realized they had identified the wrong person. In the end, the fork remained in line.
Popcorn-Time.tw closes
Despite weathering multiple storms, the curtain finally fell for Popcorn-Time.tw this week, but legal troubles played no role.
Speaking to TorrentFreak, the Popcorn Time team says that dwindling interest from the pirate public led them to make this drastic decision.
"It's time to say goodbye," notes the Popcorn Time team. "The world no longer needs Popcorn Time."
This decline in popularity is largely the result of competition from other pirated tools that rendered the software virtually obsolete. Pirate streaming sites and dedicated streaming boxes have grown in popularity over the years, effectively taking on the role of "Netflix for pirates."
The alternatives take over
The change in preferences also had a clear impact on the Popcorn Time usage figures. A few years ago, millions of people regularly used the software, but most of those people switched to more convenient alternatives.
This evolution is also summarized in a Google Trends graph published by Popcorn Time as part of its farewell message. Interest in the app continues to wane, and the days when it rivaled Netflix in some regions they are long gone.
Popcorn Time's demise doesn't mean Netflix has successfully beaten online piracy, of course. Pirate streaming sites and devices remain a huge challenge, and Netflix content continues to be widely pirated on regular torrent sites as well.
Also, hackers who really insist on using Popcorn Time can probably still find a working fork somewhere. The official repository for Popcorn Time on GitHub remains online, even though the associated PopcornTime.app domain has been offline for almost a year.
