News: Fandango Updates Customers On VUDU Acquisition, Says Almost Nothing

In April, we reported that Fandango had acquired VUDU, that there would be minimal impact on VUDU customers, and that "the future will bring more new features, offerings, and other benefits as we join the Fandango family."  Today, VUDU sent an update to VUDU customers reassuring them that there would be little impact, but saying almost nothing additional.  

The update stated that: 

Vudu has joined the Fandango family

Hi Vudu customers,

A couple months ago, we shared that Vudu had entered into an agreement to be acquired by Fandango, the ultimate digital network for all things movies & TV. We are excited to let you know that Vudu is now part of the Fandango family. Rest assured that your movie & TV library is safe, and you continue to have access to all your Vudu apps across your favorite devices.

Along with uninterrupted use of your Vudu account, we will be bringing you new features and offerings to enjoy in the months ahead. Together, we are committed to connecting you with moving entertainment experiences, whether they are in a movie theater with a Fandango movie ticket or in the comfort of your own home on Vudu.

If you have any further questions, you can reference our Frequently Asked Questions here. Thank you for being part of Vudu. We look forward to continuing to bring you the best in movies and TV.

For those who reside in Massachusetts, Michigan, Connecticut, Maryland or Delaware, you may request not to transfer some of your account information to Fandango for continued operation of the Vudu service. In that case, Vudu will no longer be able to continue to provide you with its services. If you wish to not move forward with the transfer, please send the email address associated with your current Vudu account to support@vudu.com, and we will follow up to confirm your choice and provide additional details.

Sincerely,

Vudu team

It also pointed to a FAQ that looked exactly the same as the one in April.  It said that the VUDU app will still work, that VUDU purchases would remain accessible, and that although there will be no immediate change in the two entities, it implies that at some point they will be merged.

Personally, I don't love this as more digital movie distributors usually meant better deals on various sites.  Vudu frequently has sales on movies and FandangoNOW has their own $5 sales.  If you find Movies Anywhere movies from either, then the movies would go across services so where you bought it from didn't matter.  And having more distributors meant more opportunities for the movies you liked going on sale.  This could also be bad if the new Vudu/FandangoNOW entity decides to cut off app support for Vudu, since Vudu's app is widely available and works well.  FandangoNOW has no native app on Apple TV, so losing Vudu would mean fewer native ways to watch content.

Only time will tell what this means for the movie going public.  Pleas post your own thoughts below!  We'd love to hear what you think!