Prime Time Gets a Commercial Break: Ads Arrive on Prime Video in January

Brace yourself, movie marathoner! Starting January 29th, your Prime Video watchlists will be peppered with “limited advertisements.” Yes, you read that right, Amzon is bringing commercials to its streaming platform in pursuit of “continued investment in compelling content.”

Now, before you reach for the fast-forward button, here’s the breakdown:

–Ads creep in on January 29th: Buckle up for commercial breaks during your favorite TV shows and movies. Live sports? Those already have ads, so no change there.

–More content, less commercials: Amzon promises “meaningfully fewer ads” than traditional TV, but how much fewer remains to be seen.

–Your Prime stays the same: No action needed, and your regular Prime membership won’t change price.

–Want ad-free bliss? Pay up: A new ad-free option arrives alongside the commercials, for an extra $2.99 per month. That bumps your yearly Prime cost from $14.99 to $17.98, which might leave some viewers saying, “Alexa, cancel my popcorn order.”

CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR AD-FREE STREAMING.

This change has sparked mixed reactions. Some welcome the potential for even more premium content, while others lament the intrusion of commercials into their streaming haven. Ultimately, whether you embrace the ad break or stick to the ad-free path, one thing is certain: Prime Time is about to get a lot more interesting.

The Best Movies and TV Shows on Prime Video Right Now
Right now, Prime Video has several holiday titles available, as well as suspenseful action titles like Reacher and dramatic comedies like Saltburn. Here is a list of the top titles that are currently available:

Reacher
Candy Cane Road
Saltburn
The Sound of Liberty
Merry Christmas, Batman!
Night of Violence
The Kranks’ Christmas
It’s a Wonderful Life (film)
Scrooged
2nd Your Christmas or Mine