PlayStation Vue shutting down January 30

What was once the best streaming service is no more. Sony has announced that it will shut down PlayStation Vue on January 30, 2020, leaving its customers wondering where they’ll be able to get the same superior streaming quality.

In a crowded space with so many options to choose from, many consumers stayed loyal to PlayStation Vue because of its extensive offering of channels (more than any other streaming service) and great features such as Multiview and excellent DVR.

Not surprisingly, Sony didn’t take any of the blame for the failure of PlayStation Vue. According to the company, “Unfortunately, the highly competitive Pay TV industry, with expensive content and network deals, has been slower to change than we expected. Because of this, we have decided to remain focused on our core gaming business.”

However, despite five years of complaints from customers and the industry, Sony failed to fix the number one issue that prevented PlayStation Vue from becoming a more popular streaming service — its name. Instead of renaming the service Sony Vue or something similar, Sony stubbornly decided to keep the PlayStation Vue name even though it confused the public because so many people thought you needed a PlayStation video game system to use the service.

At the end of the day, it’s a shame that PlayStation Vue failed because of poor marketing by Sony, not because of the service itself.

The question is where PlayStation Vue subscribers will turn to next. With so many options available, here are several recommendations (many of which include free trials so former Vue customers can kick the tires):

1) fuboTV. With more than 100 channels and an excellent cloud DVR, fuboTV is the next best thing to PlayStation Vue. While no streaming service is perfect (PlayStation Vue subscribers had their frustrations with their service, too), the only major channel missing from fuboTV is ESPN — however fuboTV does have Univision and TUDN, which other streaming services do not. Overall, fuboTV offers a wide range of channels and a slick and reliable user interface. Free 7-day trial.

2) Hulu + Live TV. Hulu With Live TV couples the live TV offerings with Hulu’s existing library of television series and films for a different type of streaming service. Free trial.

3) Sling TV. Sling TV from DISH prides itself on trying to be the most cost-effective streaming solution available to a general audience. While that goal is lofty, it means that the selection of channels can sometimes become wanting (several major ones are missing). However, there are so many different options and packages available that you may find Sling TV could be a great fit for you. Free 7-day trial.

4) AT&T TV Now. After renaming DIRECTV NOW to AT&T TV Now, the main benefit of the service is the sheer number of channels available in a long list of different packages that are available to suit your need. Although the service is more expensive than others, you get what you pay for with almost every channel imaginable. Free 7-day trial.

5) YouTube TV. With no beIN SPORTS available, YouTube TV isn’t ideal for soccer fans, but it is enticing for consumers looking for entertainment and news options with its 70+ channels. Free trial.