Three weeks ago, Netflix announced that they'd be spinning-off their business into two separate entities. Online streaming would stay under the Netflix brand, while a new service, Qwikster, would handle the DVD-by-mail options. As part of the split, Qwikster would offer video game, putting the rental giant in direct competition with GameFly for the first time.
After a marked decline in share price (and a sharp rise in followers for one lucky Twitter account), the company has now decided to abandon the split. CEO Reed Hastings made the announcement via the company's blog, citing consumer response as the chief reason for the change of heart.
"It is clear that for many of our members two websites would make things more difficult, so we are going to keep Netflix as one place to go for streaming and DVDs," Hastings wrote. "This means no change: one website, one account, one password… in other words, no Qwikster."
Unfortunately, the most anticipated feature of Qwikster, video game rentals, might wind up dying alongside the terrible idea it was tethered to. A Netflix spokesperson told the New York Times that the fate of the service is still "to be determined."
