Watch together going away in app

[Mircoxi]

I don’t understand why this is being removed. I haven’t used the beta app, but as a developer myself, the overhead for this feature seems incredibly minimal.

Streaming was done from the server host, and doesn’t seem to go through Plex’s servers at all, so it wasn’t a cost to them. Presumably, the remote play feature isn’t going anywhere, which means the only additional layer needed to keep Watch Together is a websocket wrapper that can communicate play/pause/seek actions bi-directionally. That’s the kind of thing that can be whipped up in, quite literally, a single day in pretty much every programming language - and I’m expecting this to basically be JavaScript anyway like every other needless rewrite these days, which has support baked in and probably can be done in less than 100 lines of code total.

There’s legitimately no reason to be removing this unless there’s legal factors they’re not telling us about, in which case they should just up and say “[company name] threatened to sue us over it” rather than the corpobollockspeak they gave us.

[zNocturnyx]

I’m really disappointed to see W2G being removed. It was the main reason I chose Plex in the first place. I hope they reconsider this decision.

[SeekingAdvice]

There’s no reason to think a week is a germane period at all. If you paid with a credit card, it costs you nothing and exposes you to no risk to do a chargeback. The worst case scenario is your card company declines the chargeback.

[ApoY2k]

Update from my support ticket: Refund on Plex Lifetime Pass was initiated for me “as a special exception”.

[LoreleiAurora]

Below is the email I sent to Keith. this has always been by far the most important plex feature for me.

Dear Keith,

I am writing with a heavy heart upon learning that Plex is discontinuing the “Watch Together” feature. For those of us in long-distance relationships, this feature has been nothing short of a lifeline—a portal to shared experiences and a reminder that even when miles apart, we can still enjoy the magic of cinema together.

Much like the timeless connection seen in Casablanca, where love and sacrifice intertwined against all odds, our shared movie nights have allowed us to create our own classic moments. Whether we’re laughing like we did during the irreverent banter in Pulp Fiction, or getting lost in the dream-like sequences of Inception, every screening has been a reminder that cinema can unite us in ways that are both profound and entertaining.

The removal of this feature feels like losing the iconic duo from Thelma & Louise—an essential partnership that made the journey worthwhile. It is reminiscent of watching The Shawshank Redemption without the camaraderie of friends, or experiencing Back to the Future without the thrill of sharing the adventure. For many users, “Watch Together” has been as vital as the unforgettable scene in Forrest Gump when he declares, “Life is like a box of chocolates.” It reminds us that life, much like our movie nights, is unpredictable and best enjoyed with someone by your side.

Plex has always been a beacon for movie lovers—a place where innovation and community converge to create unforgettable experiences. This decision to retire a feature that bridges distances is not just a technical update; it’s a narrative twist that leaves many of us feeling like we’re missing out on our own personal cinematic masterpiece. In the same way that The Godfather series taught us about loyalty and legacy, we believed that Plex was committed to fostering a loyal community through shared moments of storytelling.

I understand that business decisions are complex, yet I urge you to reconsider or at least offer an alternative solution that can preserve the spirit of togetherness that “Watch Together” has fostered. Let’s not turn our collective movie nights into solitary viewings akin to Cast Away. Instead, let’s work together to ensure that Plex remains a platform where every film, every show, and every scene continues to bring us closer, rather than pushing us apart.

Thank you for taking the time to consider my feedback. I remain a dedicated user and a fervent believer in the power of cinema to unite hearts, regardless of the physical distance between them.

Peace, Love, & Pogo Sticks
Lorelei xXx

[edjo76]

Oh boy, I am sure excited to have more ADS instead of useful features! I’m so glad something people used every day was removed and social features prioritized! It really gives me a feeling that the people making these decisions have their users best interests at heart, and will surely continue to do so for years to come, and surely no one will have any reason to look at any competing services!

[Calis811]

This is the main reason I use plex. Even bought a lifetime pass because of this feature.
Egg on my face i guess. Very saddened by this.

[Eiseck]

Please don’t remove watch together from the app!

[Gliese22]

I really find myself thankful that I bought a lifetime pass many years ago so that I could get the money out of it over the years. As bloat and extraneous features have been added and useful, valuable features removed, I do feel bad for those of us that are new to the ecosystem or are just learning about the direction development has taken. Continue to push us to use alternatives and eventually the value proposition no longer remains…

[Plexomancer]

Please do not remove Watch Together. This feature is key for those of us with long distance partners and for technically challenged friends and family.

[gabbe846]

This is extremely useful feature and it gets removed? Why the hell did I even payed for lifetime plex pass I could just use jellyfin. Absolute garbage move

[johbii]

I have no idea why the decision was made to remove this cool feature, surely this is more important than any of the other countless social integrations that seem to be a major focus of development?

This is like getting rid of Plexamp (another labs product btw) so that the team can focus on switching to a new Javascript framework, I don’t know what metric was looked at to determine that this is not a priority to have in at least a working state for any future Plex product.

[KarlofDuty]

What a horrible decision, this is THE big feature with plex. I really didnt want to switch to jellyfin because of how cumbersome it would be for my friends to use but now I don’t think there is much of a choice.

[Ch3m1c4L]

garbage decision. What are the new features they are adding, and releasing apps before a load of core functionality is in them, why?
Make the app, then release it with at least feature parity with current apps. Its not like there is anything wrong with current apps anyway ffs.

[chop88]

Came here to echo everyone’s sentiment! It’s the way my girlfriend and I, who live 2 hours away from each other, are able to watch shows together and feel like we’re next to each other on a daily basis. Sad about this feature being removed. Might hold off on updating Plex until an alternative is created.

[tobias_we3]

Same i watch series with my brother and my friends every day. Watch together is most important feature of Plex.

[Vtozhy]

Don’t remove it, keep it for a few more years so I can get my kids to watch here…

[DeathofaStar]

I too have also requested a refund for my lifetime that I bought literally a month ago. I feel rugpulled. If they don’t give it to me, I’m fortunately in the chargeback window. I don’t give a damn if they ban the account, I’ll never use them again after this crap.

Sure, I could still use watch together in the browser, but how long until that is pulled, too?

[holdenfershee]

No acknowledgement of my frustration.

“We’ve cancelled your Plex Pass subscription and initiated a refund of the recent charge for you, as a special exception.”

[moviegeek80]

Wrote a letter to Plex and got this in return…