Say it ain't so! Unfortunately, it is so. Netflix will officially cut back its store of available flicks by 1,794 titles. But, don't flip out just yet. Most of these titles are of the unwatched kind, some are from the 1980s, and others are just plain awful. Still, the fact that Netflix is cutting so many titles is somewhat shocking.

Why is this happening? It all has to do with licensing. All Warner Brothers, MGM, and Universal titles will be cut from the Netflix service. Why? Because all of the cut titles will be available exclusively through the Warner Archive Instant instead. What is that? Good question!

The Warner Archive Instant

After some research, I've discovered that the Warner Archive Instant is kind of like it sounds -- an archive of movies that are available at an instant to subscribers. Didn't know that this existed? You're not alone. For $10 per month, you can get unlimited movies from the Warner archive. Because of this archive, Netflix will no longer have the rights to the Warner films.

This isn't great new for Netflix -- or Netflix customers, but it's not overly detrimental, yet. There are problems on the horizon, though. Recently, Netflix CEO, Reed Hastings, stated that he might let a contract with Viacom lapse. What does Viacom control? Only Nickelodeon, VH1, MTV, and BHT. So, Netflix subscribers, you might be losing those shows soon too.

The Problem With Streaming

Everyone wants a slice of the streaming pie. Even movie companies. Why would these companies contract out to companies like Netflix when they can just create streaming sites and, potentially, make more money? There might be a big problem with the Netflix model, and that problem might only become worse as more companies move to do what Netflix does.

Does this mean that you should ditch your Netflix subscription? Maybe not right away. Netflix has told press that the company will also be adding 500 new titles to the mix on May 1st (today), so keep this in mind too. The company has also issued a statement letting users know that Netflix is constantly removing and adding titles.

The Future Of Netflix

Unless, of course, you solely watched some of the titles that Netflix just lost. By the way, those titles will be gone from your Netflix options today. Does Netflix have a solid future? It really depends on how you look at it. On the one hand, Netflix does offer some great shows and movies. On the other hand, what will a company like this one do if all licenses are taken away? That's a question that remains to be answered, and only time will tell.

Just to recap: you will be missing around 1700 titles from your Netflix options today. But, Netflix has also added 500 new titles, so make sure to check those out. What do you think about this news? Does Netflix have a future as far as streaming goes? Or, will companies like Warner Brothers become too greedy and snatch all licenses away?