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Rapidshare is shutting down after thirteen years in business following rampant decline in its use.
The file-sharing site launching back in 2002, but will finally close its e-doors in March this year.
It’s no surprise; the site has been struggling for a while now, having sacked some three quarters of its staff in 2013.
What’s more, Rapidshare saw a mass exodus of customers after it announced anti-piracy measures that effectively shut out a large chunk of its regular user-base.
The Switzerland-based site warns users to secure their data because as of March 31 ‘all accounts will no longer be accessible and will be deleted automatically’.
The site did confirm that extensions of its Standard Plus and Premium subscription plans would be available up until February 28, at which point the slow shut-down begins.
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The closing-down of Rapidshare marks a significant fall from grace, with the site having once been a primary outlet for pirates.
Ernesto van der Sar, editor of file-sharing news site TorrentFreak (via BBC), said: “It’s clear that Rapidshare lost the vast majority of its users in recent years, after it implemented a series of anti-piracy measures. This visitor exodus has led to a sharp decline in revenues.”
“The announced shutdown suggests that it was no longer viable for Rapidshare to offer its services in the present form.”
