For many millennials and Gen Zers, Cartoon Network’s website was a digital playground. Launched in 1998, it was a portal to a world of animation, offering free clips and episodes of shows like “The Powerpuff Girls,” “Adventure Time,” “Teen Titans Go!,” and “Steven Universe.” But those days are over.

As of this week, typing CartoonNetwork.com into your browser will no longer take you to a hub of cartoon fun. Instead, you’ll be redirected to Warner Bros. Discovery‘s streaming service, Max (formerly HBO Max). A message on the Max website cheerfully greets you, with a not-so-subtle nudge towards subscribing: “Looking for episodes of your favorite Cartoon Network shows? Check out what’s available to stream on Max (subscription required).”

This move reflects a broader trend in the “streaming wars.” Cartoon Network’s website isn’t the only online casualty. In June, Paramount Global, the parent company of Comedy Central, MTV News, and CMT, shut down their respective websites. They also shuttered Noggin, a preschool channel, back in February. Warner Bros. Discovery isn’t stopping there. Another kid-focused platform, Boomerang, is slated to disappear at the end of September.

The message is clear: Streaming services are prioritizing their paid offerings over free online archives. This makes sense from a business perspective. After all, why give away content for free when you can charge for it? But for many fans, this shift represents a loss of a cherished online space.

Cartoon Network’s website wasn’t just about watching shows. It was a place to play games, explore character bios, and connect with other fans. Now, those experiences are gone, replaced by a push towards a subscription service.

So, for those who fondly remember whiling away hours on CartoonNetwork.com, there’s a bittersweet feeling. The website may be gone, but the memories remain. And who knows, maybe someday those old episodes will find a new online home.