'Steven Universe' Season 4 Episode Leaks Were 'Intentional', Says CN Representative
The "Steven Universe" fan base was very surprised on Jan. 2 after all five remaining episodes of "Steven Universe" season 4 were leaked out to the public through Cartoon Network's mobile app.
While many fans were excited and others were shocked, news that the leak was made by mistake immediately spread out. It turns out that the reports were untrue though as a representative for the Cartoon Network recently spoke with Polygon, slamming the speculations of an unintentional leak.
"This is actually something we've been doing for some time with a few of our shows through what we call the 'See It First' element of the [Cartoon Network] App. It helps us build awareness for upcoming episodes and for new show launches before they go on the linear platform," the spokesperson explained.
Cartoon Network took down the five "Steven Universe" season 4 episodes on the App on Jan. 3. Unfortunately, some fans were quick to download the episodes and send them to various social media platforms, including YouTube.
A number of viewers expressed disappointment over the network's decision to unveil the episodes with little to no promotion and for a short period. Aivi Tran, a composer for "Steven Universe," also took out her frustration online, calling out people who illegally distributed the leaked material.
Tran first tweeted that she was not aware of what was going on. Later on, after discovering that the leaked material for "Steven Universe" season 4 came directly from the Cartoon Network App, the composer expressed her thoughts on Tumblr.
Tran explained that the download sites where the said "Steven Universe" episodes are illegally obtained do not pay the people involved in the development team, including her and the other artists working on the series.
While some followers of the hit series may have been overjoyed to see the leaked material, many others pointed out that it's still best to watch the episodes fair and square, not just for the others who do not have access to the internet, but also for the development team members who worked hard to produce the material.
"Steven Universe" season 4 will return Jan. 30, 7 p.m. EST on Cartoon Network.
