Let’s consider there’s an online outlet for anime – a streaming site, a fansub group or something along those lines. Let’s say that this outlet is insanely popular, and even catches the attention of the creators of the anime. Who, in some sudden urge of generosity, instead of sending a DMCA takedown notice or bringing on some costy lawsuit, offer to make the online releases official even. However, as soon as the service becomes official, its popularity vanishes in a puff. Why could that be? (In a more general sense: why do illegal services lose their popularity once they become legal/official?)