Over the weekend, Google emailed those who are hosting videos on Google Video that they are going to be removing all the videos on Google Video for good.
In January 2009, Google dropped the ability to upload videos to Google Video and has decided to try to make Google Video a pure search service. The next step is to drop Google Video from hosting old video content and encourage users to move those videos to YouTube or another video hosting provider.
Google will continue to use Google Video as a search service but not as a hosting service.
Google's email read:
Dear Google Video User,Later this month, hosted video content on Google Video will no longer be available for playback. Google Video stopped taking uploads in May 2009 and now we’re removing the remaining hosted content. We've always maintained that the strength of Google Video is its ability to let people search videos from across the web, regardless of where those videos are hosted. And this move will enable us to focus on developing these technologies further to the benefit of searchers worldwide.
On April 29, 2011, videos that have been uploaded to Google Video will no longer be available for playback. We’ve added a Download button to the video status page, so you can download any video content you want to save. If you don’t want to download your content, you don’t need to do anything. (The Download feature will be disabled after May 13, 2011.)
We encourage you to move to your content to YouTube if you haven’t done so already. YouTube offers many video hosting options including the ability to share your videos privately or in an unlisted manner. To learn more go here.
Here’s how to download your videos:
Go to the Video Status page.To download a video to your computer, click the Download Video link located on the right side of each of your videos in the Actions column.
Once a video has been downloaded, “Already Downloaded” will appear next to the Download Video link.
If you have many videos on Google Video, you may need to use the paging controls located on the bottom right of the page to access them all.
Please note: This download option will be available through May 13, 2011.
Thank you for being a Google Video user.
Sincerely, The Google Video Team
It is funny because in July 2010 they removed the download video button, but I guess it is now back.
I think this is a good move to let Google use YouTube as an upload / hosting service and Google Video as a search service.
Forum discussion at DigitalPoint Forums, Google Blogoscoped Forums, Google Web Search Help.
