Disney delivers its first attack in the encroaching streaming wars. Those looking to sign up for Disney+ when it launches in November now have a new, possibly very appealing option on that front that will directly compete with Netflix. The company has announced a bundle that will be available when its new streaming service launches later this year, which will also include Hulu and ESPN+. The best part? All of this, when bundled together, will cost roughly the same amount as Netflix, which should give the Mouse House a huge leg up in the streaming game.
According to a new report, during Disney’s investor call, the streaming service bundle was announced with a price point of $12.99 per month. Following the recent price increase by Netflix, that puts it on the same level as their most popular plan, which also costs $12.99 per month. It’s also a bargain, as the ad-supported version of Hulu on its own is $5.99 per month, while Disney+ has been set at $6.99 per month. So, if one wants to look at it this way, it’s like getting ESPN+ for free.
It should also be noted that Disney+ will be available as a standalone service for an annual price of $69.99, should consumers choose to go that route. As we recently reported, Disney was already planning to create some synergy by allowing for Disney+ to be an add-on service through Hulu. Following the merger with Fox, Disney gained a controlling stake in the service. Then, via a different deal with Comcast, they assumed full control, and they’re clearly using that to their advantage. Disney CEO Bob Iger had this to say in a statement.
“The positive response to our direct-to-consumer strategy has been gratifying, and the integration of the businesses we acquired from 21st Century Fox only increases our confidence in our ability to leverage decades of iconic storytelling and the powerful creative engines across the entire company to deliver an extraordinary value proposition to consumers.”
This comes at a time when the streaming wars are about to heat up in a big way. Netflix, at present, is king of the hill with more than 150 million subscribers worldwide. However, the company recently suffered a massive hit with its stock price, thanks to lower than expected growth in the last quarter. Not to mention that, aside from Disney+, WarnerMedia has HBO Max set to launch early next year, and NBC also has an unnamed streaming service on the way. The competition is going to get very fierce, very fast.
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As for Disney+, it will feature a host of premium content, such as new Marvel shows like The Falcon and The Winter Soldier, Loki and Hawkeye. It will also feature the first ever live-action Star Wars TV series, The Mandalorian, in addition to a live-action remake of Lady and the Tramp, amongst many other titles. Not to mention Disney’s vast library of pre-existing content. Disney+ is set to launch on November 12. This news was previously reported by The Verge.
