Disney+ streaming service looking good ahead of November launch

Disney might have a lot of ground to catch up on the established players in the streaming world, but its offering does look pretty competitive.

Priced at $6.99 per month, the streaming service will be home to an armoury of content, old and new, launching in November. The platform will also give customers the option to bundle in ESPN+ and Hulu services, creating the depth and breadth of content which one day might be able to compete with Netflix.

“Disney+ marks a bold step forward in an exciting new era for our company – one in which consumers will have a direct connection to the incredible array of creative content that is The Walt Disney Company’s hallmark,” said CEO Bob Iger.

“We are confident that the combination of our unrivalled storytelling, beloved brands, iconic franchises, and cutting-edge technology will make Disney+ a standout in the marketplace and deliver significant value for consumers and shareholders alike.”

Perhaps one of the most useful features of the platform will be the downloadable content. Every title will be available for subscribers to download and watch offline, a move which might push the other platforms in this direction. Netflix is another which has introduced this feature, though it is limited to date.

Alongside properties such as Pixar, Marvel and Star Wars, the content library will also include all of Disney’s family favourite films, all 30 seasons of The Simpsons, Fox titles like The Sound of Music, The Princess Bride and Malcolm in the Middle, and original content leaning on well-known assets, such as Marvel Studios’ series Loki starring Tom Hiddleston.

This is perhaps the worry many commentators have had surrounding the Disney entry into the streaming world, as while it certainly does have attractive assets, the breadth and depth of content does not match Netflix. This is one of the reasons Netflix is dominating the streaming world, and perhaps why Sky has continued to maintain its leadership position in the UK premium TV segment; content to serve all purposes, audiences and moods.

Disney will find success in the early days, such is the power of the brand and the curiosity of consumers, $6.99 is cheap enough to allow for curiosity, but long-term success will depend on whether the team are bold enough with content acquisition and curation. Netflix is incredibly aggressive in securing and funding a wide range of international and locally-tailored content, and Disney will have to match these actions to maintain success in the long-run.

That said, the team is promising big things. By the end of year five, Disney expects 50 original series, 10,000 past episodes and more than 500 movies in the content library. These numbers certainly sound promising, as long as the content meets user expectations.

What we don’t know right now is much about the platform itself. Disney has said the content will be available through all devices and has also named PS4 and Roku as launch partners. The idea is to enable users to view the content wherever desired, but whether the platform will be any good we’ll only know in November.

This is where the leaders in the content world have made their presence known. Netflix and Sky for example have intuitive and simple platforms, whereas some are difficult to navigate or do not look pleasing on the eye. This will have a negative impact on user experience and considering how many streaming options are going to be on the market, this will go some way in deciding Disney’s success.

November will come around quicker than many will hope for, but Disney is certainly giving itself a good start in the streaming world with what looks like an impressive offering.