On Wednesday, Disney released its Q2 2022 earnings report, and included in the update were details about its host of streaming services, first and foremost, Disney+. In the first three months of the year, the streamer added 7.9 million subscribers to bring its global total to 137.7. The number includes 44.4 million domestic subscriptions, up a solid 1.5 million for the quarter and up 7.1M year-over-year — a 19% increase.
The service boasted 129.8 million subscribers as of the end of 2021, so today’s numbers represent a 6% increase for the quarter.
Internationally, Disney+ totaled 93.3 million subscribers when combining its standalone service and its Disney+ Hotstar platform.
With 137.7 million subscribers, Disney+ edges closer to Netflix, though it still needs nearly 84 million subscribers to match it.
The number continues to be bolstered by the Disney Bundle which gives subscribers a single, discounted price for Disney+, Hulu, and ESPN+. Additionally, subscribers to Hulu’s live TV streaming service also receive Disney+ for free, further enhancing the streamer’s overall adoption.
During the first three months of fiscal year 2022, Hulu added 300,000 subscribers across its subscription video-on-demand and live TV streaming services to climb to 45.6 million while ESPN+ added 1 million subs to hit 22.3 million, a 62% increase year-over-year.
When combining all of Disney’s streaming subscriptions, they total 205 million, just 16M shy of Netflix’s now precarious total. Of course, thanks to bundling and overlap, that total is a bit inflated, but given the relative newness of the services, Disney might not be battling the password-sharing epidemic that Netflix is as well.
In an earnings call following the release of the quarterly report, CEO Bob Chapek reiterated the company’s previous guidance that Disney+ was on track to hit between 230 and 260 million subscribers by 2024.
By comparison, Netflix announced a decline of 200,000 subscribers since the start of the year, but still leads all streamers with 221.64 million customers. Conversely, prior to WarnerMedia’s merger with Discovery, HBO Max added 3 million subscribers in Q1 to raise its worldwide total 73.8 million.
Neither Amazon or Apple have released subscriber data for Prime Video or Apple TV+ respectively, but a recent report indicates that as Netflix is struggling to maintain its massive subscriber base, an increasing number of customers who leave the streaming giant turn to Disney+ and Apple TV+, primarily because of the edge that those services have in compelling content.
It is Disney+’s unique, genre-focused IP that has made the streamer a must-have for customers across demographics. The streaming home of Star Wars and Marvel is reportedly 30% more valuable than the average platform because of this type of content that customers can’t seem to stream without.
The Mouse House’s streamer is taking unusual steps to expand its content offerings under the direction of CEO Bob Chapek; from adding more mature content to the once family-friendly only platform to stealing “Dancing with the Stars” from broadcast sibling ABC.
Much of this fresh approach to content is believed to center around the service’s plans to launch an ad-supported tier later this year. Disney+’s current ad-free option runs $7.99 per month, and while the exact date and price for the ad-supported option haven’t been confirmed, Chapek and company appear to be reimagining the service in hopes of bringing in as many budget-conscious customers as possible.
Disney+
Disney+ is a video streaming service with over 13,000 series and films from Disney, Pixar, Marvel, Star Wars, National Geographic, The Muppets, and more. It is available in 61 countries and 21 languages. It is notable for its popular original series like “The Mandalorian,” “Ms. Marvel,” “Loki,” “Obi-Wan Kenobi,” and “Andor.”