Several Disney streaming apps are set to close in a matter of weeks.
The road to streaming success hasn’t been smooth for The Walt Disney Company. When it first launched Disney+ in November 2019, the platform attracted a massive subscriber base thanks to its vast library of Disney classics, Marvel Cinematic Universe films, Star Wars content, and new original series like The Mandalorian, the latter of which generated over 2 million streams in its first day.
Within 24 hours, the service as a whole had surpassed 10 million subscribers, positioning it as a serious competitor to Netflix and Amazon Prime Video. Before long, however, things began to unravel for the streaming service. The COVID-19 pandemic initially boosted subscriptions as people sought entertainment at home, but it also disrupted production schedules, delaying the release of new content.
Additionally, the competitive landscape grew more crowded, with new entrants like HBO Max and Peacock vying for viewers’ attention and subscription dollars. While Disney had an impressive backlog from a nostalgia standpoint, it didn’t have the same diverse film and television catalog as its competitors.
Soon, subscriber numbers began to drop. In November 2022, Bob Chapek – who had replaced Bob Iger as CEO in 2020 – was removed from the company and replaced by his predecessor as Disney+ losses mounted.
Under his leadership, the streaming service’s operating costs had ballooned, leading to over $11 billion in losses since its launch. Reports in April 2024 revealed that a hefty chunk of that—over $500 million—went into just three Marvel series: Moon Knight, Secret Invasion, and the second season of Loki.
Despite initial optimism, Chapek’s aggressive content spending and pricing strategies failed to deliver the expected growth or profitability, ultimately prompting Disney’s board to replace him in hopes of steering the company back on track. But that couldn’t happen overnight. A year and a half later, Disney+ lost 1.3 million users in February 2024 alone.
The good news is that things are finally looking up for Disney+. In May, the streaming service finally turned a profit. Despite earlier projections of a $100 million loss for the most recent quarter, Disney+ defied expectations by pulling in a $47 million profit two quarters ahead of schedule.
There are plenty of explanations for this turn in fortune. Disney+ has made several changes in the past year, such as cracking down on password sharing, raising subscription prices, introducing ads to the lower tier of subscriptions, and bundling the streaming platform with the likes of Hulu and ESPN+, which also fall under The Walt Disney Company banner.
It’s also started integrating Hulu content into Disney+ itself, with some countries featuring this content under the banner “Star.” At the same time, it’s closed its standalone Star+ streaming services in Latin America – and will soon close even more apps.
On September 23, Disney will close all of its “TV Everywhere”-style apps, including DisneyNOW, Freeform, FXNOW, ABC, and National Geographic.
The apps for ABC, FreeForm, and FX will be shutting down on September 23rd. This is the same day as when Disney Now will be shutting down its app as well.
The apps for ABC, FreeForm, and FX will be shutting down on September 23rd. This is the same day as when Disney Now will be shutting down its app as well.
(Screenshots via: @animatedplus) pic.twitter.com/S9KoRH2Zqn
— The Disney Beat (@DisneyBeat101) August 24, 2024
A notice has been added to each app’s login page and its respective page in the App Store.
First launched in 2017, the DisneyNOW app combines content from various Disney-owned channels, including Disney Channel, Disney Junior, and Disney XD. In addition to live TV, it offers a selection of shows and movies, plus games tailored to kids and families. Meanwhile, Freeform, FXNOW, ABC, and National Geographic all contained content from their namesake TV channels.
Each app’s content will still be accessible via the webpage. However, Disney+ will become the defacto streaming app for your phone, tablet, or television.
Disney had already started slimming down its DisneyNOW library to encourage users to download and subscribe to Disney+ instead. The likes of Mickey Mouse Clubhouse, That’s So Raven, The Suite Life of Zack & Cody, Phineas and Ferb, The Proud Family, and Gravity Falls, plus older episodes of shows such as Raven’s Home, Bunk’d, Big City Greens, and DuckTales were all removed in 2019.
Do you still use any of Disney’s “TV Everywhere” streaming apps?
