Disney Plus Explores New Shopping And Gaming Features For Streaming Service

Disney is considering integrating shopping and gaming experiences into its Disney+ streaming service, as reported by Variety. Rita Ferro, Disney's president of advertising sales, expressed the company's interest in expanding advertising possibilities by exploring additional opportunities and features for its streaming platform.

"The world of advertising experiences on [advertising-based video on demand] is an important place to be involved in," Ferro said, adding that a presentation scheduled for January 10 in Las Vegas will provide further insights into the company's vision.

Competition in the streaming ad space is escalating. Amazon is set to launch an ad-supported tier for Prime Video subscribers in early 2024, while Netflix is venturing into new territories, exploring offers to viewers via QR codes and content-specific sponsorships.

Disney+ introduced an ad-supported version last year, rapidly expanding its client base to over 1,000 sponsors worldwide. Since the beginning of 2023, Disney+ has seen a 35% increase in time spent on the service, with half of new subscribers opting for the ad-supported version.

In a bid to enhance user engagement, Disney recently launched a feature allowing Disney+ subscribers to watch Hulu shows and movies within the app. Ferro believes this addition will "really drive engagement even further." The combined app, announced in November, is part of CEO Bob Iger's vision for a "more unified one-app experience domestically, making extensive general entertainment content available to bundle subscribers via Disney+."

In the fourth quarter of fiscal year 2023, Disney+ hit 150.2 million subscribers.

You can check out our list of everything new coming to Disney+ this month, including Indiana Jones 5, Percy Jackson, and Marvel's What If Season 2.