Disney is officially ending its part in the subscriber wars, announcing it will no longer report quarterly numbers for its streaming services and will instead focus on overall profitability, following a similar playbook to Netflix.
Beyond the numbers: In prepared remarks, CEO Bob Iger and CFO Hugh Johnston called the subscriber metric "less meaningful" for evaluating the business. The move is meant to better reflect the industry's pivot toward sustainable growth over the costly race for subscriber acquisition.
It's a small app after all: The change coincides with a major strategic shift: the standalone Hulu app will be shut down in 2026. Hulu's content will be fully merged into Disney+, with the brand itself becoming Disney's global general entertainment offering, taking over the 'Star' brand's slot in international markets.
For its last full report, Disney’s streaming segment posted a profit of nearly $350 million. Across Disney+ and Hulu, the company counted a combined 183 million subscribers, while ESPN+ held steady at 24 million.
The move signals a maturation of the streaming market, where profitability and operational efficiency have officially replaced subscriber growth as the key metric of success for its biggest players. Elsewhere, Disney's streaming strategy continues to evolve, with a new standalone ESPN service set to launch soon. The company is also reportedly exploring partnerships with other sports services to create new bundle deals.
