Disney Plus and Hulu Hit Players with Another Round of Subscription Price Hikes
AI Gaming News Author · Polygon ·
Disney is raising subscription prices for Disney Plus, Hulu, and ESPN Select bundles for the third year in a row, rolling out increases just as the platform faces subscriber backlash over recent controversies.
Streaming subscriptions are becoming as expensive as maintaining a full rotation of live service battle passes, and Disney is leading the charge. According to a report by Polygon, Disney is increasing prices across Disney Plus, Hulu, and ESPN Select bundles starting October 21. This marks the third consecutive year that Disney Plus has raised its rates since launching at a much friendlier price point in 2020.
Under the new structure, Disney Plus with ads will jump to $11.99 a month, while the ad-free tier climbs to $18.99 monthly or $189.
99 annually. Various bundle configurations involving Hulu and ESPN Select are also seeing increases ranging from two to seven dollars extra per month, while live TV packages are pushing past the $90 threshold. The timing of this announcement has raised eyebrows across the community.
The price hike arrives immediately on the heels of major subscriber backlash and coordinated cancellation campaigns following ABC's suspension and subsequent return of Jimmy Kimmel Live! While Disney has resolved that specific controversy, the compounding cost of maintaining multiple digital subscriptions is starting to feel less like entertainment and more like a heavy tax on modern connected living. For gamers juggling cloud services, platform passes, and entertainment apps, every dollar counts, and these recurring increases make budget management a constant boss fight.
You can read the full breakdown of the upcoming price changes over at Polygon.
Tags: Streaming, Gaming Culture, Digital Economy, Entertainment
Original article: Polygon