Major streaming services have upped their game in 2022 with the launch of ad-supported tiers, new live sports deals, hugely successful original series and more. As the streaming wars continue to heat up, media companies have no choice but to raise the stakes.\u00a0From the HBO Max\/Discovery+ merged streaming service to Netflix’s password-sharing offering, here’s what SVOD (subscription video-on-demand) streaming services have planned for next year and beyond.
\nWhat HBO Max\/Discovery+ is planning for 2023
\nEarlier this year, Discovery\u00a0acquired WarnerMedia to form Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD), becoming one of the biggest media companies in the United States.
\nAs TechCrunch has reported many times, HBO Max and Discovery+ are combining in 2023. This spring, WBD will launch a merged streaming service that pairs\u00a0HBO originals and Warner Bros. films with Discovery+’s content library of unscripted shows, documentaries and more. In total, subscribers will have access to nearly 200,000 hours of programming and over 100 brands, such as CNN, TBS, TNT, TruTV, Cartoon Network\/Adult Swim, Food Network, TLC, HGTV, ID, Animal Planet and many others.
\nThe streaming service will reportedly be called just \u201cMax,\u201d and will make its debut in the U.S. before launching in Latin America and then in Europe in 2024. While there will be an ad-free and ad-supported option, its ad-free offering will likely cost more than what subscribers pay now for HBO Max’s premium plan, which is $14.99\/month.
\n\u201cMax,\u201d or whatever the company decides to call it, will be a major contender in the streaming wars. HBO, HBO Max and Discovery+ ended Q3 2022 with a combined total of 94.9 million global subscribers.
\nWBD is also busy planning a free ad-supported streaming (FAST) service to keep up with competitors in the FAST market, including Peacock, Pluto TV, Tubi and Amazon Freevee, among others.
\nRecently, the company pulled over a dozen HBO originals from HBO Max that will soon move to third-party streaming services. This includes \u201cWestworld,\u201d \u201cThe Nevers,\u201d \u201cRaised by Wolves,\u201d \u201cThe Time Traveler’s Wife,\u201d \u201cLove Life,\u201d \u201cMade for Love,\u201d \u201cMinx,\u201d \u201cFinding Magic Mike,\u201d \u201cHead of the Class,\u201d \u201cFBOY Island,\u201d \u201cLegendary,\u201d \u201cGordita Chronicles\u201d and \u201cThe Garcias.\u201d
\nWe predict that once WBD launches its FAST offering, it will offer these titles.<\/p>\n
Combined HBO Max\/Discovery+ service gets an earlier launch date, price hike is to be expected<\/p>\n
What Netflix is planning for 2023
\nNetflix had an eventful 2022. The company launched its $6.99\/month ad-supported tier, giving consumers the ability to save a few bucks on their streaming habits. The move validates a common trend in the industry right now \u2014 ad-supported video-on-demand (AVOD) is in. In 2023, Netflix’s \u201cBasic with Ads\u201d plan is predicted to have 7.5 million domestic subscribers, according to J.P. Morgan analyst Doug Anmuth.
\nNetflix’s subscriber base also rebounded in Q3 2022 after increasing by 2.41 million subscribers, bringing the total to 223.09 million. The company previously experienced\u00a0two bleak quarters, losing a total of\u00a01.2 million global subscribers.
\nAs far as we know, the streamer has three notable projects in the works for 2023 and beyond.
\nIn early 2023, Netflix will launch an \u201cExtra Members\u201d feature to monetize password sharing. The feature will prompt account members to pay an extra fee to add a sub-account for people sharing the streaming service.
\nThe company has already launched a \u201cProfile Transfer\u201d feature, which lets a member on an existing account transfer their profile to a brand-new account and a \u201cManage Access and Devices\u201d feature, which allows account owners to remotely log out of devices they don’t want to be signed in to the account.
\nAlso coming to the streaming service next year is a livestreaming capability, with Chris Rock to be the first to test the offering for his upcoming comedy special. Live content could help the streamer attract new subs.
\nUnfortunately, Netflix is not planning to launch a live sports offering. During the UBS Global TMT Conference, Netflix co-CEO Ted Sarandos said, \u201cWe’ve not seen a profit path to renting big sports.\u201d
\nBeyond next year, the company is continuing its investment into gaming. At TechCrunch Disrupt 2022, Netflix VP of Gaming Mike Verdu revealed that a cloud gaming offering is on the horizon. This is a smart move for Netflix as the global cloud gaming market had $1.6 billion in revenue in 2021.
\nSimilarly, there’s a possibility that Netflix will get into PC gaming since it’s looking to hire a game director who’ll be in charge of launching a AAA PC game.
\nNetflix’s mobile gaming library continues to expand. Entering 2023, Netflix will have launched 50 mobile games so far.<\/p>\n
Netflix to expand into cloud gaming, opens new studio in Southern California<\/p>\n
What Disney+ is planning for 2023
\nLooking back on 2022, Disney+ experienced a lot of major changes, including the launch of its ad-supported tier as well as the unexpected return of Bob Iger as CEO.
\nThe \u201cDisney+ Basic\u201d plan is $7.99\/month and was launched in order to give Disney+ more subscribers. The company wants to reach 230-260 million Disney+ subscribers by 2024. In the fourth quarter of 2022, Disney+ reported\u00a0164.2 million global subscribers in total.
\nHowever, there is one major issue with the ad launch: Disney+ Basic is unavailable on Roku devices. TechCrunch estimates that Disney and Roku will reach an agreement to change that sometime in late 2023 \u2014 but that’s just a guess.
\nAlongside Disney+’s new subscription plan, the streamer introduced changes to the Disney Bundle as well as a price hike to its ad-free plan.
\nIn November 2022, Bob Chapek stepped down as CEO of Disney and was replaced by Bob Iger, the former CEO, who had only vacated the spot in 2021. Hopefully, Iger can help the company achieve profitability by its fiscal 2024. In Q4 2022, when Chapek was still CEO, Disney’s direct-to-consumer division lost $1.5 billion in revenue.
\nIn 2023, Disney+ is planning an international expansion to 30 additional countries, which would bring the total to\u00a0over 160 countries. Over the summer, the streamer\u00a0launched in 42 countries and 11 territories.
\nAlso, beginning next year, Disney+ will be the exclusive international home for new \u201cDoctor Who\u201d episodes.
\nOne significant feature coming to the streaming service is an exclusive shopping experience for Disney+ subscribers. The online shop, which is currently in the testing phase, offers users merchandise from Disney-owned brands, such as Star Wars, Marvel, Disney Animation Studios and Pixar. The company is also reportedly exploring the idea of a membership program similar to Amazon Prime. There are no official launch dates for either feature.<\/p>\n
Disney+ launches its ad-supported tier to compete with Netflix<\/p>\n
What Hulu is planning for 2023
\nNot much happened for the Disney-owned streaming service Hulu this year, apart from annoying price increases and losing titles to rival Peacock. The streamer did however reach a milestone of\u00a058 Emmy nominations. Hulu is also beginning 2023 with 47.2 million subscribers.
\nIf you’ve been following the Disney\/Comcast spectacle, then you know that Disney is expected to buy Comcast’s stake in Hulu by the end of 2024. Comcast owns 33%, whereas Disney owns 66%. However, when Chapek was still CEO, he alluded in a Variety interview that Disney could buy the rights sooner than that \u2014 perhaps in 2023. This depends on if Comcast \u201cis willing to have discussions that would bring that to fruition earlier,\u201d Chapek said.
\nWhenever Disney ends up buying Comcast’s stake in Hulu \u2014 either by 2023 or 2024 \u2014 the company may be planning on merging Hulu with Disney+ and ESPN+. \u201cYou know the term soft bundle and hard bundle, right? Soft bundle is, hey, buy all three services for the low price of X. The hard bundle is when things become seamless and without friction. Right now, if you want to go from Hulu to ESPN+ to Disney+, you have to go out of one app to another app. In the future, we may have less friction,\u201d Chapek told Variety.
\nIf Disney+, Hulu and ESPN+ were to live inside one platform, many subscribers who already have the Disney Bundle would be overjoyed. While it most likely won’t be a full integration like HBO Max and Discovery+, it will still be an amalgamation of epic proportions. Disney+, Hulu and ESPN+ have a combined total of 235.7 million subscribers.<\/p>\n
Hulu raises its subscription prices today<\/p>\n
What Amazon Prime Video is planning for 2023
\nPrime Video had a successful 2022, becoming the exclusive home of the NFL’s \u201cThursday Night Football,\u201d which had its first game watched by 15.3 million viewers, and its \u201cThe Lord of the Rings\u201d spinoff was the most-watched series with over 100 million viewers worldwide.\u00a0\u201cThe Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power\u201d is confirmed for a second season.
\nIt’s fair to say that Amazon is heavily investing in content and will continue doing so for the next few years. For instance, the streaming service keeps putting money toward live sports. In 2023, the company will be the home of an exclusive NFL Black Friday game, the first Black Friday game for the league.
\nAmazon may also take a gamble with theatrical movies, according to Bloomberg. The publication wrote that Amazon might begin spending more than $1 billion a year to produce 12 to 15 films that will premiere in theaters before they make their debut on the streaming service. This would be a notable yet expensive gamble for the company, as it has yet to invest this much into original movies.
\nThe streamer has various original series in the pipeline, including the greenlit limited series \u201cBlade Runner 2099,\u201d a \u201cGod of War\u201d live-action series and even at least one \u201cWarhammer 40,000\u201d title that will have \u201cMan of Steel\u201d actor Henry Cavill as the lead.
\nSpeaking of DC actors, Amazon is in the process of closing a deal with Warner Bros. to develop animated DC series for Prime Video. At the Content London conference, the Chairman of Warner Bros. Television Group, Channing Dungey, said, \u201cWe are in the process of closing a big deal with Amazon that’s going to feature some of our DC branded content in animation.\u201d For HBO Max to share IP, especially DC content, is extremely notable and will likely boost subscription growth for Prime Video.<\/p>\n
Amazon acquires film\/TV rights to \u2018Warhammer 40,000′ IP<\/p>\n
As more SVOD streaming services shift to AVOD, we wouldn’t be surprised if Prime Video considers launching a cheaper ad-supported tier. It’s possible that such an offering would pay off big for Amazon. It’s estimated that Netflix will see $600 million in advertising sales in 2023 alone.
\nThe move makes sense for Amazon as it already has an ad-supported service, Freevee. Amazon Prime Video is also testing an ad format called virtual product placement, which the company announced in May.<\/p>\n
Amazon Prime Video’s \u2018Thursday Night Football’ starts strong with 15.3 million viewers<\/p>\n
What Apple TV+ is planning for 2023
\nApple TV+ announced its first foray into live sports this year. We suspect Apple TV+ will keep up with the trend in 2023.
\nIn March 2022, Apple TV+ closed its first live sports deal with Major League Baseball, bringing fans \u201cFriday Night Baseball\u201d games as well as a live show \u201cMLB Big Inning.\u201d The company is launching its subscription service for Major League Soccer fans, \u201cMLS Season Pass\u201d in February 2023.
\nLike Amazon, rival Apple TV+ would benefit greatly from an ad-supported tier. Apple TV+ recently increased its subscription price to $6.99\/month or $69\/year.<\/p>\n
Apple to launch \u2018MLS Season Pass’ subscription on February 1<\/p>\n
What Paramount+ is planning for 2023
\nParamount+ is ending 2022 with 46 million global subscribers, which was mainly driven by the new partnership with Walmart+, which has a reported 16 million subscribers, as well as offering its premium subscription on The Roku Channel and YouTube. More recently, Paramount+ reported a record number of subscriber sign-ups in November when it premiered its latest hit series \u201cTulsa King,\u201d starring Sylvester Stallone.
\nLooking ahead, Paramount+ plans to reach 100 million subs by 2024 and increase streaming content spending to $6 billion, up from $2 billion in 2022. It also has plans to expand international growth, which includes 150 international original titles by 2025.
\nWith the release of high-budget films like \u201cTop Gun: Maverick\u201d and Paramount+ continuing to rely on popular IP, the streamer will likely achieve substantial subscriber growth in 2023. Plus, Paramount+ recently launched an in-app Showtime bundle, giving subscribers access to more content.
\nThat being said, a merger between Paramount+ and Showtime is likely imminent. During Goldman Sachs’ Communacopia + Technology Conference, CEO of Paramount Global, Bob Bakish, confirmed that talks of a merger had taken place internally. While a decision hasn’t been made yet, integrating Showtime into Paramount+ would be the best move for the company.
\nA price increase is also in the future plans for Paramount+. During the company’s third-quarter earnings call, Paramount Global Executive Vice President and CFO, Naveen Chopra, said that \u201copportunities to increase price on Paramount+\u201d is to be expected.<\/p>\n
Paramount+ offers US subscribers in-app Showtime bundle<\/p>\n
What Peacock is planning for 2023
\nPeacock had a big win in 2022 as it doubled its number of paid subscribers to 18 million this year alone. This was mainly thanks to NBC and Bravo next-day episodes that it pulled from Hulu earlier this year. Peacock was also the Spanish-language streaming home for all World Cup games.
\nIn terms of other content coming to the streaming service in 2023, Peacock will premiere the \u201cJohn Wick\u201d prequel series, \u201cThe Continental,\u201d as well as original series like \u201cPoker Face,\u201d starring \u201cRussian Doll\u201d star Natasha Lyonne. The streamer also recently announced its first original adult animation series, \u201cIn the Know,\u201d which will feature \u201cBeavis and Butt-Head\u201d creator Mike Judge and \u201cSilicon Valley\u201d actor Zach Woods.
\nBeginning in 2023, Peacock will be the exclusive streaming partner of JetBlue, marking a notable deal that will broaden its service to more subscribers.
\nWhile things are looking up for Peacock next year, some non-paying subscribers might be very disappointed in the next 12 months or later. NBCUniversal CEO Jeff Shell stated that \u201cat some point\u201d the company wants to convert Xfinity users to paid subscribers of Peacock. This means customers of Comcast’s Xfinity cable and internet services might not be able to get the streaming service as a free perk anymore. However, this move would make sense for Peacock since 30 million monthly active users can access the streaming service at no additional cost.<\/p>\n
Peacock adds live TV from all local NBC stations to its Premium Plus tier<\/p>\n