Disney+ and Hulu raise prices by up to 13 percent after doubling profits

Original Article ↗ Hacker News Discussion ↗

Disney’s decision to raise Disney+ and Hulu subscription prices by up to 13% after reporting doubled profits is seen by many as part of a broader “enshittification” of streaming: higher costs, more ads, fragmented catalogs, and declining perceived quality. Commenters compare the total cost of multiple services to legacy cable bundles, noting that the best user experience is often now via piracy stacks or physical media, not legal platforms. Some expect this trajectory to push more users toward rotating subscriptions, library-based services like Kanopy, or abandoning most paid streaming altogether.

Price Hikes, Profits, and Perceived Value

  • Many see raising prices “after doubling profits” as pure profit extraction, not cost-driven.
  • Several say Disney+/Hulu were already marginal value; hikes push them from “worth it” to “cancel.”
  • Others argue $20–22/month for a Disney+–Hulu bundle is still good value, especially for families with kids and Disney-heavy viewing.

Back to Cable (But Worse/Better?)

  • Strong theme: streaming has reassembled cable-style pricing once you add multiple services.
  • Some note advantages vs. cable: on-demand viewing, no fixed schedules, ability to churn monthly.
  • Others counter that with DVRs, cable already solved scheduling, and streaming now combines cable’s cost with fragmented catalogs.

Ads, UX, and ‘Enshittification’

  • Anger at “ad-free” tiers adding pre/post-roll ads and non-skippable promos.
  • Complaints about hostile UX: multiple apps, region locks, resolution limits (especially on Linux), intrusive pause overlays.
  • Several say piracy or local media still provides the best UX: one interface, no ads, no removals, no edits.

Piracy Resurgence and Tooling

  • Many openly say price hikes and fragmentation push them back to “sailing the high seas.”
  • Discussion of home media stacks (self-hosted servers, automation tools) as a superior experience.
  • Some warn about malware-laden preconfigured Android TV/IPTV boxes and botnets.
  • Debate over morality: some frame piracy as justified pushback; others call it simple cheapness while still acknowledging UX is better.

Alternatives: Rotating Subs, Libraries, Physical Media

  • Popular strategy: maintain only one paid service at a time and rotate as shows drop.
  • Libraries + Kanopy are praised as ad-free, free-with-card options (with viewing limits).
  • Growing interest in DVDs/Blu-rays and even vinyl as ways to truly “own” media and avoid removals or edits.

AI Content and Future Demand

  • Some predict big media companies will lead in AI-generated content to cut costs.
  • Others insist audiences do not want AI-made “slop” and already react negatively online.
  • A few speculate on personalized, locally generated “choose your own adventure” content competing with traditional streaming.

Class, Attention, and Who Gets Squeezed

  • One view: tech-savvy users can avoid ads and prices; non-technical, often poorer users get squeezed hardest.
  • Counterpoint: for high earners, small price rises matter less than time lost to ads; time becomes the main “cost.”