Disney+ users might have noticed a slight adjustment to the streaming platform since they last logged in. The GroupWatch feature was discontinued Sept. 18, in spite of its positive receival upon its release in September 2020.
The feature debuted amid nationwide lockdowns in the heat of the COVID-19 pandemic. While using it, up to seven Disney+ subscribers could sync their streams for a group viewing experience.
As spotted by ComicBook.com, a notice posted by the Disney+ help center reads, "As of September 18th, 2023, the GroupWatch feature will no longer be available on Disney+. We're always working to deliver the best product experience on Disney+, and as part of recent updates, the GroupWatch feature was removed."
Some Disney+ users took to social media with their frustration at the recent update, offering rationale for how the feature remains of use in their day-to-day lives: "@DisneyPlus - Thanks a lot for removing #groupwatch so we can’t watch our favorite shows with our child in college who is 260 miles away from home," one user posted on X/Twitter. "Who needs family time anyway, right?
@DisneyPlus - Thanks a lot for removing #groupwatch so we can’t watch our favorite shows with our child in college who is 260 miles away from home. Who needs family time anyway, right?
— John Maher (@johndmaher) September 20, 2023
A fellow disgruntled Disney+ customer said, "Removing groupwatch literally does nothing but take away a valuable feature to be able to watch things with friends or family even when you're not in person. I fail to see how this is even remotely a good thing."
In response, the official Disney+ Help account responded, "Hey there! While the GroupWatch feature is no longer available, Disney+ subscribers who use an iPhone, iPad, or Apple TV running on the latest iOS, iPadOS, or tvOS version can use the Apple SharePlay feature to stream content together during a FaceTime call. We hope this helps!"
Hey there! While the GroupWatch feature is no longer available, Disney+ subscribers who use an iPhone, iPad, or Apple TV running on the latest iOS, iPadOS, or tvOS version can use the Apple SharePlay feature to stream content together during a FaceTime call. We hope this helps!
— Disney+ Help (@DisneyPlusHelp) September 20, 2023
The removal of GroupWatch comes shortly after an announcement from the House of Mouse that Disney+'s ad-free plan will undergo a significant price hike — for the second time this year. As of Oct. 12, U.S. customers will pay $13.99 per month (instead of $10.99) for Disney+ and $17.99 per month (instead of $14.99) for Hulu.
Drumming up thoughts from other Disney+ users, a ResetEra user by the name of Kinthey posted a summary of the feature's discontinuation with the title "Disney+ just nuked the group watch feature." Many of the commenters expressed distaste with the company for rolling out new policies while retracting elements of the platform.
"Upping the prices while removing features, lmaoooo" one respondent wrote.
Another comment reads, "Some dumb shit. guess who can still group-watch? people who don't pay. making piracy more convenient than the product you sell sure is a business model."
The jab aligns with Netflix's recent crackdown on password-sharing, which Disney CEO Bob Iger has alluded may be in store for Disney+ as well. Iger said Disney is "actively exploring ways to address acount sharing and the best options for paying subscribers to share their accounts with friends and family" during Disney's quarterly earnings call on Aug. 9.
“Later this year, we will begin to update our subscriber agreements with additional terms on our sharing policies, and we will roll out tactics to drive monetization sometime in 2024," Iger continued.
A new co-viewing option isn't completely ruled out for the future of Disney+. But in the meantime, if you're looking for alternative co-viewing options, Prime Video still offers a Watch Party feature that allows users to stream content with up to 100 other Prime members.
