Los Angeles, CA – Disney+ subscribers may soon experience interactive elements reminiscent of video games integrated directly into the streaming platform, according to comments from Disney CEO Bob Iger during the company's latest earnings call. Iger highlighted the role of artificial intelligence in enabling these game-like features, positioning them as a way to deepen user engagement and compete more aggressively with rivals like Netflix. The announcement comes amid Disney's strong performance in streaming metrics, even as other segments of the business face challenges.
Speaking on the fiscal fourth-quarter results call on November 14, 2025, Iger expressed enthusiasm about leveraging AI across Disney's ecosystem. He pointed to the company's $1.5 billion equity investment in Epic Games, the maker of Fortnite, which was made last year. This stake, Iger said, opens doors for innovative integrations on Disney+. "Obviously there is a huge opportunity for games and our investment with Epic Games, well that will largely be an opportunity to integrate game-like features into Disney+," Iger stated, emphasizing how such features could transform passive viewing into more interactive experiences.
The move directly targets Netflix, which has aggressively expanded into gaming over the past few years by adding mobile titles and cloud-based games to its service. Netflix reported over 100 million hours of gameplay in the third quarter of 2025 alone, according to its own earnings disclosures. Disney's strategy appears aimed at catching up, using its vast library of intellectual properties—from Marvel superheroes to Star Wars characters—to create immersive, game-infused content that keeps viewers hooked longer.
Beyond gaming, Iger discussed Disney's recent partnership with Pocket.watch, a digital media company focused on children's content, announced several weeks ago. This deal allows Disney+ users to engage with user-generated content (UGC), particularly short-form videos. "It provides users of Disney+ with a much more engaged experience including the ability for them to create UGC and to consume mostly shortform UGC from others," Iger explained. The initiative taps into the popularity of platforms like TikTok and YouTube Shorts, where short, creator-driven videos have exploded in viewership among younger audiences.
AI plays a central role in these ambitions, according to Iger. He described the technology as a tool to position Disney+ as a "portal to all things Disney," connecting the streamer to commerce, theme parks, hotels, and even cruises. In his letter to shareholders accompanying the earnings report, Iger outlined three key areas for AI application: enhancing streaming technology for personalized recommendations and interactive elements, streamlining post-production processes for content creation, and optimizing operations at Disney's theme parks. These efforts come as AI has become a hot-button topic in Hollywood, with ongoing debates about its impact on jobs, creativity, and ethics in the industry.
Disney's streaming business provided a bright spot in an otherwise mixed quarterly report. The company reported surpassing expectations for subscriber growth in what Iger called the "final quarter of reporting streamer numbers" as a standalone metric, with Disney+ adding more users than anticipated. This helped offset weaker performance from the film studio division, which has struggled with box office returns on recent releases, and sluggish ad sales across linear TV and digital platforms. Overall, Disney's fiscal fourth-quarter results showed revenue of $22.6 billion, up slightly from the previous year but below some analyst forecasts.
CFO Hugh Johnston addressed another ongoing issue during a follow-up appearance on CNBC: a carriage dispute with YouTube TV. The disagreement centers on distribution fees for Disney's channels, including ESPN and ABC. "We're ready to go as long as they want to," Johnston said, indicating Disney's willingness to pull its content from the platform if a deal isn't reached soon. The feud echoes similar battles Disney has had with other pay-TV providers, potentially affecting millions of cord-cutters who rely on YouTube TV for live sports and entertainment.
The integration of gaming and UGC on Disney+ builds on broader trends in the streaming wars. Netflix's gaming push began in 2021 with simple mobile games tied to its shows, evolving into a dedicated section of its app. Other platforms, like Amazon Prime Video, have experimented with in-app games, while Apple TV+ focuses more on premium content. Disney's approach, however, leverages its unique family-friendly IP and the Epic partnership, which could enable crossovers like Fortnite modes featuring Disney characters—a concept Iger has teased since the investment.
Industry analysts view these developments positively for Disney's long-term growth. "Disney+ has been playing catch-up in engagement metrics, and game-like features could significantly boost session times," said one media analyst at Variety, speaking on condition of anonymity due to client relationships. However, challenges remain, including regulatory scrutiny over AI and data privacy concerns with UGC. The Federal Trade Commission has been investigating big tech's use of AI in entertainment, though no specific actions against Disney have been announced.
Looking back, Disney's $1.5 billion investment in Epic Games was part of a larger strategy to diversify beyond traditional media. Epic, valued at over $30 billion, brings expertise in the metaverse and interactive entertainment, areas where Disney has invested heavily through its parks and experiences division. Iger has long advocated for blending physical and digital worlds, as seen in Disney's virtual reality attractions at its resorts. The Epic tie-up could extend this to streaming, allowing users to, for example, play mini-games based on episodes of shows like The Mandalorian right within the app.
On the UGC front, the Pocket.watch deal aligns with Disney's efforts to appeal to Gen Alpha and millennial parents. Pocket.watch specializes in kid-safe content creation tools, ensuring compliance with COPPA regulations. By enabling short-form UGC, Disney+ aims to foster community around its brands, similar to how Roblox has built empires on user-driven play. Iger noted that AI could moderate and enhance this content, using algorithms to suggest edits or generate effects tied to Disney themes.
Financially, the streaming success underscores Disney's pivot toward direct-to-consumer services since launching Disney+ in 2019. The platform now boasts over 150 million subscribers globally, per the latest figures, trailing only Netflix's 280 million. Yet, profitability remains a focus; Disney reported its first profitable quarter for the combined Disney+/Hulu/ESPN+ bundle earlier this year. The addition of interactive features could drive higher retention and ad revenue, especially as linear TV declines.
The earnings call also touched on external factors, such as the recent resolution of a government shutdown. President-elect Donald Trump signed a bill on November 13, 2025, ending the longest-ever shutdown and providing funding through January, which could stabilize ad markets affected by uncertainty. Meanwhile, upcoming releases like Running Man and Now You See Me 3 are positioning to challenge Predator at the box office this weekend, per industry previews.
As Disney pushes forward, questions linger about implementation timelines. Iger did not provide specific dates for the game-like features, but sources close to the company suggest pilots could launch in mid-2026, starting with select titles. The broader implications for the industry are significant: if successful, this could redefine streaming as a hybrid of entertainment and gaming, pressuring competitors to innovate faster. For now, Disney appears poised to use its storytelling prowess and tech investments to stay ahead in an evolving digital landscape.
In related news from Europe, Warner Bros. Discovery's Western Europe boss is set to replace Thomas Rabe at RTL Group, signaling shifts in global media leadership. These changes reflect the consolidating entertainment sector, where tech integration like AI and gaming is becoming table stakes for survival.