Discovery+ subscribers received a bittersweet update this month, as the streaming service rolled out a significant app upgrade packed with new features but also ended support for a range of older Roku streaming players. The move, aimed at enhancing user experience with improved navigation and faster load times, leaves some longtime Roku users needing to upgrade their hardware to keep watching favorites like 90 Day Fiancé or Gold Rush. With the change sparking buzz among cord-cutters, Discovery+ has clarified which devices remain compatible, offering a comprehensive rundown of supported streaming players as of this latest shift.
The upgrade, detailed in a Discovery+ Help Center announcement, boosts performance and adds support for higher-resolution streaming on newer devices. However, it requires more processing power than some aging Roku models can muster, effectively phasing out support for players from 2013 and earlier, including the Roku 1, first-gen Roku 2 (2720X), and Roku LT (2700X).
For those wondering what still works, Discovery+ provided an exhaustive list of supported streaming players across brands. Here’s the full rundown:
- Roku Devices: Roku 2 (4210X), Roku 3 (4200X), Roku 4 (4400X), Roku Express (3700X, 3900X, 3930X), Roku Express+ (3710X, 3910X, 3931X), Roku Premiere (3920X, 4620X), Roku Premiere+ (3921X, 4630X), Roku Streaming Stick (3500X, 3600X), Roku Streaming Stick+ (3810X), Roku SE (2710X), Roku Streambar (9102X), Roku TV (5000X, 6000X, 7000X, 8000X, A000X, C000X, D000X), Roku Ultra (4640X, 4660X, 4670X, 4800X), Roku Ultra LT (4662X).
- Amazon Fire TV: Fire TV Stick, Fire TV Cube, and Smart TVs with Fire OS 5 or newer.
- Android TV: Devices running Android OS 5 or later, including NVIDIA Shield and Sony Bravia models.
- Apple TV: 4th generation and newer (tvOS 15 or later).
- Chromecast: All generations with Google TV or casting capability.
- Samsung Smart TVs: Models from 2017 onward with Tizen OS.
- LG Smart TVs: WebOS 3.0 or newer (2016+ models).
- Vizio Smart TVs: SmartCast models from 2016 onward.
- PlayStation: PS4, PS5.
- Xbox: Xbox One, Series X/S.
- Set-Top Boxes: Comcast Xfinity X1, Cox Contour, Sky Q, Sky Glass, Sky Stream.
Excluded Roku models—like the Roku 2 (2720X) or earlier—join a graveyard of obsolete players, a fate Netflix sealed for them in 2019 and Hulu followed in 2020. Discovery+ advises affected users to upgrade to a supported device (e.g., Roku Express, $30) or use alternatives like AirPlay, Chromecast, or an HDMI-connected phone/computer. “It’s a bummer, but tech marches on,” one X user shrugged, noting the $4.99/month ad-supported plan still beats cable costs.
The shift comes as streaming dominates—43.5% of U.S. TV viewing in February 2025—pushing services to optimize for modern hardware. Discovery+’s 55,000+ episodes across HGTV, Food Network, and more remain accessible on the listed players, with the upgraded app now live. For Roku holdouts, it’s decision time: upgrade or miss out on the next Deadliest Catch binge. As T-Mobile funds rural grants and ESPN eyes NFL Network, Discovery+’s move underscores a relentless push forward—leaving some legacy gear behind.
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