It appears Disney has even bigger plans for Disney+ beyond just more movies and shows. An executive told Variety that the media giant is considering launching shopping and gaming elements in the advertisements found on the streaming service.
“The world of advertising experiences on AVOD (ad-based video on demand) is an important place to be involved in,” Rita Ferro, president of Disney Advertising Sales told Variety. The publication noted that the executive hinted at more information to come out of the CES conference, which is slated for early January in Las Vegas.
Disney would only be the latest streamer to dip its toes into the world of gaming. Netflix already offers a slate of mobile games, and made no secret of its ambitions to offer more extensive AAA-style video games to its subscribers. Crunchyroll last month started offering free games to its premium subscribers.
In this instance, however, Disney’s “games” would be more interactive elements found in the ads themselves, rather than a Disney+ game.
Ferro, who only spoke about the services in the context of advertising opportunities, didn’t offer any more details on the kind of games or when this would launch. A spokesperson noted the elements could include QR codes or other ways to engage with the ad, including the ability to click to purchase an item.
Disney+ already offers shopping in a limited format, including a link to shows like Star Wars: Ahsoka, which lead to a shop for specific merchandise. But Disney+ doesn’t offer a full-blown shop for its merch. Others, including Netflix and Crunchyroll, run stores for related goods, but they aren’t tied into the streaming experience.
Ferro also commented on the success of the advertising tier of Disney+, saying it has gone from 100 sponsors in the U.S. to more than 1,000 around the world.