Disney+ Hotstar to stop streaming HBO content from March 31

Disney+ Hotstar has announced that the streaming platform will be removing all HBO content on its OTT platform in India by the end of March 2023. This would include popular shows like The Last of Us, Game of Thrones, House of the Dragon, West World, and more.

As reported by Deadline, the deal between HBO and Disney+ Hotstar will be over on March 31, 2023, following which Disney will stop featuring formers' content on its OTT platform.

“The move seems to be in line with Disney CEO Bob Iger’s announcement of a restructuring and cost-cutting at the company," it reported.

A tweet from the official support account for Disney+ Hotstar confirmed the same while responding to a user query.

There is also speculation that Amazon Prime Video might be streaming all the HBO content in India. The platform is already streaming several HBO Max Originals such as The Flight Attendant, Pretty Little Liars: Original Sin, and more.

Hotstar has been streaming HBO's original shows since January 2016, after Disney Star (previously Star India) made an exclusive tie-up with HBO in December 2015. These shows, particularly Game of Thrones, which were available to Indian consumers on the same day as the US telecast, were a key part of Hotstar's strategy to attract paid subscribers in the country.

In April 2020, the service was rebranded as Disney+ Hotstar, following Disney's $71.3 billion acquisition of 21st Century Fox that owned Star India.

Last month, Disney+Hotstar lost 6% paid subscribers to 57.5 million in December from 61.3 million in October 2022. Disney+ lost 1%, about 2.4 million, of total paid subscribers, between October and December 2022. This is the streaming platform's first-ever decline since its launch more than three years ago.

This was after the digital platform lost its digital streaming rights of the Indian Premier League (IPL)—to Viacom18, which is owned by Mukesh Ambani-run Reliance Industries (RIL).