In a report by Dexerto, it was stated that Disney Plus is altering its video structure to accommodate the vertical format which is going to be better for watching short videos and clips by its mobile users. The company is after the younger generation, who is very much dependent on their mobiles, to make the app more interesting to users. The change in the strategy has raised a question about how the company is going to win over the audience it is targeting by changing its vices in the streaming market.
To clear the air, the very first question that came to one’s mind was “Why is Disney Plus, a platform dedicated to more than three-hour long Marvel sagas and Star Wars epic series, forcing the audience to watch vertical clips? This turn of events indicates that the audience would watch the same way they are doing it on TikTok by turning their heads to the side when they are going through their posts, and honestly, the online reaction is nothing less than a mood. There is a slight difference of opinions between the extremes of “this is brilliant” and “this is dumb”.
A tweet from Dexerto aptly stated: Disney Plus is getting vertical videos. Who is their aim? Making it a daily hot spot, not just a family occasional weekend binge. The quote they attached is also very interesting and informative. The current belief at Disney Plus seems to be that the youngest generations, Gen Z and Gen Alpha (who are the future kids), are physically very inactive and they can only watch on their phones short pop culture-like videos and not sit for long narrative films. Well, is there a possibility to change this? But is TikTok the solution at all?
The reactions immediately reveal how wide the range of users’ instant reactions is. Sport Aproko summarizes it very well and promptly from the business angle: “Disney is following the TikTok trend. Vertical video means a transition from ‘library streaming’ to the attention economy — daily engagement instead of trying to attract viewers through quality content.” That’s it. That’s the whole argument. They are not just a library any more; they want to be part of the daily routine.
But there is also an immediate backlash waiting. “My God… the only thing I can suggest is that you keep producing quality movies and shows,” James pleads. “This is just another reason to dislike Disney,” Majewra comments. And the one I like best coming from AllAboutGaming is: “Everything is being subjected to TikTok brain rot.” This one is quite strong in its sentiment. Many players and stream watchers view the whole situation as a capitulation on the part of the creators and the streaming companies They think that the deal is that the producers can no longer compete with quality, so they are just copying the format that consumes everyone’s time.
The sarcasm and jokes continue to flow, and some people are really inventive with their humor. A good example of this is BeByDay, who says: “Disney witnessing TikTok’s success: ‘Greetings, fellow youngsters, I also have vertical content,'” while another one adds, “DisneyTok has entered the chat.” And prayag sonar had a hilarious analogy, “Vertical Disney content is like serving a five-course meal in paper cups, because everyone is in a hurry now.” Like, wow, that’s actually kinda profound in a sad way.
Some users claim that this was not a new idea at all. User iAmOdeex noted, “Lmao there’s a streaming service that tried this and failed miserably.” And others were worried about the practical aspect. “What is next, a section catering to social media platforms?” wondered Bryan. User gregsupremacy even joked, “Why not let me order chicken too?” along with a picture of a chicken dinner. The chaos is wonderful.
Not everyone is against it. A few voices appreciated the potential. One user said, “Good move TikTok started a great trend.” Another user, Israfil, remarked, “finally some real content instead of endless scrolling through old movies.” So for some, this could be a refreshing moment, a way to get quick hits of Disney magic without the commitment.
However, this conversation took a dark turn when the subject of ethics came up. User Konrad Rzonca made a very strong statement: “engineering addictive social media should be considered evil… causes harm for profit.” And CulturePlaybookX simply said, “Smart, but so bad for the kids.” It raises a very pertinent question: is Disney, which has always been a family brand, now actively marketing addiction?
So now where do we, as gaming and content consumers, stand? It’s just another sign that the dividing lines between the platforms are completely vanished. At first, every social app wanted to become a streaming service, and now every streamer wants to act like a social feed. For Disney, it’s a calculated risk to concede that the future lies in tiny, daily bites—just imagine
