In a move that signals a broader shift in Verizon’s bundling and entertainment strategy, the company is shutting down its +play streaming marketplace just over two years after launch. Originally pitched as a centralized hub for subscription management — spanning entertainment, fitness, gaming, and more — +play is being sunset in favor of Verizon’s newer MyPlan and MyHome bundles.
This wasn’t just another value-add product. +play had potential. It offered a rare combination of consumer convenience and competitive bundling. Through partnerships with Netflix, Disney+, Max, and others, Verizon created bundles that were cheaper than buying à la carte — like a $10/month bundle for ad-supported Netflix and Max. It was a rare telecom product that actually solved a real consumer pain point: subscription sprawl.
But now it’s gone. Starting July 9, no new signups will be allowed. Existing users can still manage subscriptions they bought through +play, but the storefront is closed.
From “Streaming Concierge” to Sunset
Launched in December 2022, +play was positioned as a response to a fragmented subscription ecosystem. At the time, Verizon rightly noted that consumers were struggling to manage their growing portfolio of streaming, gaming, wellness, and productivity subscriptions. A centralized billing and discovery tool sounded great — and +play was that.
But Verizon’s ambitions have shifted. Today, its strategy revolves around MyPlan and MyHome, which offer monthly “perks” that include discounted or bundled streaming plans. These perks are integrated directly into mobile and internet billing tiers, making them more aligned with Verizon’s core business model. More than half of Verizon’s wireless subscribers are already on a MyPlan tier — a fact the company emphasized in its shutdown messaging.
The timing is also notable. Verizon is coming off a rough quarter, having reported a net loss of 289,000 postpaid phone subscribers. After raising prices on key plans earlier this year, the company appears focused on retention plays that are tightly integrated into core service tiers — not auxiliary platforms like +play.
A Missed Strategic Moment?
Back in 2022, I noted that telecoms — Verizon especially — were well positioned to evolve into modern-day MVPDs. They have massive subscriber bases, direct billing relationships, and monthly touchpoints with customers. Unlike Roku and Amazon, they aren’t in the streaming wars themselves — they don’t own content, they don’t operate app stores, and they don’t compete for the same ad dollars. That neutrality could’ve made them ideal aggregators.
And Verizon seemed to get it. +play wasn’t about original content (the go90 mistake). It was about managing other people’s products (O.P.P.) in a way that made life easier for users. That was its value proposition.
Yet the economics and organizational incentives probably killed it. Media companies remain lukewarm on wholesale models — they want direct relationships with users, control over billing, and full access to user data. And within Verizon, as MyPlan gained traction, +play likely became redundant. One was an ecosystem perk; the other was a standalone storefront. Guess which one had the internal buy-in?
The Take
Even with +play gone, the problem it tried to solve hasn’t disappeared. Subscription fatigue is real. So is seasonal churn. Consumers continue to cut back, not just due to cost, but because it’s hard to keep track of what they’re paying for. That’s created space for the return of cable-like bundles — and for new aggregators to rise.
FAST platforms like Pluto TV and Tubi are thriving. Paramount says Pluto delivered record consumption in Q1 2025. Fox says Tubi’s growth is accelerating. That’s a different model, but it speaks to where consumers are headed: simplicity and value. Bundles, aggregation, and ease of use matter.
There’s still an opening for someone to become the de facto “streaming concierge.” It just won’t be Verizon — at least not through +play.
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