Hulu App Access To End on February 5, Warning Issued to Subscribers
Some Hulu subscribers are about to lose access to the streaming service, a change that reflects Disney’s long-running effort to consolidate its platforms. The move does not signal an immediate shutdown, but it offers a clearer look at how Hulu is being phased out.
For years, Hulu has occupied an increasingly uncertain position Disney’s streaming portfolio. The service continued to host more originals and next-day television, even as its role inside the company quietly shifted.
That shift has become harder to ignore. Bundling strategies deepened, regional branding changed, and Disney+ emerged as Disney’s primary streaming destination. What once looked like parallel platforms now appears to be a single ecosystem in transition — one that is beginning to show real consequences for certain users.
Hulu’s Gradual Absorption Into Disney+
Some Hulu subscribers will lose access to the app on February 5. The date does not mark the end of Hulu altogether, but it confirms that parts of the service are beginning to disappear.
The end of Hulu has been years in the making. As previously announced, 2026 marks the streaming service’s final year of operation as Disney moves to fully merge the platform and its content into Disney+.
As a result, Hulu Originals — including everything from Only Murders in the Building to The Kardashians — will eventually live exclusively on Disney+, with Hulu no longer serving as their primary home.
Those series will sit alongside traditional Disney titles, including animated classics from both Walt Disney Animation and Pixar Studios, as well as more recent Marvel and Star Wars projects like The Mandalorian.
Disney began laying the groundwork for this consolidation last year. Hulu replaced Star on Disney+ in every market outside the United States, except Japan, where the Hulu brand is owned by Nippon Television.
In the U.S., the company leaned heavily into bundling. Hulu was increasingly sold alongside Disney+ and ESPN+, shifting consumer behavior toward treating the services as a single subscription package.
That strategy has accelerated. Disney has steadily phased out older plans that allowed subscribers to add Disney+ through Hulu at a discounted rate.
Under the current structure, Disney+ operates as the central platform. Hulu now functions as an add-on, both in billing and in how subscribers manage their accounts.
This transition has pushed many customers to handle subscriptions through Disney+ instead of Hulu. The move reflects Disney’s broader effort to streamline its streaming business and centralize user data.
Features such as recommendations, watchlists, and profiles are now designed to operate across services. The goal is fewer apps, fewer logins, and a more unified interface.
Nintendo Switch Loses Hulu Access
While Disney has not confirmed when Hulu will shut down entirely, one firm date has now been set for a specific group of users.
On February 5, the Hulu app will be removed from the Nintendo Switch eShop, ending support for the platform where it first launched in 2017.
Starting February 5, 2026, the Hulu app will no longer be supported on Nintendo Switch devices. This change may affect one of the devices you currently use to stream Hulu.
The good news is that there are other ways to keep watching. You can stream your favorite shows and movies by using one of our supported devices or recommended operating systems on your computer.
If you need help setting up a new supported device, or have additional questions, visit our Help Center.
Thanks for watching,
The Hulu Team
The Hulu app is getting deactivated on Switch… Hulu is the only streaming service I have and the Switch is the only way I access it (since my "smart TV" is too old)… so basically no more TV for me LOL pic.twitter.com/ODgDm6s1an
— valkyrie (@crystarius) January 6, 2026
The app allowed Nintendo Switch owners to stream Hulu content in handheld mode or while docked to a television, aligning closely with the console’s hybrid design.
A notice on Nintendo’s support website reads: “The Hulu app is no longer available in the Nintendo Switch eShop with support for the application ending on February 5, 2026.”
Customers who currently use Hulu through the Nintendo Switch have also received an email outlining alternative options for continued access.
The announcement sparked frustration among some Nintendo Switch users, who took to social media to vent about the decision.
“‘It’s [just] Hulu relax’ literally every streaming service is now gone from this shit console lol only thing it’s got now is YouTube and for ns2 users s**t is still unusable since release,” wrote one X user.
“Nintendo fans as always if Nintendo gives them s**t to eat they’ll gladly eat it lol.”
They taking Hulu off of Nintendo switch thanks to that Disney+ merge
They taking Hulu off of Nintendo switch thanks to that Disney+ merge pic.twitter.com/1gams6Zdn7
— ika (@iika_la) January 5, 2026
The Nintendo Switch being the first device to lose Hulu support was not entirely unexpected. The console has long struggled as a home for streaming apps.
Major platforms such as Netflix and Disney+ have never launched native apps on the system, citing technical and performance challenges.
For now, it remains unclear when all subscribers will lose access to Hulu. In December 2025, the Los Angeles Times reported that the app would remain available “well into next year.”
What do you think about Hulu merging with Disney+?
