Disney+ has launched GroupWatch, which is a co-viewing experience for watching movies and shows from the Disney+ Library with your friends and family while you are apart. This is a feature that we know they’ve been working on for a while, and it’s one that a lot of subscribers have been wanting to see added to the service. Well, it’s here in the U.S. and available to use today!
GroupWatch allows for up to seven people to watch together in a synced playback experience available across web, mobile, connected TV devices, and Smart TVs, and viewers can share their reactions in real-time.
Jerrell B Jimerson, SVP Product Management for Disney+, said in a statement:
“Storytelling comes alive when you’re able to share and enjoy it with others, and in this moment when many are still apart from their friends and family, GroupWatch offers a way to safely connect virtually by co-viewing your favorite Disney+ stories with your favorite people from the comfort of your living room.”
Here’s a breakdown of how it works:
Subscribers can launch the experience through the GroupWatch icon found on the Details page of series and movies from the extensive library on Disney+.
They will then be given a link to invite up to six other people to watch with them (Disney+ subscription required). Invitations must originate from mobile or web, but you can then watch from your connected TV device or Smart TV.
GroupWatch’s synchronized playback seamlessly allows each participant the ability to pause for a bathroom break, play, rewind to watch a favorite scene again, or fast forward, for the whole group.
While watching, viewers can react in real time with six different emojis: “like,” “funny,” “sad,” “angry,” “scared,” and “surprised” through the Disney+ app.
I don’t know about you, but I’ll definitely be putting this to use!