I don’t know how this announcement came out during the quiet period of the holidays. I’m sure it caught many by surprise and really sends a strong message for SVOD in the Middle East. Shadid, Disney+ and OSN+ are partnering up in a unique subscription bundle in the Middle East region. This announcement is a shake-up in the Middle East region, seeing a global brand partner with two major regional ones. It’s been coined as the “Epic Bundle”.

Once upon a time, Disney had licensed their originals to OSN before bringing Disney+ to the region in 2022. Once they were competitors and now they are partners. MBC Group owns Shahid, and this is similar to the bundle with Netflix in 2025. Given different consumer tastes, this looks to be additional bundle option for users.

The streaming trio dynamics

We’re talking about three streaming apps for the price of two, with one unified billing structure and one payment. With streaming providers raising subscription prices, bundling has become quite a cost-saving move to help retain users. You would still have to use the respective apps to watch them.

For The Walt Disney Company, this opportunity represents a significant shift in Disney’s EMEA distribution strategy. Putting up a challenge to Netflix (since 2016) and Amazon Prime Video (since 2019), partnering with regional providers gives them the reach.

The biggest remark is this bundle is available only in the following countries (picking them makes sense, given their economic clout and consumer markets) and you need to sign up for it via Shahid (app or website) which also requires linking your account (OSN+ has a guide here):

• UAE
• Saudi Arabia
• Qatar
• Kuwait
• Oman
• Bahrain

Regarding the price, some news outlets have cited $25/month (converted to the respective local currency). There’s no word on when this bundle may expand this to more markets in the region. If you compare the individual subscription prices, one unified monthly price nets you access to:

• Disney+’s catalogue (global movies, series and originals spanning Pixar, Marvel, FX, and more)
• OSN+’s slate of HBO programming and international titles
• Shahid’s growing portfolio of Arabic originals

From a higher vantage point, this is the first-of-its-kind for the region itself. Launched on December 18 coinciding with Qatar National day), it’s a benchmark for streaming in the GCC region.

---

Image Credit: Screenshot from official announcement video published by OSN+ CEO + Chief Business Officer