Walmart+ Might Add A Streaming Service, Report Says

Walmart+, the retailer's subscription service, might add a streaming service to its membership perks in the future, according to a new report. Three sources told The New York Times that people at Walmart have "held discussions with major media companies" about bundling a streaming service into Walmart+.

Walmart has already met with Paramount, Disney, and Comcast as part of its effort to learn what package of TV shows and films would "add the most value" to Walmart+, the report said. Paramount runs Paramount+ and Showtime, Disney has Disney+, ESPN+, and Hulu, and Comcast operates Peacock.

Some of the existing benefits of Walmart+, which costs $13/month, includes free shipping and gas discounts, as well as a six-month membership to Spotify Premium. Having a Walmart+ subscription is also one of the ways to get a PS5.

If Walmart strikes a deal, it would be just the latest effort from the retailer to push further into the entertainment space. It acquired streaming service Vudu in 2010 and later sold it to Fandango a decade later. Walmart has also invested in the media company Eko.

Walmart was also at one point believed to be working on a game-streaming service called Project Storm, but plans were apparently put on hold during the pandemic.