Disney+ Hotstar, India’s leading streaming platform, faced significant backlash on February 12, 2025, as it experienced widespread service outages. The glitch occurred just as millions of cricket fans tuned in to watch the highly anticipated third One Day International (ODI) match between India and England, leaving them frustrated and unable to connect to the service.
Many users reported severe issues accessing their accounts and streaming live content. According to outage tracking service Downdetector, the problems began around 12:35 PM IST, primarily affecting users on web browsers and smart TVs. Mobile app access, on the other hand, remained inconsistent for many. The reported breakdown resulted in 84% of users encountering video streaming problems, 13% having issues connecting to the server, and 3% facing app-related complications.
A frustrated user shared on social media, “Hotstar server is down. This error msg is being shown. I request Hotstar's Technical Team to please look at this matter asap.” This sentiment echoed across platforms as discontent grew and cricket enthusiasts took to social media to vent their frustrations.
During the outage, many users expressed their dissatisfaction, citing they were unable to change language settings, especially with audio defaults stuck on Hindi. One user lamented, “The audio glitch is unbearable! I can't listen in Hindi at all. At the very least, make English the default so we have a temporary fix. Fix this asap!” Another user added, “What’s wrong with the hotstar app.. unable to change the quality resolution and language..seems both buttons are frozen.”
The impact of the outage was felt heavily across major Indian cities including Delhi, Mumbai, Hyderabad, and Bengaluru. The error messages popping up as users attempted to stream said, “Something went wrong, we are having trouble playing this video right now,” leaving many feeling helpless and disappointed just during what they expected to be thrilling match moments.
After the outage, the streaming service reported its systems have been restored, but they did not issue any official statement to explain what caused the disruption. While user access has resumed, concerns linger about the platform's reliability. A growing number of subscribers have begun questioning the robustness of premium streaming services, especially as these glitches arise amid increasing subscription costs.
Online reactions to the disruption have been swift and vivid. Many took to X (formerly Twitter), sharing their grievances and sharing memes to mock the situation. One user posted, “Ok so it’s just not me but most of them are facing issue with video quality and language settings 😑 wtf #hotstar.” A plethora of similar remarks treacherously populated timelines, with trending hashtags like #HotstarDown and #INDvsENG indicating the widespread impact of the interruption.
This incident is not isolated, as Disney+ Hotstar has faced outages during major sporting events previously, including the ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 and Indian Premier League (IPL) matches, compelling discussions about server capacity and preparedness during periods of high user demand.
Despite these interruptions, the cricket match continued, with many viewers opting for alternative viewing methods, such as traditional TV broadcasts or radio commentary. The situation highlighted the need for streaming platforms to fortify their operations to match the viewing habits of modern audiences who increasingly rely on these services for live sports.
Moving forward, Disney+ Hotstar must address these technical challenges to retain its user base and reputation, especially with upcoming tournaments like IPL 2025 and the ICC T20 World Cup. The expectation for seamless streaming during such pivotal sporting events is significant, and service outages like this one raise valid concerns among consumers.