Streaming platform Vurt is making a bold bet on the future of vertical content by moving it from mobile devices to large TV screens. While most services struggle to keep viewer attention within the confines of smartphones, Vurt has developed dedicated apps for Apple TV and Android TV. This strategic move allows users to enjoy vertical microdramas in high quality, leveraging the capabilities of modern television technology, such as 4K resolution and enhanced audio output for a better experience.
Since its launch in March of this year, the service has shown impressive growth, increasing its user base from 10,000 to 675,000. The platform's library includes approximately 3,500 episodes across more than 100 different shows. Unlike competitors that are often flooded with content generated by artificial intelligence, Vurt emphasizes professional casts and real production crews, which helps distinguish the platform in a crowded market that is increasingly saturated with low-quality, automated video content.
Vurt's monetization is based on ad partnerships, allowing viewers to watch all content for free. Co-founder Hilmon Sorey emphasizes that this approach is fairer to users than complex microtransaction systems. The platform also maintains a fair revenue-sharing model with content creators, offering a 50/50 split. This policy encourages independent authors to actively collaborate with the service and submit their projects for distribution, ensuring a steady stream of human-produced, high-quality entertainment for the platform's growing audience.
The development of TV apps was driven by direct user feedback from those who wanted to beam vertical videos onto larger screens. Although the company initially considered simple casting, the development team decided to build native apps. This allowed them to optimize content for large displays, providing a deeper level of immersion despite the unusual vertical format that leaves blank spaces on the sides of the screen, which the company views as a unique stylistic choice.
The style of vertical microdramas, known for formulaic plots and short episodes with cliffhangers, has proven highly effective at retaining viewer attention. Sorey notes that engagement time on Vurt’s TV apps is significantly higher than on mobile devices. This suggests that viewers appreciate the convenience of consuming content without having to hold their phones constantly, proving that this specific format can function as a distinct genre of entertainment that thrives even on large-screen television hardware.
Looking ahead, Vurt plans to expand its operations by developing original series and live-streamed sporting events. Despite skepticism regarding vertical video on large screens, the platform's success demonstrates that viewers are open to new formats. Vurt has managed to find a balance between technological convenience and a specific narrative style, making them a serious player in the streaming market that challenges traditional perceptions of how video content should be consumed in the modern era.
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