In a very short time, vertical series have evolved from an isolated trend into a new category within the Latin American audiovisual industry. Throughout 2025 and 2026, broadcasters, OTTs and production companies across the region launched platforms, divisions and original productions specifically designed for mobile-first consumption. Globo created GloboPop, ViX launched MicrO, Mega developed MegaShorts, and new platforms such as Shorta, Vyco and Idilio TV began investing in microseries. At the same time, production companies from Colombia, Brazil and Argentina are already creating vertical content for global giants such as ReelShort, with titles reaching millions of views and positioning LATAM as one of the format’s most active emerging markets. The growth of vertical storytelling in LATAM is driven not only by changing consumption habits, but also by an economic model that differs significantly from traditional streaming. Most of these platforms operate through freemium and micropayment systems, where users unlock episodes individually as they progress through the story. The logic is much closer to social and mobile-first platforms than to the traditional SVOD model, with a stronger focus on retention, engagement and daily consumption rather than premium long-form productions. In this context, the goal is no longer simply to develop a successful series, but to maximize watch time, recurrence and in-app conversions. The rapid growth of the format and the arrival of major media companies reinforce the perception that vertical storytelling could become a stable category within the global digital audiovisual ecosystem. The evolution of the industry in LATAM also reflects how the format quickly shifted from being a feature within social or digital platforms to becoming a business built around dedicated apps and hubs. Following early experiences such as TeleKwai in Brazil, 2025 and 2026 saw the emergence of platforms focused exclusively on vertical fiction and mobile-first storytelling. In less than a year, at least ten major initiatives appeared across the region. Seven originated from established broadcasters, OTTs or digital platforms — GloboPop, ViX MicrO, MegaShorts, Sua Novela, Zully, Mininovelas 13 and Pop Pop Pop Novelinhas — while TVN Vertical and Telefe Vertical marked the entry of free-to-air broadcasters into the format. At the same time, independent platforms such as Shorta, Vyco and Idilio TV began positioning themselves as players focused exclusively on vertical fiction. The speed at which major companies developed separate apps and divisions for this type of content also opened a new discussion within the industry: whether vertical storytelling will function as a complementary category within traditional platforms or eventually evolve into its own ecosystem, with differentiated brands, business models and audiences. The rise of the format is also reigniting FTA channels interest in fiction production, at a time when much of the region’s original scripted output...
