Disney+ launches Verts, a TikTok-style short-form video feed for US users

Disney+ is rolling out Verts, its new short-form video feed, to US users on its mobile app, featuring clips from movies and TV shows on Disney+.

The Walt Disney Company is launching Verts, a new short-form video feed within its Disney+ mobile app, starting with US users. The feature, first announced in January, presents vertical video clips from Disney's extensive library of movies and TV shows, positioning the streaming giant as a direct competitor to TikTok's entertainment-focused format.

Verts operates similarly to other social media feeds, automatically playing short clips that users can swipe through. The content comes from Disney's vast catalog across its various brands, including Marvel, Star Wars, Pixar, National Geographic, and classic Disney animation. Users can like, share, and save clips, with the algorithm learning preferences to serve more relevant content over time.

This move represents Disney's acknowledgment that short-form video consumption has become a dominant media format, particularly among younger audiences. By creating a dedicated space for bite-sized content within its existing app, Disney aims to increase engagement time and potentially drive subscriptions through exposure to its content library.

The rollout comes as streaming services face increasing pressure to differentiate themselves in a crowded market. While competitors like Netflix have experimented with interactive content and gaming integrations, Disney+ is betting on short-form video to capture attention in an era where users increasingly prefer quick, digestible entertainment over longer viewing sessions.

For Disney, Verts serves multiple strategic purposes. It provides a new way to showcase content that might otherwise go undiscovered in the vast Disney+ library, potentially increasing viewership of full-length titles. The feature also creates a more social, discovery-driven experience that could appeal to users who primarily consume content through platforms like TikTok or Instagram Reels.

The launch in the US market first allows Disney to test and refine the feature before potentially expanding to other regions. The company has not announced specific timelines for international rollout, though its global presence suggests Verts could eventually reach Disney+ users worldwide.

Early user feedback indicates mixed reactions, with some appreciating the new way to discover content while others express concern about the feature potentially cluttering the Disney+ interface. The success of Verts will likely depend on how well it balances content discovery with the traditional streaming experience that Disney+ users expect.

As the streaming landscape continues to evolve, Disney's Verts represents a significant shift in how traditional media companies approach content consumption. Whether this TikTok-inspired feature becomes a core part of the Disney+ experience or remains a supplementary offering remains to be seen, but it clearly signals the company's recognition that short-form video is no longer just a social media trend but a fundamental shift in how audiences engage with entertainment content.