Peacock to launch vertical video for sports, other new features
Peacock to launch vertical video for sports, other new features
The streamer is doing its best to catch up to bigger competitors, and newly announced updates could help.
As streaming services continue to compete for the attention of consumers, Peacock is doing its best not to be left behind. The streamer has announced that it will roll out a selection of new features designed to make it a more attractive destination for audiences, including vertical video, games, and even an AI-generated Andy Cohen.
Key Details:
- Vertical first: Peacock will allow fans to watch full NBA games in vertical orientation.
- Wanna play?: The streamer will introduce mobile games such as “Jeopardy!” as well.
- New reality: Vertical video and AI features will entice fans of Bravo titles to the streamer.
Peacock has been offering vertical video clips for months now, but in a first for any streaming service, fans will be able to watch live broadcasts of full NBA games in the vertical format. Peacock will use AI to perform real-time cropping of each game to track where the action on the court is.
The vertical video trend is spreading across major streaming services. New vertical video feeds have now launched on Disney+, and will be added to Netflix soon. Short-form video is also on the way for Paramount+.
Peacock will also use vertical video as the centerpiece of its new Your Bravoverse feature, a curated vertical video experience led by an AI-generated version of Andy Cohen. Viewers will be asked to pick their favorite Bravo shows the first time they use the feature, after which Cohen will narrate a personalized playlist of videos scraped from thousands of hours of Bravo footage.
The streamer will also welcome additional mobile games to its platform, both based on popular shows. Games based on “Jeopardy!” and “Law & Order” will be added to Peacock this spring, joining other games already available to the service.
Peacock stalled at 41 million subscribers for three straight quarters in 2025, before finally breaking through to 44 million in the fourth quarter. The streamer is still losing money, however, and NBCUniversal executives are hopeful that new features will help make Peacock more of a destination.
Peacock
Peacock is a subscription video streaming service from NBCUniversal that includes original shows, blockbuster movies, and classic television series. Peacock is home to “Yellowstone,” “The Office,” and original hits like “Poker Face” and “Bel-Air.” You can also watch live sports and NBC programming, including the NFL, MLB, WWE, the Olympics, the Premier League, NASCAR, the French Open, college football and basketball, and the PGA Tour. Premium Plus subscribers can stream their local NBC feed in all 210 markets.
