Disney+ is coming for TikTok with its new ‘Verts’ vertical video section
The house of Mickey Mouse has a new trick up its sleeve
📱 Disney+ is launching a vertical video feature called “Verts” to boost user engagement and help users discover new content
🍿 Verts will allow users to jump directly from the video snippet to the corresponding movie or TV show
📈 The vertical video format, popularized by platforms like TikTok, is already in use on the ESPN app and has shown increased engagement
🔒 Disney+ may eventually use Verts for exclusive content from creators reflecting its fandoms
The never-ending pursuit to capture a user’s attention continues, with Disney+ becoming the latest app that wants to lock people’s eyeballs to the screen for a few seconds longer.
Disney+ is adding a selection of vertical videos to the app called “Verts”, and it’ll help users “find their next watch”, and let you jump straight into the movie or TV show the snippet is from.
Disney revealed vertical videos would be coming to the platform during its 2026 Global Tech & Data Showcase, and we already saw Verts launch on the ESPN app last year. Disney believes Verts are already providing “additional engagement”, but we’ll have to see whether it sticks with the formula for the foreseeable future.
Vertical videos were first popularized by TikTok (Okay, maybe that accolade goes to Vine) and have been widely adopted by rivals such as YouTube and Instagram. With more people using their phones than ever before to consume content, the format works well and, when combined with an effective algorithm, can hook users into staying around a little longer.
Of course, Disney+ has its “advanced algorithm” working behind the scenes, which Disney says will recommend relevant content. Perhaps more interestingly, there’s a chance Verts could be used as an exclusive content creator platform of sorts, with Disney teasing we could see “content from creators that reflects our fandoms” one day and that there are opportunities to add “other storytelling formats, content types, and personalized experiences”.
Disney+ recently received a price hike on October 21, 2025, which was the third hike in as many years. Prices for the standalone Disney+ and bundle rose by around $2 to $3 a month, which means a Disney+ Premium subscription now costs $18.99 a month, while the ad-supported “Standard” plan is $11.99 a month.
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Adam Vjestica is The Shortcut’s Senior Editor. Formerly TechRadar’s Gaming Hardware Editor, Adam has also worked at Nintendo of Europe as a Content Marketing Editor, where he helped launch the Nintendo Switch. He also runs a retro gaming YouTube channel called Game on, boy! Follow him on X @ItsMrProducts.