Nordic streamer Viaplay sets sights on UK, Canada, Germany, Austria, Switzerland

Nordic thriller Honour is among Viaplay’s original series

Nordic Entertainment (NENT) Group is set to bring its Viaplay streaming service to five new territories, including the UK and Canada, by the end of 2023.

The SVoD platform will first launch in the UK in the second half of next year, before arriving in Canada, Germany, Austria and Switzerland during 2023. This will take the total number of countries where Viaplay is available to 16, beating the target of 15 that NENT announced last November.

As a result, the group has also upped its 2025 subscriber target to 12 million, including six million from overseas markets.

Viaplay, which first launched in Scandinavia, where it is the leading streamer, offers original series such as Pørni, Shadowplay, Honour and Swedish Dicks. It recently landed in Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and Poland, and is soon to launch in the US and the Netherlands.

At debut, Viaplay’s offering in the five new markets will comprise Nordic, local and international series, films, documentaries and kids content. Both originals and acquisitions are expected.

“We have stepped up the pace and scale of Viaplay’s international expansion,” said NENT Group president and CEO Anders Jensen. “We are investing more short-term to create even higher long-term returns due to the considerable operating leverage this creates.

“We are investing in this growth right now in order to capitalise on the opportunity created as the shift to streaming video consumption continues to accelerate, and demand for high-quality and locally relevant stories increases.

“Viaplay is already our largest revenue generator and will already account for more than half of the group’s revenues in a couple of years’ time. We aim to be the most diverse and inclusive storyteller with our amazing range of original, acquired, local and live content that offers something special for everyone. And we take an open approach to partnering that ensures Viaplay is available as broadly as possible.”