Peacock is launching a brand new interactive expertise later this month that permits followers to livestream episodes alongside actors from the present who present real-time reactions, commentary, and a stay Q&A.
The characteristic dubbed “Watch With” is about to roll out on February 24, a day after the second season premiere of Peacock’s “Contemporary Prince of Bel-Air” reboot collection, “Bel-Air.” Viewers can attempt the brand new expertise at 9 p.m. ET, the place they’ll be capable to watch the “Bel-Air” premiere with predominant solid members Jabari Banks, who performs Will on the present, and Olly Sholotan, who performs Carlton.
When customers enter the livestream, they’ll see a split-screen view. Because the premiere episode performs on one aspect, there shall be a video overlay of Banks and Sholotan reacting to scenes, offering commentary and answering questions. There may also be a viewer rely of what number of followers are watching. Customers can ship questions by way of social media utilizing the hashtag #WatchWithPeacock.
The corporate has previously touted “Bel-Air” as being essentially the most profitable authentic present within the streaming service’s two-year historical past, breaking information for brand spanking new subscribers, utilization and upgrades to the Premium tier. In Might 2022, the corporate mentioned that “Bel-Air” reached 8 million accounts. Peacock lately reported a complete of 20 million paid subscribers.
Picture Credit: Peacock
Different Peacock reveals will ultimately get the “Watch With” characteristic. As an illustration, it’ll broaden to “Eurovision,” the stay tune contest, with host and two-time Olympian Johnny Weir because the featured star. Followers of “The Actual Housewives Final Ladies Journey” will quickly get to take pleasure in commentary from Candiace Dillard Bassett and Marysol Patton. Peacock will announce extra titles at a later date.
Choose subscribers might have already seen a check of the “Watch With” characteristic. Final yr, Peacock examined a beta model of the product for “The Actual Housewives of Miami” with stars Larsa Pippen and Marysol Patton.
“After exceeding our viewership forecasts, we’re extremely inspired by the primary check of ‘Watch With’ as a method to super-serve followers with a stay communal viewing expertise. As we work to construct an unequalled viewers expertise at Peacock, we’re seeking to proceed experimenting with in-product improvements that improve the streaming expertise and break into the cultural zeitgeist,” mentioned John Jelley, Senior Vice President of Product & UX at Peacock.
The characteristic appears to be a step up out of your common “Watch Party” characteristic, which many streaming services supply to permit relations and associates to look at their favourite reveals collectively.
Netflix provided the same expertise final summer time when it teamed up with co-viewing platform Scener to offer followers of “Stranger Issues” the power to attend a virtual watch party for the finale of Season 4. Solid members David Harbour, Brett Gelman, Joseph Quinn and Jamie Campbell Bower joined the occasion for a stay Q&A.
“Watch With” is the newest interactive expertise that Peacock is launching. The streaming service can be rolling out “Choose Your Reality,” an interactive storytelling characteristic that can let Peacock Premium subscribers delve deeper into choose scenes and watch prolonged clips like further footage and interviews.
“Select Your Actuality” will launch in season three of “The Actual Housewives Final Ladies Journey,” set to premiere someday this yr.
Peacock is probably going launching these interactive options to make its paid subscription extra engaging to customers. In This fall 2022, the corporate revealed that its losses proceed to widen, reporting an adjusted EBITDA lack of $978 million. Additionally, Peacock no longer offers its free tier to new customers, additional shifting its focus to its Premium providing.
