Roku claims that record numbers of viewers have watched the shows it picked up from failed short-form streaming platform Quibi. The first batch of shows, rebranded as Roku Originals, were released last month.
As reported by Variety, Roku states that more active accounts have streamed a Quibi show in the first two week of release than Quibi itself managed in its entire lifetime. Like all streaming services, Roku hasn’t actually released any hard numbers, but given Quibi’s dismal subscription numbers caused the service to close within nine months, it seems likely. Roku Channel is available with ads for free to anyone with a Roku device, whereas Quibi cost $5 for the ad-supported version.
Nevertheless, Roku is clearly happy with the result, having already greenlit a second season of one of its Quibi pickups, the Kevin Hart action-comedy Die Hart. The company states that the series scored its most watched first weekend of any show.
Roku bought around 75 shows from Quibi earlier this year, including several that hadn’t been released when Quibi shut down in late 2020.
Quibi launched in April last year and was initially hailed by co-founder Jeffrey Katzenberg as a revolutionary new combatant in the streaming wars, with its emphasis on short-form content specifically geared for mobile devices. However, he was forced to shut down the business due to flagging viewer numbers and disappointing download numbers.
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