Roku features a bunch of free original programming with recognizable faces for you to enjoy. This is how to watch Roku Originals on your Roku device.
If you have a Roku device, you may access a plethora of unique original content underneath the name of Roku Originals. These were released in May 2021 to commemorate National Streaming Day, a holiday invented by Roku. While Roku has typically been a platform to stream content from those other services, this is the company’s first major venture into original programming.
Roku Originals debuted with 20 shows starring personalities such as Kevin Hart, Liam Hemsworth, Adam Devine, & Chrissy Teigen, as well as programming in a variety of genres such as comedy, reality, and action.
So, what else are Roku Originals, and how do you watch them?
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Roku Originals Arose From Quibi’s Ashes
Despite their designation, the first wave of Roku original versions are not. That’s because the shows are remnants from Quibi, a short-form streaming platform that debuted in early 2020 and closed just over 6 months later.
Quibi’s concept was to sign up A-listers to create and feature in series with episodes that were no longer than eight minutes long in aim to appeal to the younger people on the go. However, the debut occurred shortly after the coronavirus epidemic began, leaving the rest of its target population stranded at residence and not on the move at all.
Roku bought Quibi’s catalog and announced intentions to revive the episodes in January 2021, 3 months after Quibi went down. They dropped the Quibi brand and rebranded the programs as Roku Originals.
Roku had purchased 75 shows at the time of its introduction, probably with the purpose of releasing the remaining ones later.
Who Is Eligible to View Roku Originals?
Anybody with a Roku account can watch Roku Originals. At the start, all of the shows are free and sponsored by advertisements. The Roku mobile app also has access to The Originals.
How to Obtain Roku Originals
There are two methods to get access to Roku Originals. On the main Roku menu, there seems to be a Roku Originals option that you may directly pick to access the Originals menu.
Furthermore, the Roku Originals menu is available in the form of the Roku Channel, which would be the Roku-owned channel in each Roku device’s standard menu. Furthermore, Roku Originals programs are dispersed among the many Roku Channel genres.
What Is the Distinction Between Roku Originals & Roku Channel?
Roku Originals & Roku Channel are not the same thing, despite the fact that Roku Originals is featured under Roku Channel.
However, Roku Channel has a lot more to offer. This includes ad-supported live TV channels, films, and TV shows, as well as the ability to subscribe to certain other streaming services via Roku.
Roku’s Originals Future Plans
Roku is said to have large aspirations for creative programming in the future, beyond the shows it picked up after Quibi’s death.
In February 2021, soon after the revelation of the Quibi acquisition, a job listing for a legal situation with Roku appeared online, claiming to deal with a “growing slate of unique content. This suggests that Roku, like many other internet companies, is preparing a new push into producing its own shows, but the company has yet to make an official announcement.
Can Roku Originals Become a Hit for Roku?
Roku Originals are included, and they are made up of material left over from the defunct Quibi yet repackaged in a manner that will probably bring them in front of many more eyes than it did on that dead platform.
They’re easy to find if you have a Roku, and they’re incorporated into the current Roku Channel, allowing shows to just go viral or to become word-of-mouth hits in ways that the original Quibi never did.
During the pandemic, Roku gained millions of consumers and now appears to be ready to become a major force in the realm of original content.