Microdramas in Mip London Focus: Why They Don’t Cast Famous People, How Men Are Coming on Board and a Toilet Pitch

The global rise of microdramas, shortform vertical storytelling for the mobile generation, was in focus during a crowded panel session at Mip London on Monday. Among the topics of debate was a lack of big stars among casts, the growth outlook and the benefit of being able to watch microdramas in one of the most private spaces.

Sensor Tower’s annual report on the state of mobile recently highlighted that video streaming app downloads increased globally by nearly 39 percent in 2025, while their revenue increased nearly 18 percent. The gains were driven by short drama app downloads, which grew more than 100 percent over 2024, while traditional streaming app downloads fell by more than four percent.

Panel moderator Maria Rua Aguete, head of media & entertainment at intelligence and data firm Omdia, also highlighted on Monday that microdramas already account for $11.1 billion in global revenue, including $3.5 billion in advertising revenue.

Alex Montalvo, co-founder and chief content officer of GammaTime,…