Xfinity Debuts Vertical Reality Series to Capture the Growing Short-Form Market

Xfinity's Vertical Reality Bet

According to Forbes, Xfinity has launched "Best in Class," a seven-episode vertical reality competition running exclusively on Instagram and TikTok — and the first major brand-backed reality series aimed at claiming share of a vertical content market projected to reach $14 billion in 2026. Hosted by creator Katie Feeney and produced by NBCUniversal's Rock Studios — the unit behind Love Island USA and The Traitors — the series debuted on August 5 with its first episode generating over 2.2 million views, 7,800 likes, and 125 comments across both platforms.

For the creator economy, this is less entertainment product than a structural test of whether traditional reality formats can be compressed, monetized, and scaled inside a five-minute vertical frame.

The Market Setup

The numbers behind the launch explain the move. Global short-form vertical content revenue is projected to grow from $11 billion in 2025 to $14 billion in 2026. Inside NBCUniversal's own portfolio, short-form content viewed on Peacock mobile increased 257% year over year in 2025. Microdramas — the scripted cousin of vertical entertainment — have already established traction; an unscripted competition format is the logical next slot to fill.

That context reframes "Best in Class" as a market positioning play rather than a content experiment. The $14 billion projection creates a clear commercial incentive to claim the vertical-reality category before rivals do.

The Format Economics

The structure diverges from conventional reality TV in three ways that matter for ROI modeling:

• Episodes run roughly five minutes, vertical-first, optimized for mobile feeds.
• The talent pool is pre-qualified — six college creators with existing audiences — rather than unknown contestants converted into creators.
• The grand prize is a brand partnership, not a cash payout, tying the show's economics directly to client deliverables.

That last point is the most commercially interesting. A six-figure brand deal is essentially a media buy with creator labor attached, meaning the prize subsidizes Xfinity's own marketing pipeline. Julie Scelzo, Xfinity's chief creative officer, told Forbes the vertical format remains untested territory for reality competition — a tacit admission that the category is a calculated bet, not a proven product.

What to Track

Seven episodes, a built-in distribution loop, and a clear performance threshold. Episode 2, premiering August 12, saw contestants Marcus Quinn and Mackenzie Fullam win a sports-hype-reel challenge. Whether subsequent episodes hold the 2.2-million-view debut benchmark is the first metric. The second is whether the "existing creator gets a brand deal" model converts into renewals — for both Xfinity and the participating talent.

Clear both bars and competitors will clone the format within six months. Miss them and the vertical reality category gets shelved — and the $14 billion projection becomes harder to defend.