• As the likes of Netflix try to find ways to lure subscribers in, Showmax saw an increase in subscribers during 2022.
• The platform has revealed that African content was the most popular on Showmax.
• In fact, there are only two movies which made it on to the top 10, with every other series and doccie coming out of Africa.

As Netflix introduces advertising in a bid to lure more customers to its platform, MultiChoice reported in November that its streaming property, Showmax, has seen an increase in subscribers.

Showmax subscribers increased by as much as 50 percent while subscriptions to Showmax Pro increased an incredible 111 percent. While 2022 was World Cup year, Showmax says subscriptions to Pro were on the up even before the kick-off in Qatar.

Rather, the platform has pointed to its content as the reason folks were flocking to the streaming service. The service features a number of series that aren’t available to stream anywhere else in South Africa including White Lotus, House of Dragons and Handmaid’s Tale to name a few.

Looking back on the previous year, Showmax has detailed the content that was watched the most in 2022. The list follows below and it contains a wonderful amount of local content.

In alphabetical order the most watched content on Showmax in 2022 was:

• Euphoria Season 1 and 2,
• Fast & Furious 9: The Fast Saga,
• Living the Dream with Somizi Season 1 to 5,
• Mohale: On the Record,
• Sex in Afrikaans,
• The Real Housewives of Durban Season 1 and 2,
• The Real Housewives of Lagos Season 1,
• The Wife Season 1 to 3,
• The Wife: Behind the Veil,
• Wrath of Man.

What we find interesting is that only two things on this list are from beyond the African continent. If there was ever proof that producing local content brings in subscribers, this is it.

But beyond this MultiChoice also pointed out in November that growth was also helped along by investment into the platform, specifically as regards payment options.

“Showmax further localised its business by adding more local payment channels and partners, which enabled local billing in various markets,” MultiChoice’s chair Imtiaz Patel and group chief executive officer Calvo Mawela wrote in November.

The platform is also starting the year of strong as it will be streaming the forthcoming HBO Max original series The Last of Us. The series is based on the game of the same name and has been generating a lot of positive chatter online ahead of its release.

We’re excited to see where Showmax goes this year and if you want a sneak peak at what to expect from the platform this month head to this blog post.