"Superapp" giant Gojek Launches Video Streaming Platform Christened 'GoPlay', the on-demand content streaming service will compete with Netflix, and regional players

By Aparajita Saxena • Sep 26, 2019

Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

You're reading Entrepreneur Asia Pacific, an international franchise of Entrepreneur Media.

Indonesian ride-hailing and payments giant Gojek launched a Netflix-like video streaming platform, called GoPlay, on Thursday, featuring original TV shows and movies, in a bid to capture some share of the online content market in the country.

GoPlay will compete with video streaming giant, Netflix, regional player Iflix, as well as HOOQ, a Singapore-based service. The company earlier this month launched GoGames for Indonesian gamers, embedded into the company's "superapp".

"The launch of GoPlay marks our latest effort to better meet the needs and wants of our consumers, building on an ecosystem that has successfully evolved from ride-hailing and logistics to a multi-service technology platform for Southeast Asia," Gojek's co-founder, Kevin Aluwi said in a press statement.

The platform will exclusively carry hundreds of recent Indonesia movies and shows, along with high quality local content, the press release said. Gojek has also partnered with Indonesian production houses, such as Base Entertainment, Kalyana Shira Films, and Wahana Kreator to product original content.

GoPlay subscriptions will start at $6 per month, and allow users to download content for offline viewing.

Singapore's ridehailing company Grab earlier this year also launched a similar initiative, partnering with HOOQ to provide video entertainment content to users in Southeast Asia. The partnership included access to HOOQ's top Indonesia, Asian, and Hollywood titles, as well as its original series.

India's food delivery platform Zomato launched a set of short video series on its app earlier this month, hoping to cash in on the growing popularity of on-demand entertainment in the region.

These initiatives by companies that do not originally have a video streaming, or online content play, are looking to tap the huge online video demand in Southeast Asia, where subscription revenues from online video streaming are set to grow 6.5 times to $390 million in 2022, from $60 million in 2017.

Offering competitive pricing, a wider selection of content, and movies and shows in regional languages, these new and emerging local players in Southeast Asia are hoping to snatch Netflix's share in the continent, whose aggressive pricing has already led to a dip in subscribers.

Aparajita Saxena

Former Deputy Associate Editor, Asia Pacific

Aparajita is Former Deputy Associate Editor for Entrepreneur Asia Pacific. She joined Entrepreneur after nearly five years with Reuters, where she chased the Asian and U.S. finance markets.

At Entrepreneur Asia Pacific, she wrote about trends in the Asia Pacific startup ecosystem. She also loves to look for problems startups face in their day-to-day and tries to present ways to deal with those issues via her stories, with inputs from other startups that may have once been in that boat.

Outside of work, she likes spending her time reading books (fiction/non-fiction/back of a shampoo bottle), chasing her two dogs around the house, exploring new wines, solo-travelling, laughing at memes, and losing online multiplayer battle royale games.

Most Popular

See all

Business Ideas

This Teacher Sells Digital Downloads for $10. Her Side Hustle Now Makes Six Figures a Month: 'It Seems Too Good to Be True, But It's Not.'

When one middle school teacher needed to make some extra income, she started a remote side hustle with no physical products and incredibly low overhead. Now she brings in six figures each month, and offers courses teaching others how to do the same.

By Frances Dodds

Thought Leaders

3 New Ways to Develop Laser-Like Focus

To boost focus in the face of distractions, you need a new approach to success.

By Ben Angel

Leadership

How to Win Over the Room With Effective Persuasion Skills

The art of persuasion is not just about the notes, the data, and the pitch; it's about creating a connection that resonates with the audience. We explore how a blend of story, active listening, and genuine interaction can not only capture attention but also win hearts and minds, setting the stage for achieving success in any meeting.

By Lauren Hirsch Williams

Leadership

Great Leaders Must Be Great Coaches — Here's How to Become One

To be a successful leader, you must become an expert in how to help others grow and develop. Here's a research-driven approach for entrepreneurial leaders to coach and effectively develop their teams.

By Scott Taylor