TikTok is expanding into its next growth phase by integrating short-form dramas and gaming, aiming to capture consumer engagement within the "attention economy" while providing game and content publishers and advertisers with new monetisation channels.
Short dramas have emerged as one of the fastest-growing mobile entertainment categories, securing 2.26 billion global downloads in 2025, mainly in Southeast Asia, according to Sensor Tower data.
Boston Consulting Group projects the global video gaming market will reach US$350 billion by 2030.
"People worldwide have an average of 80 apps installed on their phones, but they use less than 10 of them. Artificial intelligence [AI] has made it easier to create apps, dropping development time from six months to 1-3 months, but user retention is plummeting, with app churn rates hitting 80-90% after just one day, especially in gaming," said Chew Wee, head of global business marketing Asia-Pacific at TikTok.
According to a Kantar media reactions report, TikTok ranks No.1 in driving consumer attention.
In Southeast Asia, users open the TikTok app 15 times a day and the platform boasts more than 460 million users.
As competition for consumer attention increases, it is becoming more important for developers and publishers to attract users and keep them engaged, said Yuke (Ray) Hu, general manager for global business solutions, SE Asia and Japan, at TikTok.
He said the platform is committed to helping app developers and publishers navigate this shift by unlocking three opportunities: new business models for native entertainment, AI-powered innovation, and access to new markets.
Native entertainment includes two formats: mini games and mini dramas. With mini games, developers can quickly build and launch lightweight, easy-to-play games directly within TikTok.
"We have 1,300 mini games active daily. To keep playing, users can watch an ad to earn in-game coins or make a direct in-game purchase," Mr Hu said.
Citing the massive commercial viability of bite-sized episodic content, short dramas generated a staggering $2.9 billion in global revenue last year, according to Sensor Tower.
Attention to Action
Built into TikTok, Mini Dramas and Mini Games enable users to discover, watch, play and purchase episodic mini dramas and games without leaving the app, giving brands the opportunity to target highly engaged audiences and create new revenue opportunities.
From registration to launch, publishers and developers can now get their mini dramas and mini games up and running in one month.
To help developers maximise the reach of these mini games and mini dramas, TikTok introduced TikTok Growth Max, an automated advertising performance solution designed to seamlessly scale content distribution across its vast user base.
Moreover, TikTok is rolling out advanced AI innovations designed to slash creative production costs and automate campaign management.
"Within just 1-2 years, we can see the production cost of mini dramas has been reduced by 90% with the power of AI, while AI-driven interactions in mobile games have boosted player retention by 20%," Mr Hu said.
THAI MINI DRAMAS
Thunyavut Vongsoonthorn, general manager of TikTok for Business Thailand, said it plans to launch mini dramas with Thai production partners under a revenue-sharing model.
Thailand ranks among Southeast Asia's top three markets for short-drama app downloads, according to Sensor Tower. TikTok expects early adopters to be users aged 18-35, who represent more than 40% of its 53 million users in Thailand.
Mini-dramas feature episodes of 1–2 minutes designed to hook viewers within 15 seconds, with each series running for 20-70 episodes. Romance and melodrama are expected to be the most popular genres.
The service is expected to launch in the late third quarter or fourth quarter, allowing users to watch and pay for episodes directly on TikTok.
The company is in talks with about 10 production partners, half of which have committed.
TikTok expects smaller studios and AI-assisted creators to lead adoption, while larger entertainment companies may move more slowly.
"Within six months, we should know whether Thai mini dramas can gain traction. We hope to become a new distribution channel for local producers and grow revenue together," Mr Thunyavut said.
