Vimeo joins Netflix, Amazon with first original series

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A popular Web series is becoming the first original series available exclusively on Vimeo, the video site announced on Thursday.

“High Maintenance,” a popular Web series that launched in 2013 and follows a cannabis dealer delivering products to clients around the city they live in, will now be available exclusively on Vimeo On Demand. The show has already aired 13 episodes on Vimeo, which are available for free viewing right now. Vimeo has ordered another six episodes to premiere later this year.

Vimeo has established itself as a respectable streaming-video provider. The company has 26 million registered users and has 170 million global visitors each month. Its content ranges from user-generated content to professional programming.

“High Maintenance” has become Vimeo’s first original series, putting the video service in direct competition with some of its chief streaming competitors, including Netflix and Amazon. Both of those companies, along with Microsoft through its Xbox service, have invested heavily in original programming. Netflix has arguably won the first battle with such hits as “House of Cards” and “Orange Is the New Black.”

Vimeo On Demand is slightly different than the streaming services Netflix and Amazon provide. Rather than offer a single fee per month for streaming, Vimeo’s content is available for purchase on a per-title basis. Still, the very fact that Vimeo is getting into original programming suggests the importance of that as more companies compete for streaming viewership.

Vimeo plans to announce more details on the official launch date and pricing for “High Maintenance” at some point in the future.

CNET has contacted Vimeo for comment. We will update this story when we have more information.

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