TVE's Musical Bet
TVE Announces 'Hitster,' a New Music Game Show from 'Mask Singer' Producers
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TVE is developing 'Hitster,' a major new prime-time music game show based on the globally popular board game of the same name, YOTELE first reported on June 9. The show will be produced by Fremantle España — the same company behind 'Mask Singer' and 'Got Talent' — and filmed at RTVE's Sant Cugat del Vallès studios in Barcelona.
The move is part of RTVE's push to reclaim prime-time audiences. La 1 reached an 11% average share in 2025 — its best in 13 years — and the corporation wants to keep that momentum going into the 2026/2027 season, according to Diario de Noticias.
A Board Game Turned Global TV Format
'Hitster' started as a card game released by Jumbo Group in November 2020. It became a hit across Northern Europe and Spain, racking up over 2.5 million app downloads. The game has now been sold in more than 50 countries and translated into dozens of languages, according to YOTELE.
Fremantle secured global production rights for the TV format in February 2026, Variety reported. By April, Quebecor Content had already announced the first North American adaptation. Spain's version is now the latest in what is becoming a rapid worldwide rollout.
How the Show Works on Screen
The TV format stays close to the original board game. Two teams — made up of celebrities and regular contestants — compete to build a correct chronological timeline of famous songs. A song plays, and the team must figure out exactly where it fits among the hits already on their timeline.
For example: Was 'Macarena' released before or after 'Baby One More Time'? The first team to correctly place 10 songs wins the round. The winning team then enters a final round to compete for a large cash prize, according to El Periódico Mediterráneo.
RTVE's Finances Back a Bigger Entertainment Bet
RTVE closed 2025 with a €55.67 million surplus — a sharp recovery from a €13 million loss in 2024. The corporation spent €392 million on content in 2025, and its total budget for 2026 is projected at €1.313 billion, according to Diario de Noticias.
RTVE President José Pablo López has defended the spending strategy. In a Senate appearance, he noted that RTVE cost taxpayers "€37 million less in 2025 than in 2024" despite producing higher-profile shows. The 'Hitster' production alone is expected to create 150 to 200 temporary jobs in Barcelona's audiovisual sector.
A Show Designed to Bridge Generations
Industry analysts call 'Hitster' a smart move for a public broadcaster. The format is built to attract older viewers who remember 70s and 80s hits, while pulling in younger audiences through its Spotify-linked app technology. FormulaTV notes that Fremantle's experience with large-scale live shows makes them the ideal partner for a format that depends heavily on atmosphere and energy.
'Hitster' will compete directly against Antena 3's 'La caja amarilla' and Telecinco's 'La noche del gran show' when it launches, according to ScreenMDM. Some media critics argue RTVE is drifting too close to commercial television. But management says high-rating shows like 'Hitster' fund the less-popular cultural programming that defines public broadcasting.
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