How to watch South Park: The Streaming Wars for free online now

Cartman and mum in South Park: The Streaming Wars
(Image credit: Paramount)

Eric Cartman has clashed with pretty much everybody in South Park over the years, but in The Streaming Wars he might finally have met his match: his own mother. The show's latest full-length special is available to stream now and it promises to be one of the most side-splitting telly events of the year. Cartman and co.'s vulgar antics are currently exclusive to Paramount Plus in States and Canada but make sure you know how to watch South Park: The Streaming Wars from anywhere online.

How to watch South Park: The Streaming Wars

Premiere: Wednesday 1st June 2022

Time: 8am GMT / 3am ET / 5pm AEST 

Cast: Trey Parker, Matt Stone, April Stewart

Live stream: Paramount+ (FREE 7-day trial)

Watch anywhere: Try ExpressVPN risk-free

There's a certain irony to the fact that South Park's latest special, The Streaming Wars, is only available to watch on a US and Canadian streaming service – but no subject is off limits for co-creators Matt Stone and Trey Parker.

Having skewered everything from anti-vaxxers to NFTs in the last two pandemic-related specials, the Emmy- and Peabody-winning series is back for another dose of poorly animated satire. (Yes, we know it's supposed to look like that.)

The two short trailers released so far (you can watch the most recent one below) don't give much away, but as usual the town is under some sort of existential threat and it would appear that only Cartman can save it.

South Park: The Streaming Wars is exclusive to Paramount Plus. Away from home, make sure you know how to watch South Park: The Streaming Wars from anywhere in the world.

South Park: The Streaming Wars preview trailer

Watch South Park: The Streaming Wars for free

South Park: The Streaming Wars is currently exclusive to US and Canadian streaming channel Paramount Plus.

Subscription to Paramount Plus costs from $4.99 a month for the ad-supported Essential plan – but new users can get their first week free.

When away from home, remember: you'll need to use a VPN to watch Paramount Plus when outside of the States. We recommend ExpressVPN.

Paramount Plus 7-day free trial

Paramount Plus <a href="https://paramountplus.qflm.net/c/221109/175360/3065?subId1=hawk-custom-tracking&sharedId=hawk&u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.paramountplus.com%2F" data-link-merchant="paramountplus.com"">7-day free trial
Fancy streaming new South Park specials, as well as 30,000 TV shows and 2,500 movies, for nada? Your first week of Paramount Plus is free and there's no contract so you can cancel any time.

How to watch South Park: The Streaming Wars from anywhere with a VPN

Stuck outside the United States? You can access Paramount Plus from anywhere in the world using a VPN (Virtual Private Network). We typically recommend ExpressVPN since it offers a risk-free 30-day money-back guarantee.

With a good VPN, you can sign into your Paramount Plus account (or even create a new one) and watch South Park: The Streaming Wars as if you were back home in the States. Good to know, right?

Try ExpressVPN risk-free for 30 days

<a href="https://go.expressvpn.com/c/4550836/1330033/16063?subId1=hawk-custom-tracking&sharedId=hawk&u=https%3A%2F%2Fexpressvpn.com%2Fgo%2Fbest-vpn-for-streaming-video-2%3Foffer%3D3monthsfree%26a_fid%3D744" data-link-merchant="expressvpn.com"">Try ExpressVPN risk-free for 30 days
ExpressVPN offers a 30-day money back guarantee with its VPN service. You can use it to watch on your mobile, tablet, laptop, TV, games console and more. There's 24/7 customer support and three months free when you sign-up.

How to use a VPN for Paramount Plus

Using a VPN for Paramount Plus is incredibly simple.

1. Install the VPN of your choice. ExpressVPN is the one we recommend.

2. Open the VPN app and choose the location of the service you wish to access. For Paramount Plus, you should use 'USA' (or any US city, such as New York).

3. Head over to Paramount Plus on your browser or device and live stream South Park: The Streaming Wars.

If, for whatever reason, you can't get it working, then do remember that you have the comfort of a 30-day money back guarantee with ExpressVPN. You could also try NordVPN, which also comes with a 30-day money back guarantee.

Watch South Park: The Streaming Wars in the UK

South Park's most recent hour-long specials – Post Covid, Post Covid: Return of Covid and The Streaming Wars – are currently exclusive streaming service Paramount Plus, which isn't due to launch in the UK until 22nd June. 

But remember: you can use a VPN to watch Paramount Plus when outside of the States as a US citizen. Full details above.

On a lighter note, UK viewers can watch the 2020 South Park specials – The Pandemic Special and The Vaccination Special – on Sky. Not a subscriber? You can access Sky instantly, and contract-free, using a Now pass.

Can I watch the South Park specials on Comedy Central or HBO Max? 

The short answer: no.

South Park creators Matt Stone and Trey Parker inked a huge deal with Paramount Plus to produce two specials a year until 2027. The Post COVID episodes are two of these releases and The Streaming Wars is the third.

However, South Park was originally created for Comedy Central and the pair have an existing deal that means season 26 will air on Comedy Central first, and then on HBO Max 24 hours later.

In other words, you'll need Paramount Plus if you want to see all 14 specials. And in the long term, it's likely that every season of South Park will end up on Paramount Plus. So, unlike NFTs, it's a pretty safe investment.

Watch South Park: The Streaming Wars in Canada

Canadians (with their beady eyes and flapping heads, of course) will be able to watch South Park: The Streaming Wars on Paramount Plus just like the folk on the south side of the big border.

As in the States, Canadians can watch for free with the 7-day FREE Paramount Plus trial. The South Park: The Streaming Wars release date and times are also Wednesday 1st June at 3am ET / 12am PT.

Is South Park: The Streaming Wars on Paramount Plus Australia

Despite the fact that Paramount Plus is now available in Australia, you won't be able to stream South Park: The Streaming Wars on the Aussie version of the service just now. There has been no release date announced as yet but expect to hear something in the near future.

MORE:

Read our full review of Paramount Plus

Everything you need to know about Paramount Plus

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