diff -ruN a/src/streamlink_cli/argparser.py b/src/streamlink_cli/argparser.py
--- a/src/streamlink_cli/argparser.py	2017-11-14 14:21:36.000000000 +0100
+++ b/src/streamlink_cli/argparser.py	2017-12-20 14:53:28.380643193 +0100
@@ -309,7 +309,7 @@
     metavar="COMMAND",
     default=find_default_player(),
     help="""
-    Player to feed stream data to. By default, VLC will be used
+    Player to feed stream data to. By default, MPV will be used
     if it can be found in its default location.
 
     This is a shell-like syntax to support using a specific player:
diff -ruN a/src/streamlink_cli/main.py b/src/streamlink_cli/main.py
--- a/src/streamlink_cli/main.py	2017-11-14 14:21:36.000000000 +0100
+++ b/src/streamlink_cli/main.py	2017-12-20 14:54:42.376865280 +0100
@@ -72,7 +72,7 @@
         http = namedpipe = None
 
         if not args.player:
-            console.exit("The default player (VLC) does not seem to be "
+            console.exit("The default player (MPV) does not seem to be "
                          "installed. You must specify the path to a player "
                          "executable with --player.")
 
@@ -132,7 +132,7 @@
 
     if not external:
         if not args.player:
-            console.exit("The default player (VLC) does not seem to be "
+            console.exit("The default player (MPV) does not seem to be "
                          "installed. You must specify the path to a player "
                          "executable with --player.")
 
diff -ruN a/src/streamlink_cli/utils/player.py b/src/streamlink_cli/utils/player.py
--- a/src/streamlink_cli/utils/player.py	2017-11-14 14:21:36.000000000 +0100
+++ b/src/streamlink_cli/utils/player.py	2017-12-20 14:56:12.896766846 +0100
@@ -15,23 +15,23 @@
 def find_default_player():
     if "darwin" in sys.platform:
         paths = os.environ.get("PATH", "").split(":")
-        paths += ["/Applications/VLC.app/Contents/MacOS/"]
-        paths += ["~/Applications/VLC.app/Contents/MacOS/"]
-        path = check_paths(("VLC", "vlc"), paths)
+        paths += ["/Applications/MPV.app/Contents/MacOS/"]
+        paths += ["~/Applications/MPV.app/Contents/MacOS/"]
+        path = check_paths(("MPV", "mpv"), paths)
     elif "win32" in sys.platform:
-        exename = "vlc.exe"
+        exename = "mpv.exe"
         paths = os.environ.get("PATH", "").split(";")
         path = check_paths((exename,), paths)
 
         if not path:
-            subpath = "VideoLAN\\VLC\\"
+            subpath = "MPV\\"
             envvars = ("PROGRAMFILES", "PROGRAMFILES(X86)", "PROGRAMW6432")
             paths = filter(None, (os.environ.get(var) for var in envvars))
             paths = (os.path.join(p, subpath) for p in paths)
             path = check_paths((exename,), paths)
     else:
         paths = os.environ.get("PATH", "").split(":")
-        path = check_paths(("vlc",), paths)
+        path = check_paths(("mpv",), paths)
 
     if path:
         # Quote command because it can contain space