Netflix Crash Bandicoot adaptation
Netflix Bets on Crash Bandicoot Revival to Boost Gaming Portfolio
Streaming service taps 1990s PlayStation icon for animated series as it mines video-game franchises for content
Highlights
- Netflix is developing a Crash Bandicoot animated show with Activision Blizzard and WildBrain Studios, marking the franchise’s first full series since 1996.
- The move continues Netflix’s push into video-game adaptations after hits like Castlevania, Arcane, and Cyberpunk: Edgerunners.
- Originally created by Naughty Dog, Crash Bandicoot remains a major gaming icon, with the N. Sane Trilogy surpassing 20M global sales.
Netflix is reportedly developing an animated series based on Crash Bandicoot, the latest addition to the streaming giant's expanding slate of video-game adaptations as it seeks proven intellectual property to attract subscribers.
The project marks the first dedicated long-form animation for the marsupial character since the franchise launched in 1996 as a flagship title for Sony Corp.'s original PlayStation console. Netflix is partnering with Activision Blizzard, now owned by Microsoft Corp., on the production, according to industry reports. Details about the animation studio remain unconfirmed.
Netflix Gaming Adaptations Drive Subscriber Growth and Revenue
The Crash Bandicoot series represents Netflix's continued push into gaming IP, following successful adaptations including "Castlevania," "Arcane" and "Cyberpunk: Edgerunners." The company recently secured rights to adapt board-game franchise Catan into live-action film and television projects.
Industry data suggests the strategy can deliver results beyond streaming viewership. Capcom Co. credited its Netflix anime for helping drive sales of "Devil May Cry 5" past 10 million copies following the show's April 2025 release.
Netflix is betting on Crash Bandicoot's enduring commercial appeal. The 2017 remaster "Crash Bandicoot N. Sane Trilogy" has sold more than 20 million copies globally, according to 2024 figures. Developer Toys for Bob released "Crash Bandicoot 4: It's About Time" in 2020.
Originally developed by Naughty Dog, which would later create the "Uncharted" and "The Last of Us" franchises, Crash Bandicoot became one of PlayStation's most recognizable mascots during the console wars of the late 1990s.
This isn't Crash Bandicoot's first streaming appearance. The character made a guest spot in Netflix's "Skylanders Academy." Activision Blizzard previously partnered with Amazon.com Inc.'s Amazon Studios on a separate Crash Bandicoot project that was later shelved in 2021 due to reported creative disagreements.
Neither Netflix nor Activision have officially confirmed the reported series.
Author
Kamalikaa Biswas is a content writer at Outlook Respawn specializing in pop culture. She holds a Master's in English Literature from University of Delhi and leverages her media industry experience to deliver insightful content on the latest youth culture trends.
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