Benzinga - by Chris Katje, Benzinga Staff Writer.
Fans of Minecraft will soon have reason to celebrate as a new animated series was announced for the popular video game.
Here are the early details.
What Happened: Streaming giant Netflix Inc (NASDAQ:NFLX), which ended the first quarter with 269.6 million global paid subscribers, is developing an animated "Minecraft" series.
The new animated series will be produced alongside Mojang Studios, the company that created the game and is now owned by Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT).
Netflix said the series "will feature an original story with new characters, showing the world of ‘Minecraft' in a new light," Variety reported.
Canadian studio Wildbrain (OTC:WLDBF) will help develop the series. The studio has worked on past Netflix series including "Sonic Prime," "Ninjago: Dragons Rising" and "Carmen Sandiego."
Related Link: Minecraft Celebrates 15 Years, Hits A Monumental Benchmark: What’s The Magic Number?
Why It's Important: Minecraft was released in 2011 and remains one of the most popular video games today.
Over 300 million copies of Minecraft have been sold, and more than 140 million people play the game each month.
The game remains a popular series on Twitch, where fans watch others play the game. Videos on YouTube that discuss the game and share gameplay footage passed one trillion views in 2021.
Microsoft acquired Mojang for $2.5 billion in 2014, which was one of its largest acquisitions at the time.
Many popular video games have become key content for streaming companies and movie studios with built-in storylines and fan bases.
A "Minecraft" movie is also in the works from Legendary and Warner Bros. Discovery (NASDAQ:WBD). The movie has a release date of April 4, 2025 and stars Jason Momoa and Jack Black.
While the series could help streaming giant Netflix given the massive fan base and highly competitive streaming market, Microsoft could also gain from more content, including new characters, centered on the game.
The Amazon Prime Video series based on the Fallout game helped boost sales of the game. Microsoft could see similar increased engagement with the game and content if the show and movie are well received.
Read Next: Netflix Cozies Up To Roblox: Gamers Get ‘Digital Theme Park’ For ‘Stranger Things,’ ‘One Piece’ And More Streaming Hits
Photo: Vladimka production/Shutterstock
© 2024 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.