Great news for Sesame Street fans! The iconic children's series, a beloved staple since 1969, will continue its journey on Netflix and PBS. This move comes after HBO and Max decided not to renew their long-standing licensing agreement with the show at the end of 2024.

Netflix will become the new global home for fresh episodes and the extensive back catalog of Sesame Street. New installments will also debut on their broadcast date via PBS stations and the PBS Kids platform. This partnership extends beyond streaming; as Netflix expands its gaming initiatives—allowing subscribers to play directly through the app using their mobile devices as controllers—the platform will also develop video games based on the series and its spinoff, Sesame Street Mecha Builders.

Sesame Workshop, the nonprofit behind the series, announced the new distribution strategy on its social media channels on May 19. "This unique public-private partnership with Netflix, PBS, and the Corporation for Public Broadcasting ensures Sesame Street can keep fulfilling its mission to help children everywhere grow smarter, stronger, and kinder," the organization stated.

We are excited to announce that all new Sesame Street episodes are coming to @netflix worldwide along with library episodes, and new episodes will also release the same day on @PBS Stations and @PBSKIDS platforms in the US, preserving a 50+ year relationship.

The support of… pic.twitter.com/B76MxQzrpI

— Sesame Street (@sesamestreet) May 19, 2025

The upcoming 56th season will introduce a new format. Each episode will center on an 11-minute core narrative, a structure inspired by the success of character-driven children's shows like the popular series Bluey. Despite this change, viewers can look forward to the return of favorite segments, including the cherished Elmo's World and Cookie Monster's Foodie Truck.

Sesame Street debuted in November 1969 and joined the PBS network in the 1970s, quickly cementing its status as a cultural landmark. HBO and Max began their collaboration with the series in 2015, securing a five-year, $35 million agreement for new episodes.

That partnership concluded in late 2024 as the streamer shifted its strategic focus away from children's programming, which it reported had lower engagement with its subscriber base. However, the existing library of Sesame Street episodes will remain available on HBO and Max through 2027—a slight extension of the original decade-long contract, though it no longer includes the production of new content.