Fans of the iconic children's show Sesame Street can breathe a sigh of relief as the beloved series, which has been delighting audiences since 1969, will continue to be accessible through new streaming platforms. After HBO and Max decided not to renew their deal at the end of 2024, Sesame Street has secured a new partnership with Netflix and PBS.
New episodes of Sesame Street will be available to stream on Netflix worldwide, alongside the show's extensive catalog of past episodes. Additionally, new episodes will be released on the same day they air on PBS stations and PBS Kids, maintaining the show's long-standing relationship with public television. This exciting development was announced by Sesame Street via their social media channels on May 19, 2025, highlighting a unique public-private partnership with Netflix, PBS, and the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. This collaboration aims to support Sesame Street's mission of helping children grow smarter, stronger, and kinder.
For its upcoming 56th season, Sesame Street will introduce some structural changes, adopting a format that includes an 11-minute story at the beginning of each episode. This change is inspired by other successful character-driven children's shows like Bluey. However, fans will still enjoy beloved segments such as Elmo's World and Cookie Monster's Foodie Truck.
Originally debuting in November 1969 and joining the PBS network in the 1970s, Sesame Street has been a cultural staple. HBO and Max began their partnership with the show in 2015 with a significant $35 million deal. This collaboration ended in late 2024 as HBO and Max shifted their focus away from children's programming. Despite this, the Sesame Street library will remain accessible on HBO and Max until 2027, although without the production of new episodes.
In a strategic move, Netflix plans to leverage this new deal to expand its gaming arm, allowing subscribers to play games within the app using their mobile devices as controllers. This partnership will also enable Netflix to develop video games based on Sesame Street and its spinoff, Sesame Street Mecha Builders, further enhancing the interactive experience for fans.