Cartoon network 2025 strategy shift: transmedia co-production becomes structured IP risk model
Summary
Cartoon Next 2026 drew 260 professionals from 105 companies to Marseille, formalizing transmedia as a co-production business model beyond creative experiment
Studios now design IP for simultaneous deployment across games, film, animation, and books from day one, distributing risk before any single format launches
Roblox, AI-assisted pipelines, and mobile-first microdrama emerged as three infrastructure layers lowering cost and speed barriers for this model
"The project brings together writers, developers and artists to create a universe designed to exist across multiple platforms from the start"
01
Day-one multi-format design replaces sequential IP adaptation
Projects pitched at Cartoon Next 2026 were built for animation, games, books, and podcasts simultaneously from inception
This eliminates retrofit costs and rights fragmentation that make post-launch adaptation expensive
Ubisoft speakers confirmed multi-format ambition is now a formalized strategic element, not secondary monetization
For investors, the risk profile shifts when no single format carries the full commercial bet
02
Cross The Ages runs the multi-format IP stack live
Marseille-based Cross The Ages spans video games, books, animation, card games, esports, and web3 from inception
CEO Sami Chlagou presented the model on stage as parallel co-building by writers, developers, and artists
No single format is the "source" IP; each vertical generates independent revenue
This structure lets each format attract its own audience and funding, reducing single-platform dependence
03
Microdrama offers a low-cost IP incubation channel for publishers
Tokyo Epic presented animated microdrama already achieving traction in Asian markets, now expanding into Europe
COO Hayato Inoue and CMO Olivia Papini detailed how AI tools accelerate their pipeline, cutting IP testing costs
Core mechanics mirror mobile game design: episodic retention, short-form engagement, mobile-first distribution
Publishers can validate audience attachment before committing full game or film production budgets
04
Roblox functions as transmedia distribution infrastructure
Swedish studio The Gang presented increasingly sophisticated branded Roblox experiences on stage
Developer Eliza Jäppinen and others cited Roblox for reach, monetization viability, and ecosystem depth
This aligns with Matthew Ball's "State of Video Gaming in 2026" assessment of the platform's industry role
IP holders gain a distribution channel with built-in audience that lowers interactive extension costs
05
AI enters production cost models as a deal-structuring factor
Studios at Cartoon Next 2026 openly disclosed AI production use cases across multiple sessions
Tokyo Epic acknowledged AI in their pipeline; one pitching project used Midjourney for early visual development
The tone has shifted from dismissal to active interrogation of timing and method
For co-production deals, AI-assisted pipelines are now a legitimate factor in cost and timeline negotiations
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COMPILED BY GAMES ATLAS EDITORIAL
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