The card game Exploding Kittens will be released by Netflix on mobile in May, 2022 before being adapted to an animated series at some point in 2023. The deal between Exploding Kittens and Netflix has been described as the “first of its kind.” This collaboration represents the first time that Netflix has produced both a game and a series from the same franchise.
The animated series will be starring some big names including Tom Ellis, Abraham Lim, Lucy Liu, Ally Maki, Mark Proksch, and Sasheer Zamata. The executive producers include Mike Judge, Greg Daniels, Dustin Davis, Peter Chernin, Jenno Topping, and Elan Lee. The eponymous show takes place when "the eternal conflict between Heaven and Hell reaches epic proportions” after both “God and the Devil are sent to Earth in the bodies of chunky house cats.”
Similar to the card game, the mobile version will involve trying to avoid Exploding Kittens. The game will feature two exclusive cards, Radar and Flip Flop, which reveal the next Exploding Kitten and reverse the draw order of the deck, respectively. Netflix plans to add more cards in the future so that "friends and families can play with their favorite characters and bring the show to life." Subscribers to Netflix will be able to play the game "without additional fees or in-app purchases."
“Netflix is the only service that could bring Exploding Kittens to life in both a series and a game,” Chief Creative Officer at Exploding Kittens Matthew Inman remarked. “We actually launched Exploding Kittens on Kickstarter as a weekend project, but our community has been the heart and soul of the company over the past six years. The new series and game will give our fans new ways to connect and interact with the franchise.”
Exploding Kittens quickly attracted attention after the company launched its eponymous game on Kickstarter back in 2015. The fundraiser managed to pull in over $8,750,000 toward its goal of only $10,000. Exploding Kittens shipped in 2016.