Golden Axe animated comedy arrives on Paramount+ in September
Developing story first seen 2 hours ago
Sega has released the first trailer for its upcoming animated comedy adaptation of Golden Axe, confirming the series will launch on Paramount+ on 16 September. The show reimagines the classic 1980s beat-'em-up arcade game as a self-aware, comedic take on its medieval fantasy setting, retaining nods to the original's distinctive visual style and combat while leaning into irreverent humour for a modern streaming audience.
The adaptation forms part of Sega's wider push to turn its back catalogue of dormant franchises into television and film properties, a strategy that gained momentum after the commercial success of the live-action Sonic the Hedgehog films. Golden Axe joins a growing slate of Sega revivals aimed at extending legacy gaming IP beyond the console, with the newly unveiled trailer offering the first proper look at how the games' tone and characters have been translated for the small screen.
- First Golden Axe trailer released ahead of Paramount+ debut
- Animated comedy series launches on Paramount+ on 16 September
- Part of Sega's push to adapt dormant game IPs for streaming
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Sega's Golden Axe began life in 1989 as a coin-operated arcade game, a side-scrolling "beat 'em up" in which players fought their way through a fantasy world of barbarians, dwarves and giants. It became one of Sega's best-known franchises of that era, spawning several sequels and later ports to home consoles, though the series has been largely dormant in recent years.
The new project is an animated comedy series based on the games, made for the Paramount+ streaming service. It is being produced with Sega's involvement as part of the company's efforts to bring its older video game properties to television and film audiences beyond those who actually play the games.
This fits a broader trend of video game companies adapting their franchises for screen, following high-profile examples such as Sonic the Hedgehog and The Last of Us. For Sega specifically, it follows the box-office success of its live-action Sonic films, which encouraged the company to explore similar treatment for other titles in its back catalogue.
Coverage
- Engadget — Golden Axe animated series premieres on Paramount+ in September
- Polygon — Sega’s Golden Axe Officially Returns in New Streaming Comedy
- GamesRadar+ — First Golden Axe trailer is a bloody romp through medieval times that pays homage to the classic Sega game