Miami-based Pudgy Penguins, the tech company behind a same-name NFT collection, is staging a 2D-animated series expansion for the IP in partnership with TheSoul Publishing (5-Minute Crafts). 

The two companies have developed a YouTube-first show for six to 11s called Lil Pudgys, which focuses on four penguin roommates who live inside an iceberg and fill their days with wintertime magic and adventures 

Pudgy Penguins is self-financing the production of more than 1,000 minutes of animation, which will roll out in short five-minute episodes, says a company spokesperson. Lil Pudgys is set for a late spring premiere on the Pudgy Penguins YouTube channel (13,000 subscribers), with two episodes dropping weekly. Next up, the company is looking for co-production, distribution, licensing and broadcast partners. 

The goal with the series is to make the NFT brand more accessible and prove that digital collectibles can grow into 360-degree entertainment franchises. Pudgy Penguins has worked hard to build up the value of its tokens, which collectively became the world’s second most-valuable NFT set in December 2024, with each one selling for more than US$100,000, according to crypto media publication CoinDesk. And it’s translated that success into other channels, attracting two million Instagram followers and 41 billion Giphy views with content featuring the penguins. 

Pudgy Penguins also moved the NFT IP into physical consumer products two years ago, launching a line of plush and collectible toys manufactured by PMI Kids World online in May 2023. Walmart picked the line up for 2,000 stores in September that same year, and Target and Walgreens are also carrying them in the US. All told, the brand has earned more than US$10 million in retail sales to date, according to Pudgy Penguins.