Nickelodeon Animation Studio

Nickelodeon Animation Studio is an American animation production company based in Burbank, California. It develops and produces animated television series, streaming programming, specials and feature projects for children and family audiences. Its work spans traditional and digital 2D animation, computer animation, visual development, storyboarding and character design, with capabilities extending through voice recording and post-production.

The studio was established in 1992 as Games Animation, Inc., following earlier organizational development for Nickelodeon’s in-house animation activities. Its early responsibilities included overseeing production of the inaugural Nicktoons slate, including Doug, Rugrats and The Ren & Stimpy Show. Rocko’s Modern Life, which debuted in 1993, became its first fully internally developed series. In 1998, the company adopted the Nickelodeon Animation Studio name and moved from Studio City to a purpose-built Burbank facility.

Animation across formats

The studio’s production history includes SpongeBob SquarePants, Avatar: The Last Airbender, The Legend of Korra, Hey Arnold!, The Fairly OddParents and The Loud House. Its portfolio encompasses original series, franchise continuations, television movies and co-productions. Work on properties such as Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and the CGI revival of Rugrats also reflects its involvement in different animation techniques and visual styles.

Production activities include concept development, character and background design, voice casting, dialogue recording, editing, foley and color grading. The studio also supports short-form animation and pilot development, alongside animated feature pre-production and co-production.

Beyond linear television, Nickelodeon Animation Studio has expanded into programming for streaming platforms, including Netflix and Paramount+. Its New York production branch was established to support preschool and Nick Jr. animation. Within the wider Paramount Skydance group, the studio operates through CBS Studios as a kids and family animation production label, while retaining its central creative campus in Burbank.