Category Archives: Video Games

Rovio and Topgolf Entertainment launch Angry Birds into select venues

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Eagle, Birdie, the rarely scored Albatross, whatever term you’d like to use, Rovio Entertainment is looking to go the distance in a new partnership with Topgolf Entertainment Group to bring the Angry Birds franchise to select Topgolf venues this autumn.

The partnership marks a new first for both the Angry Birds IP and Topgolf and is aimed at ‘delivering humour and fun for families and friends,’ by utilising Topgolf’s exclusive Toptracer ball-tracing technology to blend the physical act of hitting a golf ball with the digital game play of Angry Birds.

Taking on a variety of challenges, Topgolf guests will be able to partner with much-loved Angry Birds characters including Red, Chuck, and Bomb to demolish virtual structures placed on the Topgolf targets.

“As a company deeply-rooted in innovation, creating new and dynamic experiences is something we consistently deliver, and we know Angry Birds will be a game-changing addition to our existing gaming collection,” said Dolf Berle, Topgolf Entertainment Group chief executive officer.

“With the Angry Birds’ loyal fanbase, this offering is sure to deliver on an experience that makes our Guests feel like they are part of the highly acclaimed mobile game.”

Angry Birds started as a popular mobile game in 2009 and has since evolved into one of the world’s most loved entertainment brands, covering games, blockbuster movies, animated series, location-based entertainment and more. In total, Angry Birds mobile games have been downloaded over 4.5 billion times.

“This experience perfectly embodies the Angry Birds brand in terms of its accessible fun and all-round irreverence,” said Ville Heijari, CMO of Rovio Entertainment. “Added to that, what Topgolf has developed with their Toptracer technology is highly innovative and aligns with the physics-based challenges that can be discovered in Angry Birds mobile games. The resulting experience is a familiar but uniquely branded experience that we’re excited for our fans to take a swing at.”

Rovio and Topgolf Entertainment launch Angry Birds into select venues

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Eagle, Birdie, the rarely scored Albatross, whatever term you’d like to use, Rovio Entertainment is looking to go the distance in a new partnership with Topgolf Entertainment Group to bring the Angry Birds franchise to select Topgolf venues this autumn.

The partnership marks a new first for both the Angry Birds IP and Topgolf and is aimed at ‘delivering humour and fun for families and friends,’ by utilising Topgolf’s exclusive Toptracer ball-tracing technology to blend the physical act of hitting a golf ball with the digital game play of Angry Birds.

Taking on a variety of challenges, Topgolf guests will be able to partner with much-loved Angry Birds characters including Red, Chuck, and Bomb to demolish virtual structures placed on the Topgolf targets.

“As a company deeply-rooted in innovation, creating new and dynamic experiences is something we consistently deliver, and we know Angry Birds will be a game-changing addition to our existing gaming collection,” said Dolf Berle, Topgolf Entertainment Group chief executive officer.

“With the Angry Birds’ loyal fanbase, this offering is sure to deliver on an experience that makes our Guests feel like they are part of the highly acclaimed mobile game.”

Angry Birds started as a popular mobile game in 2009 and has since evolved into one of the world’s most loved entertainment brands, covering games, blockbuster movies, animated series, location-based entertainment and more. In total, Angry Birds mobile games have been downloaded over 4.5 billion times.

“This experience perfectly embodies the Angry Birds brand in terms of its accessible fun and all-round irreverence,” said Ville Heijari, CMO of Rovio Entertainment. “Added to that, what Topgolf has developed with their Toptracer technology is highly innovative and aligns with the physics-based challenges that can be discovered in Angry Birds mobile games. The resulting experience is a familiar but uniquely branded experience that we’re excited for our fans to take a swing at.”

Winners of the 2020 Licensing International Excellence Awards revealed in virtual awards ceremony

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The winners of the 2020 Licensing International Excellence Awards have been revealed in the industry’s first virtual awards ceremony that brought together nearly 1,000 executives from around the world for the celebrations.

Hosted by Handcraft VP and stand-up comic Marshall Mizrahi, the event saw licensing powerhouse Martha Stewart inducted into the Licensing Hall of Fame.

It also played host to a showcase of this year’s six international Rising Stars in Krystyna Braxton (NFL Players Inc.); Allison Cimino (RockLove); Carolina Garcia Souza (Cinecolor Colombia, representative of The Walt Disney Company); Gao Qiang (Tencent); Hannah Stevens (The Point.1888); and Louis Yenik (Crunchyroll). 

Newly redesigned trophies for both the main Awards and the Hall of Fame were also unveiled at the event, designed by Alternatives and PowerStation Studios, respectively. 

The 23 Awards winners hail from around the globe, including companies from Brazil, France, Germany, Korea, the UK and the US, and were unveiled by 10 leading licensing executives who each brought their own special flair to the event.

The Coca-Cola Company and Sesame Workshop each “took home” multiple trophies – Coca-Cola swept the Food & Beverage categories, winning Best Product for its Coca-Cola-flavoured Tic Tacs in partnership with Ferrero, and picking up the prize for Best Food & Beverage Brand of the Year. Sesame Workshop’s “Sesame Street” was named Best Live-Action Entertainment or Character Brand and also won for its “A Cautionary Tale” promotion with Squarespace. Meanwhile, Wildbrain CPLG was crowned as the first winner in the newly added Best Licensing Agency category. 

A number of companies supported the Licensing International Small Business Global Grants Fund by taking space in the Awards Program, which was made available digitally Monday. Thanks to their contributions, the Grants Fund has raised more than $110,000 to help small businesses in the licensing community impacted by the COVID-19 crisis. 

“This year marks the 35th anniversary of the International Licensing Awards, and while we had of course looked forward to celebrating in person, this virtual gathering was an amazing event,” said Maura Regan, president, Licensing International.

“Perhaps more than ever it was important to celebrate the incredible creativity and innovation of our industry. Seeing the very best work of this industry on display, alongside some of the dynamic executives who drive it, was a powerful reminder that, in the wake of uncertainty, the power of trusted brands and well-known licenses is more critical than ever before.”

The 23 2020 Licensing International Excellence Awards winners are:

Best Licensed Products

  • Apparel/Footwear/Accessories – Vans for David Bowie Apparel & Footwear Range
  • Appliance/Automotive/Housewares/Electronics – Pro-Ject Audio Systems for The Beatles Turntable
  • Toys/Games/Novelties for ages 0 to 8 – WowWee for Pinkfong Baby Shark Song Puppets
  • Apps/Software/Video games – Story Toys / Touch Press for LEGO Duplo World App
  • Food/Beverage – The Coca-Cola Company / Ferrero for Coca-Cola Tic Tac
  • Health and Beauty Aids – Lipsmacker for Crayola Lip Care Line
  • Home Decor – Dreamtex Ltd for National Geographic Recycled Bedding
  • Publishing/Back-to-School – Party City – Pantone’s 2019 Color of the Year Partygoods & Tableware
  • Toys/Games/Novelties for ages 8+ – LEGO for Stranger Things Lego Set

Best Licensed Brands

  • Art/Designs/Celebrity/Fashion Brand – V&A by Victoria & Albert Museum 
  • Digital/ App/ Video Game Brand – Brown & Friends by LINE Friends
  • Corporate Brand – Cat by Caterpillar  
  • Entertainment/Character Brand: Animated – Peppa Pig by eOne / Hasbro
  • Entertainment/Character Brand: Live Action – Sesame Street by Sesame Workshop
  • Food/Beverage/Restaurant Brand – Coca-Cola by The Coca-Cola Company
  • Sports/Collegiate Brand – Rugby World Cup by World Rugby / IMG

Other Awards

  • Best Licensed Promotion – Squarespace & Sesame Street “A Cautionary Tale”
  • Best Licensed Collaboration – SpongeBob Squarepants x Nike x Kyrie Irving
  • Best Experiential or Location-Based Initiative – The Very Hungry Caterpillar at the Royal Horticultural Society
  • Best Retailer for a Character/Entertainment Initiative – Galeries Lafayette for Batman 
  • Best Retailer for a Corporate/Lifestyle/Sports Initiative – NBA Stores Brazil 
  • Best Licensing Agency – Wildbrain CPLG
  • The Newcomer Award – Harrogate Tipple Ltd for Downton Abbey Gin & Whisky

 

Fortnite takes on Apple and Google as the gaming sensation is removed from app stores

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Video gaming phenomenon, Fortnite has been removed from both Apple and Google’s app stores after the game’s publisher Epic Games introduced a new method of making in-game purchases that avoid the tech giants’ own payment platforms.

Launched on Thursday this week, the games developer issued an update that meant players who purchase in-game items such as skins and weapons through its direct payment process would receive a 20 per cent discount, encouraging them to make their purchases outside of Apple and Google’s systems.

“Currently, when using Apple and Google payment options, Apple and Google collect a 30 percent fee and the up to 20 percent price drop does not apply,” the company wrote in a blog post published this week. “If Apple or Google lower their fees on payments in the future, Epic will pass along the savings to you.”

Both Apple and Google retaliated to the move by removing Fortnite from their app stores within hours of the announcement. Apple said Epic had taken the “unfortunate step of violating the App Store guidelines”, while Google, in a statement issued yesterday, said that “we have consistent policies that are fair to developers to keep the store safe for users.

“While Fortnite remains available on Android, we can no longer make it available on Play because it violates our policies.”

Epic Games was quick to react to Apple’s removal with a lawsuit against the company, calling it a “behemoth seeking to control markets, block competition, and stifle innovation.” It said that its goal was to “end Apple’s unfair and anti-competitive actions.” Epic is not seeking monetary compensation but injunctive relief “to allow fair competition in these two key markets that directly affect hundreds of millions of consumers and tens of thousands, if not more, third party app developers.”

“Apple and Google run the operating systems of pretty much all of the phones in the world. That means they get to choose who can run apps on their stores, and who can’t. They also get to set the charges,” said the BBC’s technology reporter, James Calyton.

Many developers believe this 30 per cent charge of in-app purchases is unfair, and Epic Games is hoping for new rulings that would change the way Apple and Google run their app stores.

Epic Games has since taken the fight within the Fortnite game itself with the launch of an information campaign. At 1pm it played a video inside Fortnite that directly attacked Apple’s practices. The video was a parody of Apple’s 1984 commercial, as a colourful Fortnite player runs into a room where black and white figures are watching a video featuring a large talking apple. The players then uses her unicorn staff to destroy the screen. Epic then directed players to use the hashtag #FreeFortnite to show their support.

In a statement, an Apple spokesman said that Epic’s direct payment feature was not reviewed or approved by Apple.

“Today, Epic Games took the unfortunate step of violating the App Store guidelines that are applied equally to every developer and designed to keep the store safe for our users. As a result their Fortnite app has been removed from the store.”

Thursday evening saw Epic also file a lawsuit against Google.

In a statement, Apple said the rules were applied equally to every developer but added that it would try to work with Epic to bring Fortnite back, but not without noting that:

“Epic has had apps on the App Store for a decade, and have benefited from the App Store ecosystem – including its tools, testing, and distribution that Apple provides to all developers.

“Epic agreed to the App Store terms and guidelines freely and we’re glad they’ve built such a successful business on the App Store. The fact that their business interests now lead them to push for a special arrangement does not change the fact that these guidelines create a level playing field for all developers and make the store safe for all users.”

 

From page to stage and the digital age: Beast Quest’s journey from print to mobile and video gaming

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Beast Quest is a global publishing sensation that to date has sold more than 20 million books since its first publication in the UK some 12 years ago. In just over a decade, the book franchise has released over 150 titles in over 30 languages and transitioned itself from print into a wider world of video gaming, live events – through a successful partnership with Hampton Court no less – and now, its latest iteration of mobile gaming with Beast Quest Ultimate Heroes.

Licensing.biz catches up with the leadership team at Coolabi, Michael Dee, director of content, Naomi Dare, head of digital, and Allison Watkins, director of consumer products and TV distribution, to talk about the latest developments for Beast Quest, and just how you start to turn a children’s publishing property into a successful video gaming franchise.

Hello everyone! Let’s start by talking about the success of Beast Quest over the past few years. What has the journey for the brand been like, evolving from a published title to a multi-media franchise?

Michael Dee, director of content: Beast Quest is a global publishing phenomenon, with sales of more than 20 million books since it was originally published in the UK 12 years ago. To date over 150 titles have been published in over 30 languages. It is a brand that is recognised and appreciated by kids, parents and teachers.

There are not many libraries, both inside and outside school that don’t have a huge range and the storytelling is recognised as being hugely important in encouraging kids, especially boys to read more. Our social media feeds, and communication with parents are full of ‘thank you’ stories for getting their kids to engage with books.

The move into games was a natural extension to that, and our rich world of characters, recognisable narrative of good vs. evil provided the perfect content to support that, both digitally and for console games.

Our initial gaming partner was Miniclip in 2015, and our game with them has been downloaded over 17 million times, and still achieves 200,000 downloads every month. Maximum Games are our console partner, and the Beast Quest game is available across all formats.

Experiential was our next move, and half term saw an incredible interactive experience at Hampton Court Palace which delivered 10 per cent more visitors than they had seen before, so conversations are already underway for 2021 to revisit on an even greater scale.”

What sort of growth have you seen for the Beast Quest brand over the past year? What is it about the brand and your approach to its licensing strategy that has fuelled its success in this time?

Allison Watkins, director of consumer products and TV distribution: As a publishing brand, Beast Quest continues to grow and we have very much taken an evergreen approach to brand extensions through licensing. One of the key advantages to Beast Quest is its ability to appeal to a whole new audience with each new group of kids who discover it for the first time so maintaining that remains key to our strategy.

However, we know that kids like to experience their favourite brands in other ways too so Maximum Games expanding the platforms and launching on Switch last Christmas was perfect as it suits our younger age group of kids aged six to nine.

How is Beast Quest – and its licensing activity – reflective of changing audience tastes and the way in which fans today engage with published title?

Naomi Dare, head of digital: We want to engage with our audience where they are choosing to spend their time, so gaming and events are a key part of that. Our new mobile gaming app Beast Quest Ultimate Heroes moves that on further, with a new design style consistent with the tower defence genre that Ultimate Heroes is based on, although moving it on even further with the player able to battle in 3D map environments and with 3D characters, with the ability to zoom in and out of the action.

It has various game modes for players to choose from as well as regularly scheduled game events/ battles for them to play online or in endless mode. We will allow our audience to build here, and then expand on the product offering through licensing in key categories.

Beast Quest has been across not only publishing, but video games, live events, and now stepping into mobile gaming. What will this latest development do for the brand in terms of tapping into new audiences and stepping up the licensing strategy?

Michael Dee: The new mobile game should see not only existing fans engage on a new level with the brand, but also we should see brand new audiences across the globe becoming familiar with the brand through discovering the game via the App Store and Google Play. We already see lots of people playing the Miniclip mobile game across the world, and with Animoca based in Asia we expect to see this new game expand into more Asian markets too.

Also Beast Quest Ultimate Heroes has a completely new art style that brings the world to life. The new 3D art and assets make it easier to envision new products and even potentially animation.

How is Beast Quest pushing for innovation in the licensing space today?

Allison Watkins: I don’t think that it’s about pushing for innovation in the licensing space, but more about how to manage the brand to both protect its huge existing fan base, while continuing to push in new areas and styles. We think Ultimate Heroes goes that brilliantly.

As demands, tastes and the licensing space continue to evolve, how is Beast Quest maintaining its position of strength within it?

Allison Watkins: We keep our reader at the front of all we do – they are our audience, and if we keep them happy and engaged with the book then they will want to enjoy the brand as it expands into other areas.

What’s the next big step for the Beast Quest IP?  

Michael Dee: The next big step for Beast Quest will be content and there are some very exciting plans that we will be able to share later this year, but for now just enjoy the game.

 

Rovio taps IMG as worldwide licensing agent for Angry Birds

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Rovio Entertainment has tapped IMG as its worldwide consumer products licensing agent for the popular Angry Birds franchise. The new deal will give Rovio a ‘one-stop shop’ global partner to develop a consumer products programme that spans all of the Angry Birds’ franchise’s content and platforms.

The first Angry Birds game launched on mobile devices back in 2009, when it rocketed to viral status and spawned a brand that today continues to draw millions of active users to its games and animated content.

Over the last decade, the Angry Birds characters have been developed into a multi-platform entertainment franchise with two blockbuster movie releases, animated series, location-based entertainment and consumer products. Angry Birds mobile games have been downloaded over 4.5 billion times.

Rovio Entertainment Corp. CEO Kati Levoranta commented: “Over the years Rovio has worked with a number of agents around the world, supporting us greatly in making Angry Birds available to fans everywhere in various physical forms.

“While we continue to focus on developing and publishing memorable gaming experiences and content, in IMG we have found a partner with whom we aim to deliver a more strategic and globally consistent licensing programme that’s aligned with our core business. We’re excited to begin this new chapter of the Angry Birds brand together with IMG.”

Bruno Maglione, president of licensing, IMG added: “The evolution of Angry Birds from mobile game to worldwide global pop culture fixture is perhaps one of the most impressive achievements in recent times in new original animated character creation. Working closely with Rovio, we are enthusiastic about the potential to take this franchise to new levels of success as it embarks on its next decade.”

Intellivision lines up Mattel and Sesame Workshop partnerships for its gaming system reboot Amico

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Intellivision Entertainment, the video game industry pioneer and team behind the upcoming Intellivision Amico launch, has detailed significant additions to its game portfolio, as well as new licensing partnerships with the likes of Mattel and Sesame Workshop.

The latest partnerships were revealed in a virtual press event hosted by Tommy Tallarico, CEO of Intellivision Entertainment, who has made it his mission to bring families back into ‘community gaming’ through the Amico system, the modern reboot of the iconic Intellivision video game console. The console is scheduled for release in April 2021.

Tallaric revealed an extensive list of new Amico games, including Earthworm Jim 4, and new partnerships with Mattel to launch a racing game based on its popular Hot Wheels franchise, Sesame Workshop to develop a suite of educational Sesame Street games, and USAopoly (The Op) to bring interactive versions of its board games Telestrations and Blank Slate to life on the platform.

These announcements come on the heels of recently announced licensing deals with brands such as Major League Baseball, Evel Knievel and The American Cornhole League.

“The magic of Intellivision Amico is that it will bring families and friends together around gaming – something that the world could always use more of – and these new games and partnerships will be a critical part of that,” said Tallarico.

The company also announced its growing network of global retail and online partners including GameStop, Amazon, and Walmart.com among others. The new games and partnerships reinforce the conviction of Intellivision’s mission to reignite the family- and group-oriented benefits of multi-player gaming that were so prevalent at the dawn of the gaming era.

Finally, the company announced that, after painstaking efforts to overcome the myriad of obstacles and constraints imposed by the global pandemic, Amico’s target launch date will shift from October 10, 2020, to April 15, 2021.

“Despite unprecedented challenges, the accomplishments and progress made by our internal team, plus our incredible network of developers and partners, is nothing short of amazing,” said Tallarico. “Our primary focus is delivering a quality product, and we remain steadfast in our mission to bring family fun back to gaming with Intellivision Amico’s launch.”

Earthworm Jim 4 brings the legendary multi-award-winning side-scrolling game back exclusively for Amico, while  Intellivision and Sesame Workshop announced a series of educational titles that will utilize the unique Amico touch screen controllers, motion controls and couch co-op for the entire family to join in the learning and fun.

Meanwhile, Hot Wheels has ignited the challenger spirit around the world since the brand’s introduction in 1968. In a statement, Intellivsion said it was ‘beyond excited to have this spectacular brand be a part of the game repertoire, and it will challenge parents, kids and fans alike as they race to the finish line.’

‘Through its partnership with The Op, Intellivision will offer the laugh-out-loud party game, Telestrations. Families will be able to experience the joy of laughter and miscommunication while they sketch and guess silly drawings and words. Never before brought to the digital era, this party game will allow for entire families, from children to grandparents, to share a laugh and enjoy the fun,’ said the firm.

‘Another terrific board game coming from The Op to Amico is Blank Slate. This party game allows families to get in sync with one another as they attempt to fill in the blank with just one word to complete the phrase. When players guess the same word, they receive extra points. Blank Slate only takes moments to learn and its simplicity makes it fun for players of any age.’

 

Pokemon a Go: How The Pokemon Company kept a global audience active through lockdown

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When Covid-19 struck with full force back in March this year, the implications of the measures taken to battle the global pandemic could have spelled disaster for The Pokémon Company International and its network of initiatives and fan events that relied very much on the freedom of public spaces and person-to-person gatherings.

Had the nimble-footed outfit not have reacted to the growing concerns and implications of the world’s lockdown with the agility and innovation that it did, the year 2020 could have been the one that finally toppled the world-leading franchise from its perch. Thankfully, the company is telling a different story – one in which its reflexive action (translating its portfolio of popular public events and tournaments to the virtual arena) has enabled the firm to hold on to its mantle as a globally beloved franchise.

Even Pokémon GO, the record-setting and genre-leading AR gaming app that takes places outside on the search for Pokémon to capture in real life settings, flipped the switch at the height of the world’s lockdown measures with enhanced functions to allow players to continue their AR gaming whilst staying at home. Meanwhile, the raft of new video game releases couldn’t have arrived at a better time for the brand’s fans looking for new platforms for entertainment during the pandemic.

To top it all off, The Pokémon Company has been listed among a select handful of companies championed by independent retailers in the hobby gaming space, who have spoken to Licensing.biz directly about the efforts of the firm to help and support its network of small retailers through the hardships of the coronavirus. All-in-all, it could be reasoned that the Pokémon Company International has navigated the choppy waters of the world’s pandemic very well indeed.

Here, Mathieu Galante, licensing director EMEA, The Pokémon Company International talks in-depth to Licensing.biz about the newest developments for the franchise, the success of its latest releases across gaming mediums, and why Pokémon will never cease in its mission to innovate.

How is business going with you guys – over the last 12 months – but certainly over the course of the last few? What’s been the Pokémon approach to changes brought on by the pandemic?

Overall it has been a positive 12 months for Pokémon. Our latest Video Game titles, Pokémon Sword and Pokémon Shield, were a runaway success, becoming the fastest-selling Nintendo Switch titles ever with six million units sold worldwide during launch weekend last November.

The June expansion, The Isle of Armor which offers new Pokémon to encounter and new areas of the Galar region to explore, is also proving popular, as is March’s release Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Rescue Team DX, which revisits the classic games of 2006. Whilst February’s first  Sword and Shield trading card expansion also enjoyed impressive sales.

Naturally Covid-19 has had an impact, especially on our increasingly popular public events and tournaments. However, as an ever-innovative brand we have adapted to promote more ways for fans to engage with the brand from home and produced fun extras such as printable colouring-in sheets and virtual backgrounds for video calls.

Although this summer’s World Championships in London couldn’t take place, we instigated the Pokémon Players Cup, a global online tournament featuring Pokémon Sword & Shield, Pokémon Trading Card Game and Pokkén Tournament DX, running from July to August. Pokémon League Trading Card Game events that normally took place in-store pivoted to using TCG Online, while this year’s Pokémon GO Fest in July was reimagined as a virtual event.

Meanwhile, animation fans have enjoyed Movie 22 – Pokémon: Mewtwo Strikes Back – Evolution, featuring a new CGI style to animated Pokémon movies, plus an extra treat in the new seven-part online series Pokémon: Twilight Wings, which features a new 5’ episode each month on Pokémon’s YouTube channel.

For our licensees across Europe, we are working closely to support them wherever needed. We have noticed a different impact across different markets, and product categories  as online sales being stronger in the UK, Nordics and BNL than in southern Europe.

Life’s seen a lot of changes, and lockdown has seen consumers turn to home entertainment, including video gaming. How do you think this has impacted on consumer engagement with the Pokémon brand?

We have been working to make it easier for fans to interact with Pokémon in a variety of new ways, including launching our first downloadable content for the two Pokémon Sword and Pokémon Shield expansions. June’s The Isle of Armor and the forthcoming The Crown Tundra introduce a variety of new features, including all-new Pokémon and new areas of Galar to explore.

Meanwhile, Pokémon GO has changed its gameplay to safeguard users, allowing people to play inside and around their own homes. Introducing new features and tweaking regular ones, it has made the at-home experience better to encourage users to stay indoors. Reduced walking requirements and discounted select items mean players don’t have to walk as far to catch Pokémon, with the in-game distance tracker updated to track indoor steps more accurately and game achievements also being rewarded for using a treadmill or doing chores around the house.

A new form of home gameplay, the GO Battle League, allows trainers to take on other players from around the globe with a team of three Pokémon, while it’s now possible to battle Team Rocket from home as well.

Can you talk us through some of the latest developments for the Pokémon brand – games releases, boost from the feature film, TCG, and of course its always interesting retail presence?

Pokémon Sword and Pokémon Shield have been hugely successful. Approaching 18m sales worldwide, they are the fifth-bestselling Nintendo Switch titles to date.

Our Trading Card Game remains one of the most popular in the world – shipped to 77 countries and regions in 13 languages – and has also enjoyed great results with Sword and Shield. Its first expansion in February, boosted by a TV ad campaign and strong retail activity, and May’s Sword and Shield – Rebel Clash have been very popular, featuring powerful new Pokémon V and Pokémon VMAX cards that will play an important role in players’ strategies.

We are also excited about the Darkness Ablaze expansion launching in August, with new Special Energy cards. TCG fans can now also learn, practice, and play online as a single player or against other players, and browse and discover expansions and promo cards via the Pokémon TCG Card Dex app for iOS and Android.

Our unique new puzzle game, Pokémon Café Mix, a free-to-start game for Nintendo Switch systems and mobile devices, makes players the owner of a café that Pokémon visit. There, they work alongside Pokémon to prepare drinks and dishes for Pokémon customers by completing puzzles. As more puzzles are completed, the café can be upgraded.

With innovation in our DNA, we continue to expand the brand into new areas. Our latest app offering, Pokémon Smile, incorporates the world of Pokémon into the everyday task of brushing your teeth, making it a fun activity to encourage kids to develop good brushing habits as they catch Pokémon.

We also recently announced two exciting new games, Pokémon UNITE and New Pokémon Snap, for forthcoming launch.

Pokémon UNITE, a free-to-start cross-platform game for Nintendo Switch and mobile devices, is a strategic team battle game where players face off against each other in five-on-five team battles. Introducing a new kind of Pokémon battle – one that requires teamwork and strategy – it is simple, yet full of intricacies waiting to be unpacked.

New Pokémon Snap for Nintendo Switch is inspired by the classic 1999 Nintendo 64 game. This completely new game will take Trainers on an adventure to unknown islands where they can research various Pokémon in their natural habitats, take photos to make their very own in-game Pokémon Photodex and discover new, never-before-seen Pokémon expressions and behaviours.

The halo effect of the box-office smash hit movie POKÉMON: Detective Pikachu, which achieved phenomenal exposure, has brought greater awareness for brand as a whole. There was a significant sales lift for the associated licensed products – including toys, TCG and apparel – and also non-film-related products and we have been working hard to build on this effect.

After a raft of activity at the start of the year, including special retail promotions around Pokémon Day in February, Covid-19 has restricted things in this area, but we have exciting plans afoot to support our licensees and retail partners going forwards, including our master toy programme for Christmas. And, with Pokémon’s ever-increasing status as a fashion icon, we are working on new apparel collections with our DTR partners including global giants H&M, Zara, Bershka, Pull & Bear and Celio. This year also brought exciting fashion collaborations with new partners adidas and Casetify.

How is Pokémon leading the charge with its approach to and relationship with retail? You guys seem to be loved by indies and big name retailers alike. So, what’s the secret?

Obviously our retail partners are hugely important to us and we are making every effort to support them with initiatives such as allocating Sword & Shield— Darkness Ablaze pre-release kits free of charge to eligible retailers to support hobby stores. As a brand we also enjoy strong support from retailers both large and small across Europe – seeing Pokémon as a true evergreen brand, they feel we are a “safe bet”.  We work hard on the best ways to create engaging and different retail programmes for toys and games and fashion across Europe.

Where do you guys go from here? What are the next steps or plans in the licensing space for you?

We continue to explore innovative products, promotions and retail activations to maintain our strong positions in the UK, France, Italy, Germany and Spain for our core master toy programme and fashion programmes. We are also looking at opportunities to expand in the Nordics, BNL and Poland. In addition, we are working on exciting new collaborations and projects as we gear up for some fantastic plans to celebrate Pokémon’s 25th anniversary in 2021. Watch this space.

 

WWE unveils World of Tanks mashup for PlayStation and Xbox

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WWE is leaping into the ring with Wargaming’s World of Tanks video game with the launch of its Update 5.0 – Season One SummerSlam, that will see a new collection of Superstar Collector Tanks land within the game, each inspired by WWE Superstars including The Undertaker, Becky Lynch, Stone Cold Steve Austin, and Andre the Giant.

Running from now until Monday, September 21, SummerSlam brings an exclusive new season pass featuring WWE inspired tanks, Superstar collectable crews, new garages and more to World of Tanks players on PlayStation and Xbox.

Players will also be given the ability to experience their own redesigned WWE Garage – including Superstar introductions for their vehicles, unique visuals for each Premium Collector Tank, and two sets of crew chests that will include the aforementioned five Superstars and Legends to start in addition to Roman Reigns, “Macho Man” Randy Savage, “Rowdy” Roddy Piper, Ric Flair and Shawn Michaels in August.

Update 5.0 will also introduce cross-play between PlayStation 4 and Xbox One users, giving players the opportunity to pit their skills against one another in an expanded player base with quicker matchmaking speeds across all tiers. For real-time-strategy fans, the popular Commander mode returns allowing players to get a different angle on the intense tank fighting and tactics.

TJ Wagner, executive producer of Wargaming Chicago-Baltimore, said: “The update 5.0 and launch of Season One is probably the biggest one our team in Chicago has done in a couple of years. Partnering with WWE has been a fantastic experience and is bringing unique new content to our players, who can expect more updates like SummerSlam in the future.

“With update 5.0 e’re very excited to be able to address many player requests and desires for our game like cross-play that unites PlayStation and Xbox tankers, to make match making faster and better.”

Video game industry pioneer Intellivision lands licensing deals with Major League Baseball and Evel Knievel

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Recognised by many as the pioneers of the video game industry, Intellivision Entertainment LLC has detailed a raft of new licensing agreements with a focus on sports-themed games that include Major League Baseball, Evel Knievel, and the American Cornhole League.

The new slate of partnerships now bring a portfolio of US-centric, yet highly recognisable, brands to Intellivision Amico through a series of officially licensed games.

“My early memories of playing the original Intellivision Major League Baseball game with my dad and brother helped inspire our vision to launch Amico,” said Intellivision CEO and president, Tommy Tallarico. “Looking to the future, Intellivision is proud to offer a wide breadth of content for everyone in the family to enjoy, from favourite sports and recreational games to thrilling, daredevil action. We continue to diversify our portfolio and gameplay experiences for Amico.”

The licensing deal between MLB and Intellivision comes 41 years after the two groups launched their first partnership. The historic collaboration represented the first video game license with a professional sports league – a pioneering trend in the industry that Intellivision embraced across almost every sport.

Intellivision’s Major League Baseball game was the first home video game to feature spoken voice (e.g. “YER OUT!”). The original Major League Baseball is the best-selling Intellivision game of all time with approximately one in three Intellivision households owning the title.

Bringing yet another first to the baseball video game industry, Intellivision’s MLB licensed game will introduce a competitive play option. This option will allow multiple players to join in the fun and set up head-to-head competition in different ways or all versus the computer. All 30 current MLB teams will be featured.

“Baseball video games have brought family and friends together for more than 40 years. Our renewed partnership with Intellivision continues that tradition with simplicity and fun for the whole family,” said senior vice president, games and VR, Jamie Leece.

“We look forward to joining Intellivision with the shared mission of bringing family and friends together with the love of the game and passion for our sport.”

Next up, and paying homage to the Knievel legacy, Intellivision is working with the Evel Knievel Family and Barnstorm Games to bring a multiplayer game to the Amico platform. The updated version of the Evel Knievel game will feature enhanced graphics, sound, and art, plus a variety of multiplayer options utilizing Amico’s unique controllers.

In addition to new levels and gameplay features, more action such as the Skycycle X-2 rocket that was used in his infamous Snake River Canyon jump in 1974 will be added.

“My dad was a larger than life character who was a hero and inspiration to millions of people,” said Kelly Knievel, son of Evel Knievel. “We are excited to work with Intellivision to keep his legacy alive, introduce his bold spirit to a new generation of fans, and take the thrill of the jump from the arena to the living room on Amico.”

Finally, developed exclusively for the Amico system with some of the world’s greatest professional cornhole players, the American Cornhole League, which has been broadcasted on ESPN since 2016, is bringing America’s fastest-growing recreational sport into the living room.

With the intention of providing a game for everyone in the family, regardless of skill level, users can utilize the unique Amico controller with touchscreen and motion controls. Gameplay is available in career, arcade, multiplayer, or free play mode and features over 100 unlockables, multiple challenges, skill levels and ways to play – no summer BBQ picnic required.

“We are thrilled to work alongside Intellivision and some of the world’s greatest players and to bring cornhole to the Amico console,” said Stacey Moore, commissioner and founder of the American Cornhole League.

“We cannot wait for people to experience throwing ACL virtual bags in the comfort of their own home.”

Intellivision is currently working on many more exciting partnerships in preparation for the Amico system launch. For more information please visit www.IntellivisionAmico.com.