Category Archives: Video Games

Fanattik takes gaming portfolio to next level with major Bethesda Softworks extension

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Fanattik, the award-winning pop culture specialist, has renewed and greatly expanded its licensing agreement with global video game giant, Bethesda Softworks.

The revamped and powered-up license will result not only in the continuation of Fanattik’s existing ranges featuring Fallout, The Elder Scrolls, DOOM and other popular Bethesda Softworks titles, but will also include upcoming new releases such as Redfall.

Additional territories beyond Europe that are now covered include Australia and the MENA region. 2022 is the self-proclaimed ‘Year of Exports’ for Fanattik. The company will be focusing on expanding its licensed gift ranges, which are currently available from market-leading pop culture retailers from Dubai to Germany, and Bethesda Softworks branded product will be part of this push.

As well as homeware, home décor and gifts, Fanattik will invest heavily in expanding its ranges of ‘affordable collectibles’ throughout this three-year extension.

Anthony Marks, M.D Fanattik, says: “Bethesda Softworks has such a rich heritage; we are looking forward to getting our teeth into both new and old titles and creating additional ranges of affordable gifts and collectibles that will continue to sell well for all our retail partners within Europe, and now beyond.”

Tilting Point acquires Budge Studios, expanding into kids’ entertainment

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Tilting Point, a leading free-to-play games publisher, has acquired Budge Studios, one of the world’s biggest mobile developers within the children’s entertainment and education category.

Budge Studios’ app portfolio includes titles featuring many leading brands like Barbie, Paw Patrol, Transformers, Hot Wheels, My Little Pony, Strawberry Shortcake and Hello Kitty. The company’s apps have been downloaded more than 1.25 billion times, it has tens of millions of monthly active users and over 300k recurring subscribers.

The acquisition expands Tilting Point’s audience and enables the company to enter a new, fast growing edutainment vertical. As with all of Tilting Point’s acquisitions, Budge’s leadership team and 129 employees will continue to operate independently, only now with Tilting Point’s publishing power providing significant amplification opportunities for all of its games. The combined company will also be able to leverage its larger scale for better access to opportunities with major brands for licensing and with platform partners for distribution.

Budge is well known for its games featuring popular IP, including the 2019 Kidscreen Award Winner for Best Branded Kids App, Barbie’s Dreamhouse Adventures. The company’s apps are targeted at the 3-13 year old audience and incorporate puzzles, creative games, and vibrant characters that make daily activities, such as bedtime routines, exciting.

“We love what Budge has built in the kids space,” says Kevin Segalla, founder and Co-CEO of Tilting Point. “Budge’s decade-long laser focus on the children’s audience, with over 50 successful apps, is very impressive and is a great addition to our catalogue. We look forward to merging our publishing expertise with their great content to truly amplify Budge’s potential.”

The acquisition will provide Budge with the power of Tilting Point’s marketing expertise and tech, improvements to live ops, more IP integrations and expansions onto more platforms for its award-winning portfolio. Tilting Point will benefit from Budge’s 10+ years of experience serving children and families, including their commitment to children’s privacy and online safety.

“Joining the Tilting Point family is an exciting and huge opportunity for Budge,” says David Lipes, Co-CEO of Budge. “With this acquisition, we will continue operating independently to develop the best creative content, plus have even more access to globally recognised IP and a greater ability to bring our games to even more children worldwide.”

For more information on Tilting Point, visit: https://tiltingpoint.com

Tilting Point acquires Budge Studios, expanding into kids’ entertainment

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Tilting Point, a leading free-to-play games publisher, has acquired Budge Studios, one of the world’s biggest mobile developers within the children’s entertainment and education category.

Budge Studios’ app portfolio includes titles featuring many leading brands like Barbie, Paw Patrol, Transformers, Hot Wheels, My Little Pony, Strawberry Shortcake and Hello Kitty. The company’s apps have been downloaded more than 1.25 billion times, it has tens of millions of monthly active users and over 300k recurring subscribers.

The acquisition expands Tilting Point’s audience and enables the company to enter a new, fast growing edutainment vertical. As with all of Tilting Point’s acquisitions, Budge’s leadership team and 129 employees will continue to operate independently, only now with Tilting Point’s publishing power providing significant amplification opportunities for all of its games. The combined company will also be able to leverage its larger scale for better access to opportunities with major brands for licensing and with platform partners for distribution.

Budge is well known for its games featuring popular IP, including the 2019 Kidscreen Award Winner for Best Branded Kids App, Barbie’s Dreamhouse Adventures. The company’s apps are targeted at the 3-13 year old audience and incorporate puzzles, creative games, and vibrant characters that make daily activities, such as bedtime routines, exciting.

“We love what Budge has built in the kids space,” says Kevin Segalla, founder and Co-CEO of Tilting Point. “Budge’s decade-long laser focus on the children’s audience, with over 50 successful apps, is very impressive and is a great addition to our catalogue. We look forward to merging our publishing expertise with their great content to truly amplify Budge’s potential.”

The acquisition will provide Budge with the power of Tilting Point’s marketing expertise and tech, improvements to live ops, more IP integrations and expansions onto more platforms for its award-winning portfolio. Tilting Point will benefit from Budge’s 10+ years of experience serving children and families, including their commitment to children’s privacy and online safety.

“Joining the Tilting Point family is an exciting and huge opportunity for Budge,” says David Lipes, Co-CEO of Budge. “With this acquisition, we will continue operating independently to develop the best creative content, plus have even more access to globally recognised IP and a greater ability to bring our games to even more children worldwide.”

For more information on Tilting Point, visit: https://tiltingpoint.com

Lady Luck Games to launch Popeye and Flash Gordon digital game content

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King Features Syndicate, home to some of the world’s most popular entertainment characters, is partnering with Swedish slots specialist Lady Luck Games to create branded digital game content featuring iconic comic characters Popeye, Olive Oyl, Beetle Bailey and Flash Gordon.

The new games will be available for players in slots across Europe and Asia for the first time, further expanding the reach of the character brands to fans across the world within the growing online casino game category.

To bring these games to life, King Features Syndicate is working in tandem with Lady Luck’s maths specialists to merge the classic character designs and elements with unique gameplay. The first games will be showcased at ICE London in April.

“We see enormous growth potential in the online gaming category and are excited to bring these iconic characters to life with the impressive development expertise and entertaining features of Lady Luck Games,” says Carla Silva, vice president and general manager, global head of licensing, King Features.

 Mads V. Jørgensen, CEO, Lady Luck Games, adds: “We are extremely humbled and honoured that King Features Syndicate has chosen an up-and-coming studio like ours to represent its hugely popular and world-renowned brands. It shows that our strategy works and the games that we produce are some of the most beautiful and entertaining in the business. This is easily one of the most important milestones in the company’s history and will make a huge difference in our outreach to both customers and players.”

 

Ryan’s Rescue Squad video game launches today

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Publisher of family-friendly interactive entertainment Outright Games, along with Sunlight Entertainment and p.w Games, the gaming division of kids’ entertainment studio pocket.watch, have today launched Ryan’s Rescue Squad, the newest game from global kids’ phenomenon Ryan’s World.

Developed by Stage Clear Studios, the new rescue adventure is available now on Nintendo Switch, Playstation 4, Playstation 5, XBox One, XBox Series X|S, PC and Stadia.

 

Players must step up and rescue Ryan’s friends, who have been captured and transported across different worlds by the evil Dark Titan and his wicked allies, Robo Combo and Packrat.

Key features:

●       Choose your Character – Be Ryan, Combo Panda, Alpha Lexa, or Gus the Gummy Gator

●       Team up – Play together in local 2-player mode

●       Play minigames – Including Bulls Eye, Spaceship Flight, The Floor is Lava and Fire at Will

●       Power Up! – Eat Moe’s pizza to become invincible and more

●       Collect and Customise – Unlock and buy amazing new costumes for your character

A top creator on YouTube, Ryan’s World channels have generated over 68.6 billion lifetime views, and have amassed over 50 million subscribers across 9 channels. The Ryan’s World universe spans everything from toys to toothbrushes, clothes and now a second console video game following on from the  successful Race with Ryan, which was released with Outright Games in 2019. 

Terry Malham, CEO of Outright Games, says: “It was a wonderful experience to work with pocket.watch, p.w Games, and Sunlight Entertainment for our second game together. We’ve upped the fun, colour and excitement for this title and we feel we’ve created an action packed adventure that the family can enjoy playing together, particularly younger players. We can’t wait to share it with everyone.’’

Kerry Tucker, Chief Marketing and Franchise Officer of pocket.watch, adds: “Ryan’s World continues to grow every day, as we strive to create new exciting experiences that fans will love. Ryan is everywhere kids are – including on their favourite game consoles. We love that this is a game families and friends can play together in co-op mode.”

 

 

Tetris readies for 40th anniversary with merchandising agent network update

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The Tetris Company has announced changes to its global network of merchandise licensing agents for the world-famous Tetris brand, including new agent signings and renewals. These changes come as the company heads towards the iconic video game brand’s 40th anniversary in 2024.

“We’re always looking to bring new partners on board who will help grow the Tetris brand with fresh products and experiences that are innovative, fun and meaningful for our global fan base,” says Megan Buettner, head of consumer products at Tetris. “With the 40th anniversary of Tetris on the horizon, we look forward to working with all our new and existing network of licensing agents to make it the most memorable celebration yet.”

Updates to the Tetris brand’s merchandise licensing agent network include:

  • The Tetris Company has extended its agency agreement with Lisle Licensing for UK, Ireland and Channel Islands, managed by Francesca Lisle.
  • Brand Fresh Management, led by Janice Ross, will continue to manage licensing agreements for the United States and Canada.
  • IMG will continue to manage APAC (Asia-Pacific region), under the guidance of Miki Yamamoto, in addition to Brazil with support from Glenn Migliaccio.
  • CPLG, led by John Taylor, will now represent the Tetris brand in France, Italy and India. In addition, CPLG’s representation will continue in Iberia, CEE (Central Eastern Europe), CIS (Commonwealth of Independent States, including Russia), Benelux, Greece, Turkey, MENA (Middle East and North Africa) and the Nordics (Finland, Sweden, Denmark, Norway).
  • The Tetris Company has signed Studio 100 to the agency roster for Germany, Switzerland and Austria, under the guidance of Joachim Knödler.
  • KOPA Licensing, with the support of Carlos Carvajal, will expand coverage for the brand in Colombia, Peru, Chile, Ecuador, Mexico, Belize, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua and Panama.

Current representation for the Tetris brand also includes WP Brands in New Zealand and Australia, managed by Lim Mi-Kyoung, and Born Licensing for global promotions and advertising under David Born.

Billions of Tetris games are played online every year, and over 590 million Tetris mobile games have been downloaded to date. The Tetris brand’s global licensee network includes major video game publishers, including Nintendo and Sega, as well as many partners in electronics, toys, apparel, lifestyle goods, entertainment and more. For the latest information about the Tetris brand and Tetris products, visit www.tetris.com.

Launch of Netflix show inspires raft of deals for Cuphead

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Global gaming phenomenon Cuphead is building on its successful international presence with new products and partners tied to Netflix’s The Cuphead Show!, which debuted on February 18. Since launch, The Cuphead Show! has made the Top 10 Kids list in over 90 countries.

Studio MDHR’s eight-time platinum-selling video game Cuphead has been a global sensation since its 2017 release and is continuing the momentum with new licensing partners across a wide range of product categories tied both to the new Netflix series and the classic video game, including publishing, apparel, home decor and novelties. Cuphead is represented for licensing and entertainment by King Features Syndicate, a unit of Hearst and home to some of the world’s most popular entertainment characters.

Cuphead and Mugman characters and a few new faces from the show have jumped off the TV screen and into homes through a curated collection of products from iam8bit, available now. Known by fans for crafting unique and memorable experiences and products inspired by their favourite brands, the online store includes T-shirts, socks and pins as well as a limited-edition, 1930s-era-inspired art poster celebrating The Cuphead Show! launch.

Additionally, activewear, dresses, loungewear, jackets and more from Mad Engine are available at Amazon.com; a line of artisanal hot sauces and craft coffees starring Cuphead, Mugman, the Devil, Elder Kettle, Ms. Chalice and King Dice are also in the works with Jade City Foods and will be available at www.inkwellislesstore.com; and vinyl collectible figures from Youtooz will debut this spring.

The Cuphead Show! is also being supported by a full children’s publishing programme from Random House Children’s Books set to launch this May, which includes Screen Comix, frame-by-frame retellings of the episodes in comic book form, as well as Step Into Reading, C&A, Little Golden Books and 8×8 formats.

The first books in the series, a Screen Comix titled “Handle With Care” and a first Step Into Reading book titled “Welcome to the Inkwell Isles”, are available for pre-order now and will be officially released on May 3, 2022.

Additionally, The Art of The Cuphead Show! coffee table book is currently in development with Dark Horse Comics and slated for release in Q2 2023. Dark Horse has also renewed its worldwide deal to further extend the existing lineup of Cuphead books based on the original video game following the introduction of its The Art of Cuphead art book and graphic novels to international markets.

“It’s an unbelievable full-circle moment to see Cuphead, which was so inspired by classic cartoons of the 1930s, become a cartoon of its own made with such craft and care by the amazing team at Netflix Animation,” says Studio MDHR Co-Director Chad Moldenhauer. “We take great care in working closely with our merchandising partners to ensure that we are proud of the things that are created for the Cuphead community, and it’s wonderful to see the same care being taken by great partners to represent the world of The Cuphead Show!”

Cuphead’s classic animation style and design will also be featured on new products, including metal art posters from Displate; additional vinyl figures and plushies from Youtooz; puzzles and novelty items from Toynk Toys; and Funko has recently launched new Cuphead collectible figures, apparel and accessories worldwide. Plus, hats, stickers, keychains and more from Scotty Gear Retail Corp will release later this year.

Cuphead publishing is still going strong with the aforementioned Dark Horse programme expansion, a series of game-based prose novels from Little, Brown Young Readers and a mini kit book from Running Press that will launch summer 2022. And in Japan, 1000Toys recently debuted new action figures, while new branded apparel and accessories are set to launch from Kaitentai and Smarprise, as well as new novelties and giftables from Ensky.

“Cuphead’s incredible momentum continues with the debut of its groundbreaking animated series on Netflix and the DLC is hot on its heels,” says King Features Vice President, North America Licensing, Jarred Goro. “We are proud to work with these incredible partners to launch products that fans will love. Cuphead is a true pop culture phenomenon and we look forward to expanding the brand’s presence around the world.”

Cuphead is celebrated by fans around the world for its arcade-action gameplay, highly original art design and award-winning soundtrack, featuring almost three hours of original jazz, early big band and ragtime music. A true cultural phenomenon, the game has sold millions of units worldwide and won over 20 major awards. In addition to a wide range of new product releases, this year, fans can look forward to the June 30 release of The Delicious Last Course, the highly anticipated next chapter to the hit video game.

 

Noblechairs debuts Elden Ring gaming chair

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Bandai Namco Europe and noblechairs have teamed up to launch the official Elden Ring gaming chair. The chair is available now for pre-order in EMEA and America.

Co-developed by FromSoftware and Bandai Namco Entertainment, Elden Ring was voted “most anticipated game of 2022″ and launched globally on 25 February. Set in a vast, fully fledged fantasy world where players are able to enjoy a wide variety of RPG experiences, the game has been created in collaboration between FromSoftware director Hidetaka Miyazaki and Game of Thrones author George R. R. Martin.

In addition to the deal with noblechairs, Bandai Namco Europe has recently closed other Elden Ring licensing agreements with Difuzed, EMP and Level Up Wear for apparel, and Pyramid International for wall decor and gifts.

 

 

Tilting Point to launch M&M’S Adventure mobile game

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Free-to-play games publisher Tilting Point has partnered with developer Gear Inc. and Mars Retail Group to create M&M’S Adventure, a fast-paced puzzle gravity blast game starring the beloved M&M’S characters. M&M’S Adventure will launch on Apple iOS and Android mobile devices in spring 2022 and is available now for pre-registration on Android devices on the Google Play Store.

M&M’S Adventure is the first mobile game to feature the world-famous M&M’S characters and will take players on an adventure around the world, travelling to locations such as New York and Paris. M&M’S Adventure includes more than 1,000 levels, and features multiple types of in-game events, including competitive leaderboards and month-long seasonal events, during which players will play unique levels and collect new characters. M&M’S Adventure is developed by Gear Inc. who are experts in casual game development with over 20 released games to date.

“Players will get to experience the iconic M&M’S brand through a mobile game for the first time, which feels exciting, fresh and totally natural at the same time,” says Samir Agili, President and Co-CEO of Tilting Point. “We look forward to delivering a new way to experience the M&M’S brand to fans around the world.”

Tilting Point currently has more than 35 developer partners and is experienced in boosting the global efforts of developers and connecting them with universally recognised IP. M&M’S Adventure will benefit from Tilting Point’s services in app-store optimisation, marketing creative and UA management bolstered by Tilting Point’s user acquisition fund. Tilting Point has previously launched other top franchises in games, including SpongeBob: Krusty Cook-Off, Star Trek Timelines and Warhammer: Chaos & Conquest.

 

VR game ‘Peaky Blinders: The King’s Ransom’ to launch in 2022

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Digital entertainment studio Maze Theory and global distributor and content creator Banijay have announced the launch of the first virtual reality game inspired by BAFTA-winning drama Peaky Blinders in 2022. The deal was made in collaboration with Peaky Blinders’ official brand and series owner and series producer, Caryn Mandabach Productions.

Peaky Blinders fans and VR enthusiasts can – for the first time – infiltrate the Peaky Blinders underground world, coming face-to-face with much-loved and much-feared characters such as Tommy Shelby (voiced by Cillian Murphy) and Arthur Shelby (voiced by Paul Anderson), as well as host of other brand-new characters. Dramatic cinematic moments put players at the heart of a deep and memorable story, where they will navigate tense and dangerous situations and make meaningful and complex moral choices.

Ian Hambleton, Maze Theory CEO, says: “At Maze Theory, we’re committed to pushing the boundaries of entertainment and creating highly innovative fan and gaming experiences. We’re very excited to be giving fans and VR enthusiasts access to the Peaky Blinders’ world, transporting them back to 1920s Birmingham and putting them in iconic locations such as The Garrison and Charlie’s Yard.”

Lex Scott, Commercial Director, Gaming & Gambling, Banijay Brands, comments: “With huge anticipation for the upcoming series, the Peaky Blinders brand is stronger than ever, and this is a fantastic addition to its extensive portfolio. Peaky Blinders: The King’s Ransom is an exciting, authentic, and totally unique game that takes the immersive experience for fans to a whole new level.”

The multi award-winning BBC One series is produced by Peaky Blinders’ official series and brand owner, Caryn Mandabach Productions, and co-produced with Banijay’s Tiger Aspect Productions. Series 1 to 5 are available on BBC iPlayer and Netflix. Peaky Blinders is distributed by Banijay Rights and has sold in more than 183 countries and is widely available internationally on Netflix including in the U.S.

The Peaky Blinders brand enjoys international success across multiple categories including gifting, live experience, apparel, accessories and essentials. Officially licensed products are proving a hit with consumers and retailers, with over 40 licensees across multiple territories.