Layer launches digital marketplace to shake up licensing in the gaming space

Australian start-up Layer has launched a dedicated digital licensing marketplace to shake up how licensing deals between brands and games companies are managed.

Layer acts as a matchmaking platform between IP holders looking to extend their licensing activities into the games industry, and game developers and publishers seeking licensable IP to include in their games. With major titles like Fortnite leading the way and leveraging well-known brands to attract and retain players, securing IPs has become a vital part of the business of gaming. On the other hand, IP holders are realising its value and increasingly exploring opportunities in games. The whole idea behind Layer is to make the process of finding the right deal and getting it agreed “so simple that anyone can do it”.

The concept for Layer came about after one of the company’s founders, Rachit Moti, successfully licensed a song from his now-defunct band into a NASCAR racing game. Chris was struck by the legal complexities and opaque nature of the licensing process. In 2021, Rachit, together with Chris Illuk, founded Layer to democratise IP licensing by streamlining and simplifying the whole process. Part of this ambition is to enable as many game creators around the world as possible to work with their favourite brands and characters.

Rachit Moti, CEO & Co-Founder at Layer, explains: “Layer matches game developers to IP holders’ profiles based on commercial requirements, audience overlap and thematic fit. For instance, a developer working on a new game aimed at children can join the platform and be matched with popular children’s characters based on the parameters they set. Once two companies are happy with a match, they can proceed to the negotiation phase to agree commercial terms, all of which is handled within the platform.

“With character skins, themed seasons, or co-branded DLC and other in-game purchases, there are so many more ways well-known IPs can get into the gaming space nowadays. Despite interconnected metaverses potentially being years away, we’re already seeing major brands take their first steps inside these virtual worlds, and this trend will only accelerate.

“Historically, securing an IP was a very complex, labour intensive legal process that was normally reserved for large publishers with the capital and right know-how – something I believe is antiquated and no longer fit for purpose in the modern entertainment landscape. We’re here to change that and give developers of all sizes a seat at the table.”

Signing up to the platform is free. Plus, the Layer team also offers licensing advice to companies that may not be familiar with the licensing process.

The Layer marketplace is already home to over 50 gaming companies and more than 150 well-known brands spanning automotive, celebrity, children’s books, comics, fashion, film and TV, and toys. It’s free, and quick, to sign up, while Layer’s onboarding team provides a white-glove experience setting up each new profile to ensure the highest quality matches for game creators and IP holders.

To sign up or learn more, visit: https://www.layerlicensing.com/

 

 

BGFG launches AgencyGMR to service tech and gamer brands

Tech, gaming and esports digital publisher By Gamers For Gamers (BGFG) is this month launching a full-service digital agency. AgencyGMR will provide creative, content and strategic services for brands in the tech, gaming and hardware industries, with plans to move into the wider consumer electronics market.

As an official TikTok partner, AgencyGMR aims to help brands reach new audiences across the globe via live commerce.

“We bring experience and credibility from our digital publishing arm. With our owned IP we know how to create content that resonates with gaming and hardware audiences,” says Craig Kirkcaldy, AgencyGMR’s Managing Director and COO of BGFG Group.

Roddy Burns, AgencyGMR’s Head of Partnerships, adds: “With a growing global audience of gamers and hardware enthusiasts, we have unparalleled strategic data and insight. We’re a recognised player within the sector and in our network, putting us in a great position to help brands create content that resonates.”

AgencyGMR also plans to host product experience workshops in its dedicated event space, providing brands with a physical hub to showcase their products. AgencyGMR is also working closely with SODA (School of Digital Arts) at Manchester Metropolitan University, and HOST Salford, to help develop the next generation of industry talent.

Made up of “passionate and experienced” gamers and tech lovers, BGFG aims to provides unbiased reviews, buyer’s guides, and answers to FAQs, designed to keep its global audience abreast of the latest tech and gaming trends. The company was founded in 2019 by brothers Andrew and Craig Kirkcaldy and William Blears, and benefited in 2021 from financial backing from Bill Holroyd – one of the original investors of global appliance firm, AO.com.

For more information or to discuss up and coming campaigns get in touch at hello@agencygmr.com or visit https://www.agencygmr.com/

 

Sanrio partners with Player 2 to grow licensing revenue in the global gaming market

Gaming and esports marketing agency Player 2 and global lifestyle brand Sanrio have announced a partnership that will see the two collaborating to grow gaming-related licensing partnerships for its Hello Kitty and Sanrio characters (including Aggretsuko and Gudetama) across the EMEA, India and Oceania regions. Player 2’s work will also include global gaming-related partnerships for Sanrio’s iconic Mister Men Little Miss characters.

Player 2 will lead the efforts to develop specific in-game collaboration programmes that bring awareness of the Sanrio characters to young consumers, while expanding its gaming-related product offerings across in-game activations, peripherals, merchandise collaborations and esports.

“We are thrilled to have the opportunity to further introduce Hello Kitty and friends along with the Mister Men Little Miss characters to gaming audiences,” says John Pierce, Player 2 Managing Partner. “We look forward to collaborating with the Sanrio team to create intriguing and relevant gaming-related partnerships.”

“Sanrio has been creating smiles for over 50 years,” says Silvia Figini, Chief Operating Officer, Sanrio – EMEA, India and Oceania, Mr. Men – Worldwide. “We’re excited to partner with Player 2 to bring the values, optimism and smiles of our iconic characters to gaming enthusiasts everywhere.”

Sanrio, best known for Hello Kitty who was created in 1974, is home to many other beloved character brands such as My Melody, LittleTwinStars, Cinnamoroll, Pompompurin, Gudetama, Aggretsuko, Chococat, Bad Badtz-Maru, Kerokerokeroppi and the British icons Mr Men & Little Miss. Sanrio boasts an extensive product lineup of around 50,000 products, which are available in over 130 countries and regions around the world.

Board game pioneer CMON teams with Monsoon Digital for new foray into NFTs

The hit board game publisher, CMON Ltd has partnered with Monsoon Digital to launch a new series of digital products and promotional material using Monsoon’s soon-to-launch NFT trading platform.

Slated to go live later this year, Monsoon will become the exclusive platform for CMON digital collectable items, cards, artwork, and games. The first offerings will strive to expand upon CMON’s reputation as a leader and pioneer in the gaming space.

“The overall potential of NFTs adds a brand-new dimension to the hobby, game and collectible markets, one that we’re extremely excited to explore with Monsoon Digital,” said Chern Ann Ng, CEO of CMON.

“The goal of Monsoon is to provide collectors, art fans, and gamers with a stable and secure online home where they can organize, display, buy, sell and trade their digitally owned blockchain. It’s designed from the ground up to be tailor made for these particular fanbases, so that creators can design and launch products that are innovative and consumer-specific.”

Monsoon Digital will launch the public beta of its platform later this year, with CMON’s first wave of digital collectible packs set to be the site’s flagship product. Details of the first wave are being kept under wraps.

“While this is absolutely a breakout year for NFTs, we were determined to do something different and unique with the blockchain technology,” said Geoff Skinner, CMON’s SVP of Marketing and Entertainment.

“As it is with our tabletop games, our focus is on the customer. The goals we set for this new collector experience are simple: it has to be easy to use and accessible, it has to offer a special, personalized experience, and most importantly, it has to be fun. To these ends, we’re working with our top game designers, graphic designers and artists to create our first blockchain product on Monsoon’s incredible platform.”

CMON has earned a reputation as a trendsetter in the gaming industry since successfully launching its first crowdfunded game on Kickstarter in 2012. The company remains the number one fundraiser across all categories, having raised over $72 million from 48 successful campaigns.

To celebrate the launch, CMON will be giving many of its more than 100,000 Kickstarter backers the chance to receive free NFT airdrops when Monsoon goes live. In addition, each of those backers will eligible to receive a “CMON Backer” promo NFT that will never be offered again.

BBC Studios expands its NFT trading card game Doctor Who: Worlds Apart with new series launch

Reality Gaming Group and BBC Studios have expanded on their existing partnership to launch a new Doctor Who: Worlds Apart permanent card set, Time Lord Victorious, featuring two new packs of cards following the Doctors from across the series as they face Daleks and the ancient alien race, the Kotturuh.

Doctor Who: Worlds Apart is an officially licensed digital trading card game published by Reality Gaming Group that has been in development since early 2021, combining the richness and variety of Doctor Who lore with a strategic game mechanic for PC and Mac.

The ‘Time Lord Victorious’ set marks the first time that completely new cards have been added permanently to the game, alongside the original cards released as part of the “Unearthly Origins” set in November 2020.

Each of the 50 new cards features hand-drawn artwork, characters, companions and enemies from the Doctor Who universe, classic and new.

All Doctor Who: Worlds Apart cards available to purchase use Non-Fungible Token (NFT) technology, which enables players to sell and trade the cards with each other on an open marketplace. Every card in the game is available in 3D frames, which allow players to create custom decks that are truly unique, making every card a collector’s item.

All the cards, artworks, characters and stats are the same between the packs, so you only need the Core Pack to enjoy the new mechanics and gameplay. The Premium Pack, designed with collectors and NFT enthusiasts in mind, features the new  ‘Time Lord Victorious’ and ‘Kotturuh’ frames and will only be available for a limited time.

All Doctor Who: Worlds Apart cards get minted onto the blockchain when players open packs, and are assigned a unique serial number so every card is one of a kind. Serial #1 cards of popular characters can reach high values among digital collectors on the marketplace and can even be exported to public marketplaces like Opensea, representing true digital ownership.

“This latest set of cards will provide players with new ways to experience the game when the alpha launches later this year,” said Reality Gaming Group’s co-founder Tony Pearce.

“Because every Time Lord Victorious card is an NFT that you own, you can trade and sell your cards directly with other players and Doctor Who fans, building your unique collection of cards and frames just like you would in a physical trading card game.”

Tinderbox sparks new partnership with Ubisoft for Far Cry and Just Dance gaming franchises

The French video game company, Ubisoft, is partnering with Tinderbox – the digital division of Beanstalk – to represent its top selling gaming franchises, Just Dance and Far Cry for licensing across Europe.

Under the new partnership, Tinderbox will support both franchises, Just Dance and Far Cry, by expanding the European
consumer products footprint into new categories and channels, pursuing opportunities across fashion, collectibles, home, gifting and novelty, consumer electronics and more.

Since its formulation in 1986, Ubisoft dedicated itself developing high quality games that resonate with all kinds of personalities. Its Far Cry franchise – now in its 17th year – features open-world, first-person shooter games known for their wilderness environments and survival thematics. Today there are over 60 million unique players in the franchise, and the next title, Far Cry 6, is to be released on October 7th, 2021.

Meanwhile, Just Dance is the number one Music Video Game franchise of all time,boasting 11 titles, 80 million games sold, and
more than 138 million registered players worldwide. The evergreen franchise invites players to have fun playing with their family and friends, or to keep fit, exercising at home to classic songs and the latest hits.

The next title, Just Dance 2022, will release on November 4th, 2021.

Dave Tovey, head of Tinderbox at Beanstalk, said: “We are thrilled to be partnering with Ubisoft in developing consumer product programmes for its top selling titles. Far Cry is one of the biggest gaming franchises, with a passionate fan base that is eager for more consumer touch points.

“Just Dance is the ultimate definition of a cross-generational gaming experience, delighting fans from Gen Z, Millennials and beyond. The team at Tinderbox is excited to get started and establish exciting and engaging brand extensions at retail on behalf of Ubisoft.”

Francois Tallec, senior director, consumer products and partnerships at Ubisoft, said: “At Ubisoft we strive to bring players the best gaming experiences, and ultimately, grow and engage strong communities with transmedia brands. We are enthusiastic to partner with Beanstalk/Tinderbox, experts in forging licensed product partnerships with leading video game franchises, to expand our Far Cry and Just Dance licensing programmes throughout Europe.”

London’s iconic Hamleys makes major play for video gaming market with new department launch

The iconic London toy store and toy retail brand, Hamleys is making a major new play for the video gaming market with the opening of a new state-of-the-art console, PC and gaming accessories department in its Regent Street location.

The new 1,326 square foot gaming space is situated within the Lower Ground Floor of the seven floor London flagship store and features leading consoles, from PS4 and PS5 to Xbox One and XS, Nintendo Switch, and a wide range of PC games and accessories.

As well as signifying a dramatic shift in audience for the London retailer, the department also now becomes the largest gaming retail site on London’s Soho area and features the latest top ranked games and best-sellers across the gaming platforms, spanning titles from publishers including EA, Capcom, and Activision, as well as Nintendo, Ubisoft, Rockstar Games, and Bandai Namco.

Accessories brands in the new gaming offer include XRocker, Turtle Beach, Anda Seat, Power A, Nacon and Hori and feature everything from keyboards and mouse pads to a wide range of gaming chairs, controllers, arcade sticks and headsets.

“We are delighted to unveil this exciting new development in our Regent Street store, where we will deliver the very best range of products and the first-class expertise and service our customers have come to expect. This is a natural fit for Hamleys and in time, we would like to see gaming roll out across our wider global retail estate,” said Hamleys of London CEO Sumeet Yadav.

Top games available on Playstation 4 range from LEGO Marvel Collection and Batman Arkham Knight from Warner Bros to Asterix & Obelix – XXL Collection from Maximum Games and Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End from Sony Interactive and Call of Duty Black Ops III from Activision. On PS5 they include Marvel Spider Man Miles Morales Ultimate Edition, Ghost of Tushima and Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart from Sony Interactive.

On Nintendo Switch games include Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, Animal Crossing: New Horizons and Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword from Nintendo, while on PC lead games include Minecraft from Mojang Studios to Diablo III from Blizzard.

On Xbox One, games range from Star Wars Squadrons and UFC4 from EA Sports to Snowrunner from THq1 Nordic and Call of Duty Black Ops III and WWII. On Xbox X/S they include Overcooked All You Can Eat and Fortnite: The Last Laugh Bundle from Warner Bros.

 The new Hamleys Gaming Department opened on 23 July 2021. The Regent Street store is open from 10am on weekdays and Saturdays and 12 noon on Sundays.

Geek Retreat moves into Dumfries and stays on track to open 60 stores by end of 2021

The geek culture retailer, Geek Retreat, is continuing on its ambitious plans for the UK with the successful launch of its new store in Dumfries, bringing its total numbers of shops around the country to 28.

Situated on Church Crescent and providing five local jobs, the new Geek Retreat store – a geek culture retailers, gaming cafe, and events space rolled into one – aims to offer a safe and friendly environment ‘where people can gather and enjoy shared interests.’

The retailer aims to provide for all fanbases within the geek culture community, from Marvel and Magic the Gathering to Yu-Gi-Oh, Warhammer, and Pokemon, as well as traditional board games. Visitors will also be able to enjoy a full menu with vegetarian, vegan, and kids’ options all developed in partnership with the food service firm, Booker.

The Geek Retreat has previously outlined the importance it places on providing an inclusive, welcoming, and social environment for its more vulnerable customers such as those with autism or with mental health issues. The retailer has a national partnership with the National Autistic Society, while the Dumfries store locally supports The D&G Queerier, LIFT D&G, and Dumfries Gamers.

Samuel Glendinning, franchise owner at Geek Retreat Dumfries, said: “We are excited to have opened our doors and be bringing something new and different to the Dumfries Town center and to the local community. A safe and inclusive place to play, relax, have fun and make friends, where they can share their love of all things geeky from anime and manga to trading card games such as Pokemon and Magic:The Gathering.”

Emma Harper, MSP for South Scotland, added: “The opening of the unique Geek Retreat store and café in Dumfries is great news. The store proposes to offer a safe, friendly environment where people can come and enjoy their shared gaming interests as well as traditional board games.

“It is also extremely welcome that Geek Retreat provides an inclusive, welcoming, and social environment for more vulnerable customers, like those with autistic spectrum or with mental health or anxiety issues. Geek Retreat has a national partnership with the National Autistic Society, and locally supports The D&G Queerier, LIFT D&G and Dumfries Gamers.

“I have no doubt that Geek Retreat will be an invaluable asset to Dumfries and I encourage all with gaming interests to pop in and see what it has to offer. I am looking forward to going along for myself in August.”

Geek Retreat is now on track to open 60 of its planned 100 new stores on high streets by the end of 2021, creating 360 jobs around the UK.  The franchise is on track to meet its previously announced target of a total of 100 new stores in 2022.

Its growth is echoed by the increasing popularity of boardgames, card trading and tabletop games which make up an industry worth £8 billion in the UK and is predicted to grow by 3.1 per cent annually over the next three years.

Peter Dobson, chief executive of Geek Retreat, said: “The success of the Dumfries store is another step in the growth of the Geek Retreat franchise. The Geek Retreat proposition and unique culture has proved particularly resilient during the pandemic and has shown us how important it is for people to have a safe please to visit and to share their interests with friends as part of a community.”

All stores commit to a COVID-19 secure environment, with strict social distancing and hygiene measures in place, to give customers extra piece of mind that they can visit in confidence.

ITV brings Saturday night game show The Void to Fortnite Creative

ITV has become the first broadcaster to enter the Fortnite Creative as it launches an in-game version of its new entertainment show, The Void, to the video game.

Marking a whole new step into the Metaverse for the studio, ITV is recreating the Saturday night game show in Fortnite Creative, allowing players to take on their own in-game version of the challenges and tasks undertaken in the programme.

ITV is the latest entertainment giant outside of video games to find its footing within Fortnite Creative as the deal follows a major recent partnership between Fortnite and The O2 that witnessed the entertainment venue launch a digital version into the video game. 

The week-long partnership culminated with an in-game concert performance by the UK group Easy Life.

Fortnite Creative’s link up with ITV marks the first time a UK broadcaster has utilised the platform. ITV is now building up a network of creators on different platforms to activate Metaverse audiences around its programmes.

The Void is hosted by Ashley Banjo and Fleur East and sees contestants put to the test as they take on a range of mental and physical challenges while navigating the prospect of falling into The Void – a chasm of 520,000 litres of water stretching across the arena floor.

Following the initial Fortnite Creative pilot, ITV is planning to roll out the concept to other programme and bring brands on board.

Dan Colton, ITV Group Strategy and Transformation Director, said: “The Void is a really innovative new Saturday night show that fits perfectly with this style of gameplay.

“The Metaverse is a huge opportunity for ITV both from a consumer and advertiser perspective and this is the first step of how we can best make use of our IP in these spaces.”

Netflix hires EA veteran in its boldest play for the video gaming space to date

In possibly its boldest play for the space to date, Netflix has tapped the games industry heavyweight and EA veteran, Mike Verdu as its vice president of game development.

Verdu has made the move to the streaming giant from Facebook where he held the role of VP of VR and AR content and a remit of bringing games to Oculus devices. Prior to this, he held various positions at EA, both in mobile and console gaming.

A veteran of the gaming industry, Verdu has also spent time at the mobile games specialist Zynga as chief creative officer.

The hiring of Verdu arrives amid a renewed and re-energerised suite of activity from Netflix in the video gaming space, who, according to a report from Bloomberg this week, could be delivering games as part of its streaming service ‘within the next year.’

Unnamed sources told Bloomberg that a games offering could be integrated as part of a Netflix streaming package, with no additional costs. The idea is that games will appear alongside current content as a new programming genre, similar to its documentaries of stand-up specials.

Gaming presents an additional avenue via which Netflix can continue to grow and follows recent developments such as a bolstered kids’ offering and its launch of an online shop to sell merchandise inspired by its original content. Netflix even managed to turn the head of Steven Spielberg recently in order to bring more prestigious films to its line-up.

In Verdu, the streaming giant will be able to tap into an experienced games pro who has worked on popular mobile games at Electronic Arts, including the Sims, Plants vs. Zombies, and Star Wars. 

An in-road to games development – of which, Netflix Originals can presumably be on the cards – will offer the platform yet another differentiator from its closest competitors on Disney’s Disney+ and HBO Max.

The Netflix insider has stated that the platform will be building out its gaming team in the coming months, adding that the company has yet to settle on a game development strategy. 

It’s thought that Netflix could start with just a few games on the roster and build its library from there. Netflix has previously licensed the rights to games based on its hit shows, including Stranger Things. The new move, however, will likely put Netflix fully in control of all gaming developments for its IP library.