Angry Birds, the Finnish action-based media franchise created by Rovio Entertainment, and Capsule Skateboards, the manufacturer of one of the world’s most eco-friendly and 100% recyclable skateboards, have announced the launch of Angry Birds skateboards – in a deal facilitated by Angry Birds’ global licensing agency IMG.
As kids and teens return to the classroom, some for the first time since the pandemic hit in 2020, parents and educators are concerned about how the children will interact with each other and their teachers. A new initiative from Wizards of the Coast, a subsidiary of Hasbro, hopes to provide a platform using the roleplaying game Dungeons & Dragons for school social activities and educational learning. In celebration of the release of a new starter set, Wizards will provide Dungeons & Dragons-themed classroom materials for teachers across the country to add to their curriculum.
Disguise, Inc, the costume division of leading toy and consumer products manufacturer, JAKKS Pacific, Inc has announced new costumes available in stores and online now for the hugely successful movie franchise and cultural phenomenon, Avatar. Disguise is introducing costumes and costume accessories for the classic Avatar film, which is re-releasing on the big screen September 23, 2022.
Finalists for the prestigious 2022 TAGIE Awards have been announced by People of Play (POP). The TAGIEs, now in its 15th year, honor the best and brightest innovators, designers and marketers in the toy and game industry. Public voting starts Thursday, September 22 and ends on October 31, 2022. Visit the TAGIE Awards Voting Page to cast a vote now.
Moose Games, the gaming innovation division of award-winning Moose Toys, and Hunt A Killer, the immersive entertainment company, announced that they have engaged in a strategic multi-year international licensing deal. Moose Toys will spearhead international sales of Hunt A Killer’s popular retail mystery games under its Moose Games division, giving Hunt A Killer immediate international distribution through new retail channels. This deal diversifies Moose Games’ growing titles portfolio while simultaneously expanding Hunt A Killer’s reach into overseas markets.
In a move to target a younger, more dynamic consumer with a passion for the latest style and trends, Konami Cross Media NY has kicked off an expansion into the fashion arena with their flagship property, Yu-Gi-Oh! Fresh and bold designs are headed to market with new partners including: BAIT, Bershka, Park Agencies and Tuned in Tokyo. In making the announcement, Jennifer Coleman, Vice President, Licensing and Marketing, Konami Cross Media NY, said: “Our new collaborations will result in strong niche product lines that will provide new avenues for the continued growth of Yu-Gi-Oh! in the highly in-demand and competitive fashion and apparel scene. We look forward to working with our new licensees and retail partners as we further solidify Yu-Gi-Oh!’s place in the pop culture zeitgeist.”
The Pokémon Company International announced that the upcoming season of Pokémon Ultimate Journeys: The Series will premiere October 21, 2022, exclusively on Netflix in the U.S. The 25th season of the globally popular animation will follow Ash Ketchum and his Pikachu, as well as Goh and Chloe, as they embark on their latest adventures in the Pokémon world. The season features approximately 54 episodes, with an initial release of 12 episodes this October followed by three additional episode releases on Netflix in 2023. The dates for the subsequent episode releases will be announced closer to their launches. The Pokémon Company International gave fans a sneak peek at the upcoming season earlier this year with a global reveal trailer: https://youtu.be/CUjAdM3BtCw.
Popeye and Olive Oyl announce the retail launch of their capsule collection within the 2022 Fall/Winter Iceberg line, a second drop in the collection that was first revealed in Spring this year. A selection of items inspired by Popeye’s enduring strength and Olive Oyl’s uniquely confident personality were unveiled via an innovative Fashion Week marketing campaign from Wild Posting back Q1 2022 across Milan, New York, Berlin and Paris, and more looks are now set to debut in Milan this month through another splashy promotion.
KIDZ BOP, the #1 music brand for kids, has appointed Bulldog Licensing, one of the licensing industry’s leading agencies, as its official UK licensing agency, beginning at Brand Licensing Europe (BLE). KIDZ BOP is a global family music brand that records today’s biggest hits, sung by kids for kids, and currently records in five languages. Since launching in the US in 2001, KIDZ BOP has sold over 23 million albums and generated over 8 billion streams, and was also named Billboard Magazine’s “#1 Kid Artist” for eleven consecutive years. KIDZ BOP has 24 Top 10 debuts on the Billboard 200 Chart; only three artists in history—The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, and Barbra Streisand—have had more Top 10 albums.