Video Games

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Netflix, Squid Game, Film & TV, Video Games, Bill Jackson, Boss Fight

Netflix debuts Squid Game: Unleashed video game

“We’re thrilled to offer fans a new way to experience the Squid Game universe,” said Bill Jackson, Head of Creative at Boss Fight – a Netflix Game Studio.

Interview
Bjorn Van Passel, Ultra-Pro, Video Games

Bjorn Van Passel discusses licensing gaming accessories and collectibles at Ultra-Pro

From Magic: The Gathering to Pokémon and more… Bjorn Van Passel on Ultra-Pro’s licenses.

News
Legendary Entertainment, Monsterverse, Film & TV, Video Games, Paweł Biela, Tomas Gonzalez, Roblox, Yon Raz-Fridman, James Ngo

Legendary details slate of Monsterverse video games

“We are thrilled to be offering our fandom not just one, but three exciting new video game experiences inspired by the Monsterverse,” said James Ngo, EVP, Franchise Management at Legendary Entertainment.

News
Mattel, AirConsole, BMW Group, UNO, Toys & Games, Stephan Durach, Anthony Cliquot, Erika Winterholler

Mattel, AirConsole and BMW Group bring UNO into in-car gaming

“UNO is perfect for in-car gaming because it’s highly engaging and brings people together,” said Erika Winterholler, Head of Business Development, Digital Gaming at Mattel.

Interview
Andrew Byatt, Blaze Entertainment, Video Games

“We love to bring back long-lost games”: Blaze Entertainment’s Andrew Byatt on the appeal of retro gaming

As Blaze Entertainment passes one million cartridges, CEO Andrew Byatt talks us through their retro gaming offering.

News
Supersocial, Bandai Namco, PAC-MAN, FRoblox, Yon Raz-Fridman, Karim Farghaly, Video Games

Bandai Namco and Supersocial bring PAC-MAN Simulator to Roblox

“This endeavour is about celebrating the ubiquity and accessibility of PAC-MAN to champion connections across generations,” said Yon Raz-Fridman, CEO and Founder of Supersocial.

News
Rocketship Entertainment, Rovio, Angry Birds, Tom Akel, Publishing, Video Games

Rocketship Entertainment teams with Rovio for Angry Birds graphic novels and comics

“Angry Birds is a household name that a generation of fans have grown up with.” said Rocketship CEO and publisher Tom Akel.

News
Insight Editions, Fortiche, Melcher Media, Arcane, Elisabeth Vincentelli, Art, Video Games, Publishing

Insight Editions teams with Riot Games for The Art and Making of Arcane.

The book includes never-before seen art and in-depth interviews with the creative team behind the show, including Arcane co-creators Christian Linke and Alex Yee.

News
LEGO, Fortnite, Toys & Games, Video Games

LEGO debuts Fortnite sets

The four new sets include the LEGO Fortnite Durrr Burger, LEGO Fortnite Supply Llama, LEGO Fortnite Peely Bone and the LEGO Fortnite Battle Bus.

Interview
Sam, it’s great to catch up. Let’s talk Sonic! What are some of the creative challenges in translating a video game character into consumer products? Sometimes, translating the energy of a video game character – especially one known for his speed – can be challenging. We’ve had so much growth with the Sonic IP over the last few years, so we must stay on top of trends while remaining true to the IP – and always keeping our end consumer in mind. I often refer to myself as a “brand guardian”; the gatekeeper between the brand and the end consumer. With an IP like Sonic, he’s incredibly recognisable, and we work hard to create trend and seasonal assets for our licensees to use to keep Sonic relevant. There’s lots of popular video game characters that don’t go on to thrive in licensing. Why has Sonic thrived across so many different categories? I always say there’s a Sonic for everyone. People who grew up in the Nineties remember having their mates over after school, sitting on the floor, staring up at a screen as thick as it was wide and playing Sonic on the Mega Drive. Then, when you look at kids today, they have so many touchpoints for the IP – movies, animation, mobile, console games… However, one thing that has yet to change is the brand’s DNA. Sonic is the same fast hedgehog he’s always been. The brand’s success at retail is down to working with carefully selected partners. Every product is considered with the end consumer in mind. Speaking of partners, what’s the key to a successful creative collaboration with licensees? I’ve enjoyed working on several collaborations at SEGA, all with their unique challenges and opportunities. The success of any partnership is working together and being open to new ideas and opinions. With any partnership, you need to think about why we are doing this from the beginning. Who is this for? What is the purpose? Asking those questions ensures the message doesn’t get lost. The magic is when you create something unexpected, while still being recognisable and staying true to the brand’s core values. That leads us nicely to your partnership with LEGO. Can you give us some insight into the creative process behind bringing Sonic into bricks? We’ve taken everything amazing about Sonic and what people love about the LEGO brand, and mashed them together to create a range of genuinely fun products that look great on shelf. This is LEGO’s first action toy, and key to this is the addition of the speed sphere. A speed sphere? I’m sold – what is it!? Ha! It’s a sphere you place the Sonic minifigure into, which you then use to propel him across the room, smashing through LEGO-built scenery and Dr. Eggman’s evil Badniks. There are so many little hidden easter eggs for the fans, which we were keen to include. It also allowed us to play around with products that aren’t canon. We’ve introduced brand-new mechs and vehicles that fans won’t be familiar with… Who can you make them with if you can’t create new things with LEGO? The team over at the LEGO Group have been incredible to work with, and this has been a fantastic collaboration on so many levels... It’s been a once-in-a-lifetime project which I couldn’t be prouder of. You mentioned this range marking LEGO’s first move into ‘action toys’. How did these ‘action’ requirements affect product development on the sets? Sonic is known for his speed, and the LEGO team was bold enough to capture this in brick form. Early on, we established that each set needed to feature an element of speed, jeopardy, and quiet play for those moments when you want to sit and chill with your favourite Sonic friends… And we had to feature a loop; that was an absolute must! I cannot tell you how many versions of each set we reviewed before we landed on the final design. Working with such a passionate group of designers who are as meticulous and passionate about products and their respective brands as we are has been fantastic. Do any other partnerships come to mind when highlighting how creative licensees can be with your brands? The first project that I think of is Sonic’s 25th anniversary. We partnered with an art gallery to create 25 pieces of bespoke artwork, working with various artists across various mediums: fine art, metalwork, clay sculpture and even neon lighting. Seeing how these artists interpreted the brand in their work was terrific. However, I remember one artist painted Sonic covered in tattoos, smoking a cigarette and sticking his middle finger up… Needless to say, that version didn’t make it to the final exhibition! Ha! Not ideal! Now, before we wrap up, what should we be keeping an eye out for from you guys? There is so much to look forward to. The Sonic Movie 3 is out in December, and there will be lots more to come soon. Sonic turns 35 in 2026, so there will be lots of activity around the anniversary and plenty of other surprises to look forward to between now and then: partnerships, collaborations, and events. You can be sure that Sonic isn’t slowing down anytime soon.

SEGA’s Samuel Byard on Sonic’s success in consumer products

Samuel Byard – Senior Product Development Manager at SEGA Europe – talks us through the key to Sonic’s success in consumer products.

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