Leading Video Game Publisher Strengthens the
Toys-to-Life™ Genre through Licensed Publishing Initiatives
and Brand Extensions in New Snack & Breakfast and Coloring
& Activity Categories
Activision Publishing, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of
Activision Blizzard, Inc. (NASDAQ: ATVI), today announced at
Licensing Expo 2014 that its highly popular Toys-to-Life™ video
game franchise, Skylanders®, will extend its worldwide footprint
through branded fruit snacks and cereals with General Mills;
the first Skylanders magazine with Immediate Media; an
official Skylanders comic-book series with IDW; and
innovative Skylanders-themed coloring books from Crayola.
These new collaborations represent significant growth opportunities
for Activision’s already robust global licensing program, which
spans more than 175 companies and won last year’s International
Licensing Industry Merchandisers’ Association Awards for Best Toy
Brand of the Year, as well as Overall Best Licensed Program of the
Year.
General Mills is launching an eight-week cereal program
in North America beginning in February 2015 that puts the
fan-favorite Skystones game on the back of packages for fun,
interactive play. The promotion is the newest offering in an
ongoing collaboration between Activision and General Mills
that already includes Skylanders-shaped Fruit Flavored Snacks,
Fruit by the Foot and Fruit Gushers. Later this year, Skylanders
will also be included in a brand campaign with General
Mills’ Go-Gurt and Trix Yogurt Cups, which will arrive at
retail this September.
“From a global branding perspective, this has been a remarkable
year for the Skylanders franchise,” said Ashley Maidy, vice
president of global licensing and partnerships at Activision
Publishing, Inc. “We are delighted that many of the world’s leading
brands are collaborating with us on meaningful programs that let
our fans engage with the Skylanders brand in ways that didn’t exist
three years ago.”
Activision is also expanding its publishing portfolio this year.
Leading publisher Penguin Group, which has sold more than
2.5M Skylanders Universe™ books worldwide, will continue to team up
with Activision on a global program. Penguin will spearhead
a new platform, offering additional engagement opportunities for
fans looking to learn more about their favorite characters. This
month, Penguin’s unique collaboration with augmented reality
company, Zappar, brings Skylanders characters to life in the
new Skylanders SWAP Force™ Official Guide. The guide allows kids to
watch gameplay clips, and zap, swap and interact with Skylanders
characters. Furthering the publishing profile, Immediate
Media will also launch an official Skylanders magazine in the
UK this fall with plans to expand into multiple territories by
2015. The magazine gives fans a look into the world of Skylands,
with fun tips, quizzes and Skylanders-themed activities that kids
will love.
Further bolstering Activision’s publishing initiatives, the
company recently announced its deal with leading comic book
publisher IDW to create the first official Skylanders comic
book series, which will serve as a prequel to this year’s
Skylanders Trap Team™. This new relationship brings a fresh,
artistic voice to the lore of the franchise, giving fans additional
backstory to the Skylanders universe. Skylanders comic book issue
#0 will feature an introductory 16-page story as well as character
guides and additional back-up information which will launch at San
Diego Comic-Con with the first issue arriving at retail this fall
in time for the launch of Skylanders Trap Team.
Activision’s relationship with Crayola is also
growing with the introduction of Skylanders-branded Xtreme
Coloring and Activity Pads. This new format will launch in spring
2015 and will allow kids to create their own personalized versions
of their favorite Skylanders characters on a physical coloring
page.
About the Skylanders®
Franchise
The award-winning, $2 billion Skylanders franchise pioneered the
Toys-to-Life™ category in 2011 with the debut of Skylanders Spyro’s
Adventure®. The game originated a new play pattern that seamlessly
bridged physical and virtual worlds across multiple platforms. In
October 2012, Skylanders Giants™ further evolved the genre and
added the mega-sized Giant Skylanders and LightCore® characters to
the collection of interaction figures. Skylanders SWAP Force
launched in October 2013 and introduced an all-new play pattern –
swapability. The Skylanders franchise was the top selling kids’
videogame of 2013¹, and is now one of the top 20 videogame
franchises of all time². Skylanders Trap Team, the newest
installment due out in North America on October 5, 2014, reverses
the magic of bringing toys to life – incredibly letting kids pull
characters out of the digital world into the physical world. For
more information, please visit: www.skylanders.com and Activision.com/presscenter.
About Activision
Publishing
Headquartered in Santa Monica, California, Activision
Publishing, Inc. (NASDAQ: ATVI), today is a leading worldwide
developer, publisher and distributor of interactive entertainment
and leisure products. Activision maintains operations in the U.S.,
Canada, Brazil, Mexico, the United Kingdom, France, Germany,
Ireland, Italy, Sweden, Spain, Denmark, the Netherlands, Australia,
Singapore, mainland China, Hong Kong and the region of Taiwan. More
information about Activision and its products can be found on the
company’s website, www.activision.com.
Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-looking
Statements: Information in this press release that involves
Activision Publishing’s expectations, plans, intentions or
strategies regarding the future are forward-looking statements that
are not facts and involve a number of risks and uncertainties.
Factors that could cause Activision Publishing’s actual future
results to differ materially from those expressed in the
forward-looking statements set forth in this release include
unanticipated product delays and other factors identified in the
risk factors sections of Activision Blizzard’s most recent annual
report on Form 10-K and any subsequent quarterly reports on Form
10-Q. The forward-looking statements in this release are based upon
information available to Activision Publishing and Activision
Blizzard as of the date of this release, and neither Activision
Publishing nor Activision Blizzard assumes any obligation to update
any such forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements
believed to be true when made may ultimately prove to be incorrect.
These statements are not guarantees of the future performance of
Activision Publishing or Activision Blizzard and are subject to
risks, uncertainties and other factors, some of which are beyond
its control and may cause actual results to differ materially from
current expectations.
© 2014 Activision Publishing, Inc., SKYLANDERS, SKYLANDERS TRAP
TEAM, SKYLANDERS SWAP FORCE, SKYLANDERS GIANTS, SKYLANDERS SPYRO’S
ADVENTURE, SKYLANDERS UNIVERSE, LIGHTCORE, TOYS TO LIFE and
ACTIVISION are trademarks of Activision Publishing, Inc.
¹According to The NPD Group, GfK Chart-Track and Activision
Blizzard internal estimates, including toys and accessories
² According to The NPD Group and GfK Chart-Track
PMK•BNCMichele Wyman,
310-854-3264michele.wyman@pmkbnc.comorActivision Publishing,
Inc.Bianca Blair, 310-496-5290bianca.blair@activision.com
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