Activision Blizzard Consumer Products Group Brings Franchises of the Future, Esports & Fan-Favorite Properties to Licensing E...
May 22 2018 - 9:00AM
Business Wire
Landmark New Partnerships Include Hasbro,
NERF, LEGO Group and UNIQLO
Set for ongoing growth with a slate of world-class entertainment
properties, Activision Blizzard Consumer Products Group
(ABCPG) arrives at Licensing Expo 2018 with an all-star roster of
licensing and retail partners. Through gameplay, film and
television content, esports events and consumer products,
Activision and Blizzard Entertainment are creating depth, breadth
and longevity of engagement around their franchises and across
platforms. A year into the group’s formation, ABCPG is successfully
delivering against the company’s franchises, including Blizzard’s
Overwatch® and Activision’s Call of Duty®, among
others.
This press release features multimedia. View
the full release here:
https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20180522005658/en/
Activision Blizzard is home to a
portfolio of iconic and beloved game franchises -- including
Activision's Call of Duty®, Crash Bandicoot™, Spyro™ and Bungie's
Destiny; Blizzard's Overwatch® and World of Warcraft®; and King's
Candy Crush™. (Graphic: Business Wire)
The merchandising program for Overwatch is significantly
expanding. Hasbro has been awarded the master toy license
for the franchise with plans for a wide range of play experiences
including a NERF product line, games and more. Additionally,
LEGO® Group has plans for multiple Overwatch building
sets across various price points. Further, Overwatch is just
one of many Blizzard Entertainment properties featured in the
recently announced exclusive apparel line from UNIQLO as
part of its Spring/Summer 2018 collection that launched globally on
May 18.
The pop culture phenomenon Call of Duty franchise
continues to realize massive success, and Activision is poised to
have the largest merchandising program to date based on product
category and global expansion. This year Black Ops is back! The
highly anticipated Call of Duty: Black Ops 4, scheduled for
release on October 12, perfectly lends itself to new categories
including collectibles and allows for a richer assortment of assets
to support the massive game experience built for fans. Design
agency PowerStation Studios is bringing new creative to life
that’s expanding the depth and breadth of the program and
supporting partners across various international markets.
Esports has emerged as a significant opportunity that
engages millions of players and spectators worldwide. Activision
Blizzard is at the forefront of competitive gaming with the Call
of Duty World League, MLG Network and the Overwatch
League™, the first major global professional esports
league with city-based teams. A robust apparel line is at the
center of the merchandising program, designed to appeal to a
massive global audience of gamers. ABCPG is currently seeking
best-in-class partners across all product categories to explore
burgeoning licensing and merchandising prospects targeting a new
era of fans.
“Since debuting at last year’s Licensing Expo, we’ve begun to
successfully realize our vision of offering more value and more
opportunities for our global licensing and retail partners by
leveraging the blockbuster franchises that Activision and Blizzard
have created and expanded over many years of dedicated
development,” said Tim Kilpin, CEO and president, Activision
Blizzard Consumer Products Group. “For our hundreds of millions of
players around the world, we’re working hard to build lasting
global franchises that they can connect with across game platforms
and through esports and vibrant transmedia story content. We are
well positioned to continue playing a leading role in shaping the
future of entertainment.”
Located in Booth #U202, additional highlights of
Activision Blizzard’s slate coming to Licensing Expo 2018
include:
Activision Highlights
- Call of Duty: New
partners include: McFarlane (Collectible Figures);
USAopoly (Risk and Monopoly board games in North America);
Pyramid (Homeware, Accessories); Poetic Gem
(Apparel); Park Agency (Knitwear); Clairefontaine
(Stationery). They join returning partners including Mattel
(Collectible Construction Sets); Exquisite Gaming (Cable
Guys, Crates); KontrolFreek (Gaming Controller Accessories);
Bioworld International (Apparel, Accessories); Astro
Gaming (Headsets); Trends (Poster & Calendars);
among many others.
- Crash Bandicoot™: The massive
popularity of the Crash Bandicoot™ N. Sane Trilogy will lead
to platform expansion on June 29 and an expanded roster of partners
to include: Just Toys (Backpack Hangers); BDA
(Controllers, Accessories); Pyramid (Homeware, Accessories);
NECA/Kidrobot (Collectibles); GameStop (Totaku
Figures); and Park Agency (Knitwear). Returning partners
include Changes (Apparel); Concept One (Accessories);
Rubber Road (Apparel, Accessories); and Funko (POP!
Vinyl Figures).
- Spyro™: In celebration of
Spyro’s 20th anniversary, Activision is releasing Spyro™
Reignited Trilogy. The trilogy features all the
nostalgia and fun of the three original Spyro games in a
dynamic remastered collection. Activision is building a consumer
products program to support the launch on September 21 with
partners including: Funko (POP! Vinyl Figures);
Changes (Apparel); NECA/Kidrobot (Collectibles);
Surreal (Drinkware); Rubber Road (Apparel,
Accessories); GameStop (Totaku Figures); Pyramid
(Homeware, Accessories); and Exquisite Gaming (Cable Guys
& Crates).
- Bungie’s Destiny: Their
licensing program continues to give fans new ways of experiencing
the rich characters and worlds of Destiny. New and returning
partners include: Blizzard Publishing (Books);
McFarlane Toys (Action Figures, Statues);
Mattel (Construction Sets); Funko (Vinyl Figures);
ThinkGeek (Vinyl Figures, Apparel, Accessories);
Rocklove (Jewelry); Razer (PC Gaming Accessories);
Surreal Entertainment (Drinkware); The Coop
(Collectibles, Accessories); USAopoly (Puzzles, Chess Set,
Playing Cards); Rubber Road (Apparel, Accessories); and
Gaya Entertainment (Apparel, Collectibles). The
merchandising program is seeing international expansion with the
appointment of Bits and Pixels as the licensing agency for
the EMEA territories. For licensing inquires related to Destiny,
please contact: licensing@bungie.com.
Blizzard Highlights
- Overwatch: With a player base of
40 million¹, Overwatch’s wide appeal continues to drive a robust
merchandising program supported by new and returning partners
including: Hasbro (Master Toy); NERF (Blasters);
LEGO Group (Construction); UNIQLO (Apparel);
Bioworld International (Bags, Accessories); Spirit
Halloween (Costumes); Disguise (Costumes); Brown
Trout (Calendars); Insight Editions (Stationery,
Cookbook); Trends (Posters, Sticker Packs); Just Toys
(Sticker Books); Good Smile Company (Figures); Razer
(PC Peripherals); J!nx (Apparel, Accessories); Dark
Horse (Artbook); Funko (Apparel, Bags, Home Accessories,
Figures); and Scholastic (Books).
- World of Warcraft®: More
than 100 million passionate players have enjoyed the ever-evolving
online adventure of Blizzard’s seminal massively multiplayer online
role-playing game World of Warcraft¹. Partners include: Brown
Trout (Calendars); Del Rey (Novels); Panini
International (Novels); AST (Novels); Jeu Media
(Publishing); Ju Ju Be (Bags and Accessories); J!nx
(Apparel, Accessories); Insight Editions (Cookbook);
Funko (Figures); and Dark Horse (Publishing).
- Hearthstone®:
Blizzard recently launched the 12th content release for
Hearthstone, its internationally acclaimed free-to-play digital
card game that continues to engage and delight a massive global
audience across PC and mobile platforms. Licensees include:
Insight Editions (Pop-up Book); Displate (Fine Art);
Panini International (Art Book); and Huginn &
Muninn (Art Book).
About Activision Blizzard Consumer
Products Group
Activision Blizzard Consumer Products Group is a division of
Activision Blizzard (NASDAQ: ATVI), an S&P 500 company and the
world's most successful standalone interactive entertainment
company. Building on the existing consumer products businesses, the
newly formed Activision Blizzard Consumer Products Group
encompasses Activision, Blizzard and King’s franchises of the
future. The division is passionate about working with best-in-class
partners around the world to create high quality and deeply
relevant merchandise that gives fans new ways to play, display,
wear and live the brands they love. Activision Blizzard is home to
iconic and beloved entertainment franchises, including Activision’s
Call of Duty®, Crash Bandicoot, Spyro, and Skylanders®; Blizzard
Entertainment’s World of Warcraft®, Hearthstone® and Overwatch®;
King Digital Entertainment’s Candy Crush™ and Bungie’s Destiny.
¹Based on internal data and reports from key distribution
partners.
Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-looking
Statements: Information in this press release that involves
Activision Blizzard's expectations, plans, intentions or strategies
regarding the future, including statements about the company's
Consumer Products division, including with respect to Licensing
Expo 2018 and the merchandise licensing programs for Overwatch,
Call of Duty, Crash Bandicoot, Spyro, Destiny, World of Warcraft
and Hearthstone, including their features and partners, the release
date of Call of Duty: Black Ops 4, and the release dates and
features of Spyro Reignited Trilogy and Crash Bandicoot™ N. Sane
Trilogy, are forward-looking statements that are not facts and
involve a number of risks and uncertainties. Factors that could
cause Activision Blizzard'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 Blizzard as of the date of this release,
and the company does not assume 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 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.
© 2018 Activision Publishing, Inc. Activision, Call of Duty,
Call of Duty Black Ops and Crash Bandicoot are trademarks of
Activision Publishing, Inc.
© 2018 Bungie, Inc. All rights reserved. Destiny, the Destiny
Logo, Bungie and the Bungie Logo are among the trademarks of
Bungie, Inc. Published and distributed by Activision. All other
trademarks or trade names are the properties of their respective
owners.
© 2018 Blizzard Entertainment, Inc. Overwatch League is a
trademark and Overwatch, World of Warcraft, Hearthstone, Blizzard,
and Blizzard Entertainment are trademarks or registered trademarks
of Blizzard Entertainment, Inc., in the U.S. and/or other
countries.
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