World Book Day | Words’ worth: Rubie’s on the importance of inspiring the nation’s young readers

It didn’t take a global pandemic to facilitate the manner of changes to have taken place at the dress-up and costumes specialist, Rubie’s, over the course of the last 12 months – but it certainly did help.

Having ended 2020 – the year of the great halt – considerably stronger than how it started it, there’s an electricity of excitement running through the Rubies business right now that is almost palpable, even if you are chatting through email.

It was only last month that Rubie’s witnessed the momentous point in its modern day history, as co-owner and managing partner (and also the founder of NECA – what a side project!) Joel Weinshanker take direct oversight of the company’s global business, and since then there’s been a bigger buzz about the costume company than ever before. Then again, this time of year always does seem to get the blood racing for many within the business, because with the dawn of March comes the favourite season of all for so many in the Rubie’s team.

We’re talking, of course, about World Book Day.

It’s by no accident that Rubie’s has become a name somewhat synonymous with the annual charity event developed to encourage reading among children across the UK. Over the years, the firm has carefully aligned itself with the core values that World Book Day promotes; the importance of literacy among children and the rallying of the industry – across its breadth – to do what it can to encourage an enjoyment of reading.

This year, Rubie’s has taken that alignment one step further, through an official partnership with the World Book Day Charity and its mission to change to the lives of the youngsters and families that it acts to serve.

ToyNews catches up with Fran Hales, head of content and marketing at Rubie’s to learn more about the partnership, talk the finer points of developing book character dress-up, and cover the facts of why encouraging children to be active readers is one of the best things the toy industry could for the next generation.

Fran Hales, head of content and marketing, Rubie’s

Hi Fran, thanks for taking the time to talk with us. Just to get us started in a nice orderly fashion, can you tell us how things have been for you guys over the course of 2020? 

It’s a very exciting time for Rubies! We welcomed Joel Weinshanker, our co-owner and managing partner, who will have direct oversight over the entire worldwide Rubie’s business (Rubie’s One World).

Rubies ended 2020 in a much stronger position than it was in at the beginning of the year. We are very confident moving forward into 2021 that we will see our industry rise as a result of the hard work that has been put in by the team over the past months, as we continue to support our retailers who are the core focus of our business.

It’s important to note that the changes we have made this year were always scheduled to happen and were not a result of Covid-19. If anything, the pandemic has hastened the progress, ensuring that we bought a consolidated Rubies UK operation quicker than it was perhaps originally planned.

How resilient has dress-up been throughout the pandemic? How important has book character licensing been in the wake of big movie releases at cinema etc?

License ranges have certainly held their own throughout the pandemic, with our new ranges such as The Mandalorian proving to be massive success and sold out of stock within weeks. While licensed product remains desirable, the industry has seen a significant fall in general costume sales because of the hospitality and events industry being hit with severe restrictions throughout 2020 and continuing into 2021.

On the flip side of this, we found lockdowns inspired the nation by providing more focus on dress-up, with parents keen to keep the children entertained at home. We also made sure we were proactively prominent in the national media, which really helped keep the dress-up industry at the forefront during key seasons.

As we haven’t seen as many theatrical releases this year it has had a knock-on impact with product releases also being delayed. There are plenty of new ranges in the pipeline though, not just for movie theatres but from streaming site productions with Disney+ leading the way with epic original series such as WondaVision and Falcon and The Winter Soldier – the next big release on the hugely popular platform.

It’s March, which means we’re coming up to the big day in the Rubie’s calendar… Can we talk about your relationship with World Book Day? Why has the annual event become such an important one for you guys?

We are very excited about our new collaboration. It brings together Rubie’s global experience of delivering best in class costumes and accessories as a trusted manufacturer of licensed and generic dress-up products and the World Book Day Charity who is actively changing lives through a love of books and shared reading.

World Book Day is personally one of my favourite times of year. The event encourages children across the globe to get creative through reading, which can benefit lives an immeasurable amount through such a simple activity. Over the years the day has grown to be a remarkable success. It’s due to the hard work by the charity and the backing they’ve received from publishers and booksellers along with the help of schools to reach out and engage with pupils of all ages.

Our approach when it comes to costumes is for them to be utilised more so as a tool to encourage creativity and nurture the joy experienced from reading or reading to others. It is important that we also recognise the core principle of World Book Day which is to celebrate reading and to share books together this year.

Reading for pleasure is in decline with only 29 per cent of 0-13s reading for pleasure daily (down from 30 per cent in 2017). Fewer than 19 per cent of eight to ten-year-olds are read to daily.

What does the Rubie’s offering bring to the World Book Day event, how does it help heighten children’s engagement with the event and reading in general?

It’s easy to lose sight of what World Book Day is actually about. Here at Rubies, we fully believe that reading knows no bounds, if you can encourage engagement with reading a book through say the use of a costume, as it can only be beneficial to aide enjoying the experience.

It’s proven that wearing costumes motivates children when learning to read, which is the reason schools encourage dressing up as part of the event. We fully endorse any resource to support the education of a child and open their eyes to the joys and endless possibilities of creativity through reading.

There are many children that are compromised by reading and some have parents who may not feel confident reading themselves or have the time to do so. A costume can open those doors by bringing the story to life, help to visualise the characters, and inspire the imagination. Some children need the visual stimulation to get started and once they start, what could be more fun than recreating some scenes dressed as their favourite character to show parents, grandparents, or even friends across video calls helping with much-needed social interaction.

Kids love dressing up, especially in clothes that make them feel grown-up or looking like one of their favourite characters. Adults like dressing up because it reminds them of that feeling of being a child again and getting excited about dressing like a grownup. In a time when we may need to have a break from reality, a costume offers escapism from the world, along with newfound confidence or just making someone else smile and who could argue with putting a smile on someone’s face in these testing times?

Why is children’s literacy such an important issue for you guys, particularly this year and following the events of 2020?

Every hero starts with a story! That’s our saying and the power of literature spreads far and wide through storytelling, it’s fundamental to shaping and forming a child’s imagination. The core reasoning behind WBD is that reading for pleasure is the single biggest indicator of a child’s future success – more than their family circumstances, their parents’ educational background, or their income.

Every child should have the opportunity to own their own book and we feel very strongly about this core message from World Book Day, it’s one reason why we fully support the day in our own way by bringing the stories to life through dress-up.

“We as an industry can work together to help utilise the power of dress-up to help the cause when it comes to inspiring children to develop key skills from reading.”

What is the process like in bringing children’s book characters to life through dress-up? How closely do you guys work with source material and publishers throughout the process?

We work closely with our licensors to ensure we capture the true spirit of the character and their story, from concept to final costume approval.

To start a project, the Design Team hold creative brainstorm meetings discussing all elements of the characters personalities, colour pallets, fabrications and environments. They use this information to design a range of costumes capturing the characters essence.

It gives the team such pleasure to be able to lift a character from the page and bring it to life in a 3D form, enabling children to become their most treasured characters from literature.

What sort of growth have you guys seen in engagement with World Book Day over the last few years? How important is the event to Rubies’ UK business?

World Book Day plays a significant part on any costume calendar, it’s up there with Halloween as the second largest dress-up season of the calendar year. It’s a celebration of the characters and narratives that we’ve all grown up with and can share with younger generations.

The event has been seen to shift in recent years, in the way it has adapted to reflect the way children now engage and interact with stories, whether on the page or screen. The potential that World Book Day offers has grown exponentially over the years, by providing vast opportunities for collaborations between retailers, publishers and licensees.

Last year the charity encouraged at least 25,000,000 minutes of shared reading and made an impact with 64 per cent of early years settings and 66 per cent primary schools confirming World Book Day changed reading habits. However, there is still work to be done, as reading for pleasure is in decline with only 29 per cent of 0-13s reading for pleasure daily (down from 30 per cent in 2017). Fewer than 19 per cent of eight to ten-year-olds are read to daily or nearly every day and 383,755 children and young people in the UK don’t have a book of their own.

We as an industry can work together to help utilise the power of dress-up to help the cause when it comes to inspiring children to develop key skills from reading, encourage autonomy, enthusiasm, achievement and a sense of enjoyment.

What kind of growth have you seen in the children’s book IP licensing space? Are more and more publishers engaging with it?

Yes indeed, more and more publishers have absolutely seen the benefit of working in the licensing space and engaging with our category. Bringing stories to life is a mutual objective. At a time when encouraging children to read has never been more important it is great to work together with this aim.

Why should retailers be keen to work with Rubies for the coming year?

Well, not only do we have Joel’s arrival, but we have also been working very hard behind the scenes to provide our customers with an improved 365 wholesale experience from Rubie’s.

It’s a giant step forward in the industry with our innovative systems now in place to support our expansive range of the best licensed and generic dress-up product in the world.

Over the past year, we have moved to address the diverse challenges of a changing global market, to provide retailers with the opportunity to grow on today’s marketplaces and ecommerce platforms.

The services we offer have also had to adapt to the changing digital landscape, one example of this would be our live virtual shows from our dedicated showroom in Nuremberg – in addition to our new Rubie’s showroom, complete with a media studio, in our Bristol site.

It all signifies part of our continuing promise to offer innovative and sophisticated solutions to elevate customer’s experience throughout the seasons.

What’s the next step for you guys in terms of the World Book Day partnership? How will you guys look to continue to build in this relationship?

Of course, we have the long term in mind for this partnership as we work closely together to understand each other’s requirements, objective and to ultimately benefit one another for the foreseeable future. The partnership provides reassurance for World Book Day by ensuring they are represented in the correct manner within our industry.

Fanattik builds on eighth year of growth and ‘significant 2020’ with enviable new office

The award-winning pop culture specialist, Fanattik is scaling things up somewhat.

Following what the company behind some of the most sought after collectables and gift lines on the pop culture scene has billed as a ‘year of rapid growth,’ Fanattik is positioning itself for further expansion across the sector, with the decision that it’s going to need a bigger boat office.

Thanks to a step change in demand for pop culture brands over the past year, Fanattik has taken on new premises with a headquarters move offering more warehouse space and room to welcome a growing team, as well as a social media studio and new showroom for buyers.

The move, says Fanattik’s managing director, Anthony Marks, is a much needed one, given that the business has now seen now fewer than eight consecutive years of growth.

“Despite an initial downturn as the world came to a halt in March 2020, the rise in online shopping and a thirst for nostalgia coupled with the launch of our new in-universe collectibles has resulted in significant year on year growth of over 200 per cent,” said Marks.

Anthony (left) and Louise Marks (below, right), the husband-and-wife duo behind the Cheshire-based business wanted the new space to encapsulate the Fanattik spirit that is now demonstrated with the inclusion of an arcade machine, signed movie posters, celebrity fans on the wall, and of course, a bar area – that the firm insists has been set up as a designated area for the rigorous testing of its licensed drinkware offering.

If that’s not enough to turn you green with envy, Marks has also hinted at plans for a gaming and movie screening zone.

But it’s not all play. Fanattik, already a licensee for many of the leading video game and film studios, will be detailing several new high-profile licensing deals in 2021 as well as a major expansion to its current Universal Studios license.

Fanattik creates gift, home décor, drink/barware and collectibles and is geared up to supply every level of the European gift trade. As well as retro titles with multi-generational appeal its portfolio also includes product from four upcoming Netflix series as well as what will be the biggest blockbuster of 2022, Jurassic World Dominion.

With the cancellation or postponement of most of the trade shows we are inviting retail buyers who would have normally visited our stands to contact me to arrange video meetings. Not only do we have upcoming licensed ranges to discuss but our existing portfolio contains almost 100 iconic titles from the world of entertainment,” said Fanattik’s head of sales, Luiz Ferreira.

GB eye acquired by Abysse Corp as the European fan merchandise specialist positions for global growth

The European fan-focused merchandise specialist, Abysse Corp has acquired the UK posters and fan merchandise specialist, GB eye in a multi-million pound deal.

The move will combine Abysse Corp’s global presence with GB eye’s extensive local production, manufacturing expertise, and market knowledge, while strengthening the goal to create ‘the best fan-focused products.’

GB eye is recognised as one of ther UK’s market leaders in the production of posters and fan based merchandise since its establishment in 1986. The firm currently boasts over 100 licenses as well as significant agreements with key UK retailers.

Meanwhile, Abysse Corp has enjoyed substantial year on year growth since its inception in 2003. The acquisition will now offer Abysse Corp further distribution into the UK, Europe’s largest market for licensed products.

At the same time, GB eye’s range will now have access to a new level of worldwide distribution. The merger will also offer new warehousing and manufacturing capabilities in the UK and across mainland Europe, helping the team circumnavigate the restrictions imposed by Brexit.

The GB eye Board of Directors said in a press release issued this week that “after 35 years in the business, we are delighted to announce the sale of the company to Abysse Corp.

“We are leaving GB eye in good hands. This was incredibly important to us. Abysse Corp is the perfect fit and has a like-minded business strategy with the ability to identify forthcoming trends and create high quality products for any pop culture fans.

“Abysse Corp plans a smooth continuation of the business by adding the highly regarded GB eye brand to its existing global distribution network. The growth potential of the combined group is very exciting and we strongly believe that this is great news for all the GB eye staff as the business continues to go from strength to strength.

“We would also like to take this opportunity to thank licensors, customers, suppliers, and of course our many loyal staff members who have worked tirelessly over the years to make GB eye the successful business it is today. We wish you all the success in the future.”

Xavier Sartoris, Abysse Corp president, said: “The integration of GB eye is a fantastic opportunity to onboard a well-trained and very professional team. The two companies are really complementary and it is a great step to add GB eye’s production facility to ours in France.

“Local production and a strong domestic distribution is certainly the reason why both companies show such an amazing resilience in the covid time.”

Following the acquisition, the group will employ almost 300 staff and expects a consolidated turnover close to €60 million for 2021.

GB eye acquired by Abysse Corp as the European fan merchandise specialist positions for global growth

The European fan-focused merchandise specialist, Abysse Corp has acquired the UK posters and fan merchandise specialist, GB eye in a multi-million pound deal.

The move will combine Abysse Corp’s global presence with GB eye’s extensive local production, manufacturing expertise, and market knowledge, while strengthening the goal to create ‘the best fan-focused products.’

GB eye is recognised as one of ther UK’s market leaders in the production of posters and fan based merchandise since its establishment in 1986. The firm currently boasts over 100 licenses as well as significant agreements with key UK retailers.

Meanwhile, Abysse Corp has enjoyed substantial year on year growth since its inception in 2003. The acquisition will now offer Abysse Corp further distribution into the UK, Europe’s largest market for licensed products.

At the same time, GB eye’s range will now have access to a new level of worldwide distribution. The merger will also offer new warehousing and manufacturing capabilities in the UK and across mainland Europe, helping the team circumnavigate the restrictions imposed by Brexit.

The GB eye Board of Directors said in a press release issued this week that “after 35 years in the business, we are delighted to announce the sale of the company to Abysse Corp.

“We are leaving GB eye in good hands. This was incredibly important to us. Abysse Corp is the perfect fit and has a like-minded business strategy with the ability to identify forthcoming trends and create high quality products for any pop culture fans.

“Abysse Corp plans a smooth continuation of the business by adding the highly regarded GB eye brand to its existing global distribution network. The growth potential of the combined group is very exciting and we strongly believe that this is great news for all the GB eye staff as the business continues to go from strength to strength.

“We would also like to take this opportunity to thank licensors, customers, suppliers, and of course our many loyal staff members who have worked tirelessly over the years to make GB eye the successful business it is today. We wish you all the success in the future.”

Xavier Sartoris, Abysse Corp president, said: “The integration of GB eye is a fantastic opportunity to onboard a well-trained and very professional team. The two companies are really complementary and it is a great step to add GB eye’s production facility to ours in France.

“Local production and a strong domestic distribution is certainly the reason why both companies show such an amazing resilience in the covid time.”

Following the acquisition, the group will employ almost 300 staff and expects a consolidated turnover close to €60 million for 2021.

Hasbro signs five year Fortnite deal with Epic Games for action figures, vehicles, and more

Hasbro has outlined a five year extension of its partnership with Epic Games and its world-beating MMO gaming title, Fortnite as the toy company looks to expand its product licensing deal beyond outdoor play products and games and into collectable action figures, vehicles, and role-play gear.

The plan was announced last week during Hasbro’s all-virtual investors event, extending the successful two-year deal brokered by IMG between the global entertainment outfit and Epic Games. The partnership kicked off with the launch of a variety of Fortnite themes NERF blasters and a Fortnite Monopoly.

Now, with the growing partnership, Hasbro is excited to bring new products as well as in-game experiences to Fortnite fans of all ages, first with the recent in-game debut of G.I. JOE character, Snake Eyes. Coinciding with the in-game integration of this fan-favorite character, Hasbro released a Fortnite x G.I. Joe Collab Snake Eyes: Zero Point Edition figure available exclusively on Hasbro Pulse for fans aged 16 and older in the US and Canada.

“Hasbro’s expertise in the realm of collectible figure and role-play segments has yielded incredibly positive results for our long roster of entertainment-based action brands,” said Adam Biehl, SVP and GM at Hasbro, Inc.

“We’ve had tremendous success collaborating with Epic Games and the Fortnite brand over the past few years, and this expanded product licensing partnership allows us to deliver an amazing lineup of Fortnite-inspired toys and collector items that we’re confident fans will be excited to experience.”

New Hasbro-licensed Fortnite products are on track to launch in autumn this year.

Fortnite is the completely free multiplayer game where you and your friends collaborate to create your dream Fortnite world or battle to be the last one standing. Fortnite and its Battle Royale and Creative modes are free and available on PC, Mac, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Switch and Android.

Hasbro signs five year Fortnite deal with Epic Games for action figures, vehicles, and more

Hasbro has outlined a five year extension of its partnership with Epic Games and its world-beating MMO gaming title, Fortnite as the toy company looks to expand its product licensing deal beyond outdoor play products and games and into collectable action figures, vehicles, and role-play gear.

The plan was announced last week during Hasbro’s all-virtual investors event, extending the successful two-year deal brokered by IMG between the global entertainment outfit and Epic Games. The partnership kicked off with the launch of a variety of Fortnite themes NERF blasters and a Fortnite Monopoly.

Now, with the growing partnership, Hasbro is excited to bring new products as well as in-game experiences to Fortnite fans of all ages, first with the recent in-game debut of G.I. JOE character, Snake Eyes. Coinciding with the in-game integration of this fan-favorite character, Hasbro released a Fortnite x G.I. Joe Collab Snake Eyes: Zero Point Edition figure available exclusively on Hasbro Pulse for fans aged 16 and older in the US and Canada.

“Hasbro’s expertise in the realm of collectible figure and role-play segments has yielded incredibly positive results for our long roster of entertainment-based action brands,” said Adam Biehl, SVP and GM at Hasbro, Inc.

“We’ve had tremendous success collaborating with Epic Games and the Fortnite brand over the past few years, and this expanded product licensing partnership allows us to deliver an amazing lineup of Fortnite-inspired toys and collector items that we’re confident fans will be excited to experience.”

New Hasbro-licensed Fortnite products are on track to launch in autumn this year.

Fortnite is the completely free multiplayer game where you and your friends collaborate to create your dream Fortnite world or battle to be the last one standing. Fortnite and its Battle Royale and Creative modes are free and available on PC, Mac, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Switch and Android.

Universal Music and Gameloft launch first Queen mobile game Queen: Rock Tour

The iconic rock group, Queen, is making its mobile gaming debut with the launch of Queen: Rock Tour, an official game for Android and iOS devices delivered to coincide with the band’s celebration of 50 years since its recruitment of John Deacon this year. Well, any reason for a party…

2021 was planned to be the year of the Queen Golden Jubilee, with a massive 29-date European stadium and arena tour for the band to share its milestone year with the fans. However, with live music still in lockdown and the tour shelved until 2022, the rock group was forced into rethinking its celebratory strategy.

Queen: Rock Tour gives players a chance to experience the might of the Queen experience on their phones supported by extensive attention to detail contributed by the official Queen archives and experts. User can hit the stage and perform with the entire band as they unleash their music talents to play thrilling guitar riffs, heart-pounding drum solos and more.

“Be a Lockdown Rock Star! No turning back!” said Queen’s Brian May on the game launch.

The game allows users to immerse themselves into the world of Queen – progress and score points by playing along to 20 of their most popular hits including: Bohemian Rhapsody, We Will Rock You, Radio Ga Ga, I Want to Break Free and We Are The Champions, whilst performing at 10 historic concert venues from around the world.

Players can then style their performances with over 40 official costumes from the band’s history and help unlock fun trivia facts and exclusive images from the official Queen archives, by scoring highly in the game.

Queen: Rock Tour was created in association with Universal Music Group, Hollywood Records and developed by Gameloft for brands, leader in the creation of gaming experiences for brands.

Cedric Ratajczak, creative director at Gameloft for brands, said: “Our ambition was to push the boundaries of music and gaming with a fun and rewarding experience that would put players in Queen shoes at pivotal points in their career and make them perform in real-time Queen’s live music unlike ever before.

“The creative challenge was to modernize the traditional rhythm-game genre with innovative and mobile-friendly twists inheriting from hyper-casual gaming, and with a unique and happy visual style that offers a timeless look to the band, appealing to the new generation of players.

“We devoted enormous attention to the details of Queen’s history, authenticity and artistry to craft a fitting tribute to one of the most significant bands in rock history and aim at setting new standards for how band-focused music games could be executed on mobile today.”

Andrew Kronfeld, executive vice president, marketing at Universal Music Group, added: “Today, Queen are globally recognized as one of the most iconic and important bands in history. Decades after their first live shows together and following on from the huge worldwide box office success of the Bohemian Rhapsody biopic, their popularity continues to grow every year.

“We hope the launch of Rock Tour will introduce their inimitable rock legacy and catalogue to a new generation of fans, through this unique new gaming experience.”

Universal Music and Gameloft launch first Queen mobile game Queen: Rock Tour

The iconic rock group, Queen, is making its mobile gaming debut with the launch of Queen: Rock Tour, an official game for Android and iOS devices delivered to coincide with the band’s celebration of 50 years since its recruitment of John Deacon this year. Well, any reason for a party…

2021 was planned to be the year of the Queen Golden Jubilee, with a massive 29-date European stadium and arena tour for the band to share its milestone year with the fans. However, with live music still in lockdown and the tour shelved until 2022, the rock group was forced into rethinking its celebratory strategy.

Queen: Rock Tour gives players a chance to experience the might of the Queen experience on their phones supported by extensive attention to detail contributed by the official Queen archives and experts. User can hit the stage and perform with the entire band as they unleash their music talents to play thrilling guitar riffs, heart-pounding drum solos and more.

“Be a Lockdown Rock Star! No turning back!” said Queen’s Brian May on the game launch.

The game allows users to immerse themselves into the world of Queen – progress and score points by playing along to 20 of their most popular hits including: Bohemian Rhapsody, We Will Rock You, Radio Ga Ga, I Want to Break Free and We Are The Champions, whilst performing at 10 historic concert venues from around the world.

Players can then style their performances with over 40 official costumes from the band’s history and help unlock fun trivia facts and exclusive images from the official Queen archives, by scoring highly in the game.

Queen: Rock Tour was created in association with Universal Music Group, Hollywood Records and developed by Gameloft for brands, leader in the creation of gaming experiences for brands.

Cedric Ratajczak, creative director at Gameloft for brands, said: “Our ambition was to push the boundaries of music and gaming with a fun and rewarding experience that would put players in Queen shoes at pivotal points in their career and make them perform in real-time Queen’s live music unlike ever before.

“The creative challenge was to modernize the traditional rhythm-game genre with innovative and mobile-friendly twists inheriting from hyper-casual gaming, and with a unique and happy visual style that offers a timeless look to the band, appealing to the new generation of players.

“We devoted enormous attention to the details of Queen’s history, authenticity and artistry to craft a fitting tribute to one of the most significant bands in rock history and aim at setting new standards for how band-focused music games could be executed on mobile today.”

Andrew Kronfeld, executive vice president, marketing at Universal Music Group, added: “Today, Queen are globally recognized as one of the most iconic and important bands in history. Decades after their first live shows together and following on from the huge worldwide box office success of the Bohemian Rhapsody biopic, their popularity continues to grow every year.

“We hope the launch of Rock Tour will introduce their inimitable rock legacy and catalogue to a new generation of fans, through this unique new gaming experience.”

Disney+ saddles up with Boat Rocker Studios’ pre-school hit Dino Ranch

Disney+ UK, Ireland, Australia, and New Zealand have each saddled up for Boat Rocker Studios’ popular animated comedy, Dino Ranch, following the series successful debut on Disney Junior and DisneyNow throughout January.

The series is set to launch on the Disney+ streaming platform from April 2021.

Dino Ranch proved an immediate hit on Disney Junior US, ranking as the number one US cable series among Kids, Boys and Girls aged two to five since launch. Among Disney Junior repeats, Dino Ranch also ranks number with Kids, Boys and Girls two to five.

Also available on DisneyNOW and VOD, Dino Ranch has been the number three Disney Junior long-form series for three consecutive weeks. Two episodes have been posted on Disney Junior’s YouTube channel (“Big Jon, Big Trouble” and “Spookasaurus”) and have amassed over 1.5 million views collectively. In the six weeks since the launch of the official Dino Ranch YouTube channel it has accumulated over 3 million views.

Created by Matt Fernandes of Industrial Brothers and produced by Industrial Brothers and Boat Rocker Studios, Dino Ranch follows the action-packed exploits of the Cassidy family, ranchers with a difference – their charges are dinosaurs of all shapes and sizes who are also their best friends.

The new Disney+ deals follow recent global sales of Dino Ranch to Super RTL/Toggo Plus (Germany), Gulli plus TiJi and Gulli Africa (France), NRK (Norway), YLE (Finland) and DR (Denmark).

Boat Rocker Studios is managing global content distribution and global merchandising rights to the series.

Steamforged Games launches its bluffing and scheming card game Peaky Blinders: Faster Than Truth

The tabletop games publisher, Steamforged Games has launched its official Peaky Blinders card game, a new competitive title based on the multi award-winning television drama.

Aimed a three to six players, Peaky Blinders: Faster Than Truth forces players to keep their cards close to their chest as they navigate a gameplay inspired by the BAFTA award-winning TV drama. Set in 1920s Birmingham, the game features fan-favourite characters from the series.

Released worldwide on February 26th, Peaky Blinders: Faster Than truth centres on bluffing and tricking opponents. Like characters in the show, players can also choose whether to make alliances, break alliances, and even sabotage and steal from their rivals.

Mat Hart, co-founder and creative director at Steamforged Games, said: “When I first watched Peaky Blinders, I was instantly blown away by the vivid depiction of Britain after the Great War – a time of raw, bloody fighting for survival in an industrial landscape gripped by upheaval.

“We wanted to capture that feeling of playing your cards close to your chest, ever mindful of the razor-thin line between winning and losing. Blink first and you lose, and never forget that fortune smiles on the bold.”

Peaky Blinders: Faster Than Truth is available from game retailers in the UK priced at £14.99.