Steamforged Games teams with Bandai Namco to launch Pac-Man: The Card Game

Steamforged Games has partnered with Bandai Namco Entertainment to launch the iconic 1980 arcade game Pac-Man to the tabletop gaming space with Pac-Man: The Card Game.

The game is billed as an easy-to-learn family game that will see players gobble up fruit and Pac-Dot cards for points, while avoiding ghosts Blinky, Pinky. Inky, and Clyde at all costs. The title will be distributed in the UK and Ireland by John Adams Leisure and will hit stores in November this year.

With three game modes, players can get to know the game in Beginner Mode, level up for a greater challenge, or combine both decks in Bonus Mode to create an experience for up to eight players.

Mat Hart, co-founder and creative lead at Steamforged Games, said: “We’re stoked to be collaborating with our partner Bandai Namco on another household IP. The game will be a brand new experience that feels authentically like the PAC-MAN we all know and love, with art inspired by the retro arcade classic.”

Asmodee’s licensing game: “It’s about time this happened, the fans out there are starving for stuff”

“The world is going to look very different now that Asmodee – one of the biggest players in the board gaming sector – is very actively pushing into licensing,” Alexander Thieme, manager of licensed publishing and consumer products, Asmodee Entertainment, promises.

The board game giant kicked off October with a show of force when it entered Festival of Licensing’s European leg with a tranche of partnership announcements covering both its hobby gaming portfolio and publishing imprint Aconyte Books.

Tapping into a fanbase and core audience of gamers and pop culture fans that are “positively starving for Asmodee licensing,” all of a sudden, the international hobby gaming specialist was landing graphic novel deals with CMON, bringing its artwork to the fore in pop culture collaborations, and partnering with the major entertainment studio, Ubisoft, to develop novels based on some of the largest video gaming IP on the planet.

Alexander Thieme, licensing manager of publishing and consumer products, Asmodee Entertainment

Yet while it may seem there’s not been a day over the last two weeks that a new development hasn’t emerged from Asmodee Entertainment, Thieme confidently informs us this is just the beginning.

“It’s about time this happened,” he tells Licensing.biz. “The fans out there are hungry, they are starving for stuff. Whenever I talk to fans and tell that I do the licensing, I ask them what they are looking for – is it comics, is it this, or that? And they bite my hand off. They are really crazy for it right now.

“But it’s the truth to say that we are just getting started.”

And that must be music to the ears. As dedication to a cause goes, you’ll find few more resolute than the tabletop gaming audience and the connection they have with their favourite titles. Yet, for so long, this has been a vastly under-served, if not, unrecognised market. With tabletop, hobby, and board gaming reaching new global heights, Asmodee Entertainment is on a mission to change all of that.

“I was part of the inventory at Games Workshop for many years, and I know the fanbase and the depths of their immersion,” says Thieme. “But I was surprised at how strong the connection is here, between fans and their board game titles.

“Arkham Horror is one of those that I am just super fascinated with how positive or how engaged the fans are when we announce something. It is incredible, they just pour out their love. The trick now is to find the right partners that are willing to jump into the boat with us.”

This will be Thieme’s remit. In the ten short months since he joined the board gaming giant, he has already seen this side to the business begin to flourish. The formation of Aconyte Books last has been an ace up the sleeve for the games publisher, having given the company a swinging door through which to license in and license out. It’s allowed the company to align itself with major entertainment companies such as Marvel and Ubisoft, as well as a platform from which it can propel titles like Twilight Imperium or Arkham Horror outside of the board game space.

“For me,” says Thieme, “as much as Asmodee’s statement is that there is a game for every gamer, I believe that here, there is a brand for every licensee. It’s about finding the right commercial endeavours.

“Dobble behaves very differently and has different opportunities to Arkham Horror. Catan is a beautiful hybrid of a mass market casual game and a super-ingrained hobby game. All of this produces very distinct audiences and very distinct opportunities.”

It’s just a matter of unearthing them. And that is what excites Thieme the most. His is a vision for Asmodee Entertainment unburdened by limitations of the IP. His is a belief that the opportunities are boundless, and that the success can be big. Bigger even than video gaming.

“How far can the medium be taken into licensing? That’s a simple answer,” he says. “Look at other media, such as video games, and how they are branching out. We have three licensing managers here at Asmodee; me for publishing and consumer products, a licensing manager for interactive games – so we can do interactive licensing next to us having our own publisher, and we have someone in Los Angeles talking television and film.

“There is no segment or category that won’t work. Of course, it won’t be everything for all of it. Dobble as a movie will not work. Dobble in a TV show… that can work. Dobble in apparel? Absolutely. Dobble in publishing? Oh yes. Comics or a Dobble Kids’ magazine? Hell yes.

The chances that Asmodee has as a licensor are gigantic. But it is early days right now; we are getting the first people in the boat and getting the market used to the idea that there is more to a board game than just rolling a dice. Customers and consumers are emotionally linked to them.”

What is intrinsic to Asmodee’s output is its storytelling. The board gaming scene thrives off its immersive storytelling; it’s ability to bring an audience one level deeper into a narrative by having them play a role within it. Of course, you can argue that video games do it just as well. Thieme will argue back that what analogue gaming delivers, however, is a social, shared-experience of living a narrative together.

“There’s a social story happening with every board game,” he explains. “I and many others find stories in board games that we remember for the rest of our lives. These social stories are extremely strong, and strong for licensing because what you want is a brand that someone will wear in their heart.

“Board games are in the home, on the table and a part of your life, more so, I would say, than digital games. You see the people around you. You have a drink with them, it’s a shared experience and it creates social fabric, and this is the canvass that we paint the licensing programme on.”

It’s with this that Asmodee Entertainment can start to have fun with the licensing endeavours it embarks upon. Over the coming months or years, promises Thieme, fans will begin to see what he calls ‘licensing with secret handshakes,’ or ‘guerrilla licensing’; the kind that will nod to the internal jokes or idiosyncrasies found in individual gaming titles.

“I call them the secret handshake of the geek, the kind where you’ll have just a symbol on a hat or something subtle,” says Thieme. “Of course you’ll have more obvious ones, but games like Arkham Horror or Pandemic are good for those idiosyncrasies.

“I think this will all be very welcomed. I think there has been a media fatigue in licensing and people are looking to break the monotony and be more dynamic. It’s why I can assure you, Asmodee Entertainment has plenty more to come.”

Pop culture retailer Geek Retreat to open 100 new UK stores as geek chic continues to rise

The UK’s geek culture retailer, Geek Retreat, has detailed its plans to open 100 new stores on high streets across the country over the space of the next two years, part of its own plans to ‘breathe new life into town centres.’ The move follows the rapid rise in the popularity of the pop culture scene among consumers today, one that has given rise to the success of the Marvel franchise or the likes of Netflix’s Stranger Things.

The opening of the 100 new Geek Retreat stores will not only ride the crest of the current wave of demand in pop culture and games, but will create around 600 new jobs in the UK.

Board gaming, card trading and tabletop games make up an industry currently worth some £8 billion in the UK alone. This is predicted to grow by 3.1 per cent annually over the next three years, highlighting its continued popularity.

The Geek Retreat franchise – which opened its first store in Glasgow in 2013 and now employs 110 people – is a comic bookstore, gaming cafe and events hub rolled into one. It currently has 14 city-centre stores, including Glasgow, Newcastle, Birmingham, Leeds, the Wirral, and two in London, which stock geek culture merchandise like comics, posters, clothing, figures and memorabilia as well as games and trading cards.

New stores in Bournemouth, Northampton, Liverpool and are due to open shortly. Northwich and Chelmsford were the most recent stores to open, attracting the largest opening days to date.

All stores do and will commit to a COVID-19 secure environment, with social distancing and hygiene measures in place, to give customers extra piece of mind that they can visit in confidence. Small gaming events can take place with safety guidelines being carefully implemented.

Peter Dobson, chief executive of Geek Retreat, commented: “The UK’s gaming and hobby sector is a real success story and Geek Retreat is a home for the communities who are at the heart of this phenomenon. The wellbeing of our customers and staff has always been incredibly important to us – now more than ever everyone should expect a friendly, safe and clean environment to meet and play.

“We have made sure all of our stores are welcoming and accessible to gamers whatever their interests, providing a place for our loyal customers to get out of the house and play safely post-lockdown.

“This is particularly important for our more vulnerable customers, like those on the autistic spectrum, or with mental health issues where being in an inclusive, welcoming, and social environment is very important. It is strength of the relationships which our stores build with local communities that is a key driver of growth.”

Kraft Heinz moves into the family gaming space with Big G Creative partnership

Kraft Heinz has found another means of getting itself all over your dining table thanks to a new partnership with the US games publisher, Big G Creative, that delivers the company’s globally renowned food brands to the board gaming sector.

Under the new deal, Big G Creative has launched the new Kraft Heinz Variety Game Pack – a three-in-one set of games inspired by Heinz food brands Heinz Ketchup, Jell-O Gelatin, and Kraft Macaroni Cheese.

Big G Creative’s new Kraft Heinz Variety Game Pack includes three family-friendly games that bring beloved pantry essentials to life: the Kraft Macaroni & Cheese Game has players roll the dice to play matching noodle cards and push the Cheesasaurus Rex piece up the Noodle Meter, the Jell-O Jiggler Slap Game is a quick thinking, hand-slapping game, and the Heinz Ketchup Dice Game has players rolling dice and collect as much ketchup as possible to score 57 points.

“For most families, more time at home means getting extra creative with day-to-day routines and seeking out fun experiences in between,” said Steven Anne, creative director at Big G Creative. “Kraft Heinz has always brought a playfulness to the dinner table, and now we’re thrilled to bring that same spirit to family game night.”

The fun with food starts from the moment families open the pack, as each game is packaged like the original food favorite. For example, the Heinz Ketchup Dice Game comes in a bottle just like the classic condiment, which also acts as a dice-rolling cup.

All three games are designed with inclusive play in mind. The games are easy to learn, fun to play, and only take about 20 minutes. Plus, the games accommodate families of all sizes, allowing two or more players aged eight years and older to go head to head.

Big G Creative’s Kraft Heinz Variety Game Pack is now available exclusively at Target stores.

Asmodee’s Aconyte Books details publishing plans for hit board game IP Zombicide and Terraforming Mars

Aconyte Books, the fiction imprint and publishing arm of Asmodee Entertainment, has detailed a raft of new partnerships with some of the leading names in tabletop gaming to develop a series of novels set within the worlds of a selection of the most critically acclaimed board games.

Kicking off the latest signings, the publishing arm has secured a multi-year agreement with CMON – otherwise known as Cool Mini Or Not – to create a new series of novels set in the worlds of its popular Zombicide range of games.

Having made its debut back in 2012, Zombicide became the first of a wildly popular series of tabletop games that pit players against the walking dead. Featuring detailed miniatures and fast-action gameplay, the games have since picked up legions of players around the globe.

As well as the modern day original, CMON has also developed versions set in medieval times (Zombicide: Black Plague) and far out in the depths of space (Zombicide: Invader). Aconyte now plans to publish novels based on all three settings with the first title expected to hit shops in time for Halloween 2021.

Aconyte publisher Marc Gascoigne, commented: “We love Zombicide, for the all-out mayhem of the game, the passion of its dedicated following – and the lovingly detailed (and incredibly deadly) worlds that its designers have created. There are a whole bunch of stories we want to create, to explore their secrets further.”

CMON’s COO David Preti, added: “We designed the Zombicide games to tell exciting stories populated with iconic characters who had unique personalities that came through in the gameplay.

“We wanted each play session to feel like its own pulp novel. We’re so happy to have a great partner in Aconyte, who understands the world and tone of the game, and is going to put these stories in prose for the first time.”

Continuing its ambitious mission to set up new content platforms for its own and third-party properties, Aconyte has also detailed a multi-year agreement with FryxGames to create new novels set in the world of its own Terraforming Mars games.

Since its launch in 2016, the original Terraforming Mars has been a firm favourite with gamers, and currently sits at number four in the all-time best games list on Boardgamegeek.com.

Designed by Jacob Fryxelius and published by the Swedish games company set up by him and his brothers, the game has grown in scope with several expansions, and is now available in more than 25 languages. Set in the early 2400s, Terraforming Mars explores the many challenges facing mankind as rival corporations attempt to open up the inhospitable surface of the Red Planet to make it fit for human settlers.

The underlying spirit of the game is one of optimism and scientific progress, qualities the novels will embody.

Aconyte’s Gascoigne, said: “We’re big fans of the Terraforming Mars games, and we’re looking forward to telling epic tales of science fiction exploration and adventure in this exciting setting. We may have our problems down here on Earth, but these novels will provide a much needed escape to a different world.”

FryxGames’s CEO, Enoch Fryxelius, added: “Terraforming Marsis a game of bold and innovative ideas to take on the hostile environment of an alien planet, and turn it into a living, breathing biosphere and a vibrant human civilization.

“We are excited to see some of these ideas come to life and become the backdrop of inspiring stories. Through these novels we hope that more people will be dreaming about Mars and the future of human exploration.”

The first Terraforming Mars novel is expected to hit shops in summer 2021, with several further volumes being planned.

Asmodee Entertainment brings board game art work to life in Artovision partnership

Asmodee Entertainment has signed a new licensing partnership with Artovision to bring to life several of its tabletop gaming properties through Artovision’s innovative multi-dimensional art collectables. Under the deal, Artovision will develop pieces inspired by the artwork of Catan, Arkham Horror, Twilight Imperium, KeyForge, and Legend of the Five Rings.

Each property is known for their use of high quality illustrations throughout the game. The move is the latest in Asmodee’s ongoing assault on the pop culture licensing space as the board game giant continues to mine its IP portfolio for partnerships in the wider consumer products and entertainment space.

The development is reflective of the growing popularity of the tabletop gaming scene with many of the Asmodee titles going mainstream or finding new audiences throughout the lockdown period.

The partnership with Artovision will see boardgame artwork now produced as shadowbox and desktop artwork, bringing some of the brand’s most iconic pieces of art to life with a three-dimensional depth. Artovision’s shadowbox artwork combines four layers of full-colour art, each printed on optical grade cast acrylic and assembled within a durable frame.

“It is absolutely fantastic to see what Artovision is doing with iconic art pieces from the  worlds of pop culture. Bringing them to a multi-dimensional medium brings out details  and perspectives in a fantastic new way. I can’t wait to see the fans react to some of the  designs that the guys at Artovision are preparing at the moment,” said Alexander  Thieme, licensing manager at Asmodee Entertainment. 

Stuart Sandler, CEO of Artovision, added: “To work with such an immersive artwork portfolio  is truly amazing for us. Through our friends at Asmodee Entertainment, we are currently  working with the renowned Catan Studio and Fantasy Flight Games studios, creators of  the game franchises, to bring all of our experience in the medium to bear and create  some multi-dimensional art pieces to truly delight the fans.”

Klaus Teuber’s Catan is recognised as a highly visual and engaging game, known for the compelling art style of its box covers, board and other game components. Developed by Asmodee’s  Catan Studio, the modern classic celebrates its 25th anniversary in 2020/21 and enjoys a  great and growing audience all over the globe. 

Meanwhile, Twilight Imperium is a genre-defining strategy game set against the backdrop of a  sweeping, epic space opera with awe-inspiring, epic art to match. The cyber-noir setting  of Android sees mega corporations battling for dominance in an AI-enhanced future and  is, like Twilight Imperium, KeyForge and Legend of the Five Rings, a product of Asmodee’s  renowned Fantasy Flight Games studio.

KeyForge is the world’s first Unique Deck Game,  known for its deep, immersive melting-pot universe where anything is possible, with stunning card art central to its appeal.

The world of Rokugan, home to Legend of the Five  Rings, offers an epic fantasy vista and provides the backdrop for a range of beloved tabletop games.

The chosen properties stand out as some of the most beautifully  illustrated brands to be found anywhere in world, traits which make them a perfect fit  for Artovision’s innovate, ultra high-quality shadowbox and desktop artworks.  

The first products of this collaboration are due to launch in fall 2020. 

Asmodee Entertainment brings board game art work to life in Artovision partnership

Asmodee Entertainment has signed a new licensing partnership with Artovision to bring to life several of its tabletop gaming properties through Artovision’s innovative multi-dimensional art collectables. Under the deal, Artovision will develop pieces inspired by the artwork of Catan, Arkham Horror, Twilight Imperium, KeyForge, and Legend of the Five Rings.

Each property is known for their use of high quality illustrations throughout the game. The move is the latest in Asmodee’s ongoing assault on the pop culture licensing space as the board game giant continues to mine its IP portfolio for partnerships in the wider consumer products and entertainment space.

The development is reflective of the growing popularity of the tabletop gaming scene with many of the Asmodee titles going mainstream or finding new audiences throughout the lockdown period.

The partnership with Artovision will see boardgame artwork now produced as shadowbox and desktop artwork, bringing some of the brand’s most iconic pieces of art to life with a three-dimensional depth. Artovision’s shadowbox artwork combines four layers of full-colour art, each printed on optical grade cast acrylic and assembled within a durable frame.

“It is absolutely fantastic to see what Artovision is doing with iconic art pieces from the  worlds of pop culture. Bringing them to a multi-dimensional medium brings out details  and perspectives in a fantastic new way. I can’t wait to see the fans react to some of the  designs that the guys at Artovision are preparing at the moment,” said Alexander  Thieme, licensing manager at Asmodee Entertainment. 

Stuart Sandler, CEO of Artovision, added: “To work with such an immersive artwork portfolio  is truly amazing for us. Through our friends at Asmodee Entertainment, we are currently  working with the renowned Catan Studio and Fantasy Flight Games studios, creators of  the game franchises, to bring all of our experience in the medium to bear and create  some multi-dimensional art pieces to truly delight the fans.”

Klaus Teuber’s Catan is recognised as a highly visual and engaging game, known for the compelling art style of its box covers, board and other game components. Developed by Asmodee’s  Catan Studio, the modern classic celebrates its 25th anniversary in 2020/21 and enjoys a  great and growing audience all over the globe. 

Meanwhile, Twilight Imperium is a genre-defining strategy game set against the backdrop of a  sweeping, epic space opera with awe-inspiring, epic art to match. The cyber-noir setting  of Android sees mega corporations battling for dominance in an AI-enhanced future and  is, like Twilight Imperium, KeyForge and Legend of the Five Rings, a product of Asmodee’s  renowned Fantasy Flight Games studio.

KeyForge is the world’s first Unique Deck Game,  known for its deep, immersive melting-pot universe where anything is possible, with stunning card art central to its appeal.

The world of Rokugan, home to Legend of the Five  Rings, offers an epic fantasy vista and provides the backdrop for a range of beloved tabletop games.

The chosen properties stand out as some of the most beautifully  illustrated brands to be found anywhere in world, traits which make them a perfect fit  for Artovision’s innovate, ultra high-quality shadowbox and desktop artworks.  

The first products of this collaboration are due to launch in fall 2020. 

Asmodee brings iconic board games Android and Twilight Imperium to comic book space with CMON

The board gaming giant, Asmodee Entertainment has entered into a licensing partnership with the tabletop gaming specialist, CMON Ltd, to bring two of the hobby’s most famous boardgame universes to the pages of a comic book series.

Best-selling games, Twilight Imperium and Android are slated to make their graphic novel debut in 2021 in a deal that goes to highlight Asmodee’s continued expansion into licensed publishing opportunities. For CMON, meanwhile, the deals secures the first licenses for its newly minted comic books arm, Guillotine Press.

“We are delighted to announce this new partnership on the run-up to exhibiting at the Festival of Licensing in October,” said Alexander Thieme, licensing manager for publishing and consumer goods at Asmodee Entertainment.

“Bringing some of our most iconic intellectual properties to the medium of visual storytelling through the pages of these first graphic novels is a natural step for us to be taking and we are absolutely thrilled to begin this exciting journey with the great team at CMON.”

As with CMON’s first set of graphic novels, these new books will be created by veteran writers and artists, who will bring their talents to the projects. Scheduled to be launched on Kickstarter in 2021, the books will be paired with tie-in game components designed to delight long-time fans of both franchises. 

CMON COO, David Preti, said: “All tabletop games tell stories, and we are especially happy to work with a great partner like Asmodee Entertainment to bring some of those stories to life. With our first wave of comics, the ones based on CMON titles, we worked hard to create book-and-game component combos that were exciting for comic fans and board gamers alike, making it one of the most successful publication Kickstarters of all times.

“With this second wave of books, we hope to continue that precedent, and we aim to become the go-to publisher for board game inspired comics.” 

Recognised as a genre defining strategy game that immerses players into interstellar conquest and diplomacy, Twilight Imperium is set against a back drop of a sweeping, epic space opera filled with iconic races, locations, ships, and characters.

Meanwhile, Android is known as a cyber-noir that explores a future in which mega-corporations compete across the globe and cyber-espionage is just business as usual, while criminals fight for dominance in the overcrowded streets below. Android has been explored thrugh board games, card games, and roleplaying games for over a decade.

Both titles are part of Asmodee’s renowned Fantasy Flight Games studio.

“Both graphic novels will make use of the combined three decades worth of Asmodee’s existing design and world development,” said CMON’s VP of licensing, Geoff Skinner.

“Both of these incredible games are fully realized and bursting at the seams with style, tone, and best of all, story possibilities. Our goal is for fans of the games to feel right at home in the pages of these books and to capture the essence of what makes each title special, while still making the titles accessible to newcomers who are in it for a great comic experience.” 

Andy Jones, head of Asmodee Entertainment, concluded: “I am delighted to announce this ground-breaking deal with the team at CMON. Bringing together just two of the many Asmodee IPs and telling their stories in this unique ‘comic book and game component’ format, initially via Kickstarter, with some of the very best talents in the industry, is a fantastic project to be working on.”

Intellivision lines up Mattel and Sesame Workshop partnerships for its gaming system reboot Amico

Intellivision Entertainment, the video game industry pioneer and team behind the upcoming Intellivision Amico launch, has detailed significant additions to its game portfolio, as well as new licensing partnerships with the likes of Mattel and Sesame Workshop.

The latest partnerships were revealed in a virtual press event hosted by Tommy Tallarico, CEO of Intellivision Entertainment, who has made it his mission to bring families back into ‘community gaming’ through the Amico system, the modern reboot of the iconic Intellivision video game console. The console is scheduled for release in April 2021.

Tallaric revealed an extensive list of new Amico games, including Earthworm Jim 4, and new partnerships with Mattel to launch a racing game based on its popular Hot Wheels franchise, Sesame Workshop to develop a suite of educational Sesame Street games, and USAopoly (The Op) to bring interactive versions of its board games Telestrations and Blank Slate to life on the platform.

These announcements come on the heels of recently announced licensing deals with brands such as Major League Baseball, Evel Knievel and The American Cornhole League.

“The magic of Intellivision Amico is that it will bring families and friends together around gaming – something that the world could always use more of – and these new games and partnerships will be a critical part of that,” said Tallarico.

The company also announced its growing network of global retail and online partners including GameStop, Amazon, and Walmart.com among others. The new games and partnerships reinforce the conviction of Intellivision’s mission to reignite the family- and group-oriented benefits of multi-player gaming that were so prevalent at the dawn of the gaming era.

Finally, the company announced that, after painstaking efforts to overcome the myriad of obstacles and constraints imposed by the global pandemic, Amico’s target launch date will shift from October 10, 2020, to April 15, 2021.

“Despite unprecedented challenges, the accomplishments and progress made by our internal team, plus our incredible network of developers and partners, is nothing short of amazing,” said Tallarico. “Our primary focus is delivering a quality product, and we remain steadfast in our mission to bring family fun back to gaming with Intellivision Amico’s launch.”

Earthworm Jim 4 brings the legendary multi-award-winning side-scrolling game back exclusively for Amico, while  Intellivision and Sesame Workshop announced a series of educational titles that will utilize the unique Amico touch screen controllers, motion controls and couch co-op for the entire family to join in the learning and fun.

Meanwhile, Hot Wheels has ignited the challenger spirit around the world since the brand’s introduction in 1968. In a statement, Intellivsion said it was ‘beyond excited to have this spectacular brand be a part of the game repertoire, and it will challenge parents, kids and fans alike as they race to the finish line.’

‘Through its partnership with The Op, Intellivision will offer the laugh-out-loud party game, Telestrations. Families will be able to experience the joy of laughter and miscommunication while they sketch and guess silly drawings and words. Never before brought to the digital era, this party game will allow for entire families, from children to grandparents, to share a laugh and enjoy the fun,’ said the firm.

‘Another terrific board game coming from The Op to Amico is Blank Slate. This party game allows families to get in sync with one another as they attempt to fill in the blank with just one word to complete the phrase. When players guess the same word, they receive extra points. Blank Slate only takes moments to learn and its simplicity makes it fun for players of any age.’

 

Pokemon launches its first board game: Pokemon Trading Card Game Battle Academy

The Pokemon Company International has released the first board game adaptation of its best-selling Pokémon Trading Card Game – the Pokémon Trading Card Game Battle Academy – at participating mass and hobby retailers around the world.

Designed for Trainers of all types, including parents and children who may be new to the Pokémon TCG, Battle Academy reimagines strategic Pokémon TCG gameplay as an ‘easy-to-learn’ experience for the family. The launch of the game will also be rolled out across PokemonCenter.com, the official online destination for Pokémon merchandise in the US.

“For more than 20 years the beloved Pokemon Trading Card Game has connected people across the globe over their shared love of collecting cool cards, trading them with friends, and playing the official game,” said JC Smith, senior director of consumer marketing at The Pokemon Company International.

“With Battle Academy, we are excited to give families a fun and accessible way to spend quality time together while bonding over someting both kids and longtime fans of the franchise adore: Pokemon TCG cards.”

The game comes with everything needed to master the basics of the Pokemon TCG, and each Battle Academy box comes with a two-player game board, three 60 card decks, tutorial guides, gameplay accessories, and a code for the free-to-play Pokemon Trading Card Game Online on iOS, Android and on Pokemon.com.