Exploding Kittens launches first licensed title Exploding Minions with Illumination and Universal Brand Development

The hit tabletop games publisher, Exploding Kittens has launched its first licensed game, Exploding Minions, developed in collaboration with Illumination and Universal Brand Development.

The new game is a Minions-inspired take on its flagship Exploding Kittens card game, drawing on the appeal of one of the most successful animation franchises of all time, to bring an ‘easy to learn, quick to play’ game for kids and adults to enjoy together.

Read the full interview with Exploding Kittens’ Joeri Hoste here or in the Spring/Summer issue of ToyNews.

“We’re excited to combine one of the biggest card games with Illumination’s global pop-culture phenomenon, the Minions, to create a new family game night essential,” said Elan Lee, co-creator and CEO of Exploding Kittens. “Exploding Minions marries these two universes to create a simple yet strategic game for all to enjoy.”

Aimed at players aged seven and upwards, Exploding Minions is a family-friendly spin-off of the core Russian Roulette-style game that includes new card types and fun illustrations of Minions as imagined by The Oatmeal. Participants take turns drawing cards while trying to evade the Exploding Minions.

Players can avoid exploding by using clever strategies and favourite cards such as ‘Defuse’, ‘Nope’ and ‘See the Future’, as well as the new ‘Clone Card’. The last player who hasn’t exploded is declared the winner.

The partnership with Illumination and Universal Brand Development marks the first licensing partnership for Exploding Kittens who, until now, has seen most of its licensing activity take the form of outbound licensing, expanding its own IP into the likes of video games for the Nintendo Switch.

In an exclusive interview with Licensing.biz’ sister title, ToyNews, Exploding Kittens’ director of international sales, Joeri Hoste revealed that should the partnership prove to be successful, then further licensing options will be an avenue the firm will continue to explore for its titles.

Gaming phenomenon Exploding Kittens makes licensing move with Universal and Illumination’s Minions

The analogue games manufacturer, Exploding Kittens – recognised for setting the record with the most backed game on Kickstarter to date – is eyeing a new move into licensing with the launch its Exploding Minions game next month.

Developed in partnership with Universal Brand Development and Illumination, the new titles puts a Minions spin on the globally popular card game, bringing in elements from the hit franchise to the tabletop gaming phenomenon.

In an interview with ToyNews, Exploding Kittens international director of sales has hinted that this could be just the start of a new licensing endeavour from Exploding Kittens, who will be measuring the success of the licensed game as a marker for its future pursuits in the licensing space.

“We are trying a few new things as we focus on the UK market this year,” said Hoste. “One of them is that this year, for the first time, we are supplying an entertainment license to the Exploding Kittens franchise. We will have an Exploding Minions game launching this year, in June, as a fun way to reposition the game with a broader appeal.

“It will be exciting to see what that does, and if it is successful we will continue to pursue those kinds of changes within our portfolio.”

Exploding Kittens burst onto the scene in 2015 when it set records as the most backed game on the crowdfunding platform, Kickstarter to date. Six years later, the kittens’ explosion is still expanding with ten games to the company’s portfolio, 45 countries on the roster, and new headway being made in the licensing space, both inbound and out.

The outward licensing and franchise building around Exploding Kittens’ game portfolio continues to gain traction. Further products are currently in development across both the Exploding Kittens and the Throw Throw Burrito (a card game meets dodgeball) for later this year, while the company recently made the move to digital gaming.

Exploding Kittens has become one of the latest tabletop games to make the leap to the Nintendo Switch with a digital version of the game in a move that “has the potential to grow the audience size for Exploding Kittens exponentially.”

Plans are now already in place to bring more of the company’s titles to the gaming platform in the coming months and years, tapping into a strong trend to translating popular physical game titles to the digital space.

Read the full interview with Exploding Kittens’ Joeri Hoste here or in the Spring/Summer issue of ToyNews.