Tag Archives: Roblox

Little Brother Books on track to sell over one million Annuals this year and reveals Christmas 2021 line-up

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Little Brother Books is on track to sell over one million Annuals this year, with more than 2,500 dedicated FSDUs across major retailers in the run up to this Christmas. The feat will make the company the UK’s number one publisher of licensed annuals for the fourth year running.

Supporting its chances, Little Brother Books has details a new line-up of titles for the festive season this year, with 12 new Annuals in the collection, including titles and brands such as Blippi, CoComelon, Gigantosaurus, Roblox, and Minecraft. Each title will be hitting shelves from this September.

In an agreement inked with The Point 1881, there will be 2022 Annuals for the popular children’s YouTube live-action character, Blippi, as well as the educational songs and nursery rhymes brand, CoComelon. Also new to LBB is Gigantosaurus Annual 2022, based on the vibrant animated TV series and book licensed through Riverside Brands, as well as a new Ultimate Guide to Among Us.

The other eight titles featured in the 2022 line-up include Shoot Annual 2022, L.O.L. Annual 2022, Barbie Annual 2022, World of Dinosaurs 2022 by JurassicExplorers, Little Mix 2020 Special by PopWinners, as well as three additional ‘Ultimate Gaming Guides’ – GamesWarrior’s Ultimate Guide to Fortnite, Roblox, and Minecraft.

Little Brother Books reached the number one spot in Annuals publishing sector at the end of 2020, overcoming the plight that struck the market due to the pandemic, and expanding its retail listings and partnerships further. This year, the team is looking ready to strengthen its market position with exclusive retailer support and dedicated displays in high profile stores.

Managing director, Matthew Reynolds, said: “Like many businesses, without doubt 2020 was a rollercoaster but we came through it with flying colours and unbelievably had our most successful year to date. It meant we had to focus more than ever on new and existing retail partnerships to demonstrate that our leading products and brands were the ones to support and will deliver much needed incremental impulse sales for 2020.

“I’m pleased to say that our number one ranges delivered exactly what we promised. This success has given us the perfect opportunity to continue a growth trajectory for 2021. Having four exciting new titles on board with us is testament to the continued demand for Annuals which appeal from preschool to young adults alike.

“We can’t wait to see them hit the market from September this year. Annuals are a very important part of Christmas stocking filler purchases and the significant volumes we and our retailers sell each year shows families love to buy them at Christmas.”

Hexbug builds Junkbots “metaverse” spanning toys, YouTube series, and Roblox story game

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The award winning toy company Hexbug has launched a new project that merges toys with entertainment technology through a new eight part digital series and game on the Roblox platform based on its Junkbots brand.

Developed in partnership with the multimedia company Wind Sun Sky Entertainment, Junkbots aims to ‘converge the best in play, story, entertainment, and technology,’ enabling fans to ‘immerse themselves’ in the Junkbots brand ahead of the launch of season two of the toy line.

The new wave of Junkbots toys will launch with a new environment-based Junkbots Factory Collection of play-sets, while the new eight part series and Roblox game will follow a new adventure that all kicked-off when Junkbot Jack Static received a cryptic radio transmission.

“We are always looking to innovate and the expansion into Roblox and a larger presence on YouTube is a prime example of our forward thinking,” said Tony Norman, co-founder, and CEO, Innovation First International.

“We took our cue directly from kids and delivered an expansive new play experience that spans across multiple platforms that truly immerses them into the Junkbots metaverse through the blend of gaming, play and entertainment.

“Our partnership with multi-platform entertainment company Wind Sun Sky has allowed us to take this to a whole new level.”

The new Junkbots toy line, eight part YouTube series and Roblox story game is all scheduled to land this summer, designed to ‘create a thrilling, multi-platform experience’ for kids. The comedy and adventure series will allow fans the chance to immerse themselves in the Junkbots universe, and join the race to save the city in the multi-chapter Roblox game.

‘All combined, these awesome content extensions are positioned to support and expand the toy line that includes custom codes embedded into the packaging that allow kids to unlock exclusive Roblox swag online,’ read a description from the firm.

“I can proudly say that the Junkbots universe roll out is a rich, engaging and boundary pushing cross-platform narrative experience for fans and future fans of this amazing toy,” said CEO and EP Catherine Winder, WSS.

“Storytelling and world building is our expertise, and the Junkbots web series by our phenomenal team dares to take things a step further cross platform. Fans will laugh and become inspired as they watch in awe, then continue the story on Roblox and with their toys.”

The Junkbots Roblox game offers multiple mini-games within each Mission and dozens of playable set pieces. Players can immerse themselves with a unique “playground experience” where they can come together, socialise, customise their worlds, and explore in between playing story episodes.

Meanwhile, the Junkbots toy line includes multiple sets in the collection – each depicting a unique interactive environment. Season two of the toy line will see 16 new Junkbots to collect, each featuring power modules for light and motion. With an interlocking pipe-building system, kids can deconstruct and reconstruct their play-sets for alternative builds.

Fans will be able to get in on the action as JUNKBOTS launches on Roblox and YouTube in late July 2021 and in-store late August.

Miraculous ‘shows all signs of a hit’ on Roblox as gameplay exceeds 100 million

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ZAG Games’ video game title, Miraculous RP: Quests of Ladybug and Cat Noir is showing ‘all signs of an international hit’ having surpassed 100 million visits in seven weeks, and 88 per cent player approval rating, and more than one million daily active users within its first week on the Roblox platform.

Released on May 4th this year, Miraculous RP: Quests of Ladybug and Cat Noir is a role play game based on the animated series Miraculous – Tales of Ladybug and Cat Noir, and the first game based on a TV series to be developed on the Roblox platform.

Already a global animation hit, the game appears to have translated its success to the gaming sphere. Within its first week of beta-testing, the game had secured a rolling seven-day average of 1.2 million users, representing almost three per cent of Roblox platform’s global daily active user base.

Due to the high number of plays within a short timeframe, Roblox’s indexes started including the game in the “Popular” category within 48 hours and the “Up and Coming” category within 72 hours. The game has since been the subject of a number of positive reviews from influencers and players across platforms such as YouTube, Instagram, Twitch, Discord, and TikTok.

“Fans of the famous Ladybug and Cat Noir characters were highly engaged during the development of the game’s play tests, providing feedback on ideas, design concepts and more,” said Elinor Schops, VP of ZAG Games and Interactive Experiences.

“When the fans discovered the beta release, they quickly started playing and we are thrilled that our first game on Roblox has been so widely and quickly embraced.”

In Miraculous RP: Quests of Ladybug & Cat Noir, players are transported to Miraculous Paris. There they can role play characters from the show, recreate their favorite moments, hang out with friends, explore the city, play mini-games, defeat villains, and even create their own Miraculous superhero.

“Never did we anticipate such viral success during our Beta testing mode. We are humbled by how the game has been received by the community on Roblox and how players are using their voices to promote it across many platforms,” said Anat Shperling, CEO of Toya, the female-led, Tel-Aviv based studio and partner or ZAG Games on the project.

“This resonance represents tremendous validation for Toya’s mission and approach to creating on the platform – with inclusivity and a commitment to developing strong and diverse characters that serve as role models for girls, boys, and young adults to play with.”

The launch of the Roblox game coincides with the debut of ZAG’s second big-budget animated movie, Miraculous World – Shanghai – Lady Dragon. Fans are also awaiting the launch of the theatrical feature, Ladybug & Cat Noir: Awakening(US$100M+ budget), which is planned for release worldwide in fall 2021 or first quarter of 2022.

Miraculous has grown its digital reach by 178 per cent over the course of the last year, and now attracts over 15 million subscribers across its nine official YouTube channels, currently available in eight languages. With a total 22 billion views, fans have collectively viewed more than 300 million hours of content.

Value Added Tact | The importance of meeting the sensibilities of ‘kids these days’

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From Generation Z to Generation Alpha, audiences’ tastes and preferences are ever changing, from awareness of social responsibilities to greater demand for sustainability. Co-founder of Kids Industries, Gary Pope explores the importance of authenticity when meeting today’s youth and their new consumer values

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My favourite game when I was a kid was Buckaroo. The tension, chaos and hysterical laughter caused by a few bits of plastic pulled from a cardboard box kept me happy for hours. If only the youth of today was still that easily pleased, product development and marketing teams would be laughing all the way to the bank.

But they’re not. Far from it. Culturally, societally, we are in a state of flux. So many things are happening that were unthinkable five years ago, all of which are impacting our purchasing decisions. As a result, young people have become increasingly sophisticated consumers, politically savvy, environmentally aware, far more emancipated, and very, very vocal and demanding of the brands they invest time and money in.

They curate rather than collect. The label in itself is no longer enough. They want to know where, how and with what products have been made. They have an incredible understanding of the supply chain; are the workers treated fairly and paid a living wage, is the factory run on wind power, is it safe?

They are increasingly invested in making purchasing decisions that are driven by value and the impact they will have on the planet, rather than by consumption.

“Most of all, they want authenticity; they want to buy from brands that genuinely share their values and are honest and transparent about contributing towards a fairer society.”

Value no longer means cheap, it means quality, longevity, considered and conscious. They understand the importance of sustainability, the circular economy, diversity and humanity. They want to see products  representing all of us, and not just a limited few. Charity shopping and reselling toys and games on eBay are seen as badges of honour, rather than a shameful blot on their social status.

But most of all, they want authenticity; they want to buy from brands that genuinely share their values and are honest and transparent about contributing towards a fairer society and the future of our planet. What they don’t want, is box tickers.

And they know some or all of this at a really young age. Even Generation Alpha (2012-2025) is aware. They  feel strongly about consumer issues, they just don’t have the maturity to decode them or the disposable income to directly influence them. Gen Z (1996-2011) has the powerful  combination of a more sophisticated awareness and their own money, so they can choose to spend – or not – on the brands whose credentials are most important to them.

The way young people relate to media has also changed massively. They are no longer passive consumers; they are active participants. They want to be immersed in interactive, engaging content that adds value to their experiences and fulfills a basic social need. They don’t do one-dimensional.

When it comes to gaming, this means Roblox and Fortnite – games that double up as social platforms; places where they can meet friends, show off, have a voice and be heard, recognised and rewarded. Socialisation is critical to child/youth development, and this is more important than ever given how much face-to-face contact has been eradicated by the pandemic.

Unsurprisingly, Roblox was the most popular mobile  game in the US last year, with users averaging 100 minutes play per day, and the company had a first day valuation of  $38.3 billion when it went public. Equally unsurprisingly, the notion of the metaverse (which is being coined by some as the real future of the internet and the next era of social media) is incredibly powerful to our digital natives and the brands hoping to reach them.

So, two huge things for brands to get right when it comes to R&D and marketing to young people moving forward – both of which I believe will become non-negotiable before long: consciously authentic values and actions, and the integration of social. Nail that, and you’ve got the  equivalent of Buckaroo for the next generation.

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Gary Pope (CEO & Co-Founder, Kids Industries) will be discussing ‘How Priorities are Changing Across Generations of Consumer at Brand & Licensing Innovation Summit, which runs online 9-11 June. Passes are available from https://www.brandlicensinginnovationsummit.com/

Coolabi’s Warrior Cats leaps onto Roblox with the new Warrior Cats: Ultimate Edition game

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The independent media group, Coolabi Group, has partnered with the Roblox specialists, Aldrich-Callen Studios to develop a new 3D role play game for the global online Roblox platform, all based on its fantasy brand, Warrior Cats.

The new Warrior Cats: Ultimate Edition game will be set in the Forest Territory from the successful book series and will invite players to create and customise their own cat character, explore the world of Warriors, join a Clan and interact with other players to make their own Warrior Cats story.

Warrior Cats is a feline fantasy book series about five clans of wild cats: ShadowClan, RiverClan, ThunderClan, WindClan and StarClan. The series was created by Working Partners, a Coolabi Group company, and has become a publishing hit with the release of over 80 titles, spanning 38 languages, and selling over 41 million books to date.

The most recent book, Warriors: The Broken Code: The Place of No Stars, is also a New York Times bestseller, debuting at number eight.

The news of the interactive game comes two years after the launch of the award-winning WarriorCats.com, an official digital destination for Warriors’ growing global fan community. The site attracted over 1.3 million visitors in 2020.

Since the book series launched fans across the globe have created fan art, animation and fiction, with user-generated content receiving over 42 million monthly views collectively on YouTube. There are also over 1000 dedicated Warriors YouTube channels with a new fan video uploaded every 30 mins on average.

Last year Coolabi Group conducted a survey with over 10,000 members of its Warrior Cats fanbase established that not only do they love gaming, but Roblox was one of the most popular online platforms.

Naomi Dare, director of digital at Coolabi Group, said: “We’re excited to be launching a Warriors game on Roblox as we know that so many nine to 12 year olds are on the platform, with over half of this age group in the USA playing on Roblox at least once a week.

“This tends to be the age that people start reading Warriors, so not only does it serve our existing fan base who are desperate to role play in a Warriors world, but it should also attract new fans to the brand too.”

The ‘Warrior Cats: Ultimate Edition’ Roblox game is free to play on Roblox and out now.

Coolabi’s Warrior Cats leaps onto Roblox with the new Warrior Cats: Ultimate Edition game

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The independent international media group, Coolabi  has partnered with Roblox specialists, Aldrich-Callen Studios to develop a new 3D role-play game for global online platform Roblox. The game will be based on its best-selling fantasy brand, Warrior Cats.

The new ‘Warrior Cats: Ultimate Edition’ game will be set within the Forest Territory from the hit book series and will invite players to create and customise their own cat character, explore the vast world of Warriors, join a Clan, and interact with other players to make their own Warrior Cats story.

Warriors is a feline fantasy book series about five clans of wild cats – ShadowClan, RiverClan, ThunderClan, WindClan and StarClan. The series was created by Working Partners, a Coolabi Group company, and has become a publishing hit following the release of over 80 titles, spanning 38 languages and sold over 41 million copies to date. The most recent book, Warriors: The Broken Code: The Place of No Stars, is also a New York Times bestseller, debuting at number eight.

The news of the interactive game comes two years after the launch of the award-winning WarriorCats.com, an official digital destination for Warriors’ ever-growing global fan community, which attracted over 1.3 million visitors in 2020. Since the book series launched, legions of passionate fans across the globe have created fan art, animation and fiction, with user-generated content receiving over 42 million monthly views collectively on YouTube.

There are also over 1000 dedicated Warriors YouTube channels with a new fan video uploaded every 30 mins on average.

Last year Coolabi Group conducted a survey with over 10,000 members of its Warrior Cats fanbase established that not only do they love gaming, but Roblox was one of the most popular online platforms.

Naomi Dare, director of digital at Coolabi Group, said: “We’re excited to be launching a Warriors game on Roblox as we know that so many nine to 12 year olds are on the platform, with over half of this age group in the USA playing on Roblox at least once a week. This tends to be the age that people start reading Warriors, so not only does it serve our existing fan base who are desperate to role play in a Warriors world, but it should also attract new fans to the brand too.”

The ‘Warrior Cats: Ultimate Edition’ Roblox game is free to play on Roblox and out now.

New high score | Roblox is outpacing broadcast TV for audience reach – Kids Insights latest

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Video gaming is setting a new high score for audience reach in the battle for eyeballs among streaming platforms, YouTube, and traditional broadcast TV, suggests the latest data from Kids Insights Media Mix Compass, and now is the time for toy brands to start paying closer attention.

Here, Nick Richardson, Founder and CEO, The Insights People, and Licensing.biz’s Robert Hutchins explore the latest trends and data to be shaping the shifting media landscape.

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The videogame Roblox has outscored all broadcast TV channels in both the UK and US as the most powerful platform through which to reach young audiences, according to the latest insight from The Kids Insights Media Mix Compass

And the implications if this can’t be underestimated. In fact, compounding the popularity of the video games market, which has continued to grow significantly over the last few years, the potential for it to change the way in which businesses execute the marketing strategies for brands and retailers, is enormous.

Advertising budgets should no longer be solely – or even predominantly – focused on television. The world has changed, and video games are all too often the undervalued platforms to core audiences by marketers.

According to our latest data – sourced through a recently launched Media Mix Compass – teens now spend an average of 1 hour 25 minutes per day playing video games. That’s more time than they spend watching TV.

Generally, kids spend 62 per cent of their available time on digital activities. In the US, for example, for kids aged six to nine, Roblox has a Media Mix Score (MMS) of 128 which is higher than Nickelodeon (91), Disney Channel (80) and Cartoon Network (76). The Kids Insights Media Mix Score considers the reach, time spent and preference of 11 different media types and approximately 1,500 different channels in each region.

This past year has found parents discovering new ways to get their kids to play. With that, one of America’s top toy properties LOL Surprise is joining forces with top digital gaming platform ROBLOX – creating a relationship with the 1st Doll World of Roblox on a Global level. Through these two leaders in toy/play coming together, billions of fans can now discover a more immersive and shared gaming experience.

Toy brands are beginning to become savvy to the step change in the importance of such gaming and entertainment platforms. Just this week, international toy manufacturer, MGA Entertainment detailed plans to launch its LOL Surprise brand onto the Roblox platform.

The launch will kick-off with a ‘testing phase’ through which fans can play with and against their favourite gaming influencers as they explore the LOL/Roblox world.

Elsewhere, last week Hasbro detailed the five year extension of its current partnership with Epic Games’ Fortnite to expand on its licensing programme that includes the addition of its GI Joe character Snake Eyes into the Fortnite video game.

Meanwhile, it is equally important to note the growing importance of other new media options, including esports, which now ranks as the third most powerful media type for boys aged 10 to 12 in the UK, behind only YouTube and video games.

Esports is therefore one of the biggest opportunities for advertisers in 2021. Already one-in-ten teens in the US, UK, Germany, Brazil, Mexico and Canada use Twitch, the premiere platform in the industry for live video content. While physical sporting events were halted amidst the pandemic, the League of Legends European Championship – streamed live on Twitch – boasted the league’s highest ever viewing figures, raking in an average of 819,400 viewers for the final in April 2020.

Meanwhile, even more traditional areas, such as online chess, has witnessed huge viewer numbers over Twitch, hitting as many as 140,000 viewers at a time and helping to fuel a global resurgence in the traditional game, confirmed by the International Chess Federation, that has seen manufacturers hit new record highs for sales of chess boards.

However, marketing to kids is not a one-size-fits-all activity. In the UK, teenage girls are still tuning into Broadcast TV with ITV recording a score of 124 and Channel 4 hitting 99, making Broadcast TV the second most powerful media type with this demographic.

But streaming services and video games took a huge piece from the tasty audience pie. Each year with a growing variety of different online entertainment, the trend for kids to opt for digital platforms over the traditional ones will likely continue.

We also should keep in mind the growing influence and decision-making power of kids within the home being greater than with any other previous generation. Children have their own opinion over many other new categories, such as the purchase of a new car (which 54 per cent more kids say they influence in 2020 compared to 2019).

Although reaching this audience is more important than ever, it is increasingly difficult to do so. Growing up as digital natives, this generation have a far greater choice of what they consume and when they consume it than ever before. Therefore, kids’ attention is fragmented across a huge range of (increasingly niche) platforms, making it harder to reach a mass audience.

Brands spend just 37 per cent of their budget on non-digital spending, yet kids spend a huge 62 per cent of their time on digital, resulting in a mismatch that will cost advertisers $1.15bn in 2021.

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For more information on the Kids Insights Media Mix Compass, and to receive complimentary access to the tool and a copy of an example report please visit www.kidsinsights.com/mediamix

To learn more about the attitudes, behavior and consumption patterns of kids, parents and families, and to get freemium access to the Insights People real-time data portal, please visit: http://www.kidsinsights.com/toynews

ZAG Games and Toya launch first Miraculous game to Roblox platform

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ZAG Games, the games division of the independent animation studio ZAG, has partnered with the Israel-based start-up Toya to create its first game for the Roblox platform for the popular franchise, Miraculous – Tales of Ladybug & Cat Noir.

Scheduled for release this April, the new Miraculous Ladybug & Cat Noir adventure quest game will be the first to bring a TV series to the Roblox metaverse – an online experience in which fans interact in 3D simulated virtual environments.

Fans can expect to meet new characters, enter new environments, and engage with new villains, together with a wealth of surprises. ZAG and Toya are planning to engage with fans through an inclusive global game development process that integrates their feedback on ideas and concepts design work before the game is officially released to the public.

Elinor Schops, the ZAG’s newly installed VP of ZAG Games and Interactive Experiences, said: “Miraculous Ladybug is a relatable heroine who sets up a positive, strong and rocking persona – with the ability to transform, figuratively and literally, the world she is living in.

“We believe that the Metaverse that Roblox has built is the ideal place to launch a game that celebrates girl empowerment and exploration, and we want to hand over to these girls (and boys of course) the power to advise how to play the game.

“In every sense, we plan for the game to be led by the community in order to make this into a community game – this is where fans will meet, and role play, in the Miraculous universe.

“Our partner Toya, with its female-led agenda, helps to transform the gaming experience for girls around the world, and we couldn’t have hoped for a better match of agendas and ideas.”

Anat Shperling, CEO and co-founder of Toya, added: “Toya is proud to work with ZAG to develop Miraculous – Tales of Ladybug & Cat Noir’s first Roblox gaming experience.

“We are passionate about Roblox being a flexible and inclusive space that allows freedom of expression for adolescents’ inner worlds. We can’t wait to usher the beloved protagonists of the series, Ladybug and Cat Noir, into the Roblox realm, with an inspiring journey that invites global fans into a shared experience in the rich personal space of these admired characters.

“Core to Toya’s mission is developing inclusive gaming experiences that enable girls and boys to express themselves freely in a safe environment. We plan to design a journey that encourages players towards greater freedom of self-expression, and teaches them empowering skills for the outside world, such as time management, and decision-making.

“We couldn’t be more excited to bring this experience to life in partnership with the ZAG gaming team, and with the support of the tremendous global community of Miraculous™ fans and followers.”

ZAG’s first “official” global mobile game for Miraculous – Tales of Ladybug & Cat Noir was released in April 2018 and ranked as the number one game in 39 countries with 130 million downloads to date.

The launch of the Roblox game coincides with the debut of ZAG’s second big-budget animated movie, Miraculous World – Shanghai – Lady Dragon. The first of the two TV movies,  Miraculous World: New York: United Heroez, scored top ratings on its premiere in 2020.

Fans are also awaiting the launch of the theatrical feature, Ladybug & Cat Noir: Awakening(US$100M+ budget), which is planned for release worldwide in fall 2021 or at the beginning of 2022, alongside seasons four and five of the series, which are also currently in production.

Expanding the brand’s digital presence, Miraculous is now on TikTok, as well as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Tumblr. During 2020, Miraculous grew its digital reach by 178 per cent. It currently attracts over 15 million subscribers across its nine official YouTube channels, available in eight languages.

ZAG Games and Toya launch first Miraculous game to Roblox platform

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ZAG Games, the games division of the independent animation studio ZAG, has partnered with the Israel-based start-up Toya to create its first game for the Roblox platform for the popular franchise, Miraculous – Tales of Ladybug & Cat Noir.

Scheduled for release this April, the new Miraculous Ladybug & Cat Noir adventure quest game will be the first to bring a TV series to the Roblox metaverse – an online experience in which fans interact in 3D simulated virtual environments.

Fans can expect to meet new characters, enter new environments, and engage with new villains, together with a wealth of surprises. ZAG and Toya are planning to engage with fans through an inclusive global game development process that integrates their feedback on ideas and concepts design work before the game is officially released to the public.

Elinor Schops, the ZAG’s newly installed VP of ZAG Games and Interactive Experiences, said: “Miraculous Ladybug is a relatable heroine who sets up a positive, strong and rocking persona – with the ability to transform, figuratively and literally, the world she is living in.

“We believe that the Metaverse that Roblox has built is the ideal place to launch a game that celebrates girl empowerment and exploration, and we want to hand over to these girls (and boys of course) the power to advise how to play the game.

“In every sense, we plan for the game to be led by the community in order to make this into a community game – this is where fans will meet, and role play, in the Miraculous universe.

“Our partner Toya, with its female-led agenda, helps to transform the gaming experience for girls around the world, and we couldn’t have hoped for a better match of agendas and ideas.”

Anat Shperling, CEO and co-founder of Toya, added: “Toya is proud to work with ZAG to develop Miraculous – Tales of Ladybug & Cat Noir’s first Roblox gaming experience.

“We are passionate about Roblox being a flexible and inclusive space that allows freedom of expression for adolescents’ inner worlds. We can’t wait to usher the beloved protagonists of the series, Ladybug and Cat Noir, into the Roblox realm, with an inspiring journey that invites global fans into a shared experience in the rich personal space of these admired characters.

“Core to Toya’s mission is developing inclusive gaming experiences that enable girls and boys to express themselves freely in a safe environment. We plan to design a journey that encourages players towards greater freedom of self-expression, and teaches them empowering skills for the outside world, such as time management, and decision-making.

“We couldn’t be more excited to bring this experience to life in partnership with the ZAG gaming team, and with the support of the tremendous global community of Miraculous™ fans and followers.”

ZAG’s first “official” global mobile game for Miraculous – Tales of Ladybug & Cat Noir was released in April 2018 and ranked as the number one game in 39 countries with 130 million downloads to date.

The launch of the Roblox game coincides with the debut of ZAG’s second big-budget animated movie, Miraculous World – Shanghai – Lady Dragon. The first of the two TV movies,  Miraculous World: New York: United Heroez, scored top ratings on its premiere in 2020.

Fans are also awaiting the launch of the theatrical feature, Ladybug & Cat Noir: Awakening(US$100M+ budget), which is planned for release worldwide in fall 2021 or at the beginning of 2022, alongside seasons four and five of the series, which are also currently in production.

Expanding the brand’s digital presence, Miraculous is now on TikTok, as well as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Tumblr. During 2020, Miraculous grew its digital reach by 178 per cent. It currently attracts over 15 million subscribers across its nine official YouTube channels, available in eight languages.

Master Moley ‘will drive a major licensing roll-out’ but timing for the property will be key

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The new British-made children’s property, Master Moley – that witnessed a successful premiere on WarnerMedia’s Boomerang channel just last month – has been the focus of ‘several proactive approaches from publishing and toy partners’, as the creative team behind it promises to be meticulous in its licensing strategy.

Master Moley made its debut in November as a TV special on the Boomerang channel that launched to more than 100 territories across EMEA. Following a ‘phenomenal start’, the show’s creator James Reatchlous is among the team now in production on a full Master Moley animated series.

The Misadventures of Master Moley will comprise 52 episodes and will continue the adventure of Master Moley and his friends. In addition to this, a feature-length film is also in development.

“Master Moley has got off to a phenomenal start,” Reatchlous tells Licensing.biz. “We’ve already received proactive approaches from both publishing and toy partners. We are in a good position and making sure each step that we take is exactly the right one for this unique property.

“All of the elements are there for a full, cross-category merchandise programme and as soon as the time is right, we’ll be in discussions with the key partners straight way.”

Master Moley follows the adventures of the titular hero, a mole residing under the foundations of Windsor Castle, who finds himself on far-flung escapades as children and audiences travel with him, exploring the world and different cultures.

Here, Licensing.biz catches up with Master Moley creator, James Reatchlous to learn more about the plans for the British-made children’s property, the perks of launching an IP through Roblox, and why timing will be key to the success of the IP’s comprehensive licensing programme.

James Reatchlous with his two daughters, for who he created Master Moley

Hi James, and first up – congratulations on the strong positive reception to Master Moley. That must be very encouraging as you start to look at wider licensing plans for the IP. What do you think Master Moley brings to audiences and to the licensing space?

Master Moley has got off to a phenomenal start. We are really thrilled with the reaction the TV Special has received following its premiere on Boomerang in November. Viewers in over 110 countries across EMEA met Master Moley, and I couldn’t be more delighted.  The feedback and response has been incredible, it’s a really strong start for us.  I’m confident that this is just the starting point as we build our audience ahead of the launch of our commercial plans.  

 I truly believe that Master Moley is just what we all need right now – bright colour, optimism, kindness and adventure. At its core it is a fun and wholesome entertainment show that appeals to the whole family, and crucially it really sparks the imagination of young viewers. The underground world of MoleTown is a rich creative canvas that enables our characters to have adventures all around the globe – something we’ll see a lot more of in the series.  

Moley is such a charismatic character, but he also has lots of friends in the TV Special and upcoming series, so there really is something for everyone. A wide variety of characters, gadgets, and locations will feature in the series  and we’re supporting the growth of the audience through high profile digital led initiatives right from the outset.    

The partnership with Roblox looks brilliant. Why does this mark an important step in building out a licensing programme for Master Moley? How does this deal help you tap into the core audience for the property?

We couldn’t be happier with the Roblox computer game, it’s great fun and a fantastic way for children to find and engage with new content safely. We wanted to start building the brand outside of the TV space, and so we worked with specialist agency Dubit to develop the Roblox game. This was a strategic move to go to where the children already were, to raise the brand recognition.  

We launched the game just before the special aired on Boomerang to capitalise on the audiences who tuned in, and vice versa, for those who found the content via Roblox, it encouraged them to go and watch the animation on Boomerang. It was a great success with over 60,000 plays in the first week. We have followed the launch with some great videos by Roblox influencers who have capitalised on the excellent start that we’ve made and grown our player base even further.

Roblox serves an incredibly important role for us – not only does the platform enable us to introduce Master Moley to their incredible user base, it will also continue to build the Master Moley fanbase in between the premiere of the 30-minute special on Boomerang and the series launching in 2021. Roblox provides both a bridge between the special and the series, where children can discover and engage with MoleTown and the universe of Master Moley, and visibility when he’s ‘off’ our TV screens, driving enthusiasm for the series during this time.  

You’ve mentioned to us before that you have extensive licensing plans for Master Moley. Could you talk us through these? Where would you like to take Master Moley?

There’s a rich universe in Moletown which brings in elements of upcycling alongside exciting locations and innovative vehicles… the lives of the characters in the show and the items with which they interact, really provide a great opportunity for similar lines of product in the real world.

We are very well aware that the commercial world revolves around the ability of a brand to reach its audience. Whilst we believe we have a brand with huge potential and there is tangible excitement among our commercial partners, the licensing roll out will be slow and phased and we will only begin pitching to partners in earnest once we know the audience reach is there to enable our licensees to be successful on shelf. Watch this space as the audience is set to grow quickly.

What sort of partnerships do you think will be the integral to the licensing success of Master Moley? Are you looking for toy partners for the property, and if so, what do you think Master Moley can bring to the toy space?

We’ve already received proactive approaches from both publishing and toy partners. We are in a good position and making sure each step that we take is exactly the right one for this unique property. We already have a movie special and a 52-episode TV series, not to mention a feature film in the works, all of which will support the growth of the brand creatively.

We are completely focused on delivering the audience. All of the elements are there for a full, cross-category merchandise programme and as soon as the time is right, we’ll be in discussions with the key partners straight away.

Ultimately, Master Moley is a brand which will be able to drive products from major toy lines to publishing, soft lines and home… but timing is key and we have brought in a team of the industry’s leading professionals to ensure we get this right… your readers will no doubt be hearing from them.

What do you think is key to Master Moley’s success on the international scene? As Master Moley continues to grow in the international markets, how will you maintain the core values of what makes it unique?

Master Moley is truly international. He might currently reside under Windsor Castle in England but his adventures take him all over the globe, which will appeal to audiences worldwide. Children can travel with him exploring the world and different cultures.  And there are plans to have episodes take place in different countries, to widen that appeal.  

The beauty of animation of course is that you can translate it into different languages. We have a stellar British cast for the English-speaking territories, including Gemma Arterton, Warwick Davis and Julie Walters, but we can cast amazing international actors for different languages and territories. It opens up enormous possibilities for Master Moley to become a truly global powerhouse. 

At the heart of Master Moley are charismatic characters, whose values are shared around the globe – kindness, enthusiasm, friendship, adventurousness, love… all with a desire to learn, meet new people and find a positive way out of slightly sticky situations. That is a key thread throughout each episode.  

What’s the next step for you?

We are currently in production on the Master Moley series, The Misadventures of Master Moley, which will comprise of 52 x 11-minute episodes and continue the adventures of Master Moley and his friends – including lots of new friends and places to explore. In addition to the series, we are developing a feature-length film adventure for Moley.

The world is Master Moley’s oyster!