Konami Cross Media NY, the company responsible for managing the Yu-Gi-Oh! licensing rights outside of Asia, has announced new partnership agreements with TOMY International, Inc., Heathside Trading, Ltd., and Trade Invaders. These agreements will bring exciting new Yu-Gi-Oh! product lines in the toy and game categories, expanding the brand’s visibility and availability throughout Europe. The announcement was made by Jennifer Coleman, Vice President of Licensing and Marketing at Konami Cross Media NY, during Licensing Expo ’23.
“We are pleased to conclude these new licensing agreements which will produce a wide range of innovative, high-quality toys and game products for Yu-Gi-Oh! fans. We are excited to partner with TOMY International for the first time and we are looking forward to the strong manufacturing and distribution networks of both Heathside Trading and Trade Invaders that will have products featuring for Yugi and his monsters in homes across Europe.”
Jennifer Coleman, Vice President of Licensing and Marketing at Konami Cross Media NY
The New Yu-Gi-Oh! Partnerships
Starting off the new agreements, TOMY International, a renowned global toy designer, producer, and marketer, revealed their first collaboration with Konami Cross Media NY. The focus of this line will be plush toys, thanks to a partnership with their successful Club Mocchi-Mocchi™ collector plush range.
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These plush toys will be available at mass market and specialty stores with broad retail distribution worldwide, benefiting from TOMY International’s extensive reach. The Club Mocchi-Mocchi™ Yu-Gi-Oh! line will be a great addition to the toys and collectibles that will be widely available when the new Yu-Gi-Oh! line launches in the second half of 2023. Furthermore, TOMY International plans to expand the range of collector plush with more characters from the franchise in 2024.
In the toy and game category, Heathside Trading, based in the UK, will bring the Yu-Gi-Oh! franchise to life with their strong distribution network that serves both mass market and specialty stores. They will create unique products with strong fan appeal, including board games, puzzles, chairs, and mega boxes, among others. The goods from Heathside Trading will be available in the UK, Ireland, Germany, Spain, Holland, Belgium, and Italy, ensuring a wide reach for fans in these regions.
Konami Cross Media NY has also signed an agreement with Trade Invaders, a French company specializing in the manufacturing and distribution of video game accessories for consoles of all generations. Trade Invaders will develop and produce new Yu-Gi-Oh! video games and branded accessories such as Switch cases, controllers, joysticks, and PS4 controllers for the European and MENA markets. This collaboration will provide fans with exciting new gaming experiences and accessories to enhance their Yu-Gi-Oh! adventures.
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Yu-Gi-Oh! is a globally beloved franchise that has garnered a dedicated following over its 25-year history. Fans have engaged with the brand through manga, anime episodes, video games such as Yu-Gi-Oh! DUEL LINKS, Yu-Gi-Oh! MASTER DUEL, and Yu-Gi-Oh! CROSS DUEL, as well as the Yu-Gi-Oh! TRADING CARD GAME, which has seen over 25 billion units played and purchased. With a strong slate of new content and merchandise planned for release, the future looks bright for this anime franchise, promising to captivate and entertain audiences around the world.
What do you think about these new Yu-Gi-Oh! partnerships? Which products are you looking forward to most? Do you hope they’ll include more products based on the spell and trap cards? Let us know your thoughts on social media!
Source: Konami Cross Media
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