Asmodee - over 300 brands

The Dobble graphic novel will be first released in the US sporting the North American brand name “Spot it!”. Iconic game mascot Dobbly and his friends embark on a beautifully illustrated adventure which will also feature elements of the game experience itself.

Asmodee Entertainment

Unlocking the licensing potential for board game fans

Licensing teams across the globe are preparing for Brand Licensing Europe, the biggest European licensing show of the year, and the folks Asmodee Entertainment Limited are no exception. As part of the Asmodee Group, one of the global leaders in boardgame publishing and distribution, the team have access to a wealth of options for licensing with a huge portfolio of over 300 brands, including family favourites Dobble, Ticket to Ride and CATAN through to boardgame hobbyist titles like Arkham Horror, Twilight Imperium and Legend of the Five Rings. With this catalogue of intellectual property, it is no surprise to see licensed products headed for the shelves as more and more partnerships are announced. We take a look at what Asmodee Entertainment have been doing since their first exhibit at Brand Licensing Europe 2021.

Tabletop Gaming – the growing licensing craze

There was a time when the term ‘tabletop gaming’ would have us thinking of characters like those in The Big Bang Theory, a group of thirtysomething single males rolling strange shaped dice and pushing model dwarfs around a mat. Over the past decade, however, the hobby has grown significantly, with family games like Dobble and Ticket to Ride being household names in many parts of the world with dedicated slots on the shelves of mainstream supermarkets and high street stores. The pandemic has rekindled the love of gaming for many. With families looking for alternatives to screentime during lockdown consumers have reached out beyond the world of Monopoly, and with the introduction of Asmodee’s Print & Play initiative players were able to discover new favourites without leaving their living rooms. Although restrictions have been lifted in many countries, more households and friend groups than ever are making time to enjoy these games together. And with this ever-growing fanbase comes demand for additional products. Enter Asmodee Entertainment Limited! After initial successful partnerships with the likes of Hot Topic for t-shirts and Dark Horse for artbooks, Asmodee cemented itself as having a brand portfolio with transmedia appeal by announcing deals with Radar Films, who aim to bring Werewolves of Millers Hollow to the big screen, and Hourglass Escapes who launched the Mystery at Innsmouth escape room based on the Arkham Horror game. And the latest wave of press releases and interviews discussing projects like cookbooks, statues and metal collectables shows the Asmodee licensing program is widening across markets, bringing products to a broader spectrum of fans.

Something for everyone

At the centre of any fanbase are the hardcore fans, and tabletop gaming is no exception. These hobbyists thrive on games set in deep worlds with deeper narratives, games like Twilight Imperium and Arkham Horror that embrace intricate gaming mechanics and take several hours at a time to play. With players willing to dedicate their free time to these titles, it is understandable that demand for licensed products is not just about quality but that unique desirability. Fans of these games want that something extra, something they can show off to their social circles who are also playing these games – an extra trophy that goes beyond winning the round. In July, interviews confirmed two projects in the works for statues and busts. Dream Figures, based in Spain, are working on a line of Arkham Horror statues and, although we have not seen a huge amount of detail so far (we expect further details will be announced by Asmodee Entertainment as part of BLE), looking at Dream Figures previous lines it is safe to assume these will be epic centre pieces for fans to proudly display and enjoy. There is also a line of Twilight Imperium statues from Silver Fox Collectibles in the pipeline, with an initial launch planned for four pieces between 1/8 and ¼ scale, bringing characters from different factions within the game universe to life in full, 3-dimensional glory. For those fans who are not quite ready to host a ghoulish statue in the centre of their living room, Asmodee Enter-

tainment’s most recent press release announced their partnership with the award-winning gift and collectibles licensee, Fanattik. Covering titles like Ticket to Ride, which has sold over 10 million copies, as well as some of Asmodee’s other big titles including Arkham Horror, Twilight Imperium and Legend of the Five Rings, this deal will see beautiful metal collectibles hitting pop culture retailers across the UK and Europe. These products will appeal to all level of fans as more subtle yet equally stunning additions to their homes. The announcements did not stop there. In May, the team announced that fan favourites Ticket to Ride and CATAN, which has sold more than 40 million copies across 40 different countries, will soon be coming to dining room tables in a way never experienced before. With cookbooks from Ulysses Press, these titles will be filling kitchens with wonderful smells and delicious tastes, as well as the levels of joy one would expect from the social aspects of cooking and gaming combined. The younger audience are also catered for, with the Double Trouble graphic novel from ABLAZE due to release later this year. This story follows Dobbly, the lovable anthropomorphic mascot from Asmodee’s best seller Dobble (known as Spot It! across North America) on an adventure, solving puzzles and making new friends as he goes. This funny tale with colourful artwork will have fans of all ages entertained. It is clear that by licensing to these wider, and in some cases niche, markets Asmodee has established itself as an owner of lifestyle status brands that mass market audiences can enjoy, whilst offering the collectability status that hardcore fans will engage with. Asmodee prides itself on having a ‘Game for Every Gamer’, and it would appear the team at Asmodee Entertainment are trying to expand on that to include a licensed product for every audience.

What’s next from Asmodee Entertainment?

As if all these announcements were not noteworthy enough, it was confirmed earlier this year that Asmodee Group has joined the Embracer Group. With head office in Sweden, the Embracer Group spans over 40 countries. The Group announced recently it would be adding to the existing franchises, which includes Saints Row, Goat Simulator and World War Z, with its acquisition of Middle-earth Enterprises which has licensing rights to The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit among others. With all these exciting projects across the Group, we asked one of Asmodee Entertainment’s Licensing Managers, Alexander Thieme, what can we expect to see from Asmodee Entertainment at the show? “After the successes of the past year, we’re very excited to be exhibiting again at Brand Licensing Europe. With Exploding Kittens joining our broad spectrum of Brands this year, family brands like Dobble, CATAN and Ticket to Ride expanding and much, much more going on, there will be lots to talk about. I can’t give too much away here yet, but there will also be project updates and sneak previews for attendees to see what we have been up to, and our very own Dobbly will be making a guest appearance over the course of the show, happy to join selfies and photobomb the odd shot of the fair itself. We are open to all creative licensing opportunities, so if you have an idea or want to see how tabletop gaming could widen your audience come and meet us at stand B221, we’d love to talk. Some of the greatest licensing cooperations started with a simple chat and the words ‘Mmh, just out of curiosity…’.”

With that fitting wrap-up we leave the Asmodee Entertainment team for this issue. Find the team on the BLE Matchmaker or pop by their stand in the centre of the hall at B221.

The cover art of the latest game in the Twilight Imperium franchise “Twilight Inscription” illustrates several key factions of the universe. The Ghoul Priest is one of the most iconic monsters in the Arkham Horror card game, one of the many games of this franchise.