Konami Cross Media NY, Inc, which manages the Yu-Gi-Oh! licensing rights outside of Asia, announced partnership agreements with TOMY International, Inc, Heathside Trading, Ltd, and Trade Invaders. The agreements will bring new Yu-Gi-Oh! product lines in the toy and game licensing categories, extending the brand’s visibility and availability throughout Europe. The announcement was made at Licensing Expo ‘23 by Jennifer Coleman, Vice President of Licensing and Marketing, Konami Cross Media NY.
“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,” said Coleman. “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.”
Kicking off the new agreements, TOMY International, a leading global designer, producer and marketer of high-quality toys, announced their first ever collaboration with Konami Cross Media NY. The line will focus on plush thanks to a collaboration with their successful Club Mocchi- Mocchi-™ collector plush range. The product will be sold at both mass market and specialty stores with strong retail distribution worldwide thanks to the power of TOMY International and will be a great complement to the toys and collectibles that will be widely available by the time the new Yu-Gi-Oh! line launches in the second half of 2023. TOMY International’s collector plush brand Club Mocchi- Mocchi-™ will kick off with MEGA Club Mocchi-Mocchi Yu-Gi-Oh! before expanding the range in 2024.
In the toy and game category, U.K.-based Heathside Trading will take on the Yu-Gi-Oh! franchise with its strong distribution network that serves both mass market and specialty stores; creating unique products with strong fan appeal. Their initial product mix for Yu-Gi-Oh! include board games, puzzles, chairs and mega boxes, to name a few. Heathside Trading’s goods will be available in the UK, Ireland, Germany, Spain, Holland, Belgium and Italy.
Heathside Trading, with its strong distribution network, will create unique products with strong fan appeal, including branded Yu-Gi-Oh! chairs.
Konami Cross Media NY has signed an agreement with Trade Invaders, a French company that manufactures and distributes video game accessories for consoles of all generations. Trade Invaders will develop and produce new Yu-Gi-Oh! video games and branded Switch cases, Switch controllers, Switch joysticks and PS4 controllers for European and MENA markets.
Yu-Gi-Oh! is a true global phenomenon and perennial fan favorite. Celebrating over 25 years and amassing a fervent following, the brand continues to flourish with each new series and expansion. To date, fans have engaged by reading the manga, watching more than 900 Yu-Gi-Oh! Anime episodes, downloading Yu-Gi-Oh! DUEL LINKS, Yu-Gi-Oh! MASTER DUEL and Yu-Gi-Oh! CROSS DUEL. Fans have also supported the brand at the box office, retail and have played with and purchased over 25 billion units of the Yu-Gi-Oh! TRADING CARD GAME! The future is bright for this Anime franchise with a robust slate of new content and merchandise planned for release that will continue to engage and entertain audiences globally.