Quick Bite:
In this week’s news, McDonald’s teams up with two major toy & entertainment brands for a Global Happy Meal Promotion. The Op Games celebrates the 25th anniversary of the anime series “One Piece” by launching a new version of Monopoly under the series’ name. Meanwhile, Games Global signs an exclusive deal with UFC to develop branded wrestling content, and The Premier League announces a multiyear trading card tie up with Fanatics Collectibles.
In a major melding of global brands and team ups, Yu-Ghi-Oh and Hello Kitty have announced a global collaboration with McDonald’s for a Happy Meal promotion that features both characters as happy meal toys, as well as on its packaging. This team up signifies the kickoff of the promotion in Europe, which will be offered in 55 countries.
What’s New:
This promotion brings three global phenomena together to offer something unique and must-have. When international brands collaborate, it can help to not only expand audiences worldwide but also enhance product lines to appeal to various groups.
Why It Matters:
Following last year’s Licence Global’s “the history of McDonald’s” Happy Meal - from its inception in Guatemala to the arrival of the adult Happy Meal and how McDonald’s became the most sought after partner for the world’s biggest IPs -, this crossover publicization brings a unique and unexpected take on the repast, featuring 10 collectible toys, as well as unique packaging.
Why You Should Care:
This collaboration showcases the development of promotional crossovers, where entertainment, toys, and food & beverage brands provide new opportunities for marketing and brand recognition.
Credit: Licensing International
The Op Games Launches MONOPOLY: ‘One Piece’ Edition
From Anime to board games, this celebration of the 25th anniversary of the series “One Piece” means a launch of Monopoly: One Piece Edition, signifying the conversion of one of the longest-running manga-turned-anime series into a tabletop match.
What’s New:
This board game launch gives fans of the show a new opportunity to interact with the Straw Hat Crew in a different and more personal manner, through three dynamic teams: the Factory Destruction & Samurai Rescue Team, the Caesar Delivery Team and the Thousand Sunny Guard Team. Players can also buy, sell, and trade characters from the series.
Why It Matters:
This collaboration demonstrates the endless possibilities of brand collaborations that exist between trademarks in varying industries, offering fans of either - or both - an opportunity to experience their favorite interactive games using their preferred characters & storylines; in a way that they’ve never experienced before.
Why You Should Care:
For fans of board games and anime, this alliance promises to bring exciting, innovative, fresh, and adventurous ideas for collaborations between games and entertainment properties.
Credit: PR Newswire
Games Global Signs Exclusive Partnership with UFC
Just over a month after its acquisition by Silver Lake, UFC heads towards an exclusive deal with Games Global for the development of branded content.
What’s New:
Negotiated by IMG, UFC’s licensing agency, for a three year contract, the merger will produce wrestling-themed iGaming content, following a soft launch this month, and a global rollout this July.
Why It Matters:
Online slot games are a digital version of casino slot machine games; they give people access to gambling through the ease of their own home. For UFC, it gives a chance to provide users & fans with innovative and engaging content from anywhere in the world - outside of television or streaming.
Why You Should Care:
This is a major step forward for the iGaming industry, giving a company like Games Global the opportunity to sign on with a major brand whose millions of fans will bring the iGaming industry even more recognition.
As Andy Both, CPO of Games Global said, “This exclusive deal allows us to develop UFC-themed online slots for UFC’s millions of fans who share our passion for action and excitement. Partnering with UFC, one of the most popular sports brands in the world, is significant for us and we look forward to showcasing our first title to the world in the coming months.”
Credit: License Global
Premier League Announces Deal with Fanatics Collectibles
The beloved English football league system, The Premier League, announces a multiyear trading card cooperative with Fanatics collectibles.
What’s New:
The trading and collectibles division of the global digital sports platform, Fanatics, has set June 2025 as its target month to become the dedicated provider of English Premier League trading cards, games, and stickers.
Why It Matters:
Fans of the Premier League will have the opportunity to engage with their favorite sport and athletes in a unique, tangible, and interactive way, since cards will include clubs and stars.
Why You Should Care:
Prior to this, Premier League cards were provided by various companies, including Fanatics and Panini. Now, that has changed, with Fanatics Collectibles becoming the sole provider of Premier League cards, making it a, “...historic deal…”, as David Leiner, president of trading cards at Fanatics, said. The consolidation of the production of Premier League cards under one roof is what makes this historically significant for the league.
Credit: Premier League
