In August, Mattel introduced it was forming Mattel Game Studios, a new international growth organisation with a spotlight on making video games based mostly on its personal IP.
The enterprise sits beneath Mattel Digital Studios, and its creation follows the February announcement that Mattel had acquired 100% of Mattel163, a three way partnership that was established by Mattel and Chinese language video games agency NetEase again in 2018.
Talking to GamesIndustry.biz, Marcus Liassides, SVP and international head of Mattel Digital Studios, says the agency’s new Video games Studios arm “displays the evolution” its digital video games enterprise has undergone.
“We have had success by licensing, cell publishing, and creator platforms, and bringing these capabilities collectively beneath one studio offers us a clearer id and a extra built-in method,” he says. “Whether or not it’s an current recreation like Section 10, the just lately introduced self-published titles like Uno Wild and an upcoming Scorching Wheels expertise, or partnerships on licensed video games like Scorching Wheels Infinite Rush and Masters of the Universe: Dragon Pearl of Destruction, we’re constructing a broad portfolio that displays how folks engage with video games right now.
“Finally, our aim is easy: to lengthen bodily play to the digital world by creating digital experiences and video games based mostly on Mattel IP that drive sustained engagement for followers of all ages. Digital gaming is now one of many main methods folks uncover and engage with leisure, and our manufacturers deserve a devoted organisation centered on that chance.”
In its announcement press launch, Mattel mentioned that its newly fashioned video games arm consisted of “almost 300 artists, designers, engineers, stay operations specialists and producers” based mostly throughout its places of work in Los Angeles and Hangzhou. There’s at the moment a cut up between video games the corporate makes itself and these it licenses out to exterior companions (in addition to releases equivalent to Skeletor: Till Subsequent Time, which was made in collaboration with award-winning growth outsourcer Amber).
Liassides says that the corporate views its self-developed video games as “a strategic development space,” however mentioned that it is not about “hitting a selected share”.
“We’ll proceed investing in inner growth as a result of it offers us higher artistic management, permits us to construct long-term experience, and lets us personal extra of the participant relationship,” he explains. “On the similar time, a few of the finest video games on this planet are created by partnerships, so licensing stays an essential a part of our technique. The long run is not both/or – it’s a balanced portfolio of internally developed video games, exterior partnerships, and experiences throughout rising platforms.”
Choosing a companion
As for what form of companion Mattel is in search of, the leisure large has a couple of important standards. Put merely, they want to be “distinctive at what they do” in addition to have a “real imaginative and prescient” that matches collectively a selected model with a selected expertise.
“We spend lots of time understanding a studio’s artistic philosophy, technical capabilities, live-service expertise the place applicable, and observe file of delivering high quality,” Liassides says. “Just as importantly, we want companions who perceive what makes our manufacturers particular and can develop them in genuine methods relatively than merely making use of a brand to an current idea.”
As well as, Mattel is “very open” to receiving pitches from builders and is keen to discuss to builders of all sizes, “from established AAA studios to rising unbiased groups”.
“Nice concepts can come from anyplace,” Liassides says. “What we’re actually in search of is compelling recreation ideas and a transparent understanding of why a selected Mattel model makes that have higher. The strongest pitches begin with fan worth relatively than merely wanting entry to an IP.”
In recent times, Mattel’s interactions with the world of video video games have are available two flavours; one is complete video games, equivalent to 2021’s Scorching Wheels Unleashed – developed by Italian racing specialist Milestone – however the firm has additionally licensed out content material to function in different video games, equivalent to Scorching Wheels automobiles showing in Forza Horizon 5. Liassides says that each of a lot of these online game content material are “precious”.
“Full video games permit us to construct deep, lasting experiences round our manufacturers,” he says. “On the similar time, partnerships that convey Mattel manufacturers into current video games can introduce us to solely new audiences. Quite than viewing these as competing priorities, we see them as complementary. Typically the best reply is a standalone title. Different instances it’s assembly gamers the place they’re already spending time.”
Roblox
In addition to releasing video games on cell, console and PC, Mattel – like many broader leisure firms – has been attempting to attain youthful players in locations equivalent to Roblox. The agency launched He-Man and the Masters of the Universe on the platform in 2022 and has since ported 2025’s Monster Excessive and Uno: Bridge Conflict, which launched earlier this 12 months.
“It’s strengthened one thing we have believed for some time: gamers want to engage with manufacturers, not just consume them,” Liassides says, discussing Mattel’s expertise bringing video games to Roblox.
“Success on Roblox comes from designing particularly for the platform”
“UGC-driven platforms equivalent to Roblox and Fortnite give followers a possibility to take part, create, and socialise round our IP in ways in which conventional media cannot at all times provide. Throughout experiences that includes manufacturers like Barbie, Monster Excessive, and UNO, we have seen how creator platforms permit followers to specific themselves, construct communities, and engage with our manufacturers in solely new methods. Maybe the most important lesson is that success on Roblox comes from designing particularly for the platform. Gamers count on experiences that really feel native to Roblox, not conventional video games merely transplanted there. Each platform has its personal viewers and tradition, and respecting that’s essential to success.”
Liassides continues, saying that to ensure that firms to discover success on Roblox, they want to “begin with the neighborhood”.
“Success in Roblox comes from understanding how folks play there,” he explains. “The very best experiences embrace creativity, social interplay, persistence, and common updates. You additionally should be keen to pay attention to gamers. Roblox is a residing platform, and profitable experiences evolve alongside their communities.”
The lengthy haul
Mattel Game Studios’ roots are cut up throughout two totally different arms of the corporate; the primary is Mattel Digital Studios, whereas the latter is Mattel163, the aforementioned three way partnership it had operated with NetEase since 2018. Liassides says that this helped the corporate “set up a powerful basis” on this planet of cell video games, particularly when it comes to growth and live-ops.
“We discovered an incredible quantity about constructing video games that may engage gamers over a few years, working at international scale, and constantly enhancing experiences by participant suggestions,” he says. “These learnings proceed to affect how we take into consideration recreation growth right now, and have helped inform the subsequent era of self-published titles we’re constructing as Mattel Game Studios.”
All through the video games trade’s existence, main leisure manufacturers have tried to make it in video video games, however in the end select to pull out. Mattel has carried out this greater than as soon as: it was behind the Intellivision console within the early Eighties, however offered the Intellivision enterprise in 1984 after the US video games crash. Then in 1996, the corporate based Mattel Media, which in the end turned Mattel Interactive earlier than being offered to Gore Expertise Group in 2000. A 12 months later, it was shut down. It is a story as outdated as time, however Mattel, naturally, this time insists it is in it for the lengthy haul.
“We view video games as a core a part of how trendy audiences expertise leisure, not as a advertising initiative or a short-term experiment,” Liassides says. “Our manufacturers exist already throughout toys, tv, movie, publishing, client merchandise, and stay experiences. Gaming is one other pillar of that ecosystem. Whether or not that is new self-published video games like Uno Wild, premium partnerships like Scorching Wheels Infinite Rush or Barbie Rewind, or experiences on platforms like Roblox and Fortnite, we’re constructing capabilities throughout the complete spectrum of digital gaming. Which means we’re constructing capabilities, investing in expertise, and considering in a long time relatively than particular person product cycles.”
He provides: “One of many largest classes is that nice manufacturers alone do not make nice video games. Gamers count on high-quality gameplay first. The IP ought to elevate the expertise, not carry it. We have additionally discovered the significance of selecting the best growth mannequin for every alternative, being affected person, investing in long-term communities, and giving artistic groups room to construct experiences that really feel genuine to each the gamers and the model.”
Liassides and Mattel have huge goals for its new Game Studios department, saying that its ambition over the subsequent 5 years is to set up the arm as “one of many world’s main entertainment-based recreation builders and publishers”.
“Which means rising our portfolio of authentic, internally developed video games, increasing strategic partnerships with best-in-class exterior studios, constructing significant long-term participant communities, and bringing Mattel manufacturers to audiences throughout gaming and creator platforms,” Liassides says. “Most significantly, we would like folks to consider Mattel not solely as an organization with iconic manufacturers, but in addition as an organization that constantly creates excellent digital video games. Whether or not these video games are developed internally or with world-class companions, success will in the end be measured by the standard of the experiences we create and the communities that kind round them.”