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A catch up of some of the best examples of IP licensing in video games and the latest news on collaborations, brand partnerships, in-game events and the industry as a whole.
This month we look at the latest general news and trends abundant from recent trade shows including Licensing Expo, Digital Dragons and so much more. It is a big one so take your time!
We also take a deeper dive in to who is doing what in the world of IP and what platforms seem to be progressing better than others in the current market.
Finally, we dive a little deeper in to mobile and review some trends there.
IP Spotlight this month continues to focus on some of the recent activity within the Layer marketplace and what’s gaining traction, including new additions.
Developer Diaries also continues to pick up on both long term and recent arrivals within the Layer ecosystem and how we support them on their licensing journeys.
There’s also the usual news and updates from the world of gaming collaborations and more.
For further information on Layer, what we are doing now and more, please reach out to Simon@layerlicensing.com
Two major events in one week this month meant some interesting updates in the world of game-related licensing, publishing, merchandising and overall business partnerships.
We take a look at licensing and gaming industry related announcements and trends as a whole over these events and more.
Licensing Expo 2026 focused heavily on how game/gaming IP is continually expanding at speed beyond games themselves into consumer products, entertainment, retail, collectibles, and brand collaborations. Even if “speed to market” for many merchandise products for gamers remains an issue, the volume of deal making evolves steadily.
The event itself ultimately highlighted gaming as one of the fastest-growing licensing categories.
The Expo and related announcements specifically highlighted these game franchises and publishers among many others as being notably proactive:
Retailers including Amazon, Walmart, GameStop, Hot Topic, Barnes & Noble, and Target attended specifically to source licensing partnerships tied to gaming brands signalling continued ongoing expansion of interest in video games IP from all sectors not just the one we focus on here at Layer. Still, it is great to see the industry continuing to gain such traction.
Furthermore, a dedicated panel titled “Beyond the Controller: How Gaming Brands Are Shaping Mainstream Entertainment” focused on how game IP is increasingly monetised across multiple product categories such as:
The show positioned gaming IP as a central growth engine in modern licensing and this is set to continue.
Here are some more examples that caught our eye specifically related to gaming….
Rebellion Developments seeks partnerships around 2000 AD
Rebellion used the Expo to seek new licensing and collaboration partners tied to the 50th anniversary of 2000 AD, leveraging both comic and game-related brand recognition.
Don’t forget you can license this awesome IP and elements thereof via the Layer marketplace.
Gravity entered Licensing Expo for the first time
Gravity, best known for Ragnarok Online, attended Licensing Expo specifically to expand global licensing opportunities around its IP portfolio.
SEGA presence and activations continues…
SEGA had an extensive booth and also operated branded activations at the show, including a “SEGA Cafe,” signalling active consumer-product and experiential licensing efforts around its gaming properties.
Some of the retro arcade machines available to play were truly epic.
Hasbro evolves its gaming offering…
Impressively, the Hasbro gaming team announced more great collaborations with a notable Aristocrat Monopoly game available for all to play on their stand. You can see more on their work in our News section below.
These are just a few of the multiple games and gaming initiatives ongoing at the show and for Layer and AT New Media it was very engaging.
Over in Poland however, the Digital Dragons Conference 2026 was much more focused on publishing, studio partnerships, investment networking, and indie dealmaking than pure consumer product licensing.
Although there were plenty of notable discussions around IP licensing in and around games themselves with, as expected, game to game IP integrations and crossovers being discussed.
Many have described the event as heavily deal-oriented which is great to hear even when the industry still feels like it’s in a state of flux constantly shifting from good to bad news and back to good news.
Here’s a few snippets of news you might be interested in….
Snail Games partners with Polish studios
Snail Games is expanding relationships with three Polish studios through its indie publishing label Wandering Wizard.
The partnerships highlighted:
Snail framed the initiative as a strategic push into the Polish development ecosystem and emerging regional talent. Look out for more of this.
Xsolla regional expansion and developer partnerships
Xsolla used Digital Dragons to deepen ties with Eastern European developers and promote monetization/publishing infrastructure for studios. While no specific game licensing deals were publicly disclosed, the company emphasised regional partnership growth and support for launch/commerce services.
Digital Dragons Accelerator matchmaking
The conference continued its role as a publisher-investor matchmaking hub through the Digital Dragons Accelerator, where publishers met emerging studios for future publishing and investment agreements. Many of these discussions are typically confidential and announced months later.
Overall the shows were indicators of the continued growth of the importance of video game franchises both for outbound and inbound licensing initiatives.
Market themes from both events
Our newsletters are always meant to be summaries of industry news and discussions that are relevant to the industry we thrive in but in summary, the strongest themes across both conferences were as follows:
Please note there are multiple shows ongoing throughout the world all the time and many industry news outlets cover the above summary in greater detail.
Something a little different than our normal newsletter format is our “trending briefing”, which you will see from time to time.
Here’s a concise global trending briefing on the biggest developments in gaming licensing, IP partnerships, and content integrations announced recently across console, PC, mobile, esports, and iGaming.
Layer and AT New Media have project touchpoints in many of these areas, so why not share our combined thoughts at this time of reviewing what is going on and who is talking about what….
Biggest Licensing & IP Deal Trends Right Now
Three major themes are dominating the market:
Furthermore, as it is an Event and News format this month, here is some additional gaming licensing and partnership news where we go in to a little more detail to align with our trends summary….
Embracer Group expanding dormant franchise licensing
One of the biggest stories this month is Embracer confirming it will “more actively” pursue licensing and partnership opportunities for legacy franchises including:
The company’s newly formed entertainment unit, Fellowship Entertainment, is expected to drive cross-media licensing, collaborations, and revival projects.
This is significant because publishers increasingly see dormant IP libraries as long-term licensing assets rather than just game franchises.
Roblox continues building a creator licensing marketplace
If you missed it, a major structural shift in gaming licensing recently arrived from Roblox’s official licensing solution, even if it has had multiple hiccups and will likely continue to as it evolves its offering.
The Roblox License Manager allows creators to officially license major entertainment IPs for user-generated experiences.
Launch partners included:
Licensed properties included:
Industry observers view this as one of the most important platform licensing moves in gaming right now because it formalises UGC monetisation around premium IP, even if the process and associated elements are still works in progress. Trust in the platform and how it regulates activity will be key as it evolves.
Anime + gaming collaborations are exploding globally
Anime crossovers remain one of the hottest engagement strategies across games and esports.
Recent examples include:
Analysts say anime collaborations now outperform many traditional celebrity tie-ins in terms of engagement and merchandise conversion.
VR licensing activity is accelerating
A notable recent announcement:
The title is an officially licensed VR extension of the PAYDAY franchise.
This reflects a broader trend where publishers are licensing established franchises into VR rather than building original VR IP from scratch.
Esports partnerships are shifting toward lifestyle & commerce integrations
Recent deals show esports moving deeper into mainstream consumer branding.
Examples:
The market is moving away from simple sponsorships toward:
iGaming & Betting Content Integration Deals
The iGaming sector is currently one of the fastest-moving licensing and content integration markets globally.
Recent notable developments include:
Latin America, Italy, and parts of Eastern Europe remain especially active regions for new gaming content distribution agreements.
China & Asia Licensing/IP Developments
A major regional development:
The settlement reportedly involved approximately KRW 43 billion.
This is important because Asian publishers are increasingly enforcing global licensing rights and royalty agreements more aggressively.
Another indication of the growth of the sector across all territories and how IP licensing and enforcement thereof is becoming more significant by the year.
Strategic Industry Direction
The industry consensus now is that the following is driving the next phase of growth and Layer and AT New Media are at the heart of many discussions:
Gaming companies are increasingly behaving like……:
…..not just software publishers.
The mobile gaming licensing market is currently being driven by four dominant forces:
The biggest winners right now are publishers that can continuously refresh engagement using recognisable IP without rebuilding core gameplay systems.
The most active licensing categories in mobile gaming
Asia remains the global centre of mobile gaming licensing activity, especially:
But Western publishers are increasingly adopting the same “constant collaboration” strategy pioneered by Asian mobile publishers over recent years.
Biggest Mobile Licensing Deals & Integrations
Anime IP remains the single biggest licensing driver with anime collaborations now the dominant engagement model in mobile live-service gaming. Yes, this has territorial sway due to the above point on Asian markets but the trend is continuing and moving in to western markets also.
As highlighted by us and others previously, major active collaborations include:
Krafton and Garena continue to lead aggressive crossover deployment strategies.
Community sentiment strongly suggests anime collaborations have become expected lifecycle content for successful mobile games rather than special events.
Major announced projects
My Hero Academia: UNITED SURVIVAL
KLab and Gumi announced a jointly developed:
The project is based on the massively successful My Hero Academia franchise, which has surpassed 100 million manga copies globally.
JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure: Golden Anthem
KLab also confirmed:
The game is another major example of Japanese anime IP being structured primarily for global mobile monetization.
Strategic significance
KLab’s model is increasingly:
This has become one of the defining mobile licensing business models of 2026.
PUBG Mobile: The benchmark collaboration platform
PUBG Mobile is arguably the most sophisticated mobile collaboration ecosystem right now.
Recent partnerships include:
Industry analysts note that:
Krafton is increasingly positioning PUBG as….:
……not simply a battle royale game.
Free Fire continues dominating collab velocity
Garena Free Fire remains one of the fastest-moving collaboration ecosystems globally.
Recent and ongoing integrations include:
The depth of these collaborations has evolved substantially:
Publishers increasingly measure success not only by cosmetic sales but by:
Cross-media ecosystems are replacing standalone games
Bushiroad’s expanding multimedia integration
Bushiroad’s:
…demonstrate how mobile games are becoming one node inside larger IP ecosystems.
The company is combining….:
….into synchronized monetization cycles. This “media mix” strategy is becoming the Japanese industry standard.
AI-powered licensed characters are emerging
One of the newest trends is AI-enhanced licensed IP experiences.
Genies × King Records
The companies announced plans to transform anime and entertainment characters into:
This signals where mobile licensing may evolve next….:
….especially in anime and idol-focused markets.
Open-world Gacha collaborations accelerating
Wuthering Waves expanding crossover ambitions
Recent announced collaborations include:
This matters because:
M&A and Strategic Licensing Power Plays
Saudi Arabia becoming a major mobile gaming licensing force
One of the biggest global developments:
Moonton owns:
The reported deal value exceeded $6 billion.
This is strategically huge because:
So from all of the above and more, is there a summary in short? Well, yes there is…. So here are what we feel are emerging industry trends….
1. “Collab-as-a-service”
Top mobile games now run:
IP collaboration pipelines.
Players increasingly expect:
as part of standard live-service operations.
2. Licensed content now drives regional expansion
Publishers use licensed IP to:
Examples:
3. Mobile publishers are becoming entertainment companies
The strongest operators increasingly resemble:
rather than traditional game studios.
Companies To Watch Closely
Mobile licensing leaders
Key IP owners influencing mobile gaming
Most Important Strategic Conclusion
The mobile gaming market is moving away from:
…toward:
The companies best positioned for growth are not necessarily the best game developers, but the best:
IP Spotlight:
The Layer marketplace ecosystem has amazing opportunities for developers across multiple genres and this month we pick one IP from kids and games respectively.
Each of these IPs have something special on the horizon and you can now make enquiries for each via the Layer marketplace.
Winx Club!
It is a pleasure to welcome Rainbow Spa and their IP to Layer. Winx Club specifically is a strong IP for content integrations because it combines recognisable characters, fantasy world building, fashion customisation, and a highly engaged multi-generational fanbase. From a game design and business perspective, it checks many boxes that make integrations effective. Current gaming trends also heavily favour: Self-expression, Cosmetic identity, Community fandom, Fantasy aesthetics, “Cozy fantasy” and Social multiplayer spaces. Winx Club aligns with all of these trends naturally rather than feeling forced into them.
Log in to the Layer marketplace to learn more.
Judge Dredd Universe.
Judge Dredd is particularly strong for content integrations because it combines a visually iconic universe, modular storytelling, violent action gameplay compatibility, and decades of world building that already feels “game-ready.” Its approaching 50th anniversary adds a major marketing and nostalgia multiplier also. I mean, the world is built for games and has been many already. Mega-City One itself is essentially an open-world game setting already providing the base for: Endless crime, Dense urban environments, Competing factions, Mutants, Robots, Gangs, Corrupt corporations, Psi-divisions and also Apocalypse scenarios
Log in to the Layer marketplace to learn more.
Layer continues to form part of both licensors and agents outreach strategies together with developers inbound IP acquisitions. Our ecosystem and services are a complimentary tool and after this month’s events, we are so excited about what is round the corner when it comes to new IP coming to the marketplace.
If you are an IP owner or agency seeking to open up new conversations through collaborating with the Layer marketplace and the support services offered by AT New Media, we welcome conversations as to how we can reach new mutually beneficial markets.
Developer Diaries:
Wherever you are in your development lifecycle when it comes to licensing initiatives, we are pleased to have you with us and we’re here to help.
A brief bit of information on some of our newest additions to the developer side of the marketplace…
Purple Tree
Argentinian based console game developer creating arcade and PC games. Layer is pleased to be supporting the team with license ideation and search together with advising on commercial licensing strategies.
Savy Soda
Australian based indie mobile app developer specialising in retro style, community driven simulation and strategy games. Layer is supporting with specific IP ideation and direction.
Pentakill
Spanish developer specialising in multiple action titles. With a focus on particular genres, Layer is assisting with IP focus and direction within the marketplace ecosystem.
If you are a content developer seeking to start a journey with IP licensing or are a seasoned pro and are seeking additional support, we have the options available to help you both on and off marketplace.
From ideation and search to commercial proposal drafting and support, we’re here to help.
You can navigate yourself or with our assistance to guide you both on marketplace and off marketplace.
Release Notes – Layer Collaboration Updates:
We collaborate with developers, licensors and agents in many ways.
Supporting ideation through to commercial deal delivery, we like to mention some of our own work from time to time.
Recently, we’ve been closing deals across mobile and console games and negotiating many others.
We’ve seen successful launches of projects utilising IP sourced from the Layer marketplace including those for Bill & Ted’s, Ace Ventura and Valiant Comics amongst others.
We’re a complimentary tool and can assist you with your licensing objectives whether inbound or outbound.
We don’t promise the world but we do promise commitment to the cause and are proud of our diligence in supporting licensing projects come to successful conclusions.
Please follow our LinkedIn Page for updates on all of the above and more.
In Brief…
Here are some of our favourite recent and announced brand collaborations and licensing partnerships from the last month:
Remember to keep an eye on our Collab Tracker for regular updates on collaborations we love (including some of ours of course) from the whole games and gaming industry.
In other news…
Finally if you missed the feature on our work from during Licensing Expo in The Licensing Letter, you can read it here: https://thelicensingletter.com/expo-feature-how-layer-licensing-is-rewiring-video-game-licensing/
Thanks again for being part of our journey.
