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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.
Every month we tend to touch base on the wider industry and what’s trending or being highlighted along with 3 core discussion points, however, this month we are focussed on Layer and our first 6 months since the marketplace and brand were acquired by licensing consultancy AT New Media.
IP Spotlight this month focusses on some IPs that are always popular from an engagement perspective plus we highlight a few new IP additions to the marketplace.
Developer Diaries takes you through some examples of developers who have been working closely with Layer in multiple ways so you can see the depth and breadth of our work.
Finally, we share some industry news stories and update snippets from the world of gaming collaborations and more.
If you require further information on the Layer marketplace and AT New Media’s all round support services, what we are doing now and more, please reach out to Simon@layerlicensing.com
Six Months of Momentum: Evolution, Visibility & Market Presence…
The last six months have marked an important phase of evolution and increased visibility in targeted markets for the Layer marketplace, as the brand continues to nurture its position within the global licensing ecosystem.
A key milestone during this period of course was the acquisition by long standing licensing consultancy AT New Media, which has provided a stronger strategic foundation for the next stage of development.
Led by games licensing veteran Simon Kay, this transition has supported the Layer marketplace in accelerating its commercial roadmap across multiple service offerings whilst reinforcing its position within a broader deal focussed environment.
Alongside this, Simon Kay has helped nurture Layer’s external presence across the industry with an initial doubling down on the IP and Agency world to establish new progressive and complimentary IP led connections.
A featured article with The Licensing Letter helped further establish this perspective and the evolving role of licensing infrastructure, particularly in relation to digital-first IP and the increasing demand for more efficient, transparent licensing systems.
Licensing industry engagement has also been a central focus with the opening up of new strategic flexible partnerships and channels of communication.
Layer attended the Las Vegas Licensing Show, alongside a range of other key IP and licensing events over the period.
These engagements have strengthened relationships across both established rights holders and emerging IP creators, while also providing valuable insight into evolving market dynamics and partner requirements. A focus on executed commercial partnerships though marketplace engagement has been the key priority with gap analysis forming a key part of discussions.
Across all of this activity, a consistent theme has emerged: increased recognition of the need for more integrated, scalable licensing infrastructure, with Layer and AT New Media increasingly positioned within that conversation.
What’s Changed & What’s Been Working Well…
This period has also seen continued evolution in how the Layer platform operates, with a clear shift toward greater structure, speed, and integration throughout the licensing lifecycle. A couple of test cases have also led to swift commercial agreements delivered from enquiry to contract closure in record time. Sure the usual stumbling blocks on others remain but that is the way it goes.
Platform Development & Operational Maturity
One of the most significant changes has been the refinement of more standardised licensing frameworks, enabling faster and more consistent deal execution across different IP categories.
Yes, from the outside the Layer website may not have changed but the core adaptations in the back end have enabled smoother processing of enquiries.
This also has reduced complexity in negotiation and improved clarity for both developers and rights holders. Both where there is a clear commercial pathway and notably when there is not.
In parallel, onboarding processes for new partners have been streamlined, allowing for:
These improvements have collectively contributed to a more efficient and scalable platform experience. Once again with a deal focus. This has also meant removal of certain elements and IP plus a tighter onboarding process.
What Has Been Working Well….
Several performance trends have stood out over the past six months:
Stronger partner engagement and retention…
Developers and IP holders who have completed initial transactions are increasingly returning for additional licensing activity, indicating growing trust in the platform and process.
This covers both on and off marketplace transactions with AT New Media’s network and consulting options underpinning this evolution.
Improved match quality between IP and use cases…
Better alignment between available IP and developer requirements has resulted in more productive conversations and higher conversion rates from interest to agreement pathways.
Faster deal cycles…
Standardised structures and improved internal workflows have reduced time to agreement across a range of project scenarios. This has been effectively tested and implemented and we hope this will assist smoother transaction processes in due course. This is ultimately a combination of on and off marketplace support.
Increased market confidence…
External engagement, including industry press coverage and event participation, has contributed to greater awareness and confidence in Layer as a structured complementary licensing partner.
New Partners, Industry Engagement & What Comes Next…
Expanding Network of Developers & IP Holders…
Layer has continued to grow its outbound and deal execution ecosystem over the past six months, welcoming a range of new developers and intellectual property partners across entertainment, media, gaming, and digital content sectors.
This continued expansion reflects both increased market awareness and growing demand for more structured, scalable licensing solutions. Integrating the marketplace in to AT New Media’s long standing methods of working has been a key part of this.
We will cover some of this further in our IP Spotlight and Developer Diaries sections below….
Industry Presence & Thought Leadership…
In addition to platform growth, Layer has increased its visibility across the wider licensing and IP ecosystem.
Ongoing strategic engagement at other key IP and media gatherings, has reinforced its role within broader licensing conversations.
The next phase of development for the Layer marketplace and AT New Media service offering will focus on moving from foundational growth into deeper integration and enhanced service delivery.
Key priorities include:
1. Enhanced developer engagement
A stronger focus on continuous engagement with developers, supporting them not just at the point of licensing, but throughout the lifecycle of IP integration and usage. We’re already seeing growth in Ideation and Search support.
2. Integrated service provision
Expanding beyond transactional licensing into a more integrated service model, supporting partners with end-to-end licensing infrastructure, guidance, and execution support.
3. Scaling ecosystem activity
Increasing the volume and velocity of licensing activity while maintaining clarity, consistency, and rights integrity across all agreements. We are focussed on evolving our deal making ecosystem around our full service offering.
4. Deepening partner value
Providing more structured insight, support, and tooling to help both IP holders and notably developers maximise the value of their participation in the ecosystem.
5. Strengthening market position
Continuing to build visibility through industry engagement, strategic communications, and participation in key global licensing events.
Closing Perspective
The past six months represent a clear step forward for the Layer marketplace within AT New Media. defined by strategic acquisition, stronger industry presence, more focussed support and deal evolution.
With a tighter network of partners, increased market recognition, and a clear roadmap focused on engagement and integration but ultimately deal making where practicable, the integrated business offering is now positioned to deepen its role as a key infrastructure element within the modern licensing ecosystem.
Looking Ahead: IP Licensing in Games & Layer’s Role in a Changing Content Landscape
The next phase of growth for licensing is being shaped most visibly within the games and interactive entertainment sector, where demand for high-quality, recognisable intellectual property continues to rise, but the complexity of licensing structures has not always evolved at the same pace.
As game development cycles become more dynamic, spanning premium titles, live-service models, mobile ecosystems, and cross-platform experiences, the need for flexible, fast, and commercially structured IP access is becoming increasingly important.
Developers are no longer only seeking long-term, exclusive franchise partnerships; they are also actively exploring modular, scalable IP integration that can support content drops, seasonal updates, collaborations, and experimental gameplay formats.
At the same time, IP holders are becoming more selective and strategic about how their assets are deployed within interactive environments. This includes a stronger emphasis on:
This shift is creating a structural gap between supply and demand: a space where traditional licensing processes can feel too slow or rigid, and where purely transactional marketplaces may not provide enough strategic guidance or deal structuring support. We aim to be at the heart of supportive partnerships that deliver results, even if we cannot always control the speed to market.
The Layer marketplace within AT New Media is uniquely positioned to operate within this gap as both a marketplace and a complementary consultancy enabled licensing infrastructure ecosystem for games and gaming-related IP strategies.
On one side, the platform functions as a structured marketplace enabling developers to search, discover, ideate. evaluate, and engage with relevant IP in a more efficient and transparent way than traditional outbound licensing processes typically allow.
On the other, Layer within AT New Media provides a more hands-on, consultative layer of support that helps both IP holders and developers navigate the practical realities of bringing IP into games, including:
This dual model, combining marketplace efficiency with advisory depth is increasingly relevant as gaming continues to blur the boundaries between content, commerce, and live service engagement.
A Complementary Tool for Inbound and Outbound Strategy
For IP holders, Layer can act as an outbound extension of their commercial strategy, opening up structured aligned opportunities to place IP into gaming environments without requiring a fully internalised licensing sales function.
For developers, it provides an inbound access point to curated, rights-ready IP that can be evaluated and integrated with greater speed and clarity than traditional outreach or fragmented deal sourcing typically allows.
In both cases, the value lies not only in access, but in reducing friction across the entire licensing lifecycle from search, discovery and ideation through to negotiation activation and ongoing usage.
As the gaming industry continues to expand its reliance on external IP to drive engagement, differentiation, and monetisation, platforms that can bridge commercial, creative, and legal complexity in a single environment will become increasingly central to how licensing operates.
The Layer marketplace within AT New Media sits directly within that trajectory: moving from facilitation into enablement, and from enablement into integrated licensing infrastructure for interactive content ecosystems.
So yes, on the outside things may seem similar but on the inside a more strategic and targeted approach for all concerned is beginning to pay dividends.
Now developers, it’s time to come back, reengage, or join to evolve new journeys and trajectories.
IP Spotlight:
Following on from where we see ourselves within the licensing ecosystem above, we thought we’d put a spotlight on some IPs that have shown notable engagement within the Layer ecosystem recently and a few we see evolving further in the near future.
We’ve already highlighted in recent months how the Layer marketplace ecosystem has amazing opportunities for developers across multiple genres such as Horror and Anime but there is so much more.
Here’s a few more individual IPs you may find interesting which have seen engagement upticks in recent times.
RAMBO
Appearing in Fortnite as we write, we have also had some success assisting iconic IP like Rambo arrive in other game experiences.
THUNDERBIRDS
70s and 80s character integrations still have a place in mobile and steam along with multiple other game environments.
FIST OF THE NORTH STAR
Anime continues to be the fastest progressing genre for engagements and IP Requests within the Layer ecosystem. Fist of the North Star is currently the top rated anime on Prime!
BILL AND TED’S EXCELLENT ADVENTURE
We love our retro content and there is not only a new console game on the horizon but a new slots game also. We are especially keen to help retro IP re-engage with its fanbase.
Layer is pleased to have supported finalise collaborations across multiple formats for whole games or content integrations and you can see more on these in our collab tracker.
Furthermore, new additions to the Layer marketplace have increased recently with our initial strategic commitment to onboarding more IPs to complement existing strategies. A few of these include…
WINX CLUB
Magical transformations, friendship, distinct characters, and rich fantasy lore make this IP ideal for adventure, RPG, puzzle, platformer, and simulation games.
VOLTRON
Voltron's giant combining robots, clear good vs. evil narrative, diverse characters, and emphasis on teamwork make it ideal for action RPGs, mecha sims, and team shooters.
SHELBY COBRA
The iconic Shelby Cobra brand, known for speed and racing heritage, is ideal for racing, simulation, and open-world games.
PLANET HOLLYWOOD
A themed restaurant chain inspired by the popular portrayal of Hollywood. Great for cooking, restaurant or other Hollywood associated gaming integrations.
Each of these IPs have something special about them and you can now make enquiries for each via the Layer marketplace.
Layer continues to form part of both licensors and agents outreach strategies together with developers inbound IP acquisitions.
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 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 the developers we continue to and have engaged with both on and off the Layer Licensing Marketplace.
We’ve been busy offering licensing guidance and opportunity delivery whether that’s via Ideation, Search or Commercial support.
CREO
Tabletop Games from cards to board games and all variants thereof. It’s a pleasure to be supporting CREO with IP ideation and search across multiple genres.
Purple Tree
With console game licensing deals already concluded with the support of the Layer marketplace both on and off marketplace, we continue to assist with Ideation and Search.
Wildlife
Primarily focused on marketplace interactions and rights delivery across multiple games and concepts within the mobile game space. Both for whole game and content integration experiences.
Art of Play
On marketplace console game rights search, negotiation and deal closure support.
Draft Kings
Assisting with IP targeting across multiple platforms both on and off marketplace. Complementary support on limited ideas and search functions.
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.
Release Notes – Layer Collaboration Updates:
As you read each month and herein, 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.
We’ve seen multiple product launches of projects utilising IP sourced from the Layer marketplace.
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…
It’s mentioned again above in our 6 monthly review but if you happened to miss the feature on our work during Licensing Expo via The Licensing Letter, you can read it here: https://thelicensingletter.com/expo-feature-how-layer-licensing-is-rewiring-video-game-licensing/
Thanks again to everyone who is working with our agency and marketplace. We really appreciate you all.
Have a great summer.
