Now and again throughout the year, we like to review ongoing insights and what we can expect heading in to the rest of the year and beyond when it comes to licensed content in video games as a whole.

So let’s not waste any time and get to it.

Remember you can always find additional examples in our collab tracker which will always encompass examples of those supported via the Layer marketplace and some brilliant off marketplace examples also….

So here are some initial ongoing trends of note:

• Fortnite dominates cross-media collabs with multiple IP tie-ins, strong social media visibility, and measurable event spikes in engagement Fortnite continues to be a leader when it comes to licensed content integrations.
• Roblox stays competitive continually via UGC branded titles and content creations with wide platform engagement, often surpassing traditional concurrent records. However, users do not tend to engage for as long as those playing in Fortnite.
• Console/PC crossovers (like Sonic Racing’s multi-franchise roster) deliver long-cycle engagement rather than short spikes — valuable, but different in nature. These for some reasons are tending to be lesser in volume presently and we wonder whether this is a trend that will continue.
• Mobile titles typically impact via sustained installs & social reach (e.g., Hello Kitty in Overwatch), rather than traditional CCU metrics these continue to work well. Although, what works well in some genre and demographics does not necessarily work for all.
• PC / Steam titles tend to have a lesser volume of licensed content integrations than the above but in particular genres, as we will cover later in this month’s newsletter, certain IPs are very attractive and indeed active.

Hollywood and the video game industry continue to see strategic licensing deals that bring story IP into games and vice-versa, often blending cinematic universes with interactive experiences.

Partnerships between studios and major brands (e.g., Netflix, Lionsgate with Roblox) empower creators to embed well-known characters into UGC environments.

Away from the traditional AAA games, many live service games (e.g., Fortnite and Roblox) and mobile titles will increasingly announce licensed IP integrations or modular crossovers as part of seasonal live events and official content drops. This is where even more opportunity lies in this market and it should not be underestimated.

The traditional video game space, which many would associated with consoles, if we take a brief look ahead in to 2026, we can see that console and PC platforms continue to resonate as major franchise licensing opportunities and to be fair this has not really changed for years. However, will “big box” IP ticket items continue to resonate with younger demographics? We are not too sure.

Here is a quick summary of a few major licensed franchises and when they expect to appear on console/PC platforms in 2026.

James Bond = 007 First Light = May 2026

Marvel Comics = Marvel Tōkon: Fighting Souls = Aug 2026

Lego / Warner = Lego Batman Legacy of the Dark Knight = May 2026

Marvel Comics = Marvel 1943: Rise of Hydra = Dec 2026

Disney = Star Wars Galactic Racer = Nov 2026

Wu Tang Clan = Wu Tang Clan Rise of the Deceiver = TBC

Beyond those classic and quite epic franchises, its important to keep highlighting even more trending content integrations of note across all genres.

• PUBG Mobile × Peaky Blinders (in-game crossover) – TV/film IP integrated into PUBG Mobile
  Seasonal event adding Peaky Blinders outfits, music and themed missions.
• Street Fighter IV CE (Netflix Games) – Capcom fighting franchise
  Mobile adaptation offered via Netflix Games, containing classic Street Fighter characters and mechanics.
• The World of Peppa Pig (Netflix Games) – Peppa Pig licensing
  Family-friendly licensed mobile title with mini-games and activities themed around the Peppa Pig IP.
• Fortnite × South Park – South Park franchise — limited event & gameplay area takeover.
• Fortnite × Percy Jackson – Percy Jackson TV / book franchise event crossover.

In terms of what is popular, the same patterns are tending to prevail but we would like to ask if the industry as a whole could be more aggressive with their licensed content offerings across platforms.

So many opportunities just don’t happen. We’re naturally here to help make that change. We want more great deals to occur and the they’re not just for the big boys by nurturing opportunity for all.

Finally, we see a notable growth opportunity with cross audience engagement. Such crossovers are the next growth area in IP licensing in video games as such crossovers tend to boost visibility and open game worlds to broader audiences, especially and notably on Steam where discoverability is heightened.

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We thought we would take a look at Steam and some licensed integrations which have pitted some of the greatest horror IPs against each other and we are pleased to have played a part in this.

As stated above, PC/Steam games encompass a lot of untapped potential when it comes to licensed content integrations be that from TV/Movie IP or more notably in the future from game crossovers.

Two hugely successful games have integrated horror IPs in to their experiences over recent years. Those games are Dead by Daylight and Hunt Showdown.

We take a look at their uplift comparisons but let’s first just take a moment to enjoy what Dead by Daylight by Behaviour Interactive has achieved with recurring licensed DLC content.  

Dead by Daylight Notable IP Crossovers:

Licensed killers, survivors, maps, and cosmetic items from horror films, TV, and games have been added over multiple years, including:

• Silent Hill — Pyramid Head and Cheryl Mason, plus Midwich Elementary map content.
• Resident Evil — Nemesis, Jill Valentine, Leon Kennedy, Raccoon City Police Dept. setting in crossover events.
• Stranger Things — Demogorgon, Steve, Nancy, and other Hawkins characters across maps and perks.
• Crypt TV Characters — The Birch Witch and other monster cosmetics.
• Attack on Titan — Special cosmetics and themed outfits for Survivors.

These crossovers add new mechanics, lore, and visuals that tie directly back to their source material.

Dead by Daylight has become one of the most prominent examples of licensed IP integration on Steam, blending film and TV horror staples with core gameplay loops.

Many more should be looking at this and there is so much more potential.

Let’s look at uplift for two of these two great games:

Dead by Daylight — Licensed Horror Chapters

Major licensed integrations have included:

• Silent Hill
• Resident Evil
• Stranger Things
• Attack on Titan (cosmetics)

Estimated Steam Concurrency Pattern (Major Chapter Launches)

Estimated Lift from Strong IP (e.g., Resident Evil):
40–70% peak spike
Sustained retention uplift for 1–3 months

Hunt: Showdown 1896 × Ghost Face

• Paid DLC hunter skin
• Themed weapons + cosmetics
• First major external horror IP in the game. Never done before.

Estimated Steam Concurrency Impact

Estimated Lift:
20–30% launch-week concurrency bump
DLC- driven monetization (skin conversion > gameplay conversion)

Insight

Unlike platform-wide collabs (e.g., Fortnite), this was:

• Cosmetic-led
• Community-polarisation (always consult your audience)
• Short-term spike rather than structural growth

Why Dead by Daylight performs Better Than Hunt Showdown:

• New killer mechanics (not just skins)
• New map
• Narrative tie-in
• Broader fandom crossover

Dead by Daylight is arguably Steam’s strongest licensed IP integration engine.

What the above shows is not only that integrations in Steam games can be incredibly successful, when done right, but they have to be done carefully so as not to alienate audience engagement and retention. Dead by Deadlight is a benchmark to be proud of but the same opportunity exists in every other genre of IP.

Why not start that ideation process with us. We would love to talk that through and see how we can assist you.

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