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4Kids Entertainment International has announced a wide range of international licensing agreements for the Yu-Gi-Oh! franchise, including deals for bags, accessories, games and back-to-school lines in Europe, Australia, Asia, North America, Latin America and the Middle East. Two of the deals have territories that span the globe. Edibas Collections has signed on to produce lamincard games and folders for Germany, Austria, France, the UK, Spain, Russia, Italy, Greece, Turkey and the US. Konami Digital Entertainment is to produce trading card game accessories for Europe, Australia, New Zealand, the US, Latin America, the Middle East, Africa and Canada, in addition to their current Asian territory. In addition to the global deals, two new deals have been added to the roster of licences in Europe. Editions Oberthur has signed a back-to-school licence covering all Yu-Gi-Oh! franchises (Yu-Gi-Oh!, Yu-Gi-Oh! GX and Yu-Gi-Oh! 5Ds) in France, Belgium and Switzerland. Giovas Meletopoulos S.A. will offer Yu-Gi-Oh! 5Ds bags and back-to-school ranges in Greece, Portugal and Bulgaria. One new deal has been added to the roster of licences in the Middle East. Tel Bar Pop Ltd, has come on board to offer back-to-school ranges as well as bags and outdoor toys for Yu-Gi-Oh! 5Ds in Israel and the West Bank. This deal comes right on the heels of deals recently announced for the same region with Toys & Brands Ltd (for Yu-Gi-Oh! 5Ds), Shoshi Zohar (also for Yu-Gi-Oh! 5Ds) and Mitos International (for both Yu-Gi-Oh! and Yu-Gi-Oh! 5Ds). With popular television programmes, a hugely popular trading card game and a slew of new merchandise deals, the Yu-Gi-Oh! franchise continues to demonstrate its strength as a true global entertainment phenomenon. More than six million boys and girls collect and play the Yu-Gi-Oh! trading card game worldwide, and, since the game’s inception, over 22 billion Yu-Gi-Oh! trading cards have been sold. “These new licences in diverse territories and across a variety of categories underline the vast appeal and global reach of the Yu-Gi-Oh! brand,” said Sandra Vauthier-Cellier, Managing Director of 4Kids Entertainment International. “As new generations of kids join the worldwide Yu-Gi-Oh! fan base, 4Kids will continue to build and strengthen its licensing programme to meet this phenomenal and growing demand.” |
