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INTERVIEW
YODO1 GAMES
How to find the right IP partner in the gaming world By Cristina Angelucci Gaming is becoming an increasingly crucial asset for the licensing industry, and our task is to help professionals better understand how it works and who the key players are. With this focus, LM interviewed three executives from Yodo1 Games: Vivien Zhang (VZ), Head of IP Licensing; Sun Ke (SK), Head of Strategic Deals; and Ismael Jorge Soler (IJ), IP Licensing Business Development Lead. The discussion aimed to explore the evolution of IP game collaborations and how to build a meaningful dialogue between licensing and gaming.
Ismael Jorge
How was Yodo1 Licensing unit created at Yodo1 Games? VZ. When Yodo1 Games was established in 2011, we initially focused on publishing casual games globally. In 2017, we were the regional publishers for a Transformers game called Transformers: Earth Wars. Based on the success of this game, our partnership with Hasbro grew and this was the start of Yodo1’s digital IP licensing business. Over the years, the two companies have worked together to bring to a number of major brands in digital games, including Transformers, My Little Pony, Dungeons & Dragons, and more. It has now been six years since we officially launched the Yodo1 licensing
“Licensors are increasingly interested in gaming because their audience is already there, whether for TV or movie-related content. Brands want to promote themselves more in gaming to reach the audience they previously accessed only through other media channels. This shift not only helps brands and IPs reach a larger audience but also offers more creative and immersive experiences for players, as they can interact directly with the IPs”. - Ismael Jorge Soler, IP Licensing Business Development Lead -