The Canadian toymaker Spin Master just logged one of its biggest single deals to date, announcing a multi-year agreement to become the global master toy licensee for Riot Games’ League of Legends, the most-played PC game in the world. Spin Master will develop products including action figures, playsets and role play items, with an anticipated on-shelf date in the Fall of 2021.
LoL’s popularity has gained in strength after more than a decade on the market, generating $1.5 billion in revenue in 2019. Spin Master is a major player in their own sector, with a $3 billion-plus market cap and $571 million in Q3 revenue. Spin Master is also an accomplished producer of digital media content in its own right, producing among other things the popular and very profitable Paw Patrol series.
“Spin Master is excited to collaborate with Riot Games to bring innovation and meticulous attention to detail to the rich characters and unique worlds in League of Legends,” said John Blaney, Spin Master’s Senior Vice President of Licensing. “Our League of Legends lineup will appeal to fans of all ages, delivering high-quality products on the cutting edge. We look forward to delivering enhanced collectability and unique play experiences for the massive global League of Legends fan base both on and offline.”
Riot Games has been working hard to increase the game’s profile across multiple entertainment sectors and industries, for example creating popular ‘Virtual Influencer’ characters from the LoL game that appear in music videos and sell their own songs. As the game characters become more popular, the move to a comprehensive line of toys was a natural fit.
“Spin Master is the perfect partner for the League of Legends franchise and together we have the opportunity to enhance our champions and their stories giving players the opportunity to go even deeper into the League of Legends universe,” said Christian Bayley, Director, Brand Management for consumer products at Riot Games.
The agreement was brokered by CAA-GBG, the global licensing representative for Riot Games. “We are excited to have brought together two power houses in gaming and toys. Spin Master’s passion for the League of Legends IP stood out as a key differentiator, and we are excited to go on this journey with Spin Master and Riot Games,” said Robert Schwartz, Vice President of Sales & New Business Development, CAA-GBG.