NEWS Sonic stationery snapped up by retail
Tesco, Morrisons and more get behind the 20th anniversary of Sega’s mascot with a new back-to-school range by Dominic Sacco
IT’S SONIC’S 20th anniversary this year and to celebrate Sega is pushing a line of merchandise to retail. The publisher has partnered with design firm Blueprint which has produced Sonic- branded stationery, bags and other back- to-school items. These have already been ordered by a host of retailers including WH Smith, Debenhams, Next, Ryman, Tesco and Morrisons
and will launch across the UK and Ireland this summer. “We have a lot of great partners on board already for different merchandise,” Sega’s head of brand licensing for Europe Sissel Henno told MCV. “We’ve merchandise that targets kids and parents individually, and then licences that appeal to the family as a joint experience, for instance the many
promotions we have run with
“
SPECIALIST PC publisher Excalibur will release a boxed version of digital hit Zombie Driver.
The action title was
nominated for Racing Game of the Year at the Golden Joystick Awards last year. It was previously download- only and was originally released in 2009 by Exor.
Now Excalibur is bringing it to the High Street on Friday, May 13th.
The firm is known for its line of PC sim games such as Farming Simulator 2011. “We consider the retail and online sectors as essentially separate groups of consumer, so we are bringing Zombie Driverto a new audience who are more comfortable with purchasing their product
in the traditional boxed format,” Excalibur’s MD Robert Stallibrass told MCV. The PC game is a top- down vehicle-based combat title which allows players to rescue civilians and mow down crowds of zombies. Excalibur is promoting the game with an email campaign that it says will reach the desktops of over 240,000 gamers in the UK. The
I believe there is a vast untapped potential for licensing based on games.
Sissel Henno, Sega
Burger King and Pizza Hut, as well as our collaboration with Alton Towers. “I believe there is still a vast untapped potential for licensing based on games, and we will see an increase
Zombie Driver zooms to retail
Excalibur delivers boxed SKU of online PC game in May Ads to reach 240,000 players by Dominic Sacco
publisher will also be offering competitions for ‘I’m A Zombie Driver’ car stickers. Stallibrass added: “We strongly support retail, and therefore this version will not require Steam activation or any other online method. We want the player to be mowing down zombies rather than ever more complex online installations.” Excalibur: 01869 338833
Excalibur MD Robert Stallibrass is expanding the publisher’s range with Zombie Driver
in overall sales as more retailers start listing the stock and see the results in their sell-through numbers.” Just last month Sega announced it is ramping up its merchandise range by seeking partnerships to create new product lines ahead of Sonic’s 20th anniversary on June 23rd. Sega is running several in-store merchandise promotions with retailers, including a Sonic island with Toys ‘R’ Us.
Read more about games merchandise on page 29. Sega: 020 8995 3399
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