Konami Signs Gormiti Toy License

Konami has announced the signing of an exclusive, global licensing agreement with Italian firm Giochi Preziosi and Marathon Media, to publish video games based on the Gormiti action figure and entertainment franchise. The franchise was first debuted in 2005 and has become Europe’s fastest growing action figure brand with over 100 million figures sold to date. The line was launched in the U.S. earlier this year, supported by a 52 episode, animated TV series named Gormiti: The Lords of Nature Return”. The toy line features two-inch tall, non-articulated figures together with a simple trading card element, not dissimilar to U.S. products such as HeroClix. The first games to be developed from the concept will be for the Wii and DS. The games will be developed by Konami’s internal European studio, in a move that may represent an increasing degree of autonomy for the Japanese publisher’s European offices. “The Gormiti license is one that is ideally suited to video games,” said Kunio Neo, president for Konami Digital Entertainment GmbH. “The collection side of it and the eternal battle between these elemental forces opens up a wide range of exciting possibilities.” “Konami’s global reach and marketing expertise combined with their proven ability to translate an action packed and character rich property like Gormiti into an exciting and sustainable video game franchise makes them a perfect partner to compliment and expand upon the Gormiti phenomenon,” said Giochi Preziosi CEO Dario Berte.