Mattel has created a nearly 300-person internal games organisation, combining its existing gaming teams while continuing to pursue both internally developed titles and external studio partnerships.
Mattel is getting considerably more serious about video games.
The company behind Hot Wheels, Barbie, UNO, Masters of the Universe and plenty more has formed Mattel Game Studios, a new internal organisation bringing together almost 300 employees as it looks to accelerate its push into digital gaming.
Rather than being a single development studio working on one project, the new organisation brings Mattel's existing gaming teams and capabilities together under one banner.
It's another major step in the company's growing ambitions within games.
Mattel Game Studios brings the company's existing gaming teams and capabilities together under one internal organisation.
Earlier this year, Mattel completed its acquisition of the remaining 50% of mobile developer Mattel163 from NetEase.
The studio has already found considerable success adapting Mattel properties, with games including UNO!, Phase 10, Skip-Bo and UNO Wonder.
Its titles have collectively surpassed 550 million downloads, according to Mattel.
The company's gaming strategy isn't limited to mobile, either.
Mattel plans to combine internally developed and self-published games with external partnerships, giving other developers opportunities to work with its enormous catalogue of established properties.
We've already seen what some of those partnerships can produce.
Hot Wheels Unleashed and its sequel turned the toy brand into arcade racers, while Mattel properties have continued appearing across platforms including Roblox and Fortnite.
Mattel's model gives it several routes into games at once: build internally, self-publish selected projects, or partner with established developers that can reinterpret its brands for different audiences and platforms.
With nearly 300 people now brought together within Mattel Game Studios, the company has considerably more resources to develop that strategy.
And Mattel certainly isn't short on potential source material.
From Hot Wheels and Barbie to Matchbox, Monster High, Thomas & Friends and Masters of the Universe, there are decades of recognisable properties available to experiment with.
The interesting question is what Mattel Game Studios decides to turn into a game next.
Keep Calm and waka waka...
