The Creator of Barbie and Hot Wheels Aims to Enter the Video Game Market

Over four decades after licensing Barbie for a Commodore 64 spin-off, Mattel is diving headfirst into the gaming world by establishing an internal production pipeline to create its own games. The company, known for its Hot Wheels and other beloved toys, has unveiled Mattel Game Studios, a team of 300 developers dedicated to crafting and publishing original games inspired by its iconic brands, including Uno.

This new studio will operate from locations in Los Angeles and Hangzhou, China, and will be part of Mattel Digital Studios, which currently manages all licensing agreements for third-party games across mobile, console, and PC. Recently, they released Masters of the Universe: Legends Unite, a couch co-op roguelike for mobile, and teased UNO Wild, a fresh take on the classic game that is currently in a soft launch phase. Additionally, a new Hot Wheels game is reportedly in active development.

“Mattel Game Studios provides us with the scale and resources to create and publish more original gaming experiences inspired by our iconic brands,” stated Marcus Liassides, the new head of Mattel Digital Studios, in a recent announcement. “Our successful collaborations across the industry enhance our ability to connect with fans through engaging games, no matter where they choose to play.”

However, as many companies not already entrenched in game development have discovered, creating games is a challenging, costly, and often chaotic endeavor. Mattel’s competitor, Hasbro, recently pulled back from the gaming market after several high-profile cancellations and financial setbacks. Even tech giants have faced difficulties, with Amazon being the latest to abandon its in-house AAA game development efforts.

It’s hard to see how Mattel will fare differently unless it approaches this venture with more modest expectations. There have already been numerous successful games based on Mattel’s toy brands, and it remains to be seen what direct involvement in the creative process will bring.

This year, we can look forward to Barbie Rewind, a remastered anthology collection featuring decades of Barbie games. Hot Wheels Let’s Race: Ultimate Speed was released just last year. Perhaps Mattel will surprise us with a game that combines Hot Wheels with Grand Theft Auto or a modern cozy simulation featuring Barbie. Or, in a few years, we might be discussing layoffs at Mattel Digital Studios.