m4e Scores Beyblade Brand for German-Speaking Territories

HÖHENKIRCHEN/MUNICH: Sunrights has named m4e the brand manager for the Beyblade franchise in German-speaking territories.

As part of the deal, m4e will now represent home-entertainment and merchandising rights for the brand. The company will look to attach a German broadcasting partner to the series in order to start developing a licensing program. The original Beyblade brand was launched in 1999 and is set to relaunch later this year in the U.S. and Canada as Beyblade Burst.

A toy line will be introduced in North America in late 2016 by master toy partner Hasbro, followed by a broader launch in most major international markets in 2017. The Beyblade Burst toy line will include a digital component for a fully immersive gaming experience.

Peter Kleinschmidt, the senior VP of group marketing and brand management at m4e, commented: “We are very proud of our trustful and long-lasting partnership with d‐rights and Sunrights. We know the brand and all involved partners very well and can’t wait to breathe new life into this cult franchise.”

Daizo Suzuki, the president of Sunrights, added: “I am very excited about this partnership and to watch Beyblade Burst grow globally in the Western markets.”