The Game Catchers Secures Season Two & New Partners

Rai Ragazzi and ICI Radio-Canada Télé have commissioned a second season of The Game Catchers, while GoldBee has secured new partnerships for season one.

The Finnish pubcaster Yle picked up season one for its free-to-air channel and VOD platform, Yle Areena. In Asia, Singapore’s MediaCorp acquired the first season for Channel 5 and its VOD platform weWATCH, while Hong Kong’s PCCW bought it for ViuTV and China’s Wing Sight acquired the VOD rights.

The new agreements follow the series launch on Rai Yoyo in Italy, where it ranked at the top of the VOD charts. It also premiered on ICI Radio-Canada Télé in Canada and on Canal Panda (KidsMe-DeAgostini) in Spain.

Produced by Sphere Animation (formerly Sardine Productions) and Studio Bozzetto, The Game Catchers centers on five friends who go on interstellar journeys to explore other planets with the aim of learning about, playing and collecting playground games so they are never lost.

Rai Ragazzi and ICI Radio-Canada Télé, the original commissioners, have ordered a second season of 52 episodes following the series’ successful launch.

GoldBee distributes global rights to the series, except in Spanish-speaking territories and Central Europe, where ForFun Distribution manages the rights. KidsMe handles nonlinear rights in Italy and audiovisual rights in Spain and Portugal.

“We are thrilled to see such great ratings generated by The Game Catchers, and the quick decision to produce a second season by the original commissioners says a lot about the success of the series,” said Christophe Goldberger, managing director of GoldBee.

Pietro Pinetti, CEO of Studio Bozzetto, said, “We are very proud of our product and thankful to Rai Ragazzi and ICI Radio-Canada Télé who, since the first episode, believed in The Game Catchers. We hope it will be an even bigger success.”

Ghislain Cyr, senior VP of original content animation and producer at Sphere Animation, added, “It is fantastic to count on such supportive partners from both sides of the ocean. We feel privileged to continue this adventure with our friends at Studio Bozzetto and soon to be able to offer even more great stories to our local and international audiences.”