Celebrating 20 Years of Xbox and Halo and the Blockbuster Launch of Halo Infinite
Ahead of the launch of Halo Infinite on December 8, Total Brand Licensing delves deeper into these record-breaking brands to see how the saga will continue with the most ambitious Halo ever.
Nearly 20 years after the launch of the first Xbox console, the brand has become a household name. With the recent launch of its next generation console, the Xbox Series X was the bestselling console launch in Xbox history and with Xbox Game Pass, players can access a selection of more than 100 games and exclusive titles on console, PC, and mobile.
Tinderbox worked with Microsoft to launch the European licensing programme for Xbox in 2019, and has supported the Halo licensing programme since 2015, and as it looks forward to the 20th anniversary celebrations, the programmes are evolving, seeing strength across an extremely wide demographic.
Xbox
The Xbox brand continues to grow beyond the platform with consumer products as a conduit, through high-end collaborations with popular culture brands to traditional consumer products categories at mass retail. The European Xbox consumer products programme launched at gaming and specialist retail in 2019, with a mass release in 2020 which gained much traction with placement through 2021. Xbox, now an established, all-year-round brand, boasts fashion partners including H&M, Primark, C&A, NEXT, M&S, as well as grocers Tesco, Asda and Sainsbury. Other recent activity includes successful placement with adult and kids apparel, homewares, and accessories. Also, venturing into new categories with the first ever Xbox celebration cake, produced by Finsbury Foods. The cake launched in the UK in Sept 2020 and became a top selling cake in category with leading grocers.
To celebrate the 20th anniversary, Xbox partnered with Adidas to design custom sneakers inspired by the first and second generation Xbox consoles. In addition, Xbox partnered with Ukonic to develop a mini-fridge cooler modeled on the Xbox Series X which sold out instantly.
Halo
Exclusively published by Xbox Game Studios and developed by 343 Industries, the Halo franchise is an award-winning collection of properties that has transcended video games and has grown into a global entertainment phenomenon. Beginning with the original “Halo: Combat Evolved” (2001), the critically acclaimed and record-shattering series of games propelled the Halo franchise into a multibillion-dollar transmedia juggernaut consisting of multiple novels featured on the New York Times Best Sellers list, an upcoming live action series on Paramount+, toys, collectibles, apparel, homewares, accessories, and more, which has built a fanbase of millions worldwide.
Strategic partnerships have been secured to celebrate the anniversary. Forbidden Planet, the UK’s leading pop culture store, has long been a supporter of the Halo franchise, showcasing the novels and graphic novels set in the Halo universe, making it perfect sense to partner with the retail chain to produce bespoke product for the anniversary. There are a range of 20th anniversary products available to pre-order, and in store from November. EXG launched a Cable Guy Device Holder, featuring the Master Chief and Cortana from Halo: Combat Evolved. Following the successful launch of Xbox jewelry in 2020, King Ice has also launched a Halo collection.
Halo Infinite Halo Infinite is the sixth main entry in the Halo series and will be released on December 8 2021, with campaign mode and free-to-play multiplayer available on Xbox Game Pass from day one and playable on Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, and PC.
There have been numerous licensing activities in support of the upcoming launch, longtime partner Mega Construx have released many new construction sets for Halo Infinite, the sets can be found on Amazon and at Forbidden Planet. Funko POP! Is launching Halo Infinite figures; and Jazwares will release a new line of the 6.5-inch Spartan Collection and 4-inch World of Halo figures featuring the Master Chief with Grappleshot.. Dreamtex Halo bedding is currently available at Very and Lost Universe; and EMP, licensing partner and online retailer, will have exclusive Halo product and a Halo section on its webstore. Hasbro’s Nerf Halo MA40 blaster is seeing fantastic retail support throughout the UK and Europe with Argos, Game, GameStop, Micromania, HMV, Zavvi and Amazon all placing this SKU. 1000toys have a high-end action figure in the form of Halo Infinite 1/12 Scale Master Chief Mjolnir Mark VI [GEN 3].
For all brand licensing enquiries in the EU, please contact Dave Tovey, Head of Tinderbox, dave.tovey@beanstalk.com Tinderbox, Beanstalk’s digital media division can be located at BLE stand B193.