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Mattel

Mattel is pivoting from IP licensor to in-house game publisher, building internal development capabilities across its flagship brands while expanding into Roblox, Fortnite, and beyond.

Current mandate

Mattel is actively repositioning itself as a direct publisher of games and interactive experiences, moving beyond its longstanding model of licensing IP to third-party developers. The company's second entry into the Fortnite UEFN creator platform, "Monster High: Paranormal Peril," and its first in-house Roblox title, "Monster High" (launched Oct. 24), mark concrete steps in that transition. Brands in active development or deployment include Monster High, Barbie, Hot Wheels, Masters of the Universe, Uno, Polly Pocket, and Street Sharks.

Over the past 12 months, Mattel has launched more than 23 standalone games and integrations across mobile, console, PC, and in-car platforms, according to recent coverage. The company also announced a partnership with OpenAI for further gaming development plans. Its Roblox IP licensing program, which now includes Polly Pocket and Street Sharks via the Roblox License Manager and Licenses catalog (with Matchbox and Rock 'Em Sock 'Em Robots listed as coming soon), continues to run in parallel with the new in-house publishing push. The company is applying learnings from the Monster High Roblox launch to subsequent titles across its portfolio.

For IP holders and script developers, the relevant access point is Mattel's content and brand partnerships infrastructure. The company has 13 decision makers tracked in recent coverage and logged 24 activity records in the past 12 months. With its first in-house developed and self-published mobile game slated for next year, Mattel is actively seeking projects and collaborators that can support character-driven, IP-rooted narratives with commercial platform reach. Outreach through established entertainment and licensing channels remains the most documented pathway.

Signature peaks

  • 7+ Active Brands in Pipeline — Monster High, Barbie, Hot Wheels, Masters of the Universe, Uno, Polly Pocket, Street Sharks
  • 500M+ Roblox Platform Visits (Barbie) — Cited by SVP Marcus Liassides as benchmark for licensed partner success
  • 13 Decision Makers Tracked — Across Mattel's content, digital, and brand partnerships functions

Mandate dimensions

Genre focus
Not disclosed
Territory focus
Not disclosed
Budget tier (observed)
Not disclosed
Access pattern
Mattel's most documented access pathway for external collaborators runs through formal brand licensing and entertainment partnership channels. For interactive content, the Roblox License Manager and Licenses catalog provides a structured, platform-mediated entry point. For film and scripted projects, prior activity points to major studio co-production arrangements as the primary vehicle. Industry representation through agents or entertainment attorneys is the recommended first step for any unsolicited approach. Thirteen decision makers are tracked across Mattel's content, digital, and brand partnerships functions.
Deal structure
Mattel's documented deal structures span two tracks. On the interactive side, the company is shifting from outbound IP licensing to third parties toward in-house development and self-publishing, funding and operating games directly across Roblox, Fortnite UEFN, mobile, console, PC, and in-car platforms. A parallel IP licensing program via the Roblox License Manager remains active for external developers. On the film and scripted side, co-production arrangements with major studios represent the established model. No specific deal terms or acquisition amounts have been publicly disclosed in recent coverage.

Market context

"These new games are developed by us. We're the publisher. We're putting them out there. We're funding the development. We're operating them going forward. And that's a muscle that we want to build out at Mattel so that we can do this many times for lots of different brands." — Marcus Liassides, SVP Global Head of Digital, Mattel

Mattel is actively repositioning itself as a direct publisher of games and interactive experiences, moving beyond its longstanding model of licensing IP to third-party developers. The company's second entry into the Fortnite UEFN creator platform, "Monster High: Paranormal Peril," and its first in-house Roblox title, "Monster High" (launched Oct. 24), mark concrete steps in that transition. Brands in active development or deployment include Monster High, Barbie, Hot Wheels, Masters of the Universe, Uno, Polly Pocket, and Street Sharks.

Common questions about Mattel

Does Mattel accept unsolicited scripts or IP pitches?

No public open-submission policy has been documented for Mattel. The company's current activity is concentrated on developing and publishing games built around its own existing IP portfolio, including Barbie, Hot Wheels, Monster High, and Masters of the Universe. External collaborators have historically entered through formal licensing arrangements or established entertainment partnerships. Unsolicited cold submissions are not a documented pathway; introductions through agents, entertainment attorneys, or industry events are the more reliable route.

What budgets does Mattel typically commit to film or game projects?

No specific budget figures for individual projects have been disclosed in recent coverage. Mattel has confirmed it is directly funding development and operations of its new in-house games, and it launched more than 23 standalone games and integrations in 2025 alone, suggesting meaningful internal investment. For film, the Barbie film (produced with Warner Bros.) set a high-profile precedent, but Mattel has not publicly stated per-project budget ranges for future film or scripted content.

Does Mattel use film festivals to discover new projects?

Festival acquisition activity is not documented in Mattel's recent coverage. The company's current acquisition and development signals are concentrated in the interactive and gaming space, with Roblox, Fortnite UEFN, mobile, and console as the primary platforms. For film and scripted IP, Mattel has historically worked through major studio co-productions rather than festival discovery. There is no recent evidence of a dedicated festival scouting mandate.

How do you get a project in front of Mattel decision makers?

Mattel has 13 decision makers tracked across its content, digital, and brand partnerships functions, according to recent activity data. The most documented access pathway runs through formal brand licensing and entertainment partnership channels. For interactive projects, the Roblox License Manager and Licenses catalog represents a structured, platform-mediated entry point. For film and scripted content, prior deals suggest studio co-production arrangements are the primary vehicle. Industry representation (agents, entertainment attorneys) is the recommended first step.

What genres and IP types is Mattel prioritizing right now?

Mattel is currently focused on character-driven narratives rooted in its own IP, with an emphasis on balancing commercial spectacle with emotional depth. Active brands include Monster High (horror-adjacent, co-op adventure), Masters of the Universe (action, emotional journey and vulnerability), Barbie, Hot Wheels, Uno, Polly Pocket, and Street Sharks. The company is targeting next-generation audiences across gaming platforms. For film, recent strategic language points to IP-based projects with broad commercial appeal and thematic substance.

Is Mattel actively acquiring new projects right now?

Mattel's 30-day and 90-day unique deal counts are currently at zero, though deal velocity registers at 1 for the 30-day window and the latest tracked signal is from May 2025. The company's near-term energy is concentrated on launching its first in-house self-published mobile game and scaling its Roblox and Fortnite UEFN presence. Active acquisition of external scripts or film rights is not prominently signaled in recent coverage, but the company's broader IP expansion strategy keeps it a relevant target for pitches tied to its existing brand universe.

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