There's an extraordinary amount of IP licensing happening in video games at the moment. From live-service games such as Fortnite and PUBG growing their live-ops with franchises including Dragon Ball, Star Wars and Spider-Man to the creation of new video games such as Hypergames' Snufkin: Melody of the Moominvalley, that are based on existing franchises, there seems to be no end of video games using well-known franchises to boost their audience numbers.
While the list of IP-based video games and collaborations is growing bigger every day, game developers should know that collaborating with a well-known franchise isn't a cheat code to success. There have been many botched attempts at IP-based video games throughout the years, as anyone who's played Superman 64, or waded their way through the mountain of IP-based platform clones that littered the 90s, will know. Even the most powerful superheroes in the world weren't strong enough to save Marvel's Avengers after its troubled launch.
If you're a video game studio thinking about incorporating an existing franchise into your game – whether that's for a brand new game, a one-off collaboration or a limited-time event to boost your live ops – there's a lot you need to consider before you hit the ground running.