Gaming’s Expanding Influence: Licensing Expo 2026 to Host Panel on How Gaming Brands Are Shaping Mainstream Entertainment

Session featuring CD Projekt Red, Supercell, Ubisoft, and Think Influence will explore how gaming brands are redefining entertainment through licensing and cultural innovation, in a panel moderated by Game Developer

LAS VEGAS, May 04, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Informa Markets’ Licensing Expo, the world's most influential event for licensing, IP extension, and brand collaborations (May 19–21, Mandalay Bay Convention Center in Las Vegas, NV), announces a panel discussion that will spotlight the gaming industry’s transformative impact on mainstream entertainment. Titled "Beyond the Controller: How Gaming Brands Are Shaping Mainstream Entertainment," this session will explore how gaming brands are leveraging licensing to expand reach and redefine their role in the broader entertainment ecosystem.

From Consoles to Cultural Icons

With the global gaming market projected to reach an astounding USD 505.17 billion by 2030, driven by innovations like cloud gaming, mobile gaming, AR/VR advancements, and the continuing popularity of e-sports, the gaming industry is undergoing a seismic shift. Video game brands are moving beyond traditional gamer-focused products to reach broader audiences and establish themselves as cultural powerhouses.

For example, through an expanded publishing presence across novels and graphic novels, combined with performance driven collaborations like Venum and extensions into apparel, trading card games, and collectibles, Ubisoft’s Assassin’s Creed franchise continues to reach new audiences drawn to its immersive historical storytelling.

Additionally, Think Influence, a global licensing and brand partnerships agency representing community-driven gaming IP, including leading Roblox experiences, helps expand their reach beyond the platform. Through strategic partnerships, Think Influence supports properties including “Steal a Brainrot”, “Grow a Garden” and “Blox Fruits” as they extend into new audiences and categories. This expansion includes branded consumer products, collaborations with toy and fashion partners, and broader brand-building initiatives across retail and media.

From TV and film to beauty, collectibles, and location-based attractions, gaming brands are breaking new ground, building massive communities, and engaging new demographics. These examples illustrate how gaming brands are leveraging storytelling, multimedia platforms, and merchandise to transcend the gaming world, connect with diverse audiences, and redefine their role in the broader entertainment and cultural landscape. This panel will delve into the innovative strategies behind these moves, offering insights into how gaming brands are balancing the needs of devoted fans while capturing the attention of new audiences.

Session Highlights

In this must-attend session, Wednesday, May 20, 11:30 AM PST at the License Global Main Stage, industry leaders including Peter Betts, Founder of Think Influence; Nick McWhorter, Global Licensing Director at CD PROJEKT RED; Michelle Wun, Director of Global Consumer Products at Ubisoft; and Andrea Fasulo, Head of Global Licensing at Supercell, will discuss how gaming brands are evolving licensing strategies to transcend consoles and connect with general consumers. Moderated by Alissa McAloon, Editorial Director at Game Developer, the panel will provide attendees with actionable insights into how gaming brands are shaping the future of entertainment, building cultural relevance, and driving growth through innovative licensing partnerships.

Gaming at Licensing Expo: A Growing Focus

Licensing Expo will showcase the gaming industry’s growing influence on mainstream culture. From blockbuster franchises like Assassin’s Creed to mobile gaming sensations like Clash of Clans, gaming brands are using licensing to expand into new categories and create cultural touchpoints that resonate with diverse audiences. This panel is a unique opportunity for gaming professionals to learn how licensing can unlock new opportunities and drive growth in an increasingly competitive market.

“The gaming industry is no longer confined to consoles and controllers, it is a mode of entertainment that has the same legs for brand extension as TV or film, particularly when you think how deep the fandom is for gaming titles and amount of time invested by individual users,” says Amanda Cioletti, Vice President of Content and Strategy for the Global Licensing Group, which includes Licensing Expo, Brand Licensing Europe, and media brand License Global. “This session will spotlight the groundbreaking strategies gaming brands are employing to harness the power of licensing to expand their reach and redefine their influence in mainstream culture and consumer engagement.”

“For Ubisoft, moving beyond the console means treating our franchises as living ecosystems, not just games,” shares Michelle Wun, Director of Global Consumer Products at Ubisoft. “When iconic IPs like Assassin’s Creed are activated through the right partners and experiences, they naturally expand into lifestyle, culture, and entertainment, while staying authentic to the fans who made them iconic in the first place.”

“Video game brands are shaping mainstream culture faster than ever, and a lot of that momentum is coming from community-driven IP that grows in real time with its audience,” adds Peter Betts, Founder & Principal, Think Influence. “What I am most excited about with this panel is talking through how that is changing licensing, pushing it well beyond traditional gamer products and into toys, collectibles, fashion, retail collaborations and entertainment. The opportunity is huge, but the playbook has to evolve. The best programs move at the pace of digital culture, stay true to the community, and deliver partners and products that feel like a natural extension of what fans already love.”

Why This Matters

This session offers a rare glimpse into the strategies behind gaming’s expansion into pop culture. It is beyond just licensing, showcasing how gaming is shaping the future of consumer engagement and cultural relevance. This panel provides an opportunity to explore the intersection of gaming, licensing, and entertainment, offering fresh perspectives on how gaming brands are redefining their role in the broader cultural landscape.

Gaming’s Spotlight at Licensing Expo 2026

Licensing Expo 2026 will feature an impressive lineup of renowned brands across gaming, entertainment, fashion, toys, sports and more. Gaming brands represented at Licensing Expo include Angry Birds, The King of Fighters, Roblox, Riot Games, Minecraft, The Sims, Just Dance, HALO, Assassin’s Creed, and The Witcher, among hundreds of others. With over 5,000 brands represented across every category, the event promises to be a premier destination for networking, collaboration, and discovering the latest trends shaping the future of licensing and entertainment.

Retailers include Amazon.com, Barnes and Noble Booksellers, Character.com, Dick's Sporting Goods, GameStop, Hot Topic / Box Lunch, Miniso, POP MART International Group, Target Corporation, Walmart, attending Licensing Expo to discover innovative products, secure licensing partnerships, and explore opportunities to bring popular brands and franchises, such as those from the gaming industry, into stores to meet consumer demand and drive sales.

Join Us at Licensing Expo

Registration is open for Licensing Expo, taking place May 19–21, 2026, at Mandalay Bay. To attend, visit www.licensingexpo.com.

Licensing Expo is sponsored by industry association partner, Licensing International.

About Licensing Expo
Launched in 1980, Licensing Expo is the world's largest and most influential annual tradeshow dedicated to licensing and brand extension. Every year, more than 5,000 brands and 12,000 retailers, licensees, manufacturers, distributors, and licensing agents attend Licensing Expo from more than 70 countries. Licensing Expo is a part of the Global Licensing Group at Informa Markets, the licensing industry's leading tradeshow organizer and media partner.

About Global Licensing Group
The Global Licensing Group at Informa Markets, a subsidiary of Informa plc (LON:INF), is the licensing industry's leading tradeshow organizer and media partner. Its mission is to provide licensing opportunities around the world by bringing brands and products together. The following events and information products are produced for the licensing industry by the Global Licensing Group at Informa Markets: Licensing Expo, Brand Licensing Europe, Licensing Expo Shanghai, and License Global.

About Licensing International
Licensing International is the leading trade organization for the $369+ billion global brand licensing industry. Licensing International's mission is to foster the growth of brand licensing around the world, raise the level of professionalism for licensing practitioners, and create greater awareness of the benefits of licensing to the business community at large. Founded in 1985, more than 1,500 Licensing International member companies in over 40 countries enjoy access to an array of benefits, including extensive educational programming and worldwide networking events. Visit www.LicensingInternational.org for more information.

Media Contact
Informa Markets Licensing PR
LicensingPR@informa.com

Photos accompanying this announcement are available at
https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/fe655c73-72d3-4f9e-a150-1751b561f3f3
https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/0a386536-f6a7-465f-bc75-72d0cb66a101

Legal Disclaimer:

EIN Presswire provides this news content "as is" without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the author above.