Bobble Bots Moshi Monsters
HEXBUG® CREATOR PARTNERS WITH GLOBAL KIDS HIT MOSHI MONSTERS™ TO LAUNCH ALL NEW BOBBLE BOTS™ BRAND & PRODUCT LINE
Innovation First International inks deal with Mind Candy to bring Bobble Bots™ Moshi Monsters to retail in Europe and North America this Spring
Greenville, Texas – January 10, 2012 – Innovation First International, masterminds behind the internationally recognized HEXBUG® Micro Robotic Creatures brand, today announced it is launching a new Bobble Bots™ brand and product line. For this new licensing partnership, the company has joined forces with Mind Candy – the entertainment firm behind the globally successful Moshi Monsters brand – on the debut range: Bobble Bots™ Moshi Monsters. Due to hit shelves across Europe and North America this Spring, the new brand marks Innovation First's ongoing expansion at retail.
Based on the hugely popular and collectible Moshling characters of Monstro City, the cute and cuddly bobble-head mini robotic pets and customizable playsets leverage the patented HEXBUG Nano vibration technology. The range will see Moshi Monsters brought to life for its 50 million fans worldwide as the tiny Moshlings buzz around exploring their customizable environment.
Moshi Monsters is an online world for kids aged 6-12. Kids can adopt, customize and nurture their own pet monster, collect Moshlings (pets for their monsters), communicate with friends in a safe environment, play games and educational puzzles, share artwork, customize their rooms and much more. The brand has proved just as popular in the real world with best selling books, video games, toys and a Moshi Magazine.
The initial assortment of Bobble Bots™ Moshi Monsters products available at launch will include 24 battery operated collectible Moshlings and a variety of configurable 3-D "dollhouse" replicas of the streets, yards, buildings and houses found online in Monstro City. Every Bobble Bots™ Moshi Monsters product will include secret codes to unlock digital assets in the online world, further enhancing the user experience and designed to drive re-engagement back to the site.
"We are thrilled to partner with the global Moshi Monster sensation as we step into new and exciting product areas," said Tony Norman, president and chief executive officer of Innovation First International. "Fueled by the rapid growth and success of the HEXBUG brand, we are excited to inject our patented vibrating movement technology into this new line of toys, while introducing new social play patterns so kids can collect Moshlings, care for them, and accessorize their own personalized Monstro City in the physical world."
"We're proud to work with Innovation First, whose approach to product development goes hand in hand with our brand philosophy of delivering ground breaking entertainment experiences that are fun, safe and educational for kids of all ages," said Darran Garnham, chief business development officer, Mind Candy. "We've had a successful transition into the offline world up to this point and are excited to see our fans reaction to this new and innovative range."
Innovation First International will be showcasing the new Bobble Bots™ Moshi Monsters product line by appointment at the 2012 London Toy Fair from January 24-26, 2012 at the London Olympia Exhibition Centre, the Spielwarenmesse International Toy Fair in Nuremburg, Germany from February 1-6, 2012 and at the American International Toy Fair in New York from February 12-15, 2012 at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center.
About Innovation First International
Innovation First International was founded on the belief that innovation very early in the design process is necessary to produce simple and elegant product designs. Innovation First International's three main subsidiaries, VEX Robotics, Inc., Innovation First Labs, Inc. (makers of HEXBUG® Micro Robotic Creatures), and RackSolutions, Inc. span the education, consumer and business-to-business markets. For more information visit www.bobblebots.com.
About Mind Candy
Online gaming and entertainment company, Mind Candy was founded by internet entrepreneur Michael Acton Smith (CEO) in 2004. The company created Moshi Monsters, which has over 50m players around the world and is now expanding rapidly offline into books, toys, trading cards, TV and film. Mind Candy's first project was the Transmedia game Perplex City that played out across different media including websites, text messages, magazines, live events, skywriting and multiple helicopters. Prior to Mind Candy, Michael co-founded Firebox.com (online retailer of gadgets, games and gifts), Berwickstock (boutique music festival) and Second Chance Tuesday (events to connect technology investors with entrepreneurs).
About Moshi Monsters™
Moshi Monsters is an online world for boys and girls aged 6-12. The site is filled with exciting characters, educational puzzles, nurturing play patterns, customization tools and a social layer so kids can share, show-off and communicate with their friends in a safe environment – similarly to the way adults interact on Facebook.
Children choose from one of six virtual pet monsters - Furi, Poppet, Diavlo, Zommer, Luvli and Katsuma – that they can create, name and nurture. Once their pet has been customized, players can navigate their way around Monstro City, taking the daily puzzle challenge to earn 'Rox' (virtual currency), playing games, solving Super Moshi Missions, personalizing their room, showing off their artwork, reading stories and communicating with friends in a safe environment.
Since its launch in 2008, the site has accumulated over 50m registered users worldwide. Following its huge online success, Moshi Monsters has exploded from its online base into the real world with an array of physical product offerings including best-selling toys, books, membership cards, trading cards and much more. Moshi Magazine launched in February 2011 and is now the largest UK kids title in the UK! ...and there's loads more to come with Moshi TV, Moshi Live and Moshi Music currently in development! For more information visit www.moshimonsters.com.