Mattel Launches Its Own Game Studio to Bring Barbie, Uno, and Hot Wheels to Video Games

Mattel has taken a decisive step toward turning its classic toys into interactive franchises for consoles, PCs, and mobile devices. The American toy giant announced the formation of Mattel Game Studios, an internal division focused exclusively on developing, publishing, and managing its own digital games based on brands like Uno, Barbie, and Hot Wheels.

The new structure operates under Mattel Digital Studios, the organization that previously handled licensed games and external partnerships. Now, the company is consolidating development, publishing, and marketing strategies under one team.

Global Structure and Focus on Original Games

Mattel Game Studios kicks off with about 300 professionals spread across offices in Los Angeles, USA, and Hangzhou, China. The team includes artists, designers, programmers, producers, and live ops experts—a model focused on keeping games active and profitable through ongoing content updates.

According to Marcus Liasides, Global Director of Mattel Digital Studios, the in-house studio provides the technical capability to build original experiences without abandoning strategic collaborations with other major studios in the market.

Integration of Mattel163 and Financial Impact

The official announcement of the new studio continues a move that began in February 2026, when Mattel took full control of Mattel163—the mobile game developer originally created in partnership with Chinese company NetEase.

The effects of the acquisition are already showing in earnings: Mattel163 generated nearly $49 million in revenue in the second quarter alone, according to the company's CFO, Paul Ro.

In the latest financial report, Mattel recorded net sales of $1.1 billion, up 10% from the prior year. Despite the revenue expansion, the period ended with a net loss of $18 million, compared to a profit of $53 million in the same quarter the previous year. Progress in high-margin areas like digital gaming aims to balance the company's profitability against the volatility of the physical toy industry.

Uno Wild and Upcoming Digital Releases

The division is already working on a practical timeline. Mattel Game Studios has begun the soft launch of Uno Wild, a regional technical test designed to calibrate the experience and audience engagement before a global rollout.

CEO Ynon Kreiz confirmed that Uno Wild has met all initial production goals and is expected to begin global commercial distribution in early 2027. The project leads the brand's efforts to turn card and tabletop games into lasting digital ecosystems.