Mattel has been trying to turn its iconic toy box IPs into a video game library for almost as long as consoles have existed. The company introduced Intellivision in 1979, licensed Barbie’s first computer game in the ’80s, and has since put Hot Wheels, He-Man, and even Thomas the Tank Engine into games of varying degrees of quality, with a few breakout successes. Most of those projects were made with outside developers, leaving Mattel to provide the characters while someone else decided how players would interact with them. The company followed a similar playbook in Hollywood before the success of Barbiedemonstrated the value of exerting more control over how its properties are developed. Mattel now appears ready to apply that lesson to the digital frontier, announcing a new division capable of building new experiences instead of simply handing another company the keys to the Dreamhouse.
Videos by ComicBook.com
According to PC Gamer, Mattel has officially launched Mattel Game Studios, a new division that brings together nearly 300 artists, engineers, designers, and producers under one banner. The studio is expected to develop, publish, and maintain games based on Mattel properties for Roblox, Fortnite, and mobile. Mattel has already confirmed the soft launch of UNO Wild, and a new Hot Wheels game is in development, although it has not yet announced which brands will be getting new Robloxexperiences. The announcement confirms the company is investing heavily in the platform, but it hasn’t promised every toy in the company’s catalogue is about to receive its own game. Players expecting to jump straight into Castle Grayskull Tycoon will have to wait a beat, if not an Eternia.
Not Mattel’s First Block Party
This is not Mattel’s first trip through the Bloxverse. Gamefam’s Barbie DreamHouse Tycoon lets players construct a home and explore Malibu without ever having to consider the drive time into LA. Their American Girl brand also had a successful launch on the platform in American Girl World from developer Melon, reaching over 5.3 million visits. Monster High, Uno, and Masters of the Universe have all portaled into Robloxthrough partnerships with outside developers and integrations with pre-existing games. The difference now is that Mattel has a studio more than capable of handling the work itself. The new publisher grew out of Mattel163, a mobile game developer that operated as a joint venture with Marvel Rivals developer NetEase prior to Mattel acquiring full ownership.
Mattel’s pivot recognizes that its brands only stay relevant if they keep showing up where kids already are. In the 1980s that meant Saturday morning cartoons. In 2026, that increasingly means Robloxand Fortnite, where younger audiences aren’t just watching characters on screen, but playing with them, customizing them, and spending hours in worlds built for them. For Mattel, the new studio is less about chasing a gaming trend than updating a playbook they’ve successfully used for decades. Barbie, Masters of the Universe, and Hot Wheels have survived because Mattel has always kept an eye on where they can engage their audience. Right now, that engagement is happening on Roblox.
Pokémon Movie Director Just Joined Roblox to Create An Entirely New Universe In-Game
More Gaming
Gaming
2 hours ago
Remake of 2003 PS2 Game Now Available on PS5 for $4
<img src="https://comicvibe.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Pokemon-2026-World-Championships-Pikachu-Promo-with-Worlds-Logo.webp" alt="Pokemon Fans Can Now Claim a Free Pikachu Promo Card (Here’s How to Get It)”>Courtesy of The Pokemon Company
Gaming
2 hours ago
Pokemon Fans Can Now Claim a Free Pikachu Promo Card (Here’s How to Get It)
Gaming
3 hours ago
GTA 6 Leaks Continue Despite Rockstar’s Efforts to Catch the Culprit
Gaming
3 hours ago
New Roblox Feature Has Started Another Collecting Craze & Players Are Already Overpaying
Gaming
15 hours ago
Xbox Game Comes to PS5 and Scores Nearly Perfect PlayStation Store Review Score
<img src="https://comicvibe.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/n-i-n-t-e-n-d-o-s-w-i-t-c-h-2_9b366f.png" alt="New Collection of SNES and Sega Genesis Games Announced Exclusively for Nintendo Switch 2″>
Gaming
16 hours ago
New Collection of SNES and Sega Genesis Games Announced Exclusively for Nintendo Switch 2
Gaming
19 hours ago
PC Game With 96/100 Rating Is 100% Free on Steam
Courtesy of Valve
Gaming
19 hours ago
14 Years Later, This Competitive FPS Is Still The Gold Standard For Others To Follow
