With spooky season upon us, Devolver Digital continues to grow the existing consumer products programme for ‘Kawai meets Goth’ video game IP Cult of the Lamb and is now looking towards Europe and Asia.
Developed by Massive Monster and published by Devolver Digital, Cult of the Lamb launched across eight gaming platforms in August 2022 and has already won five Australian Game Developer Awards, a Golden Joystick, Game of the Year at the Gaming Awards and three British Academy Games Awards by BAFTA nominations.
Described among other things as ‘a darkly enlightening experience that wholly delivers on the premise of its cutesy horror genre-mash-up,’ players take on the role of a cult leader who indoctrinates and sacrifices its members in an attempt to build a loyal community of woodland followers and become the one true cult.
Devolver has already built a strong CP programme in the US with 10 licensees onboard and key retail placements at geek/pop culture specialists. Products created to date include tarot cards, Knucklebones game and dice, figurines, apparel and accessories, stationery, homewares and deco, artworks and collectables. All will have hit retail by the end of this year.
Existing licensees include YouTooz, Artovision, Bioworld, FanGamer, Good Smile Company, Surreal Entertainment, FYE, Geekify, Level Up Dice and Comic Controllers.
“Cult of the Lamb was an overnight success and, in next to no time, it garnered a cult following of grassroots fans who love the mix of cute and occult and its irreverent attitude, so we knew there was a demand for more gaming content and consumer products,” commented Fée Heyer, head of global licensing and partnerships at Devolver Digital. “Our strategy on the licensing side was to lean into what fans wanted (really authentic product with a genuine connection to the game) and work incredibly fast to deliver it, which meant disrupting the traditional, long-lead licensing model. Youtooz figurines were available on pre-sale as early as February and a limited number of Bioworld t-shirts dropped in March 2023 while we worked on doubling the order for May. The ability to meet that immediate need from the community meant they didn’t walk. Instead, we have kept them happy, engaged and they’re eager for the next drop.”
Fée continued: “Recent LBE events like the ‘mock sacrifice’ that turned into a 6,000 person rave in Fed Square in Melbourne, or the classical rendition of the Cult of the Lamb score by the Victoria Orchestra this month, showed the need for a deeper experience and there are also a boardgame and graphic novel in the works. Next step is for us to find even more partners who want to ‘JOIN THE CULT’.”
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