[GC Monthly] The Age of IP: My Visit to Licensing Expo

Hello, this is JH Kim from GC US. It's been a while! 🙋‍♀️

Following a strong first quarter, we're continuing to see major game releases arrive in Q2. Lately, I've been having a lot of fun tracking the performance of newly launched titles through ContentFlux. For example, Subnautica 2, which launched just a week ago, is already ranked #27 on YouTube and #14 on Twitch. The game has reportedly surpassed 4 million copies sold, and both its content performance and the strength of the IP itself have been truly impressive.

As we covered in our ongoing article series with This Is Game ("How Did Avatar Simulation Game Friends Together Island Perform on Streaming Platforms?"), Friends Together Island also entered the YouTube and Twitch Top 100 almost immediately after launch. Likewise, Forza Horizon 6, which launched only a few days ago, has comfortably secured a place in the Top 100.

Looking at these games that have managed to stand out despite launching during the highly competitive April–May release window, I noticed one common trait: they are all built upon established IPs. 🧐

With that in mind, I'd like to introduce Licensing Expo Las Vegas, which I attended for the first time this year.

Although I've spent many years in the gaming industry, I had actually never heard of Licensing Expo before. 😳 If there hadn't been a company I absolutely needed to meet telling me, "Let's meet there," I probably still wouldn't know about the event even now.

As it turns out, Licensing Expo was traditionally centered around licensing deals within the toy and merchandise industry. Over time, however, it expanded into entertainment, gaming, sports, fashion, food and beverage, and many other categories, evolving into the large-scale event it is today. 🎲

The event was held for three days, from May 19–21, at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center in Las Vegas. Despite being a B2B event, attendance reportedly exceeded 10,000 participants.

The expansive exhibition floor was divided into Brand/Agent and Characters & Entertainment sections. From traditional IP holders such as Warner Bros. and Paramount to broadcasters like BBC and TBS, as well as major anime, gaming, and influencer agencies, there was an incredible amount to see.

The major Japanese IP powerhouses—Pokémon, Sega, Bandai Namco, and Konami—were impossible to miss. HoYoverse and the developers behind Free Fire were also present. Representing Korea were KOCCA (Korea Creative Content Agency), The Pinkfong Company, CookieRun: Kingdom, and Bread Barbershop.

GC News 🔔

Coachella x bibigo Sticky Rice Collaboration 🌴

Coachella is now a well-known event in Korea as well. Featuring star-studded lineups including Justin Bieber, Sabrina Carpenter, and BIGBANG, Coachella 2026 generated tremendous attention both in Korea and globally—and GC was part of it too.

We ran a campaign delivering CJ CheilJedang's bibigo Sticky Rice products to hungry influencers attending Coachella. 🍚

The campaign was inspired by the unique nature of Coachella as a two-week festival where many attendees stay nearby for an extended period. By positioning bibigo Sticky Rice as a convenient and satisfying meal option for festival-goers, we were able to organically introduce the product to a large audience through influencer content.

Want to see more content? 🔎

"Coachella was amazing... now its time to sleep for a week."

"day 3 coachella with @bibigo.global"

"my day 2 never posted😭"

Gamescom Latam 🇧🇷 Recap

As I mentioned previously, I had the opportunity to attend Gamescom Latam as a speaker.

The exhibition space was even larger than G-Star, featuring games from a wide range of developers and publishers. One of the most memorable sights was the massive line of visitors waiting to play Phantom Blade, developed by a Chinese studio.

Several local partners told me that everything inside the booth—including the decorations and booth structure itself—had been shipped directly from China. 👀

Now that Gamescom Latam has joined the long-established Brasil Game Show, I also met Brazilian game companies wondering whether the two events will continue to coexist or if one will eventually surpass the other.

It's Buddha's Birthday holiday season in Korea, right? Here in the U.S., we're celebrating Memorial Day weekend.

I hope everyone enjoys the beautiful spring and early summer weather and has a wonderful holiday. 😊

ContentFlux

We're continuing our weekly ContentFlux article series in partnership with This Is Game. In case you missed any of our previous articles, here are some recent highlights:

• NTE Reaches 35 Million Pre-Registrations — Has Its Popularity Extended to Game Streaming?

• How Did Avatar Simulation Game Friends Together Island Perform on Streaming Platforms?

• Marathon Returns After 30 Years — What Happened to Its Streaming Metrics After the Initial Hype?

• Measuring the Popularity of Diana and the Global Streaming Performance of Pragmata

• Over 100 Million Views but Only 64 on Metacritic — The Report Card for Pokémon Champions