Following the acquisition of game and toy brands Ridley’s Games, Petit Collage and Games Room from Wild + Wolf in November 2020, San Francisco-based publisher Chronicle Books has now officially launched, and begun fulfilling orders across its wholesale, retail and consumer channels.
“This is a very exciting time for Chronicle as we widen our reach into the games and toy market alongside our core book publishing and distribution business,” commented Tyrrell Mahoney, president of Chronicle Books. “We’re confident that these brands will continue to be a hit within the industry as well as delight and spark imagination among consumers.
“The Chronicle team, across many departments, have been working tirelessly for months ahead of the launch and we’ve been incredibly pleased with the response and feedback on the products from long-standing and new customers.”
The large-scale expansion into games and toys comes at a time during increasing consumer demand for games, activities, and all-ages indoor entertainment, with it expected to last well-beyond the impact of Covid-19. Significant growth plans have been outlined across all traditional and non-traditional retail channels and environments to achieve a more robust position in the marketplace.
The new lines and core products from each of the brands are available to purchase from Abrams & Chronicle Books, which distributes them into the UK and European markets.
New collections will be launched every Spring and Autumn for Petit Collage and Games Room, and annually in the Autumn for Ridley’s Games.
The upcoming Autumn 2021 collections across the three brands are set to hit shelves around August and will include titles such as Avocado Smash Party Edition from Ridley’s, a new version of the bestselling game; Rush to Recycle from Petit Collage, a fun board game to introduce children to recycling, and new formats for Games Room featuring Sudoku Puzzles and Pencil Set.
Autumn will also see new licensed collections launched within the UK and Europe, with new Disney, Marvel and Star Wars lines from Ridley’s Games, and Roald Dahl lines from Petit Collage.
Emma Holmes – previously one of the creative directors at Wild + Wolf – has joined Chronicle Books as head of brand for Ridley’s Games.
