LEGO and Tencent form digital partnership

The collaboration will span digital games, a branded zone in Tencent's online video platform, a localized version of coding property LEGO Boost and the potential co-development of social network LEGO Life.
January 15, 2018

In an effort to boost digital safety awareness among children and parents in China, Danish brickmaker The LEGO Group and Chinese internet giant Tencent are joining forces on a number of new interactive kids experiences.

Along with developing new LEGO-branded licensed games, the companies will launch a LEGO zone in Tencent’s online video streaming platform and localize hit building and coding set LEGO Boost for the region.

LEGO may also enlist Tencent’s expertise to co-develop its popular new social network for under-13s, LEGO Life, in China. The app-focused platform launched a year ago in North America, the UK, France, Germany, Denmark, Austria and Switzerland, with more markets coming this year.

To ensure children’s safety online, LEGO’s Tencent partnership will comply with The LEGO Group’s Digital Child Safety Policy, which launched in 2016 as part of the company’s global partnership with UNICEF. In China, the policy is being developed with input from UNICEF and Tencent’s “Penguin Grow with You – Child Protection in Digital Age” framework and “Growth Guardian Platform.”

Despite a challenging fiscal 2017, LEGO has been on the lookout for new ways to leverage how it merges physical building and digital experiences, similar to LEGO Life and LEGO Boost.

It’s also among a number of major companies looking to capitalize on growth opportunities in China. Mattel, for one, recently formed a new JV with Shanghai-based investment company Fosun Group to introduce learning and play clubs for children and families across the region in early 2018. Mattel is also planning to launch another network of kid-focused learning centers in China developed in tandem with online parenting portal Babytree.

About The Author
Jeremy is the Features Editor of Kidscreen specializing in the content production, broadcasting and distribution aspects of the global children's entertainment industry. Contact Jeremy at jdickson@brunico.com.

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