TEL AVIV, Israel, Nov. 25, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Plarium, a global leader in developing F2P mobile and PC games with more than 500 million registered gamers worldwide, today announced a collaboration with Universal Products & Experiences and Mattel, Inc., a leading global toy and family entertainment company and owner of one of the most iconic brand portfolios in the world, to bring Mattel’s iconic He-Man and Skeletor from the beloved Masters of the Universe™ franchise to the dark fantasy collection RPG RAID: Shadow Legends.
Beginning today through January 8, 2025, players can unlock Skeletor, the evil Lord of Destruction, for free through a 14-day loyalty program. To participate, players must log into RAID: Shadow Legends on seven different days before December 25, 2024, to permanently add this Legendary Champion to their roster. As a member of the Knights Revenant faction, Skeletor excels as a support Champion that applies powerful buffs and debuffs while controlling the Turn Meter during combat.
“We’re thrilled to give our players the opportunity to add He-Man and Skeletor to their roster of Champions,” said Ronen Gross, vice president of business development at Plarium. “The epic rivalry between these characters has captivated fans for generations, and now players can recreate these legendary battles in RAID: Shadow Legends. With our partners at Universal and Mattel, we ensured that He-Man and Skeletor stayed true to their franchise roots, and we can’t wait for players to meet these characters in RAID’s world of eccentric, powerful heroes and villains.”
The heroic defender of Castle Grayskull, He-Man, can be obtained as the final reward of the Elite Champion Pass feature, which allows players to complete Daily Quests and earn exclusive Champion-specific rewards. As a Sacred Order faction member, He-Man serves as a powerful attacker capable of overwhelming any opponent. A basic version of the Champion Pass, which includes a He-Man avatar and other in-game rewards, is available to all players for free. Both tiers of the Champion Pass will run through January 25, 2025, with December 25, 2024 being the last day to enroll.
To celebrate the launch, Plarium has released a short animation featuring the distinctive retro aesthetic reminiscent of the 1980s He-Man and the Masters of the Universe television series. The short follows Skeletor’s quest to find a new apprentice in his ongoing battle to defeat He-Man. After interviewing several unqualified candidates, Skeletor enlists fan-favorite RAID Champion Deathknight to be his henchman due to his strikingly similar appearance (overlooking he is perhaps the most unqualified candidate of them all).
“We were careful and deliberate in preserving Skeletor and He-Man’s classic look and personality, weaving it into RAID in a way that respects the past while contributing to his ongoing story,” continued Gross. “Our approach was simple: stay true to the characters and their legacy, and create something fans of all ages can enjoy.”
Mattel’s Masters of the Universe was first introduced to the world in 1982 through a line of popular action figures. In 1983, the treasured animated series He-Man and the Masters of the Universe premiered and became one of the first children’s programs to be syndicated on television. From inception, the Masters of the Universe brand was built upon the message of becoming the best version of oneself and today, the franchise spans a variety of consumer touchpoints across toys, television, digital gaming, and more.
RAID: Shadow Legends is available to download on iOS and Android mobile devices, as well as PC through the Microsoft Store, Epic Store, Steam, or the Plarium Play platform.
About Plarium
Plarium Global Ltd. is dedicated to creating the best mobile and PC experience for its community of over 500 million registered gamers worldwide. Our diverse portfolio includes 20 games ranging from mid-core RPGs to casual adventures, featuring acclaimed titles such as RAID: Shadow Legends, Mech Arena, Vikings: War of Clans, and Merge Gardens. The App Store and Google Play regularly feature our games, with Facebook twice recognizing us as a top hardcore Facebook developer. Our games are available on iOS, Android, and PC. They are also available through Plarium Play, our optimized game launcher for PC and Mac players. Plarium is part of Pixel United, the global mobile-first games publishing business of Aristocrat Leisure Limited (ASX code: ALL). Visit www.plarium.com for more information.
To learn more about Plarium, follow @PlariumGames on YouTube, @Plarium on Instagram, and Plarium on LinkedIn.
About Universal Products & Experiences
Universal Products & Experiences (UP&E) globally drives the expansion and elevation of NBCUniversal’s iconic collection of brands, intellectual properties, characters, and stories based on the company’s extensive portfolio of properties created by Universal Pictures, Illumination, DreamWorks Animation and NBCUniversal Television and Streaming. The division executes this through innovative physical and digital products, as well as engaging retail and product experiences across our expansive global theme park destinations (for both owned and third-party IP), location-based venues, e-commerce product platforms, and retailers around the world. Along with global brand strategy and creative, UP&E’s lines of business include Consumer Products and Games, along with Theme Parks Products & Retail. UP&E is a division of Universal Destinations & Experiences, part of NBCUniversal, a subsidiary of Comcast Corporation. More information is available at universalproductsexperiences.com.
About Mattel
Mattel is a leading global toy company and owner of one of the strongest portfolios of children’s and family entertainment franchises in the world. We create innovative products and experiences that inspire, entertain, and develop children through play. We engage consumers through our portfolio of iconic brands, including Barbie®, Hot Wheels®, Fisher-Price®, American Girl®, Thomas & Friends®, UNO®, Masters of the Universe®, Monster High® and MEGA®, as well as other popular intellectual properties that we own or license in partnership with global entertainment companies. Our offerings include film and television content, gaming and digital experiences, music, and live events. We operate in 35 locations and our products are available in more than 150 countries in collaboration with the world’s leading retail and ecommerce companies. Since its founding in 1945, Mattel is proud to be a trusted partner in empowering children to explore the wonder of childhood and reach their full potential. Visit us online at mattel.com.
