Camsing International, the Hong Kong company that is currently sparring with Stan Lee, has licensed the rights to build a mainland China venue based on the free-to-play mobile “Travel Frog” game.
“Travel Frog” is a game owned by Japan’s Hit-Point, and launched last year. The game (aka “Tabikaeru”) involves users preparing food for a mysterious frog which they are supposed to own, but which they have little control of once it has hopped off into the garden.
Chinese e-commerce giant, Alibaba acquired exclusive distribution rights to the game for mainland China, where it became wildly popular. Camsing struck its deal with Alibaba.
Camsing, which claims a pan-entertainment strategy, has previously licensed properties including “World of Warcraft, “Star Wars,” Justice League,” “Transformers,” “Superwings” and “Boonie Bears” from IP owners including DIsnery, Warner Bros., Blizzard Entertainment, Hasbro and Fantawild. It struck an earlier license deal with Alibaba to develop derivative products to its “Molang” property.
The company did not say where or when it would build the theme space. In a statement, Camsing’s female chairman Lo Ching said that the development would benefit from Alibaba’s brand strength and its own operational skills.
Camsing acquired legendary comic creator Lee’s Pow! Entertainment in May last year for an undisclosed sum. In recent weeks he has launched a $1 billion lawsuit against Camsing, He argued that the Hong Kong-listed company had taken advantage of his failing eyesight to trick him into selling his creations. Before that, Lee began legal proceedings against Jerardo Olivarez, a former publicist and business manager. The suit accused Olivarez of draining Lee’s accounts of $1.4 million and using his blood to create a commemorative stamp without Lee’s consent.
Camsing hit back. “The complaint is completely without merit. In particular, the notion that Mr. Lee did not knowingly grant POW! Entertainment the exclusive rights to his creative works or his identity is so preposterous that the company has to wonder whether Mr. Lee is personally behind this lawsuit,” Camsing said in a press statement. The company also said that Lee and his daughter remain substantial POW! Entertainment shareholders.
