Konami Taps Major Publishers to Expand Yu-Gi-Oh! Franchise

Konami Cross Media NY is betting that a nearly 30-year-old Japanese card game can win over a new generation of readers.

The company announced at the Brand Licensing Europe show in London on Monday that it had struck publishing agreements with Random House Children's Books and Italy's Panini Group to produce Yu-Gi-Oh! books for young audiences across North America, Europe, and Latin America. The deals give Random House exclusive rights in the U.S. and Canada, while Panini will cover Europe and Central and South America.

Both publishers plan to start with children's sticker books, with Panini rolling out multilingual editions beginning in France and French-speaking Belgium. The agreement represents Konami's latest effort to extract value from Yu-Gi-Oh!, which originated as a manga series in Weekly Shonen Jump in 1996 and has grown into one of Japan's most lucrative entertainment properties.

Yu-Gi-Oh! Trading Card Game Drives Konami's Publishing Strategy

The franchise has maintained its position as a powerhouse in the trading card market. During the 2023-24 fiscal year, Yu-Gi-Oh! generated approximately 47.1 billion yen (roughly $302 million) in Japan alone, ranking second only to Pokémon, according to figures from Media Create. The trading card game had sold 35 billion cards worldwide by January 2021, making it one of the best-selling card games in history.

Konami has increasingly looked to licensing deals to diversify revenue beyond its core gaming business. The company's fiscal 2024 annual report highlighted the strategic importance of licensing and cross-media revenue streams, though it didn't break out specific figures for merchandise sales. Previous partnerships have included German publisher Carlsen and U.S.-based Landoll Publishing, which produced activity books and coloring books.

The publishing push comes as Yu-Gi-Oh! continues to find audiences in digital formats. Master Duel, a free-to-play mobile and PC game launched in 2022, surpassed 60 million downloads by 2024, while Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel Links has maintained a steady player base since its 2016 debut.

The dual publishing agreements could reflect a broader strategy to maintain relevance for intellectual property approaching its fourth decade. By partnering with established publishers that have existing distribution networks, Random House's North American retail relationships, and Panini's European reach, Konami can generate steady licensing fees without shouldering the operational costs of book production and distribution.

The deals also hedge against the volatility of digital gaming revenues, which can fluctuate based on player engagement and platform changes. Physical books offer more predictable margins and longer shelf lives in retail channels.