CANNES, 22 October: Today, Fremantle announces a new partnership with Emmy award winning and Millennial and Gen-Z focused production company NewBe, and well known and long-established European Toy company Jumbo Group, to adapt Jumbo’s #1 best-selling music party game HITSTER into a game show.

Already a global hit across multiple territories, HITSTER is the ultimate music party game that has taken the world by storm, especially amongst the millennial and Gen-Z audiences. A universal game for all ages, the rules are simple – simply guess if a song was released before or after other songs in your music timeline. The player with the most cards on the correct timeline is crowned the winner. Hailed as a fun-filled journey down memory lane, HITSTER allows players to relieve sounds that have defined generations, ensuring a diverse and exciting array of music at every gathering.

Fremantle Netherlands and NewBe will lead the creative development of the new format together with Jumbo Group, whilst Fremantle holds international production and distribution rights.

Commenting on the partnership, Vasha Wallace, EVP, Global Acquisitions & Development at Fremantle said: “We’re really thrilled to partner with NewBe and Jumbo Group to bring to life this exciting concept – our exceptionally talented team in The Netherlands are known for developing some of the most entertaining formats that have travelled around the world. Having already achieved huge international success as a game, HITSTER’s universal themes and mix of interactive music play create an instant party at home that we’re confident will transfer and be enjoyed on TV screens. We look forward to developing and bringing this highly entertaining format to global audiences.”

Jeroen Koopman, Founder & CEO at NewBe said: For the first time, a party game has become the center of watercooler conversations, something previously only TV shows could achieve. After playing the game, hearing the inspiring story of its founder, Marcus Carleson and meeting with the team at Jumbo Group, we were confident it had the makings of a TV hit. Partnering with Fremantle, the leader in this genre, felt like the natural next step. We’re proud to officially announce the collaboration in launching this exciting new title."

Isa Lana, Chief Marketing Officer at Jumbo Group said: “We’re excited by the success of HITSTER, which has launched in over 30 countries and achieved the #1 best-selling game status in Germany and the Netherlands this year. This accomplishment is a testament to how much our consumers enjoy and engage with the game. What truly matters most is how we’re bringing them moments of fun and shared experiences. Launching HITSTER on TV in partnership with NewBe and Fremantle is the perfect next step in creating even more social interactions and instant parties at home. We couldn’t be more excited to continue being a part of our consumers’ lives in such a meaningful way.”

ENDS

Media Contacts:

Amy Friedland, Freeman PR, 973-470-0400, ext. 25 afriedland@freemanpr.com

Emily Potrzuski, Freeman PR, 973-470-0400, ext. 15 epotrzuski@freemanpr.com

About Fremantle 

Fremantle is a leading global creator, producer and distributor of some of the world’s most successful content across Entertainment, Drama & Film, and Documentaries.  

Amplifying local stories on a global scale, Fremantle produces and delivers premium, multi-genre IP across the 27 territories it operates in. Fremantle is a proudly independent group of content creators, and home to some of the biggest entertainment formats, compelling international dramas, award-winning films and high-quality documentaries. 

From Got Talent to Neighbours, Password to Poor Things, Fellow Travelers to Queens, Too Hot To Handle to Big Mood, Maxton Hall to Idols, and Priscilla to House of Kardashian, our focus is simple – Fremantle creates and delivers irresistible entertainment.     

Fremantle also represents world-leading digital and branded entertainment, with more than 495 million fans and 300 billion views for its standout content across all platforms.   

Fremantle is part of RTL Group, a global leader across broadcast, streaming, content and digital, itself a division of the international media, services, and education company Bertelsmann.     

For more information, please visit www.fremantle.com, follow Fremantle on Twitter @FremantleHQ and Instagram @fremantle or visit Fremantle’s LinkedIn page.   

About Newbe

Independent production company NewBe has a focus on millennial and gen-z audiences and is the initiating producer on the TV version of Hitster. NewBe and Fremantle co-produced before on the Emmy award winning reboot of Heartbreak High for Netflix.

About Jumbo Group

The Jumbo Group is a well-known company that specializes in developing, producing, and distributing games and toys all over the world. With brands such as "Stratego", "Party and Co", "Hitster", "Mille Bornes", amongst others, the group has gained popularity throughout Europe and has a long tradition.

The company consists of six official entities- Koninklijke Jumbo (Jumbo), headquartered in the Netherlands, Diset based in Spain, James Galt based in the United Kingdom, Dujardin based in France and Yulu from Hong Kong- that follow the same purpose: To unlock the Power of Play to create meaningful connections. These companies are renowned in the market, thanks to their well-known brands and strong heritage in the markets. The Jumbo Group specializes in categories such as puzzles, board games, educational games, and craft items.
 

Its goal is to create innovative, international, and people-committed solutions. The local teams are working together to shape the company into what it wants to be and bring meaningful connections to consumers worldwide. According to Jumbo, life is for playing, and they are working to make this belief a reality for consumers around the world.

For more information, please visit www.jumboplay.com, follow us via our socials or check our LinkedIn.