EXCLUSIVE: The last time Fremantle and Belgium’s NewBe teamed up, they created Netflix’s Heartbreak High reboot. The pair have now reunited and teamed with toy firm Jumbo Group to adapt a music party game into a game show.
The trio are working up Hitster, which is based on a party game that has caught on with Millennials and Gen Zs billed as a “fun-filled journey down memory lane.”
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 the winner.
Unlike Heartbreak High, which was made through Fremantle Australia, the superindie’s Dutch wing, Fremantle Netherlands, will lead on production alongside NewBe. Fremantle will hold the international production and distribution rights.
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“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,” said Vasha Wallace, EVP, Global Acquisitions & Development at Fremantle. “We look forward to developing and bringing this highly entertaining format to global audiences.”
“For the first time, a party game has become the center of watercooler conversations, something previously only TV shows could achieve,” added Jeroen Koopman, founder and CEO at NewBe. “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.”
Isa Lana, Chief Marketing Officer at Jumbo Group said the game has launched in 30 countries and achieved bestselling 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,” she added. “What truly matters most is how we’re bringing them moments of fun and shared experiences.”
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