Hoping to shift from trot to gallop in the consumer products market, Star Stable Entertainment has signed Stockholm-based licensing agency Rights & Brands to represent the global merch and publishing rights of its flagship same-name tween franchise. 

The Star Stable brand currently features a 2D-animated series (Star Stable: Mistfall), mobile games, books, music and a role-playing game called Star Stable Online (pictured) that has attracted more than 26 million registered users since launching in 2011—more than half a million of which actively play it each month. This rich digital experience is built around riding, racing and caring for different breeds of horses on the enchanted island of Jorvik. 

Rights & Brands already represents the licensing interests of Scandinavian kids brands such as The Smurfs, Popeye and Rune Andréasson’s iconic ’60s teddy bear Bamse. And last month, the agency also inked a deal with Finnish children’s book publisher Etana Editions to manage more than 80 picture books, including The Magic Flower (Marika Maijala) and Oh Vivian! (Sari Airola).