EVERETT, Wash., July 18, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Funko, Inc. ("Funko,” or the “Company”) (Nasdaq: FNKO ), a leading pop culture consumer products company, today announced a new partnership with Epic Games to create a range of Fortnite™ toys and collectibles in a deal brokered by IMG.

The new Fortnite branded collection will feature more than ten different product lines including Funko’s iconic Pop! figures, 5 Star figures, Pint Size Heroes, Vynl, keychains, POP! apparel and more.

“We are thrilled to collaborate and partner with Epic Games to create the inaugural Fortnite™ product collection and to bring these characters to life for the first time,” said Brian Mariotti, CEO of Funko. “This collection will be a true celebration of Fortnite’s incredible popularity and cultural significance, and we believe our Funko Fortnite collectibles will strongly resonate with fans of the game. We look forward to expanding this collection and combining our leading product capabilities with our strong retail platform. Ultimately our goal is to create a powerful merchandise strategy for the Fortnite™ brand, as well as bring these amazing collectibles to fans around the world.”

Mark Rein, Vice President of Epic Games commented:  "We're all big fans of Funko's collectibles, so we were thrilled when we had the chance to partner with them on the Fortnite collection. We hope our players are as excited as we are about all of the cool stuff that's on its way."

Launching Holiday 2018, the collection will be available for purchase at a broad array of retailers worldwide.

Fortnite is the action building game from Epic Games that lets you drop into a massive 100-player PVP Battle Royale or team up with friends in a co-op campaign to Save The World against a horde of monsters. Craft and loot in giant worlds where no two games are ever the same. Fortnite Battle Royale is free and available on PC, Mac, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, iOS, and soon, Android.

About Funko Headquartered in Everett, Washington, Funko is a leading pop culture consumer products company. Funko designs, sources and distributes licensed pop culture products across multiple categories, including vinyl figures, action toys, plush, apparel, housewares and accessories for consumers who seek tangible ways to connect with their favorite pop culture brands and characters. Learn more at https://funko.com/ , and follow us on Twitter (@OriginalFunko) and Instagram (@OriginalFunko).

About Epic Games Founded in 1991, Epic Games is the creator of Fortnite, Unreal, Gears of War, Shadow Complex, and the Infinity Blade series of games. Epic's Unreal Engine technology brings high-fidelity, interactive experiences to PC, console, mobile, AR, VR and the Web. Unreal Engine is freely available at unrealengine.com. For more information on the studio, visit epicgames.com and check out @EpicGames.

About IMG IMG is a global leader in sports, fashion, events and media, operating in more than 30 countries. The company manages some of the world’s greatest sports figures and fashion icons; stages hundreds of live events and branded entertainment experiences annually; and is a leading independent producer and distributor of sports and entertainment media. IMG also specializes in sports training and league development, as well as marketing, media and licensing for brands, sports organizations and collegiate institutions. IMG is part of the Endeavor (formerly WME | IMG) network.

Media Enquiries Julia Young, ICR 203-682-8200 FunkoPR@icrinc.com

Epic, Epic Games, and Fortnite and their related logos are registered trademarks of Epic Games, Inc. in the USA (Reg. U.S. Pat. & Tm. Off.) and elsewhere. 

Forward Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. All statements contained in this press release that do not relate to matters of historical fact should be considered forward-looking statements, including statements regarding Funko’s launch of the Fortnite collection; anticipated fan reaction; creating a powerful merchandise strategy for the Fortnite brand; future product offerings; product release dates and product features. These forward-looking statements are based on Funko management’s current expectations. These statements are neither promises nor guarantees, but involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other important factors that may cause Funko’s actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements, including, but not limited to, the following: Funko’s ability to maintain and realize the full value of its license agreements; the ongoing level of popularity of Funko products with consumers; changes in the retail industry and markets for Funko consumer products; Funko’s ability to maintain relationships with retail customers and distributors; Funko’s ability to compete effectively; fluctuations in Funko’s gross margin; Funko’s dependence on content development and creation by third parties; Funko’s ability to develop and introduce products in a timely and cost-effective manner; Funko’s ability to obtain, maintain and protect its intellectual property rights or those of its licensors; potential violations of the intellectual property rights of others; Funko’s ability to attract and retain qualified employees and maintain its corporate culture; risks associated with Funko’s international operations; changes in U.S. tax law; foreign currency exchange rate exposure; the possibility or existence of global and regional economic downturns; Funko’s dependence on vendors and outsourcers; risks relating to government regulation; risks relating to litigation, including products liability claims and securities class action litigation; any failure to successfully integrate or realize the anticipated benefits of acquisitions or investments; reputational risk resulting from Funko’s e-commerce business and social media presence; risks relating to Funko’s indebtedness and its ability to secure additional financing; the potential for Funko’s electronic data to be compromised; the influence of Funko’s significant stockholder, ACON, and the possibility that ACON’s interests may conflict with the interests of Funko’s other stockholders; risks relating to Funko’s organizational structure; volatility in the price of Funko’s Class A common stock; and the potential that Funko will fail to establish and maintain effective internal control over financial reporting. These and other important factors discussed under the caption “Risk Factors” in Funko’s quarterly report on Form 10-Q for the first quarter of 2018 and its other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission could cause actual results to differ materially from those indicated by the forward-looking statements made in this press release. Any such forward-looking statements represent Funko management’s estimates as of the date of this press release. While Funko may elect to update such forward-looking statements at some point in the future, Funko disclaims any obligation to do so, even if subsequent events cause its views to change. These forward-looking statements should not be relied upon as representing Funko’s views as of any date subsequent to the date of this press release.