LAKE STEVENS, Wash., Thursday, April 2 -

Catalyst Game Labs, LLC, and Pinata Games, Inc., have resumed a strategic alliance, previously announced last December.  While the former partnership was based on a bid for the WizKids portfolio of properties, the current alliance focuses on the release of new games.

Catalyst, the master license holder of the Shadowrun and BattleTech properties, will develop and distribute a series of new games with Pinata managing the production and vendor relations for those new releases.

“The same synergies that existed between our two companies are still relevant today,” said David Stansel-Garner, Catalyst Operations Manager.  “While we didn’t have a chance to collaborate on the WizKids’ properties, we are excited to develop our new game titles with Pinata’s support.”

Properties developed under this collaboration will launch as Catalyst Game Lab products and will be available through Catalyst’s distribution channels.

“Catalyst has a talent for producing high-quality RPGs and published content,” said Jake Theis, CSO of Pinata Games.  “With Pinata providing production, licensing, and vendor management assistance, we hope to expand Catalyst’s portfolio of products into board games, fixed deck card games, and potentially, collectible games.  Several months ago, we were excited about Catalyst’s future, and the same holds true now.”

Catalyst plans to announce their new game properties shortly, and will have several new products in stores later this year.

LAKE STEVENS, Wash., December 15 – Catalyst Game Labs, LLC, and Pinata Games have announced that they will form a strategic alliance contingent on the Catalyst group’s purchase of the currently dormant WizKids properties.

“By combining our efforts, we can deliver high-quality products that will satisfy retailers, fans and licensors alike,” said Loren Coleman, majority Catalyst owner. “As successful licensors of Shadowrun and BattleTech, [Catalyst] understands the essence of those brands and will continue to produce high-quality products for them.”

“The Pinata team brings a different, unique skill set to the table, having worked extensively on all of WizKids’ brands over the last two years. With our efforts combined, we have a wide range of hobby business expertise that covers the gamut of licensed-and-non-licensed properties across a wide spectrum of formats- RPGs, TCGs, CMGs, and more.”

Should Catalyst purchase WizKids’ properties from The Topps Company, Pinata will begin as operator for the HeroClix brand immediately.

“After a few short conversations with Catalyst, it was apparent that a strategic alliance would benefit all parties involved,” said Jake Theis, Pinata Games’ CSO. “We believe that this relationship will allow us to restart the HeroClix business quickly. I saw that HeroClix returned to the top of the ICV2 Hobby Fall CMG sales list, and I know that with the economy in its current state, retailers don’t want any delays getting the business back up and running.”

The proposed alliance between the two companies would allow for Pinata and Catalyst to release new games both together and independently.