Pocket.watch Partners with Maizen to Launch JJ & Mikey Global Franchise Spanning Content and Consumer Products

May 12th, 2026

Pocket.watch Partners with Maizen to Launch JJ & Mikey Global Franchise Spanning Content and Consumer Products

Scholastic and Bonkers Toys sign on as licensing partners for Spring 2027 retail launch

New Franchise based on YouTube's #1 Gaming Duo with over 23B views will launch publishing, toys, and more at retail in 2027

LOS ANGELES (May 12, 2026) - Pocket.watch, the first and largest next-gen creator media company, and Maizen, the Japanese multimedia entertainment brand and wildly popular YouTube gaming channel, today announced a new partnership to expand its breakout animated stars, JJ & Mikey, into a global franchise spanning publishing, consumer products, original series, and content distribution.

At the center of the partnership are JJ & Mikey, the fan-favorite gaming duo from Maizen whose imaginative, story-driven Minecraft adventures have helped define a new lane of scripted gameplay entertainment. With 22.9 million subscribers and 23 billion lifetime views, their YouTube channel has become one of the most influential destinations in family digital entertainment, earning the top ranking for gaming creator and channel in both the U.S. and globally.

This summer, pocket.watch will distribute the JJ & Mikey series across major streaming platforms including Tubi, The Roku Channel, and Ryan and Friends Plus, further scaling the reach of the massively popular characters. This kicks off the franchise expansion, with plans for original content and a robust consumer products ecosystem, including toys, apparel, collectibles, and food.

Pocket.watch partnered with Scholastic, the global children's publishing and education leader, to publish a series of JJ & Mikey children's books, extending the popular characters' storylines and gaming themed universe. The collection is slated to roll out at retail in early 2027.

"We're excited to bring JJ & Mikey's imaginative, game-driven adventures into the world of books, extending their reach to new readers," said Michael Petranek, Editorial Director, Scholastic Trade Publishing. "This partnership with pocket.watch reflects our continued focus on meeting kids where their interests lie, and we look forward to translating these beloved digital characters into engaging, high-quality storytelling experiences that inspire a lifelong love of reading."

On the heels of the publishing rollout, new JJ & Mikey toys will debut across major retailers in Spring of 2027. Pocket.watch appointed Bonkers Toys as master toy licensee to lead product development, with an initial assortment to include plushies, blind-box collectibles, and additional formats.

"We're thrilled to partner with Maizen to scale JJ & Mikey into a global franchise that extends seamlessly across streaming and retail" said Amanda Klecker, SVP Marketing and Franchise at pocket.watch. "Families will have the opportunity to follow storylines to new platforms and publishing, and continue narratives with their own imaginations through new toys."

Maizen continues to grow into a trusted channel for families seeking safe, engaging gaming content, and is widely recognized as one of the top creators in the category.

"What started as gameplay storytelling is evolving into a full-scale entertainment brand," said the Maizen team. "We're excited to partner with pocket.watch to deepen how fans experience these characters in their everyday lives."

JJ & Mikey joins a roster of pocket.watch creator partners that includes Ryan's World, Topper Guild, Tyler and Snowi, Lively Lewis, Toys and Colors and Mackenzie Turner, and reinforces pocket.watch's mission to usher digital creators into the next era of entertainment. Pocket.watch's 68 creator partners span 1.5 billion subscribers that have generated over 1 trillion lifetime views.

About pocket.watch

Pocket.watch is a leading creator media company, pioneering the transformation of digital creators into global entertainment franchises. Through original content, consumer products, and distribution across leading platforms, pocket.watch delivers trusted, high-quality entertainment for Gen Alpha everywhere. Recognized as one of the TIME100 Most Influential Companies of 2025, pocket.watch is redefining the future of entertainment and shaping the digital creator economy.

The company's content library, consisting of tens of thousands of digital creator led videos, is distributed globally on over 43 platforms, generating hundreds of millions of hours of viewership every month. The content library comprises many seasons of the company's breakthrough MishMash™ format alongside pocket.watch originals including the Emmy-nominated Ryan's Mystery Playdate and the massively popular animated series Love, Diana.

For more information about the pocket.watch portfolio of franchises and creators and its premium slate of content, visit pocket.watch, or check out @pocketwatchHQ on Instagram, /PocketwatchHQ on Facebook, @pocketwatchhq on TikTok @pocketwatchhq, and pocketwatch-studios on LinkedIn.

About Bonkers Toys

Bonkers Toys has established itself as a leader in New Media, YouTube and Creator-driven toys and merch. As the first licensee for Ryan's World, Bonkers helped pioneer this space with standout products like the Giant Mystery Egg and Cap'n Ryan's Mega Mystery Treasure Chest. Building on that success, Bonkers Toys has partnered with top digital creators-including Aphmau, Genevieve's Playhouse, LankyBox, Moriah Elizabeth, PrestonPlayz, Skibidi Toilet, Unspeakable and Warrior Cats to develop best-selling toy lines that resonate with today's audiences. The company's portfolio of award-winning products has been featured across major national outlets, including the TODAY Show, Good Morning America, Parents, Good Housekeeping, and NBC Nightly News. For more information, visit BonkersToys.com.

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