Could this be the product that brings kids back to the action figure market and away from their video games? Well Disney and Hasbro and banking on it. I can’t think of a better way to get kids to play with toys then becoming them. Combine laser tag, cosplay and the AvengersNet App, with a set of interactive action figures and you get Playmation!
“Playmation is the next step in the evolution of play, where digital gets physical and imagination becomes real. The groundbreaking system of toys and wearables uses smart technology to inspire kids to run around and use their imaginations, as they become the hero or heroine of stories from across The Walt Disney Company. Kids will get a Captain America figure and Red Skull figure to start things off, and can purchase other Marvel characters like Black Widow, Loki, Falcon, and Ultron to round out their collections. Playmation will bring more of your favorite stories to life soon. Playmation Star Wars is currently slated for release in 2016, and a Disney Frozen system is currently in development.”
Playmation Marvel’s Avengers will be up for pre order on July 7th, and will hit stores this October starting at $119.99.
Check out all the new Playmation images after the jump.
How do to the toys interact with each other?
The toys communicate with each other through a combination of gesture recognition, infrared and radio frequency technology. This allows the toys to bring the story to life around you as each toy senses your movements and actions. The wearable tech (Avenger Gear) communicates to the AvengersNet app through wireless technology to record your accomplishments, give you rewards and unlock new experiences.
Press Release:
GLENDALE, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Today, Disney Consumer Products (DCP) introduced the world to Playmation – the next step in the evolution of play, where digital gets physical and imagination becomes real. The groundbreaking system of toys and wearables uses smart technology to inspire kids to run around and use their imaginations, as they become the hero or heroine of stories from across The Walt Disney Company.
“Innovation and creativity are the driving forces behind Disney, and our goal is to inspire children to unleash the power of their imaginations through the stories we tell and the experiences we create. With Playmation, we’re taking the next step in that tradition – bringing the worlds of play, storytelling, and technology together – in a new and very exciting way,” said Leslie Ferraro, president of Disney Consumer Products.
She continued: “Playmation takes the best the digital world has to offer and uses it to create supercharged, real world play. This is play updated for today’s kids – bringing their imaginations to life as they go on active adventures alongside their favorite characters.”
Dreamed up by a team of technologists, Imagineers and storytellers from across The Walt Disney Company, Playmation is the culmination of extensive research into the world of play. A new third party study commissioned by Disney1 reveals that parents feel nostalgia for the way they used to play growing up and that they also have a desire to keep their kids active. The study also found that children enjoy being active—yet at the same time, they have a growing appetite for technology-infused products.
The online study of 2,000 families across the country shows that while almost all parents believe in the power of active and creative play, they believe technology is also an important part of growing up today. In fact, 9 out of 10 parents are open to new technology that could play a role in keeping their child active.
“The study highlights a major opportunity to meet the needs of both parents and kids with a new way to play,” said Kareem Daniel, Senior Vice President, Strategy and Business Development. “Playmation uses technology to make active, physical play even more fun. It puts kids at the center of our stories in a way we’ve never been able to before.”
Playmation also marks a new chapter in Disney Consumer Products’ long-term partnership with Hasbro. DCP and Hasbro collaborated on physical product design and manufacturing of Playmation. Hasbro’s record of innovation and consumer insights make them the perfect partner to ensure that Playmation is a truly ground-breaking play experience.
“This is classic play for the millennial generation,” said Jim Silver, editor in chief and CEO of TTPM. “Playmation takes the role play category to a new level of engagement with their breakthrough interactive play. It is the entry point into a new category of toys that bring digital experiences into the real world. With Playmation, Disney Consumer Products is going to raise the bar in the world of play.”
Playmation Marvel’s Avengers is the first in a series of systems in development around Walt Disney Company franchises, and will hit shelves this October. At launch, the Playmation Marvel’s Avengers Starter Pack will include five connected toys: one piece of Avenger Gear (Repulsor), two Power Activators and two Smart Figures – a Super Hero (Captain America) and a Super Villain (Iron Skull). Getting started is easy, strap the high-tech Repulsor Gear onto your arm (it fits adults, too!) and listen closely to JARVIS as he takes you through the tutorial on how to control your new Gear, inspired by Iron Man technology. Other Playmation Marvel’s Avengers connected toys that work with the Starter Pack will also be available separately for purchase at launch, with more on the way.
Also available at launch, is the AvengersNet app where you can register your Avenger Gear to see progress, explore additional locations and characters, and get access to new missions. New recruits to the Avengers can fight Marvel Super Villains including Ultron, Iron Skull, Loki, or join fellow Avengers Super Heroes like Black Widow, Falcon and more as they battle to save the Earth by running, jumping, ducking and dodging – whatever each challenge requires.
“With Playmation Marvel's Avengers, the very best of Marvel storytelling is infused into every aspect of the system to further spark imaginative, active play,” said Joe Quesada, Chief Creative Officer, Marvel. "Playmation offers kids a dynamic way to interact with their favorite Super Heroes – I wish it was around when I was a kid!"
Playmation Marvel’s Avengers uses familiar technologies including smart toys, wearables, wireless technology, motion sensors and more, but applies them in ways that are completely new to create an experience that’s never been possible before. The Repulsor Gear connects with the Power Activators and Smart Figures to take you on a variety of adventures through locations around the Marvel Universe, from the Avengers Lab in New York to the jungles of Wakanda. Playmation is purposely not tethered to an Internet connection so players can run around and explore each adventure from anywhere they want – a bedroom, living room or yard. With multiplayer modes, recruits can sync their Avenger Gear to tackle missions and combat arenas together, or face off in competitive play.
The Playmation Marvel’s Avengers Starter Pack will have a suggested retail price of $119.99 and will launch in October 2015 in the United States and Canada at mass and specialty retailers, select Disney Store locations and DisneyStore.com, and will be available for pre-order starting July 7.
Star Wars and Disney Frozen systems are currently in development for 2016 and 2017, respectively. Each will use a range of technologies to create a system based on the different ways that kids play and experience their favorite stories and characters from that franchise.
For more information, visit Playmation Official Site.
Connect with Playmation on social:
YouTube.com/MyPlaymation
Facebook.com/Playmation
Twitter: @Playmation
About Disney Consumer Products
Disney Consumer Products (DCP) is the business segment of The Walt Disney Company (NYSE
About Marvel Entertainment, LLC
Marvel Entertainment, LLC, a wholly-owned subsidiary of The Walt Disney Company, is one of the world's most prominent character-based entertainment companies, built on a proven library of more than 8,000 characters featured in a variety of media over seventy-five years. Marvel utilizes its character franchises in entertainment, licensing and publishing. For more information, visit marvel.com. © 2015 MARVEL
About Hasbro, Inc.
Hasbro (NASDAQ: HAS) is a global company committed to Creating the World's Best Play Experiences, by leveraging its beloved brands, including LITTLEST PET SHOP, MAGIC: THE GATHERING, MONOPOLY, MY LITTLE PONY, NERF, PLAY-DOH, TRANSFORMERS, and premier partner brands. From toys and games, television programming, motion pictures, digital gaming and a comprehensive lifestyle licensing program, Hasbro fulfills the fundamental need for play and connection for children and families around the world. The Company's Hasbro Studios creates entertainment brand-driven storytelling across mediums, including television, film and more. Through the company's commitment to corporate social responsibility, including philanthropy, Hasbro is helping to build a safe and sustainable world and to positively impact the lives of millions of children and families every year. Learn more at Hasbro | Toys, Board Games, Gaming Apps & Online Games | Official Website and follow us on Twitter (@Hasbro & @HasbroNews).
1 Source: Third party research of Parents of kids 6-11 and Kids 6-11, conducted by Ipsos, April/May 2015
Image of Playmation Marvel's Avengers Starter Pack, which will be available at mass and specialty retailers, select Disney Stores and disneystore.com in the US and Canada starting October 2015. Playmation, the next step in the evolution of play, was unveiled by Disney Consumer Products for the first time on Tuesday, June 2, 2015
Image of children playing with Playmation Marvel's Avengers, which will be available at mass and specialty retailers, select Disney Stores and disneystore.com in the US and Canada starting October 2015. Playmation, the next step in the evolution of play, was unveiled by Disney Consumer Products for the first time on Tuesday, June 2, 2015.
Image of children playing with Playmation Marvel's Avengers, which will be available at mass and specialty retailers, select Disney Stores and disneystore.com in the US and Canada starting October 2015. Playmation, the next step in the evolution of play, was unveiled by Disney Consumer Products for the first time on Tuesday, June 2, 2015.
Image of children playing with Playmation Marvel's Avengers, which will be available at mass and specialty retailers, select Disney Stores and disneystore.com in the US and Canada starting October 2015. Playmation, the next step in the evolution of play, was unveiled by Disney Consumer Products for the first time on Tuesday, June 2, 2015.
Image of a child playing with the Repulsor Gear, part of the Playmation Marvel's Avengers Start Pack, which will be available at mass and specialty retailers, select Disney Stores and disneystore.com in the US and Canada starting October 2015. Playmation, the next step in the evolution of play, was unveiled by Disney Consumer Products for the first time on Tuesday, June 2, 2015.
Video:
http://mms.businesswire.com/media/20...mp4&download=1
If I was a kid again I would want this. Great job on this one Hasbro.
Depending on how much the figures are I might get an Ultron to go with my 1/18 scale Marvel toys.
Looks like a very small amount of articulation 5 or more likely 3 POA. That Iron Skull is a neat design. I wonder what scale they are. I suspect 4 inch would be the best scale for this as 2.5 would be too small and 6 would be too big.
The play pattern reminds me of Captain Power. Use with the TV. Use with other toys. Roleplay stuff. The technology integration is probably better, but I see the roots.
Cool concept, looks like it may do pretty well.
The figures look comparable to Infinity and Skylanders though honestly. Probably roughly that size. So maybe closer to 3 inch or 3.5.
Very interesting concept. Like most such innovations, if it's as good or better than advertised, it may be the breakthrough the traditional (well, semi-traditional) toy market needs, finally bridging the gap between action figures and electronic devices (though it'd be nice if the figures aren't mini-statues as they appear to be).
But history tells us that usually these things don't end up working as well as they claim. So I suppose we'll see. Also pretty pricey to get into, which could be a barrier, particularly for families that have already shelled out hundreds on Disney Infinity or Skylanders stuff.
Full Thread: Hasbro & Disney Brings Plamations Featuring Disney, Marvel & Star Wars Franchises
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