Joel Cohen. The result is a line of highly collectible characters, an engaging story, and an immersive interactive entertainment experience. There are many innovative elements to this experience, including:
• Each Character has its Own Unique Powers – In addition to the highly collectible design and personalities of the toys themselves, each character has different powers and abilities, opening different experiences inside the game. • Toys With Brains – Each toy/character
remembers the player’s shared experiences. Achievements and leveled up capabilities earned in the game are embedded inside the toy and travel with the toy. Wherever the toy goes, its experiences go with it.
• Portal of Power – The Portal of Power serves as the gateway between our world and the amazing world of the characters in Skylanders Spyro’s Adventure.
• Play With Friends – By placing two characters on the Portal of Power at once, players can team up together for
When I fi rst met with Activision to discuss the Skylanders project, it was immediately apparent that it was a ground-breaking initiative. But is it a toy? Actually, I’m not sure that’s the right question to be asking. Inevitably Skylanders will sell through gaming departments, but Activision is keen to dispel the myth that it is purely a video game, and I believe there are compelling reasons for toy retailers to get involved. For some time, forward-thinking toy trade observers have been pointing to the opportunities offered by virtual
world technology, and how the toy and gaming / online worlds are increasingly crossing over. Club Penguin, Moshi Monsters and Angry Birds are all good examples of the divisions breaking down; Skylanders is another concept which could bridge the gap. Kids are going to love this product. The Portal of Power lends a magical air to proceedings. Even today’s techno- literate generation are going to experience a sense of
cooperative play, or face off in player versus player battle arenas utilizing their leveled up characters.
• Diverse Experiences on Diverse Devices – While the toys can be used with gaming consoles to play the disc based game, completely different gaming experiences await them on the mobile app and inside the Web World, each of which were designed specifi cally for those platforms.
Skylanders Spyro’s adventure will be released on 14th October.
Compelling reasons for toy retailers to get involved: John Baulch
wonder at watching one of their own toys come to life on screen. Isn’t that every kid’s dream? So do we want to keep those kids visiting toy shops or are we happy to send them and their pocket money off to the gaming aisle?
The action fi gures play a pivotal role in the gaming
experience. Keen price points make the fi gures an affordable, regular purchase, something that every toy retailer appreciates. I’m also told that Activision will be expanding the world of Skylanders in 2012, which will further encourage repeat purchase in order to enhance gameplay. Innovation transcends boundaries, and Skylanders represents innovation in
both gaming technology and in toys. Activision is launching the brand with a £2 million consumer advertising campaign, a massive sum of money to put behind – lest we forget – a single brand. Activision Marketing Manager Ian Mcclellan says that “Skylanders will be unmissable in the kids’ audience.” I believe it’s a brand which sits just as comfortably in the toy market as the video game sector, and I hope that the toy industry decides to get involved and secure its share of the spoils.
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