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[etiolate]

Skylanders has harnessed the power of pokemons and TMNT into one product line. It's the same basic principal as making the consumer pay to unlock content on the product they already paid for, but then it ties it to kids who won't ever question the practice and then makes it a double-whammy by making the unlock a toy.

The figurines sell out like the TMNT and Transformers did in their prime. They don't last a day, if they last a few hours at all. The most brilliant bit is probably making the figurines cross-platform viable. So every kid asks for the game, and every kid asks for the figurines. It doesn't matter what system his buddy has, because his toys will work.

They can also package the 'rare' figurines in three-packs at an increased price. So if you gotta have Bustnutter and you can't find him alone, time to get mommy to open the purse for the three pack featuring two figurines you don't even need.

It's brilliant and it's vile. They take something they could deliver at low cost (pre-existing content) and tie it to toys so they can keep cha-chinging.

 

[Takao]

My issue with Skylanders is how ugly, and non-play friendly the toys are. They're less so toys, more so statues.

As for kids being scammed by companies, well as a kid who grew up in the age of 22 minute toy commercials it's nothing new. It's up to parents to make sure their kids don't go completely crazy over these things.

 

[Icelight]

Well, whoever came up with the idea to begin with was a genius because they managed to figure out how to sell loads of DLC to children...

I don't know if I'd call it vile...but I'm too busy being surprised that it turned out as successful as it did.

 

[Pureauthor]

A) Company finds way to make money on the basis of marketing and supply and demand.

B) This is considered a bad thing.

I've no interest in Skylanders, but I've no interest in a lot of other popular things and I don't shake my fist at people for selling it.

 

[hbkajshdvfbkjhvgkahsgdfka]

Next to Call of Duty, yeah.

 

[Outtrigger888]

My girlfriend thought the same thing now she has 5 favorites that I'm not allowed to touch. It's brilliant. The figures are good quality and I Havnt felt cheated out of the 300$ I've spent on it. Plus it brings the family together to play, most games don't do that.

 

[Forkball]

It's brilliant in an evil way. Can you imagine if they just charged $8 for an unlockable character? Everyone would laugh this game out of the building. But the AR gimmick was different enough to get people interested. The toys aren't really that interesting either. You can't move them, they are more like statues with a code on the bottom. Honestly, how much does it cost to have everything unlocked?

 

[Mooreberg]

Yes. Although Capcom doesn't give anyone a figure for buying the content that is already on their discs.

 

[DiscoJer]

Smurf Village? F2P game aimed at small children from Capcom for iOS.

 

[A Twisty Fluken]

At least this dlc is something you can touch, resell, and cross platform to boot. The fact that you can take your dude over to people's houses with stats intact seems kind of rad.

Kids are going to want toys regardless.

 

[TheLastCandle]

It's pretty god damned brilliant.

 

[Busaiku]

At least be glad the games weren't centered around trading card packs.

 

[Night_Trekker]

Is there actually a character named "Bustnutter" in a childrens' game?

And no, Pokemon has it beat.

 

[AceBandage]

It's a neat concept, but I doubt it'll have stay power.
There has not been a good track record with companies trying to milk the plastic add on genre.

 

[The_Hitcher89]

If it was Valve rather than Activision...

 

[Emerson]

It's genius and pretty nefarious, speaking as somebody who plays the game. It probably is the worst exploitation the video game industry has seen. That being said, it's nowhere near as bad as TCGs were/are.

 

[To Far Away Times]

I think the concept is pretty neat.

 

[Outtrigger888]

At least this dlc is something you can touch, resell, and cross platform to boot. The fact that you can take your dude over to people's houses with stats intact seems kind of rad.

Kids are going to want toys regardless.

I agree, plus a lot of kids toys today are garbage and way over priced. I have a hard time shopping for my kids because of this. 300$ of skylanders has gotten more play time than 300$ worth of toys ever will. And you guys saying there just statues are wrong, to kids its there character with the abilities and experience they worked for.

 

[Berordn]

And no, Pokemon has it beat.

How so? With Pokémon you could collect everything with friends who also had the games. Skylanders makes you actually go out and buy more plastic for the single game.

 

[hbkajshdvfbkjhvgkahsgdfka]

it's nowhere near as bad as TCGs were/are.

It is if you're running a store and have to order the toys from suppliers. You can't order specific characters that are in demand. It's all listed as ASSORTED 12 PACK - INDIVIDUAL or ASSORTED 4 PACK - THREE PACK.

 

[TAJ]

A new challenger appears!

http://www.stardoll.com/en/signup/preset/?pid=40043&gid=207&gclid=CL3086uN6q0CFakbQgodBG4CRQ

 

[bryehn]

No worse than what we grew up with in the 80s and early 90s.

see: Yo Noid!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OgxXP3bRd7U

...or any number of advergames targeted at kids.

 

[SovanJedi]

It's a neat concept, but I doubt it'll have stay power.
There has not been a good track record with companies trying to milk the plastic add on genre.

I might've disagreed with you had it been literally anybody else who released this concept other than Activision. At least Nintendo, Konami and Bandai have experience with stretching their cash cows out so they have lasting power.

They've smelled a golden goose here, time to rip that sucker to shreds and then stamp it with a dumpster full of bi-yearly iterations.

 

[AceBandage]

I might've disagreed with you had it been literally anybody else who released this concept other than Activision. At least Nintendo, Konami and Bandai have experience with stretching their cash cows out so they have lasting power.

They've smelled a golden goose here, time to rip that sucker to shreds and then stamp it with a dumpster full of bi-yearly iterations.

Even without Activision being Activision, other companies will jump on board and completely drain this market dry if they think they'll make a bit more money.

 

[Deadly Cyclone]

Pokemon?

 

[TrAcEr_x90]

I am totally interested in this game now. I randomly bought my friends son one figurine for christmas and it looks so cool. i wanna get a few now, hahaha

 

[Router]

GOTTA CATCH 'EM ALL!

 

[The Technomancer]

Pokemon?

The video games, no. The card game...maybe.

 

[ReaperXL7]

Its alittle crazy sure , but I can say with little doubt that growing up as a kid who collected mini figures like muscle men, battle beasts, zbotz, mighty max, etc. If someone had told me I could use those toys in my games back then I would have gone apeshit. So it might be alittle slimy but its still a neat concept and I can understand why kids would latch on to it.

 

[cyborg009]

Pokemon?

Funny thing me and my friend said that if Nintendo made a Pokemon version of this, Japan Would have been shut down on that day.

(Nintendo should honestly make one)

 

[Wolves Evolve]

After Call of Duty, Halo, Gears of War, Kane and Lynch, Battlefield, Hitman, Medal of Honor... sure.

It looks very exploitative, but in practice, kids are very smart and they know they don't need to collect them all - that's been my experience. Its a well-designed game and it feels like you get decent value for money. Each character has a diverse move set.

How many action-adventure games for kids do you know with 30+ characters that control really differently? That can be used across platforms?

Its actually pretty great in many respects. I think its less exploitative than a lot of AAA games.

 

[Mashing]

Would be a great case study for marketing students, that's for sure.

 

[The Technomancer]

Would be a great case study for marketing students, that's for sure.

Actually...I have an industrial design course in toy design this semester. I should bring it up to my professor, see his thoughts on it.

 

[ElNino]

It's up to parents to make sure their kids don't go completely crazy over these things.

Speak for yourself; I love it that my son (5) adores the characters and the look on the face when we find a new one is priceless. I thought he was going to like the game when I saw it last year, but it has far exceeded my expectations with respect to how attached he has become with the characters.

I know Gaffers are a jaded bunch, but "vile kid exploitation"? Give me a break.

 

[quinntendopower]

i think it's a neat toy game hybrid for kids that encourages trips to toys r us which are very fun and memorable to children.

 

[Slayven]

My issue with Skylanders is how ugly, and non-play friendly the toys are. They're less so toys, more so statues.

As for kids being scammed by companies, well as a kid who grew up in the age of 22 minute toy commercials it's nothing new. It's up to parents to make sure their kids don't go completely crazy over these things.

His head would have exploded in the 80s.

 

[XANDER CAGE]

This argument exists in a vacuum where video games aren't a for-profit venture already.

Also, Magic the Gathering, Pokemon, and Battle Network, son.

 

[Christine]

I don't know what Skylanders is. Should I feel old and out of touch now?

 

[entremet]

Companies like money.

 

[PatrickLyons]

I hear michael bay signed on to do a full CG Skylanders feature film

 

[Slayven]

I don't know what Skylanders is. Should I feel old and out of touch now?

Yeah, now sit on your porch and scream at kids to get off your lawn.

 

[chixdiggit]

I have had the opportunity to spend several hours playing this and I must admit it's pretty damn fun for a kids game. Even the VS mode is fun trying out all the characters against each other. I would totally be on board if Blizzard did this exact thing with Diablo 3 (no I am not kidding).

 

[C4Lukins]

It is something I would probably love and enjoy if I was a kid, so no there is nothing vile about it. Yes it is a way to make money. No that is not always a bad thing.

 

[Gravijah]

i actually think it's pretty cool. you're given figures, so you have a bit more attachment to the characters than you normally would. something i would have loved as a kid.

 

[DrForester]

I don't see how it's any different than weapon packs, pre-order bonuses, and character add-ons in "regular" games. Think some people are just jealous they don't get cool collectable figures with their add on content.

 

[vareon]

Kids will not whine so much about the quality of the toys. Also this model is pretty old, no? Kids love it anyway, and I'm absolutely going to love this if I'm a kid.

From my point of view kids aren't collectors or completionists - they buy whatever's cool for them. So no need to buy all.

 

[ElNino]

It is something I would probably love and enjoy if I was a kid, so no there is nothing vile about it. Yes it is a way to make money. No that is not always a bad thing.

This is the attitude that annoys me here.

Skylanders, not factoring in the figures, is a good game that is kid friendly. Skylanders the figures, which save all character data as well, make the package great and it deserves all the money it gets. The only annoying thing to me is that I wish the upcoming characters would come out quicker than they are scheduled to right now.

 

[erragal]

Strictly from a business perspective it's even more brilliant considering the style of gameplay/introductory loot mechanics. In a few years when they grow out of it Activision will gladly sell them Diablo 3 + expansions so they can get their fix.

 

[SovanJedi]

Imagine if back in the day they did this with Ninja Turtles - you have an action figure and scanned it in to play as them in a Turtles: Tournament Fighters. Slash Vs. General Traag, Bebop Vs. Rocksteady. I would have so flipped for that I probably would never have acknowledged another kid's toy again afterwards.


...yeah I would say it's more genius than it is vile.

 

[Broder Salsa]

I am totally interested in this game now. I randomly bought my friends son one figurine for christmas and it looks so cool. i wanna get a few now, hahaha

A +30 year old guy on my facebook bought this to "play with his nephews". That mixed with Jeff Gerstmanns crazy addiction to it means I am staying away, too afraid of suddenly having to buy every single one.