Even more off-brand Collectable Minifigures.

[DarthMC]

We have all seen the Marvel and Halo mystery packs but now there is a much closer copy. As I was passing by a small local toy store in a mall, I noticed a new box of series 5 figures. When I got closer, I found that it was not LEGO figures but Playmobil. Same style box with the same style artwork and figure packaging. Don't have a picture but here is a link to ToyWiz

http://www.toywiz.com/playmobil10530.html

Thoughts?

DarthMC

[cas]

Subtle.

It is interesting that they have a box aimed at boys and an entirely different box aimed at girls. I wonder if these are popular with the people who buy playmobil.

[infallible]

I rather like Playmobil. I don't buy it at nearly the level at which I buy LEGO, but I get some stuff from them. I mostly just get stuff from their Specials line, some animals, and smaller sets. I saw these at a local toy store (and later at TRU), and thought it was neat. They're selling the customization and interchangeability of their figures, which is something they haven't done before. I like that there are some new figures out, and they look good. Even though these are at a lower price point, it seems somewhat redundant with the Specials line, though. Of course, I hate the blind bags, but like with minifigures, you can feel for what you want.

Though I think calling Playmobil "off-brand" is silly. Playmobil makes quality products, and is LEGO's biggest competition in Europe. To be frank, when LEGO started doing minifigures, it was just like Playmobil's Specials line, but blind bagged. The Specials line is a line of figures without a theme and having greater detail and more accessories than a standard figure. That's essentially what the polybag minifigures are. I don't doubt that Playmobil's blind bags are inspired by the minifigs, but I think the minifigs were initially inspired by Playmobil Specials.

I do think it's smart to split them up by target demographic. I know LEGO likes to talk about how party their line is, but sometimes you have to give folks what they want.

[DarthMC]

Though I think calling Playmobil "off-brand" is silly..

I didn't mean off-brand as inferior (like mega-blox) just Non-LEGO. I did not see the pink box at the store but that was a great idea for a mystery pack. One time while I was scanning through the series 1 barcodes, a lady asked if I could find a nurse or cheerleader for her daughter since the last one she got was a zombie and she was not happy. I was able to find her one of each. While the distribution of gender has risen to 25% female for series 5, the target audience is still boys. The introduction of the "Friends" theme looks like they are trying to increase their market.

DarthMC

[Mister Ed]

Playmobil isn't really the same kind of toy as LEGO, though. While it is true that the presentation here is very similar to the LEGO collectible minifigs, it is really just another blind packed collectible, of another type, of which there are several, both before and after LEGO introduced theirs.

[Draykov]

I have a lot more respect for Playmobil than true "off brands." I think Playmobil has something in common with LEGO in the way it captures the imagination. My daughter has been getting into it lately and I marveled at the box art and play-themes back when I as a kid.

As far as this collectible/blind-packaging stuff? I think the timing and execution is such that it is no coincidence. Playmobil may have followed LEGO's lead. That said, it's not as if LEGO is the first company to do this either.