Disney Unveils Playmation Toys
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| Evangeline Lindes, 8, demonstrates the Playmation “Avengers” glove, which uses a wireless system and sensors to control action figures. Credit Emily Berl for The New York Times |
GLENDALE, Calif. — For more than two years, inside a Walt Disney
laboratory built to resemble a child’s bedroom, grade schoolers have
been secretly testing an at-home version of Iron Man’s high-tech armor.
Disney’s
goal: Use wireless systems, motion sensors and wearable technology to
strike a balance between what children want to do (tap screens and play
video games) and what parents would prefer (more running around).
The
Walt Disney Company unveiled a resulting toy line on Tuesday called
Playmation, which will arrive in stores in October. For about $120, an
“Avengers” theme starter pack will include a red Iron Man “repulsor” glove that players wear on their right hand and forearm and four smart toys, including two action figures.
Used
together, the parts lead players on villain-destroying missions — run,
duck, dodge, jump, shoot. A related app provides access to additional
assignments and powers. “It’s physical play for a digital generation,”
Thomas O. Staggs, Disney’s chief operating officer, said in an email.
Analysts
who have had the opportunity to scrutinize Playmation said it could
solve a puzzle that had largely stumped the traditional toy industry:
What if toys could play back? The answer could ensure the relevancy of
companies like Hasbro and Mattel — and Disney — to future generations of
children.
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“I
see this as a breakthrough item, especially in the action and role-play
aisle,” Jim Silver, the editor of TTPM, a toy review website, said in
an interview. “What Disney has done here is so sophisticated that I
actually don’t like the word ‘toy’ for it.”
This
can be tricky terrain. Smart toy efforts tend to prompt swift and
severe reactions from watchdog organizations, with privacy as a main
concern. The latest example is Mattel’s new Internet-connected Hello Barbie, which records children’s speech, analyzes it and provides pertinent responses.
Campaign
for a Commercial-Free Childhood, a Boston advocacy group, instantly
deemed that toy “Eavesdropping Barbie” and began organizing parents
against Mattel. The toymaker, whose profit fell 45 percent last year, in
part because of declining interest in traditional Barbie products, has
defended the digital doll, citing substantial privacy safeguards.
Mindful
of this pitfall, Disney has “doggedly designed Playmation with privacy
in mind,” said Kareem Daniel, senior vice president of strategy and
business development for Disney Consumer Products. The Playmation
components, for instance, are intentionally not tethered to an Internet
connection during play, he said.
Disney
is speeding ahead with the rollout of Playmation. “Star Wars” theme
sets will arrive next year; prototypes shown last week to a reporter
involved Jedi training and Darth Vader skulduggery. A “Frozen” version
is scheduled for 2017. Aimed at children 6 to 12, the toys can also be
worn by adults.
With
a plethora of characters in the Disney stable and a flexible technology
platform to tap into, “Playmation’s potential is tremendous,” Mr.
Staggs said.
The
core Playmation toys reveal a subtle but important shift at Disney
Consumer Products, which has recently experienced rapid growth. (The
unit generated $1.4 billion in operating profit last year, a 22 percent
increase from 2013.) Disney traditionally has not designed its own toys
but rather has licensed its characters to companies like Hasbro and
Mattel.
But
Playmation was created inside Disney, reflecting an attempt by the
company to become more assertive in the creation of new toy categories
and generate more growth. In success, Disney will also shut out
competitors: Non-Disney characters will not be allowed into what the
company is calling a “toy ecosystem.” (Sorry, Batman.)
Playmation
has a few challenges. For starters, the line arrives during a
management change at Disney Consumer Products. Bob Chapek, the executive
who most ardently supported Playmation, was promoted in February to take over the company’s theme parks. His merchandising successor, Leslie Ferraro, has adopted Playmation, but her experience has been entirely in marketing.
In
addition, only two people can have the full Playmation experience at
one time, at least initially; that could frustrate children.
Depending
on how Playmation is marketed, the toy line could also bump into Disney
Infinity, a video game and toy product sold by a separate Disney
division. To play Infinity, users collect character figurines, which
resemble the Playmation action figures. Infinity 3.0, focused on “Star
Wars” and costing a cheaper $65 for the starter set, will also arrive in
stores in the fall. (Disney said it saw no threat of cannibalization.)
Still,
toy analysts said they were encouraged by the depth of Playmation. The
“Avengers” set comes with 25 missions out of the box. Disney will also
sell add-on Playmation toys — Hulk hands, various action figures —
starting around $15 each.
“I don’t think this is something that kids are going to play once and forget about,” Mr. Silver said.
Courtesy: nytimes
