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Disney Infinity vs. Skylanders Sales Battle: A Dead Heat?

Ben-Dutka 5 Comments

It depends on how the statements are worded, really.

As noted by GameSpot , both Disney and Activision have claimed victories in the best-selling toys-to-life brand battle: Skylanders vs. Disney Infinity .

Disney based their claim on recent NPD results, which showed that franchise sales jumped 16 percent year-over-year during the holiday period. Disney also says their market share in the category rose from 43 percent to 47 percent and that it outsold its closest competitor in terms of total starter packs sales and total sales revenue.

On the other hand, Activision says Skylanders remains #1:

"Skylanders continues its leadership position as the #1 kids video game franchise globally as well as in the U.S. by wide margins. As a global franchise in 2014, Skylanders is 30% bigger than its nearest competitor. And Skylanders Trap Team outsold its nearest competitor globally by 17%. As the creators of the 'Toys to Life' category, we are thrilled to continue to lead it for the third consecutive year."

Well, you know, a lot of this is PR. And it's the job of PR to produce and cultivate a positive, progress image. Obviously, both IPs are doing well enough to brag about. We'll just have to see who can eke out a victory in 2015 because you know we'll see new entries in both franchises.

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Skylanders Toys Outsell All Action Figures In US And Europe

Ben-Dutka 10 Comments

Yep, Activision has created their very own Pokemon, and they're rakin' in the profits.

Today, Activision Publishing has announced that Skylanders figures have outsold all action-figure properties in the US and Europe so far in 2013. The Skylanders property also outpaced all toy properties in the UK year-to-date as of June 30, 2013. It's a craze!

As of July 31, 2013, the popular franchise has generated a whopping $1.5 billion in worldwide retail sales (combined sales of the toys and games). Furthermore, so far in 2013 in North America and Europe, the recently released Skylanders Giants has been the #1 best-selling console and handheld game overall. They're going strictly by dollars in that statement, which means profits have gotta be through the roof. Said Activision Publishing CEO Eric Hirshberg:

"We began something very special with Skylanders, and the magic of bringing toys to life through a video game. But it's not just about the game. We know the toys have to be just as creative and imaginative as the kids that play with them, and that's why we're so excited to bring even more innovations to this genre when Skylanders SWAP Force™ comes out in October."

The games aren't bad at all, and the idea of creating physical figurines you must purchase in order to unlock and play all available characters…let's face it, it's genius. It wouldn't work as well for adults but as a property that's geared toward kids, it's perfectly designed. These guys know how to make money, don't they?

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Skylanders Tops $1 Billion Worldwide, SWAP Force Revealed

Ben-Dutka 4 Comments

It's another billion-dollar franchise for Activision, and the train just continues to roll.

Today, Activision Publishing, Inc. has announced that combined sales of the Skylanders franchise (counting both Spyro's Adventure and Giants ) has topped $1 billion in worldwide retail sales; this is inclusive of all the toys and accessories available, and the milestone was reached in a mere 15 months. That's pretty damn quick.

Last year, combined sales of Skylanders toys outstripped the top action figure lines in the US and Europe, and that includes selling more than Beyblades, Star Wars and Transformers. Furthermore, as of January 2013, over 100 million toys have been sold at retail. Said Activision Publishing, Inc. CEO Eric Hirshberg:

"The Skylanders franchise became the first kids' videogame IP to cross the $1 billion mark in just 15 months4, and I think we are still just starting to realize its potential. We knew that the simple, but magical idea, of bringing your toys to life in a video game could change both the video game and the toy industries, and more importantly, change the way kids play. And this fall, we're looking forward to delivering to fans our latest break-through innovation, Skylanders SWAP Force™, which lets kids customize their own characters, bringing toys to life to a whole new level."

Skylanders: SWAP Force lets gamers reconfigure 16 special characters, thereby creating as many as 250 unique combinations. Kids can mix and match powers and moves, and see their creations come to life on the screen. On top of which, in addition to the new SWAP Force characters, the game will boast 32 core characters and 8 new LightCore fighters. Oh, and don't forget that your entire collection of Skylanders characters will be compatible with the new offering.

Between Call of Duty , World of Warcraft and Skylanders , it seems Activision is in an enviable position.

Related Game(s): Skylanders: SWAP Force

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Skylanders Tops $500 Million, Beats Out Kids Toys And Movies

Ben-Dutka 6 Comments

Family fun for everyone and boy, did it hit big.

Today, Activision Publishing Inc. has revealed that according to data obtained from the NPD Group, the popular Skylanders franchise has passed $500 million in retail sales in the US. That number includes the accessory packs and figures and by the way, the series reached this milestone "faster than any other kids gaming property." Furthermore, Skylanders figures have outsold the top action figure lines in the toy category in the US.

Skylanders Giants was the #1 best-selling kids game of 2012, generating over $195 million in sales, and it even eclipsed box office sales for each of the top holiday feature films for kids. Said Activision Publishing Vice President of Consumer Marketing:

"Just a year ago, the concept of bringing toys to life in a virtual world was an untested play pattern that Activision and Toys For Bob believed in. Now the category has been established in the market and embraced by parents and kids everywhere. We're humbled by the continued support and acclaim from parents, kids and critics alike, but more importantly, it's gratifying to see kids excited about the adventures that await them both in the digital and physical worlds."

Lastly, Skylanders Giants received the National Parenting Center's Seal of Approval, along with the National Parenting Publications Award, and the Parent Tested Seal of Approval. Yeah, it's great for the youngsters and nobody is going to complain about anything offensive, here. It's just a little nuts that Activision has yet another franchise that breaks entertainment records across the board.

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