Skylanders Reaches $500 Million in Record Time

Marshall Honorof

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Skylanders Reaches $500 Million in Record Time


Activision might have another billion dollar franchise on its hands soon.

Compared to making its mascot [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/120936-Black-Ops-II-Reaches-1-Billion-Milestone-Faster-Than-MW3] was essentially in hibernation only a year or so ago.

"Just a year ago, the concept of bringing toys to life in a virtual world was an untested play pattern ... Now the category has been established in the market and embraced by parents and kids everywhere," says Joshua Taub, a vice president at Activision. Taub isn't wrong about Skylanders gaining a foothold in the market: The $500 million figure includes both videogame and toy sales. $195 million of the total comes from Skylanders: Giants alone, which has only been out for two months. "It's gratifying to see kids excited about the adventures that await them both in the digital and physical worlds."

According to data from the NPD group, Skylanders was the fastest gaming IP for kids to reach the $500 million milestone. Perhaps even more noteworthy, however, is the fact that in 2012, Skylanders outsold traditional bestselling action figure lines, including Star Wars. When Skylanders: Giants appeared in stores, it beat out both Wreck-It Ralph and Rise of the Guardians - two top kids' movies - in sales that weekend. For a series that has marketed itself almost exclusively to a younger demographic, Skylanders has done pretty well.

Perhaps the most heartening part of this story is that while the connectivity of toys is undoubtedly a clever sales gimmick, it seems to be a worthwhile game mechanic as well. The an anthropomorphic whale swinging an anchor [http://www.metacritic.com/game/xbox-360/skylanders-giants], so we'll call it even for now.

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Falterfire

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"Just a year ago" the concept was untested? Did Webkinz get retconned out of existence? I distinctly remember my younger siblings falling in love with those things.
 

fenrizz

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I'm not surprised at all.
My kids seem to love that game, and it's supposedly really huge at school.

Sort of reminds me of when Pokemon was huge when I was young.
 

rayen020

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Some of my money is in that $500M. It's actually a pretty decent game. And my kids love it. Honestly though, didn't know it was a Spyro the Dragon game. Doesn't look and feel like the older ones. Good for them though.
 

nomaner

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Make a REAL Spyro game Activision. You'll probably make about as much as COD in a similar amount of time with kids AND returning fans of the franchise with it. All you have to do is make it please both the old PS1 fans and the Legend of Spyro fans, NOT this.
 

AngloDoom

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The next generation's Pokemon, perhaps?

Either way, the moment I saw the toys I knew they'd sell like hot-cakes: my inner child almost suplexed me into buying them.
 

omega 616

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May 1, 2009
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The money from the action figures is cos they cost so fucking much! It's like £9 for a little one and £12 for a giant and there is a million of them, which of course means every kid wants one of each.

So with 3 giants and a smaller one you have basically paid double for the game and people complain about cod dlc?
 

JaceArveduin

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Yeah, that's true omega, but I'm guessing you can't put cod dlc on a shelf to make it look awesome.

I've been intrigued by the game, but I'm way too broke to even think about getting into it.
 

Andy Shandy

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I can understand why. It's actually a very good game, and while I would never buy it for myself, being able to sit down with my little brother and us both be able to contribute to a game is a rare experience, and one I've thoroughly enjoyed. And a friend of mine has also found it a rather addictive experience on his own as well.

I'll actually need to sit down with my brother and play the new one at some point.
 

PunkRex

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*Looks at wallet*... seems legit...

I grew up with Spyro (twas my first game, Purple bro-gan 4 life yo!) and even though im reeeEEEAAAAAALLLllly frustrated that he may not get a game actually about him any time soon, at least hes not a forgotten relic (Crash Bandicoot) or an angry old man who can't remember why he's here (Sonic).

Anyways, the games can be pretty fun.

Also, Tara Strong you guys, you guys Tara Strong:
 

Z of the Na'vi

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Apr 27, 2009
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Owner of Skylanders: Giants as well as a good 15 or so of the figures here (including Spyro).

I'm 22 years old, and I love the game. I grew up with Spyro on the PS1, what with Spyro 2: Ripto's Rage being one of my fondest gaming memories. Anything featuring Spyro is a huge draw for me.

Those in this thread saying Skylanders isn't a "proper" Spyro game are correct. It isn't a Spyro game. It's a brand new game featuring Spyro as a character. That doesn't make the game bad by any stretch, though. The gameplay is solid, the aesthetics are colorful as well as fun, and it's easy enough to pick up and play at any time.

Frankly, I'm a bit weary of hearing people ***** about how Spyro has changed over the years. It's not like the PS1 titles went anywhere. I still have my original discs, and aren't the original three games on the PSN Store?

Go buy those.

Marshall Honorof said:
Kudos on the Cynder image for the article. One of my favorite Skylanders.
 

Imp_Emissary

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DVS BSTrD said:
Great, now an entire generation of kids is going to grow up to be dragons.
Don't tease me bro.
nomaner said:
Make a REAL Spyro game Activision. You'll probably make about as much as COD in a similar amount of time with kids AND returning fans of the franchise with it. All you have to do is make it please both the old PS1 fans and the Legend of Spyro fans, NOT this.
That's an idea I could support.

I do love Skylanders, but I could go for a game that focuses more on Spyro and the rest of the Skylanders.

I mean for a kids game, a lot of them have some interesting backstories. Sonic Boom's for one is kind of sad/dark for a kids game if you think about it too.

>_> However, I think I would be a bit scared to find out what made Trigger Happy the way he is....
 

omegawyrm

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Z of the Na said:
Owner of Skylanders: Giants as well as a good 15 or so of the figures here (including Spyro).

I'm 22 years old, and I love the game. I grew up with Spyro on the PS1, what with Spyro 2: Ripto's Rage being one of my fondest gaming memories. Anything featuring Spyro is a huge draw for me.

Those in this thread saying Skylanders isn't a "proper" Spyro game are correct. It isn't a Spyro game. It's a brand new game featuring Spyro as a character. That doesn't make the game bad by any stretch, though. The gameplay is solid, the aesthetics are colorful as well as fun, and it's easy enough to pick up and play at any time.

Frankly, I'm a bit weary of hearing people ***** about how Spyro has changed over the years. It's not like the PS1 titles went anywhere. I still have my original discs, and aren't the original three games on the PSN Store?

Go buy those.

Marshall Honorof said:
Kudos on the Cynder image for the article. One of my favorite Skylanders.
Agreed. Also having your "save file" as a little colorful figure you can display in the living room is one of the neatest things ever. I would loooooovvveeee if they did a Super Smash Brothers style game like this, similar execution to skylanders, but with previously existing characters to have figures of.