So far in 2013, Activision’s Skylanders toys have outsold all other action-figure brands. That includes the Star Wars and Transformers properties. It looks like interactive-toy video games are an even better way to sell little plastic characters than TV or film.
Through July, the Skylanders property as a whole just crossed $1.5 billion in worldwide sales. That’s after just two games. Activision released Skylanders: Spyro’s Adventure in 2011 followed by Skylanders: Giants in 2012. In terms of dollars, Activision claims that Skylanders: Giants is the top-selling game for consoles and handheld consoles through the first half of 2013.
“We began something very special with Skylanders and the magic of bringing toys to life through a video game,” Activision Publishing chief executive Eric Hirshberg said in a statement. “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.”
Activision plans to release the next game in the franchise, Skylanders: Swap Force, on Oct. 13 for 3DS, PlayStation 3, Wii U, Wii, and Xbox 360. The game is also slated for release on Xbox One and PlayStation 4 once those consoles hit retail.
Skylanders’ success comes before the release of the similar Disney Infinity. That game presents a sandbox world where players can import action figures based on beloved properties like The Pirates of the Caribbean and Cars. It’s likely that Skylanders will face a lot of competition from that game and those toys.
Until then, Activision is celebrating the success of its Skylanders games and toys with an infographic full of “facts” you didn’t know about Skylanders:
