I’ve already fallen in love with Lightseekers, a universe filled with interactive action figures, a card game and promotional materials that all interact within a video game. At Toy Fair 2017, Tomy and Playfusion showed off their final product, filled to the brim with flashing lights, gyroscopic sensors and a catchy voice line or two.
In case you don’t know, Lightseekers is a mobile game that can interact with real-life objects. Action figures can be fitted with a core that turns them from lifeless plastic into talking parts of the game. Put weapons in the figures hands and your in-game avatar gets that same weapon.
Lightseekers even interacts with the real world around you. Your mobile device’s camera can scan pictures, ranging from box art to trading cards, and bring them into the game.
Playfusion is working exclusively with Toys R’ Us and will sell the figures and cards online or directly through their stores. The online presale begins April 17 and the not “toys to life” figures and cards will be on store shelves on July 1.
I’m already a firm believer that Lightseekers can do well, if it can find an audience. When I got shown the original prototypes, I was immediately in love. The figures are nice and the game is fun, but asking parents to drop upwards of 50 dollars on an action figure can be a difficult sell. I hope Playfusion has a win on their hands, but we are going to have to wait till July to find out.
