Paul Fish - The Evolution of Collectible Games
The evolution of collectible games has run from traditional toys, such as marbles, to trading card games, like Pokemon, and now to innovative hybrid brands, such as Bakugan and Beyblade.
Key Strategies for Collectible Gaming Brands
There are several strategies that have led to success in collectible gaming:
Deliver a unique mechanical feature that can apply to highly differentiated characters & situations
Deliver action & competition to overcome limitations in humor-based play
Feature a hybrid play pattern of character product and gaming
Re-invent a classic enduring play pattern
Ensure that there are visual, thematic and game-play reasons to buy deep into the line
Ensure that each SKU is highly differentiated from others in the line
Incorporate a high level of addictive fiddle factor
Keep the game play simple enough to understand at a basic level, and challenging enough to engage older players
These strategies have been demonstrated in the following historical successes.
Beyblade
Play comes right out of the show
Re-invents the classic play pattern of spinning tops, and updates it with today’s relevant play patterns of customization and battle
Tops are highly differentiated, and perform differently depending on what top your opponent plays
The more tops you have, the more powerful you are
You don’t need to know how to play the game to play with the toys
Bakugan
Play comes right out of the show
Re-invents the classic play pattern of shooting marbles, and updates it with today’s relevant play patterns of transformation and battle
Each ball is numbered. The higher the number, the more powerful you are
Each ball’s transformation is unique and dramatic
Extremely high fiddle-factor, so you don’t need to know how to play the game to play with the toys
They were also notably absent in less successful attempts in the category
Redakai
Show performed poorly, despite network support.
A twist on card materials, not a re-invention of card play
No fiddle factor whatsoever.
Consumers were unclear as to where to find in the store
Required understanding of game play to play
Hero 108
Show was cool and fun. Nevertheless, nobody watched
Not a re-invention of classic, and in fact the game play was too complicated.
Not enough fiddle factor
Product Strategies
It is important to look at variety, depth and rarity when considering your product strategy. Some successful examples in both the gaming and non-gaming space:
Shopkins
Shopkins can be Common, Rare, Ultra Rare, Special Edition, or Limited Edition.
There are about 140 characters per season, so there are now more than 700 characters across the core line.
Squinkies
Squinkies season 1 launched with 208 characters in 13 waves.
Common: 145 or about 70%
Ultra-Rare: 14 or about 7%
Rare: 49 or about 23%
Bakugan
Bakugan season 1 included 62 models, Season 2 included 75 models
Hot Wheels
Hot Wheels creates multiple groups of 4 similarly-themed basic cars
Leading to our recommendation for product strategies
Recommended Product Strategies
Collectability:
Pre-plan number of models over a 12-month period, ensuring that successful completion of the collection is difficult, but achievable
Differentiate the items by theme, rarity and/or function
Example: 60% Common; 20% Uncommon; 10% Rare; 7% Super-Rare; 3% Ultra-Rare
Visual Design
Launch with product featuring the brand’s versions of familiar archetypes.
Ensure all individual items are clearly identifiable
Functional Design
Ensure product variety follows a simple, structured functional hierarchy
Consider new technologic to enhance points value and gameplay powers
