Funko introduced the first Pop Vinyl figurines in 2010, being simple recreations of iconic characters with giant heads, large round eyes, and blocky bodies. Since then, Funko has expanded the Pop line to encompass almost every franchise someone could think of, making the figures more detailed while keeping their staple giant heads and large eyes. Funko has become an integral part of collector culture and almost everyone knows someone who has at least one. However, it has not had the same success in the gaming industry that LEGO has, but if Funko took some inspiration from Traveller’s Tales games it could potentially take off.
RELATED: All the Pokemon Funko Pop Figures Released So Far
Funko Has a Multitude of Franchises Like LEGO
One of the biggest draws to Traveller’s Tales LEGO games is that each title adapts an iconic franchise. LEGO Star Wars brings players across the Star Wars galaxy, LEGO Batman adapts DC heroes in fun superhero adventures, LEGO Indiana Jones lets players play through the Indiana Jones series, and LEGO Lord of the Rings whisks players off to Middle-earth. Any brand that LEGO makes sets for is a likely contender for a video game, and the games have even branched out to non-LEGO set franchises through LEGO Dimensions.
Over the years, the Funko Pop line has grown to include almost everything; there are Pops based on Friends, Star Wars, Marvel, Borderlands, Community, and even celebrities like Justin Bieber. There are lines dedicated to McDonald’s and various other brand logos. The sheer multitude of franchises that Funko offers rivals that of LEGO, and gives Funko a host of potential for co-op games.
What a Funko Pop Game Could Look Like
Funko has explored video games before, but it has only made mobile titles. Currently, fans can download Funko Pop! Blitz and play through a pretty simple matching game starring Pop figures. Previously, Funko released Gears Pop!, which was a Clash Royale clone with a Gears of War skin, though its servers were shut down in April 2021. Funko has not tried taking the Traveller’s Tales LEGO game formula, but it really should consider that.
Utilizing one of the multitude of franchises that Funko adapts, it could create a pretty fun co-op game. Players could control various Funko Pops and play through platforming levels to unlock more. They could collect a Funko version of studs and utilize them to buy power-ups, characters, and even Pop vehicles. Players could even work through movies like The Matrix, Ghostbusters, or Dune. The games could also adapt a whole host of different TV Shows or even video games with the Funko style. If Funko wanted to take it to the next level, it could create its own version of LEGO Dimensions with a multiverse crossover.
If Funko chose to go down this route, it would have to differentiate itself and develop unique titles to avoid being called a copy. With the amount of franchises that Funko creates Pops for, it would not be hard to find a franchise that Traveller’s Tales has not touched. Funko Pops have the ability to make games just as fun as the LEGO series, it just needs to find the perfect formula.
MORE: The Next LEGO Game Should Not Star Superheroes
