BREAKING: Neopets Merch to hit US shelves big-time

[Samuel]

In a move probably aimed at getting maximum profits for Christmas, Neopets and Jakks Pacific today announced a wide-ranging plan to create a whole new set of merchandise for Neopets.com, to be released over fall this year and with plushies to follow early next, after Viacom awarded the licence to the group.

 

Plenty of new Neopets merch

Included in the deal to produce toys, with Jakks, are plans to sell:

Neopets action figures and accessories, playsets, plug-in and play TV games and interactive toys, role-play products, vehicles, water toys, stationary, kites and craft activities. Neopets plush figures are due to be released in 2008.

 

Neopets Key Quest

Also announced today was Neopets Key Quest, which allow users to gain codes from the toys they purchase and unlock virtual extensions of what they've purchased to use in their 'Key Quest experiance'.

 

Key Quotes

This is a very exciting deal for us," said Stephen Berman, the president and COO of JAKKS. "Neopets is a remarkable property for kids and tweens. We know that members love collecting neopoints and other virtual items, and now they can collect Neopets products, as well. We plan to add engaging real world components to the already hugely popular virtual world of Neopia and maximize the deep online connection kids have with Neopets through a collectible rollout strategy, which is one of JAKKS' core strengths. Neopets has all the makings of a great toy property."

 

"Neopets continues to innovate. Our toy line with JAKKS will create new ways for kids to play and interact with the site in the months ahead," said Leigh Ann Brodsky, President, Nickelodeon & Viacom Consumer Products. "Consumer products based on the Neopets brand will continue to expand to mass retail in 2008 in categories including toys, electronics, apparel, accessories, books and videogames.

 

 

Neopets merchandise has recently taken a downfall, with much of it coming from Limited Too plushies in select stores, TCG cards, and online t-shirts. However, in the Netherlands, a massive marketing campaign has just hit Kruidvat stores (with plenty of Neopets merch and plushies selling nationwide). Jakks Pacific has manufactured toys for

 

What're your views on this? What new Neopets toys would you like to see (if any at all?) Add your view - click 'Comments' below.

[Crusher]

The toys don't exactly interest me. What I would love would be a console game with online rewards, for example once you beat the last level you get 10k on neopets, or something like that. What's the point of a plug-and-play if you can just play the games on Neopets for free?

 

Crusher

[Anime]

Overall it's a good idea, Neopets could use a bit more real-world advertising. They could go overboard and ruin it though.

 

*crosses fingers for a Fire Wocky plushie*

[Crusher]

If they overdo it people might actually get sick of having things thrust in their face. They might even try to avoid neopets altogether.

 

Crusher

[antiaircraft]

This doesn't affect me, since I live in Malaysia, but I'd have to say that although this is interesting, to me it just sounds like a bid to add a little more to Neopets' revenue.

[Kal]

I think its kind of cool. We all play neopets (Obviously...) which means we have some form of interest in it, It'd be nice to be able to carry it over into the real world. I doubt I'd buy toys and things, But say Mousemats, Tshirts etc...? Why not? I mean, I know I'm 27 and should probably not be wearing neopet tshirts, But Dang it, I think it's awesome!

Plus it would be great if they came with codes like the old plushie toys to unlock things on neopets to play with, Either virtual versions of the product (You buy a tshirt, and put in the code, and you get a tshirt for your neopet? That'd own) or maybe just neopoints, or random things... It all just sounds like fun to me.