For years, the folks over at McFarlane Toys have been handling the Halo license — and, to be fair, their action figures have always been great. However, thanks to a recent deal with Microsoft, Mattel will soon be taking over for McFarlane ... and Mattel has already made a strong first impression.
For its first line of Halo action figures, Mattel has designed two separate tiers: one features far more articulation (and a bigger price tag), while the other features a more slimmed-down design at a discount. Granted, Mattel's other Halo merchandise has always looked good — but for a first series, the company's Halo figures look fantastic.
The true star of the show are the new six-inch action figures. Each $20 figure comes with 30 points of articulation, a different set of armor and a pair of interchangeable weapons — basically, you can start with the Master Chief or Spartan Locke and end up with something entirely new. There's also a Covenant Elite available in addition to the five customizable Spartan figures, though its armor won't be interchangeable (it is a different species, after all).
From Bonnie Ross, head of 343 Industries:
"The success we've seen with the Halo MEGA Bloks franchise over the years laid the foundation for this partnership. We're excited to work with Mattel to bring innovative, quality and, most of all, fun products to old and new Halo fans alike."
So far, it looks like Microsoft's deal with Mattel is paying off — hopefully, the retail versions look just as good as the prototypes when they launch later this year.
Oh, and if Halo isn't your thing, there's always Dark Horse's new set of Witcher 3 statues.
