Sony seems to have planned out something unexpected this year as it reveals its Totaku lineup of collectible figures, which interestingly looks like Nintendo's Amiibos.
The company's first set of characters are based on different Sony-exclusive franchises that established the brand as a future gaming powerhouse. The toys are priced at $9.99 each and feature fixed figures that measure about four inches each and are non-articulable.
Collectible Similarity
At first glance, most gamers would immediately associate the toys with Nintendo's Amiibo collectibles. However, it appears that the items are purely made as scaled models of Sony's recognizable heroes and hold no other function.
It is currently unknown if the Totaku figurines will come with a special code to unlock some special DLC or items for select games. Yet, based on the description for the first set, it looks like the collection is purely decorative in nature.
The First Wave
Sony's initial offering of Totaku figures will include Heihachi Mishima from the Tekken franchise, the Hunter from Bloodborne, Kratos as he appears in the new God of War, Parappa, Wipeout's Feisar FX350 ship, Little Big Planet's Sackboy, and Crash Bandicoot.
Sony did not confirm future plans to offer even more popular characters from other games in their extensive lineup. Nevertheless, sources noted that an official description listed for the figures hint that there could be more down the line.
"Join us as we work our way through gaming's greatest heroes," according to the product description. Favorite protagonists like Aloy from Horizon: Zero Dawn, Nathan Drake from the Uncharted series, and possibly Ellie or Joel from The Last of Us could possibly be included in the next series.
Availability
Interested gamers can place their pre-orders now via GameStop, which is the exclusive retailer of the Totaku collectible toys. Sony tapped ThinkGeek, which is also owned by the gaming retail firm to produce the detailed figures. It does not look like the products will be available anywhere else except the above-mentioned retailer.
Comparison With Other Collectible Figures
Totaku is hardly an original idea given the number of products that came before it. Other than Nintendo's Amiibo series that was highly sought after due to the rarity of some its figures, which was rumored to be intentionally done by the company to trigger demand. Activision marketed its own collectible toys called Skylanders, while Disney likewise had their own called the Infinity series.
All of the previously mentioned figures either used RFID technology or in the case of Nintendo NFC, which is extra value for collectors who want a interactivity with their toys. Sony's Totaku is just purely for display and does not have any other functions, which makes it difficult to justify a purchase except for collectability and nostalgic value. The first batch will become available on March 23, 2018.
