A new game, Funko Fusion has been announced, which will bring a new toy-based franchise to the gaming space to compete with the LEGO titles. Much like with LEGO games, Funko Fusion looks to target a variety of popular movie and TV IPs, including Jurassic World, Back to the Future, The Thing, and The Umbrella Academy, and give their characters the bobble-headed look that the Funko figures are known for.

Whereas LEGO was a popular building toy before its partnerships with huge franchises such as Star Wars, Funko Inc. made its name for its line of collectibles based on pop culture characters. The company has produced licensed plushes, action figures, board games like Five Nights At Freddy's, and accessories, but is most well known for its distinctly stylized vinyl figurines and bobbleheads. Whereas Funko's figures are recognizable as the characters they're adapting, they have minimalistic facial features, with two large eyes, a small nose, and no mouths on their oversized heads.

Funko Fusion Is Being Developed By A Team Of Former LEGO Game Creators

Characters from The Mummy, The Thing, The Umbrella Academy and Battlestar Galactica team up in Funko Fusion

Funko Fusion is the debut title from 10:10 Games, a studio co-founded by TT Games founder Jon Burton and a team of experienced developers known for their work on LEGO games, and is being made in collaboration with Funko, LLC and Universal Games and Digital Platforms. Funko Fusion will be a mash-up title of sorts, rather than focusing on a particular franchise, much like LEGO Dimensions' Harry Potter and Adventure Time-laden cast, although unlike that game players don't seem to need to purchase physical figures to unlock the different worlds.

Funko Fusion's gameplay appears to have much of what made the LEGO titles so popular, with vast environments to explore based on hugely popular franchises, intriguing puzzles to solve, and a variety of fan-favorite characters to interact with, but should still offer an experience that stays true to Funko’s specific DNA, according to 10:10's official press release. Unlike most LEGO titles, which only offer two-player co-op, Funko Fusion will include online multiplayer for up to four players, which should allow for unlikely team-ups of characters from across Universal's IPs.

Funko Fusion Will Adapt Franchises LEGO Won't

A Funko version of Shaun from Shaun Of The Dead swings a cricket bat at a zombie in the Funko Fusion game

As seen in the teaser trailer below, Funko Fusion will include iconic characters from many of Universal's iconic movie and TV franchises, including Jurassic World, Back to the Future, The Umbrella Academy, Battlestar Galactica, Masters of the Universe, and the 1999 version of The Mummy starring Brendan Fraser and Rachel Weisz. Unlike the LEGO titles - which targeted more child-friendly franchises such as Star Wars, DC, or Marvel - Funko Fusion will be giving more R-rated franchises the adorable toy game treatment, with horror titles such as Shaun Of The Dead, The Thing, and Child’s Play also appearing in the title.

With 10:10 Games' history with the acclaimed LEGO gaming franchise from its developers' days at TT Games, similar humor and gameplay as those titles, and a variety of Universal characters that should appeal to players of all ages, Funko Fusion is definitely a title that pop culture fans should keep an eye on. Funko Fusion is currently expected to be released in 2024 on PC and consoles.

Source: 10:10 Games/YouTube