Funko Enters Video Games with a Big Action Platformer in Collaboration with 10.10 Games
The American entertainment company Funko, best known for its iconic vinyl figures, is stepping into the video game arena with an ambitious publishing plan. The debut project is described as a large-scale action platformer and is being developed by 10.10 Games, a studio recognized for its expressive, character-driven titles. The release window was initially set for 2023, signaling a bold expansion of Funko’s brand into interactive entertainment and cross-media storytelling.
Leading the development is Jon Burton, the founder of Traveller’s Tales, renowned for creating many of the popular Lego video games. Traveller’s Tales has a track record of delivering colourful, family-friendly adventures that blend humor with solid platforming and puzzle-solving. Burton brings a reputation for translating beloved licensed worlds into accessible, entertaining experiences. A review of related Lego titles, including recent hits such as Lego Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga, can provide context on the studio’s approach to licensed properties and large, story-driven campaigns.
Beyond the formal announcement, Funko offered a teaser featuring a character named Freddie, hinting at the game’s tonal direction and world-building. The teaser sparked interest in the creative direction and set expectations for further reveals about gameplay mechanics, level design, and narrative scope as development progresses. The makers have promised additional details in forthcoming updates, keeping fans engaged with a steady cadence of new information.
Previously, Funko explored the mobile strategy space through a collaboration with Microsoft in 2019, releasing Gears Pop, a strategy game inspired by the Gears of War franchise. This earlier project demonstrated the company’s willingness to experiment with different genres and platforms while leveraging recognizable intellectual property. The new partnership with 10.10 Games signals a continuation of that experimentation in a more expansive, console-focused format, aimed at delivering a richer, more immersive experience for fans of Funko’s distinctive catalog of characters.
Interest in this collaboration extends beyond fans of Funko and Lego-style games. Industry watchers anticipate how the publisher will balance licensed character appeal with original design to create a cohesive game world that can stand on its own while still serving as a vehicle for cross-promotional opportunities. The combination of Funko’s character catalog and Burton’s platforming expertise offers the potential for a vibrant, animation-rich game world that could appeal to a broad audience, including longtime gamers and newcomers alike. The development strategy appears to emphasize accessible controls, vibrant visuals, and a storytelling approach that respects both the Funko brand and the Lego-inspired lineage of Burton’s team.
In related media, a trailer for John Wick 4 debuted at Comic-Con in 2022, illustrating how licensing-driven entertainment can intersect with major fan events to generate buzz for associated products and games. This context helps explain why Funko might view licensing, cross-media storytelling, and fan engagement as core pillars of its gaming strategy, aligning with a broader push to monetize beloved figures through interactive experiences as well as physical collectibles. The industry continues to watch how such mergers of brand, gameplay, and narrative influence how fans experience their favorite characters across different entertainment formats. Source: VG Times