Funko Fusion, a multiplayer action-adventure game featuring the iconic Funko POP figure, recently released its first in-depth trailer. Developed by new studio 10:10 Games, the game will feature Funko POPs from iconic movies and TV shows including The Umbrella Academy, Battlestar Galactica, Back to the Future, Jurassic World, and many more. Funko Fusion will also support multiplayer, with up to four players able to select their favorite Funko POP characters and play together.
Game ZXC sat down with 10:10 Games co-founder and design director Arthur Parsons to discuss Funko Fusion's adaptation of the figures' unique anatomies, how they chose which IPs to use, and much more. Parsons also delves into the surprising horror elements that found their way into the game, his own history as a Funko POP collector, and just how tricky it was to work around the Funko POPs' enormous head. The interview has been edited for brevity and clarity.
Q: We loved the first Funko Fusion trailer - there was such a mix of IPs. How did you decide what to use?
Parsons: Well, Funko POPs appeal to this surprisingly wide age range, particularly 25 to 45, and we wanted to have a little bit of something for everyone. Our motto when developing this game was "Everyone's a fan of something." We went through and added something for every decade. We've got Masters of the Universe in there, which will appeal to an older crowd, and Battlestar Galactica - the 70s version - and then stuff like The Umbrella Academy that's more modern. It's a great mix with something for everyone.
Q: So you always knew it was going to be a multi-IP game?
Parsons: Absolutely. We wanted to do something different from the LEGO games, different than we've ever done before. We knew it was going to be this awesome crossover, with all these different IPs, and we're still getting new IPs, even now, as more people reach out to us and say yeah, we want our characters in. We've got over 20 IPs, I can say that for sure, and at least one character from each one who's playable in the game. There are still more IPs out there that we wanted to use; we don't want this game to be a one-off. We see it as the start of a whole new franchise based on Funko POPs from all sorts of media.
Q: Many weren't expecting the horror vibes from Funko Fusion's trailer. How did this element find itself in the game?
Parsons: It was there from the beginning. We knew from the start that we wanted a lot of smaller IPs, cult classics, and a lot of those are horror. Like Shaun of the Dead - I think this is the first time Shaun of the Dead's ever been in a video game - and Child's Play, The Thing, and monster movies. We want people to react, to say "Wow, they've got THAT in the game?" And a lot of horror IPs give us that.
Q: How did you blend horror elements with the cute, cartoon-like design and anatomy of the Funko POPs?
Parsons: We saw it as an opportunity! We're doing what we call "tasteful horror" - even if it's gory or bloody, it doesn't come across that way because the Funko are so cute. Plus we're going for a T rating, not an R, but it allows us to do these iconic horror scenes, these moments, in a new way. Like with The Thing scenes in the trailer or Shaun fighting zombies. We want people to wonder, how are they going to do that scene? How is it going to come across? And it'll be unique because Funkos are so unique.
Q: On the subject of the iconic Funko anatomy, this is the first video game to feature Funko POPs. What was it like converting their anatomy into a moving, active, form?
Parsons: We're honored to bring Funko POPs to life, but it was definitely difficult. Our team worked so hard. They've got these huge heads and these tiny bodies, so they can't always do motions that you would think of as normal. We had to rethink everything. Imagine greeting a lady and doffing your cap - a Funko POP can't do that, because he can't reach the top of his head. When Prince Adam raises his staff to become He-Man, we had to change how he did that, because it didn't work. But we got some great scenes, as a result, with some really fun moments.
Q: Can you share any with us?
Parsons: Well, in the trailer, there's that scene where the dinosaurs are loose, and you see poor Klaus from Umbrella Academy try to get through the door, he gets stuck, his head pops off, and there's just a little nub there for his neck. In the game, that scene's actually longer, you see Klaus's body just wandering around, looking for his head, and he has trouble picking it up because his arms are so short. It's really funny. There's also this scene where some characters are in one of the helicopters from Jurassic World and their bodies fit, but their heads don't. So they're having a conversation but all of their heads are tilted and twisted at these weird angles, like 45 degrees, which makes the whole thing so much more fun.
Q: The Funko POP packaging is arguably as iconic as the POPs themselves. How did you incorporate that into the game?
Parsons: Funko POP collectors love their packaging. It's like you said, iconic. So when the Funkos get summoned into the game, they show up in their boxes, the boxes appear in the world, and then the characters come out. We were inspired by Bill and Ted's a little. We wanted to really have a lot of treats for Funko fans, so there are a lot of little things like that in the game that you'll notice. Like we don't have health potions, they're all Funko Soda, with that really obvious branding. There are a ton of fun things like that. Our goal was to really be authentic to fans of Funko.
Q: What IP were you, personally, most excited to see in the game?
Parsons: Masters of the Universe. No question. I've been making games for 27 years, and it was always my dream to work on a game with Masters of the Universe characters in it. What's really great is that for everyone on our team, there was an IP that was like that for them. We've got someone who loves The Thing, someone who's big into Umbrella Academy, and all that passion comes through. And we love that because that's what Funko is, too - a little bit of something for everyone. We're doing something that other games haven't done before, our team loves it, and I think it could really be a hit. All these little moments, Easter Eggs - I think there is the chance for some huge viral hits here.
Q: I can see you're a Funko collector - what is your favorite Funko of all time?
Parsons: I've got a rare flocked Tony the Tiger from Frosted Flakes. He's pride of place in my collection, still in his box. I've also got a full collection of Fraggles & Doozers from Fraggle Rock. I'd like to say my Masters of the Universe collection, too, but it's not complete yet. Still missing a few!
Q: From one collector to another, can you tell us - does Funko plan to release any tie-in merchandise related to Funko Fusion? Any new POPs based on the game, maybe?
Parsons: I can honestly say that I don't know, but, knowing the people at Funko, I wouldn't be surprised if they've got some sort of surprise up their sleeve.
Q: Is there anything else you want to say to readers about Funko Fusion?
Parsons: You won't be disappointed. This game, there's so much there, it's just...it's just bonkers. We've got so much that we can't wait to share with you. So keep an eye out, because we've got lots more exciting information to reveal before the game comes out - more IPs that we haven't shared yet, more exciting announcements, and stay in touch! Reach out to us on our social media! We want to know your thoughts, and what you think of our trailers and reveals. What characters, scenes, and moments you'd like to see in this game, and in future games in what we hope will be a franchise. We want to hear from you!
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Funko Fusion is scheduled for a 2024 release on both PC and console.