PlayMonster, the Big on Fun company, is pleased to announce the highly anticipated launch of its new line of building toys, Snap Ships™—a collectible, durable and versatile modular building system that stands up to action play. Snap Ships invite kids to build, battle and display an exciting array of cool spacecrafts, merging two of the biggest play patterns for boys—action-play and construction.
Designed for kids ages 8 and up, the exciting new Snap Ships fleet launches with eleven ships at a suggested retail price of $9.99–$39.99, each coming with a mysterious UJU tech piece that holds special value hidden inside the box. Snap Ships come with multiple build options and are available today in early release on Amazon and will hit shelves at Target and other retailers later this month.
More than just a toy line, Snap Ships creates a 360-degree play experience inviting kids into the Snap Ships universe through an immersive animated series from acclaimed content studio Wind Sun Sky Entertainment, and a free interactive AR app from highly successful video game developers.
“Snap Ships is so much more than a great toy line; it is a content-driven franchise that allows kids to not only build, but also play, battle, rebuild, customize, watch content, engage with the app and then do it all over again,” said Tim Kilpin, PlayMonster’s newly appointed President. “We set out to change the building play experience, and it is the biggest launch in Play Monster’s history.”
To tell the epic story of the Snap Ships universe, PlayMonster needed a partner as powerful as the best in its fleet, and has joined forces with award-winning content studio Wind Sun Sky to produce a fast-paced and edgy animated series. Season one of the series, Snap Ships Dawn of Battle will launch this August on YouTube, with new episodes releasing each week.
Wind Sun Sky, led by Catherine Winder, whose credits include Star Wars: The Clone Wars, The Angry Birds Movie, and Super Dinosaur, has brought the Snap Ship’s universe dynamically to life in CGI animation with non-stop action.
“We knew right away that we wanted to be a part of Snap Ships because of its all-around potential,” said Winder, “We’re excited to partner with PlayMonster, one of the fastest growing toy companies in the industry, to bring the Snap Ships story to life through creative content.”
The vast storyline introduces viewers to The Forge, an elite team assembled to pilot a fleet of versatile and specialized Snap Ships defense attack craft, and The Komplex, an alien species determined to annihilate all life, that has invaded with no warning. Along the way, The Forge discovers mysterious UJU tech, left behind by an ancient civilization, that can be added to their Snap Ships to give them unheard-of abilities.
Rounding out the Snap Ships launch is the release of the free interactive Snap Ships app, designed to complement the toy line and animated series, allowing users to explore the vibrant world of Snap Ships.
Highly detailed digital versions of the constructible toys come to life in the app and can be summoned into your room via Augmented Reality. Kids are invited to “Build to Battle” with digital building instructions for the core Snap Ships kits, as well as a huge assortment of custom ships unique to the app.
Track your collection, prep ships for flight in AR, and test fire your ship’s weapons as you battle against the ever advancing Komplex.
Developed by Scott Pease and Jeff Swenty, AAA video game veterans (Tony Hawk, Guitar Hero, Call of Duty) and the inventors of Snap Ships, the app, rated E for everyone, is available now for free for iOS on the Apple App Store and for Android via the Google Play Store.
“To us, Snap Ships are more than toys—we imagine them as real, working spaceships,” said Pease. “The Snap Ships app brings that fantasy to life: summon life sized ships in Augmented Reality, walk around them, test their weapons, and fly them into Battle. You also get access to an endless supply of unique ships with detailed, 3D building instructions, so you can build them all with your real-life toy kits!”
Following the recent announcement of former Mattel President and Chief Commercial Officer Tim Kilpin’s appointment as President at Play Monster, the launch of Snap Ships marks the company’s move into more content-driven franchise development and continued innovation in play.
For more information about Snap Ships, please visit www.snapships.com.