Deirdre Cross, General Manager at Funko Games offers insight into the company’s recent partnership with Hasbro and the success of its Five Nights at Freddy’s offerings in this extended edition of The Toy Book’s 2023 State of the Industry Q&A roundtable. Want more insight from the all-stars of the toy industry? Click here to explore this year’s lineup!
The Toy Book: Games had a big spike during the pandemic that’s leveled out a bit. How is Funko Games keeping gamers excited while attracting new players?
Deirdre Cross: We’ve been successful in bringing new gamers and fans into the fold by making games based on entertainment and pop culture brands they know and love. Our games often create nostalgia by taking players back to happy, early life memories related to their favorite movie, TV show, or pop culture moment. The games offer surprise-and-delight moments that fans look forward to experiencing with friends and family.
Additionally, by producing engaging, fun, and interactive gameplay in line with fans’ favorite entertainment brands, it allows people to see games as a hobby, which then leads them back to the games aisle for more adventures with Funko Games.
TB: Funko Games recently partnered with Hasbro Gaming to relaunch Cranium. What is the significance of this new partnership?
We’re long-time fans of the Cranium brand and the franchise holds a very special place in our hearts. We’re excited to partner with Hasbro in celebration of Cranium’s 25th anniversary, and look forward to bringing a new generation of Cranium games back to tabletops worldwide.
TB: Five Nights at Freddy’s (FNAF) is almost a sleeper franchise that’s huge, but not yet a household name. With a feature film from Blumhouse currently in production, can you tell us how the video game hit has become a growing part of the Funko Games portfolio?
DC: Being part of Funko, Funko Games has the opportunity to tell a different side of the FNAF story through a collection of games. We have seen terrific sales of various FNAF games and it’s incredible to see fans engage with the collection, whether they play as security guards avoiding the animatronic monsters in Survive ‘Til 6AM or as a monster trying to incapacitate the guards in Night of Frights.
TB: What are some of the big titles and innovations that retailers and gamers can look forward to this year?
DC: We’re very focused on our new Cranium collection, including an all-new title called Cranium Big Brain Detective Game, which is for children ages 5 and up. The game features an 800-plus square-inch board with incredibly detailed artwork that children can immerse themselves in as they play detectives in a fun and engaging way.
Funko Games is focused on providing value, both in price and entertainment. We pride ourselves in working collectively to create games that customers can play again and again, offering a new experience each time. This exemplifies the Big Brain Detective Game experience — it’s playable in solo mode or with multiple players, providing additional play value for children at a reasonable dollar value for the adult who buys it.
A version of this Q&A was originally published in the 2023 edition of The BIG Toy Book. Click here to read the full issue! Want to receive The Toy Book in print? Click here for subscription options!
