Sunday, June 08, 2014

Midco Toys Announces UK Release Date For Retro "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles" Action Figure Collection; Available To Pre-Order Now

ToyNews, a monthly trade magazine for the toy business, and the toy news website The ToyArk are reporting the Booyakasha TMNT news that the UK-based award winning independent toy shop Midco Toy Planet has announced that UK "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles" fans can now place pre-orders for an exclusive range of retro "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles" action figures from Midco Toys' official eBay store, Epic Toys!

Midco Toys has partnered with Flair to exclusively release the special series of four-inch Classic Collection ("Teenage Mutant Hero Turtles") action figures in the UK. The collection will include Donatello, Leonardo, Raphael and Michelangelo, as well as Splinter and Shredder.

Launching on Monday 30th June 2014, each reissued figure will be available to buy individually for £12.99, with a set of six retailing at £59.99 (offering a saving of over 20 per cent; prices shown are in GBP).

Customers in Derby or Burton can also visit either Toy Planet or Midco Toys to reserve their sets.

Each figure is based on the original 1988 release, using the original Playmates moulds for authenticity. Each figure also comes with their core Ninja weapons and an extra weapons rack.

Details on ordering outside of Europe will be made available as the launch date approaches.

From The ToyArk:
UK Launch Date for TMNT Retro Figures


Midco Toys has sent along a press release. They are the official, and exclusive, carrier of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Retro Collection in the UK. these are the reissues of the classic 80′s TMNT figures. The Midco Toys Ebay store, Epic Toys, has the figures for pre-order now! You can pre-order them by Clicking Here.


The figures sell for £12.99 each, the set of six figures for just £59.99. The figures are expected to launch on June 30th. Details on ordering outside of Europe will be made available as the launch date approaches. Read on to check out the press release.

RETRO TURTLES ACTION FIGURES NOW AVAILABLE TO PRE-ORDER

Midco Toys Exclusive Range of Action Figures to be Released on June 30th 2014

Fans of all ages can now place pre-orders for their Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Retro action figures and guarantee getting a set. The Midco Toys eBay store, Epic Toys, is the place to go online to pre-order. Each figure is available individually for £12.99, with the set of six figures available for just £59.99 (a saving of over 20%).

Ebay Link.

Customers in Derby or Burton can visit either Toy Planet or Midco Toys to reserve their sets.

Midco Toys has partnered with Flair to exclusively release a special series of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 4" Classic Collection action figures in the UK. The range will include Donatello, Leonardo, Raphael and Michelangelo along with Splinter and Shredder. Each figure is based on the original 1988 release, using the original Playmates moulds for totally radical authenticity. Each figure comes with their core Ninja weapons and an extra weapons rack.

The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 4" Classic Collection perfectly complements the mix of products sold at Midco Toys, with its dual appeal of collector-friendly nostalgia and being a hot property with children. The 4" Classic Collection will form the centrepiece in a full range of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles products, including action figures, play sets, role play, creative and electronic toys.
Also, from ToyNews:
Retro Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles action figures available for pre-order at Midco Toys

Exclusive range of action figures will launch on June 30th.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles fans can now place pre-orders for an exclusive range of retro action figures from Midco Toys' eBay store.

Launching on June 30th, each figure will be available individually for £12.99, with a set of six retailing at £59.99 (offering a saving of over 20 per cent).

Customers in Derby or Burton can also visit either Toy Planet or Midco Toys to reserve their sets.

Midco Toys has partnered with Flair to exclusively release the special series of four-inch Classic Collection action figures in the UK. The collection will include Donatello, Leonardo, Raphael and Michelangelo, as well as Splinter and Shredder.

Each figure is based on the original 1988 release, using the original Playmates moulds for authenticity. Each figure also comes with their core Ninja weapons and an extra weapons rack.

TAGS teenage mutant ninja turtles, midco toys

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Ubisoft Set To Make Nickelodeon's "Rabbids Invasion" Interactive

The official website of the entertainment industry newspaper Variety, Variety.com, is reporting the exciting news in the following article that Ubisoft are planning to make Nickelodeon and Ubisoft's popular CG-animated series "Rabbids Invasion" interactive!

As Ubisoft Motion Pictures', the movie and TV arm of the French video game producer, moves forward with brand-new episodes for "Rabbids Invasion" season two, Ubisoft is about to blur the lines of what it takes to make a TV show and game.

In what could prove a clever cost-effective way of ringing more coin out of content for kids programmers, Ubisoft has taken existing episodes of "Rabbids Invasion", based on Ubisoft's popular "Raving Rabbids" video game franchise, and will re-release them with mini-games added to the same scenes in November 2014.

As an episode plays, a group of viewers are asked to participate in a series of challenges that have each one replicate the poses of the Rabbids when frozen in place, draw mustaches on them, dance with the characters, hurl them across the screen, compete in an egg fight, or help them identify objects by pointing at the screen. Overall, there will be more than 400 activities.


Other elements, like scoring and augmented reality features that put the Rabbids in the players' rooms, are also added as rewards. There's even the option to take selfies with the bug-eyed characters or shout their signature "bwaah!" catchphrase at them through the Kinect's voice controls.

The "Rabbids Invasion" game utilizes the Kinect motion sensor on Microsoft's Xbox One and Xbox 360 videogame consoles and the camera on the PlayStation 4.

Ubisoft initially introduced the "Rabbids Invasion" game at Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3) 2013, a annual trade fair for the computer and video games industry, but opted to wait and see if the TV show would take off and become a hit before releasing the interactive version.

Producers had looked at other kids shows like Nickelodeon Preschools "Dora the Explorer" and watched how the character asked viewers to point at different items on the screen.

Mini games couldn't just be added into episodes, however. Game designers at Ubisoft Paris, Ubisoft Casablanca and Ubisoft Barcelona had to learn how to add the right amount of gameplay to the series.

Should the "Rabbids Invasion" game become a hit, other children's television producers could easily give their shows the same treatment and monetize the content in a similar fashion.

First introduced in 2006, Ubisoft's "Raving Rabbids" have appeared in a series of party games, which have sold more than 14 million video games, and spun off an extensive line of consumer products, and more recently a theme park attraction in France. Viral videos of the characters have also generated more than 71 million views on YouTube.

"Rabbids Invasion" is also getting the licensing treatment, with books from Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing, and MacFarlane Toys at Walmart and Toys R Us stores.

In addition to a new order of 26 half-hour episodes for a second season for Nickelodeon, co-produced with France Télévisions, Ubisoft is also developing a full-length animated movie at Sony set to star the Rabbids:
Is 'Rabbids Invasion' a TV Show or Game? Why Not Both?



Rabbids Invasion: The Interactive TV Show Announcement Trailer [US]

Ubisoft's bug-eyed Rabbids are about to tell TV producers in Hollywood a lot without being able to say much at all.

The animated characters that communicate in gibberish and a lot of shouting are the stars of "Rabbids Invasion," a series that has broken out as a hit on Nickelodeon over the past year and become Ubisoft Motion Pictures’ first success story since the film and TV arm of the French gamemaker was formed. The show airs in 25 countries.

But as it moves forward with new episodes for a second season, Ubisoft is about to blur the lines of what it takes to make a TV show and game.

In what could prove a clever cost-effective way of ringing more coin out of content for kids programmers, Ubisoft has taken existing episodes of “Rabbids Invasion” and will re-release them with mini games added to the same scenes in November.

The conceit is simple enough: As an episode plays, a group of viewers are asked to participate in a series of challenges that have each one replicate the poses of the Rabbids when frozen in place, draw mustaches on them, dance with the characters, hurl them across the screen, compete in an egg fight, or help them identify objects by pointing at the screen. Overall, there are more than 400 activities.

The game utilizes the Kinect motion sensor on Microsoft’s Xbox One and Xbox 360 videogame consoles and the camera on the PlayStation 4.

Other elements, like scoring and augmented reality features that put the Rabbids in the players’ rooms, are also added as rewards. There’s even the option to take selfies with the characters or shout their signature “bwaah!” at them through the Kinect’s voice controls.

Pulling off the project required some planning.

Developers of the game initially took finished episodes and tried to figure out ways to make them playable. Now, however, that same team works closely with the show’s producers to come up with play patterns as the show’s being written. Where it once took six months to turn seven minutes of an episode into a game, collaborating with series creators has dropped that time down to a month for two episodes.

"We now a pipeline in place," said "Rabbids Invasion" producer Xavier Manzanares. "It was a new approach and way of working for us."

Ubisoft initially introduced the “Rabbids Invasion” game at last year’s Electronic Entertainment Expo videogame confab, but opted to wait and see if the TV show would take off and become a hit before releasing the interactive version.

Producers had looked at other kids shows like “Dora the Explorer” and watched how the character asked viewers to point at different items on the screen. "We said, 'This could be quite interesting,' and started to add basic interactivity to the show," Manzanares said.

Mini games couldn't just be added into episodes, however.

Game designers at Ubisoft Paris, Ubisoft Casablanca and Ubisoft Barcelona had to learn how to add the right amount of gameplay to the series.

"We had to work on the basic elements of rhythm," Manzanares said. "We had to learn how a show is done."

The initial batch of test episodes "had a lot of gameplay all the time," Manzanares said. "It broke the experience. We had to come up with a good balance of the show and the jokes so the viewer could see what was happening and then an activity to get viewers to stand up and participate. That was the biggest challenge for us."

"We have tried to create bridges," adds Jean-Julien Baronnet, CEO of Ubisoft Motion Pictures. "I don't know anything about making games. Our core competency is TV series and movies. On the other side, their core competency is games. We decided to create a system that combines both and the interactive TV series is a way to showcase the brand but to create new generations of content."

Should the “Rabbids Invasion” game become a hit, other childrens television producers could easily give their shows the same treatment and monetize the content in a similar fashion.

"Normally you watch a show, but now it's a participatory experience," which helps players connect with the characters on the screen in new ways.

The challenge of producing interactive TV often means coming up with scripts that would trigger new storylines if characters made certain moves on the screen.

What Ubisoft is doing with the "Rabbids Invasion" game, however, enables the company to "add interaction without having to completely redo the show," Manzanares said.

But Ubisoft already had a leg up with its Rabbids.

First introduced in 2006, the characters have already appeared in a series of party games, which have sold more than 14 million video games, and spun off an extensive line of consumer products, and more recently a theme park attraction in France. Viral videos of the characters have also generated more than 71 million views on YouTube.

"Rabbids Invasion" also is getting the licensing treatment, with books from Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing, and MacFarlane Toys at Walmart and Toys R Us stores.

In addition to a new order of 26 half-hour episodes for Nickelodeon, co-produced with France Télévisions, Ubisoft is also developing a full-length animated feature at Sony set to star the Rabbids.

FILED UNDER: Rabbids, Rabbids Invasion, Ubisoft, Ubisoft Motion Pictures

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Nickelodeon UK's Nick App Nominated For A Broadcast Digital Awards 2014 Award

The television industry news website Broadcast has announced the very exciting Nickelodeon UK News that Nickelodeon UK's localised version of the popular Nick App has been nominated for a award in the Broadcast Digital Awards 2014! The Nick App has been nominated to win the "Best App or Website (Channel, Strand or Genre)" award in the 10th Annual Broadcast Digital Awards!


Nick UK's version of the Nick App has been nominated against CBeebies Playtime, itv.com/news, E4.com, and www.horseandcountry.tv.

The "Best App or Website (Channel, Strand or Genre)" category of the Broadcast Digital Awards recognises and rewards outstanding second screen content that resulted in viewers becoming more engaged with a show or channel. Nominees can have elements of synchronicity, immersive rich content, or integrate with social media in an innovative way.


Available for free and featuring over 200 pieces of exclusive Nickelodeon-themed content, the Nick App is available for iPhone, iPad and iPod touch - exclusively on the App Store! The UK launch of the Nick App in November 2013 marked the first availability of the Nick App outside of the US where it launched in February 2013 and amassed five million downloads. The Nick App has also received the prestigious Award for Outstanding Creative Achievement in Interactive Media - User Experience And Visual Design at the 65th Emmy® Awards and has been nominated for the 'Best Streaming Video Platform' award in the 2013 iKids Awards.

Featuring a immersive branded experience, the Nick App allows British and Irish NickHeads to explore a laughter and slime-filled world that showcases content from hit Nickelodeon and Nicktoons shows such as "Sam & Cat", "The Haunted Hathaways", "SpongeBob SquarePants", "The Thundermans", "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles", "Rabbids Invasion", "Monsters Vs Aliens", "House of Anubis" and "Sanjay and Craig". Kids are able to interact with the Nick brand through a moveable tile layout that can be swiped in any direction, promoting discovery and exploration and offering fans instant and on-demand access to exclusive Nickelodeon content. The app is a destination for short-form videos, behind-the-scenes clips and comedic sketches. Photos from Nick stars and animated characters are also available as are specially created polls, blogs, games and voting for the Nickelodeon "Kids' Choice Awards" as well as full-length Nickelodeon episodes. The Nick App also features a intuitive "Do Not Touch" button, which unleashes a series of surprises if pressed. New content is added to the Nick App every day. More information on the Nick App can be found at nick.co.uk/app.

Nickelodeon UK supported the launch of the Nick App in November 2013 on Nickelodeon's online and social media channels as well as on-air through the 'Appy Christmas competition, where kids had the chance to win a iPad Mini everyday, making it a very Appy Christmas! Special promotional spots to introduce the app and its content was also be broadcast on air.

The Nick App is available free from the UK App Store on iPhone, iPad or iPod touch or here.

2014 has seen a record number of entries for the Broadcast Digital Awards, all of which are of an incredibly high standard. Following some lively debate and careful evaluation, Broadcast's judging panel decided which entries went through to the shortlist. Judges felt the shortlist demonstrated creativity and what is currently at the cutting edge of digital broadcasting and multiplatform content.

Renowned within the industry, the Broadcast Digital Awards have been recognising digital innovation and content creativity in broadcasting for the past 10 years. The Awards celebrate outstanding content from channels that achieve scale, volume and noise, no matter what their budget or position on the EPG. There has been a lot of change in the digital space over the past 10 years, with innovation and creativity no longer restricted to the TV screen. The Broadcast Digital Awards now include categories for TV, online and gaming. Whether it's large-scale multiplatform projects, user-friendly apps or highly targeted social media campaigns, there is a wealth of entertaining, and effective, content that deserves to be recognised.

To mark the tenth anniversary of the Awards, Broadcast have a new venue for 2014. The Brewery, London, will play host to more than 600 of the industry's finest on Wednesday 25th June 2014.

You can find the full nominee shortlist for the 2014 Broadcast Digital Awards here on the awards official website, broadcastdigitalawards.co.uk.

Good luck Nickelodeon UK!
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