Last year, 10:10 Games took Traveller’s Tales' tried-and-true LEGO game formula to the world of Funko Pops throughFunko Fusion. The title brought together an assortment of popular IPs into one massive crossover adventure, which made for an intriguing premise. However,Funko Fusionultimately failed to impress audiences and critics, and the studio has since suffered layoffs. Because of that, it seems like this concept might not be expanded upon further, but it really should be.
Funko Fusionwas hardly a perfect game, yet the concept could lead to an exciting new co-op franchise. Traveller’s Tales has spent over two decades bringing its LEGO formula to all sorts of IPs, which is exactly whatFunko Fusionwas aiming to accomplish with the Funko Pop brand. Not only did it put a new twist on the formula, but the franchises on display were unlike anything LEGO has ever touched before. With a few tweaks and changes, it has the potential to spawn its own exciting franchise.
The Funko Fusion Concept Could Still Spawn a New Co-Op Franchise
Leading up to its release,Funko Fusionseemed to be brimming with potential. For starters, the studio behind it was created by ex-Traveller’s Tales' developers, which meant that it had experience working on the massive LEGO franchise. Additionally, unlike those games, it was set to bring together so many unique franchises into one multiversal adventure, much likeLEGO Dimensions. And if that was not enough, said franchises were unlike anything LEGO would ever touch, which made for an incredibly unique adventure.
However, upon release, players foundFunko Fusionto be lacking in many areas. The story itself proved lackluster, the gameplay left much to be desired, and the overall experience just paled in comparison to what LEGO has refined over the years. Because of that, the game ended up being a commercial failure and 10:10 Games has suffered layoffs. So, while there has been no news on the future of this concept, it currently seems likeFunko Fusionwill not be spawning a franchise after all. But the concept does not deserve to be left gathering dust.
Another Developer Could Do Wonders With the Concept
With some tweaks and changes,Funko Fusioncould make for an incredibly exciting series of co-op collect-a-thon. For one, the franchises on display here could really help set it up as the antithesis of LEGO.BesidesJurassic World, the franchises that 10:10 Games adapted were far more adult-skewing than anything Traveller’s Tales has ever touched. Not only that, but LEGO itself has also never made sets around many of these IPs. It was giving fans something brand-new, which really helped to setFunko Fusionapart, so if that continues, there’s no telling what franchises the studio would explore.
On top of that, there doesn’t currently seem to be any major competition for the LEGO games, as there are hardly any titles like them.Funko Fusionfelt like the first real competitorin a long time, but sadly, it failed to make an impact. However, if a studio was able to craft a much stronger experience by honing its take on the crossover collect-a-thon, then it has the chance to really give LEGO a run for its money. With strong competition, both franchises would have to try their hardest to one-up each other, which could lead to some exciting new additions to the formula.
It does not seem like there is a future forFunko Fusion, but hopefully, someone will consider taking on the concept again. If not with Funko Pops, then maybe another collectible could fill that void. There is so much that could still be done with the concept, and now that LEGO seems to be overhauling its approach to video games, it’s the perfect time for another collectible to make its mark.
