The new Mega Bloks Power Rangers Megaforce collection, featuring a host of new sets as well as a new figure style, has just launched. The flagship set in the line is the Gosei Great Megazord set (pictured above). It features light and sound functionality and has the ability to be rebuilt into four different models. Other sets in the line include: Continue reading
Mega Bloks has released a new series of Hello Kitty blind packs that feature an assortment of eight different collectible figures of the ubiquitous Japanese bobtail cat. The latest offering of the Mega Bloks Hello Kitty blind packs is called the Vacation Series. The series features Hello Kitty in Safari, Hawaiian, Surfing and Snorkling attire as well as in a variety of others. Part of the third series in the line, each Vacation Series blind pack contains one mystery character and is priced at $2.99.
Source: Mega Bloks Blog
$14.6 billion. That is the estimated market capitalization of privately held toy maker LEGO. This makes the Danish company the world’s most valuable toy manufacturer by market capitalization, just ahead of American firm Mattel, which is valued at $14.4 billion, while Hasbro trails far behind both companies with a value of $5.4 billion. Japanese toy manufacturers Bandai and Tomy had a value of roughly $3.85 billion and $520 million respectively while Canadian firm Mega Brands, manufacturer of Mega Bloks, had a market capitalization slightly over $200 million.
Led by CEO Jorgen Vig Knudstorp, LEGO saw revenues rise 25% last year and manufactured an impressive 45.7 billion bricks. LEGO’s greatly expanded its product offerings in recent years adding themes based on licenses such as The Lone Ranger, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, The Hobbit, The Lord of the Rings, and Marvel and DC Superheroes. It has also created new original properties such as Friends, Ninjago and Chima. LEGO stores have also proliferated across North America and Europe.
The Kristiansen family, which owns LEGO, controls its stake through Kirkbi A/S, an investment company headquartered in the same town as LEGO, Billund, Denmark. Kirkbi also owns 36% of Merlin Entertainments Group; the owner of the LEGOLAND theme parks and Discovery Centers among other attractions around the world. Merlin Entertainments Group recently opened two new LEGOLAND theme parks, one in Florida and another in Malaysia as well as a LEGOLAND Discovery Center in Toronto, Canada with plans for another in New Jersey.
Source: Bloomberg, New York Times
A new line of Hot Wheels inspired constructable vehicles will be released in 2013 by Mega Bloks in association with Mattel. The Mega Bloks Hot Wheels collection will include construction sets such as the Build and Race assortment, a line of vehicles that are ripcord-powered and the Hot Wheels Test Facility. Other sets in the collection include the Urban Agent Escape Rig, which comes with a missile launcher and test ramp, and the motorized 3-in-1 Super Blitzen Monster Truck (pictured above), which can be transformed into three different vehicles with the use of custom parts. In addition, each set also comes complete with a Team Hot Wheels figure. The Mega Bloks Hot Wheels line was unveiled at the New York Toy Fair 2013, which runs from February 10th to the 13th in New York City. The new line’s announcement comes on the heels of another partnership between Mega Bloks and Mattel, which saw the creation of Barbie Mega Bloks construction sets which launched in late 2012.
Mega Bloks is offering up a new Need For Speed inspired Custom Garage construction set that features a staging area for an included scale model (1:38) of the McLaren MP4-12C. The custom garage also includes a set of interchangeable parts while the staging area for the car features a turntable that can rotate 360-degrees.
Consisting of 342 pieces, and priced at $29.99, the set is far cheaper than the actual McLaren MP4-12C itself (pictured above), which costs a cool $241,800.
Source:Mega Bloks Blog