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'{{About||the Playmobil Stadion of SpVgg Greuther Fürth|Stadion am Laubenweg}} {{reimprove|date=October 2019}} {{Infobox toy |name = Playmobil |image = Playmobil logo.svg |image_upright = 1.2 |caption = Playmobil logo |othernames = |type = Plastic figures |inventor = [[Hans Beck]] |country = {{Flag|Germany}} |company = [[Brandstätter Group|Geobra Brandstätter GmbH]] |from = 1974 |to = present |materials = {{unbulleted list|[[Plastic]]|[[Rubber]]}} |slogan = |website = http://www.playmobil.com }} '''Playmobil''' ({{IPAc-en|p|l|eɪ|m|oʊ|ˈ|b|iː|l}})<ref>{{cite web| url= http://store.playmobilusa.com/on/demandware.store/Sites-US-Site |title= Playmobil USA official website| website= playmobilusa.com| quote= PLAYMOBIL is a registered trademark. pronounced: plāy-mō-bēēl| access-date= }}</ref><ref name= Beck-NYT-obit>{{cite news| url= https://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/06/business/06beck.html | title= Hans Beck, Designer of Little Plastic People, Dies at 79| first= Dennis |last= Hevesi| date= February 6, 2009| work= [[The New York Times]]| access-date= February 1, 2020| quote= Mr. Beck was the original designer and, for 24 years until he retired in 1998, head of research and development for Playmobil (pronounced playmoBEEL).}}</ref> is a line of toys produced by the [[Brandstätter Group]] (Geobra Brandstätter GmbH & Co KG), headquartered in [[Zirndorf]], Germany. The signature Playmobil toy is a {{cvt|7.5|cm|sigfig=2}} tall<ref name= revolves>{{cite web| url= http://store.playmobilusa.com/on/demandware.store/Sites-US-Site/en_US/Link-Page?cid=PMFIGUR| url-status= dead| title= Everything revolves around the Figure| website= playmobilusa.com| date= | archiveurl= https://web.archive.org/web/20130619210515/http://store.playmobilusa.com/on/demandware.store/Sites-US-Site/en_US/Link-Page?cid=PMFIGUR| archivedate= 2013-06-19| access-date= 2012-08-27}}</ref> (1:24 scale) human figure with a particular smiling face<!-- known as a "klicky" NEEDS REWORDING AND REFERENCE-->. A wide range of accessories, buildings and vehicles, as well as many sorts of animals, are also part of the Playmobil line. Playmobil toys are produced in themed series of sets as well as individual special figures and playsets. New products and product lines developed by a 50-strong development team{{Citation needed|date=August 2019}} are introduced frequently, and older sets are discontinued. Promotional and one-off products are sometimes produced in very limited quantities. These practices have helped give rise to a sizeable community of collectors.{{Citation needed| date= August 2019}} Collector activities extend beyond collecting and free-form play and include customization, [[miniature wargaming]], and the creation of photo stories and [[stop motion]] films, or simply as [[Interior design|decoration]].{{Citation needed|date=August 2019}} [[File:Playmobil popje vrouwtje in oranje hesje, objectnr 66274-B.2.JPG|thumb|Playmobil figure of a woman]] ==History== Playmobil was invented by [[German inventors and discoverers|German inventor]] [[Hans Beck]] (1929–2009), considered the "Father of Playmobil".<ref name= Beck-NYT-obit /> Beck received training as a [[cabinet (furniture)|cabinetmaker]] and was also an avid hobbyist of [[Model aircraft|model airplane]]s, a product he pitched to the company Geobra Brandstätter.<ref name= Beck-NYT-obit /> [[Horst Brandstätter]], the owner of the company, asked Beck to develop toy figures for children instead. (The company had originally been a producer of casket ornaments and handles.)<ref name= Beck-NYT-obit /> Beck spent three years from 1971 to 1974 developing what became Playmobil.<ref name= HB>{{cite web| url= http://store.playmobilusa.com/on/demandware.store/Sites-US-Site/en_US/Link-Page?cid=HANSBECK2006| title= Hans Beck, the 'Father' of the PLAYMOBIL Figures| website= playmobilusa.com| archiveurl= https://web.archive.org/web/20071216121715/http://store.playmobilusa.com/on/demandware.store/Sites-US-Site/en_US/Link-Page?cid=HANSBECK2006| archivedate= 2007-12-16| date= | access-date= 2020-02-01| url-status= live}}</ref> Beck conducted research that allowed him to develop a toy that would not be too complex but would nevertheless be flexible. He felt that too much flexibility would get in the way of children's imaginations, and too much rigidity would cause frustration. The toy he conceived would fit in a child's hand and its facial design was based on children's drawings: a large head, a big smile, and no nose. "I would put the little figures in their hands without saying anything about what they were," Beck remarked. "They accepted them right away&nbsp;... They invented little scenarios for them. They never grew tired of playing with them.".<ref>{{Cite news| url= https://www.csmonitor.com/1997/1007/100797.home.home.1.html| title= One Man's Tiny Plastic Universe |date=1997-10-07|work= [[Christian Science Monitor]] | access-date=2018-11-07|issn=0882-7729}}</ref> The [[1973 oil crisis]] made it possible for Playmobil to be considered a viable product. The rising oil prices imposed on geobra Brandstätter, for whom Beck worked as head of development, demanded that the company turn to products that required less solid plastic material than the [[hula hoop]]s and other large plastic items the company had been producing as toys. In 1974, the company put the first sets of [[knight]]s,<ref name= Beck-NYT-obit /> [[Indigenous peoples of the Americas|Native Americans]], and [[construction worker]]s on show in its display rooms. Initially, visitors were reluctant to accept the toy.{{cn|date=August 2019}} Nevertheless, the toy was shown at the [[Nuremberg International Toy Fair|International Toy Fair in Nuremberg]], which took place that same year. A Dutch firm agreed to buy a whole year's production. By the end of the year, geobra Brandstätter had achieved sales of 3 million Deutschmarks with Playmobil — one-sixth of the company's total sales.<ref name= HB /> Playmobil began to be sold worldwide in 1975, and by 2009, approximately 2.2 billion Playmobil figures had been sold.<ref name= Beck-NYT-obit /> Playmobil’s revenue in 2008 was $589 million.<ref name= Beck-NYT-obit /> Playmobil has been a major competitor to [[Lego]] toys. Examples of directly competing toys in both their product lines are not hard to find. Within the limitations of the Playmobil toy world, the Playmobil toys are usually realistic, and present accurate representations of arms, armor, costumes, and tools from a recognizable time period. Especially notable for their fine attention to detail{{cn|date=August 2019}} are the modern construction and city life toys (automobiles, [[crane (machine)|crane]]s, [[fire engine]]s, trains, boats, etc.). ==Products and licensing== Playmobil toys are specifically aimed at children from the ages of four to twelve. The company believe that older children tend not to play with these types of toys and so they have resisted creating toys from less well-known historical time periods. Many adults own or collect Playmobil and make movies with the toys. The first Playmobil sets were themed around [[Indigenous peoples of the Americas|Native Americans]], [[construction worker]]s and [[knight]]s.<ref name= cbil>{{cite web| url= http://www.collectobil.com/guide/1974.html| title= 1974: The First Playmobil® Sets Enter the Market| website= collectobil.com| date= | publisher= Collectobil Collector's Guide | access-date= 2020-02-01| url-status= unfit| archiveurl= https://web.archive.org/web/20100819051511/http://www.collectobil.com/guide/1974.html| archivedate= 2010-08-19}}</ref> Playmobil hands were designed to be capable of gripping and holding objects. Earlier figures had arms of one piece. Since 1982 all figures have hands that also rotate at the wrist.<ref name= revolves /> Almost all Playmobil figures are unnamed, thus allowing children to invent their own characters. Exceptions to this include the many characters from the three Playmobil-inspired [[computer video games]] produced by [[Ubi Soft Montreal]] between 1998 and 1999, such as Alex, [[Hype: The Time Quest|Hype]] and [[Laura's Happy Adventures|Laura]], the protagonists from their respective games. The first figures used a chiseled out hairpiece with a button shape for adding headgear, until a later redesign gave the hairpiece a more natural rounded shape, also prompting a redesign of the headgear. The first female figures were distinguished by hairstyle and a wider chestpiece suggesting a skirt, until a redesign replaced the chestpiece with more displayed breasts and slightly thinner arms. Most Playmobil sets require some assembly by the owner. Buildings especially come with detailed instructions for putting them together. Playmobil building parts were originally designed to fit together using a system of tabs and slots known as "Steck-System". In recent years a new construction system has been introduced that dispenses with the tabs and instead uses small connector pieces and a special tool. This is known as "System-X" and is now the standard Playmobil construction system, Steck-System having been retired except for special reissues. [[File:Playmobil System-X connectors and tool.JPG|thumb|Connector pieces and special tool used in System-X.]] A number of different companies were licensed throughout Europe and Latin America to produce and distribute Playmobil figures: In Spain, figures were produced by the leading dollmaker [[Famosa]], and marketed as "los clicks de Famobil". Spanish packages listed the quantity of male dolls (''clicks'') and females (''clacks''). Females were distinguished by hairstyle, a wider chestpiece suggesting a skirt, and some had arms that look bent but are not.{{clarify|date=March 2014}} Greek figures were produced during the 1970s by a company called [[Lyra (company)|Lyra]]. In Argentina Playmobil is licensed by Antex, for distribution in all South American markets. Previously Playmobil was licensed through a number of different companies, including Brazil's [[Trol]]<!-- not troll! -->, [[Estrela (company)|Estrela]] and [[Industria de Brinquedos do Amazonas]], and Peru's [[BASA]]. From 1976 to 1980, Playmobil was licensed by [[Louis Marx and Company]] in the United Kingdom and sold under the brand name '''Playpeople'''. Playmobil was introduced to the United States by [[Mattel]] and [[Schaper Toys|Schaper]].<ref>http://www.collectobil.com/guide/schaper.html</ref> In 1982, Schaper arranged a promotion to distribute Playmobil toys nationwide as in [[McDonald's]] [[Happy Meal]]s. The five Playmobil toys that were to be included in the promotion were a Sheriff, an Indian, a Sheriff's Horse, an Umbrella Girl and a Farmer. Approximately 10 million of the Sheriff and Indian Playmobil toys were distributed from October 22 through November 1, 1982. Before the other toys could be distributed McDonald's ceased distribution and promotion of Playmobil at its restaurants after tests showed that the toy failed to comply with [[U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission|Consumer Product Safety Commission]] standards designed to prevent children under three from choking on dangerous items. (The Playmobil toys were not involved in any reported choking incidents.) McDonald's customers with children under three who received these toys were advised to discontinue their use and return the toys to a McDonald's in exchange for a [[List of McDonald's products|dessert]], a cone, or a refund. Over the years, some proposed sets have included [[coolie|Chinese Railroad Workers]] and a [[gravedigger|Grave Digger]] for the Western theme, as well as a Medieval [[Torture]] Room. Prototypes were made. However, these sets were considered insensitive and inappropriate for young children, and were never released.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.collectobil.com/guide/faq03.html#prototypes |title=FAQ part 3 - Assortment Questions |publisher=Collectobil |date= |accessdate=2009-12-03}}</ref> There are however sets including ghosts and a mummy containing a skeleton. In 2004, [[BMW]] licensed the familiar Playmobil look and feel to release an exclusive [[BMW Z4]] done in Playmobil scale. It also came with two Playmobil passengers. Originally, the only way to get one of these Z4s (available in deep red or blue) was to take a test drive at a BMW dealership in Germany. Shortly thereafter, versions in a pale yellow or [[Robin egg blue|eggshell blue]] were available in European toy stores. Though not manufactured by Playmobil, they were officially licensed. Playmobil [[pop-up book]]s, in which buildings and settings corresponded to the height of actual Playmobil figures, were sold for a time, as well as a series of [[comic book]]s, [[coloring book]]s, and [[puzzle]]s. ===Bootlegs and unauthorized figures=== In 1978, {{ill|Schenk (company)|hu|Schenk|lt=Schenk}}, a [[Germans of Hungary|German-Hungarian]] firm, began reproducing [[Copyright infringement|bootleg]] Playmobil figures. They had not received any authorization or license from geobra Brandstätter. Schenk produced exact copies of the original toy, though some sets were modified to create new types of sets, usually military, from Hungarian history. Thus, Schenk produced the [[Hussar]] (Huszár), from the period of the [[Revolutions of 1848 in the Habsburg areas|Hungarian War of Independence]] as well as the Hungarian hussar series (Magyar huszár sorozat). Other sets included the [[Austria]]n soldier (Osztrák), [[Ottoman Empire|Turkish]] soldier (Török), [[William Tell]] (Tell Vilmos), and the [[Hunyadi family|Hunyadi]] series (Hunyadi sorozat). Schenk figures, like the early Playmobil figures, do not have moveable hands, and unlike the Playmobil horses, the Schenk horses do not have moveable heads. Schenk figures also bear different colors from their Playmobil counterparts. They were also made with inferior plastic. Following the collapse of [[communism]], a 1995 court ruling forbade the manufacture and distribution of the Schenk figures. The owner of Schenk, Károly Schenk, was allowed to sell off his remaining toy figures only in Hungary until March 1996. However, Schenk bootlegs may still be available in toy shops in Hungary. Bootleg sets also have been manufactured in China. These sets are not marketed as Playmobil, though they are identical in terms of appearance (but not in regards to quality). Sets include a "Noshery" (fast food eatery), "Pirate Island", and medieval figures.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.playmofriends.com/forum/index.php?topic=617.0 |title=China Playmobil !! |publisher=Playmofriends.com |date=2006-03-12 |accessdate=2009-12-03}}</ref> ===Product labeling and criticism=== Playmobil has received criticisms for the lack of presence of the [[Catalan Language]] in the labeling of its products in [[Catalonia]] despite being bound by current legislation. <ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.plataforma-llengua.cat/que-fem/noticies/3375/nens-i-nenes-demanen-a-playmobil-que-etiqueti-en-la-seva-llengua|title=Nens i nenes demanen a Playmobil que etiqueti en la seva llengua (in catalan)|publisher=[[Plataforma per la Llengua]] |date=2016-11-30|accessdate=2017-09-07}}</ref> Catalan consumers mobilized in various actions to request not to be discriminated against and to demand the company to comply with the regulations passed by the [[Parliament of Catalonia]] in the same way as it did with the rest of the European legislation on labeling. <ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.plataforma-llengua.cat/que-fem/noticies/3459/hem-superat-els-16000-suports-per-reclamar-a-playmobil-que-etiqueti-en-catala|title=Hem superat els 16.000 suports per reclamar a Playmobil que etiqueti en català (in catalan)|publisher=[[Plataforma per la Llengua]] |date=2017-02-23|accessdate=2017-09-07}}</ref> ===European factories=== [[File:Playmobil Park.jpeg|thumb|right|[[Playmobil Park]], [[Malta]].]] There are currently three main factories in Europe: Germany, Malta, and Spain. Each location specializes in a particular area of manufacturing and parts that are needed to assemble a set are delivered to the destination where the items will be placed together and put in their final packaging before sale. Malta specializes in making the characters and a few accessories, Spain specializes in accessories, and Germany makes the bigger items such as ships and castles. ==Distribution== New Playmobil sets are released over a two-year period, with the non-export markets getting new sets first, then the export markets receiving them a year later. This is done so that Playmobil will only have to make one very expensive mold for each new piece, and still be able to manufacture the initial stock of the new set. This first stock is what initially stocks store shelves; afterwards Playmobil makes smaller quantities to refill shelves in accordance with demand. In order to produce enough sets to release them to the entire world at the same time, Playmobil would need to buy two of each mold. Eventually, as production for the piece slowed down, the second mold would be useless.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.collectobil.com/guide/export.html |title=Export/Non-Export Markets |publisher=Collectobil |date= |accessdate=2009-12-03}}</ref> '''Non-export markets:''' *Germany *Austria *Switzerland *Belgium *Netherlands *Luxembourg *Denmark *Sweden *Norway '''Export markets:''' *All countries not in previous list ==Themes== A list of most of the themes produced by Playmobil as of 2020: {{columns-list|colwidth=15em| *1.2.3 (a series with fewer pieces and fewer movable parts, intended for younger children) *Action *[[Back to the Future]] *City Action *City Life *Country *Dinosaurs *Doll's House *[[Dreamworks Dragons]] *EverDreamerz *Fairies *Family Fun *[[Ghostbusters]] *History *Knights *Magic *[[National Hockey League]] *Novelmore *Pirates *[[Porsche]] *Princess *[[Scooby-Doo]] *Space *[[Spirit Riding Free]] *Sports and Action *Wild Life }} ==FunParks and FunStores== [[File:Playmobil-funpark-zirndorf-piratenschiff.jpg|thumb|The life-sized Playmobil pirate ship in FunPark in Zirndorf, Germany]] There are a number of Playmobil amusement parks, called FunParks, that feature play areas and events themed around Playmobil toys. There are also FunStores within FunParks and, formerly, in other locations. FunStores are dedicated Playmobil shops that carry full lines of current Playmobil releases. FunPark and FunStore locations include:<ref>http://store.playmobilusa.com/on/demandware.store/Sites-US-Site/en_US/Link-Page?cid=TNP_FUN_PARKS</ref> * FunPark [[Athens]], Greece (mostly toys vs. outside play areas as in the Malta and Zirndorf parks) * FunPark [[Ħal Far]], Malta - part of the [[Playmobil Park]] manufacturing facility * FunPark [[Palm Beach Gardens]], Florida, US (permanently closed) * FunPark [[Fresnes, Val-de-Marne|Fresnes]], France (small, mostly toys) * FunPark [[Zirndorf]], Germany - part of the Playmobil manufacturing facility ==Films== * ''The Secret of Pirate Island'' (2009): A 3D animated interactive DVD based on the Pirates theme.<ref>{{IMDb title|1512792|Playmobil: The Secret of Pirate Island}}</ref> * A live-action/animated feature film based on the characters, entitled ''[[Playmobil: The Movie]]'', produced by French studios [[On Entertainment]], [[Wild Bunch (company)|Wild Bunch]] and [[Pathé]] (initially set to be distributed by [[Global Road Entertainment]] in the United States, prior to the company's September 2018 bankruptcy filing; [[STX Entertainment]] picked up the US distribution rights), was released in December 2019.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Keslassy|first1=Elsa|title=AFM: On Ent. Plays With Wild Bunch, Pathe on Playmobil Pic (EXCLUSIVE)|url=https://variety.com/2014/film/news/afm-on-ent-plays-with-wild-bunch-pathe-on-playmobil-pic-exclusive-1201349043/|accessdate=July 22, 2015|work=Variety|date=November 6, 2014}}</ref> Animator [[Lino DiSalvo]] makes his directorial debut with the movie.<ref>{{cite news|last1=McNary|first1=Dave|title=Open Road Joins ‘Playmobil’ Animated Movie|url=https://variety.com/2016/film/news/playmobil-open-road-movie-1201773252/|accessdate=August 12, 2016|work=Variety|date=May 6, 2016}}</ref> ==TV series== In 2014, a CGI animated TV series inspired by Playmobil figures entitled ''[[Super 4 (TV series)|Super 4]]'' was co-produced by Method Animation, PGS Entertainment and Morgen Studios.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.licensing.biz/news/read/itvs-ge-signs-with-playmobil-for-super-4-animation/039373 |title=Archived copy |access-date=2014-04-12 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160130235713/http://www.licensing.biz/news/read/itvs-ge-signs-with-playmobil-for-super-4-animation/039373 |archive-date=2016-01-30 |url-status=dead }}</ref> The series has been broadcast on [[Boomerang (Latin America)|Boomerang in Latin America]], [[CITV|CITV in Britain]] and [[Cartoon Network (Italy)|Cartoon Network in Italy]] and [[Netflix]] and [[KidsClick]] in the [[United States]]. ==Video games== * ''Alex Builds his Farm'': A game for children 7-10 in which the player helps Alex on his farm. * ''[[Hype: The Time Quest]]'': An adventure game set in the Knights theme. * ''[[Laura's Happy Adventures]]'': An adventure game set in the Doll's House theme. * ''Playmobil: Knights'' - for [[Nintendo DS]] * ''Playmobil: Pirates'' - for [[Nintendo DS]] * ''Playmobil: Circus'' - for [[Wii]] * ''Playmobil: Top Agents'' - for [[Nintendo DS]] ==See also== * [[Kubrick (toy)]] * [[Lego minifigure|Minifigure]] * [[Minimates]] ==Notes== {{Reflist}} ==References== {{Refbegin}} * {{cite news| url= http://www.csmonitor.com/1997/1007/100797.home.home.1.html |first= Ruth |last= Walker | title= One Man's Tiny Plastic Universe| work= Christian Science Monitor| year= 1997}} * {{cite web| archiveurl= https://web.archive.org/web/20060521004456/http://www.keepkidshealthy.com/recalls/toys/82046.html |title= McDonald's Voluntarily Stops Playmobil Promotion And Recalls| website= keepkidshealthy.com| archivedate= 2006-05-21| url= http://www.keepkidshealthy.com/recalls/toys/82046.html | date= 1982-11-03}} * {{cite web| url= http://www.collectobil.com/guide/schenk.html |title= Schenk Bootlegs Playmobil in Hungary| website= collectobil.com| date= | publisher= | access-date= }} {{Refend}} ==External links== {{Commons}} *{{Official website}} {{Playmobil}} [[Category:Playmobil| ]] [[Category:Toy train manufacturers]] [[Category:German brands]] [[Category:Construction toys]] [[Category:Products introduced in 1974]] [[Category:Companies based in Bavaria]]'