What you need to know
- Minecraft is a huge franchise, and frequently gets physical toys to accompany it.
- These toys have included anything from LEGO sets to figurines in the past.
- At Toy Fair 2020, new Minecraft toys were announced, including ones for Minecraft Earth.
- The new toys will add new abilities and mechanics to the game, and will be available later this year.
Minecraft is no stranger to toys, and for years now has been releasing a huge variety of toys for children and fans alike to collect. This year, at Toy Fair 2020, Mattel and Mojang are teaming up again to announce a new lineup of toys slated for release later in 2020. Besides the usual Minecraft-themed action figures and collectibles, there are some notable differences this time around in the lineup, including toys for Minecraft Earth and Minecraft Dungeons.
Major @Minecraft toy news including new lines for @minecraftearth and @dungeonsgame #TFNY #MattelNYTF2020 https://t.co/BPc1zfxBJPMajor @Minecraft toy news including new lines for @minecraftearth and @dungeonsgame #TFNY #MattelNYTF2020 https://t.co/BPc1zfxBJP— MATTEL (@Mattel) February 21, 2020February 21, 2020
The most exciting announcement by far seems to be these Minecraft Earth mini-figures that feature a ton of Minecraft's iconic characters like Steve, Alex, mooshrooms, pillagers, and more. What's notable about these figurines is that they are not your typical collectibles usually announced every year. Instead, these are NFC toys that can be used to unlock in-game boosts and abilities in Minecraft Earth, as well as garner additional XP. Once you buy the toy, you can scan it into your game to power up.
Minecraft's Pokemon Go-like mobile AR adventure game has already garnered a lot of criticism for its aggressive monetization features, and physical toys that provide in-game boosts are unlikely to improve Minecraft Earth's image. While the game itself has a lot of potential, the taste is spoiled by poor decisions in an effort to improve revenue. It probably would've been safer had Mojang and Mattel released this as simple collectibles marketing the new game, rather than pushing for players to buy them just for the boosts and abilities.
If you're interested in these toys, they'll come in at $5 each, with 20 different figures being released initially. There will be 10 different boosts/abilities to choose from as well.
Besides the Minecraft Earth toys, Mattel also announced a host of new toys modeled after Minecraft Dungeons, the upcoming Diablo-like game. This includes normal figurines modeled after game protagonists and baddies, as well as a much larger 'Redstone Monstrosity' that looks pretty interesting. All the new toys will be available later this year starting at $4 for the mini collectibles and ending at $25 for the Redstone Monstrosity figure. If you want to see all the new toys announced, you can check out Gamespot's report here.
Minecraft
A game you can play anywhere with anyone.
The only thing that could make Minecraft even better is if you could play it in more places. Wait, you can? That's right, because Minecraft is available on almost every platform imaginable including Xbox One, Windows 10, Playstation 4, Nintendo Switch, Android, and iOS. Get it everywhere, play it anywhere.
Awesome Minecraft merch
We love Minecraft just as much as you do. These are some of our favorite Minecraft accessories.
Minecraft Guide Book Collection (opens in new tab) ($25 at Amazon)
Want to learn more about the intricacies of Minecraft? These awesome books make for a great gift, or learning experience for a younger loved one!
Minecraft Creeper T-shirt (opens in new tab) (From $7 at Amazon)
For the creeper in your life!
Creeper Hat (opens in new tab) ($14 at Amazon)
The spookiest hat of them all. Thankfully, it doesn't explode.
Minecraft Pig Plushie (opens in new tab) ($18 at Amazon)
Creepers too ugly? Try this cutesy plushie instead!
Zachary Boddy is the Minecraft Expert and a News Writer for Windows Central, Android Central, and iMore. They have been gaming and writing for most of their life, and have been freelancing for Windows Central and its sister sites since 2019, with a focus on Xbox and PC gaming. You can find Zachary on Twitter @BoddyZachary.
