MGA Entertainment is extending its Miniverse collectible range with a set that pairs miniature packaging with working playback. The Miniverse Real TV Player and Video Tapes line is on sale now through shop.mgae.com, with broader retail distribution scheduled for later this month.
The Real TV Player bundle contains a small retro-style red television, an exclusive videotape and a display case for the tape. A collector slots the tape into the set, presses play and watches a 30-second clip taken from a film or television show.
A library of licensed clips
More than 30 Miniverse Real TV Video Tapes are available to collect so far. The clips are drawn from NBCUniversal properties including Shrek, Kung Fu Panda, Back to the Future, Casper, The Good Place, The Office and Saved by the Bell, among others.
Expansion follows the pattern of other Miniverse lines. Additional mystery capsules, sold separately, each hold three mini videotapes sized for the TV, plus a mini keychain and a case for carrying a favourite tape.
Physical media as a play pattern
Josh Hackbarth, chief marketing officer at MGA Entertainment, framed the product around scale and function: the screen is tiny, he said, but the idea behind it is not. According to Hackbarth, the line turns familiar movies and shows into a collection that can actually be played, arriving as some fans are rediscovering physical media, which makes the act of choosing a tape, loading it and watching a well-known scene part of the appeal. He described the result as nostalgia combined with genuine functionality, in keeping with how the company positions Miniverse.
The line is aimed at children ages 8 and up. Product information is posted at shop.mgae.com.