MGA Entertainment is extending its Miniverse collectible line with a miniature television set that actually plays video. The Miniverse Real TV Player and Video Tapes assortment is on sale now through the company's own online store, with additional retail availability planned for later this month.
A tiny set that plays real clips
Each Real TV Player comes with a small retro-style red television, one exclusive videotape and a display case for the tape. To use it, a collector inserts a videotape into the set and presses play, which triggers a 30-second clip from the film or show recorded on that tape.
The clip library currently runs to more than 30 Real TV Video Tapes. Titles are drawn from NBCUniversal properties, among them Shrek, Kung Fu Panda, Back to the Future, Casper, The Good Place, The Office and Saved by the Bell.
Mystery capsules add tapes and accessories
The system can be expanded with mystery capsules sold separately. Each capsule holds three mini videotapes sized to fit the television, along with a mini keychain and a case for carrying a favourite tape.
Josh Hackbarth, chief marketing officer at MGA Entertainment, said the screen may be tiny but the idea behind it is anything but. He said the line takes films and shows that fans already love and turns them into a collection they can press play on, and argued that it suits a moment when audiences are rediscovering physical media. Picking a tape, inserting it and watching an iconic scene come to life, he said, blends nostalgia with real function in a way the company sees as playful, innovative and unexpected.
The line is designed for children aged 8 and up. MGA directed consumers to its online store for further information and did not disclose pricing in the announcement.