Soon-to-Be Trap Masters Can Capture and Play as Villains for the First Time Ever and Collect All-New Figures, Including the Legendary Series of Toys Available Only at Toys“R”Us; Toys“R”Us, U.S. Stores to Open Early on Sunday, October 5 for Fans Excited to be Among the First to Play the New Game*
WAYNE, NJ, 2014-10-1— /EPR Retail News/ — Toys“R”Us® stores worldwide and Toysrus.com are set to “capture” gamers’ imaginations across the globe with the highly anticipated launch of Skylanders Trap Team™, the latest extension in Activision Publishing, Inc.’s acclaimed Skylanders® franchise launching this Sunday, October 5. Named as one of the“Fabulous 15” on the company’s 2014 Holiday Hot Toy List, this new video game reverses the magic of the Toys-To-Life™ play pattern by introducing an innovation that, for the first time ever, lets players take a digital character and bring it to life in the physical world. For the fourth consecutive year, Toys“R”Us will be the only place fans will find the limited edition Legendary Series of Skylanders toys, including alternative versions of new Trap Team characters and packs, such as Legendary Jawbreaker, Legendary Déjà Vu and Legendary Nightmare Express Adventure Pack, all of which feature enhanced in-game powers.
“Since Activision launched its genre-defining Skylanders franchise, it has continued to deliver new titles that expand the Skylanders universe, providing excitement and rich, imaginative play to a very passionate group of fans. WithSkylanders Trap Team, now reversing the magic of Toys-to-Life, Activision is once again disrupting the video game aisle in a truly engaging way,” said Richard Barry, Executive Vice President, Chief Merchandising Officer, Toys“R”Us, Inc. “A consistent top-seller at Toys“R”Us the last four years, the Skylanders brand is among the most successful kids’ franchises we’ve seen, and we are thrilled to build on our incredible, global retail collaboration with Activision, bringing an immersive Skylanders Trap Team experience to customers around the world.”
Skylanders Trap Team allows gamers to seek out and defeat the most wanted villains in all of Skylands, then pull them out of the game and bring them to life right in their living rooms. Portal Masters take on the role of Trap Master, placing the magical Trap on a device called the Traptanium Portal™ to capture and hear the villain speaking to them. Fans can then play as both heroes and villains in an all-new adventure and build the ultimate Trap Team with more than 60 Skylanders to collect and over 40 villains to capture. Skylanders Trap Team will be available on Nintendo Wii™, Wii U™, 3DS™, Xbox 360™ and Xbox One™ video game and entertainment system from Microsoft, PlayStation®3 and PlayStation® 4 computer entertainment system, as well as a variety of iPad®, Kindle Fire and Android™ tablets.
Just in time for the holiday season, Toys“R”Us will have the largest selection of Skylanders characters available, including figures from Skylanders SWAP Force™, Skylanders Giants™ and Skylanders Spyro’s Adventure®, all of which are also compatible with Skylanders Trap Team.
“Skylanders is a franchise that is built on magical innovation, and our commitment is to try to deliver that with each and every new game. Skylanders Trap Team certainly carries on that tradition,” said Eric Hirshberg, CEO of Activision Publishing. “Just as we continue to up our game, Toys“R”Us is doing the exact same thing. The company has been huge supporters of Skylanders from day one, and that continues this year with the best retail execution we’ve seen yet. Toys“R”Us is again helping us bring the magic of Skylanders to life.”
Toys“R”Us Times Square to Unleash a World of Trap-tastic Fun with Special Launch Activities
On Saturday, October 4 and Sunday, October 5, the Toys“R”Us international flagship store in New York City will celebrate the launch of Skylanders Trap Team with one-of-a-kind in-store experiences. Customers who visit Toys“R”Us Times Square from 11am – 5pm on Saturday and Sunday will be among the first to play the new game at dedicated kiosks throughout the store and receive complimentary giveaways, while supplies last. Fans will also have the opportunity to be digitally teleported into a Skylanders Trap Team ‘Most Wanted’ photo alongside the most notorious villains in Skylands, including Kaos and Chompy Mage. Street Teams in Times Square will distribute informational cards throughout the weekend to build excitement and awareness of the upcoming launch.
Toys“R”Us Stores Nationwide Celebrate the Game’s Arrival with Early Opening, Exclusive Toys, Special Deals and Extra Rewards for Loyalty Members
Portal Masters can be among the first to experience the Skylanders Trap Team game and exclusive figures on Sunday, October 5, when Toys“R”Us stores in the United States will open one hour early, at 8am.* Select locations will also open from 12:01 – 1am on Sunday morning to accommodate avid fans eager to master the art of trapping before anyone else. To view the full list of stores opening at midnight, shoppers can visit Toysrus.com/MidnightSkylanders. And, to get kids and families even more excited for the game’s debut, Kaos will be taking over the Toys“R”Us Twitter channel (@Toysrus) on Saturday, October 4 from 11 – 11:50pm ET. With his unique brand of humor, this infamous evil villain will interact with fans and build anticipation for the midnight release.
With the Skylanders Trap Team Starter Pack finally in hand, those customers who participated in the Toys“R”Us exclusive Skylanders Trap Team Legendary Treasure Pre-Order Program will receive their complimentary Skylanderstoy or accessory. They will also be able to enter to win one of the additional Ultimate Legendary prizes, including a $1,000 Toys“R”Us shopping spree, a life-sized MEGA Bloks® Skylander or the ultimate Skylanders bedroom makeover. For more details on how to enter, fans can visit Toysrus.com/LegendaryTreasure.
As an added bonus for the company’s most loyal customers, Rewards“R”Us loyalty members can enjoy special deals on Skylanders software, figures and accessories when they shop from 8am to 10am, and at select stores from 12:01am to 1:00am, on Sunday, October 5. Toys“R”Us recently launched its new Rewards“R”Us loyalty program to offer the more than 18 million existing Rewards“R”Us members, plus those who sign up in-store or online at Toysrus.com/myrewards, an opportunity to bank points for future purchases, enjoy an extended validity period when redeeming their rewards and receive exclusive savings and offers more than ever before. Loyalty members who are also “R”Us credit cardholders earn double Rewards points on any in-store or online “R”Us purchase they make with their card. “R”Us credit cardholders can also take part in 10%** off Thursdays at any “R”Us location. Plus, MasterCard cardholders can also earn points on items purchased at stores other than Toys“R”Us and Babies“R”Us.
Whenever their gaming world is in danger, fans can turn to the limited edition Legendary Series of toys to help defend Skylands against any evil peril. Providing a differentiated shopping experience for Skylanders enthusiasts nationwide, the following magical golden toys can only be found at Toys“R”Us:
Legendary Jawbreaker Trap Master from Activision Publishing, Inc.
This Toys“R”Us exclusive Legendary version of the new Jawbreaker Trap Master character still wields two large Traptanium™ fists, but with an even more packed punch. Hailing from a race of robots who operated machines powering the fabled Skylanders Train, Jawbreaker once led an ordered existence full of rules and regulations. But, after an army of Gear Trolls tried to take over the Skylander Train for their own evil use, Jawbreaker quickly used his massive fists to pummel the trolls into retreat. Thanks to his quick action and ability to think for himself, Jawbreaker was made part of the Trap Team, where kids can use his Traptanium powered fists to deliver mighty blows to evil. No batteries required. Ages 6 years and up.
Legendary Nightmare Express Adventure Pack from Activision Publishing, Inc.
For Portal Masters looking to add to their assortment of Skylanders Trap Team figurines and expand their gameplay experience, this Toys“R”Us exclusive Adventure Pack includes Legendary Blades and two magical objects, Piggy Bank and Hand of Fate, each of which help unlock a new level in the game. Blades came from a long line of dragons who guarded the dungeon of Scalos Castle, where the Golden Fear Serpent slumbered for a century. To protect his land, Blades made a deal with Golden Fear stay in the castle’s dungeon for eternity, even though he dreamed of becoming a knight and was terrified of the serpent. But, since the only way to defeat Golden Fear was to confront fear itself, the serpent vanished and Blades saved the kingdom. News of this bravery found its way to Master Eon, who made Blades a Skylander and gave him the honor of prestigious Legendary Navy and Gold Armor. No batteries required. Ages 6 years and up.
Legendary Déjà Vu Character from Activision Publishing, Inc.
Echoing the abilities of the original Magic Element Skylander Déjà Vu, this Toys“R”Us exclusive Legendary version has been immortalized as golden statue and guardian to stand watch and defend Skylands against any evil that threatens it. Déjà Vu once created a machine that would make the perfect three-minute egg in half the time, which was also wanted by a dastardly group of slugs determined to acquire super speed. Rather than lose her work to evil, Déjà Vu jumped into action and set the clock’s hands to 13, causing a time overload and blast that gave her an amazing control over time. She is now known for her incredible time-shifting powers to turn back the clock on evil, as well as for her catchphrase, “Did That Just Happen?” No batteries required. Ages 6 to 11 years. This item will become available later this fall.
To download images of exclusive Skylanders Trap Team merchandise, please click here.
About Toys“R”Us, Inc.
Toys“R”Us, Inc. is the world’s leading dedicated toy and baby products retailer, offering a differentiated shopping experience through its family of brands. Merchandise is sold in 877 Toys“R”Us and Babies“R”Us stores in the United States and Puerto Rico, and in more than 710 international stores and over 195 licensed stores in 35 countries and jurisdictions. In addition, it exclusively operates the legendary FAO Schwarz brand and sells extraordinary toys in the brand’s flagship store on Fifth Avenue in New York City. With its strong portfolio of e-commerce sites includingToysrus.com, Babiesrus.com, eToys.com and FAO.com, it provides shoppers with a broad online selection of distinctive toy and baby products. Headquartered in Wayne, NJ, Toys“R”Us, Inc. employs approximately 70,000 associates annually worldwide. The company is committed to serving its communities as a caring and reputable neighbor through programs dedicated to keeping kids safe and helping them in times of need. Additional information about Toys“R”Us, Inc. can be found on Toysrusinc.com. Follow Toys“R”Us, Babies“R”Us and FAO Schwarz on Facebook at Facebook.com/Toysrus, Facebook.com/Babiesrus and Facebook.com/FAO and on Twitter at Twitter.com/Toysrusand Twitter.com/Babiesrus.
© 2014 Activision Publishing, Inc., SKYLANDERS, SKYLANDERS TRAP TEAM, SKYLANDERS SPYRO’S ADVENTURE, SKYLANDERS GIANTS, SKYLANDERS SWAP FORCE, TRAPTANIUM, TRAPTANIUM PORTAL, TOYS TO LIFE, and ACTIVISION are trademarks of Activision Publishing, Inc.
Opening the game box and using the software constitutes acceptance of the Software License Agreement available at http://support.activision.com/license.
*Toys“R”Us stores nationwide will open at 8am on Sunday, August 5, except for stores in Paramus, NJ, which will be closed, select stores in North Dakota and Puerto Rico, which have varying store open times due to local ordinances. A list of stores that will be open from 12:01 – 1am on Sunday, October 5 can be found online at Toysrus.com/MidnightSkylanders. Toys“R”Us Express and Outlet locations generally follow the hours of their respective shopping centers. All store hours can be found online at Toysrus.com/StoreLocator.
**Offer valid in-store only. Get 10% off your single receipt in-store purchase of in-stock merchandise on Thursdays. Some exclusions apply, see website for details.
Media Contacts:
Toys“R”Us, Inc.
Adrienne O’Hara
973-617-4383/646-366-8863
Adrienne.Ohara@toysrus.com
Nicole Hayes
973-617-4371/646-366-8862
Nicole.Hayes@toysrus.com