MGA Entertainment is expanding its Miniverse collectible line with a miniature television system designed to play short clips from familiar films and TV shows. The Miniverse Real TV Player and Video Tapes collection is available now through shop.mgae.com, with additional retail availability scheduled for later this month. The launch adds a functional play feature to a category usually built around display and unboxing.
A small-screen setup with a physical tape
The entry product is the Miniverse Real TV Player, a set that includes a tiny retro-style red television, an exclusive videotape and a display case. To use it, collectors insert a videotape into the TV and press play. The unit then shows a 30-second clip from the associated show or film. The format keeps the collectible nature of the line while giving each tape a visible, repeatable function.
More than 30 tapes at launch
The collection currently offers more than 30 Miniverse Real TV Video Tapes. The available titles draw on NBCUniversal properties, including Shrek, Kung Fu Panda, Back to the Future, Casper, The Good Place, The Office, Saved by the Bell and others. The range mixes animated films, family titles and television comedies, giving the mini TV a broader content shelf than a single franchise would provide.
Capsules widen the set
Collectors can add to the system through mystery capsules sold separately. Each capsule contains three mini videotapes that fit the TV, along with a mini keychain and a case for carrying a favorite tape. The capsule format extends the discovery element of Miniverse while keeping the television as the center of the play pattern.
Company frames the line around physical media
Josh Hackbarth, chief marketing officer at MGA Entertainment, said the small screen does not limit the concept. According to Hackbarth, the line turns popular movies and shows into a collection that users can actually play. He linked the product to renewed interest in physical media, describing the act of choosing a tape, inserting it and watching a recognizable scene as a satisfying blend of nostalgia and real function. Those are the company’s characterizations of the product’s appeal, rather than independently measured results.
Target audience and availability
The new line is designed for children ages 8 and up. MGA is directing shoppers to its online store for current information, while the planned retail expansion later this month is intended to broaden access beyond the company’s direct channel. The combination of a working mini TV, collectible tapes and separate capsules gives the line several entry points: a starter set for the display and playback device, individual tapes for content choice and capsules for expansion and portability.