Summary
It’s hard not to compareFunko Fusionto the LEGO games, but that’s not a bad thing. As a fan of TT Games’ work gameifying and LEGO-ifying properties like Harry Potter, Star Wars, and Batman, the idea of a group of former TT Games devs forming 10:10 Games and making Funko Fusion is exciting. And after seeing a brief hands-off preview ofFunko Fusion, that excitement has only grown.
ForFunko Fusion, 10:10 Games has partnered with NBC Universal and dug deep into its library of IP. Obvious brands likeBack to the FutureandJurassic Worldare big selling points for Funko Fusion, but the inclusion of media likeShaun of the Dead,Voltron, andThe Thingshows that 10:10 Games wants to offer a wide variety of experiences to gamers. The selection isn’t restricted to Universal either; Funko Fusion also includes properties likeMasters of the UniverseandInvincible.
Funko Fusion Has a Familiar Feel, With New Faces
Funko Fusionis a third person character action game with elements that should be familiar tofans of the LEGO Games. Set dressings have destructible elements with vinyl to collect (and use as currency), players can switch between various characters from within a given IP (or even bring outside icons into new worlds), and different abilities unlocked within those worlds will help with puzzle-solving and progression.
Confirmed Properties in Funko Fusion:
In one section, 10:10 Games’ Co-Founder, Director of Publishing, andDesign Director Arthur Parsonswas playing as MacReady fromThe Thing, walking around the snow-covered Antarctic landscape and within the research facility, blasting humanoid “Things” with his shotgun. Combat seems to blend ranged and melee combat, with different characters having their own arsenal of options. He-Man fromMasters of the Universe, for example, can slice away at baddies with his Power Sword or fire blasts from it to take out further targets. While Shaun fromShaun of the Deadhas his signature cricket bat and a rifle to work with.
We only saw a quick sequence fromThe Thingand one fromShaun of the Dead, but it seems as though the setup ofFunko Fusionwill feature players completing key sequences from the respective properties in order to “complete” their story. At first, that will involve using the major players from the IP, but bringing outsiders in can also unlock new areas or collectibles. 10:10 Games has also added something called cameo levels to the game, which are one-off experiences with their own theming. Presumably, this is how10:10 Games was able to accommodate so many different licensesin one game.
Funko Fusion Brings Co-op Fun to Fan-Favorite Properties
During the demo, Parsons was paired with only a single 10:10 Games dev for co-op, butFunko Fusioncan support up to 4 total players through online cooperative play. Online co-op was always something that most of the LEGO games were missing, so to see it inFunko Fusionis exciting. Being able to get a group of friends together as members ofThe Umbrella Academyor theBattlestar Galacticacrew has the potential to tap into a wide swath of fandoms in a way you rarely see outside ofFortnite.
It wouldn’t be a Funko game without Funko Pop Tie-Ins and rest assured those are coming.
The preview included the briefest look at a character select screen, which had the various Funko versions of thecharacters in their signature Pop boxeson a sort of virtual display. Parsons explained that some of the characters will be available right from the beginning, while others will require some extra effort to unlock. There are also secret versions of characters to unlock as well, like an undead He-Man that unlocks if you let him get attacked by a zombie while in theShaun of the Deadworld.
With so many disparate IP all trying to mesh together, the concern is thatFunko Fusionmight feel disjointed, but Parsons explained that there is a main story to the game. Players will have the freedom to jump into any world in any order after an initial onboarding process, but it sounds like there will be a narrative throughline to push players towards a conclusion. Of course, that doesn’t mean there won’t also be reasons to repeat levels with new characters. These developers are known for packing their games with replayability and that seems to be the case withFunko Fusionas well. One example shown was using collected vinyls to purchase an amp fromScott Pilgrim vs the Worldto clear out an obstacle and unlock a hidden area.
The little details stood out the most from the preview, like the Funko Soda bottles that players can buy for buffs and health replenishment or the objective inThe Thinglevel that required MacReady to find and free 6 huskies. Bringing one IP to life must be challenging as it is, but finding a way to have 20+ licenses work together has to require a lot of patience, creativity, and passion. Again, I only saw a small bit of the game, but I felt like the game was being playful but also reverential.
There are also two important things to note about Funko Fusion, especially for fans of the LEGO Games. 10:10 Games experimented with different forms of storytelling and settled on the pantomiming and grunting seen in a lot of the earlier LEGO games forFunko Fusion. It might be disappointing that the actors won’t be voicing the characters or that the game doesn’t use audio from the films and TV shows, but I’m sure that presented its own licensing challenges. Parsons and the 10:10 Games devs have shown they can still nail the tone (and even skew towards comedy when necessary) of a lot of different properties.
This is also a T for Teen rated game, so 10:10 Games is getting creative with how it portrays some of the violence when dealing with more mature IP. The Thing level, for example, looked like a Funko-fied third person shooter, but it wasn’t gory or scary. TheFunko brand has a broad appealand this game doesn’t seem to be shutting the door on younger gamers, even with properties likeFive Nights at Freddy’sandChild’s Play 2attached.
The Biggest Video Game Mash-Up Since Fortnite
We only scratched the surface as far as seeing everything that Funko Fusion has to offer, but the potential is certainly there. With so many TT Games veterans on staff, 10:10 Games is the perfect developer to make this type of game, and Parsons made the studio’s passion for the IP and this game abundantly clear. Obviously, I would need to see more to make a definitive assessment, but knowing many of these developers’ prior work and how much respect they have for the properties they work with,Funko Fusionhas shot even further up mymost anticipated games list.
What’s more,Funko Fusionis the foundation, a first step, and 10:10 Games can only expand from there. Parsons did confirm plans for both free and paid DLC , but one has to imagine there are so many properties that didn’t/won’t make the cut for this first game but could be included in a future game. Whether your pop culture tastes are broad or narrow, it seems likeFunko Fusionwill have a little something for everybody.
Funko Fusion
WHERE TO PLAY
Funko Fusion is a third-person action game that’s all about celebrating fandom. Play with some of your favorite characters from across TV, movies, games, and comics, and explore handcrafted worlds inspired by Jurassic World, Back to the Future, JAWS, The Thing, Chucky, Battlestar Galactica, Hot Fuzz, The Umbrella Academy, Five Nights at Freddy’s, Masters of the Universe, Invincible, and many more!Select, unlock, and play with 60+ unique playable characters from more than 20 fan-favorite franchises, all lovingly recreated in Funko Pop! form.Each character has their own weapons and special moves, and some characters have unique skills for solving puzzles and finding secrets.Explore your favorite franchises in video game form, relive memorable moments, and play through a unique story that ties them all together!Shoot, blast, and whack enemies in ranged and melee combat. Craft gadgets and items to give yourself an advantage or to unlock hidden areas.
Funko Fusionreleases May 25, 2025 for PC, PS4, PS5, Nintendo Switch, and Xbox Series X/S.
