Author: Tania Escobar
This year at San Diego Comic-Con, Funko had an incredible announcement to make. For fans of movies, comics, sports, and music alike, Funko has long been the go-to name in pop culture collectibles. Best known for their stylized vinyl figures, Funko has now teamed up with 10:10 Games and Universal Products & Experiences to bring us something new: a video game titled Funko Fusion.
Among those lending their talents to this new venture is Kellen Goff, voice actor for the iconic Freddy Fazbear from Five Nights at Freddy’s. Goff, who has voiced several versions of Freddy over the years, returns once again for Funko Fusion.
“It’s such an honor and privilege,” Goff shared when asked what it’s like to voice one of horror gaming’s most beloved (and terrifying) characters. “Whenever someone says that I have to kinda pinch myself. After eight years it still doesn’t feel real. My friend the other day called me the modern-day Mickey Mouse.”
Goff also acknowledged the responsibility of portraying a character beloved by kids, noting that Freddy has evolved over the years. “Up until FNAF’s most recent game installment, we learn that Freddy is our friend and not someone to be feared,” he explained.
When asked if he knows every Freddy in the franchise, Goff laughed. “No. There’s too many. I know John FNAF or Dawko would know them by heart. I know mine by heart. Let’s try: Nightmare Freddy, Dreadbear, Fred Bear, Golden Freddy, Funtime Freddy, Multan Freddy.”
With Five Nights at Freddy’s now under Universal’s umbrella, Freddy has become a staple among horror icons—and is making a grand entrance into Funko Fusion.
Translating these collectible characters into video game avatars wasn’t easy, according to Arthur Parsons, co-founder of 10:10 Games. “No! 100% no,” he said when asked if it was easy turning Funko Pops into playable characters. “The anatomy of a Funko Pop is really complicated—big head, little body, little arms. Everything you have to think through, like carrying things. So we had to think about everything right from the start.”
Parsons noted that embracing the unique design of Funkos became part of the humor and charm of the game. “It’s almost like a humor point… having characters that can’t get through doors and their heads get stuck,” he said. Even fitting the characters into the screen without having their big heads dominate was a design challenge.
On the Universal side, selecting which intellectual properties to include in the game came down to fanbase strength and feasibility. “It really comes down to which ones would have the biggest fanbase and which ones we would be able to execute in the game,” said a Universal representative. “We had the crown jewels, Jurassic and Back to the Future—those are no-brainers.”
One such IP is The Mummy (1999), whose villain Imhotep gets the full Funko treatment. “That was really bizarre,” Parsons said of animating the mummy’s iconic dislocated jaw. “From a technical space, it’s a little bit of additional work. There’s a couple of gags with the sarcophagus opening, and the gag with the cat. We treat it authentically, but we have a lot of fun with it.”
Another thrilling IP to make the cut is Scott Pilgrim vs. The World, which features a playable version of Sex Bob-omb rocking out during gameplay. Parsons couldn’t contain his excitement. “Threshold”—the band’s most iconic song—is confirmed to be in the game. “When you get to that IP’s level in the game, you’ll hear that IP’s theme song or score,” Parsons added. His personal favorite? Hearing the He-Man theme when entering that level.
Universal and Funko had several “Ah-ha” moments during development, as they figured out which franchises to include. The result? Over 60 playable characters from 20 different fandoms:
- MEGAN
- Battlestar Galactica
- The Umbrella Academy
- Chucky
- Jurassic Park
- The Thing
- Jaws
- Hot Fuzz
- Five Nights at Freddy’s
- Knight Rider
- NOPE
- Invincible
- Scott Pilgrim vs. The World
- Back to the Future
- Xena: Warrior Princess
- The Mummy
- Jurassic World
- Voltron: Legendary Defender
- Masters of the Universe
- Shaun of the Dead
“Scott Pilgrim, Shaun of the Dead, The Umbrella Academy—they were an absolute must,” said the Universal rep. “They’re fanbases are underserved, so it’s a no-brainer.”
Adding in legacy IPs like Knight Rider and Battlestar Galactica, Funko Fusion aims to connect fans across generations. “There is an IP in there that will catch everyone,” Parsons said. “You find out there’s this huge subculture of Xena fans… The validation—it shows there truly is a fan of everything out there. Everyone’s a fan of something.”
Funko Fusion launches on September 13, 2024, for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC via Steam. It will be available on Nintendo Switch and PlayStation 4 starting November 15, 2024. Whether you’re a horror fan, a nostalgic geek, or new to the multiverse, this game might just introduce you to your next favorite fandom.