Animal Crossing: New Horizonsis collaborating with Build-A-Bear Workshop to create a line of customizable plushies representing fans' favorite villagers and NPCs. Not much has been announced yet, butAnimal Crossingfans are eagerly awaiting news aboutwhich villagers Build-A-Bear will feature.
This isn’t the first timeBuild-A-Bear has done collaborations with video game franchises. There have been a couple of differentSuper Mariocollections in the past, as well asPokemonplushies. Outside of video games, Build-A-Bear is known for its collaborations.My Little Pony, The Mandolorian,and even PEEPS have worked with Build-A-Bear. Anything is possible, and there are several other video games that need the Build-A-Bear treatment in the future.
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Ratchet and Clank
Ratchet and Clankhas been a major video game franchisesince 2002 and has some pretty adorable characters that would work well for a Build-A-Bear collaboration. WithRift Apartcoming out in a couple of months, there’s even more of an opportunity.Ratchet and Clankis a very family-friendly franchise as well, which is more or less a requirement for any Build-A-Bear collaboration.
Rift Apartis adding a female Lombax characterto the franchise, and although her name hasn’t been announced yet, she and Ratchet would make an adorable Build-A-Bear combo. Build-A-Bear could also make a Clank plush, but the robot might work better adapted into a bear form. Design a few inter-galactic outfits and accessories, and it could be an amazing collection.
Fall Guys
Although it may not seem like it at first,Fall Guysis the perfect fit for a Build-A-Bear collaboration.Fall Guysbecame a big deal when it was offered as a PS Plus game in August, and has since come to Nintendo Switch as well. It took the gaming industry by surprise and became incredibly popular as a lighthearted battle royale game that doesn’t require any shooting or killing. It’s hilarious to watch and to play, but the best part might bedressing up your Fall Guy.
Just by playing, gamers can earn a few different currencies that allow them to purchase different items for their character. Players can dress up their Fall Guys as a cactus, a pigeon, Santa, and even a box of fries. The possibilities are endless, and more options are always being added. BringingFall Guysto Build-A-Bear would allow fans to customize their Fall Guy in real life, which sounds amazing. And if players can’twin a crown inFall Guys, that’s okay- just get one from Build-A-Bear.
Ori and the Will of the Wisps
TheOrifranchise has two installments:The Blind ForestandThe Will of the Wisps. Orihas won tons of awards for its art direction, soundtrack, and platforming design, and it’s easy to see why. It’s beautiful, it’s appropriate for kids even with the emotional storytelling, and Ori would fit right in with the rest of the Build-A-Bear plushies. His owlet friend fromWill of the Wisps,Ku, would also make an adorable plush.
There aren’t as many customization options for a character like Ori, but Build-A-Bear manufacturers all different kinds of toys and more customization options than just clothing. Characters not having official fashions of their own has never stopped Build-A-Bear from creating franchise collections before. If fans wanted to give Ori a new look, then there would be nothing standing in their way.
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Kena: Bridge of Spirits
Kena: Bridge of Spiritsis launching on August 24 of this year, and it looks like it could be the first game to fulfill thedream of a Pixar video game.Kenalooks gorgeous, and it’s also expected to be a family-friendly title.
The big opportunity for Build-A-Bear is the little black creatures that follow Kena throughout the game, known as the Rot. Rot are small spirits described as timid and elusive, but they’re adorable.Kena finds and adopts different Rotcreatures that in turn grant her powerful new abilities, and ultimately ends up with a whole army of the little guys. Players will also be able to unlock hats for their little buddies, so why not just bring them to Build-A-Bear? Even if Build-A-Bear isn’t a perfect fit for the Rot, expect to see lots of plushies upon the game’s release.
Pokemon
Pokemonhas done some Build-A-Bear collaborationsbefore and has some plushes available now, but they’ve been pretty limited and are usually online only.Pokemonis a huge franchise with a lot of options for Build-A-Bear, and the collaboration is definitely due for a refresh. Build-A-Bear has cycled through a lot of Pokemon, but it should have a core collection that players can buy in stores.
ThePokemongames are going in a new direction next year withPokemon Legends: Arceus,so maybe it’s a good time to revamp some collaborations as well. Having a couple of the most popular Pokemon in stores would be a great start, and give fans the experience of actually customizing their own plush toy. The current options don’t allow for much customization, which dampens the Build-A-Bear experience. WhilePokemonhas an active deal with Build-A-Bear, it could use an updated one with in-store options.
