An imagination has always been the cheapest and most reliable way for a kid to spend time, but ever since the invention of more entertaining things like toys and iPads, imaginations have become increasingly ignored. Now, though, Disney has developed a line of devices that combine the fun of toys and iPads with the relative inexpensiveness of imaginations, thereby making all other toys obsolete—in theory. The line is called “Playmation,” and it’s a combination of a physical object that a kid wears or holds, action figures, and some kind of kid-sensing base that the action figures stand on. Kids (two can play at a time) are then given “missions”—like blasting Ultron drones with one of Iron Man’s repulsors—that are half imaginary and half guided by the action figure. There will even be a tie-in app that adds additional missions.
The New York Times says that Playmation is the answer to the question, “What if toys could play back?,” but how it all works still sounds a little confusing to us. It probably involves lasers and a sprinkle of magic. Either way, the brilliant twist is that different accessories—like, say, Hulk hands or a Captain America shield—will give you different missions, with all of those other tools being sold separately. Also, we’re talking about The Avengers because that’s the only brand that Disney has officially unveiled yet. There will also be Star Wars Playmation things and Frozen Playmation things, because that money isn’t going to print itself.
Here’s the most important detail from the entire New York Times article, though: “Aimed at children six to 12, the toys can also be worn by adults.” Have fun, nerds.
In case you’re concerned that this won’t be the most fun thing in the whole world, Disney also released a trailer that makes it look like exactly that: