Poll

Who is making the sets first and who is riding the shirt tail of the other

Playmobil is first
10 (58.8%)
Lego is first
1 (5.9%)
Total coincidence
6 (35.3%)

Total Members Voted: 17

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Author Topic: Who is copying whom Playmobil / Lego  (Read 9656 times)

Offline Rasputin

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Who is copying whom Playmobil / Lego
« on: December 22, 2009, 17:29:49 »
Hello PlaymoFriends  :elf:

   We received our lego catalog today and I once again noticed some very similar themes. The first one that stood out was the Fantasy Dragon Knights that lego is making :hmm:. The dragons are purple and the knights have flame eyes and lazer looking staffs. Then a few pages later a new Fire theme with trucks just like Playmobil's  :hmm:. The other sets were movie license's so we will not see Playmobil doing any of those but the others we just so similar.

   So  I ask you, Who is coping whom. I know there is research , then design, then mold making, then production time and all this can take years before a set hits the shelf. Are there spy's to get the same themes on the shelf at the same time ? what do you think?

   Rasputin "The Mad Monk"
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Offline Bill Blackhurst

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Re: Who is copying whom Playmobil / Lego
« Reply #1 on: December 22, 2009, 18:34:42 »
If you also notice the new city super sized construction series in LEGO seem to be the same as the new Playmobil large quarry equipment series! It seems it would be easier for LEGO to jump the gun because of components readily available with just minor additions of development.
I have also noticed the LEGO AGENT theme that is similar to PM's New ADVENTURE series with the harpoon launchers! As far as who's first in coming up with the original concept idea, we may never know due to each company's  devout secrecy  :shhhh:! However both companies product introductions are timed very close, therefore I can't vote due to not really paying attention to LEGO's contribution timing :hmm:!
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Offline playmofire

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Re: Who is copying whom Playmobil / Lego
« Reply #2 on: December 22, 2009, 19:59:34 »
I'd be interested in seeing the new fire trucks, Ras.  I feel that Lego are following PM (maybe better to say copying Playmobil).  I've seen a number of Lego sets recently which mirror, for example, the new construction sets which came out a couple of years ago in PM.  I just can't find them on the Lego site.
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Offline Martin Milner

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Re: Who is copying whom Playmobil / Lego
« Reply #3 on: December 22, 2009, 20:27:47 »
Even when you take out the licensed themes, Lego seem to have more current themes than Playmobil. Pirates seems to have made a return, possibly due to the continued success of Playmobil's pirates, and their Castle theme is still going strong.

Lego seem more inclined to add humanoid monsters like trolls, squidmen, and aliens, and I'd like to see more of these from Playmobil. So far bunnies and space aliens have been the only non-human humanoids.
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Offline Tiermann

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Re: Who is copying whom Playmobil / Lego
« Reply #4 on: December 22, 2009, 21:03:31 »
I suspect it goes both ways. There probably is a little spying on either side when possible. LEGO has had continuing success with their Space theme, but it was abandoned ages ago by Playmobil and hasn't seen any comeback. That's one area I would like to see copied over, especially the more realistic Mars series LEGO did.
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Offline Rasputin

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Re: Who is copying whom Playmobil / Lego
« Reply #5 on: December 22, 2009, 21:45:39 »
Hi  :elf:

   I can not seem to find any of the sets that are in the newest 3-D Brick Master's catalog. We get one ( actually 3) every month and each time I notice some set or theme that is just too close in design to be dumb luck. This time it was the Dragon sets that really stood out. I can take a picture of the Fire trucks if you want to see them but just imagine Playmobil sets in Lego's. A ladder truck, pumper truck, smaller 4x4, a helicopter and a station with roll-up doors and slide pole. 

   I too do not follow Lego's enough to make a call on who was first so I thought somebody in here might know more  ???

   Rasputin "The Mad Monk"
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Offline Bill Blackhurst

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Re: Who is copying whom Playmobil / Lego
« Reply #6 on: December 22, 2009, 22:10:28 »
Quote from: Rasputin on December 22, 2009, 21:45:39
I can take a picture of the Fire trucks if you want to see them but just imagine Playmobil sets in Lego's. A ladder truck, pumper truck, smaller 4x4, a helicopter and a station with roll-up doors and slide pole. 

      Rasputin "The Mad Monk"

Thats one thing I have always liked about LEGO fire stations is the large roll up bay doors! PM could have used the door from construction set #4043 in place of the folding ones actually used in set #4819 but chose an inferior design instead.
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Offline playmofire

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Re: Who is copying whom Playmobil / Lego
« Reply #7 on: December 22, 2009, 22:58:27 »
The fire station set pre-dates the PM one, Ras.

I'd expected the roller door, Bill, on the new fire station (unfortunately, the 4819 building is a bit short to take a 3880 unless you remove the winch) but the type of doors PM have used are common on the Continent and in the UK.
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Offline Rasputin

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Re: Who is copying whom Playmobil / Lego
« Reply #8 on: December 22, 2009, 23:15:20 »
Hi  :elf:

   I guess this is where things get confusing. Playmobil takes years to get an item to the shelf. Lego seems like it could get an item to the shelf much quicker. Like stated all they have to do is change brick colors and print new boxes. Even if Playmobil designed a new set that year, Lego could possible get a set out the next year were as Playmobil would lag by a year or more. This would of course require a spy to know what theme and design Playmobil's team is up to. 

   Do we have any Lego collectors who know when a theme got introduced. If you take the Fantasy Knights, if Playmobils was introduced (what?) 1/2009 that puts it at a possible blueprint phase in 1/2006 ? (guessing here) so when did Legos come out and how long from print to shelf?

    These companies must know and somebody is really frustrated over there by these coincidences. The Dutch and German design team wars  :P

   Rasputin "The Mad Monk"
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Offline Bill Blackhurst

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Re: Who is copying whom Playmobil / Lego
« Reply #9 on: December 23, 2009, 00:44:27 »
Quote from: playmofire on December 22, 2009, 22:58:27
I'd expected the roller door, Bill, on the new fire station (unfortunately, the 4819 building is a bit short to take a 3880 unless you remove the winch) but the type of doors PM have used are common on the Continent and in the UK.

I understand the dimension restraint Gordon, but they could have incorporated the current design utilizing the roller door sections into the vehicle bay section & using an open interior as already being done, just design interior tracks for the doors to slide within.
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