The publishers may hold copyright or the author's heirs, but it is a massive continuation either way. There are gaps to fill from earlier years, which must become harder and harder to do as each year passes, and new sets to add, which becomes a more and more demanding task as sets now come and go so quickly.
In many ways, in my opinion, edition 3 covers the "classic" period of Playmobil almost exactly (it actually continues a few years after 2009).
By the "classic" period I mean the years beginning with its introduction where there were a number of core themes produced, sets covering the theme well (e.g. figures, vehicles, buildings), with plenty of parts and accessories in them, and requiring use of imagination by the person playing with them. Over time, sets were phased out and then later re-introduced with added refinements, but still basically following the same approach, a key part being the simple, basic figure which could be turned into different roles simply by changing hair or hats or whatever, something which also made the figures often quite non-theme specific, adding to the play and imagination value.
Increasingly, however, in more recent years, sets have become smaller, the range of items in a theme less, and accessories fewer. At the same time, the basic figures have become more detailed through printing and interchangeable clothes, both of which limit the need for imagination and also make them more theme specific.
I would say that the beginning of the end of the "classic" period is when Hans Beck retires in 1998 or when he dies in 2009. Certainly, with the death of Horst Brandstatter in 2015 and the changes which followed we see the end of the "classic" period.
