How Universal Pictures’ The Thing Was Transformed into Funko Fusion

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A shapeshifting alien who synthesizes different life forms into nightmarish versions of himself has a new target in his sights. In our upcoming game Funko FusionFunko Pop! collectibles will transform Universal Pictures’ The Thing into something otherworldly.

Funko Fusion features over 20 pop culture crossovers such as Jurassic World, Back to the Future, Jaws, Scott Pilgrim vs. the World, Battlestar Galactica and more from Universal Pictures’ extensive archive (and other surprises!) and is scheduled to release on September 13, 2024 for Xbox Series X|S.

Combining Funko Pop! collectibles and a horror movie classic in a video game may sound unusual, but here at 10:10 Games we revel in the surprise and novelty. Formed around a core of experienced TT Games veterans who worked on the hit LEGO games, our talented team set out to bring the 1982 film The Thing to life in our upcoming action-adventure game. Funko Fusion. With an eye for authenticity and a dash of irreverent humor, we strive to embody the excitement and thrills of the original film while adding our own unique twist, and we’ve done that in partnership with Universal Products & Experiences.

First, we created a hand-crafted level inspired by The Thing – NBCUniversal provided us with original set photos and layouts to ensure our development was as authentic as possible. This demanding process took six months, during which we faithfully recreated U.S. Antarctic Research Outpost #31 and its surroundings, iconic characters like RJ MacReady, Childs and others, and the shapeshifting terror (in its many forms) that is so iconic of the film. Puzzles, mechanics and weapons were all carefully designed to represent what made The Thing so powerful over 40 years ago.

Speaking of characters, players can unlock the cruel, infected Norwegian and battle other variants of the alien menace throughout the various grim levels. The Funko versions of these characters feature fun nods to the film. As expected, RJ MacReady carries a shotgun and a trusty fireman’s axe; Chef Nauls wields a frying pan and roller skates around the base; and MT Garry holds a six-shot revolver and a dog sled as a shield.

The enemy design was particularly difficult to perfect. Despite the limited technology of the 80s, The Thing has stood the test of time thanks to its impressive horror and special effects. Our graphics team put a lot of effort into recreating this horror as realistically as possible in the Funko Pop! style. In boss battles with main enemies, enemies transform into alien versions of themselves with tendrils growing from their mouths and bulging eyeballs. One of the first enemies you encounter is The Kennel Thing: this whining dog transforms into an unearthly evil with hairy spider legs that spits deadly acid at you.

Playable characters can become infected at any time, transforming their appearance into something downright terrifying and making the gameplay experience more unpredictable. Funko FusionYou can play as different characters from a variety of well-known franchises and everyone can be transformed into The Thing – so watch out!

We’ve created iconic scenes inspired by the film that fans will recognize and that newcomers will find horrifying. Norris’ chest becomes a toothy trap for Copper’s arms; Childs uses a flamethrower to escape the deadly dogs; and of course, Blair uses his computer to simulate the speed of human assimilation. Many of these scenes are just as thematically gruesome as the original film, but in 10:10 Games fashion, we’ve sprinkled humor throughout to create a tongue-in-cheek tone that brings a new sense of playfulness.

When it came to gameplay, we carefully considered what would work best. Everything had to be thematically related to the film, whether it was puzzles or combat. The film uses ice/fire and dark/light stylistically, and we wanted to do the same in Funko Fusion. At US Outpost #31, everything is powered by gas generators, and players use the gas canisters in clever ways to solve puzzles by powering lights, running pipes—or even destroying enemies.

Many moments are designed to create a sense of paranoia and fear, particularly through atmosphere and music. We licensed the rights to the official score and our sound designer Mario Goetzenberger used 40-year-old synths like those from the original score to re-record haunting tracks for memorable scenes in the game.

We’re fortunate that Universal Products & Experiences worked with us to create what we always hoped was a convincing recreation of a fan favorite, and each section was built with care.

We are excited to invite the world to play our imaginative interpretation not only of The Thing, but also of many other pop culture universes in which we Funko Fusion. Through our creative adaptations, we hope to bring new and established fans together to celebrate what made these franchises so special from the beginning.

Funko Fusion will be available for Xbox Series X|S on September 13, 2024. Funko Pop! collectibles based on select characters from the game will be available to fans later this summer at Funko.com and selected retailers worldwide. For more information about Funko FusionPlease Visit our official website or follow us on X, Tick ​​​​Tock, subjects, InstagramAnd Facebook.