Playmates Toys, a subsidiary of Playmates Holdings Ltd. of Hong Kong, China, is an American toy manufacturer based in Costa Mesa, California. Founded in 1966, the company produced a large number of licensed Star Trek action figures, vehicles, and play accessories between 1992 and 2023.
Playmates' Star Trek lines launched in the fall of 1992 with the release of a series of action figures based on Star Trek: The Next Generation. Nearly the entire USS Enterprise-D crew was represented, plus Gowron, a Ferengi, a Borg, and a Romulan. Role-playing items included a type 2 phaser and communicator, while a shuttlecraft was produced for the figures. A model of the Enterprise-D was also released. The line was quite successful and another wave of TNG figures, accessories, and vehicles were produced in the fall of 1993 along with a special boxed set of all seven of Star Trek: The Original Series' major crew members.
The 2018 "Star Trek" episode of the Netflix documentary The Toys That Made Us, credited Playmates for being the first company to actually and successfully find their target market by appealing to both the hardcore fans, yearning for accuracy, but also to kids, contrary to their immediate predecessors Ertl Company and Galoob. Former Playmates Senior VP of Marketing Karl Aaronian understood that they "(...)had to appeal to those hardcore fans, otherwise you don't have anything," elaborating, "With Star Trek, you have a fanatical following who notices every little detail." So Playmates planned for detailed accurate products with play features in service of that goal, greatly aided by the fact that the company's chief action figure sculptor, Steve Varner, was a "Trekkie" himself. It paid off, at a time when, as per Aaronian, "timing was everything" as "the audience had really reached its maximum size and was hungry for product", the Playmates releases became the "biggest and most successful Star Trek line ever."
In 1995, Playmates' video game division called Playmates Interactive Entertainment released Star Trek: Deep Space Nine - Crossroads of Time for the Sega Genesis and Super Nintendo Entertainment System platforms.
The founders of Art Asylum designed Playmates' nine-inch Alien Combat Series figures when they were starting out as a design house. Michael Dorn stated that the unreleased Klingon Warrior Worf figure from this line was his favorite representation of the character. [1]
Nonetheless, the license's popularity had begun to decline by 1998. By 1999, the number of items produced by Playmates had dwindled and its limited releases were reduced to being offered to the public exclusively through individual retailers. Karl Aaronian also went on record with his explanation for the rather surprising decline of their hitherto popular Star Trek toy lines. Even though there were other issues at play for the diminishing appeal of the overall franchise as well at the time (See: Demise of "The Franchise" in the prime universe), Aaronian himself blamed the decline of their Star Trek toy lines primarily to their error in judgement by introducing "Limited Edition" and "Retail Exclusives" releases, the 1996 "1701 Series" in particular, a business practice euphemistically called "market discrimination" and one that is particularly loathed by fans in general, and Star Trek fans in particular. "It also truly pissed the fans off," conceded Aaronian, "Because if you're a completest and you're not able to find one of those, you feel incomplete." Belatedly realizing that Playmates had underestimated the passion of Star Trek collectors, and faced with sharply declining sales as they almost overnight stopped collecting, Playmates bumped up production runs of their "1701 Series" to no avail; they had lost the market. (The Toys That Made Us) On 17 September 1999, Playmates' Star Trek lines were formally cancelled. [2][3]
In Europe, the company's 1990s releases were distributed by Bandai.
In January 2008, it was reported that Playmates would be creating a toy line for J.J. Abrams' Star Trek film. [4] This new line of figures, vehicles, and role-playing items was launched in April 2009.
A second wave was slated for release in late 2009 but was subsequently pushed back to the spring of 2010 before finally being cancelled. Citing disappointing sales, Playmates' Star Trek licensing concluded (for this period) at the end of 2009. The company had also expressed some interest in acquiring toy licensing for the film's sequel, [5] but this did not materialize.
On December 6, 2023, the company announced that after only thirteen releases, they will no longer make more action figures because the sales were very low. The Hologram Janeway figure from Prodigy remains unreleased. [7]
Original Series action figures
Next Generation action figures
Voyager and Deep Space Nine figures
Star Trek figures from the 2009 film
1992 advertisement for Playmates' TNG figures
1993 advertisement for Playmates' DS9 figures
Interactions with Star Trek productions[]
In one of the concept illustrations for the Borg sphere dated January 1996, and designed for Star Trek: First Contact, John Eaves hid the names of his wife Diane and his two daughters, Olivia and Alicia, among the extremely intricate outer details. He added, "What's funny about this is that Playmates put out a toy Borg sphere which just happens to contain the first initial of everyone's name." (Star Trek: The Next Generation Sketchbook: The Movies, pp. 205 & 215)
For First Contact, John Eaves used the 1994 Playmates USS Enterprise-B toy (no. 6172), the only refit-Excelsior-class model commercially available at the time, to construct the golden display models of the ships seen in the display case in the observation lounge of the USS Enterprise-E. He filled one of them up with solid resin, made castings from it for additional copies, and had them all gold-plated. [8] The models seen in their later reappearance in Star Trek Nemesis were constructed from the by-then available AMT model kits of the refit-class.
The "Design-an-Alien" contest was promoted on some Playmates Star Trek toy packaging and offered a fan the chance to appear as an alien extra in an episode of Deep Space Nine. John Paul Lona won the role of a RasiinianAmbassador named Runepp and appeared in "The Muse".
Star Trek: Voyager Visual Effects Producer Dan Curry used parts of Playmates' Borg action figures to create the "pile" of Borg corpses seen in "Scorpion". In the "Red Alert: Amazing Visual Effects" documentary on the VOY Season 3 DVD release, Curry complimented the sculptors of the toys for their accuracy since he was able to shoot close-ups of the Borg figures' faces without further modifications.
In "Dark Frontier", the young Annika Hansen character sometimes played with a model of a Borg cube that belonged to her father. This model was actually a modified 1994 Playmates Borg cube (No. 6158).
Ezri Dax was the only main cast member (from the four spinoff series made during Playmates' licensing of Star Trek) not to receive an action figure from the company. Diamond Select Toys released an Ezri figure in late 2007.
A gold casting of Playmates' USS Enterprise-B
The Playmates "Design-an-Alien" contest-winning sketch
The first release of the figure came with a removable VISOR, identified by an image of La Forge without his VISOR on the back of the blister pack. This was considered a choking hazard, and so was replaced with an integrated VISOR. The removable variant is now extremely rare.
One of the main complaints about early Playmates vessels was their lack of a display stand. In particular, because this product had a center of gravity in the saucer section, it 'listed' forward on a shelf. A re-release in 1994 included a new display stand.
Communicator Walkie-Talkies
6119
None
Clip-on communicator speaker/microphones, attached to a belt-mounted transmitter. Claimed range of 170 feet.
While intended to be season 1 Worf, the head and sash molds (still matching #6013) are more consistent with Season 3-6 and 2-7 respectively, though the sash is painted gold like his first-season sash. Worf had shorter hair and different ridges in Season 1. The sash Worf had in season 1 was based upon the ones seen in the original series
Commander William Riker
Second season uniform
6074
as #6014
Since the figure sports a beard (as the same basic sculpt as #6014 was used), this is a Season 2 Riker, rather than a Season 1 as the other crew figures are intended to be.
A limited edition released as part of a four-figure pack from the JCPenny catalog, which included #6035, #6942, and #6943, as well as a limited single release in Canada. The package claimed to represent "Redemption Data", but Data did not wear the command division uniform in that episode. He did wear it under Jellico's command in "Chain Of Command, Part II".
Only 7,000 units were made for the US and Canada. With no international release, this is considered to be one of the most difficult Playmates releases to obtain.
The Generations releases featured the original costume designs made for the movie. These designs were scrapped shortly and were replaced by a combination of the uniforms from TNG and DS9 before filming on the movie began, but the action figures were already in production at the time. Figures wearing the correct uniforms saw release over the following years. Unlike other Playmates figures, the Generations figures lacked articulated elbows and knees.
From the deleted opening scene. The packaging erroneously credits its use to the deflector room sequence. As with #6911, Kirk's rank is incorrectly given as admiral.
Star Trek: The Next Generation, 4.5 inch figures, Asst. No. 6950 (Part I)[]
Character
Uniform/Costume
Stock No.
Accessories
Variants/Notes
Lt. Commander Geordi La Forge
Movie uniform from Generations
6960
as #6923
The first TNG figure released featuring the correct Generations uniform
Doctor Beverly Crusher
Starfleet duty uniform
6961
type 2 phaser
Medical kit
Medical tricorder
Starfleet container
Some packaging shows Crusher wearing the Generations uniform – this version of the figure was not released until 1997, although Crusher never wore the DS9 uniform in Generations.
from "All Good Things...". The figure was to have been packaged with a base in the style of the future Starfleet communicator. Instead, the standard TNG delta shield was used instead. The original base appears on the back of the blister pack.
Leonard Nimoy was dissatisfied with the collector's cards to be included with the figures, and refused to allow his figure to go into production with one. As a result, this figure does not contain a collector's card.
Figure actually displays rank of lieutenant (two full pips) and represents La Forge as he appears in Season 2 of TNG, when he first became chief engineer.
Role-playing, ships, playsets and accessories[]
Product
Stock No.
Accessories
Sound/Light
Variants/Notes
Space Talk USS Enterprise-D (1992)
6106
Over 100 dialogue snippets and sound effects
This product contained a computer chip which allowed the large number of sounds to be played.
A re-release of #6172, with unique Movie Series packaging. The box and decals are marked as USS Excelsior, but the ship is the refit version seen as the Enterprise-B.
Klingon Bird-of-Prey
6128
as #6174
Re-release in TNG packaging.
Klingon disruptor
6129
as #6146
Re-release in TNG packaging.
Bajoran phaser
6273
Stun, disrupt sounds
Light-up beam emitter
Released in TNG packaging, despite being a DS9 product.
Capable of transforming from the standard Galaxy-class into the three-nacelle version from "All Good Things...". In order to accommodate the various components within the hull, no electronics could be included.
from "Yesterday's Enterprise" – part of the anniversary "1701 Series", limited run of 1,701 figures. (While not appearing as she really appeared in the episode – minus the belt and wrist cuff and her head a reuse of the previous Yar figure so her hair style is not as it was in the episode.)
Lt. Reginald Barclay
16044
"Type-2B" phaser
Medical tricorder
Desktop monitor
PADD
from "Projections" – part of the anniversary 1701 Series, but a run of 3,000 figures, instead of the 1,701 produced of the other two figures.
Lt. Commander Montgomery Scott
16045
Phaser
Tricorder
Communicator
as seen in "Where No Man Has Gone Before" – an exclusive figure only available from the Huntsville 30th Anniversary Convention distributed by Spencer's Gifts.
Lieutenant Hikaru Sulu
16046
Phaser
Tricorder
Communicator
as seen in "Where No Man Has Gone Before" – an exclusive figure only available from the Huntsville 30th Anniversary Convention distributed by Spencer's Gifts.
Reginald Barclay
Starfleet Academy, 4.5 inch figures, Asst. No. 16000[]
Character
Uniform/Costume
Stock No.
Accessories
Variants/Notes
Cadet Jean-Luc Picard
Flight Training Suit
16001
Each Starfleet Academy figure included a CD-ROM disk.
The SIMs beacon as an accessory is something of an oddity, as it did not appear in First Contact, and only ever appeared on screen in Star Trek: Voyager.
Special release to licensees, never released to the public. Designed to promote the upcoming Star Trek: First Contact and its associated merchandising, less than 500 of these were ever produced.
Role-playing, Ships, Playsets and Accessories[]
Product
Stock No.
Accessories
Sound/Light
Variants/Notes
Type 2 Phaser
16062
Stun, disrupt sounds
Light-up beam emitter
This product was detailed in a pale blue, rather than the grey of the prop.
Talk-Back Classic Communicator
16065
as #6117
This product had the additional ability of recording and playing back short voice messages.
The design of the Enterprise-E was taken from early concepts created by John Eaves; as such, it differs significantly from the final design (in particular, the Bussard collectors are uncapped, the saucer shuttlebay and impulse engines are swapped and the saucer hull is thicker. A more accurate version was released in 1998 for Star Trek: Insurrection.
Hull panel could be removed to display battle damage, via a button on the sphere's hull.
Star Trek: Innerspace Series[]
A range of playsets "disguised" as vessels and technology from Star Trek. Two centimeter-high accessory figures were included.
Product
Stock No.
Figures
Variants/Notes
USS Enterprise NCC-1701-D
6131
Picard
Riker
Data
One of the larger playsets, this product features the Enterprise-D bridge, captain's ready room, brig and Ten Forward, all of which open out from the saucer section. A small shuttlecraft is also included which fits into a shuttlebay taking up the full volume of the connecting dorsal.
The packaging of this figure says the phaser is a type-2, however it actually comes with a type-1 phaser.
Doctor Beverly Crusher
Movie uniform from Generations
16047
Medical tool
Hypospray
Medical kit
Thermos bottle
Crusher never actually wore this uniform variant in Generations. This figure was a limited edition, with 10,000 being produced, 1,000 with a special backing card in Europe.
While this figure is based on his costume from "I, Mudd", his accessories are from "Mudd's Women".
Doctor Leonard McCoy
Starfleet dress uniform
16155
Tricorder
Hypospray
Communicator
Anabolic protoplaser
This figure was a limited edition, with 10,000 being produced, 1,000 with a special backing card in Europe.
Star Trek Warp Factor Series 1, 4.5 inch figures, Asst. No. 65100[]
Featuring characters from "Trials and Tribble-ations". Some US releases contained fuzzy tribbles in addition to the hard accessories, and a "Triple Tribble" game card.
A larger, more accurate (the Enterprise-D excepted, because the saucer had to be seriously distorted to make room for the interior playset and accompanying figurines), and less stylized successor to Playmates' Innerspace Series.
Clearly an attempt to cash in on the popularity of Galoob's hugely successful "Action Fleet" toy line that featured similarly-executed ship models and playsets from the Star Wars, Alien, Predator, and Starship Troopers franchises, this line closely aped Galoob's play features and design concepts.
The line was discontinued within a year and fell far short of the sales that Galoob had enjoyed with its "Action Fleet" toy line, particularly with its Star Wars lines.
In addition, packs of "reinforcements" were produced, again in imitation of similar packs released by Galoob in their "Micro Machines"-line as complementary sets for the above-mentioned Action Fleet releases:
Star Trek Transporter Series, 4.5 inch figures, Asst. No. 65400[]
Each figure is rendered in a part-translucent state, and come with a battery-operated, push-activated, light and sound base in the style of the appropriate transporter pad.
Character
Uniform/Costume
Stock No.
Variants/Notes
The Original Series
Captain James T. Kirk
65401
Mr. Spock
65402
Dr. McCoy
65403
Lt. Uhura
65404
Chief Engineer Montgomery Scott
65405
Ensign Pavel Chekov
65231
Exclusive to Target stores, limited release of 10,000 units.
(Formed Asst. #65230)
Lt. Hikaru Sulu
65232
Exclusive to Target stores, limited release of 10,000 units.
(Formed Asst. #65230)
The Next Generation
Lt. Commander Data
65421
Captain Jean-Luc Picard
65422
Lt. Worf
65423
Commander William Riker
65432
Lt. Commander Geordi La Forge
65433
All Next Generation figures were painted in an incorrect uniform style, with the colors inverted, but not in the style of the DS9/VOY uniform. Deanna Troi and Reginald Barclay were originally scheduled to be included in the range, but were not produced.
Boxed sets[]
The twin packs came with diorama backing, and lacked accessories.
Product
Contents
Stock No.
Variants/Notes
1701 Collectors Series
Captain Jean-Luc Picard from "Tapestry"
Lieutenant Natasha Yar from "Yesterday's Enterprise"
Lieutenant Reginald Barclay from "Projections"
16122
A repackaging of #6442, #16043, and #16044, with all accessories. There was some controversy over this release, particularly from those who had purchased the original, extremely-limited figures (often at inflated prices). The release had in fact been an attempt to mollify the wider consumer base angered by the initial short run.
"Holodeck Series" Twin Pack
Captain Jean-Luc Picard as Dixon Hill and Guinan as Gloria from "Clues"
Ensign Harry Kim and a member of Species 8472 from "Scorpion"
65192
Mail-away and other exclusive figures[]
Character
Uniform/Costume
Stock No.
Accessories
Variants/Notes
Klingon Warrior Worf
16145
None
This was an exclusive figure included in the Worf - Return to Grace CollectionVHS collection. Limited to 40,000, the figure is actually a repainted variation of #6437.
Cousteau (larger scale, doesn't not attach to the opening shown on Enterprise.)
Three sounds
Light-up warp nacelles and impulse engines
This release was a more accurate representation of the Enterprise-E than #16418
1999 releases[]
All figures released in 1999 were store exclusives in the US, but given a general (albeit limited) release in Europe and Australia.
Star Trek Transporter Series, 4.5 inch figures, Asst. No. 65440[]
Character
Uniform/Costume
Stock No.
Variants/Notes
Nurse Christine Chapel
65441
Exclusive to Target stores.
Yeoman Janice Rand
65442
Exclusive to Target stores.
Starfleet Command Edition, 4.5 inch figures, Asst. No. 65800[]
Character
Uniform/Costume
Stock No.
Accessories
Variants/Notes
Captain Jean-Luc Picard
Starfleet duty uniform
65801
Compression phaser rifle
Type 2 phaser
Tricorder
Borg scanner
Exclusive to Target stores.
The first 4.5 inch figures to use the First Contact uniform.
Lt. Commander Worf
Starfleet duty uniform
65802
Type 2 phaser
Bat'leth
D'k tahg
Tricorder
Exclusive to Target stores.
Seven of Nine
Silver biosuit
65803
Compression phaser rifle
Scanner
Desktop monitor
Exclusive to Target stores.
Lt. Commander Data
Starfleet duty uniform
65804
Tricorder
Type 2 phaser
Compression phaser rifle
Engineering case
Exclusive to Target stores.
Counselor Deanna Troi
Starfleet duty uniform
65805
Desktop monitor
Type 2 phaser
Tricorder
PADD
Exclusive to Target stores.
Commander William Riker
Starfleet duty uniform
65806
Desktop monitor
Type 2 phaser
Compression phaser rifle
Tricorder
Exclusive to Target stores.
Starfleet Command International Edition, 4.5 inch figures, Asst. No. 65840[]
These two figures were originally to be part of assortment #65800, but were dropped by Target. They were still released in Europe and Australia. In total, around 4,000 units were released.
Wave 1 was released on 19 April2009. A second was planned to follow in several phases July-October 2009. This was initially pushed back to early 2010, but ultimately was not released.
Galaxy Collection, 3.75 inch figures, Asst. No 61750[]
Each figure comes with a bridge or transporter room playset accessory. Also, each 8 of the 10 figures comes with the Starfleet Emblem figure stand can be used as a wearable badge.
Wave 1[]
For this wave, releases outside the United States do no include the playset accessories.
Also intended to be included with this wave were two Bonus packs, each containing five of the components missing from the international Wave 1 release, with one figure also included in each pack.
Unreleased Galaxy Collection Wave 2 figures
Unreleased Spock Academy Instructor figure (packaged)
Warp Collection, 6 inch figures, Asst. No 61600[]
Wave 1[]
Character
Uniform/Costume
Stock No.
Accessories
Variants/Notes
James T. Kirk
Enterprise outfit
61601
Phaser
Communicator
Utility belt
Spock
Enterprise outfit
61602
Interchangeable hands
Phaser
Communicator
Utility belt
Original Spock
61607
Interchangeable hands
Christopher Pike
Enterprise outfit
61608
Phaser
Communicator
Utility belt
Nero
61609
Teral'n
Romulan Disruptor (later release)
The disruptor is included in later releases.
Hikaru Sulu
Enterprise outfit
61610
Phaser
Communicator
Utility belt
Uhura
Cadet outfit
61613
Phaser
Communicator
Data tablet
Uhura was supposed to be in an Enterprise uniform for this wave, but for unknown reasons was released in a cadet uniform instead.
Leonard McCoy
Cadet outfit
61617
Phaser
Communicator
Utility belt
Hypospray
Data tablet
Chekov
Cadet outfit
61618
Phaser
Communicator
Utility belt
Data tablet
Scotty
Enterprise outfit
61621
Phaser
Communicator
Utility belt
Also in this wave were Bonus two packs. The characters are Kirk & McCoy and Spock & Original Spock.
James T. Kirk
Spock
Nero
Original Spock
Christopher Pike
Hikaru Sulu
Cadet Uhura
Cadet Leonard McCoy
Cadet Pavel Chekov
Scotty
Wave 2 (cancelled)[]
Character
Uniform/Costume
Stock No.
Accessories
Variants/Notes
Leonard McCoy
Enterprise uniform
Phaser
Utility belt
Communicator
Hypospray
Pavel Chekov
Enterprise uniform
Phaser
Utility belt
Communicator
James T. Kirk
Cadet uniform
Phaser
Utility belt
Communicator
Data tablet
James T. Kirk
Space uniform (skydiving suit)
Phaser
Removable helmet
Spock
Academy instructor uniform
Phaser
Utility belt
Data tablet
Communicator
Interchangeable hands
In the movie, Spock wore a black uniform, while the prototype appears dark grey.
Presented in retro packaging recreating Playmates' 1992 TNG releases. As a consequence of duplicating the original packaging's graphics, each TNG figure cardback erroneously states that they include Tricorder Holsters despite the new figures lacking them. Data similarly no longer has the original release's "access panels" despite the package's claim.
Retro packaging recreating 1995's Classic Star Trek Movies release, in which Kirk and Spock were designed on their appearance in The Motion Picture, explaining why Kirk includes a wrist communicator despite them no longer being in use by the time of The Wrath of Khan.
Star Trek: Prodigy, 5 inch figures, Asst. #63080[]
Planned for release in 2022, the Prodigy figures were delayed and eventually given a limited release at online retailers. Each figure also includes a code to unlock in-game content in Star Trek: Prodigy - Supernova. A figure of Hologram Janeway was planned for inclusion in this assortment, but was canceled.
USS Excelsior, Voyager, gold Enterprise-D, and Enterprise (alternate reality) packaging
Phoenix and Starfleet shuttle packaging
USS Defiant, Deep Space 9, and Borg vessels packaging
Klingon and Romulan vessels packaging
First Contact toy promo
Background information[]
Interactions with Star Trek parody and pop culture productions[]
In the Star Trek parody and pop culture-referencing television sitcom The Big Bang Theory, Playmates Star Trek action figures have made an appearance on at least on two occasions. The series is centered on four science nerds who are rabid fans and collectors of Star Trek, science fiction, and comics memorabilia. The 1994 "Battle-damaged Enterprise-D" model (No. 6171) was part of the bedroom standing set of main character Howard Wolowitz, and could be seen throughout the first six seasons of the series suspended from the ceiling. Episodes wherein specific Star Trek Playmates toys made one time appearances are:
"The Nerdvana Annihilation" (Season 1, episode 14): In this episode, central character Leonard Hofstadter, weary of collecting, decided to distribute his toy collection amongst his friends. Dismayed to see them arguing and competing for choice items, Leonard threatened to rip open the packaging of a rare edition of his Geordi La Forge action figure (in collector circles, items in mint condition in their unopened original packaging are the most valued) to escape from the fracas. He warned, "Okay. I did not want to do this but, I have here the rare mint condition production error Star Trek: The Next Generation Geordi La Forge, without his VISOR, in the original packaging. If you do not get out of my way, I will open it.", [9] thereby alluding to a rare production error version (valued even more highly by collectors) of the already rare 1992 first release of Playmates toy No. 6015 (see below).
"The Russian Rocket Reaction" (Season 5, episode 5): In this episode, Brent Spiner (as himself) thoughtlessly ripped open a signed first edition Wesley Crusher Playmates action figure (alluded to as the 1993 edition No. 6021) which Wil Wheaton (as himself) had just given to Sheldon Cooper as a peace offering. Spiner tried to make amends by offering his Data action figure to Cooper as a replacement, but was rebuffed when his action figure was deemed to be of lesser value. This was subsequently reinforced when Cooper's friends negotiated Spiner down on the price of his action figure from twenty dollars to two for fifteen and a promise that Spiner attend a birthday party. The Star Trek items used in the series, including these Playmates action figures, were from CBS Consumer Products archive. CBS is not only the broadcaster of The Big Bang Theory, but is also the owner of the Star Trek television franchise.
The documentary reality series FanAddicts! was a television series that explored fans of motion picture franchises, those in the science fiction, horror and fantasy genres in particular, and their obsession with collecting memorabilia of said genre productions. In the 2013 episode "Star Trek" (Season 1, episode 3), American collector Mark, owning a huge Star Trek memorabilia merchandise collection, went into detail about the production errors of several Star Trek Playmates action figures, revealing that people collecting these are known in collector circles as "variant collectors".
The history and development of the Playmates line was featured in the "Star Trek" episode of The Toys That Made Us in 2018.