Playmates Toys

Playmates Toys is a toy manufacturer that has produced a large number of licensed Star Trek action figures, vehicles, and play accessories. In Europe, the company's 1990s releases were distributed by Bandai.

History
The line was launched in the fall of 1992 with a series of action figures based on Star Trek: The Next Generation. Nearly the entire USS Enterprise (NCC-1701-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 was produced in the fall of 1993 along with a special boxed set of all seven of the original series' major crew members.

Deep Space Nine debuted in 1994 followed by more Playmates TNG characters plus a line for the feature film. Voyager figures arrived in 1995, as did more TOS, TNG, and DS9 items. By 1996, the separate lines were all consolidated under a single "Star Trek" banner, excepting releases based on and.

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.

However, the license's popularity had begun to decline by 1998. By 1999, the number of items produced by Playmates had dwindled with limited releases being offered exclusively through individual retailers. On 17 September 1999, Playmates' Star Trek lines were formally canceled.

In January 2008, it was reported that Playmates would be creating a toy line for J.J. Abrams'. This new line of figures, vehicles, and role-playing items was launched in April 2009. A second wave was planned for release in late 2009 and was later pushed back to spring 2010 before the releases were canceled and Playmates' Star Trek licensing was concluded. The company cited disappointing sales. 

Interactions with Star Trek productions
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 Runepp, a Rasiinian Ambassador and appeared in.

Star Trek: Voyager production staff used parts of Borg action figures to create the pile of Borg corpses as seen in.

In one of the concept illustrations for the Borg sphere dated January 1996, 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)

Star Trek: The Next Generation, 4.5 inch figures, Assortment No. 6010

 * Releases in Germany eschewed the standard blister pack used in the United States and elsewhere in Europe in favor of an enclosed box.

Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, 4.5 inch figures, Asst. No. 6200

 * All figures in this range came with a collector's card from SkyBox.

, 4.5 inch figures, Asst. No. 6910
The Generations releases featured the original costume designs made for the movie. These designs were scrapped shortly before filming on the movie began, but the action figures were already in production at the time. Figures wearing the correct uniforms would see release over the following years. Unlike other Playmates figures, the Generations figures lacked articulated elbows and knees.

Star Trek: Innerspace
A new range of playsets 'disguised' as vessels from Star Trek, with 2cm high figures that could be used across the range.

Two special Innerspace ships were created to commemorate :

Star Trek Warp Factor Series 1, 4.5 inch figures, Asst. No. 65100

 * Featuring characters from . Some US releases contained fuzzy tribbles in addition to the hard accessories, and a "Triple Tribble" game card.

Star Trek: Strike Force
A follow-on to the Innerspace series.

The range also featured larger playsets:

In addition, packs of 'reinforcements' were produced:

Star Trek Warp Factor Series 5, 4.5 inch figures, Asst. No. 65150

 * Bele was supposedly intended to be a figure included in this release, but was removed from the line before production.

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.

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.

1999 releases
All figures released in 1999 were store exclusives in the US, but given a general (albeit limited) release in Europe and Australia.

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.

Release order
Wave 1 was released on. A second was planned to follow in several phases July-October 2009. This was initially pushed back to early, 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.

Wave 1

 * For this wave, releases outside the United States do no include the playset accessories.

Wave 2 (cancelled)
Also intended to be included with this wave were two Bonus packs, each containing five of the components missing from international Wave 1 release, with one figure also included in each pack.