PowerCore founder: Toy-to-life games are about to take off in China

Toy-to-life games, a category that creates immersive gaming experiences by connecting digital gameplay and physical toys, has become very popular in the west. Activision, the game maker that injected vigor into the genre with its Skylanders franchise, sold over US$ 3 billion worth of games and toys worldwide by 2015.

However, the category has yet to become a big thing in China. But it won’t take long before toy-to-life craze hit the middle kingdom, according to Shen Jia, founder of PowerCore, the Tokyo and East Palo Alto-based startup that aspires to bring its technologies here.

Founded in 2013, PowerCore creates and distributes collectible smart toys that can be scanned into games via NFC or QR codes for a reactive gameplay experience. In addition, the startup also handles digital activations and provides merchandise solutions to gaming companies and brands.

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