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by Kim Muntinga

The Tonies arsenal is getting a prominent addition. The first Pokémon audio figures are set to go on sale next year.
The cooperation between Tonies and «The Pokémon Company International» will start in summer 2026. According to the joint press release, four exclusive figures will go on sale: In addition to the world-famous Pikachu, Bisasam, Glumanda and Schiggy will be available as starter Pokémon
The figures contain stories specially developed for the Toniebox, which will be published at «in an immersive audio format».
The manufacturer has not revealed any details or explanations as to what will be immersive about the stories. However, the stories would still be a special feature. Because on other platforms, Pokémon «are silent». They articulate themselves exclusively via superimposed texts.
Tonie already used similar words in the announcement of its collaboration with toy giant Hasbro. There was talk of «Audio First», which in the end remains just as vague.
For Tonies, the partnership marks a milestone, according to «» . The company, which claims to have over 10 million activated Tonieboxes worldwide, is expanding its portfolio to include one of the most well-known brands in the children's sector.
The content will be produced in collaboration with Pikachu Press, the official publishing imprint of The Pokémon Company International.
After the four Pokémon, there is more to come. Further Pokémon products and jointly developed content are already being planned. There are no concrete details here either, which leaves room for speculation. A special edition of the box is conceivable.
Not speculation, but quite real are the critical voices of parents in forums and portals such as Reddit about the Toniebox 2. The particularly sorely missed headphone output has now been cured by the freshly launched Bluetooth headphones «» , although according to the FAQ there is no guarantee that third-party devices will work. Headphones that are easy on the parents' nerves are available for around 40 euros/francs.
Some weaknesses in the software (playing older Tonies doesn't always work) or the impractical operating concept of an alarm clock function, which is only available when parents remove the Tonie from the box in the evening, are apparently still waiting for a fix.
So it would be nice if the euphoria and enthusiasm for the new immersive listening experiences didn't use up all the development capacity, but were channelled into the further development of the Toniebox 2.
Hamburg local, bookworm, and ice hockey fan. Dad and granddad. Constantly tinkering around with my smart home setup. I love DIY, the outdoors, fashion, and cosmetics.
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