P.M.I. Kids World’s licensed Pudgy Penguins toy range shot to the No. 1 spot on Amazon just 24 hours after it launched.

The NFT (Non-Fungible Token) based collectibles IP Pudgy Penguins is celebrating a stellar start for its licensed toy range from master toy partner P.M.I. Kids World after it dominated the charts on Amazon just hours after launch.

Pudgy Penguins had teased the launch of the toy range on Twitter on 18th May, generating much excitement among fans keen to get their hands on toy versions of the adorable NFTs. As explained by the brand, every toy comes with a digital experience linked to Pudgy World, an experience that gives the non-NFT public their very first blockchain wallet, Soulbound NFT and Tradeable NFTs, all in one simple sign up with an email address.

24 hours after hitting the Amazon marketplace, the Pudgy Samurai Action Figure had become the No. 1 toy on the platform, while the Pudgy Penguins Huggable Plush was sitting at No. 5 in a very competitive Top 10 that also included Pokémon, Barbie, Disney and Lego.

The Pudgy Penguins fanbase has been increasing steadily since CEO Luca Schnetzler bought the company for around $2.5m in April 2022. Before the acquisition, Luca was a big fan with enormous confidence in the IP: in fact, Pudgy Penguins was his first PFP NFT (profile picture non-fungible token) back when buyers used NFTs as profile pictures on social media sites such as Twitter. Armed with the knowledge that people love penguins, Luca set out to build an entire brand based on cute and funny penguin characters that people couldn’t help but adore. Nowadays, the brand is a vast, community-driven ecosystem that promotes positivity, good vibes and happiness.

Pudgy Penguins is P.M.I.’s first foray into the world of NFTs. Its toy range comprises action figures, collectible figures and plush based on the collection.

Speaking to Toy World shortly after he signed the licence, P.M.I’s COO, Omer Dekel, said: “It’s the first time we have dealt with unknown brands. It’s an amazing experience and a bit of a risk, but one we were very happy to take.” He added that success is all about staying ahead of the game in finding the ‘next big thing’. “I am proud to say that we are always ahead of the curve.”

In the UK, the P.M.I. Kids World licensed Pudgy Penguins toy range will be available through Bandai. Nic Aldridge, managing director at Bandai UK, took to LinkedIn to express his delight with the results, writing: “Amazing start… this is fantastic news! Can’t wait to get this into the UK and get our business on it. Very exciting times ahead. Come and join the huddle.”

Toy World readers can look forward to an in-depth profile on Pudgy Penguins and Luca which will be appearing in the June issue, arriving on desks and doormats very soon.

Today is the beginning of a new era for Web3.

We’re happy to announce that Pudgy Toys and Pudgy World are now available. pic.twitter.com/UKbkIAJzvS

— Pudgy Penguins (@pudgypenguins) May 18, 2023