The signature Playmobil toy is a 7.5 cm (3.0 in) tall[3] (1:24 scale) human figure with a smiling face.

[citation needed] Collector activities extend beyond collecting and free-form play and include customization, miniature wargaming, and the creation of photo stories and stop motion films, or simply as decoration.

[2] Beck received training as a cabinetmaker and was also an avid hobbyist of model airplanes, a product he pitched to the company Geobra Brandstätter.

The toy he conceived would fit in a child's hand and its facial design was based on children's drawings: a large head, a big smile, and no nose.

The rising oil prices imposed on Geobra Brandstätter, for whom Beck worked as head of development, demanded that the company turn to products that required less solid plastic material than the hula hoops and other large plastic items the company had been producing as toys.

[6] In 1974, the company put the first sets of knights,[2] Native Americans, and construction workers on show in its display rooms.

Especially notable for their fine attention to detail[citation needed] are the modern construction and city life toys (automobiles, cranes, fire engines, trains, boats, etc.).

Playmobil building parts were originally designed to fit together using a system of tabs and slots known as "Steck-System".

In recent years a new construction system has been introduced that dispenses with the tabs and instead uses small connector pieces and a special tool.

This is known as "System-X" and is now the standard Playmobil construction system, Steck-System having been retired except for special reissues.

Over the years, some proposed sets have included Chinese Railroad Workers and a Grave Digger for the Western theme, as well as a Medieval Torture Room.

The product line introduced the Playmobil figure into corporate settings, targeting adult professionals in place of children.

The concept aimed to rival Lego Serious Play, by incorporating the Playmobil figure into a modelling kit used for corporate creative workshops.

Previously Playmobil was licensed through a number of different companies, including Brazil's Trol, Estrela and Industria de Brinquedos do Amazonas, and Peru's BASA.

From 1976 to 1980, Playmobil was licensed by Louis Marx and Company in the United Kingdom and sold under the brand name Playpeople.

Though not manufactured by Playmobil, they were officially licensed.This has subsequently been copied by Mercedes-Benz, Volkswagen, Audi, Citroen, Porsche and Mini Cooper.

Sets include a "Noshery" (fast food eatery), "Pirate Island", and medieval figures.

Each location specializes in a particular area of manufacturing and parts that are needed to assemble a set are delivered to the destination where the items will be placed together and put in their final packaging before sale.

In order to produce enough sets to release them to the entire world at the same time, Playmobil would need to buy two of each mold.

According to Deadline Hollywood, Playmobil was released only weeks after Frozen II and used a variable pricing strategy where STX and many theater chains offered $5 tickets.

[22] Originally projected to gross $600,000–$800,000 on its opening day, Playmobil grossed just $167,000, making it the third-worst opening day of all time for a 2,000-plus theatre production, behind Delgo (2008) and The Oogieloves in the Big Balloon Adventure (2012);[23] fourth if counting the 2014 re-release of Saw (2004) and 24th if also including films with between 1,000 and 1,999 theaters.

[22] Shortly after the weekend, Grayson responded that STX would use variable pricing in their future projects: "we have already learned from this experiment.

"[26] While the film's several worldwide distributors recouped TV sale money, they also financed it via pre-sales and thus face losses.

[26] Rebecca Rubin, a Variety writer, attributed the low box office to the Playmobil brand being far less popular than Lego.