Playing catch-up to Hasbro, Mattel has formed Playground Productions, a new division "dedicated to the creation and development of strategic multiplatform storytelling."  The new division will "identify, cultivate, and produce compelling multiplatform storylines," the announcement said, as a "on-stop creative shop."

The new division will launch with Team Hot Wheels: The Origin of Awesome in 2014, in a 22-minute origin story in the spring, 11 two-minute shorts in the summer, and a 74-minute OAV in the fall.  Playground Productions will also be handling the live action Max Steel film, planned for release in Q4 2014, and the new Masters of the Universe feature (see "'Lone Ranger' Scribe to Write 'Masters of the Universe'"). 

Hasbro’s entertainment operations (Transfomers, G.I. Joe, others) are much better developed, accounting for nearly $50 million in revenues in its most recent quarter.