Cyberzoic crosses Dino Riders with Transformers, He-Man, and Zoids for wild new toy line

Fans of classic 80s properties… you’re gonna want to see what Creative Beast Studios has cooked up with Cyberzoic.

Whoa

First, we might be a little biased as we get into this Kickstarter coverage. While we normally don’t report on crowd-funds, every once in a while one comes along that we just can’t resist, and Cyberzoic is one such campaign. Just keep in mind that we’re huge fans of stuff like Dino Riders here on BG, and that particular license has been all but dead for literally decades. So… yeah.

Its influence is just one part of what Creative Beast Studios has posted right now for backers though. The company has taken its incredible experience with prehistoric beasts, thanks to the Beasts of the Mesozoic figure series, and brought it to alien worlds, combining it with wild and way-out fantasy creatures, heavy sci-fi technology, and warring tribes of humans lost in space.

Sound good? Then you’re gonna want to see Cyberzoic.

The above spins from the mind of toy designer David Silva, who apparently dreamed up the story for Cyberzoic while he was in college. That was two decades ago though, and since then he’s worked on a few little lines that you might’ve heard of. You know, stuff like “Star Wars, Jurassic Park, Godzilla, Spiderman, G.I. Joe, Terminator 2, Aliens, Predator, Spawn, and Pacific Rim”. So just some of the biggest and best-known licenses in entertainment.

“I’ve been so inspired by sci-fi and adventure stories since I was a kid. I also loved natural history growing up, but the entertainment properties that catered to this passion never fully achieved the artistic potential of their premises, often compromising the wonder and beauty that true natural history has to offer in favor of more familiar trends and tropes. To finally put my own spin on a concept that brings together people, dinosaurs, and dragons is a dream come true,” said Silva. “I’ve had the foundation of Cyberzoic kicking around in my head for three decades. After the success of the ‘Beasts of the Mesozoic’ brand, it was time to develop a story on the opposite end of that timeline, bringing the dinosaurs into the science fiction genre and making Cyberzoic a reality. My goal is not only to present ideas and concepts that people have never seen together before, but also explore our connection with other forms of life, both familiar and alien.” 

David Silva

Kickstarting a universe

All of the above isn’t even getting into the fiction behind Cyberzoic. And man, is there a ton of it. Silva has fleshed out a full sci-fi universe of action, and also one that works in the themes of ” power, technological innovation, environmentalism, conservation, culture, colonialism, and our place among the natural world”. So yeah, this one’s going deep.

Coincidently, so’s the Kickstarter. The goal is $205k USD, and serves up a selection of all-new figures and beasts/vehicles. Two main characters are included in this wave 1, with Dragolina and Argentues, along with “a fan-favorite dinosaur (Allosaurus), the mighty Arctic Dragon, and the legendary Saber-toothed Tiger”. In 4 main human factions are planned, plus an assortment of “dragons, dinosaurs, prehistoric mammals, and alien wildlife”. Stretch goals include Dilophosaurus, Deinonychus, Carnotaurus, Utahraptor, and Achillobator, and the line is ready made to be at least partially backwards-compatible with the Beasts of the Mesozoic.

The campaign will also include an art print and concept art calendar for 2024 that you can only get by backing, and there’s promise of more stretch goals if certain marks are hit.

As for what’s on the table right now though, that’s as follows:

Set 1

• Allosaurus j. (1/18th) – $100 (MSRP $119.99)
• Dragonslayer armor unit- $40 (MSRP $49.99)
• Argenteus – 4″ pilot- $25 (MSRP $27.99)
• Allosaurus bundle – $155

Set 2

• Smilodon p. (1/12th) – $55 (MSRP $64.99)
• Saberbeast armor unit – $25 (MSRP $29.99)
• Dragolina – 3.75″ rider – $25 (MSRP $27.99)
• Smilodon bundle – $100

Item 3

• Arctic Dragon (Kuraokami) – $200 (MSRP $229.99)

Set 4

• All-In Launch Bundle – $450 (MSRP $550.93)

Want in? You can find the Kickstarter campaign right here. As of right now, it’s got 28 days to go, and is so far sitting at over $146k. So yeah, it’s probably safe to say this bad boy’s got a good chance of getting funded.

Cyberzoic Storyline

2170 AD. AI and synthetic ecosystems have solved the problems of overpopulation and hunger. Humanity has now turned its entire focus to exploring the cosmos. Soon manned space flights discover an Earth-like planet capable of sustaining life, which they name Gaea 2. The planet is home to a variety of alien wildlife — including highly-intelligent ‘dragons.’ As humanity studies and colonizes the planet, the dragons fight back, pushing these peaceful visitors to the brink of extinction. 

But all is not well on Earth either. One day, all communication with Gaea 2 stops. There are no more supply shipments and contact with their home planet is completely lost. Soon, the people of Earth are presumed dead except for Gaea 2’s scientific and military residents. But the humans won’t go down so easily. Using the research technology they brought with them, they create biological weapons of their own: genetically-engineered embryos that “birth” Earth’s mightiest prehistoric creatures. Programmed to obey their masters and outfitted in protective armor, these terrifying beasts help the humans push back against the dragon attacks while they terraform Gaea 2. This saves the human species, but destroys the world’s natural habitats.

With the threat of human extinction seemingly resolved, the colonizers split into factions. Each clan champions its own philosophy about ensuring the long-term survival of humanity. Bitter conflicts erupt, leading to power struggles, uneasy alliances, and devastating new technology.

Who will win the war for Gaea 2? Or will humanity eradicate itself?