AK INTERACTIVE: Playmarkers VS Real Color Markers

By Kat | Jun 06, 2025

Hey everyone, wanted to share a quick comparison for anyone curious about AK Interactive’s Playmarkers and Real Color Markers. At first glance, they look pretty similar. They’re both acrylic paint markers, both made for model kits, and both are super beginner-friendly. But after reading through the official docs and trying both, I can tell you: they’re made for different kinds of projects. Here's what makes each of these markers unique, with a comparison between the two at the end:

Playmarkers

These were clearly designed with board game players, tabletop gamers, and RPG enthusiasts in mind. Think quick sessions, minimal setup, and getting color on your miniatures now, not after a full setup of paints, brushes, palettes, and water pots.

What Are Playmarkers?

Playmarkers are acrylic paint markers with a flexible brush tip, kind of like a cross between a paintbrush and a marker. They’re packed with vibrant, fantasy- and sci-fi-friendly colors and are ready to go straight out of the cap.

• Flexible brush tip — Perfect for painting creases, folds, and organic surfaces.

• Plug-and-play style — Just uncap and start painting.

• Great for quick detail work — Ideal for painting characters, monsters, and tabletop armies.

• Water-based and non-toxic — Family- and beginner-friendly

Paint Performance

The semi-matte acrylic paint offers solid coverage with quick drying, and colors can be layered fast. The tip lets you vary line width depending on pressure and angle, and you can even mix colors by blending tips or releasing drops into a palette.

And while they’re simple to use, they aren’t “basic.” You can pull off advanced techniques like layering, shading, and even edge highlighting without the full airbrush setup.

Ideal For:

• Board game miniatures (like HeroQuest, Zombicide, D&D, etc.)

• Fantasy and sci-fi figures

• People just getting into miniature painting

• Quick batch painting of armies or monsters

• Touch-ups between play sessions

Real Color Markers

AK’s Real Color Markers (or RC Markers) come from a more traditional scale modelling mindset. These are all about detail painting, color accuracy, and functionality on military and vehicle kits.

What Are Real Color Markers?

RC Markers are also acrylic paint markers, but they use a felt chisel tip instead of a brush tip. This makes them excellent for painting sharp details, panels, edges, and accessories on aircraft, tanks, cockpits, and other hard-surface kits.

• Felt chisel tip — Great for hard edges and precision work

• Matte finish acrylic paint — Formulated for hobby-grade durability

• Modeled after real-world color standards — Includes RAL, FS, and WWII references

• Perfect for weathering prep — Great base for filters, washes, and chippin

Paint Performance

The RC Markers give you high pigment coverage with fast drying, just like PlayMarkers, but with a more subdued and realistic palette. The colors are tuned for historical accuracy—so think Dunkelgelb, Olive Drab, German Interior Green, and so on.

They’re not meant to replace airbrush work on large surfaces, but they’re ideal for smaller parts, quick fixes, and camo detailing.

Ideal For:

• WWII or modern military models

• Realistic aircraft, tanks, and vehicles

• Painting tools, wheels, interiors, or accessories

• Historical and scale modellers who want precise, clean detail work

• Use alongside airbrush or brush for hybrid workflows

Here’s the short version:

• If you’re painting a dungeon-crawling party, orcs, or your next skirmish game squad— grab some PlayMarkers.

• If you’re detailing a Panzer, Spitfire, or cockpit console— go with Real Color Markers.

Both markers are acrylic-based, dry fast, work on plastic, resin, or metal, and are great for cutting down setup time while giving you strong, hobby-grade results. And honestly? Having both gives you a versatile toolkit, no matter