Companies, Brands . . .

Dimian - keeping it in the family  Vice president Michele Röthling spoke to Toy World about Dimian and its move into the UK market with newly appointed distributor SJR Associates. Originating in Milan in 1959, Dimian specialises in the production of dolls, doll’s accessories and interactive plush. As the third generation of his family to work in the business, Michele is passionate about the company and its ranges....

David Bella talks 25 Years of Magic Box Magic Box International Toys is a pioneer in the creation of collectible toys and play sets. Rachael Simpson-Jones spoke to CEO David Bella to find out more. Still a family-run business based in Barcelona, overseen by chief executive David Bella (whose two sons are also an integral part of the business),

Genius Brands International Scores a Hit with Stan Lee’s Superhero Kindergarten. Following years of development, the animated series Stan Lee’s Superhero Kindergarten is finally available for streaming via Genius Brands Kartoon Channel! According to the company, the first two episodes have already racked up more than 4 million views as series star and executive producer Arnold Schwarzenegger...

Spin Master Entertainment, Paramount Deliver First Look at PAW Patrol: The Movie. On August 20, PAW Patrol is headed to theaters everywhere in the first big-screen adventure from Spin Master Entertainment. In PAW Patrol: The Movie, the pups’ biggest rival — Humdinger — becomes Mayor of nearby Adventure City and starts wreaking havoc, prompting Ryder and the pups to kick into high gear to face the...

American Girl Commemorates 35 Years with Throwback Dolls. The American Girl brand is kicking off its 35th anniversary celebration festivities with a host of new products, events, and experiences for kids and collectors alike. For the anniversary, the original historical cast — Addy Walker, Felicity Merriman, Josefina Montoya, Kirsten Larson, Molly McIntire, and Samantha Parkington — will be reissued.

PlayMonster’s Snap Ships line is expanding into the Korean market. In partnership with third-party distributor HEM, the construction line hits store shelves in time for Children’s Day on May 5 — a national holiday celebrating children of all ages. The line will see a full national rollout across specialty and mass-market retail with media support. To add to the “Build to Battle” play experience, the Snap Ships app and...

Disney has finally showed off a first look at its “real” retractable lightsaber, which the company started teasing in April, with a new video showing the saber in action — and it looks very, very cool. As rumored, the new toy lightsaber doesn’t require any awkward plastic prop blades, instead featuring a retractable light-up blade that extends out from the (otherwise fairly normal-looking) hilt — just like the crackling energy...

A smart move for Midco Toys  Toy World spoke to Midco Toys owner Dave Middleton shortly before his new Burton shop opened, to find out about the move, and what the new store offers. Toymaster member Midco Toys is throwing open the doors to customers at both its stores today, including a new, bigger location in one of Burton’s most popular retail destinations, The Octagon.

(the above posted after April 30th)

TOMY: A century of progressive play. TOMY International discusses the core philosophy behind its classic lines and latest collaborative breakthroughs as the beloved brand approaches its 100th anniversary. Toys have run in the Tomiyama family since 1924. For almost a century, each toy has been built on the philosophy, “True toys must have an element of fresh surprise, a sense of creativity and design. 

The L.O.L. Surprise! Dolls Are Going on Their First Live Concert Tour. Following the massive success of the L.O.L. Surprise! dolls, MGA Entertainment (MGAE) is collaborating with Terrapin Station Entertainment to bring the characters to the stage for the brand’s first-ever live concert tour. Young fans will be able to see Lady Diva, Neonlicious, Swag, and the rest of the Surprise crew rocking out right before their eyes. 

Smart Toys and Games introduces SmartMax My First Acrobats  Introducing young children to the world of magnetism, SmartMax also encourages logical thinking, motor skills and imaginative play. My First Acrobats includes six different shaped geometric building blocks and three metal balls, each with a different character face. Children from 18 months and up can enjoy creating endless stacking possibilities,

GoNoodle, Tonies Join the Mindfulness Movement with Meditative Music and Audio Stories. Mindfulness has become an important skill for kids to learn and practice over the course of the pandemic, and one of the best ways to help them tune in to their emotions is by tuning up their music. GoNoodle and Tonies bring the best of both worlds together with the Mindfulness Starter Set Toniebox, which is a screen-free...

Far Out Toys Reveals Plans for a Live-action Glo-Up Girls Series. Far Out Toys’ Glo-Up Girls brand launch this summer will be supported by multiplatform content to reach kids and fans. In addition to the new collection of fashion dolls, The Glo Show will be a live-action reality series that will debut this July on YouTube to drive the emerging brand’s entertainment strategy this year.

Lockdown superhero children to get £5,000 in The Entertainer giveaway. Toy retailer to give vouchers to 250 superhero youngsters, with one lucky winner also winning a VIP shopping experience. The toy retailer is looking for children who have been superheroes during lockdown, demonstrated through activities such as helping their younger brothers and sisters with school work or supporting an elderly neighbour ...

Mattel UK supports indie retailers with dynamic digital marketing campaign  Running over a couple of months, the Mattel campaign will increase awareness and drive footfall to over 300 independent toy retailers. Activated through mobile display and Spotify, the innovative campaign will geo-target adults based on their live locations and proximity to their local toy store using a mix of dynamic audio & visual creatives.

Hasbro has announced that it is working on NFT technology to be used in the companies profile. The specific target is one of the most popular collectible card games, “Magic: The Gathering.” Ever since its introduction in 1993, “Magic: The Gathering” (MTG) has been a constant in the world of trading card games (TCGs). In the game, players collect cards via packs just like traditional sports cards would come in.

A report by Retail Insider says Disney will be closing all 18 of its retail store in Canada by the end of the summer. Two have already shuttered. According to the report, Disney made the move to re-evaluate its operations amid a “challenging time for retail and landlords in North America” as more consumers shift their shopping online. “Over the next year Disney will focus on providing a more seamless, personalized ...

Amazon launches tablet for older kids Expanding beyond preschoolers, the Fire Kids Pro for six- to 12-year-olds includes new features and content from National Geographic and LEGO. Priced betweenUS$99 and US$199, the tablet itself will feature voice and video calling functionality so users can chat with their friends. Kids can also request to download family-friendly apps like Minecraft, Zoom and Disney+, and ...

Haba rebrands as Haba Familygroup In order to align itself internationally, the Haba family of companies has renamed itself Haba Familygroup. The Haba family of companies, headquartered in Bad Rodach, Germany, announced the rebranding at a press conference. Founded in 1938, the Haba group, which manufactures wooden toys, clothing and furniture, is celebrating its 83rd anniversary this year.

Schleich & 4-H Partner for Storytelling Contest. Schleich and 4-H announced the start of the “Create Your Story” contest, calling on kids everywhere to submit stories, with two finalists to be included in a “create your own adventure” video. In addition to the contest, Schleich will be introducing multiple product offerings online and at retail, proceeds from which will benefit 4-H youth.

Spin Master's Tech Deck Brand Becomes Official Sponsor of USA Skateboarding. Spin Master’s Tech Deck brand joins forces with USA Skateboarding as the sport makes its debut at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games this summer.  Open to all U.S. citizens, the skateboarding finals are set but fingerboarders can post clips of themselves on social media to be judged by a panel of professional skateboarders.

McDonald's set to limit Pokémon Happy Meal toy purchases in UK. Scalpers caused chaos when they gobbled up supplies during the promotion in the US. The fast food giant is yet to confirm what the included Pokémon gift will be, though it is expected to be the same limited-run Pokémon cards it offered when the same promotion ran in the US in February.

Disney kicks off ‘Ultimate Princess Celebration’. The Walt Disney Company has announced the launch of the Ultimate Princess Celebration, a yearlong event spotlighting Disney heroines. To kick off the celebration, recording artist Brandy, who starred as the title character in Rodgers & Hammerstein’s “Cinderella,” has recorded a new original song for the occasion. Brandy will also debut a music video for “Starting Now,” ...

LEGO and Universal Music Group unveil eight new additions to LEGO VIDIYO. The LEGO Group and Universal Music Group have unveiled eight new additions to the LEGO VIDIYO platform, including two new BeatBoxes, 12 Bandmates, and five unique Stage Models. The raft of new products has been launched to bring more play opportunities to the LEGO VIDIYO world with an increased variety of music genres, special effects, and stage settings. The line up now bolsters the platform launched in January this year, blending AR and physical play.

Warlord Games unveils 'Bolt Action Island Assault!'. Warlord Games unveiled Bolt Action: Island Assault!, a new miniatures starter set, for release in July. This brand-new pits the U.S. Marine Corps against Japanese island defenders in the Pacific theater during WWII. It focuses on the island-hopping campaigns that the U.S. went on to reclaim areas taken by the Japanese after Pearl Harbor. 

Pick up prime real estate for 'Marvel Crisis Protocol'. Atomic Mass Games unveiled NYC Apartment Building Terrain Pack, for use with Marvel Crisis Protocol, for release into retail in summer 2021. The NYC Apartment Building Terrain Pack is a three-story building that can be used as a prime real estate backdrop in a miniatures battle between heroes and villains. It comes with all the amenities including skylights, fire ...

SmartMax expands its best-selling My First range with My First Acrobats. The award-winning pre-school construction sets brand, SmartMax, is expanding on its best-selling My First collection with the launch of My First Acrobats, a new range designed for kids aged 18 months to five. The new My First Acrobats collection features six differently shaped geometric building blocks and three metal balls, each with a different ...

Mattel revs up the first North American date on the 2021 Hot Wheels Legends Tour. Following a pair of international kick-off events in New Zealand and Australia earlier this month, the 2021 Hot Wheels Legends Tour resumes in North America this Thursday. The first stop for custom car builders in the U.S. and Canada is a virtual event that will stream live on the Hot Wheels Facebook page and the throtl YouTube ...

Atomic Mass unveils three miniatures packs for 'Marvel Crisis Protocol'. Atomic Mass Games unveiled three new miniatures packs for Marvel Crisis Protocol for release in summer 2021.  These new packs feature Spider-Man and his various nemeses. Each pack comes with two miniatures for use in Marvel Crisis Protocol skirmish game in a new sculpt and likely new powers and abilities.

Thames & Kosmos anticipates ‘surge in sales’ for re-stocked FEAK range ahead of May half term. Two of the best-selling science kits at Thames & Kosmos – the speedy Rubber Band Racers and the sunlight charged Solar Powered Rovers, are now back in stock with the STEM toy and gaming specialist. The items are housed under the popular FEAK range, standing for Fun and Educational Activity Kits and are...

Games Workshop unleashes 'Necromunda: Hive War'. Games Workshop announced Necromunda: Hive War, a two-player boxed set for Necromunda miniatures game, which will be on preorder soon. The new Necromunda: Hive War boxed set comes with everything players need to pick-up-and-play a game. It comes with a rulebook that has the basic rules for the game, the six Clan Houses, and their weapons. 

Gale Force Nine brings back a classic 'D&D' board game. Gale Force Nine will release Tyrants of Underdark 2E, a D&D board game, in the latter half of 2021. Tyrants of Underdark was originally released by GF9 back in 2016 (see "Images and Info for New 'D&D' Board Game"). This game was about drow leaders battling against each other to gain control of Underdark, and it was designed by the same duo, Peter Lee and ...

'Dungeon Drop' heads to retail. Phase Shift Games will release Dungeon Drop into U.S. retail on May 4. Dungeon Drop is a compact dungeon crawling game that uses cubes to resolve quests. Players create their hero, receive a quest, and then drop the cubes on the playing field. The cubes represent loot and monsters in the dungeon, and heroes must venture into the dungeon to loot rooms. 

Mighty Mojo Toys introduces Booba Night Buddies Plush. Booba may not be a household name in the U.S. yet, but since 2014, the adventures of the non-verbal, 3D animated yet have been gaining an audience on YouTube. Designed to be inquisitive like a 5-year-old kid, Booba “explores the world without anger or resentment, only joy and wonder.” His official YouTube channel boasts 3.5 million subscribers and has racked up ...

Ares Games announces two new 'Star Scrappers' games. Ares Games announced Star Scrappers Cave-In and Star Scrappers Orbital, designed by Hexy Studio Games, for release in August. Both of these new games are set in the Star Scrappers Universe, which is an original space western setting. In Star Scrappers Cave-In, players take on the roles of Trade Guild representatives for the mining industry. 

Yoto partners with Ameet and LEGO to launch LEGO Duplo audio cards. Yoto, the audio platform for kids and firm behind the critically acclaimed and award-winning Yoto Player, has detailed a new  partnership with AMEET Publishing and LEGO Duplo. Under the deal, AMEET will co-create a series of six new audio card packs to complement its well-established LEGO Duplo range. The new series will launch this June. 

BioBall kicks off Mondo’s new eco-friendly ranges. Mondo has launched the eco-friendly BioBall and the ReNewToys series, representing the company’s new corporate sustainability policy. Mondo says its BioBall is the only ball made with a new bio-based formula, which replaces 50% of fossil-derived substances with a renewably sourced plant derivative.

Brainstorm Toys welcomes magical My Very Own Fairy Jar. Brainstorm Toys has announced the arrival of the brand-new item My Very Own Fairy Jar, which enables children to create their own beautiful fairy world and then light it up. The set includes an enchanted forest scene-setting background, coloured stones and grass green felt. Kids can accessorize with the colorful toadstools, an acorn jewel with a love heart stand,..

A.B.Gee to distribute Spin Master ranges Already an official distributor for Hasbro, Mattel and Moose Toys amongst others, A.B.Gee is now able to offer Spin Master ranges to its customers. Distribution covers the whole of the UK and Ireland, with a combination of A.B.Gee’s own sales force and agent partnerships.