Toy & Game International Excellence Awards - the TAGIEs
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Welcome to Your Weekly News Brief!
Happy New Year!
Check out some of our event photos from 2023!
London What's Up DISTOY? Pub Event
Barcelona Rooftop Overlooking City and Sea
NY Toy Fair Connolly's Pub Event
Inventor Pitch and Innovation Conference
Toy and Game Innovation Excellence Awards - the TAGIEs
POP Roast of Rich Mazel - next week
Toy Takedown with host Brian Turtle - next week
Toy Industry Factoid: Adi Golad was riding a bike in NYC when he came across Kevin McNulty – they started chatting and soon after they made a deal… Adi’s company, Goliath bought Kevin’s company, Endless, thereby, ironically, ending Endless. But the merger wouldn’t have happened if Adi hadn’t been pedal pushing that day. If you have a good Toy Industry Factoid, please send it to me!
Thank you for reading the Bloom Report here or on the Bloom Report 24/7 News Feed!
Mary
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Industry Commentary - Scott Traylor
Best Kids Industry Reads of 2023
We're finally in the homestretch, with just hours left before a new year begins! And what a year it was. Venturing out much more than the year before. Reconnecting in-person with friends and colleagues. Experiencing the thrill (or trepidation) of a future AI world. Barbie's resurgence. The return of Toy Fair and other conferences missed, the release of many new products, and insights, and conversations shared! With all of that in mind, I'm revisiting last year's commentary, Scott Traylor: One's Journey for the Best Industry Reads of 2022, and celebrating the end of another jam-packed year by sharing my top reads from the children's industry.
Those who've worked with me know I'm an archivist at heart. I could be considered a digital hoarder, but I see it as a superpower that allows me to find the right piece of information, at the right time, for the right project. Everything I read I save in a PDF format, then tag, and stored away for future reference. (Yes, slightly OCD, but it serves me well!) So, when "great" articles surface – ones that spark fresh perspectives, offer invaluable lessons, or leave me deeply moved – they are elevated to a special place for further review. This year, from the thousands read, over 200 made the "great" cut. After careful reflection, I narrowed it down to 35. And now, I present you with the crème de la crème: my 10 best reads of 2023. You will find a brief introduction to each piece. Enjoy! READ MORE...
3 Truths and a Lie with Sara Farber
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Cartoon Lovers, Lexophiles & People in Need of a Smile!
Cartoons of the Week: Thank you to Peter Kristoffy for these two Santa gems!
Lexophile Lovers: "A chicken crossing the road is poultry in motion." Thank you, Jerry Cleary for sharing with our readers!
Memorable Quotes:
“It's nice to be important, but it's important to be nice." -Kermit the Frog
"There's not a word yet for old friends who've just met." -Gonzo
Toy Industry Word of Day: Deck Building Game If you can think of a toy/game industry word not in our POPDictionary, add it and we will connect it to you POP profile, feature it here in an upcoming week and on POP's homepage!
Have a cartoon, quote or a joke to share with your colleagues? Send it to me! Mary
Financial and Legal
Philly-area creator of iconic piano in movie ‘Big’ is in a legal battle with FAO Schwarz. Remo Saraceni has been in a yearslong trademark battle with FAO Schwarz, accusing the brand's new owners of selling a "confusingly similar imitation of the Big Piano" made famous in the movie "Big." The FAO Schwarz flagship store in Manhattan brought longtime Philly-based artist and inventor Remo Saraceni one of his biggest breaks.
Chicago’s Big Monster Toys lays off staff, shuts future operations. A partner in the business, Sam Unsicker, confirmed that the staff has been let go. He said in an email, “The truth of the matter is — Big Monster Toys is not/will not fully be closed. We have royalties that will remain to come in until the products are no longer being produced - so technically, we will still be open. We did have to close future operations on Nov. 29th and...
Lionsgate completes $375 million acquisition of eOne. Lionsgate closed its acquisition of the global entertainment platform eOne from Hasbro. Lionsgate acquired eOne for a purchase price of $375 million. The acquisition adds 6,500 film and television titles to Lionsgate’s library. eOne produces the hit ABC franchise The Rookie, the critically-acclaimed Showtime series Yellowjackets and the long-running Discovery...
Hapag-Lloyd says Red Sea route still 'too dangerous'. One of the world's biggest shipping firms, Hapag-Lloyd, will not resume its use of the Suez Canal despite an international military operation to keep the area safe. Yemen's Houthi rebels backing Hamas in the Israel-Gaza war said they are targeting vessels which they believe are heading for Israel. Several firms have stopped using the route following attacks.
Maersk preparing to resume shipping through Red Sea. Danish shipping giant Maersk has said it is preparing to resume shipping operations through the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden. The move follows the deployment of an international military operation to prevent attacks on commercial ships by Yemen's Houthi rebels. Several firms have paused shipments via the Red Sea following the attacks.
Tanker hit off India coast by drone from Iran, says US. A chemical tanker in the Indian Ocean was hit by a drone launched from Iran on Saturday, the US military says. A fire on board the Chem Pluto was extinguished. There were no casualties. Iran has not commented. Houthi rebels in Yemen - who are backed by Iran and support Hamas in its war with Israel - have recently used drones and rockets to target vessels...
UK at risk of recession after economy shrinks. The UK is at risk of recession after revised figures showed the economy shrank between July and September. Gross domestic product, which measures the health of the economy, contracted by 0.1% after previous estimates suggested growth has been flat. Meanwhile, there was zero growth between April and June, after it was first calculated to have risen by 0.2%.
China targets in-game spending, daily rewards in new game regulation rules. Chinese regulators revealed a new set of rules meant to reduce spending and in-game rewards for video games. Not long after this news, Tencent and NetEase shares fell by 14-16 percent each, indicating how serious these changes may be. Per Reuters, online games will no longer be allowed to give players in-game rewards for logging on every day.
Chinese chess: Xiangqi champion suspended for bad behavior. The winner of a Xiangqi, or Chinese chess, tournament has been stripped of his title after allegations of inappropriate behavior. Yan Chenglong has also been accused of cheating by using a communication device analogous to anal beads. The 48-year-old has been stripped of his title and banned from playing for a year.
Insomniac responds to massive hack of Wolverine and employee data. Insomniac Games has broken its silence on the recent ransomware attack that resulted in hackers releasing confidential studio information, personal employee data, and an entire playable build of the upcoming PlayStation 5 exclusive, Wolverine.
18-year old GTA 6 hacker sentenced to life in hospital prison. The 18-year old hacker responsible for stealing and releasing dozens of clips of Grand Theft Auto 6 last year has been sentenced to life in hospital prison. He can only be released in the future if doctors decide he’s no longer a danger to others, the BBC reports. Arion Kurtaj was arrested by London police in Oxford...
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Financial Reporting
Following Layoffs, Hasbro Sells Film, TV Business and Retires $400 Million in Debt. The announcement, per a release from the company, “underscores Hasbro’s Blueprint 2.0 strategy."
*** The above posted after December 29th ***
Take-Two struggling with mobile post-Zynga acquisition. Take-Two's acquisition of mobile developer Zynga may be falling apart, largely from forces outside of its control.
Holiday season retail sales excluding automotive grew modestly in 2023, according to spending data from Mastercard SpendingPulse, which tracks in-store and online retail sales across all forms of payment. Sales for the Nov. 1 through Dec. 24 grew 3.1% vs. 2022, without adjustment for inflation, according to the report. As has been the case routinely in recent years, online sales were up faster, at a 6.3% rate, compared to a 2.2% growth rate for in-store sales.
Trends, Lists, Market Research, and State of the Industry
WHAT'S AHEAD FOR THE COMICS BUSINESS IN 2024?
*** The above posted after December 22nd ***
The most popular toys of 2023 around the world. Believe it or not, Barbie isn't number one.
What can we expect from the toy industry in 2024? Experts weigh in.
Baldur's Gate 3 and Starfield headline Steam's 2023 bestsellers.
Stories, Comments, and Advice
Is a Bob Iger Successor Hiding in Plain Sight? Ynon Kreiz, the veteran executive who restructured Mattel and bet its future on the Barbie movie (and the tenuous I.P. business), has the experience and momentum to be a potential replacement for Bob Iger, despite a checkered past with Disney. At the very least, Kreiz is the Hollywood Hero of the Year.
Steve Reece - The Toy Journal - Another Year Beckons: 2024 Global Toy Market Outlook. Setting the scene – the Pandemic Years and the counter reaction aka 2020 and 2021 were unexpectedly good, and 2022 and 2023 were particularly bad! One of the biggest business learnings you can have is that successfully managing expectations can make a drop in sales look like a success, and a sales increase can become a failure...
Need a Home for 80,000 Puzzles? Try an Italian Castle. Earlier this year, George and Roxanne Miller relocated the world’s largest collection of mechanical puzzles from their home in Florida. But first they took a road trip. Meet the Millers, George and Roxanne, proprietors of the world’s largest collection of mechanical puzzles: physical objects that a puzzler holds and manipulates while seeking a solution.
*** The above posted after tBR started sending December 29th ***
MALCOLM GLADWELL - Podcast - Revisionist History - Board Game Season. A young family nearly lost everything in the 1970s farm crisis. Then, they invented a board game. Today on the show, producer Ben Naddaff-Hafrey shares a story about how life shows up in games and what games teach us about risk, life, love, and in this case … farming.
Sorry Santa, AI Is Replacing Elves In Toy Manufacturing. For example, LEGO, famous for its interlocking plastic bricks, has integrated AI into its design process. The company developed an AI-powered tool that allows designers to explore a vast array of brick combinations and structures more efficiently. This tool can predict how certain pieces will fit together and suggest optimal ways to achieve specific design goals.
The Toy Book’s 2023 Unboxed: The Top 10 Exclusives of 2023. The Toy Book looks back at the most-read exclusive news breaks from an interesting year. The Toy Book team works diligently to deliver the best-curated collection of toy industry stories aimed at the NA market. Among the regular news and features, we also love to deliver exclusive, first-look news on new products and happenings in the business of play.
The Toy Book’s 2023 Unboxed: The Top Features of 2023. Original, print-first features are at the heart of The Toy Book legacy, and this year our team of in-house writers and editors, in collaboration with a host of talented freelancers, delivered a fantastic array of fresh content. As we close the books on 2023 and look forward to a better 2024, our team has analyzed the data to see which stories resonated...
The Toy Book’s 2023 Unboxed: The Top 10 Products of 2023. Barbie, My Chemical Romance, Pikachu and Clark W. Griswold piqued readers’ curiosity this year. This summer, The Toy Book evolution continued with the addition of product pages to this website. Of the top 10 products of 2023 as chosen by readers based on total web traffic, licensed toys made up half the list.
The Toy Book’s 2023 Unboxed: The Top 10 News Items of 2023. You could say that this year was “more than meets the eye.” As we close the books on 2023 and look forward to a better 2024, our team has analyzed the data to see which stories resonated most with readers of The Toy Book this year. When it comes to news, you never know which stories will attract the most eyeballs and clicks, or just how fast it will happen.
Top Stories 2023. An ICv2 retailer resource. This new retailer resource offers what will become a running tally of ICv2's top stories, continuing monthly into 2024, easily accessible from the Featured Resources box on the ICv2.com home page. The stories included in this resource were chosen by editorial discretion, based on popularity, community relevance, or historical significance.
Discussing the year in toys on ‘The Playground Podcast’. Toy Book Editor-in-Chief James Zahn joins Chris Byrne and John Baulch for an annual year-end discussion. I’ve had the good fortune of getting to know and collaborate with some of the top voices in the toy industry and the business of play. Among them, the late Richard Gottlieb of Global Toy Experts, Chris Byrne aka The Toy Guy of Global Toy News...
Giving Back: The specialty toy industry spreads Holiday cheer at living with Autism. Smart Toys & Games, Goliath, Yoto, Revenew Sales, South Beach Bubbles, Plus-Plus, Learning Express, and more helped fill Santa’s sack. to Corey Funkey (Smart Toys and Games), Brian Turtle (Goliath), Sarah Natchez (Yoto), Tom Rushton (Revenew Sales), Ron Weizman (South Beach Bubbles), Alex Provda (The Pencil Grip), and Natalie Ringeis (Plus-Plus) for their contributions this season.
History and Nostalgia
The Most Popular Toys Throughout the 20th Century. The Slinky, originating in the 1940s, and the Rubik’s Cube, first sold in the United States in the early 1980s, have remained more or less the same since their invention, invoking a nostalgic simplicity. Other toys, such as LEGO and Barbie, have offered up countless iterations, weathering changing trends to endure in popularity and appeal.
Newly discovered CAD drawings for two canceled Transformers Animated toys. Canceled designs for heretofore-unknown-about toys for a Deluxe Cybertronian Bumblebee and an Activators Rodimus have been found all these years later! Transformers Animated scholar Keyan Carlile (who's been making all the big Animated Season 4 documentaries) has received their CAD drawings and posted them to Twitter.
Bug-A-Boo from Whitman. Released in 1968 by Whitman, Bug-A-Boo was a literal spin-and-win game featuring a pair of tin-lithograph ladybugs on wheels. Two or four players were tasked with channeling the kinetic energy to move their scoring pegs from Start to Finish on the color-coded scoreboard.
Flip through time: The enchantment of Christmas catalogues. For generations of children, the arrival of the annual department store Christmas catalogues was a magical event heralding the start of the holiday season. In an era before the internet, Christmas catalogues were a child’s primary source for discovering the latest toys and served as portals to a world of play.
6 of the most valuable Happy Meal Toys from McDonald’s. These pint-sized collectibles are good for more than just a trip down memory lane. Although McDonald’s has been around since 1940, Happy Meals didn’t officially appear until the late 1970s, after one of their biggest competitors, the now-defunct Burger Chef, used toys to draw in families.
Top holiday toys from the year you were born. Growing up, kids who celebrated Christmas always had that one toy they were hoping to see under the tree on Dec. 25—the one that they whispered about in Santa’s ear, wondering if he and his trusty reindeer would come through. Over the years, of course, the toys atop holiday wish lists have evolved quite a bit, from simple Slinkies and Silly Putty to more complex...
Licensing and Entertainment
Following a recent leak that pegged the return of Hasbro’s The Real Ghostbusters Kenner Classics toy line with the nostalgia-fueled Fright Features assortment, pop-culture web store Entertainment Earth has promised an impending “new toy launch,” scheduled to take place next month!
Chronicle Books to release ‘LEGO Botanical Almanac’. The book features 30 LEGO Botanicals designs. In the past few years, LEGO Botanicals has taken the kidult sphere by storm. Now, Chronicle Books is compiling all of these fan-favorite LEGO designs into a field guide style book for the biggest LEGO Botanicals fans. LEGO Botanical Almanac: A Field Guide to Brick-Built Blooms contains everything that hardcore ...
IMC Toys integrates musical content into El Reino Infantil YouTube channel. IMC Toys has entered into a new partnership with El Reino Infantil, a digital community for Spanish-speaking children. IMC Toys’ musical content will be integrated into El Reino Infantil’s main YouTube channel, which has more than 60 million subscribers. This will include IMC series Cry Babies Magic Tears, BFF, and VIP Pets.
Marvel plans comics tie-in to Disney+ 'X-Men '97'. With the animated series X-Men ’97 coming to Disney+ in spring 2024, Marvel Comics is launching a four-issue miniseries that will be a prelude to the show. X-Men ’97, by writer Steve Foxe and artist Salva Espin, will bring readers up to speed on the doings of Storm, Jubilee, Wolverine, and the other cast members since the earlier animated X-Men show ended in 1997.
The burning questions swirling around the early Warner Bros. Discovery-Paramount global merger talks. Warner Bros. Discovery is flirting with the idea of acquiring Paramount Global. If a deal involving the Redstone empire comes to fruition, it would mark another transformative mega-merger for Hollywood legacy brands, following on the heels of Disney’s acquisition of 21st Century Fox in 2019, AT&T’s difficult...
Top 5 toy licensors. 1. The Pokémon Company International ($11.6 billion). Though the Japanese company is known for video games, manga, anime TV series, feature films and more, The Pokémon Company International started as a toy company with its famous trading card game, Pokémon. 2. Hasbro ($11.5 billion).
People of Play
Boy, 13, Is Believed to Be the First to ‘Beat’ Tetris. Willis Gibson, a competitive Tetris player prodigy, advanced so far in the original Nintendo version of the game that it froze. “I can’t feel my fingers,” he said afterward. On Dec. 21, Willis Gibson put his hands to his head and rocked back and forth in an office chair in his bedroom in Stillwater, Okla., unable to believe what he had just accomplished. His screen had frozen, and his...
The Entertainer has offered its congratulations to group chief executive officer, Andrew Murphy, on being recognised with the award of an OBE for services to retail, in the 2024 King’s New Years Honours list. Over the last 20 years, alongside his leadership roles for The John Lewis Partnership and The Entertainer, Andrew has worked across the UK in a series of voluntary roles, leading retail industry engagement...
*** The above posted after December 29th ***
Meet Javon Frazier. From a young age, I was enchanted by the boundless realms of imagination – a world where Spider-Man swung from the pages of my favorite comic books and GI Joe figures stood as trophies. These were not just pastimes; they were the seeds of a dream, where owning a Spider-Man subscription was my measure of success. Little did I know, this was just the beginning of an extraordinary adventure.
The Toy Book’s 2023 Unboxed: The Top 10 ‘Power Kid Podcast’ Episodes of the Year. On the Power Kid Podcast — presented by The Toy Book Podcasts by Adventure Media & Events — host Phil Albritton of Power Kid Design delivers fresh conversations with some of the biggest names and rising stars in the toy, game, and family entertainment industries.
Companies and Brands
In a bold move reflecting its dynamic growth, The Pencil Grip, Inc. proudly announces its transformation and rebranding as TPG Creations. The change is a testament to our evolution beyond traditional school and office supplies, now encompassing a vibrant array of art essentials for children. With renowned products such as Kwik Stix, Magic Stix, and Wonder Stix under our new banner, TPG Creations is...
How the Elf on the Shelf Took Over Christmas. Love them or hate them—the elves’ empire is growing. This holiday tradition has already become a massive Christmas universe estimated to be worth—at minimum—$100 million in total. Since 2005, Elf’s parent co., Atlanta-based The Lumistella Co., has sold 28.3 million Elf dolls and their pets globally. Lumistella was founded in 2005 by Carol Aebersold and her twin daughters...
Hasbro Canada donates 5,000 Scrabble games to Montreal Community Cares Foundation. Hasbro Canada is donating 5,000 French Scrabble board games to the Montreal Community Cares Foundation this holiday season. This contribution, valued at more than $140,000, will be donated to the nonprofit organization’s Cares and Shares program.
ZAG partners with Institute Rafael to establish worldwide program to provide free holistic therapies to children with cancer. ZAG Foundation, the charitable division of global independent animation studio ZAG, is partnering with Dr. Alain Toledano’s Institute Rafaël to provide free non-medical cancer care to children in a nurturing, supportive and uplifting environment with age-appropriate activities.
Douglas reveals Baby Essentials for 2024. Douglas Co. is a family-owned business known for its cuddly plush and other baby toys like Soft Dolls, Soft Books, and more. The company has revealed four new products for developing babies. Inspired by Gavin the Soft Doll, the Gavin Teether features Gavin’s plush doll head, a galaxy-print outfit, and a blue bumpy circular teether made from 100% silicone.
Para Bellum Games reveals new 'Conquest' miniatures. Para Bellum Games revealed Hundred Kingdoms: Order of the Sealed Temple, new miniatures for Conquest: The Last Argument of Kings, which will hit retail on January 26, 2024. The Order of the Sealed Temple box offer players a new military cavalry unit.
Asmodee will release 'Elios' into U.S. retail. Asmodee will release Elios, an abstract wooden game by Helvetiq, into U.S. retail on January 19, 2024. In Elios, players are attempting to be the first player to get rid of their sticks. At the beginning of the game, players receive some colored sticks and need create sets of three to play on the Sun board.
Asmodee and Thrilly ink exclusive distribution agreement. Asmodee and Thrilly inked an exclusive distribution agreement to bring Drop Cup, a new party game, to Target stores on January 7, 2024. The game will head to hobby retail after the Target exclusive window closes later this year. Drop Cup is a party game that was inspired by the Money Ball Challenge, a social media sensation where players try to drop...
Launch range for 'Warhammer: The Old World'. Games Workshop announced the launch range for Warhammer: The Old World, which includes two core army boxes, this week. Each of the two core boxes includes a full 1,250 point army with dozens of plastic miniatures, the 352-page Warhammer: The Old World rulebook, 1 four-page reference sheet, 20 D6 dice, 1 six-sided scatter die, 3 weapon templates...
Bandai announces 'Union Arena TCG' English edition. Bandai announced an English Edition of Union Arena TCG, which will be heading to North American markets in October 2024. Union Arena is a popular Japanese common rules TCG engine that was launched in March 2023. The engine is built to support any number of IP titles working on a single rules set.
Gaming: Digital, Video, Hardware, and Development
New Rockstar leak reveals GTA code, canceled studio projects. Weeks after its trailer for Grand Theft Auto 6 leaked, Rockstar Games has faced another leak. Code for it and Grand Theft Auto V circulated online during the holiday break. Code for both games were obtained during Rockstar's cyberattack in 2022.
2024 is starting out with an avalanche of video games. 2023 was a messy and horrible year that, despite itself, gave us some excellent games. You could even argue that this year gave us too many games! If you were looking for a break to catch up on what you missed, well, next year doesn’t seem to be offering much of a reprieve—at least not at the outset.
Indie publisher Versus Evil has shut down. After nearly 10 years, game publisher Versus Evil has closed its doors just days before the holidays. Per production head Lance James, the "entire Versus Evil team" was laid off earlier today. The choice was out of their hands, according to James. "The entire 13-person company was laid off at the start of our Christmas break," added product strategy director Francis Fincke.
Highlighted Press Releases
KIDS PREFERRED HAS MORE TO ADORE IN SUMMER ‘24 WITH “WELCOME TO THE UNIVERSE BABY!” COLLECTION FROM UNIVERSAL PRODUCTS & EXPERIENCES. Beloved Characters including DreamWorks Animation’s Shrek, Universal Pictures and Amblin Entertainment’s E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial, Curious George And More Make Debut Into The Nursery With Enchanting Plush, Playsets & Pacifier Blankeys. East Windsor, NJ (January 2, 2024) – Retailers can anticipate an invitation from American toy manufacturer Kids Preferred next summer welcoming them to the arrival of Universal Products & Experiences, “Welcome to the Universe Baby!’ collection. The new line features an expansion of Kids Preferred Curious...
*** The above posted after December 22, 2023 ***
GUESS WHO RING’D IN THE NEW YEAR EARLY? Tweens Let Their Fingers Do The Talking With 2024’s Watchitude® Reversible Silicone Rings Launching Two Weeks Ahead Of Schedule. New Brunswick, NJ (December 12, 2023) – If kids have a little allowance or Christmas cash saved up, they’re sure to head to their local toy store or go online to buy the just-launched Ring’d 4-pack ($12) by Watchitude®. The reversible silicone rings with simple messages such as Stop/Go, Dance/Cheer and OMG/LOL let tweens express themselves without uttering a word. The colorful one-size-fits-all ring can be had, one at a time, for just $5. They’re sure to be the cool, must-have accessory this winter!
Safety and Counterfeiting
Alibaba’s counterfeit toys ‘problem’ continues in US: What is it? Alibaba has been facing multiple lawsuits in the US for allowing merchants to sell fake products on its platforms. One such lawsuit alleges that various merchants have been selling counterfeit versions of the popular children's toy Squishmallows on its online platforms.
Associations, Shows, Awards, Events, and Festivals
The Toy Insider reveals 3 Exclusive media toy preview events for 2024. The Toy Insider, the No. 1 resource for toys and games, has revealed dates and locations for its highly anticipated media and influencer events in 2024. In addition to its legacy Sweet Suite and Holiday of Play events, the company added a third event called Spring Fling, which is set to take place in March of next year.
RIP - Rest in Play - Remembering Those that have Passed
If you know of a colleague's passing, please send us information so we may share with our readers. Archives can be found HERE
Kamar de los Reyes - Actor Kamar de los Reyes passed away on Christmas Eve, according to the Hollywood Reporter. Per the outlet, he was 56 years old and had a "brief battle" with cancer.
Born November 8, 1967, the Puero Rican actor played Raul Menendez in Treyarch's Call of Duty: Black Ops II. Before its release in 2012, he called the role "one of the most amazing projects I’ve ever been a part of."
He would go on to reprise the role in 2018's Call of Duty: Black Ops IV and Sledgehammer's Call of Duty: Vanguard in 2022.
Outside of games, Reyes was best known for playing Antonio Vega on the ABC soap opera One Life to Live. He also appeared throughout shows and films like All American, Sleepy Hollow, and The Gifted.
THR reports that Reyes' two post-humous roles will be in Washington Black on Hulu and Marvel's upcoming Daredevil show.
Worldwide Magazines Weekly Top Stories
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Toy Trade Monthly Issues
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Kidscreen’s most-read stories of 2023
1. Moonbug awarded US$23 million in major copyright case by: Ryan Tuchow
2. FEATURE: An oral history of PAW Patrol by: Cole Watson and Sadhana Bharanidharan
3. Moonbug Entertainment lays off CoComelon staffers by: Cole Watson
4. Basic Fun! to relaunch Hasbro’s Littlest Pet Shop by: Cole Watson
5. Peacock unveils a Jurassic park LEGO special by: Sadhana Bharanidharan
6. Netflix, Disney leading the kids TV pack in LGBTQ representation by: Ryan Tuchow
7. And the 2023 Kidscreen Awards winners are… by: Jeremy Dickson
8. The Daily Wire launches a kids streaming app with originals and pick-ups by: Ryan Tuchow
9. Five predictions that could define the kids market in 2023 by: Ryan Tuchow
10. WildBrain workers move to form a union by: Ryan Tuchow
Video of the Week
Happy New Year! Celebrate with Kermit the Frog & The Muppets
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Founding Editor and Publisher (1998-2020, Retired): Philip Bloom
We are honored to carry on Phil's 22 year legacy and continue the Bloom Report. Phil has been a mensch
and we've loved working with him. Here is a fun and interesting interview with Phil.
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Publisher: Mary Couzin, Chicago Toy & Game Group, Inc.
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