the Bloom Report Jan 26 - Feb 2 2024

January 26-Feb-2-2024

CLICK HERE - THE BLOOM REPORT 24/7 NEWSFEED

Welcome to Your Weekly News Brief!

Happy Bloomin' Friday!

WOW! Spielwarenmesse is absolutely brilliant! The RedNight event where exhibitors open their stands/booths and share food, drinks and fun with employees, buyers, competitors... everyone! It is such an incredible exhibition of love for the industry and colleagues. More details next week. There are still two more days of the Fair!

Thank you for reading the Bloom Report here or on the Bloom Report 24/7 News Feed! Please support our work by advertising and/or setting up a POP profile.

Mary

"I don't know anyone in the industry that doesn't read the Bloom Report." -Ken Lewis, President, 4Kidz, Inc.
The BLOOM REPORT is fantastic and it allows me to stay on top of all the breaking news in the Toy industry! - Wai Or, Longshore Ltd.
“I seriously look forward to Friday to learn most every update + more in the Industry. Priceless info! Thank you” -Michael Kohner, The Michael Kohner Corporation
"TBR is required reading for: inventors, manufacturers, retailers, marketers, suppliers, absolutely everyone!" - Robert Fuhrer, Founder, NEXTOY

Person of the Week - Q&A with Andy Keimach

Interim President & Chief Executive The Toy Association

What is it about the Toy and Game Industry that you love?

Having been a part of the toy and play industry for many years (and wearing many different hats), I can say with certainty that there are 3 key aspects of the business that drive my desire to serve the industry and The Toy Association:

Innovation – it is fundamental to the success of the business. The level of creativity found across our industry is unique, spirited, and endless. At The Toy Association, we strive to support industry innovation through our world-class events, tireless advocacy, and educational resources. We understand that a lack of innovation leads to stagnation. It truly is the lifeblood of the toy industry.
Children - Toys bring kids the opportunity to experience joy and derive all of the benefits associated with play. What is better than being in an industry where success equals bringing laughter, joy, and smiles to kids around the world? It’s even more meaningful when you are bringing toys to children who are sick, living through natural disasters, or otherwise in need, as our industry collectively does through our philanthropic Toy Foundation.
The people – every day I have the opportunity to talk to and work with people who are bright, energetic, creative, and passionate about the industry. Anyone who works in the toy industry will tell you what an eclectic and fun group we are. There is never a dull moment and when we all get together at our tradeshows, the Toy of the Year Awards, and other events, it’s like being reunited with family. . READ MORE...

Person of the Week - TOMY's Tiffany Good

Hitting All the Right Notes

Hi Tiffany, you hold a BS in Fashion Merchandising from Ohio State. What brought you from fashion retail to the toy industry?

I wanted to have some fun! Toys is a very serious business but the process of creating products for kids I find much more intuitive and enjoyable.

What would you tell someone thinking of coming into the toy industry from another?

Bring your passion, energy, and childlike wonder! Tap into what toys you liked as a kid and why you liked them. Use your personal experience as the foundation for thinking about what’s fun for today’s generation of kids.

Having spent more than half of your career in toys, what aspect of your job gets you excited once that laptop opens in the morning?

Working at a global company is cool. I get to work alongside team members from all over the world and share what fun and exciting products are in the works.

You oversee Club Mocchi- Mocchi - which is celebrating its 5th year in the US. What’s made the brand a success? . Read More...

Cartoon Lovers, Lexophiles & People in Need of a Smile!

Cartoons of the Week: Thank you to Boaz Coster (great to see you in Nuremberg, Boaz!) for this week's cartoon.

Lexophile Lovers: "Did you know muffins spelled backwards is what you do when you take them out of the oven?" Thank you, Michael Kohner for sharing with our readers!

Memorable Quotes:

“Joy does not simply happen to us. We have to choose joy and keep choosing it every day.” - Henri J.M. Nouwen

Toy Industry Word of Day: KGOY - submitted by Robert Fuhrer. 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

Amazon told by government to unfreeze funds to hundreds of sellers. Small sellers wait for payments of as much as £300,000 because of new VAT checks. Amazon has been told by a government minister to unfreeze funds it is withholding from hundreds of merchants as part of new VAT checks that have left businesses fearing potential bankruptcy...

9 Story Media Group closed a deal on Friday to acquire the development/production slates and distribution library of fellow Canadian company Portfolio Entertainment. Portfolio was founded more than 30 years ago by Lisa Olfman and the late Joy Rosen, who passed away last year. Under the new agreement, Olfman will now serve as an executive producer at 9 Story, reporting to president and CEO Vince Commisso.

Evriholder Products LLC, a leading provider of impulse products worldwide under the Evriholder and Joie brand names, has announced that it has acquired BASE4 Ventures, a provider of value-oriented impulse products across a wide range of categories, including toy, beauty, outdoor living and general merchandise. This acquisition follows last week’s announcement that Evriholder has acquired Progressive Intl...

*** The above posted after tBR ran on Friday February 2nd ***

European Court of Justice upholds validity of Lego brick’s registered design. Decision in favour of Danish toy maker welcomed as “great news” for designers of functional products. In a decision handed down on 24 January, the General Court of the CJEU ruled that the iconic toy brick qualifies as a design, despite some aspects of its design being dictated by technical function. In rejecting a challenge by rival German toy...

US media mogul and The Weather Channel owner Byron Allen has made a $30bn offer to acquire Paramount Global. The offer includes $14.3bn to buy all of the embattled company’s outstanding shares and around $15bn to settle its outstanding debt. “Mr. Byron Allen did submit a bid on behalf of Allen Media Group and its strategic partners to purchase all of Paramount Global’s outstanding shares,” said a statement...

The European Broadcasting Union (EBU) has announced that it will support the development of two animated projects with a new fund it set up last fall in partnership with Cartoon Forum and France Télévisions. A group of 15 public broadcasters/EBU members are contributing to the fund, which has around US$140,000 to offer. They also assessed the 70-plus TV concepts that were pitched at...

Fed holds interest rates at a 23-year high. Officials at the US central bank have left interest rates at a 23-year high, and said rate cuts are coming - but not yet. The decision from the Federal Reserve again kept the target range for its benchmark rate, which helps set borrowing costs for mortgages, credit cards and other loans, at 5.25%-5.5%.

Eolo Toys has announced the acquisition of a stake of Ywow Brands, which specialises in a diverse range of toys, board games, and pet products. This partnership marks a significant step towards expanding the already well-performing product ranges to new categories after years of double-digit growth.

Zuckerberg apologizes to families of kids harmed online as Senate grills tech CEOs. But the hearing ultimately left a huge question unanswered. Throughout four hours of grilling before the Senate Judiciary Committee, CEOs for some of the world's most widely used digital platforms acknowledged shortfalls and highlighted efforts they've taken to improve them, while pushing back on other criticism.

Disney loses lawsuit against Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis. The ongoing legal war between Disney World and Florida continues. On January 31, a district court in Florida dismissed The Walt Disney Company’s lawsuit against state governor Ron DeSantis. The lawsuit was filed against DeStantis after he and the Florida government took control over a special district last year that contained Disney World.

UPS to cut 12,000 jobs after 'disappointing' year. Parcel delivery firm UPS has said it will cut 12,000 jobs, after it was hit by a softer economy and a labor fight that scared away some customers. Chief executive Carol Tomé said 2023 was a "difficult and disappointing year", and the firm was investing in artificial intelligence (AI) as it pushes to become more efficient. She has also called staff back to the office five days a week.

PayPal cuts 2,500 jobs in the face of rising competition. PayPal says it will cut another 2,500 jobs, or 9% of its global workforce, a year after making a similar move. Chief executive officer Alex Chriss told staff that the decision was made to "right-size" the company "through both direct reductions and the elimination of open roles".

Evergrande: Crisis-hit Chinese property giant ordered to liquidate. A court in Hong Kong has ordered the liquidation of debt-laden Chinese property giant Evergrande. Judge Linda Chan said "enough is enough", after the troubled developer repeatedly failed to come up with a plan to restructure its debts. The firm has been the poster child of China's real estate crisis with more than $300bn (£236bn) of debt.

Sega of America is laying off 61 workers based in Irvine. Sega of America is laying off 61 people across its offices in Irvine, California. The news was highlighted by an X bot that tracks WARN notices filed in the region and has since been confirmed by multiple Sega of America employees on social media.

London-based Moonbug Entertainment is closing Singapore’s One Animation, which it acquired in 2022. Moonbug will maintain an office in the country under the leadership of Yasmin Zahid (head of APAC distribution and brand partnerships) to keep building franchises and expanding its presence in the Asia Pacific region.

Eidos Montreal confirms 97 people laid off by Embracer. In a statement released on Twitter, Eidos Montreal confirmed it was caught up in Embracer's larger restructuring program and that 97 employees have been laid off. "The global economic context, the challenges of our industry and the comprehensive restructuring announced by Embracer have finally impacted our studio.

Crash and Spyro Developer reportedly loses 40 percent of staff in layoffs. Reports suggest that Toys for Bob has been hit hard by the Microsoft layoffs, with some sources saying that the developer has lost up to 40 percent of its staff. This comes just after Microsoft acquired Toys for Bob's parent company, Activision Blizzard, in a deal that cost almost $70 billion.

Ruiner dev Reikon Games reportedly lays off 80% of staff. January 2024's layoffs continue with alleged cuts at Reikon, which released its debut game Ruiner in 2017. Along with the cuts at Microsoft today, Kotaku revealed Polish studio Reikon Games laid off most of its staff earlier this week.

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Financial Reporting

Roblox fourth quarter revenue hit $749.9 million, up 30 percent from the same period in 2022-2023. Bookings also grew by 25 percent to $1.1 billion. But its net loss came to $323.7 million...

IDW Media Holdings made money in its fiscal Q4 ended October 31, 2023, but lost $4.9 million in its full fiscal year, according to company financial reports. The fiscal Q4 profit was $496,000, up from a $353,000 profit in the year ago period.

Barbie and Hot Wheels drove a very good year for Mattel. Despite declines across much of the global toy industry, a 16% spike in fourth quarter sales led the company behind Masters of the Universe and UNO to a flat finish for 2023 with $5.4 billion in net sales fattening wallets in El Segundo.

*** The above posted after tBR started sending on February 2nd ***

Electronic Arts Inc. (EA) on Tuesday reported fiscal third-quarter profit of $290 million.

Capcom posted its financials for 2023-2024's third qtr, and it's unsurprisingly high, thanks to its big hits of the year. Net sales reached 106.18 billion yen (or $725.57 million), up 33 percent from the same period in 2022-2023.

Microsoft delivers over $7B in gaming revenue during Q2, barely mentions almost 2,000 layoffs. Xbox content and services revenue increased by 61 percent at Microsoft during Q2, largely driven by the Activision Blizzard merger.

Fun In Motion Toys is excited to announce that its best-selling magnetic puzzle cube, Shashibo®, topped the Amazon sales charts in the Toys & Games category consistently in the fourth qtr of 2023. This ranking caps off a four-year run as a best-selling toy on Amazon...

Fast Travel Games delivers record holiday sales, but studio CEO says VR market must "define itself". Swedish VR studio Fast Travel Games delivered record-breaking holiday sales driven by the success of Vampire: The Masquerade - Justice on Meta Quest and PlayStation VR 2.

Tencent CEO feels its game business "achieved nothing" during 2023. Tencent, the sprawling multinational that spent years gobbling up studios like Riot Games and Techland while investing in others including Ubisoft, Remedy, and FromSoftware, has chastised itself for...

Trends, Lists, Market Research, and State of the Industry

Share of U.S. retail sales, by type. For all the transformation brought by the web, brick-and-mortar shopping still makes up 84% of retail.

Betting on the Big Screen. With strike delays causing gaps in 2024's release calendar, and smaller-budget animated features making waves globally, is now the right time for more kids producers to invest in movies?

Wall Street is watching for a $10 billion domestic box office in 2026. Disney could get it there.

Indian toy industry imports decline 52%, exports rise 239% in FY23.

Toy World caught up with UK indies to discuss sales at the end of last year, which toys are trending right now and how they plan to make 2024 a successful year.

Cool New Shows: Kidscreen Summit Edition. But these series concepts aren't just visually pleasing—they also tap into some pretty unique storytelling opportunities.

10 surprising jobs that made people actually show up every day with joy on their faces. 1. Amusement Park worker · 2. Sign language interpreter · 3. Toy designer · 4. Pizza shop · 5. Pool cleaner · 6. Small-town baker · 7. Investigative analyst.

TOP 20 GRAPHIC NOVELS - JANUARY 2024

TOP 50 COMICS - JANUARY 2024

*** The above posted after the Bloom Report started sending February 2nd ***

Circana reports on 2023 global toy industry retail sales. Across the G12, comprising Australia, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Mexico, Netherlands, Spain, UK and the US, sales declined by 7% in 2023, versus 2022, but were 17% higher when compared to pre-pandemic 2019. In 2023, the average selling price was up 1%, year over year, and increased by 18% versus 2019.

Toy companies progress towards sustainability. Toy World explored how the toy industry is improving its sustainability and eco-friendly focus and spoke to companies already making their mark.

New Report Confirms Worst Fears: AI Will Disrupt Countless Animation Jobs Over Next 3 Years

The Insights Family launches annual “Future Forecast” report for 2024... (free to download) has 10 predictions for the year ahead.

10 movies based on toys, ranked.

FULL YEAR 2023 CIRCANA BOOKSCAN - TOP 20 ADULT AND KIDS GRAPHIC NOVELS

FULL YEAR 2023 CIRCANA BOOKSCAN - TOP 20 AUTHOR, SUPERHERO, AND MANGA GRAPHIC NOVELS

Toyjobs has been the dominant recruiting

Stories, Comments, and Advice

Gratitude to Toy & Game Industry. Having recently downsized and needing to purge years of “collectibles”, I spent a lot of time pondering the items carried with me since childhood and my reluctance to part with “stuff”. It would take pages of a blog to truly sort through the emotions involved in letting go of belongings and their hidden meanings, so let me focus on what I insisted on keeping and why.

Spielwarenmesse, Nuremberg Review & 2024 European Toy Market Outlook. Nearly 60,000 attendees from 125 countries had 2,354 exhibitors to visit with from 68 countries. I’ve never been to a Toy trade show where there wasn’t someone claiming the footfall was down regardless of the official head count. I always find overall visitor numbers to be basically an irrelevance to exhibitors. It’s all about the quality...

John Baulch, Toy World - Planes, Trains and Automobiles part 2 … it’s the Friday Nuremblog! Another early Friday start for me, in an attempt to summarise what we’ve seen over the past few days in Nuremberg. My ability to craft a carefully honed piece of prose in the early light of dawn has not been aided by a bizarre journey home last night, which saw 300+ passengers (surely every single one from the toy community?)...

Board game Squatter is an ode to Australian farming. Here's the secret behind its longevity. It started as a side hustle, a way for a travelling salesman to get home to his family, but turned into a love letter to the land, an educational tool and one of the most successful Australian board games of all time — and it's all about sheep farming.

Becoming capable of democracy through board games on the potential of our analog gaming culture. The market for board games in Germany is growing continuously. 193,000 game enthusiasts from all over the world visited SPIEL in Essen in 2023. The Spiel des Jahres critics' award is a global accolade for excellent titles. Around 2 million games are borrowed from public libraries every year. There is hardly a household...

Long-standing American weirdo band Mr. Bungle along with their record label Ipecac Recordings, have partnered with Chicago-based collectible shop, Toy de Jour to bring fans ‘Beelzebunny’; a 9” tall designer vinyl figure that brings the band’s latest album cover to life. The Beelzebunny figure was designed by contemporary pop artist and vintage toy nerd, Steve Seeley, based on the recent album art by Junko Mizuno.

*** The above posted after tBR was sent on February 2nd ***

Rick Derr reflects on 2023, referencing a letter he shared with Learning Express members in December, and sets goals for 2024. I personally have not seen a toy and gift run like the one we experienced last year since January 2021. But as business normalizes, it is important to analyze and set your strategy locally. You are the CEO of your territory. I would like to look the top items sold nationally across the year, how I performed against this and whether we delivered on our goals...

Execs from Hasbro, Mattel and Ravensburger are on the hunt to diversify their supply channels with new foreign manufacturing hubs as they seek to reduce their reliance on China for order fulfillment. The supply chain is an ever-changing beast that always needs a significant investment of time and resources in order to keep operating smoothly.

Toy store that inspired Pixar and Disney's Toy Story closes shop after 86 years. Jeffrey's Toys, the store where Pixar creatives always went to brainstorm ideas for the Toy Story films will be shutting down for good. Co-owner Matthew Luhn recalled how Jeffrey's Toys was instrumental in the creative process of the Toy Story films. "During Toy Story, we would have my dad come to give us ideas," he told SFGATE last year.

How this toy company leveraged its mission to partner with Microsoft and Target. Creating educational toys that center Black and Brown kids is serious business for Terri-Nichelle Bradley, founder and CEO of Brown Toy Box. In 2023, the Atlanta, Georgia-based company founded in 2016 brought in more than $1 million in revenue. Products include 3-D puzzles of Historically Black Colleges and Universities and STEAM activity …

History and Nostalgia

Cinderella from Parker Brothers (1965). Published by Parker Brothers in 1965, the Cinderella board game used illustrated cards to guide players through a journey to find their lost slipper. The object of the game was to be the first player claim their slipper and reach the Castle. Cinderella Cards were stacked facedown at the center of the board.

Bath-House Brass from Mattel. In 1968, Mattel released Bath-House Brass, a set of toy musical instruments that allowed children to turn bath time into a melodic production. Junior musicians could choose from three cleverly designed instruments: a Flooglehorn, Tooba, or Brassoon. The instruments featured brass-plated plastic bells and a pressure bulb with a faucet-shaped handle and a spigot-like mouthpiece.

Bloom Report Ad Roy ver 2 Waiting for Bloom to Drop.jpg

Licensing and Entertainment

Studio 100 Media and Spain’s 3Doubles Producciones are spreading their wings to develop a new CG-animated movie called Flamingo Flamenco. The 80-min. family-friendly pic is set in Spain’s famous Fuente de Piedra lagoon—a popular real-life bird-watching spot due to the large presence of flamingos. The protagonist in this avian musical is a young female flamingo who rediscovers her passion for dance with a little help...

*** The above posted after February 2nd ***

Trustbridge Entertainment preps its new content chapter. As president of the fledgling entertainment division, Bob Higgins has been quietly building up an impressive slate of book-based concepts that are about to hit the market. Sometimes it’s OK to judge a book by its cover, especially when it has been carefully selected and handcrafted for the screen by Bob Higgins, former EVP of kids and family at Boat Rocker Media.

Netflix has picked up worldwide rights to “The Imaginary,” a currently-on-release Japanese animation film from producer Studio Ponoc. “Studio Ponoc is thrilled to bring our storytelling and innovative hand-drawn, hand-painted animated films to all audiences, and in particular to children and their families to enjoy together, around the world on Netflix,” said Nishimura Yoshiaki, Ponoc founder and former...

Hot Wheels Let’s Race to debut on Netflix March 4. Mattel, Inc and Netflix announced that Hot Wheels Let’s Race, Mattel Television Studios’ all-new animated children’s series, will debut on Netflix globally on March 4. Inspired by the best selling selling Hot Wheels, Hot Wheels Let’s Race is an action-packed comedy series for kids, and follows the newest generation of racers: Coop, Spark, Mac, Brights, Axle, and Sidecar...

Catan, Ticket to Ride and Pandemic makers partner with LEGO on new family-friendly board game. One of the biggest names in board games recently announced a partnership with the world’s largest producer of plastic bricks to create a family-friendly board game set deep in the jungle. LEGO and Asmodee’s upcoming Monkey Palace will combine collaborative and competitive design as players build...

Just Play‘s hit Disney Doorables line expands to a galaxy far, far away with a new fun surprise: Star Wars Doorables! Available now for presale at Amazon and Walmart (and widely available at retailers on March 1), this new line of collectible mini figures is similar to the Disney Doorables already on shelves — 1.5-inch characters with big, glittery eyes hidden behind door panels — but with a galactic twist.

British channel operator Narrative Entertainment is transitioning its Tiny Pop preschool net to be fully digital by March 20 as part of a new strategy to reach audiences online. Tiny Pop is one of the most popular commercial channels for children broadcasting in the UK. It launched in 2003 and has acquired series such as Spin Master’s Mighty Express, Vérité Films’ Jeremy and Jazzy and Dandelooo’s Billy the Cowboy...

DreamWorks Animation is mapping out a mega-sized franchise plan for a cult classic IP, with a feature film sequel called Megamind vs. The Doom Syndicate. This surprise follow-up to 2010’s Megamind has been quietly in the works at the studio and is now slated to drop on NBCUniversal’s streamer Peacock on March 1.

Canadian techco A Parent Media Company (APMC), the parent company of AVOD Kidoodle.TV, has secured a deal with Atlanta-based connected TV company VIDAA to launch a Kids & Family Hub on smart TVs. The deal has a few parts. On the content side, Kidoodle.TV’s programming—both its originals and its catalogue of third-party acquisitions—will be available in this hub.

UFC and Fanatics Collectibles announce exclusive trading card deal. UFC signed an exclusive trading card licensing deal with Fanatics ending Panini’s three-year run. Fanatics Collectibles plans to support the UFC partnership with a variety of promotional initiatives, including featured content on Fanatics Live – the live commerce platform that lives within Fanatics’ digital sports platform.

The NFL collaborates with Gamefam to launch first SpongeBob-themed Roblox Super Bowl event. The centerpiece of the Super Bowl LVIII Roblox experience will live in Gamefam’s newly launched SpongeBob Simulator, and will be highlighted by a first-of-its-kind Super Bowl cross-game quest across several Gamefam-created game experiences including Super NFL Tycoon, TMNT Battle Tycoon, Twilight Daycare and Easy...

Data reveals the streaming platforms Americans want to delete – and it’s not good news for YouTube TV. A new study has revealed the streaming platforms that Americans are looking to get rid of, and it’s not good news for YouTube TV and Netflix. Despite recent news that the company gained 13.1 million subscribers in the last quarter of 2023,

Roblox game Momoguro is being adapted for TV. Roblox is making the jump to television through the player-created Momoguro games. Developer Baobab Studios is working with 9 Story Media Group to launch a show based on the RPG series. As the press release highlights, it's the first Roblox game to cross mediums.

Archon Studio reveals 'Heroes of Might & Magic III: The Board Game'. Archon Studio revealed Heroes of Might & Magic III: The Board Game, which is now on preorder. This board game is based on the classic turn-based strategy video game, first developed New World Computing and later remastered by Ubisoft. The board game is an adventure-driven strategy game that has competitive, cooperative, and solo play modes.

Troll Lord games expands licensing agreement with 'Dungeons & Dragons' creator's estate. Troll Lord Games announced that it has expanded its licensing agreement with the Estates of E. Gary Gygax, which manages the rights from the late creator of Dungeons & Dragons. Troll Lord Games is the publisher of Castles & Crusade RPG, and was the primary publisher for Gary Gygax's works from 2001 to 2008.

'[Oshi No Ko]' live action series; 'Avatar: The Last Airbender,' ‘Rick And Morty: The Anime,’ 'Star Wars: Bad Batch' S3, and 'Twd: The Ones Who Live' videos; new 'Jurassic World' movie. Showbiz Round-up. Hollywood is heading towards its Oscars season, and the showbiz news keeps coming. Time for a round-up!

Beadle & Grimm's will release 'Magic: The Gathering' murder mystery game into retail. Beadle & Grimm's will release Murders at Karlov Manor: The Case of the Three Blade Knife, a Magic: The Gathering-themed murder mystery game, into retail in February 2024. In this game, players will team up to work through Tam Sennic's evidence to solve a murder.

Galeforce Nine reveals two new 'Star Trek: Away Missions' expansions featuring miniatures teams led by Captain Kirk and Commander Scott. Galeforce Nine revealed two new Star Trek: Away Missions expansions, which will hit retail soon. The two expansions feature characters from The Original Series led by Captain Kirk and Commander Scott.

Dire Wolf's 'Invincible: The Hero Building Game' heads to retail. Dire Wolf Digital will release Invincible: The Hero Building Game, a cooperative bag-building game, into retail in April 2024. This game, based on Robert Kirkman's comics and the adapted Amazon Prime series, lets players assume the roles of Atom Eve, Rex Splode, Robot, and Invincible as they attempt to save the planet.

PMI Kids’ World to release Pudgy Penguins series 2. Pudgy Penguins, the web3 intellectual property (IP), is getting its second line of toys courtesy of PMI Kids’ World. Series 1 dropped in 2023, and offered a variety of plush and figures with digital components, like scannable codes that unlock exclusive in-game content.

Libertas Brands and Blue Zoo announce 5-year content deal for Fugglers. Libertas Brands, which holds exclusive rights globally for the Fuggler brand, known for its quirky and mischievous characters, has announced a 5-year content partnership with renowned IP producer and digital studio Blue Zoo.

Super7 launches retro puzzle collection. The lineup features Transformers, G.I. Joe, and more. Super7 is turning G.I. Joe, Transformers, Power Rangers, and Godzilla into five 1,000-piece puzzles inspired by retro posters. The Transformers puzzle in this collection is based on the poster for the 1986 Japanese movie Transformers: The Movie and features the Autobots ready for action with a Galvitron in the background.

Character Arts reveals new ‘Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer’ licensing partnerships. Character Arts, LLC is celebrating the 60th anniversary of Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer with a full portfolio of new licensed products. The classic television special, replayed by families every Christmas, is getting 13 new licensing partners in time for the 2024 holiday season.

Tonies launches Care Bear collection. The new figures will be available Feb. 6. Tonies is launching a new Care Bear collection, just in time for Valentine’s Day. The collection features the Cheer Bear and Funshine Bear Tonies, which are characters that spread friendship, love, and perseverance with their stories and songs.

StoryToys & Sesame Workshop introduce Sesame Street Mecha Builders app. StoryToys, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Team17 Group PLC and a leading creator of edutainment apps for kids, and Sesame Workshop, the global impact nonprofit organization behind Sesame Street, are thrilled to announce the global launch of the Sesame Street Mecha Builders app.

The Pokémon Company and The Wand Company launch new line of Mini Poké Ball Replicas. Following the release of the fan-favorite range of Die-Cast Poké Ball Replicas, The Pokémon Company International and The Wand Company will be expanding the offering to include Mini Poké Ball Replicas. The first of five versions, the Mini Poké Ball Replica, will launch in February 2024.

The LEGO Group, Asmodee reveal jungle-themed board game Monkey Palace. The LEGO Group and Asmodee recently introduced the joint-crafted board game Monkey Palace. The official reveal for retailers and industry partners will be at Spielwarenmesse. Monkey Palace, created by game designers David Gordan and Tin Aung Myaing, is a jungle-themed strategy board game for families.

The LEGO Group teams up with Pharrell Williams for animated movie. Pharrell Williams decided to go with a unique approach when it came to making a movie about his life. The artist, producer, and songwriter has partnered with The LEGO Group to create a new animated movie. Piece by Piece is a movie that explores Williams’ life and story. The movie is being launched by Focus Features and is directed by Morgan Neville.

Littlest Pet Shop ‘Roblox’ experience tracks 2 million visits in first month. Alongside the global relaunch of Littlest Pet Shop (LPS) — with products available this month — the brand has a new digital experience on Roblox. The Littlest Pet Shop experience on Roblox has seen more than 2 million viewers in the first month.

People of Play

SpongeBob SquarePants is going to announce this Super Bowl broadcast. Nickelodeon and CBS Sports announced the first-ever alternate telecast for the Super Bowl, which will air on the kid’s television channel on Sunday, February 11, when the Kansas City Chiefs and San Francisco 49ers kick off in Las Vegas. Paramount Global is the parent company of both CBS Sports and Nickelodeon.

Mattel said on Tuesday its Fisher-Price brand head, Chuck Scothon, will leave the company after several years of leading the division. The company announced the change internally via a global memo on Jan. 22, it told Reuters in an emailed statement. Mattel's spokesperson said Scothon will continue to lead the infant toys category while the company finds his replacement.

Steve Youngwood is departing Sesame Workshop after nearly a decade, vacating his roles as CEO and board member. President and longtime Sesame exec Sherrie Westin is taking over as interim CEO, while the board has hired an executive search firm to oversee a rigorous search for a permanent successor.

*** The above posted after February 2nd ***

Disney inventor behind the lightsaber to be inducted in the National Inventors Hall of Fame. Lanny Smoot started working at Disney 25 yrs ago. The Disney research fellow and Imagineer has more than 100 patents, 74 of which he created during his time at Disney. Smoot’s inventions include the extendable lightsaber used in Disney live entertainment, Disney’s new HoloTile floor and the interactive koi ponds at the HK...

People Are Letting Elmo Know That The Vibes Aren't Good Right Now After He Asked How Everyone Is Doing. Rachel Zegler, T-Pain, and Dionne Warwick have all responded, too. Well, it turns out that Elmo's question has some people feeling a little existential, as many were quick to tell him that things are not so merry and joyous right now. So here are some of the best responses that did not hold back one bit...

Corus has restructured its original content leadership team, with Mellany Welsh moving up into a new position as VP and head of Nelvana, and Rachel Nelson taking on a VP of original programming and head of Corus Studios role. As part of the restructure, Pam Westman is retiring as president of Nelvana on January 31 after heading up the business for five years.

Entertainment Earth taps ex-Hasbro exec Billy Lagor as CEO. The online retailer and wholesaler of pop culture toys and collectibles appointed Billy Lagor as its new CEO, succeeding Aaron Labowitz, who co-founded the company in 1996 alongside his brother, former Entertainment Earth President Jason Labowitz. In his new role, Lagor will tap into his experience — which includes 15 years at Hasbro...

PMI Kids World welcomes Omer Dekel as CEO. PMI Kids’ World is proud to announce a significant leadership transition within the organization. Omer Dekel, the current chief operating officer, will be taking on the role of chief executive officer, succeeding his father, Boaz Dekel, who founded and has led the company with distinction for 30 years.

Johanna Faries, Call of Duty alum, is Blizzard Entertainment's new president. Starting February 5, Blizzard Entertainment will have a new leader in Johanna Faries. She first joined Activision Blizzard in 2018 as a commissioner for Call of Duty's esports division. As spotted by Bloomberg, she's been tapped as president of the Overwatch and Diablo developer. Mike Ybarra, the studio's previous president, departed last week...

The Wiggles welcomes Luke O’Neill as first CEO. Kids’ music sensation The Wiggles is welcoming a new member to the team. The Wiggles is an Australian music group that got its start back in 1991. In addition to a series of album releases, The Wiggles has seen success with a TV series, a YouTube channel, and more.

'First of all you must be patient, then you need spatial memory': The man behind the puzzle that 99% can't solve. In 1975, the Hungarian academic Ernő Rubik applied for a patent on his invention. Little did he know that his ingenious teaching tool, created behind the Iron Curtain, would become an iconic global phenomenon.

Rainbow Designs makes trio of appointments. Rainbow Designs is heading into the new year with new appointments to the team, including the recent arrival of a new Brand manager, as well as an expansion of the sales team with the recruitment of two new Area Sales managers. Zara Hynes joined the team in Q4 2023 and has hit the ground running.

Devolver Digital CEO Douglas Morin has stepped down. Devolver Digital CEO Douglas Morin has stepped down with immediate effect. The indie publisher, known for titles like Cult of the Lamb, Inscryption, and Hotline Miami, said the move was part of its plan to deliver "long-term growth and development." Morin joined Devolver in 2020 as chief of staff and was named CEO in 2021.

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Companies and Brands

Mattel has added two new collectors sets to its Mega line-up to celebrate 60 years since The Beatles first performed on The Ed Sullivan Show as well as the iconic Xbox 360. This iconic construction set marks the 60th anniversary of The Beatles’ historic television debut, delivering an engaging building experience that captures the essence of Beatlemania crossing the pond.

Pickle Everything Games, created by co-founder toy and game industry veterans Jeffrey Breslow and Frank Adler, today introduced a new card game called Pickle Everything, where words meet fun and pickles rule, allowing families and friends to compete against one another in a new, fast-paced and hilarious way. Pickle Everything is now available for purchase for just $9.99 on Amazon and PickleEverything.games.

Make-A-Wish North Texas is delighted to announce a partnership with Hey Buddy Hey Pal and their hugely successful EggMazing Egg Decorator line this March for the "My True Wish" sweepstakes. Running from February 15th to March 15th, the highly anticipated winner will be revealed March 30th. The sweepstakes will conclude with an egg hunt extravaganza at the Omni PGA Frisco Resort, providing an exciting...

Today marks the 100th anniversary of TOMY Company. Started in 1924, with the founding of Tomiyama Toy Seisakusho (the predecessor of TOMY), TOMY is now a global company with well-known brands for parents and children of all ages, such as Lamaze, Club Mocchi- Mocchi, ERTL, The First Years and Boon. TOMY is sharing its gratitude and promise to be a company that is loved and important to society for another 100 years.

Stomp Rocket 'targets' NASA history with new space toy collection. After 30 yrs of producing "kid-powered" projectiles of its own design, Stomp Rocket is releasing its first-ever NASA-themed set. The Space Collection will be available exclusively from Target and select toy shops starting Sunday. "It has always been a dream of ours to do something like this," said Jill Jameson, VP for sales & marketing at Stomp Rocket...

MGA Ent. announced it has established 4 wholly-owned subsidiaries in the European Union to support its fast-growing int'l business. The 4 subsidiaries – MGA Toys Iberia S.L. (led by Managing Dir, Mila Gonzalez), MGA Entertainment Greece (led by Managing Dir, Panos Kalogeropoulos), MGA Entertainment Italy SRL (led by Managing Dir, Andrea Signorelli), MGA Toys France (led by Managing Dir. Thierry Thivolle)...

*** The above was posted after February 2nd ***

Mattel unveils Masters of the Universe and TMNT collaboration. A Masters of the Universe Origins Turtles of Grayskull toy line will represent a crossover of two beloved worlds and celebrate the 40th anniversary of TMNT. The partnership has created the Masters of the Universe Origins Turtles of Grayskull toy line.

Mattel reveals 2024 Super Bowl Barbies, Fisher-Price Little People, UNO games. Super Bowl LVIII is coming soon on Feb. 11, and Mattel has a full collection for football fans. Mattel Creations has three new products featuring the two NFL teams represented at this year’s Super Bowl: the San Francisco 49ers and the Kansas City Chiefs.

Join the Party! Playmobil celebrates 50 years of play. The Playmobil success story began on February 2nd, 1974 at the Nuremberg Toy Fair with a knight, a native American and a construction worker. In the meantime, the cult brand has become an integral part of the lives of many children and adults. Just like 50 years ago, the Playmobil figures are still seven and a half centimeters tall and world-famous for their smiles.

Ravensburger reveals toys and games for 2024: 'GraviTrax Junior,' 'Garden Heist,' 'Oh My Pigeons!' Ravensburger has announced a trio of new family-friendly products set to release this year, including GraviTrax Junior, Garden Heist, and Oh My Pigeons! Releasing in March, GraviTrax Junior aims to teach STEM concepts in a fun way by allowing children to create gravity-based marble runs using the tracks..

New 'Kingdom Rush' expansion incoming: 'Dark Slayer Elf'. Lucky Duck Games will release the Dark Elf Slayer expansion, for the Kingdom Rush tabletop tower defense game, into retail on February 23. The new expansion features a new hero miniature and a new boss miniature to add to games of Kingdom Rush. The hero, Reg’son, takes on the Boss Baj’nimen the Hateful, who rides a giant centipede...

This Yu-Gi-Oh! themed Wordle spin-off laughs in the face of your puzzle-solving prowess. Say what you will about the Yu-Gi-Oh! TCG, but it leans in hard on the names of cards. Whether it’s character count (Black Luster Soldier - Envoy of the Evening Twilight), cute factor (Jerry Beans Man), or sheer audacity (Interplanetarypurplythorny Dragon), Konami’s card designers know how to stretch the limits of language.

Orchard Toys inks distribution agreement with Amo Toys. Orchard Toys has confirmed a distribution agreement with Amo Toys to expand the Orchard Toys brand in Scandinavian markets. The partnership will support existing and new retail opportunities in the region, and develop the eCommerce business, in a bid to replicate Orchard Toys’ success in the UK market.

TikTok plans to open studios in LA and other cities to get creators out of their living rooms and provide a souped-up environment for livestreams with the goal of ramping up product sales, The Information reported Tuesday. The locations could each support multiple studios and dozens of creators pitching goods — many supplied directly by manufacturers — each day as the Chinese-owned app aims build...

Playmobil converts production of entire toddler portfolio to plant-based materials. Playmobil has converted the production of all toys within its toddler portfolio to plant-based materials. The toddler line will also receive a name change and a new look: Playmobil 1.2.3. will become Playmobil Junior. The relaunch will be supported by a large-scale campaign.

Hasbro launches Transformers: Legacy Robots in Disguise 2001 Omega Prime HasLab campaign. HasLab has a new campaign to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the Transformers brand. Hasbro’s HasLab offers crowdfunding campaigns directly to consumers through the Hasbro Pulse website. The platform has already seen the successful funding of products featuring G.I. Joe, Marvel, and more...

LEGO launches Star Wars 25th anniversary celebrations. The LEGO Group is starting the anniversary celebrations at Spielwarenmesse this week by launching new anniversary sets. The 25th-anniversary sets include a new Starship Collection featuring the Millennium Falcon, the Invisible Hand, two sets inspired by the Tantive IV, and a new version of R2-D2. DK’s LEGO Star Wars Visual Dictionary...

Celebrate Super Bowl 58 with FOCO’s limited edition bears. FOCO is getting ready for game day with an officially licensed collection of Super Bowl 58 Team Beans Bears. The collection includes 14 bears for all types of fans. Choose from five key players from either the Kansas City Chiefs or the San Francisco 49ers, along with four officially licensed Super Bowl 58 Bears.

YuMe Toys reveals new partnerships, products at Spielwarenmesse. YuMe Toys is highlighting new products and partnerships for 2024 at this year’s Spielwarenmesse, taking place this week in Nuremberg, Germany. YuMe is known for a variety of toys and collectibles, with unboxing toys, electronics, and more.

Ares announces three new games coming in the second half of 2024. Ares Games announced three new games that will be coming to market in the second half of 2024. Altay: Dawn of Civilization is a deck-building game designed by Ole Steiness and Paolo Mori. The game takes places in a secluded region where the ancient civilizations that exist there have been building a culture where magic and technology meet.

ICV2 Announces ICV2 Direct - a new platform for sales direct from publishers to stores. An ICv2 Release. ICv2 is launching ICv2 Direct, a new platform for sales direct from publishers to stores, the company announced. On ICv2 Direct, retailers will be able to order from multiple publishers with a single account on an easy-to-use platform.

'Pathfinder Dice Sets' incoming from Q-Workshop. Q-Workshop will release three new Pathfinder Dice Sets into retail on February 21, 2024. Each dice set comes with uniquely crafted RPG dice. The three designs available will be Avistan, Arcadia, and Azlant. These officially-licensed dice sets come with seven dice: a D4, a D6, a D8, a D10, a d10%, a D12, and a D20. Q-Workshop also recently release six new The Witcher Dice Sets.

'Sleeping Gods' sequel heads to retail: 'Distant Skies' by Ryan Laukat and Red Raven Games. Red Raven Games will release Distant Skies, a sequel to Ryan Laukat's Sleeping Gods, into retail on February 21, 2024. This storybook game is a standalone sequel to Sleeping Gods, which released in 2021. In the game, players have flown their cargo plane through a portal and ended up in the Sleeping Gods open world setting.

Build dangerous dungeons in 'Stonespine Architects: A Roll Player Tale'. Thunderworks Games unveiled Stonespine Architects: A Roll Player Tale, a new drafting game, which will hit retail on April 9, 2024. Stonespine Architects: A Roll Player Tale is a new card drafting game by Jordy Adan, who also designed Cartographers.

Bushiroad will release fifth 'Shadowverse TCG' set into U.S. retail. Bushiroad will release Omens Eternal, the fifth Shadowverse TCG set, into retail on June 21, 2024. The next Shadowverse set will feature cards for the following classes: Forestcraft, Swordcraft, Runecraft, Dragoncraft, Abysscraft, Havencraft, and Neutral. It will contain 117 cards plus special foils, and each pack will contain a Gold card or better.

'Fifth Brother & Seventh Sister' hunt jedi in 'Star Wars: Legion' - new operative expansion. Atomic Mass Games will release Fifth Brother & Seventh Sister Operative Expansion, for Star Wars: Legion, into retail on March 4, 2024. Jedi beware! Two of the most skilled Inquistors have been tasked with tracking the remaining Jedi in Star Wars: Legion.

Transport goods across the desert wasteland in 'Sand'. Devir Games will release Sand, a new Eurogame designed by Ariel Di Constanzo and Javier Pelizzari, into retail in May 2024. In Sand, players take on the roles of travelers that are transporting goods across a desert filled with half-ruined ancient cities where the last human communities survive by foraging.

Build-A-Bear launches plush Capybara. This new plush is available online and hits stores in April. Build-A-Bear has released a new Capybara plush collection. The full collection includes a customizable Capybara plush and gift sets. The plush can be stuffed, scented, and personalized with outfits, headbands, and sounds, just like other Build-A-Bear products.

Gibsons Games partners with Le Toy Van for US expansion. Gibsons Games has teamed up with fellow British family business Le Toy Van, working with its sales team to support the growth of the Gibsons brand in the USA. Recently incorporated in the States, Gibsons will be targeting specialty and mid-market with its Gibsons core range and the mass market with its sub brand, World of Puzzles.

Pokémon TCG: Scarlet & Violet – Paldean Fates expansion launches, marking return of Shiny Pokémon. The Pokémon Company International released the latest expansion in the bestselling Pokémon Trading Card Game (TCG), Scarlet & Violet – Paldean Fates, available now at participating retailers worldwide, including Pokémon Center, the premier online destination for official Pokémon merchandise.

L.O.L. Surprise! unveils Mix and Make Birthday Cake Doll. MGA Entertainment is pleased to introduce the L.O.L. Surprise! Mix and Make Birthday Cake Doll to its hugely successful collectibles range. Continuing to lead the way in innovative and unique unboxing experiences, this all-new collectible range will continue to surprise and delight children.

Glow-in-the-dark set spearheads new Magformers collection. Magnetic construction toy giant Magformers showcased its first-ever luminous pieces at London Toy Fair with the introduction of a glow-in-the-dark set. The company’s UK-based team unveils four amazing new sets this year, all featuring never-seen-before magnetic pieces and accessories...

Character World announces partnership with Moose brands. Character World Brands will acquire the Ready Bed, Go Glow, Pop ‘N’ Fun and Hello Home brands from Moose, for distribution and development across EMEA. Character World Brands is to acquire four Moose Toys iconic home brands: Ready Bed, Go Glow, Pop ‘N’ Fun and Hello Home across EMEA.

Mattel unveils Mini BarbieLand at Nuremberg. Mattel has unveiled a new Barbie Mini BarbieLand range that will tap into the mini trend by introducing the brand’s most iconic dolls, vehicles and playsets in a smaller scale. Mini BarbieLandMattel is introducing the Barbie world fans know and love in a new mini scale for a whole new way to play, complete with surprise and signature style.

Douglas unveils new plush collections. Douglas, the maker of plush and baby toys, has revealed two new collections. Douglas’ latest launch includes Baby Hugs, 10-inch plush baby dolls that are wrapped in removable, animal-themed swaddle outfits. Each swaddle features different characteristics of the animal it’s based on, including ears, tails, and wings.

Thames & Kosmos is making new ‘Wow in the World’ toys for little scientists. Kids already love Wondery’s Wow in the World podcast for teaching them about the coolest discoveries in science and technology, but soon they’ll love it even more thanks to new toys from Thames & Kosmos! Wow in the World is made with kids in mind.

Hasbro brings the fun with Peppa Pig playsets. Peppa Pig is coming back to the playroom with new playsets! Hasbro’s latest launch of Peppa Pig toys is full of fun for preschoolers who love the cartoon pig and her family. There are three playsets in this lineup. The Peppa Pig Granddad Dog’s Tow Truck is the perfect combination of vehicle play and recreating scenes from kids’ favorite show.

Sure, why not? Now there's a 'Stanley cup' for babies. Like it or not, people care about Stanley cups. Which is why Fisher-Price just came out with a new toy aimed at toddlers designed to look like a Stanley cup. After all, the Stanley is quite the trend. Now, babies and toddlers can get in on it. According to Fisher-Price's description, the cup features two buttons that will light up or play "20+ songs, sounds, and learning...

Wild Republic was established more than forty years ago to support its founder, G.B. Pillai and his wife, Kamala Pillai’s love for children and wildlife, a promise the company has successfully delivered on for four decades. Its diverse and creatively-designed product line of toys and stuffed animals fosters curiosity about wildlife and educates children about the wonders of nature. Today, this mission still holds true...

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Gaming: Digital, Video, Hardware, and Development

Nintendo aims to make 10 million Switch 2s by March 2025. When a new console comes out, it’s often a hellish endeavor trying to get one in the first year. So, with the Switch 2 rumored to drop later this year, prospective buyers will be happy to know that Nintendo is reportedly looking to ensure that if you want a Switch successor, you can get one.

Apple allows game streaming services on its App Store. Starting today, Apple's global App Store can now host game streaming apps and services like Xbox Game Pass and NVIDIA GeForce Now. Previously, iOS users had to use a browser, but they can now exist on the platform fully formed. Apple was often critiqued for its store practices, which could stifle competitors.

Palworld has reached nearly 20 million players in 12 days. What started off as a relatively obscure survival game known colloquially as “Pokémon With Guns” has officially become the biggest third-party Game Pass launch of all time, as Palworld has reached 19 million players in just under two weeks.

Palworld becomes Xbox Game Pass' biggest third-party launch with 7 million players. In the week and a half since its launch, Palworld has hit 19 million players worldwide across PC and Xbox. Most of that belongs to the PC base, but 7 million Xbox players have made the game into Game Pass' biggest third-party launch ever. It's also Xbox Cloud Gaming's most-played third-party launch.

Highlighted Press Releases

Gray Matters Games today announced the release of its new family party game, The Donut Challenge! The game, uniquely packaged in a donut box, comes with a giant inflatable donut, two toy donuts, two coffee cups and two donut balls. The players use the components to compete in over 100 solo, co-op and head-to-head physical challenges in a race to collect all four ingredients and be crowned the Donut Challenge Champion! The game is an encore to Gray Matter’s hit The Root Beer Float Challenge invented by Brady Peterson and Tim Swindle with art designed by Alena Lyons and Sophia Ricciardi.

Safety and Counterfeiting

Defective: Colorful water beads remain for sale despite retailers’ pledge to pull kids product. Many packages claim the product is “nontoxic;” CPSC commissioner says not to trust label. Before Ashley Haugen buys a new toy for her daughters, she carefully researches the item and reads online reviews. When her oldest daughter, Abigail, begged for water beads for her 6th birthday in 2017, Haugen took to the Internet...

Police seize over 400 dangerous counterfeit toys in the south of Tenerife. Agents from the Fiscal and Borders Department of the Guardia Civil have seized over 400 counterfeit toys from businesses in the south of Tenerife that pose a health risk to children, according to an official police press release.

Rolling for initiative -- counterfeiting 'Kelp'. Board games have joined the ranks of items worthy of counterfeiting along with items such as sneakers, clothing, and computers, so much so that it had even made headlines at NPR. Wonderbow Games launched a very successful Kickstarter campaign for its undersea game Kelp: Shark vs. Octopus, which raised over $1.5 million.

Associations, Shows, Awards, Events, and Festivals

The Spielwarenmesse has succeeded in asserting its unique leading role in the global market. Between 30 January and 3 February, the entire industry came together at the Nuremberg Exhibition Centre for its sole global event of the year. 2,354 exhibitors from 68 countries – an increase of 10% over the previous year – took the opportunity to publicise their trends and new ideas. Alongside the product innovations...

I’m excited to share some information about the 2024 Games for Change Festival, themed "The 2030 Marker: A Catalyst for Global Change." Drawing inspiration from the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals, this year's Festival aims to unite global voices and demonstrate the power of games and XR to foster social change, connect people, and lead innovation across critical areas like sustainability, health, and...

*** The above was posted after the Bloom Report started sending on February 2nd ***

Spielwarenmesse is in full swing, welcoming industry insiders to the largest global trade show for toys and games this week. With the second day of the fair behind us, the coveted ToyAward has its winners. A jury of 13 industry experts has selected the six toys to be honored across a variety of categories, based on the criteria of safety, potential for success in retail, play fun, comprehensibility of the product concept, and originality.

Busy UK Toy Fair 2024 hailed a huge success. Kidult toys and nostalgia were amongst the themes celebrated at UK Toy Fair 2024, as the toy industry came together over a busy three days to help celebrate the show’s 70th anniversary. With more than 250 exhibiting companies launching thousands of new products in front of buyers, retailers, licensors, media and the wider industry, Toy Fair 2024 was, for many, the first...

Video. Watch: Kidult collectables are the top trend at London Toy Fair 2024. From robotic football trainers to the booming kidult collectables sector for ages 12 and above, the London Toy Fair showcased a playground of innovation.

The Toy Association reveals plans for LA Fall Preview. The U.S. toy industry continues its expansion throughout the City of Angels and the outlying areas. It’s official: The Toy Association will have a presence in Los Angeles this fall. Following months of rumblings, the Association secured three floors at 2250 East Imperial Highway in El Segundo, directly across from LAX.

Making the most of Spring Fair. “The interest from toy exhibitors has been great, a real eclectic mix of companies looking to meet buyers,” says event director, Soraya, when asked how the Kids, Toys & Play sector is shaping up for 2024 compared to previous years. “Toys are very much a focus at Spring Fair.

Circana reveals 13th annual Toy Industry Performance Award winners. Circana (formerly The NPD Group) continues tradition with today’s announcement of the winners of its 13th annual Toy Industry Performance Awards. In a repeat performance from last year, The LEGO Group was named Global Top Toy Manufacturer of 2023 while The Pokémon Co.‘s namesake brand was deemed Global Top Toy Property.

Exhibitors share what Spring Fair means to them. Toy World asked exhibitors what Spring Fair means to them and what they are expecting from the show this year. Spring Fair. As London Toy Fair and Spielwarenmesse come to a close, toy retailers will next turn their attention to Spring Fair. While Spring Fair attracts a host of exhibitors from across the toy industry, it also offers a wide range of products from the wider...

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

Lutz Muller - Lutz died earlier this month. He was President of Klosters Trading Corporation. Provision of business intelligence to large financial institutions - banks, hedge funds, venture capital companies - as well as to non-publicly quoted toy manufacturers. Klosters Trading is no longer active and will not be kept updated. Lutz was a Swiss who came to the U.S. the long way around - from a small alpine village in Switzerland to Asia, then the UK and Belgium, then Australia and Brazil. His background can be summarized by three concepts - CEO, packaged consumer goods, turn-arounds. Lutz is multi-lingual - he speaks fluently Swiss German, English, German, French. Thai and serviceable Portugnol and Lao. He was educated on three continents including North America at Harvard. He was also a member of MENSA.

Merle R Lewis, Jr., age 80, of Erie, took his final breath on Thursday, January 11, 2024 at his daughter’s home in Wattsburg, Pa. He was born in Brookville, PA to the late Merle Ray Lewis and Florence (Wolfe) Lewis Thunberg.

Merle was a lifetime outdoorsman. He loved farming, hunting, horses, and gardening. Some of his best times were spent hunting with lifelong friends and his son, Jeff.

He was a masterful mechanic, with the ability to create the things his mind could conjure. He worked as a model maker and toy designer for Marx Toys right out of school and was proud that his name appears on the patent for the ‘Lectric Shot Shooting Gallery’. He followed his heart and changed careers in the 70’s by spending a summer at the Oklahoma Farrier’s College and learned the art of shoeing horses. He began to work on thoroughbred race horses, a livelihood that took him around the East Coast to racetracks in PA, WV, FL, NH, DE and Ohio.

Another dream took him to Alaska for a number of years, where he assembled his own on-site saw mill and built a home with trees he cut down himself in the Willow area.

He returned back to the Erie area in the late 90’s and spent his time tinkering in his garage, lending a hand to anyone he could help… and hunting. He was able to get a tree stand set this past fall, with the help of his grandson Trevor, but his health declined rapidly soon after.

He is survived by his sister, Debra Javens (William); his brother, Dale Lewis of Erie; his daughters, Lori Zaumseil (Troy) of Wattsburg, Jodi Gray (Scott), of Waterford his grandchildren, Halie and Trevor Lewis of Erie, Jace Wolz of Waterford and Cody Martinez of Boulder, CO, and his dearest friend, Charlotte Winkler.

In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his wife, Patricia Lovett Lewis and his former wife, Lois Mary Banister Lewis; his brothers, William M. Lewis and James L. Lewis; his sisters, Karen D. Lewis, Paula Thunberg, and Karla Thunberg. His most profound loss was the death of his son, Jeffrey A. Lewis, just over a year ago.

Karen Tenenbaum, founder and owner of Tenenbaum Law, P.C. and active member of the New York Metro Chapter of Women in Toys, Licensing & Entertainment. She died suddenly of a cardiac event on December 23 at the age of 64. In addition to her success as a tax attorney for more than 35 years, Tenenbaum founded Money Masters, Inc., an organization that provides financial literacy information and tools...

Jennell Jaquays - Tabletop designer and video game developer Jennell Jaquays, who created Dungeons & Dragons adventures for a leading publisher of its time, has passed away at the age of 67. Jaquays is best known for developing the early shape of the tabletop industry during the heyday of TSR and other D&D publishers. Her most successful adventures, Dark Tower and Caverns of Thracia, were published for Judges Guild and featured both her game design and artwork.

Jaquays would go on to illustrate covers for plenty of other sourcebooks and modules, including the Dragon Mountain adventure included in D&D’s 1993 deluxe boxed set. Along with Call of Cthulhu publisher Chaosium, she also worked for several video game developers throughout the 1980s and 90s - Jaquays would help convert popular arcade cabinet games such as Pac-Man and Donkey Kong to their console versions. In the late 1990s, Jaquays worked as a level designer for American video game company id Software while it developed the original Quake.

Dark Tower was the only non-TSR published adventure cited in Dungeon magazine’s list of the thirty greatest D&D adventure of all time, and Jaquays’ adventures would accrue several nominations for the H.G. Wells award. She was inducted in the Academy of Adventure Gaming Arts & Design Hall of Fame in 2017.

As creative director of Transgender Human Rights Institute, Jaquays helped outline and petition for the adoption of Leelah’s Law in the US - the response to this activist movement led to the federal banning of conversion therapy amongst minors, which adversely affected trans youth. She was a staunch advocate for trans rights.

In a remembrance post on the EN World tabletop RPG forums fans and players shared their favourite Jaquays creations, including her Savage Frontier book and Campaign Sourcebook and Catacomb Guide, the latter of which many folks claimed was one of the best resources for running the game they had ever read.

Pauline Kerrison - Toy World is sad to report that Pauline Kerrison, of Kerrison Toys, passed away peacefully on Christmas Day with her family at her side.

Described by those who knew her as ‘warm and welcoming’, ‘one of a kind’ and ‘one of the industry’s diamonds’, Pauline was much loved by many people in the toy trade. During the 50 or so years she was involved in the running of Kerrison Toys, she forged numerous friendships that lasted a lifetime.

Her son Steve Kerrison told Toy World: “She loved seeing people at trade shows and events and would always make a fuss of anyone who visited the shops over the many years. Myself, Graham and Liz, and our families, would like to thank all of those who have expressed their condolences over the past few days.”

Murray Jackson - Toy World is sad to report that Murray Jackson, who founded Edx Education and recently established Edx Education UK, has passed away. The founder of Edx Education was a passionate advocate for providing education opportunities to all. Over the past 20 years, Edx Education has grown into a major supplier to the international education market, exporting to more than 90 countries, with sales & marketing offices in North America, Europe, Middle East and Asia – including a dedicated trade website for the UK market.

The boom in home schooling following the pandemic kickstarted a trend for affordable toys that also offer educational value, and a real need for the company to extend its offering to consumers and toy retailers.

As well as establishing and running the successful company, Murray helped pioneer projects such as the opening of an after school center in Hualien, Taiwan, with the company sponsoring the renovations of a house and turning it into an after school centre for aboriginal children from the local primary school.

The Edx team contacted Toy World to inform us of the sad news of Murray’s passing and shared a letter that has been distributed to the Edx Education community. The letter reads...

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ICv2: The Business of Geek Culture (US)

- MetaZoo Games Abruptly Closes Up Shop
- Ravensburger Reveals Toys and Games for 2024
- Archon Studio Reveals 'Heroes of Might & Magic III: The Board Game'
- Troll Lord Games Expands Licensing Agreement with 'Dungeons & Dragons' Creator's Estate
- Dire Wolf's 'Invincible: The Hero Building Game' Heads to Retail
- Steamforged Offers Four 'Local Legends' Sets
- Shimmering 'Adult Crystal Dragon' Lands in 'D&D Icons of the Realms'
- Asmodee Teams Up with LEGO Group
- Rolling for Initiative -- Counterfeiting 'Kelp'
- WizKids Unveils Three More Sets of 'D&D Book Tabs'

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Casual Game Revolution

News Flash – Flashback: Lucy Released, Rubik's 50th Anniversary
Scorpion Masqué has released a new Flashback game, Spin Master has announced a new board game to mark the 50th anniversary of the Rubik’s Cube, and a new game is coming soon themed around collecting Marvel comics.

Video of the Week

Toy Hub Trivia - Chris Lutchen!

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Thank you for being a reader of the Bloom Report. — Mary and Graeme

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.

If you would like to reach Phil: philip.bloom100@verizon.net

Publisher: Mary Couzin, Chicago Toy & Game Group, Inc.

Managing Editor: Graeme Thomson

Assistant Editor: Patrick Fisher

Not only does the Bloom Report give you all the news you need to know...

we give you all the news you didn't know you needed to know!" -Phil Bloom

Do you have news to share? Send us a note! mary@chitag.com

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