Companies, Brands . . .

Imprint Entertainment launches kids division. Maryann Garger and Michael Becker will head up Imprint Family Entertainment and create films, TV series and podcasts, starting with Groove Tails.  It’s a shift for the LA-based studio, which has focused on decidedly more adult fare to date, including Nicholas Cage starrer Primal, horror film Zombie Tidal Wave and the marijuana-centric Kid Cannabis. 

BYJU’S Learning App Launches in U.S. Powered by Osmo. After finding success in India, BYJU’S is expanding globally to provide more technology-based education experiences. Through a new partnership, BYJU’S is powered by Osmo Technology and launches in the U.S. with content from Disney.

Hasbro, Super7 Collaborate for G.I. Joe ReAction, Ultimates! Lines. The ongoing resurgence of Hasbro‘s G.I. Joe brand has reached a new level. In one of the worst-kept secrets of recent months thanks to some retail listings that leaked earlier this year, Hasbro and Super7 are collaborating on two new lines of products inspired by the 1980s G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero animated series and toy line.

Bonkers Toys Gets Into the Game with YouTube Gaming Star Aphmau. Following its successful toy lines with YouTube stars, including Ryan’s World and FGTeeV, Bonkers Toys is getting into the game with another top YouTuber: Aphmau. Over the past few years, Aphmau aka Jessica Bravura has amassed more than 8 billion lifetime views on a Minecraft-heavy channel boasting more than 10 million subscribers.

Mattel Creations Expands for SDCC Exclusives, Direct-to-Consumer Offerings. In the absence of a traditional Comic-Con International: San Diego (SDCC) for the second year in a row, Mattel is expanding its own direct-to-consumer platform to connect with toy fans. Beginning today, Mattel Creations will be the exclusive destination for a host of products spanning numerous pop culture licenses across several of Mattel’s brands.

Hamleys invites kids to go for gold at summer long sports day. Fun and games will be taking place at the Regents Street branch this summer as well as nationwide in all Hamleys stores until September. Most pandemic restrictions in the UK are now being lifted, however the end of the summer school term has still been affected with many sports days being cancelled, meaning no egg and spoon, bean bag balancing or the...

Zapf launches Baby born Surprise Mini Babies. The adorable new 6cm Mini Babies collection sees the brand entering an exciting phase in its collectibles journey.  New to the Baby born Surprise Mini Babies range is the multiple character surprise reveal, with bundles including either a set of twins or triplets. There are nine food and garden themed sets to collect, with tiny new friends including Garden Peas, Banana Peels, Cheeky...

Jazwares’ Dino Ranch toy line, based on Boat Rocker Studios’ franchise of the same name,  will hit retail this fall. Products will be available via online retailers Walmart.com, Target.com, and Amazon, and in-store at other retailers including Kohl’s. Fans can choose from plush, assorted figures, feature vehicles, and playsets. “We’re thrilled to bring the world of Dino Ranch to preschoolers, and the entire team at Jazwares...

Big G Creative has a ghostly new murder mystery game, out now. You’ve Been Ghosted, available exclusively at Target, is a “whodunnit” that challenges three to six players, ages 10 and older, to solve their own murder from beyond the grave. They’ll need to figure out which suspect is guilty, what weapon they used, and their motive — the first to solve the mystery wins. The murder mystery game introduces 12 characters...

Spin Master Looks to Recruit Talent to Games Pod. Spin Master is looking to recruit board game and puzzle enthusiasts for its new games pod, hoping to reach prospective applicants with the launch of a new meme campaign. Calling all board game fans: Spin Master is recruiting for its new games pod, with the help of a meme campaign. Created to support marketing for Spin Master’s games and puzzles division, the games pod...

Netflix bets on animated movies, games for growth. While the SVOD giant's subscriber growth has slowed, The Mitchells vs. the Machines was a bright spot in Q2, and the streamer confirmed plans to get into games. Following a pandemic-driven bump in 2020, Netflix’s growth appears to be slowing. It added just 1.5 million new subscribers globally in Q2 2021—a far cry from the 10.1 million users that signed up in the same ...

Spirit Untamed toys arrive at retail as film hits cinemas. Global master toy licensee Mattel is building on the equine adventure with a broad range of horses, character dolls and play sets. The next chapter of DreamWorks Animation’s high-stakes adventure about a fearless girl and her beloved wild Mustang, Spirit Untamed is now hitting the big screen, with the movie enjoying a star-studded opening in the UK as celebrities ...

YWow collaborates with Hasbro for new range of Mini Puzzles.  YWow Brands, a fast growing toy company specialising in novelty puzzles and games, has recently collaborated with Hasbro to develop an assortment of five different collectible Mini Puzzles based on popular Hasbro gaming titles: Monopoly, Monopoly Junior, Cluedo, Operation and Trivial Pursuit. Each puzzle resembles a miniature version of the games, allowing...

Learning Resources and The Creation Station open Playfoam workshops. The #SummerofPlayfoam activity sessions will run across the UK as part of Learning Resources' wider Summer of Play campaign. The workshops, which will run from 24th to 31st July, will involve hands-on play and activities using the multi-sensory reusable compound that never dries out.

Hornby announces #HornbyHoliday Summertime Layout Challenge. Model railway enthusiasts are invited to create a summertime themed layout for the chance to win £1000 worth of prizes. Entrants must register to participate in the challenge by Sunday 25th July, and by 9th August must provide images (plus videos if wished) of the layout base, featuring the track and ground level scenic.

The Entertainer & Mattel launch The Summer Games campaign. The Entertainer is launching an engaging campaign spanning stores and online, highlighting Mattel's games range as the perfect family entertainment. The new campaign, The Summer Games, taps into the summer of sport consumers are enjoying and encourages the ‘athletes’ in each family or friendship group to battle it out over the likes of Uno, Scrabble...

Winners crowned for PlayMonster UK's My Living World Design a Bug Competition. Primary school students designed bugs for the My Living World campaign, as over 230 schools received free Ant World and Worm World sets with STEM Learning Packs. The competition was very popular, with over 800 students entering their bug designs.

(the above posted after July 16th)

Disney moving 2,000 jobs from Southern California to new Florida campus. The Walt Disney Co. said Thursday it planned to build a new regional campus in central FL to house at least 2,000 professional employees who will be relocating from So. CA to work in digital technology, finance and product development. The new Disney DIS, +0.40% campus will be located about 20 miles to the east of Disney World, in a ...

The Entertainer urges consumers to get their Christmas shopping early. With shipping from China reaching a crisis point that has seen costs skyrocket to all time highs amid a shortage of containers within the global supply chain, the UK’s independent toy retailer, The Entertainer is making its message to the consumer clear. Costs, shortages, and delays have hamstrung companies across the industries worldwide in recent 

Mattel wants to be like Marvel: Barbie is his strong card to star in movies. For 62 years, Barbie has been the hardest-working woman in the toy aisle, thanks to her endless variety of outfits and accessories; lately, even his complexion and skin color have changed as he moves from one profession to another. Astrophysicist Barbie. The dancing Barbie. Farmer Barbie. Firefighter Barbie.

Nickelodeon lines up trio of movies  SpringHill and Genius Entertainment are producing Fantasy Football, while Nick and Awesomeness adapt Hush Hush and prep a Blue's Clues movie. To kick things off, Nick and Awesomeness Films are planning to start production on an original live-action feature film called Fantasy Football in early 2022. 

Basic Fun’s Tiny TV Classics Are a Boxy Blast from the Past, in Collectible Form. The days of the CRT TV are lost upon the younger generations, but they’re making their way back into kids’ and adults’ collectible cases through Tiny TVs from Basic Fun! The 1.5-by-3 inch, Tiny TVs are real-working sets that feature famous scenes and quotes from iconic shows and movies.

Mattel makes its toys more diverse, launches new Naomi Osaka Barbie dolls. Four-time Grand Slam singles champion Naomi Osaka now has her own line of Barbie dolls. The 23-year-old world No. 2 tennis player, who has used her position to call attention to issues of police violence and racial inequality, became a part of Mattel's push to make its iconic toy line more diverse with dolls based on different role models and professions.

Moose Toys introduces Scruff-a-Luv Cutie Cuts. The plush pets can be given a full salon make-over, including being shaved and trimmed with a kid-safe accessory that works and feels like real clippers. The new Scruff-a-Luvs Cutie Cuts is said to be a first-of-its-kind plush and gives kids the fun experience of pretending to be a real dog groomer. 

Just Play - going solo. Independent US toy company Just Play has announced the creation of its 1st European subsidiary, which will open officially on 1st Jan 2022. Toy World met with David Allmark, executive advisor, and Anna Chapman, VP marketing EMEA at Just Play’s stunning new office in Henley on Thames, to find out why the timing is right for this step and how the European business strategy is set to extend the US success.

Safari Ltd. announced plans July 9 to open its first retail store, ToyTopia, in St. Johns County. The Nocatee Town Center store is planned to open in January, but that could be moved up in time for the holiday season. The store will encourage children to explore and interact with toys off the shelves. Nocatee residents Alexandre Pariente, CEO, and Christina Pariente lead Safari Programs, which operates Safari Ltd.  

MGA Entertainment’s L.O.L. Surprise! joins VeVe’s NFT platform. Yesterday, in celebration of L.O.L. Day (7.07 upside down), MGA Entertainment (MGAE) and VeVe revealed plans for a series of collectible NFTs inspired by the L.O.L. Surprise! brand. New Zealand-based VeVe mints digital collectibles on the blockchain, which allows for “an immutable record of authentication.”

Capstone Games will release 'Lux Aeterna'. Capstone Games will release Lux Aeterna, a new single player card game by Tony Boydell, in October. The player's spaceship is stuck in the gravitational pull of a black hole and they have to repair the damage to the ship's systems. The goal of the game is to draw and play all of the cards in the main deck without the ship collapsing or descending into the black hole.

Smart Toys and Games to distribute Whiz Kid Games’ Go Genius board games to the UK and Ireland. Smart Toys and Games has signed an exclusive agreement with Whiz Kid Games to launch its new Go Genius to the UK and Ireland this autumn. The new range aims to combine fun and learning through board games with a sustainable drive delivered through each game’s design. 

Renegade Game Studios and Oni Games announce 'The Three Little Wolves'. Renegade Game Studios and Oni Games announced The Three Little Wolves, a family game designed by Poki Chen and Smoox Chen, which will release in October. In The Three Little Wolves, is a reimagined fairy tale where the Big Bad Pigs tries to destroy the Little Wolves houses.

Spin Master’s PAW Patrol: The Movie toy collection is PAWsome! Spin Master Corp., creators of PAW Patrol, is set to debut a PAW-dropping toy collection for the upcoming feature film PAW Patrol: The Movie, a Spin Master Entertainment production in association with Nickelodeon Movies and distributed by Paramount Pictures. Fans can experience the larger-than-life story for the first time ever on the big screen August 20, 2021...

Engage in a duel of spies in 'Kompromat'. Asmodee USA will release Kompromat, a espionage card game by Helvetiq, into retail on August 20. In Kompromat, players take on the roles of rival spies trying to either release compromising material or suppress compromising material about a public figure. It is a strategic card game where players play several hands of blackjack simultaneously in an attempt to push their luck. 

ZURU extends Rainbocorns line with three new series. Three new characters are set to joint the Rainbocorns surprise unboxing egg brand from ZURU. Rainbocorns Puppycorn Surprise and Rainbocorn Fairycorn Surprise, both arrive in stores across the country in July, followed by Rainbocorns Jelly Shake Surprise in August. Puppycorn Surprise comes in a bright teal reusable egg sporting puppy ears, with a puppy-focused...

Funko announces expansion of Snapsies toys with Series 2 and seasonal Snapsies GEMS. Funko has announced two new expansions of tts Snapsies Mix and Match Surprise line, including some that will only be available during certain seasons. SuperParent has been given an exclusive look at some of the new toys and have plenty of first-look pictures to share! Series 2 of the "snap-and-match" Snapsies toys will feature ...

Mattel reveals first look at ‘Barbie: Big City Big Dreams’. A new Barbie adventure is coming to Netflix this fall. Barbie: Big City, Big Dreams is the latest expansion into the Barbie universe, and it’s set in the heart of New York City. Everyone’s favorite blonde icon, Barbie Roberts, travels from the West Coast to East Coast to pursue her dreams of music at Handler School for Performing Arts in the big city. 

Capstone Games announces 'Imperial Steam'. Capstone Games announced Imperial Steam, a railway-building game by Alexander Huemer, for release in October. In Imperial Steam, players tackle the economics and logistics of building an Industrial Age railway network. The goal of the game is for players to expand their network as much as they can. 

Leder Games reveals 'Fort: Cats & Dogs Expansion'. Leder Games revealed Fort: Cats & Dogs Expansion for release into retail in October. This new expansion to Fort (see "Build the Coolest 'Fort' on the Block") includes two modules that add Dogs and Cats to the mix. Dogs can be loyal companions, but they get distracted and run away if they are neglected. Cats move around and perform actions at specific times.

Speculate on Civil War bonds in 'Profiteers'. Stronghold Games will release Profiteers, a new historical board game, on July 28. In Profiteers, players assume the roles of British arms manufacturers that are trying to gain gold and bonds, which change in value depending on who is winning the American Civil War. They can invest money in arms factories to gain influence over the war, speculate, or buy up businesses that profit...

Battle through Middle-Earth's 'Spreading War Expansion'. Fantasy Flight Games revealed Spreading War Expansion, for LotR: Journeys in Middle-earth, which will release into retail in Q3. The shadow of war plagues Middle-earth in this new expansion. It contains new heroes, enemies, journey map tiles, terrain, and items to add to their campaigns. 

Asmodee USA reveals 'Winston'. Asmodee USA revealed Winston, a dachshund collecting card game by Helvetiq, for release into retail on August 20. In Winston, players try to collect the longest dachshunds that they can make. They play at least two cards each turn in an attempt to complete different-colored dogs. Longer dachshunds score more points, but players have to also try to avoid ending up with dog poo!..