June 2 - 9, 2023

CLICK HERE - THE BLOOM REPORT 24/7 NEWSFEED

Welcome to Your Weekly News Brief!

Happy Bloomin' Friday!

I’m back from Barcelona and yet another successful POP Networking Pub event. What fun it was to meet and greet more wonderful People of Play in such a maravillosa ciudad!

Next up: ASTRA! We are excited to gather up all our camping gear and head out to launch what is shaping up to be a fantastic program: Young Inventor Challenge Summer Camps! We are fostering creativity in kids, staving off the dreaded ‘summer slide’, and bringing them into local toy stores everywhere. Win, win, win, woohoo! Let us know if you are interested in being a part of the program

Thank you for reading the Bloom Report here or on the Bloom Report 24/7 News Feed!

Mary

“I seriously look forward to each 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 - Mattel's Brian Yu

On Winning the Kinderspiel des Jahres and More!

Hi Brian! You've enjoyed an incredible career doing what you love. Can you share with our readers what you are doing now for Mattel?

I’m the Director of Product Design for Games at Mattel – which means I oversee all design on physical games at Mattel. I started out as a Game Designer working on new games for all of these awesome brands and now I get to chart their trajectories into the future.

Why and how did you get into the Toy and Game industry?

I really have to thank my brother, Dale, for my interest in board games. When we were growing up, I was still into cartoons and action figures, but he dragged me kicking and screaming to play board games with him. We would play Axis and Allies all weekend long with some neighborhood kids, just taking over our dining room table (much to our Mom’s chagrin). I fondly remember a summer vacation where we got both Scotland Yard and Guillotine. Every night, we would play those games with my parents.

So an interest in board games was pretty much always there. It wasn’t until college that I discovered there was an actual paying job for designing board games. One of my best friends took an internship at Hasbro and got to work on games. He came back telling me how he just found my dream job.

Industry Opportunity - Summer Young Inventor Camps

Registration for People of Play's inaugural Young Inventors Challenge: Summer Camp Edition has only been live for two weeks and already we have over 5,500 kids and counting worldwide!

This summer camp edition, partnering with ASTRA and Happy Camper Live, is expanding the impact of this amazing toy industry initiative that fosters innovation, invention, and entrepreneurship in kids ages 6-18.

Host retailers and camps will all receive a "prototype pack" containing donations from supporting sponsors like Goliath Games, Starlux Games, Grand Prix International, Inc. (GPI), Kent Displays, Inc. | Makers of Boogie Board, Revenew Sales LLC, Design Edge Inc., Lulu Press, Inc. and more! The pieces contained in these packs will be used to ignite creativity, inspire design elements and teach various brainstorming and play testing methods to help kids on their inventing journey.

Toy industry gurus will volunteer their time to mentor and supply feedback on the concepts, designs, and marketing plans, providing these children with an experience of a lifetime! I love what our industry can accomplish when we all work together on legacy programming like #younginventorschallenge

To find out how you or your organization can be involved in our August programming, contact Jenna Stirling, Executive Director.

Person of the Week - Garrett Sander

The Toy Industry is like Working for the Government, Everything is Top Secret!

Hi Garrett! Thank you for taking time to chat with us today. Please share with our readers what you do in our industry.

I am currently a Principle Designer at Just Play Products on their New Brands IP team. Creating and designing new IP brands! Which means creating new toy brands and toy concepts from the ground up!

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

There is so much creativity in the industry and it is always amazing to see all the new toys every year! I always look forward to the coverage of new toys at spring and fall!

What is your claim to fame?

I am best known for creating Monster High! It’s really the highlight of my career, getting to create something that has had such an impact on so many people.

What advice do you have for people starting in the industry?

Make connections, talk to people in the industry and if you are passionate about it keep pursuing it! If you are having trouble finding a full time position, open yourself up to freelance so companies can get to see what you can do. Read More!

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

Thank you Bob Fuhrer for the cartoon this week!

Brain Teasers from Ivan Moscovich's, The Big Book of Brain Games.

Last Week's Q: Can you lift a marble off a table using only a wine glass? (Hitting the marble in any way is not allowed, as this might break the glass.)

This Week's A: Put the glass over the marble and move it so the marble starts to spin around inside the glass. Once the marble starts rotating, it will begin to rise above the table. When the marble is spinning fast enough, you can lift the glass off the table – and the marble will not drop immediately.

This Week's Q: How many penny coins can you drop into a shot glass full to the brim of water?

Quote of the Week: If you walk the footsteps of a stranger / You’ll learn things you never knew you never knew. - “Colors of the Wind,” "Pocahontas"

Lexophile Lovers: My grandfather invented the cold air balloon but it never really took off. -Thank you, Jerry Cleary for sending in!

Have a cartoon, quote or a joke to share with your colleagues? Send it to me! Mary

Financial and Legal

IETP on workplace grievance solutions. As new regulations requiring effective grievance mechanisms for workers come into effect, the ICTI Ethical Toy Program details the benefits of the IETP Worker Helpline. IETP’s Aoife McCarthy tells us supply chains are an essential part of the global economy, connecting businesses and consumers across the world. However, factory workers and other professionals who are critical...

Upper Deck filed a lawsuit in the Superior Court of California — County of San Diego against Ravensburger and a former Upper Deck game designer, Ryan Miller, alleging that the parties conspired to “steal and copy Upper Deck’s original game which Ravensburger repackaged and marketed as Disney Lorcana.” First revealed last year timed with Disney’s D23 Expo, Disney Lorcana is Ravensburger’s entry into...

LABOR ACTION SHUTS DOWN WEST COAST PORT TERMINALS. As Contract Negotiations Continue. Workers at West Coast ports staged an informal labor action, beginning on Friday, that caused shutdowns of terminals at major ports and slowdowns at others, as negotiations continue on a new contract between port operators and the International Longshoremen Warehouse Union.

JAKKS Pacific continues to strengthen its operations. The company revealed that it repaid in full its term loan from Benefit Street Partners this week by making a voluntary prepayment of $30.5 million using cash on hand. JAKKS says that it believes the early payoff will save approximately $1.2 million in case expense for the fiscal year.

As part of an ongoing Disney restructuring, iconic animation studio Pixar has let go of 75 staffers in its first large-scale layoffs since 2013. Among those whose roles have been eliminated are two key execs behind Lightyear, which grossed just US$226 million globally. Director Angus MacLane and producer Galyn Susman had both been with Pixar since the ’90s. Michael Agulnek, VP of worldwide publicity, has also been let go.

Microsoft Corp. agreed to pay $20 million to settle a US Federal Trade Commission claim that the company illegally collected data from children who signed up to use its Xbox gaming system. The Redmond, Washington tech giant required anyone using the Xbox Live service to register with a name, email address and age information. But even when the company was aware of users under age 13 it continued to

GameStop kicked off its fiscal results by announced that it has fired president and CEO Matthew Furlong "without cause." In an SEC filing, the U.S. video game retailer said its board of directors terminated Furlong on June 5th. A successor hasn't been announced, but board chairman Ryan Cohen has been named executive chairman. That changing of the guard comes with net sales falling yr-on-yr to $1.24 billion from $1.37...

Disneyland Paris has been rocked by a wave of protests and strikes of an unprecedented scale from employees, prompting the cancelation of several shows. A large demonstration is being held today (June 6) with hundreds of employees, some of whom are cast members of popular Disneyland shows, marching through the theme park with banners, wearing their costumes. It marks the fifth day of labor...

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Financial Reporting

IDW Publishing lost around $200,000 on declining sales in its fiscal Q2 ended April 30, 2023, IDW Publishing sales were $1.9 million, down from $2.3 million in the year ago quarter, a decline the company attributed to a difference in sales to Scholastic.

Disney's new 'Little Mermaid' swims to the top of the holiday box office with $95.5M.

Pokémon series has sold 480 million units, made 52.9 billion cards. The Pokémon franchise has hit some impressive benchmarks recently, with its games hitting 480 million units worldwide.

Steve Jackson Games sales up from last two years. Steve Jackson Games increased sales and expanded its direct-to-consumer and direct-to retailer sales initiatives, the company said in its report to stakeholders for 2022.

B&M reports drop in profits, although sales are up. B&M posted a -17% drop in pre-tax profits in the year to 25th March 2023, which it said were due to rising operational costs.

Revenue across all video game market segments fell in 2022. The new report also says that China and the US made up 49% of consumer spending

Trends, Market Research, and State of the Industry

Toy sales in Japan top ¥1 trillion for the first time, led by foreign tourists

MAY 2023 CIRCANA BOOKSCAN - TOP 20 ADULT GRAPHIC NOVELS

***the above posted after June 8th***

TOP 20 GRAPHIC NOVELS - MAY 2023

TOP 50 COMICS - MAY 2023

TCGPlayer Top 25 Sealed Products (with price shifts) - May 2023

Toyjobs has been the dominant recruiting

Stories, Comments, and Advice

The Model Rockets That Carried Us to the Stars. Inspired by the space race, we defined ourselves by our choice of miniature machines. For me, the Space Age began on the weed-choked field behind North School in Glencoe, Ill., in 1976. That’s where Mr. Irmis, who drove a VW microbus and taught us science, math and sex ed, convened the elementary-school model rocket club on Tuesday and Thursday afternoons.

Lifelong love for Meccano connects collectors at museum. 'What happens is that people like us put away our childhood toys, and years and years later, you kind of get bit again,' says enthusiast. Meccano, a construction system mostly made for use by children, comes in many different sets that include metal pieces, wheels and gears, which can then be connected together with nuts and bolts, all with the goal of constructing...

***the above posted after June 9th***

John Baulch, Toy World - Feeling hot, hot, hot …it’s the Friday Blog! It certainly took its time, but summer has finally arrived here in the UK. Hopefully there will be no more requests for markdown money on outdoor ranges from the major accounts, as I would assume they are shifting stock like hot cakes now things are hotting up.

'Barbie' movie reportedly causes international shortage of pink paint. The set, which was built on the Warner Bros. Studios lot outside London, includes all the iconic elements of Barbie's Dreamhouse, even the infamous waterslide. "Why walk down stairs when you can slide into your pool? Why trudge up stairs when you take an elevator that matches your dress?"

Hong Kong’s famous rubber duck returns — and now there are two. A decade since it famously appeared in Victoria Harbour, Dutch artist Florentijn Hofman’s “Rubber Duck” sculpture has returned to Hong Kong. And this time it has a friend. Creative studio AllRightsReserved, which often orchestrates public art displays in the city, announced Thursday that a pair of Hofman’s inflatable ducks will float in Hong Kong’s...

Inside the Barbie Dreamhouse, a Fuchsia Fantasy Inspired by Palm Springs. Barbie’s Dreamhouse is no place for the bashful. “There are no walls and no doors,” says Greta Gerwig via email. “Dreamhouses assume that you never have anything you wish was private—there is no place to hide.” That layered domestic metaphor has proved rich fodder for the filmmaker, whose live-action homage to the iconic Mattel doll...

Fab Lab Students Create Cochlear Implants for Kids’ Toys. Island High School teacher Jeannie Llewellyn and her Fab Lab students have expanded their toy cochlear implant transmitter project to include more students from the Deaf/Hard of Hearing Program. Their work culminated with a small event where students and families could pick up personalized teddy bears fitted with a toy CI transmitter and talk to the student...

Volkswagen brings VW bus back to North American market after 20 years. Volkswagen will start selling battery-powered versions of its VW bus in North America from 2024 onwards, the carmaker said on Friday, in what marks the reintroduction of the iconic model after a two-decade hiatus. The introduction of the fully electric ID. Buzz will also include an extra-long version that can seat up to seven passengers...

HOW MANY TOY TRADE SHOWS DO WE REALLY NEED? Like some of you reading this, I am just back from the Distoy trade show event in London. This show is focused on giving Toy distributors the opportunity to select products from other markets and gives those Toy companies who run their own product development programs the opportunity to show final production products after showing prototypes /work in...

The Impact Of AI On Strategy Games. In 2022, players of the popular strategy board game Diplomacy gathered in the metaverse for an online tournament of the game. They were spread out across the globe; none of the players could see each other, only interact within the gameplay. So they had no way of knowing that one of the players was a computer—a Meta-designed artificial intelligence (AI) program named Cicero.

When the Neighbors Don’t Share Your Vision (and That Vision Involves ‘Transformers’ Statues). A professor decorated a sidewalk in Georgetown with 10-foot sculptures of Bumblebee and Optimus Prime. The well-heeled locals were not pleased. The thing about putting a pair of 10-foot statues of metal-hewn Transformers outside your townhouse in the most picturesque district of the nation’s capital is that the neighbors...

How Sony’s ‘Spider-Verse’ Franchise Struck Box Office Gold… Again. Spidey’s still got it. “Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse,” a sequel to Sony’s 2018 Oscar-winning “Into the Spider-Verse,” collected $120 million in its box office debut — a towering figure that’s more than triple the original’s opening weekend. The first film, one of the intial cinematic introductions to the multiverse, started with a softer $34.4 million but...

History and Nostalgia

The origin of playing cards is highly debated: some scholars think they were developed in China in the 9th century, while others believe they were developed alongside tile games like dominos or mahjong. Still others think that playing cards originated as “play money” for early gambling games. However, the earliest confirmed record of playing cards appears in a German manuscript from 1377.

The Hollywood Squares TV Game from Ideal (1974). Released in 1974 by the Ideal Toy Company, The Hollywood Squares TV Game is modeled after the game show of the same name, which originally aired on NBC from 1966-1981. Prominently displayed on the box is a photo of Peter Marshall, who was the original host of the television version throughout its entire first run.

Mickey Mouse Candy Factory from Remco (1973). In 1973, Remco produced the Mickey Mouse Candy Factory set, a toy that encouraged kids to make their own sweet treats, with no batteries or electricity required. The toy was designed to resemble a factory, including an industrial façade and roof-top water tower.

Setting the pace… Mattel Toys Catalogue (1986). This 200-page Mattel catalogue from 1986 reflected the company’s continued diversification of its product offerings. Mattel introduced a new line of Barbie dolls and accessories (starting on page 3), expanding the options available to collectors and fans of the iconic fashion doll.

Race Around from Whitman (1975). Released in 1975 by Whitman, the Race Around board game pit two players against each other in a race to bump each other’s cars off the race track. The game board was illustrated with five red and five blue spaces on which players positioned their plastic cars at the start of the game. Players chose the scorecard whose color matched their cars.

KliKiT Build n’ Play Sets from Ideal (1969). In the 1960s, Ideal released KliKiT, a line of Build n’ Play sets designed to encourage creativity and help young builders develop construction skills through a unique interlocking system called “Press-Fit Assembly”. Each set consisted of a varying number of brightly coloured panels in different shapes and sizes and connectors that securely held the panels together.

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Licensing and Entertainment

Disney-owned Hulu and NBCUniversal streamer Peacock are looking to scare up some more young viewers with a new series from DreamWorks Animation and horror master Eli Roth. Fright Krewe is DreamWorks’ first scary show for older kids (pre-teens), and it revolves around a group of misfit teens who have to save New Orleans from a demonic threat. They soon find out, though, that building lasting...

Brand-new trailer celebrating Pixar Animation Studios’ “Carl’s Date.” Opening June 16 in front of Disney and Pixar’s “Elemental,” the marks a return to the studio’s tradition of pairing its feature films with animated shorts on the big screen. Written and directed by Academy Award® nominee and Emmy® Award winner Bob Peterson and produced by Kim Collins, “Carl’s Date” goes home with Carl Fredricksen and his lovable talking dog, Dug...

***The above posted after June 9th***

Toca Boca, Spin Master’s award-winning Swedish game development studio, is thrilled to announce a new SpongeBob SquarePants licence. The new partnership with Paramount Consumer Products and Nickelodeon will offer kids a ground-breaking way to experience the SpongeBob SquarePants universe.

Hasbro continues to evolve as one of the biggest brands in the world thanks to the guidance of Blueprint 2.0, a strategy designed to level up the business by bringing stories to life. License Global speaks to Kim Boyd, head, global brands and consumer innovation, and Casey Collins, president, licensed consumer products, Hasbro about how the brand’s intellectual property portfolio plays a major role in Hasbro’s...

Mattel’s Making New Memories. Legendary toy co. charts a course from nostalgia to new horizons. You may not remember Mattel’s first big toy (the Uke-a-Doodle), but you probably have fond memories of other Mattel products. The brand, founded in 1945, has a toy portfolio with top licensed properties like Barbie, Thomas & Friends, Fisher-Price and Hot Wheels. The leading global toy co. ranked in the Top Ten Global...

Renegade Game Studios has expanded their licensing partnership with Hasbro to include Heroscape. Heroscape's return to the tabletop was first announced by Avalon Hill as a Hasbro Pulse crowdfunding preorder back in October 2022. The project did not meet its goals via this crowdfunding effort, and Heroscape was shelved once again. Now, Renegade has picked up Heroscape as a license, and has plans to...

Experience the magical world of Unicorn Academy, a new fantasy-adventure series from Spin Master Entertainment with this first look. Unicorn Academy is the boarding school of every kid’s dreams. Located on Unicorn Island™, Sophia and the rest of the freshman class must bond with a unicorn to unlock their magical powers; only then can they learn to become revered protectors of the island and its magic...

Indian animation service studio 88 Pictures has opened a Toronto office, hiring three Canadian industry veterans to run it and spearhead an expansion into original content. Sabrina Riegel is the studio’s global head of look, overseeing film and TV animation, with Nol Meyer serving as global head of previsualization and layout, and Jean Claude Nouchy as digital FX supervisor.

Sony Pictures Television (SPT) is looking to expand its partnerships across CEE, with coproductions of increasing interest to the US studio as it looks to expand its global activities. There is also increasing appetite to develop deeper relationships in regions such as CEE, according to Mark Young, EVP of distribution & networks in Europe, Middle East and Africa.

Wind Sun Sky cooks up a Potatoverse. The Canadian prodco is collaborating with entrepreneur and OWL founder Annabel Slaight to debut a new IP focused on climate action for six- to 10-year-olds. Climate change is a concern for children and adults alike, and kids industry veterans Catherine Winder and Annabel Slaight are tapping into this emerging whitespace with a new environmentally themed IP called the Potatoverse.

Goliath is busy this summer with three new game drops. The company recently acquired the license for Green Team Wins from Nathan Thorton and creative studio 25th Century Games. Green Team Wins a competitive game where players are all asked the same questions and compete to get the right answers. The winners of each round join the green team, and, of course, the green team wins.

Content creation studio TheSoul Publishing and Crayola have decided to extend their partnership in an effort to broaden Crayola’s digital reach and influence. Building on an initial YouTube campaign, the companies will incorporate TikTok and Pinterest in addition to YouTube management. “[TheSoul Publishing’s] global reach and unparalleled ability to create high-quality video content align perfectly with our...

Jazwares is coming to Licensing Expo in Las Vegas with nearly 20 new licensees for Squishmallows. “Squishmallows continue to reach well beyond the toy aisle granting us the opportunity to curate a full 360-degree licensing portfolio which allows our millions of fans to dive even deeper into the captivating world of Squishmallows,” says Judd Karofsky, Executive Vice President for Jazwares.

Two leading toy and game companies have unveiled the extension of their partnership for the iconic Spirograph brand. PlayMonster and Hasbro have announced that PlayMonster will continue to support the Spirograph brand as part of its global growth strategy aimed at bringing the spiral-designing toy to even more aspiring artists worldwide.

Actor Samira Wiley’s unique personal story is being brought to life in an epic LEGO portrait this Pride Month. The LEGO Group has collaborated with the award-winning actor and producer to celebrate the power of creative self-expression within the LGBTQIA+ community with a 41,000-brick self-portrait...

Scentco has teamed up with United Talent Agency (UTA) to expand the Bedtime Defenderz brand into new territories. Bedtime Defenderz are bedtime superheroes designed to help kids afraid of the dark and wary of bedtime go down with ease. “In forging this partnership with UTA, a titan known for their expertise in representing top-tier talent and iconic brands, our goal is to propel the Bedtime Defenderz brand into...

HASBRO LAUNCHES MARVEL LEGENDS FIGURES FOR ‘THE MARVELS’. Now that Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 and Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse have hit movie screens, fans are counting down the days until the next Marvel movie hits screens. The Marvels comes out in November, but Hasbro is gearing up early with a new line of Marvel Legends action figures.

Bandai Namco Toys & Collectibles America is looking to connect with gamers with its new line of collectible action figures, GameDimensions. The first two figures in the collection are from the iconic fighting video game, TEKKEN. “The TEKKEN franchise would not be where it is today if it weren’t for the dedicated fandom that has continued to evolve with it,” says Daisuke Zama, SVP, Brand Toy Department.

Tonies adds Disney Encanto to portfolio. Tonies has announced the UK launch of Disney’s hit musical Encanto in Tonie form. The Encanto Tonie was launched in the US a few weeks ago and immediately became the number one best-seller, with New York Magazine tipping the new addition to be a sell-out Tonie, signaling an equally enthusiastic reception here in the UK. Disney’s Encanto won an Academy Award...

Ahead of next week’s Licensing Expo in Las Vegas, JoJo Siwa and her mom/business partner Jessalynn Siwa have inked a raft of new licensing deals and consumer products partnerships for XOMG POP! XOMG POP! is a girl group that debuted less than two years ago on the NBC/Peacock unscripted series, Siwa’s Dance Pop Revolution and was previewed at last year’s Licensing Expo where they inked a host of deals...

The new Moonbug Radio channel is the exclusive US radio destination for the music of world-renowned family favourites CoComelon, Blippi and more. SiriusXM has announced the launch of Moonbug Radio, an exclusive new year-round channel in collaboration with Moonbug Entertainment, a subsidiary of Candle Media and the award-winning global entertainment co. behind some of the most popular kids’ content...

Retailers will have more video game-inspired collectibles to stock this fall. McFarlane Toys and Blizzard Entertainment inked a multiyear licensing deal that gives McFarlane rights to create and market action figures inspired by Blizzard’s various video game franchises. At launch, the assortment includes characters from World of Warcraft, Diablo, and the upcoming mobile game Warcraft Arclight Rumble.

The Minecraft universe continues to expand. Ahead of the brand’s 15th anniversary next year, Microsoft’s Mojang Studios has entered into a slate of new licensing partnerships for the video game brand to further expand its product offerings. New licensing partners include Crayola for seasonal and party items in the U.S. and Canada; American Greetings for greeting cards and wrapping paper in the U.S. and Canada...

Cloudco Entertainment has entered into multiple licensing partnerships in North America across various categories for its Care Bears brand in an effort to provide fans of all ages with a diverse range of product. The company also recently released Dare to Care Bear, a new addition to the Basic Fun! plush line featuring a belly badge with two happy shooting stars, as well as Care Bears Lil’ Besties, surprise mini...

There’s a new batch of figures for Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (TNMT) fans — straight from the sewer. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem from Paramount Pictures, Nickelodeon Films, and Point Grey Studios is scheduled to release on Aug. 2, and master toy partner Playmates Toys has revealed its line-up of detailed classic mutants and villains figures inspired by the new film.

Now, ahead of Licensing Expo, Universal Products & Experiences has named Moose Toys as the global master toy licensee for the Despicable Me and Minions franchise. Under the new deal, Moose Toys will release an extensive collection of action figures, playsets, collectibles, and role-play items, in addition to co-branded toys, including Moose’s Heroes of Goo Jit Zu.

BrandTrends Group, a marketing research company that specializes in kids and families, is launching LicenseSelector, a service designed to streamline the process of licensing deals between entertainment licensors and manufacturers. “LicenseSelector is the result of a deep investigation for identifying the best license based on multiple criteria,” says BrandTrends CEO Philippe Guinaudeau.

Sony announces PMI as master global toy partner for The Creature Cases. PMI will spearhead the brand’s consumer products rollout with a range of playsets, figures and plush based on The Creature Cases for global retail launch from 2024. Sony Pictures Television – Kids (SPT – Kids), formerly Silvergate Media, is proud to announce that leading toy manufacturer PMI is on board as global master toy partner...

KessCo announces licensing partnership with SEGA of America and Sonic the Hedgehog. KessCo, a third-generation toy and game company, announced a licensing partnership with SEGA of America, Inc and the Sonic the Hedgehog franchise, marking Kess’ first national licensing agreement with SEGA of America. The partnership will offer Kess the opportunity to feature the iconic Blue Blur...

Ravensburger announces new Disney Villainous Games and Tournament for 2023. Ravensburger, the acclaimed publisher behind award-winning board games and high-quality toys and puzzles, has revealed new plans for its wickedly popular Disney Villainous franchise, including two new games and a first-ever Disney Villainous tournament.

Amazon Kids+ and Prime Video have ordered a 24-episode series called Angry Birds Mystery Island from Rovio and LA-based animation studio Titmouse. Instead of going on an all-expenses-paid vacation as a contest prize, three birds are catapulted onto an uncharted island in this franchise spinoff. They must then unravel the island’s secrets in order to survive and make it home.

Cartoon Saloon Brand Development Signs Deal with Asmodee to Develop ‘Irish Folklore Trilogy’ Game. Five-time Academy Award, Golden Globe, BAFTA and Emmy-nominated animation studio, Cartoon Saloon announces a development deal with leading game publisher Asmodee to create a new game for kids based on its Irish Folklore Trilogy, including Academy Award-nominated features WolfWalkers, Song of the Sea ...

BBC Studios Kids & Family adds 30 new partners for Bluey in North America and Latin America ahead of Licensing Expo. BBC Studios Kids & Family, distributor and licensor for the hit animated series Bluey, is again adding to its already stellar roster of licensing partners creating product based on the Emmy -winning series that has become a global household favorite.

A Smurfs tabletop game is on the way from 7 Wonders and Dead Cells designers. A new tabletop game starring the blue, mushroom-dwelling pop icons The Smurfs will release next year. Behind the upcoming Smurfs board game are 7 Wonders creator Antoine Bauza, Cash ‘N Guns designer Ludovic Maublanc, Sea Salt & Paper co-designer Théo Rivière and Corentin Lebrat, the group of French game designers collectively...

Massive opening for 'Across The Spider-Verse'; Disney+ Pulls 30 shows, writes down $1.5 billion; Miles Morales live action movie; 'Spider-Man 4' paused; 'TMNT: Mutant Mayhem' Trailer; live action films based on animation. Spider-Man: Across The Spider-Verse qualifies as a massive hit by any standard, taking in $120.5 million at the domestic box office in its opening weekend, according to Deadline.

'Heroes of Fairy Tail' heads to retail. Officially-licensed game based on the hit Anime. Japanime Games will release Heroes of Fairy Tail, a new card drafting game by Don't Panic Games, into retail in August 2023. In this game, based on the hit anime, players must recruit heroes and form them into teams to defeat various threats to the Kingdom of Fiore.

People of Play

Toy Legend, Jay Horowitz Re-Issues Rare 007 Attache Case. We recently had the pleasure of catching up toy legend Jay Horowitz on his latest release, the James Bond Secret Agent 0078 Attache Case. For those note familiar with Jay, he's third generation "toy man" that owns the largest independent collection of classic toy brands and original molds from the 19502-1980s.

How Alan Dorfman Sold Millions Of Toys By Thinking Small - Very Small. In the toy industry, Alan Dorfman is master of the mini-verse. Dorfman, first as the founder of the Basic Fun toy company, and now as president of Super Impulse, became fascinated by miniature toys long before the current TikTok-influenced craze for tiny playthings and collectibles began. In the early 1990s, he convinced the company...

Three generations of LEGO designers came together for one set – and lucky they did, because the design process was far from simple. Brick Fanatics recently got the chance to catch up with LEGO Designer Niek van Slagmaat, where he walked us through some of the most iconic sets that he’s worked on. We started at the beginning, with the very first set that Niek worked on: LEGO BOOST 17101 Boost Creative Toolbox.

Mom Who Asked Fisher-Price For Toy That Looks Like Her Son Blown Away By Company’s Response. It’s rare that 5 yo Archer “Archie” Coffman sees people that look like him. Not a home, not at school, and not in toy stores. Archer, a vibrant Black boy with red hair, was adopted by Andrew and Niki Coffman shortly after he was born. “It's a complicated, huge responsibility when you’re a white parent adopting a child...

Q&A With Hot Wheels Designer And Hot Wheels Legends Tour Returns For 2023. Ever wanted to know how Hot Wheels car are designed? We interviewed Hot Wheels' head designer to find out... Ted Wu, Global Head of Vehicle Design at Mattel, Inc says, “The UK consistently delivers a group of incredible finalists, each worthy of becoming a Legend. That makes it one of the closest fought competitions in our growing Tour.

Despite producing about 200,000 stuffed animals per year, the Shelburne-based Vermont Teddy Bear Company has but one designer: Cassandra Clayton. Clayton has been the designer at Vermont Teddy Bear for over seven years. Her stuffed animals designs include mermaid bears, witch bears, Santa Claus bears, sharks, giraffes, and octopi. "Any magical creature, any animal in the animal kingdom, I feel like I've...

As we wind down our celebration of Asian American and Pacific Islander Month (AAPI), WiT had the privilege of sitting down for a conversation with industry leader, Janet Hsu. Over the course of her career, Hsu has held executive roles at MGA Entertainment, Mattel, Sanrio, Saban Brands, Horizon Group USA, and more.

Craft Buddy welcomes Jonathan Kirkley as head of marketing. Leading crafting company Craft Buddy has strengthened its management team by appointing ex-Re:creation and Mattel marketer, Jonathan Kirkley, as head of Marketing. He will lead the Craft Buddy marketing team on all marketing initiatives across a growing portfolio that includes the popular Crystal Art, Forever Flowerz, Craft Buddy Puzzles and...

Greg Stanton takes on innovative new role at Asmodee. Greg Stanton will take over the marketing, purchasing and quality assurance teams at Asmodee. Forming part of the company’s leadership team, his new title is head of Product – Commercial. This newly created role is part of the latest innovative thinking and planning from Asmodee as the company works to increase its visibility and awareness on the high-street...

Zev Shlasinger parts ways with Wizkids. Former owner of Z-Man Games seeks next adventure. WizKids announced that Zev Shlasinger will be parting ways them after seven years with the company. Shlasinger joined WizKids in 2016 as their Director of Board Game Development after he exited Z-Man Games. At WizKids, he expanded their board game offerings significantly, adding titles to their catalog such as Super Skill Pinball...

Erica Haythornthwaite joins Kayes of Cardiff. Erica Haythornthwaite, formerly of Orchard Toys and James Galt, brings many years experience to the Kayes team, which announced a distribution partnership with Orchard in May 2022. Erica, who announced her retirement from full time work in January, has decided after four months away from the Toy Trade that the new part time challenge offered by Kayes will re-kindle her...

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Companies and Brands

10 Minutes With … Hasbro at Licensing Expo. License Global speaks with Claire Gilchrist, vice president North America & Pacific, licensed consumer products, Hasbro about some of Harbso’s recent fashion collaborations and what has been showcasing at Licensing Expo 2023. As we celebrate Hasbro’s centennial anniversary year and continue to navigate the global economic uncertainty resulting from post-pandemic forces...

***The above posted after June 9th***

The brand boss behind Barbie’s comeback opens up the Mattel Playbook. How did a brand in terminal decline go on to rack up record sales and make the most anticipated movie of the year? Mattel’s chief operating officer talks us through how he pulled off the brand turnaround of the century. In 2015, Barbie, having long been criticized for promoting unrealistic body ideals and perpetuating gender stereotypes, saw its lowest...

Entertainment One (eOne), Hasbro’s global entertainment studio, has announced that Peppa, her family and friends will embark on an open seas adventure in a four part Peppa Pig Cruise Special, premiering on Nick Jr. on 5th June at 7pm EST/PST. The first trailer for the special debuted on the Hasbro official YouTube channel today. The combined 20-minute Peppa Pig Cruise Special sees Peppa, George, Granny...

Mattel is experimenting with generative-artificial-intelligence tools including ChatGPT to help its cybersecurity teams, but the company’s head of cybersecurity said the risk of inaccurate results from the new technology is too great to deploy it broadly. Generative AI tools could make cyber analysts’ jobs easier by helping with tedious tasks, like parsing large datasets, freeing employees to do more pressing...

‘Unicorn Academy’ Trailer Offers Colorful First Look at Magical and Music-Filled Spin Master Adaptation. Spin Master's president of Entertainment Jen Dodge talks taking Julie Sykes' popular series from book to screen and breaks down what viewers can expect from the upcoming series with co-viewing potential.

Twitch is reversing its newly announced rules concerning the way streamers could display ads on the platform after swift backlash from streamers and content creators. On Tuesday, Twitch released new rules concerning the way streamers could display ads on the platform. The rules prohibited “burned in” video, display, and audio ads — the first two of which were popular and common formats used throughout Twitch.

One of the most popular — and iconic — vehicles from Hasbro’s G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero collection is getting an upgrade. Hasbro officially revealed Operation: Dragonfly this morning, a HasLab project to crowdfund the G.I. Joe Classified Series G.I. Joe Assault Copter Dragonfly (XH-1). At press time, the project is moving toward its goal in record time with nearly 5,000 backers against a goal of 10,000 in just the first...

Funko has announced the first wave of its new Pops! With Purpose Pride Collection, with more to come, available exclusively at Funko.com. Proceeds from the latest Pops! With Purpose collection will benefit the global nonprofit organization, the It Gets Better Project, which has a mission to uplift, empower and connect lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer youth around the globe.

Airfix adds five new releases to range with aircraft builds spanning from Vintage Classics to re-introductions, the latest Airfix model kits are all available now. This June, Airfix has announced five new releases into the range. The first is the fast jet trainer, the Folland Gnat T.1. Entering RAF service in 1959, the Gnat was responsible for training many hundreds of future fast jet pilots during its 20-year service career.

Playmobil takes over summer holidays on Pop and Tiny Pop. The takeover on the Pop and Tiny Pop channels will let Playmobil reach a vast audience over the summer and increase awareness of the brand and product range. Playmobil is ready to make itself heard this school holiday with fun and impactful ads across the Pop and Tiny Pop networks.

Race to the hoard in 'Greedquest'. New edition of the classic card game illustrated by 'Girl Genius' co-creator Phil Foglio. Steve Jackson Games will release GreedQuest, a new edition of the classic card game, for release into retail on June 28, 2023. GreedQuest is an unpredictable game where players race to the bottom of a dungeon to grab The Hoard of treasure.

Gross toys are making a comeback this year. Following a sneak preview at The Play Date event in New York City this spring, ZURU has confirmed plans to launch the latest installment in the 5 Surprise series: 5 Surprise Mega Gross Minis. The new assortment features parodies of familiar consumer products brands made gross.

Spin Master sold 1 million Gabby’s Purrfect Dollhouse toys. Universal Products & Experiences (UP&E) is celebrating some big milestones for DreamWorks Animation’s Gabby’s Dollhouse. Over the past two years, the brand has grown to become a preschool juggernaut with global expansion across multiple categories.

Asmodee USA has signed an agreement with rep group Diverse Marketing for nationwide sales to the Toy and Gift channel in the U.S. Beginning June 10, sales to retailers in the Toy and Gift channel will be handled by Diverse Marketing sales representatives in all U.S. territories. Diverse Marketing will be fielding "a select catalog of carefully curated Asmodee games," an Asmodee spokesperson told ICv2.

'The Witcher: Old World' heads to retail. Asmodee will release The Witcher: Old World, a new fantasy adventure board game by Go On Board and CD Projekt RED, into retail on June 23, 2023. This board game was first offered up on Kickstarter in June 2022, where it raised $7,330,541 (converted from Euros) from 45,162 backers (about $162 per backer). Based on the hit video game and streaming series.

Jazwares brings Squishmallows to McDonald’s Happy Meals. Jazwares has announced a new collaboration with McDonald’s to bring its popular Squishmallows plush figures to Happy Meals around the world. Currently the No.1 plush property in the US and second best-selling toy brand overall, the McDonald’s offer will feature a total of 24 iconic Squishmallows plush toys, with each participating market running...

Hot Wheels Legends Tour returns to the UK. Hot Wheels Legends Tour returns to the UK to find the ideal car to recreate as a die-cast toy and for the first time, UK fans will be able to vote. The chance to have a car perfectly recreated as a Hot Wheels die-cast toy is back, along with new opportunities for all UK fans to be a part of the growing Hot Wheels Legends Tour.

Hasbro hosted Transformers: Battle in Brooklyn fan event ahead of ‘Transformers: Rise of the Beasts’ premier. On June 3, 2023, Hasbro and Amazon collaborated on a special Transformers: Battle in Brooklyn free fan event in Brooklyn, NY that celebrated the highly anticipated film Transformers: Rise of the Beasts – releasing globally by Paramount Pictures exclusively in theaters on June 9. T

Bandai reveals Tamagotchi Uni. The innovative new Tamagotchi Uni sees the best-selling virtual pet become even more unique, united and universal thanks to the Tamaverse. The toy that sparked a worldwide virtual pet frenzy in the 90s promises to shake up the toy industry once again with an all-new device, Tamagotchi Uni, marking the brand’s first simultaneous global launch of core Tamagotchi.

Toikido’s debut offerings for Piñata Smashlings to arrive in September. London-based Toikido is set to unveil its first products for Piñata Smashlings in September. The first offerings to hit the market in the U.S. will be toys, plush, and playsets from PMI Kids’ World, arriving in Walmart, Toys “R” Us, Amazon, and other retailers in October.

Peterkin Group celebrates 75 years in the toy industry on 8th June, and says it’s looking forward to an exciting year ahead. The British company Peterkin, first established in 1948, is a successful multi-category toy manufacturer with a global presence. Operating from offices in the UK and Hong Kong, Peterkin currently supplies product to over 60 countries worldwide. Peterkin is well known for its impressive range of...

'Warhammer 40,000: Leviathan' heads to preorder. New 10E boxed set features Space Marines against the Tyranids. Games Workshop will release Leviathan, a new boxed set for Warhammer 40,000, which will hit preorder on June 10, 2023. The new 10E boxed features 72 new miniatures total, divided between a Space Marines and Tyranid army.

CMON offers 'Metal Gear Solid: The Board Game', cooperative stealth action game. CMON has revealed its Metal Gear Solid: The Board Game, scheduled to launch in May 2024. Based on the video game from Konami Digital Entertainment, Metal Gear Solid: The Board Game is a scenario-driven, stealth-based board game of covert action in a science fiction setting, created by Emerson Matsuuchi...

MGA’s Miniverse makes it mini this National Doughnut Day. The National Doughnut Day campaign will showcase the newly launched MGA’s Miniverse Make It Mini Café collection. Following its launch earlier this year, MGA’s Miniverse has seen phenomenal growth, racking up impressive follower numbers across its social media channels.

One for Fun unveils major new summer social media campaign for Micro Fidgetz. One for Fun is hoping to replicate the success of its Scrunchems summer social media campaign, which is rapidly gaining momentum. Influencers have been gifted One For Fun’s new Micro Fidgetz to review on their social media channels Focusing on all things squishy,

Wild Survivors booster set now available for Yu-Gi-Oh! Konami Digital Entertainment has announced that the new booster set Wild Survivors is available now for the Yu-Gi-Oh! TCG in Europe and Oceania. This 60-card set brings three new captivating strategies and each theme has a unique gameplay style to discover. Konami has detailed what to expect from Wild Survivors, which introduces new Vanquish Soul monsters.

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Gaming: Digital, Video, Hardware, and Development

Resident Evil Village has topped 8 million sales in two years. The horror title launched in May 2021. Resident Evil Village has sold more than 8 million copies in just over two years, according to developer Capcom. The survival horror title, which is a direct sequel to Resident Evil 7: Biohazard, launched in May 2021 for PlayStation, Xbox, and PC platforms.

Video game classic Worms is being turned into a board game. Classic video game Worms is headed to the tabletop in a board game adaptation. Worms: The Board Game is in the works at Mantic Games, the Nottingham studio known for fantasy wargame Kings of War, the Hellboy board game, miniatures game The Walking Dead: All Out War and more. Mantic will work with Worms developer Team17 - which has..

The immersive Angry Birds game, which employs a high-end 3D style inspired by the Angry Birds movies, will be available to play on Attraktion!’s multiplayer platform, Playneo. Visitors to IAAPA Expo Asia in Singapore this month will be able to play the game at Attraktion!’s booth. Attraktion! GmbH, an innovator in immersive entertainment experiences, has announced a partnership with Angry Birds’ creator Rovio Entertainment to bring the beloved gaming franchise to its unique high-end Playneo product.

Highlighted Press Releases

Watchitude’s q3 catalog has the game-changing yet stylish watch for kids that fits an Apple air tag! Specialty Retailers Know Where They’re Going And Know What To Do When They Reach ASTRA Marketplace Booth 322 For The Newest At Watchitude. With a tip of the hat to Patti LaBelle’s iconic song, there’s a new attitude at ASTRA Marketplace as retailers are on the hunt for extraordinary products to stock their shelves in Q3 and Q4 2023. Watchitude®, the art-meets-toy maker, does not disappoint with four must-have products to please picky parents and thrill the kids at their ASTRA Booth 322. From the extraordinary Tag’d Trackable Watch to a pint sized Pickleball Set, Watchitude brings the wow to the Greater Columbus Convention Center June 11-14.

Singing Machine Co., the worldwide leader in karaoke products, announces a partnership between their new CARE-eoke by Singing Machine initiative and the Ryan Seacrest Foundation, with a joint mission to bring joy through music to children’s hospitals nationwide. The Ryan Seacrest Foundation has built state-of-the-art broadcast media centers, named Seacrest Studios, in 12 children’s hospitals, with two more slated to open later this year, and now they will feature official Singing Machine CARE-eoke programming for patients and their families to enjoy, as well.

Safety and Counterfeiting

Minors may need parents’ permission to join social media under newly passed Louisiana bill. While protecting kids on the internet is a value shared across the board, tech companies and many civil society groups that oppose the industry in other matters have warned that such legislation ignores the positive impacts social media can have, particularly for marginalized youth.

Associations, Shows, Awards, Events, and Festivals

Charlotte Bigham, 16, has been nominated in the Game Concept category at the Young Game Designers awards. She’s been rewarded for her work on High Pressure, a game based on a short story she created in her English class at school. “You play as a scientist in this underwater facility. Earth has been submerged and the aim is to find a plant which will help get rid of the water and make it survivable.

The top games showcased at the UK Games Expo 2023. If you are a tabletop game enthusiast in the United Kingdom, the UK Games Expo is the one event you want to attend. The convention is the largest and most prestigious gaming convention in the UK. Held annually in Birmingham, the event showcases the latest and greatest in games and accessories.

Going full tilt! The popularity of pinball draws thousands of fans to Tacoma every year. With 400 machines, the Greater Tacoma Convention Center becomes the largest arcade in the Northwest! Fans call themselves "pinheads" and thousands pay up to $150 each to get inside the convention center where all games are set to free play.

Chinese toymakers seek expansion in Japan as Tokyo Toy Show opens. From intricate miniature houses to a variety of musical educational devices, Chinese toymakers showcased their best-selling products at the International Tokyo Toy Show on Thursday as they sought to expand their presence in the Japanese market.

Las Vegas Licensing Expo 23 preview. With a week to go until the Las Vegas Licensing Expo returns to the Mandalay Bay Convention Center and the international licensing industry once again sets out to discover the biggest opportunities in gaming, film, TV, even the metaverse and NFTs, Toy World speaks to Anna Knight, SVP Licensing at Informa Markets, about what to expect from this year’s show.

Future dates for Licensing Expo, BLE and more confirmed. With Licensing Expo approaching, licensing industry tradeshow organizer Global Licensing Group has confirmed events and dates up to the end of 2025. Informa Markets’ Global Licensing Group has announced all confirmed events and/or dates. They include the next three editions of Licensing Expo and Brand Licensing Europe (BLE).

The MadeForMums Toy Awards 2023 opens for entry. The annual, consumer-facing awards celebrate the best toys at every age and stage from newborn to preteen and are judged by an army of child testers – with the help of their parents, the MadeForMums editorial team and toy-industry experts. This year, there will be awards in more than 35 categories, including Best Playset, Best Doll, Best Toy for Pretend Play...

Daisy Hodgkinson competed at a sell-out Rummikub tournament at The UK Games Expo (UKGE) at the NEC Birmingham on Saturday 3rd June 2023. The annual UK Rummikub Championship Tournament saw opponents compete in three intense rounds of the family-favourite game, where each player must place all the tiles from their rack onto the table as part of a ‘run’ or ‘group’ to accumulate the highest score.

Women in Toys, Licensing & Entertainment has appointed five industry leaders to its Board of Directors to serve a three-year term. The new board members include Deirdre Cross, GM, Head of Funko Games; Ehi Oviasu-Kahn, Principal, Little Art; Lisa Gilbert, President US & Canada Commercial, Hasbro; Menal McGrath, SVP Global Licensing, Dan Dee Int'l; and Stephanie Bailey, VP Global Toys, Paramount.

The finalists for the Origins Awards were chosen in 14 different categories. The number of categories were expanded in 2022 (see "Categories for 2022") to reflect the new board structure and membership. The winners will be announced at Origins Game Fair that occurs between June 21-25, 2023, and list of finalists in each category is as follows...

BAFTA unveils 44 talented finalists, aged between 10 and 18, who have been selected as part of this year’s BAFTA Young Game Designers (YGD) competition, which has been running since 2010. BAFTA YGD is a year-round initiative of public events and workshops for 10-18 year-olds, culminating in the annual YGD ceremony to celebrate finalists and winners, which will be streamed digitally on BAFTA Kids & Teens YouTube.

Apple proudly unveiled the winners of its annual Apple Design Awards, celebrating 12 best-in-class apps and games. This year’s winners, spanning development teams around the world, delivered creative and innovative apps grounded in great design. Six different categories recognize one app and game each for inclusivity, delight and fun, interaction, social impact, visuals and graphics, and innovation.

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

JOHN ROMITA, SR. - Will Eisner Hall of Fame Marvel artist, art director, and character co-creator John Romita Sr. passed away June 12 in his sleep, according to a Tweet by his son, artist John Romita Jr. He was 93. Romita Sr. had a long and illustrious career as a comics artist, beginning in 1949 for Timely Comics, where he met a young Stan Lee. He did work for Atlas and DC Comics, ending up at Marvel in 1965, where he learned by doing pencils over Jack Kirby layouts on Daredevil.

After Spider-Man co-creator Steve Ditko left Marvel in 1966, Romita began penciling Amazing Spider-Man with #39, redefining the look of the character and helping to establish the look of the Marvel universe. His initial run on the title spanned an almost uninterrupted string of 56 issues and over 50 covers. Romita took over as Marvel art director in 1973, a position he held until the late 1980s. He continued to do covers, story art, and inks, with published work through the 00s.

While at Marvel Comics, Romita co-created characters Mary Jane Watson, the Punisher, and Wolverine.

"He is a legend in the art world and it would be my honor to follow in his footsteps," Romita Jr. said in his post. "He was the greatest man I ever met."

Lynette Crown, (30/11/1934 – 26/5/2023) - Shared by John Redenbach

Dear John,

The ATA recently published the sad news of the passing of Lyn Crown on Friday the 26th May.

Lyn, the dearly loved wife of the late Gerald Crown was a wonderful support to him at Crown and Andrews Pty Ltd, as well as fulfilling the role of Finance Manager. In the early days of Crown and Andrews, Lyn also visited the stores like David Jones, Grace Bros, Myers etc doing their stock re-fill orders and then coming back to the warehouse to pack and invoice the orders.

Attending the Toy Fair and the 25 Year Club function was some of the highlights for Lyn as she enjoyed catching up with friends from the toy industry. Many people within the industry became lifelong friends to Lyn even after they decided to move on.

Lyn Crown’s family would like to advise that Lyn's funeral will be held on Friday the 9th June at 10.30 am at St. Kevin’s Catholic Church 36 Hillview Road, Eastwood NSW 2122.

Following the service refreshments will be served at Wallumatta Function Centre at Macquarie Park Cemetery.

If you are unable to be at Lyn’s service you can view the service on line here.

The ATA send our condolences to Lyn’s family and friends.

Mark Boudreaux - Legendary toy designer Mark Boudreaux has become one with the Force. We have compiled the many articles surrounding his life and passing in Mark's POP profile HERE.

Harry Bradley - Hot Wheels Designer dead at 84. When Mattel was developing their new 1/64th scale die cast toy cars in the 60's, they sought a professional car designer from Detroit to help them. They wanted their cars to look fast and cool as they zipped around plastic tracks and loops.

Mattel hired GM designer Harry Bentley Bradley, who created the original "Sweet Sixteen" Hot Wheels cars, including his Dodge Deora showcar, and later, an Oscar Meyer Weinermobile loosely based on his 1995 version (recently renamed "The Frankmobile"—yuk!). So, both Hot Wheels and Hot Dog cars.

Worldwide Magazines Weekly Top Stories

Added Friday Morning Chicago Time. Check Back for Complete Lists.

Toy Trade Monthly Issues

Adventure Media & Events (US)

aNb Media (US)

Posts Friday morning.

Toyworld (UK)

Licensing.biz Powered by Toyworld

ICv2: The Business of Geek Culture (US)

- Games Workshop Unleashes New 'Warhammer 40,000' Board Game
- New Minis Reinforce 'BattleTech'
- CMON Offers 'Metal Gear Solid: The Board Game'
- Former NFL Linebacker Offers $500,000 for 'Magic: The Gathering' The One Ring 001/001 Card
- Upper Deck Sues to Stop Release of 'Disney Lorcana TCG'
- Wizards of the Coast Reveals Card Treatments for 'Magic: The Gathering' 'The Lord of the Rings: Tales of Middle-earth'
- Ravensbuger Announces Two New 'Disney Villainous' Games
- Rolling for Initiative -- Games Workshop, Atomic Mass, and Wizards of the Coast Clash in June
- Zev Shlasinger Parts Ways with WizKids
- The One Ring 001/001 Could Be 'Magic: The Gathering's' First Million Dollar Card

Nación Juguetes (Mexico, Peru, Argentina, Chile & Spain)

Posts Friday morning.

The Bugg Report (Australia)

Issue 44 has posted!

Casual Game Revolution

Video of the Week

It's Golf Season!
Join Bob Fuhrer, founder of Nextoy as he interviews Tom Fazio, world renowned golf course designer. Fazio talks about what it’s like to be the third generation of talented golf course designers, and how he’s inspired by what he calls the “Fazio Philosophy.” From literally moving mountains to starting with forested land, he shares just how much engineering goes into the creation of a golf course. Fazio also shares stories of roadblocks he’s run into, his greatest success, and even shares his screen to show Fuhrer exactly how he designs the courses using a special application. You won’t want to miss this insight into Fazio’s world, nor will you believe your ears when you hear what Fazio’s unexpected secret talent is.

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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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