Shoppers are approaching the holiday “with affordability in mind,” and looking for ways to maximize value, according to a new report.

This critical case goes to summary judgment hearing at the CiT at 10 AM EST on Sept. 30th in NYC. Keep an eye on this link for the trial.

The huge investment from new shareholders gives the crowdfunded board game giant much-needed financial breathing room as it continues its attempt to recover from losses of almost $23m across 2024 and 2025.

TikTok Shop generated $18.7B in sales over the last 39 weeks. That puts it ahead of Department Stores, Home Improvement, and Beauty retail.

Acquiring Hostess has given Smucker entry into a $65 billion market for snacks. But three years on, the deal isn’t tasting quite so sweet.⁠

The guide features 400 toys from more than 190 toymakers, with nearly half priced under $25.

In 2025, Dongguan had 259 enterprises above the designated size in the trend toy sector, generating RMB 28.282 billion in revenue.

Citing research, Moonbug and SuperAwesome announced separate expansions this week to harness this high-value market.

From the projects that drew the most buyers to the debate over AI and the country with an emerging animation sector, here's what had everyone talking at the annual pitchfest.

Holiday shopping season is just around the corner and we're getting a head start! KTLA was joined by Trends Expert, Jennifer Lynch, with this years hottest holiday toys to shop for.

"I have never seen a toy year skew so much as this year. 67.1% of dollar sales in the squishy/pick me up category (with avg. price at $7.69). Truly unforeseen and remarkable."

True Toys has unveiled its first-ever The True List, outlining the products independently chosen by its team for this holiday season.

The LA Previews have been winding down this week. It appears that some showrooms have remained open for part of this week, although many of the retail visitors have already returned home, and numerous exhibitors have joined them.

The Campaign for North Africa, a staggeringly complicated World War II board game, has stymied players for decades.

"After 25 years in the toy industry, acting as a leader in the movement of making toys and collectibles for both kids and adults alike… there’s a LOT of value for Toys R Us coming back! Their loss was a big deal. When Toys “R” Us went bankrupt, the toy industry lost something incredibly important."

Enjoy this fun new word game.

Tom Whipple ponders if, how, and why animals play in his review of ‘Kingdom of Play’ by David Toomey.

Did you know that heart disease is the #1 cause of death in the world—and that prevention starts in early childhood? Ages 4 to 7 are a critical window for building healthy habits that stick for life.

After hitting its lowest levels in a decade in 2021, teenage mental health is showing significant improvements, according to new data.

One mom spent $17,000. Others are splurging on party favors and balloon arches.

Lian Yunzhi, who practices 2 to 3 hours daily, has become the first female speedcuber to average under 4.5 seconds in competition, according to Chinese state media.

Schools must teach students to question and exercise judgment, not just produce answers, argues Dan Klitsner.

Across the United States, a noticeable shift is taking place in how families spend their evenings. After years of screen time creeping further into children's daily routines, more parents are looking for an alternative.

Mentorship, Leadership, and Shared Wisdom Shape Generations

The Supervator Super Action Flyby from MEGO was one of the more peculiar offerings for everyone’s favorite wall-crawler.

Watch as Dave of the Toy Polloi YouTube channel repairs a Super Powers Batmobile from Kenner.

Released in 1960, Hasbro’s “machine that thinks like a man” was inspired by the mammoth room-filling mainframe computers of its day.

Released in 1965 by Ideal, The Man from U.N.C.L.E. board game brought the mystery and intrigue of the popular television series to family game night.

Since 1959, Barbie has shaped how children play, inspired new toys and evolved with changing ideas about gender, careers, and representation.

No toy company sat down and designed the Etch A Sketch on purpose. A French electrician stumbled into the mechanism almost by accident while tinkering in his own garage, and decades later, engineers who study the internal workings still find the solution genuinely clever.

“Play it again, Sam.”

The hour-long documentary and companion website launch Oct. 9.

Insight Editions is debuting a new line of collectible accessories that put a tiny twist on fans’ favorite stories.

The water-ready remote-control dinosaur arrives at Walmart ahead of its Sept. 23 debut at The Toy Insider’s Holiday of Play.

Minecraft grows its brand by expanding its global consumer products program through new partnerships and licensing.

Warner Bros. has shared the first teaser for Gremlins 3. However, it's a bittersweet moment for fans, as the 11-second clip also includes a delayed release date.

Karrot Entertainment targets cross-category consumer products partners for its new original IP, ahead of MaeBee’s autumn 2026 launch.

With this partnership, Bluey fans can recreate favourite episodes with character figures from the show or combine them with their existing tiles.

Musical glimmers will be entering the Metropolis alongside favourites from Disney and Pixar’s Coco. 

The new multi-property plush deal across EMEA will begin on 1st January 2027, leveraging Spin Master’s premium retail and marketing expertise.

The mystery box collectibles, exclusive to Walmart, blend cute cats with lifestyle fashion.

Ultra Rare Serialized Cards Can be Found in New Collector Boosters.

Google-owned platform rolling out better tools for digital producers that could help it keep more of their content exclusively.

Project Hail Mary is getting a collectible plush of one of a fan-favorite characters from the film — and it’s not of Ryan Gosling’s Ryland Grace.

The six emotion-inspired characters take centre stage in the brand's first original single and cinematic music video.

The 52 new episodes expand Milo’s universe with new professions, more music and a more visual sense of humour.

The new episodes of Unicorn Academy: Secrets Revealed will be arriving on Netflix on 8th October, with additional episodes set for spring 2027.

Minecraft is set to join the fast-growing Clickeez universe across EMEA in its new licensing partnership with Goliath.

Mattel reveals its animated series, ‘Thomas & Friends: Railway Stories,’ and new content ahead of its release.

To celebrate the launch, Littlest Pet Shop and Like Nastya are hosting a special pop-up event at Five Below's NYC flagship store.

Spin Master co-founder Ronnen Harary, chairman of the toymaker behind Paw Patrol, shares key takeaways from an interview with the Not Another CEO podcast.

The new EMEA leadership structure will give licensees, retailers and commercial partners greater category expertise and a more consistent approach across the region.

It's no secret that former Disney CEO Bob Iger didn't end up loving his first choice successor, Bob Chapek, following Chapek's very public firing.

"For a lot of brands, agents, reps, distributors and buyers it was their first time attending the showcase here in LA, and so we took it upon ourselves as locals to turn it into something unforgettable."

Toy News Tuesday editors caught up Joe Barron, founder of Gray Matters Games, to talk about what keeps the company coming back to CHITAG Fair, memorable moments from the show floor, and advice for companies considering exhibiting for the first time.

Keymaster Games veteran Jennifer Graham-Macht will lead its lighter-games imprint Neon Knight, after discovering that building the business means developing a new audience – as well as rethinking some of the approaches behind its prior success.

As the company's traffic trends improve, the new "Inside Out" campaign aims at the retailer's weaker home and apparel sales.

Five Star Toys uses its product architecture as a Pretend Play Toy Supplier to connect play house design directly with role simulation.

Game line manager Auguste Lecoeur told BoardGameWire, "As soon as the game's prototype was shown to us and signed, it became an internal priority, with resources and manpower being redirected from other projects."

Five new shop-in-shops will open this year with a total of 13 locations.

The toy retailer, which currently has 40 standalone stores and Toys R Us shops inside Macy's stores across the country, announced the strategic move, which is being carried out in partnership with Go! Retail Group.

This expansion marks an important milestone in their growth and will help them better serve educators, students, and families nationwide.

Over its more than sixty year history, Target has been known for bringing a modern design aesthetic to low price point items and this campaign brings this messaging to the center.

Executives at the fast-food giant explained how its approach to advertising and loyalty are evolving at its first investor day since 2023.

"We were pitched Froggy Frenzy at #Chitag last year, and knew it would be an absolute hit the minute we saw it! Dropping into Target stores this fall, with global distribution..."

FAO Schwarz launched its first-ever Amazon storefront, offering customers in the US a new way to shop its collections and enjoy the brand experience.

The toy retailer is set to open 120 new standalone stores this holiday season in a landmark expansion with Go! Retail Group.

Families are being invited to support Children in Need this year through The Works' new product range launching in 400 stores nationwide.

CONNETIX reveals four new seasonal packs ahead of holiday celebrations, each blending festive fun and open-ended imaginative play.

A new undisclosed Ubisoft project has come to light and it involved Ubisoft Milan and Nintendo.

New gaming experiences and major releases span Roblox, Amazon Luna, Nintendo Switch and beyond this week.

Hot Wheels is taking its Formula 1 lineup from die-cast to digital with a new DLC, available to download in March 2027.

September's more packed than any month in recent memory, as publishers rush to debut games before Grand Theft Auto 6's November 19th release.

The Xbox reset continues with major studio changes, layoffs, and more.

Deals to sell off Ninja Theory fell through over the summer.

Nex Playground head of international Tom Kang lays out how the motion-controlled cube console is ramping up for success in a challenging market.

Traditional, natural wooden toys are alive and well in the toy and gift market today thanks to the concerted effort of small businesses like Miller Boys Vintage Toys. The screen-free premium quality toys developed from Miller Boys Vintage Toys are made to be sturdy, safe and ideal for imaginative, natural play that is so critical for early childhood development.

Any regulatory changes to the UK’s toy safety framework must provide businesses with certainty and address both emerging technologies and new routes to market, experts have said. 

People of Play™, a division of The Toy Association™, has announced the finalists for the 19th annual Toy & Game International Excellence (TAGIE) Awards, which recognize the inventors, designers, suppliers, retailers, marketers, and PR teams whose imaginations and ingenuity fuel the toy and game industry.

The organization also honored Sesame Workshop’s Sherrie Westin with its Global Impact Award and Mattel’s Steve Totzke with its Inclusive Leadership Award.

Companies are partnering with The Toy Foundation to turn everyday purchases into meaningful impact for kids in need.

Netflix House brings more fandom fun with an immersive experience inspired by the popular Netflix film ‘KPop Demon Hunters.’

ToyFest and The Reunion join forces in Las Vegas to give specialty buyers access to more products and connections.

Exhibitor numbers are up 13% year over year.

The Journée Presse & Influence recorded strong growth with 283 journalists and influencers in attendance.

With numerous networking opportunities surrounding the presentation programme, the Toy Business Forum will once again provide an ideal platform for exchange.

The Transmedia Hall is the new hub of the Bologna Children’s Book Fair for entertainment and licensing development addressed to preschool, kids, teens and young adults audiences.

The Toy Business Forum at Spielwarenmesse continues to set the standard for sharing knowledge within the international toy industry.

Pandasaurus CEO Nathan McNair told BoardGameWire, "What we found is a way to more economically attend the show, get some marketing done, sell games to players, make sure we are demoing games and getting the meetings we need without having to spend €50,000 or more on the show itself."

The Toy Retailers Association is offering kids the chance to get paid in toys by testing this year’s hottest Christmas gifts.

The Toy Foundation’s (TTF) LA Fall Preview® auction is still open for the toy industry to bid on once-in-a-lifetime experiences, rare collectibles, and treasured keepsakes, all in support of TTF’s work to bring the power of play to children who need it most.

Fans heading to New York Comic Con can look forward to stunning exhibits, exclusive collectibles, free swag, and panels celebrating GUNDAM, Tamagotchi and TAMASHII NATIONS.

"He was a legendary musician, but his favorite accomplishment was being a husband and father. His biggest dreams came true," his band and wife wrote in a joint statement.