UK Games Expo 2008 Coming Up
May 13, 2008 by dungan
Filed under Toy Industry News
The annual UK Games Expo will be held this year May 31 – June 1 in Birmingham, England. This short-but-sweet conference hosts every possible game format now on the toy market, from miniatures and board games to role-playing and card games. And don’t forget the state-of-the-art video games.
The feature everyone is looking forward to is the Living Dungeon: a life-sized dungeon maze, complete with monsters, traps and puzzles! This should delight every kid-at-heart who remembers the humble beginnings of the gaming community with Dungeons & Dragons.
Iron Man Renewing Vintage Robot Image
May 12, 2008 by dungan
Filed under Vintage & Classic Toys
Last week’s popular release of Iron Man in theaters has galvanized our fascination with robots and cybernetics. The original Iron Man was drawn up in 1963 as your average, metallic American freedom fighter. But the new movie’s styles have taken hints from robotics portrayed in Japanese anime, reminiscent of vintage tin toys from the 1950s.
Atari’s Hand Slapped by Nasdaq
May 11, 2008 by dungan
Filed under Toy Industry News
The struggling Atari, Inc has been booted from public trading. Maybe Atari Inc has other things on its mind, like its merger with Infogrames. It’s a bizarre turn of events for the company that is mostly responsible for inventing not only the game entertainment industry, but also the personal computer craze in the 1980s.
Atari has always been committed to educational video games, so we hope Infogrames shores up Atari’s stock quickly. Today’s video game industry caters to sensationalism – for instance, the highest earning game launch in history is now Grand Theft Auto IV – but we still hold out hope that Wii and other video games companies remember their roots in education and learning.
We Spotted Webkinz’s New Spotted Leopard
According to the Webkinz Insider , Ganz has a new Webkinz in its clutches: the spotted Leopard.
Ganz has not confirmed a release date for this cute addition to the Webkinz family. We are hoping sooner than later.
Losing Boardgames Gracefully
May 9, 2008 by dungan
Filed under Board Games
Just for fun: check out this article that lists some perfect excuses next time you lose at playing a boardgame. The folks over at Boardgamenews.com are industry leaders, so be sure to check them out for news and information about the latest boardgames and role-playing games.
Boys love Ugly Dolls
May 7, 2008 by dungan
Filed under Ugly Dolls
What is the secret of Ugly Dolls’ success? It’s not just the handmade styles, or the gruesome, teethy cuteness. The real secret is that Ugly Dolls have captured an elusive toy market: dolls that boys like.
HABA and Product Safety
May 5, 2008 by dungan
Filed under Toy Recalls and Safety
Something a toy company must always balance is the value of the product versus the cost of production. Even with quality wood toys, safety and inspection have to be an integral part of the process. Because of rising demand for wood and labor, many makers of wood toys like HABA have found that some toys are too expensive to make at their headquarters.
We respect HABA for their transparency about which products are made overseas, as well as the care that goes into their inspection procedures no matter where they are made. This level of transparency is necessary these days when so many cheap toys are on the world market, only to be recalled later for atrocious omissions such as baby toys made with lead paint and other heavy metals.
Toys that Make a Difference
May 2, 2008 by dungan
Filed under Toy Industry News
Watching the news can leave anyone feeling like the world is in jeopardy. So one of our missions here at Toy-tma.com is to remember that we have the choice to build the world we want our children to grow up in. Doom and gloom is a choice, not a reality! And our children learn by watching.
In this spirit, here’s a heartwarming story about how the Swiss toy company HaPe is making a difference in China. Teaming up with the Chinese government, HaPe has funded two new schools in one of the most remote territories of the country, the Guizhou province.
Playing Dress-Up is like Halloween Everyday
May 1, 2008 by dungan
Filed under Schylling Toys
For kids, everyday is Halloween. Maybe not so much going door-to-door for the free candy, but the excitement about playing dress-up is always on children’s minds. As parents and educators, it’s good to keep in mind that bringing out some costumes for kids is a great way to brighten a rainy spring day.
Playing dress-up is more than a fun way to pass the time, too. Psychologists suggest that games with costumes are an avenue for children to test their boundaries and explore the different roles in society. Dress-up is also a natural way to explore gender identification. Don’t worry, Dads, it’s just a phase! By trying on new roles, children learn how to take on the perspective of others as well as increase their ability for empathy and consideration.
