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Myst, Cyan, Inc., 1994, The Strong, Rochester, NY. When I get asked about my favorite video game, most people expect me to say Horizon Zero Dawn or BioShock Infinite based on my cosplays and the games I most frequently mention. My answer, however, is Myst. “That point and click puzzle game from the 90s?!” is the usual perplexed response. So let me explain why this game has … [Read more...] about That Point and Click Puzzle Game from the 90s: Myst

Released in the 1960s by Hasbro, the Frosty Sno-Man Sno-Cone Machine allowed children to beat the summer heat by preparing icy treats themselves. Standing approximately 10-inches tall, Frosty was made of sturdy, white plastic and was mounted on an all-plastic, ivory-colored base. A limited number of sets included a small plastic pipe in Frosty’s mouth, which was removed … [Read more...] about Just add Ice! Hasbro’s Frosty Sno-Man Sno-Cone Machine

Walmart Canceling Orders Walmart is canceling billions of dollars in orders. It is an attempt to getits inventory under control. It seems that Walmart not only got caught withexcess inventory due to the supply chain debacle but is also being impacted byconsumers who are cutting back due to inflation. It seems that customers are going back to basics and forgoing purchases … [Read more...] about Disruption Report #62 – Amazon Increasing Third-Party Seller Fees, Walmart Canceling Billions of Dollars in Orders, and Warehouse Space Availability at Record Low

Each week, .we are pleased to share British toy industry commentator, John Baulch’s “Friday Blog.” John Baulch, the Publisher of Toy World, is an outstanding source of knowledge and wit about the British toy industry. John has worked in the toy industry on several trade magazines over the past 40 years, culminating in the launch of his own publication – Toy World – 11 years … [Read more...] about On with the show…it’s John Baulch’s Friday Blog!

CLICK HERE TO ANSWER THIS ONE-QUESTION POLL Container prices are down sharply from last year. Drewry, a research organization that tracks ocean freight costs, states that container prices are down 35% from last year. On the other hand, I spoke to an industry executive who told me that last year at this time, he paid over $17,000 for a 20-foot container. This year a … [Read more...] about Ocean Freight Rate – 1 Question Poll

DC Cohttps://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2019/01/a-whole-years-worth-of-works-just-fell-into-the-public-domain/micsAfter decades of protection, several notable properties will enter the public domain in 2024 and beyond. That means you can use them without having to pay a licensing fee. Most notably for the toy industry, these public domain characters include Mickey Mouse, … [Read more...] about Superman, Mickey Mouse, and Even Bugs Bunny Are Entering the Public Domain

With online sourcing options supplementing the in-person fair, buyers from around the world are gearing up to source from a wide range of domestic and international exhibitors for toy, baby and licensing products at this week’s Toy & Edu China, Baby & Stroller China and Licensing China. The three concurrent fairs will open their doors from 18 – 20 August 2022 at the … [Read more...] about Toy & Edu China, Baby & Stroller China and Licensing China open this week showcasing products from over 1,000 exhibitors [Ad]

Inc. magazine has come out with its 2022 Inc. 5000 list of American companies that experienced, in their words, “spectacular growth.” I went through the list in search of toy companies. I found six. Congratulations to them for a phenomenal year in a time of immense change and challenge. I have listed their ranking and their percentage of growth according to Inc. 263 – … [Read more...] about The Inc. 5000 – Which Toy Companies Made the List

How do you measure success? Answering this ambitious question is the object of Careers, a classic “roll-and-move” board game first released in 1955 by Parker Brothers. The ability for players to specify their own winning conditions is one of the unique and innovative aspects of Careers, resulting in play experiences and strategies that vary from game to game. At the start of … [Read more...] about Climbing the Corporate Ladder: Careers from Parker Brothers