Friday, March 12th, 2010
In mid-February, the annual New York Toy Fair held their conference at the same time as the virtual world conference called Engage Expo. Both industries compete for kids’ interest and at times, even collaborate in engaging them through both online and offline play. The two conferences offered a rare opportunity to hear how both industries are thinking about engaging kids through digital play.
At the end of both of these events, a number of industry experts gathered together to discuss key trends with kids, technology, virtual worlds, and play. What were some of the key findings for 2010? Less virtual world announcements. Deeper virtual world experiences. Less technology toy announcements. Lower price points across all products. Less “watch me” toys. More touch screens for tech products that were screen-based. The desire by kids to stop being “micro-paymented” to death.
These and other trends can be heard in the video recording of this group get-together offered below. Also included in the video are photos of new products announced at the show that you will see rolled out later in 2010.
For those who would like to simply cut to the chase, I’ve also included a look up table below to find the location within this video where the group talks about specific products you’re interested in. After you’re done viewing, share your thoughts about what key trends you see in the world of digital play. Enjoy!
| Maker | Product | Time Reference |
New for 2010? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Air Hogs | Gravity Laser | 21’14” | N |
| Ami Entertainment Solutions |
My Ami | 36’20” | Y |
| Apisphere | Geomate Jr. | 11’29”, 35’45” | Y |
| Apple | iPhone/iTouch | 12’15”, 33’29” | Y |
| Beamz Interactive | The Beamz | 22’52”, 25’42” | Y |
| Big W Productions | FaceChipz | 38’24” | N |
| Disney | World of Cars Online | 3’55”, 14’34” | Y |
| Disney | Clickables | 38’26” | N |
| Disney | Club Penguin | 4’35”, 14’38”, 40’24” | N |
| DreamWorks | Kung Fu Panda World | 3’48”, 4’56”, 14’36” | Y |
| 33’39”, 39’10” | N | ||
| Fat Brain Toys | Erector sets | 2’44” | N |
| Fisher-Price | Dance Star Mickey | 22’22”, 45’12” | Y |
| Fisher-Price | Red Rover | 32’20” | Y |
| Fisher-Price | Follow Me Thomas | 21’23” | Y |
| Fisher-Price | Elmo Live! | 45’22” | N |
| Fisher-Price | Tickle Me Elmo | 45’31” | N |
| Fisher-Price | Frightening McMean Talking Truck |
44’17” | Y |
| Fisher-Price | iXL | 18’13”, 20’59” | Y |
| Flipoutz | Flipoutz | 8’23”, 37’48” | Y |
| Gamewright | Rory’s Story Cubes | 30’04” | Y |
| GeoPalz | GeoPalz | 9’28” | Y |
| BigBoing | Gnomads | 38’35” | N |
| TDC Games | Green Pieces | 42’19” | Y |
| Gyrobike | Gyrowheel | 10’48”, 13’09” | Y |
| Hairy Entertainment | Elf Island | 37’31” | N |
| Hairy Entertainment | Xeko | 37’25” | N |
| Hasbro | Scrabble Flash | 23’07” | Y |
| Hasbro | 75th Anniversary Monopoly | 27’40” | Y |
| iToys | Me2 | 9’35” | N |
| Jacabee | Jacabee Code | 15’21” | N |
| Jakks Pacific | Spy Watch | 19″31″, 19’59” | Y |
| Jakks Pacific | EyeClops (Spy Net) | 19’50 | N |
| KidsGive | Karito Kids | 42’42 | N |
| LeapFrog | Leapster 2 | 18’22” | N |
| Lego | Creationary | 24’57”, 25’20” | Y |
| Lionel | Lionel Trains | 2’10”, 2’41” | N |
| Mattel | Avatar i-Tag Augmented Reality cards |
39’48” | Y |
| Mattel | Loopz | 22’49”, 25’58”, 26’56” | Y |
| Mattel | Mind Flex | 22’40” | N |
| Nintendo | Nintendo DS | 18’24” | N |
| Paricon Sleds | Flexible Flyer Sled | 1’57”, 2’39” | N |
| Rio Grande Games | Dominion | 43’47” | N |
| Rio Grande Games | Settlers of Katan | 43’45” | N |
| Rixty | Rixty | 35’25” | Y |
| Scribble mats | Scribble mats | 16’45” | N |
| Shidonni | Shidonni | 29’47” | Y |
| Smith & Tinker | Nanover | 33’24”, 39’59” | N |
| Swinxs | Swinxs | 11’21”, 32’14”, 36’06”, 40’54” |
N |
| Techno Source | Rubik’s Slide | 11’08”, 11’26”, 11’53”, 12’32” |
Y |
| Techno Source | Rubik’s Touchcube | 45’45” | N |
| ThinkGeek | Guitar Tshirt | 26’31” | Y |
| TCKL | Drip Drops | 28’50” | Y |
| Topps | Augmented Reality Baseball Cards |
39’47” | Y |
| TV Hat | TV Hat | 26’07”, 36’11” | Y |
| Obvious | 10’12”, 33’08” | N | |
| Uncle Milton | Pet’s Eye View Camera | 9’57” | N |
| Uncle Milton | Star Wars Force Trainer | 22’42” | N |
| University Games | Brain Quest Smart | 28’13” | Y |
| VTech | Flip | 18’09”, 21’03” | Y |
| VTech | MobiGo | 18’34” | Y |
| VTech | Submarine Learning Boat | 44’23” | Y | VTech | Musical Bubbles Octopus | 44’46 | Y |
| Where’s George | Where’s George | 38’43” | N |
| Wild Planet | Hyper Dash Extreme | 32’24” | Y |