From the Editor: Let’s Start the Roaring ’20s

Buckle up and rev the engine — this is where the fun begins.

They say that toys are “recession-proof,” and to some extent that’s true. Even in times of economic downturn, kids will still play and doting parents will do everything they can to make sure that their little ones don’t feel the pinch.

Still, to say that the last few years have been “challenging” would be an understatement: They’ve been a “permacrisis” — an endurance race — and the caution flag has been thrown on more than a few occasions. By my count, we’re in the sixth year of disruption in an era that has seen bankruptcies, trade disputes, a global pandemic, a supply chain breakdown, war, inflation, and the looming threat of recession.

The type of growth that the toy industry and others enjoyed during the pandemic boom was simply never going to be sustainable, and to think otherwise was foolish. Unfortunately, many companies only eyed the short-term and overexpanded, over-ordered, and got caught in a jam.

We’re already a few years into the 2020s, and this is where, with a bit of skill and a dash of luck, the toy industry can blaze a new path amid the sweeping change that helped shape this very issue.

The Toy Book’s 39th volume kicks off with the annual BIG Book — a February tradition that, until this year, was intended to coincide with another February tradition: Toy Fair New York.

With the show officially moving to its new fall timeframe, it remained clear that the North American toy industry still wanted a robust preview of the hottest new toys, games, and adjacent products set to hit retail in the months ahead.

Flip to page 84 for our comprehensive preview showcases, but first check out our annual State of the Industry Q&A roundtable (starting on page 42) for insights and predictions from some of the top voices in the business, including manufacturers, retailers, licensors, and more. We’ve also got all the latest sales data from The NPD Group in Stat Shot (page 34) with a look at top products in the U.S. and Canada.

For the first time, we’re also taking a look at the booming toy business of Latin America (page 80) and the changing role of discount, value, and outlet retailers in the U.S. (page 140).

Our cover story, “From the Tabletop to the Toy Department” (page 72), delves into the world of Dungeons & Dragons as the franchise goes mainstream and (hopefully) jumpstarts a return to box office-fueled toy sales as Barbie, the Transformers, and other toyetic properties line up for a big year at the movies. Our epic cover shot by Mitchel Wu represents the global reveal of Hasbro’s Golden Archive Owlbear action figure that will hit retail this summer.

Of course, we do love history, and on page 129 we spin the clock back 40 years for a look at the Cabbage Patch Kids craze of 1983 in the latest Backstory.

As you flip through this issue of The Toy Book, you’ll notice that we’re rockin’ a refreshed look, but all of your favorite departments and contributors are still here to deliver the insights and information to keep you on the #pulseofplay.

I think you’ll find that there’s a lot to look forward to — but consider this an appetizer for what’s shaping up to be an incredible Toy Fair issue this fall. With the right products and innovations, 2023 could spark the start of this generation’s “roaring ‘20s” — an era of prosperity in which kids and families let loose and discover new ways to play together as the world unites in fun. Ready to pass Go?

A version of this article was originally published in the 2023 edition of The BIG Toy Book. Click here to read the full issue! Want to receive The Toy Book in print? Click here for subscription options!