Mattel Unveils Phase 10 40th Anniversary Edition

Phase 10 40th Anniversary Edition | Source: Mattel

Another iconic game is celebrating a milestone anniversary.

Mattel is honoring 40 years of Phase 10 with a special edition version of the game that comes in a nostalgic keepsake box with a letter from the game’s creator, Kenneth R. Johnson.

The Phase 10 40th Anniversary Edition made its debut as a special offering through the Amazon Treasure Truck yesterday and is now available exclusively at Amazon.

Phase 10 creator Ken Johnson shares the 40th Anniversary Edition of his classic game. | Source: Mattel

“I’m excited to partner with Mattel to celebrate the 40th anniversary of Phase 10,” says game designer Ken Johnson. “Since inventing the game in 1982, it’s brought me so much joy to see how this game has become a multi-generational family tradition over the years, transcending languages and cultures to bring people together all over the world.”

Johnson was just 22 years old when he created the game as an alternative to UNO in his hometown of Detroit. The game, a variation on rummy, was eventually published by Indiana-based Fundex Games which sold the rights to Phase 10 to Mattel in 2010.

Phase 10 is currently hailed as the No. 2 card game in the world behind UNO, also published by Mattel Games.

As of this writing, the Phase 10 40th Anniversary Edition is the No. 1 bestselling game on Amazon.

About the author

James Zahn

James Zahn, AKA The Rock Father, is Editor-in-Chief of The Toy Book, a Senior Editor at The Toy Insider and The Pop Insider, and Editor of The Toy Report, The Toy Book‘s weekly industry newsletter. As a pop culture and toy industry expert, Zahn has appeared as a panelist and guest at events including Comic-Con International: San Diego (SDCC) Wizard World Chicago, and the ASTRA Marketplace & Academy. Zahn has more than 30 years of experience in the entertainment, retail, and publishing industries, and is frequently called upon to offer expert commentary for publications such as Forbes, Marketwatch, the Wall Street Journal, the New York Times, USA Today, Reuters, the Washington Post, and more. James has appeared on History Channel’s Modern Marvels, was interviewed by Larry King and Anderson Cooper, and has been seen on Yahoo! Finance, CNN, CNBC, FOX Business, NBC, ABC, CBS, WGN, The CW, and more. Zahn joined the Adventure Media & Events family in 2016, initially serving as a member of the Parent Advisory Board after penning articles for the Netflix Stream Team, Fandango Family, PBS KIDS, Sprout Parents (now Universal Kids), PopSugar, and Chicago Parent. He eventually joined the company full time as a Senior Editor and moved up the ranks to Deputy Editor and Editor-in-Chief.