Nikko R/C, Other Toy State Brands Set to Live On in 2019

Just months after the surprise closure of Toy State, its Nikko R/C brand (acquired in 2014) will live on, reborn as Nikko Toys Limited. Headed by a group of former members of the Toy State senior management team, the newly-formed company has acquired the long-term rights to the Nikko R/C, Road Rippers, and Machine Makers brands.

Nikko, which celebrated its 60th anniversary this year, has long-been considered a pioneer and innovator in the radio-controlled space, with R/C vehicles for land, water, and air.

Known for their lights and sounds features, Road Rippers had been a staple at mass retail in the U.S. for many years, recently having made waves with a NASCAR sponsorship and licensing arrangements with a number of pop culture brands. Machine Makers were CAT-branded construction sets that let kids build their own vehicles.

Nikko Toys Limited looks to bring their toys back to shelves in time for the next holiday season, with the first assortment set to be shown to industry players at the Hong Kong Toy Fair in January.

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.