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Daily Pulse: The Latest from Moose, McFarlane Toys, Rubik’s, Pokémon, and More

The toy industry and its adjacent partners are buzzing with news. The Toy Book’s Daily Pulse serves up bite-size nuggets of industry updates to keep you in the know and on the #pulseofplay. Dive into today’s headlines and click the links for more details.

TOYS:

Source: The Toy Book/The Toy Insider

Moose Toys Unveils XOX Kweenie

Moose Toys shared its “crowning” achievement in collectibles at The Toy Insider’s Sweet Suite event in NYC this week. Notable for their elevated aesthetic and finishes like high gloss metallic or flocked, plus fun fills like liquid or rattling beads, these premium, weighted vinyl figurines are all about modern self-expression.

With 26 dolls across two teams — Quirky and Fearless — there’s an XOX Kweenie for everyone, including the Kween of Cat Naps, Kween of Heartbreakers and Kween of Suga. Each single pack Kweenie comes blind and includes a clear stackable display case and holographic collector card with a peek into the Kween’s personality. In each team, there’s a limited edition Kweenie with only 1,000 figures made for collectors to chase. An exclusive figure will also be available at Comic-Con International: San Diego next week.

The line debuts at specialty retailers on Aug. 1 followed by a Target launch on Oct. 1. Learn more…

McFarlane Toys Inks Licensing Agreement with BOOM! Studios for BRZRKR Action Figures
“Having been in the comic book industry myself, for nearly 40 years, I’m constantly looking for new characters that seem to be gripping the readership within the comic genre,” says Todd McFarlane, Founder and CEO, McFarlane Toys. A few years back a new title called BRZRKR burst out in a huge way, adding yet another high-level character to the pantheon of ‘must-read’ stories. Publisher BOOM! Studios alongside Keanu Reeves have unleashed a force of nature with their new character, and I am sure comic fans of this book will be just as pumped to get their hands on action figures of this title, as they are the comic.” Learn more…

Spin Master, Lids Partner for Lids x Rubik’s Cube Caps
The line debuts this weekend at the World Cube Association (WCA) North American Championships in Minneapolis and will hit Lids stores this fall. Learn more…

Boat Rocker, Heathside Trading Team Up for Orphan Black Toys, Collectibles
The licensing deal will see Heathside launch a range of Orphan Black and Orphan Black: Echoes products beginning in Q4, including trading cards, action figures, vinyl figures, drinkware, slime, and 2D and 3D backpack keychains. Learn more…

Shenzhen Qimeng Toy Products Says Trump Stress Relief Toy Sees Sales Spike During RNC Week
The China-based company tells The Toy Book that sales for its stretchy figure shaped like Former President and current Republican nominee Donald J. Trump have spiked in recent days fueled by last weekend’s assassination attempt and this week’s Republican National Convention in Milwaukee. Learn more…

Allan Rabie Comes Out of Retirement, Joins Zoinks Global as Director of International Sales
“Zoinks has a vibe about it that cannot be described, creative, intense, and focused,” Rabie says. “It was an easy decision to come out of retirement and help bring the Zoinks vision to the world.” Learn more…

GAMES:

Mattel, Outright Games Preview Barbie Project Friendship Coming to Consoles and PC
This heartwarming adventure game will take players on a friendship-filled journey just in time to celebrate the 65th anniversary of Barbie. Barbie Project Friendship will be available on October 25th on Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, and PC through Steam and the Microsoft Store. Learn more…

Hootenany Games released SIXEM Sour Patch Kids
“SIXEM has always been about fast-paced fun and friendly competition,” says Alex Kimerling, President of Hootenanny Games. “With SIXEM Sour Patch Kids, we’ve cranked up the excitement factor by adding an unpredictable element inspired by the ‘sour then sweet’ nature of the candy.” He continues, “Our true mission is to create unique, engaging experiences that bring people together. We can’t wait to see families and friends coming together over SIXEM Sour Patch Kids.” Learn more…

Legendary Pokémon Ho-Oh Soars into Pokémon UNITE to Celebrate 3rd Anniversary
The Pokémon Company International announced that exciting in-game events and activities are now available to mark the third anniversary of Pokémon UNITE on both Nintendo Switch systems and mobile devices. Learn more…

PUBG Mobile, Automobili Lamborghini Renew Partnership: Starting today until Sept. 9, PUBG MOBILE players will have the opportunity to experience the return of four iconic Lamborghini models: the Aventador SVJ, Estoque, Urus, and Centenario, alongside the introduction of a one-of-a-kind model, the Lamborghini INVENCIBLE. Learn more…

Pickleball Gets First Official Video Game: PPA Pickleball Tour 2025
PPA Pickleball Tour 2025 is the only officially licensed Pickleball game available and the first to feature the world’s best players in real PPA Tour venues. Learn more…

PUBLISHING:

Fanhome Launches The Legends of Batman Graphic Novel Collection
The Legends of Batman Collection includes the best and most essential Batman adventures by legendary creative teams. — Learn more…

LICENSING:

Outfit7 Announces Inks Licensing Partnership with Two Daughters Entertainment
Outfit7 has appointed Two Daughters Entertainment as its new licensing partner in the UK and Ireland for its Talking Tom & Friends brand. This partnership aims to expand the brand through a range of physical products, including toys, apparel, accessories, and more. Learn more…

FINANCIAL:

Bioworld Acquires Texas-based Party and Lifestyle Accessories Company Packed Party
“This is a partnership that represents a mutually beneficial opportunity for both brands,” says Raj Malik, CEO of Bioworld. “By leveraging our global reach and product expertise, we can create significant growth opportunities by scaling Packed Party’s offerings. This new venture aligns closely with our business and delivers exceptional value for our shared customers and brands-first community.” Learn more…

Entering the Digital Dojo: Jawares Game Studio Presents ‘Cobra Kai: Karate Legends’ to Roblox

Jazwares’ renowned game studio collaborates with Sony Pictures Consumer Products to introduce Cobra Kai: Karate Legends to Roblox.

Enter tournaments, learn karate moves, unlock characters, and more! | Source: Jazwares

Cobra Kai: Karate Legends features many gameplay elements inspired by the TV series. With this Roblox expansion, players can train to become the ultimate karate sensei. Like the sensei masters in Cobra Kai, players must prove they have what it takes to be the best. Players can level up their dojos, challenge others in tournaments, learn epic karate moves, and complete missions to recruit their favorite characters.

Cobra Kai: Karate Legends also features virtual merchandise for Roblox avatars. Players can further expand their gaming experience with Target’s exclusive Cobra Kai Johnny Lawrence figure, which includes a redeemable exclusive code for unlocking a virtual item.

The Netflix series Cobra Kai follows Johnny Lawrence as he seeks redemption by reopening the infamous Cobra Kai dojo. The first five seasons as well as part 1 of the sixth and final season are now streaming on Netflix.

“Jazwares Game Studio has a proven track record of bringing some of the world’s biggest entertainment franchises to life on Roblox, producing hit games played by tens of millions of fans worldwide and we’re thrilled Cobra Kai: Karate Legends is joining the ranks,” said Judd Karofsky, Executive Vice President at Jazwares. “We are huge Cobra Kai fans so we’ve been laser-focused on developing an authentic experience with Sony Pictures Consumer Products that captures the heart-pounding action of the series and the epic martial arts moves of the characters we know players are going to love.”

“We’re looking forward to working with Jazwares Game Studio to bring the Cobra Kai universe to a new generation of fans,” said Stacey Kerr, SVP, Worldwide Licensing, Sony Pictures Entertainment. “This collaboration with Jazwares helps us deliver an immersive gaming experience to players that is sure to get fans of the show excited for the next season.”

Consumers can create and re-create their favorite karate moves from the series with Cobra Kai: Karate Legends, set to launch this summer.

Ty Reinvents the Ball with New Beanie Bouncers

Ty, known for their famous Beanie Babies and Beanie Boos plush lines, is releasing a new line called the Beanie Bouncers, which combines the softness of a plush with the bounciness of a ball.

Shown at the recent Atlanta Market trade show, they stand four inches tall and are estimated to bounce up to 50 feet high. The first wave of Beanie Bouncers will have 12 characters: Gilbert the Giraffe, Fins the Shark, Buzzy the Bee, Swish the Axolotl, Leggy the Octopus, Katy the Koala, Checkers the Panda, Mystic the Dragon, Banana the Chimp, Sammy the Siamese Cat, Purry the Cat, and Spots the Leopard. They will be available for purchase in August for $5.99 in both the U.S. and the UK, with more varieties set to become available later in the year.

“Beanie Bouncers usher in new possibilities for creative and active play,” says Ty Warner, owner of Ty. “Modeled on our best-selling Beanie Boos, they unlock the imagination and endless possibilities for fun. Kids can invent games and create stories about why they bounce so high. The possibilities are endless. This is plush you can toss, catch, bounce, roll, kick, bowl, and collect. It’s a great way to get kids out of the house and away from screens, too.”

New IMC Toys Line Be Loved Babies Debuts at Sweet Suite

IMC Toys, the brand known for its Cry Babies dolls, introduced the Be Loved Babies line at The Toy Insider’s event Sweet Suite Wednesday.

Be Loved Babies feature a soft-skin fabrication, making the texture and soft articulation of the body key selling points for the dolls. There will be two dolls in the collection initially, Alex and Sam, each wearing onesies and matching headbands.

Media and toy-related influencers were invited to touch the dolls at Sweet Suite. | Source: The Toy Insider

Influencers and media outlets got a first look at the Be Loved Babies dolls at The Toy Insider’s event Sweet Suite this Wednesday. Guests were blindfolded to experience the dolls’ soft texture first-hand.

The soft skin texture of the dolls is a key product feature. | Source: IMC Toys

“With Be Loved Dolls, we’re pushing the boundaries of what a baby doll can be. Our commitment to innovation has led us to create the most lifelike and touch-realistic dolls on the market, making Be Loved Babies unlike anything children have experienced before,” says Crystal Ganir, Vice President, Global and North America Head of Marketing at IMC Toys.

The dolls will be available at Walmart beginning in August and will cost $26.99 each. Until then, visit the Be Loved Babies Instagram page for more information on the new release.

Hasbro Brings Monopoly Full-Circle with App-Inspired Monopoly Go! Board Game

Capitalizing on the popularity of the mobile app Monopoly Go!, Hasbro and Scopely have introduced a tabletop Monopoly Go! board game.

Up to four people can play at once. | Source: Hasbro

The mobile-app-inspired game brings Monopoly full-circle. | Source: Hasbro

The Monopoly Go! board game is intended for kids eight and up, and two to four people can play at a time.

To get started, each player chooses a mini game board with a matching-colored die and a favorite location. All players roll the dice at the same time, and each moves that many spaces around the board. Landing on a color space means players take a landmark block from the tray and add it to their board. The first to build a landmark wins. Other gameplay elements include Bank Heists, Shut Downs, and Mega Shut Downs.

Scopely reports that over 50,000 people play the mobile app every minute. To learn more about new game, which is available now on Amazon for $19.99, and its mobile app predecessor, visit the Monopoly Go! website.

Etta Loves Unveils Sensory Affirmation Cards for New Parents and Babies

Etta Loves’ latest sensory toy for babies also provides emotional support to parents.

The sensory set features a deck of 12 cards. One side of the cards features an image that is designed to visually stimulate a baby, including swirls, stripes, and other contrasting black-and-white designs. The other side of the cards features affirmations for parents, including “I am enough always,” “My baby and I are learning as we go,” “I am a great parent,” and more.

One side of the flashcards is perfect for babies, while the other side is perfect for parents. | Source: Etta Loves

One side of the flashcards is perfect for babies, while the other side is perfect for parents. | Source: Etta Loves

Since a baby’s eyes aren’t fully developed when they are born, using stimulating flashcards helps babies develop their eyesight and form connections in their little brains. The Sensory Flashcards were designed with the help of an orthoptist and Etta Loves’ scientific research partners at The Sussex Baby Lab. The deck also comes with a card featuring ideas for using the cards and facts about how babies’ sight develops as they get older.

The Sensory Flashcards are available at ettaloves.com for $20.

Exploding Kittens to Roll Out 5 New Tabletop Games

Exploding Kittens, the brand known for its tabletop and card games, is launching five new titles.

The first of these new titles is Let’s Hit Each Other with Fake Swords, a sword-themed card game in which players will resolve conflict by hitting each other with foam swords. Let’s Hit Each Other with Fake Swords will be available for $24.99 at Target, Walmart, and Amazon. Zombie Burrito is the next game in the release and is the next iteration in Exploding Kittens’ “Throw Throw “series. Customers can purchase the Target exclusive for $24.99.

A drinking game is among the five new titles. | Source: Exploding Kittens

A picture-matching game for young children rounds out the kidult-centric offerings. | Source: Exploding Kittens

The "Throw Throw" line will get a zombie expansion. | Source: Exploding Kittens

Exploding Kittens will expand into the drinking game category with the title When Sip Hits the Fan, a game of antics for players over 21 that will cost $14.99 at Target and Amazon. On the opposite end of the spectrum, the title You Little Stinker is a picture-matching game designed for very young children, and will hit Target exclusively for $19.99.

The last new tabletop game is Catchables, which are collectible foam characters that double as a card game and feature characters from the Exploding Kittens catalog. The Walmart exclusive will be priced at $9.99 for two-packs and $14.99 for four-packs.

All of the new games will hit retail July 21 except for Catchables, which will launch July 27. For more information on Exploding Kittens’ tabletop game lineup, visit the company website.

Walmart Enters the NacelleVerse as Biker Mice, RoboForce, Others Expand at Retail

Some classic toy brands are returning to Walmart for the first time in decades.

Nacelle, the company behind The Toys That Made Us and A Toy Store Near You, inked a deal with the retail giant for a dedicated endcap for its NacelleVerse toys. Set to debut in October, the endcap will live in the electronics section of approximately 2,000 stores. It will feature action figures from RoboForce, Biker Mice From Mars, Sectaurs, and The Great Garloo.

Each rebooted toy brand now exists within the NacelleVerse, an interconnected storytelling universe unfolding across comic books and animation.

I’ve admired Walmart’s business model for a long time; quality goods for a very affordable price. Being able to showcase our characters in a way that’s equally exciting and affordable for the consumer, is a win-win for toy lovers everywhere.”

— Brian Volk-Weiss, Founder & CEO, Nacelle

This summer, ahead of their October featured presentation, action figures including Maxx 89 and Wrecker (RoboForce), Throttle, Vinnie and Modo (Biker Mice From Mars), and Dargon and Stellara (Sectaurs) will begin hitting select Walmart stores alongside limited-edition, Walmart-exclusive variants from RoboForce, Sectaurs, and The Great Garloo.

Source: Nacelle

Walmart’s support of the NacelleVerse comes ahead of the animated series that Nacelle is creating in collaboration with Dwayne Johnson, Dany Garcia and Seven Bucks Productions (RoboForce), and Ryan Reynolds and Maximum Effort (Biker Mice from Mars).

Other properties in the NacelleVerse include Wild West C.O.W.-Boys of Moo Mesa and Power Lords.

Jazwares Launches 4 New Harry Potter Squishmallows

Jazwares is adding four new plush to its lineup of officially licensed Harry Potter Squishmallows.

The third wave of Harry Potter Squishmallows features iconic Harry Potter imagery, including the Sorting Hat; Fawkes, Dumbledore’s pet phoenix; a mandrake peeking out of its pot; and Dobby the house elf.

Source: Jazwares

These Squishmallows join the other eight designs in Jazwares’ Harry Potter Squishmallows collection, including Harry Potter, Hermione Granger, Ron Weasley, Hedwig, the Gryffindor lion, the Hufflepuff badger, the Ravenclaw raven, and the Slytherin snake.

The new 10-inch Squishmallows are available now for preorder on Amazon and will be widely released starting Sept. 16.

Blues Traveler Set to Rock ‘Party with a Purpose’ as LA Fall Toy Preview Sells Out; TOTY Nominations Open

The toy industry is headed to Los Angeles this September and the vibe is already electric.

While the traditional fall preview meetings between retailers and manufacturers occur throughout the entire month of September, much excitement is swirling around the LA Fall Preview Market Week which runs Sept. 9-13.

The Toy Association revealed this week that space in its LA Fall Preview venue is officially sold out with 78 toy and game manufacturers setting up shop at 2250 East Imperial Highway in El Segundo, California. This space — which is open to exhibitors and their guests all month —complements other facilities, including 1960 on Grand aka “The New Toy Building” and OPEN/Spaces at OPEN in El Segundo, in addition to the dozens of permanent showrooms throughout the greater LA area.

News of the LA Fall Preview sell-out comes on the heels of word that The Toy Foundation locked in Blues Traveler to headline its Party with a Purpose event on September 9 at TAO. The networking event benefits the Foundation in its efforts to bring joy to kids in need.

Music and musical play are incredibly powerful tools in supporting mental and behavioral health, and we want everyone to have access to this power. We’re excited to support The Toy Foundation’s Children’s Hospital Play Grants program in delivering the healing power of play to children and families in need while they’re going through one of the hardest moments in their lives.”

— Blues Traveler

A classic Blues Traveler jam.

Nominations Open for the 2025 Toy of the Year (TOTY) Awards

The Toy Foundation also opened nominations for its signature program, the Toy of the Year (TOTY) Awards. The 25th TOTYs takes place on Feb. 28, 2025 ahead of Toy Fair in New York and serves as the key fundraiser for the Foundation.

Members of the industry are encouraged to submit nominations in 16 categories through August 23, 2024. Full details can be found here.

The Toy Book Heads to LA!

Members of The Toy Book team will be on the ground in Los Angeles this September as we release our 2024 LA Fall Toy Preview Issue. This issue is packed with content and will be available at select touchpoints throughout the area. If you haven’t yet booked ad space in the magazine, please reach out to Jackie Breyer, James “JD” Devin, Thomas Stephen, or Stephanie Infantino to book your space ASAP. Time is running out!

TOYS:

GAMES:

PUBLISHING:

LICENSING:

FINANCIAL:

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Nominations Open for the 2025 Toy of the Year (TOTY) Awards

The Toy Book Heads to LA!

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