Spielwarenmesse 2024 to Feature Special Section Focused on Kidults 

Toys are not just for kids, and Spielwarenmesse 2024 will highlight this fact on the big stage.

From Jan. 30 to Feb. 3, 2024, Spielwarenmesse will have a new interactive special area in Hall 3A entitled “Life’s a Playground — Toys for Kidsters, Kidults & Co.” Here the world of game-playing adults will be celebrated through products from four categories: Collectibles, Premium Collectibles, Creative Fantasy, and Tabletop Games. 

Adults are a target market with purchasing power, as evidenced by many adults who own board games, have a model car on their desks, collect comics, or own a sweatshirt with a well-known character. 

“Adults with an interest in games have long been more than just a niche market,” says Christian Ulrich, Spokesperson of the Executive Board at Spielwarenmesse eG. “They represent a target group with high levels of sales, and it is essential for the toy trade to keep them in their sights.”

The Collectibles category focuses on people’s enjoyment of collecting modeling kits, action figures and collectible characters, construction and system toys, comics, merchandise, NFTs, soft toys, and puzzles. The Premium Collectibles category will showcase products that are very exclusive and have the potential to rise in value.

Examples of the Creative Fantasy category include not only role-playing games and miniature games, but also trading card games. With these products, players enter an exciting, interactive world of play where they can be immersed in epic adventures, demonstrate strategic abilities, or take part in contests. 

Lastly, the Tabletop Games category brings together various tabletop and board games for teams of two or more. The appeal comes from becoming immersed in different roles, seeking to demonstrate strategic skills, trying to solve tricky puzzles, or just the sheer pleasure of playing a game. They range from instant fun to sessions that can last an entire evening.

“Life’s a Playground — Toys for Kidsters, Kidults & Co.” offers not only relevant products, but also retail-specific ideas and insider knowledge. One of the largest comic and toy shops in Europe, Ultra Comix, is sending experts along with other companies to present new games as well as old classics and provide helpful tips. 

“The whole ‘Life’s a Playground’ concept, through its interactive special area and factual expert knowledge, clearly indicates the great potential that lies within this target group,” says Ulrich. “It highlights new approaches for range expansion and sales growth.”

Talks on the subject of kidults in the neighboring Toy Business Forum will also deliver valuable information on this target group and the relevant categories. Full information on the new special area can be found here.