For decades, toymakers have feverishly worked toward answering a question: “Can kids converse with their toys?”
While the journey is ongoing and ever-evolving, the innovators at Readyland have developed new tech that turns the smart speakers and voice assistant that nearly everyone has into a new-school tool that just might be “more fun than a toy.”
So, what is Readyland, and how can the toy industry get involved? The Toy Book spoke with Dave Capper, Board Member, and Joshua Garrett, Chief Creative Officer at Readyland, to get the details.
What is the easiest way to describe Readyland to someone encountering the concept for the first time?
The Readyland platform is the first time kids can really talk with their favorite characters while they play, fully immersed in their world. With our amazing technology and design, we can bring magical play experiences to children and teens across many categories, from action figures to books to games and more. Readyland is the next level of interaction for toys, games, and entertainment, and it works with any Alexa device and all major tablets and smartphones.
The team behind Readyland has been in the game for quite a while, working on famed toy properties that have grossed billions of dollars for the industry. What can you share about the credits that led to Readyland?
We have worked on literally thousands of toys, including many of the most successful products of the last 40 years. From the original He-Man and the Masters of the Universe to Koosh, Hitclips, Video Now, and Toy of the Year (TOTY) Award winners almost every year, our team has been involved in crafting amazing play experiences for decades.
Over the past few years, you’ve released several print titles, including the recent Owl & Dragon: A Magical Adventure. This book is already a hit with families who love the integration between Amazon Alexa and the physical book. How is this experience “more fun than a toy?”
What sets Readyland apart is the unbelievable ability to have true conversations with characters, combined with the huge amount of interactive play and immersive audio that make you really part of an adventure. The toy industry has struggled for years with reliable and compelling voice recognition, and we’re so excited to have developed a way to have these amazing, fun experiences. You talk with the characters, play games with them, make music together, make decisions, and so much more. Things change each time you play, so you can go back again and again and keep discovering new surprises. Most electronic toys are limited in content due to restraints on memory and hardware costs, but our platform supports an unprecedented amount of interactive content and play. Not only that, we can keep changing the experience after it goes live, bringing in new or topical content easily and instantly with no work required by the consumer.
How can Readyland be applied to other physical goods, including toys and games?
In so many ways. Imagine taking your action figure on an interactive adventure where you not only solve problems together but you fight enemies, get out of traps, and explore worlds. Or imagine going back in time to a Dinosaur safari, or interactive fashion play with a doll who talks to you like your best friend, or a game where you can talk with a celebrity host, and the challenges are always new. And all of this without electronics, masking lead times, or tooling!
If a toy or game maker wants to incorporate Readyland into their product line, what must they know about the process, design, and programming?
The main thing for them to know is that our team can handle all the heavy lifting, from design to content, to programming, to marketing. We’ve done it for many of the most successful items in recent toy history and are passionate about creating and marketing amazing products.
How can interested parties best connect with the Readyland team to explore partnership opportunities?
We love to connect! They can write us at partnerships@readyland.com, or go to readyland.com/partnerships.
This digital exclusive feature is an extension of The Toy Book’s 2024 LA Fall Toy Preview Issue. Click here to read the full issue! Want to receive The Toy Book in print? Click here for subscription options!
