In 2016, long before people were breaking into mystery boxes on TikTok, a small capsule toy that opened up to reveal a surprise doll debuted and became the thing every kid pined for.
L.O.L. Surprise! (Li’l Outrageous Littles) originally consisted of mystery capsules featuring a tot-size fashion doll in themes like rocker, diva, and merbaby, hidden within seven layers of accessories to unwrap.
“Children today are obsessed with unboxing, the element of surprise, and collectibles,” said MGA Entertainment (MGA) Founder and CEO Isaac Larian ahead of the brand’s launch. “To them, L.O.L. Surprise isn’t just another toy. It’s an experience, a hidden mystery, a present they can unwrap again and again every day to build their L.O.L. Surprise collection.”
And build they did, as the brand grew in both size and spirit over the past decade, with 12-inch L.O.L. Surprise OMG (Outrageous Millennial Girls) and slightly smaller Tweens fashion dolls.
A SpongeBob SquarePants collection clocks in later this year. | Source: MGA Entertainment
Sort your favorite Harry Potter wizards later this year. | Source: MGA Entertainment
An L.O.L Surprise Strawberry Shortcake sweetened the toy aisle earlier this year. | Source: MGA Entertainment
“When we launched, opening the package became just as exciting as the actual doll itself,” says Josh Hackbarth, Chief Marketing Officer at MGA. “And that changed the category to be honest.” Now a household name, the L.O.L. Surprise franchise is currently worth more than $7 billion. For its anniversary year, the brand is celebrating with updated face-sculpts across collectible and fashion dolls, a life-size party at Lollapalooza in Chicago last month, a live-action original series on YouTube — L.O.L. Surprise! The Next Headliner — and, of course, a steady stream of new toy releases.
Hackbarth notes that [outside some candy brands] the franchise hadn’t explored many collaborations in its first decade, but it has since evolved through partnerships. In recent months, L.O.L. Surprise has revealed collaborations with SpongeBob SquarePants, Dr. Seuss, Hello Kitty and Friends, Harry Potter, and more. Staying true to its musical roots, the brand also debuted Music Festival dolls inspired by BLACKPINK’s Jennie and Spanish pop star Rosalía.
“We’re always looking for what’s trending,” Hackbarth says, “We also want to be selective on what we do. We want to protect our fans and the brand and make sure we’re able to over-deliver.”
The next decade will find L.O.L. Surprise continuing to evolve and expand, with new and established fans at the forefront of it all.
“[This brand is] much more of an entertainment franchise with toys at its heart, but entertainment and experience are closely around that. We basically have to start building that bigger universe,” says Hackbarth, “You’ll see us invest in more original content, music, live experiences, licensing, and creative partnerships.”
And while MGA is always keeping the brand fresh for its fans, one part of the L.O.L. song remains the same.
“What hasn’t changed and will not change in the next 10 years is that we want to never stop surprising our fans. If the first decade was about reinventing play, we think the next decade is about redefining — or even reinventing — what a toy brand can become.”
Stay on the Pulse of Play!
A version of this feature appears in The Toy Book‘s 2026 Fall Toy & Licensing Preview Issue. Read the full issue here!
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