By Gary Symons TLL Editor in Chief A report from NPD Group shows growth in the North American toy sector has stalled, after two record breaking years. “After three record-breaking years for the toy industry, 2022 was a challenging year. U.S. consumers were forced to endure significant economic headwinds stemming from inflation and adverse macroeconomic factors,” said … [Read more...] about North American Toy Revenue Flatlined in 2022
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Mattel Issues Chelsea Doll Supporting Kids With Scoliosis
By Allison Watkinson TLL Reporter The Barbie brand has released a new doll for the Chelsea character line that is designed to increase representation of scoliosis. The new Chelsea doll features curvature in the spine and a removable back brace. With over 100,000 children diagnosed with scoliosis each year in the US, the new doll is intended to normalize the use of back … [Read more...] about Mattel Issues Chelsea Doll Supporting Kids With Scoliosis
Classic Game GoldenEye 007 Returns on Nintendo Switch and Xbox
By Allison Watkinson TLL Reporter MGM and EON Productions are partnering to bring the classic video game GoldenEye 007 to the Nintendo Switch and Microsoft Xbox platforms. Originally released in 1997 on the Nintendo 64 system, GoldenEye 007 is based on the 1995 James Bond film of the same name. In the game, players control the James Bond character as they embark on … [Read more...] about Classic Game GoldenEye 007 Returns on Nintendo Switch and Xbox
Licensing Law: Black Eyed Peas Suing MGA Over Pooping Unicorn Song
Gary Symons TLL Editor in Chief As a journalist, you never think you're going to write a sentence like "The Black Eyed Peas are suing a toy company over a pooping unicorn toy," but such is life. When I saw the news that BMG Rights Management has filed a suit against MGA over their Poopsie Slime Surprise: Dancing Unicorn toy, I had to double check to make sure someone … [Read more...] about Licensing Law: Black Eyed Peas Suing MGA Over Pooping Unicorn Song
Avatar: Way of Water Blows Through $2 Billion Mark in Global Box Office
By Gary Symons TLL Editor in Chief The James Cameron hit sequel Avatar: Way of Water has become the sixth film in history to earn more than $2 billion. Avatar: The Way of Water is continuing its march through the upper reaches of the all-time takings charts as it becomes the sixth film to break the $2bn mark in worldwide box-office receipts. The returns are great news for … [Read more...] about Avatar: Way of Water Blows Through $2 Billion Mark in Global Box Office
Why You Need to Watch the Getty Images Lawsuit Against Stability AI
By Gary Symons TLL Editor in Chief In a world first, Getty Images is suing AI art generator Stability AI for copyright infringement, alleging it processed millions of its images. Stability AI is the company that created the popular art generation tool Stability Diffusion, which has already created millions of images for its users. However, like other similar programs, … [Read more...] about Why You Need to Watch the Getty Images Lawsuit Against Stability AI
Dungeons & Dragons Faces Fan Backlash Over Leaked Licensing Agreement
By Gary Symons TLL Editor in Chief Hasbro’s hugely successful Wizards of the Coast faced a fan revolt this week over its new licensing rules. At one point, as Games Radar reported, so many fans cancelled their subscriptions to the online hub D&D Beyond that it apparently caused the site to crash. So, what touched off this fury among the Dungeons & Dragons … [Read more...] about Dungeons & Dragons Faces Fan Backlash Over Leaked Licensing Agreement
Marks & Spencer Pilots Virtual ‘Try-On’ Technology From Zyler
The UK retail chain Marks & Spencer has debuted a new technology allowing users to virtually try on clothing. The new tech was developed by partner Zyler, and has been rolled out in Marks & Spencers outlets in Oxford Circus and Harrogate, both in London. The feature was trialed with the clothing brand Jaeger. "The introduction of this technology provides a … [Read more...] about Marks & Spencer Pilots Virtual ‘Try-On’ Technology From Zyler
Blvck Has Partnered With Epic Games For a Licensed Fortnite Capsule Collection
By Allison Watkinson TLL Reporter The global lifestyle brand Blvck has partnered with Epic Games’ Fortnite for a licensed collection of apparel and accessories. The licensed capsule collection features a monochromatic color palette with characters and references from the Fortnite game. Fortnite is an online game platform created by the video game and software … [Read more...] about Blvck Has Partnered With Epic Games For a Licensed Fortnite Capsule Collection
Spin Master Goes High Tech With Acquisition of HEXBUG
by Allison Watkinson TLL Reporter Spin Master has reached a licensing agreement with Innovation First International to acquire the company's robotic toy brand HEXBUG. Innovation First International is a privately-held corporation that manufactures and produces robotic products for the consumer, education, and business-to-business markets. "At Spin Master we are … [Read more...] about Spin Master Goes High Tech With Acquisition of HEXBUG