WALTHAM, Mass., Nov. 18 -- Terra Lycos, the largest global Internet network, today announced the 2002 holiday season's list of the hottest, most searched-for toys as revealed by The Lycos 50(TM). For a complete list of The Lycos 50(TM) and for in-depth text of The Lycos 50 Daily Report, go to http://50.lycos.com.
The Lycos 50(TM) Hottest Toys List 2002:
1) Playstation 2
2) Xbox
3) Yu-Gi-Oh! cards
4) Barbie
5) Nintendo Gamecube
6) Beyblade
7) Legos
8) Transformers
9) Zoids
10) Hot Wheels
11) Hello Kitty
12) Gameboy Advance
Mirroring to some extent the top searches of last year, the list shows game consoles to be huge once again, with both Playstation 2 and Xbox climbing The Lycos 50(TM) ranks during the past few weeks as holiday shopping gets underway. Also similar to last year's list, the Gameboy Advance falls just short of the top 10 (#12).
Not far behind game consoles stands Yu-Gi-Oh!, a fad of Pokemon proportions that is taking this holiday season by storm. Like Pokemon, it is a Japanese media juggernaut with a card game, video games, and a television show. Usually, the anime empires like Dragonball and Pokemon are not included on the list because so few of these searches are specifically for toys and action figures. However, the majority of searches for Yu-Gi-Oh! are for the card game rather than the cartoon.
A surprise entry on the list is kids' current obsession with a toy that when stripped of all its mythology is really just a simple spinning top. Beyblade is another Japanese fad that, like Yu-Gi-Oh!, owes its popularity largely to a television cartoon. It puts a modern twist on that most ancient of toys, as kids can customize their own Beyblade tops and then compete to see whose top stays up longest and who can knock the other kid's top over.
For girls, the strongest fad generating Web searches is on a smaller scale than the massive boy-driven fads. Bratz dolls are getting a significant number of searches. Bratz is a line of five interracial dolls with interchangeable clothes and, according to the manufacturer, a "stylin' attitude." The line has been expanded this year to include new clothes and even male Bratz dolls.
"Most of the toys on the list are traditionally considered "boy toys," according to Kim Kluck, group product manager of search for Terra Lycos. "This may indicate that more boys are online looking for product information to populate their wish lists. It may also indicate that parents find the "boys toys" more difficult to understand and to buy. Given the lack of searches for hot new "girl toys" such as Bratz dolls, girls may expect to find more classic gifts under their tree this year -- gifts such as books, apparel, crafts and baby dolls."
About Terra Lycos
Terra Lycos is a global Internet group with a presence in 42 countries in 19 languages, reaching 118 million unique users per month around the world. The group, which is the result of Terra Networks S.A.'s acquisition of Lycos, Inc. in October 2000, operates some of the most popular Web sites in the United States, Europe, Asia and Latin America, and is the largest access provider in Spain and Latin America. The Terra Lycos network of sites includes Terra in 17 countries, Lycos in 26 countries, Angelfire.com, Atrea.com, Azeler.es, Bumeran.com, Direcciona.es, Educaterra.com, Emplaza.com, Gamesville.com, HotBot.com, Ifigenia.com, Invertia.com, Lycos Zone, Maptel.com, Matchmaker.com, Quote.com, RagingBull.com, Rumbo.com, Tripod.com, Uno-e.com and Wired News (Wired.com), and others. With headquarters in Barcelona and operating centers in Madrid, Boston and elsewhere, Terra Lycos is traded on the Madrid stock exchange (TRR) and the Nasdaq electronic market (TRLY). For more information, please visit our corporate Web site at http://www.terralycos.com.
Lycos(R) is a registered trademark of Carnegie Mellon University. All other product or service marks mentioned herein are those of Terra Networks, S.A., Lycos, Inc. or their respective owners. All rights reserved.
