Raving Toy Maniac

The Year's Finest Toys and Games Unveiled at "OSCARS®" of the Toy Industry

LEGO® Friends from The Lego Group Grabs Coveted "Toy of the Year" Title;

LeapPad2™ by LeapFrog Enterprises, Inc. Bestowed Inaugural "People's Choice" Award

NEW YORK, Feb. 9, 2013 -- Hundreds of toy executives and guests from around the world gathered in New York City this evening to honor the year's top toys and industry icons at the 13th annual Toy of the Year (TOTY) Awards and Toy Industry Hall of Fame induction ceremony.

A Toy Industry Association (TIA)-administered event in support of the Toy Industry Foundation (TIF), the "Oscars" of the toy industry took place at the Plaza Hotel, kicking off the 110th American International Toy Fair. Throughout the evening, TOTY Awards were presented across 12 categories – from e-Connected and Innovative to Educational and Outdoor.

In addition, the overall "Toy of the Year" award was presented to LEGO Friends (The Lego Group), while LeapPad2 (LeapFrog Enterprises, Inc.) received the inaugural "People's Choice" award.

Toy Trends for 2013 Announced by Toy Industry Association, Official Voice of Toy Fair

"So Retro!" ... "Pop Culture Persuasion" ... "360 Degree Play ... and "Enticing Teens & Tweens" Among Top Trends

NEW YORK, Feb. 11, 2013 -- From toys that are "So Retro!"... to arts and crafts inspired by "DIY Design" television shows... and playthings for sociable teens and tweens, the hottest toy trends of 2013 were unveiled by the Toy Industry Association (TIA) today at its 110th American International Toy Fair.

After searching high and low through 150,000 products now on display at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center in New York City, TIA's toy trend experts have uncovered a new crop of trends that are sure to be on every child's holiday wish list this year.

NECA UNVEILS NEW PRODUCT LINE-UPS AT NEW YORK TOY FAIR

Agreements with Sanrio and DC Comics Intensify Extensive Movie and Video Game Licenses

(RTM note: for pictures of the toys mentioned below, please check out the galleries over at AwesomeToyBlog.com.)

NEW YORK, NY - February 10, 2013 - National Entertainment Collectibles Association (NECA), a world leader in licensed consumer goods, revealed a robust line-up of new products at the 110th American International Toy Fair in New York.

Along with a substantial list of movie and video game licenses, the company announced a new partnership with Sanrio for a line of products targeted at adult fans of Hello Kitty and friends.

"We are honored to be part of such a beloved brand with such a rich history," said Joel Weinshanker, President and CEO of NECA. "So many fans, our team included, grew up with the Sanrio brand, and we're thrilled at the opportunity to serve this adult market."

(RTM note: there are two press releases on this page, so keep scrolling...)

KONAMI DIGITAL ENTERTAINMENT TURNS UP THE HEAT WITH THE Yu-Gi-Oh! TRADING CARD GAME

ONSLAUGHT OF THE FIRE KINGS STRUCTURE DECK

El Segundo, CA (February 7, 2013) - The raging fires of the Yu-Gi-Oh! TRADING CARD GAME (TCG) get hotter and hotter with the arrival of Onslaught of the Fire Kings Structure Deck from Konami Digital Entertainment, Inc. (Konami). This ready to play Deck blazes into stores nationwide on February 8th.

With four new Monster cards and two new extraordinary Spell cards, Duelists now have that extra spark needed to build a FIRE-themed Deck based on the renewing flames of the Phoenix. Players can also Special Summon the new Fire King High Avatar Garunix card and unleash the sacred fires of victory!

LEGO® DUPLO® INVITES PARENTS AND CHILDREN TO BUILD THEIR WAY TO EARLY LITERACY DEVELOPMENT

NEW YORK, American International Toy Fair (February 7, 2013) - LEGO Systems, Inc., the world's leading construction toy manufacturer, recently announced two new additions to its LEGO® DUPLO® Read and Build series: Peek-A-Boo Jungle and A Fairy Tale. Making story time even more playful for children under five, the Read and Build collection blends early reading with construction play encouraging youngsters to build along as their parents read simple, age-appropriate board books to them.

Play Sparks Both a Child's Imagination and Mind
"Play is essential to how children learn and is one of the primary ways that they discover the world," said Michael McNally, brand relations director for LEGO Systems. "Whether a child is learning to read or discovering how to share with a friend, play shapes a child's life in unexpected ways. The play experience truly becomes magical when a child can both grow their life skills and have fun-this is exactly why we create products like LEGO DUPLO Read & Build."

LEGO Systems Builds Eighth Consecutive Year of U.S. Sales Growth

-Brand relevance and play pattern at an all-time high as company's 2012 sales increase by 26%-

AMERICAN INTERNATIONAL TOY FAIR, NEW YORK (February 8, 2013) -- LEGO Systems, Inc., the North American division of the world's leading construction toy brand, achieved its eighth consecutive year of double-digit U.S. consumer sales growth in 2012, increasing category and overall toy industry shares over record performance in 2011.

2012 U.S. Year-End Highlights (Source: The NPD Group / Retail Tracking Service)

• Continued year-on-year growth trend in the U.S. as consumer sales grew +26% to reach $1.32 billion.
• Increased U.S. total toy market share to 7.9%, up +1.6 share points over 2011, maintaining rank as America's third largest toy manufacturer. The company's share of the total U.S. toy market has quadrupled in five years.
• Grew share of U.S. Building Sets category +5.3 points to 84.6% in a year of increased category competition.
• Gained +12.1 share points to reach 51.4% of the Preschool segment of U.S. Building Sets.

Rising From The Sewer In All-New Ways, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Are Ready For Ninja Action

Playmates Toys to Reveal Expanded Toy Line Inspired by Nickelodeon's Hit CG-Animated Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles at American International Toy Fair

EL SEGUNDO, Calif., Feb. 8, 2013 -- Playmates Toys is set to unveil the action-packed next generation of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles toy line, inspired by Nickelodeon's hit new CG-animated show. New elements, including the mysterious Ooze substance and Turtle-loving pizza, have been added to the product line and will be displayed at the American International Toy Fair in New York City, February 10-13, 2013, Booth #1525.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles premiered on Nickelodeon on Sept. 29, 2012 and was an instant hit, drawing almost 12 million viewers during its premiere weekend. Coinciding with the series, Playmates Toys, the mastermind responsible for the successful toy line over the last three decades, introduced a new line which became one of the top action figure brands by the end of 2012.

Diamond Select Toys to Unveil New Products, New Licenses at Toy Fair International

February 2013 - This weekend, Toy Fair International begins at the Jacob Javits Center in New York City. Not open to the public, the event allows toy manufacturers to present their new offerings to buyers from retail stores around the world, and it always offers fans the first look at the hottest toys of the year. Well, this year Diamond Select Toys will once again be in attendance, and once again they will have plenty on display to dazzle fans!

On display at booth 4905 will be new items from DST's broad array of licenses: Marvel Comics, Marvel Studios, The Walking Dead, Star Wars, Star Trek, Universal Monsters, The Munsters, Knight Rider, Ghostbusters, Pathfinder, Tomb Raider and Invincible. Products will include highly detailed 7-inch action figures, 2-inch Minimates mini-figures, Femme Fatales PVC statues, Granix art plaques, vehicles, light-up statues, banks, prop replicas, bottle openers, kitchenware, neon signs and more.

DST will also announce two new licenses at the show:

Hasbro Showcases Portfolio of Brands and Innovative New Play Experiences at the 110th American International Toy Fair

Premier Global Branded Play Company Highlights New Introductions from TRANSFORMERS, MY LITTLE PONY, PLAY-DOH, FURBY and More

NEW YORK -- February 7, 2013 -- Hasbro, Inc., home to many of the world's favorite entertainment and playtime brands, will celebrate new initiatives and product launches at the largest toy industry expo in the western hemisphere.

"Hasbro continues to deliver the best in branded play to consumers around the world with our unparalleled portfolio of multi-platform properties including TRANSFORMERS, MY LITTLE PONY and MONOPOLY," said John Frascotti, chief marketing officer, Hasbro. "In 2013 Hasbro will offer a wide variety of new ways to experience our brands across multiple formats, making them available anytime and anywhere consumers want."

LEGO Systems Unveils 250 New Building Sets at American International Toy Fair

- Builders of all ages will be inspired by endless LEGO possibilities, from new preschool play options to classic themes and new licenses to the introduction of the most advanced LEGO® robotics product ever -

NEW YORK, Feb. 7, 2013 -- American International Toy Fair -- LEGO Systems, Inc., makers of the world's leading construction toys, will unveil its largest collection of build and play toys ever – 250 new products – at the American International Toy Fair in New York City. With new products launching throughout the year, children of all ages and interests will find a LEGO® building set or theme to spark their building creativity, inspire storytelling and role play or keep them engaged in imaginative play for hours. New items are on display in Booth #1351 in Hall 3B of the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center from February 10-13.