New games at the toy fair 2016 Nuremberg

The International Toy Fair in Nuremberg has been the most important meeting place for the toy industry since 1950. Every year, all international decision-makers make the pilgrimage to the exhibition grounds in Nuremberg, where they discover new brands, trends and innovations among around 1 million new products. The "Spielwarenmesse eG" event is aimed exclusively at trade visitors. Buyers from major chains, retailers and numerous media representatives are present to cover the event. From Wednesday, January 27 to Monday, February 1, almost 71,000 trade visitors were able to view the products and services of 2,851 exhibitors.

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75,000 new products at the Spielwarenmesse 2016

Considering that around a third of the German toy industry's turnover is generated in Bavaria, Nuremberg is the ideal trade fair location for the industry. Bavarian Finance Minister Markus Söder agreed with this in an interview with Messe.TV, referring to the long tradition of the Nuremberg region as a stronghold of craftsmanship and play since the Middle Ages. Nuremberg's Lord Mayor Dr. Ulrich Maly could only agree with this. His usual tour also took him to the participating companies from the region. Mr. Ernst Kick, Chairman of the Board of Spielwarenmesse eG, was delighted to see over 75,000 new products at this year's fair. He saw the growing number of "smart toys" as an enrichment, but predicted that the field of classic games would always remain.

Classics of the toy industry

The absolute toy classics include Carrera, Playmobil and Lego. At the Carrera stand, we were able to admire conventional Carrera tracks as well as tracks linked to smartphones etc. with Carrera GO. With the Carrera RC range, you can drive in the air, on water and on land. LEGO presented itself at the Spielwarenmesse 2016 with its LEGO Nexo Knights, LEGO Star Wars and LEGO Technik ranges. LEGO Duplo introduced numerous new animals such as polar bears, whales and fishing Eskimos. Playmobil also had something new in its program - table soccer, cruise ship, princess castle and an excursion into the world of Caesar and Cleopatra. When it comes to tradition, the dolls and cuddly toys from Käthe Kruse are a must. At the stand, we encountered new XXL dangling animals and the Waldorf doll Leni. John Toys surprised us with current licensed products such as glowing, water-filled balls based on the Disney series "Finding Dory".

Robots and drones find their way into the children's room

In the Robotic segment, Tinkerbots presented a robotic construction kit for children aged 5 - 6. The toy drones from Wonder Tech were equipped with a high-quality GoPro camera with a flight time of a whopping 12 minutes. At eBall, we found the prototype of a balance scooter that can be controlled by shifting your weight not quite as technical, but exciting. The Ripsurf, which we discovered at Razor, also requires a sense of balance. Basically a skateboard that allows you to surf without a wave. The wide range of products from Jazzwares toys was enriched in 2016 with figures from Star Wars, including the shaggy, bawling functional plush toy Chewbacca and alarm clocks in the shape of R2-D2 and Darth Vader.

Exhibitors satisfied with the course of the Spielwarenmesse

In 2016, exhibitors recorded an increase in turnover of 6%. More than 90% of the participating companies planned to take part in the trade fair again the following year. Trade visitor participation from Asia, America and Africa increased. Good prospects for the toy industry!

Digital innovations in the children's room

Spielwarenmesse 2016 made it clear how strongly digital technologies are shaping the toy market. Interactive systems that integrate movement, sensor technology or even programming logic were present in numerous halls. The focus was less on the pure use of technology and more on combining play fun with learning experiences - be it in the field of robotics, vehicles or control via app. Typical product concepts in this segment were

• playful construction kits with technical functions
• remote-controlled devices with integrated cameras
• electronic vehicles that react to body movement

The acceptance of such products was not only evident among specialist retailers, but also among educational institutions, which increasingly emphasized the didactic value of such innovations.

Reinterpretation of classic play worlds

In addition to the technological innovations, the trade fair also showed that traditional play worlds are still in demand - especially when they are creatively developed further. Building and construction toys, role-playing games and classic vehicles were enhanced with new themed worlds, combination options and age-appropriate extensions. The innovations presented included, among others:

• expandable modules for existing play systems
• new figures, stories and scenarios to deepen the game
• larger variants of classic products for new target groups

These further developments underline the fact that the toy market not only follows trends, but also focuses on long-term loyalty through creative continuity.

License-free trends and original ideas

One striking area at the Spielwarenmesse 2016 was the large number of original products that do without any well-known license themes. The trend here was towards self-developed play concepts, imaginative designs and thematically broader product lines. Many manufacturers focused on their own figures, new forms of movement or surprising game mechanics. Such concepts were often characterized by the following features:

• innovative game principles with easy access
• aesthetically independent design beyond established brand worlds
• combination of movement, creativity and social play

This area showed that the market continues to offer scope for creative ideas, even without the connection to film or TV templates.