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Toy Fair 2026 in New York is considered one of the central meeting places for the international toy industry. In just a few days, topics that accompany manufacturers, retailers, licensors and the media throughout the year are condensed here: Which product ideas really sell on the shelves? Where is demand shifting – and why? And how is the relationship between classic play, digital supplements and new target groups changing?
It is striking that in recent years, the industry has defined itself less by individual ‘miracle products’ and more by robust patterns: collector's and pop culture segments are gaining in importance, while parents are paying more attention to everyday usability, price sensitivity and clear quality signals when it comes to classic games. At the same time, the market is becoming more international – not only in terms of the origin of the products, but also in terms of brand worlds that have to function globally. For Messe.TV, the event is therefore a place where the toy industry can be observed in a very concrete way: not as a show, but as a working trade fair with clear business dynamics.
What was once a change is now a trend that has become established in recent seasons: the growing importance of adult buyers. This has led to increased demands in terms of value, design, collectability and recognisability. Collectible cards, building and construction worlds, and pop culture themes are no longer marginal areas in many product ranges, but rather sales drivers. Added to this is the licensing business, which is more dependent on content cycles: films, series and games provide impulses that can bundle demand in the short term – and thus also increase the pressure to be able to deliver quickly and position products cleanly. In this environment, brands that play out their worlds across multiple touchpoints gain an advantage: story, characters, social formats, retail campaigns, online communities. Toys are thus often less ‘reinvented’ and more translated into formats that can be connected again and again: limited editions, collector's editions, expansion sets, accompanying mini-series. This also changes the role of retailers – advice and presentation become more important because product experience and brand world belong together.
Technology does not automatically become an end in itself in the toy market. Much of what is sold as ‘smart’ fails in everyday use: operating hurdles, setup effort, data protection issues, battery issues, lack of durability. That is why it is interesting to see where digital elements actually prevail: where they provide benefits without destroying the core of the game. This ranges from learning and creative systems to toys that facilitate interaction but do not keep children glued to the screen. At the same time, it can be observed that content is being designed to be faster and more variable. Product texts, instructions, additional ideas or playful ‘challenges’ are becoming more modularised so that they can be played out consistently in retail, social media and platforms. Those who are present in many markets need a clear structure: product information, safety instructions, material specifications, variant logic. This is precisely where trend and practical issues come together: it is not technology as a buzzword that counts, but the ability to integrate a product cleanly into processes and communication.
A second area that can no longer be ignored is sustainability – less as a moral debate and more as an expectation in terms of material selection, packaging, reparability and transparency. Parents are paying closer attention to origin and ingredients, retailers to complaint risks and clear compliance, and manufacturers to resilient supply chains. This leads to a kind of ‘testing mentality’: which promises are measurable and which are just marketing? This has practical consequences that are also reflected in product design: more durable systems, replaceable components, fewer ‘disposable gimmicks,’ and a stronger focus on play value per material used. Not every category can implement this at the same speed – but the direction is clear.
For retailers, what matters is what sells consistently – regardless of short-term social trends. This explains why construction and collectibles segments are so strong in many countries: they work through repurchases, expansions and community effects. At the same time, classic family categories remain important, but need to be justified more convincingly: play value, quality, price, safety, availability. This leads to very concrete discussions at events like this one: How can a product be explained at the POS? What are the arguments beyond a logo? How quickly can supplies be replenished? What data must be available for online retail, marketplaces and branch logic? Toys are thus becoming more like ‘tradable systems’ – including image material, variant maintenance, clean master data and clear claims that are also legally valid.
The significance of Toy Fair 2026 does not stem from superlatives, but from consolidation: manufacturers meet buyers, licences meet product development, trend narratives meet hard retail practice. Anyone who wants to understand how toys are shifting towards ‘kidults’, collecting culture, responsible material selection and everyday technology will find a realistic picture here – including the points of friction. Because it is precisely where expectations and feasibility collide that it is decided what ultimately remains on the market.
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