Current Trends in the Toy Market

Current trends in the Toys and Games industry

A) Toys playing inspirational roles

Some Toys and games are designed around real and fictional characters, living or dead, who are seen as role models by young people – Robin Hood, David Beckam.

B) Educational roles

Children tend to spend a long time playing and rather than doing school work during their spare time. Toy and games manufactures have tapped into this market by developing toys and games that not only allow children and young people to play, but to learn and apply their creative talents to use.

C) Developing and nurturing talent

Some toys and games are designed to teach and develop talent. Examples are FIFA video games that teach football skills and toys based on television shows like American Idol and X factor which are largely driven by the pop culture.

D) Culture and anniversaries

These are toys that exploit the cultural beliefs and anniversaries-Christmas, Halloween etc.

E) Gender profile

In 2012 men users of mobile video games slightly outnumbered women users in the US (52%) as well as in Europe (52%).

F) Hardware

Video games can be accessed on consoles, smart phones, android phones and tablets. Tablets have the advantage of being portable; have bigger screens and computing power.

G) Games sources

Currently players have the choice of downloading free applications, freemium, with in-app purchase options or they can pay for a one-time fee for a full-featured app.

H) Social

Currently, most video games avoid time being wasted by waiting for ones turn to play by allowing team playing.

I) Performance Play

Video games have responded to accusations of encouraging lazy and inactive children by introducing games that engages children to exercise not only their brains, but their bodies. This has been done through games that have motion-sensor technology like Nintendo Wii.

Future trends in the Toys and Games industry

A) Purchase of expensive toys

As the economy...