This has been a very strange week for me. Traditionally, I would have joined the tens of thousands of people from the global toy community who have been congregating in Nuremberg. However, health comes first, so I had to stay behind to ‘man the fort’ this year while the Toy World team of Mark, Caroline and Simon have been flying the flag for us in Germany.
Like many others, they had fun getting there – it’s been a few years since we’ve seen a heavy snowfall like that during the Spielwarenmesse. Like a reboot of Trains, Planes and Automobiles, many people (and samples) had a chaotic and protracted journey to the city – although I suspect few could match Isaac Larian’s 56-hour journey (sometimes, even having a private jet doesn’t help). But despite the challenges, it seems that the vast majority of people persevered and made it through eventually.
It was also a rare birthday for me this year – one where I was at home rather than in Nuremberg. A certain major buyer located in the North-West who I share my birthday with was also unable to head out to Nuremberg this year – although for different reasons to mine. We’ve made a pact to meet in the Irish bar next year to celebrate (and we’ll confirm where she’s heading next just as soon as we can).
As for the show itself, by all accounts it has been as busy and productive as ever for those who made the trip. Many of the major toy companies use the Spielwarenmesse as a launchpad for their 2026 ranges, so we have been inundated with press releases all week showcasing key new introductions and deals. If like me you weren’t able to be there in person, we’ve been working tirelessly back in the office to bring you some of the highlights – a quick scroll down our home page will keep you up to date with some of the hottest developments and announcements.
Meanwhile, my spies have been out and about in Nuremberg and will be reporting back soon – but I promise they weren’t the ones on the MGA stand wearing smart glasses!
For all those who were lucky enough to be there, I trust you had a successful show.
Read the rest here.
