Are Collectible Toys the New Porcelain for Adults? What's Next in Toy Trends?

CGTN Europe

CGTN Europe spoke to the international toy analyst Christopher Byrne.

Transcript

00:00Let's talk now to Christopher Byrne, the international toy analyst, better known as the Toy Guy.

00:05Christopher, great to have you on the program. Thanks for joining us.

00:07So we're hearing that toys are not just for kids, obviously for adults too,

00:11but what kind of toys have this broad appeal?

00:15Well, as your segment showed, it's really the collectibles, what we're calling art plush,

00:21whether it's LeBubu or the Sanrio characters, which are having an amazing year.

00:26You mentioned Disney. It's a way for people to connect with their fandom

00:30and be part of a community around these products.

00:33Not different than what we used to see with porcelain collecting or other things.

00:36It's just now it's toys that traditionally have been for kids.

00:40So do you think more adults are actually playing with toys

00:43or that maybe more adults are just admitting to playing with toys and buying them for themselves

00:47rather than stealing them off their children, if you like?

00:50Well, I think the trend has definitely been towards these collectible lines.

00:56LaBubu, you mentioned Lego, Lego Botanicals, Lego Icons.

00:59All of these are engaging families.

01:02I think a lot of it comes out of the pandemic where you had parents playing with their kids

01:06and going, hey, I want to do that too.

01:07And the toymakers have been quick to respond

01:09because that population is pretty big and stable and willing to spend money.

01:15Are we more young at heart, though, do you think?

01:16Is it a change in our habits?

01:20Well, let's hope so.

01:21I certainly advocate that we play throughout our lives

01:25and that what we play with as kids kind of shapes who we are as we grow up.

01:29But definitely staying in touch with that playful nature, that sense of what if, what can I do,

01:34how about making something I think is actually very important for us as humans.

01:38So we saw the rise of the kiddo then in 2025.

01:42What other trends do we see emerge in toys this year?

01:46Well, you've certainly seen the blind box emerging.

01:48I think what you're also going to see is the antithesis of the blind box

01:52because a lot of people want to see what they're getting.

01:55So you're going to see more toys in the collectible lines in window packaging.

01:59It's not going to take away from the blind boxes,

02:01but I think collectors want to know what they're buying.

02:04You're going to see a lot of very strong year in games.

02:07You're going to see a very strong year in almost anything that creates a social experience

02:12because that's what we're seeing with the Gen Alpha kids.

02:15The Gen Z are their parents.

02:16They really want that social connection.

02:18You can't get on a phone or a tablet.

02:21Well, let's talk about this idea of the blind boxes.

02:23And this is effectively buying something in a series

02:24and you don't know what you're going to get till you open it.

02:26L'Bubu is being an example of that.

02:28Do you think we'll see the back of this kind of thing next year?

02:31What else might we see the back of?

02:33Well, I don't think we'll see the back of it.

02:35I think that maybe L'Bubu, the trend for L'Bubu will die down,

02:39but something else will take its place.

02:40I definitely think you're going to see a huge year in trading cards.

02:44Pokemon is going to continue to have a good year.

02:47There are other trading card lines coming out.

02:49Magic the Gathering from Hasbro and Wizards of the Coast,

02:53that's going to continue to be strong.

02:55I think the big trend is you're going to have these niches that are deep but narrow and global.

03:01So I think you're going to see not so much mass market,

03:03but really what we call the mass niche.

03:06Christopher, great to talk to you.

03:07Thank you so much for coming on the program.

03:08And that is the toy guy, Christopher Byrne.

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