Licensing Magazine attended the hottest meeting in the Toy industry: read more to discover some insights on what happened, who we met, and what we talked about at the Spielwarenmesse 2025.
Nuremberg Toy Fair revealed valuable insights into the major trends in the Toy industry and what we can expect from 2025: a significant number of exhibitors were eager to give their contribute to this premier Toy event, showcasing their newest products and sharing details of their upcoming licensing plans. Licensing Magazine was there to gather some insights to share with its readers: here are our impressions of this amazing 2025 edition!
Mattel’s 80th anniversary celebration
Licensing Magazine joined Mattel in celebration! The leading global toy and entertainment company commemorated its 80th anniversary at the Spielwarenmesse by previewing the limited-edition Mattel 80th Ruby Anniversary Collection. This range showcased collectible items from iconic Mattel brands, paying homage to the company’s legacy of inspiring play and innovation, featuring signature red and ruby accents across beloved brands. Licensing Magazine attended this remarkable event to enjoy a moment of sharing and to reflect on past successes, celebrating Mattel’s incredible commitment over these 80 years to provide extraordinary play experiences for both young and old.
As part of its celebration, Mattel also committed to “Play it Forward” by donating resources to Save the Children in the U.S. and U.K., marking 20 years of partnership with this humanitarian organization.
Anime, Manga and Kidults dominating the scene
The spotlight was definitely stolen by the overall exciting attention on Anime and Manga. Their vibrant, fascinating characters resonate with different age groups, emerging as the most appealing trend of the moment, paving the way for exciting collaborations and business opportunities. Anime and Manga show a growing influence on pop culture – brilliantly discussed by Jack Day, who shared The Insights Family’s latest survey about the topic at the License Talks – resulting in the dominance of Japanese kawaii aesthetics in toy design and production.
Additionally, Toei Animation provided an exciting yet not overly revealing preview on their amazing licensing plans for 2025: Licensing Magazine was there to collect some juicy news, that we plan to share soon!
The second hottest topic at the 2025 edition of Nuremberg Toy Fair delved into the mesmerizing kidult trend. The scene was dominated by products designed for the steadily growing audience of game-playing adults, reflecting diverse areas of interest and offering fantastic ideas for retailers. The ‘Toys for Kidults’ Special Area emphasized the enormous potential of this trend, displaying products examples ranging from fantasy and science fiction items to action and strategy games, as well as retro products.
Kidult products absolutely stole the show, from items specifically targeted at adult collectors and players, to products intended for families that can be enjoyed by all age groups! We had the pleasure of meeting some outstanding exhibitors, who shared their mission, their goals for 2025, and the passion behind their projects – such as The Mouse Mansion, designing products that stimulate creativity within families, and Barrado Peluches, who showcased some amazing details about their newest products, targeted to an audience of adult collectors and estimators.
Another amazing novelty unveiled at the Spielwarenmesse 2025 was the Healthy Heroes trend. The Fair welcomed innovative product lines aimed at promoting healthy eating habits, physical activity, and emotional well-being. Through playtime, children are encouraged to learn how to take care of their physical, mental and social health, with products that foster relaxation, meditation and sports, encouraging emotional expression. Licensing Magazine had the fantastic opportunity to meet and interview Epic Story Toys, the new toy division of Epic Story Media, who recently released a new product range for Vegesaurs – the preschool series created and produced by Cheeky Little and distributed globally by Studio 100 International – focused on promoting healthy habits through their vegetable-like characters.
Make sure to check out our online channels in the coming weeks: further details on Licensing Magazine’s extraordinary experience at Nuremberg Toy Fair 2025 will be shared soon – and you don’t want to miss out!
