People of Play™ has announced the finalists for the 19th annual Toy & Game International Excellence Awards.
People of Play™, a division of The Toy Association™, has announced the finalists for the 19th annual Toy & Game International Excellence (TAGIE) Awards, which recognize the inventors, designers, suppliers, retailers, marketers, and PR teams whose imaginations and ingenuity fuel the toy and game industry. Winners will be celebrated at an awards ceremony on Friday, November 6 at Joe’s Live Concert Venue in Rosemont, IL.
This year’s TAGIEs will also kick off People of Play’s Star Wars 50th anniversary celebration, themed “The Force of Play,” honoring five decades since Star Wars: A New Hope debuted on May 25, 1977. Adding to the celebration, Ashley Eckstein – actress, entrepreneur, and fashion designer best known for founding Her Universe and voicing and originating the role of Ahsoka Tano across several Star Wars animated series- will host the evening.
Public voting to determine the award winners in 10 categories is open until October 22. Industry professionals and consumers are encouraged to cast their votes online. The Game Changer and Lifetime Achievement Awards are selected exclusively by the TAGIE Awards Committee and the Lifetime Achievement Committee.
Mary Couzin, Senior Vice President and Founder/Leader of People of Play at The Toy Association:
Every year, we are inspired by the talent of the TAGIE finalists. These innovators are risk-takers and dreamers who have turned ideas into toys and games that bring joy to millions, and this year, we’re adding a little extra ‘force’ to the celebration as we kick off 50 years of Star Wars. We can’t wait to bring everyone together for an unforgettable night in November!
Founded in 2008, the TAGIEs celebrate the outstanding achievements of toy and game industry leaders worldwide.
The awards ceremony takes place annually in the fall in conjunction with People of Play’s annual POP Week (November 5 to 8 in Rosemont, IL), including the Global Inventor Pitch & Innovation Conference, Young Inventor Challenge, and Chicago Toy & Game Fair.
People of Play recognizes the generous support of this year’s event sponsors, including Presenting Sponsor Disney and Supporting Sponsors Hasbro, Mattel, Duracell, University Games, Longshore Ltd., Super Impulse, KenKen, Nextoy, The Play Makers, Backdrop.com, Brown Creative, Baby Paper, and Design Edge. The tickets for the 2026 TAGIE Awards are now available!
On this page, you can find all 2026 TAGIE Finalists divided into the 10 categories:
- Toy Innovator of the Year (AGES 0 – 13);
- Toy Innovator of the Year (AGES 13+);
- Game Innovator of the Year (AGES 0 – 13);
- Game Innovator of the Year (AGES 13+);
- Licensed Product Innovator of the Year;
- Young Innovator of the Year;
- Most Innovative Designer of the Year (Art&Visulas);
- Most Innovative Pr & Marketing Team of the Year;
- Sales Innovator of the Year;
- Most Innovative Partner of the Year
