This year’s Spielwarenmesse (28 Jan–1 Feb), Nuremberg’s annual global toy industry event, succeeded in matching last year’s very high numbers, with new networking formats and the high-quality international visitor profile among the elements singled out for praise by exhibitors.
2,362 exhibitors from 71 countries presented their innovations and trends in a significantly enlarged space and made successful use of the expanded range of options offered by the organiser, Spielwarenmesse eG. The amended hall structure, event-packed Specials and new networking opportunities helped some 57,500 visitors from 126 nations to navigate their way easily through the diverse range of products.
As last year, 97% of exhibitors stated that they considered attendance at the toy world’s leading event to be important or very important. “Our stand has been busy all day, every day – there’s a real buzz around the show,” commented Alison Coates of UK-based Just Play. “Exactly the right decision-makers were there, the ones with a genuine interest in our products,” said Sutepan Ganendiran, md of German start-up company Compactoys.
Important European markets saw increases in visitor numbers, while the US and China also ranked among the 10 countries for visitors. The increasingly international relevance of the fair was noted by Thomas Eichhorn, md of MGA Zapf Creation, Germany, who remarked that “the big American retailers such as Target and Walmart had intensive conversations with the teams from our HQ.”
Other major US-based players, too, reported that the Spielwarenmesse is becoming increasingly important, with Hasbro’s Bhavesh Somaya, svp and general manager, EMEA and APAC, commenting, “Spielwarenmesse is always an exciting start to the event calendar for the team at Hasbro,” and Mattel md Sebastian Trischler remarking: “Mattel always launches substantial major developments in Nuremberg, such as the 80th Ruby Anniversary Collection.”
Exhibitors also praised the service and activities on offer. “The continuous marked improvement in content at the Spielwarenmesse was clearly appreciated,” says Christian Ulrich, board spokesperson at Spielwarenmesse eG. The addition of Hall 3C, accommodating Baby & Infant Articles and Lifestyle Products, made efficient circuits around the fair easier and created synergies. “We love the new hall and the stand we have there – it was a real benefit to us,” commented Christian Vollmer of Fehn, Germany.
The modern design of the Toy Business Forum and its new-style presentations was likewise well received. Those presentation formats included the fireside chat with ceos and the ToyPitch on the first day of the fair, at which 12 exhibitors gave brief three-minute presentations on their new products.
Once again, the ToyAward – the prestigious industry prize in six product categories – was presented live on the big stage. “Winning was a tremendous honour, putting us as a small toy business on the radar with international trade,” said Yusuf Beyaz, ceo at Swiss start-up Qubs.
Further highlights included the highly topical Specials Sport, Leisure, Outdoor, with its halfpipe stunt shows, and Toys for Kidults, where products targeted at the affluent adult market were brought to life in the heavily frequented central entrance. “We appreciate the variety of formats that make it possible to present new products in the best possible way,” says Evgeni Melan, coo of Augmented Robotics from Germany, who found the two ToyTrends, Anime & Friends and Healthy Heroes, particularly exciting in this respect.
Exhibitors rated networking opportunities highly. At the fairly new but already well established RedNight event on Thursday evening, around 100 exhibitors transformed their stands into party areas. For Diego Motto of Italian manufacturer Giochi Preziosi, RedNight is perfect for meeting suppliers and retailers: “The networking events have helped us to make new contacts and catch up with old friends.” Opportunities for individual discussions were also to be found at the LicenseLounge with its networking area and at the Internationale Spieleerfindermesse Game Inventors Convention with its evening event, GamingHour. Fans of model vehicles enjoyed another premiere with the induction ceremony to the Model Car Hall of Fame.
Exhibitors had high praise for the way the Spielwarenmesse maintained its family character despite its immense size. In total, 96% of participants would recommend attendance to other companies.
The next Spielwarenmesse – the fair’s 75th birthday – will take place from 27 to 31 January 2026.
