Can They Do It Again? Heroes: Legend of the Battle Disks

We see on average two or three new pocket money lines a week. Every one of them 'will be the next massive craze', we are told. Usually I take them with a pinch of salt - no big orders, etc - just a small experiment. The thing is that it's only the kids that decide what the next big pocket money craze will be, and throwing vast sums of cash at a product is no guarantee of success when it comes to the lower priced end of the market.

There is one name though that will make us prick up our ears, and that's Magic Box International - the people who brought us Gogos Crazy Bones. MBI is back this autumn with a new product called Heroes: Legend of the Battle Disks. Not there's one that will be worth watching.

Well We Moved It All Around

Entirely changing the store layout wasn't something I decided to do lightly, but the time had come. With the hobby market now making up 50% of our business, it had long since gone past the stage of being a nice little bolt on and turned into something significant.

And so now we have a dedicated gaming area and we've cramped up the toys a little. What difference will it make? Of course the gaming fans are delighted that they now get to play in more comfort. Will that lead to more revenue? Not sure, but we'll find out over time - I hope so and I think it will. How will the toy customers react? That's a bit more difficult to judge.

On the one hand, when we're running in store gaming, we'll now be able to keep the players out the way of other customers (previously on big Sunday tournaments, there was no way for anyone else to get inside the place). On the other, will they see it as geeky? Will they think there's less toy choice because it takes up a slightly smaller space? Hmm. We'll find out. Initial reaction seems OK, but time will tell.

It's Good To Give Something Back

As avid readers will know - you are out there aren't you ;) - we're as much a hobby store as a toy store, and it's fair to say that in tough times, our hobby community has been keeping the wolf from the door. Next weekend, we're taking the opportunity to give something back to them, when we embark on Free Roleplaying Game day.

It's a great concept - all the major publishers in the industry create something for free, the retailers then give all the free stuff away to players, and at the same time run lots of good stuff in store. Result - lots of goodwill hopefully generated towards the stores and publishers, that brings customers back all year round.

Of course, I'm a little nervous - we started out as a purely toy shop, and the hobby side has kind of bolted itself on by accident - in that strange journey, this is the grandest event we've attempted and the butterflies will be the same as during our first forays into YuGiOh! organised play. Of course many of the faces that'll be around support us week in, week out, but there'll be a significant number of new faces about too that we need to create a good impression for. We'll also be making some changes to the store layout ahead of the weekend, to provide a permanent gaming area - how will it all work out? Not sure. Wish us luck :)

It's That Time of Year Again

To pay the insurance bill :( Hey though - Unfortunately it's been worth every penny in our five years of existence so far, so I can't complain too loudly.

Positive Play

Around three years ago, I fell out with a local headteacher, when she chose to ban Gogos Crazy Bones from the playground. There'd been fights and thefts apparently. I wrote her a lengthy (perhaps too lengthy) letter explaining my point of view.

Children's collectibles play a hugely important role in Positive Play, teaching children sharing, fair play and organisational skills to name just three. I pointed out the opportunities that bringing collectibles like these into the classroom could offer to engage children in their lessons and directed her to a number of media stories where more enlightened educators had done just that with high levels of success. I finally pointed out that if there were fights and thefts, the problem was with discipline, not with Crazy Bones. But no. According to her reply, she was an expert in Positive Play and her playground was a paradise for children. To paraphrase, Crazy Bones were a blight on this nirvana.

Fast forward three years and my daughter is now a pupil at the school. Each morning I stand and watch before the bell rings, and I've seen hundreds of examples of very un-positive play taking place in the playground - enough to make my hair stand on end at times. This morning though, I saw two girls, sat quietly in a corner, negotiating their swaps of Moshi Monsters cards. It was the most positive piece of play I've seen happen at the school. I'll expect my daughter to come home with a letter telling us they are banned too in the near future. Just sayin'.

It's Not Just the Finances That Hurt in a Tough Economy

Once upon a time, it feels like a million years ago, I was (in most parents eyes) the kindly man that provided their children with enjoyable things to play with. They trusted that I knew what I was talking about and that I only sold toys I genuinely thought were good.

Now (in some parents eyes), I'm a rogue, vagabond and thief, desperate to pick the pockets of their darling offspring. I'm cunningly luring the kids into asking mum or dad for a pound for a pocket money toy that's bound to be rubbish.

Amazing how the economy can change people's perspectives. Kinda hurts.

MGA Beats Mattel or Something Like That

Apparently something happened today in the "most tedious courtroom drama" winner each year for the last, what feels like, decade. As the MGA vs Mattel lawsuit continues to head towards Jarndyce vs Jarndyce proportions, it seems there was some sort of result which will be no doubt be overturned in due course.

In case you don't follow toy industry litigation particularly closely, the whole thing is about the date on which a toy I really don't like was designed. Will there be retrials, mistrials, recriminations, counter-recriminations, more lawsuits and lawsuits about the lawsuits? Of course. Will any of it interest me? Nope.