Toymakers are tweaking original classic games or coming out with new ones that embrace an audience that's been around for a while: people more than 65 years old. The products are being marketed as a way for older folks to sharpen their brain skills, as well as allay loneliness by helping them connect with other family members and friends, although some experts have raised doubts about toymakers' claims. Toymaker Hasbro penned a licensing deal with Ageless Innovation—which designs toys with older people in mind—to come out with new versions of Scrabble, Trivial Pursuit, and Life, all with a "Generations" tagline, that offer larger fonts on tiles and bigger game pieces, per the AP.
The new "Generations" versions of Life and Trivial Pursuit also have expanded their content to cater to younger and older people alike. For instance, the answer to a question in Trivial Pursuit about fitness can be Jack LaLanne or Zumba, depending on the player's age. The new offerings hit stores in August in time for the holiday season. Educational Insights, which focuses on educational toys for preschoolers, is incorporating images of older people in its marketing after noticing last year that its brain-twister toys like Kanoodle and BrainBolt were resonating with older customers in online reviews. Next year, it will unveil a new twist called BrainBolt Boost that has bigger buttons and is more simplified.
Meanwhile, an app-connected robotic dog called Dog-E from WowWee that was originally marketed to kids and families is finding buzz with the over 65-crowd. Next year, the dog—which can tell the player when it's hungry, when it wants love, or when it wants to play—will see some new twists, including a voice command feature, as well as memory games on the app, according to Andrew Yanofsky of WowWee. "We continue to think about what are the issues that older adults are facing," said Ted Fischer, co-founder and CEO of Ageless Innovation, a spinoff of a toy company that Hasbro created in 2015 for older people. "We're finding [that] joy in play can have meaningful impact." The strategies come as the pandemic has changed toy-buying habits.
story continues below
Long before the pandemic, many adults turned to toys, from Legos to collectible items, to tap into their inner childhood for comfort. But the pandemic not only accelerated and solidified the trend—it also kicked open the door for older adults who were feeling isolated when they were in lockdown. Many toy companies found them gravitating toward plush animals and robotic pets as companions. Market research firm Circana reports that toy sales are increasingly geared toward adult buyers: Roughly 5% of total US toys sales are for males ages 35 and over, up 13% since last year. About 4% of total US toys sales are for females ages 35 and over, up 9% since last year. More here.
(More
toys stories.)
,
uBlock 
,
and
Ghostery 
)
