From Nuremberg, out into the world: energy-charged Spielwarenmesse generates high spirits in the market

• Higher quality and more international visitor profile
• New networking formats prove popular

NUREMBERG, Germany, Feb. 2, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — The Spielwarenmesse is the global meeting point for an entire industry. From 28 January to 1 February 2025, it came together in Nuremberg for the 74^th time – and succeeded in matching last year’s very high numbers. 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 and enjoyably, through the diverse range of products.

"Every year, we are delighted to take part in the Spielwarenmesse in Nuremberg, which is the must-attend event for toy industry professionals," says Daniel Levy, CEO of Buki France. Just as last year, 97% of exhibitors share his opinion, considering attendance at the 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 enthusiastically. Exhibitors rated the general quality and quantity of visitors as higher, and likewise the size of sales agreed. "Exactly the right decision-makers were there, the ones with a genuine interest in our products," said Sutepan Ganendiran, MD of the German startup company Compactoys emphatically. Massimo Pescarolo from Cicaboom of Italy noted: "The Spielwarenmesse is the only global exhibition for toys." Important European markets saw increases in visitor numbers. The USA and China were also among the top 10 countries for visitors. The increasingly international relevance of the fair was also noted by Thomas Eichhorn, MD of MGA Zapf Creation from Germany, who remarked that "the big American retailers such as Target and Walmart had intensive conversations with the teams from our HQ." And other major US-based players, too, felt that the Spielwarenmesse was becoming increasingly important. "Spielwarenmesse is always an exciting start to the event calendar for the team at Hasbro," reveals Bhavesh Somaya (Senior Vice President & General Manager EMEA & APAC). "Mattel always launches substantial major developments in Nuremberg, such as the ’80^th Ruby Anniversary Collection’," adds MD Sebastian Trischler.

The barometer of exhibitors’ opinion was also on the rise in terms of service and activities. "The continuous marked improvement in content at the Spielwarenmesse was clearly appreciated," confirms 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 a delighted 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 twelve exhibitors gave brief 3-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," says Yusuf Beyaz, CEO at Swiss startup Qubs. Further highlights included the highly topical Specials ‘Sport, Leisure, Outdoor’ with its halfpipe stunt shows, and ‘Toys for Kidults’, where products targeted to the affluent adult market were brought to life in the heavily frequented central entrance (Eingang Mitte). "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. He found the two ToyTrends, ‘Anime & Friends’ and ‘Healthy Heroes’ particularly exciting in this respect.

Exhibitors gave the topic of networking the highest rating. "It is noteworthy that the Spielwarenmesse enables an unparalleled industry gathering, a trend-setting platform, networking opportunities and of course media exposure," remarks Anirudh Bhargava, CEO Tribal Earth Sounds India. At the fairly new but already well established RedNight event, about a hundred exhibitors transformed their stands into true party areas for Thursday evening. To Diego Motto of the 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. "It feels like a sort of friendship gathering every year." says Kovit Chomphunuchyanyong, Managing Director of the well-known Thai company Plan Toys. "Its positive and happy atmosphere makes it an event to visit every year," concludes Kheir Houeiss, proprietor of Bulgarian company Invictus 1928. In total, 96% of participants would recommend other companies to attend. The next opportunity will be for the fair’s 75^th birthday; the anniversary edition takes place from 27 to 31 January 2026.

Spielwarenmesse^®
The world’s leading event for the sector – that’s the Spielwarenmesse^®. At this B2B event, key players as well as startups present their innovations and trends to retailers from all over the globe, live in Nuremberg. Alongside the extensive range of products, participants also gain a wealth of inspiration for day-to-day business together with valuable knowledge and useful guidance on the market, at what is for them the most significant industry gathering. The event is complemented by year-round coverage of themes, analyses and insights from the multifunctional platform Spielwarenmesse^® Digital and the e-journal ‘Spirit of Play’. Since 2013, the term Spielwarenmesse^® has been a protected word mark in Germany.
Fair date: Spielwarenmesse^®, Tuesday to Saturday, 27 – 31 Jan 2026