Anita Frazier Industry Quotations

Handheld platforms were the big story last year, and so far this year, that segment of the industry has continued to grow significantly since last year.

I would say the toy industry is facing its stiffest competition ever from non-toy categories, and with rapidly advancing technology, I wouldn't say this is a trend that shows any signs of slowing.

While total industry sales have continued to decline, the power of entertainment in driving sales can be seen through the incredible success of franchises such as Star Wars and Dora the Explorer. The Star Wars franchise had a great year, contributing to the increase enjoyed by the Action Figures and Building Sets categories.

The toy industry continues to wrestle with the new digital reality of kids' lives. Kids aren't really 'getting older younger,' they're just playing differently than they have in the past. However, despite this shift, it's important to note that toys continue to be one of the top choices for kids when choosing leisure time activities.

The introduction of the Xbox 360 was a defining moment for the industry in 2005. However, it goes without saying that the full impact of next generation consoles on the consumer market won't unfold until later this year when Sony and Nintendo's video game consoles hit U.S. retail shelves. The real story for 2005 was the incredible expansion of portable gaming. The GBA continued to realize stellar sales, and the introduction of the DS and PSP to the market brought older gamers to the portable format.