The Soul of the Toy Industry

Damn, I wish I could think of smoheting smart like that!

Wow! Great tihkning! JK

Hi Hart, We neared capacity this year on the Pub’s entire third floor and since we need to give a count to the Pub, it is by invitation only. I’d be happy to add you and anyone else who is interested to our list/waiting list if you/they send me their name. We may move it to another location to accommodate everyone as it is an amazing evening. We are taking this into consideration for planning our Chicago Inventor Get-Together. Mary Couzin mary@discovergames.com.

Hey Richard, Perhaps our catalog is the voice! As the direct replacement for Games Quarterly Catalog, we attempt to create a bridge between the Game Inventors and the retailers. In another post Mary Couzin states we need reviews. We have reviews in each of our catalogs. I am in the process of creating a retailer review board. Sure our catalog is supposed to make us a living but I feel my partner and I want to serve the industry in whatever way we can. We are open to suggestions. I was at Toy Fair but missed the party. How do I get invited to it next year? Richard "Hart" Hartnett

Thank you for your generous comments! I love assembling this get together and because of this event and our mission to promote inventors, we are putting together another one, even bigger, in Chicago on November 21st. It will be between our Inventor Forum and our Chicago Toy and Game Fair in mid-November. As I wrote in Richard’s Game Critic blog, we must honor the people who create the products in our industry just as the other entertainment industries (film, music, sports, literary, fashion, etc.) do and make them celebrities. We need to compete for the consumer’s leisure time and celebrities as promotional vehicles for products works. We need reviews. We need to generate excitement. Our industry is worth getting excited about and we must communicate that to consumers. Everyone in our industry, the public and the media are invited to attend our Inventor Celebration Dinner. If anyone has an interest in being on the Planning Committee, send me an email. Mary Couzin, mary@discovergames.com or mcouzin@chitag.com.

Even though I have licensed all of my games and don't need to attend toy fair, every year I go to Toy Fair for two reasons: to see all the new innovative items, and to go to Mary Couzin's Game Industry Get together and dinner. When I am around all the cool inventors at this dinner, I always feel energized and right at home.

Even though I have licensed all of my games and don't need to attend toy fair, every year I go to Toy Fair for two reasons: to see all the new innovative items, and to go to Mary Couzin's Game Industry Get together and dinner. When I am around all the cool inventors at this dinner, I always feel energized and right at home.

Hi Richard, this was our 1st time at Toy Fair. It is somewhat overwhelming for a new company - 1 year old to show up at a show of this size. But the people that we were able to meet this past year and enjoy at the evening that Mary Cousins hosted was amazing. People in this industry are wonderful. They share their ideas and dreams. We've met some wonderful people that have really made a difference for us. Thank you Richard for your time and encouragement as well. Then there are people like Kevin McNulty who inspire us to keep going. We met so many intersting,creative and knowledgable people all willing to share ideas. This is a tough business that I parashooted into but it has wonderful people and it really is a lot of fun and inspiring! It really is exciting to be apart of this wonderful group of people. Looking forward to next years gathering. We are so glad to be apart of what you are doing!! Griddly Games is a Canadian company so it's great to have our American friends.

Thanks Richard for the kind words about inventors. Sometimes I think that the toy / game business is all about the latest movies ... but the truth is that the inventors create the products that can be around for decades, not just a couple years until the next big game show strikes. And the great thing about the Game Inventors Get Together was that we had folks from little game companies and new inventors and the big powerful folks for the big companies also ... and everyone was just socializing. It was great hanging out with my colleagues. Until next year ... thanks to Mary.

An inspiring article…(thank you Richard) February 2008 was my first time at the New York Toy Fair and it was one of the best experiences of my lifetime. With my first game coming out this year, I feel, for the first time, that I have found my true passion – to be an inventor and to share a part with all the people with ‘soul’ in the toy & game industry. Thank you Mary for inviting me to the show and Get Together and thanks to everyone else who were supportive and made this journey even better than expected. Cheryl Freeman www.fairycrystalforest.com

I was fortunate enough to be at this warm and wonderful get together of inventors and toy industry folk. It was a rare event where inventors and toy industry folk came together to actually "play"! Can't believe this doesn't happen more often! Thanks!

I totally agree Richard! As a newbie to the toy and game industry (only 5 years under my belt) I was in awe of some of the people I met at Mary’s get-together. A couple who had licensed more than 50 games, another lady who licensed 70 +, and still other with less but classics that have really influenced me. To Tim Walsh’s point, it’s amazing I didn’t know who they were until I was introduced. Forget Hollywood – these people are my celebrities! But maybe that’s what makes the game industry so great -- it’s filled with down-to-Earth, friendly people that can sit down next to their “competition” after a long day at Toy Fair and enjoy a beer and some laughs! Cheers to Mary for putting it together!

Great description of Mary's party, Richard! This year time constraints limited to being at ToyFair for only one day. Of course I scheduled so I could make it to Mary's bash. It's the best part of ToyFair!

Creativity is the voice of the soul and as a first timer to the toy fair, I was able to hear that voice loud and clear. Thank you, Mary for bringing soul-ful people together and thank you Richard for your encouragement.

Inventors certainly display the most pure outward sign of that soul, it's true. But you know, I think everyone in the toy and game industry, especially those who take the time to come together at an event like Mary's every year, do so out of a true passion for the industry. It's true that we all play a different part, arrive with a different perspective, but it is this shared passion that brings us together. If I may be so bold as to broaden the definition of The Soul of The Toy Industry, I would recast it in a slightly different light. I think it could easily be seen as the very energy you described in the room overall, Richard, the interaction between all the empassioned people in attendance, the sharing of ideas and excitement. And that each of us added an equal measure. I suppose what I really mean to say is that The Soul of the Industry is perhaps best exemplified by the spirit of the event that brings us all together. Thanks Mary for your part in bringing us together for that each year.

Richard, thank you for giving kudos to the inventing and design community. They are ones that create all of the great ideas that drive the rest of the business. The party was a wonderful evening where inventors, designers and manufacturers could all mingle and talk about fun stories from the past, present...and start dreaming about the future. Thanks Mary (Couzin) for creating such a wonderful event that can help bind us all together. Ryan, toy and game designer, www.catalystpdg.com

The toy industry is unique in that it receives so many new ideas from inventors - mostly professional "full-time" inventors. But let's not forget about the amateur inventor with a really good idea. After all weren't many of today's most successful new toys and games from people who were amateur inventors at one time? Thanks for reminding us who really has the passion in the industry. And thanks to Mary for pulling us all together!

Thank you, Mary Couzins, for organising yet another great get-together - I've already begged her for an invitation to next year's party, Games apart - and I was totally concentrated on those playing mine! - fun and friendliness was the order of the evening. What more can anyone ask for? Roll on next year's bash.

Mr. Gottlieb I must agree with you about the soul of the Game Industry lies with the wonderful people that make up the industry. My brief 10 years in this wonderful industry has been most rewarding in so many ways. There has been years where we lost money but we reap the rewards in so many other ways. It is indeed the SOUL of this industry. I have attended the first, second, and third Game Inventors Dinner sponsored by Mary Couzins of DiscoverGames.com. In its infancy it was a wonderful rewarding event. (I've got pictures!) As you pointed out - these are the times that we celebrate - the soul of the industry. Thank you for pointing that out to all!! I'm watching....Frank

What a wonderful tribute--and needed encouragement for those of us that are doing this from our hearts and putting our dreams "on the line." Think-a-lot Toys is one of those game companies that attended the Get Together at the Pub. We started with a small idea a couple of years ago and have just recently turned the tide so that we're now selling our game Think-ets to stores across the country. Sure, we have a ways to go, but hearing from an industry insider that we make a difference, makes all the difference in the world. Thanks, Richard. And thanks to all those who believe in small, innovative companies that make games worth getting excited about, including ours.

Hi Richard, As a passionate game inventor myself, I just want to say BRAVO! In an industry surrounded by larger-than-life toymakers, I applaud your validation and tribute to the toy & game inventor community! As always, thank you for continuing to captivate and educate us with your thoughts and words. Mary Kay Russell Kubit2me, Inc. www.kubit2me.com

Bravo, Richard! In our country, if you create music which sells a million copies, you're on the cover of Rolling Stone. If you write a book that sells that amount you're on the New York Times best-seller list. But if you create a game or toy that sells over 100 times that amount, you're – "Who?" Kay Zufall, Merle Robbins, Eleanor Abbott - these people have touched countless lives through the toys they developed (Play-Doh, Uno, and Candy Land respectively), yet very few know who they are. Thanks for shinning a light on the fact that these unsung heroes of fun are in fact, the soul of our great industry!