In this digital companion to this year’s edition of The BIG Toy Book, MGA Entertainment Founder & CEO Isaac Larian shares insights into the company’s wins and opportunities and offers predictions for the rest of 2025.

The Toy Book: What were some of MGA’s big wins last year?

Isaac Larian: MGA’s Miniverse (which now has an impressive 64% market share in the mini category and growing); Bratz is continuing to grow and is increasingly culturally relevant with new and existing fans; Little Tikes, particularly our innovative Little Tikes Story Dream Machine; and our newest doll line, Yummiland, which is growing very quickly. 

TB: After years of dominance in the doll aisle and the preschool space, MGA is making moves in the action aisle with CarTuned die-cast and the long-awaited debut of Armorsaurs. What can you share about those efforts?

IL: We have always believed that new, original ideas sell and knockoffs slowly die. With CarTuned on shelves now and two incredible boy action properties, Armorsaurs and another, both coming in the second half of the year, MGA will be in every toy aisle in retail stores. That has been my goal for years, and we are finally realizing it. I am so proud of my team for making all this a reality.

TB: MGA scored a win with MGA’s Miniverse being named “Viral Hit of the Year” in The Toy Book’s Pulse of Play Awards. To what do you attribute that brand’s success and its swiftness to pivot and evolve behind the scenes from reformulation to new licenses and form factors?

IL: I credit our incredible, out-of-the-box thinkers on our product development, design, and marketing teams. They looked at trends and created new, innovative products and new, innovative ways to market them.

TB: How is MGA dealing with potential tariffs or external pressure to diversify the supply chain?

IL: Unfortunately, like so many other manufacturers and retailers, we have no choice to raise prices and sadly the consumer will pay at the end. While we have the largest toy manufacturing facility currently operating in the U.S. in Hudson, Ohio making Little Tikes toys, it is very difficult and cost-prohibitive to make most toys here. However, we will do our best to continue to offer toys that feature high play value and are affordable.

TB: What are the industry’s biggest challenges and opportunities this year, and how are you approaching them?

IL: In my opinion, the biggest challenge facing the toy industry is the lack of original innovation and what I call copycat toy companies that produce and sell knockoffs of other toy companies’ hard work and creativity. I also blame retailers who are shortsighted and buy these knockoffs instead of offering their consumers the original, high-quality, safety-tested toys. 

TB: What key moments or product launches can retailers and consumers look forward to from MGA and Little Tikes this year?

IL: While it’s too early to disclose much of the new, innovative toys MGA will bring to market this year, I can say that the newness MGA has for this year will jolt the industry. One new line I can talk about is Wonder Factory, our new line of never-dry dough and sand. Wonder Factory is available at Walmart in the U.S. and launched in February. The full lineup will be on shelves this month. There’s so much more to come, so keep an eye on MGA.

TB: Retail pricing has become a “State of Emergency,” pitting mass and specialty retailers against each other and their vendors in a way we haven’t seen in many years. What can be done to level the playing field so that everyone has a chance to succeed?

IL: I believe specialty retailers must invest in in-store experiences and get together to ask vendors for original exclusives. Having exclusives, even for a short time, for a new, innovative, “hot” product will help to level the playing field more for specialty retailers, allowing them to compete better with some of the big box players.

TB: Many initially thought that last year would be the year the toy industry normalized after a few chaotic years. Still, the results were mixed —  What are your overall predictions for the state of the toy industry — and toy/game/collectibles retail — this year?

IL: I predict, again, that the toy business will be down 4-6% in 2025 because of lack of innovation.

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