For decades, toy manufacturers have struggled to answer one question: “Can kids talk to their toys?”
While this journey continues and evolves, Readyland’s innovators develop new technologies that turn the smart speakers and voice assistants that nearly everyone owns into a new class of tools that may be “more fun than toys.”
So, what is Readyland and how does the toy industry get involved? toy book Speak with Readyland Board Member Dave Capper and Chief Creative Officer Joshua Garrett to learn more.
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What is the easiest way to describe Readyland to someone who is new to the concept?
RL
The Readyland platform is the first time kids can actually talk to their favorite characters while playing, fully immersing themselves in their world. With our amazing technology and designs, we bring amazing play experiences to kids and teens in many categories, from action figures to books to games and more. Readyland is the next level of interactive toys, games and entertainment, and it works with any Alexa device and all major tablets and smartphones.
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The team behind Readyland has been involved in the industry for quite some time, working on the famous toy industry that brings billions of dollars in revenue to the industry. Can you share some of Readyland’s contributions?
RL
We’ve developed thousands of toys, including many of the most successful products of the past 40 years. From the original He-Man and the Masters of the Universe to a nearly annual Koosh, Hitclips, Video Now and Toy of the Year (TOTY) award winner, our team has been creating amazing gaming experiences for decades.
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Over the past few years, you’ve released several imprints, including most recently Owls and Dragons: Magical Adventures. The book has already become popular with families who appreciate the integration of Amazon Alexa and physical books. How is this experience “more fun than a toy”?
RL
What sets Readyland apart is the incredible ability to have real conversations with characters, coupled with a wealth of interactive gameplay and immersive audio so you truly become part of the adventure. The toy industry has been grappling with the problem of reliable and compelling speech recognition for years, and we’re excited to develop a way to deliver these amazing, fun experiences. You talk to characters, play games with them, create music together, make decisions, and more. Things change every time you play, so you can return again and again and keep discovering new surprises. Most electronic toys have limited content due to memory and hardware cost constraints, but our platform supports an unprecedented amount of interactive content and games. Not only that, but we can continuously change the experience after it goes live, easily introducing new or popular content on the fly, without any work on the part of the consumer.
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How does Readyland apply to other physical goods, including toys and games?
RL
In many ways. Imagine taking your puppet on an interactive adventure where you can not only solve problems together, but also fight enemies, escape traps, and explore the world. Or imagine a trip back in time with dinosaurs, or an interactive fashion game with a doll that talks to you like your best friend, or a game where you can talk to a celebrity presenter, and the challenge is always new. All this without electronics, masking lead times or tools!
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If a toy or game manufacturer wants to include Readyland in their product line, what must they know about process, design, and programming?
RL
The main thing they need to know is that our team can handle all the heavy lifting, from design to content, to programming, to marketing. We’ve done this for many of the most successful products in recent toy history and are passionate about creating and marketing amazing products.
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How can interested parties best connect with the Readyland team to explore partnership opportunities?
RL
We love connecting! They can write to us at [email protected] or visit readyland.com/partnerships.
This digital exclusive feature is an extension of The Toy Book’s Fall 2024 Los Angeles Toy Preview. Click here to read the full article! Want to receive a printed copy of The Toy Book? Click here to view subscription options!
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