NPD logoAccording to retail data compiled by The NPD Group, the games and puzzles category scored top growth statistics among toys for 2015. U.S. sales of games and puzzles grew 10.8 percent, compared to 6.7 percent for toys overall. Following games were vehicles at 9.7 percent and building sets at 9.4 percent. The youth electronics category came in last, shrinking at a rate of 4.9 percent.

Content was a key driver behind the growth of the toy industry in 2015. Whether it be a movie (Star Wars, Jurassic World, Minions, and Avengers), television show (Paw Patrol), app (Minecraft), or a strong YouTube following (Shopkins), all of these properties with ties to content were top contributors to the growth.  “Movies” in total outperformed the market in 2015, growing by 9.4 percent. With the early release of Star Wars toys on Force Friday, Star Wars managed to become the number-one property for the year, with over $700 million in sales. It also brought in more sales and contributed more growth than Jurassic World, Minions, and Avengers combined.