Category
Life-Stages
Constructible Franchises
Trend cluster
Category
Battle
Play
Combat-inspired toys cater to youthful males looking to exert aggression.
3.0
Trend score
Trend
What is the Battle Play trend?
Battle Play: With boys often engaging in acts of aggression with others at school or at home, what initially starts out as innocent can easily turn into something unfavorable. As a method to keep potentially hostile tendencies under control, parents are turning to battle-inspired toys like swords and lasers to give boys a more secure way to exert their naturally antagonistic ways. Toys that encourage battling with others reflects a move toward more regulated sources of contentious behavior.
Trend themes
Themes within the Battle Play trend
Three behaviours holding the trend together01
Rise of Battle-Inspired Toys
Parents are turning to toys that encourage battling with others to give boys a more secure way to exert their naturally antagonistic ways.
02
Authenticity in Fantasy Weapons and Props
Prop makers are creating replicas of fantasy weapons, such as the Assassin’s Creed Hidden Blade, the Hobbit Deluxe Sting Sword, and the Gandalf FX Staff to make fantasy worlds more immersive.
03
Merge of Physical and Virtual Battle Experiences
The Virtual and Terrestrial Battling Robots merge physical and virtual battle experiences, allowing players to continue the fight virtually by plugging in a USB cable and playing with online avatars.
Industry implications
What the Battle Play trend means for industry
Where the trend changes the playbookFor
Toy Industry
The rise of battle-inspired toys shows a growing market for toys that cater to boys' aggressive tendencies.
For
Prop and Costume Industry
The demand for authenticity in fantasy weapons and props offers opportunities for prop makers in film and TV production, cosplay, and LARPing.
For
Gaming Industry
The merger of physical and virtual battle experiences offers possibilities for companies that develop games with physical components like virtual reality or augmented reality games.
Trend signals
Trend signals for Battle Play
Trend score 3.0 out of 10, from popularity 46%, activity 38%, freshness 8%.
Popularity46%
Activity38%
Freshness8%
Audience
70%Men
30%Women
- Gen Alpha
- Gen Z
- Millennial
- Gen X (not a primary audience)
- Boomer (not a primary audience)
Market
North America
Europe
Asia-Pacific
Evidence
Examples of the Battle Play trend
6 featured examples from Oct 1, 2012 to Dec 13, 2013CategoryTech
Authentic-Looking Assassin Toys (UPDATED)
The Assassin’s Creed Hidden Blade Replica Looks Re
Toy manufacturers can capitalize on the demand for highly-detailed, authentic-looking toys.
CategoryTech
Sci-Fi Sword Lasers
This Powerful Handheld Laser Resembles a Lightsaber
The defense industry can explore the use of high-powered handheld lasers for applications such as long-range targeting and crowd control.
CategoryLife-Stages
Authentic Wizard Weapons
The Gandalf FX Staff is Perfect for Fighting Smaug
Cosplay businesses can benefit from selling high-end, realistic replicas of fantasy weapons for costume use.
CategoryLife-Stages
Galactic Thumb Games
The Star Wars Thumb Wrestling is an Upgrade From the Childhood Classic
The interactive and immersive nature of the Star Wars Thumb Wrestling book opens up opportunities for the publishing industry to create more engaging and innovative book products.
CategoryTech
Confrontational Combat Cyborgs
The Virtual and Terrestrial Battling Robots Fight Offline & Online
Disruptive innovation opportunity: Combine gaming and robotics to create new immersive experiences for players.
CategoryLife-Stages
Battle Sounding Blades
The Hobbit Deluxe Sting Sword Lights Up and Makes Fighting Noises
Toy manufacturers can capitalize on the trend for film-inspired toy weapons by developing high-quality replicas with enhanced features and realistic details.
