Moshi Monsters collapse masks market growth for toy tie-ins

Toys based on game licences are actually in growth, despite what the numbers suggest, NPD has said.

The toy tracker’s latest data – which does not include toys-to-life – shows that 62.3m was made from game-inspired toys, an eight per cent dip.

But this is entirely down to Moshi Monsters. Sales of Moshi Monsters toys have been a significant revenue generator for the industry in 2013 and 2014, but in 2015 sales plummeted. If Moshi Monsters toys were factored out of the data in 2014 and 2015, NPD says the market would actually be up 13 per cent.

Merchandise based on hit game IP have been on the rise in recent years, with the likes of Bethesda bolstering its licensing team to find new manufacturers.