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People of Play announced winners of the 19th annual TAGIE Awards at a Nov. 6 ceremony in Rosemont, Illinois, recognizing toy and game innovators across 10 categories. Pleasant Rowland received the Lifetime Achievement Award, and Exploding Kittens co-founders Elan Lee and Matthew Inman received the Industry Game Changer Award.
People of Play (POP), a division of The Toy Association, announced the winners of the 19th annual Toy & Game Innovation Excellence (TAGIE) Awards at a ceremony on Nov. 6 in Rosemont, Illinois. The awards recognized work across 10 categories, from toy and game invention to design, marketing, sales and industry partnerships.
The ceremony took place at Joe’s Live Concert Venue and honored people and teams working across the global toy and game industry. Among the top individual honors, Pleasant Rowland, founder of American Girl, received the Lifetime Achievement Award. Elan Lee and Matthew Inman, co-founders of Exploding Kittens, received the Industry Game Changer Award.
In the product and invention categories, Alex Wilde, Cody Hampton and Jessica Kaups won Toy Innovator of the Year for Ages 0–13 for Disney: Batuu Adventure Buddies, Ewok. The Goliath Clickeez Team won the Ages 13+ toy category for Clickeez Series 3: Bubble Pops. Cross the Line earned the Game Innovator of the Year award for Ages 0–13 for Joe Barron, Sophia Ricciardi, David Yakos, Brady Peterson, Danielle Standring and Grant Lyon. Spin Master Games’ team, with inventors Don Ullman and Bob Driscoll, won the Ages 13+ game category for Murder Phone, Rubik’s Rush and Jumanji Ultimate Level Electronic Board Game.
Other winners included Kayou for KPop Demon Hunters Collectible Trading Cards in the Licensed Product Innovator category; Bryce Mikolajczak for Cell Quest as Young Innovator of the Year; and Matthew Inman and the Exploding Kittens Team for Dead Therapist in Art & Visuals. Amanda Rubinos Luna and Ali Way won the PR and Marketing category for Disney Lorcana: Curator’s Collection, Heroines Edition, a Disney Park and Disney Store exclusive. Tyler Williams and the ZB Designs Sales Team won Sales Innovator for Wigglitz, while Bang Zoom Design won Most Innovative Partner for Peekimo, Bitzee Interactive Aquarium and PAW Patrol Megasaurus Dino Vehicle.
Awards Across the Toy Industry
The TAGIE results recognize a broad range of work behind toy and game products, not just the inventions themselves. The 10 award categories include product innovation alongside visual design, public relations and marketing, sales, and partnerships, reflecting the multiple teams and roles involved in bringing products to market.
For the winners, the awards provide industry and consumer recognition. People of Play said voting was open to consumers and industry members. The source report does not provide vote totals, finalist counts or category-by-category results, so the announcement confirms the winners but does not show how close the voting was.
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The Annual TAGIE Ceremony
Founded in 2008, the TAGIE Awards recognize achievements in the toy and game industry. The annual ceremony is part of People of Play’s POP Week, which also includes the Global Inventor Pitch & Innovation Conference, the Young Inventor Challenge and the Chicago Toy & Game Fair.
This year’s ceremony used the theme “The Force of Play” and began celebrations tied to the 50th anniversary of Star Wars in 2027, according to the report. Ashley Eckstein, the original voice of Ahsoka Tano, hosted the event. Lucasfilm President and Chief Creative Officer Dave Filoni sent a special video message, and attendees received commemorative coins bearing the Star Wars 50th anniversary emblem and TAGIE Awards logo.
““The TAGIE Awards are a celebration of the creativity, passion, and collaboration that make the toy and game industry so extraordinary.””
— Robb LaFlamme, Director of Hardlines at Disney Parks Retail and Development and chair of the TAGIE Awards Committee
Voting Details Not Published
The announcement identifies the winners and says they were selected through public voting by consumers and industry members, but it does not state the voting period, number of votes, eligibility rules or how votes were weighted. It also does not give further details about the judging or selection process beyond that description.
The supplied report does not identify additional ceremony announcements or provide full remarks from the winners. The confirmed information is limited to the award results and event details described in the report.
POP Week and 2027 Anniversary
The TAGIE ceremony took place as part of POP Week, alongside the Global Inventor Pitch & Innovation Conference, Young Inventor Challenge and Chicago Toy & Game Fair. The source report does not give dates for any follow-up activities or say whether organizers plan further winner events.
The ceremony also looked ahead to the 50th anniversary of Star Wars in 2027, which the event’s theme and commemorative coins referenced. Further anniversary programming was not detailed in the announcement.
Key Questions
Who received the 2026 TAGIE Lifetime Achievement Award?
Pleasant Rowland, founder of American Girl, received the Lifetime Achievement Award.
Who won the Industry Game Changer Award?
Elan Lee and Matthew Inman, co-founders of Exploding Kittens, were recognized with the Industry Game Changer Award.
How many TAGIE award categories were there?
The 19th annual ceremony recognized winners across 10 categories, including toy and game innovation, licensed products, design, marketing, sales and partnerships.
How were the winners selected?
The report says winners were determined through public voting by consumers and industry members. It does not provide vote totals or further details about the process.
Where and when was the 2026 TAGIE ceremony held?
The ceremony was held on Nov. 6 at Joe’s Live Concert Venue in Rosemont, Illinois, as part of People of Play’s POP Week.
Source: toybook.com
