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People of Play announced winners of the 19th annual Toy & Game Innovation Excellence Awards at a Nov. 6 ceremony in Rosemont, Illinois. The awards covered 10 categories, from toy and game innovation to sales and marketing, with winners selected through public voting by consumers and industry members.
People of Play, a division of The Toy Association, announced the winners of the 19th annual Toy & Game Innovation Excellence Awards at a Nov. 6 ceremony in Rosemont, Illinois. The TAGIE Awards recognized toy and game creators and industry teams across 10 categories, with winners chosen through public voting by consumers and industry members.
The ceremony took place at Joe’s Live Concert Venue and recognized work by inventors, designers, suppliers, retailers, marketers and public relations teams. Among the 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.
Category winners included Alex Wilde, Cody Hampton and Jessica Kaups for Disney: Batuu Adventure Buddies, Ewok, in Toy Innovator of the Year for ages 0–13. Goliath’s Clickeez Team won the ages 13-and-up toy category for Clickeez Series 3: Bubble Pops. The younger-age game award went to Joe Barron, Sophia Ricciardi, David Yakos, Brady Peterson, Danielle Standring and Grant Lyon for Cross the Line.
Spin Master Games Team, with inventors Don Ullman and Bob Driscoll, won the ages 13-and-up game award for Murder Phone, Rubik’s Rush and Jumanji Ultimate Level Electronic Board Game. Other winners included Kayou for KPop Demon Hunters Collectible Trading Cards; young innovator Bryce Mikolajczak for Cell Quest; Matthew Inman and the Exploding Kittens Team for Dead Therapist; Amanda Rubinos Luna and Ali Way for a Disney Lorcana collection; Tyler Williams and the ZB Designs Sales Team for Wigglitz; and Bang Zoom Design for three partner products.
Recognition Across Toy Industry Roles
The award list spans more than product invention: it includes design, marketing, sales and industry partnerships, showing the range of work recognized by the TAGIEs. For the winners, the awards provide public recognition from a vote that included both consumers and industry members. The source report does not provide voting totals or explain how votes were weighted, so the results establish the named winners but do not quantify the level of support behind them.
The honors also bring attention to products and teams connected to established entertainment properties, including Disney, Jumanji and KPop Demon Hunters, alongside original games and concepts. The awards recognize achievement within the toy and game industry; they do not, by themselves, establish sales performance, consumer reach or longer-term commercial impact.
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A Ceremony During POP Week
The TAGIE Awards were founded in 2008 and are held annually during People of Play’s POP Week. The week also includes the Global Inventor Pitch & Innovation Conference, Young Inventor Challenge and Chicago Toy & Game Fair, placing the awards within a wider program for creators and the toy and game industry.
The 2026 ceremony used the theme “The Force of Play” and began celebrations tied to the 50th anniversary of Star Wars in 2027. Hosted by Ashley Eckstein, the original voice of Ahsoka Tano, the event included a video message from Lucasfilm President and Chief Creative Officer Dave Filoni. Attendees received commemorative coins bearing the Star Wars anniversary emblem and TAGIE Awards logo. Disney and several other companies sponsored the awards, according to the source report.
“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 chairman of the TAGIE Awards Committee
Voting Details Not Published
The source report says winners were determined by public voting from consumers and industry members, but it does not give vote counts, the length of the voting period, eligibility rules or the method used to combine votes. It also does not provide further details about the individual winning products beyond their names and credited creators or teams. No additional announcements about future TAGIE events or award changes are included in the report.
POP Week Continues Beyond Awards
The TAGIE ceremony is one part of People of Play’s annual POP Week, which also features the Global Inventor Pitch & Innovation Conference, Young Inventor Challenge and Chicago Toy & Game Fair. The source report does not specify the dates or plans for the next awards ceremony. The next stated milestone connected to this year’s theme is the 50th anniversary of Star Wars in 2027.
Key Questions
Who won the 2026 TAGIE Lifetime Achievement Award?
Pleasant Rowland, founder of American Girl, received the Lifetime Achievement Award.
How were the 2026 TAGIE winners selected?
People of Play said winners were chosen through public voting by consumers and industry members. The reported results do not include vote totals or further details about the voting process.
Which team received the Industry Game Changer Award?
Elan Lee and Matthew Inman, co-founders of Exploding Kittens, were recognized with the Industry Game Changer Award.
Where and when was the ceremony held?
The ceremony took place on Nov. 6 at Joe’s Live Concert Venue in Rosemont, Illinois.
What else took place during People of Play’s POP Week?
The week also included the Global Inventor Pitch & Innovation Conference, Young Inventor Challenge and Chicago Toy & Game Fair, according to the source report.
Source: toybook.com
