Welcome to the Play Creators Awards 2025
The Play Creators Awards celebrates those in the toy and game design community that have excelled over the last 12 months. Whether it’s an R&D team responsible for a smash-hit line, a rising star that’s soared or a inventor or design studio responsible for a smash-hit, the PCAs are all about shining a spotlight on the industry’s top architects of play.
This year’s Play Creators Awards will take place on Tuesday, June 24th at Under The Bridge within London’s Stamford Bridge Stadium, Chelsea.
Nominations are open… the finalists 2025 Finalists will be announced soon.
The 2025 Play Creators Awards Finalists
Whether bringing innovation to an iconic toy brand, or responsible for the industry’s latest big hit, this award celebrates inventors and designers that have done outstanding work over the past 12 months.
The Finalists are:
• Carlyle Nuera (Mattel) – Barbie You Create (Mattel)
• Designbytouch & Chris Lutchen, Matt Synowicz, Brennan Hunt and Beth Boudin (TOMY) – Doteki (TOMY)
• Emily Ruether (MindWare) – Run the Runway (MindWare)
• Gilad Podgor & Roy Kfir – Tattoomeez (Golden Bear)
• Josh Carlson, Nick Grisolia & Paul Von Mohr (Gee Tree & Mee) – Cheeky Chonks (Spin Master)
• KID Group – FigBands (Jazwares)
• Make It Real Advanced Design Team – Swift Click Heishi Bracelet Maker (Make It Real)
• Moose Toys Girls Team – Gui Gui (Moose Toys)
• Triclops Studio – Terror Fried (Character Options)
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This award is for inventors and designers behind the best and brightest in the world of kids’ games. Celebrate the brains behind the games!
The Finalists are:
• Barry & Jason Games and Entertainment – Feelin’ Cute (Hootenanny Games)
• David Yakos (Streamline Design) – Ringer (MindWare)
• Elodie Clément & Théo Rivière – Potion Express (Kiwizou)
• Emma Ribbens (Smart Toys and Games) – The Wolf & The 7 Goats (Smart Toys and Games)
• Fun-Damental Invention & Matt Jordan and Tom Yamazaki (TOMY) – Extreme Silence (TOMY)
• JM Duparc and Identity Games Team – Birdy Call (Identity Games)
• KID Group – Snack-O-Saurus Rex (Spin Master)
• Kim Vandenbroucke – ThinkFun Friends: Tree House (ThinkFun)
• Paul Martinsen (Fuse) – Crash Cats (ThinkFun)
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This category celebrates the in-house designers or external inventors and studios behind the year’s top party games.
The Finalists are:
• Alena Istif, Chiara Bellavite, Isabeau Rosen, Josh West, Sébastien Eme, Shanon Lyon, Riccardo Fabiani & Valentin Köberlein (Ravensburger) – Oh My Pigeons (Ravensburger)
• Alice & Nick Payne – Bean Counters Inc. (Gibsons)
• Chrissy Fagerholt – Girls in Bar Bathrooms (Mattel)
• Danielle Reynolds & Scott Brady – Caution Signs (Wacky Wizard Games)
• Dyce Studios – First to Worst (Dyce)
• Eric Olsen – Flip 7 (The Op)
• Nextoy & Matt Jordan (TOMY) – Human Controller (TOMY)
• Rodrigo Rego – QuizWiz (Brain Games)
• Ted Getschman & Big Potato Games – Whirly Derby (Big Potato Games)
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This award celebrates in-house teams that have achieved extraordinary things over the last year.
The Finalists are:
• Bitzee Development Team (Spin Master)
• EXG Pro
• Hot Wheels Speed Snap Track System R&D Team (Mattel)
• Lucky Egg
• Make It Real Advanced Design Team
• Moose Toys
• SMART Toys & Games
• Strikesphere Team (Golden Bear)
• TOMY
• YuMe Toys
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This category celebrates studios and agencies that deserves recognition for exceptional work over the last 12 months.
The Finalists are:
• 7pips
• Bang Zoom
• Fun-Damental Invention
• Fuse
• Indy Toy Lab
• JMP Creative
• Open 2 Design
• Seven Towns
• So Sound
• Tantrum Innovation
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The first of two awards recognising excellence in licensed product, Toy Designer of the Year (Licensed Product) celebrates creators that have brought much loved characters and IP to life through great toys.
The Finalists are:
• Bang Zoom & Hasbro Preschool Team – Talk & Sing Peppa (Hasbro)
• BMT – Spidey & His Amazing Friends: Spidey Team Split Racer (Jazwares)
• Fuse – Pokémon Beach Battle Playset (Jazwares)
• Moose Licensed Team – Tile Town Bluey Heeler Family Home (Moose Toys)
• Sergio Anna (Craft Buddy) – Disney Crystal Art 2-in-1 Pin Badges (Craft Buddy)
• So Sound – Star Wars Darth Vader Ultimate Mech Force Suit (Hasbro)
• Ste Smith (WITH Creative) – National Geographic Motorized Models (Blue Marble)
• Tantrum Innovation & MBCreations Ltd – Minecraft Click and Switch Sword and Pickaxe (Mattel)
• Tantrum Innovation & MBCreations Ltd – Rubble & Crew Power Tool Pups (Spin Master)
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This award highlights the phenomenal work being done by individuals working in IR across the past year.
The Finalists are:
• Adam Carson, Chris Lutchen & James Wing – TOMY/Fat Brain Toys
• Alex & Whitney Kimerling – Hootenanny Games
• Audrey Watanabe – Mattel
• Brent Geppert – Educational Insights
• Heath Saber – Moose Toys
• Helen De La Cruz – Spin Master
• Mark Garcia – Hasbro
• Magdalena Eichhorn – Jazwares
• Sarah Franco – Mattel
• Tony Serebriany – The Op Games
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This award celebrates iconic figures that have helped shape the industry, truly leaving their footprint in the world of toy and game design.
The winner of this award will be announced on the night.
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