Digital Battleship-It's Toymaking 2.0!

Developers and software engineers are having lots of fun these days creating interactive apps for brands looking to create unique, engaging content online. You might say they're the digital toy equivalent to the battery powered games like Operation and Battleship. But adult favorites aren't the only games not immune to the digital age. In this new age of “Toymaking 2.0”, the act of "playing" will change forever. Toymakers today are creating "games" with semi-digital, mobile and tablet extensions, given that research shows that not only do 52 percent of children 5 to 8-years-old have access to a mobile device, but 25 percent use them to multitask most or some of the time. E-toys are

the next generation of toys. Mattel has introduced a new platform called Apptivity that allows kids to safely play with a physical toy  on their iPad’s screen. Later this year, the toymaker will begin with Hot Wheels Apptivity, which lets kids take a 1:64 scale Hot Wheels car and race through three game modes on the iPad. Fisher-Price’s Laugh & Learn Apptivity Monkey is an interactive learning toy for babies that give them their very own apps on mom or dad’s iPhone or iPod. Designed to merge traditional board games with iOS devices, Hasbro’s zAPPed line will launch this year three iconic brands: The Game of Life, Monopoly and Battleship. It sounds like the next era of toys will sure streamline Santa Claus' duties on Christmas eve. Hope it doesn't mean a new round of pink slips at the North Pole.