US toy retail giant Toys’R’Us has released its annual list of the hottest products for the Christmas season. While both the Xbox One and PlayStation 4 made the cut this year, only Microsoft’s console made it into the “Fabulous 15”. Why?
There are 36 products in total on the annual Toys’R’Us Hot Holiday Toys list, which doesn’t mean much to the informed consumer but reads as gospel to confused parents looking for Christmas shopping ideas for their children. Of the 36, 15 are selected to head up the list as the “Fabulous 15”, the best of the best.
This year’s video game presence on the hot holidays toy list includes two product in the “Fabulous 15” — the Xbox One and Skylanders: Swap Force — and two in general popular — the PlayStation 4 and Disney Infinity. Should we be reading into this?
According to Toys’R’Us PR rep Nicole Hayes, securing any spot on the list should be considered an honour.
“The 36 products featured on the Toys’R’Us Holiday Hot Toy List are carefully selected after year-long consultations with our global merchants and their thorough review of all the new toy introductions for the year. We start the selection process with thousands of hot toy contenders, which we narrow down to 36 items — each of which is designated with that honour because they are truly HOT. The two new video game platform introductions for fall made the prestigious list, with Xbox One on the Fabulous 15 and PlayStation4 on the expanded list of 36 products named to this year’s Toys’R’Us Hot Toy List. We anticipate that both items will be at the top of kids’ wish lists this year.”
Interesting. Both consoles are considered “hot”, but the global merchants Toys’R’Us consults while assembling this list seem to think the Xbox One is just slightly more “hot”.
Ultimately the list doesn’t matter. It’s not like parents will be able to find either console just sitting around on store shelves between the November launches and the new year. They’ll take whichever console they can get their hands on and they’ll like it.
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13 responses to “Xbox One And PS4 Make Toys’R’Us’ Hot Toy List, But Only One Is Fabulous”
American company favours American company it couldn’t be more opaque.
Well… it’s on a list that has included Furbies, Tickle Me Elmos and whatever flavour-of-the-month toy happens to be big (Princess Unicorn?).
Because M$ pays to win??
Yeah, “consulting” global merchants, my arse! They “consulted” with their hand outstretched I’ll bet. And I’ll wager it wasn’t just MS that paid. Sony and everyone else probably paid as well, but MS chose Tier 1 sponsorship and Sony chose Tier 2.
Orrrr maybe you tinfoil hat a$$holes need to realise it’s TOYS R US and Xbox is a far more family friendly brand hence it’s higher position Jesus Christ you guys are lame
So where’s the Wii U then? Surely you don’t think Xbox is more family friendly than NIntendo…
Toys R Us and Microsoft probably have a deal, they’re paying to have prime spot. Wouldn’t be surprised if Activision did the same.
OR, because the PS4 is likely presold out whereas the XBone will have stock on the shelves and still require advertising space.
I wonder if projected stock levels could also have something to do with it. If Toys R Us were seeing a vast number of preorders for the PS4 and less for the Xbox, surely the thing to do would be to encourage parents to get the one that they’re more likely to have in-store?
I had the exact same thought. It would make sense that the company would want to sell as much of both items as possible.
Removing my cynicism for a moment, I’ll say maybe because of Kinect. It’s not really of much use to most gamers, and really only shines when used in games aimed at younger gamers (Double Fine Happy Action Theatre and so on) – you know, Toys R Us’ target market.
FTFY
More to the point…does anyone else think that “Doc McStuffins” sounds a bit creepy, or is it just me?