Sneak Peek at PlayDate Retailer Survey Indicates Strong Success For Educational and Licensed...

PlayDate Inc., an independent marketing services firm, has received preliminary results from its annual survey of mass market and specialty toy and game retailers. PlayDate survey results indicate strong holiday sales success for educational toys, video games and licensed toys.

"Toy retailers are facing several challenges this year, including a sluggish economy and labor challenges at the ports, but they still know one thing is for sure: Santa Claus is coming to town, and he's got a sackful of goodies," said Sean McGowan, co-founder of PlayDate Inc., which conducts an exclusive annual poll of leading toy and video game retailers. "The PlayDate survey this year points to strong sales in several key categories, reminding us that toys are relatively recession-proof, and that cargo ships aren't the only way to get toys under the tree."

Educational toys, like those from LeapFrog Enterprises Inc. and VTech Electronics that blend learning with playtime, are expected to be particularly popular gifts for young kids this holiday season. Parents are looking to give their kids a head start on education by introducing them to learning toys at a young age. Retailers expect LeapFrog's LeapPad learning system to be the best selling educational toy in 2002.

Video games will also be popular this Holiday season, with hardware sales continuing to grow, creating demand for software. According to retailers polled by PlayDate, the following games will be highly sought-after gifts:

-- Grand Theft Auto: Vice City - The follow-up to last year's best selling video game, Vice City continues the tradition of over-the-top mischief and mayhem. Retailers expect GTA: Vice City to be the best-selling video game during the 2002 Holiday season.

-- Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 4 - The latest "T-Hawk" offering from Activision pushes extreme skateboarding to new limits. PlayDate's survey shows that Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 4 will be at the top of many wish lists this Holiday season.

-- Portable gaming - Retailers expect NINTENDO's Game Boy Advance to be the best selling hand-held electronic game this Holiday season.

Board games are also on the gift agenda: The post-9/11 family is spending more of their leisure time at home. Cranium Inc. extends its award-winning string of family friendly fun games with Cranium Cariboo, expected by retailers to be the best-selling new board game this Holiday season.

Retailers polled by PlayDate expect Spider-Man to be the most successful toy license for Holiday 2002. But licenses from other blockbuster movies will also be popular, including Harry Potter, Lord of the Rings and Star Wars. Also predicted to be hot toy and game properties are television licenses with crossover age and gender appeal like SpongeBob SquarePants. For the younger crowd, Dora the Explorer will make a significant impact because of the educational program's appeal to kids and strong endorsement by parents.

PlayDate Inc. will unveil the complete results of its exclusive survey on October 22 at PlayDate 2002, a media-only showcase held at New York City's Metropolitan Pavilion from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. The PlayDate 2002 survey will announce retailers' predictions of the following:

-- Best Selling Brand Families
-- Best Selling Toys Overall
-- Best Selling Toys Sold in Specialty Stores
-- Best Selling Board Games
-- Best Selling Collectibles
-- Best Selling PC Games
-- Best Selling Video Games
-- Best Selling Video Game Hardware

"The PlayDate 2002 retailer survey is the most comprehensive ever, encompassing more than 25 retailers ranging from national chains and toy chains to small specialty shops," added McGowan. "The results unveiled later this month will be the broadest look yet at what the nation's retailers are expecting to be the best selling toys, video games and PC games during the 2002 Holiday season."

This year's PlayDate is expected to be the most exciting show yet with dozens of companies showcasing their Holiday toys and games. Highlights of PlayDate 2002 will include:

-- Ty Penington from The Learning Channel's hit decorating show Trading Spaces will be demonstrating Smarty's Workshop, an engaging and interactive learning buddy from VTech Electronics.

-- Richard Tait, co-founder and Grand Poo-Bah of Cranium Inc., makers of the widely popular board game Cranium, will smart his familiar brain-iac hat to demonstrate the company's new product Cranium Cariboo.

--First-looks at November video game releases from Nintendo of America and Activision.

-- Parade of costume characters from well-known toy and game companies.

-- Kids, tweens and teens playing with the Holiday season's hottest toys games and video games.

Products at this year's PlayDate will be on display from the following leading and innovative companies: Activision, BAM! Entertainment, Bandai America Inc., Cranium Inc., Hasbro, Huffy Bikes, Funosophy Inc., Infogrames, Inc., Irwin Toy, Ltd., KB Toys, LeapFrog Enterprises, Inc., LEGO, Little Tikes, Mattel, Neurosmith, Nintendo of America, Sababa Toys, Inc., Sega of America, THQ, Toys 'R' Us, Uncle Milton, University Games, USAOPOLY and VTech Electronics, Ltd.

For more information, visit www.playdateinc.com.