Play professionals and toy fans from around the globe gathered virtually for The Toy Association’s 21st annual Toy of the Year (TOTY) Awards and Toy Industry Hall of Fame induction ceremony. Proceeds from the TOTY awards program support the charitable work of The Toy Foundation.

During the livestream, viewers saw the overall Toy of the Year Award go to Star Wars: The Child Animatronic Edition Toy from Hasbro. The toy also won for “Innovative Toy of the Year.”

In a surprise announcement, two winners were chosen for the “People’s Choice” Award – both Story Time Chess and The Original Spawn Action Figure and Comic Remastered (2020) from McFarlane Toys.

TOTY awards were also handed out in 16 categories and given to the following:

“From 117 outstanding finalists to this year’s TOTY winners, to Hasbro's Toy of the Year Award and two unique People’s Choice winners, each underscores the joy of play in uncertain times, the togetherness of family game night, as well as the swiftly-evolving retail and e-commerce landscape,” says Steve Pasierb, president and chief executive officer, The Toy Association. “The TOTYs continue to reflect the toy and play community’s passion and perseverance, all while honoring the richly deserving Hall of Fame inductees. It also raises vital funding for The Toy Foundation as it embarks on impactful new programs supporting children's hospitals and driving diversity, equity, inclusion and access in the toy industry. We thank the independent expert judging panels and the tens of thousands of individuals who voted this year!"

During the event, four toy industry visionaries were officially inducted into the esteemed Toy Industry Hall of Fame – Philip Bloom, founder and former publisher of The Bloom Report; William C. Killgallon, chairman of the board at The Ohio Art Company; Pleasant T. Rowland, founder of American Girl, a division of Mattel; and the late Margarete Steiff, founder and creator of Steiff.