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My “Oh Something Has Changed” Entertainment Moments. Today’s entry: Teddy Ruxpin
Ever since I got into games and entertainment, I’ve kept a running tab of moments that inspired me. Personal experiences where I was entertained and also realized: whoa, something just changed here. Think of it as a personal list of toys, games, movies, TV, books and technology that left a permanent mark on me.
This year I turn 53, so I expanded the list to 53 moments that changed my view of what’s possible, trying to cover every decade of my life and, ideally, each year. I admit 1973 to 1976 are a little cloudy, being a baby and all, so my entries don’t really start until I’m 4 or 5. And because I’m a child of the 80s, that decade gets more than its fair share. Tough to beat peak Spielberg, Lucas and Zemeckis, the Mac, the NES, and the golden age of comics. But looking over the list, every era gets its due.
It probably isn’t a surprise Hasbro had a big impact on me. In all, Hasbro and our partners like Disney, Warner Brothers and Paramount have a big share of the moments… but throughout my life some surprising influences popped from technology to self-published fiction to podcasts. Over the next several months, I’ll aim to share a couple experiences each week. My hope is to hear from others who share my nerdy passions or have ideas I missed. I am always on the lookout for cool new things to try and collect!
So, let’s start with an icon: Teddy Ruxpin.
This was the coolest toy from my childhood and I still think one of the most remarkable innovations in the history of toys.
Teddy Ruxpin came out in 1985 from a startup toy company called Worlds of Wonder. For a few years, these guys were on an absolute tear: Teddy Ruxpin, Lazer Tag and the original distribution of the Nintendo Entertainment System.
I got my Teddy Ruxpin when I turned 15, probably older than most! I was a big toy and game geek and thought the technology that fused animatronics, recorded tapes, books and simple voice pattern matching was incredible. I still have that same Teddy Ruxpin today.
Worlds of Wonder got a little over its skis on inventory and suffered some capital market setbacks. But to this day, I think they set the bar for bold innovation and for pushing the envelope on what interactive play can do. Their toys weren’t just for kids. They were wondrous for fans of any age.
Next up, one of the most amazing sci-fi reboots of all-time and the board game that started it all for me. But in the meantime, lets hear from all the Teddy Ruxpin fans out there!
p.s. that's teen me in my kitchen in Cincinnati, OH with my Teddy. I belatedly realize we both had similar haircuts...