Rest In Play - 2020 - 2029

One of Mexico’s most successful artists and toymakers has - known to many fans as Amparín — died last week following an accident in her home outside of Mexico City. The 56-year-old artist and de...signer was the creator and founder of Distroller, the international company behind the colorful Neonate Babies, Chamoy & Amiguis, and Virgencita Plis brands. Serrano founded Distroller in 2004 and built a business that quickly expanded across toys, licensing, and entertainment. The Neonate Babies aka Ksi-Meritos became an international hit that led to the opening of a few experiential Distroller World stores in the U.S. While the stores closed on the cusp of the COVID-19 pandemic, Distroller has remained a popular direct-to-consumer toy brand and recently exhibited at Licensing Expo in Las Vegas.Show more

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He only released one game, but his work went on to inspire other titles such as Diablo. Rober Alan Koeneke, the developer behind rougelike title the Dungeons of Moria, has passed away aged 64. As r...eported by PC Gamer, Koeneke's death was announced via his obituary at dignitymemorial.com. He released Moria, which was inspired by the Lord of the Rings, in 1983 while attending the University of Oklahoma. The game went on to be updated over the years and he eventually made it an open source project for the public. "I am very happy to learn my creation keeps on going...I plan to download it and Angband and play them... " Koeneke said in a 1996 statement. "Maybe something has been added that will surprise me! That would be nice I never got to play Moria and be surprised." Moria was the only title that Koeneke developed but it went on to inspire other titles such as Diablo. The series' co-creator David Brevik credits Moria along with Rogue, Nethack, and Angband as his biggest influences.Show more

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Toy World is sad to report the passing of Ken Andrew, owner of Hal Whittaker’s toy shop in Knutsford and known locally as Mr Toy Shop. Ken passed away at the age of 96, on July 21st. He first bought... his premises, a former photography shop, in 1969, and soon established a succesful local toy business, known as Hal Whittaker. The store became popular with the local community thanks to innovations – at the time – such as the introduction of a range of fireworks and the launch of a Christmas Club. Ken’s daughter, Julie, explained that this was a development which was warmly embraced by the toy shop’s customers. “It was quite innovative,” she said. “Families welcomed being able to put money away each week to spend on kids at Christmas. Julie added that ther father was passionate about doing the very best of everything in his toy shop. Ken used to travel to toy fairs in London, Harrogate and Brighton to source stock for his store, and his family said he became expert at spotting ‘the next big thing’. “We were popular at school as we always had the latest craze in toys – as an experiment,” added Julie. Ken’s love of amateur dramatics meant he often put on puppet shows for kids, which were very popular. Ken’s son Stuart took over the family business in the early 80s, but confided that it was hard for his dad to let go. “He still wanted to be in the shop all day every day,” said Stuart. “He knew all the customers personally.” Stuart says he learned a lot from his father. “I try to make sure everything he used to do still stands. His old fashioned core values were instilled in all of us. He truly believed that very child should have the memory of a toy shop rather than the faceless world of going online.” Stuart added: “In an increasingly difficult market place I still try to keep the shop true to its roots with a traditional feel coupled with the values and service he instilled into me – RIP Dad, your legacy continues.” In Knutsford, Ken Andrew has been hailed as a ‘true ambassador of the town’ by customers recalling their treasured childhood memories. His family told the Knutsford Guardian it has been overwhelmed by fond memories shared by the local community. Julie said: “Everyone describes him as a warm, kind and generous man with a fabulous sense of humour.” Customers remember buying their first toys from Ken Andrew in his beloved toy shop, purchasing classic brands like Tri-ang, Hornby train sets and Lego, and some recalled buying their first teddy from his wooden counter. Ken’s funeral will take place on Monday, August 1st, at 10.30am at Birches Crematorium,Northwich. Toy World would like to add its condolences to Ken’s wife, Marjorie, to Julie, Stuart, grandchildren Olivia and Josh, and everyone who knew him.Show more

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Richard Tait, 1964-2022: ‘Cranium’ inventor and serial entrepreneur was ‘the ultimate dreamer’. Richard Tait passed away on Monday at his Bainbridge Island, Wash., home from “continued p...ulmonary complications due to COVID-19,” according to a Facebook post by his family, shared with GeekWire. News of his death was also shared in a note to staff from Valor Equity Partners Co-President Jonathan Shulkin. Tait had been a partner at Valor Siren Ventures since March 2019. “It is with great sadness that Valor Equity Partners announces the death of our colleague and friend Richard Tait,” Shulkin wrote. “Our Valor community, as well as the many people that worked with Richard over the years, mourn his passing. He will be greatly missed.” Tait’s son, Finn Tait, also posted TikTok videos and Instagram photos in which they remembered their father. “He was a great dad,” Finn said in one video. “It was like having Willy Wonka for a father. I love him very much and I’m going to miss him a lot.” Tait started at Microsoft in July 1988 and is credited with launching a series of new businesses at the tech giant. He helped pioneer client server computing in the company’s operating system division, ran the CD-ROM business with products like Encarta, and started a number of consumer-oriented online services including Carpoint, Sidewalk and others, according to his LinkedIn profile. Tait was even the first boss of current Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella, whom he helped recruit from Sun Microsystems in the early 1990s. But it was Tait’s decision to leave Microsoft in 1998 that would largely define his legacy, as he and fellow Microsoft executive Whit Alexander co-founded “Cranium.” It became one of the fastest-selling games in history and spawned a number of “Cranium”-branded follow-ups and related products. Gaming giant Hasbro bought “Cranium” for $77.5 million in 2008. “We set out to create a brand that would give everyone the chance to shine,” Tait said at the time of the sale. “We’ve accomplished that and so much more, making history with great products that have won five Toy Industry Association Game of the Year awards.” READ MORE...Show more

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Tony Mines, Pioneer Of Modern Lego Animation, Dies At 44. Tony was a pioneer of the brickfilm movement as it shifted online around the turn of the century. READ MORE...

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Alice Bergman, 'Strong and Fierce'. Alice Bergman, an early feminist, civil rights activist, and founder of the iconic Upper West Side toy store, West Side Kids, died peacefully on Saturday morning, h...er daughter Jennifer Bergman informed the community in an email. The cause was pneumonia. Alice was 86. “Friday, she had a good day,” Jennifer wrote. “She spoke to friends on the phone, spent time with each of us and talked about her goals. Both Les [Jen’s younger sister] and I were by her side when she died. Her body was so fragile, but her mind and spirit were strong and fierce.” Those words seemed to define Alice Bergman, who arrived on the Upper West Side in 1961. In 1971, she started a handmade toy company, called Toys for All Children, eschewing the then-standard blond, blue-eyed, male-dominated version of reality for a more ethnically diverse, non-sexist one. “She made an African-American, woman-doctor puppet – in 1971!” Jennifer exulted. “She was way ahead of her time.” In 1981, she opened West Side Kids. “I haven’t really changed very much about the store since she retired in 2014,” Jennifer said. And why should she? It is a beautiful, old space – brightly painted, covered from polished-wood floor to painted-tin ceiling with shelves and stacks of toys and books. (There’s even a copy of the Constitution!) “My mother’s philosophy about toys was very strong,” Jennifer told WSR in an earlier interview. “Play is a child’s work, and toys are the tools for that work. You need the correct tools to grow into a creative, interesting adult.”Show more

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Hell Let Loose producer James Light has passed away due to complications resulting from cardiac surgery. He was 28. The Hell Let Loose dev team shared the news on Reddit and said Light is "one of ...the key reasons" the project has achieved success. Light began his career in video games in 2018, joining Hell Let Loose publisher Team17's QA department to work on the multiplayer shooter. He quickly rose through the ranks to eventually become a producer on the project, and is described by his colleagues as someone who possessed an "incredible work ethic, humility, and enduring kindness." "Despite being extremely effective, he was always the first to champion the efforts of others and bring praise to the team as a whole," wrote Team17 community manager Greg Medlin. "His achievements -- though quiet -- saw him develop into the role of production assistant, and then several months ago receive his final promotion to the position of producer -- formalizing his role in overseeing the entire PC development side of Hell Let Loose. "He had more knowledge of the game than perhaps anyone else -- certainly more than me -- having reported and studied thousands of bugs -- knowing every intricacy and nuance across every aspect of the game." The team said Light made an "indelible impression on the game," before adding that he also "made that same impression on us."t;Show more

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Penny Sawyer LIEBERMAN, born April 18th, 1941 in Brooklyn, NY, died peacefully in her sleep after a long battle with pancreatic cancer on July 9th, 2022 in New York, NY. Penny is survived by her husba...nd, Jay; her children, Juliet and Matthew Lublin, Erik and Alexis Ekstein, Andrea Lieberman and her husband Vincent Passeri; along with her beloved grandchildren, Jordan, Tyler, Garrett, Evan, Owen, Paloma, Leonardo; and her beloved dog, Bebe. Penny was a toy inventor extraordinaire, responsible for creating Puffy Stickers and The Pillow People, a line of soft pillow dolls developed to help children deal with their fear of the dark. From her linkedin profile: Inventor of the first PILLOW DOLL, a patented design. Creator of the PILLOW PEOPLE that helped kids not be afraid of the dark. Animation, PILLOW PEOPLE SAVES CHRISTMAS syndicated on TV for 10 years. Springs Industries manufactured and distributed and sold over $120million.Show more

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Veteran game designer, engineer, and university professor Mike Sellers has passed away. News of his passing was shared on social media by friends and peers, who described Sellers as someone with a gre...at capacity for kindness and generosity. Sellers began his career as a software engineer, working at companies including Tektronix and Mentor Graphics during the '80s. He eventually began applying his talents to games at New World Designers, where he worked as a lead UI and UX designer on a variety of products including children's games. After that, he went on to establish Archetype Interactive and create massively multiplayer title, Meridian 59. After Archetype was acquired by 3DO, Sellers was snapped up by the studio to continue leading production on Meridian 59 and other game projects. Eventually, Sellers would join Electronic Arts and work on titles such as SimCity Online, The Sims 2, and Ultima Online in his role as a senior game designer. After departing EA in 2002, Sellers became a consultant before having stints at Online Alchemy, Kabam, and Rumble -- accepting leadership roles at all three companies. In his later years, Sellers ventured into the world of academia and most recently served as the director and professor of practice on Indiana University's game design degree program.Show more

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Former Sega of America president and Sony Computer Entertainment America vice president Bernie Stolar has passed away. The news was shared by GamesBeat, which said that Stolar's funeral service to...ok place in Los Angeles over the weekend. Stolar was a prominent figure in the games industry for decades and worked on the original PlayStation while at Sony, helping to launch the popular system while also signing key franchises including Crash Bandicoot, Ridge Racer, and Spyro the Dragon. During his time at Sega, Stolar led development on the Dreamcast and acquired Visual Concepts, which was eventually sold to Take-Two Interactive and used by the publisher to create its 2K label. Later on, Stolar became an advisor and director at in-game advertising company Adscape Media, which would later be purchased by Google. Google then brought Stolar on board as its own games evangelist, helping the influential figure add to his already extensive résumé. Those who knew Stolar have been paying tribute on social media after hearing news of his passing.Show more

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