David Moffat created Pig Mania (now known as Pass the Pigs), a party game that has sold over 37 million copies and been translated into twelve languages since its debut in 1977. In this edition of The Friday Five, Moffat shares the story behind the game’s development and early days of production. He also has words of caution for people wanting to develop their own game ideas.

Chris Bensch is the vice-president for collections at The Strong in Rochester, New York. In this edition of The Friday Five (where we sneak in a sixth question), Bensch shares details of the recently announced National Archives of Game Show History and explains why it is a natural fit for The Strong’s mandate.

Matt Proulx is the vice president of location-based entertainment at Hasbro. In this edition of The Friday Five, Matt shares details of the recently announced MONOPOLY LIFESIZED 4D experience opening in London, England in August 2021.

Alison Bailey is lead curator for the upcoming exhibit, Paddington: The Story of a Bear at the British Library in London. In this edition of The Friday Five, Alison reflects on Paddington’s enduring appeal and describes what awaits visitors to the exhibit.

Matt Nelson is the primary comic book grader at CGC Comics. In this edition of The Friday Five, Matt details the process comics undergo during grading and explains what people need to keep in mind when preserving their comics.

Ben Drury is the CEO and co-founder of Yoto, an audio platform created specifically for children. In this edition of The Friday Five, Drury talks about the role of storytelling in the lives of children and the company’s new partnership with Disney and Pixar.

Stephanie Lensing is a brand experience manager at Betty Crocker and heads the brand’s BettyLab project. Here, Lensing explains the connection between culinary skills and STEM learning.

Ben Alder’s Winnie the Pooh LEGO Ideas submission was chosen by LEGO for production and sale. In this edition of The Friday Five, Alder shares his insights into the LEGO Ideas process.

The Story Time Chess game teaches chess to children as young as three. In this edition of The Friday Five, game creator, Andrew Kashian, explains how teaching chess through storytelling removes the traditional barriers to learning the game and makes chess accessible to people of all ages.

Brian DePass blended his experiences as an advertising executive and a parent to create Operation Playtime, a new app that helps connect sellers and buyers of used toys and games. In this edition of The Friday Five, DePass shares his motivation for creating the app and explains how to use the platform. 

Adam Borton uses his experience in the toy and game industry to teach other designers how to hone their craft through his Toy and Game School program. In this edition of The Friday Five, Borton explains how he got his start in the industry and shares some common misconceptions about the business.

Tanis Gray is a knitwear designer with a talent for interpreting pop culture characters into fanciful knitting projects. Here, she talks with Toy Tales about her latest book, Star Wars: Knitting the Galaxy, and the importance of sharing the things we love.