WowWee
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Consumer technology, Toy manufacturing |
| Founded | 1982 |
| Founder | Richard Yanofsky, Peter Yanofsky |
| Headquarters | Hong Kong , Hong Kong |
Area served | Worldwide |
Key people | Peter Yanofsky |
| Products | Robotic toys (e.g., Robosapien, Fingerlings, MiP, Avastars) |
Number of employees | 100 (2017) |
| Parent | None (returned to private ownership in 2010) |
WowWee Group Limited is a Canadian consumer technology firm, privately owned and headquartered in Hong Kong.
History
Established by siblings Richard and Peter Yanofsky, WowWee began operations in Canada before moving to Hong Kong in 1982 as an independent entity specializing in research, development, and manufacturing. Initially functioning as an original equipment manufacturer (OEM), the company produced items such as Power Rangers Power Gloves and Talking Tots dolls. Facing a downturn in OEM contracts, WowWee shifted its strategy in 1987 to design and market toys under its own brand name. By 1999, the company introduced robotic toys including MegaByte, T-Rex, alongside the Animaltronics and Dinotronics remote-controlled animal series. The company was acquired by Hasbro in 1998.
During Hasbro Ownership
Prior to Hasbro’s acquisition, Peter Yanofsky engaged physicist and roboticist Mark Tilden as a consultant. Tilden became a full-time team member in 2001, creating products like the B.I.O. Bug. Although sales were strong, overall results failed to meet expectations due to market challenges following 9/11 and design limitations imposed by Hasbro. Subsequently, Tilden concentrated on developing Robosapien.
Hasbro repeatedly canceled Robosapien projects, leading Yanofsky to terminate the contract in 2003. When launched in 2004, Robosapien sold more than 1.5 million units within five months and was recognized as the first biomorphic robot available commercially with personality-like traits. The product range grew with additions such as Robosapien V2 (2005), which introduced speech capabilities; RS Media (2006), allowing users to program new functions; Roboreptile (2006); Roboquad (2007); and RS Tri-Bot (2008).
In 2007, WowWee collaborated with inventor Sean Frawley to release the FlyTech Dragonfly, a remote-controlled flying ornithopter that was named one of Time magazine’s inventions of the year. This achievement paved the way for further aerial toys including the Bladestar helicopter and Butterfly ornithopter designed for younger audiences.
Acquisition by Optimal Group
On September 27, 2007, the publicly traded Optimal Group announced an agreement to acquire WowWee Ltd, finalizing the purchase by November.[1]
At the 2008 CES, WowWee showcased new innovations such as the Rovio and Femisapien, along with their release timelines and pricing details.Cite error: The opening <ref> tag is malformed or has a bad nameCite error: The opening <ref> tag is malformed or has a bad name
Return to Private Ownership; Fingerlings & Avastars
In 2010, WowWee’s management entered into a support agreement with Optimal Group and transitioned the company back into private ownership.Cite error: The opening <ref> tag is malformed or has a bad name In 2014, WowWee introduced MiP, which earned over ten awards across technology and toy sectors, including the Toy Industry Association’s 2015 TOTY award for Innovative Toy of the Year.Cite error: The opening <ref> tag is malformed or has a bad nameCite error: The opening <ref> tag is malformed or has a bad name At CES 2015, new products like MiPosaur and REV were unveiled.Cite error: The opening <ref> tag is malformed or has a bad name
By 2017, WowWee had grown to approximately 100 employees.[2] For that year’s holiday season, it launched Fingerlings—interactive miniature robotic animals modeled as monkeys, sloths, and unicorns—that became bestsellers fueled by viral social media campaigns.[2]Cite error: The opening <ref> tag is malformed or has a bad name Reports surfaced about counterfeit Fingerlings being sold through third-party vendors on platforms such as Amazon and Walmart.Cite error: The opening <ref> tag is malformed or has a bad name In 2018, the Fingerlings line was expanded with larger plush versions branded as Fingerlings Hugs.Cite error: The opening <ref> tag is malformed or has a bad name
In 2022, WowWee teamed up with Roblox developer Gamefam to introduce the Avastars doll collection.
2010 lawsuit
On November 23, 2010, WowWee along with several retailers faced a lawsuit from Gibson Guitar Corporation alleging trademark infringement due to the use of Gibson's distinctive guitar body and headstock designs in their Paper Jamz battery-powered toy guitars. WowWee refuted these claims, maintaining that the guitar shapes were generic and not subject to trademark protection. While the court rejected Gibson's motion for a temporary restraining order on November 24, it issued a preliminary injunction on December 22. The dispute concluded with WowWee agreeing to pay Gibson an undisclosed licensing fee, as stated by Gibson CEO Henry Juszkiewicz.
2022 lawsuit
On August 3, 2022, Roblox Corporation initiated legal action against WowWee concerning the Avastars toy collection, alleging that the designs bore a strong resemblance to classic Roblox avatars.
External links
- RoboCommunity – Official user community for WowWee Robotics
Shows and Movies
The robotic toy CJ1 featured in the movie CJ7 appears to be inspired by the design of Robopet.