The Chaos Cards Team head to the London Toy Fair 2026

Last week, some of the Chaos Cards team headed to the Olympia for the London Toy Fair; the UK's largest dedicated trade exhibition of its kind. The key event hosted over 250 exhibitors who showcased an exciting range of toys, games and hobbies. The annual event has been a staple of the industry since it first launched in Brighton in 1954, and it remains the perfect destination to discover brand-new toys and games.

The Toy Fair is an essential event for the Chaos Cards team to gain an exclusive look at upcoming products that will be popular throughout 2026. The event covers everything from high-tech gadgets to some SERIOUSLY adorable plushies (honestly, those new Care Bears nearly came home with us!) Needless to say we were mostly intrigued by the up and coming tabletop games due to be released in 2026. Tabletop Gaming has gone from strength to strength in the past few years and we loved the chance to scout out the hottest trends, and crazes that will be heading to Chaos Cards later on this year.

Read on to find out what we uncovered at this years Toy Fair.

On our way around the vast halls, we popped by the Ravensburger Games stand where we were excited to sample some of their upcoming games. They’ve been a giant in the gaming world since 1883, and their 2026 line-up shows exactly why they’re still at the top of their game. Their games range from accessible and family friendly, to more complex and strategic. The team got stuck into Las Vegas, a super fun dice game due in March, and the wonderfully chaotic Last Lemming. We also got a sneak peek at a game based on the hit Prime show Last One Laughing (If the show is anything to go by, this one is going to be a massive hit with anyone who loves a challenge.), a new expansion for Oh My Pigeon! And for our Disney fans we even managed to snag some exciting Lorcana news! Our lips are sealed for now, but we’ll be sharing all the details with you later this year. Trust us, it will be worth the wait.

We also checked in with Thames & Kosmos, whose EXIT series continues to be the gold standard for at-home escape rooms, and we even managed to grab a sneak peek at the 2026 line-up. The real showstopper at their stand was the news about The Crew: Journey to the Centre of the Earth. The standalone sequel to the beloved cooperative series looks fantastic and maintains the series' signature focus on shared victory and collaborative effort. Other games we loved the look of were Temple Twist, which features some clever moving mechanics, and the high-stakes vibes of The Gang. There was another game which had one of our team members VERY excited, and will definitely appeal to all the Romantasy fans in the Chaos Cards community. Here’s a clue: it involves dragons... (So keep an eye on our News and Events page for more on that!)

The Hachette Boardgames stand really highlighted their impressive growth from 2021. Hachette are responsible for some exciting titles which combine accessible and family friendly games with award winning innovation. We had the chance to trial Qomet (due out in March), a sleek, strategy game which is sophisticated yet simple. The two player game is a tactical but simple, with players racing to form a square with your stars. It’s simple to pick up but surprisingly intense once you start playing, it’s perfect for when you need a game with a quick tactical fix! We got a nice sneakpeek at some of the other games due for release this year, and another look at the beautiful Wispwood, the whimsical game we reviewed recently.

While we were at the Toy Fair we made sure to pop by the Puzzle Post stand. Their ‘Escape Room in an envelope’ games were a massive hit over Christmas, and it’s easy to see why. They are the perfect pick for anyone who loves a bit of mystery, immersive storytelling, and the kind of team-based puzzle solving that gets everyone involved.

We also took a quick (and very colourful!) detour to the Kenji stand. If you haven't seen their stuff yet, it’s all about that adorable Japanese/Kawaii aesthetic. Their plushies and stationery are so well-designed and vibrant, they help to brighten up anyones day!

We couldn't wait to see which games and toys made the Hero Toys list for 2026. According to Rebecca Deeming-Mitchell, Senior Communications and Events Manager at British Toys and Hobbies Association, this year's selection is a fresh insight into where the industry is heading, focusing on play-led design and innovative ideas. It was great to have the chance to check out all the winners, but these were the big standouts for us:

• LEGO: The Botanicals Tulip Bouquet (11501) and Minecraft Mini Biomes (21589) were highlights of the display, winning the best construction toy category.
• Adult Games: Cryptic Killers received some well-deserved recognition in the adult games category for the Peaky Blinders Case File. (We love a Cryptic Killers case file in the Chaos Cards office!)
• Puzzles: The 3D Puzzle Vase by Ravensburger was awarded best puzzle, showing they are once again king of 3D puzzles!

And that’s a wrap of the teams highlights from the 2026 Toy Fair. The Chaos Cards team left this years Toy Fair feeling fairly tired but very inspired! It looks like 2026 is going to be a great year, full of abstract strategy games and high stake co-operative experiences. The Toy Fair always gives us such a fantastic look at the future of play and games, and we honestly can’t wait to get these exciting games onto our shelves (and your tables!) for you to enjoy.

Thanks so much for following along with our little trip to the Olympia! Don’t forget to keep an eye on our News and Events page for all the latest updates on these games and plenty more besides.