Hasbro CEO Chris Cocks says the company is using AI-assisted design to speed up toy development, moved quickly to pursue KPop Demon Hunters after the film’s release, and sees Harry Potter as a multigenerational brand. Those are three different kinds of claims: an operational result reported by Hasbro, Cocks’s account of a licensing opportunity, and his view of a franchise’s staying power. The evidence does not establish that Harry Potter is currently gaining younger fans, or independently verify Hasbro’s AI productivity figure.
What Cocks said about AI and toy design
In The Verge’s Decoder interview, published March 9, 2026, Cocks argued that companies should accept that AI and user-generated content are not going away and decide how to use them. He also emphasized responsible use and brand authenticity, including making clear the difference between official films and toys and fan-made material. That is Cocks’s position, not a settled industry consensus.
Hasbro’s 2025 annual report says AI-assisted design paired with 3D printing shortened the time from concept to physical prototype by approximately 30% in 2025. The figure is a company-reported operational result; the report does not provide an independent controlled evaluation. It describes a faster route to a physical prototype, not a 30% reduction in overall product-development time or proof that AI improves a finished toy.
The company frames its broader strategy around what it calls “GEM2”: experiences built around gameplay, storytelling, collecting, and community. The annual report gives Magic: The Gathering, Dungeons & Dragons, Transformers, and Monopoly as examples. This helps explain why Cocks discusses AI alongside play and fan-created content: the company’s stated focus is on experiences and relationships around its brands, not design speed alone.
#1 Best Overall
- 【Ultimate 12-in-1 Super Hero Team】 This premium action figure collection brings together 12 different heroic and mysterious characters in one complete pack. Perfect for creating epic imaginary battles and endless adventures.
- 【Perfect 4.5-Inch Play Size】 Standing at an ideal height of 4.8 inches, these mini figurines are perfectly sized for little hands to grip, making them highly portable and great for desktop or shelf display.
- 【Premium Quality & Safe Materials】 Crafted from high-quality, eco-friendly PVC, these super hero models are non-toxic, durable, and built to last. Smooth edges ensure a safe and worry-free play experience.
- 【Vivid Details & Stylized Design】 Each figure features meticulously crafted details, vibrant colors, and unique battle suits, capturing the essence of classic comic and animation-style legends.
- 【Versatile Decor & Ideal Gift】 An excellent gift choice for birthdays, holidays, or theme parties. They also work wonderfully as eye-catching car dashboard decorations, bedroom ornaments, or collectors' display pieces.
How Hasbro got involved with KPop Demon Hunters
Cocks recounts that he watched KPop Demon Hunters after it appeared in his Netflix queue, messaged Hasbro’s head of toys, Tim Kilpin, and contacted Netflix about the opportunity. He says the film’s success surprised the industry and that other toy companies approached Netflix soon afterward. This is his recollection of the sequence, not an independently documented account of the licensing negotiations.
Netflix’s Q3 2025 shareholder letter provides separate confirmation of the licensing outcome: it names Hasbro and Mattel as global co-master toy licensees and describes toys and games inspired by the film. Netflix also reported 325 million views and called the film its most popular film ever. The cited passage gives no measurement window, so that number should be understood as Netflix’s reported figure in its Q3 2025 letter—not as a verified current total or a specified lifetime count.
Rank #2
- BOWSER JR. ACTION FIGURE FROM THE MOVIE: Kids get the Koopa prince exactly as he looks in The Super Mario Galaxy Movie, with premium sculpted details from his horns to his shell.
- MARIO TOYS FOR MISCHIEF MAKERS: 17 points of articulation let Bowser Jr. swing, scheme and battle Mario in pretend play. Sturdy plastic and a 5 inch size fit little hands ages 3 to 6.
- SIGNATURE PAINTBRUSH ACCESSORY: Story time gets more creative. Bowser Jr.'s paintbrush lets kids recreate his graffiti tricks and stage villain moments in group play with other Mario figures.
- BOWSER JR. GIFTS FOR KIDS AND COLLECTORS: A standout birthday or Christmas gift for boys and girls 3 and up. The window box doubles as display packaging, and he makes a fun cake topper.
- COLLECT THEM ALL: Bowser Jr. joins Mario, Yoshi and Rosalina in Wave 1, each sold separately, so kids can pit heroes against villains and grow their collection of Super Mario figures.
Hasbro’s 2025 annual report also lists a new collaboration on KPop Demon Hunters with Netflix. These sources establish a licensing relationship and a product category, but do not specify individual products, prices, shipping dates, or current retail availability.
What the Harry Potter discussion does—and does not—show
Cocks describes Harry Potter as a multigenerational “power brand” and talks about reading the books with his children. The interviewer, Nilay Patel, asks whether the property is reaching younger people or whether existing fans are aging and spending more. That question is a premise to investigate, not evidence of either audience trend.
Quick wins for a faster PC:
Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →Rank #3
- Exceptional Articulation & Realism：This medieval knight figure has multiple movable joints, including hands, head, waist, and ankles, enabling lifelike poses. Intricate armor detailing and rust effect paint create an authentic medieval knightly aesthetic. A must-have for collectors and hobbyists
- Assembly Required: This figure requires manual assembly and comes with a detailed instruction sheet. Some steps may take a bit of patience — but trust us, the sense of accomplishment you’ll feel when it's complete is worth it.Height when assembled: 5.5 inches
- Accessories：The action figure comes with a helmet, sword, shield, and interchangeable weapon-gripping hands. Strike a pose and create epic perspective views. The modular design encourages storytelling, whether reenacting battles or crafting fantasy adventures
- Durable Build：Crafted from sturdy, scratch-resistant PVC, this figure withstands rough handling. Tight joints stay secure even after repeated adjustments, while vibrant paint resists chipping. Perfect for adult collectors as a display piece
- Perfect Gift for Fantasy Fans：Affordable yet high-quality, this knight appeals to history buffs, RPG gamers, and gift shoppers. Its versatility—from desk decor to imaginative play—makes it a standout. Unleash creativity and own a slice of the Middle Ages with this epic action figure
Cocks refers to Hasbro’s internal research but says it cannot be shared. His personal account and the company’s undisclosed research therefore do not establish that younger audiences are currently joining the Harry Potter fan base, or that spending by older fans explains the franchise’s strength.
There is concrete business context: Hasbro’s 2025 annual report identifies a primary toy license for Harry Potter and the upcoming HBO Original series with Warner Bros. Discovery. The report says the collaborations are expected to begin contributing in 2026 and beyond. That points to a planned licensing opportunity; it is not evidence of a particular product launch date, audience response, or sales result.
Rank #4
- New MEGA-TECH Series: The Lab is gone—but the mission isn’t. With the team mobile and the Shroud pushing harder than ever, every beast has been retrofitted with MEGA‑TECH—armor, weaponry, and tactical upgrades built to hold the line.
- 80+ To Collect: There are over 80 unique 1‑inch (2.5 cm) MEGA‑TECH Swarms to discover.
- Rare, Ultra‑Rare & Limited Editions: Hunt the rarities—from standard Common finishes through to the ultra‑rare Pandemonium‑tier Swarm touched by the Verse itself. But act fast—only 1,000 Limited Edition Hyperdiamond Mega Cases exist worldwide… and yes, they open.
- MEGA Swarms, Loadouts & Interconnectability: New to the series are 2‑inch (5 cm) MEGA Swarms. Snap up to four Micro Beasts onto a single MEGA frame to build a custom Loadout, or attach Hybrid limbs to forge your own action figure collectible.
- Get MEGA: 7 unique teams and a range of themes including Construction, Lab, Bio, and even food!
How to read Hasbro’s audience and growth claims
Hasbro’s 2025 annual report says its brands reached one billion people in 2025, nearly one in eight consumers globally, based on the company’s large-scale consumer survey. This is Hasbro’s estimate and methodology, not an independently measured count supplied in the report. It describes reach across Hasbro brands; it does not show that one billion people bought a product, played a game, or engaged with any single franchise.
Taken together, the interview and annual report describe three different growth levers: using tools to accelerate prototyping, licensing timely outside properties such as KPop Demon Hunters, and investing in established franchises such as Harry Potter. The sources provide company and executive accounts of these strategies, but do not establish their comparative financial returns or prove that the audience for any one property is expanding among younger people.
Recommended Free Tools
Quick Recap
Sources
- The Verge, Decoder interview with Chris Cocks, March 9, 2026.
- Hasbro newsroom announcement of the Decoder episode, March 10, 2026.
- Hasbro 2025 Annual Report/Form 10-K, fiscal year ended December 28, 2025.
- Netflix Q3 2025 shareholder letter.
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
