23rd January 2007

SolBenK launch Press Release January 2007 - LIVERPOOL DAILY POST

Paul Edels has worked in the toy and game industry for almost ten years, developing products for major toy companies such as Hasbro and Tomy. A self-described big kid at heart and pinball enthusiast, he has a collection of weird and wonderful toys and has written and published children’s books including ‘Gazombles the Magic Giraffe’ and ‘Felix and the Monster’. This appreciation for the kooky and fun combined with his industry contacts and experience naturally led to Paul developing his own game ideas, and eighteen months ago he produced a selection of sample games for play-testing. Paul got a great response and took the step of demonstrating some titles to top toy companies – only possible through his industry experience, as top companies only meet with recognised inventors! The companies retained two of the games for further development.

By this time Paul’s business was effectively launched, with a catalogue including 6 fully functional games with a further 20 concept titles. Paul searched for funding to help him set up a limited company, finally turning to his family who supported him financially and emotionally to allow the launch of games development business Solbenk and to enable him to exhibit his products.

In the meantime Paul attended a business development course with Merseyside ACME. Paul says, ‘I stumbled across ACME quite by accident, and at first I assumed that it was not for me – after all, I’m not an artist or a graphic designer.  I like the way that ACME feels like a club, which makes me feel like I belong, and that my business is not as isolated as I previously thought.’ As a result Paul is now protecting and promoting his own IP (intellectual property rights) and regularly refers to the accompanying book ‘T-shirts and Suits: a guide to the business of creativity’ written by course developer David Parrish.

Paul is now focusing on demand for his game designs and is presenting at the UK Toy fair at the end of January. The aim is to promote and sell the products but also to make links with other toy companies to distribute the games more widely. Games launched include two completely new titles, Solomon’s Stones (a strategy game played with luxurious hematite gemstone pieces) and Saikoro (navigate the grid using 62 dice in one of 1,759,452 zillion zillion possibilities). Solbenk will also be launching the Mental Workout, a hand held brain exercising device leading the current trend for mental puzzles. There will also be a range of soft toys from New York.

The next step for Paul is to get retailers on board for the launch so that customers can buy the games at toy outlets or lifestyle stores such as Utility. The games will also be demonstrated in toy departments regionally and in London. Look out for the games on magazine shows on national TV next year!

Paul believes that board games are coming back into fashion as a backlash against all the electronic gizmos, a belief shared by the toy industry itself – Toy news Magazine says, ‘Family games are making a resurgence.  In puzzles, 3D ranges are constantly innovative and the Sudoku effect has also provided impetus.’ Over the next 12 months Paul hopes to develop variants of his current stable of games and to bring some more of his concepts to fruition. Paul says, ‘Ultimately I want people to play my games. I try to create games that everyone can enjoy; kids and adults, novices and enthusiasts. Longer term, I hope to be able to focus on the creative side of my business – generating new ideas, and turning fun games into fantastic products.’

Paul will be at the UK Toy Fair, Stand GH125

You can buy Paul’s children’s books on Amazon