Toys and games are found throughout the world and date back to early times. They have various purposes. Their mission may be to exercise the body, challenge the mind, simply to entertain, or a combination of purposes. The earliest known game is dice, with pieces found in Egyptian tombs. Chess, riddles, tag, and hopscotch are just a few examples of the types of games that originated many generations ago and continue to be played today. Dolls, soldiers, and simple toys like balls and hoops were originally made by parents, to keep children entertained. They used materials that were readily available to them at that time, such as wood, terra-cotta, and clay.

The toy manufacturing business developed in the 1800s, with Germany leading the way in toy development and craftsmanship, and France, England, and the United States soon following. Dolls and their accessories were the initial focus. In the early 1900s, board games and puzzles grew in popularity. By the 1960s, Barbie and action figures like G.I. Joe flooded the marketplace. Arcade games in the 1970s were the precursors to the video games that were introduced in the late 1990s. Today, there are mobile apps for games that can be played on devices such as laptops, tablets, and smartphones.

The toy and game industry is structured into two categories: traditional toys and video games. Traditional toys include action figures, building sets, dolls, games and puzzles, vehicles, and other similar toys. Toy producers include Mattel and Hasbro. Video game producers include Nintendo, known for games like Super Mario Bros. Deluxe; Capcom, for such hits as its Resident Evil series; and Activision, producer of the popular Call of Duty series. In recent years multiplayer online games, such as Apex Legends, Overwatch, Fortnite, Minecraft, Dota 2, and Grand Theft Auto, among others, have skyrocketed in popularity.