After huge success in the 90s, the flying ‘throw and catch’ toy is now capturing the imagination of a new generation
SEATTLE, WA, UNITED STATES, September 30, 2024 /EINPresswire.com/ — – Woblong’s storied history involves lost fortunes and NASA engineering – now a Hollywood movie is in the pipeline
After a hiatus of more than thirty years, Seattle inventor and entrepreneur Miro Bouchakian is bringing back his most successful creation: The Woblong Double-Wing Flyer. The Woblong has a unique design that makes it easier to throw than a Frisbee or other flying discs, so it is the perfect toy for picnics, parties, or any outdoor occasion.
From October, the Woblong flies again, with online pre-orders now being taken.
Miro’s story is about more than a simple flying toy. It is about redemption.
Back in the early 90s, the Woblong was a smash hit, selling more than a quarter of a million units all over the world, spawning TV commercials and prompting deals with some of the biggest toy stores in the United States.
Easier to throw than discs and flying straight and true, the Woblong taps into the outdoor recreation market as well as the hugely popular Frisbee subculture. Early adopters included Frisbee heroes like Gary ‘Pearl’ Perlberg (a 4-time Frisbee Freestyle champ) and 14-time world champion ‘Crazy’ John Brooks who professed that Woblong was “totally the coolest game of catch I’ve ever had!”
“It was popular because it was radically different from a Frisbee or any of the other products on the market in the 90s,” Miro says. “What makes it unique is that it’s not round like a disc or a ring, and it flies straight with a good deal of glide. The second oval ring is set on top like a cross between a biplane and a helicopter, giving it more airlift and making it easier to throw, while the multiple colors coming at you makes it great fun to catch. It’s perfect for taking to the park or the beach with your buddies, having a beer and throwing it around.”
Miro invented the Woblong quite by accident in 1991 after casually throwing the cardboard packaging from his new rice cooker across the room. He was intrigued by the shape of if, and how well it flew. Miro raced to the store to buy foam board, kite sticks, thumb tacks, and a box cutter. That first day, he developed his first prototype, and within the week he had filed a patent.
Over the next few months Miro perfected the design with the help of Major General Herman T. Carpenter, a retired three-star Airforce General who held a PHD in aerospace engineering and had even worked for NASA.
But Miro’s dream was ended by financial troubles after he sold a controlling stake in his underfinanced business and watched in horror as the new investors pushed a different exit agenda. Miro fought hard, but it was a losing battle. By the end of 1995, the Woblong was mostly forgotten.
And that might have been the end. But Miro has never let go.
This year, riding a wave of 90s nostalgia, Miro is bringing the Woblong back – and the story of his rise and fall… and rise again has been optioned by Hollywood film-maker Gregory Poppen, with a movie currently in development.
“I’ve always been certain that there is a new market out there for a toy like this, but it has been fantastic to see the kids of today put down their phones and tablets, get out in the fresh air and throw the Woblong around,” Miro says. “I’ve got a four-year-old son now, so it feels like the right time to see the Woblong flying again. It would be a wonderful legacy!”
Visit www.woblong.com for more details on how to join the Woblong revolution.
Miro Bouchakian
Rival Flyer Inc
+1 3608007143
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Back-to-Back Retro TV Commercials- Woblong Circa 1995
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