Why Hasbro Star Wars Should Call it Quits!

[misterdroid]

I like the new stuff. The Force Unleashed videogame will be the first game to officially become part of the official star wars canon. That's a good thing. And while casual star wars fans may ***** about this kind of stuff, one has to realize that the Star wars universe is a sprawling, expanding, evolving creation.
Why isn't anyone complaining about the 90,000 spiderman or other marvel "expanded universe" clogging shelves. Damn, I am waiting for the Wolverine "Pakistani cricket team", spiderman "Los Angeles pool cleaner" or FF Johnny Storm "complete choad" variants any day now.
Realize that george lucas is a shrewd, shrewd man. If it's being manufactured, be damn sure his giant marketing machine is telling him it's going to be bought. The only SW figs that have been true peg-warmers in last few years have been the mass market movie figures... i.e. the stuff for everybody. Target the fanboys and you will never go hungry. If you don't like the stuff, pass on it. It's like voting.

[grayhank]

Well since I opened this can of worms...

First of all, I don't believe that Hasbro markets Star Wars towards kids. Yes there are lots of kids who want Star Wars but kids are extremely fickle and Hasbro knows this. They will only want Star Wars items as long as they remain popular with their friends, something else hasn't come along and they have not yet been criticized for still playing with them. Having been a manager at KB Toys for four years I have observed the toy buying habits of children time and time and time again. As long as they are getting something they will be happy, whether it is Star Wars or not. I have said this on other forums and I will continue to argue this point into the ground.

Most parents know what their own kids like but truly do NOT know what is the "HOT" item unless the parents themselves are collectors. Having been around parents shopping with their kids during the course of an 8 hour shift, 40 hours a week you see the same scenario play out over and over:

Parent: Hurry up and pick something, we need to get going!
Kid: But I don't know what I want!
Parent: Well what about Star Wars...you like Star Wars!
Kid: Eh' yeah, but I don't really want those.
Parent: Well if you don't decide soon you're not going to get anything.
Kid: Ok, I guess I'll get a Bionicle.

It truly does NOT matter to the kid. The only time I have ever seen a kid come in looking for a Star Wars toy is when it was in fact a movie year and the toyline was truly hot at the time. And even then there aren't specific characters they are looking for, but figures they might not already have.

Hasbro is well aware of their adult collector fan base. They have panels at most toy shows and online where they take Q&As from the audience about what product is coming out. I don't see Hasbro going to schools and talking to kids about product because kids typically don't have a lot of money to spend. The adult collector on the other hand usually has the money to spend. I myself have dropped hundreds of dollars at a time just walking into my local Toys R Us. My average spending at San Diego Comic Con is between $1200-$1500 every year...mostly on Star Wars product (that's not including food, lodging, transportation etc).

I can say without a doubt that yes I am a completist. I believe since the relaunch in 1995 there are probably two pieces from the line that I don't actually own. On top of that I typically buy TWO of everything. Because yes I enjoy the toys and want to open them, but at the same time there is that ever nagging voice in the back of my mind...what if this piece becomes the "holy grail" of the line (I know that it's probably never going to happen but what if?). There are pieces that I have bought that I have been criticized by other collectors for buying only to have them turn around and say "Man, how did you get that Carded Weequay with Freeze Frame?" I dunno, I guess it was when all you guys passed on it when it came out.

I have never had a problem finding any of the Target exclusives aside from dealing with employees of Target who cop an attitude towards you if you are a middle-aged male. They don't know the difference between a collector and an Ebay scalper. They tend to group all adult collectors in the same category. Target refers to shoppers in their store as "Guests" not customers. But when you are a toy buyer you are automatically labeled a "Collector". They get on their little two-way radios and call someone from the stockroom and say "there's a collector here asking about a Star Wars item". Suddenly you've been downgraded from "Guest" to "ebay scalper". I have actually had Target employees come up to me and tell me to leave when I haven't even spoken a word to them. My buddy Prime316 can vouch for this as he was with me at the time (along with most of the staff of managers/employees from my KB Store). It was sort of a training exercise to show our staff how NOT to treat customers. Let's just say that my staff was absolutely floored by the treatment I received. When we went to the Target Managers to complain, we were basically told "oh well".

Now as for the pictures that I posted. My point was why not just make the actual scene from Episode III rather than taking a bunch of figures that have been released over and over. Ok, so it's from a video game as somebody has pointed out. Yeah, I don't play video games, how would I know that? It doesn't fit into what is considered continuity. I did say that it was probably under the pretense of Expanded Universe which seems to be this year's theme for the line itself. But again, there are many characters that still have yet to be made that are in continuity. Hasbro has given us more Clone Troopers in every imaginable color and at my last count there were like 93 of them at the time. That is now well over 100 at this time. Yeah Clone Troopers are cool but ok let's see something else. I'd much rather have 100 different Ewoks than the same Clone Trooper repainted over and over.

There were many new interesting vehicles created between Episode I and III and still many that have not been updated from the vintage line. Why continue to make a Jedi Starfighter over and over which is still sitting in various forms on the shelves of most stores? It's not really selling and just preventing new product from being released and put out.

I agree the simple answer to all of this is for me (like many others) is to just stop collecting. I have drastically cut back on what I buy because frankly it is no longer interesting. I know many collectors who feel the same way. Hasbro continues to have their Q&As but unfortunately they aren't listening to what the fans are saying. It's their loss in the long run.

Sorry if this post is long but my original intent of starting this thread was to express my ever increasing frustration with the line. May the force "still" be with you!

[BlackKnight]

Which makes me wonder how obsessive collectors rationalize
that its HASBRO'S fault that they have a mental disorder in the vein of "obsessive"?

That seems to be where some of the blame is being driven in this thread,.. & also the Fact that some seem to not fully understand the StarWars Continuty & or universe.

Makes no difference to me,.. if they release something 1000 times,.. If I like it, I might buy a few,.. If I don't,.. well I don't buy it. Last yr they Finally made Darth Mauls Sith Infiltraitor. Man,.. was that about 8or9 yrs in the making.. very cool.

[huedell]

Some wise words said here since my last post (earlier today)---

BlackKnight wrote (among other poignant things):

If you are the "completest",.. it might be difficult to swallow.

Which makes me wonder how obsessive collectors rationalize
that its HASBRO'S fault that they have a mental disorder in the vein of "obsessive"?

Okay, okay, that's a bit harsh...but you get my point...

I can't believe I know who "ICE CREAM GUY" is---but somehow I know---altho'
I'm not sure if I've actually seen him----I know he's one of the BESPIN evacuees

Was "DARTH BANE" a character in the movies, Seeker? Don't know that guy.

Me? I'd be interested in a SPLINTER OF THE MIND'S EYE wave with at least
LUKE, LEIA, the two YUZZEM---and the old woman (Hallah?)
They could base 'em off that graphic novel I've never seen.

I haven't bought SW figures since TPM (except for like 2 or 3) not because
I don't like them---but I'm just trying to save money---and one thing I realized after
some heavy collecting back then----there sure was going to be an easy enough way to
catch up with my SW figure collecting if I ever wanted too---especially because
card condition means nothing to me as I'm a loose collector (don't even NEED the cards
really)

[jwyblejr]

Right On Huedell. Its all about choice. If there wasn't a market there wouldn't be a line. Sure I'm not going to buy every single jedi star fighter repaint or redone main character but I love some of the new original figures they are coming out with.

Personally I like the expanded universe.

A side note anyone see Star Wars is going to do the BAF "Build a figure" deal this year? Supposedly there will be different droid parts in each figure back to several different astromechs.

There's already complaints about them. Most don't like the fact they used the legs from R2 with those rockets of his.

[Iron_fox85]

yeeeaahhh...i'm sure that battle pack is from the new video game starwars unleashed...sides...starwars toys wont quit because it has a huge mega fan base and there so many figures to be made.

[toys2cool]

I saw this coming when the line relaunched in 1996, I spent a year trying to keep up and then realised it was never going to end. No matter how many figures I bought ten new ones would be waiting for me the next month. It was a bit like quitting smoking, I packed everything up and sold it, I was lucky to make a few bucks on the deal (probably $100-200 profit).

I actually couldn't even look at Star Wars for a long time after and have never purchased a new product since.

Same here,I sold a huge collection but it was like 99-00 and made a decent amount on them.Just kept my Episode 1 figures which I really liked and called it quits

[Seeker]

AWESOME Well ok I'd take Darth Bane over the Icecream maker guy.

But hey at least that actor and his family must be happy.

I had a bit part in a movie and I'd be estatic if they eventually got down to making a figure of lil ol me. Even the small guys want to be immortalized in plastic.

[BlackKnight]

The more people that Complain,..& do not end up buying them,.. makes better news for me.

Sure,.. there is rehash,.. & repainted figures out the buttload. However everytime I go to the store it's great, because there is always something for me on the shelf for under 10 bucks. If you are the "completest",.. it might be difficult to swallow. However I have been collecting the StarWars figures since the relaunch,,.. I don't get everything, only the figures & vehicles that interest me. It's great,.. & for the last Year & half, I have had a re-surge of interest in the figures,.. because of some of the New great stuff that has been offered.

It's a great time to collect these,.. you all quit,.. More for me.

[MarkStalcup]

I personally will not rest until I get the Ice Cream Maker Guy from Bespin. Because, you know, there is none more nerdy than those who know who that ancillary useless character is...and they're making him soon. No joke.

[Seeker]

Right On Huedell. Its all about choice. If there wasn't a market there wouldn't be a line. Sure I'm not going to buy every single jedi star fighter repaint or redone main character but I love some of the new original figures they are coming out with.

Personally I like the expanded universe.

A side note anyone see Star Wars is going to do the BAF "Build a figure" deal this year? Supposedly there will be different droid parts in each figure back to several different astromechs.

[huedell]

Many of these posts make "little" to "no" sense...

Am I missing something?

If you don't want it----don't buy it....right?

If the line looks as if its in danger of collapsing---that's one thing----because
if it collapsed, then there'd be no more new choices (I stress the word "CHOICES")
for collectors and kids to desire and buy.

Bottom line: if the line isn't in danger of ceasing--- or in danger of not putting
out new characters now and again---then, there's no rational reason
for HASBRO to stop the line.

Oh yeah---one more thing----they've been pumping out SW action figures since the
mid-90s----and they don't deserve insults---they deserve: CHEERS

I swear (with all respect), some toy collectors/SW fans are so jaded that they'd
curse the thing they wished for all throughout 1986-1994 (although some won't
even cop to THAT)

The Force will only be with you if you want it to be

My advice in short?:
Enjoy your Tarkin figure and forget the rest!

[Prime316]

Hasbro seriously needs to put the Star Wars line to rest if they have to start doing all this outside material stuff. This kinda stuff, the kind that comes from the video games, books, comics & other material outside of the movies is just Hasbro trying to bleed as much money out of Star Wars as they can. A lot of people have only, and a lot will only, see the movies and know the stuff from the movies. So when crap like this starts showing up it's a turn off to the collectors unfamiliar with it. Many will quite possibly either just stop collecting, or (like me now) only get the VERY FEW actual New or Non-Reissue Movie character figures leaving a lot more expanded JUNK to be sold.
Granted there may be a few random figures that are interesting despite their unfamiliarness (ie; Force Unleashed Vader) a lot will be passed on by collectors unfamiliar with it.
Hasbro is also relying on the OCD collectors out there that must have every version of every figure ever released. JUST STOP THE INSANITY MAN!!! I USED TO BE THAT WAY BUT HASBRO HAS COMPLETELY KILLED THAT INTEREST NOW. EVER HEARD OF OVERKILL HASBRO!?
The sad thing is there's still a slew of characters & background characters from the movies Hasbro could make, probly all in one year too. But their marketing conspiracy IMO is to release an actual NEW Movie characters a few a year in order to make it take as long as possible to complete that while getting as much filler Expanded JUNK out in the process.
I know kids will buy a lot of this Expanded JUNK but a lot of hasbro's sales depend on the adult collector market as well and they need to appease us, not make us frustrated and not wanting to collect anymore.

[Boris71]

I agree hasbro seems to see star wars as a way to print money, I gave up a while ago and with the price on some of the figures that are rehases I think it's not worth buying them I saw some retail at £8 in the uk compsred to the repo mego dols at 15 or DCD figures at 11 they just don't seem good value for money

[jds1911a1]

That scene's actually from the new video game "The Force Unleashed" where Vader does, in fact, fight wookies. And those multipacks are repacked figures that are also aimed at kids and parents, who want maximum bang for their buck.

I'm pretty worn out with Star Wars myself, but every now and again, they come along with something cool, i.e. the Biggs Darklighter toy, the Yarna (fat Jabba's dancer) one that's forthcoming and so on...the mistake people make is trying to buy EVERY figure on every variant card when they've reissued several multiple times.

I look at it the same way. When they make a new character I like I pick it up but I have made no attempt to get them all (or even update when they improve sculpt or articulation)