Should we start bracing ourselves now for the next crappy gimmick?

**bigbarada** · 06-02-2004

The original POTF2 line tried to add excitement to the figures with beefed-up physiques. Ep1 "blessed" us all with the Commtech chips (which would have been fine as figure stands if they hadn't jacked up the price of the figure by $2). Ep2 gave us the extreme action poses, action features and "blast effects."

Fortunately, those are all things of the past, but what insidious little gimmick is Hasbro planning for the Ep3 toys?

Another question is, what could they possibly do next to screw up the line?

**Kidhuman** · 06-02-2004

Great question BigB. I dont know how or what will be the next gimmick. Maybe they should try nuetral poses and no gimmicks for a change. That would be the best of them all.

**Mr. JabbaJohnL** · 06-02-2004

Well, I don't care if they add a new pack-in, though they probably won't. I wonder if they'll try action features again. They know collectors hate them with a passion, but they seem to have the delusion that kids really like them. If the success and positive feedback about the figures that have recently come out are any indication, Hasbro would do what's right and leave the figures be.

**Darth Alex** · 06-02-2004

Originally Posted by bigbarada

The original POTF2 line tried to add excitement to the figures with beefed-up physiques. Ep1 "blessed" us all with the Commtech chips (which would have been fine as figure stands if they hadn't jacked up the price of the figure by $2). Ep2 gave us the extreme action poses, action features and "blast effects."

Fortunately, those are all things of the past, but what insidious little gimmick is Hasbro planning for the Ep3 toys?

Another question is, what could they possibly do next to screw up the line?

First off, this is a super topic and one fans will want an answer to.
The only thing left to screw up the line is to continue to reissue figures and kitbash Ep3 toys. I'm afraid that with the OTC reissue repackage campaign Hasbro will reuse existing figures and repaint them, maybe do a little different face scuplt (Obi-Wan). With all the production tweaks to the film, I wonder what characters will have to have a running color variant, ala the Battle droid.
My guess is we'll get endless Vader and Grevious variants with lousy action-tacular Deluxe surfing feud Obi and AniVader figures.
If we get a birthing PORTman, I'm quitting collecting for good

.
I hope we get a growth development Boba.
If we're lucky, all humor aside, we'll get a cross between the late-model Saga figures, the new OTC figures, and the VOTC line: appropriately articulated, well-detailed figures.

**Vortex** · 06-02-2004

Hmmm...hard call...with the current run getting all this super articulation...vader, han, etc. I can only hope they keep this up, but we'll see, odds favor them doing something "new" to figures I just don't want to guess at what stupid thing they could do in the off chance some marketing goof is reading this and goes "Hey that's a great idea!"

**Hellboy** · 06-02-2004

I would like to think Hasbro has heard our cries. The neutral posed figure with an emphasis on articulation seems to be the standard of late. I'm optomistic and think they'll continue down this path for EPIII. If a gimmick or action feature does appear I'd venture to say it will remain in the deluxe line, assuming they continue with the deluxes. Overall I think we're in for a quality batch of toys come 2005. Unlike others I'll reserve my judgement until I see the finished product though.

**Jay86** · 06-02-2004

I dont care about the "beefed up" POTF2 figures because most of them were remade and resculpted into better figures anyway. The Episode 1 figures werent that expensive, besides, if thats the case then wait for the sales. I didnt mind the action poses or the blast effects, the blast effects were removeable after all. It was more so the lack of a plain old neutral Episode 2 Obi-Wan and Anakin figure(s) that I'm still waiting for, not to mention a good Episode 2 C-3PO without the panels and all that overly-done paint on his arms and leg and whatnot. And I dont mind the OTC because if it'll get kids into the hobby or whatever then great, thats a good thing. Plus we're getting a fair share of new(er) figures as well. And if you add the OTC with Episode 3 being released next year, it would seem foolish of Hasbro to quit releasing figures in two or three more years....I dont care if they do that, just release the good majority of background characters and main figures that still have to be made and complete the list and then end the line, no sense in Hasbro giving up so much money that could potentially be made.

**Reefer Shark** · 06-02-2004

Actually, the EpI figures were pretty expensive IIRC. I think they were like $7.99 at Midnight Madness, weren't they?

And the blast effects were ok on EpII figures, except for the lightsaber deflection ones that stain the lightsabers

. I've bought a few KB specials just to get some extra guns and 'sabers. Lately, every blast-effected saber I've opened has been stained where the blast effect was.

I agree with you on the OTC thing though. Seems like a win-win situation for Hasbro = get new kids into it, and entice old fans with the sweet packaging. I think if Hasbro keeps on the path they're on now, things should be OK for the EpIII line (I hope anyways!).

**Jay86** · 06-02-2004

Originally Posted by Reefer Shark

Actually, the EpI figures were pretty expensive IIRC. I think they were like $7.99 at Midnight Madness, weren't they?

And the blast effects were ok on EpII figures, except for the lightsaber deflection ones that stain the lightsabers

. I've bought a few KB specials just to get some extra guns and 'sabers. Lately, every blast-effected saber I've opened has been stained where the blast effect was.

I agree with you on the OTC thing though. Seems like a win-win situation for Hasbro = get new kids into it, and entice old fans with the sweet packaging. I think if Hasbro keeps on the path they're on now, things should be OK for the EpIII line (I hope anyways!).

I dont remember what the Episode 1 figures were then, I bought most of mine when they went on sale at TRU, got about 70% of em that way too. As for the blast effect things, if you say so cheif. I've never examined the saber that closely, so I dont really have a problem with 'em. Oh yeah, the OTC Vintage figures are gonna be $9.99, so $7.99 for Episode 1 figures wasnt so bad I guess.....even though I got em for $1.99

http://cgi.theforce.net/theforce/tfn.cgi?storyID=23983

**Reefer Shark** · 06-02-2004

Yeah.. .they went down in price after most of us suckers had already bought 'em.

It's all good though, now that I think about it, I remember going back to TRU with my receipt for a refund of the difference. I walked away with something around $40 that day. Then a few years later they were clearanced out at $1.99 a pop.

VOTC is gonna be $9.99, regular OTC is gonna be $4.99. You're paying more for the extra packaging and crap on the VOTC, and that sucks IMO. Just like paying extra for the comm-tech sucked for the EpI figures. But oh well, I know I'll still be buying 'em.