State of our hobby: Saga and beyond

[Old Fossil]

So I'm dusting off my POTF2 Ree-Yees with a Pampers baby-wipe and wondering, what's the future looking like for him and his merry band of 500-1000 figures that comprise my collection?

I've made a couple of SW toy runs in the past month, and ended up only buying an Icons Captain America instead. I've flipped lazily through full pegs of figures at WM and Target and TRU. Holographic Ki-adi Mundi. Barada. Utapau clone trooper. Blue senate guard reissue. Bo-ring.

With no new movies and various cryptic hints on the Web about a TV series, I wonder if retailers have the patience we and Hasbro do to keep this line going. I fear that as sales slowly decline, less and less shelf space will be alotted to SW toys, until WM nixes the line altogether in a year or so. Then the other chains will follow, and that will be that.

Is that unlikely to happen? I wonder. I also wonder if we're afraid to talk about it. I don't see too many current discussions on the topic, at least in SSG's forums. Is that because there's no need to think or worry about it at present, or do I need to look a little harder? And am I being too pessimistic, or just jumping the gun?

I mean, I know Hasbro is all gung-ho about the end waves of Saga and the supposed greatness that will be the line in 2007. I am a little eager to get my mitts on some of that cool stuff, I have to admit. But will retailers be willing or able to give our collectibles the shelf space?

[2-1B]

I'm out of the figure collecting business, have been for awhile now. A few exceptions, sure, like that Lucas Family Set and the Holiday Vader I picked up from Brian's Toys at a convention. Other than that, I'm not really buying any figures. 2018 doesn't mean anything to me since I've pretty much stopped collecting.

[Rocketboy]

I've been out of the collecting thing for years now (before TPM), picking up the occasional figure every once in a while when I really liked them.
Since ROTS, I've only picked up 7 figures and 2 of those were just yesterday.

[Kidhuman]

Hasbro can keep the line going, but thjey need to stop all the rehashes. If it is new figures, the collectors will keep coming back. Alot of collectors here have stopped their completeist ways(sans slicker) If they mix their asst's correct they can do it. With out movies it will be hard. A TV show isnt going to keep the same characters. The 30th anniversary will help a little as it will get kids into it. That being said, it might turn into an E-tailer thing in a few years or a Hasbro toy shop free for all if they go that route. &&

[dr_evazan22]

Supposedly SW was / still is Hasbro's strongest brand. It seems to get decent real estate at TRU. A little less at Target, then even less at WM. I still like to get the new, never-been-made-before figs, but, like kh said, there are just too many rehashes.

Then there's all the rehashes of the vehicles too, like the current X-Wing or TIE fighter. I already have at least 2 of the large X-wings. Then there's the TIE... Hasbro retools one part one year; a couple years later retool another part and rerelease it. Why not make a defiitive version? I know that a recent "Ask Hasbro" question was asked about this. It just sucks when it seems like accountants and/or lawyers run a company.

[plasticfetish]

With no new movies and various cryptic hints on the Web about a TV series, I wonder if retailers have the patience we and Hasbro do to keep this line going. I fear that as sales slowly decline, less and less shelf space will be allotted to SW toys, until WM nixes the line altogether in a year or so. Then the other chains will follow, and that will be that.

Is that unlikely to happen?

It's not a bad question, and it is something that we've talked about just a little here -- though the conversation always seems to turn into a "these are the 50 figures that I would like to see made" kind of thing.

The fact is, for the line to continue, and for it to generate a wide enough interest with the entire Star Wars toy buying audience, (this includes the "kids" that most collectors refuse to identify as being Hasbro's main focus), there needs to be some kind of media tie in.

That can be as simple as a new DVD release, a new cartoon or live action TV show, or maybe even a big new game. Lucas and Co. Seem fairly adept at keeping us hooked by teasing us with promises of new shows. We may be looking at a time that's similar to the dead time between ROTJ and TPM, but I doubt it, I doubt that they'll let this cash cow lie down for long.

Right?

So... Uh, yeah... now here's my list of 50 figures that I'd like to see made...

1) Padme in Adidas track suit.
2) Padme at Starbuck's.
3) Padme in beekeeper outfit.

etc.

[Kidhuman]

So... Uh, yeah... now here's my list of 50 figures that I'd like to see made...

1) Padme in Adidas track suit.

I hope they make a zipper up and 1/2 unzipped variant.&

[pbarnard]

Have a saying from other boards: OMG, DETH OF TEH LINE !1!

[shammykenobi]

As far as the line dying off, I'm not sure that will happen. I mean Hasbro re-started the star wars line way back in 95...that was a good four years before TPM and I believe at that time it hadn't been confirmed if the prequel trilogy was even going to be made...I think it's safe to say that there will be enough of a fan base to keep it going...I mean think of all the people our age, that aren't collectors but saw the movies when they were kids and then they show them to their sons and daughters...voila!!! Instant market...I think the only real threat would be if WM or some other retailer just completely stopped carrying them, and I believe that before that would happen they would negotiate with Habro to purchase them at a lower price...I mean that wouldn't be passed on to the consumer, but I know for a fact that WM can be very persuasive with a manufacturer about the wholesale price that they will pay for something.

[Kidhuman]

The only difference to the beginning of the end and end is at the beginning they were all new figures. Now at this point, there are rehashes, reissues, kit bashed figs, and before you know it, we will get Luke eating a Reese Peanut Butter cup figure.&