Author Topic: Your Loyalty?  (Read 10071 times)

Offline poddie

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Re: Your Loyalty?
« Reply #30 on: April 7, 2007, 02:59 AM »
Fun topic to think through...

For the most part I agree with Jesse.  Hasbro CAN do an incredible job.  Unfortunately, they seem to drop the ball on some aspect 50-75% of the time and fall short of greatness.  But I don't think there's anyone who would do it better.  I hate the larger scales and Marvel Legends type figures... 3.75" takes up enough space.  And I have a hard time seeing what people love so much about Zizzle's pirates... seem to have weak sculpting, weak articulation, and terrible stances to me.  No comparison to Hasbro Star Wars.  COOL playsets, of course.  But I'm not too interested in playsets anyway (other than a new Cantina which I would kill for).

There are several things I really want Hasbro to do better:

(1) Put forth an A+ effort on every figure.  I want more Flaming Super Battle Droids and Airborne Troopers, less Umpass Stays.  Every figure should have as much articulation as can be accomplished while still looking good.  I don't care if this raises the price a couple bucks (though I understand that Hasbro needs to factor this in for the good of the line).  I think if they would keep the stances human-like, completely replace ugly angle cut joints with ball, and make sure head sculpts never have lousy paint apps (Ceremonial Luke?) they would be 80% of the way there.  30AC seems a big step in the right direction overall.  The new GI Joe figs give me hope that Hasbro will completely commit to this for Star Wars as well.

(2) Better figure distribution system.  I want an online collector's club that allows me to preorder exactly the figures I want in the quantities I want.  I don't understand why they say this is not doable... charge an annual fee for the privalege.  I'm tired of my choices being to go without figures (local stores suck), pay high eBay prices per figure, or buy cases and end up trying to sell the ones noone wants on eBay.  Lotta wasted effort going on here that does not endear me to the hobby.

(3) Reduce the total product by about 50%.  There's just way too much stuff out there.  Throw in the additional expense of GI Joe and my goose is cooked this year.  I think 50 new figures or less (not including Saga Legends/Greatest Battles/repacks) is reasonable.

Overall I would say yes, I do feel somewhat loyal to Hasbro.


Offline John C

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Re: Your Loyalty?
« Reply #31 on: April 11, 2007, 11:15 AM »
It really wouldn't matter who was making a Star Wars line.  I would buy it no matter what.  I have no loyalty to Hasbro.  I am no longer a completist, either.  I pick and choose with the product they put out. 

Offline tonphanan

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Re: Your Loyalty?
« Reply #32 on: April 11, 2007, 11:02 PM »
If Hasbro does not renew their contract then the line should end at that. Zizzle is a possibility but you're right back to limited articulation and questionable likenesses. I do agree that the number of characters produced for a year does need to be cut back. If there are only 40 or 50 to get for a year than distribution would in theory be better since there would not need to be so many waves.

Some of the major problems with collecting that Hasbro has no control over:

1-Scalpers, a figure is popular or short packed and gets bought up quickly for a profit. One solution is equal numbers of each figure per case.

2-Army builders, I got nothing against army builders I do some myself but Hasbro can not keep up with the demand of people that build Grand Armies with 50+ of a trooper.

My loyalty is to the hobby but if someone else picked up the license I'm not sure if I would continue collecting. Look at the 12inch line. I have some of the Hasbro ones and they are OK compared to Sideshow, but I can't afford a sideshow figure and had to stop collecting them.

If Hasbro stops, I stop.
Throw an Ewok at him

Offline poddie

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Re: Your Loyalty?
« Reply #33 on: May 3, 2007, 12:44 AM »
Need to reverse my answer from the top of the page.

Hasbro is making the three coolest figures of the year exclusives to C4 attendies.

In other words, loyal collectors have been stabbed in the back by Hasbro.

So, no... I no longer have any loyalty to Hasbro.  Buh-bye.