Author Topic: 2007 Video Game Figures and Vehicles...  (Read 6601 times)

Offline speedermike

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2007 Video Game Figures and Vehicles...
« on: August 23, 2006, 08:07 AM »
There's a big article on merchandising Star Wars at The Wall Street Journal, here was the most interesting figure related news...

"Fans will get answers next year when Lucasfilm Ltd. releases a videogame based on that unexploited time in the "Star Wars" continuum. With razzle-dazzle effects, the game will be the main platform for an accompanying line of action figures and vehicles from longtime "Star Wars" partner Hasbro Inc. to be released next year. A print and television advertising campaign will precede the game launch, piggybacking on the 30th anniversary of the franchise."
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Offline Gatillo

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Re: 2007 Video Game Figures and Vehicles...
« Reply #1 on: August 23, 2006, 09:41 AM »
I think I just had a mini orgasm, NOT!
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Offline Darth_Anton

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Re: 2007 Video Game Figures and Vehicles...
« Reply #2 on: August 23, 2006, 10:10 AM »
If I played the stocks, I would not bet on Hasbro having success with this.
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Online Jeff

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Re: 2007 Video Game Figures and Vehicles...
« Reply #3 on: August 23, 2006, 10:51 AM »
I think it was shortly after the big Video Game conference (E3) that rumors started popping up that the game would be like the SOTE event was, complete with figures, comics, books, and stuff...


At the E3 Lucasbooth, one piece of concept art for the 2007 Vader Video Game they showed was EXACTLY the same as the first Hyperspace image they showed pretty much conifirming that the big 2007 event would revolve around the game.

The little birdies around the 'net all seem to be hinting that 2007 will bring a LFL multi-media event similar to Shadows of the Empire or Clone Wars with a multi-platform video game, a series of novels, comic books, action figures, and possibly linking into the TV show that would hit in the fall

Of course, nothing is confirmed until we see it straight from Hasbro, but it sure looks like there will be some kind of toys for this 2007 game.  ;)
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Offline Darth Slothus

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Re: 2007 Video Game Figures and Vehicles...
« Reply #4 on: August 23, 2006, 11:11 AM »
I think it was shortly after the big Video Game conference (E3) that rumors started popping up that the game would be like the SOTE event was, complete with figures, comics, books, and stuff...


Sigh* and we all know how well SOTE did on the pegs ::). I agree with Anthony, I'd call it a blunder. Sounds like another expensive non-movie year as well. I get the feeling Hasbro is gonna 'overfish the lake' if they continue at this rate. More and more I'm seeing long-time collectors fall/drop off directly attributed to Hasbro's exploits.


Offline Angry Ewok

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Re: 2007 Video Game Figures and Vehicles...
« Reply #5 on: August 23, 2006, 02:36 PM »
If Hasbro puts out this new line with the kind of quality of, say, some of their VOTC product, and doesn't absolutely flood the market (like they did with the sub-par sculpted SOTE figures), this line may do well for itself. Alot of that, of course, depends on the videogame.

Shadows of the Empire is a great book, the game on N64 was awesome, as well... the line could have done well if Hasbro hadn't botched up the way it did.

Offline speedermike

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Re: 2007 Video Game Figures and Vehicles...
« Reply #6 on: August 23, 2006, 03:39 PM »
My take is it really comes down to the characters/designs and source material.  I thought that SOTE was pretty lame.  The designs (Xixor, Dash and Snoova) were the crummiest EU stuff going.  Especially Rendar.  Here was a chance for Lucasfilm/Hasbro to create a character that never had to be played by human.  He could have had four arms and been 7 feet tall , or hairy, or slimey, or anyhting! But they gave us a dull, caucasian human who spends lots of time at the gym, and wears huge pooffy body armour that doesn't match up to anything in the Sw universe.

If the game is well revieved, the toys will sell.  If the game is lame (maybe because it's rushed to line up with all of the other styff...) then the toys will suffer.

What I am confused about, and the WSJ did not seem to say, was which new game this was.  There's a "Darth Vader" game and some sort of Force game coming out next year.
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Online Jeff

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Re: 2007 Video Game Figures and Vehicles...
« Reply #7 on: August 23, 2006, 04:17 PM »
What I am confused about, and the WSJ did not seem to say, was which new game this was.  There's a "Darth Vader" game and some sort of Force game coming out next year.

It is the game that LFL has been pimping with the "Secrets of Star Wars 07" features on the official site these last few months.  It is said to involve Jedi (hence all the force powers), Jedi Hunting, Darth Vader, and the period between Ep3 and Ep4. 

Believe me, when the marketing kicks into high gear next spring, you'll know plenty about it.   ;)
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Offline Brian

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Re: 2007 Video Game Figures and Vehicles...
« Reply #8 on: August 23, 2006, 04:22 PM »
I'm not sure what to think of this yet, but we'll see.  I wasn't collecting when the SOTE stuff was hitting, but it sounds like it wasn't exactly a big hit at retail or with collectors.  I've been trying to give EU stuff more of a chance now that the movies are over, but I've always had a problem with stuff that didn't quite look "Star Wars" to me.  The Clone Wars animated series was great, and I really enjoyed something like that.  So far, from the "Secrets of Star Wars" feature on the Official Site, this seem to be shaping up pretty good as well.  I guess whenever I've read anything EU (comics I guess mainly) that isn't set in the OT time period, some of the stuff just doesn't look quite right to me.  Its like the characters are almost overdone with all the gear/packs/etc.  Its hard to explain I guess, but sometimes it just doesn't look like Star Wars to me.

Anyways - back on topic - this could be interesting.  We keep hearing how there is going to be a big push next year, so I would believe there could be a figure line to support it.  I just hope we don't see Hasbro overdo it, and then we see nothing but this product on the pegs and shelves for half of the year.  I can see sprinkling in more EU to extend the line, but I don't know if collectors or the general public is ready for a primarily EU focus.  It does sound like its going to be another expensive year next year, and I was kind of hoping Hasbro would scale back the line a little bit and focus on making great "new" figures or quality resculpts.

Offline Jediknight760071

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Re: 2007 Video Game Figures and Vehicles...
« Reply #9 on: August 23, 2006, 05:16 PM »
Personally, I'm a little pissed off that a "new kid on the block" would be sculpted before some of the classics like Jedi Knight. I've got other issues with this as well, but you all pretty much covered them. I also want to say, though, that for the time SOTE figures came out, they were just as cool, if not cooler than the POTF2 figures out at the time, so cut them a break, right? ;) I loved SOTE and at the time I loved the figures...most that I have are on display on a shelf now, but back when they came out I loved them. They also aren't too different from Hasbro's other POTF2 EU line which did very well in some places and sat on the pegs in others.

And furthermore, I did have stock in Hasbro for many years, but sold it a while ago as it basically just sat there and went down little by little. I haven't looked it up for a long time, but I don't think I'd buy in even if the Wall Street Journal thought it was a good idea.

Offline Darth Broem

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Re: 2007 Video Game Figures and Vehicles...
« Reply #10 on: August 24, 2006, 11:07 AM »
The more I think about this it makes sense.  They have to keep Star Wars in the public eye someway.  The video games bring in a ton of money.  That will get the younger people at least looking at Star Wars.  It's the next best thing to a movie besides a TV program which is a ways off yet both animated and live.   So, naturally they turn to a video game nowadays to fill the gap. 

I am not saying it will work.  Personally I am not interested in a video game but I'm 32 and could give a crap really.  LOL.  I know that I am in the minority though that does not own an XBox or a Playstation.  I do not really care to read a Star Wars novel right now either.  I just don't have the time for it.  But a TV series I would be interested in but again that's a ways off. 

So, I guess it's better than nothing like at the end of ROTJ.  Hopefully it will keep interest going in Star Wars for awhile yet.  We'll see.  I know I won't be buying any action figures from this video game unless the characters happen to be in the films.  Geez, I hope they don't do a lame Chewy in Bounty Hunter Disguise this time.   

Offline DoctorPadawan

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Re: 2007 Video Game Figures and Vehicles...
« Reply #11 on: August 24, 2006, 06:33 PM »
I wasn't collecting when the SOTE stuff was hitting, but it sounds like it wasn't exactly a big hit at retail or with collectors.

To say the least, and it just hasn't aged well.  They were actually the first "Collection 2" assortment that Kenner/Hasbro did, and because of that, a lot of cases were ordered by retailers (new assortment number = more ordering, I guess).  Half of the case was characters nobody knew (Surrogate Han Solo and the Creepy Pheremone Monster) or characters in Punk Rock or Power Rangers get-ups (Snoova Vicious and the Wookiee Pistols alongside the Red Starfaced Ranger).  This was filled out with three much-requested at the time versions of the main characters (Jedi Luke, Leia Boussh, and Carbonite Han; all of which would see reissue the following year on green cards) and more Yodas and TIE Pilots. 

This was also in the age of 16 figure cases, so there were four more slots of sucking action than we have these days (imagine TSC Palpatine packed at 4 per case...shudder).  Leia, Luke Jedi, Han, and Yoda sold quickly, the TIE Pilot sold well, and stores had walls of Lizard Hefner and Faux Solo and Snoova.  It was so bad that a friend of mine bought a veritable ****load (and trust me, the figure was a piece of ****) of Xixors on WM clearance for a dollar each and would send them to his "friends" as a joke. 

Add to that the fact that the sculpts are waaaaaaay dated now, and the fact that SOTE is a rather horrible book (I can anticipate the flames for that one, and I know I'm something of an anti-EU person, but the writing was awful, especially considering it was supposed to be this massive media event), and you've got a line that failed miserably when it was released and who not many people have much fondness for (at least merchandise-wise) at this point 10 years later.

As I haven't and won't pay for website access, I don't know the first thing about the video game in question for next year, but Hasbro needs to tread lightly if they're planning on making a new video game with unfamiliar characters the central focus for a large part of the year's merchandising, especially in the 30th Anniversary year when, IMHO, the focus should be on the SW we know and not the SW we aren't familiar with.

Offline Artoo

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Re: 2007 Video Game Figures and Vehicles...
« Reply #12 on: August 24, 2006, 07:06 PM »
Sounds cool! Jedi & hopefully some VOTC Stormies!
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Offline speedermike

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Re: 2007 Video Game Figures and Vehicles...
« Reply #13 on: August 25, 2006, 07:50 AM »
I'm hoping that the traditional Stormtrooper design doesn't show up right after the events of ROTS, and stay unchanged for the rest of the Empire's history.  I'm assuming there will be a few steps more to get to that look completely.
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Offline Nicklab

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Re: 2007 Video Game Figures and Vehicles...
« Reply #14 on: August 25, 2006, 11:24 PM »
Hmmmm, video game vehicles!  I'd love to get a KOTOR Ebon Hawk!!!
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