Author Topic: 2010 "Vintage" Basic Figure Line  (Read 57323 times)

Offline Jesse James

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Re: 2010 "Vintage" Basic Figure Line
« Reply #15 on: January 9, 2010, 02:12 AM »
For me, I'm ok with just 24 or so figures this year that I'm totally interested in, while the repacks may or may not tickle myf ancy.  That's fine by me...  I am just hopeful the repacks don't f-up distribution in some way of the newer stuff.  More figures than that though that I'm after, and I'm crying foul on my wallet, haha.

Especially since it seems like whatever Hasbro's pack-in is in 2010 isn't going to be vaguely as good as BAD.  At least I cannot fathom it being as good.  So with that in mind, basically figures are going to be $7.99...  period.  The pre-legacy convincing myself that, "well at least you get to build a droid or two, and so that factors to blah blah blah...", is gone.  At least I'm expecting it to be gone.  And so I'm expecting I'll just be buying less in 2010.  The BAD conned me into sometimes buying an extra to complete a figure.

So less is better to me...  I'm ok with repacks then, so long as they don't impact the new stuff's availability.

The whole UGH thing coming back is retarded.  What's more to say about it? 

I love Hasbro but I think they can't seem to find what works and stick with it at times.  I'm waiting for the "other shoe to drop" on figure quality, and see them regress figures in that capacity as well, without any sort of price drop to accompany it.  That will truly be the day I consider my future with things in the hobby.
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Offline JediJman

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Re: 2010 "Vintage" Basic Figure Line
« Reply #16 on: January 9, 2010, 10:06 AM »
I really think this is a great move on Hasbro's part.  Depending on the execution (ie, who they pick to repack), I'm sure a number of once-upon-a-time carded collectors (such as myself) will consider reverting back to buying figures to keep carded, which can only help the bottom line...  (I can already feel myself heading that way again and grabbing some of these carded to compliment my existing VOTC/VTSC/VTAC carded collection  ::)).


I'm with Jeff here.  As one of the few remaining carded collectors, I'm excited about the move back to some really cool cardbacks.  I don't collect the re-pack figs, but if the cardbacks are cool and they pick some good characters, I'm all in.  I just hope that the vintage styling includes smaller bubbles like we've seen on GI Joe.  That adds more room for illustration on the card and makes storage a heck of a lot easier as well.
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Offline Brian

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Re: 2010 "Vintage" Basic Figure Line
« Reply #17 on: January 9, 2010, 12:17 PM »
I really think this is a great move on Hasbro's part.  Depending on the execution (ie, who they pick to repack), I'm sure a number of once-upon-a-time carded collectors (such as myself) will consider reverting back to buying figures to keep carded, which can only help the bottom line...  (I can already feel myself heading that way again and grabbing some of these carded to compliment my existing VOTC/VTSC/VTAC carded collection  ::)).

I agree, this is probably a great move on Hasbro's part.  As long as they really choose the "best of the best" for the repacked figures, I think this could be a great line and very collector-focused.  I know I'm pretty psyched we're seeing the return of vintage packaging.  The VOTC/VTSC lines are really the only things that I've bought carded and loose for the most part, and the dangerous part of this for me is that it might suck me into buying a carded set again (at least of the OT characters/figures).  If they repack really nice figures like VOTC Han, EB Chewie, VOTC Leia, Resurgence of the Jedi Luke, a recent Jawa, among others (both OT and PT) alongside some spiffy all-new figures, I think it could be a really nice line.  Even if they repacked previous "vintage" figures like the previously mentioned Hans/Lukes/Leias/etc. - if the cardbacks are essentially the same, people could always skip them.

Overall though, I think this is great news, and something I'm really looking forward to hearing more about.  I've said before, I don't think (possibly aside from the BMF) I was ever more excited about an upcoming line than with the first VOTC line...and the possibility of this vintage packaging returning has me pretty pumped too.  Plus, it would be nice to have a definite difference between the various lines - packaging-wise.  Hopefully the "Vintage" line won't get pushed off the pegs from all the CW figures, since they are the big push now (and actually shipping something before the fall).

Offline Darby

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Re: 2010 "Vintage" Basic Figure Line
« Reply #18 on: January 9, 2010, 12:19 PM »
I would be drawn in from a carded perspective, easy.  I think it's a great idea and what the line needs right now.  The line seems to be shaping up as waves of 6 new figures, and 6 likely repacks.  If Hasbro does it right, they will hit paydirt.  Some likely repacks are ones vintage collectors would be very interested in: Sandtrooper, Stormtrooper Han, Jawa, etc.  Where I would love to see them take a chance, and they won't because they want home run selling figures, is Wedge and Slave Leia.

My early predictions for the recards (let the speculation begin!):

ANH Wave:
Luke Skywalker (Resurgence BP)
Sandtrooper (Dewback sculpt)
Jawa
Chewbacca (Early Bird)

ESB Wave
Snowtrooper
Boba Fett?
Yoda?

ROTJ Wave
Biker Scout
DSII Luke

AOTC
Jango
Anakin
Obi Wan

TPM Wave
Qui Gon
Maul

ROTS
Cody
Grievous

Offline Jesse James

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Re: 2010 "Vintage" Basic Figure Line
« Reply #19 on: January 9, 2010, 02:06 PM »
Quote
That adds more room for illustration on the card and makes storage a heck of a lot easier as well.

It also means less accessories, smaller accessories, and no larger figures.  ;)

To me, that's not so good...  Not that it's necessarilly bad either since there was no telling if a big figure or accessory was planned anyway for when these cardbacks are out.  But things like tables, chairs, consoles, and other accessories we've gotten in the past that maybe made something more valuable are going to be nixed or difficult to slip in with smaller bubbles.  Same possibly with 2-packs of smaller characters.

No offense meant to the carded collectors still hangin' in there, but if they've got to suffer through some storage issues or their eyes are pained a little bit because their cardback isn't quite as pretty, I think I'd live with their suffering to get 2 smaller figures in a package instead of 1, or a nice large accessory like a Cantina table or something. ;D
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Offline Diddly

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Re: 2010 "Vintage" Basic Figure Line
« Reply #20 on: January 9, 2010, 02:28 PM »
I agree, this is probably a great move on Hasbro's part.  As long as they really choose the "best of the best" for the repacked figures, I think this could be a great line and very collector-focused.

See this is where I'm scared. I have NO FAITH that Hasbro will pick the "best-of-the-best" figures to repack. In fact, I'm pretty sure that this is going to be Legends 6.2, with MORE repacks of ROTS Obi-Wan, ROTS Anakin, Plo Koon, Saesee Tinn, Sandtrooper, etc. While they are good figures, there's no questioning that, over the last 3 years they ALWAYS seem to make their way onto the pegs, thanks to Legends, in order to make the movie line more "kid friendly." And they continue to clog the pegs because nobody buys them; collectors more than likely already own them, and most kids probably do too.

I'll be more than happy to eat my words come Toy Fair time, but I'm not going to be surprised if we get another "AWESOME!" wave full of repacks that everybody already has.
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Offline darthjaybay

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Re: 2010 "Vintage" Basic Figure Line
« Reply #21 on: January 9, 2010, 11:51 PM »
I believe that the basic "Vintage" figures will all be either all new never released and/or resculpts and the Legends line will also be release on Vintage cards... thats where the repacks will turn up! 
Remember, per hasbro, we are only receiving 24 new/resculpted figures this year!  The rest will be repacks in the Legends line

Offline Darby

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Re: 2010 "Vintage" Basic Figure Line
« Reply #22 on: January 10, 2010, 12:20 PM »
SSG: We've been hearing how the TLC line has been having sales troubles going back to its inception in July '08. There have been numerous Hasbro comments about lowered volume due to a shrinking of the hardcore collector base and a virtual drying up of the casual consumer base. Now through Q&A we're hearing about entire waves of basic figures, the bread & butter of the line, possibly getting pushed back or dropped into exclusive territory as brand management tries to ensure that those molds get into collectors' hands at all. Yet through all this, we continue to hear that Saga Legends is a strong seller with the casual consumers and thus with Hasbro's retail partners. While we fans appreciate and admire the drive over the past 6 years to deliver 40 to 50 new figures per year, without entertainment support it appears that pace has become an albatross around the mainline's neck as multiple outside forces such as manufacturing and the economy beat up the line (along with the rest of the toy industry). When fans look at something like the AT-AT Driver figure, which had a chiefly satisfactory figure released only 3 years ago yet now has an entirely new tooling coming up, it seems like the priority to meet x-many new figures per wave is no longer a viable concept, as budgeting for figures that either won't see widespread release at retail or will get pushed back means the next products down the line suffer worse fates is spent across a wave rather than the mainline as a whole. Though not ideal, have you considered merging the mainline figures and Saga Legends back together, scaling back the overall scope of new figures to fit in releases alongside the Legends figures, and cutting down on new resculpted figures when existing ones like the 3-year-old AT-AT Driver would satisfy interest with little or no change? Would focusing all of the non-Clone Wars figures back into a single SKU help keep mainline figures afloat, even if the number of new figures is scaled back significantly?
Hasbro: Thanks for the thoughtful summary of the challenges that we are facing with the "new collector economy." We are determined to keep delivering significant newness in the basic figure line. The basic figure line that will take over after Legacy / Droid Factory will look a little different, along the lines of all the things you mentioned. It will consists of all new tooled figures (about the same proportion as are in the line now), significant repaints/retooled figures, Saga Legends-type figures, and figures released on basic figure cards for the first time. Because of the sheer popularity that Saga Legends has had with its audience, we will keep it going as a separate line but change up the figures some. We believe that it's critical to keep Saga Legends doing, as kids are getting the core heroes and villains (with occasional troops), while fans are adding troops to shore up their forces. However, exactly to your point, we will be refocusing Legends a bit and sending some key figures over into the line that will replace Legacy so there is some core hero traction to that line as well.


Based off this answer, it seems we will get significant repacks/Legends type figs in the line, in addition to first time cards (Wedge?)

Offline Daigo-Bah

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Re: 2010 "Vintage" Basic Figure Line
« Reply #23 on: January 10, 2010, 12:35 PM »
However, exactly to your point, we will be refocusing Legends a bit and sending some key figures over into the line that will replace Legacy so there is some core hero traction to that line as well.



This statement bothers me a touch; do they mean we'll see an Anakin, for example, in both Saga Legends and the new Legacy line?  Or an older Vader again?  If so, I hope they're shortpacked.  Legends may sell well, but they seem to be overproduced anyway, and are certainly overstocked.
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Offline Morgbug

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Re: 2010 "Vintage" Basic Figure Line
« Reply #24 on: January 10, 2010, 12:59 PM »
Well count me among those that don't want to see prequel figures on vintage style cardbacks.  Why?  Meh, just cuz they've only a distant association to them.  If Hasbro was so proud of their original release cards for the PT stuff, re-release it on that crap.  JarJar Binks on the vintage style cardback?  Just shoot me. 

Realistically though I could give a crap since this seems to be mostly repacks of crap I either already have loose or deemed not worthy of my dollars the first time around, so I won't be buying them up.  If it ends up putting some small demand out there for the original VOTC figures on cards on the secondary market, then I'm pleased because I need to get rid of those. 

If they round out the last two figures from the original 12 backs, then I'd be most pleased.  That would include the Jawa and I'm surprised I haven't seen gripes about that suggestion yet. 
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Offline Darby

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Re: 2010 "Vintage" Basic Figure Line
« Reply #25 on: January 10, 2010, 01:34 PM »
The Death Squad Commander has shown up on some rumor lists, so I have a hope that we'll see the Jawa as well.  I think there will be some 'sharing' between Vintage and Legends, at least in terms of characters.  There may be different figures (one kind of Vader in Vintage, another in Legends, and so on).

Offline iFett

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Re: 2010 "Vintage" Basic Figure Line
« Reply #26 on: January 10, 2010, 06:34 PM »
• Collection of the best figures on the market - in other words - Repacks  ::)
• Episode 2 figures on vintage cardbacks for the first time  ::) ::)
• The return of the Bounty hunt series (foiled packaging)  ::) ::) ::)

All lame points, but I'm there since it's "vintage"  Thought I was done with the ugh crap, but here I go again...   :-\::)::):-\
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Offline jedi_master_sal

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Re: 2010 "Vintage" Basic Figure Line
« Reply #27 on: January 10, 2010, 08:17 PM »
Man, this is totally "wait and see" for me.

While I look forward to a card design that is vintage-like, I don't look forward to repacks on them. I know I won't be collecting the entire line this year, and this possibility only further confirms it.

Personally I'd love to see the "vintage" line be soley OT, but would accept PT, so long as all of the characters are NEVER BEFORE MADE (NBM). And I'm not talking updates, I mean NBM characters. While the OT has been mined pretty heavily there are still enough NBM characters out there. Certainly if repacks are going to go into this line, then at the very least they should be the best of the best.

That doesn't mean I'm going to buy them again, but at least they should be the best figure possible for anyone else who wants to buy them.

I don't know if I'll collect any this time around for carded purposes. I've really slashed my budget for SW toys from 2007. So cardbacks alone may not be enough to entice me to pick up one loose/one carded.

I look to Toy Fair to answer some of these questions for us.
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Offline Jeff

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Re: 2010 "Vintage" Basic Figure Line
« Reply #28 on: January 10, 2010, 10:11 PM »
Quote
That adds more room for illustration on the card and makes storage a heck of a lot easier as well.

It also means less accessories, smaller accessories, and no larger figures.  ;)

Exactly.  I think it'd be a bummer if we get the small vintage-esque bubbles because there's no room in there for nifty pack-ins or large accessories...  which leads to me next point.

At the start of the weekend, I was excited for the idea of adding to my VOTC/VTSC/VTAC carded collection.  Then, this weekend, I remembered that they down-sized the cardback size.   ::)  So, unless they switch gears and go back to the bigger card size, there is a good chance that these new "vintage" cards will look silly when placed next to the ones that we already have.   :(  Maybe I won't have to worry about collecting them after all...
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Offline Morgbug

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Re: 2010 "Vintage" Basic Figure Line
« Reply #29 on: January 10, 2010, 10:23 PM »
Well if the cardbacks are small and silly looking, then I wholeheartedly support the notion of PT figures on them.   ;D
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