JediDefender.com Forums

Collectibles => Past Hasbro 3.75" Lines => The Legacy Collection => Topic started by: Matt on June 29, 2006, 03:13 PM

Title: The Hasbro Q & A Compendium
Post by: Matt on June 29, 2006, 03:13 PM
THE CATEGORIZED LISTINGS ON THIS PAGE ARE NOT BEING UPDATED PAST 3/16/07.  THE CHRONOLOGICAL LISTINGS WILL CONTINUE TO BE UPDATED ON THE FOLLOWING PAGES.

Index

30th Anniversary Collection
30th Anniversary Commemorative Tin Collection
Abandoned concepts

Accessories
Action Fleet and Micro Machines
Army-builders
Articulation
Attacktix

Battle Packs
Battlestar Galactica crap
Beasts and Creatures
Business and marketing issues

Case assortments
Clone Wars
Coins and Coin Album
Collector club
Comic book two-packs
Customizable figures?
Deluxe figures
Evolutions

Exclusives
Expanded Universe (general)
Expanded Universe (comics)
Expanded Universe (novels)
Expanded Universe (video games)

Fan Relations
The Force Unleashed
Foreign distribution
Galactic Heroes
Georgetrooper

Greatest Battles/Heroes and Villains/Saga Legends assortments
HasbroToyShop.com
Holiday figures
Indiana Jones
Licensing issues
Mail-aways
Marvel Legends-style figures?
McQuarrie concept figures

Packaging issues
Past lines
Playsets

Potatoes
Pre-Production
Production
Replacement parts
Role-play toys

Specific figures (Episode I - The Phantom Menace)
Specific figures (Episode II - Attack of the Clones)
Specific figures (Episode III - Revenge of the Sith)

Specific figures (Episode IV - A New Hope)
Specific figures (Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back)
Specific figures (Episode VI - Return of the Jedi)

Specific figures (Original Trilogy general)
Specific figures (Prequel Trilogy general)

Television-based figures
Titanium (figures)
Titanium (vehicles)
Toy Fair 2007
Toy Fare/Fan's Choice
Transformers
Ultimate Galactic Hunt
Unleashed (2")
Unleashed (7")

Vehicles (General)
Vehicles (Expanded Universe)
Vehicles (Original Trilogy)
Vehicles (Prequel Trilogy)

Vintage-style figures
Miscellaneous - 3 3/4" issues
Miscellaneous - Non-3 3/4" stuff

30th Anniversary Collection

Is the Vader figure slated for 2007's Wave 3 different from the 2007 #01 Vader that comes with the Coin Folder/Album? Is he a new Vader sculpt or is he just the same Vader sculpt as the Coin Folder #01 Vader but with a new ANH coin? (JD, 01/26/07) (http://www.jedidefender.com/newspro/fullnews.cgi?newsid1169863101,30054,)

He is based on the Darth Vader from the comic pack, with new movie deco. He was in turn a rework for EPIV from the 500th Vader.

Other than the Comic 2-packs and Battle Packs, will there be any sub-lines for the 3¾" figures (such as Deluxe, Evolutions, Tins, etc.) next year? (AF, 12/15/06) (http://www.actionfigs.com/index.php?categoryid=12&p2_articleid=162)

Right now, aside from the occasional exclusive, we are focusing a little more tightly and do not plan for more tins or deluxe. This is simply because shelf space will be extremely competitive next year and we will not have the luxury of pursuing items like a widespread listing of tins.

Can Hasbro give us an idea of how many waves and figures there will be in '07? And roughly how many from each movie or EU source? (SSG, 12/15/06) (http://www.sirstevesguide.com/index.php?categoryid=13&p2_articleid=76)

I cannot give you as many specifics as you want, simply because we do not want to reveal some surprises we are holding in store. But we will answer your question since we have seen some concern from fans who are afraid that we are abandoning the OTC. That is very far from the case now and in the future! It's been simply a case where a lot of discussion (and excitement) has been expressed about exploring EU in the Q&A so naturally fans have been seeing this. Here's a chance to assuage some concerns. There are nine waves of the 30th Basic Figure line (which I think you are asking about), not including Saga Legends or comic packs which are separate SKUs. There are 60 figures in the 30th figure line, of which 8 are McQuarrie figures. The remaining figures break down as follows: 50% are original trilogy, 25% are prequel, and 25% are from other sources, including some Clone Wars. I cannot give more specifics on this breakdown, in order to save some surprises.

Are there any special plans to keep this line alive and well after the 30th Anniversary celebrations are done next year? (ST, 12/08/06)* (http://www.sandtroopers.com/smf/index.php?topic=5183.msg92496#msg92496)

You bet!

Can we see pictures of the 2007 Basic asst 2nd wave now please? Think of it  as an early holiday gift for the fans! (ST, 12/01/06)* (http://www.sandtroopers.com/smf/index.php?topic=5183.msg91785#msg91785)

They will be available soon….just not yet.  Sorry!

Will all the straight-repacked figures solely be in the Greatest Hits collection next year, or will they also be mixed in with the regular line as they were this year? (AF, 11/17/06) (http://www.actionfigs.com/index.php?categoryid=12&p2_articleid=162)

There were few straight re-packs mixed in the mainline Saga Collection this year, and there should be even fewer in the main assortment next year. There will be re-packs, but we are trying to make each of them differentiated (from their previous release) in some key element.

The Battle of Naboo wave is just starting to show up at retail now and there are 22 more figures slated for the Saga Collection and less than 2 months to go before the new year. Are these all slated for release in 2006 or is the plan to have them released in 2007 and lap over the start of the 30th Anniversary Collection? (JTA, 11/10/06) (http://www.jeditemplearchives.com/content/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=2673)

These last 22 Saga figures will stretch out from roughly the first week of December through 3/24, when the 2007 greatest hits waves should start to feed into the pipeline. If all goes according to plan, these will have ample time at retail for collectors to get them and will not suffer the same short-window fate as prior basic figure waves.

What is next on the drawing board at Hasbro HQ that is going to blow us all away? (ST, 11/03/06)* (http://www.sandtroopers.com/smf/index.php?topic=5183.msg89120#msg89120)

We've got a lot of fun stuff in various stages of development so it's difficult to answer that specifically.  We've already revealed a good number of secrets for the line next year, but there are more to come. Sorry to revert to the old "stay tuned" but we gotta!

Is the Darth Vader #01 figure in The 30th Anniversary Collection the same figure as The Saga Collection Darth Vader #038, minus the "debris" accessories? (SWC, 10/27/06) (http://www.swcollector.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=880)

It's actually the same figure we reissued for Heroes and Villains of Episode III #1.

What percentage of figures you release a year are new characters?  To put it another way, how much room do you give for new characters in a line based largely on the main-line heroes (Vader, Luke, Chewie, etc) in different poses or outfits?  I don't necessarily mean new sculpts, just new characters... (TJ, 10/22/06) (http://www.thejawa.com/yabbse/index.php?topic=6214.msg56585#msg56585)

Roughly about 40% of the basic figures next year are "new" figures that have never been done before (which also includes some trooper type variants we have not done).  The balance are new takes on main characters.

Which items are the official end of the Saga Collection toys and which are the beginning of the 30th Anniversary Collection toys? (JTA, 10/6/06) (http://jeditemplearchives.com/content/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=2570)

The last wave of the Saga figures will be seen at retail in February and will be on shelf until roughly the end of March. All other figures and sublines on shelf in 2007 will be 30th Anniversary. As for how you (the fan sites) categorize the items, maybe this helps. We planned the last wave of Starfighter vehicles (Vader's Starfighter, Droid Tank, Hailfire) to be in 2006 but decided to put them in the 2007 line look to save our rework for next year since they will carry over. But as far as we're concerned, they are 2006 or Saga products. The same with the first wave of Battle Packs, and Saga tins. Because they were designed to carryover, they got the new look. But really we consider them Saga-year products and are "on the books" for this year. I know, this is probably more complicated than you want!

You were recently quoted as saying that in the 2007 basic figure line, the "alien slots" for that year were already full. Could you tell us what these various slots are (possibly something like "core character slot", "imperial character slot", "droid slot") and how many of each would be in that group? If not exact numbers, how about by approximated percentages? (AF, 9/29/06) (http://www.actionfigs.com/index.php?categoryid=12&p2_articleid=162)

We design any line with several levels of figure in each wave. The optimal mix is designed to have both kid and collector traction. It goes something like this: Some core heroes (very strong), some lesser but still know heroes, and then some (usually 2-3) collector figures. These collector figures are drawn from a number of core categories (troopers, Cantina aliens, pod racers, Ewoks, droids, alien Jedi, vidgame characters, Padme and other females, Jabba's palace denizens, Separatists, Senators, Jawas etc) that we know are embraced by, if not all collectors, a stronger and vocal subset. We try and spread it around so there is a good bet that most, if not all, of these categories will be represented each year. One hint... we are fans of Cantina denizens and it's a good bet there will be at least two every year until... well, we run out!

Last week, you said you were planning 9 waves for 2007. Will there be a specific "EU" wave or will the EU figures continue to be peppered into the movie themed waves they were this year? And since you can't talk about specific 2007 figures yet, can you at least give us a hint on the themes for those 9 waves? (JD, 9/29/06) (http://www.jedidefender.com/newspro/fullnews.cgi?newsid1159554509,46595,)

There will be a themed EU wave next year that will have most, if not all, of the EU figures (Clone Wars and game-related figures). Most of the 6 movies, but not all, will have at least one wave while some will have more than 1.

We already know that the entire line for 2007 is being called the 30th Anniversary line, but can collectors expect offerings that are similar to the 25th Anniversary 2-packs we got in 2002? (TJ, 9/29/06) (http://www.thejawa.com/yabbse/index.php?topic=6174.msg56288#msg56288)

There are no plans for a similar product.

Can we expect an entire wave or waves of the 30th Anniversary Collection to be devoted to Clone Wars, or can we expect some sort of mixed EU wave? (TJ, 9/22/06) (http://www.thejawa.com/yabbse/index.php?topic=6176.0)

Good question.  The latter, with some "hero" characters carry-forwards assorted from prior waves.

How many waves for 2007? You said there would be a Concept Art figure in the first 8, but will there be more than 8 waves? (AFI, 9/19/06) (http://www.actionfigureinsider.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?p=41647&highlight=#41647)

There will be nine waves total, with a McQ figure for each of the first 8 waves (including the reissue Stormtrooper in Wave 1).

Hasbro Q&A revealed a few weeks ago that the 2007 line has been "put to bed". Is the team hard at work on Clone Wars 3D toys, or do they get some downtime before that ramps up? (GH, 9/19/06) (http://www.galactichunter.com/absolutenm/templates/full_article_template_1.asp?articleid=5810&zoneid=2)

"Put to bed" means that the ideation is done & locked up, but execution is far from done for the back-half.  At any time we are working on parts of 2 years worth of product in differing stages… fine tuning Spring '07, input drawing & sculpting for Fall '07, & strategic direction & line planning for '08.  As a reward for their hard work, we have given our team this Friday afternoon off as down time (Note: Hasbro has year-round half-day Fridays, but the R&D team hasn't been officially informed yet...).

After 100+ basic figures in the 2006 line (75 Saga, 13 Hero & Villains, 14 Greatest Battles), a lot of collectors are feeling the budget pinch trying to keep up. Can you give us a ball-park estimate for the number of basic figures you are planning for 2007 so we can start planning our 2007 budgets now? (JD, 9/19/06) (http://www.jedidefender.com/newspro/fullnews.cgi?newsid1158676228,25932,)

Well, you bring up an interesting point.  We consider the loose, completist figure collector first & foremost when we decide how many figures we are going to do in the basic figure line.  That is why the 26 "EpIII Greatest Hits" figures from this year, along with the UGH figures, were straight repacks so the loose collector could concentrate on the manageable core of the line.  We are going with the 60 basic figures as such (plus the EU 2-packs) for the new figure offerings in '07.  As for packaging collectors, well....this is the inherent complication.  As demand for the line remains very high, we seek to find solutions for the market, especially in kid-appealing figures, that will satisfy overall demand for more figures & help us ensure that we have the best overall mix at retail.  Without introducing additional items like Greatest Hits this year, our need to keep up with demand would cause us to release even more collector figures (like Poggle, Lushros) or cause us to pull them out of the Saga asst completely for whole waves at a time which is not ideal either for the core collector.  We are not trying to build as much product as the carded collector can absorb - we are very sensitive about keeping our collectors bases (loose and carded) engaged in the brand & that means striking the balance.  But when demand continues to be very high, carded collectors do feel the pinch largely due to the success of the line and the necessity of finding additional solutions to a what is otherwise a nice problem to have.

Recently, you said some of the figure rumor lists are inaccurate. Will you debunk one of those rumored-to-be-coming-soon figures that Hasbro actually does *not* plan to release in any format in the next 18 months (any figure rumor of your choice)? (AF, 9/01/06) (http://www.actionfigs.com/index.php?categoryid=12&p2_articleid=162)

We were referring to the "leaked" line lists that were circulated a couple months back. These were essentially a very early "wish list" line ist that was not finalized by us and Lucasfilm. As a result, the Yuuzhon Vhong figure is on there which a lot of collectors were excited about. We won't be doing this one next year, unfortunately, but it's high on our "future" wish list.

With the large number of figures in The Saga Collection (thank-you!), we're fast approaching a point where a '600th' figure could be released.  Are you planning anything special for that milestone? (TJ, 8/25/06) (http://www.thejawa.com/yabbse/index.php?topic=5900.msg55779#msg55779)

Ha - good question.  We'll talk about it, but we'll probably wait until the 750th to do something special.  Now if only the Boba had been the 250th, we could have had a logical progression of commemorative figures.

With the 30th anniversary next year, the majority of the figures released will be from A New Hope. Will these figures be new sculpts, or simply re-released figures from years past. Will there be more creatures/aliens from the Cantina made? (ST, 8/25/06)* (http://www.sandtroopers.com/smf/index.php?topic=5183.180)

We have not yet revealed anything of the 2007 lineup beyond the few EpIII figures we showed at Comic Con, and a few other hints.  It will celebrate all 6 films, Clone Wars, and the EU…. and will not be EpIV dominated as you indicate.  We have said that there WILL be a curved cantina bar end next year...that's all the hints we'll give, though.  For the rest of the lineup, you'll have to wait and see.

As 2007 is the 30th anniversary of Star Wars, will we see a larger percent of Original Trilogy characters who have never been made before, compared to previous years? Characters like CZ-3, Hermi Odle, Yarna Gargan, Tonnika Sisters, etc, would make great 30th anniversary presents! (RS, 8/25/06) (http://www.rebelscum.com/story/front/Hasbros_9th_STAR_WARS_QA_The_Answers_99716.asp)

Tough one to quantify, but I think that collectors will be very happy with the selection of new OT figures next year, including at least two that you mentioned.

Over the years, we've seen many changes in the price of a basic figure. Anywhere from $4.99 to $6.99. Is the current price the new norm, or will the MSRP increase/decrease for 2007? (BTT, 8/25/06) (http://www.behindthetoys.com/forums/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=7376)

We do not set prices, but they are established by our retailers. We do not anticipate a rise in our wholesale cost from this year to next, if that helps. Beyond that, it's the individual call of the retailers for any pricing decisions.

Can we expect the 30th Anniversary line to focus on the original movie or the entire Saga? (TJ, 8/11/06) (http://www.thejawa.com/yabbse/index.php?topic=5900.msg55581#msg55581)

The 30th Anniv. line will run the entire year, and will celebrate the Saga, all six films plus extensions such as CW and EU.

We love hints and teases... how about dropping a nice tease about a yet-to-be-announced figure from the first official wave for 2007? At SDCC, we saw the 2007 Utapau Airborne Clone, the Mustafar Lava Miner, and the Galactic Marine - what else do you have lined up for us in 2007! (JD, 8/11/06) (http://www.jedidefender.com/newspro/fullnews.cgi?newsid1155325016,53466,)

We have to hold something back…we felt we revealed a lot as it was for products that still have many months of production to go. Sorry….we're going to hold tight on the rest of the wave for now to have SOMETHING to talk about later.  ;)

Of all the offerings that you have planned for 2007 so far, who is the one figure that you are really, really excited to see offered up? Yeah, I know it's like asking who your favorite child is, but there must be at least one 2007 product that stands out as super-cool? (JD, 8/04/06) (http://www.jedidefender.com/newspro/fullnews.cgi?newsid1154734509,1394,)

We truly do have too many favorites to pick one. But it's nice to finally have revealed the Galactic Marine!

Are the mini-holo figurines in TSC being replaced with minted coins for the 2007 line? (SWC, 8/04/06) (http://www.swcollector.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=823)

The '06 holo figures and bases are being replaced by coins.

Will the figure-numbering system reset in 2007? (BTT, 7/14/06) (http://www.behindthetoys.com/forums/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=7353)

The figure numbering will reset with each new line look. When we started the 2006 line, we didn't know how far it would go, so our packaging team inserted the '0' in there. We won't do that again unless we have specific plans to pass 100.

Ever since TSC's debut in 2005, finding a mint figure has been nearly impossible. As each wave has come and gone, I have noticed more dents than ever from figures coming from the factory itself. With the new 2007 packaging, will we see a package less vulnerable to dents (especially on the top of the bubble)? (SWC, 7/14/06) (http://www.swcollector.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=806)

We won't have 2007 samples for months yet, so it's too early to say for sure but the blister will have at least as much integrity, if not more, than Saga blisters. The card back will be different though….stay tuned.

Why is Hasbro ending The Saga Collection at just 51 figures (not including exclusives)? What was the point of that triple-digit numbering system, if they never even got up to 100? (SWC, 6/30/06) (http://www.swcollector.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=794)

We will be making a packaging change going into 2007, and the numbering will start over for the 30th Anniversary series.

Will there be any new vehicles or maybe even playsets to celebrate the 30th anniversary? (SWC, 6/30/06) (http://www.swcollector.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=794)

Yes, we will have vehicles for the 30th anniversary. Stay tuned for more details.

Will the mini-hologram promotion end with the Naboo wave at the end of this year? (POTF2, 6/30/06) (http://www.potf2.com/potj/forums/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=10342)

Possibly.

It's safe to assume that the 30th Anniversary will be celebrated with exclusives from all of Hasbro's retail partners. Without revealing details (but feel free if you're willing), is there anything over-the-top exceptional in the works for us collecting fiends? (GH, 6/30/06) (http://www.galactichunter.com/absolutenm/templates/full_article_template_1.asp?articleid=5517&zoneid=2)

Without revealing details.Yes. Come to our panel on Friday morning of Comic-Con to find out more!

With the last wave of TSC hitting in October, what can we expect to see for the holiday season? (BTT, 6/23/06) (http://www.behindthetoys.com/forums/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=7338)

Good question.  We’ll have plenty of product announcements for Fall 2006 and beyond at Comic-Con.  Be sure to attend our panel discussion on Friday morning to get all the details!

Will themed waves continue past the Saga Collection? (GH, 6/23/06) (http://www.galactichunter.com/absolutenm/templates/full_article_template_1.asp?articleid=5499&zoneid=7)

Yes.

Based on the overwhelming response to the current TSC-style cardback, are there any plans to depart from this style once the 2006 line has ended? (YF, 6/23/06) (http://cgi.denpetersen.com/YAK1/viewtopic.php?t=312)

We are looking at a different line look for 2007, which we'll be showing at Comic-Con.

With next year being the 30th anniversary of the birth of the Star Wars franchise, can we expect anything from Hasbro to commemorate the release of the first Star Wars Movie? If you are, can you give us a taste of something you may have in mind? (F, 6/09/06) (http://www.figures.com/databases/action.cgi?setup_file=fignews2.setup&category=actionfigures&topic=77&show_article=432&nl=1)

Yes! Stay tuned for details in the coming months.

30th Anniversary Commemorative Tin Collection

Are there any plans to release some of the upcoming tin set figures individually carded for a later release? Several of the new or retooled unique figures from these sets are considered army builders (ANH Sandtrooper, ESB Snowtrooper, ROTJ Scout Trooper and ROTJ Endor Rebel Soldier, all with removable helmets). I know that many fans and collectors would like to acquire multiples of these figures to add to their collections. Having them only available through the tin sets is a bit prohibitive. (RS, 8/25/06) (http://www.rebelscum.com/story/front/Hasbros_9th_STAR_WARS_QA_The_Answers_99716.asp)

There are no plans right now to release them down the road on individual cards. We do realize that there are some troop builders in there that in the future would be great to bring onto the 6x9 format, but we're planned far down the road with other figures.

The 30th Anniversary Commemorative Tin sets shown at Comic-Con revealed the A NEW HOPE set will feature the Evolutions Darth Vader, but with the head of Hayden Christensen in REVENGE OF THE SITH underneath the removable helmet. With only four years taking place between ANH and RETURN OF THE JEDI, shouldn't the head still be the Sebastian Shaw one used on the Evolutions Darth Vader from 2005? (SWC, 8/25/06) (http://www.swcollector.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=4178#4178)

We were trying to add some freshness and variety to the figure for this set. With both Hayden and Shaw having different appearances, having both versions available allows collectors to choose the one they want as their iconic Vader.

Abandoned concepts

Are the "poster style" action figures completely off the table, or is there hope that we'll see them elsewhere (exclusive or otherwise)? (GH, 10/27/06) (http://www.galactichunter.com/absolutenm/templates/full_article_template_1.asp?articleid=5946&zoneid=2)

They are off the table for now.

With the QnAs, it's clear that many collectors have a two track mind: Playsets and vehicles!  What kinds of things are on Hasbro's wish list?  Can you tell us about any of the cool things you've worked on, but didn't (or can't) release? (TJ, 10/6/06) (http://www.thejawa.com/yabbse/index.php?topic=6190.msg56383#msg56383)

Oh I wouldn't say that collectors have a two-track mind…add in troops and droids and Cantina guys and accessories and videogame figures…well, there are a lot of dimensions to what is being suggested!  In any case, we put time and energy behind the things we know we can bring to market and that have the best chance of success.  Right now, that's the Starfighter vehicle SKU and the exclusives vehicles which are almost always updates on existing (previously tooled) vehicles.  Our wish list would be to continue to roll out new vehicles each year with some cool updates to classics.  The Death star playset comps we have are well-known as one of those "if we could do anything" things, but one of the more interesting concept models we've worked up is a Clone Turbo Tank.  We won't be looking at a big vehicle like this unless it's in the animation, but it's one of those things that we'd like to get to sometime.  The model is very cool.

What is the top 3 things that Hasbro has wanted to do, but were shot down, whether it be by LFL, costs, time, etc? (ST, 9/22/06)* (http://www.sandtroopers.com/smf/index.php?topic=5183.msg84994)

Usually cost, time, and item count limitations are the culprits in having to lay aside a good idea.  For 2007, there are two concepts we wanted to pursue but couldn't make work at the time: 1) Poster packs, built around the original theatrical posters matched to 3-3/4" figures, was a victim of item count and costing. These were conceived for '07 because of the widespread anticipation of the 30th Anniversary, but because of their size and cost we had to put them aside.  We may look at this some time in the future, possibly as an exclusive farther down the road; and  2)  A 3-3/4" Turbo Tank.  Yes, it will pain some people to hear that we were working on a model that will not make it to market in 2007, but we just couldn't make the timing work.  Now that we are looking at the animation, we will re-visit which large-size hero vehicle or playset we do.  It may not be the Turbo Tank first...but we love this vehicle and will eventually get to it...patience will be rewarded.
Title: Re: The Hasbro Q & A Archive, Categorized For Your Pleasure
Post by: Matt on July 27, 2006, 09:06 PM
Accessories

The weapons/accessories that come with the figures have numbers or letters imprinted on them. I believe these are the cavity numbers used when creating the mold. What is the purpose of this designation? (BTT, 3/16/07) (http://www.behindthetoys.com/forums/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=7428)

It is chiefly used for debugging purposes by our factories to keep production moving quickly and smoothly. For instance, if it is noticed that during production all of the guns from the "4" cavities are showing deformities (such as from something preventing full plastic injection, or details that have become obscured due to overuse), the tool can be quickly debugged and serviced and gotten back into production quickly, preventing costly downtime.

The large accessory pack-ins with some of the 30th Anniversary basic figures shown at Toy Fair were out of this world. Things like Umpass Stay's drum, Luke's moisture vaporator, and the corner curves to the bar are long requested fan items. Can you tell us if you have any other large accessory pack-ins planned for the future, either the second half of this year or next? (JD, 3/16/07) (http://www.jedidefender.com/newspro/fullnews.cgi?newsid1174087119,84197,)

Thanks! There are a few more surprises planned, such as the torture rack for Han Solo. We will look to do this when we can, but with increases in both plastic costs and the costs to tool up these cool accessories, we can't guarantee we'll always be able to do it. But we're glad fans appreciate them, they are important pieces we've been waiting to deliver up!

Will Academy outfit Biggs from wave 3 have his cape, and if not, why? (AF, 3/02/07) (http://www.actionfigs.com/index.php?categoryid=12&p2_articleid=162)

He will have a cape - we just forgot to bring it to Toy Fair.

Can you please offer two points of clarification for the new figures revealed this week on the net? Specifically, will "Academy" Biggs Darklighter have his cape, and will Umpass-Stay have a large drum to beat on (either included with the figure or is it eventually planned for separate release)? (GH, 3/02/07) (http://www.galactichunter.com/absolutenm/templates/full_article_template_1.asp?articleid=6287&zoneid=2)

Biggs will have his cape - we just forgot to bring it to Toy Fair.  Umpass-Stay will come with 1/2 of the drum, which is designed to snap in place to make a whole should you decide to get two for this purpose (or wait until it may be re-released at some point).

With all the Clone Trooper figures being released, there's a significant shortage of rifles among my clone armies. Especially for AOTC Phase I Clone Troopers, who carried rifles, not blasters, yet they are always packed with blasters (why is that, anyway?) Has Hasbro considered a clone trooper weapons pack with rifles, binoculars, new pistol and rifle sculpts (ARC Trooper pistols and sniper rifles maybe?) and perhaps gunship turrets? And will the Saga Legends clones (all colors) fix this recurring error? (RS, 3/02/07) (http://www.rebelscum.com/story/front/Hasbros_25th_STAR_WARS_QA_The_Answers_103996.asp)

This is a good comment that we've heard from many different avenues, and we'll look at it. It's unlikely we'll do the ball turret in something like this venue, though.

I noticed that the hilt for the up coming Ceremony Luke is the hilt from Darth Vader. Is this just a case of a sample image with the wrong saber hilt? If not, why does Hasbro keep getting this wrong? (i.e. VTSC X-wing Luke also came with the Vader hilt). Also, the hilt in on the attached saber hand for the Ep. III Obi-Wan (which was made early on). (YF, 3/02/07) (http://cgi.denpetersen.com/YAK1/viewtopic.php?t=1467)

We know that the hilt is wrong, but have been spec'ing it when we need a hilt that gets us pretty close. It's something that we are aware of and will be looking at for future releases.

With all the SA clones being released, there's a significant lack of rifles for clone armies. Has Hasbro considered a weapons pack of rifles and other assorted clone gear to help army builders? (JI, 01/26/07) (http://jediinsider.com/index.php?catid=8&itemid=9983)

We have heard fans, and we are considering this for a future year. What would fans ideally like to see in such a pack?

In any future re-releases of the Saga '04 Luke (Jabba's Palace) figure, would it be possible to use the lightsaber mold from the ROTS Pilot Obi-Wan figure? That lightsaber is much more accurate now than the version from '04 (which was really reusing the lightsaber from the POTJ Ben Kenobi figure from 2000). (SWC, 01/26/07) (http://www.swcollector.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=950)

Good suggestion - thanks.

A couple of the figures released lately have incorrect figures bases/stands. (i.e. Kit Fisto, Clone Trooper Sergeant). Will these errors be addressed/corrected in later case revisions? (YF, 01/26/07) (http://cgi.denpetersen.com/YAK1/viewtopic.php?t=1340)

Unfortunately, by the time we caught these mistakes it was too late to change them out. However, there will be an interesting component to our collector stand pack (which will be available through HasbroToyShop.com for the first time at CIV) that will easily allow collectors to "correct" the mistake. Stay tuned...

In an earlier Q&A, Hasbro said they wanted to put larger accessories in the packages such as the Moisture Vaporator and the curved bar section for the cantina. Can you elaborate on some of the other larger accessories we may see? (SSG, 12/15/06) (http://www.sirstevesguide.com/index.php?categoryid=13&p2_articleid=76)

We cannot give details on others right now simply because they would reveal characters. You'll have to stay tuned. ;)

Removable lightsaber blades so Jedi figures could have saber accessories that were "on" or "off" and could be worn on their belts was a good concept, but this made the saber blades more fragile. Are there any plans to release Jedi figures - both main characters and secondary - with both solid one piece ignited lightsaber and "off" lightsaber hilt accessories? (SSG, 12/01/06) (http://www.sirstevesguide.com/index.php?categoryid=13&p2_articleid=76)

We have done this in some cases already. It's a good idea for more widespread use and we'll look into it.

In the Episode I line, the Naboo Pilot Anakin figure came with a flight simulator accessory that was really the panel with control sticks and actually fit in the Naboo Fighter vehicle. Would you consider reissuing this accessory in more accurate colors, and making similar flight simulator control stick accessories for the X-wing, Snowspeeder, Y-wing, TIE Fighter, Jedi Starfighters, etc.? These control stick accessories add a welcome layer of realism to the toys and could be released with future pilot figures or with the vehicles themselves. (SSG, 11/17/06) (http://www.sirstevesguide.com/index.php?categoryid=13&p2_articleid=76)

That's an interesting suggestion. We prefer blasters and sabers (or removable helmets) as primary accessories but will see if your suggestion can be incorporated for a future figure at some point.

You recently mentioned you've considered doing rebel pilot/droid 2-packs, and you also mentioned that you've looked at including Micro Machines as pack-ins, but that neither concept really worked. How about combining them? You could release a rebel pilot, his astromech, and a uniquely painted version of his MM ship, along with a stand for them to go on, with perhaps a cardback photo that you could cut out for a backdrop. This would be great for the anniversary of the Death Star trench run scene, and it would be all repaints except for a couple new head sculpts for removable helmets. This concept would also work for Jedi pilots and their droids. (SWC, 11/17/06) (http://www.swcollector.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=4515#4515)

We've thought about combining figures & vehicles in the past in such a way (the obvious idea is a pilot & his ship), but the thought is that the ship would need to be substantial to make this interesting, & the Titanium line fits that bill. Right now we're of the mind that 3-3/4" & Titanium are separate audiences & should probably be kept that way for the time being.

Customizers and diorama builders debated for years but have determined that Star Wars and GI Joe are roughly 1:18 scale. We love to get the background accessories, like the recent Bespin Vader's boxes, or Luke Tatooine's Footlocker. When designing vehicles and accessories, do you try to keep to that exact scale whenever possible? Also, are there any accessories you'd really like to make someday? (FFURG, 11/10/06) (http://www.ffurg.com/hasbroqa.htm)

Yes, we like to keep true to the scale of the figures which (we won't quibble) is approximately 1:18 scale. As for more props, we look to signature movie accessories whenever possible to update a character. One example for next year will be the Moisture Vaporator packed with Luke. We will do these when we feel we have a good window to do them and can afford the piece count. They will tend to be more "signature" than generic, though.

Also, speaking of the Cantina, is there any chance of seeing screen-accurate tables and chairs? The tables that came recently with Momaw Nadon and Hem Dazon were too small. And once the molds are made, this can be an annual rerelease and/or exclusive with different characters included to keep it fresh and expand on the Cantina. (RS, 11/10/06) (http://www.rebelscum.com/story/front/Hasbros_18th_STAR_WARS_QA_The_Answers_101182.asp)

This is a good idea and we'll look at it. There are some other Cantina pieces (like the alcove for Han/Greedo encounter) that also deserves to be made at some point. Patience!

Finally, we have seen the prototypes from a few years ago for the Rebel Fleet Trooper accessory pack. Any chance of seeing the X-Wing Ladder, ground lights, and handheld lights eventually released? Preferably with carded figures instead of vehicles so that we can collect multiples at a more reasonable price? (RS, 11/10/06) (http://www.rebelscum.com/story/front/Hasbros_18th_STAR_WARS_QA_The_Answers_101182.asp)

They have a better chance of being done with basic figures than as accessory packs, which just haven't been big sellers for ANY action figure line including Star Wars. Some of those we have looked at for pack-ins down the road. It may take a while to get to these, so we recommend patience. Thanks for the input.

Have you ever considered offering packs of guns or lightsabers for replacements? Lightsabers especially are easy to break or lose. Specifically saber hilts that were released with specific jedi and troops in accessory packs would be nice. (RS, 10/27/06) (http://www.rebelscum.com/story/front/Hasbros_16th_STAR_WARS_QA_The_Answers_100950.asp)

Unfortunately, this is much more complicated for us than it sounds since the weapons tools are scattered all over and matched with the figures. It is a very tall logistics order for us and our factories. If we figure out a way to do it where it makes sense, we'll look at it.

Any chance that micro-machine sized ships could be used as a future 'pack-in' item?  They could either be random or themed (like Chewie packed with a Millennium Falcon)? (TJ, 10/27/06) (http://www.thejawa.com/yabbse/index.php?topic=6224.msg56635#msg56635)

That's an interesting idea and one we've considered.  However, they are expensive little buggers so we weighed the cost-tradeoff and have decided not to pursue since it might mean compromising some for the accessories we want to do with the figures.

Rather than give us pack ins that most fans don't want like the Hologram figures and coins, would it be possible to give fans something that they want and could go with their figures? How about something similar to the Marvel "build a bigger figure" wave of figures, but instead SW figures could come with pieces that go together to make up a location set or accessory from the movies. I originally had an idea of deluxe modular sets but this could be scaled down to a piece of wall, floor or door per figure. This would give the fans what there after, a playset of some sort without Hasbro needing more space in stores and larger parts could even be provided in battle packs etc. They could still take or leave certain figures and Hasbro would sell more figures through a more attractive offering. (YF, 10/27/06) (http://cgi.denpetersen.com/YAK1/viewtopic.php?t=980)

We think there is a demand for the coins and we're happy to get the chance in an anniversary year to bring back this cool pack-in. Not every fan will want every pack-in we offer, but we think the coins have a certain nostalgic magic that is just what we were looking for next year. As for the future, it's too early to say but we're looking at lots of ideas. With the rising cost of materials (plastic resin, metal, paper) we feel lucky to be able to offer something next year and hopefully we can keep that going for future years too.

The images of the interacting Super Battle Droid and R2-D2 from the 1st wave of 30th Anniversary figures fresh in mind...will other figures from that line have features that interact and/or will they come with accessories that interact on either the basic figure level or a "deluxe figure level next year? (JTA, 10/22/06) (http://www.jeditemplearchives.com/content/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=2612)

The Cantina bar pieces will also have the same effect of interacting with each other. But for the most part the other accessories are stand alone.

In the pursuit of movie accuracy, why doesn't Hasbro improve the light-sabre for 3 3/4" action figures, i.e. if you notice the actual sabres are "white hot" with a characteristic colour surround, not transparent as are the current sabres. I would consider this a marked improvement in both play and display modes. (RS, 10/22/06) (http://www.rebelscum.com/story/front/Hasbros_15th_STAR_WARS_QA_The_Answers_100620.asp)

Interesting suggestion..we'll take a look at that.

As a follow-up to a previous question from week 6, we ran a Probe Droid Poll asking if fans would like to see blank sets of their movie titled basic figure stands on HasbroToyShop.com, including an Expanded Universe (EU) version. The response was overwhelmingly in favor of such a set (all 6 films and EU). Can we hope to see this in 2007? Figures need stands! (RS, 10/6/06) (http://www.rebelscum.com/story/front/Hasbros_14th_STAR_WARS_QA_The_Answers_100520.asp)

And so it is (time to do stands, that is). Look for a stand multi-pack from HasbroToyShop.com next year, at a date to be announced. Thanks for the feedback!

Why doesn't Hasbro include basic figure pack-ins that we can actually use (eg: clear stands; Mouse Droids; Senate Cams; Sith Probes; extra accessories like on and off lightsabers, commlinks, scanners, pilot headsets, oxygen masks, backpacks) instead of gimmicks like holo-minifigs and coins? (SSG, 10/6/06) (http://www.sirstevesguide.com/index.php?categoryid=13&p2_articleid=76)

Star Wars has a rich history of including pack-ins to enhance the collectibility of the line, admittedly with varying results. Our intention with the coins (and to a lesser extent holos) is to establish a parallel collectible segment with a nostalgic tie back to the vintage days. We think fans will enjoy them, since they are "incremental" to the line in the line and not a replacement for accessories. Incremental in the sense that we make sure each figure has the accessories it needs to be a great figure... and many of them next year have great accessories. Wait and see...

Accessories have progressively been getting more and more detailed and interesting.  Witness Ben Kenobi's chest which was packed with the most recent Tatooine Luke Skywalker.  Has there been a concerted effort made towards coming up with accessories like these, and what is the methodology behind the design and inclusion of said accessories? (TJ, 10/6/06) (http://www.thejawa.com/yabbse/index.php?topic=6190.msg56383#msg56383)

Sure.  We look to those things that resonate or would be cool as inspiration for either updating a character or giving a new character as an accessory. The inspiration is almost always based on something on-screen.  An accessory we haven't done before, like the chest, or T-16 skyhopper model, or a moisture generator, can be the basis to update a figure to be specific to a particular scene.

Any plans for releasing the Geonosian Cannon that was on Display with the Arena playset during Toy Fair in 2002? With all of the Clones and Jedi in the arena it'd be nice to give the Separatists some firepower. (AF, 9/29/06) (http://www.actionfigs.com/index.php?categoryid=12&p2_articleid=162)

That's an interesting idea, but there are no specific plans right now. We'll keep it in mind. Hopefully, it will show up in the animation at some point which would help move it higher on the list.

Early in the POTF2 line, Hasbro included extra guns and accessories for, as you've mentioned before, additional playability. Figures like Grand Moff Tarkin used to be great for customizers who would get an extra stormtrooper blaster to arm their customs. Where did these extra accessories go in the modern line today? Please bring them back! (FFURG, 9/29/06) (http://www.ffurg.com/hasbroqa.htm)

Some figures, like Clone Commander, still come with many guns but for the most part we don't pack in extras. We mix up the accessories depending on what we think each character needs. We take this gestalt view at the beginning of each year, recognizing that some characters will be coming with significant accessories, which means others will have just what they need. This way, overall, we're able to achieve our cost target across the whole assortment.

Were the scene specific bases that came with some of the 2002/03 Saga figures or the 2004 OTC Dagobah figures designed with anything specific in mind? It seems like they were designed to be a part of something larger as most of them look like they could connect with something else. (JD, 9/29/06) (http://www.jedidefender.com/newspro/fullnews.cgi?newsid1159554509,46595,)

The Padme Factory Chase figure's base was designed to interact with the Geonosis Arena playset, as were some of the Deluxe item bases like the C-3PO & Battle Droid Factory set. In the Dagobah sets, they were just designed to go together and form a larger piece of terrain but there was no specific combination in mind other than combining with themselves. These bases were more of a precursor to the 2005 Collection 2 bases.

Since we're supposedly getting the curved part to the cantina bar in '07, is there any chance we'll see a Wuher or some cantina character that comes with some sort of drink dispenser piece to add to our cantina bar sections? I was kinda disappointed that the second or third release of the Wuher figure didn't come with something like this. You could even kit-bash it from IG-88's noggin for that extra bit of accuracy. (YF, 9/22/06) (http://cgi.denpetersen.com/YAK1/viewtopic.php?t=790)

That's an interesting idea, and we'll look at that. Thanks.

We often see Hasbro is trying to offer some kind of value added pack-in with the Basic Figure line.  In the past 18 months we've gotten stands and the mini-holograms and we're now expecting coins in the 30th anniversary collection.  What goes into choosing this kind of pack-in, and has Hasbro given serious consideration to abandoning the concept to bring Basic Figure prices down? (TJ, 9/19/06) (http://www.thejawa.com/yabbse/index.php?topic=5900.msg56094#msg56094)

We do not set retail pricing - that is entirely dependent on the retailer.  The pack-in has little to do with retail price in any case, and it's inclusion or exclusion does not change our pricing structure.  The principal components are and have always been the figure itself and the packaging.  With the small amount we have to work with we have elected, in the case of this year and next, to include these bonuses as extra values over the course of the year.  In the case of the coins, they are a collectible segment in their own right and kids and collectors will have a fun time collecting them as a parallel to the basic figures.

With the elimination of stands for the upcoming SW30 figures, will stands be made available in packs on the official Star Wars or Hasbro shop websites? (YF, 9/01/06) (http://cgi.denpetersen.com/YAK1/viewtopic.php?t=687)

The answer is…Yes. They will be available sometime in 2007, although not right away.

What plans do you have for moisture vaporators? (JI, 8/11/06) (http://jediinsider.com/index.php?catid=8&itemid=9722)

Info on that will be released when we get ready to announce the specific product it will be included in. Stay tuned.

Any plans to release the Death Star conference room table from Episode IV to go along with the "Imperial Briefing" set of figures? (JI, 8/04/06) (http://jediinsider.com/index.php?catid=8&itemid=9707)

No plans.

Will we ever see a Moisture Vaporator in toy form? (AF, 7/26/06) (http://www.actionfigs.com/index.php?categoryid=12&p2_articleid=162)

Yes.

Accessory packs seem to have some popularity from the collector base, and people are always happy to get small accessories that look great in scenes and dioramas I believe (Scanner tech box, or the "Hoth" box for instance). Is there a possible chance we'll see the format revisited in the future to include perhaps some pieces that make up a scene like the Scanner Tech boxes, Cantina tables/chairs, or the Outlander bar/stool pieces? (JD, 7/26/06) (http://www.jedidefender.com/newspro/fullnews.cgi?newsid1153948132,39400,)

They just don't sell well - this is a historical truth across lines like Star Wars or GI Joe. Instead, we recognize the demand for cool accessories and are putting them into basic figures or other sets as we think appropriate. You'll see some pretty cool accessories in 2007!

I've really grown to like the little figure stands that are shipping with the current figures, each being embossed with the particular movie logo the character is from. What are the chances that these movie specific bases might be available for mail order from the website in the future, even if the bases have no character name? Maybe even a Jedi Points reward type item? (RS,  7/26/06) (http://www.rebelscum.com/story/front/Hasbros_6th_STAR_WARS_QA_The_Answers_99263.asp)

The easiest thing for us to do would be a multi-pack with all movies (say a 30-pack with 5 of each film). Would people want an EU base in it too?

Will there ever be the curved Cantina bar end piece, and if so, when will it be made available and what will it come with? (SSG, 6/16/06) (http://www.sirstevesguide.com/index.php?categoryid=13&p2_articleid=76)

Yes. The specifics on when it will be available aren't ready for announcement yet.

Action Fleet and Micro Machines

What is the status/future of Action Fleet under its original concept - minifigure interaction and true play features? And what is the status/future of actual Micro Machines (the smallest vehicles Galoob regularly made in plastic)? If there are no immediate plans or foreseeable future for either line, why is that? (SSG, 11/17/06) (http://www.sirstevesguide.com/index.php?categoryid=13&p2_articleid=76)

There are no immediate plans for either scale, primarily because we are putting our development efforts against making sure Titanium is as strong as it can be.

Star Wars collecting has always had heavy interest in its vehicles, the figures are 3.75" tall because that size would best allow action figures to interact with toy versions of the vehicles (a Millennium Falcon for 6" figures would be the size of a sofa, way too big). Lewis Galoob Toys made its mark on SW with 2 major lines: Micro Machines and Action Fleet, both were vehicles supplemented by little mini-figures, and in their heyday Galoob was the 3rd-largest toymaker behind Hasbro but ahead of LEGO (all SW licensees, perhaps not a coincidence?). In late 1998, Hasbro bought Galoob and within a couple years cancelled all the MM SW lines (MM, Die-Cast, and AF), effectively ending consumers' access to SW vehicle toys - many of which could never have been done in the 3.75" line. Hasbro has made several attempts to rejuvenate these MM concepts, often with sub-par results, but so far the only attempt that has not failed is the Titanium Series 3" vehicle line (which admittedly deserves many accolades, and its future appears to be getting even brighter); MM vehicles have not been re-attempted at all, while several AF relaunch attempts have lacked vehicle features and mini-figures resulting in slow sales - both the Saga AF and Titanium Series 6" Ultra Vehicles started slow with weak entries and higher prices only to pick up steam and fans right as the lines were cancelled. SW collecting again lacks access to those sizes of vehicles, with that in mind, why did Hasbro buy Galoob toys if that company's main line did not meet Hasbro's sales expectations and its core lines were cast aside? (SSG, 9/22/06) (http://www.sirstevesguide.com/index.php?categoryid=13&p2_articleid=76)

At the time of the purchase, the micro vehicle category was certainly very robust (I recall the days when it occupied almost an entire WALL in the Toys 'R Us planogram!) and was a very popular kid play pattern. However, the micro scale crashed and crashed hard, leaving the collector following as kids moved on to other things. Aside from the robust Titanium line, the micro efforts you mention have been relegated to the occasional exclusive which never really gives the segment the ability to gain traction and build into something bigger. With the focus on Titanium for the vehicle extension, and with 3-3/4", Galactic Heroes, and Unleashed 2" for the figure expression of the brand, it's unlikely that we are going to try and fit in micro even though we know there is a following for it. So I'm afraid there isn't better news on the micro front.... right now, there just isn't the opportunity nor strategic focus to purse for Star Wars.

When the Action Fleet line was canceled the second time (under the 2002-2003 Saga line), one of the comments that kept coming up in the discussion with Hasbro about it was the future of the molds that were almost to production but halted, and how molds are a very significant portion of the toy's cost and have specific budgets that they are expected to make back in order for Hasbro to consider them worth doing in the first place; the AF line had several molds that were nearing production and many others that were more than halfway finished but were canceled and shelved before release rather than risk not making their money back. Shouldn't those molds nearing or at fruition at least be run to recoup some of their budgets in partial sales, how can a mold that's already spent most of the budget be more cost-effective to make zero sales than 50% of its expected sales (isn't that still making half its money back versus making none of its money back)? (SSG, 9/19/06) (http://www.sirstevesguide.com/index.php?categoryid=13&p2_articleid=76)

We base our line plan around product concepts we believe will have the highest audience following and in support of a strategic direction for the line (like the 3-3/4" world of play). As cool as AF was, it really tailed off and we have moved in a different direction with vehicles (Titanium). That's why even though there was development work for additional AF vehicles, we are not interested in pursuing those right now. We know there is a collector following for the brand, which is great, but do not have plans for these or the rest of the AF library right now.

Army-builders

The sculpts of many of the army-building figures have gotten quite better over the past few years (biker scout, snowtrooper, rebel troops, etc). Are there any plans for more army builder packs like we saw with the stormtroopers, sandtroopers, and rebel troopers? (JTA, 11/17/06) (http://jeditemplearchives.com/content/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=2691)

The battle packs have been an answer to some of this (for example, the Tantive IV pack). However, we would rather have a rich variety of army builder figures offered as basic figures to facilitate fans being able to scale up as they want. We do not plan to go back to the 4-pack model from the past, simply because we understand the troop building affinity and will seek ways to get great troop builders at mass retail.

Our Stormtrooper armies are seeming a little thin these days. (Deserters? Recruitment problems? Cloning malfunctions?) What action is Hasbro taking to beef up the ranks for the Imperials? (GH, 11/03/06) (http://www.galactichunter.com/absolutenm/templates/full_article_template_1.asp?articleid=5965&zoneid=2)

OTC Troop fans should be well-pleased by some upcoming packs next year, from basic figures to the upcoming Tantive IV Battle Pack. One of the reasons we did not consider the VOTC Stormtrooper for eligibility in the current Fan's Choice voting is because this sculpt will be used in the 2007 line. Stay tuned!

Fans love the Evolutions line. Fans love troop builders (especially of the Imperial variety). How about taking the three troop builders from the OT 30AC tins and packing them together in an Evolutions-esque 3-Pack: Sandtrooper, Snowtrooper, Biker Scout! It'd be like a license to print money, right? Everyone wins! (JD, 10/27/06) (http://www.jedidefender.com/newspro/fullnews.cgi?newsid1162006334,58272,)

We think Evolutions had a specific role as the place to introduce new premium figures. Instead of your suggestion, we would look to use these (existing) figures in new ways down the roads like Battle Packs or as the Greatest Hits voting suggests, as single-carded basic figures. Either way, you can bet that long-term fans will be seeing more of these figures, just not in the format you suggested.

Many Imperial, Rebel, and other-faction lower-rank troopers seen in minor roles in the films have been given names and backstories in the EU. Any chance of seeing these minor individual 'grunts' released as individual character figures thus lending satisfaction for collectors when the names and individual likenesses of these troopers see action figure recognition, as well as another way of bringing greater variety to the various trooper ranks? (SSG, 10/27/06) (http://www.sirstevesguide.com/index.php?categoryid=13&p2_articleid=76)

Interesting question. Every once and a while we will give a grunt (Bren Derlin) a name, but for the most part we think keeping these guys as troop builders, rather than one-off characters, is more appealing to most collectors. 
(SSG ed note: Major Derlin is a script-named character in Empire Strikes Back, not a Hasbro-named character.)

Will Hasbro consider making more "clean" army builders such as the ARC trooper, Sandtrooper, Republic Commando, Clone Commander, Galactic Marine, Airborne Trooper, etc., in an army building white color scheme, e.g. no color markings or non-removable pauldrons? (SSG, 9/22/06) (http://www.sirstevesguide.com/index.php?categoryid=13&p2_articleid=76)

That is a good comment. Right now, we do not have plans to go back to those figures in the near future, but if we do those are good suggestions for making them different and desirable as troop builders.

Can we once again look forward to Army Builder 4-packs?  With so many new Clone versions, new sculpts on old favorites (Sandtroopers!), Are there plans to bring this concept back? (ST, 9/22/06)* (http://www.sandtroopers.com/smf/index.php?topic=5183.msg84994)

The modern Battlepack series has taken the place of this concept.  We may look at a variation of this for Internet accounts next year, but it won't be the same format.

Do you sometimes use head sculpts of figures that didn't turn out so well as 'generic' heads for soldiers? Some of the heads look like they could've been Luke, Han, etc. heads that did not work out as planned. (JTA, 7/26/06) (http://www.jeditemplearchives.com/content/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=2377)

No, we haven't done that.  The "generic" soldier heads are based on scrap (film) reference or, occasionally, real 3-D reference (i.e. people our sculptors work with).

Could troop builder figures be made available (indefinitely if possible) on Hasbro Toy Shop after they're taken out of regular circulation? (SSG, 7/26/06) (http://www.sirstevesguide.com/index.php?categoryid=13&p2_articleid=76)

The preference would be to do more troop builder figures at retail, rather than DTC.

Will there be more products specifically geared towards army building in the near future?  Either as part of something like the recent EE exclusive Clone Troopers, basic case assortments with 3 each of 4 different troops, or solid cases? (TJ, 6/30/06) (http://www.thejawa.com/yabbse/index.php?topic=5900.msg54562#msg54562)

Troops will be an even greater focus later this Fall, but we won't be having cases as heavy as you suggest simply because we don't want to neglect the rest of the core characters and the other figures in the line. It's always a balancing act getting everything in.

Will we ever see army builder figures packed consistently in cases, regardless of the relevance they may have to the particular "wave" of figures? A considerable amount of collectors love army builders, and to have a few Super articulated Clone Troopers, Stormtroopers (plain white VOTC mold, not dirty like the Sandtrooper #37 from the Saga Collection), Scout Troopers, ett packed in a case would be great. (YN, 6/16/06) (http://www.kid4life.com/yoda2/June06.htm)

You bet. This year in fact you'll see more mixing, especially later in the year, and troop builders will be key. However, we haven't created a specific clean Sandtrooper version yet.

Articulation

Many collectors believe that the recent trend of figures having ball-jointed heads has more flaws than advantages, what with the joint requirements creating heads that appear cut off behind the jaw and below the ears making for a bizarre profile, as well as unrealistically long necks. In some circumstances the ball joint's range of motion can be so limited that it renders the joint all but moot; also, with removable-helmet figures sometimes the head comes off with the helmet. Some examples of problems caused by ball-jointed heads are the Ep IV Commemorative Tin's Sandtrooper, the Evolutions Ep II Anakin figure, and VTSC Luke Pilot. So would it be possible to do away with ball-jointed head articulation and either go back to the traditional swivel neck or come up with something that looks and works better? (AF, 3/02/07) (http://www.actionfigs.com/index.php?categoryid=12&p2_articleid=162)

Thanks for the input. Ball jointed heads do offer some advantages in development, for example when there is an opportunity to do head character head swaps. We are aware of the issues and are working on solutions to make the ball joint function better and still have the aesthetics that we think can be very successfully achieved with this format.

Would you consider doing a reversal on the ball joints and swivel elbows on figures? You've proven you can make knee articulation utilizing swivel joints with the POTJ's Rebel Fleet Trooper and both Sagas' Sith Training Maul. With most figures, the elbow articulation is SO, much more important than the knee articulation, especially with the lack of chairs or accessories that require sitting. (YF, 01/26/07) (http://cgi.denpetersen.com/YAK1/viewtopic.php?t=1340)

We take it on a case by case basis depending on cost and other factors, but we do hear you that the ball joints and swivel elbows allow for greater poseability. We will incorporate this as the situation allows, but one thing we cannot do is use super-articulation for every figure - we just wouldn't be able to cost out the line if that were the case.

Most of us hate the elbow swivel joints they are using, it makes posing too hard. Are there any plans to change this, or will this be what we see from now on? (ST, 11/10/06)* (http://www.sandtroopers.com/smf/index.php?topic=5183.msg90011#msg90011)

We take the needs for each figure into account and realize that there are inherent trade-offs between the different styles of articulations and, importantly, cost of the waves.  Swivel will remain an option for us when a figure needs more articulation, but we are not able to execute a different or more complex (i.e. ball and socket) scenario due to figure or wave costing.

As you've seen from past Q&A's from FFURG, we love the simple head swap. Sometimes, Hasbro has made it easy for us to swap heads for unique customs, like Wedge, Dutch, SAGA Endor Soldier, etc. Having seen the removable ball joint peg from the refreshed Endor Soldiers, what is the possibility of seeing a universal ball joint peg in the future for scale across the range of humanoid figures? (FFURG, 10/27/06) (http://www.ffurg.com/hasbroqa.htm)

We hear you loud and clear and know that this is a cool secondary benefit to a contingent of collectors. We will still design each figure as merits for that figure, and we'll take into account ball and socket when it lends itself.

When deciding to give a figure an angled-cut-swivel elbow joint, why not add an additional-horizontal swivel joint directly above the elbow joint?  This, in additional to a swivel wrist joint would greatly increase the level of posability in the figure and would seemingly be a great substitute when ball-jointed elbows are cost prohibitive. (TJ, 10/27/06) (http://www.thejawa.com/yabbse/index.php?topic=6224.msg56635#msg56635)

Each separate part we add brings with it a cost, and what you suggest does make a more expensive figure along the lines of a ball joint elbow, but with different aesthetics (more like GI Joe swivel-arm).  We'd probably opt for a ball joint in that case if we decided the figure needed to have a more premium articulation.

You recently talked about the extra expense of hinged knees in action figures due to having to use nylon pins riveted through the parts. Why can't you just use a rivetless design and snap them into place the way you do with some of the Transformers line's hinges? If it's a choke-concern, most of the figures come with choke-hazard warnings anyway. (AF, 9/22/06) (http://www.actionfigs.com/index.php?categoryid=12&p2_articleid=162)

Our hinged knees actually do not have a rivet. In any case, the process we currently use is the less expensive compared to your suggestion and results in (we feel) a better aesthetic.
(AF editor's note: our question mistakenly used the term "rivet" as the manufacturing process, but none the less the question is still about the use of nylon pins - which Hasbro does employ in some figures' knee articulation - not rivets.)

In a recent Q&A response, you said that the ball/socket articulation is somewhat expensive due to its design. Would you ever consider using a less expensive style of articulation to slip more poseability onto more figures? For example, simpler hinged knees instead of the more costly/complex ball jointed knee as a means of increasing poseability overall on Cantina figures (those Cantina guys need to sit after all ). (JD, 9/01/06) (http://www.jedidefender.com/newspro/fullnews.cgi?newsid1157130730,47982,)

It is not that the ball joints them selves are more expensive but that the more points of articulation / greater the number of parts, then the greater the cost associated with manufacturing them (i.e. more labor and increase in decoration expenses because there are more parts). Ball joints are slightly more expensive than say 45 deg elbows or straight pivoting articulation because the nylon pins are insert molded into the pvc parts (this means more parts, more labor, & slower production times).

In the design process of action figures, when and why is the decision made to use "cut-joints" at the elbows of figures as opposed to "ball-joints" for the elbows? Each appear to require the same amount of tooling and materials, yet the superior "ball-joints" which provide a better playing and display experience for children and collectors are passed over for the choice of "cut-joints." Can we look forward to a better quality joint for all future action figures? (JD, 6/30/06) (http://www.jedidefender.com/newspro/fullnews.cgi?newsid1151683548,32668,)

For the most part, its much more expensive to produce figures with the ball joints. Every figure we do is a balaning act between articulation, deco, accessories and the overall complexion of the wave. We add articulation where we can afford it and where it makes the most sense for each figure, but ball joints are not going to become the standard on Star Wars for the reasons stated.

Articulation is a popular feature on toys for children and adults alike. Is it possible we'll see things like elbow, wrist, and knee joints become the standard in the Hasbro basic line on all figures, regardless of their role in the films, since poseable toys are popular? (JD, 6/16/06) (http://www.jedidefender.com/newspro/fullnews.cgi?newsid1150491967,9583,)

We weigh each figure based on their individual needs and the costing of the product overall. If a character has a significant accessory, or is in a multi-pack, we will evaluate that vs. just premium articulation for the sake of articulation.

Since ball joints offer greater pose-ability and play value (as opposed to the swivel-joints) for things like elbows, shoulders, and knees, why don't more of the figures have ball joints? (TJ, 6/16/06) (http://www.thejawa.com/yabbse/index.php?topic=5900.msg54020#msg54020)

For the most part, its much more expensive to produce figures with this manner. Every figure we do is a balaning act between articulation, deco, accessories and the overall complection of the wave. We add articulation where we can afford it and where it makes most sense for each figure, but ball joints are not going to become the standard on Star Wars for this reason.

Will we be seeing less action feature and more articulation i.e. ROTS pilot Obi-wan? (AFI, 6/16/06) (http://www.actionfigureinsider.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=3510&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=27)

It depends on the figure. If they come with a signifciant accessory (say a curved Cantina bar section) we may have to make a choice on the number of point so articulation to deliver the accessory.

Attacktix

Series 2/3 Attacktix seemed rushed and it shows with the quality of several pieces, particularly Darth Maul and Luke Skywalker. (My son has 3 Mauls that never worked right out of the package).  Has this been fixed for the upcoming series and is there any action planned for exchange of these items, considering the difficulty in finding the Super Rare items? (TJ, 8/11/06) (http://www.thejawa.com/yabbse/index.php?topic=5900.msg55473#msg55473)

We're constantly making changes to Attacktix to result in a more durable performance. The challenge is that kids really put these figures through their paces!  Our Consumer Affairs dept (Hasbro.com, click on the Customer Service tab) will replace broken figures, but we do not curently have a 1-for-1 swap.

Can we expect to see some kind of 'accessories' pack available to replace lost projectiles? (Something that includes a nice assortment of the 'common' projectiles.) Being a kid’s game, its not hard to imaging these flying missiles turning up missing, rendering the play piece unusable. (JTA, 7/14/06) (http://www.jeditemplearchives.com/content/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=2332)

We're aware of the problem, especially since the launchers are so powerful! We don't yet have a solution for this but we are looking at it. Thanks for the question.
Title: Re: The Hasbro Q & A Archive, Categorized For Your Pleasure
Post by: Matt on July 27, 2006, 09:10 PM
Battle Packs

The concept of the 3 3/4" Battle Pack has evolved to include Beasts and Speeders (welcome additions). The original concept used newly re-tooled figures or new paint schemes, more accessories, and clear stands. Are the bonus accessories and stands completely phased out in favor of a new figure here and there? (Padmé from Ambush on Ilum could've really used a stand.) Would the Battle Pack series be the outlet for a completely new Imperial Speederbike? (It's overdue for an update, and there are several key figures that can interact with them.) (GH, 3/16/07) (http://www.galactichunter.com/absolutenm/templates/full_article_template_1.asp?articleid=6318&zoneid=2)

The concept of multi-figure packs is not a new one, as you point out, but the success of the new ones versus the older ones lies in the energetic, scene-based packout and the character selection (either heroes or Clones/troops), and now we are expanding that out to include smaller vehicles and beasts which we are excited about as well because it adds a dimension to the line we haven't had since the "deluxe" price point. We are looking at opportunities for new speeders but don't have anything definitive in the works. Finally, while we don't rule out larger accessories where it makes sense for the these packs, battle stands won't be coming back into them. Fans will soon have the opportunity to get 40-packs of official figure stands (2006 Saga stands) from HasbroToyShop.com. They will be made available for the first time at Celebration IV in Los Angeles.

There are rumors of 3¾" figure 10-packs coming out for the Mos Eisley Cantina. Might we see a big box set (sort of "Ultra" Battle Packs) in time for the holiday shopping season? (GH, 3/02/07) (http://www.galactichunter.com/absolutenm/templates/full_article_template_1.asp?articleid=6287&zoneid=2)

The rumors of the 3¾" Cantina band 10-pack are untrue.

Any chance we can get a picture of the Rebel Troopers from the "Capture of Tantive IV" Battle Pack without their helmets? (JD, 01/26/07) (http://www.jedidefender.com/newspro/fullnews.cgi?newsid1169863101,30054,)

We only have one picture available for one of the Rebel Troopers, and it's only with the helmet. We're sorry, but this is the best image (http://www.jedidefender.com/image.pl?http://www.jedidefender.com/news/images/1-07//tantive_rebel.jpg) we have for now.

Through European outlets, images of the Treachery on Saleucami Battle Pack have leaked out, and the set quite obviously includes two Republic Speederbikes. Is this, perhaps, the future for the small-sized vehicles, or is this Battle Pack a one-off? (Is this a Target exclusive?) (GH, 01/12/07) (http://www.galactichunter.com/absolutenm/templates/full_article_template_1.asp?articleid=6145&zoneid=2)

This is an exclusive for Wal-Mart, and is not part of the same Battle Pack line that is at all retailers. We are open to thinking of figure/vehicle packs like this for ideas further down the road. Stay tuned…

Images of the Treachery On Saleucami Battle Pack with BARC speeders recently showed up on the internet. First can you tell us if this will be a store exclusive, or will it see a regular release? Second can you tell us if there are any plans to do further battle packs like this one with the small vehicles? For instance Speeder Bikes with Endor Luke and Leia or Taun Tauns with Hoth Han and Luke are some suggestions our readers have made. (JI, 01/12/07) (http://jediinsider.com/index.php?catid=8&itemid=9957)

Since the cat is out of the bag..we can confirm that it will be a store exclusive for Wal-Mart and will probably be on shelf in April sometime. We are looking at the possibility of additional ones like this in the future, expanding the battle pack idea.

For the upcoming Geonosis Arena Battlepack, what was the reasoning for putting in the selection of characters you chose? Why not a little more of a mix of some more accurate sculpts/more desirable figures, such as the following -

- Pablo Jill
- Coleman Trebor
- Red Battle Droid x 2 (from SAGA Accessory Set)
- Destroyer Droid (EPI battle damage)
(YF, 01/12/07) (http://cgi.denpetersen.com/YAK1/viewtopic.php?t=1303)

That pack was mostly kid-targeted, and the one "less known" character slot we had to fill was assigned to Aayla because the tools were all in the same factory (a critical component for any battle pack in order to hit our price and release date targets). The figures you suggest would be a good start for another Arena battle pack if we go back to that theme at some point....Coleman Trebor is a figure that deserves a re-release in some form or another.

Was the Toys 'R Us exclusive Battlepack, "The Hunt For General Grievous" under produced or under shipped?  This was one of the most difficult to find.  Is there any chance of a re-release of this in the future? (ST, 12/15/06)* (http://www.sandtroopers.com/smf/index.php?topic=5183.msg93251#msg93251)

It was neither...it was simply very popular.  While the TRU-exclusive Clone Wars Republic Gunship was re-released, TRU chose not to re-release the matching Battle Pack, so that explains the paucity of this pack.  We are thinking about the possibility of re-releasing it elsewhere but it would not be until well into 2007 if we did re-release.

3¾" Battle Packs seem to be doing really well at retail (especially during this holiday season) and most of those "leaked" over the summer are already out, or coming soon. Is this segment meeting Hasbro's expectations, and can we expect more (general release) Battle Packs in 2007? Any hints as to what concepts or locales we can expect? (When can we expect images and information about the Ambush on Ilum Battle Pack? When is it expected to be at retail?) (GH, 12/08/06) (http://www.galactichunter.com/absolutenm/templates/full_article_template_1.asp?articleid=6069&zoneid=2)

The segment is doing very well and it will continue through spring '07 with remixes of the six packs for which details have been released.  As to whether this will continue throughout all of 2007, we have yet to decide, but we are considering it for a year-round product.

Is the Snowbunny Padme figure from the Target exclusive "Ambush on Ilum" Battle Pack an all-new sculpt? Is she heavily articulated or pre-posed? (JD, 12/01/06) (http://www.jedidefender.com/newspro/fullnews.cgi?newsid1164949200,30550,)

It is an all-new sculpt. She is not pre-posed, but has normal articulation.

In the photos that recently showed up of the 2007 battle pack "Capture of Tantive IV", why are the Stormtroopers in the box using the Evolutions Sandtrooper mold - the one without any mid-torso articulation - and why are they sporting that Sandtrooper's dirty paint job instead of a clean Stormtrooper deco? (SSG, 11/17/06) (http://www.sirstevesguide.com/index.php?categoryid=13&p2_articleid=76)

They are showing up as Evo-style Stormies because that's what they are. The mix-up came when the factory grabbed existing deco masks to make the sets, rather than the new deco input we specified. They will ship clean. (SSG editor's note: we were asking why they are using Evolutions Sandtrooper molds in this battle pack, not just in the photos.)

Early catalog images of the "Ambush at Ilum" battle pack appeared this week thanks to an e-tailer (so I'm sure you'll see this question asked by someone else). Will this set come with one or two of the new droids pictured on the packaging? (JD, 11/10/06) (http://www.jedidefender.com/newspro/fullnews.cgi?newsid1163213532,68703,)

It will come with two: one "solid" and one partially transparent.

Early catalog images of the "Capture of Tantive IV" battle pack also appeared this week (so I'm sure you'll also see this question asked by someone else). Collectors are already asking about those Stormtroopers. Are they based on the VOTC sculpt or the Evolutions sculpt or something else entirely? Will they be nice and clean or will they be "battle damaged" or dirty? The mock-up images make them look pretty dirty which is disappointing if true, everyone knows the Stormtroopers have shiny new armor; it's the rest of the imp troopers who get dirty. (JD, 11/10/06) (http://www.jedidefender.com/newspro/fullnews.cgi?newsid1163213532,68703,)

The figure is the Evo Stormtrooper sculpt. The troopers will be clean. The dirty ones are an error at the factory that we are working to correct. As a result, this one will be delayed relative to the other two national battle packs (Dagobah and Geonosis), but should catch up in schedule quickly. These packs will be available throughout the spring ('07), so collectors should be able to pick up one or more Tantive IV sets without a problem.

With the first images of the new 2007 battlepacks reaching the web, many collectors are getting extremely excited for the Tantive IV battlepack with what appears to be VOTC Stormtroopers. Anticipating that collectors, specifically army builders, will be buying tons of this set for the VOTC Stormies and Rebel Fleet Troopers (with two different heads perhaps?), does Hasbro adjust their case assortments and/or distribution of given sets based on perceived collector interest, thus putting more of these sets on the shelves to meet demand? (FFURG, 11/03/06) (http://www.ffurg.com/hasbroqa.htm)

The Rebel Troopers do indeed have two different head sculpts (based on real individuals, whose identities shall for now, remain a mystery..). We will be making sure that this pack, which features the Evolutions Stormtrooper tool, will be in abundant rotation through the Spring.

Hey Hasbro ever thought about making battlepacks or extra accesories with your new snowtroopers and sandtroopers and flip up visor scouts, mabye like five per package with a web blaster or something big like that with some nice bfg's for the sandies? I would love to see an AT-AT driver battlepack done like this too. Maybe have a scuplt of a new trooper or imperial commander in with em? I would think these would sell like hotcakes compared to the battlepacks I have recently seen released. (ST, 10/22/06)* (http://www.sandtroopers.com/smf/index.php?topic=5183.msg87949#msg87949)

The Battle Packs are a great format and at some time could get to these ideas….but there are others ones in the pipeline ahead of these.  For now and for some tins the only place to find these figures will be in the Tins.

There were some mixed signals at Comic-Con on this one. Will 2007 3¾" Battle Packs come in the new concave packaging similar to the upcoming Galactic Heroes Cinema Scenes Assortment? (GH, 9/29/06) (http://www.galactichunter.com/absolutenm/templates/full_article_template_1.asp?articleid=5857&zoneid=2)

We never indicated that 3¾" Battle Packs would change format.  They will follow the same format from last year (that has continued this year with some exclusives like Mace Windu's Squadron, Defense of the Galactic Senate, etc).

How does the team go about pitching & developing Battle Packs? How do they decide which figure gets a re-deco, which pieces can be "repurposed" or repainted to form a new piece, & what ties it all together? (GH, 8/25/06) (http://www.galactichunter.com/absolutenm/templates/full_article_template_1.asp?articleid=5725&zoneid=2)

Battle Packs start out by establishing the target: kid (mainline) or collector (exclusive), then we go from there.  Sometimes we have ideas we've been saving. This is especially true for the collector ones where there are a lot of "wouldn't it be cool if..." discussions.  For the kid targeted ones, we may look to a scene we can complete with existing figures (like the Arrest of Palpatine) or a compelling collection of figures with enough combat between them that it seems like a solid pack.  During the ideation, the design team often has ideas on upgrades or new deco that could be done to existing figures to make them fresh...often ideas they had been saving for the right opportunity.  The better battlepacks are the ones that are either grounded in a specific scene and have a nice group of strong characters, or where the theme (such as Mace Windu's Squadron) binds together the whole set in a very strong way.

What factors determine whether a battle pack is all re-packs like the upcoming "Battle Above the Sarlacc" and a battle pack with some customized or all new figures like "Jedi vs. Sith?" (FFURG, 8/11/06) (http://www.ffurg.com/hasbroqa.htm)

Ahh - great question! The mainline, or national battle packs are designed with kids foremost in mind. That's why there are very few new, and they are more commonly themed repacks with a heavy concentration of recognizeable and cool kid characters along with a couple lesser known characters to complete the theme (Battle/Sarlacc being a prime example of this).

Now for exclusive battle packs, we take a different approach. We design these to be collector-targeted, knowing that if we strike the right chord they are something collectors will want to go to that retailer to find and ensure the sell-through at the retailer. This is why the exclusive battle packs have more of a troop building flavor to them. They are designed specifically to ensure that the packs will be able to sell through in a certain period of time.


Will we see any more Ewoks? Maybe even an Ewok Battle Pack? Maybe a Tusken Raider Battle Pack? Perhaps a Stormtrooper (not Clonetrooper) Battle Pack? (YN, 6/16/06) (http://www.kid4life.com/yoda2/June06.htm)

Those are already on our radar, but there is no timetable for them. We have a lot of ideas and not enough space to put them all, but eventually there will be more Ewoks. Probably Ewoks before Tuskens, if that helps..

Collectors have been very enthusiastic about the Battle Pack Assortment. Would Hasbro consider including canceled figures like the Trophy Edition Obi-Wan Kenobi and Trophy Edition OOM-9, or hard-to-find figures like Sio Bibble, TC-14, and the Comm-Tech Princess Leia (Hood Up) figures in these assortments? (GH, 6/09/06) (http://www.galactichunter.com/absolutenm/templates/full_article_template_1.asp?articleid=5462&zoneid=7)

Each Battle Pack tells a story.  We approach each one individually, taking a close look at which characters make the most sense for the scenario we're looking to recreate.   If any of these characters would fit into a future scene we want to do, we'd consider them.

We understand the idea behind rehashing and reusing older figures in the the sets. But is it necessary to use those figures from way back and not the more modern issue (ie Untimate Bounty Hunter set had older Bossk from 1997 and not 2004) (TJ, 6/09/06) (http://www.thejawa.com/yabbse/index.php?topic=5900.msg54020#msg54020)

When putting together sets, we try to use the most current figure available to us at the time, but sometimes the most current figure isn’t always the one that is available for us.

Battlestar Galactica crap

Since Hasbro is doing some of the SCI-FI Channel's Battlestar Galactica ships as Titaniums, will you be doing any action figures from the new series or the old TV series? Would they be in the same 3 3/4-inch scale as Star Wars figures if you did? (SWC, 9/22/06) (http://www.swcollector.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=860)

Yes, we do have plans and they are in the 3-3/4" scale. The first one up this Fall is the current Cylon. Look for that on shelves in Dec. As for 2007, there are more plans for both the new and old shows but you'll have to stay tuned.

Okay, it's not Star Wars related, but hey, we love all science fiction around here! Since you have the license, and have done Titanium Series vehicles (and the upcoming Cylon figure), would you ever consider doing a line of Star Wars-scaled Battlestar Galactica action figures based on either the original or the new series like; Apollo, Starbuck, Adama, or a Cylon? (RS, 9/19/06) (http://www.rebelscum.com/story/front/Hasbros_11th_STAR_WARS_QA_The_Answers_99997.asp)

We do have the license to do originals, and we are looking at that. We have no announcements yet, though.

Does your Battlestar Galactica license cover both the new and the old series and does it extend to figures or just vehicles? (YN, 9/19/06)

We do have the license to do originals for both segments, & we are looking at that. We have no announcements yet, though.

Beasts and Creatures

Just about all modern Jabba the Hutt figures have been based on CGI models of the character which look notably different from the original ROTJ puppet. With the excitement generated by Sideshow's 12" Jabba figure, can we expect to see a Jabba with Throne (dais) of similar quality for the Hasbro 3¾" line? (SSG, 3/02/07) (http://www.sirstevesguide.com/index.php?categoryid=13&p2_articleid=76)

Your suggestion is certainly a valid one. We are looking at doing a new Jabba at some point, but he has taken a back seat to some other ideas we've been working on. When we get back to him, we'll look at what makes the most sense regarding style.

Can we expect to see the Acklay repacked anytime soon? (TJ, 3/02/07) (http://www.thejawa.com/yabbse/index.php?topic=6365.msg58127#msg58127)

There is a good chance, yes.

With a new Bantha and Tusken Raider on the way from Toys "R" Us next year, what are the chances of getting, say, a reworked Jabba the Hutt from ROTJ with his dias and maybe a sitting Slave Leia and Salacious Crumb, along with a bunch of accessories? This would be a great set. (SWC, 12/15/06)

We are looking at a new Jabba sometime but it won't be in 2007. By the way - the Bantha on the way is a redeco, not a totally new Bantha.

Since the Episode 1 Eopie wasn't eligible for the Saga Legends voting, is there any chance you can squeeze this beast into a Battle Pack in the future? (Sort of like 2004's TRU exclusive Naboo Final Conflict set which featured a repainted Kaduu). The Eopie is still one of the toughest Episode 1 items to track down and many collectors would love to see it return (especially since the beast was featured alongside Obi-Wan in Revenge of the Sith as well). (JD, 12/08/06) (http://www.jedidefender.com/newspro/fullnews.cgi?newsid1165615405,87807,)

This is a good suggestion and we will consider it for the future. Thanks.

You said previously (via Q&A answers) that the upcoming Target exclusive "Battle of Felucia" Battle Pack would get us more of the Evolution-Sculpt Felucia/Yellow Clone Troopers we desire. Will it also give us a Gelagrub (that blue slug thingy) for the troops to ride on? (JD, 12/01/06) (http://www.jedidefender.com/newspro/fullnews.cgi?newsid1164949200,30550,)

We have no plans to make a Gelagrub at the present time. The battle pack will follow the current Battle Pack definition of 5 figures against a backdrop. Would we do the Grub in the future? Maybe, but it's a really specialized creature and I'd have to say it's low on our list of things we "need" to do.

The rumors on the Internets are predicting that the Bantha will be re-released next year-ish. So while Hasbro is feeling beastly, what are the odds of getting a Dewback with some real-feel hide, or at least a removable saddle? (The Saga Collection's Sandtrooper would look awfully good on one, wouldn't he?) (GH, 11/17/06) (http://www.galactichunter.com/absolutenm/templates/full_article_template_1.asp?articleid=6010&zoneid=2)

We agree that the Dewback should see a new sculpt at some point and he's on the shortlist of vehicles and creatures that we'd like to do. But, like so many cool things, there's no specific timetable set for an update.

With Sideshow offering a 12"-scale Jabba's dais, could we be seeing one in 3 3/4"-scale to go with the Saga '04 Ultra Jabba with Hookah? Perhaps with a new sculpt of Salacious Crumb as an accessory/figure? (SWC, 11/03/06) (http://www.swcollector.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=888)

We'll look at this as it makes sense when (and if...) we do a new Jabba. We'd do both at once rather than just a dais, though.

I know that you are no longer able to answer questions about specific characters, but is there any way that you could tell us if there are *any* new-sculpt beasts on the way such as the dactillion, the aiwha, or the orray? These could fill a low price point and it has been a while since we have seen beasts on the market. (YF, 10/22/06) (http://cgi.denpetersen.com/YAK1/viewtopic.php?t=954)

These are all cool ideas, but none are in the works right now.

Is there any chance of eventually seeing a newly-sculpted ROTJ accurate Jabba the Hutt? I would also love to see Hasbro build upon Jabba's throne room organically, like you are doing with the Cantina pieces over time. I would love to see the ornate bar-b-que grill that sits behind Jabba (which has never been released before) along with the dais, a new-sculpt Salacious Crumb and sitting Slave Leia. (RS, 10/6/06) (http://www.rebelscum.com/story/front/Hasbros_14th_STAR_WARS_QA_The_Answers_100520.asp)

It is time for a new Jabba, we agree, but just haven't found the spot in the line for him. We're thinking about it though. Interesting suggestion on the organic build for his environment pieces, too. Thanks.

Could we get a US release of the Eopie Creature from the Episode I line which to date has only been released in non-US countries? (SSG, 10/6/06) (http://www.sirstevesguide.com/index.php?categoryid=13&p2_articleid=76)

We have looked at this. We're not sure how pervasive the demand is, but it remains an option for a future release.

When will Hasbro make a new sculpt of the Dewback? There's no reason why it couldn't be done to scale with the 3.75" figures and be the ultimate version. (AF, 9/22/06) (http://www.actionfigs.com/index.php?categoryid=12&p2_articleid=162)

Good comment. It's one of those things where we need to balance the priorities of the line vs the great ideas available to fill them. We don't know when it will happen, but we will do a new Dewback sometime.

Any plans of re-releasing Jabba the Hutt with his throne? (JI, 8/04/06) (http://jediinsider.com/index.php?catid=8&itemid=9707)

Good question. He's a great iconic character whom we haven't done anything with in a long time. We have no plans right now.

Are there any plans to make any beasts available again like the Dewback, Tauntaun, Rancor, or Bantha; either newly-sculpted versions or re-releases of previous versions? (SWC, 7/14/06) (http://www.swcollector.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=806)

We're looking at beasts as an '07 possibility, more-so as exclusives, but there are no specific plans right now.

Will we be seeing more Beast/Creature assortments in the foreseeable future? (AF, 6/09/06) (http://www.actionfigs.com/index.php?categoryid=12&p2_articleid=162)

Though we understand that beast/creature assortments are desirable, at this time it appears that new vehicle assortments are in higher demand. Vehicles will play an integral part in our future line releases.

Business and marketing issues

It has been widely published that during the 1978-85 Kenner run, that over 250 million action figures were produced. While I understand that Hasbro does not release production run numbers, I was wondering if you could share with us if the 1995-present run by Kenner and Hasbro has surpassed the 250 million mark and if so, approximately when did this occur? Also for comparison, can you provide an approximate total of how many total action figures have been produced during nearly 12 year run of the line? (FFURG, 01/26/07) (http://ffurg.com/hasbroqa.htm)

We closely guard information on our production runs, so we cannot answer your question (it is also difficult to validate anything from the Kenner run since our records are spotty). Regarding the number of figures made to date.well, that would take some time and might be an exercise best left to the fans to figure out!

What other toy lines do you see as the Star Wars line's chief competition, both in-house and across the market? (AF, 12/15/06) (http://www.actionfigs.com/index.php?categoryid=12&p2_articleid=162)

Generally, any property that is vying for kids' mindshare is a competitive property. As far as collectors, there is only one Star Wars! It doesn't mean we can rest on our laurels, though - we have exciting things in store to keep collectors excited for many years to come.

Do you think we will ever see a return to where the toy market will support the release of large vehicles and playset like back in the 80's? (JI, 12/15/06) (http://jediinsider.com/index.php?catid=8&itemid=9911)

Older kids (10-12 year-olds) who were once active in action figures have left the category entirely in favor of videogames and other pursuits. So we won't see the return of these kids to the category - they have aged out. Combine that with more TV shows and movies, and more toy lines, vying for attention and it means there's a smaller share of the pie for the existing boys brands. I think it's challenging for many boys brands to make playsets work, including Star Wars. We do not preclude playsets from Star Wars, but we would lean in the favor of large vehicles. There are some large vehicles in the mix, but it's too early to commit to what those might be other than what info we have already given previously.

I know the Q&A has had a lot of new vehicle and playset questions and you have told us why you don't make them, but fans are not convinced by these reasons because, they walk down the toy aisles seeing other large toy companies and small companies (who have less funding and resources than Hasbro, make new molds without the issues Hasbro has with making new molds) filling the shelves with new vehicles and playsets for their toy lines, which the retailers obviously don't mind selling in their shops and are being bought; many items could be listed in one store alone. GI Joe being an example of the outcome of this. I would of thought as a toy maker, Hasbro would want to constantly put out new product not just new packaging to keep it fresh, to be Innovative and up to date in your chosen business. For example Hasbro has said no to build-a-figure suggestions, but the next Buffy wave of figures will have it so it must be a good idea. This is the point most fans don’t get Hasbro turned it down; though the company will experiment with items like Choppers and Playskool etc.

As well as fans, Kids want new Vehicles and Playsets to put their favourite figures in, as we all did when we were kids. Collectors will only buy so many Jedi Starfighter repaints before they've had enough and most kids will only want one of each different vehicle, again as we all did when we were young, because we wanted new ships not the same we already had but in a different colour.

Sorry if this sounds more like a rant than a question, but this is the frustration many fans have, we feel let down compared to other fans and kids. You have given us some great figures and battle packs but what about the rest? My question boils down to how come you give reasons, saying you can't do something or you say retailers have an issue with shelf space, when other Toy companies are doing it and retailers are stocking it?
(YF, 12/15/06) (http://cgi.denpetersen.com/YAK1/viewtopic.php?t=1169)

Just because other companies are doing something does not mean it is a successful business model, or that even if it successful for them does not mean that it would be successful for Hasbro or for Star Wars to pursue. We cannot speak for other Hasbro brands, because they have different strategic objectives and make a decision to allocate their resources against the objectives that are going to be important for them to gain momentum with kids. However, we are committed to making new vehicles and that has been well-discussed, as vehicles are an important part of the play pattern. The development of playsets is an inordinately expensive, time-consuming and resource intensive endeavor that has not proven, in Star Wars, to be worth the investment. It literally means that we would be doing less of other things like figures or vehicles, and we do not think that this tradeoff is worth it.

What is Hasbro's #1 strategy to retain current and obtain future Collectors? (ST, 11/03/06)* (http://www.sandtroopers.com/smf/index.php?topic=5183.msg89120#msg89120)

Interesting question, Troopers.  Putting kids aside, who are also considered heavily in our line planning, our primary strategy is to keep delivering quality new products that get collectors excited, and believe that this "moving forward" approach demonstrates Hasbro's commitment to Star Wars.  The newness and continual evolution of figures against core "Wants" (whether it's aliens, Jedi, Ewoks, Droids, and the like) is what keeps the line fresh and new.  As for acquiring future collectors....in our experience, a great retailer presence and continued buzz and excitement for Star Wars is the best advertising we can have.  It doesn't really work to advertise to a more casual audience to get folks to "become" collectors.  When talking to collectors, we've found that usually the way they become reacquainted is by rediscovering the fun of Star Wars by seeing it in store or finding vintage gems at a sale or flea market and rekindling those fond memories of their youth. Increasingly, lately, it's also stumbling onto an online fan community that is already in place and getting pulled into the fun of collecting Star Wars figures that we all can relate to and enjoy with our own approaches.  These are experiences that are often happen on the collectors own terms and involve a nostalgic component that is difficult to trigger with conventional advertising.  So we think our best method of acquiring new and future collectors is by continually evolving the product line (looking for new hooks and angles, like the Saga Tins), working with the fan community to spread the word about our great hobby, and making sure that we have a great retail presence for the brand.

We often wonder why the current "kids market" is treated so much differently from the "collectors market", could you explain Hasbro's perceptions of the distinctions between the "collectors market" and "kids market" in Star Wars collecting? What are the percentages of "kids" collecting the line right now? Isn't that line blurred since most adult collectors started their interest as kids dating back to Kenner's first Star Wars action figures with notions of "collect them all" in 1978? There's a notion among collectors that the "kids market" is more important to Hasbro in the Star Wars collecting even though collectors make up a significant portion of the line's consumers and often buy multiples of each item, are kids today that much different in how they buy and enjoy their toys from 28 years ago that they should be treated as "non-collectors"? (SSG, 10/22/06) (http://www.sirstevesguide.com/index.php?categoryid=13&p2_articleid=76)

Last year, kids outnumbered the collectors by a very wide gap. The reason is simple - we had a great movie, and Star Wars became the thing that kids everywhere wanted to get involved with. Just like collectors love Star Wars figures, kids piled on that bandwagon too. Well, kids didn't jump off that bandwagon this year, just like we thought they wouldn't given the product that we were designing to keep them engaged in Star Wars. Usually after a movie year we see kids' interest shift in a different direction, and some did wander away this year, but kids continue to be involved in Star Wars in a big way and are a very important component of the line's current and future success. Collectors do not want to see us focus on just collectors either - a healthier overall line means we can do more products than we otherwise would because retailers see the demand. If the line were just focused on collectors, the relatively smaller volumes would be at risk for being delisted, or we would have to create so many new, more obscure figures to keep the line going that we could not commit the resources and tooling dollars to get everything done. The healthiest Star Wars line is one that has both audiences, kids and collectors, engaged in the highest possible way. How do kids interact with Star Wars figures? Some have a more casual engagement, picking up a few core hero figures, while others dive deeper and appreciate another tier of characters like Kit Fisto, Agen Kolar, Plo Kloon that are the next step for someone who really wants to build up "the world of Star Wars." Others do a deep dive like an adult collector, and these kids may never leave the brand like many of us never did. These kids behave like collectors but our data shows them as kids.

Can we ever expect another midnight madness? Each of the three that happened garnered some free media coverage for Hasbro and gave collectors a chance to get the bulk of the figures for a new line in one shot. This would make a great annual event to introduce the new line. (RS, 9/29/06) (http://www.rebelscum.com/story/front/Hasbros_12th_STAR_WARS_QA_The_Answers_100175.asp)

Unless there is another film, I doubt we'll see anything like this. The new equivalent is probably the Ultimate Galactic Hunt, which is a strong call to head to retail although it isn't a specific date and time.

What does Hasbro think the current number of "collectors" versus "casual buyers" (kids, and parents who buy for them) are in Hasbro's Star Wars line? (SSG, 9/22/06) (http://www.sirstevesguide.com/index.php?categoryid=13&p2_articleid=76)

We don't release numbers for our kid or collector bases, but the number of kids actively engaged in Star Wars right now is VERY high. Our challenge is to plan for some of this audience to diminish over time, but we still need to keep a solid mix of heroes and collector-targeted figures to keep kids engaged. We also acknowledge that some kids will behave like collectors and buy very deeply (if not completely) into the line, but for the most part the "kids" we're talking about are the ones who will get a few vehicles and ten or so main figures over the course of the year to continue their involvement in Star Wars. There are a large number of these kids and we keep them in mind when we design waves and greatest hits.

Hasbro has a minimum sales requirement/expectation in mind for each line and even each item within it - often with a timeline attached - which seems to always be geared towards mainstream mass retail audiences, lines such as Action Fleet and Unleashed and Titanium Series 6" Ultra Vehicles often suffer because they either don't meet these requirements, or like the Titanium Ultras even when they do sell they don't sell fast enough for Hasbro's requirements - many of these lines being collector favorites, and some actually get better products as later waves come out. None of the other SW licensees seem to have sales expectations as high as Hasbro's - with the possible exception of LEGO, and even there they vary their expectations wildly between mainstream casual buyers and the hardcore collector base – yet those others continue to produce their SW lines even when it means lower volume sales. What is the difference between Hasbro and those other licensees in this regard, why does Hasbro need to have higher volumes, why are Hasbro's expectations higher or for faster sell-throughs or overly-focused on mainstream audiences which can lead to premature demises of some popular and quality Hasbro SW lines? (SSG, 9/19/06) (http://www.sirstevesguide.com/index.php?categoryid=13&p2_articleid=76)

What you are talking about is the difference between a large toy company with a retail-based business model and a smaller company that has succeeded in creating a different business model. The "boys aisle" space at major retailers is intensely competitive with a high standard for productivity in a relatively small amount of real estate. If a product line does not meet our - or retailer - expectations, it struggles and the future for that line is in doubt no matter how much we like it or how passionate the fans for that line may be. What fans have to realize is that even though they love something, a line that is struggling does not have as widespread support among fans and that is tough to appreciate without understanding the larger retail landscape and the performance of each line. This is exactly why we chose to partner with Sideshow on the 12" line. We knew that we struggle at retail with 12", but a small company that focuses a great deal of their efforts around this category can excel because they have a very different business model than we have.

We often hear that Hasbro's Star Wars items are being marketed to kids and collectors. With kids still very much in the equation, where are the TV commercials (and viral video for the net generation) for the action figures and vehicles? The vintage-era TV commercials were instrumental in selling the line. (GH, 9/01/06) (http://www.galactichunter.com/absolutenm/templates/full_article_template_1.asp?articleid=5745&zoneid=2)

We have taken a different strategy toward advertising the line, which seems to have paid off.  However, the fan base is doing a great job of driving the viral video portion with the various stop-action fan clips that folks have done. Great stuff!

How will the continued the increase in oil prices affect toy production for Hasbro? Will it mean that we'll see more repaints and reissues as opposed to new sculpts? Will Hasbro be cutting back on production numbers or raising prices to compensate? (FFURG, 8/25/06) (http://www.ffurg.com/hasbroqa.htm)

Well that is the billion-dollar question, Ashley. We have seen some effect of the price increase, which has affected not only plastic but pretty much everything else as well (steel and packaging). We were able to hold the line on our basic figures for 2007 (along with pretty much everything else) but we don't know what it will look like that far down the road. However, the oil price will have no impact on new vs. redeco or reissue....they use the same amount of plastic either way. We add reissues to the line to add variety while working within our tooling budget for the line.

Recently a report in the news stated there was a loss for Star Wars for Hasbro. Will this affect or change any plans to the current lines? (ST, 8/25/06)* (http://www.sandtroopers.com/smf/index.php?topic=5183.180)

The Star Wars line always comes down after the activity of a movie year. The key thing is how the line is doing versus expectations.... and the good news is the line is doing great and is exceeding all expectations so far this year.  Because of that there actually HAVE been changes: we have actually added some items like more basic figures, reintroduced battle packs, added the GH Cinema Scenes, and more.  This is on top of the new products already in the pipeline slated for the back half to keep both kids and collectors engaged in the brand.  How does all of this impact the future of Star Wars?  If the line keeps doing well, we'll keep looking for opportunities to introduce additional items over and above what we have originally planned.

A report in the NY Post recently reported a loss by Hasbro last quarter. Many feel this is due to the amount of times Hasbro issues repacks. With many collectors turning to high-end collectibles (Gentle Giant, Sideshow), what are Hasbro's plans to rebound? Is this a concern? (ST, 8/11/06)* (http://www.sandtroopers.com/smf/index.php?topic=5183.150)

Two issues here - I'll deal with the tougher one first.  The misconception is that we do repacks instead of doing new figures.  We actually plan our year with a mix of both, knowing that we cannot do an entire year of Star Wars with 100% new figures/vehicles - it's simply too costly from both a resource and tooling standpoint.  Instead, we look to repaints and repacks that make sense for the target audience (mainline battle packs, for instance, we know have great kid appeal. For single carded figures we take kids and collectors into consideration for the mix or volume we release). 

As for your second question, it's moot to compare the performance of the line this year to last year (the all-time best Star Wars year for Hasbro). The line always comes down after the activity of a movie year. The key thing is how the line is doing versus expectations.... and the good news is the line is doing great and is exceeding all expectations through the first half of the year.  So thanks to you guys and the incredible kid response to the brand, the outlook is very, very good, and that's why we have gone back and added some items like more basic figures, reintroduced battle packs, added the Galactic Heroes Cinema Scenes, et al.  This is on top of the new products already in the pipeline slated for the back half to keep both kids and collectors engaged in the brand.


It seems that collector interest is still running high for the Star Wars line...roughly what percentage of Hasbro's market does the collector community represent? How do you determine this number? (RS, 6/23/06) (http://www.rebelscum.com/story/front/Hasbros_3rd_STAR_WARS_Weekly_QA_Session_The_Answers_99031.asp)

We don't release sales information or consumer sales profile statistics.

Why does Hasbro not want to discuss specifics in regards to possible upcoming products when Hasbro has no competition for making Star Wars action figures? (SSG, 6/16/06) (http://www.sirstevesguide.com/index.php?categoryid=13&p2_articleid=76)

Excellent question. We manage the flow of information for a variety of business reasons. One advantage to the plan is that we always have upcoming news and collectors don't get bored. When the public knows the line too far in advance, there's a tendency for items new to the shelf to seem old if the line list has been out there for months (case in point last Toy Fair, when our line list was well-known, and the criticism was that there was "no new news.").
Title: Re: The Hasbro Q & A Archive, Categorized For Your Pleasure
Post by: Matt on July 27, 2006, 09:11 PM
Case assortments

Will Hasbro ever decide to change the distribution in their waves? Let's face it, army builder or not, clones (and the like) are easily the best selling figures due to their numbers on screen. Why not release a wave containing 1 each of slower moving characters such as Palpatine, Vader, Senators, and Cantina extras and another consisting solely of clones (maybe 2 or 3 different ones per case). This way, Hasbro could ensure that peg warmers would not be over-shipped and there would be enough clones for all. (RS, 01/26/07) (http://www.rebelscum.com/story/front/Hasbros_24th_STAR_WARS_QA_The_Answers_102934.asp)

The best way to manage the line, as we have been doing very successfully for the past two years, is to stick with a balanced approach. We balance our cases to ensure that we have the best mix at retail for both kid-targeted figures and collectors, ensuring the best retail "turn" on the pegs. Producing solid case packs of "niche" characters is a sure way to doom the productivity and would lead to these types of figures being dropped entirely, which nobody wants to see.

What does Hasbro do to try to avoid peg warmers? For example, when you made the Lushros Dophine figure, which has been a peg warmer for about 6 months now, you had to know that this would not be an extremely popular figure among kids or collectors so why did Hasbro make so many of them and how will this issue be rectified in the future? (ST, 12/08/06)* (http://www.sandtroopers.com/smf/index.php?topic=5183.msg92496#msg92496)

Key learning on Lushros: Initially, we decided to limit him to a historically-based "low-end number," but because of the runaway success of figures this year, we scaled him up in proportion with the rest of the line (this happens automatically, say, if we decided to double the amount we make of any one wave to keep up with demand, instead of remixing and deleting and adding a different figure). We knew kids didn't want him, and that there are more collectors engaged in 3-3/4" then there have been in many years so we felt confident we could let the line play out on him. We did overshoot on him though, and it was valuable data for future line planning. He is really the only figure that we have seen in abundance, though.  Overall, we do not have any problems with figures and it has not gotten in the way of getting TSC to shelf so this was an isolated incident that has not been a problem and we are watching it more carefully.

Why are the most sought after figures one to a case. I remember Cody and Scorch being hard to find at first but you have Commander Appo being one to a case as well. Do you realize the demand for the figure? Why not put more per case of have solid case packs? (YN, 12/01/06)

For basic figures, collector-targeted ones, we tool at 1-up tools so our capacity is more limited. It costs more to duplicate figure tools, and for more narrowly released figures it does not make fiscal sense to cut more steel than is needed. When demand is high, we can produce only so many to go in the case packs and as such, the factory can only supply enough to provide 1 per case because the overall production is elevated. That was the case this year. Sometimes (like Scorch) we re-release because demand was much higher than we originally anticipated. Also, keep in mind that what is highly prized by collectors is not necessarily what kids are looking for....so you have been seeing very different case mixes than you were used to seeing, say, during Saga 2002-2004 where collector figures were heavier up, but the overall figure volume was lower too.

How come Hasbro keeps packing clones, Republic Commandos and clone commanders in such low numbers considering that they are the most popular of all the new assortments? (A-F, 6/30/06) (http://www.action-figure.com/index.php?name=News&file=article&sid=19837)

They have been selling well, but it doesn't mean we've been shorting them. Usually our case-weighting has more to do with the tooling capacity (how many we can draw from the mold per week). We'll continue to look for ways to get high-demand figures back into the market.

What are you doing to remedy case assortment problems such as pegwarmers like Yoda and Poggle and Bren Derlin, as well as hard to find figures like 1-per-case Scorch and Commander Cody? (AF, 6/09/06) (http://www.actionfigs.com/index.php?categoryid=12&p2_articleid=162)

We are constantly updating our case packs to meet the needs of our total audience - both kids and collectors. What you may be seeing on a local store level is not necessarily an indicator of what is going on at a national level.

Clone Wars

A few weeks ago, Hasbro answered that figures of Clone Wars General Obi-Wan Kenobi in Clone Armor and a Space Armor Saesee Tiin (Clone Wars, Vol. 2) were great ideas for the 2008 line. Might we also suggest the following figures to round out a Clone Wars-themed wave in 2008?

* Barriss Offee (all-new, super-articulated sculpt, from Clone Wars Vol. 1)
* Holographic Darth Sidious with Mechano Chair (EPISODE I Holographic Darth Sidious with all-new Mechano Chair accessory)
* Roron Corobb: Ithorian Jedi Knight (Clone Wars, Vol. 2: all-new sculpt)
* Yoda on Kybuck (Clone Wars, Vols. 1 & 2: Yoda from ROTS Deluxe Yoda on Can-Cell, with all-new Kybuck)
* IG Lancer Droid (Clone Wars, Vol. 1: mix of retooled IG-88 parts and all-new sculpts, with battle lance accessory)
(SWC, 12/08/06) (http://www.swcollector.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=923)

Thanks for the comments. There are some exciting figures here. At this point, 2008 has been locked down for some time and the good news is that at least one of the figures, and maybe more, are on there. In addition, at least one of these, maybe more, will appear before then. Stay tuned...

While the 30th Anniversary of Star Wars and the associated 30th Anniversary Collection are looming on the horizon, it seems that Hasbro is probably planning further ahead for 2008 and beyond.  And it seems very likely that what Hasbro designers may be working on now is a 2008 collection and possibly a line to complement the upcoming animated series.  Now we've heard from Lucasfilm that the Clone Wars cartoon that is in production is going to be very different in style from the 2 Volumes of Clone Wars that we've already seen.  Now to the question:  Has anyone at Hasbro seen concept art or designs for this new cartoon?  And will the toy line that is sure to complement this new series be stylized like the new animation, or in the current life-like style? (TJ, 12/08/06) (http://www.thejawa.com/yabbse/index.php?topic=6268.msg57084#msg57084)

Well, as far as the non-animation component goes, the 2008 line has been "locked down." The line plan has been secure for months and we are moving into sculpt mode with the first waves of figures.  We do not anticipate that there will be changes to this line beyond the few usual character tweaks and refinements, when we are moving from concept into execution. The Clone Wars line has not been finalized and remains in development. We have been working with Lucasfilm very closely on the series, and there are many stylistic details yet to be worked out that will not be revealed for a while, so stay tuned.

Will there ever be a single-carded version of Obi-Wan Kenobi as a general of the Republic figure (dressed in Clone Trooper armor)? One that utilzes a Clone Trooper body, perhaps, instead of snap-on armor? (SWC, 11/17/06) (http://www.swcollector.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=4515#4515)

This would be a good figure for a future basic figure and is on the wish list for doing sometime down the road. It won't be in 2007, but there's a strong chance he'll make the 2008 roster.

Now that we're getting a Saesee Tiin Jedi Starfighter, any chance of seeing a figure of him in his battle armor from CLONE WARS, Vol. 2? (SWC, 11/17/06) (http://www.swcollector.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=4515#4515)

That's another gem of a figure from Clone Wars that deserves to see a plastic version someday. He is in the same camp as Obi-Wan in General's armor ... it would be cool and it's on the short list for the not too distant future. If we do Obi-Wan, this would make a good companion figure in a wave.

Will we ever see another run of Clone Wars Animated 3 3/4 Figures? (YN, 11/03/06)

If we do more of the Cartoon Network Clone Wars figures, we'll be focusing on realistically styled figures.

I know you included an Obi-Wan with snap-on Clone Trooper armor in the Jedi vs. Sith Battle Pack last year, but I know I'm not the only fan who was really hoping for one tooled from the SA Clone Trooper body with soft goods cape and robe. Is this on the drawing board?

And since you've been making "real" versions of Clone Wars cartoon characters (thank you for that by the way, can't wait for Snow Bunny Padme), I'd like to know if Saesee Tiin in his space armor is also being considered.
(YF, 10/27/06) (http://cgi.denpetersen.com/YAK1/viewtopic.php?t=980)

Good questions. In the short term (i.e. next year), the answer is no. But they are both on our short list of great figures to do.

Does Hasbro have any future plans to make more waves of the animated CW figures. There are still more figures to be made. Also any plans to go outside the CW era and animate other figures (a la Gentle Giant)? (YF, 9/19/06) (http://cgi.denpetersen.com/YAK1/viewtopic.php?t=773)

We do not have plans to produce more Clone Wars animated-style figures at this time.

Can we expect to see more animated Clone Wars figures? If so, what is the rough timeline?  (GH, 6/16/06) (http://www.galactichunter.com/absolutenm/templates/full_article_template_1.asp?articleid=5479&zoneid=7)

We do have plans for some of these characters in 2007, but we won't be announcing the specifics just yet. However, any we do will be in "realistic" styling rather than animated. We done some polling with fans, and overall the realistic style is prefered over the animated style so we are going to stick with that.

What are the chances of one more Animated Clone Wars Wave (or box set)? We still need to get C-3PO, R2-D2, Padme (Ilum Snow Gear), and Darth Sidious to round out our sets! (JD, 6/09/06) (http://www.jedidefender.com/newspro/fullnews.cgi?newsid1149879147,62431,)

Characters in CW are great - and we're looking at ways of getting more of them in the line for 2007. However any we do will be in "realistic" styling rather than animated. We’ve done some polling with fans, and overall the realistic style is preferred.

Coins and Coin Album

The back of the coins for the Galactic Marine and Airborne Trooper have the 8 spoke Republic symbol. Shouldn't it be the 6 spoke symbol? (POTF2, 3/16/07) (http://potf2.com/potj/forums/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=11435)

Our design team chose the eight-spoke for these by the flip of a coin . Ha, just kidding. EpIII clone troops can be seen as either pre- or post- Order 66, like some with alternate shoulder pads (Shock Troopers for example) have been portrayed in the past. It could have gone either way of course, and we still look at them as either pre-Empire or post to suit our own display needs, and we figured collectors would do the same.

I'm worried that the collectible coin pack-ins for The 30AC might lead to increased incidences of vandalism at retail. Unscrupulous collectors who don't want to buy one of every figure might break into packages in order to get a complete set of coins, leaving behind the carded figures. While it was rare, I did see a few TSC packages at retail that had their hologram figures stolen out of the packaging. Was this at all considered during the product development of the coins and The 30AC basic figure packaging? (SWC, 12/08/06) (http://www.swcollector.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=923)

Yes, we have taken this into account in the blister design. There is an inner trap blister into which the coin is set that cannot be easily removed in the store.

Will there be another outlet to acquire the coins next year other than having to buy figures we already have? Perhaps mail-order, POP redemption, or some other service? A lot of fans are excited about the re-release of the coins, but acquiring a whole set would mean purchasing figures we might already have. I think using 30th anniversary figure POP's for redemption would be a good solution since we would still have to buy figures to redeem for the coins we are missing. Any thoughts on this? (JTA, 11/17/06) (http://jeditemplearchives.com/content/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=2691)

There will not be another way to acquire basic figure coins other than getting them with the basic figures.

Will the new coins be unique to each figure or will every coin be randomly on each card (like the little holo figures were)? (YN, 10/22/06)

The main basic figure line (the 30th Anniversary basic figures) will have a unique coin for every figure (60 total) and will be the coin series that is intended to occupy the 60 numbered slots in the coin binder. There will be additional coins, notably some "movie" coins that are not specific to the character that will be found in the Greatest Hits asst.

What type of material are the 2007 Collector Coins made from? (Metal or plastic?) Will the Collector Coin Album be available at big box stores? (GH, 10/6/06) (http://www.galactichunter.com/absolutenm/templates/full_article_template_1.asp?articleid=5881&zoneid=2)

They are aluminum - the exact same material the previous coins were made from. We wanted to stay true to the roots of the coin program and make them from the same material and to be the same size.  There are some new details for the 30th Anniversary, though — some coin details that are pretty cool and unique.  The figure/album will be available everywhere from 1/1 to approximately 3/24.

We've seen the coin holder on Entertainment Earth for the 30th Anniversary line coins that will be packed in with various figures. The description mentions it will hold all of the coins from the basic line (60) as well as for promotional and convention coins (and I would suppose other exclusives as well). What is the total number of coins we can expect for the 30th Anniversary line? (JTA, 10/6/06) (http://jeditemplearchives.com/content/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=2570)

That number is still yet to be finalized, but there will only ever be 60 basic figures coins. One thing we are going to do, however, is hold the exclusive coins down to a very minimum. The ony exclusives which will have coins would be either CIV or Comic Con. In addition, if we do end up putting a "Greatest Hits" basic figure line into play, we would have to evaluate what sort of coins they would have.

Is the 30th Anniversary Darth Vader with STAR WARS Coin Album and Exclusive Coin currently available for pre-order online going to be an Internet exclusive, or will it also be available in stores? (SWC, 10/6/06) (http://www.swcollector.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=864)

It will be available in stores and online from roughly Jan 1 until the end of March.

Regarding the announcement of the Vader with coin album...the album leaves spaces for "promotional, exclusive and extra coins." Will the promo and exclusive coin slots be labeled or will they simply be blank? (RS, 9/29/06) (http://www.rebelscum.com/story/front/Hasbros_13th_STAR_WARS_QA_The_Answers_100352.asp)

They will be blank because we haven't nailed down what we'll be doing for additional coins yet. Also, we want allow flexibility for folks to slot in coins of their choosing, including dupes if someone happens to be a troop builder.

Will the coins included with the basic figures in 2007's The 30th Anniversary Collection be character-specific, or just medium-specific (i.e.: film name or EU source name)? (SWC, 8/11/06) (http://www.swcollector.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=829)

They will be character-specific on the front, and movie- (or EU) specific on the back.

Collector club

What are the chances of having a Collector's Society program where fans could buy toys directly (through HasbroToyShop.com perhaps, like how the GI Joe 3 3/4" line is currently offered) that Hasbro thinks wouldn't sell well in regular stores, such as an AT-TE, Sith Inflitrator, and new playsets? (AF, 10/27/06) (http://www.actionfigs.com/index.php?categoryid=12&p2_articleid=162)

Actually we think the Sith Infiltrator would sell very well in stores and that's where it will be released. Any future ambitious releases HAVE to involve the major retailers as that's the only way to get these in the hands of the most collectors possible to sell enough units to justify the investment in the product. Our own HasbroToyShop.com (or any etailer) can play a part in a product release, but cannot carry the load for a brand new product like that.
(AF editor's note: this question was sent in a while before the Sith Infiltrator was a confirmed vehicle.)

Has Hasbro explored the possibility of starting a collector's club, offering unique figures and accessories to its membership? How many collectors would need to 'organize' in order to pique Hasbro's interest in this concept? Hasbro dedicates a lot of care and attention to nurturing its relationship with G.I. Joe and Transformers collectors, adopting official conventions and collector clubs, and Star Wars fans often feel left out of the fun. Will Hasbro make any such efforts for Star Wars collectors in the future? (GH, 6/16/06) (http://www.galactichunter.com/absolutenm/templates/full_article_template_1.asp?articleid=5479&zoneid=7)

Lucasfilm runs the official Star Wars [Fan] Club and Celebration shows to maintain that conduit with collectors. We'll participate in those events (and Comic Con) to showcase our upcoming products and interact with collectors, but there are no plans for another Club devoted to figure collecting.

What happened to the "one of every figure" club that they mentioned at C3? (SWAN, 6/16/06)

Unfortunately this idea came too late to be able to implement because at that time many of the Episode 3 figures were already out of production having been created in the months prior to the movie shelf date. As a result there was not enough collectors interested in signing up for the whole set to merit reproduction of some figures.

Will there ever be a subscription service/one-of-every-figure club/opportunity for fans to purchase convention exclusives, possibly through HasbroToyShop.com? Whatever happened to the subscription program announced at Celebration III? (RS, 6/09/06) (http://www.rebelscum.com/story/front/Hasbros_STAR_WARS_Weekly_QA_Session_The_Answers_98864.asp)

The 501st San Diego Comic Con figures will be available on HasbroToyShop.com, but it's not possible at this time to set up the type of large-scale subscription service that I know you're referring to. Maybe down the road.

Comic book two-packs

This is something of a 2-part question regarding the Comic 2-packs.  We've been seeing consistent reports of a Comic 2-Pack with Mara Jade.  Who will the other character in the set be?  Also, we've seen reports of an A'sharad Hett & Anakin Skywalker Comic 2-pack.  Will A'Sharad Hett have his Tusken Raider face coverings? (TJ, 3/02/07) (http://www.thejawa.com/yabbse/index.php?topic=6365.msg58127#msg58127)

Mara will be packed with Luke, re-creating their escape from the Stormtroopers in Shadows of the Empire.  Hett will indeed have his Tusken Raider face coverings.

Will we see new comic packs in 2007 after the first wave? Any clues on what we will see? Will they always be based on old Marvel Comics, or will we see some based on Darkhorse Comic titles? (JI, 01/26/07) (http://jediinsider.com/index.php?catid=8&itemid=9983)

There will be at least 15 comic 2-packs on the shelves this year, and judging by the early fan reaction, they can't wait to see more. This validates our assumption that delivering two figures (some new, most always refreshed) with a great story is something that fans and kids want to see. The second wave won't be on shelf until about April, and consists of Quinlan Vos & Vilmarh Grahrk from Star Wars #19, Republic #55 with Obi-Wan and Alpha, and Star Wars #4 (Marvel) with Luke and R2-D2. About 25% of the comics this year will be Marvel-derived and the balance will be Dark Horse.

The Marvel Comics 2-packs have been hit or miss with collectors. I personally like them as this is something I wanted to see Kenner do back in the 80's and the execution with these figures is great. I was wondering though about the choice of Vader's for the Vader/Rebel Officer pack. This pack is clearly based off the scene where Vader chokes the Rebel Officer, yet Hasbro chose to go with a Vader figure that could not re-create the scene, such as the 2002 SAGA Vader. Even a new arm sculpt would have done the trick here. Was there a decision made about not re-creating the choking scene as shown in the comic? (FFURG, 01/12/07) (http://www.ffurg.com/hasbroqa.htm)

Our choices were based entirely on the figures we had to work with, with no opportunity for any new tools in the first wave, in order to get the product to shelf in the time needed for retailer resets. So our choice was based on that. But in general, we don't necessarily intend to recreate any panel (one scene) in the comic but provide a couple of interesting and new figures when possible wherever they appear in the comic.

Will the Mara Jade comic figure be based only on how she appeared in the comics or will Mara Jade-actress Shannon McRandle's likeness be taken into account? (SSG, 01/12/07) (http://www.sirstevesguide.com/index.php?categoryid=13&p2_articleid=76)

She is based on the Dark Horse comic imagery.

Is Quinlan Vos still slated for release? If so when? We are seeing a two pack believed to be the Hasbro retailer catalogue stating Komari Vosa and Vilmarh Grahrk, is this a typo? (ST, 12/15/06)* (http://www.sandtroopers.com/smf/index.php?topic=5183.msg93251#msg93251)

He is indeed slated for Wave 2 of the comic packs.  We do not have an image available right now, but the pack should be made available very soon.

I like the way you are making the EU comic 2-packs. I was wondering, what factors go into the selecting of what comics to use, and then what figures to make? (RS, 12/01/06) (http://www.rebelscum.com/story/front/Hasbros_20th_STAR_WARS_QA_The_Answers_101619.asp)

We meet and go through our favorite issues that resonated with cool stories and great characters. We keep a running list and update it as we get caught up with the entirety of the Dark Horse and Marvel library. On our spreadsheet, we note whether we would need new sculpts or can work with existing ones. We also note whether there is any inherent kid appeal to the figures or whether they are purely collector-targeted. We base our final selections (in close collaboration with Lucasfilm and consultation with Dark Horse) on a balance of all factors so the wave has balanced kid and collector appeal, some important new tools, but a manageable quantity, affordable cost, etc. In short it's not unlike the process we go through for basic figures....creating balance that will enable the line to succeed at retail.

How many comic book 2-packs are planned?  Can you tell us which story arcs they cover? (JTA, 11/10/06) (http://www.jeditemplearchives.com/content/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=2673)

We have 15 packs slotted into the lineup next year with a possible early ship against the 2008 line bringing in one more wave before the end of '07. We don't want to be too specific on the story arcs, but it covers some of the greatest Dark Horse stories (with the occasional Marvel reprint) from both movie period and beyond.

The Star Wars Comic Packs. Set #1, Kir Kanos & Carnor Jax (Crimson Empire) has started shipping and the first non-exclusive wave, based on the old Marvel Comics, were revealed at SDCC. When do we get to hear some official details about Wave 2? Soon? Toy Fair 07? Right Now? (hint, hint) (JD, 10/27/06) (http://www.jedidefender.com/newspro/fullnews.cgi?newsid1162006334,58272,)

As the waves are slotted roughly 2-1/2 months apart, Wave 2 will be on shelf approximately the first week in April. We will probably reveal the full contents of Wave 2 in December.

Since the Star Wars Comic Packs revealed so far show figures packed with reprints of the original Marvel Comics adaptation of Star Wars #1-3, will we be seeing similar two-packs for issues #4-6 in 2007? (SWC, 10/22/06) (http://www.swcollector.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=874)

Not initially. We are going to move into some Dark Horse-produced titles after that with occasional dips into the Marvel issues after that. We see the future of the line being roughly 75% Dark Horse / 25% Marvel in the long run.

With the comic book 2-packs being released, could we see a two-pack featuring new Luke Skywalker and Mara Jade figures, as they appeared in the comic book "Union"? (SWC, 10/6/06) (http://www.swcollector.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=864)

We won't be doing Mara's spa outfit, if that's the one you are referring to. ;)

Will the EU 2-packs be solely based on comic books? How about characters from the novels and/or video games? Even some of the fringe Miniatures game characters would make for great-looking action figures. (RS, 8/11/06) (http://www.rebelscum.com/story/front/Hasbros_8th_STAR_WARS_QA_The_Answers_99693.asp)

The 2-packs are going to be built around comic reprints, so novels are fair game if Dark Horse has done a comic version of it; the same holds true for the video games. Central to the idea, for the kid audience too, is to provide a great bite of the story so folks can get acquainted with it. Now most of the Dark Horse stories run over multiple issues so it won't be the complete picture, but it will be enough to introduce the characters and interest fans and kids in picking up the rest of the story if they haven't read it already. So that's the idea behind the comic and why we'll stick to that format. It doesn't mean that we can't do novel or video game figures elesewhere in the line, though.

Can you hint at the EU Source Material that the future waves of the Comic Book 2-Packs will be based on (beyond the already announced Marvel Comics and Crimson Empire)? Not specific figures per se, just a hint at the source material please. (JD, 8/11/06) (http://www.jedidefender.com/newspro/fullnews.cgi?newsid1155325016,53466,)

We'll be releasing the info by wave as we get closer to the release date for the packs. Releasing the issues would just be giving out too much right now.

With the new comic book two-packs coming, is there any chance in the future of two-packs consisting of two figures and a paperback version of an appropriate novel? For instance: "HttE" paperback with Mara Jade and Grand Admiral Thrawn; "SotE" paperback with Prince Xizor and Dash Rendar. (SWC, 8/04/06) (http://www.swcollector.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=821)

Very interesting idea, and the format certainly does allow for doing some things like that. However, we prefer the visual medium of comics to allow kids into the product as well. We're more likely to reprint a Dark Horse comic version of these novels before the paperback.

With the way Hasbro is doing the comic book 2 packs from Marvel and Dark Horse.  Wouldn't this be a perfect opportunity to re-issue the vintage Droids and Ewoks series of figures in this form too?  Demand is definitely there for them! (YF, 8/04/06) (http://cgi.denpetersen.com/YAK1/viewtopic.php?t=526)

The comic packs, like all of the figures slated for '07, are designed in the realistic style. We do not have plans to go back to the cartoon style of Droids or Ewoks.

Are the 3 3/4" Expanded Universe Marvel 2-Packs going to be 'realistic' styled figures or will they be designed to look like the comics? (TJ, 7/14/06) (http://www.thejawa.com/yabbse/index.php?topic=5887.30)

We'll be releasing details at Comic Con.

Customizable figures?

Customizing is very popular among SW fans; ever thought of bringing "Customizing Kits" onto the market ... would save us the trouble of hurting our fingers prying figures apart. They could come complete with pots of paint and little "how to" manuals. (JTA, 3/02/07) (http://www.jeditemplearchives.com/content/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=2933)

Unfortunately, this area is not one in which we are investing a lot of time since it is likely any expertise we develop would still be dwarfed by the great work that you guys are doing and the more advanced tool set you have developed to do the job to your satisfaction. In short, you guys are the experts here, not us, and we prefer to keep it that way. Continue to amaze us with your work...that's the involvement we seek to continue having with this segment of the hobby!

Customizing is a huge trend with collectors from all around.  Are there any plans in the near or far future to come up with packs of body parts, heads in particular, or something of this nature? (ST, 11/03/06)* (http://www.sandtroopers.com/smf/index.php?topic=5183.msg89120#msg89120)

We aren’t focusing on this area.  Sorry!

Do you ever consider customizers when you produce a figure, and what are the chances of you producing an action figure for customizers? Maybe a Create your own Trooper or Jedi, figure kit, something similar to your build your own lightsaber kit . (YF, 7/14/06) (http://cgi.denpetersen.com/YAK1/viewtopic.php?t=392)

The closest we came to that idea was the Evolution sets. We don't have plans to specifically tailor a product to customizers lined up.

With the recent battle packs of both The Hunt for Grevious and Clone Attack on Coruscant, many fans have noticed Hasbro's tendancy to "kit-bash." While I totally understand this practice for financial reasons, I was curious of Hasbro would ever be interested in releasing a "Make your own clone" type package which could include various heads, bodies as well as accent accessories. I know with all the talented customizers as well as play factor for kids, this could be a great hit for your company and you wouldn't have to sculpt anything new. (RS, 6/30/06) (http://www.rebelscum.com/story/front/Hasbros_4th_STAR_WARS_QA_The_Answers_99087.asp)

Interesting suggestion, Dan. That's not something that is in our plans for the near future.

Deluxe figures

Will Deluxe figures be part of the line in the near future? (TJ, 6/30/06) (http://www.thejawa.com/yabbse/index.php?topic=5900.msg54562#msg54562)

Hopefully, but there's no timeline.

Is there a possibility of bringing back the 3 3/4" Deluxe figure line? (SSG, 6/23/06) (http://www.sirstevesguide.com/index.php?categoryid=13&p2_articleid=76)

Not right now. It's possible that we may bring back the line when the animated series is released in a few years.

Will we see a return of the $10-15 price point Deluxe line?  It has a lot of potential for releasing small vehicles and beasts (Geonosian Orray and Arena cart) along with background figures. This format could also be utilized for multi-packs, oversized figures (Hermi Odle) and accessories too. (Did we mention Hermi Odle?) (GH, 6/23/06) (http://www.galactichunter.com/absolutenm/templates/full_article_template_1.asp?articleid=5499&zoneid=7)

We're not planning to return the Deluxe/Ultra lines in the forseeable future. But, it may be a possibity with the release of the animated series in 2008.

Evolutions

Any chance Hasbro will be revisiting the Evolution 3-packs in the future? (JI, 7/14/06) (http://jediinsider.com/index.php?catid=8&itemid=9661)

Not in the foreseeable future.

Will there be more Evolutions figure sets? (AF, 6/09/06) (http://www.actionfigs.com/index.php?categoryid=12&p2_articleid=162)

In a movie year, Evolutions was a way for us to include figures with premium articulation in our line. This year, we're doing more of this style figure in the basic assortment, so we did not see the need for a separate line.

Are you planning to do more of the Evolutions Sets? If so, when? If not, why? They seemed to sell very well and were popular with both kids and collectors alike - we'd love to see more! (JD, 6/9/06) (http://www.jedidefender.com/newspro/fullnews.cgi?newsid1149879147,62431,)

In a movie year, Evolutions was a way for us to include figures with premium articulation in our line. This year, we're doing more of this style figure in the basic assortment, so we did not see the need for a separate line.
Title: Re: The Hasbro Q & A Archive, Categorized For Your Pleasure
Post by: Matt on July 27, 2006, 09:20 PM
Exclusives

Celebration 4 is fast approaching. Can you tell us if Hasbro will be offering an exclusive for the event? if so what is it and are their any images? (JI, 3/16/07) (http://jediinsider.com/index.php?catid=8&itemid=10114)

We will be offering an exclusive figure, but Lucasfilm will be making the official announcement. In addition, the 40-packs of the official Star Wars figure stands will be available for the first time to fans at the event. They will be based on the Saga Collection stands and will be available for $9.99.

What was the thought process behind making the last 5 figures in the 2006 SAGA line exclusives? Any collector can tell you that the last wave in most of the current lines is nearly impossible to find (i.e. Episode 1, POTJ, SAGA 2002, ROTS, etc.), and now it's exclusive to Wal*Mart as well which makes it twice as hard to find, if not more. Not to mention that these five figures are included in a case with other figures, and only 1 of each per case at that. While I am not a fan of exclusives, I do understand that stores want something "special" to bring customers in. However, I would urge Hasbro NOT to make the exclusives part of the regular line of figures in the future. (ST, 3/02/07)* (http://www.sandtroopers.com/smf/index.php?topic=5183.msg102573#msg102573)

Troops - because the "last waves" of any line have been hard to find in the past does not mean that this one will be.  We are very aware of what has happened in the past and have designed this wave not to fall prey to the same issues.  There are other reasons those waves were short as well - mainly the time between the wave's release and the fact that the old line look must make way for the new gives it very little breathing room.  This one has a different circumstance.  The simple fact is that we are releasing as many of these figures as we are for any other average figure in the line, which means that WM will have a good concentration of this.  As is the case with all of our case packs where a figure is weighted at 1-per, like early on with Scorch or Cody, our ratio weighting choices are dictated by the tooling capacity of how many we can physically manufacture to satisfy the overall demand, and not the demand of the figure itself.  How many we put per case is largely irrelevant for collector-targeted products; the most important statistic is the number we eventually make.

During the last few years there have been chrome, then silver painted convention exclusives, some later sold at TRU. My question is why did you switch from the chrome to the toned down silver and are there any plans to keep up this tradition for convention release or mass release in stores? Those figures rocked! (SWC, 3/02/06) (http://www.swcollector.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=980)

Thanks for the comment. There has been some feeling that once the major characters were done, these "trophy" versions (silver of chrome) sort of lost their uniqueness. In addition, they really don't have a place alongside the figures on the shelves of our collections as a living part of the Star Wars character universe, so our philosophical shift has been away from silver and more toward figures that have a purpose. That's not to say we won't look at it in the future, but we'd rather look at, say, Shadow Stormtroopers as interesting figures than all silver. Regarding the shift from chrome to silver, our factories determine what's best based on what is needed for the paint to adhere to the specific plastic substrate. PVC parts cannot be chromed but must be painted, while ABS parts can be. If something spec'd as chrome will not pass our QA standards, factories will not want to proceed with the figure and silver paint is the only way to go.

Can we anticipate that the 2007 Hasbro Summer Convention Exclusives will once again be for sale on HasbroToyShop? (YN, 3/02/07)

The details on the convention exclusives, both products and who will be distributing them, will be announced closer to convention time.

In the past, TRU has had several promotional figures that could be obtained free with a purchase of $15 or so (such as Holographic Yoda and Palpatine, and some silver figures). Will we see more promotional figures such as these in the future, perhaps more holographic figures that would otherwise not be sold at normal retail? (AF, 01/26/07) (http://www.actionfigs.com/index.php?categoryid=12&p2_articleid=162)

We don't have plans to continue this campaign right now, instead choosing to use our "item count" in different and more impactful ways with our retail partners, preferring to do an additional vehicle at regular price rather than one of these figures.

Are you going to sell the 501t Trooper that was issued to the 501st members who marched in the Rose Parade to the general public? The packaging is awesome! (ST, 01/26/07)* (http://www.sandtroopers.com/smf/index.php?topic=5183.msg98094#msg98094)

This figure is a special tribute figure and a token of thanks for the folks who did the heavy lifting and provided amazing support for that great event. It will not be made available or sold to the public, aside from the very select few which will be auctioned for for charity on eBay.

In the last two years, Target has received many exclusive Star Wars items, but inevitably many of them go on clearance on a national-scale such as the Lava Reflection Jedi and Demise of Grievous figures as well as the Skirmish in the Senate Battlepack. How do these clearances effect what exclusive items Hasbro will make in future years and what steps are being taken to ensure a more premium based item is made as an exclusive? (FFURG, 01/12/07) (http://www.ffurg.com/hasbroqa.htm)

The goal is to try and call a number that we think will sell through in a certain period of time (like the duration of an end-cap at Target for instance) Even when we call the number "right", things aren't always perfect in every store, and there are usually some pockets of stock that will go on clearance as part of the move to clean up the stores and get ready for the next end-cap. We use the sales of any exclusive to dial-in on what we think the right quantity is for any future exclusive release. In general, our 3-3/4" releases have been very clean and nothing we have released has had much of an impact on future 3-3/4" releases. The exception has been the Unleashed 7", which we have cut back on for the spring Wal-Mart release to be more in line with the sell-through of the Fall products.

Can you shed some light on what types of exclusives we might see this year for conventions and mail-away? (JTA, 01/12/07) (http://jeditemplearchives.com/content/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=2808)

It is too early to announce anything yet on our Convention exclusives..but we can confirm there will be some.

Sometimes exclusive figures are just "too" exclusive, for example the Hunt for Greivous Battle Pack. Is it possible or even feasible, that when an exclusive is released, maybe a few months after it has been gone from the shelves, that Hasbro can offer that exclusive for sell on the net? It seems that most places (i.e. Target, Toys R Us, Wal-mart) do a poor job of stocking the exclusives on their shelves as well as on their websites. Any help from Hasbro would be great! (RS, 01/12/07) (http://www.rebelscum.com/story/front/Hasbros_23rd_STAR_WARS_QA_The_Answers_102819.asp)

In order to incentivize our retail partners to get behind an item, we have an exclusivity policy that we will not offer those packs (or figures from those packs) elsewhere for a length of time (usually up to a year) after they clear the shelves. There are two tricks with that. One, it's rare that an exclusive sells out everywhere clearly and there are sometimes pockets of stock that retailers still have - just the inevitability of the distribution system. Two, we have usually (but not always) moved beyond an item at that point and we're not certain that collectors will embrace a re-release with the fervor that is needed to sell through the quantity that we need for a re-release (another factor that needs to be considered). That said, you will see some cases where we will be bringing out exclusives again, so look for that.

In an earlier Q&A session, Hasbro was asked about trying to get exclusive items offered through various retail partners' websites.  The response that we got was that efforts were being made to get some of the exclusive items made available online.  However at this time it appears that only Toys R Us and KayBee have made their exclusives available online.  What has the response been from retail partners like Target and WalMart on this issue?  It does not appear that they have made their exclusives available to collectors online. (TJ, 01/12/07) (http://www.thejawa.com/yabbse/index.php?topic=6307.msg57402#msg57402)

It has not been as easy as you may think.  The ultimate merchandising strategy is decided at the highest levels of our retail partners, but they have been made aware of collectors' desire to find the exclusive products online.

When stock numbers for exclusives show up in retailers' computers, is this akin to 'penciling in' a date, as opposed to a done deal? Many collectors assume that once an item is in the CPU, it means the ink is dry. Is this not the case? Is it possible that negative reaction to a rough sketch product description can deep-6 an exclusive? (GH, 10/27/06) (http://www.galactichunter.com/absolutenm/templates/full_article_template_1.asp?articleid=5946&zoneid=2)

With very rare exceptions, when a product shows up in a retail computer, it's a "done deal" and has been proposed, evaluated, and accepted by the retailer.

Given the recent Lucas Family set that was a StarWarsShop.com exclusive, How does Hasbro feel about future exclusives that utilize all new tooling? Has it become more feasible now that the Internet is more prevalent in the home compared to the days of the B'omaar Monk and Oola online exclusives from years past? Could this be the avenue through which we might see the really obscure fan-requested characters in the future? (RS, 10/22/06) (http://www.rebelscum.com/story/front/Hasbros_15th_STAR_WARS_QA_The_Answers_100620.asp)

That pack was the rule rather than the exception, but we will be exploring some new tooling in exclusives to provide a point of differentiation from things we've done in the past. But it won't be mostly new figures, as the Lucas Family Pack was.

Will there be any difference between the upcoming Celebration 4 exclusive figure(s) and Celebration Europe's, be it a packaging difference or a difference in the figure itself? (GH, 10/6/06) (http://www.galactichunter.com/absolutenm/templates/full_article_template_1.asp?articleid=5881&zoneid=2)

It's too early to talk about Celebration 4 just yet… ask us in about a month.

Army-builders and collectors alike were ecstatic over the San Diego Comic-Con 501st Stormtrooper exclusive figure, but some were a bit dismayed that it had English characters on both the figure and the banner, instead of the STAR WARS in-universe characters of Aurebesh. Any chance of a future re-release of this figure with Aurebesh lettering? (SWC, 10/6/06) (http://www.swcollector.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=864)

We don't plan to re-release this 501st figure again, but if we do do a future 501st offering then it makes a lot of sense to do Aurebesh. We did think about it, just didn't do it this time.

Is the Wal*Mart exclusive wave from TSC going to come and go as quickly as the Separation of the Twins sets did? Is there a possibility of this wave being offered elsewhere once Wal*Mart is finished with it? (GH, 9/29/06) (http://www.galactichunter.com/absolutenm/templates/full_article_template_1.asp?articleid=5857&zoneid=2)

The seasonal timing more than anything played a big role in helping clear out the Separation of the Twins so quickly.  Since these will be on shelves post-Holiday (latest date is 2/1 on shelf) the guess is that collectors will be able to find them without trouble. Hopefully.

In past weekly Q&A sessions, it was implied that HTS.com may offer items that are exclusive to retail stores. Can you clarify that? Also, it was stated that Hasbro is working w/ walmart.com to offer the Wal-Mart exclusives online, is Hasbro working w/ target.com to do the same for Target exclusives? So far Toys "R" Us' tru.com is the only retailer that actively offers their exclusives to both physical and online stores. (RS, 9/29/06) (http://www.rebelscum.com/story/front/Hasbros_13th_STAR_WARS_QA_The_Answers_100352.asp)

We don't have any more information on the exclusives on HTS.com, except that we will not be offering other retailers' exclusives on there. We have confirmation that wal-mart.com will be carrying their exclusives online if the retail price point is over $12. Target.com will be carrying their exclusives online this Fall but in limited quantities.

We saw some images of the Han Solo / Chewbacca Transformer with gold Titanium pack-ins a while back. Can you give us information on when and where that will be sold? (JTA, 9/22/06) (http://jeditemplearchives.com/content/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=2540)

This is a Wal-Mart exclusive product available in limited numbers (compared to the main run). It will be on shelf Nov. 1.

Almost annually (I think they skipped a year or two) warehouse clubs like Costco have offered a really nice, value-priced, value-added Star Wars toy set for their membership to purchase. Is there anything in the works for this year, and, if so, can we get any details? (Side note: I'm asking because we often don't find out about these sets until it's too late, and they're sold out. So please, any advance warning will help.) (GH, 9/19/06) (http://www.galactichunter.com/absolutenm/templates/full_article_template_1.asp?articleid=5810&zoneid=2)

Yes - there are two this year.  Both will be at Costco.  One is a 2-Pack of Electronic Lightsabers with 2 pack-in 3-3/4" figures (no redeco, straight repack).  The other set will be the "Star Wars Tater Trio Set" which comes with all three Star Wars spuds in a cool new giant-size Darth Tater outer package that serves as a container.  Look for those in about a month.

We've heard on many occasions that Hasbro is always trying very hard to make sure that everyone who wants a figure or a toy can get that item.  But then collectors are presented with the Wal-Mart exclusive wave of Basic Figures and the situation is somewhat different. Obviously these basic figures will be available at Wal-Mart stores, but is Hasbro actively pressing Wal-Mart to offer these figures online through Walmart.com as well? (TJ, 9/19/06) (http://www.thejawa.com/yabbse/index.php?topic=5900.msg56094#msg56094)

We are discussing this, thanks for the suggestion.

We will be seeing any wholesale club exclusives this year? If so, where and when? (YN, 9/19/06)

Yes - there are two this year. Both will be at Costco.

One is a 2-pack of Electronic Lightsabers with 2 pack-in 3-3/4" figures (no redeco, straight repack). The other set will be the "Star Wars Tater Trio Set" which comes with all three Star Wars spuds in a cool new giant-size Darth Tater outer package that serves as a container. Look for those in about a month.


The next time you have an exclusive(s) on www.hasbrotoyshop.com, will you be able to handle the traffic without the site shutting down or freezing up or never loading? It's pretty frustrating for those who tried to order and were not able to get what they wanted because the site was so bogged down. (YN, 8/25/06)

That was actually a server glitch during the 501st relist, not due to the traffic. The HasbroToyShop.com team assures us that they will be able to handle the volume when exclusives go on sale.

Next time you have Exclusives on HTS, can you have orders for say the Star Wars exclusive be at a different time than the Transformers exclusive? That made it twice as hard to get your order in? (YN, 8/25/06)

That's a good point and we'll pass that on to the HasbroToyShop team.

Will HTS be carrying the last wave of 2006 basic figures that is slated as a Wal-Mart exclusive? (JTA, 8/25/06) (http://www.jeditemplearchives.com/content/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=2462)

They will not be. Update on the expected date for this wave is January on shelf at WM.

Can you tell us what the exclusive figure will be offered at Celebration IV? (JI, 8/11/06) (http://jediinsider.com/index.php?catid=8&itemid=9722)

We are working on them, but it's still too far off to reveal any info. Look for more info at the end of the year or beginning of 2007.

Why were people allowed to buy the 501st figure at the SDCC by the case, and why was service so bad at your web site that you were unable to handle the web traffic and people spent upwards of an hour with the product in their shopping cart but were unable to checkout. Will there be another, more organized opportunity, for people to buy this exclusive figure in the near future? (ST, 8/04/06)* (http://www.sandtroopers.com/smf/index.php?topic=5183.msg79339#msg79339)

Without knowing the details, it's possible that what you were seeing was collectors using more than 1 badge, or simply using the empty boxes as a sturdy way to transport figures.  We did confirm with our HTS team that there was a limit of 5 for the duration of the convention.  As for the web delays, the unfortunate issue was with Verizon servers going down that day.  The good news is that there are more 501st figures (and Titanium) available to consumers and they will go back on HTS.com Friday Aug 4th.  So....spread the word!

How much will the SDCC Exclusive 501st Stormtrooper cost and what will be the limit on the number you can purchase? (JTA, 7/26/06) (http://www.jeditemplearchives.com/content/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=2377)

$14.99, and the limit is 5 per person.  Figures will also be available on-line during and after the show.

Exclusive 6+plus figure sets (NOT the 3-pk Evolution sets), like the Bounty Hunter one offered by Diamond, allowed many late in the game to obtain all the great characters in one purchase. Any chances of more, like a 6-pack of Clone Troopers (with Commander Cody- I can't find him!!!!) (F, 7/14/06) (http://www.figures.com/databases/action.cgi?setup_file=fignews2.setup&category=actionfigures&topic=77&show_article=445&nl=1)

More Cody's are on the way and should be hitting retail soon. As for your question on 6+ packs…stay tuned! We'll be making some announcements later next week at Comic-Con.

When can we expect to hear more information about this years SDCC Exclusives? (JTA, 6/16/06) (http://www.jeditemplearchives.com/content/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=2226)

Information on the EU "Shadow Stormtrooper" figure is available at StarWarsOnlineShop. We will be making more information available on the HasbroToyShop "501st Stormtrooper" figure just before convention time, so be sure to check it out.

Many collectors are frustrated with exclusives which are often hard to find due to scalper draw, limited or uneven distribution, and exclusives to chains not available in certain areas. While understanding that exclusives are an important part of getting certain items released, as well as a tool for Hasbro's dealings with their retail partners, what can be done to remedy this ongoing problem so that collectors can feel like Hasbro cares about their interests and concerns? (AF, 6/16/06) (http://www.actionfigs.com/index.php?categoryid=12&p2_articleid=162)

Good question, and we do care. We are not trying to deliberately short the market or create frustration. We release exclusives with the size of the collector market in mind. We try to ensure that the retailer is willing to commit to anticipated quantities and item needs to satisfy the collector base We attempt to obtain national distribution on what we think will be high-demand items. What we can't plan for are the store counts and amount shipped to each store, which our retailers decide on; individual collector pockets of high concentration; the unfortunate scalping element (which at least seems to less than it was several years ago); and sets with an inherent multi-purchase pattern (troop building) that motivates folks to go unusually deep. From these standpoints, exclusives are probably no different than national items....some national items can be just as hard to find locally but nationally on the average they are OK.

Will Hasbro start to offer store exclusives at HTS.com? I love some of the recent Target exclusives but I don’t have a Target within 30 miles and when I do make the trip, the pegs are empty and I have to pay 2x or 3x retail on ebay. If they sold even a small portion on HTS it would give people a better chance to get them! (YN, 6/09/06) (http://www.kid4life.com/yoda2/June06.htm)

Yes. Soon, fans may visit HTS.com and purchase a selection of exclusive items including the 501st SDCC figure, Titanium Series Gold TIE Advanced X1 Starfighter, and an all-new action figure collectors case. These limited edition collector cases (6"x9") are branded Hasbro, Star Wars, Lucas Film Limited and Kenner!

Expanded Universe (general)

I fully applaud the current direction you're taking with respect to the EU characters that are slated for 2007. I'm a big EU fan and especially love Timothy Zahn's creations. That said, I'm thrilled to see a new Thrawn, Mara and Bothan announced, or so I read. For the Bothan, what interpretation (source) will you be using for the figure? (I'm very partial to the old 'SW: Rebellion' computergame look for the Bothans myself) Also, are there currently plans to incorporate Talon Karrde, Joruus C'baoth and a Noghri into the line? (ST, 01/12/07)* (http://www.sandtroopers.com/smf/index.php?topic=5183.msg95927#msg95927)

Patience - with time, we hope to get to most of these pretty important figures (we're not sure about C'baoth though….he's lower than others).  As for Bothan reference, we'll probably take our cue from the Rogue Squadron-esque styling of Fey'laa and others which has been a consistent visual mainstay in many of the Dark Horse EU books.

What about 3 3/4" Fem Trooper (Female Stormtrooper) or female Imperial officers? (ST, 11/17/06)* (http://www.sandtroopers.com/smf/index.php?topic=5183.msg90683#msg90683)

We will probably be doing a female Imperial in the comic packs at some point, since there are some great characters there that we can work with and have storylines in which they play central roles.  However, female Stormtroopers just aren't a natural fit with anything so we will not be going there.  If female Stormies do appear in a future vehicle (such as TV, videogames, or comics) then we'll look at it.

The minis from Wizards of the Coast have covered a lot of territory and some cool designs (Basilisk War Droid!), any chance we'll see some of them offered as toys (or made in a larger scale)? (TJ, 11/17/06) (http://www.thejawa.com/yabbse/index.php?topic=6242.msg56818#msg56818)

We do enjoy the Star Wars Miniatures.  We might look to some of their new designs if they will get screen time in other media to help get broader acceptance of the concept.  Expensive new items in a 3-3/4" scale like you mention need extra support to get going (as opposed to say a figure deco we are passionate about and willing to take a chance on).

Since you are delving into the EU are there plans for figures such as Commander Faie, Commander Keller, Clone Assassins? (ST, 11/10/06)* (http://www.sandtroopers.com/smf/index.php?topic=5183.msg90011#msg90011)

These are good figures (the Commanders can be seen in action in Dark Horse's Republic comics series), but haven't found a specific opportunity for them yet.

What's stopping the production of a Bothan figure like Koth Melan, Borsk Fey'yla, or Asar Seil'lya? We know that's it's the standard EU debate all over again but we'd love to see who Mon Mothma is all shook up over. (FFURG, 10/6/06) (http://ffurg.com/hasbroqa.htm)

Heh. I can say that we will, at some point in the next few years, see one or more of these (Koth is a good one if we ever do more Shadows of the Empire figures). But it won't be near term. Patience..and know that Bothans are on our scanners.

Bothans are widely talked about in the Star Wars universe, yet we have never seen a definitive image of one, nor have we ever gotten a figure of one.  Can we ever hope to see some Bothans? (ST, 9/22/06)* (http://www.sandtroopers.com/smf/index.php?topic=5183.msg84994)

Yes, yes indeed.  If the schedule holds, you will see one at the very end of 2007.

2006 is the tenth anniversary of the multimedia project SOTE. Was there ever any thought given to commemorating this with a special figure, such as the designed-but-never-produced Guri? (SWC, 8/11/06) (http://www.swcollector.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=829)

We haven't given this any thought for 2006. Shadows was important for being the hallmark of the EU, an important predeccesor to many things to follow, and in that sense the spirit of Shadows has literally cast its shadow over the rest of the EU figures in our line next year.

Although he's been seen in Dark Horse Comics for some time, now that Darth Bane is also being featured in a novel (October 2006's DARTH BANE: PATH OF DESTRUCTION), could this at all influence the decision to make an action figure of the character? (SWC, 8/11/06) (http://www.swcollector.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=829)

Certainly he's an interesting character with an interesting prominence in Sith lore. We should get to him at some point, but there's a lot of great stuff to choose from in the EU.  Patience...

Now that he didn't win the Fan Choice, what are the chances of a figure of Nom Anor now?  Obviously from the Fan Choice, fans seem to be craving him.  How about some other Yuuzhan Vong figures as well? (YF, 8/11/06) (http://cgi.denpetersen.com/YAK1/viewtopic.php?t=600)

We won't comment on any more of the Fan's Choice figures until they get close to release….so you'll just have to stay tuned.

Now that Hasbro is officially out of the "EU Closet", how will you deal with fan requests like Luke Skywalker & Mara Jade wedding figures? That's got to be a tough sell. What's the approach? (GH, 8/11/06) (http://www.galactichunter.com/absolutenm/templates/full_article_template_1.asp?articleid=5675&zoneid=2)

There are SO many great EU figures to work with, from new Jedi and Rebels to new Imperial officers and troops, to classic but updated versions of the main Original Trilogy characters, to life after the Saga, to the phenomenal videogame characters, that it's a balancing act to try and get to the best of the best of the EU.  Hopefully, with time, we'll be able to cover a lot of these bases.  To answer your specific question, we'd like to tackle a great version of any EU figure before getting to the niche outfits (like a wedding set).  We think collectors would prefer the most iconic versions first, in this case the ready for action outfits.

Will Hasbro ever go back and expand on the Shadows of the Empire line by adding some characters that are prevalent in the book but did not make the figure assortment? (YN, 8/04/06)

Possibly, but our preference would be to go back and re-do (with current sculpting/articulation) some of those original Shadows figures first.

Why would Hasbro not give Quinlan Vos the Fans Choice figure on card like he deserves? Shouldn't the #1 vote get the figure on that particular card? Fans voted him in and giving it to Darth Revan seems like Master Vos is getting short-changed, since Hasbro has such a history with repacks, why did Quin get jobbed? (ST, 8/04/06)* (http://www.sandtroopers.com/smf/index.php?topic=5183.msg79339#msg79339)

Because Quinlan Vos was already in production for the comic 2-pack series. To take him out would have left an unfilled void in that series.  Because we wanted to be straight up with fans that he was the #1 winner, we also wanted to be straight up about why we went to the #2 for basic figures.  We look at it this way: it means more of the Top 25 figures will be done next year, which is a good thing.

EU us the big topic of the moment. Is there anything that is off-limits, like The Holiday Special? (GH, 8/04/06) (http://www.galactichunter.com/absolutenm/templates/full_article_template_1.asp?articleid=5652&zoneid=2)

Generally, there is nothing off limits.  However, we select figures based on the overall desirability and interest we think they will have. The Holiday Special has a few cool elements, but overall I don't think most collectors want to see us do too much with it. Nor does Lucasfilm!

Will there be a 5th wave of Star Tours figures? (AF, 7/26/06) (http://www.actionfigs.com/index.php?categoryid=12&p2_articleid=162)

Wave 4 will be the last wave.

Are there more non film-based Clone Troopers (Expanded Universe) planned as either part of the basic line or as exclusives for 2007? (SWC, 7/26/06) (http://www.swcollector.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=793)

Yes…but this may change as the exclusives plan is still a long way from being solidified.

Any plans for a Sith Lords Darth Bane or Darth Pelagius figures? (JI, 7/14/06) (http://jediinsider.com/index.php?catid=8&itemid=9661)

Not at the present time.

Back towards the end of the vintage line, there were plans for a line of Star Wars toys that were not based on the films, but rather all-new adventures and designs (see The Star Wars Collectors Archive for details). Would you ever consider revisiting this line with new sculpts and accessories? Or perhaps develop something new along these lines that's unique and original, yet still in the Star Wars style? (RS, 7/14/06) (http://www.rebelscum.com/story/front/Hasbros_5th_STAR_WARS_QA_The_Answers_99107.asp)

Interesting idea, but the answer is probably "no" unless those ideas have been brought into the EU somewhere. The only places we're really planning to explore outside of the six films and Clone Wars is the EU and the upcoming TV.

Could we see new SOTE figs as part of the EU line next year? (BTT, 6/30/06) (http://www.behindthetoys.com/forums/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=7347)

It's too early to announce the specifics of the EU line.

Also what are the chances of seeing more EU figures such as the Solo kids and more Quinlan Vos? (ST, 6/30/06)* (http://www.sandtroopers.com/smf/index.php?topic=5183.msg73217)

It's too early to release specifics of the EU line-up. There is only one certainty on the EU - there will be many, many figures that fans want to see made and not enough slots to cover them all, at le ast in 2007…so the best thing I can say is "patience."  If the EU line does well, chances are it will continue and eventually we could get to most or all of the higher-profile figures collectors want to see introduced or re-done.

When the Covert Ops Clone Trooper was offered on SWS.com, the product description said the trooper could be the 'debut of a possible new line of troopers released by Hasbro in the coming months.' Any update? (TJ, 6/23/06) (http://www.thejawa.com/yabbse/index.php?topic=5900.msg54272#msg54272)

Currently, Starwarsshop.com is offering Shadow Stormtrooper, which is a great example of an Extended Universe trooper.

What are the plans for the Expanded Universe? (JI, 6/16/06) (http://jediinsider.com/index.php?catid=8&itemid=9622)

A lot of great characters have been created in the Expanded Universe and we do plan to include some in the 2007 line. We can't release more details than that, but stay tuned.

I heard that Hasbro is thinking of adding a few EU figures into the mix for 2007, but will any of these figures include characters from novels? And, is there a ballpark figure on the number of EU figures that will be made next year? 2? 3? An entire wave? (POTF2, 6/16/06) (http://www.potf2.com/potj/forums/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=10278)
 
I can't give any more details beyond "wait and see." I know it's frustrating, but I'm glad people share the same passion for the EU as we do and Lucasfilm does.

Where does Hasbro see the future of the toy line moving? With the influx of non-movie, expanded universe characters gaining popularity from the books, video games, and television series, is there any consideration of pursuing a full line of these sort of characters? Even if not, will there remain occasional EU chase figures such as the Shadow Stormtrooper? (SWAN, 6/16/06)

Fantastic question. This really does go to the heart of the directions available since the future of the Star Wars entertainment, be it the new series, comics, video games, novels etc., is by definition EU. However it’ll be a balancing act I think, with demand for Saga based characters (Episodes 1-6) still extremely high for the next few years I see the movies still remaining the heart and soul of the line, but the EU occupying a prominent part. We will have a more concrete answer to at least one of your questions in our panel at comic con, so stay tuned.

What are the chances of seeing more Expanded Universe figures? The two TV series are still a couple of years out. It'd be neat to branch out and cover some of the EU that a lot of fans have been asking for. (The Kir Kanos is a step in the right direction) (AFI, 6/09/06) (http://www.actionfigureinsider.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=3510&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=15)

There are a lot of great characters created in the EU and we plan to include some of these in 2007. Stay tuned!

Will we be seeing more EU figures, especially characters beyond just clonetrooper repaints? (SSG, 6/09/06) (http://www.sirstevesguide.com/index.php?categoryid=13&p2_articleid=76)

Yes. There are great characters in the Expanded Universe and we plan to include some of these in 2007. Stay tuned!

With the awesome addition of Kir Kanos, how far does Hasbro plan on carrying on the Star Wars Expanded Universe theme? Plans for any vehicles? When can we expect them? (F, 6/09/06) (http://www.figures.com/databases/action.cgi?setup_file=fignews2.setup&category=actionfigures&topic=77&show_article=432&nl=1)

Both vehicles and EU will be an important part of the line in 2007.

Expanded Universe (comics)

With all the different, scene-specific versions of Vader made between 1995 and the present, it seems likely that Hasbro will soon have to delve into the EU for new versions of him. In the Dark Horse Comic one-shot Star Wars: Purge, Vader suffers some serious battle-damage at the hands of a group of Jedi. Any chance of seeing a figure of a beaten-but-unbowed Sith Lord somewhere up the line? (SWC, 01/26/07) (http://www.swcollector.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=950)

Yes, but it won't be the version from the Purge comic. Stay tuned…

In 2007 or 2008, are we going to see any Star Wars Legacy figures? We'd love to see a Darth Talon, Darth Kryat, Cade Skywalker, Delialah Blue and mostly the new Stormies and Imperial Knights. (ST, 11/17/06)* (http://www.sandtroopers.com/smf/index.php?topic=5183.msg90683#msg90683)

Not in 2007, since the comic pack line was "put to bed" before we knew about Legacy. But there's a high likelihood we'll see a couple figures in 2008.

How about a EU dark Jedi Sora Bulq, all it would take would be a repaint of the existing figure to dark colours, cloak and red sabre. (YF, 11/17/06) (http://cgi.denpetersen.com/YAK1/viewtopic.php?t=1051)

It would be a good one to do down the road. Some of the Republic issues that feature him are some of the best Dark Horse Clone Wars-era stories, and fertile territory not just for Sora Bulq, but other great off-screen Jedi as well. With all the great characters to work with, it'll just take time to get to them all.

Dark Horse Comics' new STAR WARS: LEGACY monthly is certainly stirring up the imaginations of figure customizers, with multiple Sith Lords and all-new Jedi and Stormtroopers. Any possibility of seeing figures from this comic in the next few years? (SWC, 11/10/06) (http://www.swcollector.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=895)

Not next year for sure (we locked down the year before we knew about Legacy), but it is a strong contender for future issues. This series certainly has some fantastic new characters, and if any fan isn't currently reading this title, they should be!

Expanded Universe (novels)

In previous Q&A's you have mentioned that it is difficult for Hasbro to design EU based figures due to a lack of visual reference material and that has led in part to the creation of the Comics 2-Pack line which has the visuals you need. I was wondering for EU characters from novels which do not have comic adaptations, would Hasbro consider using the various Novel covers, Reference Guides, and CCG Cards that exist depicting EU characters? (FFURG, 01/26/07) (http://ffurg.com/hasbroqa.htm)

If we select to do a novel-based character who does not have any comic appearances, then any other canonical artwork from any source would be valuable inspiration and would not be ruled out for that characters' appearance. It isn't our intent to re-create characters when good information already exists.

Hasbro's answers about making Expanded Universe figures based on the novels have suggested one of the reasons they're not as likely is because there are no singular visual representations of the characters. However, one of the licensed reference books currently out is "The Essential Guide To Characters" which use Lucasfilm-approved artwork of character likenesses from the novels that are not in the comics, such as many of the Yuuzhan Vong and the Solo Kids. Also, the Japanese cover art likenesses has been claimed as canon by Lucasfilm Licensing executive ficton & comic editor Sue Rostoni, these likenesses being used even on the StarWars.com EU main page as graphic elements. Will Hasbro consider using these sources for the inspiration for future EU action figures? (AF, 01/12/07) (http://www.actionfigs.com/index.php?categoryid=12&p2_articleid=162)

We will look at all possibilities to bring popular EU characters out wherever they originate, including novels. The challenge is that novel characters can really only slot into the basic figure line right now and those slots are for the most part driven by the movies and Clone Wars. The comic packs will all have comics, which will house most of the EU this year and next, and is a comic-based format. So that's where we will continue to concentrate our efforts. For the EU characters that are relatively unfamiliar to the larger Star Wars audience, this is important as our strategy has been to tell some of that story (via their comic appearances) so the context is understood and appreciated. Kids like comics too, so that is a great medium for them, as well as for collectors. Novel characters unfortunately have little visual reference and their story is tough to convey in context so they are at somewhat of a disadvantage. All that said, there will likely be some novel-based characters in the comic line either based on the novels Dark Horse has done, or because they are cross-over character who are in other comic stories. Keep in mind that we are aware of the interest and are looking for opportunities to get novel figures in where it makes sense and where they would be positioned for success, rather than failure.

In terms of the Comic Packs, is this going to be the only series of action figures looking solely on the Expanded Universe? Because that leaves a massive hole in everyone's collection. Especially seeing that, apart from Splinter of the Mind's Eye and The Thrawn Trilogy very few, if any, Star Wars books have been made into Comic Series. Do you intend to do a wave of EU figures in next year's or even 2008's series of figures based entirely on figures that couldn't possibly be included in the Comic Packs? (RS, 12/15/06) (http://www.rebelscum.com/story/front/Hasbros_22nd_STAR_WARS_QA_The_Answers_101683.asp)

Admittedly, books that do not have visual representation are very low in consideration for us, simply because we can't pack in a story as a way to convey the context for a figure that otherwise the broader audience may not be familiar with. We do not intend to slight the novel fanbase, but we do think we have some figures that will keep them very satisfied over the next couple of years. As we look to the future, we want to evaluate how we can better take advantage of the characters from the novels.

With non-movie stories becoming the future of Star Wars it seems like you are (will be) really jumping into tying in the comics and the future TV series into the toy line. The Legacy of the Force novel series is right in the thick of things now. Do you have plans in offering characters from this series or other novels into the line? (JTA, 12/01/06) (http://www.jeditemplearchives.com/content/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=2724)

First, I would rather say that we are embracing the EU storytelling right alongside of (and not replacing) the movies. The movies are the foundation and will remain that way for a good long time. We know the novels are looming out there, but it's tough to make the direct connection to figures since they are not an inherently visual media. We will have to see how these figures do on future fans' choice polls, and if the strength of the characters continues to resonate, we'll consider them.

We're getting the Sith Starfighter and Vader's astromech droid from the novel Dark Lord: The Rise of Darth Vader. Any chance of action figures based on characters from the book, such as Senator Fang Zar (who was also seen in Revenge of the Sith), or Jedi Roan Shryne and Padawan Olee Starstone? (SWC, 9/22/06) (http://www.swcollector.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=860)

We might get to those figures, but it won't be for a while. The novel figures don't have much visual reference, so it's tough to work them into the comic 2-packs. This means the only "home" for novel figures right now is the very competitive slots we have planned for EU figures in the mainline basic figure assortments.

Are there any plans at this time to release a figure of the "Darth Plagueis" character that will tie in to the book being written by James Luceno for release in 2008? (SWC, 7/26/06) (http://www.swcollector.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=793)

He's on our wish list….but not in 2007.

Is there any chance of seeing New Jedi Order figures in the near future? Either as a spin off line (like Clone Wars) or as a wave or two in The Saga Collection. (AFI, 6/30/06) (http://www.actionfigureinsider.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?p=32513&highlight=#32513)

You'll have to wait and see what figures are in the EU line as it unfolds. At some point they would be good to do, I agree.

When are we going to see a line of figures based on the Star Wars novels? The last expanded universe line was years ago. With the success of the book series it would be a perfect time for another EU line. Especially since we only have one figure of Mara Jade, the most popular EU character, and dozens of figures of characters that were in the movies. And I'm not including her bust, since it's only a convention exclusive. (YN, 6/23/06) (http://www.kid4life.com/yoda2/June06.htm)

You're right. The EU is fertile ground. We know that there are great characters in the EU and we plan to include some of these in 2007. Stay tuned!

Expanded Universe (video games)

With so many new Star Wars video games coming out these days, and with kids being so into video games these days, has there ever been thought about doing a line of figures based on them again? (JI, 12/15/06) (http://jediinsider.com/index.php?catid=8&itemid=9911)

Yes.

Are we ever going to see a Clone Blaze Trooper and a Clone Assassin Trooper from the Ep III game? (ST, 12/15/06)* (http://www.sandtroopers.com/smf/index.php?topic=5183.msg93251#msg93251)

They are not in the plans right now, but with the welcome reception to the Republic Commandos figures, we are looking to see what videogame inspired figures we could work into a future line.  We’ll take your suggestion into account.

After the success of Expanded Universe clones, is there a possibility that we could soon see some other EU troop builders like Sith Troopers or Mandalorians so Darth Revan won't be all alone in the Old Republic? Fans want more KOTOR figures! (RS, 10/6/06) (http://www.rebelscum.com/story/front/Hasbros_14th_STAR_WARS_QA_The_Answers_100520.asp)

We're looking at that. The EU has many great figures to choose from and we want to spread it around a bit. Stay tuned.

Can you shed any light on the Lethal Alliance line of toys, recently hinted at in the Wall Street Journal? Will they be a subline all its own, or a part of The 30th Anniversary Collection? (RS, 9/19/06) (http://www.rebelscum.com/story/front/Hasbros_11th_STAR_WARS_QA_The_Answers_99997.asp)

Lethal Alliance is the new PSP game launching in December from Ubisoft. We do not have any plans regarding this game right now.

With the announcement of the upcoming Darth Revan figure from the KOTR line of video games, there is an opportunity to have a figure, like ROTS Anakin #50, that could be two figures in one. One figure would wear the armor, mask, and cloak, while the other character, without giving away the ending, could be the actual jedi/sith character you play. How about it? (FFURG, 8/25/06) (http://www.ffurg.com/hasbroqa.htm)

That's a very interesting idea, but we were planning just a straight-up version of Revan. What you propose is an interesting twist on vidgames where you may start as one character but progress through the course of the game to become something very different.

A few customizers have made versions of the unique playable characters in the Battlefront video game series. Although there was one exclusive Scout Trooper for the first release, we'd love to see figures like the Rebel Sniper, Battledroid Sniper, 501st Jet Trooper, Arc Trooper Heavy Gunner, or AOTC Clone Jet Trooper be produced. In most cases, these figures could be repaints with new accurate weapons or accessories. This could be a repack internet exclusive through LucasArts or, even better, a Battlepack with copies of the games now that the price has come down. Is this even remotely a possibility or are we dreaming here? (FFURG, 8/25/06) (http://www.ffurg.com/hasbroqa.htm)

That is a very good idea and one we have been looking at with the immense success of BFII. However, while we're looking at it, there are no specific plans right now. It's on a short list of "wouldn't it be cool if." kind of ideas.

Will we be seeing the rest of the Republic Commando clone troopers in 2007? (YN, 7/14/06)

No.

It's interesting to see the number of characters from the EU make the top 25 in the current Fan's Choice Figure poll. The fact that 5 characters alone were from KotOR clearly suggests one thing...FANS WANT KOTOR FIGURES!

Without revealing the winner of the poll or even naming any specific characters (I realize that a lot is being kept secret until after Comic-Con), will there ever be any figures from KOTOR?
(RS, 7/14/06) (http://www.rebelscum.com/story/front/Hasbros_5th_STAR_WARS_QA_The_Answers_99107.asp)

Thanks for understanding that we're keeping the results of the Fan's Choice vote under wraps until Toy Fare has the opportunity to break the news. What we can say is that the Expanded Universe will be an important part of the line in 2007. (Dan's Note: Obviously, this was written before the winners were announced earlier this week.)

Can we see EU toys in the near future again? Like the popular KotOR game getting some toys? (A-F, 6/30/06) (http://www.action-figure.com/index.php?name=News&file=article&sid=19837)

The EU is fertile ground. We know that there are great characters in the Expanded Universe and we plan to include some of these in 2007. Stay tuned!

With the recent success of Clone Commando Scorch flying off the shelves is there any plans to make his 3 pod brothers - Boss, Sev, and Fixer? (F, 6/23/06) (http://www.figures.com/databases/action.cgi?setup_file=fignews2.setup&category=actionfigures&topic=77&show_article=440)

Good question … but the answer will have to wait until Comic-Con!
Title: Re: The Hasbro Q & A Archive, Categorized For Your Pleasure
Post by: Matt on July 27, 2006, 09:22 PM
Fan Relations

Does Hasbro want to know why I decided to pass on purchasing a certain Star Wars product or why I'm not entirely satisfied with a product that I was on the fence on but decided to try anyway? If so, what is the best way to communicate this information? Can you tell us a specific website, email, or phone number that is best to use for this? What specific information should we include (product's name, UPC, etc)? (SWC, 3/02/06) (http://www.swcollector.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=980)

Sure. You can send us any and all comments on our product line (not just Star Wars of course) to our Customer Service center at hasbro.com. Check it out - we've made it pretty easy to get to where you need to go. This feedback is collected and gets back to the team periodically. Regarding products that are defective or are unsatisfying for a specific reason, information on the products' specific name and UPC code is vital to connect your comment to the issue. The more specific you are, the better. In cases where you didn't choose to purchase a certain item, keep in mind that you may not be the intended target market for that item and your feedback in that case would be less valuable to us. On collector-targeted lines we try to keep up with the various message boards for feedback in any case, so we advise the community to keep doing what they are doing and talk about the products on different forums.

Will Hasbro try to hit more conventions to showcase their products since we'll never see a movie again or will CIV be the main focus? (ST, 01/26/07)* (http://www.sandtroopers.com/smf/index.php?topic=5183.msg98094#msg98094)

We will once again showcase our Fall line at the SDCC this year (in addition to CIV).  We'd like to be at more fan events in person, but the travel schedule for the team is what prevents us from committing to more shows than we can handle.  Both conventions are a great time to meet with fans face to face and discuss the line, and we'll continue to support those shows.

Since the beginning of these Q & A's, (which I want to thank you for by the way) is there any upcoming product that has been given the go-ahead as a direct result of an idea from them, that perhaps otherwise wouldn't have been? I understand if you can't give out specifics right now, though if you did, it would be appreciated. (YF, 12/15/06) (http://cgi.denpetersen.com/YAK1/viewtopic.php?t=1169)

There are a couple important ones. First, there are the Fans' Choice figures in the Saga Legends assortment for next year. While we do read the fan boards to see what folks are talking about, it was the questions about character reissues that got us to thinking about straight re-issues for some characters, which we would otherwise probably never have gotten to (like Pit Droids, for example). That led to the vote, which really was an amazing thing and the end result is that we were able to accommodate many figures and many types of figures (troops, droids, and characters). The multi-pack of Battle Stands that will be coming out from HasbroToyShop next year is a another good example of something that we wanted to do at some point, but did not trigger specifically until the early Q&As got us to bring forward and finish the idea (look for these in May - 40 stands from all six films + some EU, for $9.99). Other than that, no specific new ideas have sprung from the Q&A, but some of the questions and back-and-forth have given us more confidence in pursuing certain ideas, some of which I cannot discuss right now.

What's been the biggest learning point that you've taken away from participating in the first 20 Q&A sessions? Has there been anything in particular that made you sit back and think, "wow, those crazy collectors are really after product X?" Have there been any specific products set into motion for 2008 or beyond based on the collective Q&A input? (JD, 12/08/06) (http://www.jedidefender.com/newspro/fullnews.cgi?newsid1165615405,87807,)

Interesting question. If anything, it has been that our intuition and interest in expanding into the EU definitely struck a vein of fan interest and the large number of EU-related questions have enabled us to think as broadly as possible about the prospects and think about other opportunities. Another thing we have taken away is that beyond the EU, we think that we have been constructing the whole line in a way that touches upon many, if not all, of the specific sub-classes of figures and themes that fans like at least as far as the figure and vehicle selection goes that fans have been asking about. If fans are asking detailed questions that is good for us and helps us think more deeply about things. Of course, the hardest thing about the Q&A is holding ourselves back a bit in our answers and not "spilling the beans" about the exciting things we have coming out. We prefer to keep things as close to the vest as possible so we have new things to talk about, and not have the line gradually revealed all the way until the end of 2008.

Back at the start of the modern line of 3.75" figures Hasbro (well, probably then Kenner) used to post design sketches of the figures (front, back, and side view) on their website along with a photo of the finished product. I LOVED this feature, as it was interesting to see how the figure was conceptualized as well as how it changed (if applicable) along its path to finished product. This has also been done with a number of the Fan's Choice figures. Might there be a chance to see some "behind-the-scenes" sketches on current/upcoming figures on your site? With the vast improvement and sophistication of articulation (thank you!) has the design process changed? Has the process of developing a figure shifted from drawings on paper to something else? (RS, 12/01/06) (http://www.rebelscum.com/story/front/Hasbros_20th_STAR_WARS_QA_The_Answers_101619.asp)

The process itself is still very similar but involves more tech, as you might guess (drafting onto a pad vs paper in many cases), but the essential input remains the same. It's just a matter of time and priorities regarding getting this out on the website, and partly, it's a victim of wanting to try and hold some new product news as close to the vest as possible (on Star Wars, the ability to surprise and excite is challenging!). We have been prioritizing other types of content for the website, and since the process of how figures are produced has been told before, we didn't think there was a lot of new news there.

What question are you guys most tired of answering -or if you'd like to be more diplomatic- Which question have you been asked the most since this feature started? (RS, 12/01/06) (http://www.rebelscum.com/story/front/Hasbros_20th_STAR_WARS_QA_The_Answers_101619.asp)

It's all fair game, after all, that's what the Q&A is about. We welcome the chance to explain our decisions and thinking. We are often asked about our approach to maintaining balance in the lines, such as the fact that kids are as important to us as collectors, which some collectors still don't recognize as a very positive sign of health for the future of the brand; the misperception that the Greatest Hits means that the regular basic figure line is disrupted, etc. Or questions that require some more detail on the business situation (like the case for playsets). It's all good dialogue and we're happy that we can make it as 2-way as possible.

Will Hasbro have a presence at Celebration Europe, or only at CIV? (JTA, 11/17/06) (http://jeditemplearchives.com/content/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=2691)

We will be at both shows.

I remember when I was a kid and played with G.I. Joe's that you had a really awesome promotion, as a matter of fact, my all-time favorite promotion that you have ever done.  The promotion was that you make your own G.I. Joe of yourself.  I remember that everyone got the same Joe but what was really neat was that the toy was named whatever you wanted it to be named and you got to create your own battle stats for it.  Any chance we will see this done for Star Wars, maybe as an awesome Fan Club exclusive.  All you really need to do is mail out a Stormtrooper with a piece of paper with the selected stats and name. (ST, 10/6/06)* (http://www.sandtroopers.com/smf/index.php?topic=5183.msg86699#msg86699)

Ah yes, the Steel Brigade promotion.  Unfortunately, this is a time-intensive and not an inexpensive promotion and we just don't think it would get that much interest.  Believe it or not, we have looked at the feasibility of custom heads on other lines, Joe in particular, and just can't get past the huge cost and time involved.  It's just not something we're set up to do, which is deliver higher volume products to retail.

Any plans to do something with Jedi Points, like to use for a mail-away figure? (JI, 9/01/06) (http://jediinsider.com/index.php?catid=8&itemid=9767)

We've discussed this, but it's still murky. We're not sure how many people were influenced to discard their points after the eBay auction last year. These are the people who could become upset since they were led to believe that the points would be useless. So....what do you think is the reality? Did people toss them out or get rid of them, and would they be upset if we did something with them? Should we just start all over with fresh points, like we did with the Lucas Stormtrooper mail-in?

Has Hasbro considered offering small amounts of booth space at shows for certain collector sites / fans to use to educate people or show off their collections? This could be an interesting way to involve the SW community and have value-add for booth visitors. (BTT, 8/25/06) (http://www.behindthetoys.com/forums/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=7376)

Our booth space is allocated down to the square foot for all participating brands along with HTS.com, so having the space to host something like this is a challenge. It's an interesting way of building "community" and that's always a great thought.

How come Hasbro hasn't made it out to Wizard World Chicago in three years? (ST, 8/25/06)* (http://www.sandtroopers.com/smf/index.php?topic=5183.180)

We would like to go to more shows, but the crushing reality is the amount time the marketing and R&D teams spend preparing for and attending the shows to do it up right. It's difficult to stay on top of the product line when we're out too much.  Multiply that by all of the brand teams across the Hasbro Boys group and it makes sense to focus on one great show every year plus the occasional extra mandatory convention like CIV.

How is a big company like Hasbro adapting to the smaller, niche companies' personal relationships (through things like blogs and podcasts) with the collecting audience? (GH, 8/11/06) (http://www.galactichunter.com/absolutenm/templates/full_article_template_1.asp?articleid=5675&zoneid=2)

We just don't have the personnel to be able to build the more personal relationships like some of the smaller companies are able to do.  This weekly Q&A is a good opportunity to be able to address a wide range of questions & provide more info to fans, so we look forward to continuing this as a weekly event.  Please keep encouraging fan questions & we'll get to them weekly.

Do you look at fans' customs of figures to get ideas for desirable characters that haven't been made or for improvements over previously made figures? (JTA, 8/04/06) (http://www.jeditemplearchives.com/content/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=2406)

We don't intentionally review customs for ideas. Our design team has more ideas for figures (and improvements) than we can possibly get to in any year.
 
How does Hasbro generally feel about Star Wars customizing (figures, ships etc.) in general? (JTA, 8/04/06) (http://www.jeditemplearchives.com/content/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=2406)

The fan base is a truly great community, and the depth of passion, energy and creativity is amazing.  Our team is driven by this same passion, and it's great to know that this similar enthusiasm is out there on a massive scale in the fan community.

The Jedi Master Points auction still left quite a few collectors empty handed.  Is there another project to look forward to for turning in our thousands of Jedi Master Points? (ST, 7/26/06)* (http://www.sandtroopers.com/smf/index.php?topic=5183.120)

Excellent question and one that we need a little more info on.  Did collectors toss out Jedi Master Points after the auction, or keep them?   We don't want to upset those collectors who thought that there would never be a use for them and tossed them away.  Can you dig a little deeper for us on this by questioning your readers on what they did with their points?

FOLLOWUP:  I have reason to believe many collectors DID hang on to their Jedi Points, would Hasbro be willing to explore a poll or gauge an interest on their Star Wars Hasbro page? (ST, 8/04/06)* (http://www.sandtroopers.com/smf/index.php?topic=5183.msg79339#msg79339)

Yes, we might look at a poll, but the question is really the opposite.  The key question is this....did some fans discard their Jedi Master points because they thought they would never be used again?  If so, then doing something with them now would upset those fans and it would be best to just abandon the idea of using points for good.

Have there been any surprises (good or bad) from the Hasbro perspective to come out of the Q & A? (TJ, 7/26/06) (http://www.thejawa.com/yabbse/index.php?topic=5900.msg55268#msg55268)

We are incredibly pleased and encouraged by the passion that our fans continue to demonstrate week in and week out and we look forward to diving into each week's submissions!

While we know that Hasbro doesn't take requests per se, does 'the team' consider input from fans who post ideas in the various forums (e.g. people who want a Battle Pack with an Eopie in it)? (GH, 7/26/06) (http://www.galactichunter.com/absolutenm/templates/full_article_template_1.asp?articleid=5618&zoneid=2)

We do read the forums, so we are aware of fan chatter.  We have to look at the broader market and judge the merit of an idea against the greater market demand for figures/scenes.  The demand from some vocal collectors may be there, but it may not make the best decision to release that idea ahead of others we have.

What is Hasbro planning on doing to make purchasing their product more fan/collector friendly? (ST, 6/30/06)* (http://www.sandtroopers.com/smf/index.php?topic=5183.msg73217)

Can you please elaborate?  (EDITOR'S NOTE:  (http://images.dvdtalk.com/images/smilies/rotflmao.gif) )

The Force Unleashed

Star Wars: The Force Unleashed is already generating a lot of gaming buzz and the Toy Fair figure reveal has the toy buzz going too! Will the recently announced delay in the game’s release date affect the release of the figures? Also, what are the 2 Trooper types shown at Toy Fair? Do they have names yet? (JD, 3/16/07) (http://www.jedidefender.com/newspro/fullnews.cgi?newsid1174087119,84197,)

We will be pushing back all of our The Force Unleashed product with the exception of the new Lightsaber with spring-activated hilt guards. We know that the figures that were shown at Toy Fair really whet a lot of appetites, and trust us, they will be worth the wait! In the meantime, the place in the calendar previously marked for the TFU figures will be occupied by wave 8 of the basic figures which had been pushed out to make room for the TFU wave (wave 9). So there won't be any gaps in the delivery of new figures to the shelves late this Fall.

The two troopers do not have official names yet, as LucasArts is still nailing down the details. By the time we need to deliver packaging they will be final but we have some time yet for that.


Will the delay of the Star Wars Force Unleashed video game to 2008 have an effect on the release of the toys based on the game? (JI, 3/16/07) (http://jediinsider.com/index.php?catid=8&itemid=10114)

(See JD, 3/16/07 (http://www.jedidefender.com/newspro/fullnews.cgi?newsid1174087119,84197,).)

Will the delay of "The Force Unleashed" next-gen video game until April 2008 mean the delay of Hasbro's game-based action figures? (SWC, 3/16/07) (http://www.swcollector.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=986)

(See JD, 3/16/07 (http://www.jedidefender.com/newspro/fullnews.cgi?newsid1174087119,84197,).)

The Force Unleashed figures shown at Toy Fair were very impressive.  What are the names of all of the characters in that wave?  And when can we expect this to be released?  Will their release coincide with the release of the video game? (TJ, 3/16/07) (http://www.thejawa.com/yabbse/index.php?topic=6379.msg58223#msg58223)

(See JD, 3/16/07 (http://www.jedidefender.com/newspro/fullnews.cgi?newsid1174087119,84197,).)  The final characters names are not all in (especially for the troopers and the Samurai Jedi) and won't be until a little later.  We will probably have the final lineup with us at Comic Con.

Foreign distribution

Will the final 22 The Saga Collection figures be available in Canada? (AF, 11/10/06) (http://www.actionfigs.com/index.php?categoryid=12&p2_articleid=162)

We're looking at that right now. Most will come in with the Wal-Mart exclusive wave, but all may not be available. We are working with the Canadian team on a way to make sure collectors have a chance to get them all between now and spring. Stay tuned...

UK collectors have been fed rumours of a cantina band tin set as a Toys "R" Us exclusive. This was thought to be part of the "spend £50 and receive free tin set" promotion until now. Will this set actually be available to the UK, and if so, when? (RS, 11/10/06) (http://www.rebelscum.com/story/front/Hasbros_18th_STAR_WARS_QA_The_Answers_101182.asp)

The Cantina tin (a Wal-Mart exclusive this Fall in the U.S.) will not be shipping to TRU in the U.K.

Why has the Canadian line remained intact and not been replaced just by throwing French stickers on American cards? (POTF2, 8/25/06) (http://www.potf2.com/potj/forums/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=10573)

We produce our basic figure cards already for the three biggest SW collector countries (U.S., U.K., and Germany) and there are extra texts and symbols for these as a result. Adding French and legal marks for Canada would be too much for the packaging to support, and as a result, the Canadian team adapts their product as they determine the Canadian market requires it.

Hi I am curious about certain star wars figures that I get in Canada. Why is there no pictures or artwork on the card backs here but all of the other figures from the U.S. and Europe have a shot from the film or the picture on the back? Is Canada a sort of clearance warehouse for a lot of Star Wars merchandise? We need more Canadian "Exclusives" because we have no Target of Best Buy or KB toys. Thanks for hearing me out. (JTA, 8/04/06) (http://www.jeditemplearchives.com/content/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=2406)

The backs (and sometimes bottom) of the carded figure packaging is often changed by market to meet the requirements of importing product into that particular country, or because the assortment is different than the product offered to the U.S. market.  We are working on getting U.S. exclusives wider distribution in Canada.

I have a long list of items that aren't coming out in the UK or other parts of Europe. Why doesn't Hasbro get said toys in limited quantities via FOB and sell them through their web shops to supply the demand? (RS, 6/16/06) (http://www.rebelscum.com/story/front/Hasbros_STAR_WARS_Weekly_QA_Session_The_Answers_98957.asp)

While all of our domestic (U.S.) products are made availabe to retailers in other regions, that does not necessarily mean that they will see retail distribution in that area - some of these things are out of our control.

Why do we not have the entire line of Star Wars 3" 3/4 product here in FRANCE in our supermarket. Why should we rely on specialized toy shops or the internet to be able to get a complete collection and pay overpriced items ( I mean US customers paid what $8 max when in FRANCE, in US currency, each fig costs $ 13 MINIMUM!) Also why do our neighbors country (Germany and Great Britain ) have the VOTC line in their stores and we could get the George Lucas in Stormtrooper Disguise ? (YN, 6/16/06) (http://www.kid4life.com/yoda2/June06.htm)

It's up to retailers in EU regions to decide whether to carry the full or a partial line. There are very large collecting bases in both the UK and Germany, so that is why you see more offerings, including many exclusives in these countries. The best I can say is to let your retailer know, that you would like to see them carry more Star Wars collector lines.

Galactic Heroes

Hasbro has previously said that vehicles for the GH line did not sell well, but the only vehicles that have been released in the GH line itself are 2 re-releases of previous Playskool vehicles at higher pricepoints and 2 transforming vehicles taken from an unrelated line. The GH line has only 2 movie vehicles to choose from, the Millennium Falcon and the X-wing, but no vehicles for them to fight. Given that there is now a TIE Fighter Pilot, it seems only natural to make a TIE Fighter around the same size as the X-wing. What might be done to rectify this situation? Also, are there any plans to re-release any of the SW Playskool figures or elements that have not yet been offered in the GH line, such as Wicket or the Wampa or the Naboo Fighter? (SSG, 01/26/07) (http://www.sirstevesguide.com/index.php?categoryid=13&p2_articleid=76)

We are looking at the GH vehicle situation, and agree with you that they deserve another shot. However, before we commit to new vehicles, we have some research to do with kids to get at what they want to see to further their GH experience. We are also looking at getting some of the other un-released Playskool figures and vehicles back out there.

Are there any plans for producing Galactic Hero Playsets? Given the size of the figures, success of the line, and the fact that nearly all of them now have holes in the feet... it would seem to be a natural course to take. The Falcon was awesome especially since it doubled as a ship and playset. I know a six year old who would love to see a Death Star, Arena Battle, or Hoth playset sitting on his floor. (YF, 01/12/07) (http://cgi.denpetersen.com/YAK1/viewtopic.php?t=1303)

We are looking at ways to expand the Galactic Heroes play pattern but have not settled on our solution and whether that would be vehicles, playsets, creatures, cardboard playsets, or more. We do think that there is a need for more fun things to play with in addition to collect so we will look for ways to bring those to market. Stay tuned....

Any chance we can see the Galactic Heroes figures released in two-packs of Clone Troopers like was done with the Stormtroopers a few years back? Fans really like the 501st and Shocktrooper Galactic Heroes figures and would like to get more, but they don't want to get several Palpatines and Sith-Eyes Anakins. (RS, 11/17/06) (http://www.rebelscum.com/story/front/Hasbros_19th_STAR_WARS_QA_The_Answers_101317.asp)

We are doing other troop packs next year, we just haven't slotted in any clones. We'll look at that when we get an opportunity. Thanks for the suggestion.

I love the Galactic Heroes line and would love to see them in a larger scale. Any chance we would see them in a 4" or 6" scale? (YN, 11/17/06)

We haven't considered that, preferring to keep our product development focused on the main scale.

With the upcoming 10-pack Cinema Scenes in both the Galactic Heroes and Unleashed lines, you must know that you run the risk of driving completists away from this line (since they won't want to spend that much money for 8 or 9 figures that they already have just to get the one or two new exclusive ones). You must also know that you (and the retail stores) also run the risk of having numerous sets tampered with as frustrated collectors (for the aforementioned reason) pull the old "figure swap" by removing the exclusive figure(s), replacing them with some older figure(s), and then (fraudulently) returning them back to the stores. So my question is, will the few exclusive figures to these sets be made available separately at some point to avoid these potential problems? If not, why stick it to the fans of these lines like this? (JD, 11/03/06) (http://www.jedidefender.com/newspro/fullnews.cgi?newsid1162583907,82982,)

We have no plans right now to bring these figures forward as part of the 2-packs. One thing we've learned is that there seems to be quite a few families playing and collecting Galactic Heroes together. We thought that this is a great pack to share, so adult collectors could get figures with some variations they wouldn't see otherwise and we might never do, and kids could get some figures they might not have. So that's why we went with adding new when we could, and it turned out that some packs have quite a bit of fresh figures. One thing to mention, too....is that fans can entirely remove the blister packaging from the inner package and use it as a cool cardboard playset. For the Unleashed, this is more of a troop building play pattern and the new troops, we felt, were important to include. There are also no plans to bring those out in 4-packs.

The waves of the new Galactic Heroes (Han/Greedo/ Wedge/TIE Pilot, etc.) figures have been very hard to find in the retail outlets. Is this because of any decreased interest from the retailers or has the arrivial of the wave been slowed due to changes made in the paint apps of the troopers? (YN, 10/22/06)

The demand for Galactic Heroes continues to be high�.hang in there, more are on the way.

Any chance we'll see new vehicles in the Galactic Heroes line?  The figures are great, but we really need a TIE Fighter, and re-releasing the X-Wing, even the dune buggy variety, can't tell the whole story on how a new ship would sell. (TJ, 9/19/06) (http://www.thejawa.com/yabbse/index.php?topic=5900.msg56094#msg56094)

Galactic Heroes certainly has captivated both kids and collectors, and we think there is a vehicle opportunity, but we have not figured out yet the exact solution. It's a longer-term initiative in any case. Stay tuned!

Any chance of a Galactic Heroes carry case? My son has a ton of these and hauls them everywhere. (YF, 9/19/06) (http://cgi.denpetersen.com/YAK1/viewtopic.php?t=773)

That is a good point and while we don't have a specific solution in mind yet, we are looking at options. It will not be next year in any case.

Are any plans for a GH TIE Fighter vehicle to go along with the X-Wing Fighter currently out? (ST, 8/25/06)* (http://www.sandtroopers.com/smf/index.php?topic=5183.180)

There are no plans for GH vehicles for now.  The sales, both to kid AND collector, have been way over on the figure side.  The vehicles we released last year struggled, even with the influx of kids into the market.  So.... what are kids doing with them?  Probably what a lot of their dads do...collect them.  That's why vehicles are a tough sell right now.  But we're passionate about the concept & we'll look for news ways to approach the play pattern, but they may or may not involve vehicles.

The new Galactic Heroes Luke & Han Stormtroopers have different paint apps than the previous stormtrooper & different from what is shown on the packaging. Specifically, the black stripe above the eyes is missing. Was this intentional or a paint application that will be ""fixed""?" (YN, 8/11/06)

The paint application will be corrected. It was a mistake that was not caught until Comic Con and will be a running change if not from piece 1.

In an earlier question, you blamed soft sales for the absense of vehicles & subsequent focus on figures in the GH line. If my memory serves me correctly, since the Playskool line was re-launched as GH, there has not been one single "new" vehicle introduced outside of EU kit-bashed contraptions. Have you completely written off the possibility of testing a "new" movie version of a GH ship given the current popularity & exposure of the line (which far exceeds the Playskool launch w/vehicles)? Or can we still hold out hope the little guys will have something besides a small handful of aging ships to climb into in the not-too-distant future? Something like the TIE Fighter or AT-AT w/exclusive figure pack-ins would compliment existing sets nicely & have broad appeal. (RS, 7/26/06) (http://www.rebelscum.com/story/front/Hasbros_6th_STAR_WARS_QA_The_Answers_99263.asp)

That is true, but given their iconic nature of the MF and X-Wing, we expected them to do better. What it points to is that kids did not embrace vehicles, which was a surprise given the apparent kid appeal of the line. We won't rule out vehicles at some point, perhaps with animation, but for now we will not be pursuing the introduction of vehicles because it appears vehicles appeal to a very small subset of the GH consumers.

Will the Darth Tater Backpack Dangler ever be offered in the regular Galactic Heroes packaging, say with a Spud Trooper or Artoo-Detater? (AFI, 6/30/06) (http://www.actionfigureinsider.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?p=32513&highlight=#32513)

No specific plans, but it's an interesting idea.

What more can we expect from the youth-inducing Star Wars Galactic Heroes line of super deformed figures? My kid loves 'em. (Ok, so do I:) (F, 6/30/06) (http://www.figures.com/databases/action.cgi?setup_file=fignews2.setup&category=actionfigures&topic=77&show_article=442&nl=1)

Galactic Heroes has been very successful, and these guys will definitely be continuing for the foreseeable future, with a combination of fan favorite characters and new sculpts in the mix.

The Galactic Heroes figures continue to be very popular and it’s great to see some coming back out. Many of the figures are now selling for insanely high prices on the secondary market. Is there any chance that we will see a re-release of some of those figures that have yet to be announced? Namely the Padme / Anakin and Jango /Obi-Wan sets? (YN, 6/23/06) (http://www.kid4life.com/yoda2/June06.htm)

Didn't get Derryl before leaving - we'll email him directly as soon as we have an answer.

With it’s seemingly good success, is the Galactic Heroes line planned for a long life? (BTT, 6/23/06) (http://www.behindthetoys.com/forums/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=7338)

Galactic Heroes has been very successful, and these guys will definitely be continuing for the foreseeable future, with a mix of fan favorite characters and new sculpts in the mix.

Any plans for GH passed in the upcoming line (Wedge, Stormy Luke and Han) -- including GH vehicles or playsets? (AFI, 6/16/06) (http://www.actionfigureinsider.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=3510&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=27)

Galactic Heroes has been very succesful, and these guys will defintely be continuing for the foreseaable future, with a mix of fan favorite characters and new scuplts in the mix. However, the GH line has proven itself to be figure-driven and the vehicles have struggled, so we're just concentrating on figures at scale. But there are some great concepts coming for this series....stay tuned for details.

Georgetrooper

How come it takes so long to mail out the George Lucas figure? (ST, 11/03/06)* (http://www.sandtroopers.com/smf/index.php?topic=5183.msg89120#msg89120)

It depends on the workload at the time at our redemption facility, which is why we allow for a window for delivery.  Sometimes it takes less!

The George Lucas Mail-away figure redemption form stated that the offer is available 'while supplies last'. How limited is this figure? What is the approximate production run? Is there any chance this figure might run out before the December 31 mail-in deadline? (JTA, 10/6/06) (http://jeditemplearchives.com/content/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=2570)

We don't release numbers on our production runs for any figure, even exclusive promotional figures like this. As of now, unless there is larger-than-anticipated last minute surge, we will have enough to honor all submissions.

Would you consider the mail-away premium George Lucas figure a successful campaign? What are the plans (if any) for future mail-away exclusive items? Any plans on venturing outside the action figure arena and maybe offering something like display stands or other unique accessories like we saw during the vintage days? (JTA, 9/22/06) (http://jeditemplearchives.com/content/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=2540)

We like the idea of continuing to do promotions. The GWL Stormtrooper promo was certainly a success in showing retailers that we have ideas that get collectors excited and drive traffic to retail, and sell-through was very good overall. Retailers look forward to the next wave next year. There were two key learnings, though, that can inform our future plans:
  1) What did not succeed, and this is something we have to constantly work on, was the requirements for the redemption. We should have anticipated that Scout Troopers (and to a lesser extent Lukes and Tuskens) would be heavily picked regionally and disrupt the redemption model;
  2) It was something of a surprise, but the number of actual redemptions was smaller than we thought compared to the number of sets sold through. A lot of collectors have apparently chosen to keep their clamshells sealed, which means the number of GWL figures in circulation is going to be less than we originally anticipated and built for. This, though, is an unfortunate byproduct of having to heat-seal the clamshell to prevent theft of the stickers. So...despite all of that, we do plan another promotion next year and hopefully it will be smooth with tweaks from our learnings.


Will the Georgetrooper ever end up on HTS.com Once the promotion ends if you still have stock left? (YN, 8/11/06)

It will not.  It will ONLY be available via the mail-in promotion.

My check has been cashed, so when can we expect to see the Lucastrooper hitting the mailboxes? (YN, 6/23/06) (http://www.kid4life.com/yoda2/June06.htm)

Anytime now…

Are the American and Canadian Proof of Purchase tabs on the Vintage Saga Collection figures interchangeable? Can I still redeem my Lucas Trooper if I have mix of Canadian and American tabs on my certificate? (RS, 6/16/06) (http://www.rebelscum.com/story/front/Hasbros_STAR_WARS_Weekly_QA_Session_The_Answers_98957.asp)

Yes.
Title: Re: The Hasbro Q & A Archive, Categorized For Your Pleasure
Post by: Matt on July 27, 2006, 09:24 PM
Greatest Battles/Heroes and Villains/Saga Legends assortments

How many waves/figures will we see in the Saga Legends line? (JTA, 12/01/06) (http://www.jeditemplearchives.com/content/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=2724)

Saga Legends will have four waves, with the Fans' Choice coming in the last two. However, there will be multiple remixes of these waves just like the regular basic figure line.

The Heroes & Villains, Greatest Battles, and other figure re-hash lines have been teeming the pegs at all of our stores.  This begs the question: are these product lines actually profitable?  Hasbro has frequently stated that one of the reasons (if not the only reason) for this re-packing is to filter popular characters to younger collectors, who ultimately only want the popular characters.  Is this philosophy based on the actual sales of these type of figures, or focus groups of children who may or may not be collectors? Will Hasbro provide a comprehensive analysis that demonstrates their philosophy that lines like Heroes & Villains and Greatest Battles ACTUALLY sell?  Doesn't the mass amount of figures from these re-hash lines collecting dust, while waves of the new line are selling well, demonstrate that younger collectors--like older collectors--are also more interested in new product?  Does this lack of sales of the Heroes & Villains/Greatest Battles waves cause stores such as Wal-Mart and Target to purchase less Star Wars figures from other lines of new product such as The Saga Collection and, potentially, the upcoming 30th anniversary line? (ST, 11/10/06)* (http://www.sandtroopers.com/smf/index.php?topic=5183.msg90011#msg90011)

We use both market sales data and research with kids to inform our decision-making.  In the case of the Episode III greatest hits figures, we took sales data from Episode III and selected the best-selling figures who still had some ways to go with their sales potential.  As you recall from last year, we had huge demand and many kids couldn't get their favorites by the end of the year.  We have been chasing this demand all year.

At FFURG, we're quite excited about the new fan poll at Rebelscum for next year's Greatest Hits (GH) as it will give customizers an opportunity to obtain many figures that are currently quite scarce on the secondary market. You've stated in previous Q&As on other sites that the GH are a separate collection from the main collection of new releases. Does it concern Hasbro that the pegs in stores are full of GH figures that aren't moving, leaving no room for other waves of new figures? We're concerned that if there's no room on the pegs, we won't see much of the 2007 GH waves. Is it simply the result of having this year's GH figures be such recent releases from EP3? Do you feel 2007 line of GH figures, with the entire saga to draw from, will do better than the current 2006 GH? (FFURG, 11/03/06) (http://www.ffurg.com/hasbroqa.htm)

Actually the situation is the reverse, which is why we like to remind folks that what they see (or would like to believe) does not reflect the real, national situation for Star Wars. But it does give us a chance to explain. Flow of new stock in to retail is automated based on stock levels and the need to replace sold inventory. The Greatest Hits figures are flying even faster than the main collection, due largely to a huge amount of kids engaged in the brand (a very good thing). However, since they are separately managed from a stock perspective (there are two different assortments set up, like Coll 1/Coll 2), with dedicated pegs, the abundance or lack thereof of Greatest Hits has nothing to do with the stock levels of the regular Saga assortment. And thanks for the support on the Fan's Choice vote!

Staying on the 2007 GH subject, will the winning figures be straight repacks or, if an opportunity presents itself, will the figures be upgraded, through kit-bashing, with improved sculpts, articulation, and/or weapons? For example, would you simply reissue Dak Ralter if he wins the vote or would you use the old head on the new Zev Senesca body, which would be a much better figure? (FFURG, 11/03/06) (http://www.ffurg.com/hasbroqa.htm)

The figures would be straight repacks. We decided to go this route simply because it made it the easiest to get the fan vote boiled down and also because we do not have the ability to go in and have our design team design more "new" figures at this stage since tooling and deco take time (which we don't have) and resources which are being spent on delivering the already planned new figures in 2007. However, one great by-product of the Fans' Choice vote is that they have helped identify figures that deserve an update even though they may not be in the final 8....like Dak.

Would Hasbro consider changing the Greatest Hits-style line to have packaging different from the regular basic line, the cardback graphics being more different than they currently are, so both it and the regular line draw unique attention from each other? (SSG, 11/03/06) (http://www.sirstevesguide.com/index.php?categoryid=13&p2_articleid=76)

We work with Lucasfilm very closely on the differentiation of each line. It's felt that a "family" look is more important than a different look, and that is why there are small changes between the two rather than very large ones. This is likely to be the case next year for the 30th Greatest Hits line as well.

Why aren't all the SW forum boards voting on the inclusion for next year's Greatest Hits line? (SSG, 11/03/06) (http://www.sirstevesguide.com/index.php?categoryid=13&p2_articleid=76)

In the future, if we run another such poll, we will probably do it differently to make sure we get the widest possible net-wide participation. Ideas range from selecting a smaller subset of figures for voting and allowing all sites to send back results, or possibly using the Hasbro site as a voting place. We understand the reluctance to drive traffic off-site, but I think it's the community that you and others have worked so hard to foster is what makes each site special, and that's what makes people keep coming back.

Using Star Wars collector sites to run a fan poll is a great idea. It's also an opportunity for a specific site to introduce itself to thousands of potential members the site may otherwise never have a chance to reach.  In the future will you allow other collector sites to have this exclusive opportunity? It's a win-win situation for everyone and Hasbro doesn't run the risk of offending anyone. (ST, 11/03/06)* (http://www.sandtroopers.com/smf/index.php?topic=5183.msg89120#msg89120)

Well - in the future, if we run another such poll, we will probably do it differently to make sure we get the widest possible net-wide participation. Ideas range from selecting a smaller subset of figures for voting and allowing all sites to send back results, or possibly using the Hasbro site as a voting place. We understand the reluctance to drive traffic off-site, but I think it's the community that you and others have worked so hard to foster is what makes each site special, and that's what makes people keep coming back.  The Greatest Hits vote right now on Rebelscum is open to all and registration is not required, so folks can debate beforehand on their own community, vote, and come back to discuss.

Buyers have long suffered basic figure case assortments that cause more collecting problems than they solve, whether they be cases trying to refresh older product, focus on unpopular figures across multiple cases, or an extended lack of focus on popular figures - even a perception of intentional shortpacking (and I don't mean chase figures like UGH, that's a separate can of worms). Case revisions often don't do enough to remedy the problem, sometimes making it even worse. Currently, the "Greatest Battles" and "Heroes & Villains" older-figure assortments are in heavy rotation and are choking off shelfspace for actual new assortments in many markets. Nearly every Target, Toys R Us, and Wal-mart is stuffed with those figures which move much slower and have no room to put out the newest TSC wave, Endor 2/The Phantom Menace. Now Hasbro is saying this "greatest hits" style of assortment will be continuing next year. Why are new-product case assortments still such a problem, what is Hasbro doing to deal with the problems beyond simple case revisions, and - understanding that there is some need for older figures to keep a continued presence on shelves - how will the current problems of the "greatest hits" assortment be addressed? (SSG, 10/22/06) (http://www.sirstevesguide.com/index.php?categoryid=13&p2_articleid=76)

Just as Collections 1 and 2 in prior years had dedicated space on the pegs, so too will the two basic figure assortments next year (and they also do now, by the way, sit side by side with separate assigned space in the planogram). Retailers replenish figures based on the sell through rate of the assortment, so when stores sell down on 85770 (TSC), they will reorder more. The 87181 (Greatest Hits) have no effect whatsoever on this replenishment. Inventory is managed to keep ample stock on both assortments, independent of how you see them put back on the pegs at the end of the day. One more thing, too - you couldn't be further off regarding the sales of the Greatest Hits figures. They have been a runaway hit and the reason why we are creating a new assortment for next year to keep this going.

Do some other Star Wars sites/forums get exclusive official polling rights with Hasbro, or do all sites get equal input?  If we are all equal which figures does Sandtroopers.com get to have in our poll?  And what other sites will be included in this polling survey? (ST, 10/22/06)* (http://www.sandtroopers.com/smf/index.php?topic=5183.msg87949#msg87949)

This is a great question and an opportunity to explain for everyone the philosophy behind the Greatest Hits polling. As you now know, we are working very quickly to make sure we have two basic figure assortments running full year next year -- and we are going to populate the second line with Greatest Hits like we did this year.  Unlike this year, where our carryforward figures were all Episode III, we wanted to draw from all films this time around.  As such it made sense to open it up to a fan vote.  But we needed to act quickly, while at the same time getting the most accurate input possible.  We decided that ALL previously created figures would be eligible for fan voting and consideration for the Greatest Hits.

We approached RebelScum.com with the idea of collaborating on a poll among fans since they have a great comprehensive database and an ability to implement such a poll almost immediately.  The fan vote is not exclusive to RebelScum.  All fans can vote in Round 2 (the bracket of 64) from across the net and make their voice heard.  (Registration is not required for Rd. 2.)

Ensuring that the fans know that their voices are being heard is imperative.  I hope all other sites, such as Sandtroopers.com, realize that although there are many Star Wars fan sites with unique approaches and thriving communities, the Star Wars fandom community as a whole is incredibly strong and this is a chance for all of you to be heard.


The Collection numbers are noticeably absent from TSC line. Will we see them return, or are they gone forever? (POTF2, 9/29/06) (http://potf2.com/potj/forums/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=10722)

We walked away from the Collection 1/2 separation after 2005 because we felt that we could manage the basic figure business from one powerful SKU (85770, or the Saga Collection). What quickly proved to be the case after holiday 2005 was that demand far outstripped supply and we still could not keep up even with 85770 running at maximum capacity. We looked for another basic figure solution to bring more to the shelf, and especially more Episode III which kids still want in high degrees, and thus the 87181 Greatest Battle/Heroes and Villains line was born. It sort of is a C1/2 strategy, but we didn't call them as such because 87181 consists of 100% existing figures so the analogy of C1/2 didn't follow through. We are now looking to do the exact same thing in '07 because of continued high basic figure demand. This will mean there will be two basic figure assortments next year, with a 100% New/Refresh line (87500, the 30th) and a 100% existing line. We're looking for fan input on some of the character selections and the details on how this will take place will be announced soon.

Will 2007 see any basic figure sublines like the Ep3 Heroes & Villains and Greatest Battles Asst's? (JD, 8/25/06) (http://www.jedidefender.com/newspro/fullnews.cgi?newsid1156530840,45518,)

We don't have any plans right now for these lines. Both of those were created in response to a very large demand for basic figures. We are doing something a little different next year and getting ahead of the demand curve by providing support for the Saga through the first three months of 2007. The new waves that were shown at Comic Con will largely be available from late Nov through Spring. So in a way, we've already shown you what the new subline will be.... so more Saga.

Will there be more Heroes and Villains/Greatest Battles figures this year? Next year maybe? (YF, 8/25/06) (http://cgi.denpetersen.com/YAK1/viewtopic.php?t=659)

We have no plans for more H&V figures beyond just this year.

HasbroToyShop.com

HasbroToyShop.com has had some nice deals in 2006, especially the ability to get exclusives there. Any chance in 2007 you will offer solid case packs on the site? (YN, 12/15/06)

We are looking at this possibility.

Is there any way that HasbroToyShop.com could be better-stocked than it is? There's rarely any new SW product on the site. And could HTS.com's ordering system be augmented with an active preorder system on all items listed as "coming soon"? Currently they cannot be preordered if they're still listed as "coming soon". And/or how about an email-notification system on "coming soon" and "out of stock" items? All the pages say now are "check back soon" which isn't too handy, especially for high-demand items that sell out quickly once they go online. (SSG, 11/03/06) (http://www.sirstevesguide.com/index.php?categoryid=13&p2_articleid=76)

These are good suggestions and we've passed them on to the HTS.com team. As for product availability, Star Wars has been challenging this year because of continued high demand for many assortments... a lucky problem to have, but a problem nonetheless.

Understanding that it's not currently possible for HasbroToyShop to offer a 1-of-every-figure subscription service, what about offering individual 1-of-every-figure-in-the-wave sets on the site when they come out, so a buyer can get all the unique figures in that wave at once without having to buy a full case with all its duplicates? Those duplicates could even be sold as individuals on HasbroToyShop. (SSG, 9/01/06) (http://www.sirstevesguide.com/index.php?categoryid=13&p2_articleid=76)

We're looking at ways to facilitate this, but there's no solution in place. It comes down to how many different versions of our basic figure waves we can produce and make sure wires don't get crossed at our warehouse level. The operational execution is critical... it would be bad to send these heavy collector-targeted waves to mass retail, even if by accident. If we can solve that, we could probably so something like you suggest.

Holiday figures

The past Holiday Edition figure sets, such as R2 and 3PO, Yoda, the Jawas, and then Vader, were great. Since the Vader didn't seem to sell that well, and wasn't very well received by many collectors, is that why the line has been canceled? Just a personal note, just because the Vader didn't sell well doesn't mean people don't want these Christmas figs. Maybe if the Vader would have been the one shown on the card enclosed, you probably would have sold out. (SWC, 01/12/07) (http://www.swcollector.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=944)

We have not pursued one for '06 or '07 simply because we didn't really find any concepts we felt strongly enough about to pursue (one of the reasons we tried something different with the red Holiday Vader). however, there will be a holiday pack in '07, but it won't be Christmas. Hmmm!

Have we seen the last of the Holiday Edition action figures? Was the Vader the end for that series? (GH, 9/19/06) (http://www.galactichunter.com/absolutenm/templates/full_article_template_1.asp?articleid=5810&zoneid=2)

I doubt it will be the last…but we will not have a Christmas-themed figure next year at least.

Indiana Jones

You mentioned in a previous Q&A session that there will be 30 figures in the Indy line next year. Are Indy figures in 2009 a certainty or is it more of a "wait and see" type of thing and see how 2008 goes first? We're just curious if this is going to be a toy line with legs under it like Star Wars has been, or if it will be much more subdued in character choices/variety. (JD, 11/09/07) (http://www.jedidefender.com/newspro/fullnews.cgi?newsid1194650179,5926,)

We are actively planning and producing for a multi-year run. IJ is something we are committed to and hopefully fans are excited about it as we are.

Now that you are doing Indiana Jones product as well as Star Wars, have you ever considered doing a tribute to Harrison Ford set that incorporates both Star Wars and Indiana Jones in the same set for collectors? (JI, 10/26/07) (http://jediinsider.com/index.php?catid=8&itemid=10726)

That is an interesting idea, but something we have not considered pursuing as we remain focused on the characters and each property separately.

We love Galactic Heroes, but we're wondering why supply of new product is so inconsistent. There have been no new 2-packs at Toys'R'Us for several months now, and the Darth Maul/Sith Speeder item was never seen on the pegs. Is this an issue with the individual retailers not restocking, or is there a limited assortment distributed to the UK ? Will we see the Indiana Jones 'Adventure Heroes' line in the UK ? (TPU, 10/26/07) (http://www.theprivateuniverse.co.uk/cgi-bin/showarticle.pl?section=news&articleid=2175)

We are not sure what the issues are - since the 2-packs have been in continual production and retailers have been able to carry and stock the waves as they come in. What we do know is that the Galactic Heroes style, while an unquestioned smash hit in the U.S., has been slower to be embraced by as widespread a fanbase in other markets (like in the U.S., where it was introduced in 2002 but really didn't start gathering steam until late 2004 ) and it may take some time to really gather an audience and command retailers' attention. Until then, we will try and see what the issues might be in the UK. The IJ Adventure Heroes will be offerred to all retailers in the UK and Europe, and as far as we know will be carried everywhere.

For those of us who like to budget in advance, about how many new Star Wars figures will we be seeing in 2008? Indiana Jones? (BB, 10/12/07) (http://www.bobasbounty.net/)

It's too early to give totals, but in next year's "Saga" line (including Spring 30th and the follow-up line) you can expect about the same as this year, perhaps a bit fewer as we make room for Clone Wars. The Clone Wars details are being kept under wraps, but it will be a solid showing. Finally, on IJ, we are looking at close to 30 basic figures....strong support for all four IJ films over the course of the year.

Will we have an opportunity, perhaps through a mail-away offer, to get the gold "Indy IV" coin? Perhaps an offer on the first wave of figures? Also Are there any plans for a Vintage-style line for Indy figures, similar to the VOTC/VTSC Star Wars line? One thing the collecting world could certainly use, is a finely-sculpted, super-articulated Indiana Jones figure!  Thanks! (YF, 09/28/07) (http://cgi.denpetersen.com/YAK1/viewtopic.php?p=30610#30610)

We think that you will be plenty pleased by the lineup of quality figures we have slated for Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull. We have discussed it, but right now, we don't have plans to do vintage figures. We will be focusing on some other areas our first year.

In regards to the Indiana Jones line, what types of ideas are being considered? Would it be safe to assume that characters like Mola Ram, the giant Thugee guard, Temple of Doom "wear & tear" Indy with torn shirt and missing sleeve, Henry Jones Sr., Willie Scott, and Short Round are good possibilities? After all, they do all seem like logical choices. Will the Star Wars Battle Pack and Comic 2-Pack concepts be used in the Indiana Jones line? How about Indy role-play accessories? (AF, 09/14/07) (http://www.actionfigs.com/index.php?categoryid=12&p2_articleid=1384)

Right now it is still too early to talk about the breadth and depth of Indy....that will probably come next around Toy Fair. We we will say that we are doing both a mix of classic (previous three films) and figures from the new Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull. The figures you named are all strong classic figures, so there's a good chance most or all of them will be in the line at some point.

I believe you previewed a 12" Indiana Jones figure at SDCC. Are both Hasbro and Sideshow Collectibles going to make 12" Indy figures or will there be an arrangement similar to the 12" Star Wars figures which Sideshow produces? (BB, 08/17/07) (http://www.bobasbounty.net/)

While Sideshow produces 12" figures under sublicense from us, they have a separate arrangement with Lucasfilm on Indy

Let me start by saying the Marvel Legends Icons series is fantastic!  they're huge, super-articulated, well-sculpted and superbly detailed.  Dr. Doom's soft-goods cloak, in particular, is an impressive feature for a figure his size!

Since the Unleashed concept has begun to diversify, what are the odds of expanding the Icons series into your other lines, i.e. the Star Wars universe?  Would it even be possible, or might this undermine the efforts of other licensed Star Wars vendors and cause a legal dilemma?  Would the the fact that the figures in the Icons series are nearly 24 inches tall somehow be a loophole?

If not Star Wars, why not the upcoming Indiana Jones line? (I personally wouldn't mind having a two-foot tall Mola Ram on my desk at work clutching a flaming human heart) What about for Hasbro's other popular collectible lines?  I see some brilliant (and lucrative!) potential here!
(TJ, 08/17/07) (http://www.thejawa.com/index.php?PHP&topic=6527.msg59300#msg59300)

We agree that a larger format figure makes sense for the Indiana Jones line, and at Comic Con we announced the first of those figures producing a line of 12" Indiana Jones figures with soft goods, accessories, and features, so we agree that a larger-format figure makes sense for Indy.  For Star Wars, we think that Sideshow is doing a great job with 12" and don't plan to offer a scale at this time that is in that range.

Now that the Indiana Jones figures have been confirmed and a few revealed at Comic-Con (which look great by the way, I'm extremely excited). Will you be accepting any questions about this line in future Q&A sessions as well?

I know it's the Star Wars Q&A, but SW and Indy have always gone hand- in-hand down through the years, and since they're being worked on by the same team, I'm hoping you'd be willing to field a few questions about this exciting new line.

IF so, let me attempt to be the first by asking whether or not the "vintage" playsets will get an update (Well of the Souls, Streets of Cairo, Map Room) as well as vehicles (German army truck w/ Ark crate). The flying wing with shredible German Mechanic would also be a cool new addition.

Finally, IF the playsets and vehicles get an update, will they utilize the molds from the vintage toys like many of the current Star Wars vehicles or would they be all new sculpts?
(YF, 08/17/07) (http://cgi.denpetersen.com/YAK1/viewtopic.php?p=28928#28928)

Yes, Indy questions can be sent to the same address here, and since it's the same team bringing you the IJ excitement, we can answer. The answer to playsets is about the same as you might expect from Star Wars - It's a been a struggle so we are adopting a wait and see attitude on them and seeing where our figure/vehicle demand nets out first before going too far in the playset direction. The cargo truck is a definite probability for 3-3/4", but the wing is tough because it really is a big one. One thing that is known is that NONE of the original Indy tools exist anymore, so we will not be going back to the vintage tools.

So Indiana Jones continues to be a hot topic. When can we expect to see the first products hitting the stores? Will there be some kind of "sneak preview" figures like we had with Star Wars? (BB, 08/03/07) (http://www.bobasbounty.net/)

There will be no sneak preview, but the figures will get to retail several weeks prior to the movie, in approximately early May.

Not exactly Star Wars, but all of our readers are interested....can you give us some hints about Indiana Jones and what we'll see from that line? (BB, 07/06/07) (http://www.bobasbounty.net/index.html)

We are glad to hear about the interest in IJ - because we are pumped too! While we will be sneak-previewing some figures at Comic Con International, we have to keep the details under wraps for now. We will divulge that there are some very familiar scales as well as a few surprises in the line. Suffice to say that we have top men working on it. The same top men that have been bringing you the Star Wars line, so there should be a lot of consistency in approach..

OK, last time we asked, you couldn't say. But, now that the cat is out of the bag thanks to the LFL press release, what can you tell us about your upcoming Indiana Jones IV toy line? Scale? Vehicles? Playsets? New and old movies? Will we see a preview at Comic Con? Will we have to wait until Toy Fair '08 for our first glance? (as you can tell, we're all pretty stoked about Indy toys ) (JD, 07/06/07) (http://www.jedidefender.com/newspro/fullnews.cgi?newsid1183756854,41433,)

We are glad to hear it, because we are stoked too! While we will be sneak-previewing some figures at Comic Con International in San Diego, we have to keep the details under wraps for now. We can divulge that there are some very familiar scales, as well as a few surprises in the line. Suffice to say that we have top men working on it. The same top men that have been bringing you the Star Wars line, so there should be a lot of consistency in approach.

OK, it's not Star Wars, but we have to ask - do you have the toy license for Indiana Jones IV? If so, can we expect to see the 3.75" scale Indy figures we all want in 2008? (JD, 3/02/07) (http://www.jedidefender.com/newspro/fullnews.cgi?newsid1172874570,75175,)

We cannot comment on the Indiana Jones franchise and whether Hasbro or another company will be executing the license.

Licensing issues

Are there any characters owned by companies such as Dark Horse or artists such as Jan Duursema that are owned by them that you don't have license to produce?  If so, are there any you are pursuing to get license to produce? (ST, 11/03/06)* (http://www.sandtroopers.com/smf/index.php?topic=5183.msg89120#msg89120)

All concepts are owned by Lucasfilm, and are fair game.

Recently you were quoted as saying that Hasbro had subcontracted the 12" figures to Sideshow as their smaller business model allowed them to manufacture collector-quality 12" figures in a more cost effective manner. Given Hasbro's shelfspace limitations & struggles to generate profits with playsets, larger vehicles, & Action Fleet/Micro Machines, would Hasbro consider subcontracting those fan-desired items out to other companies? (AF, 10/22/06) (http://www.actionfigs.com/index.php?categoryid=12&p2_articleid=162)

We would not consider that right now, primarily because we hope at some point to re-enter those categories. We decided that we would not pursue the 12" business when we decided to go with Sideshow. We cannot say the same for the other business and want to evaluate the opportunity.

Mail-aways

Are there any plans to do more mail-away figures? If so, can you tell us what they would be? (JI, 7/26/06) (http://jediinsider.com/index.php?catid=8&itemid=9693)

We will be offering a Vintage line in 2007. However, we have not yet determined the specific promotion that will support the release -- or even if there will be a promotion. You'll just have to stay tuned for more information.

Will you be offering any more "mail away" figures for 2006? Would it be something that you will look at again in 2007 if the vintage Lucastrooper mail-away is successful? (JD, 6/23/06) (http://jedidefender.com/newspro/fullnews.cgi?newsid1151093678,4098,)

There will be no more mail away figures in 2006. We're still planning for 2007 right now, so it's too early to know if we will repeat the promotion next year.

If the George-Trooper does well, can we mail-order more Senate pods and weapon packs? (AFI, 6/09/06) (http://www.actionfigureinsider.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=3510&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=15)

An interesting idea, but perhaps a little too niche for our current promotional plans.

Marvel Legends-style figures?

With Hasbro now producing 6" super articulated Marvel figures, could we eventually see a special line with 6" super articulated Star Wars figures? (AF, 11/03/06) (http://www.actionfigs.com/index.php?categoryid=12&p2_articleid=162)

We have no plans for this type of figure line. As the heart and soul of the Star Wars collecting world, we are focused on making sure our 3-3/4" line is vibrant, fresh, and exciting first and foremost, along with providing continued newness for our other play patterns (Star Wars Transformers, Unleashed 2", and Galactic Heroes).

Any thoughts on other crossovers?  There was the SW/Transformers crossover.  How about a SW/G.I.Joe or Marvel Legends crossover, especially since Hasbro takes over the Marvel Legends line in 2007? (ST, 11/03/06)* (http://www.sandtroopers.com/smf/index.php?topic=5183.msg89120#msg89120)

We have no plans for this type of figure line.  As the heart and soul of the Star Wars collecting world, we are focused on making sure our 3-3/4" line is vibrant, fresh, and exciting first and foremost, along with providing continued newness for our other play patterns (Star Wars Transformers, Unleashed 2", and Galactic Heroes).

With Hasbro's recent acquisition of the Marvel license, can we hope to see modular pieces (a la build-a- figure/vehicle/playset) introduced into the Star Wars line? Many larger-scale figures and mini-sized vehicles could finally see production this way. (GH, 6/16/06) (http://www.galactichunter.com/absolutenm/templates/full_article_template_1.asp?articleid=5479&zoneid=7)

Not at this time.

With the HUGE success of the Marvel Legends Build-a-Figure idea, is there any chance that we might see that implemented in the 3.75" Star Wars line to get figures (such as Hermi Odle or a new Probot) or maybe playsets (like a Jabba's Dais or Moisture Evaporator)? (JD, 6/16/06) (http://www.jedidefender.com/newspro/fullnews.cgi?newsid1150491967,9583,)

Not at this time.

Are there any plans for a poseable 6" Marvel Legends style line of Star Wars action figures? (JI, 6/16/06) (http://jediinsider.com/index.php?catid=8&itemid=9622)

There are no plans at this time for us to do a Marvel Legends-style series.

Have you considered doing a 6” Marvel Legends-hyper articulated style Star Wars line? Maybe based on the old Marvel Comic since you now have the Marvel license as well? (AFI, 6/09/06) (http://www.actionfigureinsider.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=3510&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=15)

While Dark Horse has been reprinting the Marvel Star Wars comic series for years, there are no plans at this time for us to do a Marvel Legends-style series.

McQuarrie concept figures

On the upcoming McQuarrie Fett, what on earth (or not) is that thing in his midsection? (GH, 01/26/07) (http://www.galactichunter.com/absolutenm/templates/full_article_template_1.asp?articleid=6188&zoneid=2)

It is the weapons compartment! We wanted to be true to the original design which is why we built this in. Obviously, Fett changed from concept to production, but this… interesting… little feature is something we wanted to put in there as tribute to the source material.

There was some hope for the poncho with the McQuarrie Concept Boba Fett figure. Is the poncho a scrapped idea or just not included in the photo we saw? (JD, 12/15/06) (http://www.jedidefender.com/newspro/fullnews.cgi?newsid1166211744,25883,)

The figure does not have a poncho.

If the upcoming Concept Art-based figures are popular sellers, could we see more figures along these lines beyond wave 8 of The 30th Anniversary Collection? (SWC, 10/27/06) (http://www.swcollector.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=880)

We think there is a lot of magic in the McQuarrrie series, tying back to those great, early conceptual beginnings of Star Wars, that makes it a perfect series for the 30th Anniversary year. Going beyond that, we probably won't do anything as comprehensive as next year's series, but it's certainly a possibility we'll look for more inspiration in concept art.

The new 07 figures look great, especially the redeco of the McQuarrie Concept Stormtrooper. My question is that since his card/packaging is part of the "Signature Series" will we see concept figures from other talented Lucasfilm artists like Joe Johnston, Doug Chang, Trisha Biggar or Ryan Church? (YF, 10/6/06) (http://cgi.denpetersen.com/YAK1/viewtopic.php?t=877)

Well, next year the focus is on Ralph's designs, but there will be one other very cool one in the mix. For future years we could go back and look at other artists and their great concepts, too…but we'll see how the McQ series does before we go there.

At Comic-Con, you mentioned that each of the 2007 waves 1-8 will have a McQuarrie concept figure. Are these concept figures just limited to designs from Star Wars (Episode 4 aka A New Hope) or will there be a chance at a McQuarrie design from The Empire Strikes Back or Return of the Jedi as well? (JD, 9/22/06) (http://www.jedidefender.com/newspro/fullnews.cgi?newsid1158957874,48773,)

While most will be from EpIV, some will go beyond. We'll be releasing specifics as each wave gets closer to shelf.

In the past, Hasbro has produced figures and vehicles based upon concept drawings and/or deleted scenes. Will there be any more in the near future, particularly figures based on McQuarrie's concept drawings, Doug Chiang's Sith Witch drawings, and of the 'battle-damaged' Jedi concepts from preliminary ROTS sketches? (SSG, 6/30/06) (http://www.sirstevesguide.com/index.php?categoryid=13&p2_articleid=76)

Great question! Be sure to come to our panel on Friday during Comic-Con to learn more.

Will we ever see a re-issue of the ridiculously hard to find Ralph McQuarrie concept Trooper? Will we ever see any more McQuarrie concept characters? (I need a Vader!!) (AFI, 6/23/06) (http://www.actionfigureinsider.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=3510&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=36)

What a fantastic question! The answer is……...yes. The Trooper will be re-released in 2007. Specific details will be released at Comic-Con.

The Ralph McQuarrie Stormtrooper from 2003 was a big hit with fans, and they were snatched off of shelves as quickly as they appeared. Is there any chance that we'll see figures based on Concept Art, Poster Images, or other non-movie images in the near future? (GH, 6/23/06) (http://www.galactichunter.com/absolutenm/templates/full_article_template_1.asp?articleid=5499&zoneid=7)

I can't be too specific right now, but that's a great question. Details will be revealed at Comic-Con.
Title: Re: The Hasbro Q & A Archive, Categorized For Your Pleasure
Post by: Matt on July 27, 2006, 09:25 PM
Packaging issues

Some of the package inserts on the window boxed products look amazing.  Going back to POTF2 with the Y-Wing up to current pieces like the Death Star Briefing multipack or the Betrayal on Felucia battle pack, the backgrounds to these pieces look fantastic, and in a way they might satisfy fans who are clamoring for diorama/playset offerings.  Where did this drive for intricate backgrounds come from?  And might we see some kind of evolution of these backgrounds to where they may be almost as durable as the ships or figures that they're offered with? (TJ, 3/02/07) (http://www.thejawa.com/yabbse/index.php?topic=6365.msg58127#msg58127)

Thanks for the comment - we'll make sure our packaging team, who pioneered this approach and keep "upping their game" with every release, gets your note.  We also hear you on whether the inserts (as they are known) can become more of a part of the play and display aspects similar to what we have done successfully for the Galactic Heroes Cinema Scenes.  It's a little trickier in the 3-3/4" sets but we are looking at ways to make the packaging part of the play experience, and there may be a couple test cases coming.  Thanks again for the comment.

Why go with the full card-width bubble and figures displayed in poses via the tray? Have you thought about going back to side-bubble, neutral-posed figures for basic figures a la the Vintage, POTF2, and Episode I lines which were easier to store carded and could fit more units into cases? (SSG, 11/10/06) (http://www.sirstevesguide.com/index.php?categoryid=13&p2_articleid=76)

Admittedly, we are less concerned about how many figures fit into a box as we are with the whole presentation of the figure and keeping the excitement and energy level for each figure very high. With the Saga line, we really wanted to emphasize the integration of the figure in the context of the movie scene as well as ensuring we have dynamic posing. That's what we thought was best for the line. For 2007, it's a different approach emphasizing the energy of the character and the focus on a new look for the 30th. The 2007 blister is on one side and not all the way across the card. This might be more like what you are talking about in terms of somewhat smaller blister size, but still a strong departure from some of the past lines in terms of presenting character.

Aside from monetary issues, why is tape used to seal the 3.75" figures to their cardbacks for the ROTS and TSC lines? Will tape be used for the 30th Anniversary line? You do realize that a chunk of your market is made up of collectors that don't open their figures and tape sealed figures will not do well in posterity? (YN, 11/10/06)

Tape is the only option to seal blisters that wrap around from the front of the package to the back, the aesthetic that we were going to for in TSC. The 2007 basic figure line will be heat-sealed to the front of the blister card like the OTC blisters. The comic packs will continue to sealed with tape around the back of the card.

Will the new 2007 30th Anniversary Collection of basic figures with collectible coins fit in your figure cases for sale on your website or do we have to look for new cases again? (ST, 10/22/06)* (http://www.sandtroopers.com/smf/index.php?topic=5183.msg87949#msg87949)

They will indeed fit any 6"x9" card, and we have designed the 30th Anniversary figures to fit.  Since the 6" x 9" format is a collector standard we are keeping that footprint as the basic figure card size (believe me....we have had wranglings with some retailers who have wanted to change the size over the years!).  We are designing future-forward compatibility in the line so all future basic figure cards will fit the figure cases.

What does the Blue Sticker and "A" on the datestamp of recent case assortments mean? (POTF2, 9/29/06) (http://potf2.com/potj/forums/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=10722)

We haven't seen that ourselves, so we honestly don't know.

Why do some bubble changes exist? They don't seem to have any effect on the stability of the figure or any cosmetic/noticeable effect. (POTF2, 9/29/06) (http://potf2.com/potj/forums/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=10722)

Sometimes changes happen because we request a slightly different packout to facilitate more reliable transit. Sometimes things happen at the factory level without our request and when there is no noticeable effect on the appearance of the product in package (for example when there is a better or more cost-effective way to do something like manufacture blisters at a faster rate or an improved design that reduces scrap rate). Many times we ourselves aren't aware of the change if it doesn't really affect the way the product is shown in package. Collectors do notice these things, but they are not something that we deliberately design into the mix to produce variations....in fact, we would prefer that we just have one version from the outset for most items and save the "true" variations for when we really want to get them in (like Rebel Trooper running changes, etc)..

Why did you release an Official Star Wars Figure Protector Case and advertise the use of it with the current Saga line, illustrated in its instruction flyer that comes with the cases, if it pinches the top of the current Saga line cards, thus damaging the collectable? I can only assume this was an oversight in marketing or in design. Is this something that will be corrected soon? (ST, 9/29/06)* (http://www.sandtroopers.com/smf/index.php?topic=5183.msg85869#msg85869)

We designed it to accommodate the Saga Collection cards and for the most part we have not seen a problem.  However, it is noted that the 2006 (and 2005 before it) cards can have an inconsistent variation in height because of the way they are constructed (blister taped to the backer card, which allows for variations at the time of assembly).  You may have some statistical outliers in your collection that are taller than others, and for that we apologize.

What is the reason for the pieces of black tape on the bottoms of each figure's package in the Endor wave? On some figures it is on the outside part of the clear plastic blister, and on other's it is directly applied to the bottom of the blister insert, over the picture of the lion's head inside the yellow triangle & the letters "CE." (SWC, 9/01/06) (http://www.swcollector.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=843)

We develop product to be able to go into the heavy collector markets - the U.S., U.K., and Germany with a "one size fits all" package approach. Sometimes, this means that the consumer caution statements needed for one country don't apply to all countries The rules are slightly different between the U.S. and European countries and that's where your seeing some of the products "caught" between the slightly different standards. Since we need to have consistent communication in the U.S. (i.e. not have a caution statement when there is none needed), we'll have to cover up the European warnings when the product is released in the U.S.

The POTF2, POTJ and E1 lines all have 2 or 4 digit numbers that would increase every time a change is made to that card (i.e. .00 to .01).  Why was this practice stopped? (POTF2, 8/25/06) (http://www.potf2.com/potj/forums/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=10573)

We have a new system and change the PN (part #) when the artwork needs to change. This is why the UGH Vader insert has a new PM from the regular. Any time we make a change to the part, the number will change. Here's how it works. For the upcoming Galactic Marine figure, we have made one change already to correct the spelling of a word. This change was made AFTER the original went to film to go into production. Our design team caught the mistake in the proof stage, and we issued a new part # for the correction. If the factory can use the new PN without slipping dates, they will run the new part and skip the old one completely. If they are pressed to hit their initial dates and the new film isn't ready, they will run with the old (incorrect) part until the new one is ready. Such is the case with packaging, or deco revisions. If we can hit the dates, we will.

The Endor wave shipped with little black stickers on the bottom of the figures' bubble. What's the purpose of such stickers, and what do those four symbols actually mean on the bottom of the insert? (POTF2, 8/25/06) (http://www.potf2.com/potj/forums/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=10573)

It's possible that you got a different county's version of a card in the normal domestic run. The samples we've seen of Endor do not have any stickers. We develop our packaging to be able to go into the three biggest collector markets - the U.S., U.K., and Germany. The symbols on the insert are for consumer caution statements for the U.K. and Germany.

Is Hasbro going to go back to 100% heat-sealed packages next year?  There is a significant amount of fakes/fraud with the current packaging (figure swapping, etc). This hurts both kids and collectors, as well as Hasbro's brand identity. (POTF2, 7/14/06) (http://potf2.com/potj/forums/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=10415)

We're still looking at alternatives.

As a follow up, just so everyone is clear... does Hasbro EVER package an older figure in a newer sculpts package (such as POTF2 Garindan in the Saga Collection Garindan package)? (POTF2, 7/14/06) (http://potf2.com/potj/forums/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=10415)

Never, never, never. It's only one figure or in rare cases an alt deco of the same sculpt (like the upcoming Rebel Trooper).

What does the last digit on the datestamp stand for? Usually it is a 1, but sometimes it is a 2. (POTF2, 7/14/06) (http://potf2.com/potj/forums/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=10415)

The date codes usually go week-day-shift, so what your referring to is either first or second shift.

Past lines

What are the chances of seeing a relaunch of the Collector Fleet series (the larger, electronic starships of the Rebel Blockade Runner, Imperial Star Destroyer, & the very-rare Super Star Destroyer from '96), with new entries such as ROTS ships like the Venator Class Star Destroyer and The Invisible Hand? (SSG, 11/10/06) (http://www.sirstevesguide.com/index.php?categoryid=13&p2_articleid=76)

They don't fit any of the strategies we have, so there are no plans for their re-introduction.

Why was the POTF2 Millennium Minted Coins series from 1998 so named? Was it in relation to the Millennium Falcon, or was it in relation to the Y2K Millennium fever? (RS, 9/19/06) (http://www.rebelscum.com/story/front/Hasbros_11th_STAR_WARS_QA_The_Answers_99997.asp)

The latter.

As I look at my collection of Target exclusive glasses, I notice that Episodes III-VI have three glasses each representing them. However, to date, there has only been a single glass for each Episodes I and II. (YF, 8/04/06) (http://cgi.denpetersen.com/YAK1/viewtopic.php?t=526)

And that's all there will be for that collection. Sales weren't the best for the glass/figure concept, so there won't be any more for the foreseeable future.

Will Hasbro be doing more 3-figure, movie-accurate diorama Cinema Scenes/Screen Scenes sets? (AF, 7/26/06) (http://www.actionfigs.com/index.php?categoryid=12&p2_articleid=162)

Not at this time. We're sticking with the Battle Pack series and a couple other multi-figure formats for the near future.

What concept would 'the team' most like to revisit in the future? (Cinema Scenes? Deluxe/Ultra? Beasts? Princess Leia Collection?) (GH, 7/26/06) (http://www.galactichunter.com/absolutenm/templates/full_article_template_1.asp?articleid=5618&zoneid=2)

We like all of those, but Evolutions still has a fond spot in our hearts.  If/when we have the ability and retail opportunity to bring that back, we will look at it, but there are no plans right now.

Figure Carry Cases. The reintroduction of Darth Vader and C-3PO was nostalgic and very cool. Plans for bringing these two back and/or new ones in the shape of other characters? (F, 7/14/06) (http://www.figures.com/databases/action.cgi?setup_file=fignews2.setup&category=actionfigures&topic=77&show_article=445&nl=1)

We have no plans right now.

Playsets

We know that playsets are not in the cards right now, due to cost restraints and such. But, now that I think about it, I don't really want a playset in the traditional sense. What I want, and perhaps I'm not alone, is a display set of some kind. I want something that allows me to display my figures in various locations on the Death Star. Perhaps a better Carbon Freezing Chamber, or a Bespin Gantry where Luke and Vader can be posed. I want a great backdrop of Mustafar, or Geonosis for my figures to be displayed on.

Maybe something along the lines of the vintage Land of the Jawas, Land of Hoth, or the Rebel Base playsets. These were not much more than plastic stands with a cardboard backdrop, but I think modern versions could be cool. Imagine taking the Land of the Jawas set, turning it into a Mustafar background with lava river and embankment instead of desert sand.
(RS, 3/02/07) (http://www.rebelscum.com/story/front/Hasbros_25th_STAR_WARS_QA_The_Answers_103996.asp)

You have captured, my friend, the very crux of the problem. What you have described is uninteresting from a kid perspective ("passive" vs active action play), which puts us in the range of high-tooling/low return (i.e. extremely high risk). While some vocal collectors are imploring us to pursue this (we can hear the chorus of voices.."Take the risk!"), the market data suggests, and Hasbro management knows, that products like this that narrowly focus on one audience will not succeed and thus they will not take hold. Until we identify those ideas that we are confident can satisfy both markets, we won't be looking at playsets/displays/dioramas.

Due to the cost of producing plastic playsets for the 3 3/4" action figures being so high, would you ever consider updating the old Toltoys or Palitoy cardboard style Death Star playset with new graphics? There's hardly any plastic pieces so production costs would be low. (GH, 12/15/06) (http://www.galactichunter.com/absolutenm/templates/full_article_template_1.asp?articleid=6091&zoneid=2)

We have looked at cardboard (and other materials) but have been underwhelmed by the results and believe that the majority of fans (kids and collectors) probably would be too.

Since we saw at least one playset for each of the prequel films, are we likely to see one (or more) for the upcoming animated series? Was there a contractual obligation to produce a playset for each film, or were they created to fit a play pattern? (GH, 12/01/06) (http://www.galactichunter.com/absolutenm/templates/full_article_template_1.asp?articleid=6046&zoneid=2)

There is no contractual obligation, although the periodicity with which we have released them might seem to indicate that!  We'll look at the opportunity as it presents itself for the animation.

You've stated that fans have been "unenthusiastic" about playsets and that info suggests that playsets don't and wouldn't do well if released.  Have you considered that perhaps it's the specific playset idea that is unexciting or mediocre to fans, and not the toys themselves?  In other words, the last few playsets that I remember (Theed Palace, Geonosis Arena, Mustafar mountain) are really good toys but lack iconic appeal (for me anyway).  Perhaps if better, more fan-friendly scenes or movie locations were the idea at hand (like a Death Star or Cantina), then the set would sell "enthusiastically?" (TJ, 12/01/06) (http://www.thejawa.com/yabbse/index.php?topic=6253.msg57021#msg57021)

Your points are valid about the ones we have released to date in that they weren't the most iconic from Star Wars.   However, the problem isn't just Star Wars, but many great boys line have suffered from an inability to produce profitable playsets.  Partly it's because the active age of action figure kids has shrunk considerably from the golden age of playsets (1978-1980s), but these great playsets of the past are always the reference point for a lot of us collectors who are from that generation.  Combine that with the fact that collectors on the whole are figure-focused first, vehicle-focused second with playsets somewhere in the second tier, and it paints a business scenario that does not lend itself to taking risks on big playsets.  The liability when they don't sell can be enormous.

You've mentioned that certain products coming out next year, like the Imperial Conference Room set, would not have enough support to be done later if it wasn't for the 30th anniversary theme of the 2007 lineup. Given this "last chance" for the original trilogy mindset, wouldn't it make sense to re-release the vintage Dagobah playset to accompany the awesome X-wing we got at TRU earlier this year? Are the Kenner molds and tools still available for this playset? (FFURG, 11/10/06) (http://www.ffurg.com/hasbroqa.htm)

The Kenner mold record is very spotty, and we don't know if Dagobah is intact. Admittedly playsets have been faint on our radar screen due to the unenthusiastic market reception for most playsets in the last few years. I do want to correct a misperception, however....we don't see the 2007 line as a "last chance" for the OTC, as the OTC will still be an important focus in our thinking down the road. It's just that with animation and other forms of entertainment looming on the horizon we may not have the opportunity to slot in something like the Imperial Briefing Room in future years.

Given that there is a commitment to the mid-sized vehicle assortment by both Hasbro and Retailers, what are the chances of including something with the same footprint that is not a vehicle within a case mix?  Perhaps the POTF2 Endor playset (you could even include a Speeder Bike so it is a vehicle). (TJ, 10/22/06) (http://www.thejawa.com/yabbse/index.php?topic=6214.msg56585#msg56585)

We are looking at this, but not for playsets. The "footprint" does allow for flexibility.

Zizzle has released a 2.5-foot-long Black Pearl pirate ship for their Pirates of the Carribean 4" figure line for MSRP $50. In light of this, why hasn't Hasbro done Jabba's Sailbarge yet, especially when Star Wars is the more popular brand? (SSG, 10/6/06) (http://www.sirstevesguide.com/index.php?categoryid=13&p2_articleid=76)

What other companies release is not an indicator of what we could release at comparable retail prices, or even that we could release the same toy as they do. Hasbro has different business models, factories, and standards that we work with - it's a very different situation. One thing that has changed from "the way it used to be" is that playsets used to be low-margin drivers that were intended to be the center of the action figure play pattern. Now the situation is very different and playsets are not embraced in the same way by kids, so the business model is a little upside down and we cannot "subsidize" playsets like we used to. This pushes the price up to a very expensive range, and, of course, the higher the price, the fewer the unit sales. The old catch-22. Until we rebuild the kid base, hopefully through animation, we can't look at 3-3/4" playsets as a viable line.

How about one good playset in 2007. Please Hasbro. (YF, 9/29/06) (http://cgi.denpetersen.com/YAK1/viewtopic.php?t=823)

We've discussed playsets to death, I think. There won't be any in 2007. Sorry! But if you follow my distracting hand movements over to the new vehicles, I think you'll be very happy.

'Playsets' have been a recurring theme in the QnAs, but what about cardboard dioramas (like the two from the POTF2 days)?  Both of them were very well done and are a great for displaying figures. (TJ, 9/22/06) (http://www.thejawa.com/yabbse/index.php?topic=6176.0)

We are actually looking at this kind of thing with the Galactic Heroes Cinema Scenes this fall, which all have bases that can be removed from the box and set-up like a mini-diorama.  We will keep considering these for future ideas, balancing out the benefits vs tradeoffs (this can also increase cost, meaning fewer figures per pack).

We've seen a couple of Star Wars pieces appropriated and recycled in the G.I. Joe line. The Geonosis Arena was tweaked to become Cobra Mountain in 2003. With playsets involving larger investments, has there been any thought given to re-imagining existing playsets? The Mustafar Battle playset from Revenge of the Sith could easily get a nice snow deco, and become a Wampa Cave or a Hoth Echo Base. Does it boil down to the big box and the lack of shelf real estate, or is it the overall cost in a hypothetical situation like that? (GH, 9/01/06) (http://www.galactichunter.com/absolutenm/templates/full_article_template_1.asp?articleid=5745&zoneid=2)

It's all of that.  Primarily it's a large, receptive audience (which goes beyond collectors and is driven partly by kids), followed by shelf space and the retail productivity for the large footprint that is needed, & then the unit sales expected for the retail price.

Two weeks ago it was mentioned that Hasbro has three concept Death Star playsets around the office. Are these ideas that are being currently (or recently) kicked around, or are they older concepts that have been rejected? How much collector support would it take to really get a substantial Death Star playset made? (GH, 9/01/06) (http://www.galactichunter.com/absolutenm/templates/full_article_template_1.asp?articleid=5745&zoneid=2)

They are older concepts from a couple years back.  Unfortunately, there is little chance this specific idea will happen as they are ambitious and expensive.  With the cost of plastics having increased even further, the idea of doing a large Death Star playset is even more prohibitive.

You recently stated that you have 3 different Mock-ups of a Death Star playset in your offices. What if you turn those 3 in to modules & offer 1 at each of their major exclusive carriers, Target, Wal-Mart & TRU? It would drive traffic to all 3 retailers and finally give us addicts what we've been waiting almost 30 years for... (JTA, 8/25/06) (http://www.jeditemplearchives.com/content/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=2462)

This still doesn't solve the issue—there just isn't enough market interest from the combined collector/kid.

Any chance of ever seeing the Death Star Trash Compactor released in some form like a playset? (JI, 8/11/06) (http://jediinsider.com/index.php?catid=8&itemid=9722)

Probably not. If we do any playsets, we'll have to take our cues from the upcoming animated series.

Do you think it would be possible for you to bring out a huge half of a DS playset unlike the original vintage one? Sure we know play sets don't sell as well but if you produced it in a small quantity and made it exclusive to online retailers like the imperial shuttle I am sure the collectors would pay big money for this item. Heck even I would pay a couple of hundred dollars for a DS playset that actually seemed to be more accurate in size. (YN, 8/04/06)

Good question and one which we are always looking at.  You answered the question yourself, though, by saying that we'd produce small quantities and have to charge a lot for it.  That by definition is a very risky niche product with a massive R&D burden and tooling budget.  Quite simply we have to find mass-market solutions to massively intensive R&D challenges like play sets.  By the way, we've got mocked up in the office three versions of the very play set you describe.

Any plans for some type of Cantina playset for all of the Cantina alien figures, or get curved pieces to go along with the already existing bar pieces? Something to allow them to make a complete bar? (JI, 8/04/06) (http://jediinsider.com/index.php?catid=8&itemid=9707)

The curved pieces *will* be coming out in 2007. There are no plans for a complete diorama or playset….fans will be able to build the bar organically, however (the curved sections will be compatible with the straight sections).

Do you still have the old Kenner mold to re-release the classic Death Star playset? (JI, 7/26/06) (http://jediinsider.com/index.php?catid=8&itemid=9693)

That's one we're not sure about.

With collectors very much interested in playsets as is evident in the previous Q&A's, would Hasbro consider outsourcing a line of playsets to another SW licensee?  Pride Displays is making some very interesting display pieces at this time.  Is there the potential that a sub-license could be worked out with Pride or another similar company much in the same way that the 12" figure line was licensed out to Sideshow Collectibles? (TJ, 7/26/06) (http://www.thejawa.com/yabbse/index.php?topic=5900.msg55268#msg55268)

This is not something we would consider, because it would complicate matters should we want to reintroduce playsets at some point.

Will we ever see a Tantive IV playset? (YF, 7/26/06) (http://cgi.denpetersen.com/YAK1/viewtopic.php?t=472)

A Tantive playset would be in line behind others that deserve to be done first.

Is there any chance of seeing a new Dagobah Playset to set up with our "Handstand" Dagobah Luke (OTC) and the Dagobah X-Wing w/R2D2? The new ship looks great, but collectors want more. (ST, 7/14/06)* (http://www.sandtroopers.com/smf/index.php?topic=5183.90)

Thanks! We're glad that you like the new ship! We're not planning to release any new playsets in the near future.

If it's not feasable for you to make some new playsets (or even re-release old ones, like the vintage Dagobah playset) due to low demand, have you considered sub-contracting the playset portion of the license to another company (like GG or SS)? It's seems to have worked well for the 12" figure line, why not playsets? (JD, 7/14/06) (http://www.jedidefender.com/newspro/fullnews.cgi?newsid1152907321,75646,)

We have not considered sub-contracting this out, but it's not something we would want to do in any case.

Other companies are manufacturing attractive and compatible stands and display environments for Star Wars action figures. What, if anything, can we collectors do to encourage Hasbro to enter this market in lieu of play sets? (We're going to need somewhere to put that Cantina Bar when the U-shaped piece comes out.) (GH, 6/30/06) (http://www.galactichunter.com/absolutenm/templates/full_article_template_1.asp?articleid=5517&zoneid=2)

It has been noticed. It's just that we have chosen to allocate our design resources toward producing other products right now. That may change in the future.

Many collectors still love the old cardboard backdrop, plastic base play sets from the vintage era. Are updated versions of these considered just too hokey for such a robust, detailed modern line? (GH, 6/30/06) (http://www.galactichunter.com/absolutenm/templates/full_article_template_1.asp?articleid=5517&zoneid=2)

There is demand for these among a core of collectors, and even on the team here, I have my original Sears Cantina set here at work.  I would't rule out the possibility that they will ever come back, but their right time and place seems to have been in the original Kenner line.

Have you ever considered making display environments (movie accurate set pieces like the Lars Homestead dome, Moisture Vaporators, Yavin Rebel Base Command Center) targeted solely towards collectors rather than playsets that are targeted primarily at kids? Looking at the forums, it looks like collectors prefer movie accurate environments to display their loose figures in rather than kid oriented, action feature-laden playsets. Kids might even go for movie-accurate display environments as well. Would you ever consider offering something like this? (RS, 6/30/06) (http://www.rebelscum.com/story/front/Hasbros_4th_STAR_WARS_QA_The_Answers_99087.asp)

Deluxe sets (some of which have had pieces like you suggest) have always struggled in contrast to the basic figures or vehicles. We've put our focus in other areas. When the opportunity arises, and when we can afford it, we would rather put some of these elements into the basic figures so sets can be built organically.

Had a Death Star playset as a child. You've remade many playsets of my youth, any chance of this coming up (with Trash Compactor Monster!)? (F, 6/23/06) (http://www.figures.com/databases/action.cgi?setup_file=fignews2.setup&category=actionfigures&topic=77&show_article=440)

There has been quite a bit of discussion internally on whether or not playsets could be successful in today's market. However, we continue to see diminished demand for playsets. If we ever see the landscape changing, it's something we could take a look at in the future.

Have you considered new playset ideas, especially modular playsets so collectors can build larger playsets from smaller sets? (SSG, 6/09/06) (http://www.sirstevesguide.com/index.php?categoryid=13&p2_articleid=76)

A scaling playset is a great idea. There has been a lot of discussion internally on whether this could be successful in today's market. However, we continue to see diminished demand for playsets. If we ever see the landscape changing, it's something we could take a look at in the future.

Does Hasbro intend to release any playsets, large or in smaller sections to create a larger playset? (YF, 6/09/06) (http://cgi.denpetersen.com/YAK1/viewtopic.php?t=310)

As the saying goes, "great minds think alike". There has been a lot of discussion internally on whether this could be successful in today's market. However, we continue to see diminished demand for playsets. If we ever see the landscape changing, It's something we could take a look at in the future.

Are there any plans to re-release the classic Deathstar playset in the Saga line or possibly do a new version, perhaps a modular type playset that people buy in parts and then once they have all of them could combine to form one large playset? (TNI, 6/09/06)

As the saying goes, "great minds think alike." There has been a lot of discussion internally on whether this could be successful in today's market. However, we continue to see diminished demand for playsets. If we ever see the landscape changing, it's something we could take a look at in the future.

With the pressure of the 'movie years' now past us, are we more or less likely to see Hasbro produce any playsets for the Star Wars action figure line? (GH, 6/09/06) (http://www.galactichunter.com/absolutenm/templates/full_article_template_1.asp?articleid=5462&zoneid=7)

The demand for playsets just hasn't been there. Instead we've put our focus behind vehicles. Vehicles and figures are more popular play patterns for the kid audience than playsets.

Any possibilites of having smaller playset sections that ACTUALLY connect to make a larger one? (TJ, 6/09/06) (http://www.thejawa.com/yabbse/index.php?topic=5900.msg54020#msg54020)

A scaling playset is a great idea, Chris. However, we continue to see diminished demand for playsets.  If we ever see the landscape changing,  it's something we could take a look at in the future.
Title: Re: The Hasbro Q & A Archive, Categorized For Your Pleasure
Post by: Matt on July 27, 2006, 09:27 PM
Potatoes

Why is it that with some of Hasbro's Star Wars non-main lines (most recently the Potato Head line), the initial item ships in large quantities while further releases are released in smaller numbers that diminish as the waves continue, resulting in a glut of the first items, later items very difficult to find, and diminished sales overall for that line? And why use secondary waves to replenish initial waves when often there's no way to tell how the early waves sell, such as stores having plenty of Darth Tater while the Spudtrooper's case has more Darth Taters in it so stores have less room for Spudtroopers and even less room for them when the R2-Potatoo comes out? The POTJ-era Mega Action line was the same issue, and these examples are hardly alone. (SSG, 12/01/06) (http://www.sirstevesguide.com/index.php?categoryid=13&p2_articleid=76)

The question you ask goes to a drop off in popularity after Darth Tater. The casual consumer (not collector) was what kept this subline turning at retail. Artoo Potatoo and Spudtrooper just weren't the iconic draw and commanded less volume, not enough volume on their own to keep the line going. Darth Tater by far was the more popular of the figures among consumers as a whole, and as such we kept releasing him in heavier ratios.

I love the Darth Tater T-Shirts on the Hasbro site and the one for sale on HasbroToyShop.com and was wondering if you thought of a  roll-out of shirts based on the figures and vehicles in adult sizes? (YN, 11/03/06)

The Darth Tater shirt was a one-time program developed with Disney, so it's doubtful we'll do something similar.

Are there plans to make more Star Wars characters as Mr. Potato Heads? (YN, 10/22/06)

As of now, the line ended with Artoo Potatoo. The reality was that demand fell off after Darth Tater and retailers were not interested in carrying additional line extensions, preferring to see us concentrate on the many Star Wars figure SKUs.

Darth Tater and Spud Trooper were a success and I look forward to Artoo-Potatoo in my collection. Any odds of seeing a BOBA FETT RUSSET:)? (F, 6/23/06) (http://www.figures.com/databases/action.cgi?setup_file=fignews2.setup&category=actionfigures&topic=77&show_article=440)

For now, Artoo Potatoo is the only Star Wars Potato Head figure planned for the foreseeable future.

Any more Star Wars Potato Head figures after R2-D2 in the works? (JI, 6/23/06) (http://jediinsider.com/index.php?catid=8&itemid=9626)

For now, Artoo Potatoo is the only Star Wars Potato Head figure planned for the foreseeable future.

Pre-Production

How many sculptors work on the basic Star Wars figure line and how does the process work? Is one sculptor assigned to a particular figure and solely responsible for it's look? Are there sculptors that work solely on Star Wars or do they work on other lines as well? (JD, 01/12/07) (http://www.jedidefender.com/newspro/fullnews.cgi?newsid1168639598,73495,)

We have a team of 10-12 freelance sculptors on the outside who are supervised by our sculpting design manager. One sculptor will be assigned for a particular figure, and then tweaks and changes (as needed) will typically be made in house, so the end result is usually the collaboration of either one or two sculptors depending on the extent of the changes needed to secure approval from Lucasfilm.

The rumor has always been that Ephant Mon was a figure on which you took a beating financially. If this is true, why? The figure's size was obviously quite large but shouldn't you make up for a figure like Ephant Mon by giving us tiny figures like Yoda or the new Chief Chirpa? Many fans would love to see Hermi Odle (Jabba's Palace) but worry that he'll never see the light of retail aisles because he'd be large like Ephant. (JD, 10/22/06) (http://www.jedidefender.com/newspro/fullnews.cgi?newsid1161565479,56329,)

His large size means that he had a voracious appetite for plastic resin, which made him very costly. However, we have not ruled out other large figures. We just have to be creative in bringing them out and make sure that overall, on an averaged basis, we're making our targets.

On the issue of perceived value with small figures like Ewoks, Jawas, Astromech droids, etc., while scale-accuracy is important, smaller figures have often come in 2-packs - Wicket & Logray, Jawa 2pack, Gonk Droid & Jawa, Yoda & Chian, Jedi Padawans, Library Droids, even the just-released Dud Bold & Mars Guo; Wicket & Logray are not only a 2-pack but are scaled-up for perceived value - yet the recent Chief Chirpa feels like a very empty package because it's a very small figure with few accessories. Why was Chirpa not part of a 2-pack, and would Hasbro consider using the basic 2-pack format with smaller figures again in the future to give greater value for buyers' money and get more figures out there? (SSG, 10/22/06) (http://www.sirstevesguide.com/index.php?categoryid=13&p2_articleid=76)

We will consider it in the future. As to why Chirpa was a single pack, it was needed to help cost average the wave somewhat.

What is the selection process for characters to be made into figures, and what is the best way for fans to increase the chances of the release for a certain figure? (AF, 10/6/06) (http://www.actionfigs.com/index.php?categoryid=12&p2_articleid=162)

The Star Wars 3-3/4" selection process is probably not unlike the NCAA basketball committee selection process. We start out by framing the line by film (our strategy for '06, '07, and '08) and who we could do or redo from a scene along with any new characters. We then slot in the strongest characters to anchor a wave making sure we have strong ('A' level) characters in every wave (not unlike spreading out the division champions across brackets). Once we have the main figures laid out, we start to look at the collector-type specialty figures, and this is where we get a lot of fun lobbying for favorites (again, not unlike lobbying for the smaller school to get in). It's done as a team approach, with collaboration from the team at Lucasfilm too. We take fan input into consideration... things we've seen or heard, emerging trends we're seeing, etc. The ToyFare Top 25 Poll was a great way (and the best, since it was quantitative) for fans to make their voices heard.

Is it an objective of Hasbro's to eventually make every character that had a speaking role in the films - whether or not they interacted with core characters - into action figures? Nearly all these characters have been given names by Lucasfilm or EU authors. (AF, 10/6/06) (http://www.actionfigs.com/index.php?categoryid=12&p2_articleid=162)

Not a stated objective, no. The objective is to field what we think is the overall best lineup each year between core character and collector-types. We may put a background character with no speaking part (Cantina or Jabba's Palace guys, or many droids) over someone with a speaking part just because it's a better or cooler figure.

We've seen a few answers in the Q&A recently, both at FFURG.com and other sites, that mention tooling costs. What emphasis during pre-production is placed on the ability to re-use some existing molds to create a new figure? Does the re-use of some molds/parts allow for you to have additional accessories, paint apps, or articulation that we might not see if a character is "all-new"? (FFURG, 9/29/06) (http://www.ffurg.com/hasbroqa.htm)

Absolutely. By refreshing a figure (using one that was created before) we can make changes to it and create accessories that would not have been possible before. A good example of that is Foul Moudama. We were able to create a new character by adding some parts to a figure we had before, which we probably would not have done if we had to start from scratch. We do try and take that into account up front for some figures when it make sense.

FROM LAST WEEK: 1) Many a collector is impatient to get what they might refer to as an "Ultimate" versions of major characters and the somewhat iconic background characters of the Saga.  How does this concept mesh with Hasbro's need to hold the collecting community's interest for the remainder of the SW toy license? (TJ, 9/29/06) (http://www.thejawa.com/yabbse/index.php?topic=6174.msg56288#msg56288)

You have asked a million dollar (or million figure) question!  Creating a figure line for any year is a balancing act between hero characters that kids still want and the more obscure background characters that the hard core fan base wants to see. There are so many cool collector-targeted figure categories we could be doing (troopers, Cantina aliens, pod racers, Ewoks, droids, vidgame characters, Padme and other females, Jabba's palace denizens, Separatists, Senators etc) and the challenge is just fitting enough of them in for any given year  Trust me, fan's patience will be rewarded in the long run, as we get to make most of the figures from the films...but patience is emphasized.   We're confident, that every year, as long as we're covering some of these bases, fans will be happy.

When looking at main character re-sculpts, what's the criteria for choosing any given version of a main character out on the market? For example, why choose Tatooine Luke over Throne Room Duel Luke or Bespin Han over Hoth Han, etc? (JD, 9/19/06) (http://www.jedidefender.com/newspro/fullnews.cgi?newsid1158676228,25932,)

We choose a character that we think best matches the wave that we are crafting, and then decide on how to make that figure new depending on the last version we did. Sometimes it's also based on the desire to update a certain figure, and we can build a wave out around that figure if there are enough other figures from that scene to do.

I understand with the main characters, for example Death Star II Luke Skywalker from ROTJ, you have a lot of reference material to work from in making a new figure: the films, photos, etc. There's plenty of resources to use for main characters.

But what do you do when there's little or no reference material for a minor character? For example, Sgt. Doallyn from Jabba's Palace...how would you make this character? Does Lucasfilm have reference materials for such a minor character, or would you use your own creative designs? What do you do when their are limited resources?
(RS, 9/19/06) (http://www.rebelscum.com/story/front/Hasbros_11th_STAR_WARS_QA_The_Answers_99997.asp)

Sometimes there is more than you would think for reference from costume shots and other stills. Practically everything from the prequel trilogies is well-documented, for example. It gets trickier for the OTC, especially EpIV. Many of the Cantina figures, for example, do not have complete body reference but that hasn't stopped us! In these more extreme examples of needing to "fill in the blanks", our design team will come up with a proposed solution for the rest of the figure that is submitted to Lucasfilm. After one (or more) rounds of comments, that character design then becomes canon for that figure or species.

Since the beginning of the modern collection of SW figures, there have been many changes due to advances in technology &, I assume, the pursuit for accuracy. One of those changes is in the arena of scale. At some point a few years ago, there was a somewhat abrupt shift in scale for the 3¾" figure line. Most noticeably, we began getting Leias that were much smaller than those released earlier & Chewbaccas that now towered over earlier versions of the same character figure.  At what point & to what degree does scale become a factor in the sculpting of new figures? The recent Chief Chirpa figure seems dwarfed by most of the previously released Ewoks, even those released just a year or two ago. Does scale get occasionally compromised for detail or other considerations? Or, has the Hasbro team settled on a size upon which all future figures will be scaled? (RS, 9/01/06) (http://www.rebelscum.com/story/front/Hasbros_10th_STAR_WARS_QA_The_Answers_99864.asp)

You are correct. Along with new & improved tech, we are also constantly striving to improve the sculpted details / authenticity of the 3.75" figure line. Scale goes hand-in-hand with detail. Several years ago (roughly '99 -'00 time frame) we took another look at scale and realized we figures like Leia and Chewie could be done more accurately. Before this time we may have done a Leia slightly larger because we were concerned with perceived value. However, we have sense re-evaluated this philosophy because we feel there is just as much value in accuracy and we will sometimes compensate for smaller scales by adding additional extra value pieces.

Scale is key to authenticity across the line but the only compromises to it may occur when a character is 8+ feet tall and may need to be scaled down to fit in package or possibly 2 feet tall and needs to be increased slightly to incorporate the articulation. At either end of the spectrum, we still incorporate as much detail as possible (of course, the larger the detail the easier it will be to recreate it).

Has Hasbro ever planned a figure that LFL vetoed, or have they ever especially recommended a figure? (TJ, 9/01/06) (http://www.thejawa.com/yabbse/index.php?topic=5900.msg55915#msg55915)

All the time. There is a lot of collaborative give-and-take when we are designing a year of figures (or isolated exclusives).  Typically we'll go through several versions of a line plan, settling first on the versions of core characters which are usually uncontested, and then working our way to approval on collector-targeted figures.  It's here that folks (with at Hasbro and Lucasfilm) have favorites or may not care for a figure, and there is back and forth to settle on the line that everyone is comfortable with.  The challenge is that there are many great collector-targeted figures and only so many slots to fit them in, and we want to get the right balance.  This is also where early line plans that are "leaked" out to the public can be misleading. It's unfortunate, but the current line plan that you guys have has examples of these early "wishful thinking" figures on there....an early line plan that was revised later before becoming final.  Some collector figures on there will not be in the actual 2007 line.  The good thing is that we take the ideas and push them off for later use....a good figure will come back into the next year's plan, for example.

We've been getting a number of figures in the Basic Figure and Vintage lines with softgoods, and the quality of softgoods offerings has gotten much better over the past year.  What are the determining factors in deciding whether or not a figure should get softgoods accessories, and what was changed to improve the quality of the softgoods materials? (TJ, 9/01/06) (http://www.thejawa.com/yabbse/index.php?topic=5900.msg55915#msg55915)

Thanks for noticing the improvements to our softgoods. We have tried very hard to get them to a level that meets both collectors and our standards. Because of the small nature of 3-3/4". it's really hard to consistently get great results but we like the results we've been getting.  Softgoods allows us to reinvent characters in fresh, new, and exciting  ways that may have previously never been done before. We typically consider softgoods in cases that will enhance a figures value / performance (i.e. when it will let us achieve a higher / better degree of articulation). In some cases, it's finding the right fabric to drape correctly that makes the difference.   The characters aesthetic details, as well as cost, (Softgoods are very labor intensive, making them costly) will also factor into the equation.

When a toy is canceled, what happens to it? Is the concept (assuming that it was developed enough) mothballed for future consideration? (GH, 8/25/06) (http://www.galactichunter.com/absolutenm/templates/full_article_template_1.asp?articleid=5725&zoneid=2)

It depends on the state of the concept.  Ideas rarely get mothballed completely.  For instance, nearly all basic figures that have been put aside for one reason or another have gotten back into the line - these are pretty safe products.  But the more complicated and expensive ones... there's less likelihood that they'll ever get made simply because the business situation behind their original creation probably hasn't gone away. One exception: The Ultimate Lightsaber.  This product had been at Hasbro - nearly complete - since 2002 when it was revived for Revenge of the Sith and became our key holiday driver and a big hit for us.  It needed the right timing - a big influx provided by interest in EpIII was the right market we needed to launch it.  We couldn't have done it in a typical non-movie year.

For years I have been wondering if Hasbro will ever like produce a behind the scenes documentary on how your toys are made, from the first stages of design to the final product and packing. Not only would it be great to see other lines, but more importantly the Star Wars line. Would the Hasbro Division ever consider this? (YN, 8/25/06)

We will be working with Toy Fare magazine on such a story, for the development of the Darth Revan (Fans' Choice) figure. However, it will be a print piece, rather than a film. Stay tuned!

Are there any figures that are just too morbid to touch (e.g. Dying/Dead Padme)? (GH, 8/11/06) (http://www.galactichunter.com/absolutenm/templates/full_article_template_1.asp?articleid=5675&zoneid=2)

Yes, there are some that cross the line to grisly. We'd probably never do figures in their deceased state (aside from Spirit of the Force figures). [GH editor's note: Is that a hint???]

Re: the reuse of existing molds for new "kitbashed" figures--how often, if ever, does Hasbro look at customizing sites for new ideas on how to re-use existing parts for new figures? (FFURG, 7/26/06) (http://www.ffurg.com/hasbroqa.htm)

We do not look outside for ideas. The design team usually has good ideas they have stored up from previous projects when deciding what to do next.

Does every character cost the same amount of money to produce (i.e. from concept to finish) or do some figures have some features “cut out” in order to invest money in other figures? (JTA, 7/26/06) (http://www.jeditemplearchives.com/content/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=2377)

Yes, balancing a wave or a year to hit our goals is something we're always doing.  Articulation, accessories, deco, and packaging all are taken into consideration.  Sometimes one character may not have as many accessories to produce, say, large accessory for another.  Same with articulation.  Deco is changed around late in the game when we have a better read on actual costing based on factory quotes.  Sometimes we can add some back in, sometimes we might trim some out.

How do you decide which sculpts get rehashed/repackaged? (BTT, 7/14/06) (http://www.behindthetoys.com/forums/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=7353)

We make our choices for refreshed/repackaged figures based on demand for that character, quality of the original figure (for instance, if the aesthetics of the character still work for a re-release), and the availability and quality of the tooling.

With so many high-demand characters with speaking roles in the movies that have not yet been made (such as Tey How, Tagge, Ask Aak, Jocasta Nu, Lando in Smuggler's Gear, Queen Jamilla), why do you produce new sculpts, not just re-releases of existing sculpts, for minor characters who were done adequately in the past and who have five seconds or less of screen time (eg, Hammerhead, Garindan, Bossk, Dengar)? (SSG, 7/14/06) (http://www.sirstevesguide.com/index.php?categoryid=13&p2_articleid=76)

The selection of figures for a wave or the year is always a balancing act to keep the widest possible fan (kid and collector) traction in the brand. In many cases the characters you listed as being re-released are more popular than the ones you suggested for new figures overall. While we do like many of the figures you mentioned, and some or all will probably see the light of day over the next few years, the fact is that Cantina aliens and Bounty Hunters are very high-demand segments of the Star Wars figure world. They stand out among others for their strong iconic nature and important role in taking us to a galaxy far, far away in Episodes IV and V.

Production

Vacuum-metallizing is nearly always used for C-3PO and R2-D2 even though it seems to be more troublesome to work with, makes the parts more fragile, is difficult to keep paint applied to, limits the amount of articulation & gimmicks that can be have, and the chromed-look doesn't scale down very well. The only time R2's vac-metallized dome has looked right is on the Episode I figure where a dull-coat was applied over it, and unfortunately this technique was never used again. And painted R2-D2 domes generally aren't painted shiny enough even though Hasbro has used shinier paints in other items. Why use vac-metallizing so often with these figures, why not use shiny metallic paints instead, and for remaining vac-metallized elements what about using dull-coat again? (SSG, 11/10/06) (http://www.sirstevesguide.com/index.php?categoryid=13&p2_articleid=76)

Simply, kids like things that are as bright and shiny as they can get. Currently available metallic paints don't achieve the same results, so we haven't been excited by them. There are, however, some new paint techniques available that our R&D lab is evaluating for future vac-metal applications that may offer the same solution you are talking about. We don't know if or when we'll use these (they have to pass our rigorous play test standards), but if they work out, you'll see us using these for future shiny parts or figures.

What types of continuity checks/quality control do figures go through to ensure correct paint jobs and the inclusion of proper accessories? (i.e. giving the current X-wing Luke the wrong lightsaber hilt accessory) (YF, 8/04/06) (http://cgi.denpetersen.com/YAK1/viewtopic.php?t=526)

Our design team (along with the team at Lucasfilm) checks the figures at several stages to ensure accuracy. Sometimes, due to the amount of details something may be missed. Our team is extremely passionate, but  they are human!

Usually while swapping parts, we customizers get to see how the figure was produced, why a certain joint was used for an arm or leg, and why a certain part was sculpted a certain way. One thing that's puzzled us in recent years is the use of much softer plastic in the limbs of the newer figures when compared to earlier figures. Why did you change to the softer plastic, which we feel is less durable? (FFURG, 7/26/06) (http://www.ffurg.com/hasbroqa.htm)

I don't think you mean less durable, but rather not aesthetically pleasing, right? In any case, the durometer, a.k.a hardness, does vary both deliberately by figure and as an undesired manufacturing change. We are aware of the softness issues and are looking at that overall.

Replacement parts

Would Hasbro willing to create a catalog of replacement parts for those parts that break or get easily lost on vehicles and playsets so consumers can always get replacements even long after the toy has stopped manufacturing? If not, why not? (AF, 11/10/06) (http://www.actionfigs.com/index.php?categoryid=12&p2_articleid=162)

We do offer replacement parts through our consumer affairs department for as long as that toy is expected to have a normal useful life. However, it's not every piece, and limited to mainline products (as opposed to exclusives, which operate on a different engineering and ordering system within Hasbro). But, quite simply, with as many products as we have it's just logistically not feasible to be able to stock every part for every toy at all times.

On Hasbro.com, there are several Star Wars items that have replacement parts order forms, like the Ultimate 12" Anakin/Vader and the Clone Commander #33. Why aren't more parts available on the website? Although I'm sure you don't mind customizers buying up peg warmers for individual parts, I'd bet if more replacement parts were available online, customizers would be buying them in bulk. Personally, I could use more Ewok weapons, POTF2 Stormtrooper blasters, and Senate Pods...nudge...nudge... (FFURG, 10/6/06) (http://ffurg.com/hasbroqa.htm)

We'll take that under advisement. For the most part, the number of collectors who would find this service useful would be small. But we'll look at it.

Role-play toys

With your great Dark Horse partnership in action figures, can we foresee the selling of cost-friendly "SABER SLIPS" (the pieces found in build-your-own Ultimate Lightsabers) yet "SLIPS" culled and characterized from EXPANDED UNIVERSE sabers / characters such as Quilan Vos, Darth Revan, Darth Krayt / Talon / expandable to Nihlus, and Exar Kun, etc.? I can see this compliment sales of the "Ultimate Lightsaber" as well as the EU line and interest. (JTA, 3/02/07) (http://www.jeditemplearchives.com/content/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=2933)

Good question and one we have given consideration to as we approach a new era of entertainment. Role-play (such as the Ultimate Lightsaber) is driven overwhelmingly by kids, not collectors, so we'll look at new character sabers as they make sense given the recognizability and demand for those characters among the kid audience. Right now, there is almost no awareness of the EU characters among this audience, and as you know, we have even stopped short of generating sabers for the "second tier" level of Jedi like Saesee Tiin, Plo Kloon, Kit Fisto and Sith like Palpatine because the demand for these characters is not as high as the primary heroes. It is likely we would go to these characters before we would get to EU. We hope that helps frame our direction for character selects when it comes to role-play.

With your great Dark Horse partnership in action figures, can we foresee the selling of cost-friendly “SABER SLIPS” (the pieces found in build-your-own Ultimate Light sabers) yet “SLIPS” culled and characterized from EXPANDED UNIVERSE sabers / characters such as Quilan Vos, Darth Revan, Darth Krayt / Talon / expandable to Nihlus, and Exar Kun, etc.? I can see this compliment sales of the “Ultimate Lightsaber” as well as the EU line and interest. (YN, 3/02/07)

(See JTA, 3/02/07 (http://www.jeditemplearchives.com/content/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=2933).)

Anticipating the “Dark Times” which Obi-wan lionized as the saga between Episodes III and IV --- can we see what was done to the recent repaint of Mace Windu’s saber --- but with Obi’s saber (e.g. Obi’s ROTS saber-mold but in a ANH paint job, with tiny little re-tooled add-on’s? Packaging alone can attract fans both (young and old) picturing both Obi’s (young and old)! Like your old vehicle molds with tiny new retooled add-ons; Obi’s weathered “New Hope” saber can wield tiny new details; although small, can make such big differences. Example; a thin-strip of transparent plastic formed to make the “bubble-lined-button” for the igniter press. Or a cheap thinrubber-wrap molded to make a “dull-grip” (covering the “sharp-grip" ROTS-molded-handle) painted rough with weathered spreckles, would be so cool, yet still cost-effective. You did it with Mace’s repainted saber (shamefully, sorry to say). BUT, you’ve done it successfully and beautifully with more detailed repaints of old vehicle molds (coupled with tiny re-tooled add-ons made perfect). You did for Mace, did it for old vehicles --- can we do it for Obi? (YN, 3/02/07)

See above for our philosophy and direction for role-play. The changes to the Mace saber were done for kids and collectors were not a part of our thinking. To this point, our research has shown that collectors are not a big consumer of our role-play toys and we have been devoting our collector-targeted efforts to the things that are most meaningful on the whole to the collector audience, primarily the universe of 3-3/4" figures and vehicles. However, we'll dig a little more into the situation to see if the passion you are talking about for Hasbro role-play is a prevalent feeling in the community, and we'll consider that when we make future release decisions.

The E-11 Imperial Blaster role-play toy has never looked quite right since it lost the 3 position, fold-out stock featured in the original 1978 release. Any chance we could see that piece return, even if it doesn't actually fold out anymore? (JD, 01/12/07) (http://www.jedidefender.com/newspro/fullnews.cgi?newsid1168639598,73495,)

Probably not. We do have some new blasters coming out in the next couple months - a Rebel Blaster and Episode II Clone Blaster - that are very cool and those will be our new ones for a while.

With the new, spring-loaded electronic lightsabers now hitting the shelves, any plans for an updated, ROTS-style Mace Windu lightsaber or a Darth Sidious lightsaber? (SWC, 11/10/06) (http://www.swcollector.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=895)

Mace is a natural for a line extender, but we haven't slotted him into the lineup yet. We're going to let the 4 main styles (Vader, Obi-Wan, Luke, and the green Jedi) carry the line next year as kids upgrade their main lightsaber arsenal with these 4.

Since, just like the vehicles, some of the old Kenner molds are often reused for role-play weapons like the Han Solo and Stormtrooper blasters, I was wondering if the mold for the vintage Biker Scout pistol still exists, and if so, could we see it return to retail? (YF, 11/10/06) (http://cgi.denpetersen.com/YAK1/viewtopic.php?t=1037)

We're pretty sure we don't have that one, and are focusing on different blasters in any case.

We've seen pics of the Springloaded LightSabers, will we be seeing these in the stores anytime soon? and what all lightsabers will be released in this variety? (A-F, 6/30/06) (http://www.action-figure.com/index.php?name=News&file=article&sid=19837)

The wait will soon be over. You should start seeing the Force Action Light Saber in stores in October. There will be four styles - Vader, Obi-Wan, Luke (blue), and a green Jedi blade which will be available in November.

Are there any plans for making a Darth Sidious electronic lightsaber? (JTA, 6/23/06) (http://jeditemplearchives.com/content/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=2249)

I doubt it. The problem is the tiny hilt and blade, which do not make a heroic statement to kids. I know Yoda says "Judge me by my size, do you?" but it's not very high on the kid demand list for lightsabers.

Will we ever see Darth Sidious' lightsaber? (JI, 6/16/06) (http://jediinsider.com/index.php?catid=8&itemid=9622)

I doubt it. The problem is that it is the tiny hilt and blade, which do not make as heroic a statement to kids. I know Yoda says "Judge me by my size, do you?" but it's not very high on the kid demand list for lightsabers.
Title: Re: The Hasbro Q & A Archive, Categorized For Your Pleasure
Post by: Matt on July 27, 2006, 09:31 PM
Specific figures (Episode I - The Phantom Menace)

Hasbro has said that for future releases of Battle Droids they would be released as 2-packs, how about releasing a blue Pilot Battle Droid 2-pack since that BD has been requested since the Episode I line came out? (AF, 11/17/06) (http://www.actionfigs.com/index.php?categoryid=12&p2_articleid=162)

We will look at that possibility. If it doesn't come out next year, we'll probably get to it sooner rather than later.

Will you ever release the Trade Federation PK Droid seen in The Phantom Menace? You could use the Star Wars Saga SP-4 figure mold for the body since they have the same design, and just make a new head. (AF, 11/03/06) (http://www.actionfigs.com/index.php?categoryid=12&p2_articleid=162)

Interesting suggestion. We haven't looked at this one, but will evaluate it. Thanks.

The packaging for The Saga Collection's Naboo Soldier shows some soldiers in red armor and helmets. Any chance we might see those other soldiers, using the same body but with a new head? (SWC, 11/03/06) (http://www.swcollector.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=888)

We were thinking about this originally. With the production run on this figure, we didn't get a chance to spec this change in. Perhaps some time down the road, but it won't be this year.

Hasbro was previously asked in a Q&A if the cancelled trophy edition OOM-9 could be released in a Battle Pack, and the response was "If [it] would fit into a future scene we want to do, we'd consider [it]." What about releasing cancelled OOM-9 and also the cancelled Destroyer Droid (from the Droideka vs Gungan 2pack) and Trophy Edition Obi-Wan as regular basic carded figures? (AF, 10/22/06) (http://www.actionfigs.com/index.php?categoryid=12&p2_articleid=162)

We've dug into this one for you. The simple answer is that these figures never went to tooling. Some of the sculpts (like the Darth Maul and Battle Droid/OOM-9) did eventually get made. But the others never got farther than hard copies and paint. So I'm afraid these concepts are ones that will never see the light of day, still.

(AF editor's note: the Destroyer Droid in question is unpainted and was seen in the test-shot phase which nearly always comes after the tooling phase, so it's surprising to hear it didn't get that far.)

When exactly will we be seeing the release of a new, SA, high-quality Qui-Gon Jinn figure? It's been a while since Qui-Gon was offered as a basic figure and fans would love a new super-posable version! (JD, 8/04/06) (http://www.jedidefender.com/newspro/fullnews.cgi?newsid1154734509,1394,)

We agree, but there's no specific time-table for an SA Qui-Gon.

In light of the recent Lucas Family boxset, has there been any consideration given to making other production crew movie cameo figures like Rick McCallum and Ben Burtt from the end sequence on Naboo in TPM (AF, 7/26/06) (http://www.actionfigs.com/index.php?categoryid=12&p2_articleid=162)

Those are good suggestions… they aren't in the works now, but when we go back to Naboo they would be interesting figures.

Are there plans for any more figures based on the other Pod Racers in Episode 1? It seems like that is still a fertile pool to pull characters from. (AFI, 6/30/06) (http://www.actionfigureinsider.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?p=32513&highlight=#32513)

Ah - great question. I have been pondering the same thing, as my kids (and I) love the Pod Racing scenes. However, when it comes to the vehicles, they just wouldn't sell as well as more aggressive or iconic vehicles. Not to rule out that someday we will do them, but we look to focus on bringing out the occasional pod racing driver pack.

Will any of these planned (but unreleased) items ever see the light of day?

Gungan Accessory Pack (w/Gungan Warrior) (Saga)/Trophy Series Obi-Wan Kenobi/Trophy Series OOM-9/Holo Queen Amidala/Holo Obi-wan/Holo Nute Gunray/Obi-wan w/"Skeeto"/Qui-gon Jinn vs. Battle Droid (Action Heroes 2-Pack)/Jar Jar Binks vs. Destroyer Droid (same)
(RS, 6/23/06) (http://www.rebelscum.com/story/front/Hasbros_3rd_STAR_WARS_Weekly_QA_Session_The_Answers_99031.asp)

That's a bunch of questions in one! The short answer is: I doubt it, as we've moved in a different direction.

What are the numbers for the figures in the Endor and Naboo waves? (JTA, 6/16/06) (http://www.jeditemplearchives.com/content/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=2226)

Endor is #39-43 (Wave 5) and #44-46 is Wave 6. The Naboo wave is #49-52 in Wave 6. We combined the two into one wave as both ended up on the same schedule.

Specific figures (Episode II - Attack of the Clones)

The plain white Clone Trooper from Attack of the Clones hasn't seen retailer shelves a whole lot lately, but it seems like the kind of army builder that should see a regular rotation in the basic figure line. Is the SA format of this figure due out at retail again in the near future? We know that the Green AOTC Sergeant is on his way this Fall of course, but I'm sure many out there would love more of the AOTC grunts for our armies. (JD, 9/29/06) (http://www.jedidefender.com/newspro/fullnews.cgi?newsid1159554509,46595,)

Good question, and we agree, but there may be many such figures fans want to see come back. Stay tuned for an opportunity for fans to input on which "greatest hits" we should be doing.

Do you have any plans for a 'torn shirt' version of the upcoming Geonosis Padme' figure shown at SDCC? (JI, 8/25/06) (http://jediinsider.com/index.php?catid=8&itemid=9753)

Not in the near future, but it is a great idea for a figure that needs an update. It's on our "wish list" to do sometime.

With the popularity of the many ROTS style clonetrooper, can we still expect to see AOTC style clonetroopers released? (POTF2, 6/23/06) (http://www.potf2.com/potj/forums/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=10309)

Yes. If you'll be at Comic-Con, come to our panel on Friday morning to learn more details.

Any chance we can expect to see a Lars Homestead scene pack with Cliegg Lars, prequel Owen and Beru, anytime soon? This could be a great exclusive? (YF, 6/16/06) (http://cgi.denpetersen.com/YAK1/viewtopic.php?t=311)

Not at this time. While they would be cool, there are a bunch of characters we'll be getting to first.

Specific figures (Episode III - Revenge of the Sith)

Looking at my ROTS calendar the other day I saw a scene where Obi-Wan is watching a holographic video in the Jedi Temple of Anakin bowing to Lord Sidious after executing Order 66. Would we ever get to see this as a two-pack, kind of a Holographic Lord Vader's Rise? (SWC, 3/16/07) (http://www.swcollector.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=986)

This is an interesting suggestion and one we too have eyeballed for doing something with at some point. It's worthy of looking into, possibly for a future comic 2-pack for example.

Is there any effort going into the hopeful re-release of Commander Gree with accurate paint deco in a Kashyyyk Battle Pack? I want to emphasize the "accurate paint deco" portion of this as the previous figure is way off in terms of movie accuracy... and I know of many who are longing for this. (GH, 3/02/07) (http://www.galactichunter.com/absolutenm/templates/full_article_template_1.asp?articleid=6287&zoneid=2)

We have stayed our hand at re-releasing Commander Gree simply because we are feeling that the fans would want to see us retool him before we repainted one that does not have the correctly molded torso.  Right now there is no timeline for the release of an updated Commander Gree, but that's why we are holding off.

Every year, Hasbro puts out a bunch of really great figures. With that said, I'm sure that every year also has a couple figures that you would have liked to improve or tweak just a bit, but you just ran out of time. In 2005's Revenge of the Sith line, what figure is THE figure you'd like to backtrack and maybe start over again? Grievous' Body Guard Droids perhaps (who could use some more articulation and detailing)? Maybe Commander Gree (who seemed a bit rushed to fill out the line at the end of 2005)? (JD, 3/02/07) (http://www.jedidefender.com/newspro/fullnews.cgi?newsid1172874570,75175,)

Well, there are always a couple at which we wish we could take another pass, but we're glad we were able to get them all out. Since the only way we could do Gree at the time was to repaint an existing tool, we made the decision to go with him and we think he's a nice figure to have. Given his importance to the ranks of the Clones, though, he's the one that we've stayed our hand against re-releasing, even though the demand for him has been very high, simply because the if and when we get Gree back out there he should probably be a new figure. No timeline for him right now, though.

In a previous Q/A you said there would be a new Mace Windu figure released this year with decent articulation, any chance we can get a sneak peek of that figure with an image? (JI, 01/12/07) (http://jediinsider.com/index.php?catid=8&itemid=9957)

The new Mace Windu figure is in the first wave of the 30th Anniversary Collection (TAC) and images were released in October. We have attached the released image in case you have not seen it.

I was very excited when I picked up an Obi-Wan Kenobi #28 on sale at Target a few days ago. I could finally have a soft goods cape, unlit hilt, headset and stand all in one figure, but I was kind of disappointed the figure's foot wasn't deep enough for the stand. Hasbro is releasing another Obi-Wan next year that has been retooled for the mouth piece, but will this version have a retooled peg hole in his foot? With all of the accessories that have been released with this great sculpt of Obi-Wan, dating back all the way to the ROTS Pilot version, I want him to at least be able to stand on his... stand without any problems. (YF, 12/15/06) (http://cgi.denpetersen.com/YAK1/viewtopic.php?t=1169)

Thanks for the comment. The figure does have the same footpeg from this year's version and will ship that way to begin with, but we'll take your comment back to the engineering team and see if we can make the hole deeper going forward. It’s tricky to get the peg that deep when a figure has a super-articulated foot because the foot peg cannot always be migrated to the thicker heel, so it may not be possible. Thanks.

Any possibility of releasing an SA IG-100 Magnaguard (aka Grievous' Bodyguard)? (AF, 12/08/06) (http://www.actionfigs.com/index.php?categoryid=12&p2_articleid=162)

At some point we'll probably do it, but that figure might be one that needs a fresh approach. We might see a new tool before a re-release.

I understand why you are using the S/A Scout Trooper for now as a Kashyyykk Trooper instead of making a new one, but why didn't you use the S/A Scout with opening visor then you could of at least molded a Kashyyykk Trooper visor and belt for it, to make it slightly more accurate. This surely would not have cost much and helped with any future new Kashyyykk Trooper. (YF, 12/08/06) (http://cgi.denpetersen.com/YAK1/viewtopic.php?t=1133)

The Kashyyyk trooper was a costly one already (due to deco), so we went with the closed mask version to not escalate ops and part count.

Why is the upcoming Saga Collection #64 figure being called Commander Appo? He is clearly modeled after Commander Bow (as he appears in comics, with the pauldron), not Commander Appo (who in the film wears the same armor and markings as the other 501st clones). If it is to differentiate between him as a commander and the regular grunts, why not just call him Commander Bow for the sake of accuracy? (AF, 12/01/06) (http://www.actionfigs.com/index.php?categoryid=12&p2_articleid=162)

We made the assumption that it was Appo who appeared in Purge and took our cue from that.

Can we get a picture of the 2007 Super Battle Droid, sans removable flames? (JD, 12/01/06) (http://www.jedidefender.com/newspro/fullnews.cgi?newsid1164949200,30550,)

See attached image: (Click here for pic.) (http://www.jedidefender.com/image.pl?http://www.jedidefender.com/news/images/12-06/flamelessSBD.jpg)

The wookiees were a big part of Revenge of the Sith, plus they make awesome figures. Will there be any new wookiee figures in the 30th anniversary collection or any ewoks, maybe a female ewok with child? (YN, 12/01/06)

We're going to hold off on Wookiees for a while. It may have been their rather small time on screen, or it may just be that their speech is unintelligible to the average human, but the Wookiees, aside from Chewbacca and later in the year, Tarrful, did not seem to enjoy the same level of popularity as other characters last year. We'll come back to them at some point, but we're resting them for now.

Now that Tomy (Japan) has made the remote-controlled R2-D2, is there any chance that Hasbro will make the "light show" R2-D2 from RotS where he distracts General Grievous with all of his gadgets? (Spinning action and lights!) Are we likely to see 3¾" scale R2-D2 figures with electronics in the future? (GH, 11/17/06) (http://www.galactichunter.com/absolutenm/templates/full_article_template_1.asp?articleid=6010&zoneid=2)

Ha! This is a good one. We actually hadn't considered this but it would make an interesting figure at some point.  As for additional electronics, we evaluate on a case by case basis as to what we can afford. A motor is a much more expensive component than a light/sound chip so we won't be doing something like this for a basic figure.

Is the upcoming 41st Elite Trooper going to be the flip-visor version from the Tins or simply the "regular" VTSC version? (RS, 11/17/06) (http://www.rebelscum.com/story/front/Hasbros_19th_STAR_WARS_QA_The_Answers_101317.asp)

It's going to be the regular VTSC version.

Can we get a picture of the 2007 Galactic Marine, sans removable helmet? Does he have the same head as the 2007 Airborne Trooper? (JD, 11/10/06) (http://www.jedidefender.com/newspro/fullnews.cgi?newsid1163213532,68703,)

Sure, here you go. (Click here for pic.) (http://www.jedidefender.com/news/images/11-06/07galacticmarine_nohelm.jpg)

It is actually not based on the same head as the Airborne Trooper. It's based on the younger clone played by Tihoi Taylor.


Are there any plans to release battle packs of Order 66 and the execution of the Jedi, like maybe a 4 pack with Obi-Wan, Commander Cody, and 2 Utapau troopers or 1 and a Parjai? Something similar for other scenes, like a Yoda, Chewbacca, Gree, and Elite corps trooper? You get the idea. Because that would be a super-cool and fast army builder set. Call it "Order 66", or "Rise of the Empire" or something flashy. The kids will love it. (RS, 11/03/06) (http://www.rebelscum.com/story/front/Hasbros_17th_STAR_WARS_QA_The_Answers_101067.asp)

This is definitely a strong theme and some of our Battle Packs have had (and will have) this kind of structure. We know that the Jedi/Clone cooperation/betrayal leader/troop dynamic lends itself to some interesting possibilities, and will be a focus of some of our products in 2007. Stay tuned....

If Hasbro were to re-release the ROTS Anakin Skywalker (Battle Damaged) #50 figure, any chances of packing in the Medical Capsule as an accessory? Lots of diorama builders have been asking for this one! (SWC, 11/03/06) (http://www.swcollector.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=888)

We don't have any plans to re-release this...painful...looking figure right now but if we did that's a good accessory to include. Thanks.

Although we have two figures from Utapau (Tion Medon and Utapaun Warrior, both Pau'an species), the planet had a second species seen in ROTS, the Utai - not major players, but they have several moments of screen time making them at least as prominent as background characters such as the Mustafar Sentry or Neimoidian Warrior which are already figures - so are we likely to get any Utai in the near future? (SSG, 10/27/06) (http://www.sirstevesguide.com/index.php?categoryid=13&p2_articleid=76)

The poor Utai. The petrol-drenched, varactyl-wrangling blue-collar working class of the sinkhole planet just haven't gotten their fair share of the attention. Which, as befits their status, is a small share. Until they send an ambassador to our line planning meetings, they remain a more long-term goal.

Now that e-tailers have started pre-sells for the Order 66 Two Packs, can anyone at Hasbro shed any light on these? Should we anticipate repaints, or are there new figures paired with troops? (GH, 10/22/06) (http://www.galactichunter.com/absolutenm/templates/full_article_template_1.asp?articleid=5929&zoneid=2)

We will not have any information on these until closer to the on-shelf date.

Fans were excited to see that the R2-D2 in the first wave of figures for 2007 appears to be the ROTS Sneak Preview Droid sculpt... but then came the disappointment after seeing all the yellow "flame reflection" paint aps on him. Will we be seeing a "clean" R2-D2 using this sculpt or are we going to have to buy some "goof off" to remove those yellow paint aps? (JD, 10/22/06) (http://www.jedidefender.com/newspro/fullnews.cgi?newsid1161565479,56329,)

This figure will only have Invisible Hand battle-inspired deco.

Any chance we'll see the Episode 3 Felucia Clone Trooper from the Evolutions Clonetrooper set released as a basic figure? It was was pretty tough to find since the Evolutions sets weren't out in abundance for many people and many troop builders would love a crack at this one as a basic figure! (JD, 10/22/06) (http://www.jedidefender.com/newspro/fullnews.cgi?newsid1161565479,56329,)

Many folks have probably now seen the rumor that there is a Felucia Battle Pack listed at Target for Spring. I can confirm this: it is real and it is spectacular. As a result, we won't be doing the Felucia trooper as a basic figure (and he will be removed from Greatest Hits voting eligibility). 

Why does the Greatest Battle C-3PO come with so many different base variations. All the rest of the figure in that line come with the ROTS base. We can see where the white/grey Tantive IV base some into play, but what is the inspiration behind the brown one? (JTA, 10/22/06) (http://www.jeditemplearchives.com/content/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=2612)

Well now that's a case of interative changes to "get it right." We were in such a hurry to get the Greatest Hits to shelf that we asked for products to be carried into the new line exactly like they appeared in the ROTS line. Well, we chose a background for the Greatest Battle C-3PO packaging that just didn't make sense with the lava base from ROTS, but we didn't see this until we were on the edge of production. So it became a running change. We then spec'd the ship interior base in the original colors, and then moved to the corrected, final colors that match the background scene. This was not intended to drive collectors crazy, but to get to what we thought was the best match of background and base. Unfortunately, it couldn't be from piece 1 because of the very tight schedule.

Will the 501st Clonetrooper using the Super Articulated body ever be made available on a basic card? (AF, 10/6/06) (http://www.actionfigs.com/index.php?categoryid=12&p2_articleid=162)

The one from the K-Mart Battle Pack could come back - if fans voted for it! So how about it... is this a figure fans want to see? (AF editor's note: the K-Mart Battle Pack mentioned is the 2005 ROTS Jedi Temple Assault which came with 3 501st Clones but using the ROTS#06 "Quick-Draw Attack!" Clone body which is less popular than the ROTS#41 "Super Articulation!" Clone body.)

Is the upcoming Galactic Marine's helmet removable? Are the flames on the 2007 Super Battle Droid removable, and are his hips ball-joints? (GH, 10/6/06) (http://www.galactichunter.com/absolutenm/templates/full_article_template_1.asp?articleid=5881&zoneid=2)

The Galactic Marine's helmet is in fact removable. The flames on the Super Battle Droid are removable, as they are snap-on parts.  The Super Battle Droid is new and super-articulated with a ball joint head and waist, insert molded shoulders, elbows, and knees…but the hips are not ball joint.

Will the R2-D2 that's being released next year that's using the R4-G9's mold come with a Trade Federation Cruiser, the Invisible Hand hologram that attaches to Artoo's dome? (TJ, 9/29/06) (http://www.thejawa.com/yabbse/index.php?topic=6174.msg56288#msg56288)

No…it will have a different accessory.

I'm sure Hasbro is aware but are there any plans to give Commander Cody a much more well deserved sculpt. All of us collectors wonder why he seems to be shorter then the other clones? The articulation is pretty awesome but his height could've been better. (YF, 9/22/06) (http://cgi.denpetersen.com/YAK1/viewtopic.php?t=790)

We haven't heard that consumers found his height lacking. We liked this version a lot, and with so many other characters to get to, it'll be awhile before we get back to Cody. But thanks for the comment and we'll take that into account next time we do a new Cody (or Commander) sculpt.

Can you give us details on which sculpt was used for Saga-064 Commander Appo? And on the topic of sculpts, it appears that the Saga-069 Combat Engineer Trooper re-uses the ROTS Evolution Clone Trooper sculpt. Does that mean he has a removable helmet? (JD, 9/19/06) (http://www.jedidefender.com/newspro/fullnews.cgi?newsid1158676228,25932,)

Appo is based on the super-articulated Clone with the pauldron from the Evolutions pack. The Combat Engineer is based on the Evolutions figure and will have a removable helmet.

Hasbro was recently quoted as saying that whenever you make a new General Grievous figure it will be correctly scaled, will we be getting a new Grievous figure next year in the 30th Anniversary Collection? (SSG, 9/19/06) (http://www.sirstevesguide.com/index.php?categoryid=13&p2_articleid=76)

We can't address any more specific character questions for the line next year. You'll have to wait and see...

Will we ever see a Commander Neyo clone figure? If so, when? (YF, 9/19/06) (http://cgi.denpetersen.com/YAK1/viewtopic.php?t=773)

We can't address any more specific character questions for the line next year.  You'll have to wait and see...

Will we ever see an accurate version of Emperor Palpatine/Darth Sidious as he appeared in REVENGE OF THE SITH while dueling Yoda? The version from the "Skirmish in the Senate" Battle Pack had the all-black costume he wore in scenes on Mustafar, in the Imperial Medical Chamber, and on the Star Destroyer bridge, while the costume he wore while dueling Yoda was the one from Hasbro's 12-inch "Darth Sidious" figure and the Unleashed "Palpatine vs. Yoda." (SWC, 9/01/06) (http://www.swcollector.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=843)

We don't have a new ROTS Sidious slated for the foreseeable future, but that would be a good update. Thanks for the comment.

Remember the RotS Sneak Preview Astromech Droid (R4-G9)? That is one killer Astromech sculpt (I love the retractable leg feature) and fans were thrilled to see it re-used for the EntertainmentEarth Droid 5-Packs. Our question is, when are you going to give us that sculpt with R2-D2's paint scheme? (JD, 8/25/06) (http://www.jedidefender.com/newspro/fullnews.cgi?newsid1156530840,45518,)

We're glad you like it - it's a favorite of ours, too. You'll be seeing R2 in this sculpt in 2007.

I would love to see an Anakin Skywalker in a medical capsule from ROTS made.  Basically you would just need to make the medical capsule accessory and use the torso from ROTS Anakin #50 (Battle Damage). Any chances of that as well as the rest of the medical droids from the 'building Vader" scene? (YF, 8/11/06) (http://cgi.denpetersen.com/YAK1/viewtopic.php?t=600)

That is a good scene with some interesting droids, and we've considered that in the mix. It won't be any time soon, though.

Any chance we could see the ROTS #55 Obi-Wan Kenobi (Jedi Pilot) and the Evolutions Anakin Skywalker (Episode 3) figures from 2005 both repainted to reflect the burn damage to their costumes from their duel on Mustafar? These would make great repaints for the basic figure line (those Target Mustafar Duel figures were way too orange for most folks). (JD, 8/11/06) (http://www.jedidefender.com/newspro/fullnews.cgi?newsid1155325016,53466,)

We've thought the same thing….they are good altertnate decos for future figures. Thanks for the suggestion.

Is the #65 Elite Corps Clone Trooper (Kashyyyk), as shown at Comic-Con, the final product, or a mock-up? Collectors have noted that the image shown is a repaint of the Vintage Saga Biker Scout, and the helmet and armor scheme isn't movie accurate. Is this figure likely to be revisited down the road? (GH, 8/04/06) (http://www.galactichunter.com/absolutenm/templates/full_article_template_1.asp?articleid=5652&zoneid=2)

It is a repaint of the vintage Biker Scout. If we do revise him down the road, it won't be for a long time…so this is the only version of this figure we are able to do right now.

Now that it has been confirmed there is an Airborne Clone trooper coming out in the Mace Windu's Squadron Battle Pack, what are the chances of him being re-painted orange and sold as a basic figure? (YF, 8/04/06) (http://cgi.denpetersen.com/YAK1/viewtopic.php?t=526)

The answer was revealed at Comic Con - yes, in Wave 1 '07.

Darth Vader is a very popular character that will find support for just about any figure you choose to make of him. That said, I found the ROTS Deluxe Vader on Operating Table to be rather in front of the figure's mouth, was devoid of any detail, yet past removable-helmet Vader figures had that great, cramped collection of wires and tubes. Is there any chance we'll see a new ROTS Vader with removable helmet in The 30th AC? (SWC, 8/04/06) (http://www.swcollector.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=821)

It's too early to know exactly what Vader(s) we'll see in '07.

I know the part was small, but then again it is Jeremy Bulloch and he is a major Star Wars icon.  Are we ever going to see a Captain Colton, Tantive IV Pilot figure with Bulloch likeness?  Bulloch has been behind the Fett mask for so long, I'd like to see a figure with his face, such as Colton. (ST, 7/14/06)* (http://www.sandtroopers.com/smf/index.php?topic=5183.90)

He is a good candidate for a figure…but we don't have him lined up in the near future.

It appears as if the highly requested Airborne Clone Trooper sculpt is finally being released (with Purple colors, in the upcoming "Mace Windu's Squadron" Battle Pack at Target). When can we expect this figure to appear in the basic figure assortment, with the highly requested Commander Cody/Orange Squadron colors? (JD, 7/14/06) (http://www.jedidefender.com/newspro/fullnews.cgi?newsid1152907321,75646,)

You'll have to wait and see.

Why was the latest Anakin Skywalker action figure given an enemy style hologram? Shouldn't it have been called "Darth Vader" or given a friendly holo? (BTT, 6/30/06) (http://www.behindthetoys.com/forums/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=7347)

Good catch. The copy on this figure does suggest he's good at that point. The artwork suggests Jedi Temple, maybe on his way to do the Emperor's bidding, before he becomes Vader. I know, this answer is as complicated as, well, Anakin himself.

Will we see a General Grievous that is in proper scale with the rest of the 3.75" line? (BTT, 6/30/06) (http://www.behindthetoys.com/forums/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=7347)

Interesting question. We work far ahead of the final versions in some cases, and Grievous was one of those. We based our figures (all five) on the input we had at the time which stated that Grievous was 6'4" and had certain deco. The final film version was much taller and had different deco. If, and when, we go back to do a new Grievous we'll take the official film height into account.

Where are the following Clone figures...
 A. Boss B. Fixer C. Sev D. Commander Fox E. Commander Neyo
(ST, 6/30/06)* (http://www.sandtroopers.com/smf/index.php?topic=5183.msg73217)

Wait for Comic Con and some of your questions will be answered.

With all the time they spent on screen in Revenge of the Sith, why was the BARC Trooper only issued as a pack in to a vehicle and not a real articulated figure? Is a real Articulated one on the radar? (YF, 6/30/06) (http://cgi.denpetersen.com/YAK1/viewtopic.php?t=313)

He is a good candidate for a figure but we don't have him lined up in the near future.

Can you tell us what other clone trooper figures will be released other then the ones already out? There are still many versions from ROTS that have yet to be released in figure form. (JI, 6/23/06) (http://jediinsider.com/index.php?catid=8&itemid=9626)

That's a great question! We do plan to release additional clones.

When will we see figures of Commander Bacara's galactic marines?!? (YF, 6/16/06) (http://cgi.denpetersen.com/YAK1/viewtopic.php?t=311)

Early in 2007.

Is there a plan to ship a variation of the Clone Pilot?  The one which has shipped in the Episode III Heroes and Villains asst. is the black version, however the back of the card shows the gray/white uniform. (YF, 6/09/06) (http://cgi.denpetersen.com/YAK1/viewtopic.php?t=310)

We are currently shipping the black suited version.
Title: Re: The Hasbro Q & A Archive, Categorized For Your Pleasure
Post by: Matt on July 27, 2006, 09:32 PM
Specific figures (Episode IV - A New Hope)

The new 2007 Death Star Trooper has piqued the curiosity of a few collectors on our forums. Is the figure a 100% new sculpt or are there parts re-used from another figure? Most notably, people think they're seeing Count Dooku parts being used. Is that the case or are they just seeing things? (JD, 01/26/07) (http://www.jedidefender.com/newspro/fullnews.cgi?newsid1169863101,30054,)

He is a 100% new sculpt.

In ANH, when the Falcon is being pulled by tractor beam into the Death Star hanger, we see two Stormtroopers in armor modified for outer space. These designs are significantly different from the EU-based Spacetroopers. Could we see this film-based Space Stormtrooper made as a figure, eventually? (SWC, 01/26/07) (http://www.swcollector.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=950)

We recently asked Lucasfilm about these. They are significantly different than EU-based Spacetroopers because they are, in fact, Stormtroopers with some very minor modifications. Not enough to really be called Spacetroopers, in any case. They would be a cool refresh to the Stormtrooper some time down the road but they are not in our near-term plans.

The exclusive Figrin D'an and the Modal Nodes Commemorative Tin is now in Wal-Mart. The repaints are nice and it gives kids and collectors a great chance to catch something they might have missed from the Fan Club release.

However, Lucasfilm licensees agree that there are SIX, sometimes SEVEN members. (I lean toward seven because of the photo in the classic SW Storybook.) In fact, Hasbro even released six band members in its 12" line in 1997. So, why did Hasbro produce only five bith for this set?

It seems a conscious decision was made to exclude a figure because the card even mentions "Sitting out sick: Doikk Na'ts," although a "fizzz" instrument is included. Was this a pricepoint issue? Three figures clearly fit in the bubble. All it required was an additional figure with fanfar instrument. Will we see a single-carded figure to complete the band? (Perhaps with articulated knees?)
(YF, 01/26/07) (http://cgi.denpetersen.com/YAK1/viewtopic.php?t=1340)

We didn't intend to offer the whole band (and there is a compelling argument for seven members). We wanted to keep the price of this tin the same as the regular EpI-VI tins, but didn't want to shortchange the value either. We could have just gone with four figures, but added in the fifth for value since it looked a little sparse with just four of them in there. There won't be a single carded regular figure available in the main line this year. Articulated knees would be a cool feature to add to the Nodes at some point.

Where do we stand on getting a Silver Death Star Droid (like the vintage Kenner line), a Death Squad Trooper (grey uniform), and an Imperial Officer in a black starched, pressed, and ironed uniform? The Silver Death Star Droid could just be a repaint and the Imperial Officer could have multiple heads... more bang for your buck. (GH, 12/08/06) (http://www.galactichunter.com/absolutenm/templates/full_article_template_1.asp?articleid=6069&zoneid=2)

The Imperial Officer will be coming back based on the fans' choice voting, so he'll be our focus for now. The silver Death Star Droid is a good opportunity for a re-pack at some point, but first we'd bring back the black one, which did not make the fans' choice cut.  As for Death Squad Trooper, it would be an interesting re-paint at some point, but currently there are no plans for him.

The new pictures of 2007 wave 2 were really fantastic! It was great to see that both the new Death Star Trooper and Rebel Honor Guard figures appear to be super articulated. Both have removable helmets (another great feature) with unique and fairly generic likenesses. Are the faces based on anyone in particular in the Hasbro organization as some past figures have been, or are they just random? (JD, 12/15/06) (http://www.jedidefender.com/newspro/fullnews.cgi?newsid1166211744,25883,)

They are not based on anyone at Hasbro.

Is there any chance of a variation on the Death Star Trooper in a grey costume for the Death Squad Commander from the vintage line (and just barely visible in A New Hope)? (JD, 12/15/06) (http://www.jedidefender.com/newspro/fullnews.cgi?newsid1166211744,25883,)

Down the road it's a possibility, but there are no plans for next year.

If you were to update Luke in Stormtrooper Disguise in the 3 3/4" line, would it just be a head swap, or, would it actually be a shorter sculpt (maybe with head and/or paint deco variants)? (JI, 12/08/06) (http://jediinsider.com/index.php?catid=8&itemid=9896)

Interesting question. Our preference would be to use the existing tools rather than mod them or do new tools for a one-time use.

Any chance of getting a figure of "Heater", the character name given to the human actor stand-in for Jabba in for A New Hope played by Declan Mullholland? (SSG, 12/08/06) (http://www.sirstevesguide.com/index.php?categoryid=13&p2_articleid=76)

Very low probability of us ever doing him. He was always meant to be a stand-in and be replaced, so he would be behind a long list of on-screen figures that we would do before him.

Diorama builders often have to customize their own minor characters and background figures to fill in their scenes...that is, until recently. Hasbro's Naboo soldier in the latest wave, as well as the rumored Rebel Honor Guardsman, show that there's a desire from Hasbro to see a few of these background characters made. Although a few Q&As from other sites have already asked about the X-Wing ladder accessory from the canceled Yavin Accessory set, how about making a Rebel Ground-Crew Technician with the ladder accessory? We know it's not in the short term plan, but maybe someday? (FFURG, 11/17/06) (http://www.ffurg.com/hasbroqa.htm)

We have looked at the Rebel Ground crew guy and while we do like him, he's just not as..well, exciting.as others that we have lined up to do. So he'll have to take his place in the queue.
(FFURG editor's note: Yeah, he's not that exciting, but someone has to fuel Luke's X-Wing!)

In regards to the Cantina, is there any chance of seeing screen-accurate tables & chairs? The tables that came recently with Hammerhead & Arcona were too small. And once the molds are made, this can be an annual rerelease and/or exclusive with different characters included to keep it fresh & expand on the Cantina. (TJ, 11/17/06) (http://www.thejawa.com/yabbse/index.php?topic=6242.msg56818#msg56818)

At some point, we will probably do this, but we can't speculate as to when that might be.  But it is a goal eventually for the Cantina guys.

In a recent Q&A you stated it's important that Cantina patrons have bendable knees because many were sitting. With that said, why don't the figures in Death Star Briefing pack have bendable knees? If I remember correctly these guys were all sitting down, besides Vader and maybe Tarkin. (SSG, 11/03/06) (http://www.sirstevesguide.com/index.php?categoryid=13&p2_articleid=76)

The difference there is that we have produced the Cantina bar elements and we needed to be consistent with that. For the Briefing set, we went largely with character tools we had available to us at the time we created it. We thought it was more important to go for this set this year because we might not have had a window to do it down the road.

Has there been any consideration to making a set of the 9 holographic Dejarik creatures in 3¾" format? Can you make multi-colored holographic figures? They would be out of scale to the other 3¾" figures but they would be very cool all the same. (RS, 10/27/06) (http://www.rebelscum.com/story/front/Hasbros_16th_STAR_WARS_QA_The_Answers_100950.asp)

On the surface, this is a cool idea. But these, especially in the 3-3/4" format, would be a very niche product too far removed from recognizeable, more in-demand figures. So it'll remain a distant "what if."

How about Pilot/Astromech two-packs from the Battle of Yavin? For example:

Wedge and his droid (red on silver dome, has yet to be named); Porkins and R5-D8; Garvin Dreis and R5-K6; Luke and a new R2-D2 with dome attachment (manipulator arm); ...or any of the other pilots.
(RS, 10/27/06) (http://www.rebelscum.com/story/front/Hasbros_16th_STAR_WARS_QA_The_Answers_100950.asp)

That is a cool idea and we have considered it, but just have not found the place to slot something like this in the mix.

I'm not complaining too much (especially since I already ordered the thing and I can't wait to get it and to tear it open), but the Death Star Briefing multi-figure pack raises a few questions. Are the figure images we've seen the final product? The reason I ask is that the Tarkin figure (an obvious repaint of the ROTS figure) has ROTS boots as opposed to the boots the character wore in the original film. Also, the Motti figure seems to be a straight repack (and as such, the coloring is not in line with the rest of the figures in the set). Any chance the legs for Tarkin have since been swapped out to reflect more accurate boots or that the Motti figure has been given the same arms and/or uniform coloring as the rest of the figures in the set? (GH, 10/22/06) (http://www.galactichunter.com/absolutenm/templates/full_article_template_1.asp?articleid=5929&zoneid=2)

The figures you are referring to are indeed the ones used for this set, and they were not changed except for the Tarkin younger appearance.

The Death Star Gunner has got to be one of the best figures released this year. That being said, I'm wondering if we might see some kind of deluxe version with a Death Star turbolaser cannon? There's a photo of a Gunner manning one of the cannons right on the cardback, so as you can see, it wouldn't be very large. (YF, 10/22/06) (http://cgi.denpetersen.com/YAK1/viewtopic.php?t=954)

There are no plans for any deluxe sets right now, but that would be a pretty cool one for a scene-type of pack. With our other priorities, we're not sure how we'd bring that to retail, but we'll discuss it. Thanks.

In a recent Q&A response, you said that most of the figures from the cancelled TSC Battle of Yavin wave will be released in 2007. Does that include the Death Star Trooper? If so, will this be a newly-sculpted version or just a re-release of the POTF figure? (YF, 9/29/06) (http://cgi.denpetersen.com/YAK1/viewtopic.php?t=823)

Yes, and it will be new.

Will Hasbro ever produce a figure of the "Imperial Trooper in space" at the Death Star trench's guns watching as the Millennium Falcon is being tractored in? This is different from the EU Spacetrooper. (AF, 9/19/06) (http://www.actionfigs.com/index.php?categoryid=12&p2_articleid=162)

We'll take a look at him. It would not be for some time if we did do a figure, though. Thanks for the suggestion.

Since you have stated a desire to see original Kenner figures reproduced in the Vintage Original Trilogy collection, will we be getting the "Death Squad Commander" (aka Death Star Commander) soon to finish off our collection based on the original twelve figures? If playability is an issue, you can always do the cap/helmet trick with him ala the recent General Veers or the 12" figure - that way kids will have two options when it comes to play and collectors will have twice as many reason to buy multiples! (AFI, 9/19/06) (http://www.actionfigureinsider.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?p=41647&highlight=#41647)

Well that's an interesting one, isn't it? The challenge with that one is finding a way to make a body substantially better than the one we have in Saga, and we really like that one right now. Until we have a solution for this one, he'll be lower on the pecking order. But we agree that he stands out as one of the original 12 that should be done at some point to "close" the original 12 (along with a Jawa...which will NOT be out in 2007).

With a new Han Solo in Stormtrooper Disguise coming out in the Expanded Universe comic book two-packs and rumors of a new Luke Skywalker in Stormtrooper Disguise also coming in that line, could we possibly see those figures released in movie-accurate paint decorations at some point? (SWC, 8/25/06) (http://www.swcollector.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=4178#4178)

At some point we will get to them in movie deco, but there is no timetable planned for their release on basic figure cards.

Why have the last two Tatooine Luke figures had the same color pants and tunic?  As far as this Jawa knew, Luke had tan pants and a white tunic… (TJ, 8/11/06) (http://www.thejawa.com/yabbse/index.php?topic=5900.msg55581#msg55581)

Good catch - we just didn't catch that one for the Saga figure this year.  The Wal-Mart DVD 3-pack figure will have the correct coloring when it is released Sept 12th.

I was just wondering if it was possible that the Dagobah Ben Kenobi (OTC #3) might be re-released as a non-spirit version. This is one of the better sculpts of this character and I'd be excited to see this happen. (YF, 8/11/06) (http://cgi.denpetersen.com/YAK1/viewtopic.php?t=600)

Good suggestion. We'll look at it for a future opportunity…it is a solid figure.

With the pending release of the awesome Imperial Conference multipack, could we expect a companion ANH Rebel Briefing multipack including Dodonna, Willard Varden, Leia, & C3PO with the Holotable? (FFURG, 8/04/06) (http://www.ffurg.com/hasbroqa.htm)

There are no plans for that right now. In general, fans are more passionate and interested in the Imperial officers over the rebels (especially new officers) so such a set would not sell as well in our opinion.

Will the Marvel Han and Luke Stormtroopers be released in non-comic coloring down the road? (GH, 8/04/06) (http://www.galactichunter.com/absolutenm/templates/full_article_template_1.asp?articleid=5652&zoneid=2)

No plans right now.

Earlier in the year there were rumors of an ANH wave consisting of Han and Luke Ceremonials, and a Rebel Sentry. Were these figures only just rumors, or have they been delayed to fit into 30AC? (SWC, 8/04/06) (http://www.swcollector.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=821)

A Yavin wave was slotted for '06, but has now been moved to the 30th anniv. line. The reason was because they were running very late in sculpting and didn't look like they were going to make 2006, so we pushed them out. Subsequently, we developed waves 7 & 8 of Saga to continue to fill the demand for basic figures.

What are the chances of seeing some or all of the ANH holochess pieces done as action figures? (AF, 7/26/06) (http://www.actionfigs.com/index.php?categoryid=12&p2_articleid=162)

No plans for now. Point of clarification: Do you mean actual full-size 3-3/4" scale figures, or as chess pieces done in-scale to the 3-3/4" figures to recreate the chess scene? (We meant as actual 3 3/4" figures, they've already covered these in-scale somewhat with the POTJ Chewie Chess figure's accessory - AF.com)

As you know, there are only 3 remaining unmade droids from the Purchase of the Droids scene from ANH: the multi-armed WED Septoid droid, the black domed LIN droid and the small green domed 2X-7KPR droid. What are their chances for being made, and is the Septoid droid even possible due to the small arms? (should be possible after the size of FX-7's arms!) (RS, 7/26/06) (http://www.rebelscum.com/story/front/Hasbros_6th_STAR_WARS_QA_The_Answers_99263.asp)

Stay tuned. We really like Droids too, and this iconic scene, but won't do them all at once.

Will we see Han and Luke Stormtroopers sometime in 2007? I know many collectors have been wanting these figures for a long time, and to have SA versions with removable helmets would be fantastic. (YF, 7/14/06) (http://cgi.denpetersen.com/YAK1/viewtopic.php?t=392)

We can't answer that one right now - some info will be revealed at ComicCon.

Will we ever see the Tonika Twins in a 3 3/4 inch figure? (ST, 6/30/06)* (http://www.sandtroopers.com/smf/index.php?topic=5183.msg73217)

Hopefully, but there's no timeline.

Will the Tonnika Sisters ever be made? (TJ, 6/30/06) (http://www.thejawa.com/yabbse/index.php?topic=5900.msg54562#msg54562)

Hopefully, but there's no timeline.

Does Lucasfilm have the rights to the likeness for the Tonnika Sisters (ANH cantina patrons), and if so is there plans to create figures? (SSG, 6/23/06) (http://www.sirstevesguide.com/index.php?categoryid=13&p2_articleid=76)

Thanks for the question, but that's not something we can comment on right now.

What three Star Wars action figures does 'the team' want to do before the line ends or the world ends, whichever comes first? (This can be applied to ships, play sets, or beasts, as well.) (GH, 6/23/06) (http://www.galactichunter.com/absolutenm/templates/full_article_template_1.asp?articleid=5499&zoneid=7)

Heavy question. We would personally like to see every last cantina alien produced at some point in time. Does that count as three?!! (GH editor's note: Yes, there are at least three left.)

Any plans for a remade/new sculpt Uncle Owen? (POTF2, 6/23/06) (http://www.potf2.com/potj/forums/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=10309)

We're not planning a new sculpt at this time.

Specific figures (Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back)

Vintage series Hoth Han Solo - will he come with two heads (one of which was "accidentally" shown at Toy Fair)? Also, is there a chance that we'll get him in both blue and brown variants again? (Two heads, two color schemes, and completists will have to buy four of the same figure!) (GH, 3/16/07) (http://www.galactichunter.com/absolutenm/templates/full_article_template_1.asp?articleid=6318&zoneid=2)

(See JD, 3/16/07 (http://www.jedidefender.com/newspro/fullnews.cgi?newsid1174087119,84197,).)

The 30th Anniversary Collection "Vintage" Hoth Han Solo - are we going to see a blue coat variant? And what’s the story on that unapproved (as of Toy Fair) "hood-up" head sculpt? If approved by LFL, will we see the alternate head included as part of the 2007 figure or will it be saved for a re-issue down the road? (JD, 3/16/07) (http://www.jedidefender.com/newspro/fullnews.cgi?newsid1174087119,84197,)

OK, good question. The answer is that the vintage figure will only feature *one* color version - the brown coat. We will look to deliver the blue coat at some point, but we do not want to split the vintage run in two to do it. It will just be brown for 100% of the vintage run. As for the hood-up head that was shown briefly at Toy Fair, it was not approved by Lucasfilm and will not be included in the vintage product. It was a mistake that was removed from the Toy Fair display right after we noticed the error, but not before pictures got out.

One more note in vintage....it will start to appear on-shelf on or about 6/1. Because of this timing, we will not be making as many figures as we did in 2006, and are cutting back some to 2004 levels to ensure we don't have a lot of lingering stock this Fall. Collectors should make sure to get them when they see them because they will not be as abundant as they were in 2006.


You've announced previously that in 2008 you'll be revisiting Bespin for a wave figures. Will you include Willrow Hood in that wave? If not, do you realize collectors will storm the Hasbro parking lot and smash the windows out of all your cars? Rhode Island is a small state... we'll find you. I mean, to do a Bespin wave at this point and NOT include Willrow? You may as well just spit in all our faces. (CC, 3/02/07) (http://creaturecantina.com/news_stories/2007/0307/hasbro-qna-025.html)

We will base any future Empire wave (realizing that not all Empire waves are Bespin-focused) on the most important characters that we feel need to be re-visited or new ones that should be introduced, and not simply because he was the 10th-ranked figure in the fans' choice poll. At some point, you will probably see a Willrow figure, but not in 2008, so the community will have to be patient.

The 2001 POTJ Princess Leia Bespin Escape figure has the best likeness and the first real quality use of scale on a Leia figure ever, yet this figure has not seen any decent rereleases. How about re-releasing this figure with new limbs that aren't preposed, perhaps with a little better articulation? This mold could also be used with changes to the hair, boots, and hands (turned into gloves), plus a new vest that fits, to make a new Hoth Leia. (AF, 01/26/07) (http://www.actionfigs.com/index.php?categoryid=12&p2_articleid=162)

This is a good suggestion, as the aesthetics of that figure are very nice and is one of our favorites too. We'll consider it for Leia in the future.

What happened to the scale when you made the previous Hoth Rebel Trooper (Saga '04-01), which is very short next to other figures, even taking his pose into account? Can we expect a more definitive Hoth Rebel anytime soon to go with that great Major Derlin from last year? (SSG, 01/26/07) (http://www.sirstevesguide.com/index.php?categoryid=13&p2_articleid=76)

We didn't see this figure as particularly short, at least it wasn't designed to be deliberately so. When we do another new one, he'll probably be more of an average height (regression toward the mean).

With tooling very similar to the Emperor's Wrath Vader figure, are we ever likely to see the nixed CD-ROM Vader (Bespin Confrontation) actually released? There are a lot of "samples" of this figure out there, so why not use it? (Seriously -- it's very close in detail to the Emperor's Wrath Vader which has been released several times with different deco.) (GH, 12/15/06) (http://www.galactichunter.com/absolutenm/templates/full_article_template_1.asp?articleid=6091&zoneid=2)

We'll look into it thanks.

Will we ever see a Snowpeeder Luke figure with grapple gun accessory and the famous Hoth Trooper sitting with his small repeater cannon? (YF, 12/08/06) (http://cgi.denpetersen.com/YAK1/viewtopic.php?t=1133)

As for those accessories, it's unlikely on Luke and at some point we will probably get to the Trooper with cannon.

Cloud City. It's the site of one of the huge turning points of the Saga, yet it hasn't been granted a wave of action figures since 2004 (and even then the wave was only 3 figures, although that Cloud Car Pilot was pretty sweet). Yeah, there was that one lonely Bespin Vader squeezed into the Tatooine Wave this year, but when can this Captain Solo fanboy expect to see that new SA Bespin Han he so desperately wants? Oh right, no specific figure questions... uh, how about a simple "will we see a Bespin themed wave in 2007" question then? (JD, 11/03/06) (http://www.jedidefender.com/newspro/fullnews.cgi?newsid1162583907,82982,)

Not in 2007. We will definitely be going back to Bespin, but patience. It'll be worth the wait!

Any plans for a VOTC Bespin Luke or Han Solo figure in 2007? (JI, 9/19/06) (http://jediinsider.com/index.php?catid=8&itemid=9805)

We can't address any more specific character questions for the line next year. You'll have to wait and see...

The Unleashed Battle Pack Hoth Han Solo has a brown coat, as have many of the other recent Hoth Han collectibles. When the 2003 Saga figure was made there was a huge uproar over the canonical color of the coat, with Hasbro going so far as to release a blue AND a brown coat version. Can you settle the debate for us once and for all? Does Hasbro (via LFL) have definitive proof on the color of that dang coat? (It's brown, isn't it? Come on, you can tell us...) (JD, 9/01/06) (http://www.jedidefender.com/newspro/fullnews.cgi?newsid1157130730,47982,)

The answer is still split, believe it or not. When something like this grips the community, and both versions become canon, well it's just easier to agree to disagree. It also gives us alt deco possibilities for the future. ;)

OK, ToyFare #109 is now available at comic and book stores everywhere. In that issue, we finally get the news that Quinlan Vos and Darth Revan were selected as the winner(s) of the latest Fan Choice poll.

Willow Hood (the Ice Cream Maker Guy) seems to have a huge fan following among collectors. He even has enough of a fan following at Hasbro to be included in the joke wave presented during the Comic-Con panel.

Even though Willow didn't win the Toy Fare Fan's Choice poll, when can we expect to see him on the pegs? He'd make a nice two-pack if you paired him with a new super-articulated Bespin Han or Bespin Luke (hint, hint). You've got 12 more years ('til 2018), so you have to get to him eventually, right?
(JD, 8/04/06) (http://www.jedidefender.com/newspro/fullnews.cgi?newsid1154734509,1394,)

OK, it was cruel perhaps to include him (and Yarna) among a group that we would obviously never do. We WILL do Willrow eventually, but there is no timetable for his debut. In any case, it won't be in the 2007 line which is already put to bed.

Any chance of seeing a VOTC Bespin Luke Skywalker or Han Solo figure in 2007? (JI, 7/26/06) (http://jediinsider.com/index.php?catid=8&itemid=9693)

You'll have to wait and see what the 2007 vintage line has in store.

Willrow Hood (the Ice Cream Maker Guy) seems to have a huge fan following. Even if he does not win the Toy Fare Fan's Choice poll, when can we expect to see him on the pegs? (JD, 6/23/06) (http://jedidefender.com/newspro/fullnews.cgi?newsid1151093678,4098,)

Aha - a trick question! Toy Fare will unveil the winners of the Fan's Choice poll in their issue that will be hitting stands the week before Comic-Con. Check the issue in a few weeks to see if Willrow Hood is a winner.

Specific figures (Episode VI - Return of the Jedi)

While we didn't see him at Toy Fair, we've seen Hermi Odle listed in the product catalog that came with the Battle Packs.  Can we see a picture of the figure? (TJ, 3/16/07) (http://www.thejawa.com/yabbse/index.php?topic=6379.msg58223#msg58223)

We will be saving the debut of Hermie for either CIV or Comic Con.  Stay tuned…

Last time we asked this question in October, you said "We won't be answering any more specific questions on the 2007 line at this time. However, she is definitely a possible future figure. Not out of the question." However, now that Toy Fair has come and gone, can you tell us what the odds are that we will see Yarna D'al Gargan in 2007? (SSG, 3/02/07) (http://www.sirstevesguide.com/index.php?categoryid=13&p2_articleid=76)

There are still several waves to be revealed for 2007, but you will not see a Yarna in the line this year.

This one hasn't been brought up in a while, but a lot of fans still hope to see a movie-accurate Vader with removable helmet (i.e. the two-stage helmet). Is this figure anywhere on the horizon? If not, with the advances we've seen on the SW figure lines, what's holding it back? (GH, 01/26/07) (http://www.galactichunter.com/absolutenm/templates/full_article_template_1.asp?articleid=6188&zoneid=2)

While the idea is a very good one, the truth is that the minimum thickness needed for the parts to be reliably drawn from the tools is the limiter for this idea and other ideas like it.  We'll take a closer look to see if it is possible, because it would be a cool figure.

The aliens from Jabba's Palace and Sailbarge show some of the most wild creatures in the Star Wars Universe.  Are you planning to make never before made figures from the movie, such as Sgt. Doallyn, Bane Master, Weequay Skiff Master, Weequay Marksman, Kithaba(an easy Barada repaint), and of course new Niktos? (ST, 01/12/07)* (http://www.sandtroopers.com/smf/index.php?topic=5183.msg95927#msg95927)

You bet - that is very fertile ground.  However, like Cantina aliens and other favorites, we'll be doing a couple at a time and over time will add more characters (and hopefully one day almost all of them) so collectors can recreate this very iconic scene.  Your suggestions are very good ones, but I can't give you any more info on who is up when in the rotation.

I loved the Jabba's Sail Barge R2-D2 with bar tray you released in 2004, however it's disappointing that he didn't have an open slot in his dome for Luke Skywalker's lightsaber hilt. The original 1998 R2-D2 with launching lightsaber was far from accurate in design, due to his oversized third leg and the ignited lightsaber inside him. Have you considered redoing a more accurate version in the future with just the lightsaber hilt hidden in his dome? It's one of the only remaining R2-D2 variants we still need.

***Note: We could also use a re-release of the Bar2-D2 with a sturdier bar tray! The plastic on the previous release was a little too pliable.***
(GH, 12/15/06) (http://www.galactichunter.com/absolutenm/templates/full_article_template_1.asp?articleid=6091&zoneid=2)

Yes, we have considered this (the saber-launching version) as a future R2-D2 update we could do. Good point on the serving tray, too - we'll take that into account.

Several years ago, during one of the past Fans' Choice competitions, you offered as one of the possible voting options a Rebel disguised in as a Scout Trooper. While this figure did not win, it certainly seems to have been a precursor to the recently released Flip-Visor Scout Troopers. Was this figure the basis for the current Scout Troopers? Any chance we'll get out Rebels in Scout Trooper disguise figures as well? (RS, 12/15/06) (http://www.rebelscum.com/story/front/Hasbros_22nd_STAR_WARS_QA_The_Answers_101683.asp)

It was not the basis for the current flip-visor Scout Trooper, as that was a new concept. We currently don't have plans do to a Rebel disguise Scout Trooper, but it's certainly a cool idea for down the road.

Since you aren't giving specifics on figures for next year, how about answering this: We've heard you want to do an updated version of Luke Skywalker from the second Death Star, however would you offer a variation to this character? He fights Vader and his flap is closed, and after the battle and after the Emperor's lightning, his flap is open. Which version of Luke would we see? Would we get both? Next year maybe?! (I know you said no specifics, but I have to inquire, just this last time tell us when well see this guy!) (RS, 12/15/06) (http://www.rebelscum.com/story/front/Hasbros_22nd_STAR_WARS_QA_The_Answers_101683.asp)

When we do this figure (and it's a matter of when, not if, since he needs to be done) we'd probably do just one version, then come back at some point and do the other. Since a torso tool is significant (as compared to a head) we'd have to do it this way.

Jabba's holochess droid, BG-J38, has the same body as 8D8 but painted yellow and with a new head sculpt. The Death Star's supervisor droid, AV-6R7, has the same body as EV-9D9 but painted black and with a different head sculpt. Have you looked at these recently as a (relatively) easy way to get never been done characters out while utilizing existing molds? (SWC, 12/15/06)

We have not looked at those but will at some point. On the surface, a holochess droid is less interesting than a physical droid. Thanks for the input.

Is there any chance we will be getting an updated version of Klaatu from Jabba's dungeon? (YN, 12/15/06)

At some point, it's a certainty. But when that will be we can't say for certain.

If you ever get around to making a Spirit Anakin what likeness would he most likely have? Hayden Christensen, Sebastian Shaw, or (what I want to see) interchangeable Christensen and Shaw heads so everyone is happy. (JI, 12/08/06) (http://jediinsider.com/index.php?catid=8&itemid=9896)

Well that's the real trick, isn't it? (...To borrow a phrase) Ideally a combination of interchangeable heads if we ever did this figure.

With the vastly superior (and impressive) sculpt of Chief Chirpa coming out this past year, will there be an effort eventually on the part of Hasbro to re-scale or resculpt Teebo, Wicket, Logray, and the other Ewoks to make them all the proper scale to Chief Chirpa? There's something a little disturbing about the POTF2 Wicket towering over Chief Chirpa. (FFURG, 11/17/06) (http://www.ffurg.com/hasbroqa.htm)

Yes, we will eventually get around to re-doing them, although we can't say when we'll slot each of them into the line. We'll probably take one or two at a time.

One of the recent Q&As from another site regarding Jabba's dais got me thinking that there haven't been many new releases of Jabba's guards in recent years. Sure, there's been a good repaint of Barada and the resculpt of Boushh & Lando Skiff Guard (excellent job on both, I might add), but there's a bunch of good characters left to do. Hasbro's already produced some of the parts needed, including Bora Solq's head which could be used for a new Weequay. Could we expect some Hasbro love to Jabba's band of merry men with new Nikto or Weequay figures, Kithaba, or possibly Geezum? (FFURG, 11/17/06) (http://www.ffurg.com/hasbroqa.htm)

They are very good figures to do, and we have them high on our list of guys that should see some attention with the new modern figure aesthetics. But, like many of the "wouldn't it be cool if." figures that are still out there to do, we just need to slot them into the line when we have an opportunity.

The vintage Imperial Dignitary is one of the few figures that hasn't seen the light of day in the modern line. Any hints on when it might surface? (YN, 11/17/06)

It might be a bit of a wait before he gets updated.

Would any future "Force spirit" action figures, such as a new Spirit Yoda or new Spirit Anakin, be done in a style similar to the OTC Spirit Obi-Wan? Or would we see a return to the translucent blue figures, such as the old POTF2 Jedi Spirits Cinema Scene? (SWC, 11/10/06) (http://www.swcollector.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=895)

We would probably do any future Spirit figures with a sparkly luminescence like the Spirit (Obi-Wan) figure. It does mimic the intended effect, and separates it from the pure blue holo look.

What's the status on a Hermie Odle figure? (YF, 11/03/06) (http://cgi.denpetersen.com/YAK1/viewtopic.php?t=1015)

Stay tuned.

On the Saga (and currently shipping again as part of The Saga Collection's Endor wave) ROTJ Emperor Palpatine figure, why is the hood so oversized and why hasn't this been corrected? (AF, 10/27/06) (http://www.actionfigs.com/index.php?categoryid=12&p2_articleid=162)

Other Palpatines have had different size hoods. That was just the size we chose for that particular sculpt and it was left as it was for TSC.

Is there any chance we could see a re-release of the 3 3/4-inch Max Rebo Band next year, either single-carded, two-packs, or a multi-pack? (SWC, 10/22/06) (http://www.swcollector.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=874)

Yes, there is a strong chance, but it has not been totally confirmed. But as a result of this, the Max Rebo band members will not be eligible for consideration in the Greatest Hits series for next year.

What are the chances that Hasbro will make Yarna D'al Gargan (Fat Dancer in Jabba's Palace) in 2007, after 2007, or if definitively not, has Hasbro actively decided that she will never be made? (SSG, 10/6/06) (http://www.sirstevesguide.com/index.php?categoryid=13&p2_articleid=76)

We won't be answering any more specific questions on the 2007 line at this time. However, she is definitely a possible future figure. Not out of the question.

I have heard for a long time that Hasbro has shied away from doing more than a few Ewoks since among Star Wars fans there has been much Ewok bashing due to their "cuteness" factor. I haven't counted recently, but I believe there are only about 5-7 different Ewoks ever made (not counting generic Ewoks including the one with that globe thing several years ago and whoever came with the glider). I believe we also still have at least three vintage Ewoks (Warok, Lumat & Paploo) that have never been remade. I know I have read repeated requests/suggestions on various collector sites for a mother Ewok & wokling and other previously non-sculpted Ewoks. I say all this as background for 2 questions: 1). Is it true that Hasbro backs away from doing several different Ewoks? [and if so, how have sales been for Ewoks?] 2). Can we someday expect to see the previously mentioned vintage Ewoks (including the freeze frame Wicket & Logray) figures resculpted? (YF, 10/6/06) (http://cgi.denpetersen.com/YAK1/viewtopic.php?t=877)

We love Ewoks. While these guys may have once been on the low-end of the desire scale, that's certainly not the case any more and collectors overall seem to have a good appreciation for these furry fiends. What could it be? Is it that there is new respect for Ewoks, based on calm reflection over the years? That these guys might be pretty nasty underneath the fur since they were planning to roast and eat their captives? That we have granted them more respect with hindsight because they did, after all, have plans in place that led to the defeat of a whole garrison of the Empire's best? Or because the collector ranks have been swelled with legions of now-grown kids who fell under Return's spell as "their" Star Wars? Whatever the reasons, you'll see more Ewoks, delivered a little at a time, and eventually we'll do the remaining ones.

What are the chances of Hasbro releasing some new Ewoks, maybe in a multi-pack like the Entertainment Earth Astromech Droids (really nice!!) featuring various new Ewoks of different color, size, sex and age (Woklings!!)? Some nice extra accessories like their musical instruments or an Ewok hut would be cool, too. (RS, 9/29/06) (http://www.rebelscum.com/story/front/Hasbros_12th_STAR_WARS_QA_The_Answers_100175.asp)

This would be cool. We do have multi-pack plans for next year, but we're not ready yet to add Ewoks to the mix because we need a few more great figure tools before we get there. Patience!

Given that Ewoks are well-known, somewhat popular (especially with kids), sell fairly well, and were a deciding factor in the final battle of the Star Wars saga, why have the Ewoks been so short-changed in the modern action figure line (8 figures, 3 of which were inaccurate Wicket repaints, in 11 years)? And, are there any plans to correct this in the future? (SSG, 9/29/06) (http://www.sirstevesguide.com/index.php?categoryid=13&p2_articleid=76)

Well, there are a lot of Ewok champions here too and the little furballs will get their due. But they will be by dribs and drabs and not, by same, a Tribble-like Ewok explosion. Patience will be rewarded.

Moff Jerjerrod from the 2006 Saga Collection had, shall we say, an interesting face (fairly angry) and a wide leg stance. The character in the film didn't do much but stand around and take a lot of flak from Vader, but his figure looks like he's ready to dish out trouble. Was this figure's sculpt an attempt to make it a more interesting looking character on the pegs or was it just artistic license from the sculptors/designers? (JD, 9/22/06) (http://www.jedidefender.com/newspro/fullnews.cgi?newsid1158957874,48773,)

Both really. We didn't want to give him a blank expression, & we thought an "in action" direction was more interesting for him.

Will the distribution of the Caucasian and African American Endor Rebel Trooper be a running change and have they been produced in equal numbers? (JTA, 9/22/06) (http://jeditemplearchives.com/content/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=2540)

They will be produced in equal numbers, and it will be as a running change.

Well, Hasbro, you have confirmed that there will be a new Qui-Gon next year. You've also confirmed that there will be a new Mace Windu, as well. Now can you tell us if a brand new Luke Skywalker (in his Death Star 2 outfit) is coming next year? (YF, 9/22/06) (http://cgi.denpetersen.com/YAK1/viewtopic.php?t=790)

You have asked the right question, but you'll have to wait until closer to a specific wave before we can reveal more 2007 figures. Does that help?

After hearing news on both super articulated versions of Mace Windu and Qui-Gon Jinn, what are the chances of seeing a super articulated version of Luke Skywalker in his Death Star II costume? We now know this Luke was among the top 25 in the Fan Choice poll results but not the winner, yet this iconic version of Luke from the last half of ROTJ has long deserved a high-quality figure, and it'd even have several additional applications (such as a removable vest, and removable Endor helmet & poncho), so when can fans expect to see this? (AF, 9/19/06) (http://www.actionfigs.com/index.php?categoryid=12&p2_articleid=162)

You will have to wait and see if a new Luke is part of the line next year.

Any chance of seeing a Yarna figure in 2007? (JI, 9/19/06) (http://jediinsider.com/index.php?catid=8&itemid=9805)

We can't address any more specific character questions for the line next year. You'll have to wait and see...

Though I am thrilled with the accuracy and detail (removable knife) of the new Chief Chirpa figure, being a long-time Ewok fan, I have a few questions. Why not make his lizard advisor toy? What do we do now with all our other larger Ewok toys? Will they be re-made as smaller, more accurate figures? And last, what Ewok plans are there for the 30th anniversary collection? (YN, 9/19/06)

We can't specifically comment on any upcoming Ewoks, but we have gone on record as saying there are Ewoks planned for next year. The new ones will be correctly scaled as Chirpa was. However, this does not, in our opinion, make older Ewoks any less valid given their time and place in the line. In fact, one of our team has every Ewok, Kenner and modern, grouped together on a shelf at home - and they all look great together.

With the unaltered Original Trilogy DVD releases coming on September 12th, could we be seeing a re-release of the Power of the Force "Flashback Photo" Anakin Skywalker figure, which was based on actor Sebastian Shaw as Anakin's Force Ghost at the end of the original cut of RETURN OF THE JEDI? If not, could we possibly see an all-new or retooled sculpt somewhere in the future of the 3-3/4" figure line? (SWC, 9/01/06) (http://www.swcollector.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=843)

That would be a cool nod to the original ghost of Anakin, Sebastian Shaw, but unfortunately we don't have this figure in the works. Perhaps down the road.

Along the same line as above, what about a ROJ Rebel Briefing with SAGA Madine, Mon Mothma (new using the ROTS sculpt), (retooled) Ackbar, and SAGA General Lando with a hologram Death Star II? (FFURG, 8/04/06) (http://www.ffurg.com/hasbroqa.htm)

Same comments are above (There are no plans for that right now. In general, fans are more passionate and interested in the Imperial officers over the rebels (especially new officers) so such a set would not sell as well in our opinion.)

In the TSC line, why was Barada (#004) a simple re-issue with "added" paint apps and not a complete repaint so collectors could have a Kithaba figure with red pants and a tan shirt? (FFURG, 8/04/06) (http://www.ffurg.com/hasbroqa.htm)

Barada is the more well-known of the two so we went with him.

Will you be releasing the last of the unmade 1985 vintage figures (regular klaatu, ewoks etc) (A-F, 7/14/06) (http://www.action-figure.com/index.php?name=News&file=article&sid=20005)

We have no plans to release these. If we did, it would probably be in the new style rather than vintage style, if that helps.

Since it's been revealed that there will be an Oola figure in the 2007 toy line, isn't time for the 3 backup dancers from the ROTJ SE (Lyn Me, Rystaal, and Greeata) to get new sculpts, as the POTF2 versions of them are now rather dated? (SWC, 7/14/06) (http://www.swcollector.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=806)

We did not confirm that there will be an Oola. The "2007 line list" circling around has a gem of truth but many inaccuracies. We have no plans to update the Dancers any time soon.

Which ewoks will we be seeing in 2007? Are there plans for major ewok characters, and which? Will there be any ewok females with woklings? How about an ewok battle pack with interchangeable parts? Any new wookie figures  in 2007? Any plans for ewok playsets or wookiee playsets/vehicles? (YN, 7/14/06)

You'll have to stay tuned we won't be releasing any more 2007 wave info until closer to their release date.

Is Imperial Dignitary Sim Aloo planned? (TJ, 7/14/06) (http://www.thejawa.com/yabbse/index.php?topic=5887.30)

He would be a good candidate for a new figure at some point, but there are no plans for him in the foreseeable future. We won't be able to answer specific questions like this in the future ("When is character X going to be made?" or "Will character X be made?") unless we are close to announcing a specific wave or product.

Yarrna Dar Gargan (Jabba's 6 breasted dancer) will she ever be made? (TJ, 7/14/06) (http://www.thejawa.com/yabbse/index.php?topic=5887.30)

As one of the figure in the Fans' Choice Poll, we won't be answering questions on this specific figure until after the results are announced in Toy Fare.

When will we see a Luke Skywalker in Death Star 2 outfit figure? In the fan's choice poll, "super articulated final duel costume Luke" made the top 25, and fan's want this figure over any other Luke Skywalker from Return of the Jedi (no Jabba's Palace vest). What are the chances we'll see one next year? (F, 6/30/06) (http://www.figures.com/databases/action.cgi?setup_file=fignews2.setup&category=actionfigures&topic=77&show_article=442&nl=1)

We can't answer this before the results of the Fan's Choice Poll are revealed prior to Comic-Con.

As the Fan's Choice Poll revealed, collectors are clamoring for a Super Articulated Luke Skywalker in his Death Star II outfit, the 2003 Saga figure (Throne Room Duel Luke) was a let down and fans badly want a version of this figure done right a la Ep 3 Pilot Obi-Wan or Count Dooku. When can we expect to see this figure, assuming he has not won the Fan's Choice Poll? (SSG, 6/30/06) (http://www.sirstevesguide.com/index.php?categoryid=13&p2_articleid=76)

We can't answer this before the results of the Fan's Choice Poll are revealed prior to Comic Con.

You said VOTC/VTSC figures are based on fan popularity. Does this mean that an SA Jedi Luke (with removable soft goods cloak and grey tunic) is a good bet for this line? His popularity with fans is obvious since he made the Top 25 in the poll. (AFI, 6/23/06) (http://www.actionfigureinsider.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=3510&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=36)

Very good question. A SA Jedi Luke is at the top of our list of potential candidate for the next line of vintage figures.

Is there any chance of Ephant Mon being offered in a future Battle Pack or multi-figure collector set? (TJ, 6/23/06) (http://www.thejawa.com/yabbse/index.php?topic=5900.msg54272#msg54272)

Not right now.

Will we ever see a reissue of Fan's Choice #3 - Ephant Mon? (POTF2, 6/23/06) (http://www.potf2.com/potj/forums/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=10309)

Not at this time.

What about a vintage-style Emperor?  The Emperor is high on our list of potential candidates to be considered for the vintage line. (BTT, 6/23/06) (http://www.behindthetoys.com/forums/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=7338)

We’re still working out all the details for the 2007 line, so we will not be announcing the specific figures until the fall.  Be sure to ask again in a few months!

Of all the figure that have been released in the modern era(1995-2006), are there any you'd personally like to see resculpted? (YF, 6/23/06) (http://cgi.denpetersen.com/YAK1/viewtopic.php?t=312)

Personally, of all the figures in the modern era, I'd like to see a really great resculpted Jedi Luke.

Will we ever get a Hayden Christensen-based Spirit of Anakin as seen in the OT DVD release? (AF, 6/16/06) (http://www.actionfigs.com/index.php?categoryid=12&p2_articleid=162)

Not at this time.

What's the story with the Endor Rebel Soldiers that debuted on your website recently - are they shipping at the same time in the same case, are they randomly packed, or will they be a running change? (JD, 6/16/06) (http://www.jedidefender.com/newspro/fullnews.cgi?newsid1150491967,9583,)

They will be a running change.

What are the numbers for the figures in the Endor and Naboo waves? (JTA, 6/16/06) (http://www.jeditemplearchives.com/content/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=2226)

Endor is #39-43 (Wave 5) and #44-46 is Wave 6. The Naboo wave is #49-52 in Wave 6. We combined the two into one wave as both ended up on the same schedule.
Title: Re: The Hasbro Q & A Archive, Categorized For Your Pleasure
Post by: Matt on July 27, 2006, 09:36 PM
Specific figures (Original Trilogy general)

Cantina aliens seem to be more popular with collectors than Jabba's aliens. I believe the Cantina scene is the most iconic "space fantasy" scene ever. When determining which cantina alien to produce as a figure, do you base your decision more on movie scenes or on popularity of a character?

For example, the decision to make Myo to fill the scene with Muftak and Djas Phur. If it is based upon movie scenes what's the possibility of such characters as Arleil Schous, Brainiac, F'u Man-Chu, & Bom Vimdin to sit with our Hem Dazon?
(RS, 3/16/07) (http://www.rebelscum.com/story/front/Hasbros_26th_STAR_WARS_QA_The_Answers_104318.asp)

We have to admit that we love our Cantina aliens, but don't necessarily agree with them being more popular than Jabba's Palace denizens, which have gained steam with collectors in recent years and seem to be popular in the Q&A, in online forms, and at conventions. We think the importance of both iconic scenes is that they, more definitely that perhaps any other scenes, transported us to a Galaxy Far, Far Away. We think It's best to "spread the love" to both of these iconic scenes in equal measures and you'll see us try to continue to do to that. As for Cantina character selects, since many of them have about the same screen time, we tend to base our selections on the ones we think look coolest and most uniquely Star Wars and are "must haves" for the Cantina fans. At least one of the ones you mentioned are scheduled for 2008. We hope, eventually, to be able to do all of them but the humans are taking a back seat a bit.

Never-before released Original Trilogy characters (or never-before released scene-specific outfitted characters) are big on my list. This year's line-up appears to have many of these. How big of a priority is it for you to seek out characters and/or outfits that have never before been made?

There appear to be few core characters in outfits we have not yet seen (Luke in Medical Frigate garb and Smuggler Outfit Lando from the end of The Empire Strikes Back come to mind). After these and a few others have been exhausted, will your focus be mainly on how best to re-release many of these with new and exciting accessories or on newly improved sculpts of existing core characters?
(RS, 3/16/07) (http://www.rebelscum.com/story/front/Hasbros_26th_STAR_WARS_QA_The_Answers_104318.asp)

Great question that gets to the heart of our long-term basic figure strategy. It's important to have iconic characters as wave "anchors" to make sure that the waves have kid traction, but at the same time our strategy for coins and beyond is to need to justify their purchase for collectors as well. So we have scrubbed the films very closely to find main characters in versions that make them new and unique and fresh, and in some cases that is a new sculpt, outfit tweak, new sculpting approach with more articulation, or an important new accessory (like Moisture Vaporator) that makes the figure an important one to slot into the mix. Over time, we'll look to all of these factors to keep the mix interesting for both audiences and this strategy should last us a good long while before we look to "off-screen" versions such as the still very cool but "off-screen" POTJ Jedi Training Qui-Gon and Cold Weather Gear Kenobi.

Recent high quality sculpts of R2-D2 and C-3PO have been for the most part clean and shiny when generally the droids were dirty and scuffed throughout the original trilogy. Could Hasbro fit in more worn, dulled, and resculpted versions of our droid heroes into the lineup anytime soon, such as Tatooine paintjobs and minor sculpt alterations including sand, restraining bolts and a dented head for Threepio? Modern sculpts of the droid twosome haven't yet been given such a treatment and collectors are still using outdated, inaccurate sculpts for Tatooine scenes and other "weathered droids" scenes. (AF, 3/02/07) (http://www.actionfigs.com/index.php?categoryid=12&p2_articleid=162)

Good input - we'll take that into consideration for future releases. Thanks very much.

How come we haven't seen any Super-Articulated (SA) Rebel Soldiers? I mean it would super cool to see a Evolution 3-pack with a Rebel Fleet Trooper, Hoth Trooper (with a re-sculpted bearded face sculpt from POTF2) and a Endor Trooper all SA. We get SA Imperial Troops(including Clone Troopers) all the time and almost every wave. But they're the bad guys who stand for evil, oppression and tyranny. Rebel Troopers are freedom fighters and soldiers for liberty. Does Hasbro have a pro-Empire leaning? Is Hasbro against freedom? If Hasbro doesn't make SA Rebel Troopers, the terrorist win. (CC, 3/02/07) (http://creaturecantina.com/news_stories/2007/0307/hasbro-qna-025.html)

Now hold on….many of us pay taxes to the empire but oppose the tyranny ourselves, and are working in secret to make sure that the seeds of rebellion are properly cultivated. Good fun aside, yes, we hear ya and the SA rebels will not be forgotten, if and when the opportunity presents itself next; that's the key, though, since the demand for Imps is so high that it just takes a while to work in the new rebels. But when we do, we'll evaluate as you suggest.

Judging from the rumor lists and photos we've seen so far, 2007 is really shaping up like "The Year of Luke". We've seen many new Lukes with brand new sculpts and that's a great thing for collectors. Are you concerned at all that you're overloading everyone's favorite whiney farmboy into the line this year and not saving "new" versions of the character for the next few years? (JD, 3/02/07) (http://www.jedidefender.com/newspro/fullnews.cgi?newsid1172874570,75175,)

This year does seem to be the year of Luke, which seems appropriate for the 30th Anniversary year. It wasn't deliberate, though - we just came up with a lot of good ideas for look, spaced them out, and then some events conspired (like the delay of our 2006 wave into 2007) to deliver a slightly higher concentration of Luke than originally designed. But this is a fine thing, in our opinion. Luke is the emotional heart and soul of the OTC, a hero who transformation journey is one of the greatest ever told, and its his story (linked inextricably with Darth Vader) that binds that Saga together. We do have some good ideas for future years too, but you won't see as many Lukes next year (or future years) as you will this year.

Since the collector tin sets gave us Stormtroopers / Snowtroopers and Scout Troopers with removable helmets or flip up visors to reveal Jango Fett's head underneath, can we expect a Boba Fett with removable helmet in the near future? Or does LFL still want to keep Boba's face shrouded in mystery for the time being? My thinking is that even though he's a clone of Jango, who knows what kind of deformity he might have suffered since he was a kid, has LFL ever hinted at this with you? (YF, 3/02/07) (http://cgi.denpetersen.com/YAK1/viewtopic.php?t=1467)

It is not a case of wanting or needing to keep Boba's face hidden, it's just been a matter of picking our spot for a good Boba like that. At some point there is a virtual certainty of it, but no definite timeline.

So now we know that the VOTC Stormtrooper was pulled from the fan voting because the tool was being used for the removable helmet trooper in wave 3 of (TAC). Does that mean that the original unmodified tool will be available for 2008? (RS, 01/26/07) (http://www.rebelscum.com/story/front/Hasbros_24th_STAR_WARS_QA_The_Answers_102934.asp)

We do have plans for Stormtroopers in '08, but it's too early to reveal any details.

I have always wondered why for the VotC R2D2 mold that the rotation of the dome that triggers the pop-up periscope is designed as it is. As it works, the periscope pops up after a short turn and then descends again. This means that the only way to pose R2 with the scope up all the way is only when the dome is partially turned. It looks quite awkward to say the least. Why not have it such that a full 360-degree turn would fully raise the scope so that R2 can face front in both cases whether the scope is hidden or up?  Or wouldn't it simply be better to have let this be manually adjustable? (TJ, 01/26/07) (http://www.thejawa.com/yabbse/index.php?topic=6313.msg57562#msg57562)

A manual feature just wasn't as fun as having it automatically pop up and down when turned, so that became the reason for the design.  We did not consider the posing of the figure as you suggest, but if we ever go back and rework that figure again, we'll take that into consideration.  It's unlikely though - we just don't give such a retool a high priority compared to the other projects on the plate.

Palpatine/Sidious really came into his own in ROTS as a character and established himself as THE Ultimate Villain of the SW Saga.  He got a fair amount of play in the ROTS line with a number of incarnations that were scattered between the Basic, Deluxe, and Evolutions figure lines, but several of these figures suffered from what some collectors are calling the "salt and pepper shaker treatment" and a number of collectors felt that the Evolutions Sidious didn't look enough like the character.  Plus this year Palpatine seems to have fallen by the wayside in the TSC line with three reissues, and once again those figures were rather static in nature.  Can we expect to see more of Palpatine in the near future treated with the kind of aesthetic that more and more core characters have been given, in terms of sculpt, softgoods and articulation? (TJ, 01/26/07) (http://www.thejawa.com/yabbse/index.php?topic=6313.msg57562#msg57562)

Eventually, yes - he is an important character to re-approach in the next couple of years.

Every year we see more Darth Vader figures released, and typically they are simple repacks, repaints, or retools of previous Vaders with perhaps some new accessories. Collectors sort of presume the justification for what may be an overdistribution of this figure is that there should always be a Vader available for kids or new collectors because he is such an iconic Star Wars character. That makes perfect sense. Now, a character that is nearly as iconic is the Stormtrooper. The basic plain white Stormtrooper has the added bonus of being an Imperial (always popular), probably the best army-builder of all time, and you have that superb Vintage Style sculpt. While Vader has been hard to miss, the Stormtrooper, in its various iterations, has been somewhat scarce since 1995. It sounds like you are taking steps to correct that next year with the Tantive IV battlepack and the Stormtrooper with removable helmet. What prevents you from making the stormtrooper as readily available as Darth Vader? Why can't Stormtroopers be released two or three times a year since they'd fit with just about every Original Trilogy assortment? Why shouldn't kids, new collectors, and even a few army-builders have as much access to this iconic character as they do to Vader? (RS, 01/12/07) (http://www.rebelscum.com/story/front/Hasbros_23rd_STAR_WARS_QA_The_Answers_102819.asp)

You bring up a very good point, and the simple answer is yes, we believe that we have a core cadre of characters (not just Vader or Stormtroopers) that should be there in many if not all waves. Because we want to balance it out and mix it up to keep the retail mix fresh, they won't be in every wave, but characters like R2 and Clones, Yoda and Jedi Luke are key characters in the fantasy and need to be heavier in the rotation. As a result you will see us making sure that there are more Stormies than in years past in the mix in the future.

SAGA # 042  C-3PO - Ewok Deity was a great step forward for a protocol droid sculpt.  Can we expect to see this figure sculpt reused for future protocol droid releases such as E-3PO, U-3PO or for a new version of 4-LOM? (TJ, 01/12/07) (http://www.thejawa.com/yabbse/index.php?topic=6307.msg57402#msg57402)

We will certainly look at that for future protocol droid releases.

I love the holographic/ghost effect you used on the Saga Jedi Luke Skywalker (Hologram) and the Spirit of Obi-Wan Kenobi figures. Using the different colors of translucent plastic along with the pearlescent finish made it look very close to the holograms/ghosts in the films.

I'm wondering why this approach was abandoned on subsequent hologram figures like Commander Cody, Plo Koon, Aayla Secura and so on?

Flesh tones and colors on clothing and armor are quite distinct on the characters in their hologram form albiet muted under a blue or purple glow. Which is why I love the Luke/Obi wan figures and why I was a bit dissappointed when all holo figures afterward became entirely translucent blue.

Finally, are new spirit of Yoda and Anakin figures being considered to match the previous Obi-Wan, and if so, is it possible for Anakin to have swappable Hayden, Sebastian heads? Thank you!
(YF, 01/12/07) (http://cgi.denpetersen.com/YAK1/viewtopic.php?t=1303)

We wanted to distinguish between Spirit figures and hologram figures and felt the blue was best for the latter. If we do more Spirit figures, they would be like the Luke you mentioned. If we do a new Anakin (and that is "if"), swappable heads is a great idea. Thanks!

What level of priority does Hasbro give to redoing original POTF2 figures in either the 30th Anniversary line or the Vintage line? There are some great figures out there we're still hurting for, such as a Luke and Han Stormtrooper that don't resemble Hans and Franz, a regular Princess Leia that's not preposed or weird-looking, Luke Snowspeeder pilot, etc. (AF, 12/01/06) (http://www.actionfigs.com/index.php?categoryid=12&p2_articleid=162)

We don't set out to redo POTF2 per se, but instead look to figures that we think are needed for release and see if they make sense for a good new treatment. We will be getting to new versions of those you mention in time.

Is Hasbro completely satisfied that the VOTC Stormtrooper mold is the definitive 3¾" Stormtrooper figure for the foreseeable future of the line, or might there be changes down the road? For example, the figure has trouble holding the barrel of the blaster due to stiff plastic in the hands; has a stiff, narrow-legged stance that does not lend well to dynamic posing; and of course not all Stormtrooper armor elements were identical in the films, some of the "brows" and "mouths" varied. Also, the current use of the mold uses a different material for the helmet & limbs than from the shinier, harder torso pieces, leading to a noticeable coloring variance as well as trouble with the limbs and helmet staining. (AF, 12/01/06) (http://www.actionfigs.com/index.php?categoryid=12&p2_articleid=162)

Interesting comments, and while we have no plans to do a new "definitive" Stormtrooper any time soon, at some point in the future we will probably by necessity (such as tooling wearing down from use) need to look at upgrades and it might make sense to take a look at a new body. But for now we're sticking to our gunslinger.

With the Max Rebo Band being potentially revisited in the near future, is there a movement toward "finishing" the band? (Meaning Umpass Stay, Ak-Rev and maybe Gargan?) Also, are we ever likely to get Tech Mo'r from the Cantina Band updated with an instrument that he can sit at whilst playing? (GH, 11/17/06) (http://www.galactichunter.com/absolutenm/templates/full_article_template_1.asp?articleid=6010&zoneid=2)

At least one of those figures is slated for next year in the main assortment. The rest will have to bide their time patiently waiting for their turn on stage, confident in the knowledge that we hear the music, too. We hear the music…

With all these Stormtrooper incarnations receiving unmaskable versions featuring Jango Fett Clone heads, surely it's worth making an "unmaskable" Boba Fett with a repainted Death Star Gunner head, except more grim perhaps and more scars. As Boba Fett is a popular character and the VOTC version is reaching high in the "Fan Favorite's Showdown" Poll then this would be a welcome edition and many fans and kids would buy them. (RS, 11/17/06) (http://www.rebelscum.com/story/front/Hasbros_19th_STAR_WARS_QA_The_Answers_101317.asp)

That would be a good figure to do at some point, and we are looking at him as a possibility in 2008.

What is with the somewhat recent practice of putting the faces of clone template actors Temuera Morrison and Bodie Taylor on helmeted troopers that we never see unmasked in the movies, especially those in the Original Trilogy who likely are not clones (and if they are clones wouldn't be clones of Jango Fett since the DNA source was killed in Episode 2)? (AF, 11/03/06) (http://www.actionfigs.com/index.php?categoryid=12&p2_articleid=162)

They may not be first generation clones, in any case (and don't templates degrade with each successive imprint? But I digress). Yes, we have worked with Lucasfilm closely to determine the basis for faces under the masks and the answer is… both Jango-derived faces and recruits (whether volunteer or conscripted) are acceptable.

With all the recent holographic figures that have been released recently (Emperor Palpatine, Princess Leia, Yoda, Emperor Palpatine, Plo Koon, Aayla Secura, Ki-Adi-Mundi, Darth Maul, Commander Cody (upcoming), and Obi-Wan Kenobi (upcoming)), where's Darth Vader?? He has more screen time as a hologram that any other character, except for the Emperor. Might we see this figure one day? If so, which Vader figure would you likely use as the base? Maybe an all-new sculpt? (RS, 11/03/06) (http://www.rebelscum.com/story/front/Hasbros_17th_STAR_WARS_QA_The_Answers_101067.asp)

This is a good suggestion, and we don't know why we haven't slotted in Vader for this unique treatment. We do know that we want to be careful how many we do and how much of each holographic figure that we do (they are some of the smaller run figures we do), but he is a great candidate the next time we do one. Which sculpt should we use? Thanks for the suggestion.

I know that collectors are usually more passionate about cantina aliens or imperial officers when it comes to supporting characters from the OT ... but are there any plans to release more rebel officers in 2007? If so, could this include new or updated versions of alien characters like the Mon Calamari, Dressellian or Ishi Tib as well? (TJ, 11/03/06) (http://www.thejawa.com/yabbse/index.php?topic=6229.0)

Imperial officers are indeed more popular, probably because there are more known by name from the films (and possibly because there are more Imp officer victims of Vader's wrath on screen than Rebs!).  Anyway, I digress.  We will look at this for the future, but it's unlikely you'll see anything like the Imperial Briefing Room scene for Rebel officers.  As for your other question, they are on the wish list for the future but time will tell when we'll be able to create a wave with a slot for them.

Artoo and Threepio don't seem to get much attention. With the exception of the Holiday Edition, there have hardly been any two packs with these iconic characters. Any chance we would see nice sculpts of these droids in a two pack with a nice background? (GH, 10/22/06) (http://www.galactichunter.com/absolutenm/templates/full_article_template_1.asp?articleid=5929&zoneid=2)

I think you'll like what you'll see next year with our droid pals.  Stay tuned…

You answered in a previous response: One hint... we are fans of Cantina denizens and it's a good bet there will be at least two every year until... well, we run out! My question is, does this apply to some of the background human characters like Debnoli, Garouf LaFoe, Merc Sunlet, Swilla Corey etc, or even the space-suited Cantina characters? Also, does this level of commitment apply to the Jabba's Palace denizens as well? And since the Cantina aliens are mostly seated, will we see a return to articulated knees? (TJ, 10/22/06) (http://www.thejawa.com/yabbse/index.php?topic=6214.msg56585#msg56585)

Admittedly, the human Cantina guys don't get the recognition they deserve.  Probably because they don't embody that cool, alien, otherworldly feel that makes the Cantina so iconic.  But sometime we'll probably do those guys too - later rather than sooner, though, so hang in there. Yes, we'd also like to look at a couple of Jabba's denizens in the same way every year although there we have the classic "skiff guard or palace denizen?" tough choice to make on which ones to do next for the couple of slots we know we'll have.  And yes, knees are important for Cantina guys especially when they were seated on screen.

In light of Hasbro making an ethnicity variation on the upcoming Endor Rebel Soldier figure, is there a possibility of ethnic variations for other figures that warrant it like a Black Bespin Guard or Rebel Pilot, especially since there was a Black Bespin Guard figure in the vintage Kenner line? (AF, 10/6/06) (http://www.actionfigs.com/index.php?categoryid=12&p2_articleid=162)

Yes, it is likely that we will continue this trend when it makes sense.

Zev Senseca from the Target Rogue Two Snowspeeder is creating a lot of buzz because he's a pretty nice pack-in figure in his own right. Since people seem to really love the X-Wing and other Rebel Pilots in the line, do you intend to make a definitive "generic" sculpt of the X-Wing Pilot or Snowspeeder Pilot gear? Then you can just swap new heads/helmets and paintjobs to give us a few new pilots every year! It seems like an easy way to put out different pilot figures for a fair price. The 3.75" line fans would get in line to buy them if the sculpts were poseable and just right at an average scale. (JD, 10/6/06) (http://www.jedidefender.com/newspro/fullnews.cgi?newsid1160155228,60770,)

That is a good idea, and we'll see. We like the pilots too. We think there can be room for several "definitives" at some point, for variety. SA Porkins, anyone? (OK, just kidding….it's unlikely we'll ever do an SA Porkins).

The VTSC Scout Trooper seems to be quite the success.  Collectors are raving  about it still, and the figure has been out for the better part of the year. The same goes for the new Sandtrooper.  With that success in mind, has Hasbro explored the possibility of reissuing slightly modified versions of these figures (with ball-jointed hips) along with a new speeder bike or Dewback? (TJ, 10/6/06) (http://www.thejawa.com/yabbse/index.php?topic=6190.msg56383#msg56383)

We're thinking about it, yes.  No timetable for either, though, but it wouldn't be in 2007.

We had a great year for astromechs in 2006, but none have yet been announced for 2007. What are the chances for some new OT astrodroids next year - especially ANH ones such as R5-A2, R5-K6, and R3-O1 to coincide with the 30th anniversary? (SWC, 9/29/06) (http://www.swcollector.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=863)

One of the challenges of balancing all the cool collector-targeted figure categories we could be doing (troopers, Cantina aliens, pod racers, Ewoks, droids, vidgame characters, alien Jedi, Jawas, Padme and other females, Jabba's palace denizens, Separatists, Senators etc) is just fitting enough of them in. We will have a couple of new droids, but no new Astromechs next year.

Will the Endor C-3PO mold (including all the articulation) be used for any future protocol droids? (TJ, 9/29/06) (http://www.thejawa.com/yabbse/index.php?topic=6174.msg56288#msg56288)

Good question, and we might but there are no specific plans right now.

In the future, will translucent ghost & hologram figures only be the all-blue style, or will we see more like the fully-colored translucent 2004 Luke Hologram and Obi-Wan Spirit figures? (AF, 9/01/06) (http://www.actionfigs.com/index.php?categoryid=12&p2_articleid=162)

It depends on whether they are holo transmission figures (all blue) or Spirit figures. We want to keep a standard for the transmission figures, so they have compatibility. (AF editor's note: the Luke Hologram figure we cited is not all-blue but was not being transmitted in the movie, R2 was projecting it from his internal memory banks.)

Does the Star Wars team still have interest in seeing every original Kenner vintage figure redone in the modern line in some way (be it basic figure or otherwise), such as: Sim Aloo, Warok, Lumat, human B-wing Pilot, Hoth Rebel Technician / Tauntaun wrangler, black Bespin Security Guard, Woof (vintage Klaatu with the sheepskin), etc.? If so, any specific timeline for them? (SSG, 9/01/06) (http://www.sirstevesguide.com/index.php?categoryid=13&p2_articleid=76)

It's not a stated goal for the next few years, but it will probably happen eventually more organically... i.e. next time we do an Ewok, for instance, it could be an update on original figures. But we haven't just slotted all these into a future line.

Do you ever intend to release figures like C3P0 Reveals with Anthony Daniel's head or Chewbacca Reveals with Peter Mayhew's head? (YF, 8/25/06) (http://cgi.denpetersen.com/YAK1/viewtopic.php?t=659)

Well that's an interesting idea, and one we've discussed with Lucasfilm. However, there are no plans to pursue this in the future….we are staying focused on the characters rather than the actors.

The holster thigh-strap on the 2006 Garindan figure is a nice upgrade from previous figures that had the strap sculpted to the leg but not attached to the holster (example = VOTC Han, VTSC Endor Han). Is this something that could be standard now on all future Han Solo figures?[/b] (JD, 8/25/06) (http://www.jedidefender.com/newspro/fullnews.cgi?newsid1156530840,45518,)

We'll look into it - thanks for the feedback.

Will we ever see Admiral Piett at any time in the future? (JI, 8/25/06) (http://jediinsider.com/index.php?catid=8&itemid=9753)

Not in the near future…but it's on our "wish list" to do sometime.

In the WOTC line of minatures, we've seen Rebel troops and officers from species other than Humanoid, which goes along with George Lucas' vision of a diverse number of species coming together to form the Rebel Alliance. However, we haven't seen this in 3-3/4" line beyond Orrimaarko, Ishi Tib, and Admiral Ackbar from the earlier POTF2 line. Some customizers have made other species of Rebel troops and officers, like Gran, Bith, and Gotal. Could we eventually see Rebel troops in other species to help diversify the Rebel ranks? (FFURG, 8/11/06) (http://www.ffurg.com/hasbroqa.htm)

Good question - and we haven't forgotten our alien pals. Most of our alien "good guy" slots have gone to Jedi recently (which I think underscores exactly the point you were making about George's vision).hopefully we'll be able to turn our attention to some of the other roles in the future as slots permit. We've got so many bases to cover....the good news is we've got some time to do it (or bad news if you want it all now, like we do ourselves!).

Is there any chance that the Max Rebo band or the entire Modal Nodes band could be released in 6 piece box sets as exclusives sometime? (SWC, 8/04/06) (http://www.swcollector.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=823)

The answer was revealed at Comic Con. The Modal Nodes (5 of them) are coming out this Fall in the Wal-Mart gift tin pack. As for the Max Rebo band, no plans right now but if this gift tin does well it's possible down the road that we'll look at Rebo.

In customizing, we often use the term "head swap" when a custom consists of simply changing one head for another. One of the most common "head swaps" is a Rebel Pilot custom, which can turn a VTSC Luke or SAGA Dutch Vander into the rest of Rogue Squadron. Would you ever consider producing a group of Rebel Pilots using the same figure base, possibly as a retailer exclusive, with new unique heads and helmets? (FFURG, 7/26/06) (http://www.ffurg.com/hasbroqa.htm)

Interesting idea, but not one currently in the pipeline. No Rogue Squadron members popped up in the Top 25 list, but we know there's interest there so it's something we could look at down the road. We like Rogue Squadron ourselvesS. Good comics!

When will we see the following Tatooine figures:  BG-J38 (from Jabba's palace), Elis Helrot and the Tonnika Sisters (from the Cantina), LIN-V8K (mining Droid), all kinds of different R5 units, a Vac-metal RA-7 (from sand crawler), 2X-3KPR, and Wioslea and CZ-3 (from Mos Eisley)? (SSG, 7/14/06) (http://www.sirstevesguide.com/index.php?categoryid=13&p2_articleid=76)

Steve - that's many questions in one!  There are some great figures in there, but we won't be able to answer specific questions like this in the future ("When is character X going to be made?" or "Will character X be made?") unless we are close to announcing a specific wave or product.

Do you plan on getting to the remaining figures from the Kenner Vintage line that have not yet been given a modern sculpt update? (These include Jabba's Palace Klaatu, Lumat, Romba, Warok, Black Bespin Guard, Imperial Commander, Death Squad Commander, B-Wing Pilot, and more). (JD, 6/30/06) (http://www.jedidefender.com/newspro/fullnews.cgi?newsid1151683548,32668,)

We're still working out all the details for the 2007 line, so we will not be announcing the specific figures until the Fall. Be sure to ask again in a few months!

The upcoming Endor Rebel Soldiers (from Saga Wave 7) look like pretty cool improvements. Can we look forward to Hoth Rebel Soldiers and the Rebel Fleet Trooper getting "SA" Trooper status at some point in the line? The Rebels seemed to get the short end of the stick with poseability (until the new Endor ones anyway). (JD, 6/30/06) (http://www.jedidefender.com/newspro/fullnews.cgi?newsid1151683548,32668,)

We'll probably be updating them in the future (actually the Rebel Fleet Trooper is pretty darn good), but it won't be in the short term.

Will any of these planned (but unreleased) items ever see the light of day?

Bespin Vader w/ CD-Rom (POTJ)/Bespin Luke w/ CD-Rom (POTJ)/Yavin Accessory Pack (w/Yavin Technician) (Saga)/Jabba's Palace Accessory Set (w/Gamorrean Guard) (Saga)
(RS, 6/23/06) (http://www.rebelscum.com/story/front/Hasbros_3rd_STAR_WARS_Weekly_QA_Session_The_Answers_99031.asp)

That's a bunch of questions in one! The short answer is: I doubt it, as we've moved in a different direction. Specifically: Bespin Vader with CD-ROM - it's doubtful it will be released.

This year, the VOTC Stormtrooper mold is being reused for the 2006 Saga Tatooine Wave Sandtrooper figure. Is it possible that we'll see the VOTC Stormtrooper re-released back in the basic line at some point? (JD, 6/23/06) (http://jedidefender.com/newspro/fullnews.cgi?newsid1151093678,4098,)

It's possible. But, we don't have a re-release of the VOTC Stormtrooper scheduled anytime soon and there is no definite date of when it might come back.

Does Hasbro intend to release the VOTC Stormtrooper without dirt, just white? (YF, 6/09/06) (http://cgi.denpetersen.com/YAK1/viewtopic.php?t=310)

That's a very good idea. However we have nothing currently planned.

I combined all questions that asked "will you make __ ?" into the following:
Figures - Quinlan Vos, Padme, Tonnika Sisters, EU characters, Death Star II Luke, Hermi Odle, Animated style, army builder packs
Vehicles - Cloud Car, AT-TE, Sith Infiltrator
Modular Playsets - Tantive IV, Death Star, curved Cantina bar section

Of course there are many more such question. Not sure if you can even answer these, but the bottom line is fans want to see more female figures, EU figures, and new vehicles and diorama/playsets. But you probably knew that.
(RS, 6/09/06) (http://www.rebelscum.com/story/front/Hasbros_STAR_WARS_Weekly_QA_Session_The_Answers_98864.asp)

In response to your question about EU figures -- there are a lot of great characters created in the EU and we plan to include some of these for 2007. And, in regards to playsets/dioramas: as the saying goes, "great minds think alike." There has been a lot of discussion internally on whether this could be successful in today's market. However, we continue to see diminished demand for playsets. If we ever see the landscape changing, it's something we could take a look at in the future.

Specific figures (Prequel Trilogy general)

Would you consider some sort of "Padme Amidala Collection" of 2-packs like the Leia ones? But maybe making them a more limited run/exclusives to avoid an issue of them not selling well? If so, and you included good pack-ins, here are some potential ideas:

- TPM "Chinese outfit" Padme w/ retooled TPM Palpatine or retooled Panaka
- AOTC Fireside Padme w/ AOTC Evolutions Anakin
- AOTC Super Articulated Arena Padme w/ AOTC Clone Trooper (from when they fall out of the Gunship)
- ROTS "Leia hair buns" Padme w/ ROTS Evolutions Anakin
(YF, 3/02/07) (http://cgi.denpetersen.com/YAK1/viewtopic.php?t=1467)

That is certainly an interesting idea for a future Padme line and a "bookend" to the Leia collection. While we don't have that specific idea in mind, at least one of those figures will be coming to the shelf this year. Thanks for the suggestion.

For the forthcoming comic 2-pack with Obi-Wan and Arc Trooper Alpha, will the blue stripe on Alpha's helmet be correctly painted i.e. the stripe should run down the helmet to the visor. I've noticed that Hasbro seems to forget this on many occasions (for the original Clone Wars ArcTroopers, the recent re-released Saga2 Clonetrooper sergeant with the green stripe, and the recent Clone Wars Hunt for Grievous Battle Pack).  Also, will this issue be fixed for the Saga Legends colored clonetrooper re-releases next year? (TJ, 01/26/07) (http://www.thejawa.com/yabbse/index.php?topic=6313.msg57562#msg57562)

The figures you mentioned were "good to go" as such but as with sculpting and articulation, refinement over time allows us to dial in more specifically to collectors wishes.  We'll look into this for future figures….all of the ones you mention are currently in production and we may be able to influence change, but we'll be looking at that more carefully for future releases.

None of the Kit Fisto figures released so far by Hasbro fit properly into the Kit Fisto Jedi Starfighter vehicle. Could we see a revised figure designed to fit into this vehicle at some point? (SWC, 01/12/07) (http://www.swcollector.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=944)

Actually it takes some manipulation, but we have found TSC #55 Kit Fisto to fit. The image on the package actually shows this figure fitting in the cockpit. We do not have plans to do a new Fisto for the foreseeable future, so the current Fisto is the only solution to getting a pilot for the craft.

Wondered if you were doing any more Galactic Senate figures? Would really like to see from Episode III a Cellheim Anujo figure and Tundra Dowmeia. (SWC, 12/15/06)

With so many cool themes to choose from that have high collector affinity, the Senate is one of those themes, along with Nemoidians, that is "in the mix" but not the highest on the list right now. Over the next couple of years we will be getting to them occasionally, but they won't be too prolific. Hopefully the occasional one will keep those shelf dios active.

If and when you decide to make a Battle Droid Commander 2-pack, will you make one figure in the regular color and one in the Geonosis color, or are all of the Battle Droid 2-packs going to be 2 of the same paint application? (AF, 12/08/06) (http://www.actionfigs.com/index.php?categoryid=12&p2_articleid=162)

If and when we do it, it will probably just have one commander and one trooper.

In a previous Q&A, you mentioned that you'd already tried to make a Droideka that could turn from "wheel" mode into battle mode but it was too difficult/cumbersome to make viable. What about a "2-pack" then, where you have the regular Droideka mold and the "wheel" Droideka mold that was used in the "Destroyer Droid Battle Launcher". This could be done in both eps1 and eps2 color schemes as a running change. (TJ, 12/08/06) (http://www.thejawa.com/yabbse/index.php?topic=6268.msg57084#msg57084)

The problem with the wheel is that it's not a fun figure and just becomes a fairly expensive accessory or set piece.  We will consider it if the opportunity ever comes up.

Since two recent Neimoidian figures (Neimoidian Warrior and Lushros Dofine) were extremely heavy pegwarmers, and the Episode I Neimoidians sold slowly as well, how does that affect the chances of more Neimoidian figures being made in the future? (SSG, 12/01/06) (http://www.sirstevesguide.com/index.php?categoryid=13&p2_articleid=76)

We will do the occasional one every once in while, but we will carefully manage the volume. They are not off the table, but are like Senators... every once in a while we should be doing one to keep that theme active.

Most of the Clone Troopers that have painted 'battle damage' or wear and tear only have it on the front.  Is there any particular reason for this, or is it just overlooked during the development?  (PS It drives this Jawa nuts!) (TJ, 12/01/06) (http://www.thejawa.com/yabbse/index.php?topic=6253.msg57021#msg57021)

The deco hits add a great deal of cost, believe it or not, so we put it judiciously where it has the most visual impact.

There are cool looking astromechs coming out from Mace Windu's and Sith Anakin Skywalker's Jedi starfighters. Will we ever see the droids from Plo Koon's, Kit Fisto's, and Saesee Tinn's starfighters? They have really awesome looking colors. (YF, 11/17/06) (http://cgi.denpetersen.com/YAK1/viewtopic.php?t=1051)

They are on our future wish list for figures, but we don't have them slotted in for any particular time. It's probably safe to say that we might see these droids in the next few years.

With the release of more Battle Droids in the future are you planning on using the plastic that was used on the Episode I droid? They were the only ones that really stood up without bending over time. (JTA, 11/10/06) (http://www.jeditemplearchives.com/content/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=2673)

We are looking at ensuring they don't have the problems we've seen at home on shelf with our BD armies...that annoying droop.

Hasbro previously said in a Q&A they wouldn't be releasing any new Separatists in 2007, but when you do decide to visit these characters, instead of worrying about basic figures not selling, what about offering them as a set like the upcoming Death Star Imperial Briefing set? You could even do an AOTC set and an ROTS set. (AF, 11/03/06) (http://www.actionfigs.com/index.php?categoryid=12&p2_articleid=162)

The challenge with a multi-figure set is that, with the higher price point, it has to have high-demand figures in the set to be successful. The Separatists do have their fans but this is still a small contingent than other higher-demand segments like Imperial officers and Clones. We're not going to say that we won't ever do this, but it would take a backseat to other ideas for the time being.

Now that we're getting a super-articulated Super Battle Droid figure in the 30th Anniv. line, can we expect to see a super-articulated regular Battle Droid as well? If not, what is holding that back? (AF, 11/03/06) (http://www.actionfigs.com/index.php?categoryid=12&p2_articleid=162)

The challenge we have had with doing an SA Battle Droid is simply due to the thin aesthetics of the figure. Instead, we'll be doubling up future BD droid releases to make army building more affordable and to give the Clones something more urgent to point at at home on shelf than Jedi!

Will there be new versions of Jar-Jar Binks or Episode I Anakin released anytime in the near future, or are these characters considered too unpopular to bother doing again? (RS, 11/03/06) (http://www.rebelscum.com/story/front/Hasbros_17th_STAR_WARS_QA_The_Answers_101067.asp)

Definitely not too unpopular, just in a holding pattern until we find an opportunity to update them or a way to get them into a multi-figure set.

The past several waves of Basic Figures (with the exception of the current Naboo wave) seem to have focused much more on the OT and ROTS.  Can collectors expect more offerings from TPM and AOTC early on in the 30th Anniversary Collection?  If so, are there any hints as to what we might see? (TJ, 11/03/06) (http://www.thejawa.com/yabbse/index.php?topic=6229.0)

We don't want to reveal much more about 2007 line to save some info for later.  Fan interest is very high for OTC and dual kid/fan interest is propelling ROTS.  In time we'll be doing EpI and II justice, but you'll be seeing a greater balance during the 30 Anniversary on the OTC and ROTS.

Any chance of seeing updates to major characters who have been somewhat neglected of late, especially Episode I Obi-Wan and Jango Fett (no truly adequate, neutrally posed, highly-articulated sculpt at all)? (AF, 10/27/06) (http://www.actionfigs.com/index.php?categoryid=12&p2_articleid=162)

At some point we will get to those figures, yes, but not in the short term.

What will be the thickness and strength of the plastic used on the upcoming Super Battle Droid to be released in Wave 1 of the 30AC? Will the plastic be of a quality prone to warping such as that used in previous SBD's or can we look forward to a stronger material for better play and display value? (FFURG, 10/27/06) (http://www.ffurg.com/hasbroqa.htm)

Our desire is for the Super Battle Droid to resist some of the warping we have seen with past figures, and we've increased the width of the knee joint slightly to help.

What are the chances of seeing more "battle-damaged" human characters (such as Qui-Gon, Shmi, and Owen & Beru Lars)? Assuming the chances are slim, why is that, are they considered too gruesome for release? (AF, 10/6/06) (http://www.actionfigs.com/index.php?categoryid=12&p2_articleid=162)

Owen and Beru are too gruesome to do. Qui-Gon probably at some point. Shmi - I dunno. There are just so many figures we could be doing even for redecos that I don't think we'll do her in Tusken captive deco. You never know though.

Although we have what many consider to be the definitive ROTS Obi-Wan figure in the super articulated Obi-Wan Pilot figure, we still lack super articulated versions of Obi-Wan from TPM and AOTC (both of which also need better head sculpts), what about either/both versions of that? (AF, 9/29/06) (http://www.actionfigs.com/index.php?categoryid=12&p2_articleid=162)

Good ideas. No specific date for such figures but they are "on the list" of figures we'd like to do.

The Droideka is a figure that fans have always wanted to see in a "collapsible" form, one that is able to fold up into a ball shape. With the skill put into the Star Wars Transformers designs, I imagine a folding Destroyer Droid is now possible on some level in the 3.75" line. Are you guys considering giving it a try, maybe in the Titanium Series figure line (like those transforming Titanium Transformers you've got out now)? (JD, 9/22/06) (http://www.jedidefender.com/newspro/fullnews.cgi?newsid1158957874,48773,)

We looked at making it transform and collapse, but with the spindly small parts it didn't result in a satisfying figure. But we'll continue to explore it.

Are you planning on releasing any new Separatist Leader figures in 2007? (AF, 9/01/06) (http://www.actionfigs.com/index.php?categoryid=12&p2_articleid=162)

We'll be filling the "alien" slots with other figures next year. But fans of the Nemoidians (and other Separatists) needn't worry…. we do have plans to rotate them into future lines. Of course, this is always subject to change.

The Galactic Hunt Obi-Wan and the Evolutions Anakin are amazing sculpts. Also some of the Episode III sculpts including Ki Adi Mundi and Kit Fisto are fantastic. When will we see some more of these "super articulated" Jedi sculpts?  A Qui-Gon Jinn akin to the Anakin and Obi-Wan previously mentioned would be very exciting to fans, as would any other SA type Jedi, including Adi Gallia, Eeth Koth, and Bariss Offee.  Also, is the upcoming Yarael Poof figure an improved sculpt over the Jedi Council figure? (YF, 9/01/06) (http://cgi.denpetersen.com/YAK1/viewtopic.php?t=687)

Thanks for the comment. We do have some of the other Jedi that we want to do in an updated, super-articulated manner, and Qui-Gon is going to get that treatment sometime in 2007. Others that you mention will be updated, but not next year….they are slated for further out figures. Yarael Poof is the same figure as the Jedi Council version, with a lightsaber this time.

Could we be seeing a super-articulated Mace Windu in the near future? There are a lot of fans that want him, so you would make a lot of fans happy by producing this figure! (YF, 8/25/06) (http://cgi.denpetersen.com/YAK1/viewtopic.php?t=659)

An improved Mace is coming early 2007 - with knee, ankle, shoulder, and elbows. The only thing he won't have is ball and socket waist but he'll be a great figure. So….stay tuned!

Will we see a new version of the Mace Windu figure released that’s on par (Articulation wise) with the Evolution of Anakin or the ROTS Obi-Wan pilot figures? (JI, 8/25/06) (http://jediinsider.com/index.php?catid=8&itemid=9753)

An improved Mace is coming early 2007 - with knee ankle, shoulder, and elbows. The only thing he won't have is ball and socket waist but he'll be a great figure. So….stay tuned!

We've heard that the Cantina scene is a priority with the Hasbro Star Wars team.  By the same token, which Prequel Trilogy scene would the Hasbro Star Wars team like to complete? (TJ, 8/04/06) (http://www.thejawa.com/yabbse/index.php?topic=5900.msg55473#msg55473)

Ah, very interesting question.  While they aren't as critical as Cantina and some other scenes, the team here really likes Pod Racing and the Arena Battle.

Figures like the battledroids from the last couple years have been criticized a lot lately due to the choice of plastic used in their construction. They're prone to falling over due to how flimsy it is, and fans are wondering what the reasons are behind those plastic choices? Any chance we'll see that improved upon in the future? (JD, 7/26/06) (http://www.jedidefender.com/newspro/fullnews.cgi?newsid1153948132,39400,)

Yes, we are aware of the problem and are trying to improve. It's difficult with thin-walled figures like Battle Droids, because the harder the durometer (stiffness) of plastic, the more brittle and sharp they can become if they break, which is a safety hazard. We're looking at better ways of doing it but don't know if we'll be able to perfect a Battle Droid any time soon because of their design.

Will Bai Ling or any of the other characters from prequel cut scenes be made into action figures? (ST, 7/14/06)* (http://www.sandtroopers.com/smf/index.php?topic=5183.90)

No plans for now.  We won't be able to answer specific questions like this in the future ("When is character X going to be made?" or "Will character X be made?") unless we are close to announcing a specific wave or product.

Why the hesitation to produce more Padme figures? All of the figures sell through at retail -- even figures with not-so-great paint jobs like wedding Padme -- and when you check ebay or various other collector sites, Padme figures continue to be in demand. (YF, 6/30/06) (http://cgi.denpetersen.com/YAK1/viewtopic.php?t=313)

There is no hesitation - we've already announced we'll be doing more. Fans shouldn't, hoever, expect them too frequently, there are a lot of things to balance in the figure line.

Are there any plans for any of the unmade Padme/Amidala figures in the foreseeable future? If so, which ones? (SSG, 6/23/06) (http://www.sirstevesguide.com/index.php?categoryid=13&p2_articleid=76)

Yes. We can't provide an exact timetable, but we will occasionally be releasing Padme figures in the future.

Will we see any more female figures, specifically Padmé in her various costumes? (RS, 6/16/06) (http://www.rebelscum.com/story/front/Hasbros_STAR_WARS_Weekly_QA_Session_The_Answers_98957.asp)

Eventually, yes, but it's too early to say when the next version will be made available.
Title: Re: The Hasbro Q & A Archive, Categorized For Your Pleasure
Post by: Matt on July 27, 2006, 09:37 PM
Television-based figures

Has Hasbro been given access to upcoming Star Wars projects, like the new tv shows, to begin working on products that will be released when the projects debut? (YN, 01/12/07)

Lucasfilm Licensing does a great job of bringing us into the projects at an early enough stage to allow us to conceive well-rounded product lines. Beyond the animated line, which we have been looking at, I can't comment on any other entertainment being worked on.

I know current figures based on the Cartoon Network Clone Wars cartoons are being done in realistic (i.e. "film style") sculpts. Will figures based on the upcoming CGI-animated series also be sculpted "film style," or will they reflect the new character designs from the show? (SWC, 9/22/06) (http://www.swcollector.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=860)

The specific style for the new animated figures has yet to be determined.

The "Ewoks" tv-movies and cartoons were released on DVD last fall. Is there any chance of getting figures based on the Ewok movies and cartoons, especially Teek, Princess Kneesa (realistically-styled if possible), the Marauders, and the number of Ewoks who did not appear in ROTJ? (SSG, 7/26/06) (http://www.sirstevesguide.com/index.php?categoryid=13&p2_articleid=76)

Not any time soon.

What kind of products can we expect to me made for the animated series in the future? (JI, 7/14/06) (http://jediinsider.com/index.php?catid=8&itemid=9661)

It's too soon for us to start commenting on 2008 products.

Do you plan to make action figures based on the highly anticipated Star Wars TV show and if so, will you be making them a part of the central line of SW figures, or will they be their own line? (F, 6/16/06) (http://www.figures.com/databases/action.cgi?setup_file=fignews2.setup&category=actionfigures&topic=77&show_article=436&nl=1)

With the television series slated for 2008, it's too far off to speak to with any accuracy whether the figures will be worked into the main line or will have their own segment.

With the upcoming television series, will we see Hasbro and its retail partners rolling out a vast line of toys similar to the movie launches, or will the scope of the line be more modest? (GH, 6/09/06) (http://www.galactichunter.com/absolutenm/templates/full_article_template_1.asp?articleid=5462&zoneid=7)

With the television series slated for 2008, it's too far off to speak to with any accuracy.  You'll just have to stay tuned!

Titanium (figures)

The Bossk Titanium figure comes with a strange accessory, a lightsaber hilt that is wedged under his foot. To whom does this lightsaber belong? It's a nice Easter egg! (GH, 01/26/07) (http://www.galactichunter.com/absolutenm/templates/full_article_template_1.asp?articleid=6188&zoneid=2)

The thought was to add a bit of story / mystery to the item. He is engaged in a fierce battle with someone... but who is he about to defeat? The lightsaber hilt is meant to be the clue to this question. Unfortunately, the Jedi Order is about to lose one of its own at the hands of this mighty Bounty Hunter. The lightsaber hilt and the Jedi in question remains a mystery (we did not pick a particular figure).

What are the chances of seeing Titanium Series Battle Droid, Super Battle Droid, and Destroyer Droid die-cast metal figures made? This would avoid the thin-wall problems of their plastic action figure counterparts. (SSG, 01/26/07) (http://www.sirstevesguide.com/index.php?categoryid=13&p2_articleid=76)

Very unlikely at this point. The Titanium series figures slated to go through Spring will be the last of the series. While it would be cool to create a metal series of droids, we don't have any plans for this as these are pretty expensive relative to our 3-3/4" regular line.

What does the future hold for the Titanium Series 3.75" Forged Figure line? It seems like the major retailers are clearing out the figures and ending support for the line, but there are a pile of 10-12 previously announced figures that have yet to be released. Is this line really being canceled or will it be making a comeback this summer? (JD, 01/12/07) (http://www.jedidefender.com/newspro/fullnews.cgi?newsid1168639598,73495,)

We would love to continue to support the Forged Figure line and we will continue to support the line through Spring 2007. Unfortunately there was not enough demand for this figure line which has resulted in a lack of retail support for the figures by our retail partners. My advice, buy them now because they will not be around for long.

The Titanium die cast figures were very prominent at this year's San Diego Comic Con yet only 4 from the entire line have really shown up en masse at retail while a few others seem to have made it in limited quantities. Is this an indication for how this line is performing? Can we expect to see the figures shown at SDCC to make their way to retail or will the line be scaled back? (JTA, 12/01/06) (http://www.jeditemplearchives.com/content/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=2724)

More are on the way! Titanium figures have had a very tricky production process with some delays due to various issues.

Note: Hasbro was unable to answer one of our forum users' questions regarding the scale of the General Grievous Titanium action figure (i.e. whether it's taller) but they promise to get back to us on that one shortly. Fans of General Grievous can make their own deductions based on images from Comic-Con. (GH, 7/26/06) (http://www.galactichunter.com/absolutenm/templates/full_article_template_1.asp?articleid=5618&zoneid=2)

Titanium (vehicles)

Would you consider doing a fans choice ballet for the Titanium 3" vehicle line? I ask this because the reissues with paint variations and "battle damage" give the impresson that Hasbro has reached the end of the line as far as new ideas. I believe there are plenty of vehicles to be made and maybe the fans need a contest forum to shed light on new vehicles. (ST, 3/02/07)* (http://www.sandtroopers.com/smf/index.php?topic=5183.msg102573#msg102573)

This is an interesting idea and certainly, given the large fan passion for Titanium, a valuable tool for our input.  We'll look into this.

With the onslaught of Titanium Series 3" vehicles lately (5 waves hit stores from beginning of October to end of November) are there less vehicles per wave being produced or are they just moving that fast? Also, will there be refreshes of these waves for collectors that missed them when they were briefly on shelves? (AF, 01/12/07) (http://www.actionfigs.com/index.php?categoryid=12&p2_articleid=162)

There are not fewer vehicles per wave, in fact, they are just moving that fast. There generally are at least 4 vehicles per wave but most average 5 or 6. Unfortunately there will not be refreshes per say but you may see one of the vehicles you may have missed later in the year. Happy hunting!

Let's talk Titanium. The 3" line has grown into a fan-favorite as many fans have been sucked in by the appeal of these little beauties. As we head into 2007, can we expect to see more ships from X-Wing and TIE Fighter video game series? So many ships from which to choose - the TIE Defender, TIE Avenger, Z-95, and Stormtrooper Transport are a great place to start! (JD, 12/08/06) (http://www.jedidefender.com/newspro/fullnews.cgi?newsid1165615405,87807,)

We have a looong list of new and re-paint vehicles planned for 2007 (and beyond if the line continues to do well). Our plans are to dip into the expanded universe realm and video games for more inspiration for our vehicle selections. It may take a bit, so look for two out of the four vehicles on your list to make it to shelves near the middle of 2008.

The 3" Titanium series X-Wing mold is being rereleased as a Dagobah version soon but the S-foil wings are stuck open on this mold which doesn't look right for the paint scheme. Will Hasbro eventually make a new X-Wing that has opening/closing wings? How about a new 3" Titanium Millennium Falcon with retractable landing gear, or other Galoob die-cast molds that could use updating? (SSG, 12/08/06) (http://www.sirstevesguide.com/index.php?categoryid=13&p2_articleid=76)

At long last the X-Wing will be retired after the release of the Dagobah version. We have plans for a completely new x-wing in 2008 with retractable s-foils and flip down front and rear landing gear.

Lots of fans love both Jedi Starfighters and were looking foward to the AOTC Action Fleet release and then the ROTS Titanium 6" Ultra release, both were cancelled just before going into production but were tooled up. Could these be saved from limbo and presented as an exclusive special Titanium 2-pack? (SSG, 11/03/06) (http://www.sirstevesguide.com/index.php?categoryid=13&p2_articleid=76)

We have no plans for Action Fleet at this time, but stay tuned for news on the Titanium vehicles. We are working on a way to bring them to retail.

It's unfortunate to hear about the fate of the Titanium Ultra line.  Is Hasbro actively looking at other ways of presenting vehicles to collectors that may be impractical to produce in the 3-3/4" scale?  Come on, don't you guys remember the Collector's Fleet line? (TJ, 10/27/06) (http://www.thejawa.com/yabbse/index.php?topic=6224.msg56635#msg56635)

Fear not about the last few of the Titanium Ultra vehicles….they will be made available to fans after all, just not at mass retail.  Look for details on that soon.  As for your other question, we are always looking at new opportunities to keep the Star Wars vehicle program going strong.  For now, the focus is on the Titanium 3" assortment, which has a long, bright future as long as fans continue to be an engaged in the format as they have been.

Which version of the Jedi Starfighter will be offered in the Titanium Series Ultra 6" Vehicle line, the Episode 2 or Episode 3 version? Will this or any other new 6" vehicle be released before the line is ended? (SSG, 10/6/06) (http://www.sirstevesguide.com/index.php?categoryid=13&p2_articleid=76)

The Episode III version was tooled up, but unfortunately the 6" scale has been discontinued and the vehicle will not be making it to shelves as part of the series.

Will Hasbro ever consider making a case for the titanium series small ships, something similar to the matchbox and hot wheels cases that were released back in the 80's?  Maybe they could release a few exclusives with the case too boost consumer appeal. (ST, 10/6/06)* (http://www.sandtroopers.com/smf/index.php?topic=5183.msg86699#msg86699)

We haven't looked at that but it's an interesting suggestion.  Thanks!

...and I've been reminded by the forum-dwellers that no one ever got back to us about whether or not the Titanium General Grievous is properly scaled (i.e. taller) than basic figures? (GH, 9/29/06) (http://www.galactichunter.com/absolutenm/templates/full_article_template_1.asp?articleid=5857&zoneid=2)

The Titanium Series General Grievous is roughly the same size as the 3¾" General Grievous.

Titanium Series 3" Vehicle collectors are concerned over the packaging which, while quite attractive and eye-catching, has trouble with the J-hook being easily damaged and the bubble being very difficult to open. How did this unusual packaging design come about in the first place, and is there any plan to make it stronger and easier to open? (If not, please consider doing so, thank you.) (SSG, 9/29/06) (http://www.sirstevesguide.com/index.php?categoryid=13&p2_articleid=76)

Thanks. The design was meant to be a premium expression for die-cast vehicles as well as something that could not be pilfered easily. As such, it is durable but can be tougher to open. We will pass on your comments about the J-hooks to the packaging team.

Why does Hasbro think the Titanium Series 6" Ultra Vehicle line failed? Was it the pricepoint, the early offerings, general fan disinterest, etc.? (AF, 9/19/06) (http://www.actionfigs.com/index.php?categoryid=12&p2_articleid=162)

There are probably two main reasons - the lack of differentiation from the lower-priced Titanium vehicles, and the limited scope of the offerings initially available which did not convey the sense of collectibility for the segment.

Have you stopped the Titanium Series Ultra line completely? If you have, may I ask why? I think fans would be more interested in larger capital ships, like about the same scale as the Ultra wave. Ships like the Venator-class Star Destroyer and the Invisible Hand would sell easy. And possibly unreleased ships like the action fleet Death Star and Star Destroyer? (RS, 9/01/06) (http://www.rebelscum.com/story/front/Hasbros_10th_STAR_WARS_QA_The_Answers_99864.asp)

We are discontinuing the Line as of Fall 2006. Unfortunately, sales have not met expectations for this size/scale.

Can you tell us when we can expect to see the following Titanium vehicles and Die Cast Figures that were revealed at the SDCC to hit the shelves?

Vehicles: Anakin's Jedi Starfighter (Clone Wars), ARC-170 (Clone Wars Deco), AT-AT (Endor), AT-ST, AT-TE, Darth Vader's Sith Starfighter, Dewback with Sandtrooper, Grievous' Starship, Invisible Hand, Jedi Starfighter with Hyperdrive Ring, Naboo Star Skiff, Naboo Starfighter (Blue), Republic Gunship (Yellow nose markings), Sith Speeder with Darth Maul, Snowspeeder, Speeder Bike with Ewok, Swamp Speeder (with AT-RT Drivers), Tantive IV, X-Wing (Dagobah), X-Wing (Red 2), Y-Wing (Red Deco).

Die Cast Figures: Clone Captain (Ep. II), Luke Skywalker (Hoth Pilot), R2-D2 (Invisible Hand).
(JTA, 8/25/06) (http://www.jeditemplearchives.com/content/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=2462)

Late Fall to early Spring, for all of these.

Will the Titanium Series line continue in 2007? If so, is there any chance of there being any EU vehicles, like the Eclipse, the Outrider, or the Inferno, made? Or will this line only consist of movie vehicles? (RS, 8/04/06) (http://www.rebelscum.com/story/front/Hasbros_7th_STAR_WARS_QA_The_Answers_99645.asp)

Yes it will continue into 2007. Stay tuned, but there will be movie & non-movie vehicles in the line.

What is the future of the 6" Ultra Titanium Series line? (SSG, 6/30/06) (http://www.sirstevesguide.com/index.php?categoryid=13&p2_articleid=76)

Stay tuned.

Will there be any new Star Wars Titanium Series 3" vehicle sculpts that have not already been prototyped? (i.e. AT-TE, Ep 2 Jedi Starfighter, etc.) What about Ep I Die Casts that were never released? (AF, 6/23/06) (http://www.actionfigs.com/index.php?categoryid=12&p2_articleid=162)

Without going into specifics, there will be new sculpts.

Are you looking at expanding the Titanium line to include Expanded Universe ships? (JI, 6/23/06) (http://jediinsider.com/index.php?catid=8&itemid=9626)

Not this year …. But stay tuned for 2007

Die-hard old Action Fleet collector here and the return to the AF scaled format with the Titanium line is refreshing, aside from the rehashes (Snow Speeder, Slave 1, et al, already have 'em!). What NEW ships can we look forward too in the larger scale? (ROTS had quite a few only touched in the smaller Titanimum format.) (F, 6/16/06) (http://www.figures.com/databases/action.cgi?setup_file=fignews2.setup&category=actionfigures&topic=77&show_article=436&nl=1)

Stay tuned for upcoming details on the Titanium line.

In regards to the Ultra Titanium series:  Will you be creating UT versions of the EI Royal Starship, the Sith Infiltrator, and General Grievous' ship? If so, when do you think we might see them? (YF, 6/09/06) (http://cgi.denpetersen.com/YAK1/viewtopic.php?t=310)

They aren't currently scheduled. But we are looking at what opportunities might exist for expanding the Titanium line in 2007.

Toy Fair 2007

With half of the year leaked out via retailer solicitation lists, are there any major surprises still in store for us collecting folk at Toy Fair this February? Will we see Hasbro circling the wagons around existing lines, or will there be any new sub-lines introduced? (GH, 01/12/07) (http://www.galactichunter.com/absolutenm/templates/full_article_template_1.asp?articleid=6145&zoneid=2)

We are trying to get some surprises there, and there should be a few. You won't really see any new sublines there, either, as most of our lines are already in place at retail. However, we will not be showing any exclusives at Toy Fair, consistent with out past protocol.

Can we expect to see anything unannounced at Toy Fair this year, or has everything for 2007 pretty much been announced already? (JTA, 01/12/07) (http://jeditemplearchives.com/content/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=2808)

If all goes well, there will be a few new announcements at Toy Fair.

Toy Fare/Fan's Choice

Back at ComicCon it was stated that 10 of the choices from the Fan's Choice poll were in the plans to be made next year. Is that still true? (JI, 12/08/06) (http://jediinsider.com/index.php?catid=8&itemid=9896)

That is no longer factually accurate. The answer is that 11 will be in the line by next year! This total includes Kir Kanos, who of course has already shipped.

Will fans have a chance to vote for any never-before-made figures in 2007? (AF, 11/10/06) (http://www.actionfigs.com/index.php?categoryid=12&p2_articleid=162)

Yes, that has already taken place with the Top 25 Fan's Choice voting conducted by Toy Fare magazine at the start of the year. The winner of the poll was Quinlan Vos, who was already being produced in the comic pack line, and the #2 figure was Darth Revan, who was NOT slated for production in 2007, and was added into the mix. So the fans have spoken and we have listened! (AF editor's note: we meant voting in 2007.)

If a figure made the top 25 of the ToyFare magazine Fan Choice Poll, does that give the figure more of a chance to be made? (SSG, 10/6/06) (http://www.sirstevesguide.com/index.php?categoryid=13&p2_articleid=76)

Well, that's an interesting question. Broadly, the answer is yes and the higher it is up the list, the better. It certainly helps justify among the "collector-type" figures we could do if we know that fans have passionately voted for a figure. But it's not a guarantee that a figure will be made in the future.

When will we start to see updates on the development of the FC-winning Darth Revan figure? (RS, 9/29/06) (http://www.rebelscum.com/story/front/Hasbros_13th_STAR_WARS_QA_The_Answers_100352.asp)

Soon. We just got the sculpts back and will be working with ToyFare on the story.

Did the amount of EU characters in the Fans' Choice poll surprise you? Did this affect your 2007 (or 2008) plans? (AFI, 9/19/06) (http://www.actionfigureinsider.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?p=41647&highlight=#41647)

"Yes" to the questions. What surprised us actually was the diversity and strength of support for some of the EU characters. The strong comic character following was expected, but the strength of the game choices especially was more than we thought we'd see. It's not surprising given the success of the great crop of SW videogames (and exciting characters and storylines) from LucasArts. This in turn is great for our long-term program of producing the most exciting characters from Star Wars universe on the whole, including films, games, comics, novels, and the like.

Regarding the Fan's Choice Figure poll...who are the remaining 5 (or 6) characters coming out this year? Will all of them be all new sculpts? (RS, 8/11/06) (http://www.rebelscum.com/story/front/Hasbros_8th_STAR_WARS_QA_The_Answers_99693.asp)

We never said that 5 or 6 characters would be coming out this year. We did say that 10 of the 25 would be produced in 2007. All of them will be new sculpts.  (Dan's Note: Since Kir Kanos, Quinlan Vos, Darth Revan, & Galactic Marine are already confirmed, basic math says that leaves 6 characters that are still unknown. I guess "produced in 2007" does not mean "released in 2007.")

Now that the Fan's Choice winner(s) are revealed (Quinlan Vos #1, Darth Revan #2), can we find out how the rest of the Top 25 characters ranked? Many fan favorites (cough, cough--Willrow Hood--cough, cough) did not make the cut this time, and we're all curious to see the final standings. BTW, we'd love to see more figures from that top 25 list in the future! Make 'Em All! (RS, 8/04/06) (http://www.rebelscum.com/story/front/Hasbros_7th_STAR_WARS_QA_The_Answers_99645.asp)

Toy Fare has plans to go into more detail on the rank order of the Top 25 so we'll let them run with it. All of the figures on the Top 25 were good candidates for figures in the future (yes, including Willrow and Yarna!) so we wouldn't rule it out eventually covering them over the next few years.
Dan's note: ToyFare has indeed revealed the official rankings. Click here (http://www.wizarduniverse.com/magazine/toyfare/001185622.cfm) for more.

Regarding the Toy Fare Fan's Choice poll figures, which figures won (or, when will the winners be officially announced) and what is happening with them (are they designed yet, when will they be released)? (AF, 6/23/06) (http://www.actionfigs.com/index.php?categoryid=12&p2_articleid=162)

Very timely question... the Fans' Choice poll that Toy Fare recently conducted was driven entirely by the fans and the results were a true measure of the top figures that fans want to see made. I'd love to go into more detail, but look for Toy Fare to reveal the scoop in their July on-sale issue.

Can you tell us when the Fan Choice figure for 2006 will be announced? (JTA, 6/23/06) (http://jeditemplearchives.com/content/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=2249)

Very timely question ... the Fans' Choice poll that Toy Fare recently conducted was driven entirely by the fans and the results were a true measure of the top figures that fans want to see made. I'd love to go into more detail, but look for Toy Fare to reveal the scoop in their July on-sale issue.

If a character or version of character is already planned for release, do you bar that selection from Fans' Choice polls, so that a truly bonus figure can emerge? (TJ, 6/16/06) (http://www.thejawa.com/yabbse/index.php?topic=5900.msg54020#msg54020)

Very timely question ... the Fans' Choice poll that Toy Fare recently conducted was driven entirely by the fans and the results were a true measure of the top figures that fans want to see made. I'd love to go into more detail, but look for Toy Fare to reveal the scoop in their July on-sale issue.

When will the next fan favorite poll begin? (POTF2, 6/16/06) (http://www.potf2.com/potj/forums/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=10278)

This last one was pretty epic and Toy Fare did a fantastic job corralling all the input. We'd like to give the team a rest before going at it again! Seriously... annually would be nice. So again this time next year is something we will shoot for.

Transformers

Could you please describe the marketing strategy for the Star Wars Transformers line? Obviously, there is a lot of overlap between the two fan bases. I for one am as likely to bore my friends for hours on end describing the Hegellian dialectic operating in the Transformers Movie as I am to discourse on the Roman historical parallels at work in the Star Wars saga. That being said, why didn't we see a greater synthesis in this hybrid line? Maybe a Sith would be so narcissistic as to want to drive a giant robot with his own augustan likeness, but it seems to me that a simple headswap could have had Starscream transforming into an Imperial Shuttle. Did you conduct market tests that showed six-year-old boys preferred vehicles that turned into giant versions of Star Wars characters rather than Transformers that turned into Star Wars vehicles? I'd wager that the 35 year old collector market would have enjoyed the latter. (CC, 3/02/07) (http://creaturecantina.com/news_stories/2007/0307/hasbro-qna-025.html)

Excellent question and one of the decision points we were faced with when our Star Wars R&D team created the idea for the line. We very clearly kept the Star Wars Transformers line focused on the *functional* aspect of transformation rather than an intellectual property (IP)-based transformation to deliberately not confuse the "real" Transformers storyline. This was especially important considering the upcoming Transformers movie this Summer. For the same extent, we have not as a company pursued any GI Joe-vs-Transformers toys even though the cross-over comics have been very successful. It's keeping the communication very clear from a kid standpoint, which was our primary focus. Believe it or not, we did not factor the collector very heavily into the SW TF line thinking at the beginning, since we were not confident that collectors of either Star Wars or Transformers would be converts to the line. Since this super-cool line has been well-received by both kids and collectors alike, you have seen us delve a little deeper to deliver more collector-focused concepts like transforming Imperial Shuttles, Clone Wars deco-vehicles, and Snowspeeders to deepen the collecting and playing experience.

With the Transformers movie due out later this year, can you tell us anything about the plans you have for the Star Wars/Transformers line in 07? (JI, 01/12/07) (http://jediinsider.com/index.php?catid=8&itemid=9957)

The response to the Star Wars Transformers line has been astonishing and we will be continuing with this great sub-line all year. Look for some announcements regarding our next products at Toy Fair.

Are there any plans to make a larger interlocking Star Wars Transformer, where you would need 6 vehicles to make one large giant vehicle, like the Constructicons who formed Devastator? (YN, 11/17/06)

We haven't looked at something this ambitious! It's an intriguing idea, but we're staying focused on delivering core single figures (with the exception of course of the Han/Chewie combiner).

Now that you have crossed Star Wars into the Transformers line, would Hasbro ever in the foreseeable future be consider making Deluxe sized Star Wars TFs large enough to actually fit the 3'3/4 figures inside as pilots, and have other character TFs be the arms, legs, and head, creating a huge TF robot? (YF, 7/26/06) (http://cgi.denpetersen.com/YAK1/viewtopic.php?t=472)

That's not something we've considered. They would have to be pretty big (and expensive), but also very cool!

Will we see more Star Wars/Transformers in made? (JI, 6/30/06) (http://jediinsider.com/index.php?catid=8&itemid=9633)

Yes - the line will continue into 2007.

What is the status of the Star Wars Transformers line, will there be more sets, and if so, when and what next? If no, why not? (AF, 6/30/06) (http://www.actionfigs.com/index.php?categoryid=12&p2_articleid=162)

It's too early to reveal details, but yes, SW TF will continue into 2007 with new vehicles.

Ultimate Galactic Hunt

The Galactic Hunt promotion for this year was immensely popular, especially the Silver-Foil figures.  However, they seem to have vanished off the radar.  Does Hasbro plan to do a similar promotion later this year or next?  Perhaps a Gold Foil carded chase figure set? (ST, 9/29/06)* (http://www.sandtroopers.com/smf/index.php?topic=5183.msg85869#msg85869)

There won’t be any more next year, but it will return again next year. Stay tuned!

Most collectors had a very hard time collecting the basic figure UGH with the silver foil card and figure stand. Will this be a program that will continue in the future? If so, will steps be taken to make it at least a bit easier for collectors to complete the set of figures? (JTA, 6/30/06) (http://www.jeditemplearchives.com/content/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=2271)

If it continues, we will announce it at a later date.

Is the Ultimate Galactic Hunt over? Or is this going to be an ongoing promotion? (SWAN, 6/16/06)

The UGH figures are done shipping, they will not be re-released and there will be no more this year. We are looking at sequeling the event again next Spring. Exactly what that will be has yet to be determined.

Australia received solid cases of the Basic UGH figures. Now that the initial hype has died down in the US and they are no longer shipping in current assortments, do you have plans to release solid cases in the US? In other countries? (JTA, 6/09/06) (http://jeditemplearchives.com/content/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=2201)

No, they will not be re-released.

Unleashed (2")

With the seemingly growing success of the 2" unleashed line especially with the playset style and the awesome snowspeeder , are you going to look into creating more vehicles in this scale? An AT-TE would be incredible. Also, can we look forward to some ewoks and/or a battle for the bunker playset for Endor? (YN, 12/15/06)

Actually, the figures themselves have been doing exceptionally well and the packs have found a new collecting audience of troop builders or desktop diorama builders, including a sizable kid audience too. However, sales for the scenes (the Snowspeeder and Hoth set) have been disappointing. We do not have plans to pursue more of these sets, but are expending the range of 2" Unleashed figure packs for next year in response to demand.

Speaking of the Unleashed minis, will you ever be correcting the SIDEWAYS Rebel Insignias on Snowpeeder Luke's helmet? They should be right-side up like the picture on the box (and on every Rebel Pilot figure ever released in any line). Is there any hope we'll get a corrected version sometime soon? (JD, 11/03/06) (http://www.jedidefender.com/newspro/fullnews.cgi?newsid1162583907,82982,)

Unfortunately, we are done with the production run on this wave and won't go back and correct. If we re-release next year we'll correct.

Why did Hasbro move to the 2" Unleashed size figures? Why not experiment with a 3.75" scale Unleashed, using army builders as the basis (similar to the Army Builder 3-packs, but with more dynamic poses)? (JD, 7/14/06) (http://www.jedidefender.com/newspro/fullnews.cgi?newsid1152907321,75646,)

Two reasons for the choice. 1) The purpose of Unleashed 2" is to is offer a way to collect and build squads of troops in a single purchase. We chose a different, smaller scale because we can offer more figures at a target price. 2) It targets a different audience from the 3-3/4" play pattern. Our desire is to go away from the 3-3/4" pre-posed or less articulated figures (like the 3-packs you mentioned, or CW) in deference to more poseable figures, so that's why we didn't consider 3-3/4" for this idea.

Why did Hasbro suspend the 7" Unleashed line popular with fans and use the brand name for a line of Unleashed Battle Packs 2" micro-statues? (AF, 6/30/06) (http://www.actionfigs.com/index.php?categoryid=12&p2_articleid=162)

The Unleashed 7" line had fallen off in sales and did not justify the amount of work and expense that producing those figures required. The decision was made to put that scale on hiatus while the 2" line was being drawn up. Because of the nature of the 2" figures (pre-posed in a variety of aggressive poses), it made sense to use the brand on the smaller scale, indicative of the posing, not the scale.

Are there any plans to make more 2.5" Star Wars Unleashed figures and/or vehicles (like the mini-Sigma 6 G.I. Joe figures)? (F, 6/16/06) (http://www.figures.com/databases/action.cgi?setup_file=fignews2.setup&category=actionfigures&topic=77&show_article=436&nl=1)

Unleashed 2.5" figures will continue in their current multi-pack form for the foreseeable future. Vehicles, beyond the Snowspeeder this Fall, we will have to wait and see.

Unleashed (7")

Many people are complaining about the repackaged Unleashed figures, such as the upcoming ROTS Obi-Wan / ROTS Anakin / Shadowtrooper. The Shadowtrooper, a re-paint, is the only one people seem to want since, ROTS Obi-Wan and Anakin can still be found on shelves in some areas. Are there any plans for new sculpts for the 7" line? If not, since you're releasing older ones with new packaging, why not release ones that hardly anyone was able to find during initial release, like the removable helmet Vader? (SWC, 01/12/07) (http://www.swcollector.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=944)

There will be no 100% new Unleashed 7" sculpts for the foreseeable future, but there will be an important partial resculpt coming a little later this year as an exclusive. Details on this one have not been announced yet and probably will be held until CIV. As we have discussed in prior Q&A on Unleashed 7", our struggle has been trying to find the largest aggregate audience beyond the audience that picked them up the first time in their carded form, since that market was not enough to continue to sustain the development of new items. Our strategy has been to get the best characters back out there, in measured amounts, in a new package style to determine whether the market can support overall the volumes we need to recoup development costs. While the jury is still out on how successful we have been, we are not abandoning the 7" format.

Regarding the 7" unleashed line, Little kids don't really like this line IMO because they cant play with it. Collectors like myself can't find all of them because of your vendors (Walmart & Target) do not have the products in stock for us to buy! We need some re-releases (Padme, Slave Leia, Stormtrooper, Unmasked Vader) But we want new sculpts. Also you would have better luck with this line if you sold it through specialty shops like the local Comic Stores or through Diamond. Then you would be able to gage the real following this line has, as the collectors could by only the ones they wanted & not have the peg warmers through off the sales bottom line. Maybe not that great of a question but I would like an answer and I hope Yodasnews can get it for me. I have almost everyone of the Unleashed 7" figs ever put out (that I could find anyway) & would like to add plenty more to my collection. (YN, 12/01/06)

We are still going to try some things with Unleashed 7" next year, but all-new sculpts are not in the mix, and we have to be careful on re-releases. We will probably not re-release Padme and Leia, but the other two are possibilities at some point.

The "re-release" of the 7" Unleashed has not gone well (at least  from what I see here and read on the fansites), Both Wal-Mart and Target have "red-tagged" these down to under $5 and yet they still  sit. Even the resculpts at Wal-Mart sat around for long time. Is it safe to say these are done and only the smaller line will continue? (YN, 11/10/06)

There will be another wave slated for WM in Spring. One of the things we were trying to accomplish with this line is find an additional audience for the figures over and above the collectors who got these the first time around, since the (first) audience didn't get us to where we needed to be to continue the line. After spring, we'll take a look at the program and see if there are future opportunities for Unleashed 7", looking at the volume we released, sell-through rates, etc..

If Hasbro is "testing the waters" with the new Unleashed reissues, why release figures like Grievous who were easy to obtain the first time; why not the second (unmasked) Darth Vader, which you've said you know everyone wants and very few people were able to get? And if the retailers were largely concerned with the size of the Unleashed figures packaging, why re-release them in packaging that is about double the size, especially given that they would logically be a tougher sell at the 33% higher price? (SSG, 11/03/06) (http://www.sirstevesguide.com/index.php?categoryid=13&p2_articleid=76)

That would be a good Vader to do next, but we have slotted one Vader at a time to be on shelf (the exception being the K*B re-release of the Best Buy Vader). As for Grievious, we thought the tube package format really made this figure shine and if there was a figure that would expand the appeal of Unleashed 7" to a new market it would be a great figure execution like Grievous.

Star Wars 7" Unleashed - Have the Target and Wal-Mart exclusive reissues sold well enough to keep the line going into 2007? If so, will we see new Unleashed sculpts or will we see more repacks & repaints (if it's re-issues, any chance you could work the Stormtrooper piece into the mix for 2007)? (JD, 10/27/06) (http://www.jedidefender.com/newspro/fullnews.cgi?newsid1162006334,58272,)

There will be additional 7" reissues next year, but along the lines of the same "greatest hits" format. But there will be some twists, including a version of the figure you mention. Stay tuned!

Recently you were quoted as saying that Hasbro had subcontracted the 12" figures to Sideshow as the smaller business model allowed them to manufacture collector-quality 12" figures in a more cost effective manner. Given the rabid fan base the 7" Unleashed line has generated among collectors, and Hasbro's struggles to generate a profit on this line, is there any chance that a similar arrangement could be considered for future Unleashed offerings, whether it be Sideshow or another smaller company? (SSG, 9/29/06) (http://www.sirstevesguide.com/index.php?categoryid=13&p2_articleid=76)

It's possible, but for now we are keeping the Unleashed 7" line in-house while we evaluate it and run with the new tube-style packaging expression.

Why does it seem with the re-release of the Boba Fett and Greivous Unleashed and the New Dagaboh X-Wing we are paying for the packaging and assembly? Sure the Unleashed look really cool displayed as the figures are actually in full display mode, but just a few years ago these were released in standard packaging and we had to put the figures onto each base/stand for $5-$6 dollars cheaper. (ST, 9/29/06)* (http://www.sandtroopers.com/smf/index.php?topic=5183.msg85869#msg85869)

Because the product itself has changed, at least the packaging part of it. The packaging is more expensive, along with the size of the package, which increases freight cost.  This has resulted in a greater cost on our end, which is passed on the to retailer and ultimately results in a higher price.

The Unleashed line has a tremendous fanbase among collectors.  We know that Hasbro has stated that the line is very expensive to design and tool, but has consideration been given to marketing this line specifically towards collector shops where this kind of stylized figure thrives? (TJ, 9/01/06) (http://www.thejawa.com/yabbse/index.php?topic=5900.msg55915#msg55915)

When the line was a "mainline" item (open to all retailers), the collector shops were free to order what they could sell.  However, this still didn't help get the sales volumes where they need to be.  If your question is about specifically making this a product for the collector shop channel, we are not pursuing that idea.  We need to make it work on a mass level first and foremost because the volumes we need are higher than the collector channel can support.

I realize that the 7" Unleashed line is limited and somewhat at a standstill, but if the line gets going strong again, is there any chance of maybe seeing an EU sculpt such as Mara Jade or even Thrawn? (ST, 7/26/06)* (http://www.sandtroopers.com/smf/index.php?topic=5183.120)

There's a lot of "what ifs" to be solved before going there….we'd rather see how the current 7" exclusives do before committing to anything more specific on the future of 7".

Are there any plans for new sculpts in the 2007 line of 6" Unleashed figures? (TJ, 6/23/06) (http://www.thejawa.com/yabbse/index.php?topic=5900.msg54272#msg54272)

Right now, we don't have any plans for specific Unleashed figures other than what has been announced for this fall.

What are the current plans for the 6" Unleashed line of figures. Are they coming back and if so what figures can we expect to see and when? (TNI, 6/09/06)

We will re-release a selection of classic Unleashed figures in the fall with four exclusive figures - two figures at Wal-mart and two figures at Target - in an all-new tube-style packaging.

Will the 7” Unleashed line continue past the 3 figures just released and will they be available in stores other than Wal*Mart? (JTA, 6/09/06) (http://jeditemplearchives.com/content/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=2201)

We will re-release a selection of classic Unleashed figures in the fall with four exclusive figures - two figures at Walmart and two figures at Target - in an all-new tube-style packaging.

What is the status of the Unleashed line of figures? I know the latest wave with Han as Stormtrooper, Chewie on Kashyyk and the Clone Trooper was released. Word had it the Unleashed line was canceled altogether. Any chance of a 'Greatest Hits' re-release of a few favorites, such as Darth Maul or Boba Fett? How about some sculpts based on 'Episode IV - ANH'? Please just don't let this line die. I much prefer it to the 3" figures. Thanks. (F, 6/09/06) (http://www.figures.com/databases/action.cgi?setup_file=fignews2.setup&category=actionfigures&topic=77&show_article=432&nl=1)

We will re-release a selection of classic Unleashed figures in the fall with four exclusive figures - two figures at Wal-mart and two figures at Target - in an all-new tube-style packaging. Boba Fett is one of those characters.
Title: Re: The Hasbro Q & A Archive, Categorized For Your Pleasure
Post by: Matt on July 27, 2006, 09:40 PM
Vehicles (General)

Hasbro has produced some of the most astonishing vehicles (not just for Star Wars) for decades, so we know the company has what it takes. Does an upstart company producing a massive vehicle/playset (some big pirate ship) inspire Team Hasbro, encouraging the team to push for large vehicles with play features (hypothetically, a big tank, or a big walker)? Did the Imperial Shuttle's holiday success show Hasbro that parents and kids do still want a big box under the tree? (GH, 3/16/07) (http://www.galactichunter.com/absolutenm/templates/full_article_template_1.asp?articleid=6318&zoneid=2)

Thanks for the kudos. We do not base our decisions on what other companies do, we do what is needed to support our own business model which is a mass-market driven kid/collector product line. We have looked at the playset and large vehicle opportunity for the right products, and have not found an opportunity that made sense for both the market and our business model. The success of both the AT-AT and Imperial Shuttle have given us confidence for higher-priced items should we find the right one for our dual audience.

The Target Exclusive Imperial Shuttle seems to have gone over quite well. Is there a chance we could see new large vehicles as limited time offer retailer exclusives in the future? (JI, 01/26/07) (http://jediinsider.com/index.php?catid=8&itemid=9983)

The recent success of the 3-3/4" high-price vehicles has certainly helped the case for the potential success of larger (more expensive) vehicles down the road. However, we won't commit to anything right now because it's still very far from when we'd introduce anything new that is larger than our $20 assortment, and also because things have a way of changing. But know that larger vehicles are on our radar and we consider them an important part of the SW 3-3/4" play pattern.

It has been said many times that larger vehicles are a tough sell due to their size and cost to produce, so Hasbro is understandably reluctant to make them. However, several recent larger-scaled exclusive vehicles (TRU AT-AT, Target Imperial Shuttle) have sold out. Is this a good indication that there is demand for these? It appears that fans will support larger vehicles. (RS, 01/26/07) (http://www.rebelscum.com/story/front/Hasbros_24th_STAR_WARS_QA_The_Answers_102934.asp)

The recent success of the 3-3/4" high-price vehicles has certainly helped the case for the potential success of larger (more expensive) vehicles down the road. However, we won't commit to anything right now because it's still very far from when we'd introduce anything new that is larger than our $20 assortment, and also because things have a way of changing. But know that larger vehicles are on our radar and we consider them an important part of the SW 3-3/4" play pattern.

Considering it is the very first spaceship we see in Star Wars and plays a significant role in the first part of the movie, as well as appearing in ROTS, will the Tantive IV (aka Rebel Blockade Runner) vehicle ever be offered? (AF, 01/12/07) (http://www.actionfigs.com/index.php?categoryid=12&p2_articleid=162)

I assume you mean for 3-3/4". The answer is that while it is not out of the realm of possibility, there are several more "large" vehicles we'd like to do ahead of this one so the chance of having it come out in the near future is very slim. To do it right it would need to be large (and thus expensive from both the resource and retail price standpoint) and we think there are some more iconic and action-oriented vehicles we'd like to explore first.

From what we've seen, the recent Toys R Us-exclusive Endor AT-AT and Target-exclusive Imperial Shuttle have both sold fairly well, the Imperial Shuttle selling through in only a matter of weeks. Will this mean we'll be more likely to see more larger vehicles in the future? If so, would they likely be all-new molds, retooled molds, or unmodified reissues? As a side note, some collectors have felt that large vehicles would always sell better if they were released just before Christmas the way Imperial Shuttle was, furthering the likelihood of selling more units to a wider market - what's Hasbro's take on that? (SSG, 01/12/07) (http://www.sirstevesguide.com/index.php?categoryid=13&p2_articleid=76)

Obviously, higher price points do better before the holidays since that's when gift giving really ramps up and that is the ideal timing for anything that is not an "everyday" priced item (we consider the $19.99 SRP Starfighter Vehicle collection to be sustainable all year long and will keep that going with continued fresh waves). As far as our optimism for large vehicles succeeding based on the recent success - we knew that there was a market for the larger vehicles, the challenge is the extraordinary cost of doing new ones. We are looking at every opportunity to bring all-new ones out. We can't confirm anything right now though. If we did, because of timing, it might not be until 2008.

More and more it seems that we only see figures packed in with exclusive vehicles.  What goes in to determining whether or not a vehicle includes a pack-in figure? (TJ, 11/10/06) (http://www.thejawa.com/yabbse/index.php?topic=6239.msg56756#msg56756)

It's a combination of our cost targets and whether we feel that based on the product it needs an exclusive figure to help sell through.  Our $19.99 (SRP) Starfighter Vehicle collection is at the consumer price we want it, and has a very tough cost structure for us to maintain.  As such we have chosen not to pack-in figures which would bump the price.

Why do you keep putting out vehicles that the figures cannot fit in? Kit Fisto cannot fit in his Jedi Starfighter, and the Millennium Falcon, even with your cockpit changes, still does not fit Han Solo and Chewie. It seems to me that these vehicles are rush-jobs, and no planning is behind these repaints. It is very frustrating for kids and collectors alike. What is your take on this? (YF, 10/27/06) (http://cgi.denpetersen.com/YAK1/viewtopic.php?t=980)

Our goal of course would be to have every figure fit in every vehicle, but this isn't always possible because so many figures are different. In the case of Kit's Starfighter, we gave the go-ahead as one of the figures actually DOES fit, albeit tightly. Kit is just a challenge to work with because of his Nautolan hair, but we thought it was a great vehicle and collectors would welcome the chance to have it this year rather than wait or possibly never get it. The next time we do a Kit figure (one of our favorite characters), we'll take the vehicle into consideration and design backward compatibility into the figure.

Are there any plans to do any more vehicles with sound effects like the POTF line? (JTA, 10/22/06) (http://www.jeditemplearchives.com/content/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=2612)

We weigh the trade-offs on every vehicle for various features (lights, sounds, launching missiles, moving or opening parts, etc). It just happens that we don't have any sound vehicles in the line next year, but future vehicles may. It's not out of the question.

Have you considered incorporating Remote Control features into ground vehicles for the Star Wars line? It's a vintage Kenner tradition that we haven't seen brought back yet and a few other toy companies working in the 3.75" scale have done this with tanks and things. It produces a pretty cool result and added play value - any chance of a new RC Sandcrawler or landspeeder or something? (JD, 10/6/06) (http://www.jedidefender.com/newspro/fullnews.cgi?newsid1160155228,60770,)

We assume you meant radio control, rather than the tethered (by wire) remote control. We have thought about radio control, but Hasbro looks to higher-profile performance-based RC vehicles, rather than simply using RC as a feature like you mention since it has a large price impact. We will continue to look at it - it would be cool to see an RC Sandcrawler or Landspeeder someday.

Has any thought been given to creating more realistic battle damage to vehicles and ships? Many customizers have placed dents and holes in pre-existing parts of vehicles/ships to add to the lived-in, worn-down feel of George Lucas' universe. Getting an updated Battle Damaged TIE Fighter to round out the vintage TIEs would be great, wouldn't it? (FFURG, 9/29/06) (http://www.ffurg.com/hasbroqa.htm)

In our experience kids don't respond that well to this concept and would prefer the vehicle to be intact, so the tendency is to lean toward keeping the vehicle largely intact and showing damage through deco.

For decades, Hasbro/Kenner had made small, EU type vehicles for Star Wars characters.  From the MTV-7 and the likes from the Vintage lines to Obi-Wan Kenobi-s scout sub from Episode 1.  Do these sell well enough to think on making more of these, or are there already plans to make something of this nature? (ST, 9/29/06)* (http://www.sandtroopers.com/smf/index.php?topic=5183.msg85869#msg85869)

You won't see anything like this in '07.  We've been turning our attention to on-screen vehicles that deserve to made, and concentrating on keeping the $19.99 vehicle SKU a national (meaning not exclusive) assortment with variety and freshness.

Will we be seeing more vehicles (like Boba Fett's Slave 1, Jango Fett's Slave 1, Y-Wing, B-Wing, or A-Wing Fighters) repacked as non-exclusives in the next line. For people whom have just started collecting or even are just kids missed them in the past an theses are extremely favored by many. (RS, 8/11/06) (http://www.rebelscum.com/story/front/Hasbros_8th_STAR_WARS_QA_The_Answers_99693.asp)

These vehicles are all larger than the "standard" mainline vehicle footprint which we are working to maintain, so the answer would be no. These larger vehicles will remain exclusives candidates until such a time comes, if ever, that we are able to get a larger vehicle scale to mass retail.

Has Hasbro considered revisiting the large vehicle as carrying case?  Kenner did this successfully with the vintage Rebel Transport.  Could we see the Rebel Transport reissued in this fashion, or perhaps translate the concept to large prequel vehicles such as the Clone Turbo Tank? (TJ, 8/04/06) (http://www.thejawa.com/yabbse/index.php?topic=5900.msg55473#msg55473)

We have not considered this in the vintage way, mainly because doing so makes neither a satisfyingly complete vehicle nor a great carry case. If and when we next do a large vehicle, we'll make sure it's a great vehicle first and foremost.

There's been a lot of talk about the medium vehicle line lately, but what about the small vehicles?  Will there be any small vehicles (speeder bikes and the like) or beasts offered in the near future? (TJ, 8/04/06) (http://www.thejawa.com/yabbse/index.php?topic=5900.msg55473#msg55473)

We're concentrating our efforts on the one assortment right now to ensure that it has great selection and newness to make sure it continues.  This is the assortment that typically has not received support in non-movie years, yet it is the most important because of the significance of the vehicles and size of the footprint, which can house many existing classic vehicles (such as Darth Vader TIE Advanced) as well.

The news that there are some starfighter sized new vehicle sculpts on the way has been very encouraging.  Is there the possibility that we may see the release of new large vehicle sculpts, such as the AT-TE, Clone Turbo Tank, Tantive IV or Jabba's Sail Barge? (TJ, 7/26/06) (http://www.thejawa.com/yabbse/index.php?topic=5900.msg55268#msg55268)

Not at this time.

Will you be doing any new or rereleased Mini Rigs or nice cheap price point vehicles? (A-F, 7/14/06) (http://www.action-figure.com/index.php?name=News&file=article&sid=20005)

We have no plans to go back to the Mini-Rig idea right now. The problem is that most of these don't exist in the movies (or EU) so when we do "small" vehicles it's better to concentrate on Speeder Bikes and vehicles that are in the fantasy. So if we go to small vehicles, that's probably where we'll look.

You mentioned "new" vehicles in your 2007 STARFIGHTER lineup, does this mean all those new vehicles are going to be starfighters, or is that just the name of the assortment, perhaps just denoting a size/pricepoint? I know you mentioned you cannot reveal the vehicles at this time, but can you shed some light on if this assortment will include ground vehicles such as Tanks, Sail barges or Walkers? (SSG, 7/14/06) (http://www.sirstevesguide.com/index.php?categoryid=13&p2_articleid=76)

That's just the name of the Assortment, at the $19.99 SRP price point.  We won't have the details on the new vehicles until the beginning of 2007.

Any possibility of a new line of smaller vehicles, similar to the vintage mini-rigs or the Episode I Invasion Force series, perhaps even packaged with a pilot figure? (RS, 6/23/06) (http://www.rebelscum.com/story/front/Hasbros_3rd_STAR_WARS_Weekly_QA_Session_The_Answers_99031.asp)

We don't have a plan to release a smaller line of vehicles right now. But, we will have to wait and see what opportunities may exist with the introduction of the animated series in 2008.

Since a lot of the Modern Era vehicles have been based on Kenner molds, are there any ships that we can strike off of our lists because the necessary molds are simply unfeasible? (GH, 6/23/06) (http://www.galactichunter.com/absolutenm/templates/full_article_template_1.asp?articleid=5499&zoneid=7)

I can't say with certainty that any are off limits. But, it is extremely unlikely that we'll be using any of the playset molds again.

Will we see more new Vehicles such as the AT-TE, Cloud Car, V-wing, in the foreseeable future? Can you be specific as to which ones? (AF, 6/16/06) (http://www.actionfigs.com/index.php?categoryid=12&p2_articleid=162)

We *will* be producing some new vehicles in the 3-3/4" Starfighter Vehicle line-up in 2007. We cannot be more specific at this time…sorry!

Why are many much-desired items (the Sith Infiltrator, AT-TE and Cloud Car, Playsets etc.) passed over in favor of a ton of new Star Wars lines like Attacktix, Unleashed Battle Packs, Galactic Heroes, Jedi Force, Force Battlers, Mr. Potato Heads, Star Wars Transformers, Star Wars Customs, Star Wars Miniatures? In the past, it's been said that producing things such as are not cost-effective for today's market, but that hardly seems logical. (RS, 6/16/06) (http://www.rebelscum.com/story/front/Hasbros_STAR_WARS_Weekly_QA_Session_The_Answers_98957.asp)

We look to products that will produce the greatest return on our resource investment. Vehicles and figures are more popular play patterns for the kid audience than playsets, and the lines you referenced are squarely kid-targeted. We are looking to introduce some new 3-3/4” vehicles next year (and re-introduce some high demand ones this Fall).

Can collectors of the vehicle line expect any new sculpts in the foreseeable future? (TJ, 6/16/06) (http://www.thejawa.com/yabbse/index.php?topic=5900.msg54020#msg54020)

We *will* be producing some new vehicles in the 3-3/4" Starfighter Vehicle line-up in 2007.

I have read much about cost issues etc with creating new ships/playsets. But the Star Wars 3.3/4" line is about re-creating environment and scenes that make us feel the magic. Surely there are ways to get ships done including large ones. And smaller ones with electronic features. Whadaya say Hasbro? (YF, 6/16/06) (http://cgi.denpetersen.com/YAK1/viewtopic.php?t=311)

We *will* be producing some new vehicles in the 3-3/4" Starfighter Vehicle line-up in 2007. We'll look at features (Electronic or otherwise) on a vehicle-by-vehicle basis.

Can we have more "new" vehicles? (TJ, 6/09/06) (http://www.thejawa.com/yabbse/index.php?topic=5900.msg54020#msg54020)

Yes. We will have new vehicles in 2007.

Vehicles (Expanded Universe)

The Titanium Red Royal Guard TIE Interceptor looks sweet! Is there a chance a 3-3/4" version might be in the works? (YN, 01/12/07)

Not in the near future, but you can bet it's on our short list of awesome things to try for future exclusives!

Will we ever see rebel tanks from Force Commander and Empire at War? (ST, 12/01/06)* (http://www.sandtroopers.com/smf/index.php?topic=5183.msg91785#msg91785)

Probably not, unfortunately, at least in 3-3/4". Titanium is a better possibility but not confirmed.

I realy like the different flavors of Jedi Starfighters you've been creating especially Vader's, my favorite is the ROTS body style so unfortunately I'll be passing on Kit Fisto's and Seasee Tiin's JSF. I would however like for these repaints to continue and wonder if you plan to release one for Aalya Secura(it was in the comic Obssesion), Yoda, or any other Jedi? (ST, 12/01/06)* (http://www.sandtroopers.com/smf/index.php?topic=5183.msg91785#msg91785)

Ayla's Starfighter in Obsession is awesome, and we'll probably get to it sometime, but for now we're going to take it easy a bit on the Starfighters.  But we'll be back to it at some point….that EpII and EpIII Starfighters are great vehicles.

Any chance of getting a TIE Defender, Moldy Crow, or other Expanded Universe vehicles? EU figures need EU ships to fly around in. (AF, 11/17/06) (http://www.actionfigs.com/index.php?categoryid=12&p2_articleid=162)

Well, doing entirely new EU ships is a challenge because of the tooling, so we probably will not be going there while there are still good screen-accurate vehicles or key re-paints to do. It's a better possibility for the Titanium series.

Now that we've seen Darth Vader's Sith Starfighter, might we see Lord Vader's Sith Speederbike, his own personalized Sith Infiltrator, or other toys that can be tailored around our favorite Dark Lord? (GH, 11/10/06) (http://www.galactichunter.com/absolutenm/templates/full_article_template_1.asp?articleid=5986&zoneid=2)

We were inspired by the Vader Starfighter when we heard that it was going to appear in publishing, so we had to know more. If these concepts spring from other published sources, we will certainly look at new opportunities for Vader.

What are the chances of ever getting a Z-95 Headhunter in the Starfighter line? (SWC, 9/29/06) (http://www.swcollector.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=863)

Since it was not featured in the movies, slim to no chance.

Vehicles (Original Trilogy)

Do you have an image of the TRU exclusive Star Wars Gold Squadron Y-Wing Fighter you can send us? (JI, 3/16/07) (http://jediinsider.com/index.php?catid=8&itemid=10114)

We don't have an image available yet. We will reveal the Y-Wing (along with more of our exclusives program) at Celebration IV. Stay tuned!

A Cloud Car question seems to come up from time to time, but we never seem to get much commentary back on it. Specifically, the big question that it seems like has not been definitively answered is, "Is the vintage tool still available and usable to re-release this vehicle at some point?" (SWC, 3/16/07) (http://www.swcollector.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=986)

The vintage tool is not available for the Cloud Car, which has left us with the problem of needing to do a new one IF we make the decision to re-release. However, we don't feel it is one of the strongest to redo just yet. We will probably get to it someday. With the new vehicles we have on the slate, I think everyone would agree that holding off on a new Cloud Car is a worthwhile tradeoff. As for the other new vehicles, stay tuned for CIV or San Diego Comic Con for more details....they will be worth the wait.

The only versions of the AT-ST to date have been the ESB Kenner mold, while at first glance it appears to be the same shape as the ROTJ version, in reality the ROTJ version is actually a significantly different design. Understanding that a Return of the Jedi AT-ST would require an all-new mold to be made which likely lessens its chances, is it a vehicle that Hasbro might be considering making at any point in the future? (SSG, 3/02/07) (http://www.sirstevesguide.com/index.php?categoryid=13&p2_articleid=76)

We'll look at it at some point, but with the animation coming up-to-speed, the slate is certainly getting more crowded. We know the demand for AT-ST is out there though.

Will we see a TIE Interceptor with the new, more accurate, center pod - the improved center cockpit TIE pod that has been released on the standard TIE Fighter the last couple of times? If so, would it have the old 2-piece hatch or the newest, 1-piece, side-opening hatch seen on the upcoming white TIE Fighter? (AF, 01/26/07) (http://www.actionfigs.com/index.php?categoryid=12&p2_articleid=162)

If we do another TIE Interceptor release (and it's high on our "wish list" for an exclusive release), then we would use the new pod with 1-piece hatch from the new white TIE fighter release.

This may be considered more of a suggestion than a question, but I'd like to know that should Hasbro consider re-releasing the Imperial Speeder Bike would it be a possibility that it would get all new steering controls? The existing controls which date back to the 1983 vintage Bike are inaccurate and Hasbro has already produced comparable controls on the 2003 Clone Wars Speeder Bike. Should the Imperial Speeder Bike be re-released, it would be a great to see the controls updated to match the design aesthetic of the current figure line. (FFURG, 01/26/07) (http://ffurg.com/hasbroqa.htm)

That's an interesting suggestion, and we'll take that into account the next chance we have to update it for re-release.

Was it intentional for the recent Target-exclusive Rogue II Snowspeeder to be without stickers (especially for low-deco areas such as the cockpit), and without the spring-loaded landing gear? The landing leg in previous releases of this vehicle have a spring which held it in the down position when its door was slid open. (SSG, 12/15/06) (http://www.sirstevesguide.com/index.php?categoryid=13&p2_articleid=76)

That was the intention, on both counts.

How about Hasbro making a new skiff? One a little larger and has the feature of C-3P0 and R2-D2 with the clamps that picked them up in the movie? (ST, 12/08/06)* (http://www.sandtroopers.com/smf/index.php?topic=5183.msg92496#msg92496)

There are other bigger, more aggressive vehicles we'd like to get to before considering a skiff.

During the beginning of the recent Greatest Hits (now known as Saga Legends) campaign, there was an indication that the Y-Wing is in the running to become an exclusive. May we firmly encourage Hasbro to use the classic, vintage mold with a functioning droid port, rather than the less-functional modern refreshed version? If Hasbro isn't open to this expandable playability, why not? Is there a reason that the classic mold hasn't been used? (GH, 11/10/06) (http://www.galactichunter.com/absolutenm/templates/full_article_template_1.asp?articleid=5986&zoneid=2)

Adam, good question. We don't have the vintage tool available to us, so we're looking to the modern one.  While we will be doing some tooling mods, adding a functional droid can't be among them due to the way the tool is structured.

Will the vintage Rebel Transport vehicle ever be redone for the modern line? (YF, 11/10/06) (http://cgi.denpetersen.com/YAK1/viewtopic.php?t=1037)

It's doubtful, but not out of the question. It suffers from not being a "heroic" fighting vehicle, so it's lower in the priority scale for us.

Will there be any changes made to the Target exclusive Imperial Shuttle, other than the Royal Guard and Vader pack-ins (both are rehashes)? Will the paint scheme be exactly the same as the Saga version? Will the footpegs inside the vehicle be fixed to accommodate the modern line of figures? Will the copyright stamp on the toy be changed from 1983? I know this ain't gonna happen, but how about some ELECTRONICS? (YF, 11/03/06) (http://cgi.denpetersen.com/YAK1/viewtopic.php?t=1015)

I cannot answer any questions about any such vehicle.

You recently said you won't be doing a new Falcon unless it appears in the cartoon, what if it appears in the live-action show will you do one then? (YF, 11/03/06) (http://cgi.denpetersen.com/YAK1/viewtopic.php?t=1015)

We don't know anything about the TV series yet. If the Falcon is in there, and it's a focus of the series, we would certainly like to look at the opportunity.

After responding "No comment" to several past queries, can you now tell us anything about the rumored Imperial Shuttle with Darth Vader and Royal Guard figures that is supposed to be a Target-exclusive? (SWC, 10/27/06) (http://www.swcollector.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=880)

Nope! (SWC note: Target.com has already confirmed this exclusive.)

There have been rumors that you may have a Star Wars item at certain stores -- more specifically Target -- that will be released on Black Friday (day after Thanksgiving), can you confirm or deny this? (SWC, 10/22/06) (http://www.swcollector.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=874)

I cannot address this issue for any retailer. Sorry.

What are the chances of Hasbro producing a Millennium Falcon vehicle that's actually in-scale (1/18th) with the action figures? If not, what about at least an all-new, larger Falcon with more interior play areas? (AF, 10/6/06) (http://www.actionfigs.com/index.php?categoryid=12&p2_articleid=162)

A true-scale MF would be huge. A more likely reality - and we have only discussed this - is that we would do a new one someday. The likelihood of this happening would be enhanced if the MF were featured in the new animation of TV show.

I'd love to see the Tie Interceptor make a comeback. Any plans for 2007? (ST, 10/6/06)* (http://www.sandtroopers.com/smf/index.php?topic=5183.msg86699#msg86699)

It's on the short list of vehicles we would like to do, given an opportunity at retail that works.

I have a two-part, snowspeeder-related question. Now that we have Zev Senesca in the recently released Target Exclusive Snowspeeder, is it safe to assume that a Luke in Snospeeder Pilot gear (As well as other pilots) isn't far off? (Note, the boots are wrong though, sorry, just wanted to mention). Secondly, the Snowspeeder toy is the only one (that I know of) that has the distinction of being TOO big in relation to the figures. Do you think Hasbro will ever create an all-new sculpt of this classic vehicle in the correct scale? (It really shouldn't be much larger than the Expanded Universe Airspeeder from a few years ago). (YF, 10/6/06) (http://cgi.denpetersen.com/YAK1/viewtopic.php?t=877)

Interesting question. The answer to both is "we'll see" when we next look at doing Snowspeeder pilots or an updated Speeder. It may be a little too large, but it's not as far off as you think.

Is there any word on when the Target-exclusive Imperial Shuttle will be out on shelves? The product's DPCI# is 087-06-0483 and it's saying its $59.99. (SWC, 9/29/06) (http://www.swcollector.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=863)

No comment.

With Hasbro concentrating on mid-sized vehicles, will we ever see an AT-ST with more accurate details, i.e.: opening eye windows? (AF, 9/22/06) (http://www.actionfigs.com/index.php?categoryid=12&p2_articleid=162)

That is high on our list, but there is no specific time planned for it. It's almost certainly slated for an update like that some time.

Any chance of seeing a ‘battle damaged’ wing on Darth Vader's TIE fighter the next time it's re-released? It would be a nice change of pace from a straight repack. (JD, 9/01/06) (http://www.jedidefender.com/newspro/fullnews.cgi?newsid1157130730,47982,)

That is a good idea for the next time we bring the vehicle back for an encore. Right now we're going to run with the one we currently have for a while, but your suggestion is very good.

Will the Target exclusive Tie-Interceptor or Jabba Skiff be re-released any time in the next year? (JI, 9/01/06) (http://jediinsider.com/index.php?catid=8&itemid=9767)

It's still too early to tell what our exclusive lineup will be next year, but we'd rank the TIE as a higher-demand vehicle right now, if that helps.

Now that we have a new definitive Biker Scout, can we expect to see a more accurate Original Trilogy speeder bike soon? (SSG, 9/01/06) (http://www.sirstevesguide.com/index.php?categoryid=13&p2_articleid=76)

I think the previous Speeder Bike was pretty good. But there is always room for improvements. The real question then becomes, is it better to make an improved bike or a similar sized vehicle that has never been done before...

Has Hasbro ever considered releasing an iconic vehicle like the X-Wing with several different sticker sheets included so the consumer can decorate it to be like Luke's, Wedge's, or other pilots' X-Wings? It seems like kids would buy the item since it is a recognizable vehicle and collectors might buy multiple to decorate them in different ways. (YF, 9/01/06) (http://cgi.denpetersen.com/YAK1/viewtopic.php?t=687)

This is an interesting idea. We'll look at it in the context of our vehicle program.

The newly posted picture of 'The Battle Above the Sarlacc' has stirred a frenzied interest in the Skiff.  When is Hasbro going to re-release it?!? (TJ, 8/25/06) (http://www.thejawa.com/yabbse/index.php?topic=5900.msg55779#msg55779)

It's a pretty specialized vehicle, & there are some more we'd like to do in front of it….but we should get to it in the next few years.

Why do you keep re-tooling the TIE Fighter? First the engine detail, then the wings, and now you re-tooled the hatch! Why didn't you just re-tool the whole ship from scratch instead of doing Chinese torture on collectors, where you re-tool bits and pieces of the TIE Fighter on every random release? A new cockpit interior and proper gunwells would be next on the horizon for the next 'new' release of the TIE Fighter of the future methinks? (RS, 8/25/06) (http://www.rebelscum.com/story/front/Hasbros_9th_STAR_WARS_QA_The_Answers_99716.asp)

The TIE releases are not "random" as you indicate. They are purposeful re-releases. It starts with our strategy of wanting to get an everyday priced $20 TIE fighter out there for kids and collectors in our Starfighter Vehicle Asst. We could have taken the existing version, but we wanted to make it new, rather than a straight repack. In addition to deco, we wanted to affect another aesthetic change to the hatch change. We didn't have a lot of tooling dollars to use (we were saving those for the new 2007 vehicles) but we could afford to update the hatch. This was a nice aesthetic change that we were able to execute.

Many of us have customized X-Wings over the years to create Wedge's Red-2 or Biggs' Red-3. However, not everyone has the time or patience to customize a vehicle. Would Hasbro consider a nod to the fans and finally release a Red-2 Wedge Antilles X-Wing? (FFURG, 8/11/06) (http://www.ffurg.com/hasbroqa.htm)

That's a great sugggestion and one we've considerd for a future release. No specific date is in mind, though..there's a limited number of product slots we can fill and a lot of great ideas to fill them.

The Target computer system is showing an Imperial Shuttle (DCPI #087-06-0483) coming with a $59.99 price tag. Is this a repack of the old FAO Schwarz exclusive, or is it something from another line? (SWC, 8/04/06) (http://www.swcollector.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=823)

No comment.

Are there any plans to make a new Rebel Transport ship from Hoth or a Bespin Cloud Car? (AF, 7/26/06) (http://www.actionfigs.com/index.php?categoryid=12&p2_articleid=162)

Not at this time. However, we are always hearing requests for the Cloud Car, so perhaps someday.

With the all new SA Biker Scout (Kudos to you Hasbro, that's some super fine work you did), fans are now anxious to know if an all new Speederbike is in the works? The original's sculpt is detailed, however the bike isn't particularly sturdy and it's a bit oversized. A smaller (properly scaled) bike with maybe a clear stand for a hovering effect would be incredibly popular given how many Biker Scouts a lot of us own I'd imagine. (JD, 7/26/06) (http://www.jedidefender.com/newspro/fullnews.cgi?newsid1153948132,39400,)

Interesting idea. We don't have a new one in the works, but if we do a new bike, we'll take your feedback into account.

Is the Cloud Car coming and is the vintage mold available to use or will it be a new one? (A-F, 7/14/06) (http://www.action-figure.com/index.php?name=News&file=article&sid=20005)

It's not coming. At least for the foreseeable future.

Which store will have the new gray TIE w/larger wings? When can we expect to see it? (JTA, 7/14/06) (http://www.jeditemplearchives.com/content/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=2332)

We'll announce that at Comic Con.

Are there any plans for a Hoth repaint of the AT-ST? (YN, 7/14/06)

Great idea but not in the near future.

I have heard rumors and such for awhile on this, but is there ever going to be a Saga Cloud Car made for us?  We have seen the Pilot, the Lego version, the Action Fleet version, but no 3 3/4" version for us. (ST, 7/14/06)* (http://www.sandtroopers.com/smf/index.php?topic=5183.90)

There are no plans for a 3-3/4" Cloud Car, but that could always change.

What are the chances of more popular or rare vehicles that have already been made such as the TIE Bomber, TIE Interceptor, Tatooine Skiff, etc., being re-released? (AF, 6/30/06) (http://www.actionfigs.com/index.php?categoryid=12&p2_articleid=162)

We'll look at those opportunities (typically exclusive-based because of their size/cost) as the situation arises.

Vehicles (Prequel Trilogy)

How is the color schemes of Jedi fighters and their astromechs determined? By Hasbro or Lucas Film Ltd or some Collaboration? There obviously is some strong correlation to tinky winky purple and Mace Windu, black with Vader etc. It would go greatly to helping create custom vehicles for various characters that haven't already been made, like Aayla Secura, Quinlin Vos, etc.. Finally to wrap up this question, is there any correlation between these color schemes and the units of the clone armies, beyond Mace Windu, of course? (FFURG, 3/16/07) (http://ffurg.com/hasbroqa.htm)

If the colors are not defined already (like Mace Windu was, based on the Clone Wars series) then we will collaborate with Lucasfilm to figure out what they should be (it is important to note that nothing is done in a vacuum; even when we suggest figures or ideas that are new these are evaluated for fit into the universe). Some correlations are stronger and more obvious (Mace having had both a purple Lightsaber and Starfighter already, it made since that this theme would carry forward to his troopers). Others do not have a correlation, such as Obi-Wan's Starfighters, which do not tie in with the orange colors of his clone squadron. Aayla's Starfighter already "exists" in the Republic comic series, by the way....it's a dark blue and it's very cool. We have been slowing down on the Jedi Starfighter repaints for now, but there are some cool ones yet to be done. What do the readers of FFURG say about us doing additional ones?

(FFURG Staff Comment) We've had some mixed reaction to the repainted jedi fighters in our ranks. Speaking only from my own personal collecting habits, I've got one of each color fighter, regardless of who's it is, because, like you said, they look cool. I agree that Aayla's fighter would be awesome, but I'd rather see a Rogue Squadron Wedge's F/X X-Wing or a re-issue of the Y-Wing before more Jedi Fighters. After all, it's the 30th anniversary of "A New Hope". Time to give 'ol Wedge some love finally!

With the success of large vehicles (old-molds with better-paint) can we see the mother-of-all-ships; the Royal Naboo Starship, CHROMED to a super-shiny mirror finish? Maybe include a new figure Darth Maul, or new Amidala? (JTA, 3/02/07) (http://www.jeditemplearchives.com/content/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=2933)

We have looked at the Naboo Starship for re-release, but are holding off on it right now and working on other ideas to keep demand satisfied. As for your suggestion about chrome, this is an extraordinarily expensive process and does have some tricky issues with adherence on surfaces that larges, but we'll look into it if and when we do a re-release.

General Grievous' Starfighter. There's a LEGO version (not your thing, I know), there's a Titanium Series version, but no action figure version? This is one vehicle that seems to fit into your desired starfighter-scale assortment that actually had some significant screen time in ROTS...so how about making it for action figures? (RS, 3/02/07) (http://www.rebelscum.com/story/front/Hasbros_25th_STAR_WARS_QA_The_Answers_103996.asp)

It's a cool design and on "the short list" for vehicles we could do next if there's an opportunity and we can fit it in among our priorities. There's a good chance that if it's in the animation, we'll be taking a hard look at it.

Hasbro mentioned in an earlier Q&A that one of the Revenge Of The Sith TRU exclusive Jedi Starfighters would be reissued in the 2007 line.  Currently at least one etailer is listing an Anakin Skywalker Jedi starfighter in one of their assault vehicle case assortments.  Is the fighter that's being offered in this 30th Anniversary Collection assortment the green Jedi starfighter that was previously a Toys R Us exclusive? (TJ, 12/15/06) (http://www.thejawa.com/yabbse/index.php?topic=6273.msg57147#msg57147)

Right now, it is the same (yellow) version.  When we add these into the mix, it will be for the back half of 2007.

There have been rumors about seeing the ARC-170 next year. Can you confirm that this is true, and if so any details about it and any pack-ins? I would love to see Oddball's fighter with him and his droid, which appears to have the same paint scheme as R4-P17, only in green instead of red. (YF, 12/08/06) (http://cgi.denpetersen.com/YAK1/viewtopic.php?t=1133)

We are looking at an ARC-170 re-release, but it has not been confirmed yet, or even what deco it would be. In any case, we're likely to hold something like that close to the vest for release at an upcoming show.

It was rumored a few years back that a Jedi Starfighter (E2 Version) was developed with a hyperspace ring. Is there any chance that we will see this cool accessory developed for our fighters (both versions, please) in the future? (GH, 12/01/06) (http://www.galactichunter.com/absolutenm/templates/full_article_template_1.asp?articleid=6046&zoneid=2)

Yes….at some point we will do this.

Amidst the plans of recycling ships for 2007, is there any chance of seeing the Toys R Us exclusive Jedi Starfighters re-released (sans pilot figures)? The Blue Utapau and Green Mustafar Jedi Starfighters were items that came and went pretty quickly and are still missing from a lot of collections. (JD, 11/17/06) (http://www.jedidefender.com/newspro/fullnews.cgi?newsid1163795489,42087,)

Good question. Yes, there is a high likelihood that at least one of these ships will find their way into the 85196 Starfighter Vehicle mainline (non-exclusive) assortment next year. There is still very high demand, among kids, for the Anakin and Obi-Wan Starfighters and these do play a very prominent role in EpIII.

How about a Shark-deco ARC-170? (ST, 11/17/06)* (http://www.sandtroopers.com/smf/index.php?topic=5183.msg90683#msg90683)

We do have on in the Titanium line. If you mean how about a 3-3/4" one?  It's on the list of "wouldn't it be cool" but nothing is locked down yet.

I can't wait to get my hands on the recently confirmed Sith Infiltrator and V-wing starfighters in the '07 vehicle line. How many ships are scheduled for the line and will Grievous' Fighter be among them as well? (TJ, 11/10/06) (http://www.thejawa.com/yabbse/index.php?topic=6239.msg56756#msg56756)

Those are the two new ships for next year.  The Grievous fighter is nice and on our wish list, but is not slated for next year.

Hasbro's efforts to produce a transforming Droid Fighter/Vulture Droid in the 3¾" line wasn't entirely successful, yet the Action Fleet Droid Starfighter mold is a very accurate version of the transformation with a quality sculpt and opening wings that's also a tougher toy and coincidentally is nearly the same size as the Hasbro 3¾" line's version. Can Hasbro start using that Action Fleet mold as the 3¾" line's Vulture Droid? It could even be offered in Ep 1 colors and Ep 3 colors. (AF, 11/03/06) (http://www.actionfigs.com/index.php?categoryid=12&p2_articleid=162)

That's a very interesting suggestion, that we hadn't considered before. We'll take a look and see if we can't make use of this cool tool in the future for the 3-3/4" line.

OK, so we have a confirmed mock-up for a Juggernaut/Turbo Tank for Revenge of the Sith. Was a concept ever actually worked on for an AT-TE vehicle? If so, what can you tell us about it? (It'll give us something to drool over until the Clone Wars 3D line launches!) (GH, 11/03/06) (http://www.galactichunter.com/absolutenm/templates/full_article_template_1.asp?articleid=5965&zoneid=2)

We have never done up a concept for an AT-TE. We mocked up the Turbo Tank because it had the more memorable scenes from the films, although actual screen time for both was very short. Either one would be a cool vehicle to do at some point if they played a prominent role in the animated series, and assuming that there aren't cool new vehicles that become our focus. Those would be good choices to have!

Can you confirm for us that new (newly sculpted) vehicles will be a part of the upcoming Clone Wars 3D -animated line, or is it all still based on how well vehicles sell in 2007? (GH, 11/03/06) (http://www.galactichunter.com/absolutenm/templates/full_article_template_1.asp?articleid=5965&zoneid=2)

Vehicles are an important part of the 3¾" play pattern and we don't see adjusting our focus on developing new ones as long as demand continues.

The Jedi starfighter toy from Episode 2 featured a 'fight or  flight' action feature that ended up looking remarkably similar to the  Episode 3 Jedi starfighter (notably the TIE fighter-esque wings that folded up and down)...was the design of the Ep 2 toy reflective of  some sort of unused Lucasfilm concept sketch or was the Ep 3 fighter something of an homage to the Hasbro design or a little of both or neither? (YN, 11/03/06)

The feature for the toy version was proposed by Hasbro. We were looking to develop an off camera feature that would play-up the fact the vehicle was a fighter. Something that, when deployed, would give the vehicle a formidable appearance. We proposed that the jettisonable body panels (increased firepower reveal) and the opening wings would add visual interest and expand the designs toyetic appeal while maintaining the vehicles on camera authenticity. The intent was to add a cue hinting at original TIE Fighter - to give a glimpse into to things to come helping to tie (no pun intended) the Jedi Fighter to the classic design. We are not aware of any ILM concept sketches that depicted opening wings. Our understanding is that the EPII fighter did influence the EPIII design.

Might you re-release the Naboo Fighter vehicle (last seen in Episode 2, for which there was no toy release) with appropriately-chromed aka vacuum-metallized sections? (SSG, 10/27/06) (http://www.sirstevesguide.com/index.php?categoryid=13&p2_articleid=76)

At some point, we will probably take a look at the Naboo Fighter, but we haven't yet. The specific issues you mention (vac metal) are not as easy to solve as it seems, and depends on the nature of the parts. It's a good suggestion for something to look at for next time. Thanks!

What are the chances that you will make the Homing Spider Droid and Corporate Alliance Tank Droid in 3¾" scale if they appear in the upcoming animated series? And their chances if they don't appear in the series, or perhaps do you already have plans to make either of them? Would you be willing to add cockpits inside each for extra play value which don't affect the look of the outside (this would be consistent with SW Battlefront 2)? (AF, 10/22/06) (http://www.actionfigs.com/index.php?categoryid=12&p2_articleid=162)

We have looked at this, but it would need animation support to make it happen. There is a very low chance of them getting made if they are not in the series.

Thanks for last week's confirmation on the Sith Infiltrator, I know a lot of fans are looking forward to that one. However another vehicle rumored in the same breath as the Infiltrator has been the V-Wing fighter from ROTS. Is it coming as well? (YF, 10/22/06) (http://cgi.denpetersen.com/YAK1/viewtopic.php?t=954)

It sure is. We don't have more info for you, but it will be paired in the same assortment as the Sith Infiltrator. This is one vehicle wave we can't wait to see hit the shelves!

I've heard rumors about a 3 3/4 scale Sith Infiltrator? First of all, is it true? And secondly will it be scaled like the 'real' ship (ideally with space for a couple of probe droids and a Sith speeder) or is it going to be a modified TIE fighter with room for one pilot? (YF, 9/29/06) (http://cgi.denpetersen.com/YAK1/viewtopic.php?t=823)

Yes, it is true. It will be developed for the $19.99 Starfighter Vehicle line, so liberties will be taken with scale but there will be cool features and will be designed for one pilot. We can't wait to show fans the final product…it's a sensational vehicle.

With the recent release of the AT-AT, is there any chance of seeing a AT-TE ever being made? (JI, 9/19/06) (http://jediinsider.com/index.php?catid=8&itemid=9805)

It's a cool vehicle, but the cost to produce would be very large. It's on our wish list. If it's featured in the animation, we will consider it.

The Target Exclusive Kit Fisto Jedi Starfighter appears to be a repaint of the EPISODE II Jedi Starfighter. The three Kit Fisto figures that have been issued to date(Episode II SAGA, Clone Wars, Revenge Of The Sith) will not fit in the EPISODE II Jedi Starfighter.  Will this new Kit Fisto fighter be modified to accommodate the Kit Fisto figures?  Or can we expect a smaller version of Kit Fisto that will fit within this vehicle? (TJ, 8/25/06) (http://www.thejawa.com/yabbse/index.php?topic=5900.msg55779#msg55779)

It's tight, but the Clone Wars (and upcoming Saga re-release) Fisto actually fits into the cockpit.  It's not the most comfortable fit, but we've done it and as such felt good about giving Kit a ride.

Will the Hailfire Droid and ATT vehicles for the 3-3/4" line come in Saga Collection packaging or in 30th Anniversary packaging, and when can we expect them in stores? (SWC, 8/25/06) (http://www.swcollector.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=4178#4178)

They will be coming in the 30th Anniversary line packaging and will be some of the first new products to feature the line look. You can expect to see them on shelves early November, if not sooner.

Republic Gunship Gunner Pods— why not? (GH, 8/25/06) (http://www.galactichunter.com/absolutenm/templates/full_article_template_1.asp?articleid=5725&zoneid=2)

It's a pretty good idea for a future accessory.  We don't think it makes a compelling stand-alone item, though.  We'd probably do it as an update to the Gunship rather than the pods themselves…although the scale of the 3 ¾" Gunship does make it tough to do a large pod and look good. Definitely a much further-off kind of thing.

Are there any plans for a Firespeeder ship? (It would go well with the Firespeeder Pilot!!!) (JTA, 7/14/06) (http://www.jeditemplearchives.com/content/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=2332)

Not for the 3-3/4" line!

Will there be a release of the SITH INFILTRATOR and V-WING for the 3 3/4" vehicles? (JI, 6/30/06) (http://jediinsider.com/index.php?catid=8&itemid=9633)

That is the rumor circling the Net based on the recent swiped line list. It's too early to confirm or deny any vehicles for 2007.
Title: Re: The Hasbro Q & A Archive, Categorized For Your Pleasure
Post by: Matt on July 27, 2006, 09:41 PM
Vintage-style figures

The Vintage Figure line has quickly become a fan favorite since it's inception in 2004.  Is Hasbro actively trying to limit the line to one wave per year?  Additionally, it seems that with the pack-in coins that we're getting in the current line that incorporating the Power Of The Force line into the vintage line would be a natural fit.  Has that concept been entertained considering the current coin pack-ins? (TJ, 3/16/07) (http://www.thejawa.com/yabbse/index.php?topic=6379.msg58223#msg58223)

We deliberately stayed away from the coins in the VOTC because not all of the figures would have had them.  Instead, we came up with the idea of doing the coins as a mail-in follow-up to our 2006 promotion and to be a "parallel" set with the 30th Anniv. coins.  As for how many we do per year, the vintage line is quite a taxing line from an item standpoint, each one requiring more work than the standard figure. We can't really "fit in" more than a wave of 6 or so per year with all the other sub lines we're developing.  Even though they are popular, we want to make sure we don't over-commit and fall behind on other products as a result.

Why were there only 5 Vintage-style figures this year, and why was Empire Strikes Back left out of the line-up when there are such worthy candidates as a Snowtrooper, Bespin Luke, Bespin Han, the Hoth incarnations of Han, Luke, & Leia, and even ESB style Boba Fett waiting to be made? What does the future hold for the Vintage-style line? (AF, 12/15/06) (http://www.actionfigs.com/index.php?categoryid=12&p2_articleid=162)

We did not actually think about the line-up in movie terms, but strictly on character terms. As for why there were five - with everything else we were doing, this was the number that we could complete without having to reduce items elsewhere. There is a wave slated for 2007, which will be revealed around Toy Fair timing (February). Beyond that, we are going to stay mum on the topic for a while.

Now that 2007 is almost upon us, can you give us any hints as to what characters we might see done for the VOTC line next year? (JI, 12/15/06) (http://jediinsider.com/index.php?catid=8&itemid=9911)

That will be revealed soon - at Toy Fair or around then. Right now it is too early to reveal.

In regards to the Vintage line, do you cater more to the collectors versus kids? I ask because in the last Q&A you mentioned your hopes to complete the classic vintage line, including the more obscure characters. I would guess that this was a more collector-oriented line due to the pricepoint and presentation, which would lead me to believe that even the obscure characters would still sell very well. And as there are still a few vintage figures that have not yet been remade in the modern line, such as the palace version of Klaatu, this would be a great way to see these unmade characters. In addition, it would be great to see updates of some earlier figures in the Vintage line such as Admiral Ackbar, Wicket, and the Ugnaughts for example. (TJ, 12/08/06) (http://www.thejawa.com/yabbse/index.php?topic=6268.msg57084#msg57084)

The vintage line is definitely a collector-oriented product because of the price point and in a way, the aesthetics of the package and figures as well (kids don't care as much about articulation, for example).  However, there are also varying degrees of collector affinity for figures as well. The more obscure the figures get, some collectors will drop out and not get the whole assortment.  This is the difference between completist collectors, and collectors who cherry-pick their favorites.  The proof of this is in the rate of sales in the vintage line.  Troop builders aside, which of course have greater depth of purchase, vintage figures sell at a rate proportionate with their overall appeal as iconic Star Wars figures and also, with the excellence of the execution of the figure and degree of "must have"-ness.  So either some kids are skewing vintage (which is possible) or there are subtypes of collectors who are causing this effect.  We think the latter is the major factor.  So naturally, this paints a backdrop of uncertainty for the "last half" say of vintage.  Will waves made up of third-tier figures be as appealing as the first and more iconic 25 or so figures we will have done by next spring?  No, they won't be to the overall collecting audience.  So that's why we can't say, with certainty, that we will ever complete an entire vintage recreation line because of this.  Hopefully we will some day, but there are a lot of figures to go and we'll probably be doing mainline versions of them before we do vintage.

OK, so, we’re creeping closer to Spring 2007. Any chance we can get some hints about the upcoming 2007 Vintage-style line? Pleeeeeeeeease? Also, on the topic of vintage-style figures, now that you’ve confirmed the inclusion of coin pack-ins for 2007, have you given any more thought to offering up a few vintage-style figures based on the original Power of the Force Kenner cardbacks? It seems like the perfect time to revisit that idea now that you’ve got those new coin toolings going (and the perfect way to get a new Stormtrooper Luke and Endor Leia we all want). (JD, 11/17/06) (http://www.jedidefender.com/newspro/fullnews.cgi?newsid1163795489,42087,)

The new vintage figures will be out in May. The details on the line will be revealed at Toy Fair, in February. We can confirm that there will be six figures in this Asst.

We know that all good things must one day come to an end, that being said, what is the ONE dream project that you would love to see happen before the line finally ends? (Please say Death Star Playset, lol). (YF, 11/10/06) (http://cgi.denpetersen.com/YAK1/viewtopic.php?t=1037)

The better "dream" project would be eventually to see all of the vintage Kenner figures updated in our Vintage line. There are a lot of figures to go, and some of them get pretty obscure, and various challenges exist (item priorities, product differentiation, and drop-off of character importance) before we can say for certain that we will get to them all. But, like you say, it's a nice dream to have.

Will there be any more Vintage Style figures coming back again or have we seen the end of that run? (YN, 11/10/06)

There is a wave of vintage figures slated for May '07�.stay tuned!

Any plans to re-introduce some greats from the Vintage era such as Droids or Ewoks figures?  I'd love to get a Droids edition Boba Fett! (ST, 11/03/06)* (http://www.sandtroopers.com/smf/index.php?topic=5183.msg89120#msg89120)

It's very unlikely we'll be going there any time soon, but we do know that there are some, shall we say, "interesting" characters and deco possibilities from these vintage lines.

Any plans for a VOTC Jango Fett figure? (JI, 9/01/06) (http://jediinsider.com/index.php?catid=8&itemid=9767)

Prequel Vintage is an interesting concept (if not an oxymoron) but we're not there yet…we'd like to continue to concentrate on classic Kenner figures that should be updated first. At some point we can see doing what you suggest, but it's not anytime in the near future.

Is it Hasbro's intention to release all of the vintage Kenner figures in the high end vintage figure series? If so, will we be seeing an "ultimate" version of Leia(Bespin Gown) sometime in the future? (YF, 8/04/06) (http://cgi.denpetersen.com/YAK1/viewtopic.php?t=526)

Well, that would be nice to have such an end-point in mind. But rather than commit to that as the goal, we'll just have to say "wait and see" and take each wave as it comes. We're focusing on the higher demand figures first.

Will there be another mail-in offer for the 2007 Vintage line? (SWC, 7/26/06) (http://www.swcollector.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=793)

We will be offering a Vintage line in 2007. However, we have not yet determined the specific promotion that will support the release -- or even if there will be a promotion. You'll just have to stay tuned for more information.

Is Hasbro planning on releasing any vintage figures on the POTF cardback? (POTF2, 6/30/06) (http://www.potf2.com/potj/forums/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=10342)

We don't have any plans to use POTF-style cardbacks for the Vintage line right now.

For the vintage-style figures...are there any plans to make them with a POTF card with a coin? (JTA, 6/30/06) (http://www.jeditemplearchives.com/content/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=2271)

We don't have any plans to use POTF-style cardbacks for the Vintage line right now.

Will Hasbro ever make a prequel-based vintage-style line? Like highly detailed, SA, soft goods Qui-Gon, Jango, Grievous etc. on a Kenner vintage style. That would be VERY COOL in my book. (YF, 6/30/06) (http://cgi.denpetersen.com/YAK1/viewtopic.php?t=313)

Right now, there are a lot of OTC characters yet to be done in Vintage. In the future, if the series continues, we'll look at doing prequel figures in Vintage style after we have covered more of the key vintage Kenner figures. But don't look for prequel figures anytime soon.

Is there any chance of a prequel-based vintage/premium-style line? (AFI, 6/23/06) (http://www.actionfigureinsider.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=3510&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=36)

Right now, there are a lot of OTC characters yet to be done in Vintage style. In the future, if the series continues, we may look at doing prequel figures in Vintage style …. But it probably won't be anytime soon, especially since there are still so many Kenner figures to consider!

The UGH Georgetrooper program has had its pluses and minuses. Now that the bulk of the initial stages of this program are behind us, can you say that you will be offering a similar program next year? (JTA, 6/23/06) (http://jeditemplearchives.com/content/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=2249)

We will be offering a Vintage line in 2007. However, we have not yet determined the specific promotion that will support the release -- or even if there will be a promotion. Details will be released as things are finalized.

Are there any plans to revisit the POTF cardbacks when issuing the new vintage line of figures? (YF, 6/23/06) (http://cgi.denpetersen.com/YAK1/viewtopic.php?t=312)

We don't have any plans to use POTF-style cardbacks for the Vintage line right now.

You said VOTC/VTSC figures are based on fan popularity. Does this mean that an SA Jedi Luke (with removable soft goods cloak and grey tunic) is a good bet for this line? His popularity with fans is obvious since he made the Top 25 in the poll. (AFI, 6/23/06) (http://www.actionfigureinsider.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=3510&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=36)

Very good question. A SA Jedi Luke is at the top of our list of potential candidate for the next line of vintage figures.

What are the chances of seeing Vintage-Style figures for prequels characters? (SSG, 6/16/06) (http://www.sirstevesguide.com/index.php?categoryid=13&p2_articleid=76)

Right now, there are a lot of OTC characters yet to be done in Vintage. In the future, if the series continues, we'll look at doing prequel figures in Vintage style after we have covered off more of the key vintage Kenner figures.

How are characters chosen for the VOTC/VTSC line? Will it continue? (RS, 6/09/06) (http://www.rebelscum.com/story/front/Hasbros_STAR_WARS_Weekly_QA_Session_The_Answers_98864.asp)

Not in 2006. We're looking at bringing back a Vintage assortment in Spring of 2007 just like we did this year. We choose characters based on their popularity. There are still many fan favorites to be done in the Vintage style.

Are there more new Vintage-Style figures coming, and if so, when can we expect them? (SSG, 6/09/06) (http://www.sirstevesguide.com/index.php?categoryid=13&p2_articleid=76)

Not in 2006, but we're looking at what opportunities might exist for expanding the Vintage figure assortment in 2007.

Are you planning any more of the Vintage/Premium Figures? If so, when? (JD, 6/9/06) (http://www.jedidefender.com/newspro/fullnews.cgi?newsid1149879147,62431,)

Not in 2006, but we're looking at the potential for another wave for 2007.

Will there be future vintage waves and if so any hints to what figures we might see released? (TNI, 6/09/06)

Not in 2006, but we're looking at what opportunities might exist for expanding the Vintage figure assortment in 2007.

Are there plans for future waves of the VTSC/VOTC range and also a prequel character equivalent of this range, possibly starting with repacks of the Evolutions figures as single carded figures, for example the Evolutions Episode III Anakin with a better cape, Qui-Gon Jin and a softgood Episode II/III Yoda? (YN, 6/09/06) (http://www.kid4life.com/yoda2/June06.htm)

Not in 2006, but we're looking at the potential for another wave for 2007.

Miscellaneous - 3 3/4" issues

Are there any INCREDIBLY rare figures that only you Hasbro "insiders" have in your personal collections? We don't necessarily mean prototypes or unproduced mock-ups so much as something that was made as a gift/promo for people working on the Star Wars brand internally. (JD, 10/6/06) (http://www.jedidefender.com/newspro/fullnews.cgi?newsid1160155228,60770,)

Sure - there are a couple things. There is last year's Toy Fair Anakin/Vader press kit, which is more of a special package since the figures were not different. Everyone on the team received one of those…it is still one of the coolest, very limited things we've done. There was also a special gold "Team Star Wars" R2-D2 produced last year and given as thanks to everyone on the team. It was not factory-produced but created in our shop. About 100 were made and distributed. Other than that, we wouldn't abuse our system by making short-run figures. We prefer to use our force powers for good.

Is there any toy in the line that you regret making or releasing? My thoughts go to the Cruise Missile Trooper. I know Kenner was responsible for that, but what would you say is the most regrettable one? (GH, 9/29/06) (http://www.galactichunter.com/absolutenm/templates/full_article_template_1.asp?articleid=5857&zoneid=2)

There are many that make us wince, but I think you hit on one of them.  The CMT is neither a figure nor a vehicle, & that certainly was disappointing.  How do you display it?  I would also say that the bulkiness of many of the early POTF2 figures is something we could take back if we could.  As for modern figures, there are a couple that we wish we could have back again to make tweaks, but overall we're very happy with the way the factories are executing the product we turn over.

Will Hasbro ever consider making multi-packs of the background characters such as Imperial technicians, Rebel hangar staff or characters from the towns or cities featured in the films? (YN, 8/04/06)

If we did any of these at all, we'd probably do them as basic carded figures first.  For the most part these would be very niche and low demand figures compared to known characters, troops, or droids.

Will Hasbro ever consider making a base figure with interchanging heads? For example a Bespin guard as base figure with a black-colored head, a white colored head  guard.  You could do the same with Imperial, Rebel and cantina characters.  Customizing is an expanding market, will Hasbro play a role in the universe? (YN, 8/04/06)

We do some of this already with the running changes to figures like the Endor Rebel Trooper.  For the most part, unless customization is part of the product feature (like Evolutions) we will be spending our design and sculpting efforts against the main figures themselves with the occasional troop building variation built into a product.

What's up with the female action figures? Some of the most collectible figures have been Padmes and Leias, yet it seems like Hasbro's policy is that there's no demand for female action figures such as other Padme outfits, AOTC Beru, Yarna d'al Gargan, Toryn Farr, etc.. Why is that? (SSG, 7/26/06) (http://www.sirstevesguide.com/index.php?categoryid=13&p2_articleid=76)

Female character figures will play an integral part of future line releases, so you'll just have to stay tuned!

Will there ever be a vehicle made of General Grievous' starfighter? Will there ever be a General Grievous figure made of him before he got into the crash caused by Count Dooku. (YF, 7/26/06) (http://cgi.denpetersen.com/YAK1/viewtopic.php?t=472)

That is on our wish list. Not in the plans for 2007, but if it's in the animation there's a good bet we'll do it.

Has Hasbro ever considered presenting a "what if" panel at a show that talks about the lines that never cancelled (SOTE wave 2, oval gen2 CommTech, etc)? (BTT, 7/14/06) (http://www.behindthetoys.com/forums/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=7353)

I think others have covered this better than we could. We are very much focused on the upcoming line and tend to quickly move on past the ideas we've discarded.

For years I have waited in hopes of seeing a true vintage line of figures representing characters from Episodes I, II, and III! I know most vintage star wars collectors would go nuts for true vintage scuplts of key characters from the three prequel movies. With the scuplting style of the 80's the vintage line would be the figures to collect. The three movies could be broken down into six figure assortments. (ED: List omitted- overly extensive.) (F, 7/14/06) (http://www.figures.com/databases/action.cgi?setup_file=fignews2.setup&category=actionfigures&topic=77&show_article=445&nl=1)

We have no plans to go back to the true vintage Kenner style of sculpt. We have looked at this several times, and the belief is that while this would be appealing to some, the greater collecting audience wants figures that continue to offer modern sculpting and articulation aesthetics. Any figures done in this style would not be as popular as figures done in the modern style.

Would Hasbro ever consider doing more of the cardboard dioramas (like Jabba's Palace / Cantina), perhaps as a pack-in with vehicles? i.e. Rebel Hangar with Snowspeeder or Mos Espa with Sith Infiltrator? (YF, 7/14/06) (http://cgi.denpetersen.com/YAK1/viewtopic.php?t=392)

If it makes sense for the individual item (like the Snowspeeder scene), we will look at it.

Any plans on working with the MBNA SW Credit card? I can't speak for everyone, but I signed up for the card because I thought there were going to be some exclusive stuff. A figure or 2 would be nice. (SWC, 6/30/06) (http://www.swcollector.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=794)

No.

Come on... admit it... Hasbro keeps a list of all figure and packaging variations that is even more comprehensive than POTF2.COM's Master Lists. :-) (POTF2, 6/30/06) (http://www.potf2.com/potj/forums/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=10342)

Ha ha! Good one. Seriously, thanks for all the work you, and other sites, have done in cataloging the line over the years, an invaluable service for collectors.

I was wondering if Hasbro ever had plans or tried making an articulated human figure in 3¾" scale. What I'm trying to say is if Hasbro essentially made a 4" miniature Dragon body and just used soft goods with sculpted accessories wouldn't it be much cheaper than having to sculpt new characters each time? Most of the characters in Star Wars are humanoids. They would only have to sculpt a new head and hands for each figure. Of course aliens like a Geonosian, droids, or other oddly-shaped creatures would still be fully sculpted. I think it would benefit both Hasbro (production costs) and collectors who want realistic looking figures with great articulation. I love all the VOTC, Evolutions etc. figures for that reason. When you think about it, they could make male and female bodies in 3 sizes (s,m,l) and just dress them differently. They could even cast them in figure specific colors (brown=Mace, blue=Aayla, black=Maul). Also most of the clothing in Star Wars is repetitive. (X-Wing flight suits (orange for Rebels, yellow for Bossk, Jedi apparel, gloves, boots, belts, etc.)

A good example would be Temuera Morrison. One figure of him could be used for every Stormtrooper, Clone, Jango, and Boba Fett. How cool would it be to have real cloth black body gloves with white plastic armor on Stormtroopers & Clones? Do you see this as the next generation of Star Wars figures? After the VOTC came out I realized that as a collector I think that's what myself and most people really want. They could even market them in honor of their past 12" line by calling them mini 12-inch's or something like that. Would figures like this be considered a threat to Sideshow? I know I'm rambling but it's just a thought or wishful thinking.
(RS, 6/30/06) (http://www.rebelscum.com/story/front/Hasbros_4th_STAR_WARS_QA_The_Answers_99087.asp)

Not necessarily. Soft goods are very expensive (fabric costs can be less affordable than even 12" because of the smaller lot sizes). While a standard buck (body) can work for lines like G.I. Joe, the magic of Star Wars is the huge range in size, shapes, and textures that make the galaxy so interesting.

Is Hasbro/Lucas thinking of creating a toy only line with new characters, or will everything be based on movies, comics, TV and novels? (POTF2, 6/16/06) (http://www.potf2.com/potj/forums/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=10278)

Interesting question. We aren't planning on designing any new characters that do not have precedence in film, TV, comics, or elsewhere in the EU... with maybe 1-2 exceptions, but these will be worked into the main line rather than be a stand-alone segment.

Is there any way to offer previous pack-in characters as singles or mailaways? Bespin guard, Rebel pilots, etc. (AFI, 6/16/06) (http://www.actionfigureinsider.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=3510&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=27)

Not at this time. There are a lot of great figures that have yet to be made available in the 6x9 format and that's probably where we'll look first to re-introduce some characters. We'd like to try and guage which figures fans would like to see come back into the 6x9 format....let us know via message boards or come by and see us if you'll be in San Diego for Comic Con.

All things end eventually, how long will the action figure line continue? Is there an end date? (RS, 6/09/06) (http://www.rebelscum.com/story/front/Hasbros_STAR_WARS_Weekly_QA_Session_The_Answers_98864.asp)

Hasbro holds the Star Wars license through 2018, so I hope basic figures will continue at least through then!

Explain to me the relative risks and costs associated with bringing new vehicle and small playset molds into the world, when compared to making massive gambits on entirely new offshoot lines such as Force Battlers and Galactic Choppers. It seems to be a case of fumbled priorities, or rather multiple cases of them stacked and overflowing at my local Wal-Mart. (YN, 6/09/06) (http://www.kid4life.com/yoda2/June06.htm)

We look to products that will produce the greatest return on our resource investment. Vehicles and figures are more popular play patterns for the kid audience than playsets, and the lines you referenced are squarely kid-targeted. We are looking to introduce some new 3-3/4” vehicles next year (and re-introduce some high demand ones this Fall).

SWAN:
How many of the silver foil chase basic figures were produced? Could you break it down by figure?
Has Hasbro heard of the Lucas trooper POP issues? Are we going to see more mail in figures? What can Hasbro do to try to counter theft of the POPs?
Some figures are short packed, ie, only one or two to a case while other figures are always around. The most recent one was Scorch, who was rare and Darth Vader, who can’t be given away. How does Hasbro decide the quantity of figures to be packed in a case and can we expect these “rare” figures of 2006 to be re-released later?
Hear the answers to these questions on this week's show!


Miscellaneous - Non-3 3/4" stuff

OK, it's not Star Wars, but we have to ask - do you have the toy license for Indiana Jones IV? If so, can we expect to see the 3.75" scale Indy figures we all want in 2008? (JD, 3/02/07) (http://www.jedidefender.com/newspro/fullnews.cgi?newsid1172874570,75175,)

We cannot comment on the Indiana Jones franchise and whether Hasbro or another company will be executing the license.

Hasbro has come up with various interactive games, most recently the Jedi Training game. Do these sell well, and what can we look forward to in the future? (ST, 11/03/06)* (http://www.sandtroopers.com/smf/index.php?topic=5183.msg89120#msg89120)

The Jedi Training Game was a big success.  Our opportunities to invest a lot in new technology and expensive games usually present themselves when there is new entertainment, but we're always looking at concepts.

With the popularity of the LEGO Star Wars games, would Hasbro ever think of making a similar game, starring action figures? With the graphics capabilities of for next-gen systems like xbox360, ps3, and Wii, they could make near perfect copies of HASBRO SW action figures and a game could be made with a good sense of humor like the LEGO games. The games background could be set in different locations like a person's living room, backyard, toy store, comic book shop, Comic-Con, etc. The whole concept would be based on fun, action, and collecting. Hasbro could also make exclusive figures and etc to go along with the game, and it could help bring more people into the hobby. Just a thought..... (RS, 10/22/06) (http://www.rebelscum.com/story/front/Hasbros_15th_STAR_WARS_QA_The_Answers_100620.asp)

We have already been doing some of this, mostly tongue-in-cheek, in the European commercials. The fan community has also shown that great things can be done with action figures and we would like to cultivate that for the future. But a game? You need a strong stand-alone IP for that, and I don't think we're there yet. Maybe down the road, but not there yet.

The M & Mpire figures were a lot of fun, and there were rumors once that there were plans for a second series.  Seeing as there are plenty of characters to use still, such as Yoda, different troopers, etc, can we hope to ever see these fun little figures again? Do sales dictate second editions? (ST, 10/6/06)* (http://www.sandtroopers.com/smf/index.php?topic=5183.msg86699#msg86699)

That was it for the line.  The promotional window for the M-Pire figures was during and slightly after Episode III and the DVD release, and the promotion was timed to end there with the wind-down of the M&Ms promo activity.  We did not have a second series planned although we brainstormed (and did concept work for) what a line of mini Galactic Heroes--like Mr. Potato Head figures--would be (like Cuke Skywalker, 3-Pea-O, etc...Insert your own vegetable jokes here.  But these just weren't as important to use as doing more Galactic Heroes.

Has Hasbro ever considered selling prototypes as part of their Hasbrotoyshop.com site? (BTT, 8/25/06) (http://www.behindthetoys.com/forums/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=7376)

No. Prototypes are tightly watched across Hasbro, since they are basically unsafe to play with, and we don't want them to get into any kids' hand. We defer to the larger initiative to make sure protos don't get out into the public realm.

Which courses and type of degree would college students have to obtain in order to work for Hasbro and be involved with the decision making of which figures get released, which are new sculpts, repacks, etc.? Many would love to be apart of the Hasbro team, and that would be many fans' dream job. (RS, 8/04/06) (http://www.rebelscum.com/story/front/Hasbros_7th_STAR_WARS_QA_The_Answers_99645.asp)

The Star Wars team (like all brand teams at Hasbro) is guided by a team of marketers and designers. Many of our designers come from industrial design programs from schools such as the University of Cincinnati School of Design, New York Fashion Institute, Rhode Island School of Design, etc. Our marketers typically have an MBA from business school, but not always. In those cases, several years in a relevant field (packaged goods or youth-targeted marketing) is desirable.

What details can you tell us about the planned television series - which known and unknown characters will be in it? (ST, 7/26/06)* (http://www.sandtroopers.com/smf/index.php?topic=5183.120)

We won't be able to talk about the series for a long time yet, and then we'll let Lucasfilm lead the charge with news. (EDITOR'S NOTE:  (http://images.dvdtalk.com/images/smilies/rotflmao.gif)(http://images.dvdtalk.com/images/smilies/rotflmao.gif))

I don't collect sports cards but do know how they are sold and how popular some lines of cards are.  There are some sports cards that come packaged randomly with small 1" squares of a baseball bat or a game worn jersey or something along those lines to make the cards rare/popular.  I also realize that Mr. Lucas is tight with letting his original props get out.  But is there any chance that Hasbro and George Lucas would do a promotion similar to the sports cards that I mentioned above?  Maybe have the packaging of the figures hide a small piece from a shirt or pants or even a "You Win" piece that the winner would send in for a prop of some kind; just something different that the Star Wars collectors could look to get in their collections. (ST, 7/26/06)* (http://www.sandtroopers.com/smf/index.php?topic=5183.120)

We have looked at the "movie used" concept and just don't think we can make it work.  Mostly, it comes down to the scarcity of genuine props and the desire to preserve them rather than sacrifice them for this idea. Lucasfilm has been going the other way...making artifacts available for museum viewing so all can enjoy.  Interesting idea though!

We've seen Star Wars Transformers, Star Wars Potato Heads, Star Wars Play-Doh, Star Wars Koosh, Star Wars Tonka, Star Wars Operation (j/k)...what other Hasbro toy line will SW be smooshed with next? (RS, 7/14/06) (http://www.rebelscum.com/story/front/Hasbros_5th_STAR_WARS_QA_The_Answers_99107.asp)

Look for Star Wars CandyLand on shelves soon. Just kidding. There are no more lined up for the foreseeable future for the toys group, but games may have more ideas. We'll talk about those when the time is right but now it's too early.

What is the status of the lines directed at young kids? It seems to be that the Galactic Heroes line is having great success, but what about other lines directed at young children such as Force Battlers and Choppers. If the lines will be discontinued is there something else in the works to replace them? (JTA, 6/30/06) (http://www.jeditemplearchives.com/content/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=2271)

You're right. Galactic Heroes has been very successful, and these guys will definitely be continuing for the foreseeable future, with a combination of fan favorite characters and new sculpts in the mix. As far as the other lines, Force Battlers will last through this Fall...longer than we originally thought due to the kid demand for larger figures. Also, Customs (Choppers) was always planned as a 2006 line only. We'll have plenty of product announcements for the Fall and beyond at Comic-Con!

What say so, if any, does Hasbro have in Sideshow Collectibles 12" figure line? (F, 6/30/06) (http://www.figures.com/databases/action.cgi?setup_file=fignews2.setup&category=actionfigures&topic=77&show_article=442&nl=1)

We have left Sideshow alone to work their magic on the 12" line.

Will we see any larger scale action figures with a decent amount of articulation? (JI, 6/30/06) (http://jediinsider.com/index.php?catid=8&itemid=9633)

Possibly with animation, but not before.

How does Hasbro cope with lines such as Unleashed Battle Packs, Star Wars Custom Choppers, etc., which fans believe from the outset won't work, and then the lines fail as suspected? (AF, 6/23/06) (http://www.actionfigs.com/index.php?categoryid=12&p2_articleid=162)

Popularity of any lines among core collectors is not necessarily an indication for the success or failure of any line. When launching a new line, we take into account the total consumer audience. These lines were intended for the consumer market beyond the core fan base. For example, Custom Choppers was developed for kids new to the line -- and they're the ones who are buying it. And, it was always planned as 2006 line only. Unleashed also has a dedicated following, although the main purchasers are not those who collect the 3.75" figures. Unleashed will continue into 2007, with additional movie themes on tap. More details will be announced at Comic-Con.

Amazon.com seems to have problems receiving product and arrival of that product to their stores happens much later than it arrives at brick and mortar stores which causes a great deal of frustration for the customers. Can you shed some light on why delays seem to be so frequent with them? (JTA, 6/09/06) (http://jeditemplearchives.com/content/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=2201)

We cannot comment on issues encountered at retail.

* = Forum registration required

WORK IN PROGRESS

NO REPLIES, PLEASE

THANK YOU
Title: Re: The Categorized Hasbro Q & A Archive
Post by: Matt on August 23, 2006, 08:42 PM
Week 1 - June 9, 2006

Will there be more Evolutions figure sets? (AF, 6/09/06) (http://www.actionfigs.com/index.php?categoryid=12&p2_articleid=162)

In a movie year, Evolutions was a way for us to include figures with premium articulation in our line. This year, we're doing more of this style figure in the basic assortment, so we did not see the need for a separate line.

What are you doing to remedy case assortment problems such as pegwarmers like Yoda and Poggle and Bren Derlin, as well as hard to find figures like 1-per-case Scorch and Commander Cody? (AF, 6/09/06) (http://www.actionfigs.com/index.php?categoryid=12&p2_articleid=162)

We are constantly updating our case packs to meet the needs of our total audience - both kids and collectors. What you may be seeing on a local store level is not necessarily an indicator of what is going on at a national level.

Will we be seeing more Beast/Creature assortments in the foreseeable future? (AF, 6/09/06) (http://www.actionfigs.com/index.php?categoryid=12&p2_articleid=162)

Though we understand that beast/creature assortments are desirable, at this time it appears that new vehicle assortments are in higher demand. Vehicles will play an integral part in our future line releases.

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Have you considered doing a 6” Marvel Legends-hyper articulated style Star Wars line? Maybe based on the old Marvel Comic since you now have the Marvel license as well? (AFI, 6/09/06) (http://www.actionfigureinsider.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=3510&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=15)

While Dark Horse has been reprinting the Marvel Star Wars comic series for years, there are no plans at this time for us to do a Marvel Legends-style series.

If the George-Trooper does well, can we mail-order more Senate pods and weapon packs? (AFI, 6/09/06) (http://www.actionfigureinsider.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=3510&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=15)

An interesting idea, but perhaps a little too niche for our current promotional plans.

What are the chances of seeing more Expanded Universe figures? The two TV series are still a couple of years out. It'd be neat to branch out and cover some of the EU that a lot of fans have been asking for. (The Kir Kanos is a step in the right direction) (AFI, 6/09/06) (http://www.actionfigureinsider.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=3510&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=15)

There are a lot of great characters created in the EU and we plan to include some of these in 2007. Stay tuned!

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What is the status of the Unleashed line of figures? I know the latest wave with Han as Stormtrooper, Chewie on Kashyyk and the Clone Trooper was released. Word had it the Unleashed line was cancelled altogether. Any chance of a 'Greatest Hits' re-release of a few favorites, such as Darth Maul or Boba Fett? How about some sculpts based on 'Episode IV - ANH'? Please just don't let this line die. I much prefer it to the 3" figures. Thanks. (F, 6/09/06) (http://www.figures.com/databases/action.cgi?setup_file=fignews2.setup&category=actionfigures&topic=77&show_article=432&nl=1)

We will re-release a selection of classic Unleashed figures in the fall with four exclusive figures - two figures at Wal-mart and two figures at Target - in an all-new tube-style packaging. Boba Fett is one of those characters.

With the awesome addition of Kir Kanos, how far does Hasbro plan on carrying on the Star Wars Expanded Universe theme? Plans for any vehicles? When can we expect them? (F, 6/09/06) (http://www.figures.com/databases/action.cgi?setup_file=fignews2.setup&category=actionfigures&topic=77&show_article=432&nl=1)

Both vehicles and EU will be an important part of the line in 2007.

With next year being the 30th anniversary of the birth of the Star Wars franchise, can we expect anything from Hasbro to commemorate the release of the first Star Wars Movie? If you are, can you give us a taste of something you may have in mind? (F, 6/09/06) (http://www.figures.com/databases/action.cgi?setup_file=fignews2.setup&category=actionfigures&topic=77&show_article=432&nl=1)

Yes! Stay tuned for details in the coming months.

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Collectors have been very enthusiastic about the Battle Pack Assortment. Would Hasbro consider including canceled figures like the Trophy Edition Obi-Wan Kenobi and Trophy Edition OOM-9, or hard-to-find figures like Sio Bibble, TC-14, and the Comm-Tech Princess Leia (Hood Up) figures in these assortments? (GH, 6/09/06) (http://www.galactichunter.com/absolutenm/templates/full_article_template_1.asp?articleid=5462&zoneid=7)

Each Battle Pack tells a story.  We approach each one individually, taking a close look at which characters make the most sense for the scenario we're looking to recreate.   If any of these characters would fit into a future scene we want to do, we'd consider them.

With the upcoming television series, will we see Hasbro and its retail partners rolling out a vast line of toys similar to the movie launches, or will the scope of the line be more modest? (GH, 6/09/06) (http://www.galactichunter.com/absolutenm/templates/full_article_template_1.asp?articleid=5462&zoneid=7)

With the television series slated for 2008, it's too far off to speak to with any accuracy.  You'll just have to stay tuned!

With the pressure of the 'movie years' now past us, are we more or less likely to see Hasbro produce any playsets for the Star Wars action figure line? (GH, 6/09/06) (http://www.galactichunter.com/absolutenm/templates/full_article_template_1.asp?articleid=5462&zoneid=7)

The demand for playsets just hasn't been there. Instead we've put our focus behind vehicles. Vehicles and figures are more popular play patterns for the kid audience than playsets.

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Are you planning any more of the Vintage/Premium Figures? If so, when? (JD, 6/09/06) (http://www.jedidefender.com/newspro/fullnews.cgi?newsid1149879147,62431,)

Not in 2006, but we're looking at the potential for another wave for 2007.

What are the chances of one more Animated Clone Wars Wave (or box set)? We still need to get C-3PO, R2-D2, Padme (Ilum Snow Gear), and Darth Sidious to round out our sets! (JD, 6/09/06) (http://www.jedidefender.com/newspro/fullnews.cgi?newsid1149879147,62431,)

Characters in CW are great - and we're looking at ways of getting more of them in the line for 2007. However any we do will be in "realistic" styling rather than animated. We’ve done some polling with fans, and overall the realistic style is preferred.

Are you planning to do more of the Evolutions Sets? If so, when? If not, why? They seemed to sell very well and were popular with both kids and collectors alike - we'd love to see more! (JD, 6/09/06) (http://www.jedidefender.com/newspro/fullnews.cgi?newsid1149879147,62431,)

In a movie year, Evolutions was a way for us to include figures with premium articulation in our line. This year, we're doing more of this style figure in the basic assortment, so we did not see the need for a separate line.

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Australia received solid cases of the Basic UGH figures. Now that the initial hype has died down in the US and they are no longer shipping in current assortments, do you have plans to release solid cases in the US? In other countries? (JTA, 6/09/06) (http://jeditemplearchives.com/content/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=2201)

No, they will not be re-released.

Will the 7” Unleashed line continue past the 3 figures just released and will they be available in stores other than Wal*Mart? (JTA, 6/09/06) (http://jeditemplearchives.com/content/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=2201)

We will re-release a selection of classic Unleashed figures in the fall with four exclusive figures - two figures at Walmart and two figures at Target - in an all-new tube-style packaging.

Amazon.com seems to have problems receiving product and arrival of that product to their stores happens much later than it arrives at brick and mortar stores which causes a great deal of frustration for the customers. Can you shed some light on why delays seem to be so frequent with them? (JTA, 6/09/06) (http://jeditemplearchives.com/content/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=2201)

We cannot comment on issues encountered at retail.

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Will there ever be a subscription service/one-of-every-figure club/opportunity for fans to purchase convention exclusives, possibly through hasbrotoyshop.com? Whatever happened to the subscription program announced at Celebration III? (RS, 6/09/06) (http://www.rebelscum.com/story/front/Hasbros_STAR_WARS_Weekly_QA_Session_The_Answers_98864.asp)

The 501st San Diego Comic Con figures will be available on HasbroToyShop.com, but it's not possible at this time to set up the type of large-scale subscription service that I know you're referring to. Maybe down the road.

All things end eventually, how long will the action figure line continue? Is there an end date? (RS, 6/09/06) (http://www.rebelscum.com/story/front/Hasbros_STAR_WARS_Weekly_QA_Session_The_Answers_98864.asp)

Hasbro holds the Star Wars license through 2018, so I hope basic figures will continue at least through then!

How are characters chosen for the VOTC/VTSC line? Will it continue? (RS, 6/09/06) (http://www.rebelscum.com/story/front/Hasbros_STAR_WARS_Weekly_QA_Session_The_Answers_98864.asp)

Not in 2006. We're looking at bringing back a Vintage assortment in Spring of 2007 just like we did this year. We choose characters based on their popularity. There are still many fan favorites to be done in the Vintage style.

I combined all questions that asked "will you make __ ?" into the following:
Figures - Quinlan Vos, Padme, Tonnika Sisters, EU characters, Death Star II Luke, Hermi Odle, Animated style, army builder packs
Vehicles - Cloud Car, AT-TE, Sith Infiltrator
Modular Playsets - Tantive IV, Death Star, curved Cantina bar section

Of course there are many more such question. Not sure if you can even answer these, but the bottom line is fans want to see more female figures, EU figures, and new vehicles and diorama/playsets. But you probably knew that.
(RS, 6/09/06) (http://www.rebelscum.com/story/front/Hasbros_STAR_WARS_Weekly_QA_Session_The_Answers_98864.asp)

In response to your question about EU figures -- there are a lot of great characters created in the EU and we plan to include some of these for 2007. And, in regards to playsets/dioramas: as the saying goes, "great minds think alike." There has been a lot of discussion internally on whether this could be successful in today's market. However, we continue to see diminished demand for playsets. If we ever see the landscape changing, it's something we could take a look at in the future.

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Will we be seeing more EU figures, especially characters beyond just clonetrooper repaints? (SSG, 6/09/06) (http://www.sirstevesguide.com/index.php?categoryid=13&p2_articleid=76)

Yes. There are great characters in the Expanded Universe and we plan to include some of these in 2007. Stay tuned!

Have you considered new playset ideas, especially modular playsets so collectors can build larger playsets from smaller sets? (SSG, 6/09/06) (http://www.sirstevesguide.com/index.php?categoryid=13&p2_articleid=76)

A scaling playset is a great idea. There has been a lot of discussion internally on whether this could be successful in today's market. However, we continue to see diminished demand for playsets. If we ever see the landscape changing, it's something we could take a look at in the future.

Are there more new Vintage-Style figures coming, and if so, when can we expect them? (SSG, 6/09/06) (http://www.sirstevesguide.com/index.php?categoryid=13&p2_articleid=76)

Not in 2006, but we're looking at what opportunities might exist for expanding the Vintage figure assortment in 2007.

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SWAN:
How many of the silver foil chase basic figures were produced? Could you break it down by figure?
Has Hasbro heard of the Lucas trooper POP issues? Are we going to see more mail in figures? What can Hasbro do to try to counter theft of the POPs?
Some figures are short packed, ie, only one or two to a case while other figures are always around. The most recent one was Scorch, who was rare and Darth Vader, who can’t be given away. How does Hasbro decide the quantity of figures to be packed in a case and can we expect these “rare” figures of 2006 to be re-released later?
Hear the answers to these questions on this week's show!


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Can we have more "new" vehicles? (TJ, 6/09/06) (http://www.thejawa.com/yabbse/index.php?topic=5900.msg54020#msg54020)

Yes. We will have new vehicles in 2007.

We understand the idea behind rehashing and reusing older figures in the the sets. But is it necessary to use those figures from way back and not the more modern issue (ie Untimate Bounty Hunter set had older Bossk from 1997 and not 2004) (TJ, 6/09/06) (http://www.thejawa.com/yabbse/index.php?topic=5900.msg54020#msg54020)

When putting together sets, we try to use the most current figure available to us at the time, but sometimes the most current figure isn’t always the one that is available for us.

Any possibilites of having smaller playset sections that ACTUALLY connect to make a larger one? (TJ, 6/09/06) (http://www.thejawa.com/yabbse/index.php?topic=5900.msg54020#msg54020)

A scaling playset is a great idea, Chris. However, we continue to see diminished demand for playsets.  If we ever see the landscape changing,  it's something we could take a look at in the future.

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What are the current plans for the 6" Unleashed line of figures. Are they coming back and if so what figures can we expect to see and when? (TNI, 6/09/06)

We will re-release a selection of classic Unleashed figures in the fall with four exclusive figures - two figures at Wal-mart and two figures at Target - in an all-new tube-style packaging.

Will there be future vintage waves and if so any hints to what figures we might see released? (TNI, 6/09/06)

Not in 2006, but we're looking at what opportunities might exist for expanding the Vintage figure assortment in 2007.

Are there any plans to re-release the classic Deathstar playset in the Saga line or possibly do a new version, perhaps a modular type playset that people buy in parts and then once they have all of them could combine to form one large playset? (TNI, 6/09/06)

As the saying goes, "great minds think alike." There has been a lot of discussion internally on whether this could be successful in today's market. However, we continue to see diminished demand for playsets. If we ever see the landscape changing, it's something we could take a look at in the future.

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In regards to the Ultra Titanium series:  Will you be creating UT versions of the EI Royal Starship, the Sith Infiltrator, and General Grievous' ship? If so, when do you think we might see them? (YF, 6/09/06) (http://cgi.denpetersen.com/YAK1/viewtopic.php?t=310)

They aren't currently scheduled. But we are looking at what opportunities might exisit for expanding the Titanium line in 2007.

Does Hasbro intend to release the VOTC Stormtrooper without dirt, just white? (YF, 6/09/06) (http://cgi.denpetersen.com/YAK1/viewtopic.php?t=310)

That's a very good idea. However we have nothing currently planned.

Is there a plan to ship a variation of the Clone Pilot?  The one which has shipped in the Episode III Heroes and Villains asst. is the black version, however the back of the card shows the gray/white uniform. (YF, 6/09/06) (http://cgi.denpetersen.com/YAK1/viewtopic.php?t=310)

We are currently shipping the black suited version.

Does Hasbro intend to release any playsets, large or in smaller sections to create a larger playset? (YF, 6/09/06) (http://cgi.denpetersen.com/YAK1/viewtopic.php?t=310)

As the saying goes, "great minds think alike". There has been a lot of discussion internally on whether this could be successful in today's market. However, we continue to see diminished demand for playsets. If we ever see the landscape changing, It's something we could take a look at in the future.

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Will Hasbro start to offer store exclusives at HTS.com? I love some of the recent Target exclusives but I don’t have a Target within 30 miles and when I do make the trip, the pegs are empty and I have to pay 2x or 3x retail on ebay. If they sold even a small portion on HTS it would give people a better chance to get them! (YN, 6/09/06) (http://www.kid4life.com/yoda2/June06.htm)

Yes. Soon, fans may visit HTS.com and purchase a selection of exclusive items including the 501st SDCC figure, Titanium Series Gold TIE Advanced X1 Starfighter, and an all-new action figure collectors case. These limited edition collector cases (6"x9") are branded Hasbro, Star Wars, Lucas Film Limited and Kenner!

Explain to me the relative risks and costs associated with bringing new vehicle and small playset molds into the world, when compared to making massive gambits on entirely new offshoot lines such as Force Battlers and Galactic Choppers. It seems to be a case of fumbled priorities, or rather multiple cases of them stacked and overflowing at my local Wal-Mart. (YN, 6/09/06) (http://www.kid4life.com/yoda2/June06.htm)

We look to products that will produce the greatest return on our resource investment. Vehicles and figures are more popular play patterns for the kid audience than playsets, and the lines you referenced are squarely kid-targeted. We are looking to introduce some new 3-3/4” vehicles next year (and re-introduce some high demand ones this Fall).

Are there plans for future waves of the VTSC/VOTC range and also a prequel character equivalent of this range, possibly starting with repacks of the Evolutions figures as single carded figures, for example the Evolutions Episode III Anakin with a better cape, Qui-Gon Jinn and a softgood Episode II/III Yoda? (YN, 6/09/06) (http://www.kid4life.com/yoda2/June06.htm)

Not in 2006, but we're looking at the potential for another wave for 2007.

Week 2 - June 16, 2006

Many collectors are frustrated with exclusives which are often hard to find due to scalper draw, limited or uneven distribution, and exclusives to chains not available in certain areas. While understanding that exclusives are an important part of getting certain items released, as well as a tool for Hasbro's dealings with their retail partners, what can be done to remedy this ongoing problem so that collectors can feel like Hasbro cares about their interests and concerns? (AF, 6/16/06) (http://www.actionfigs.com/index.php?categoryid=12&p2_articleid=162)

Good question, and we do care. We are not trying to deliberately short the market or create frustration. We release exclusives with the size of the collector market in mind. We try to ensure that the retailer is willing to commit to anticipated quantities and item needs to satisfy the collector base We attempt to obtain national distribution on what we think will be high-demand items. What we can't plan for are the store counts and amount shipped to each store, which our retailers decide on; individual collector pockets of high concentration; the unfortunate scalping element (which at least seems to less than it was several years ago); and sets with an inherent multi-purchase pattern (troop building) that motivates folks to go unusually deep. From these standpoints, exclusives are probably no different than national items....some national items can be just as hard to find locally but nationally on the average they are OK.

Will we ever get a Hayden Christensen-based Spirit of Anakin as seen in the OT DVD release? (AF, 6/16/06) (http://www.actionfigs.com/index.php?categoryid=12&p2_articleid=162)

Not at this time.

Will we see more new Vehicles such as the AT-TE, Cloud Car, V-wing, in the foreseeable future? Can you be specific as to which ones? (AF, 6/16/06) (http://www.actionfigs.com/index.php?categoryid=12&p2_articleid=162)

We *will* be producing some new vehicles in the 3-3/4" Starfighter Vehicle line-up in 2007. We cannot be more specific at this time…sorry!

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Is there any way to offer previous pack-in characters as singles or mailaways? Bespin guard, Rebel pilots, etc. (AFI, 6/16/06) (http://www.actionfigureinsider.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=3510&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=27)

Not at this time. There are a lot of great figures that have yet to be made available in the 6x9 format and that's probably where we'll look first to re-introduce some characters. We'd like to try and guage which figures fans would like to see come back into the 6x9 format....let us know via message boards or come by and see us if you'll be in San Diego for Comic Con.

Any plans for GH passed in the upcoming line (Wedge, Stormy Luke and Han) -- including GH vehicles or playsets? (AFI, 6/16/06) (http://www.actionfigureinsider.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=3510&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=27)

Galactic Heroes has been very successful, and these guys will definitely be continuing for the foreseeable future, with a mix of fan favorite characters and new sculpts in the mix. However, the GH line has proven itself to be figure-driven and the vehicles have struggled, so we're just concentrating on figures at scale. But there are some great concepts coming for this series....stay tuned for details.

Will we be seeing less action feature and more articulation i.e. ROTS pilot Obi-wan? (AFI, 6/16/06) (http://www.actionfigureinsider.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=3510&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=27)

It depends on the figure. If they come with a significant accessory (say a curved Cantina bar section) we may have to make a choice on the number of point so articulation to deliver the accessory.

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Are there any plans to make more 2.5" Star Wars Unleashed figures and/or vehicles (like the mini-Sigma 6 G.I. Joe figures)? (F, 6/16/06) (http://www.figures.com/databases/action.cgi?setup_file=fignews2.setup&category=actionfigures&topic=77&show_article=436&nl=1)

Unleashed 2.5" figures will continue in their current multi-pack form for the foreseeable future. Vehicles, beyond the Snowspeeder this Fall, we will have to wait and see.

Die-hard old Action Fleet collector here and the return to the AF scaled format with the Titanium line is refreshing, aside from the rehashes (Snow Speeder, Slave 1, et al, already have 'em!). What NEW ships can we look forward too in the larger scale? (ROTS had quite a few only touched in the smaller Titanimum format.) (F, 6/16/06) (http://www.figures.com/databases/action.cgi?setup_file=fignews2.setup&category=actionfigures&topic=77&show_article=436&nl=1)

Stay tuned for upcoming details on the Titanium line.

Do you plan to make action figures based on the highly anticipated Star Wars TV show and if so, will you be making them a part of the central line of SW figures, or will they be their own line? (F, 6/16/06) (http://www.figures.com/databases/action.cgi?setup_file=fignews2.setup&category=actionfigures&topic=77&show_article=436&nl=1)

With the television series slated for 2008, it's too far off to speak to with any accuracy whether the figures will be worked into the main line or will have their own segment.

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Can we expect to see more animated Clone Wars figures? If so, what is the rough timeline?  (GH, 6/16/06) (http://www.galactichunter.com/absolutenm/templates/full_article_template_1.asp?articleid=5479&zoneid=7)

We do have plans for some of these characters in 2007, but we won't be announcing the specifics just yet. However, any we do will be in "realistic" styling rather than animated. We done some polling with fans, and overall the realistic style is preferred over the animated style so we are going to stick with that.

Has Hasbro explored the possibility of starting a collector's club, offering unique figures and accessories to its membership? How many collectors would need to 'organize' in order to pique Hasbro's interest in this concept? Hasbro dedicates a lot of care and attention to nurturing its relationship with G.I. Joe and Transformers collectors, adopting official conventions and collector clubs, and Star Wars fans often feel left out of the fun. Will Hasbro make any such efforts for Star Wars collectors in the future? (GH, 6/16/06) (http://www.galactichunter.com/absolutenm/templates/full_article_template_1.asp?articleid=5479&zoneid=7)

Lucasfilm runs the official Star Wars [Fan] Club and Celebration shows to maintain that conduit with collectors. We'll participate in those events (and Comic Con) to showcase our upcoming products and interact with collectors, but there are no plans for another Club devoted to figure collecting.

With Hasbro's recent acquisition of the Marvel license, can we hope to see modular pieces (a la build-a- figure/vehicle/playset) introduced into the Star Wars line? Many larger-scale figures and mini-sized vehicles could finally see production this way. (GH, 6/16/06) (http://www.galactichunter.com/absolutenm/templates/full_article_template_1.asp?articleid=5479&zoneid=7)

Not at this time.

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With the HUGE success of the Marvel Legends Build-a-Figure idea, is there any chance that we might see that implemented in the 3.75" Star Wars line to get figures (such as Hermi Odle or a new Probot) or maybe playsets (like a Jabba's Dais or Moisture Evaporator)? (JD, 6/16/06) (http://www.jedidefender.com/newspro/fullnews.cgi?newsid1150491967,9583,)

Not at this time.

Articulation is a popular feature on toys for children and adults alike. Is it possible we'll see things like elbow, wrist, and knee joints become the standard in the Hasbro basic line on all figures, regardless of their role in the films, since poseable toys are popular? (JD, 6/16/06) (http://www.jedidefender.com/newspro/fullnews.cgi?newsid1150491967,9583,)

We weigh each figure based on their individual needs and the costing of the product overall. If a character has a significant accessory, or is in a multi-pack, we will evaluate that vs. just premium articulation for the sake of articulation.

What's the story with the Endor Rebel Soldiers that debuted on your website recently - are they shipping at the same time in the same case, are they randomly packed, or will they be a running change? (JD, 6/16/06) (http://www.jedidefender.com/newspro/fullnews.cgi?newsid1150491967,9583,)

They will be a running change.

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Are there any plans for a poseable 6" Marvel Legends style line of Star Wars action figures? (JI, 6/16/06) (http://jediinsider.com/index.php?catid=8&itemid=9622)

There are no plans at this time for us to do a Marvel Legends-style series.

Will we ever see Darth Sidious' lightsaber? (JI, 6/16/06) (http://jediinsider.com/index.php?catid=8&itemid=9622)

I doubt it. The problem is that it is the tiny hilt and blade, which do not make as heroic a statement to kids. I know Yoda says "Judge me by my size, do you?" but it's not very high on the kid demand list for lightsabers.

What are the plans for the Expanded Universe? (JI, 6/16/06) (http://jediinsider.com/index.php?catid=8&itemid=9622)

A lot of great characters have been created in the Expanded Universe and we do plan to include some in the 2007 line. We can't release more details than that, but stay tuned.

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What are the numbers for the figures in the Endor and Naboo waves? (JTA, 6/16/06) (http://www.jeditemplearchives.com/content/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=2226)

Endor is #39-43 (Wave 5) and #44-46 is Wave 6. The Naboo wave is #49-52 in Wave 6. We combined the two into one wave as both ended up on the same schedule.

When can we expect to hear more information about this years SDCC Exclusives? (JTA, 6/16/06) (http://www.jeditemplearchives.com/content/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=2226)

Information on the EU "Shadow Stormtrooper" figure is available at StarWarsOnlineShop. We will be making more information available on the HasbroToyShop "501st Stormtrooper" figure just before convention time, so be sure to check it out.

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Is Hasbro/Lucas thinking of creating a toy only line with new characters, or will everything be based on movies, comics, TV and novels? (POTF2, 6/16/06) (http://www.potf2.com/potj/forums/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=10278)

Interesting question. We aren't planning on designing any new characters that do not have precedence in film, TV, comics, or elsewhere in the EU... with maybe 1-2 exceptions, but these will be worked into the main line rather than be a stand-alone segment.

When will the next fan favorite poll begin? (POTF2, 6/16/06) (http://www.potf2.com/potj/forums/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=10278)

This last one was pretty epic and Toy Fare did a fantastic job corralling all the input. We'd like to give the team a rest before going at it again! Seriously... annually would be nice. So again this time next year is something we will shoot for.

I heard that Hasbro is thinking of adding a few EU figures into the mix for 2007, but will any of these figures include characters from novels? And, is there a ballpark figure on the number of EU figures that will be made next year? 2? 3? An entire wave? (POTF2, 6/16/06) (http://www.potf2.com/potj/forums/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=10278)
 
I can't give any more details beyond "wait and see." I know it's frustrating, but I'm glad people share the same passion for the EU as we do and Lucasfilm does.

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Why are many much-desired items (the Sith Infiltrator, AT-TE and Cloud Car, Playsets etc.) passed over in favor of a ton of new Star Wars lines like Attacktix, Unleashed Battle Packs, Galactic Heroes, Jedi Force, Force Battlers, Mr. Potato Heads, Star Wars Transformers, Star Wars Customs, Star Wars Miniatures? In the past, it's been said that producing things such as are not cost-effective for today's market, but that hardly seems logical. (RS, 6/16/06) (http://www.rebelscum.com/story/front/Hasbros_STAR_WARS_Weekly_QA_Session_The_Answers_98957.asp)

We look to products that will produce the greatest return on our resource investment. Vehicles and figures are more popular play patterns for the kid audience than playsets, and the lines you referenced are squarely kid-targeted. We are looking to introduce some new 3-3/4” vehicles next year (and re-introduce some high demand ones this Fall).

Will we see any more female figures, specifically Padmé in her various costumes? (RS, 6/16/06) (http://www.rebelscum.com/story/front/Hasbros_STAR_WARS_Weekly_QA_Session_The_Answers_98957.asp)

Eventually, yes, but it's too early to say when the next version will be made available.

Are the American and Canadian Proof of Purchase tabs on the Vintage Saga Collection figures interchangeable? Can I still redeem my Lucas Trooper if I have mix of Canadian and American tabs on my certificate? (RS, 6/16/06) (http://www.rebelscum.com/story/front/Hasbros_STAR_WARS_Weekly_QA_Session_The_Answers_98957.asp)

Yes.

I have a long list of items that aren't coming out in the UK or other parts of Europe. Why doesn't Hasbro get said toys in limited quantities via FOB and sell them through their web shops to supply the demand? (RS, 6/16/06) (http://www.rebelscum.com/story/front/Hasbros_STAR_WARS_Weekly_QA_Session_The_Answers_98957.asp)

While all of our domestic (U.S.) products are made available to retailers in other regions, that does not necessarily mean that they will see retail distribution in that area - some of these things are out of our control.

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Why does Hasbro not want to discuss specifics in regards to possible upcoming products when Hasbro has no competition for making Star Wars action figures? (SSG, 6/16/06) (http://www.sirstevesguide.com/index.php?categoryid=13&p2_articleid=76)

Excellent question. We manage the flow of information for a variety of business reasons. One advantage to the plan is that we always have upcoming news and collectors don't get bored. When the public knows the line too far in advance, there's a tendency for items new to the shelf to seem old if the line list has been out there for months (case in point last Toy Fair, when our line list was well-known, and the criticism was that there was "no new news.").

Will there ever be the curved Cantina bar end piece, and if so, when will it be made available and what will it come with? (SSG, 6/16/06) (http://www.sirstevesguide.com/index.php?categoryid=13&p2_articleid=76)

Yes. The specifics on when it will be available aren't ready for announcement yet.

What are the chances of seeing Vintage-Style figures for prequels characters? (SSG, 6/16/06) (http://www.sirstevesguide.com/index.php?categoryid=13&p2_articleid=76)

Right now, there are a lot of OTC characters yet to be done in Vintage. In the future, if the series continues, we'll look at doing prequel figures in Vintage style after we have covered off more of the key vintage Kenner figures.

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Is the Ultimate Galactic Hunt over? Or is this going to be an ongoing promotion? (SWAN, 6/16/06)

The UGH figures are done shipping, they will not be re-released and there will be no more this year. We are looking at sequeling the event again next Spring. Exactly what that will be has yet to be determined.

Where does Hasbro see the future of the toy line moving? With the influx of non-movie, expanded universe characters gaining popularity from the books, video games, and television series, is there any consideration of pursuing a full line of these sort of characters? Even if not, will there remain occasional EU chase figures such as the Shadow Stormtrooper? (SWAN, 6/16/06)

Fantastic question. This really does go to the heart of the directions available since the future of the Star Wars entertainment, be it the new series, comics, video games, novels etc., is by definition EU. However it’ll be a balancing act I think, with demand for Saga based characters (Episodes 1-6) still extremely high for the next few years I see the movies still remaining the heart and soul of the line, but the EU occupying a prominent part. We will have a more concrete answer to at least one of your questions in our panel at comic con, so stay tuned.

What happened to the "one of every figure" club that they mentioned at C3? (SWAN, 6/16/06)

Unfortunately this idea came too late to be able to implement because at that time many of the Episode 3 figures were already out of production having been created in the months prior to the movie shelf date. As a result there was not enough collectors interested in signing up for the whole set to merit reproduction of some figures.

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If a character or version of character is already planned for release, do you bar that selection from Fans' Choice polls, so that a truly bonus figure can emerge? (TJ, 6/16/06) (http://www.thejawa.com/yabbse/index.php?topic=5900.msg54020#msg54020)

Very timely question ... the Fans' Choice poll that Toy Fare recently conducted was driven entirely by the fans and the results were a true measure of the top figures that fans want to see made. I'd love to go into more detail, but look for Toy Fare to reveal the scoop in their July on-sale issue.

Can collectors of the vehicle line expect any new sculpts in the foreseeable future? (TJ, 6/16/06) (http://www.thejawa.com/yabbse/index.php?topic=5900.msg54020#msg54020)

We *will* be producing some new vehicles in the 3-3/4" Starfighter Vehicle line-up in 2007.

Since ball joints offer greater pose-ability and play value (as opposed to the swivel-joints) for things like elbows, shoulders, and knees, why don't more of the figures have ball joints? (TJ, 6/16/06) (http://www.thejawa.com/yabbse/index.php?topic=5900.msg54020#msg54020)

For the most part, its much more expensive to produce figures with this manner. Every figure we do is a balancing act between articulation, deco, accessories and the overall complexion of the wave. We add articulation where we can afford it and where it makes most sense for each figure, but ball joints are not going to become the standard on Star Wars for this reason.

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I have read much about cost issues etc with creating new ships/playsets. But the Star Wars 3.3/4" line is about re-creating enviroment and scenes that make us feel the magic. Surely there are ways to get ships done including large ones. And smaller ones with electronic features. Whadaya say Hasbro? (YF, 6/16/06) (http://cgi.denpetersen.com/YAK1/viewtopic.php?t=311)

We *will* be producing some new vehicles in the 3-3/4" Starfighter Vehicle line-up in 2007. We'll look at features (Electronic or otherwise) on a vehicle-by-vehicle basis.

When will we see figures of Commander Bacara's galactic marines?!? (YF, 6/16/06) (http://cgi.denpetersen.com/YAK1/viewtopic.php?t=311)

Early in 2007.

Any chance we can expect to see a Lars Homestead scene pack with Cliegg Lars, prequel Owen and Beru, anytime soon? This could be a great exclusive? (YF, 6/16/06) (http://cgi.denpetersen.com/YAK1/viewtopic.php?t=311)

Not at this time. While they would be cool, there are a bunch of characters we'll be getting to first.

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Why do we not have the entire line of Star Wars 3" 3/4 product here in FRANCE in our supermarket. Why should we rely on specialized toy shops or the internet to be able to get a complete collection and pay overpriced items ( I mean US customers paid what $8 max when in FRANCE, in US currency, each fig costs $ 13 MINIMUM!) Also why do our neighbors country (Germany and Great Britain ) have the VOTC line in their stores and we could get the George Lucas in Stormtrooper Disguise ? (YN, 6/16/06) (http://www.kid4life.com/yoda2/June06.htm)

It's up to retailers in EU regions to decide whether to carry the full or a partial line. There are very large collecting bases in both the UK and Germany, so that is why you see more offerings, including many exclusives in these countries. The best I can say is to let your retailer know, that you would like to see them carry more Star Wars collector lines.

Will we see any more Ewoks? Maybe even an Ewok Battle Pack? Maybe a Tusken Raider Battle Pack? Perhaps a Stormtrooper (not Clonetrooper) Battle Pack? (YN, 6/16/06) (http://www.kid4life.com/yoda2/June06.htm)

Those are already on our radar, but there is no timetable for them. We have a lot of ideas and not enough space to put them all, but eventually there will be more Ewoks. Probably Ewoks before Tuskens, if that helps..

Will we ever see army builder figures packed consistently in cases, regardless of the relevance they may have to the particular "wave" of figures? A considerable amount of collectors love army builders, and to have a few Super articulated Clone Troopers, Stormtroopers (plain white VOTC mold, not dirty like the Sandtrooper #37 from the Saga Collection), Scout Troopers, ett packed in a case would be great. (YN, 6/16/06) (http://www.kid4life.com/yoda2/June06.htm)

You bet. This year in fact you'll see more mixing, especially later in the year, and troop builders will be key. However, we haven't created a specific clean Sandtrooper version yet.
Title: Re: The Categorized Hasbro Q & A Archive
Post by: Matt on August 23, 2006, 08:49 PM
Week 3 - June 23, 2006

Will there be any new Star Wars Titanium Series 3" vehicle sculpts that have not already been prototyped? (i.e. AT-TE, Ep 2 Jedi Starfighter, etc.) What about Ep I Die Casts that were never released? (AF, 6/23/06) (http://www.actionfigs.com/index.php?categoryid=12&p2_articleid=162)

Without going into specifics, there will be new sculpts.

Regarding the Toy Fare Fan's Choice poll figures, which figures won (or, when will the winners be officially announced) and what is happening with them (are they designed yet, when will they be released)? (AF, 6/23/06) (http://www.actionfigs.com/index.php?categoryid=12&p2_articleid=162)

Very timely question... the Fans' Choice poll that Toy Fare recently conducted was driven entirely by the fans and the results were a true measure of the top figures that fans want to see made. I'd love to go into more detail, but look for Toy Fare to reveal the scoop in their July on-sale issue.

How does Hasbro cope with lines such as Unleashed Battle Packs, Star Wars Custom Choppers, etc., which fans believe from the outset won't work, and then the lines fail as suspected? (AF, 6/23/06) (http://www.actionfigs.com/index.php?categoryid=12&p2_articleid=162)

Popularity of any lines among core collectors is not necessarily an indication for the success or failure of any line. When launching a new line, we take into account the total consumer audience. These lines were intended for the consumer market beyond the core fan base. For example, Custom Choppers was developed for kids new to the line -- and they're the ones who are buying it. And, it was always planned as 2006 line only. Unleashed also has a dedicated following, although the main purchasers are not those who collect the 3.75" figures. Unleashed will continue into 2007, with additional movie themes on tap. More details will be announced at Comic-Con.

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Is there any chance of a prequel-based vintage/premium-style line? (AFI, 6/23/06) (http://www.actionfigureinsider.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=3510&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=36)

Right now, there are a lot of OTC characters yet to be done in Vintage style. In the future, if the series continues, we may look at doing prequel figures in Vintage style …. But it probably won't be anytime soon, especially since there are still so many Kenner figures to consider!

You said VOTC/VTSC figures are based on fan popularity. Does this mean that an SA Jedi Luke (with removable soft goods cloak and grey tunic) is a good bet for this line? His popularity with fans is obvious since he made the Top 25 in the poll. (AFI, 6/23/06) (http://www.actionfigureinsider.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=3510&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=36)

Very good question. A SA Jedi Luke is at the top of our list of potential candidate for the next line of vintage figures.

Will we ever see a re-issue of the ridiculously hard to find Ralph McQuarrie concept Trooper? Will we ever see any more McQuarrie concept characters? (I need a Vader!!) (AFI, 6/23/06) (http://www.actionfigureinsider.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=3510&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=36)

What a fantastic question! The answer is……...yes. The Trooper will be re-released in 2007. Specific details will be released at Comic-Con.

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What about a vintage-style Emperor?  The Emperor is high on our list of potential candidates to be considered for the vintage line. (BTT, 6/23/06) (http://www.behindthetoys.com/forums/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=7338)

We’re still working out all the details for the 2007 line, so we will not be announcing the specific figures until the fall.  Be sure to ask again in a few months!

With the last wave of TSC hitting in October, what can we expect to see for the holiday season? (BTT, 6/23/06) (http://www.behindthetoys.com/forums/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=7338)

Good question.  We’ll have plenty of product announcements for Fall 2006 and beyond at Comic-Con.  Be sure to attend our panel discussion on Friday morning to get all the details!

With it’s seemingly good success, is the Galactic Heroes line planned for a long life? (BTT, 6/23/06) (http://www.behindthetoys.com/forums/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=7338)

Galactic Heroes has been very successful, and these guys will definitely be continuing for the foreseeable future, with a mix of fan favorite characters and new sculpts in the mix.

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Darth Tater and Spud Trooper were a success and I look forward to Artoo-Potatoo in my collection. Any odds of seeing a BOBA FETT RUSSET:)? (F, 6/23/06) (http://www.figures.com/databases/action.cgi?setup_file=fignews2.setup&category=actionfigures&topic=77&show_article=440)

For now, Artoo Potatoo is the only Star Wars Potato Head figure planned for the foreseeable future.

Had a Death Star playset as a child. You've remade many playsets of my youth, any chance of this coming up (with Trash Compactor Monster!)? (F, 6/23/06) (http://www.figures.com/databases/action.cgi?setup_file=fignews2.setup&category=actionfigures&topic=77&show_article=440)

There has been quite a bit of discussion internally on whether or not playsets could be successful in today's market. However, we continue to see diminished demand for playsets. If we ever see the landscape changing, it's something we could take a look at in the future.

With the recent success of Clone Commando Scorch flying off the shelves is there any plans to make his 3 pod brothers - Boss, Sev, and Fixer? (F, 6/23/06) (http://www.figures.com/databases/action.cgi?setup_file=fignews2.setup&category=actionfigures&topic=77&show_article=440)

Good question … but the answer will have to wait until Comic-Con!

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Since a lot of the Modern Era vehicles have been based on Kenner molds, are there any ships that we can strike off of our lists because the necessary molds are simply unfeasible? (GH, 6/23/06) (http://www.galactichunter.com/absolutenm/templates/full_article_template_1.asp?articleid=5499&zoneid=7)

I can't say with certainty that any are off limits. But, it is extremely unlikely that we'll be using any of the playset molds again.

Will we see a return of the $10-15 price point Deluxe line?  It has a lot of potential for releasing small vehicles and beasts (Geonosian Orray and Arena cart) along with background figures. This format could also be utilized for multi-packs, oversized figures (Hermi Odle) and accessories too. (Did we mention Hermi Odle?) (GH, 6/23/06) (http://www.galactichunter.com/absolutenm/templates/full_article_template_1.asp?articleid=5499&zoneid=7)

We're not planning to return the Deluxe/Ultra lines in the foreseeable future. But, it may be a possibility with the release of the animated series in 2008.

What three Star Wars action figures does 'the team' want to do before the line ends or the world ends, whichever comes first? (This can be applied to ships, play sets, or beasts, as well.) (GH, 6/23/06) (http://www.galactichunter.com/absolutenm/templates/full_article_template_1.asp?articleid=5499&zoneid=7)

Heavy question. We would personally like to see every last cantina alien produced at some point in time. Does that count as three?!! (GH editor's note: Yes, there are at least three left.)

Will themed waves continue past the Saga Collection? (GH, 6/23/06) (http://www.galactichunter.com/absolutenm/templates/full_article_template_1.asp?articleid=5499&zoneid=7)

Yes.

The Ralph McQuarrie Stormtrooper from 2003 was a big hit with fans, and they were snatched off of shelves as quickly as they appeared. Is there any chance that we'll see figures based on Concept Art, Poster Images, or other non-movie images in the near future? (GH, 6/23/06) (http://www.galactichunter.com/absolutenm/templates/full_article_template_1.asp?articleid=5499&zoneid=7)

I can't be too specific right now, but that's a great question. Details will be revealed at Comic-Con.

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Will you be offering any more "mail away" figures for 2006? Would it be something that you will look at again in 2007 if the vintage Lucastrooper mail-away is successful? (JD, 6/23/06) (http://jedidefender.com/newspro/fullnews.cgi?newsid1151093678,4098,)

There will be no more mail away figures in 2006. We're still planning for 2007 right now, so it's too early to know if we will repeat the promotion next year.

This year, the VOTC Stormtrooper mold is being reused for the 2006 Saga Tatooine Wave Sandtrooper figure. Is it possible that we'll see the VOTC Stormtrooper re-released back in the basic line at some point? (JD, 6/23/06) (http://jedidefender.com/newspro/fullnews.cgi?newsid1151093678,4098,)

It's possible. But, we don't have a re-release of the VOTC Stormtrooper scheduled anytime soon and there is no definite date of when it might come back.

Willrow Hood (the Ice Cream Maker Guy) seems to have a huge fan following. Even if he does not win the Toy Fare Fan's Choice poll, when can we expect to see him on the pegs? (JD, 6/23/06) (http://jedidefender.com/newspro/fullnews.cgi?newsid1151093678,4098,)

Aha - a trick question! Toy Fare will unveil the winners of the Fan's Choice poll in their issue that will be hitting stands the week before Comic-Con. Check the issue in a few weeks to see if Willrow Hood is a winner.

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Are you looking at expanding the Titanium line to include Expanded Universe ships? (JI, 6/23/06) (http://jediinsider.com/index.php?catid=8&itemid=9626)

Not this year …. But stay tuned for 2007

Can you tell us what other clone trooper figures will be released other then the ones already out? There are still many versions from ROTS that have yet to be released in figure form. (JI, 6/23/06) (http://jediinsider.com/index.php?catid=8&itemid=9626)

That's a great question! We do plan to release additional clones.

Any more Star Wars Potato Head figures after R2-D2 in the works? (JI, 6/23/06) (http://jediinsider.com/index.php?catid=8&itemid=9626)

For now, Artoo Potatoo is the only Star Wars Potato Head figure planned for the foreseeable future.

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The UGH Georgetrooper program has had its pluses and minuses. Now that the bulk of the initial stages of this program are behind us, can you say that you will be offering a similar program next year? (JTA, 6/23/06) (http://jeditemplearchives.com/content/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=2249)

We will be offering a Vintage line in 2007. However, we have not yet determined the specific promotion that will support the release -- or even if there will be a promotion. Details will be released as things are finalized.

Can you tell us when the Fan Choice figure for 2006 will be announced? (JTA, 6/23/06) (http://jeditemplearchives.com/content/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=2249)

Very timely question ... the Fans' Choice poll that Toy Fare recently conducted was driven entirely by the fans and the results were a true measure of the top figures that fans want to see made. I'd love to go into more detail, but look for Toy Fare to reveal the scoop in their July on-sale issue.

Are there any plans for making a Darth Sidious electronic lightsaber? (JTA, 6/23/06) (http://jeditemplearchives.com/content/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=2249)

I doubt it. The problem is the tiny hilt and blade, which do not make a heroic statement to kids. I know Yoda says "Judge me by my size, do you?" but it's not very high on the kid demand list for lightsabers.

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Will we ever see a reissue of Fan's Choice #3 - Ephant Mon? (POTF2, 6/23/06) (http://www.potf2.com/potj/forums/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=10309)

Not at this time.

Any plans for a remade/new sculpt Uncle Owen? (POTF2, 6/23/06) (http://www.potf2.com/potj/forums/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=10309)

We're not planning a new sculpt at this time.

With the popularity of the many ROTS style clonetrooper, can we still expect to see AOTC style clonetroopers released? (POTF2, 6/23/06) (http://www.potf2.com/potj/forums/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=10309)

Yes. If you'll be at Comic-Con, come to our panel on Friday morning to learn more details.

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It seems that collector interest is still running high for the Star Wars line...roughly what percentage of Hasbro's market does the collector community represent? How do you determine this number? (RS, 6/23/06) (http://www.rebelscum.com/story/front/Hasbros_3rd_STAR_WARS_Weekly_QA_Session_The_Answers_99031.asp)

We don't release sales information or consumer sales profile statistics.

Any possibility of a new line of smaller vehicles, similar to the vintage mini-rigs or the Episode I Invasion Force series, perhaps even packaged with a pilot figure? (RS, 6/23/06) (http://www.rebelscum.com/story/front/Hasbros_3rd_STAR_WARS_Weekly_QA_Session_The_Answers_99031.asp)

We don't have a plan to release a smaller line of vehicles right now. But, we will have to wait and see what opportunities may exist with the introduction of the animated series in 2008.

Will any of these planned (but unreleased) items ever see the light of day?

Bespin Vader w/ CD-Rom (POTJ)/Bespin Luke w/ CD-Rom (POTJ)/Yavin Accessory Pack (w/Yavin Technician) (Saga)/Jabba's Palace Accessory Set (w/Gamorrean Guard) (Saga) Gungan Accessory Pack (w/Gungan Warrior) (Saga)/Trophy Series Obi-Wan Kenobi/Trophy Series OOM-9/Holo Queen Amidala/Holo Obi-wan/Holo Nute Gunray/Obi-wan w/"Skeeto"/Qui-Gon Jinn vs. Battle Droid (Action Heroes 2-Pack)/Jar Jar Binks vs. Destroyer Droid (same)
(RS, 6/23/06) (http://www.rebelscum.com/story/front/Hasbros_3rd_STAR_WARS_Weekly_QA_Session_The_Answers_99031.asp)

That's a bunch of questions in one! The short answer is: I doubt it, as we've moved in a different direction. Specifically: Bespin Vader with CD-ROM - it's doubtful it will be released.

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Is there a possibility of bringing back the 3 3/4" Deluxe figure line? (SSG, 6/23/06) (http://www.sirstevesguide.com/index.php?categoryid=13&p2_articleid=76)

Not right now. It's possible that we may bring back the line when the animated series is released in a few years.

Are there any plans for any of the unmade Padme/Amidala figures in the foreseeable future? If so, which ones? (SSG, 6/23/06) (http://www.sirstevesguide.com/index.php?categoryid=13&p2_articleid=76)

Yes. We can't provide an exact timetable, but we will occasionally be releasing Padme figures in the future.

Does Lucasfilm have the rights to the likeness for the Tonnika Sisters (ANH cantina patrons), and if so is there plans to create figures? (SSG, 6/23/06) (http://www.sirstevesguide.com/index.php?categoryid=13&p2_articleid=76)

Thanks for the question, but that's not something we can comment on right now.

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When the Covert Ops Clone Trooper was offered on SWS.com, the product description said the trooper could be the 'debut of a possible new line of troopers released by Hasbro in the coming months.' Any update? (TJ, 6/23/06) (http://www.thejawa.com/yabbse/index.php?topic=5900.msg54272#msg54272)

Currently, Starwarsshop.com is offering Shadow Stormtrooper, which is a great example of an Extended Universe trooper.

Are there any plans for new sculpts in the 2007 line of 6" Unleashed figures? (TJ, 6/23/06) (http://www.thejawa.com/yabbse/index.php?topic=5900.msg54272#msg54272)

Right now, we don't have any plans for specific Unleashed figures
other than what has been announced for this fall.


Is there any chance of Ephant Mon being offered in a future Battle Pack or multi-figure collector set? (TJ, 6/23/06) (http://www.thejawa.com/yabbse/index.php?topic=5900.msg54272#msg54272)

Not right now.

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Of all the figure that have been released in the modern era(1995-2006), are there any you'd personally like to see resculpted? (YF, 6/23/06) (http://cgi.denpetersen.com/YAK1/viewtopic.php?t=312)

Personally, of all the figures in the modern era, I'd like to see a really great resculpted Jedi Luke.

Are there any plans to revisit the POTF cardbacks when issuing the new vintage line of figures? (YF, 6/23/06) (http://cgi.denpetersen.com/YAK1/viewtopic.php?t=312)

We don't have any plans to use POTF-style cardbacks for the Vintage line right now.

Based on the overwhelming response to the current TSC-style cardback, are there any plans to depart from this style once the 2006 line has ended? (YF, 6/23/06) (http://cgi.denpetersen.com/YAK1/viewtopic.php?t=312)

We are looking at a different line look for 2007, which we'll be showing at Comic-Con.

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My check has been cashed, so when can we expect to see the Lucastrooper hitting the mailboxes? (YN, 6/23/06) (http://www.kid4life.com/yoda2/June06.htm)

Anytime now…

The Galactic Heroes figures continue to be very popular and it’s great to see some coming back out. Many of the figures are now selling for insanely high prices on the secondary market. Is there any chance that we will see a re-release of some of those figures that have yet to be announced? Namely the Padme / Anakin and Jango /Obi-Wan sets? (YN, 6/23/06) (http://www.kid4life.com/yoda2/June06.htm)

Didn't get Derryl before leaving - we'll email him directly as soon as we have an answer.

When are we going to see a line of figures based on the Star Wars novels? The last expanded universe line was years ago. With the success of the book series it would be a perfect time for another EU line. Especially since we only have one figure of Mara Jade, the most popular EU character, and dozens of figures of characters that were in the movies. And I'm not including her bust, since it's only a convention exclusive. (YN, 6/23/06) (http://www.kid4life.com/yoda2/June06.htm)

You're right. The EU is fertile ground. We know that there are great characters in the EU and we plan to include some of these in 2007. Stay tuned!

Week 4 - June 30, 2006

Can we see EU toys in the near future again? Like the popular KotOR game getting some toys? (A-F, 6/30/06) (http://www.action-figure.com/index.php?name=News&file=article&sid=19837)

The EU is fertile ground. We know that there are great characters in the Expanded Universe and we plan to include some of these in 2007. Stay tuned!

We've seen pics of the Spring-loaded Lightsabers, will we be seeing these in the stores anytime soon? and what all lightsabers will be released in this variety? (A-F, 6/30/06) (http://www.action-figure.com/index.php?name=News&file=article&sid=19837)

The wait will soon be over. You should start seeing the Force Action Light Saber in stores in October. There will be four styles - Vader, Obi-Wan, Luke (blue), and a green Jedi blade which will be available in November.

How come Hasbro keeps packing clones, Republic Commandos and clone commanders in such low numbers considering that they are the most popular of all the new assortments? (A-F, 6/30/06) (http://www.action-figure.com/index.php?name=News&file=article&sid=19837)

They have been selling well, but it doesn't mean we've been shorting them. Usually our case-weighting has more to do with the tooling capacity (how many we can draw from the mold per week). We'll continue to look for ways to get high-demand figures back into the market.

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What are the chances of more popular or rare vehicles that have already been made such as the TIE Bomber, TIE Interceptor, Tatooine Skiff, etc., being re-released? (AF, 6/30/06) (http://www.actionfigs.com/index.php?categoryid=12&p2_articleid=162)

We'll look at those opportunities (typically exclusive-based because of their size/cost) as the situation arises.

Why did Hasbro suspend the 7" Unleashed line popular with fans and use the brand name for a line of Unleashed Battle Packs 2" micro-statues? (AF, 6/30/06) (http://www.actionfigs.com/index.php?categoryid=12&p2_articleid=162)

The Unleashed 7" line had fallen off in sales and did not justify the amount of work and expense that producing those figures required. The decision was made to put that scale on hiatus while the 2" line was being drawn up. Because of the nature of the 2" figures (pre-posed in a variety of aggressive poses), it made sense to use the brand on the smaller scale, indicative of the posing, not the scale.

What is the status of the Star Wars Transformers line, will there be more sets, and if so, when and what next? If no, why not? (AF, 6/30/06) (http://www.actionfigs.com/index.php?categoryid=12&p2_articleid=162)

It's too early to reveal details, but yes, SW TF will continue into 2007 with new vehicles.

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Is there any chance of seeing New Jedi Order figures in the near future? Either as a spin off line (like Clone Wars) or as a wave or two in The Saga Collection. (AFI, 6/30/06) (http://www.actionfigureinsider.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?p=32513&highlight=#32513)

You'll have to wait and see what figures are in the EU line as it unfolds. At some point they would be good to do, I agree.

Are there plans for any more figures based on the other Pod Racers in Episode 1? It seems like that is still a fertile pool to pull characters from. (AFI, 6/30/06) (http://www.actionfigureinsider.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?p=32513&highlight=#32513)

Ah - great question. I have been pondering the same thing, as my kids (and I) love the Pod Racing scenes. However, when it comes to the vehicles, they just wouldn't sell as well as more aggressive or iconic vehicles. Not to rule out that someday we will do them, but we look to focus on bringing out the occasional pod racing driver pack.

Will the Darth Tater Backpack Dangler ever be offered in the regular Galactic Heroes packaging, say with a Spud Trooper or Artoo-Detater? (AFI, 6/30/06) (http://www.actionfigureinsider.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?p=32513&highlight=#32513)

No specific plans, but it's an interesting idea.

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Could we see new SOTE figs as part of the EU line next year? (BTT, 6/30/06) (http://www.behindthetoys.com/forums/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=7347)

It's too early to announce the specifics of the EU line.

Why was the latest Anakin Skywalker action figure given an enemy style hologram? Shouldn't it have been called "Darth Vader" or given a friendly holo? (BTT, 6/30/06) (http://www.behindthetoys.com/forums/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=7347)

Good catch. The copy on this figure does suggest he's good at that point. The artwork suggests Jedi Temple, maybe on his way to do the Emperor's bidding, before he becomes Vader. I know, this answer is as complicated as, well, Anakin himself.

Will we see a General Grievous that is in proper scale with the rest of the 3.75" line? (BTT, 6/30/06) (http://www.behindthetoys.com/forums/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=7347)

Interesting question. We work far ahead of the final versions in some cases, and Grievous was one of those. We based our figures (all five) on the input we had at the time which stated that Grievous was 6'4" and had certain deco. The final film version was much taller and had different deco. If, and when, we go back to do a new Grievous we'll take the official film height into account.

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What say so, if any, does Hasbro have in Sideshow Collectibles 12" figure line? (F, 6/30/06) (http://www.figures.com/databases/action.cgi?setup_file=fignews2.setup&category=actionfigures&topic=77&show_article=442&nl=1)

We have left Sideshow alone to work their magic on the 12" line.

When will we see a Luke Skywalker in Death Star 2 outfit figure? In the fan's choice poll, "super articulated final duel costume Luke" made the top 25, and fan's want this figure over any other Luke Skywalker from Return of the Jedi (no Jabba's Palace vest). What are the chances we'll see one next year? (F, 6/30/06) (http://www.figures.com/databases/action.cgi?setup_file=fignews2.setup&category=actionfigures&topic=77&show_article=442&nl=1)

We can't answer this before the results of the Fan's Choice Poll are revealed prior to Comic-Con.

What more can we expect from the youth-inducing Star Wars Galactic Heroes line of super deformed figures? My kid loves 'em. (Ok, so do I:) (F, 6/30/06) (http://www.figures.com/databases/action.cgi?setup_file=fignews2.setup&category=actionfigures&topic=77&show_article=442&nl=1)

Galactic Heroes has been very successful, and these guys will definitely be continuing for the foreseeable future, with a combination of fan favorite characters and new sculpts in the mix.

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It's safe to assume that the 30th Anniversary will be celebrated with exclusives from all of Hasbro's retail partners. Without revealing details (but feel free if you're willing), is there anything over-the-top exceptional in the works for us collecting fiends? (GH, 6/30/06) (http://www.galactichunter.com/absolutenm/templates/full_article_template_1.asp?articleid=5517&zoneid=2)

Without revealing details.Yes. Come to our panel on Friday morning of Comic-Con to find out more!

Other companies are manufacturing attractive and compatible stands and display environments for Star Wars action figures. What, if anything, can we collectors do to encourage Hasbro to enter this market in lieu of play sets? (We're going to need somewhere to put that Cantina Bar when the U-shaped piece comes out.) (GH, 6/30/06) (http://www.galactichunter.com/absolutenm/templates/full_article_template_1.asp?articleid=5517&zoneid=2)

It has been noticed. It's just that we have chosen to allocate our design resources toward producing other products right now. That may change in the future.

Many collectors still love the old cardboard backdrop, plastic base play sets from the vintage era. Are updated versions of these considered just too hokey for such a robust, detailed modern line? (GH, 6/30/06) (http://www.galactichunter.com/absolutenm/templates/full_article_template_1.asp?articleid=5517&zoneid=2)

There is demand for these among a core of collectors, and even on the team here, I have my original Sears Cantina set here at work.  I wouldn’t rule out the possibility that they will ever come back, but their right time and place seems to have been in the original Kenner line.

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Do you plan on getting to the remaining figures from the Kenner Vintage line that have not yet been given a modern sculpt update? (These include Jabba's Palace Klaatu, Lumat, Romba, Warok, Black Bespin Guard, Imperial Commander, Death Squad Commander, B-Wing Pilot, and more). (JD, 6/30/06) (http://www.jedidefender.com/newspro/fullnews.cgi?newsid1151683548,32668,)

We're still working out all the details for the 2007 line, so we will not be announcing the specific figures until the Fall. Be sure to ask again in a few months!

The upcoming Endor Rebel Soldiers (from Saga Wave 7) look like pretty cool improvements. Can we look forward to Hoth Rebel Soldiers and the Rebel Fleet Trooper getting "SA" Trooper status at some point in the line? The Rebels seemed to get the short end of the stick with poseability (until the new Endor ones anyway). (JD, 6/30/06) (http://www.jedidefender.com/newspro/fullnews.cgi?newsid1151683548,32668,)

We'll probably be updating them in the future (actually the Rebel Fleet Trooper is pretty darn good), but it won't be in the short term.

In the design process of action figures, when and why is the decision made to use "cut-joints" at the elbows of figures as opposed to "ball-joints" for the elbows? Each appear to require the same amount of tooling and materials, yet the superior "ball-joints" which provide a better playing and display experience for children and collectors are passed over for the choice of "cut-joints." Can we look forward to a better quality joint for all future action figures? (JD, 6/30/06) (http://www.jedidefender.com/newspro/fullnews.cgi?newsid1151683548,32668,)

For the most part, its much more expensive to produce figures with the ball joints. Every figure we do is a balancing act between articulation, deco, accessories and the overall complexion of the wave. We add articulation where we can afford it and where it makes the most sense for each figure, but ball joints are not going to become the standard on Star Wars for the reasons stated.

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Will we see any larger scale action figures with a decent amount of articulation? (JI, 6/30/06) (http://jediinsider.com/index.php?catid=8&itemid=9633)

Possibly with animation, but not before.

Will there be a release of the SITH INFILTRATOR and V-WING for the 3 3/4" vehicles? (JI, 6/30/06) (http://jediinsider.com/index.php?catid=8&itemid=9633)

That is the rumor circling the Net based on the recent swiped line list. It's too early to confirm or deny any vehicles for 2007.

Will we see more Star Wars/Transformers in made? (JI, 6/30/06) (http://jediinsider.com/index.php?catid=8&itemid=9633)

Yes - the line will continue into 2007.

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What is the status of the lines directed at young kids? It seems to be that the Galactic Heroes line is having great success, but what about other lines directed at young children such as Force Battlers and Choppers. If the lines will be discontinued is there something else in the works to replace them? (JTA, 6/30/06) (http://www.jeditemplearchives.com/content/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=2271)

You're right. Galactic Heroes has been very successful, and these guys will definitely be continuing for the foreseeable future, with a combination of fan favorite characters and new sculpts in the mix. As far as the other lines, Force Battlers will last through this Fall...longer than we originally thought due to the kid demand for larger figures. Also, Customs (Choppers) was always planned as a 2006 line only. We'll have plenty of product announcements for the Fall and beyond at Comic-Con!

For the vintage-style figures...are there any plans to make them with a POTF card with a coin? (JTA, 6/30/06) (http://www.jeditemplearchives.com/content/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=2271)

We don't have any plans to use POTF-style cardbacks for the Vintage line right now.

Most collectors had a very hard time collecting the basic figure UGH with the silver foil card and figure stand. Will this be a program that will continue in the future? If so, will steps be taken to make it at least a bit easier for collectors to complete the set of figures? (JTA, 6/30/06) (http://www.jeditemplearchives.com/content/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=2271)

If it continues, we will announce it at a later date.

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Come on... admit it... Hasbro keeps a list of all figure and packaging variations that is even more comprehensive than POTF2.COM's Master Lists. :-) (POTF2, 6/30/06) (http://www.potf2.com/potj/forums/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=10342)

Ha ha! Good one. Seriously, thanks for all the work you, and other sites, have done in cataloging the line over the years, an invaluable service for collectors.

Is Hasbro planning on releasing any vintage figures on the POTF cardback? (POTF2, 6/30/06) (http://www.potf2.com/potj/forums/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=10342)

We don't have any plans to use POTF-style cardbacks for the Vintage line right now.

Will the mini-hologram promotion end with the Naboo wave at the end of this year? (POTF2, 6/30/06) (http://www.potf2.com/potj/forums/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=10342)

Possibly.

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With the recent battle packs of both The Hunt for Grievous and Clone Attack on Coruscant, many fans have noticed Hasbro's tendency to "kit-bash." While I totally understand this practice for financial reasons, I was curious of Hasbro would ever be interested in releasing a "Make your own clone" type package which could include various heads, bodies as well as accent accessories. I know with all the talented customizers as well as play factor for kids, this could be a great hit for your company and you wouldn't have to sculpt anything new. (RS, 6/30/06) (http://www.rebelscum.com/story/front/Hasbros_4th_STAR_WARS_QA_The_Answers_99087.asp)

Interesting suggestion, Dan. That's not something that is in our plans for the near future.

I was wondering if Hasbro ever had plans or tried making an articulated human figure in 3¾" scale. What I'm trying to say is if Hasbro essentially made a 4" miniature Dragon body and just used soft goods with sculpted accessories wouldn't it be much cheaper than having to sculpt new characters each time? Most of the characters in Star Wars are humanoids. They would only have to sculpt a new head and hands for each figure. Of course aliens like a Geonosian, droids, or other oddly-shaped creatures would still be fully sculpted. I think it would benefit both Hasbro (production costs) and collectors who want realistic looking figures with great articulation. I love all the VOTC, Evolutions etc. figures for that reason. When you think about it, they could make male and female bodies in 3 sizes (s,m,l) and just dress them differently. They could even cast them in figure specific colors (brown=Mace, blue=Aayla, black=Maul). Also most of the clothing in Star Wars is repetitive. (X-Wing flight suits (orange for Rebels, yellow for Bossk, Jedi apparel, gloves, boots, belts, etc.)

A good example would be Temuera Morrison. One figure of him could be used for every Stormtrooper, Clone, Jango, and Boba Fett. How cool would it be to have real cloth black body gloves with white plastic armor on Stormtroopers & Clones? Do you see this as the next generation of Star Wars figures? After the VOTC came out I realized that as a collector I think that's what myself and most people really want. They could even market them in honor of their past 12" line by calling them mini 12-inch's or something like that. Would figures like this be considered a threat to Sideshow? I know I'm rambling but it's just a thought or wishful thinking.
(RS, 6/30/06) (http://www.rebelscum.com/story/front/Hasbros_4th_STAR_WARS_QA_The_Answers_99087.asp)

Not necessarily. Soft goods are very expensive (fabric costs can be less affordable than even 12" because of the smaller lot sizes). While a standard buck (body) can work for lines like G.I. Joe, the magic of Star Wars is the huge range in size, shapes, and textures that make the galaxy so interesting.

Have you ever considered making display environments (movie accurate set pieces like the Lars Homestead dome, Moisture Vaporators, Yavin Rebel Base Command Center) targeted solely towards collectors rather than playsets that are targeted primarily at kids? Looking at the forums, it looks like collectors prefer movie accurate environments to display their loose figures in rather than kid oriented, action feature-laden playsets. Kids might even go for movie-accurate display environments as well. Would you ever consider offering something like
this?
(RS, 6/30/06) (http://www.rebelscum.com/story/front/Hasbros_4th_STAR_WARS_QA_The_Answers_99087.asp)

Deluxe sets (some of which have had pieces like you suggest) have always struggled in contrast to the basic figures or vehicles. We've put our focus in other areas. When the opportunity arises, and when we can afford it, we would rather put some of these elements into the basic figures so sets can be built organically.

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In the past, Hasbro has produced figures and vehicles based upon concept drawings and/or deleted scenes. Will there be any more in the near future, particularly figures based on McQuarrie's concept drawings, Doug Chiang's Sith Witch drawings, and of the 'battle-damaged' Jedi concepts from preliminary ROTS sketches? (SSG, 6/30/06) (http://www.sirstevesguide.com/index.php?categoryid=13&p2_articleid=76)

Great question! Be sure to come to our panel on Friday during Comic-Con to learn more.

What is the future of the 6" Ultra Titanium Series line? (SSG, 6/30/06) (http://www.sirstevesguide.com/index.php?categoryid=13&p2_articleid=76)

Stay tuned.

As the Fan's Choice Poll revealed, collectors are clamoring for a Super Articulated Luke Skywalker in his Death Star II outfit, the 2003 Saga figure (Throne Room Duel Luke) was a let down and fans badly want a version of this figure done right a la Ep 3 Pilot Obi-Wan or Count Dooku. When can we expect to see this figure, assuming he has not won the Fan's Choice Poll? (SSG, 6/30/06) (http://www.sirstevesguide.com/index.php?categoryid=13&p2_articleid=76)

We can't answer this before the results of the Fan's Choice Poll are revealed prior to Comic Con.

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Will we ever see the Tonika Twins in a 3 3/4 inch figure? (ST, 6/30/06)* (http://www.sandtroopers.com/smf/index.php?topic=5183.msg73217)

Hopefully, but there's no timeline.

Where are the following Clone figures...
 A. Boss B. Fixer C. Sev D. Commander Fox E. Commander Neyo
(ST, 6/30/06)* (http://www.sandtroopers.com/smf/index.php?topic=5183.msg73217)

Wait for Comic Con and some of your questions will be answered.

Also what are the chances of seeing more EU figures such as the Solo kids and more Quinlan Vos? (ST, 6/30/06)* (http://www.sandtroopers.com/smf/index.php?topic=5183.msg73217)

It's too early to release specifics of the EU line-up. There is only one certainty on the EU - there will be many, many figures that fans want to see made and not enough slots to cover them all, at least in 2007…so the best thing I can say is "patience."  If the EU line does well, chances are it will continue and eventually we could get to most or all of the higher-profile figures collectors want to see introduced or re-done.

What is Hasbro planning on doing to make purchasing their product more fan/collector friendly? (ST, 6/30/06)* (http://www.sandtroopers.com/smf/index.php?topic=5183.msg73217)

Can you please elaborate?  (EDITOR'S NOTE:  (http://images.dvdtalk.com/images/smilies/rotflmao.gif) )

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Any plans on working with the MBNA SW Credit card? I can't speak for everyone, but I signed up for the card because I thought there were going to be some exclusive stuff. A figure or 2 would be nice. (SWC, 6/30/06) (http://www.swcollector.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=794)

No.

Why is Hasbro ending The Saga Collection at just 51 figures (not including exclusives)? What was the point of that triple-digit numbering system, if they never even got up to 100? (SWC, 6/30/06) (http://www.swcollector.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=794)

We will be making a packaging change going into 2007, and the numbering will start over for the 30th Anniversary series.

Will there be any new vehicles or maybe even playsets to celebrate the 30th anniversary? (SWC, 6/30/06) (http://www.swcollector.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=794)

Yes, we will have vehicles for the 30th anniversary. Stay tuned for more details.

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Will there be more products specifically geared towards army building in the near future?  Either as part of something like the recent EE exclusive Clone Troopers, basic case assortments with 3 each of 4 different troops, or solid cases? (TJ, 6/30/06) (http://www.thejawa.com/yabbse/index.php?topic=5900.msg54562#msg54562)

Troops will be an even greater focus later this Fall, but we won't be having cases as heavy as you suggest simply because we don't want to neglect the rest of the core characters and the other figures in the line. It's always a balancing act getting everything in.

Will Deluxe figures be part of the line in the near future? (TJ, 6/30/06) (http://www.thejawa.com/yabbse/index.php?topic=5900.msg54562#msg54562)

Hopefully, but there's no timeline.

Will the Tonnika Sisters ever be made? (TJ, 6/30/06) (http://www.thejawa.com/yabbse/index.php?topic=5900.msg54562#msg54562)

Hopefully, but there's no timeline.

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Will Hasbro ever make a prequel-based vintage-style line? Like highly detailed, SA, soft goods Qui-Gon, Jango, Grievous etc. on a Kenner vintage style. That would be VERY COOL in my book. (YF, 6/30/06) (http://cgi.denpetersen.com/YAK1/viewtopic.php?t=313)

Right now, there are a lot of OTC characters yet to be done in Vintage. In the future, if the series continues, we'll look at doing prequel figures in Vintage style after we have covered more of the key vintage Kenner figures. But don't look for prequel figures anytime soon.

Why the hesitation to produce more Padme figures? All of the figures sell through at retail -- even figures with not-so-great paint jobs like wedding Padme -- and when you check eBay or various other collector sites, Padme figures continue to be in demand. (YF, 6/30/06) (http://cgi.denpetersen.com/YAK1/viewtopic.php?t=313)

There is no hesitation - we've already announced we'll be doing more. Fans shouldn't, however, expect them too frequently, there are a lot of things to balance in the figure line.

With all the time they spent on screen in Revenge of the Sith, why was the BARC Trooper only issued as a pack in to a vehicle and not a real articulated figure? Is a real Articulated one on the radar? (YF, 6/30/06) (http://cgi.denpetersen.com/YAK1/viewtopic.php?t=313)

He is a good candidate for a figure but we don't have him lined up in the near future.
Title: Re: The Categorized Hasbro Q & A Archive
Post by: Matt on August 23, 2006, 08:54 PM
Week 5 - July 14, 2006

Will you be releasing the last of the unmade 1985 vintage figures (regular Klaatu, Ewoks etc) (A-F, 7/14/06) (http://www.action-figure.com/index.php?name=News&file=article&sid=20005)

We have no plans to release these. If we did, it would probably be in the new style rather than vintage style, if that helps.

Will you be doing any new or rereleased Mini Rigs or nice cheap price point vehicles? (A-F, 7/14/06) (http://www.action-figure.com/index.php?name=News&file=article&sid=20005)

We have no plans to go back to the Mini-Rig idea right now. The problem is that most of these don't exist in the movies (or EU) so when we do "small" vehicles it's better to concentrate on Speeder Bikes and vehicles that are in the fantasy. So if we go to small vehicles, that's probably where we'll look.

Is the Cloud Car coming and is the vintage mold available to use or will it be a new one? (A-F, 7/14/06) (http://www.action-figure.com/index.php?name=News&file=article&sid=20005)

It's not coming. At least for the foreseeable future.

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Has Hasbro ever considered presenting a "what if" panel at a show that talks about the lines that never cancelled (SOTE wave 2, oval gen2 CommTech, etc)? (BTT, 7/14/06) (http://www.behindthetoys.com/forums/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=7353)

I think others have covered this better than we could. We are very much focused on the upcoming line and tend to quickly move on past the ideas we've discarded.

How do you decide which sculpts get rehashed/repackaged? (BTT, 7/14/06) (http://www.behindthetoys.com/forums/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=7353)

We make our choices for refreshed/repackaged figures based on demand for that character, quality of the original figure (for instance, if the aesthetics of the character still work for a re-release), and the availability and quality of the tooling.

Will the figure-numbering system reset in 2007? (BTT, 7/14/06) (http://www.behindthetoys.com/forums/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=7353)

The figure numbering will reset with each new line look. When we started the 2006 line, we didn't know how far it would go, so our packaging team inserted the '0' in there. We won't do that again unless we have specific plans to pass 100.

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Figure Carry Cases. The reintroduction of Darth Vader and C-3PO was nostalgic and very cool. Plans for bringing these two back and/or new ones in the shape of other characters? (F, 7/14/06) (http://www.figures.com/databases/action.cgi?setup_file=fignews2.setup&category=actionfigures&topic=77&show_article=445&nl=1)

We have no plans right now.

For years I have waited in hopes of seeing a true vintage line of figures representing characters from Episodes I, II, and III! I know most vintage star wars collectors would go nuts for true vintage sculpts of key characters from the three prequel movies. With the sculpting style of the 80's the vintage line would be the figures to collect. The three movies could be broken down into six figure assortments. (ED: List omitted- overly extensive.) (F, 7/14/06) (http://www.figures.com/databases/action.cgi?setup_file=fignews2.setup&category=actionfigures&topic=77&show_article=445&nl=1)

We have no plans to go back to the true vintage Kenner style of sculpt. We have looked at this several times, and the belief is that while this would be appealing to some, the greater collecting audience wants figures that continue to offer modern sculpting and articulation aesthetics. Any figures done in this style would not be as popular as figures done in the modern style.

Exclusive 6+plus figure sets (NOT the 3-pk Evoultion sets), like the Bounty Hunter one offered by Diamond, allowed many late in the game to obtain all the great characters in one purchase. Any chances of more, like a 6-pack of Clone Troopers (with Commander Cody- I can't find him!!!!) (F, 7/14/06) (http://www.figures.com/databases/action.cgi?setup_file=fignews2.setup&category=actionfigures&topic=77&show_article=445&nl=1)

More Cody's are on the way and should be hitting retail soon. As for your question on 6+ packs…stay tuned! We'll be making some announcements later next week at Comic-Con.

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Why did Hasbro move to the 2" Unleashed size figures? Why not experiment with a 3.75" scale Unleashed, using army builders as the basis (similar to the Army Builder 3-packs, but with more dynamic poses)? (JD, 7/14/06) (http://www.jedidefender.com/newspro/fullnews.cgi?newsid1152907321,75646,)

Two reasons for the choice. 1) The purpose of Unleashed 2" is to is offer a way to collect and build squads of troops in a single purchase. We chose a different, smaller scale because we can offer more figures at a target price. 2) It targets a different audience from the 3-3/4" play pattern. Our desire is to go away from the 3-3/4" pre-posed or less articulated figures (like the 3-packs you mentioned, or CW) in deference to more poseable figures, so that's why we didn't consider 3-3/4" for this idea.

It appears as if the highly requested Airborne Clone Trooper sculpt is finally being released (with Purple colors, in the upcoming "Mace Windu's Squadron" Battle Pack at Target). When can we expect this figure to appear in the basic figure assortment, with the highly requested Commander Cody/Orange Squadron colors? (JD, 7/14/06) (http://www.jedidefender.com/newspro/fullnews.cgi?newsid1152907321,75646,)

You'll have to wait and see.

If it's not feasable for you to make some new playsets (or even re-release old ones, like the vintage Dagobah playset) due to low demand, have you considered sub-contracting the playset portion of the license to another company (like GG or SS)? It's seems to have worked well for the 12" figure line, why not playsets? (JD, 7/14/06) (http://www.jedidefender.com/newspro/fullnews.cgi?newsid1152907321,75646,)

We have not considered sub-contracting this out, but it's not something we would want to do in any case.

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Any plans for a Sith Lords Darth Bane or Darth Pelagius figures? (JI, 7/14/06) (http://jediinsider.com/index.php?catid=8&itemid=9661)

Not at the present time.

What kind of products can we expect to me made for the animated series in the future? (JI, 7/14/06) (http://jediinsider.com/index.php?catid=8&itemid=9661)

It's too soon for us to start commenting on 2008 products.

Any chance Hasbro will be revisiting the Evolution 3-packs in the future? (JI, 7/14/06) (http://jediinsider.com/index.php?catid=8&itemid=9661)

Not in the foreseeable future.

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Can we expect to see some kind of 'accessories' pack available to replace lost projectiles? (Something that includes a nice assortment of the 'common' projectiles.) Being a kid’s game, its not hard to imaging these flying missiles turning up missing, rendering the play piece unusable. (JTA, 7/14/06) (http://www.jeditemplearchives.com/content/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=2332)

We're aware of the problem, especially since the launchers are so powerful! We don't yet have a solution for this but we are looking at it. Thanks for the question.

Are there any plans for a Firespeeder ship? (It would go well with the Firespeeder Pilot!!!) (JTA, 7/14/06) (http://www.jeditemplearchives.com/content/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=2332)

Not for the 3-3/4" line!

Which store will have the new gray TIE w/larger wings? When can we expect to see it? (JTA, 7/14/06) (http://www.jeditemplearchives.com/content/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=2332)

We'll announce that at Comic Con.

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Is Hasbro going to go back to 100% heat-sealed packages next year?  There is a significant amount of fakes/fraud with the current packaging (figure swapping, etc). This hurts both kids and collectors, as well as Hasbro's brand identity. (POTF2, 7/14/06) (http://potf2.com/potj/forums/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=10415)

We're still looking at alternatives.

As a follow up, just so everyone is clear... does Hasbro EVER package an older figure in a newer sculpts package (such as POTF2 Garindan in the Saga Collection Garindan package)? (POTF2, 7/14/06) (http://potf2.com/potj/forums/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=10415)

Never, never, never. It's only one figure or in rare cases an alt deco of the same sculpt (like the upcoming Rebel Trooper).

What does the last digit on the datestamp stand for? Usually it is a 1, but sometimes it is a 2. (POTF2, 7/14/06) (http://potf2.com/potj/forums/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=10415)

The date codes usually go week-day-shift, so what your referring to is either first or second shift.

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We've seen Star Wars Transformers, Star Wars Potato Heads, Star Wars Play-Doh, Star Wars Koosh, Star Wars Tonka, Star Wars Operation (j/k)...what other Hasbro toy line will SW be smooshed with next? (RS, 7/14/06) (http://www.rebelscum.com/story/front/Hasbros_5th_STAR_WARS_QA_The_Answers_99107.asp)

Look for Star Wars CandyLand on shelves soon. Just kidding. There are no more lined up for the foreseeable future for the toys group, but games may have more ideas. We'll talk about those when the time is right but now it's too early.

Back towards the end of the vintage line, there were plans for a line of Star Wars toys that were not based on the films, but rather all-new adventures and designs (see The Star Wars Collectors Archive for details). Would you ever consider revisiting this line with new sculpts and accessories? Or perhaps develop something new along these lines that's unique and original, yet still in the Star Wars style? (RS, 7/14/06) (http://www.rebelscum.com/story/front/Hasbros_5th_STAR_WARS_QA_The_Answers_99107.asp)

Interesting idea, but the answer is probably "no" unless those ideas have been brought into the EU somewhere. The only places we're really planning to explore outside of the six films and Clone Wars is the EU and the upcoming TV.

It's interesting to see the number of characters from the EU make the top 25 in the current Fan's Choice Figure poll. The fact that 5 characters alone were from KotOR clearly suggests one thing...FANS WANT KOTOR FIGURES!

Without revealing the winner of the poll or even naming any specific characters (I realize that a lot is being kept secret until after Comic-Con), will there ever be any figures from KOTOR?
(RS, 7/14/06) (http://www.rebelscum.com/story/front/Hasbros_5th_STAR_WARS_QA_The_Answers_99107.asp)

Thanks for understanding that we're keeping the results of the Fan's Choice vote under wraps until Toy Fare has the opportunity to break the news. What we can say is that the Expanded Universe will be an important part of the line in 2007. (Dan's Note: Obviously, this was written before the winners were announced earlier this week.)

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With so many high-demand characters with speaking roles in the movies that have not yet been made (such as Tey How, Tagge, Ask Aak, Jocasta Nu, Lando in Smuggler's Gear, Queen Jamilla), why do you produce new sculpts, not just re-releases of existing sculpts, for minor characters who were done adequately in the past and who have five seconds or less of screen time (eg, Hammerhead, Garindan, Bossk, Dengar)? (SSG, 7/14/06) (http://www.sirstevesguide.com/index.php?categoryid=13&p2_articleid=76)

The selection of figures for a wave or the year is always a balancing act to keep the widest possible fan (kid and collector) traction in the brand. In many cases the characters you listed as being re-released are more popular than the ones you suggested for new figures overall. While we do like many of the figures you mentioned, and some or all will probably see the light of day over the next few years, the fact is that Cantina aliens and Bounty Hunters are very high-demand segments of the Star Wars figure world. They stand out among others for their strong iconic nature and important role in taking us to a galaxy far, far away in Episodes IV and V.

You mentioned "new" vehicles in your 2007 STARFIGHTER lineup, does this mean all those new vehicles are going to be starfighters, or is that just the name of the assortment, perhaps just denoting a size/pricepoint? I know you mentioned you cannot reveal the vehicles at this time, but can you shed some light on if this assortment will include ground vehicles such as Tanks, Sail barges or Walkers? (SSG, 7/14/06) (http://www.sirstevesguide.com/index.php?categoryid=13&p2_articleid=76)

That's just the name of the Assortment, at the $19.99 SRP price point.  We won't have the details on the new vehicles until the beginning of 2007.

When will we see the following Tatooine figures:  BG-J38 (from Jabba's palace), Elis Helrot and the Tonnika Sisters (from the Cantina), LIN-V8K (mining Droid), all kinds of different R5 units, a Vac-metal RA-7 (from sand crawler), 2X-3KPR, and Wioslea and CZ-3 (from Mos Eisley)? (SSG, 7/14/06) (http://www.sirstevesguide.com/index.php?categoryid=13&p2_articleid=76)

Steve - that's many questions in one!  There are some great figures in there, but we won't be able to answer specific questions like this in the future ("When is character X going to be made?" or "Will character X be made?") unless we are close to announcing a specific wave or product.

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I have heard rumors and such for awhile on this, but is there ever going to be a Saga Cloud Car made for us?  We have seen the Pilot, the Lego version, the Action Fleet version, but no 3 3/4" version for us. (ST, 7/14/06)* (http://www.sandtroopers.com/smf/index.php?topic=5183.90)

There are no plans for a 3-3/4" Cloud Car, but that could always change.

Will Bai Ling or any of the other characters from prequel cut scenes be made into action figures? (ST, 7/14/06)* (http://www.sandtroopers.com/smf/index.php?topic=5183.90)

No plans for now.  We won't be able to answer specific questions like this in the future ("When is character X going to be made?" or "Will character X be made?") unless we are close to announcing a specific wave or product.

I know the part was small, but then again it is Jeremy Bulloch and he is a major Star Wars icon.  Are we ever going to see a Captain Colton, Tantive IV Pilot figure with Bulloch likeness?  Bulloch has been behind the Fett mask for so long, I'd like to see a figure with his face, such as Colton. (ST, 7/14/06)* (http://www.sandtroopers.com/smf/index.php?topic=5183.90)

He is a good candidate for a figure…but we don't have him lined up in the near future.

Is there any chance of seeing a new Dagobah Playset to set up with our "Handstand" Dagobah Luke (OTC) and the Dagobah X-Wing w/R2D2? The new ship looks great, but collectors want more. (ST, 7/14/06)* (http://www.sandtroopers.com/smf/index.php?topic=5183.90)

Thanks! We're glad that you like the new ship! We're not planning to release any new playsets in the near future.

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Ever since TSC's debut in 2005, finding a mint figure has been nearly impossible. As each wave has come and gone, I have noticed more dents than ever from figures coming from the factory itself. With the new 2007 packaging, will we see a package less vulnerable to dents (especially on the top of the bubble)? (SWC, 7/14/06) (http://www.swcollector.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=806)

We won't have 2007 samples for months yet, so it's too early to say for sure but the blister will have at least as much integrity, if not more, than Saga blisters. The card back will be different though….stay tuned.

Since it's been revealed that there will be an Oola figure in the 2007 toy line, isn't time for the 3 backup dancers from the ROTJ SE (Lyn Me, Rystaal, and Greeata) to get new sculpts, as the POTF2 versions of them are now rather dated? (SWC, 7/14/06) (http://www.swcollector.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=806)

We did not confirm that there will be an Oola. The "2007 line list" circling around has a gem of truth but many inaccuracies. We have no plans to update the Dancers any time soon.

Are there any plans to make any beasts available again like the Dewback, Tauntaun, Rancor, or Bantha; either newly-sculpted versions or re-releases of previous versions? (SWC, 7/14/06) (http://www.swcollector.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=806)
 
We're looking at beasts as an '07 possibility, more-so as exclusives, but there are no specific plans right now.

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Is Imperial Dignitary Sim Aloo planned? (TJ, 7/14/06) (http://www.thejawa.com/yabbse/index.php?topic=5887.30)

He would be a good candidate for a new figure at some point, but there are no plans for him in the foreseeable future. We won't be able to answer specific questions like this in the future ("When is character X going to be made?" or "Will character X be made?") unless we are close to announcing a specific wave or product.

Yarrna Dar Gargan (Jabba's 6 breasted dancer) will she ever be made? (TJ, 7/14/06) (http://www.thejawa.com/yabbse/index.php?topic=5887.30)

As one of the figure in the Fans' Choice Poll, we won't be answering questions on this specific figure until after the results are announced in Toy Fare.

Are the 3 3/4" Expanded Universe Marvel 2-Packs going to be 'realistic' styled figures or will they be designed to look like the comics? (TJ, 7/14/06) (http://www.thejawa.com/yabbse/index.php?topic=5887.30)

We'll be releasing details at Comic Con.

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Will we see Han and Luke Stormtroopers sometime in 2007? I know many collectors have been wanting these figures for a long time, and to have SA versions with removable helmets would be fantastic. (YF, 7/14/06) (http://cgi.denpetersen.com/YAK1/viewtopic.php?t=392)

We can't answer that one right now - some info will be revealed at ComicCon.

Would Hasbro ever consider doing more of the cardboard dioramas (like Jabba's Palace / Cantina), perhaps as a pack-in with vehicles? i.e. Rebel Hangar with Snowspeeder or Mos Espa with Sith Infiltrator? (YF, 7/14/06) (http://cgi.denpetersen.com/YAK1/viewtopic.php?t=392)

If it makes sense for the individual item (like the Snowspeeder scene), we will look at it.

Do you ever consider customizers when you produce a figure, and what are the chances of you producing an action figure for customizers? Maybe a Create your own Trooper or Jedi, figure kit, something similar to your build your own lightsaber kit . (YF, 7/14/06) (http://cgi.denpetersen.com/YAK1/viewtopic.php?t=392)

The closest we came to that idea was the Evolution sets. We don't have plans to specifically tailor a product to customizers lined up.

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Are there any plans for a Hoth repaint of the AT-ST? (YN, 7/14/06)

Great idea but not in the near future.

Which ewoks will we be seeing in 2007? Are there plans for major ewok characters, and which? Will there be any ewok females with woklings? How about an ewok battle pack with interchangeable parts? Any new wookie figures  in 2007? Any plans for ewok playsets or wookiee playsets/vehicles? (YN, 7/14/06)

You'll have to stay tuned we won't be releasing any more 2007 wave info until closer to their release date.

Will we be seeing the rest of the Republic Commando clone troopers in 2007? (YN, 7/14/06)

No.

Week 6 - July 26, 2006

Will there be a 5th wave of Star Tours figures? (AF, 7/26/06) (http://www.actionfigs.com/index.php?categoryid=12&p2_articleid=162)

Wave 4 will be the last wave.

In light of the recent Lucas Family boxset, has there been any consideration given to making other production crew movie cameo figures like Rick McCallum and Ben Burtt from the end sequence on Naboo in TPM (AF, 7/26/06) (http://www.actionfigs.com/index.php?categoryid=12&p2_articleid=162)

Those are good suggestions… they aren't in the works now, but when we go back to Naboo they would be interesting figures.

What are the chances of seeing some or all of the ANH holochess pieces done as action figures? (AF, 7/26/06) (http://www.actionfigs.com/index.php?categoryid=12&p2_articleid=162)

No plans for now. Point of clarification: Do you mean actual full-size 3-3/4" scale figures, or as chess pieces done in-scale to the 3-3/4" figures to recreate the chess scene? (We meant as actual 3 3/4" figures, they've already covered these in-scale somewhat with the POTJ Chewie Chess figure's accessory - AF.com)

Are there any plans to make a new Rebel Transport ship from Hoth or a Bespin Cloud Car? (AF, 7/26/06) (http://www.actionfigs.com/index.php?categoryid=12&p2_articleid=162)

Not at this time. However, we are always hearing requests for the Cloud Car, so perhaps someday.

Will Hasbro be doing more 3-figure, movie-accurate diorama Cinema Scenes/Screen Scenes sets? (AF, 7/26/06) (http://www.actionfigs.com/index.php?categoryid=12&p2_articleid=162)

Not at this time. We're sticking with the Battle Pack series and a couple other multi-figure formats for the near future.

Will we ever see a Moisture Vaporator in toy form? (AF, 7/26/06) (http://www.actionfigs.com/index.php?categoryid=12&p2_articleid=162)

Yes.

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Usually while swapping parts, we customizers get to see how the figure was produced, why a certain joint was used for an arm or leg, and why a certain part was sculpted a certain way. One thing that's puzzled us in recent years is the use of much softer plastic in the limbs of the newer figures when compared to earlier figures. Why did you change to the softer plastic, which we feel is less durable? (FFURG, 7/26/06) (http://www.ffurg.com/hasbroqa.htm)

I don't think you mean less durable, but rather not aesthetically pleasing, right? In any case, the durometer, a.k.a hardness, does vary both deliberately by figure and as an undesired manufacturing change. We are aware of the softness issues and are looking at that overall.

Re: the reuse of existing molds for new "kitbashed" figures--how often, if ever, does Hasbro look at customizing sites for new ideas on how to re-use existing parts for new figures? (FFURG, 7/26/06) (http://www.ffurg.com/hasbroqa.htm)

We do not look outside for ideas. The design team usually has good ideas they have stored up from previous projects when deciding what to do next.

In customizing, we often use the term "head swap" when a custom consists of simply changing one head for another. One of the most common "head swaps" is a Rebel Pilot custom, which can turn a VTSC Luke or SAGA Dutch Vander into the rest of Rogue Squadron. Would you ever consider producing a group of Rebel Pilots using the same figure base, possibly as a retailer exclusive, with new unique heads and helmets? (FFURG, 7/26/06) (http://www.ffurg.com/hasbroqa.htm)

Interesting idea, but not one currently in the pipeline. No Rogue Squadron members popped up in the Top 25 list, but we know there's interest there so it's something we could look at down the road. We like Rogue Squadron ourselves. Good comics!

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While we know that Hasbro doesn't take requests per se, does 'the team' consider input from fans who post ideas in the various forums (e.g. people who want a Battle Pack with an Eopie in it)? (GH, 7/26/06) (http://www.galactichunter.com/absolutenm/templates/full_article_template_1.asp?articleid=5618&zoneid=2)

We do read the forums, so we are aware of fan chatter.  We have to look at the broader market and judge the merit of an idea against the greater market demand for figures/scenes.  The demand from some vocal collectors may be there, but it may not make the best decision to release that idea ahead of others we have.

What concept would 'the team' most like to revisit in the future? (Cinema Scenes? Deluxe/Ultra? Beasts? Princess Leia Collection?) (GH, 7/26/06) (http://www.galactichunter.com/absolutenm/templates/full_article_template_1.asp?articleid=5618&zoneid=2)

We like all of those, but Evolutions still has a fond spot in our hearts.  If/when we have the ability and retail opportunity to bring that back, we will look at it, but there are no plans right now.

Note: Hasbro was unable to answer one of our forum users' questions regarding the scale of the General Grievous Titanium action figure (i.e. whether it's taller) but they promise to get back to us on that one shortly. Fans of General Grievous can make their own deductions based on images from Comic-Con. (GH, 7/26/06) (http://www.galactichunter.com/absolutenm/templates/full_article_template_1.asp?articleid=5618&zoneid=2)

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Figures like the battledroids from the last couple years have been criticized a lot lately due to the choice of plastic used in their construction. They're prone to falling over due to how flimsy it is, and fans are wondering what the reasons are behind those plastic choices? Any chance we'll see that improved upon in the future? (JD, 7/26/06) (http://www.jedidefender.com/newspro/fullnews.cgi?newsid1153948132,39400,)

Yes, we are aware of the problem and are trying to improve. It's difficult with thin-walled figures like Battle Droids, because the harder the durometer (stiffness) of plastic, the more brittle and sharp they can become if they break, which is a safety hazard. We're looking at better ways of doing it but don't know if we'll be able to perfect a Battle Droid any time soon because of their design.

Accessory packs seem to have some popularity from the collector base, and people are always happy to get small accessories that look great in scenes and dioramas I believe (Scanner tech box, or the "Hoth" box for instance). Is there a possible chance we'll see the format revisited in the future to include perhaps some pieces that make up a scene like the Scanner Tech boxes, Cantina tables/chairs, or the Outlander bar/stool pieces? (JD, 7/26/06) (http://www.jedidefender.com/newspro/fullnews.cgi?newsid1153948132,39400,)

They just don't sell well - this is a historical truth across lines like Star Wars or GI Joe. Instead, we recognize the demand for cool accessories and are putting them into basic figures or other sets as we think appropriate. You'll see some pretty cool accessories in 2007!

With the all new SA Biker Scout (Kudos to you Hasbro, that's some super fine work you did), fans are now anxious to know if an all new Speederbike is in the works? The original's sculpt is detailed, however the bike isn't particularly sturdy and it's a bit oversized. A smaller (properly scaled) bike with maybe a clear stand for a hovering effect would be incredibly popular given how many Biker Scouts a lot of us own I'd imagine. (JD, 7/26/06) (http://www.jedidefender.com/newspro/fullnews.cgi?newsid1153948132,39400,)

Interesting idea. We don't have a new one in the works, but if we do a new bike, we'll take your feedback into account.

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Any chance of seeing a VOTC Bespin Luke Skywalker or Han Solo figure in 2007? (JI, 7/26/06) (http://jediinsider.com/index.php?catid=8&itemid=9693)

You'll have to wait and see what the 2007 vintage line has in store.

Do you still have the old Kenner mold to re-release the classic Death Star playset? (JI, 7/26/06) (http://jediinsider.com/index.php?catid=8&itemid=9693)

That's one we're not sure about.

Are there any plans to do more mail-away figures? If so, can you tell us what they would be? (JI, 7/26/06) (http://jediinsider.com/index.php?catid=8&itemid=9693)

We will be offering a Vintage line in 2007. However, we have not yet determined the specific promotion that will support the release -- or even if there will be a promotion. You'll just have to stay tuned for more information.

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Does every character cost the same amount of money to produce (i.e. from concept to finish) or do some figures have some features “cut out” in order to invest money in other figures? (JTA, 7/26/06) (http://www.jeditemplearchives.com/content/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=2377)

Yes, balancing a wave or a year to hit our goals is something we're always doing.  Articulation, accessories, deco, and packaging all are taken into consideration.  Sometimes one character may not have as many accessories to produce, say, large accessory for another.  Same with articulation.  Deco is changed around late in the game when we have a better read on actual costing based on factory quotes.  Sometimes we can add some back in, sometimes we might trim some out.

How much will the SDCC Exclusive 501st Stormtrooper cost and what will be the limit on the number you can purchase? (JTA, 7/26/06) (http://www.jeditemplearchives.com/content/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=2377)

$14.99, and the limit is 5 per person.  Figures will also be available on-line during and after the show.

Do you sometimes use head sculpts of figures that didn't turn out so well as 'generic' heads for soldiers? Some of the heads look like they could've been Luke, Han, etc. heads that did not work out as planned. (JTA, 7/26/06) (http://www.jeditemplearchives.com/content/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=2377)

No, we haven't done that.  The "generic" soldier heads are based on scrap (film) reference or, occasionally, real 3-D reference (i.e. people our sculptors work with).

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I've really grown to like the little figure stands that are shipping with the current figures, each being embossed with the particular movie logo the character is from. What are the chances that these movie specific bases might be available for mail order from the website in the future, even if the bases have no character name? Maybe even a Jedi Points reward type item? (RS,  7/26/06) (http://www.rebelscum.com/story/front/Hasbros_6th_STAR_WARS_QA_The_Answers_99263.asp)

The easiest thing for us to do would be a multi-pack with all movies (say a 30-pack with 5 of each film). Would people want an EU base in it too?

As you know, there are only 3 remaining unmade droids from the Purchase of the Droids scene from ANH: the multi-armed WED Septoid droid, the black domed LIN droid and the small green domed 2X-7KPR droid. What are their chances for being made, and is the Septoid droid even possible due to the small arms? (should be possible after the size of FX-7's arms!) (RS, 7/26/06) (http://www.rebelscum.com/story/front/Hasbros_6th_STAR_WARS_QA_The_Answers_99263.asp)

Stay tuned. We really like Droids too, and this iconic scene, but won't do them all at once.

In an earlier question, you blamed soft sales for the absense of vehicles & subsequent focus on figures in the GH line. If my memory serves me correctly, since the Playskool line was re-launched as GH, there has not been one single "new" vehicle introduced outside of EU kit-bashed contraptions. Have you completely written off the possibility of testing a "new" movie version of a GH ship given the current popularity & exposure of the line (which far exceeds the Playskool launch w/vehicles)? Or can we still hold out hope the little guys will have something besides a small handful of aging ships to climb into in the not-too-distant future? Something like the TIE Fighter or AT-AT w/exclusive figure pack-ins would compliment existing sets nicely & have broad appeal. (RS, 7/26/06) (http://www.rebelscum.com/story/front/Hasbros_6th_STAR_WARS_QA_The_Answers_99263.asp)

That is true, but given their iconic nature of the MF and X-Wing, we expected them to do better. What it points to is that kids did not embrace vehicles, which was a surprise given the apparent kid appeal of the line. We won't rule out vehicles at some point, perhaps with animation, but for now we will not be pursuing the introduction of vehicles because it appears vehicles appeal to a very small subset of the GH consumers.

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Could troop builder figures be made available (indefinitely if possible) on Hasbro Toy Shop after they're taken out of regular circulation? (SSG, 7/26/06) (http://www.sirstevesguide.com/index.php?categoryid=13&p2_articleid=76)

The preference would be to do more troop builder figures at retail, rather than DTC.

What's up with the female action figures? Some of the most collectible figures have been Padmes and Leias, yet it seems like Hasbro's policy is that there's no demand for female action figures such as other Padme outfits, AOTC Beru, Yarna d'al Gargan, Toryn Farr, etc.. Why is that? (SSG, 7/26/06) (http://www.sirstevesguide.com/index.php?categoryid=13&p2_articleid=76)

Female character figures will play an integral part of future line releases, so you'll just have to stay tuned!

The "Ewoks" tv-movies and cartoons were released on DVD last fall. Is there any chance of getting figures based on the Ewok movies and cartoons, especially Teek, Princess Kneesa (realistically-styled if possible), the Marauders, and the number of Ewoks who did not appear in ROTJ? (SSG, 7/26/06) (http://www.sirstevesguide.com/index.php?categoryid=13&p2_articleid=76)

Not any time soon.

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What details can you tell us about the planned television series - which known and unknown characters will be in it? (ST, 7/26/06)* (http://www.sandtroopers.com/smf/index.php?topic=5183.120)

We won't be able to talk about the series for a long time yet, and then we'll let Lucasfilm lead the charge with news. (EDITOR'S NOTE:  (http://images.dvdtalk.com/images/smilies/rotflmao.gif)(http://images.dvdtalk.com/images/smilies/rotflmao.gif))

The Jedi Master Points auction still left quite a few collectors empty handed.  Is there another project to look forward to for turning in our thousands of Jedi Master Points? (ST, 7/26/06)* (http://www.sandtroopers.com/smf/index.php?topic=5183.120)

Excellent question and one that we need a little more info on.  Did collectors toss out Jedi Master Points after the auction, or keep them?   We don't want to upset those collectors who thought that there would never be a use for them and tossed them away.  Can you dig a little deeper for us on this by questioning your readers on what they did with their points?

I don't collect sports cards but do know how they are sold and how popular some lines of cards are.  There are some sports cards that come packaged randomly with small 1" squares of a baseball bat or a game worn jersey or something along those lines to make the cards rare/popular.  I also realize that Mr. Lucas is tight with letting his original props get out.  But is there any chance that Hasbro and George Lucas would do a promotion similar to the sports cards that I mentioned above?  Maybe have the packaging of the figures hide a small piece from a shirt or pants or even a "You Win" piece that the winner would send in for a prop of some kind; just something different that the Star Wars collectors could look to get in their collections. (ST, 7/26/06)* (http://www.sandtroopers.com/smf/index.php?topic=5183.120)

We have looked at the "movie used" concept and just don't think we can make it work.  Mostly, it comes down to the scarcity of genuine props and the desire to preserve them rather than sacrifice them for this idea. Lucasfilm has been going the other way...making artifacts available for museum viewing so all can enjoy.  Interesting idea though!

I realize that the 7" Unleashed line is limited and somewhat at a standstill, but if the line gets going strong again, is there any chance of maybe seeing an EU sculpt such as Mara Jade or even Thrawn? (ST, 7/26/06)* (http://www.sandtroopers.com/smf/index.php?topic=5183.120)

There's a lot of "what ifs" to be solved before going there….we'd rather see how the current 7" exclusives do before committing to anything more specific on the future of 7".

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Are there more non film-based Clone Troopers (Expanded Universe) planned as either part of the basic line or as exclusives for 2007? (SWC, 7/26/06) (http://www.swcollector.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=793)

Yes…but this may change as the exclusives plan is still a long way from being solidified.

Are there any plans at this time to release a figure of the "Darth Plagueis" character that will tie in to the book being written by James Luceno for release in 2008? (SWC, 7/26/06) (http://www.swcollector.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=793)

He's on our wish list….but not in 2007.

Will there be another mail-in offer for the 2007 Vintage line? (SWC, 7/26/06) (http://www.swcollector.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=793)

We will be offering a Vintage line in 2007. However, we have not yet determined the specific promotion that will support the release -- or even if there will be a promotion. You'll just have to stay tuned for more information.

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Have there been any surprises (good or bad) from the Hasbro perspective to come out of the Q & A? (TJ, 7/26/06) (http://www.thejawa.com/yabbse/index.php?topic=5900.msg55268#msg55268)

We are incredibly pleased and encouraged by the passion that our fans continue to demonstrate week in and week out and we look forward to diving into each week's submissions!

The news that there are some starfighter sized new vehicle sculpts on the way has been very encouraging.  Is there the possibility that we may see the release of new large vehicle sculpts, such as the AT-TE, Clone Turbo Tank, Tantive IV or Jabba's Sail Barge? (TJ, 7/26/06) (http://www.thejawa.com/yabbse/index.php?topic=5900.msg55268#msg55268)

Not at this time.

With collectors very much interested in playsets as is evident in the previous Q&A's, would Hasbro consider outsourcing a line of playsets to another SW licensee?  Pride Displays is making some very interesting display pieces at this time.  Is there the potential that a sub-license could be worked out with Pride or another similar company much in the same way that the 12" figure line was licensed out to Sideshow Collectibles? (TJ, 7/26/06) (http://www.thejawa.com/yabbse/index.php?topic=5900.msg55268#msg55268)

This is not something we would consider, because it would complicate matters should we want to reintroduce playsets at some point.

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Will we ever see a Tantive IV playset? (YF, 7/26/06) (http://cgi.denpetersen.com/YAK1/viewtopic.php?t=472)

A Tantive playset would be in line behind others that deserve to be done first.

Will there ever be a vehicle made of General Grievous' starfighter? Will there ever be a General Grievous figure made of him before he got into the crash caused by Count Dooku. (YF, 7/26/06) (http://cgi.denpetersen.com/YAK1/viewtopic.php?t=472)

That is on our wish list. Not in the plans for 2007, but if it's in the animation there's a good bet we'll do it.

Now that you have crossed Star Wars into the Transformers line, would Hasbro ever in the foreseeable future be consider making Deluxe sized Star Wars TFs large enough to actually fit the 3'3/4 figures inside as pilots, and have other character TFs be the arms, legs, and head, creating a huge TF robot? (YF, 7/26/06) (http://cgi.denpetersen.com/YAK1/viewtopic.php?t=472)

That's not something we've considered. They would have to be pretty big (and expensive), but also very cool!

Title: Re: The Categorized Hasbro Q & A Archive
Post by: Matt on August 23, 2006, 08:57 PM
Week 7 - August 4, 2006

With the pending release of the awesome Imperial Conference multipack, could we expect a companion ANH Rebel Briefing multipack including Dodonna, Willard Varden, Leia, & C3PO with the Holotable? (FFURG, 8/04/06) (http://www.ffurg.com/hasbroqa.htm)

There are no plans for that right now. In general, fans are more passionate and interested in the Imperial officers over the rebels (especially new officers) so such a set would not sell as well in our opinion.

Along the same line as above, what about a ROJ Rebel Briefing with SAGA Madine, Mon Mothma (new using the ROTS sculpt), (retooled) Ackbar, and SAGA General Lando with a hologram Death Star II? (FFURG, 8/04/06) (http://www.ffurg.com/hasbroqa.htm)

Same comments are above.

In the TSC line, why was Barada (#004) a simple re-issue with "added" paint apps and not a complete repaint so collectors could have a Kithaba figure with red pants and a tan shirt? (FFURG, 8/04/06) (http://www.ffurg.com/hasbroqa.htm)

Barada is the more well-known of the two so we went with him.

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Will the Marvel Han and Luke Stormtroopers be released in non-comic coloring down the road? (GH, 8/04/06) (http://www.galactichunter.com/absolutenm/templates/full_article_template_1.asp?articleid=5652&zoneid=2)

No plans right now.

Is the #65 Elite Corps Clone Trooper (Kashyyyk), as shown at Comic-Con, the final product, or a mock-up? Collectors have noted that the image shown is a repaint of the Vintage Saga Biker Scout, and the helmet and armor scheme isn't movie accurate. Is this figure likely to be revisited down the road? (GH, 8/04/06) (http://www.galactichunter.com/absolutenm/templates/full_article_template_1.asp?articleid=5652&zoneid=2)

It is a repaint of the vintage Biker Scout. If we do revise him down the road, it won't be for a long time…so this is the only version of this figure we are able to do right now.

EU us the big topic of the moment. Is there anything that is off-limits, like The Holiday Special? (GH, 8/04/06) (http://www.galactichunter.com/absolutenm/templates/full_article_template_1.asp?articleid=5652&zoneid=2)

Generally, there is nothing off limits.  However, we select figures based on the overall desirability and interest we think they will have. The Holiday Special has a few cool elements, but overall I don't think most collectors want to see us do too much with it. Nor does Lucasfilm!

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OK, ToyFare #109 is now available at comic and book stores everywhere. In that issue, we finally get the news that Quinlan Vos and Darth Revan were selected as the winner(s) of the latest Fan Choice poll.

Willow Hood (the Ice Cream Maker Guy) seems to have a huge fan following among collectors. He even has enough of a fan following at Hasbro to be included in the joke wave presented during the Comic-Con panel.

Even though Willow didn't win the Toy Fare Fan's Choice poll, when can we expect to see him on the pegs? He'd make a nice two-pack if you paired him with a new super-articulated Bespin Han or Bespin Luke (hint, hint). You've got 12 more years ('til 2018), so you have to get to him eventually, right?
(JD, 8/04/06) (http://www.jedidefender.com/newspro/fullnews.cgi?newsid1154734509,1394,)

OK, it was cruel perhaps to include him (and Yarna) among a group that we would obviously never do. We WILL do Willrow eventually, but there is no timetable for his debut. In any case, it won't be in the 2007 line which is already put to bed.

When exactly will we be seeing the release of a new, SA, high-quality Qui-Gon Jinn figure? It's been a while since Qui-Gon was offered as a basic figure and fans would love a new super-posable version! (JD, 8/04/06) (http://www.jedidefender.com/newspro/fullnews.cgi?newsid1154734509,1394,)

We agree, but there's no specific time-table for an SA Qui-Gon.

Of all the offerings that you have planned for 2007 so far, who is the one figure that you are really, really excited to see offered up? Yeah, I know it's like asking who your favorite child is, but there must be at least one 2007 product that stands out as super-cool? (JD, 8/04/06) (http://www.jedidefender.com/newspro/fullnews.cgi?newsid1154734509,1394,)

We truly do have too many favorites to pick one. But it's nice to finally have revealed the Galactic Marine!

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Any plans to release the Death Star conference room table from Episode IV to go along with the "Imperial Briefing" set of figures? (JI, 8/04/06) (http://jediinsider.com/index.php?catid=8&itemid=9707)

No plans.

Any plans of re-releasing Jabba the Hutt with his throne? (JI, 8/04/06) (http://jediinsider.com/index.php?catid=8&itemid=9707)

Good question. He's a great iconic character whom we haven't done anything with in a long time. We have no plans right now.

Any plans for some type of Cantina playset for all of the Cantina alien figures, or get curved pieces to go along with the already existing bar pieces? Something to allow them to make a complete bar? (JI, 8/04/06) (http://jediinsider.com/index.php?catid=8&itemid=9707)

The curved pieces *will* be coming out in 2007. There are no plans for a complete diorama or playset….fans will be able to build the bar organically, however (the curved sections will be compatible with the straight sections).

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Hi I am curious about certain star wars figures that I get in Canada. Why is there no pictures or artwork on the card backs here but all of the other figures from the U.S. and Europe have a shot from the film or the picture on the back? Is Canada a sort of clearance warehouse for a lot of Star Wars merchandise? We need more Canadian "Exclusives" because we have no Target of Best Buy or KB toys. Thanks for hearing me out. (JTA, 8/04/06) (http://www.jeditemplearchives.com/content/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=2406)

The backs (and sometimes bottom) of the carded figure packaging is often changed by market to meet the requirements of importing product into that particular country, or because the assortment is different than the product offered to the U.S. market.  We are working on getting U.S. exclusives wider distribution in Canada.

Do you look at fans' customs of figures to get ideas for desirable characters that haven't been made or for improvements over previously made figures? (JTA, 8/04/06) (http://www.jeditemplearchives.com/content/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=2406)

We don't intentionally review customs for ideas. Our design team has more ideas for figures (and improvements) than we can possibly get to in any year.
 
How does Hasbro generally feel about Star Wars customizing (figures, ships etc.) in general? (JTA, 8/04/06) (http://www.jeditemplearchives.com/content/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=2406)

The fan base is a truly great community, and the depth of passion, energy and creativity is amazing.  Our team is driven by this same passion, and it's great to know that this similar enthusiasm is out there on a massive scale in the fan community.

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Which courses and type of degree would college students have to obtain in order to work for Hasbro and be involved with the decision making of which figures get released, which are new sculpts, repacks, etc.? Many would love to be apart of the Hasbro team, and that would be many fans' dream job. (RS, 8/04/06) (http://www.rebelscum.com/story/front/Hasbros_7th_STAR_WARS_QA_The_Answers_99645.asp)

The Star Wars team (like all brand teams at Hasbro) is guided by a team of marketers and designers. Many of our designers come from industrial design programs from schools such as the University of Cincinnati School of Design, New York Fashion Institute, Rhode Island School of Design, etc. Our marketers typically have an MBA from business school, but not always. In those cases, several years in a relevant field (packaged goods or youth-targeted marketing) is desirable.

Now that the Fan's Choice winner(s) are revealed (Quinlan Vos #1, Darth Revan #2), can we find out how the rest of the Top 25 characters ranked? Many fan favorites (cough, cough--Willrow Hood--cough, cough) did not make the cut this time, and we're all curious to see the final standings. BTW, we'd love to see more figures from that top 25 list in the future! Make 'Em All! (RS, 8/04/06) (http://www.rebelscum.com/story/front/Hasbros_7th_STAR_WARS_QA_The_Answers_99645.asp)

Toy Fare has plans to go into more detail on the rank order of the Top 25 so we'll let them run with it. All of the figures on the Top 25 were good candidates for figures in the future (yes, including Willrow and Yarna!) so we wouldn't rule it out eventually covering them over the next few years.
Dan's note: ToyFare has indeed revealed the official rankings. Click here (http://www.wizarduniverse.com/magazine/toyfare/001185622.cfm) for more.

Will the Titanium Series line continue in 2007? If so, is there any chance of there being any EU vehicles, like the Eclipse, the Outrider, or the Inferno, made? Or will this line only consist of movie vehicles? (RS, 8/04/06) (http://www.rebelscum.com/story/front/Hasbros_7th_STAR_WARS_QA_The_Answers_99645.asp)

Yes it will continue into 2007. Stay tuned, but there will be movie & non-movie vehicles in the line.

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FOLLOWUP:  I have reason to believe many collectors DID hang on to their Jedi Points, would Hasbro be willing to explore a poll or gauge an interest on their Star Wars Hasbro page? (ST, 8/04/06)* (http://www.sandtroopers.com/smf/index.php?topic=5183.msg79339#msg79339)

Yes, we might look at a poll, but the question is really the opposite.  The key question is this....did some fans discard their Jedi Master points because they thought they would never be used again?  If so, then doing something with them now would upset those fans and it would be best to just abandon the idea of using points for good.

Why would Hasbro not give Quinlan Vos the Fans Choice figure on card like he deserves? Shouldn't the #1 vote get the figure on that particular card? Fans voted him in and giving it to Darth Revan seems like Master Vos is getting short-changed, since Hasbro has such a history with repacks, why did Quin get jobbed? (ST, 8/04/06)* (http://www.sandtroopers.com/smf/index.php?topic=5183.msg79339#msg79339)

Because Quinlan Vos was already in production for the comic 2-pack series. To take him out would have left an unfilled void in that series.  Because we wanted to be straight up with fans that he was the #1 winner, we also wanted to be straight up about why we went to the #2 for basic figures.  We look at it this way: it means more of the Top 25 figures will be done next year, which is a good thing.

Why were people allowed to buy the 501st figure at the SDCC by the case, and why was service so bad at your web site that you were unable to handle the web traffic and people spent upwards of an hour with the product in their shopping cart but were unable to checkout. Will there be another, more organized opportunity, for people to buy this exclusive figure in the near future? (ST, 8/04/06)* (http://www.sandtroopers.com/smf/index.php?topic=5183.msg79339#msg79339)

Without knowing the details, it's possible that what you were seeing was collectors using more than 1 badge, or simply using the empty boxes as a sturdy way to transport figures.  We did confirm with our HTS team that there was a limit of 5 for the duration of the convention.  As for the web delays, the unfortunate issue was with Verizon servers going down that day.  The good news is that there are more 501st figures (and Titanium) available to consumers and they will go back on HTS.com Friday Aug 4th.  So....spread the word!

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The Target computer system is showing an Imperial Shuttle (DCPI #087-06-0483) coming with a $59.99 price tag. Is this a repack of the old FAO Schwarz exclusive, or is it something from another line? (SWC, 8/04/06) (http://www.swcollector.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=823)

No comment.

Is there any chance that the Max Rebo band or the entire Modal Nodes band could be released in 6 piece box sets as exclusives sometime? (SWC, 8/04/06) (http://www.swcollector.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=823)

The answer was revealed at Comic Con. The Modal Nodes (5 of them) are coming out this Fall in the Wal-Mart gift tin pack. As for the Max Rebo band, no plans right now but if this gift tin does well it's possible down the road that we'll look at Rebo.

Earlier in the year there were rumors of an ANH wave consisting of Han and Luke Ceremonials, and a Rebel Sentry. Were these figures only just rumors, or have they been delayed to fit into 30AC? (SWC, 8/04/06) (http://www.swcollector.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=821)

A Yavin wave was slotted for '06, but has now been moved to the 30th anniv. line. The reason was because they were running very late in sculpting and didn't look like they were going to make 2006, so we pushed them out. Subsequently, we developed waves 7 & 8 of Saga to continue to fill the demand for basic figures.

Darth Vader is a very popular character that will find support for just about any figure you choose to make of him. That said, I found the ROTS Deluxe Vader on Operating Table to be rather in front of the figure's mouth, was devoid of any detail, yet past removable-helmet Vader figures had that great, cramped collection of wires and tubes. Is there any chance we'll see a new ROTS Vader with removable helmet in The 30th AC? (SWC, 8/04/06) (http://www.swcollector.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=821)

It's too early to know exactly what Vader(s) we'll see in '07.

Are the mini-holo figurines in TSC being replaced with minted coins for the 2007 line? (SWC, 8/04/06) (http://www.swcollector.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=823)

The '06 holo figures and bases are being replaced by coins.

With the new comic book two-packs coming, is there any chance in the future of two-packs consisting of two figures and a paperback version of an appropriate novel? For instance: "HttE" paperback with Mara Jade and Grand Admiral Thrawn; "SotE" paperback with Prince Xizor and Dash Rendar. (SWC, 8/04/06) (http://www.swcollector.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=821)

Very interesting idea, and the format certainly does allow for doing some things like that. However, we prefer the visual medium of comics to allow kids into the product as well. We're more likely to reprint a Dark Horse comic version of these novels before the paperback.

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Has Hasbro considered revisiting the large vehicle as carrying case?  Kenner did this successfully with the vintage Rebel Transport.  Could we see the Rebel Transport reissued in this fashion, or perhaps translate the concept to large prequel vehicles such as the Clone Turbo Tank? (TJ, 8/04/06) (http://www.thejawa.com/yabbse/index.php?topic=5900.msg55473#msg55473)

We have not considered this in the vintage way, mainly because doing so makes neither a satisfyingly complete vehicle nor a great carry case. If and when we next do a large vehicle, we'll make sure it's a great vehicle first and foremost.

There's been a lot of talk about the medium vehicle line lately, but what about the small vehicles?  Will there be any small vehicles (speeder bikes and the like) or beasts offered in the near future? (TJ, 8/04/06) (http://www.thejawa.com/yabbse/index.php?topic=5900.msg55473#msg55473)

We're concentrating our efforts on the one assortment right now to ensure that it has great selection and newness to make sure it continues.  This is the assortment that typically has not received support in non-movie years, yet it is the most important because of the significance of the vehicles and size of the footprint, which can house many existing classic vehicles (such as Darth Vader TIE Advanced) as well.

We've heard that the Cantina scene is a priority with the Hasbro Star Wars team.  By the same token, which Prequel Trilogy scene would the Hasbro Star Wars team like to complete? (TJ, 8/04/06) (http://www.thejawa.com/yabbse/index.php?topic=5900.msg55473#msg55473)

Ah, very interesting question.  While they aren't as critical as Cantina and some other scenes, the team here really likes Pod Racing and the Arena Battle.

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With the way Hasbro is doing the comic book 2 packs from Marvel and Dark Horse.  Wouldn't this be a perfect opportunity to re-issue the vintage Droids and Ewoks series of figures in this form too?  Demand is definitely there for them! (YF, 8/04/06) (http://cgi.denpetersen.com/YAK1/viewtopic.php?t=526)

The comic packs, like all of the figures slated for '07, are designed in the realistic style. We do not have plans to go back to the cartoon style of Droids or Ewoks.

Is it Hasbro's intention to release all of the vintage Kenner figures in the high end vintage figure series? If so, will we be seeing an "ultimate" version of Leia(Bespin Gown) sometime in the future? (YF, 8/04/06) (http://cgi.denpetersen.com/YAK1/viewtopic.php?t=526)

Well, that would be nice to have such an end-point in mind. But rather than commit to that as the goal, we'll just have to say "wait and see" and take each wave as it comes. We're focusing on the higher demand figures first.

What types of continuity checks/quality control do figures go through to ensure correct paint jobs and the inclusion of proper accessories? (i.e. giving the current X-wing Luke the wrong lightsaber hilt accessory) (YF, 8/04/06) (http://cgi.denpetersen.com/YAK1/viewtopic.php?t=526)

Our design team (along with the team at Lucasfilm) checks the figures at several stages to ensure accuracy. Sometimes, due to the amount of details something may be missed. Our team is extremely passionate, but they are human!
As I look at my collection of Target exclusive glasses, I notice that Episodes III-VI have three glasses each representing them. However, to date, there has only been a single glass for each Episodes I and II. (YF, 8/04/06) (http://cgi.denpetersen.com/YAK1/viewtopic.php?t=526)

And that's all there will be for that collection. Sales weren't the best for the glass/figure concept, so there won't be any more for the foreseeable future.

Now that it has been confirmed there is an Airborne Clone trooper coming out in the Mace Windu's Squadron Battle Pack, what are the chances of him being re-painted orange and sold as a basic figure? (YF, 8/04/06) (http://cgi.denpetersen.com/YAK1/viewtopic.php?t=526)

The answer was revealed at Comic Con - yes, in Wave 1 '07.

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Will Hasbro ever consider making multi-packs of the background characters such as Imperial technicians, Rebel hangar staff or characters from the towns or cities featured in the films? (YN, 8/04/06)

If we did any of these at all, we'd probably do them as basic carded figures first.  For the most part these would be very niche and low demand figures compared to known characters, troops, or droids.

Will Hasbro ever consider making a base figure with interchanging heads? For example a Bespin guard as base figure with a black-colored head, a white colored head  guard.  You could do the same with Imperial, Rebel and cantina characters.  Customizing is an expanding market, will Hasbro play a role in the universe? (YN, 8/04/06)

We do some of this already with the running changes to figures like the Endor Rebel Trooper.  For the most part, unless customization is part of the product feature (like Evolutions) we will be spending our design and sculpting efforts against the main figures themselves with the occasional troop building variation built into a product.

Do you think it would be possible for you to bring out a huge half of a DS playset unlike the original vintage one? Sure we know play sets don't sell as well but if you produced it in a small quantity and made it exclusive to online retailers like the imperial shuttle I am sure the collectors would pay big money for this item. Heck even I would pay a couple of hundred dollars for a DS playset that actually seemed to be more accurate in size. (YN, 8/04/06)

Good question and one which we are always looking at.  You answered the question yourself, though, by saying that we'd produce small quantities and have to charge a lot for it.  That by definition is a very risky niche product with a massive R&D burden and tooling budget.  Quite simply we have to find mass-market solutions to massively intensive R&D challenges like play sets.  By the way, we've got mocked up in the office three versions of the very play set you describe.

Will Hasbro ever go back and expand on the Shadows of the Empire line by adding some characters that are prevalent in the book but did not make the figure assortment? (YN, 8/04/06)

Possibly, but our preference would be to go back and re-do (with current sculpting/articulation) some of those original Shadows figures first.

Week 8 - August 11, 2006

What factors determine whether a battle pack is all re-packs like the upcoming "Battle Above the Sarlacc" and a battle pack with some customized or all new figures like "Jedi vs. Sith?" (FFURG, 8/11/06) (http://www.ffurg.com/hasbroqa.htm)

Ahh - great question! The mainline, or national battle packs are designed with kids foremost in mind. That's why there are very few new, and they are more commonly themed repacks with a heavy concentration of recognizable and cool kid characters along with a couple lesser known characters to complete the theme (Battle/Sarlacc being a prime example of this).

Now for exclusive battle packs, we take a different approach. We design these to be collector-targeted, knowing that if we strike the right chord they are something collectors will want to go to that retailer to find and ensure the sell-through at the retailer. This is why the exclusive battle packs have more of a troop building flavor to them. They are designed specifically to ensure that the packs will be able to sell through in a certain period of time.


In the WOTC line of miniatures, we've seen Rebel troops and officers from species other than Humanoid, which goes along with George Lucas' vision of a diverse number of species coming together to form the Rebel Alliance. However, we haven't seen this in 3-3/4" line beyond Orrimaarko, Ishi Tib, and Admiral Ackbar from the earlier POTF2 line. Some customizers have made other species of Rebel troops and officers, like Gran, Bith, and Gotal. Could we eventually see Rebel troops in other species to help diversify the Rebel ranks? (FFURG, 8/11/06) (http://www.ffurg.com/hasbroqa.htm)

Good question - and we haven't forgotten our alien pals. Most of our alien "good guy" slots have gone to Jedi recently (which I think underscores exactly the point you were making about George's vision).hopefully we'll be able to turn our attention to some of the other roles in the future as slots permit. We've got so many bases to cover....the good news is we've got some time to do it (or bad news if you want it all now, like we do ourselves!).

Many of us have customized X-Wings over the years to create Wedge's Red-2 or Biggs' Red-3. However, not everyone has the time or patience to customize a vehicle. Would Hasbro consider a nod to the fans and finally release a Red-2 Wedge Antilles X-Wing? (FFURG, 8/11/06) (http://www.ffurg.com/hasbroqa.htm)

That's a great suggestion and one we've considered for a future release. No specific date is in mind, though..there's a limited number of product slots we can fill and a lot of great ideas to fill them.

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Now that Hasbro is officially out of the "EU Closet", how will you deal with fan requests like Luke Skywalker & Mara Jade wedding figures? That's got to be a tough sell. What's the approach? (GH, 8/11/06) (http://www.galactichunter.com/absolutenm/templates/full_article_template_1.asp?articleid=5675&zoneid=2)

There are SO many great EU figures to work with, from new Jedi and Rebels to new Imperial officers and troops, to classic but updated versions of the main Original Trilogy characters, to life after the Saga, to the phenomenal videogame characters, that it's a balancing act to try and get to the best of the best of the EU.  Hopefully, with time, we'll be able to cover a lot of these bases.  To answer your specific question, we'd like to tackle a great version of any EU figure before getting to the niche outfits (like a wedding set).  We think collectors would prefer the most iconic versions first, in this case the ready for action outfits.

How is a big company like Hasbro adapting to the smaller, niche companies' personal relationships (through things like blogs and podcasts) with the collecting audience? (GH, 8/11/06) (http://www.galactichunter.com/absolutenm/templates/full_article_template_1.asp?articleid=5675&zoneid=2)

We just don't have the personnel to be able to build the more personal relationships like some of the smaller companies are able to do.  This weekly Q&A is a good opportunity to be able to address a wide range of questions and provide more info to fans, so we look forward to continuing this as a weekly event.  Please keep encouraging fan questions and we'll get to them weekly.

Are there any figures that are just too morbid to touch (e.g. Dying/Dead Padme)? (GH, 8/11/06) (http://www.galactichunter.com/absolutenm/templates/full_article_template_1.asp?articleid=5675&zoneid=2)

Yes, there are some that cross the line to grisly. We'd probably never do figures in their deceased state (aside from Spirit of the Force figures). [GH editor's note: Is that a hint???]

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Any chance we could see the ROTS #55 Obi-Wan Kenobi (Jedi Pilot) and the Evolutions Anakin Skywalker (Episode 3) figures from 2005 both repainted to reflect the burn damage to their costumes from their duel on Mustafar? These would make great repaints for the basic figure line (those Target Mustafar Duel figures were way too orange for most folks). (JD, 8/11/06) (http://www.jedidefender.com/newspro/fullnews.cgi?newsid1155325016,53466,)

We've thought the same thing….they are good alternate decos for future figures. Thanks for the suggestion.

We love hints and teases... how about dropping a nice tease about a yet-to-be-announced figure from the first official wave for 2007? At SDCC, we saw the 2007 Utapau Airborne Clone, the Mustafar Lava Miner, and the Galactic Marine - what else do you have lined up for us in 2007! (JD, 8/11/06) (http://www.jedidefender.com/newspro/fullnews.cgi?newsid1155325016,53466,)

We have to hold something back…we felt we revealed a lot as it was for products that still have many months of production to go. Sorry….we're going to hold tight on the rest of the wave for now to have SOMETHING to talk about later.  ;)

Can you hint at the EU Source Material that the future waves of the Comic Book 2-Packs will be based on (beyond the already announced Marvel Comics and Crimson Empire)? Not specific figures per se, just a hint at the source material please. (JD, 8/11/06) (http://www.jedidefender.com/newspro/fullnews.cgi?newsid1155325016,53466,)

We'll be releasing the info by wave as we get closer to the release date for the packs. Releasing the issues would just be giving out too much right now.

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Any chance of ever seeing the Death Star Trash Compactor released in some form like a playset? (JI, 8/11/06) (http://jediinsider.com/index.php?catid=8&itemid=9722)

Probably not. If we do any playsets, we'll have to take our cues from the upcoming animated series.

What plans do you have for moisture vaporators? (JI, 8/11/06) (http://jediinsider.com/index.php?catid=8&itemid=9722)

Info on that will be released when we get ready to announce the specific product it will be included in. Stay tuned.

Can you tell us what the exclusive figure will be offered at Celebration IV? (JI, 8/11/06) (http://jediinsider.com/index.php?catid=8&itemid=9722)

We are working on them, but it's still too far off to reveal any info. Look for more info at the end of the year or beginning of 2007.

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Will we be seeing more vehicles (like Boba Fett's Slave 1, Jango Fett's Slave 1, Y-Wing, B-Wing, or A-Wing Fighters) repacked as non-exclusives in the next line. For people whom have just started collecting or even are just kids missed them in the past an theses are extremely favored by many. (RS, 8/11/06) (http://www.rebelscum.com/story/front/Hasbros_8th_STAR_WARS_QA_The_Answers_99693.asp)

These vehicles are all larger than the "standard" mainline vehicle footprint which we are working to maintain, so the answer would be no. These larger vehicles will remain exclusives candidates until such a time comes, if ever, that we are able to get a larger vehicle scale to mass retail.

Regarding the Fan's Choice Figure poll...who are the remaining 5 (or 6) characters coming out this year? Will all of them be all new sculpts? (RS, 8/11/06) (http://www.rebelscum.com/story/front/Hasbros_8th_STAR_WARS_QA_The_Answers_99693.asp)

We never said that 5 or 6 characters would be coming out this year. We did say that 10 of the 25 would be produced in 2007. All of them will be new sculpts.  (Dan's Note: Since Kir Kanos, Quinlan Vos, Darth Revan, & Galactic Marine are already confirmed, basic math says that leaves 6 characters that are still unknown. I guess "produced in 2007" does not mean "released in 2007.")

Will the EU 2-packs be solely based on comic books? How about characters from the novels and/or video games? Even some of the fringe Miniatures game characters would make for great-looking action figures. (RS, 8/11/06) (http://www.rebelscum.com/story/front/Hasbros_8th_STAR_WARS_QA_The_Answers_99693.asp)

The 2-packs are going to be built around comic reprints, so novels are fair game if Dark Horse has done a comic version of it; the same holds true for the video games. Central to the idea, for the kid audience too, is to provide a great bite of the story so folks can get acquainted with it. Now most of the Dark Horse stories run over multiple issues so it won't be the complete picture, but it will be enough to introduce the characters and interest fans and kids in picking up the rest of the story if they haven't read it already. So that's the idea behind the comic and why we'll stick to that format. It doesn't mean that we can't do novel or video game figures elsewhere in the line, though.

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A report in the NY Post recently reported a loss by Hasbro last quarter. Many feel this is due to the amount of times Hasbro issues repacks. With many collectors turning to high-end collectibles (Gentle Giant, Sideshow), what are Hasbro's plans to rebound? Is this a concern? (ST, 8/11/06)* (http://www.sandtroopers.com/smf/index.php?topic=5183.150)

Two issues here - I'll deal with the tougher one first.  The misconception is that we do repacks instead of doing new figures.  We actually plan our year with a mix of both, knowing that we cannot do an entire year of Star Wars with 100% new figures/vehicles - it's simply too costly from both a resource and tooling standpoint.  Instead, we look to repaints and repacks that make sense for the target audience (mainline battle packs, for instance, we know have great kid appeal. For single carded figures we take kids and collectors into consideration for the mix or volume we release). 

As for your second question, it's moot to compare the performance of the line this year to last year (the all-time best Star Wars year for Hasbro). The line always comes down after the activity of a movie year. The key thing is how the line is doing versus expectations.... and the good news is the line is doing great and is exceeding all expectations through the first half of the year.  So thanks to you guys and the incredible kid response to the brand, the outlook is very, very good, and that's why we have gone back and added some items like more basic figures, reintroduced battle packs, added the Galactic Heroes Cinema Scenes, et al.  This is on top of the new products already in the pipeline slated for the back half to keep both kids and collectors engaged in the brand.


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Will the coins included with the basic figures in 2007's The 30th Anniversary Collection be character-specific, or just medium-specific (i.e.: film name or EU source name)? (SWC, 8/11/06) (http://www.swcollector.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=829)

They will be character-specific on the front, and movie- (or EU) specific on the back.

2006 is the tenth anniversary of the multimedia project SOTE. Was there ever any thought given to commemorating this with a special figure, such as the designed-but-never-produced Guri? (SWC, 8/11/06) (http://www.swcollector.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=829)

We haven't given this any thought for 2006. Shadows was important for being the hallmark of the EU, an important predeccesor to many things to follow, and in that sense the spirit of Shadows has literally cast its shadow over the rest of the EU figures in our line next year.

Although he's been seen in Dark Horse Comics for some time, now that Darth Bane is also being featured in a novel (October 2006's DARTH BANE: PATH OF DESTRUCTION), could this at all influence the decision to make an action figure of the character? (SWC, 8/11/06) (http://www.swcollector.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=829)

Certainly he's an interesting character with an interesting prominence in Sith lore. We should get to him at some point, but there's a lot of great stuff to choose from in the EU.  Patience...

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Can we expect the 30th Anniversary line to focus on the original movie or the entire Saga? (TJ, 8/11/06) (http://www.thejawa.com/yabbse/index.php?topic=5900.msg55581#msg55581)

The 30th Anniv. line will run the entire year, and will celebrate the Saga, all six films plus extensions such as CW and EU.

Why have the last two Tatooine Luke figures had the same color pants and tunic?  As far as this Jawa knew, Luke had tan pants and a white tunic… (TJ, 8/11/06) (http://www.thejawa.com/yabbse/index.php?topic=5900.msg55581#msg55581)

Good catch - we just didn't catch that one for the Saga figure this year.  The Wal-Mart DVD 3-pack figure will have the correct coloring when it is released Sept 12th.

Series 2/3 Attacktix seemed rushed and it shows with the quality of several pieces, particularly Darth Maul and Luke Skywalker. (My son has 3 Mauls that never worked right out of the package).  Has this been fixed for the upcoming series and is there any action planned for exchange of these items, considering the difficulty in finding the Super Rare items? (TJ, 8/11/06) (http://www.thejawa.com/yabbse/index.php?topic=5900.msg55473#msg55473)

We're constantly making changes to Attacktix to result in a more durable performance. The challenge is that kids really put these figures through their paces!  Our Consumer Affairs dept (Hasbro.com, click on the Customer Service tab) will replace broken figures, but we do not currently have a 1-for-1 swap.

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I was just wondering if it was possible that the Dagobah Ben Kenobi (OTC #3) might be re-released as a non-spirit version. This is one of the better sculpts of this character and I'd be excited to see this happen. (YF, 8/11/06) (http://cgi.denpetersen.com/YAK1/viewtopic.php?t=600)

Good suggestion. We'll look at it for a future opportunity…it is a solid figure.

I would love to see an Anakin Skywalker in a medical capsule from ROTS made.  Basically you would just need to make the medical capsule accessory and use the torso from ROTS Anakin #50 (Battle Damage). Any chances of that as well as the rest of the medical droids from the 'building Vader" scene? (YF, 8/11/06) (http://cgi.denpetersen.com/YAK1/viewtopic.php?t=600)

That is a good scene with some interesting droids, and we've considered that in the mix. It won't be any time soon, though.

Now that he didn't win the Fan Choice, what are the chances of a figure of Nom Anor now?  Obviously from the Fan Choice, fans seem to be craving him.  How about some other Yuuzhan Vong figures as well? (YF, 8/11/06) (http://cgi.denpetersen.com/YAK1/viewtopic.php?t=600)

We won't comment on any more of the Fan's Choice figures until they get close to release….so you'll just have to stay tuned.

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Will the Georgetrooper ever end up on HTS.com Once the promotion ends if you still have stock left? (YN, 8/11/06)

It will not.  It will ONLY be available via the mail-in promotion.

The new Galactic Heroes Luke & Han Stormtroopers have different paint apps than the previous stormtrooper & different from what is shown on the packaging. Specifically, the black stripe above the eyes is missing. Was this intentional or a paint application that will be ""fixed""?" (YN, 8/11/06)

The paint application will be corrected. It was a mistake that was not caught until Comic Con and will be a running change if not from piece 1.
Title: Re: The Categorized (and Chronological!) Hasbro Q & A Archive
Post by: Matt on August 25, 2006, 02:48 PM
Week 9 - August 25, 2006

Over the years, we've seen many changes in the price of a basic figure. Anywhere from $4.99 to $6.99. Is the current price the new norm, or will the MSRP increase/decrease for 2007? (BTT, 8/25/06) (http://www.behindthetoys.com/forums/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=7376)

We do not set prices, but they are established by our retailers. We do not anticipate a rise in our wholesale cost from this year to next, if that helps. Beyond that, it's the individual call of the retailers for any pricing decisions.

Has Hasbro ever considered selling prototypes as part of their Hasbrotoyshop.com site? (BTT, 8/25/06) (http://www.behindthetoys.com/forums/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=7376)

No. Prototypes are tightly watched across Hasbro, since they are basically unsafe to play with, and we don't want them to get into any kids' hand. We defer to the larger initiaitve to make sure protos don't get out into the public realm.

Has Hasbro considered offering small amounts of booth space at shows for certain collector sites / fans to use to educate people or show off their collections? This could be an interesting way to involve the SW community and have value-add for booth visitors. (BTT, 8/25/06) (http://www.behindthetoys.com/forums/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=7376)

Our booth space is allocated down to the square foot for all participating brands along with HTS.com, so having the space to host something like this is a challenge. It's an interesting way of building "community" and that's always a great thought.

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How will the continued the increase in oil prices affect toy production for Hasbro? Will it mean that we'll see more repaints and reissues as opposed to new sculpts? Will Hasbro be cutting back on production numbers or raising prices to compensate? (FFURG, 8/25/06) (http://www.ffurg.com/hasbroqa.htm)

Well that is the billion-dollar question, Ashley. We have seen some effect of the price increase, which has affected not only plastic but pretty much everything else as well (steel and packaging). We were able to hold the line on our basic figures for 2007 (along with prettty much everything else) but we don't know what it will look like that far down the road. However, the oil price will have no inpact on new vs. redeco or reissue....they use the same amount of plastic either way. We add reissues to the line to add variety while working within our tooling budget for the line.

With the announcement of the upcoming Darth Revan figure from the KOTR line of video games, there is an opportunity to have a figure, like ROTS Anakin #50, that could be two figures in one. One figure would wear the armor, mask, and cloak, while the other character, without giving away the ending, could be the actual jedi/sith character you play. How about it? (FFURG, 8/25/06) (http://www.ffurg.com/hasbroqa.htm)

That's a very interesting idea, but we were planning just a straight-up version of Revan. What you propose is an interesting twist on vidgames where you may start as one character but progress through the course of the game to become something very different.

A few customizers have made versions of the unique playable characters in the Battlefront video game series. Although there was one exclusive Scout Trooper for the first release, we'd love to see figures like the Rebel Sniper, Battledroid Sniper, 501st Jet Trooper, Arc Trooper Heavy Gunner, or AOTC Clone Jet Trooper be produced. In most cases, these figures could be repaints with new accurate weapons or accessories. This could be a repack internet exclusive through LucasArts or, even better, a Battlepack with copies of the games now that the price has come down. Is this even remotely a possibility or are we dreaming here? (FFURG, 8/25/06) (http://www.ffurg.com/hasbroqa.htm)

That is a very good idea and one we have been looking at with the immense success of BFII. However, while we're looking at it, there are no specific plans right now. It's on a short list of "wouldn't it be cool if." kind of ideas.

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Republic Gunship Gunner Pods— why not? (GH, 8/25/06) (http://www.galactichunter.com/absolutenm/templates/full_article_template_1.asp?articleid=5725&zoneid=2)

It's a pretty good idea for a future accessory.  We don't think it makes a compelling stand-alone item, though.  We'd probably do it as an update to the Gunship rather than the pods themselves…although the scale of the 3 ¾" Gunship does make it tough to do a large pod and look good. Defintely a much further-off kind of thing.

When a toy is canceled, what happens to it? Is the concept (assuming that it was developed enough) mothballed for future consideration? (GH, 8/25/06) (http://www.galactichunter.com/absolutenm/templates/full_article_template_1.asp?articleid=5725&zoneid=2)

It depends on the state of the concept.  Ideas rarely get mothballed completely.  For instance, nearly all basic figures that have been put aside for one reason or another have gotten back into the line - these are pretty safe products.  But the more complicated and expensive ones... there's less likelihood that they'll ever get made simply because the business situation behind their original creation probably hasn't gone away. One exception: The Ultimate Lightsaber.  This product had been at Hasbro - nearly complete - since 2002 when it was revived for Revenge of the Sith and became our key holiday driver and a big hit for us.  It needed the right timing - a big influx provided by interest in EpIII was the right market we needed to launch it.  We couldn't have done it in a typical non-movie year.

How does the team go about pitching & developing Battle Packs? How do they decide which figure gets a re-deco, which pieces can be "repurposed" or repainted to form a new piece, & what ties it all together? (GH, 8/25/06) (http://www.galactichunter.com/absolutenm/templates/full_article_template_1.asp?articleid=5725&zoneid=2)

Battle Packs start out by establishing the target: kid (mainline) or collector (exclusive), then we go from there.  Sometimes we have ideas we've been saving. This is especially true for the collector ones where there are a lot of "wouldn't it be cool if..." discussions.  For the kid targeted ones, we may look to a scene we can complete with existing figures (like the Arrest of Palpatine) or a compelling collection of figures with enough combat between them that it seems like a solid pack.  During the ideation, the design team often has ideas on updgrades or new deco that could be done to existing figures to make them fresh...often ideas they had been saving for the right opportunity.  The better battlepacks are the ones that are either grounded in a specific scene and have a nice group of strong characters, or where the theme (such as Mace Windu's Squadron) binds together the whole set in a very strong way.

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Remember the RotS Sneak Preview Astromech Droid (R4-G9)? That is one killer Astromech sculpt (I love the retractable leg feature) and fans were thrilled to see it re-used for the EntertainmentEarth Droid 5-Packs. Our question is, when are you going to give us that sculpt with R2-D2's paint scheme? (JD, 8/25/06) (http://www.jedidefender.com/newspro/fullnews.cgi?newsid1156530840,45518,)

We're glad you like it - it's a favorite of ours, too. You'll be seeing R2 in this sculpt in 2007.

Will 2007 see any basic figure sublines like the Ep3 Heroes & Villians and Greatest Battles Asst's? (JD, 8/25/06) (http://www.jedidefender.com/newspro/fullnews.cgi?newsid1156530840,45518,)

We don't have any plans right now for these lines. Both of those were created in response to a very large demand for basic figures. We are doing something a little different next year and getting ahead of the demand curve by providing support for the Saga through the first three months of 2007. The new waves that were shown at Comic Con will largely be available from late Nov through Spring. So in a way, we've already shown you what the new subline will be.... so more Saga.

The holster thigh-strap on the 2006 Garindan figure is a nice upgrade from previous figures that had the strap sculpted to the leg but not attached to the holster (example = VOTC Han, VTSC Endor Han). Is this something that could be standard now on all future Han Solo figures?[/b] (JD, 8/25/06) (http://www.jedidefender.com/newspro/fullnews.cgi?newsid1156530840,45518,)

We'll look into it - thanks for the feedback.

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Will we see a new version of the Mace Windu figure released thats on par (Articulation wise) with the Evolution of Anakin or the ROTS Obi-Wan pilot figures? (JI, 8/25/06) (http://jediinsider.com/index.php?catid=8&itemid=9753)

An improved Mace is coming early 2007 - with knee ankle, shoulder, and elbows. The only thing he won't have is ball and socket waist but he'll be a great figure. So….stay tuned!

Do you have any plans for a 'torn shirt' version of the upcoming Geonosis Padme' figure shown at SDCC? (JI, 8/25/06) (http://jediinsider.com/index.php?catid=8&itemid=9753)

Not in the near future, but it is a great idea for a figure that needs an update. It's on our "wish list" to do sometime.

Will we ever see Admiral Piett at any time in the future? (JI, 8/25/06) (http://jediinsider.com/index.php?catid=8&itemid=9753)

Not in the near future…but it's on our "wish list" to do sometime.

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Back to you favorite subjects.here something of a suggestion: You recently stated that you have 3 different Mock-ups of a Death Star playset in your offices. What if you turn those 3 in to modules & offer 1 at each of their major exclusive carriers, Target, Wal-Mart & TRU? It would drive traffic to all 3 retailers and finally give us addicts what we've been waiting almost 30 years for... (JTA, 8/25/06) (http://www.jeditemplearchives.com/content/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=2462)

This still doesn't solve the issue—there just isn't enough market interest from the combined collector/kid.

Can you tell us when we can expect to see the following Titanium vehicles and Die Cast Figures that were revealed at the SDCC to hit the shelves?

Vehicles: Anakin's Jedi Starfighter (Clone Wars), ARC-170 (Clone Wars Deco), AT-AT (Endor), AT-ST, AT-TE, Darth Vader's Sith Starfighter, Dewback with Sandtrooper, Grievous' Starship, Invisible Hand, Jedi Starfighter with Hyperdrive Ring, Naboo Star Skiff, Naboo Starfighter (Blue), Republic Gunship (Yellow nose markings), Sith Speeder with Darth Maul, Snowspeeder, Speeder Bike with Ewok, Swamp Speeder (with AT-RT Drivers), Tantive IV, X-Wing (Dagobah), X-Wing (Red 2), Y-Wing (Red Deco).

Die Cast Figures: Clone Captain (Ep. II), Luke Skywalker (Hoth Pilot), R2-D2 (Invisible Hand).
(JTA, 8/25/06) (http://www.jeditemplearchives.com/content/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=2462)

Late Fall to early Spring, for all of these.
 
Will HTS.com be carrying the last wave of 2006 basic figures that is slated as a Wal-Mart exclusive? (JTA, 8/25/06) (http://www.jeditemplearchives.com/content/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=2462)

They will not be. Update on the expected date for this wave is January on shelf at WM.

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The POTF2, POTJ and E1 lines all have 2 or 4 digit numbers that would increase every time a change is made to that card (i.e. .00 to .01).  Why was this practice stopped? (POTF2, 8/25/06) (http://www.potf2.com/potj/forums/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=10573)

We have a new system and change the PN (part #) when the artwork needs to change. This is why the UGH Vader insert has a new PM from the regular. Any time we make a change to the part, the number will change. Here's how it works. For the upcoming Galactic Marine figure, we have made one change already to correct the spelling of a word. This change was made AFTER the original went to film to go into production. Our design team caught the mistake in the proof stage, and we issued a new part # for the correction. If the factory can use the new PN without slipping dates, they will run the new part and skip the old one completely. If they are pressed to hit their initial dates and the new film isn't ready, they will run with the old (incorrect) part until the new one is ready. Such is the case with packaging, or deco revisions. If we can hit the dates, we will.

Why has the Canadian line remained intact and not been replaced just by throwing French stickers on American cards? (POTF2, 8/25/06) (http://www.potf2.com/potj/forums/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=10573)

We produce our basic figure cards already for the three biggest Star Wars collector countries (U.S., U.K., and Germany) and there are extra texts and symbols for these as a result. Adding French and legal marks for Canada would be too much for the packaging to support, and as a result, the Canadian team adapts their product as they determine the Canadian market requires it.

The Endor wave shipped with little black stickers on the bottom of the figures' bubble. What's the purpose of such stickers, and what do those four symbols actually mean on the bottom of the insert? (POTF2, 8/25/06) (http://www.potf2.com/potj/forums/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=10573)

It's possible that you got a different county's version of a card in the normal domestic run. The samples we've seen of Endor do not have any stickers. We develop our packaging to be able to go into the three biggest collector markets - the U.S., U.K., and Germany. The symbols on the insert are for consumer caution statements for the U.K. and Germany.

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Why do you keep re-tooling the TIE Fighter? First the engine detail, then the wings, and now you re-tooled the hatch! Why didn't you just re-tool the whole ship from scratch instead of doing chinese torture on collectors, where you re-tool bits and pieces of the TIE Fighter on every random release? A new cockpit interior and proper gunwells would be next on the horizon for the next 'new' release of the TIE Fighter of the future methinks? (RS, 8/25/06) (http://www.rebelscum.com/story/front/Hasbros_9th_STAR_WARS_QA_The_Answers_99716.asp)

The TIE releases are not "random" as you indicate. They are purposeful re-releases. It starts with our strategy of wanting to get an everyday priced $20 TIE fighter out there for kids and collectors in our Starfighter Vehicle Asst. We could have taken the existing version, but we wanted to make it new, rather than a straight repack. In addition to deco, we wanted to affect another aesthetic change to the hatch change. We didn't have a lot of tooling dollars to use (we were saving those for the new 2007 vehicles) but we could afford to update the hatch. This was a nice aesthetic change that we were able to execute.

As 2007 is the 30th anniversary of Star Wars, will we see a larger percent of Original Trilogy characters who have never been made before, compared to previous years? Characters like CZ-3, Hermi Oodle, Yarna Gargan, Tonnika Sisters, etc, would make great 30th anniversary presents! (RS, 8/25/06) (http://www.rebelscum.com/story/front/Hasbros_9th_STAR_WARS_QA_The_Answers_99716.asp)

Tough one to quantify, but I think that collectors will be very happy with the selection of new OT figures next year, including at least two that you mentioned.

Are there any plans to release some of the upcoming tin set figures individually carded for a later release? Several of the new or retooled unique figures from these sets are considered army builders (ANH Sandtrooper with removeable helmet, ESB Snowtrooper with removeable helmet, ROTJ Scout Trooper with removeable helmet and ROTJ Endor Rebel Soldier). I know that many fans and collectors would like to aquire multiples of these figures to add to their collections. Having them only available through the tin sets is a bit prohibitive. (RS, 8/25/06) (http://www.rebelscum.com/story/front/Hasbros_9th_STAR_WARS_QA_The_Answers_99716.asp)

There are no plans right now to release them down the road on individual cards. We do realize that there are some troop builders in there that in the future would be great to bring onto the 6x9 format, but we're planned far down the road with other figures.

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How come Hasbro hasn't made it out to Wizard World Chicago in three years? (ST, 8/25/06)* (http://www.sandtroopers.com/smf/index.php?topic=5183.180)

We would like to go to more shows, but the crushing reality is the amount time the marketing and R&D teams spend preparing for and attending the shows to do it up right. It's difficult to stay on top of the product line when we're out too much.  Multiply that by all of the brand teams across the Hasbro Boys group and it makes sense to focus on one great show every year plus the occasional extra mandatory convention like CIV.

Recently a report in the news stated there was a loss for Star Wars for Hasbro. Will this affect or change any plans to the current lines? (ST, 8/25/06)* (http://www.sandtroopers.com/smf/index.php?topic=5183.180)

The Star Wars line always comes down after the activity of a movie year. The key thing is how the line is doing versus expectations.... and the good news is the line is doing great and is exceeding all expectations so far this year.  Because of that there actually HAVE been changes: we have actually added some items like more basic figures, reintroduced battle packs, added the Galactic Heroes Cinema Scenes, and more.  This is on top of the new products already in the pipeline slated for the back half to keep both kids and collectors engaged in the brand.  How does all of this impact the future of Star Wars?  If the line keeps doing well, we'll keep looking for opportunities to introduce additional items over and above what we have originally planned.

Are any plans for a Playskool Galactic Heroes TIE Fighter vehicle to go along with the X-Wing Fighter vehicle currently out? (ST, 8/25/06)* (http://www.sandtroopers.com/smf/index.php?topic=5183.180)

There are no plans for Galactic Heroes vehicles for now.  The sales of Galactic Heroes, both to kid AND collector, have been way over on the figure side.  The vehicles we released last year struggled, even with the influx of kids into the market.  So.... what are kids doing with them?  Probably what a lot of their dads do...collect them.  That's why vehicles are a tough sell right now.  But we're passionate about the GH concept and we'll look for news ways to approach the play pattern, but they may or may not involve vehicles.

With the 30th anniversary next year, the majority of the figures released will be from A New Hope. Will these figures be new sculpts, or simply re-released figures from years past. Will there be more creatures/aliens from the Cantina made? (ST, 8/25/06)* (http://www.sandtroopers.com/smf/index.php?topic=5183.180)

We have not yet revealed anything of the 2007 lineup beyond the few EpIII figures we showed at Comic Con, and a few other hints.  It will celebrate all 6 films, Clone Wars, and the EU…. and will not be EpIV dominated as you indicate.  We have said that there WILL be a curved cantina bar end next year...that's all the hints we'll give, though.  For the rest of the lineup, you'll have to wait and see.

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Will the Halfire Droid and ATT vehicles for the 3-3/4" line come in Saga Collection packaging or in 30th Anniversary packaging, and when can we expect them in stores? (SWC, 8/25/06) (http://www.swcollector.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=4178#4178)

They will be coming in the 30th Anniversary line packaging and will be some of the first new products to feature the line look. You can expect to see them on shelves early November, if not sooner.

The 30th Anniversary Commemorative Tin sets shown at Comic-Con revealed the A NEW HOPE set will feature the Evolutions Darth Vader, but with the head of Hayden Christensen in REVENGE OF THE SITH underneath the removable helmet. With only four years taking place between ANH and RETURN OF THE JEDI, shouldn't the head still be the Sebastian Shaw one used on the Evolutions Darth Vader from 2005? (SWC, 8/25/06) (http://www.swcollector.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=4178#4178)

We were trying to add some freshness and variety to the figure for this set. With both Hayden and Shaw having different appearances, having both versions available allows collectors to choose the one they want as their iconic Vader.

With a new Han Solo in Stormtrooper Disguise coming out in the Expanded Universe comic book two-packs and rumors of a new Luke Skywalker in Stormtrooper Disguise also coming in that line, could we possibly see those figures released in movie-accurate paint decorations at some point? (SWC, 8/25/06) (http://www.swcollector.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=4178#4178)

At some point we will get to them in movie deco, but there is no timetable planned for their release on basic figure cards.

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The Target Exclusive Kit Fisto Jedi Starfighter appears to be a repaint of the EPISODE II Jedi Starfighter. The three Kit Fisto figures that have been issued to date(Episode II SAGA, Clone Wars, Revenge Of The Sith) will not fit in the EPISODE II Jedi Starfighter.  Will this new Kit Fisto fighter be modified to accomodate the Kit Fisto figures?  Or can we expect a smaller version of Kit Fisto that will fit within this vehicle? (TJ, 8/25/06) (http://www.thejawa.com/yabbse/index.php?topic=5900.msg55779#msg55779)

It's tight, but the Clone Wars (and upcoming Saga re-release) Fisto actually fits into the cockpit.  It's not the most comfortable fit, but we've done it and as such felt good about giving Kit a ride.

With the large number of figures in The Saga Collection (thank-you!), we're fast approaching a point where a '600th' figure could be released.  Are you planning anything special for that milestone? (TJ, 8/25/06) (http://www.thejawa.com/yabbse/index.php?topic=5900.msg55779#msg55779)

Ha - good question.  We'll talk about it, but we'll probably wait until the 750th to do something special.  Now if only the Boba had been the 250th, we could have had a logical progression of commemorative figures.

The newly posted picture of 'The Battle Above the Sarlacc' has stirred a frenzied interest in the Skiff.  When is Hasbro going to re-release it?!? (TJ, 8/25/06) (http://www.thejawa.com/yabbse/index.php?topic=5900.msg55779#msg55779)

It's a pretty specialized vehicle, & there are some more we'd like to do in front of it….but we should get to it in the next few years.

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Could we be seeing a super-articulated Mace Windu in the near future? There are a lot of fans that want him, so you would make a lot of fans happy by producing this figure! (YF, 8/25/06) (http://cgi.denpetersen.com/YAK1/viewtopic.php?t=659)

An improved Mace is coming early 2007 - with knee, ankle, shoulder, and elbows. The only thing he won't have is ball and socket waist but he'll be a great figure. So….stay tuned!

Will there be more Heroes and Villians/Greatest Battles figures this year? Next year maybe? (YF, 8/25/06) (http://cgi.denpetersen.com/YAK1/viewtopic.php?t=659)

We have no plans for more H&V figures beyond just this year.

Do you ever intend to realease figures like C3P0 Reveals with Anthony Daniel's head or Chewbacca Reveals with Peter Mayhew's head? (YF, 8/25/06) (http://cgi.denpetersen.com/YAK1/viewtopic.php?t=659)

Well that's an interesting idea, and one we've discussed with Lucasfilm. However, there are no plans to pursue this in the future….we are staying focused on the characters rather than the actors.

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The next time you have an exclusive(s) on www.hasbrotoyshop.com, will you be able to handle the traffic without the site shutting down or freezing up or never loading? It's pretty frustrating for those who tried to order and were not able to get what they wanted because the site was so bogged down. (YN, 8/25/06)

That was actually a server glitch during the 501st relist, not due to the traffic. The HasbroToyShop.com team assures us that they will be able to handle the volume when exclusives go on sale.

For years I have been wondering if Hasbro will ever like produce a behind the scenes documentary on how your toys are made, from the first stages of design to the final product and packing. Not only would it be great to see other lines, but more importantly the Star Wars line. Would the Hasbro Division ever consider this? (YN, 8/25/06)

We will be working with Toy Fare magazine on such a story, for the developmenet of the Darth Revan (Fans' Choice) figure. However, it will be a print piece, rather than a film. Stay tuned!

Next time you have Exclusives on HTS, can you have orders for say the Star Wars exclusive be at a different time than the Transformers exclusive? That made it twice as hard to get your order in? (YN, 8/25/06)

That's a good point and we'll pass that on to the HasbroToyShop team.

Week 10 - September 1, 2006

Recently, you said some of the figure rumor lists are inaccurate. Will you debunk one of those rumored-to-be-coming-soon figures that Hasbro actually does *not* plan to release in any format in the next 18 months (any figure rumor of your choice)? (AF, 9/01/06) (http://www.actionfigs.com/index.php?categoryid=12&p2_articleid=162)

We were referring to the "leaked" line lists that were circulated a couple months back. These were essentially a very early "wish list" line ist that was not finalized by us and Lucasfilm. As a result, the Yuuzhon Vhong figure is on there which a lot of collectors were excited about. We won't be doing this one next year, unfortunately, but it's high on our "future" wish list.

In the future, will translucent ghost & hologram figures only be the all-blue style, or will we see more like the fully-colored translucent 2004 Luke Hologram and Obi-Wan Spirit figures? (AF, 9/01/06) (http://www.actionfigs.com/index.php?categoryid=12&p2_articleid=162)

It depends on whether they are holo transmission figures (all blue) or Spirit figures. We want to keep a standard for the transmission figures, so they have compatability. (AF editor's note: the Luke Hologram figure we cited is not all-blue but was not being transmitted in the movie, R2 was projecting it from his internal memory banks.)

Are you planning on releasing any new Separatist Leader figures in 2007? (AF, 9/01/06) (http://www.actionfigs.com/index.php?categoryid=12&p2_articleid=162)

We'll be filling the "alien" slots with other figures next year. But fans of the Nemoidians (and other Separtists) neededn't worry…. we do have plans to rotate them into future lines. Of course, this is always subject to change.

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We've seen a couple of Star Wars pieces appropriated and recycled in the G.I. Joe line. The Geonosis Arena was tweaked to become Cobra Mountain in 2003. With playsets involving larger investments, has there been any thought given to re-imagining existing playsets? The Mustafar Battle playset from Revenge of the Sith could easily get a nice snow deco, and become a Wampa Cave or a Hoth Echo Base. Does it boil down to the big box and the lack of shelf real estate, or is it the overall cost in a hypothetical situation like that? (GH, 9/01/06) (http://www.galactichunter.com/absolutenm/templates/full_article_template_1.asp?articleid=5745&zoneid=2)

It's all of that.  Primarily it's a large, receptive audience (which goes beyond collectors and is driven partly by kids), followed by shelf space and the retail productivity for the large footprint that is needed, and then the unit sales expected for the retail price.

Two weeks ago it was mentioned that Hasbro has three concept Death Star playsets around the office. Are these ideas that are being currently (or recently) kicked around, or are they older concepts that have been rejected? How much collector support would it take to really get a substantial Death Star playset made? (GH, 9/01/06) (http://www.galactichunter.com/absolutenm/templates/full_article_template_1.asp?articleid=5745&zoneid=2)

They are older concepts from a couple years back.  Unfortunately, there is little chance this specific idea will happen as they are ambitous and expensive.  With the cost of plastics having increased even further, the idea of doing a large Death Star playset is even more prohibitive.

We often hear that Hasbro's Star Wars items are being marketed to kids and collectors. With kids still very much in the equation, where are the TV commercials (and viral video for the net generation) for the action figures and vehicles? The vintage-era TV commercials were instrumental in selling the line. (GH, 9/01/06) (http://www.galactichunter.com/absolutenm/templates/full_article_template_1.asp?articleid=5745&zoneid=2)

We have taken a different strategy toward advertising the line, which seems to have paid off.  However, the fan base is doing a great job of driving the viral video portion with the various stop-action fan clips that folks have done. Great stuff!

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Any chance of seeing a ‘battle damaged’ wing on Darth Vader's TIE fighter the next time it's re-released? It would be a nice change of pace from a straight repack. (JD, 9/01/06) (http://www.jedidefender.com/newspro/fullnews.cgi?newsid1157130730,47982,)

That is a good idea for the next time we bring the vehicle back for an encore. Right now we're going to run with the one we currently have for a while, but your suggestion is very good.

In a recent Q&A response, you said that the ball/socket articulation is somewhat expensive due to its design. Would you ever consider using a less expensive style of articulation to slip more poseability onto more figures? For example, simpler hinged knees instead of the more costly/complex ball jointed knee as a means of increasing poseability overall on Cantina figures (those Cantina guys need to sit after all ). (JD, 9/01/06) (http://www.jedidefender.com/newspro/fullnews.cgi?newsid1157130730,47982,)

It is not that the ball joints them selves are more expensive but that the more points of articulation / greater the number of parts, then the greater the cost associated with manufacturing them (i.e. more labor and increase in decoration expenses because there are more parts). Ball joints are slightly more expensive than say 45 deg elbows or straight pivoting articulation because the nylon pins are insert molded into the pvc parts (this means more parts, more labor, & slower production times).

The Unleashed Battle Pack Hoth Han Solo has a brown coat, as have many of the other recent Hoth Han collectibles. When the 2003 Saga figure was made there was a huge uproar over the canonical color of the coat, with Hasbro going so far as to release a blue AND a brown coat version. Can you settle the debate for us once and for all? Does Hasbro (via LFL) have definitive proof on the color of that dang coat? (It's brown, isn't it? Come on, you can tell us...) (JD, 9/01/06) (http://www.jedidefender.com/newspro/fullnews.cgi?newsid1157130730,47982,)

The answer is still split, believe it or not. When something like this grips the community, and both versions become canon, well it's just easier to agree to disagree. It also gives us alt deco possibilities for the future. ;)

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Will the Target exclusive Tie-Interceptor or Jabba Skiff be re-released any time in the next year? (JI, 9/01/06) (http://jediinsider.com/index.php?catid=8&itemid=9767)

It's still too early to tell what our exclusive lineup will be next year, but we'd rank the TIE as a higher-demand vehicle right now, if that helps.

Any plans for a VOTC Jango Fett figure? (JI, 9/01/06) (http://jediinsider.com/index.php?catid=8&itemid=9767)

Prequel Vintage is an interesting concept (if not an oxymoron) but we're not there yet…we'd like to continue to concentrate on classic Kenner figures that should be updated first. At some point we can see doing what you suggest, but it's not anytime in the near future.

Any plans to do something with Jedi Points, like to use for a mail-away figure? (JI, 9/01/06) (http://jediinsider.com/index.php?catid=8&itemid=9767)

We've discussed this, but it's still murky. We're not sure how many people were influenced to dicard their points after the eBay auction last year. These are the people who could become upset since they were led to believe that the points would be useless. So....what do you think is the reality? Did people toss them out or get rid of them, and would they be upset if we did something with them? Should we just start all over with fresh points, like we did with the Lucas Stormtrooper mail-in?

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Since the beginning of the modern collection of SW figures, there have been many changes due to advances in technology and, I assume, the pursuit for accuracy. One of those changes is in the arena of scale. At some point a few years ago, there was a somewhat abrupt shift in scale for the 3¾" figure line. Most noticeably, we began getting Leias that were much smaller than those released earlier and Chewbaccas that now towered over earlier versions of the same character figure. My question is, at what point and to what degree does scale become a factor in the sculpting of new figures? The recent Chief Chirpa figure seems dwarfed by most of the previously release ewok figures, even those released just a year or two ago. Does scale get occasionally compromised for detail or other considerations? Or, has the Hasbro team settled on a size upon which all future figures will be scaled? (RS, 9/01/06) (http://www.rebelscum.com/story/front/Hasbros_10th_STAR_WARS_QA_The_Answers_99864.asp)

You are correct. Along with new & improved tech, we are also constantly striving to improve the sculpted details / authenticity of the 3.75" figure line. Scale goes hand-in-hand with detail. Several years ago (roughly '99 -'00 time frame) we took another look at scale and realized we figures like Leia and Chewie could be done more accurately. Before this time we may have done a Leia slightly larger because we were concerned with perceived value. However, we have sense re-evaluated this philosophy because we feel there is just as much value in accuracy and we will sometimes compensate for smaller scales by adding additional extra value pieces.

Okay, it's not Star Wars related, but hey, we love all science fiction around here! Since you have the licence, and have done Titanium Series vehicles (and the upcoming Cylon figure), would you ever consider doing a line of Star Wars-scaled Battlestar Galactica action figures based on either the original or the new series like; Apollo, Starbuck, Adama, or a Cylon? (RS, 9/01/06) (http://www.rebelscum.com/story/front/Hasbros_10th_STAR_WARS_QA_The_Answers_99864.asp)

Scale is key to authenticity across the line but the only compromises to it may occur when a character is 8+ feet tall and may need to be scaled down to fit in package or possibly 2 feet tall and needs to be increased slightly to incorporate the articulation. At either end of the spectrum, we still incorporate as much detail as possible (of course, the larger the detail the easier it will be to recreate it).
Dan's Note: I'm thinking this answer may have been meant for someone else...I've already asked.

Have you stopped the Titanium Series Ultra line completely? If you have, may I ask why? I think fans would be more interested in larger capital ships, like about the same scale as the Ultra wave. Ships like the Venator-class Star Destroyer and the Invisible Hand would sell easy. And possibly unreleased ships like the action fleet Death Star and Star Destroyer? (RS, 9/01/06) (http://www.rebelscum.com/story/front/Hasbros_10th_STAR_WARS_QA_The_Answers_99864.asp)

We are discontinuing the Line as of Fall 2006. Unfortunately, sales have not met expectations for this size/scale.

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Does the Star Wars team still have interest in seeing every original Kenner vintage figure redone in the modern line in some way (be it basic figure or otherwise), such as: Sim Aloo, Warok, Lumat, human B-wing Pilot, Hoth Rebel Technician / Tauntaun wrangler, black Bespin Security Guard, Woof (vintage Klaatu with the sheepskin), etc.? If so, any specific timeline for them? (SSG, 9/01/06) (http://www.sirstevesguide.com/index.php?categoryid=13&p2_articleid=76)

It's not a stated goal for the next few years, but it will probably happen eventually more organically... i.e next time we do an Ewok, for instance, it could be an update on original figures. But we haven't just slotted all these into a future line.

Understanding that it's not currently possible for HasbroToyShop to offer a 1-of-every-figure subscription service, what about offering individual 1-of-every-figure-in-the-wave sets on the site when they come out, so a buyer can get all the unique figures in that wave at once without having to buy a full case with all its duplicates? Those duplicates could even be sold as individuals on HasbroToyShop. (SSG, 9/01/06) (http://www.sirstevesguide.com/index.php?categoryid=13&p2_articleid=76)

We're looking at ways to facilitate this, but there's no solution in place. It comes down to how many different versions of our basic figure waves we can produce and make sure wires don't get crossed at our warehouse level. The operational execution is critical... it would be bad to send these heavy collector-targted waves to mass retail, even if by accident. If we can solve that, we could probably so something like you suggest.

Now that we have a new definitive Biker Scout, can we expect to see a more accurate Original Trilogy speederbike soon? (SSG, 9/01/06) (http://www.sirstevesguide.com/index.php?categoryid=13&p2_articleid=76)

I think the previous Speeder Bike was pretty good. But there is always room for improvements. The real question then becomes, is it better to make an improved bike or a similar sized vehicle that has never been done before...

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With the unaltered Original Trilogy DVD releases coming on September 12th, could we be seeing a re-release of the Power of the Force "Flashback Photo" Anakin Skywalker figure, which was based on actor Sebastian Shaw as Anakin's Force Ghost at the end of the original cut of RETURN OF THE JEDI? If not, could we possibly see an all-new or retooled sculpt somewhere in the future of the 3-3/4" figure line? (SWC, 9/01/06) (http://www.swcollector.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=843)

That would be a cool nod to the original ghost of Anakin, Sebastian Shaw, but unfortunately we don't have this figure in the works. Perhaps down the road.

What is the reason for the pieces of black tape on the bottoms of each figure's package in the Endor wave? On some figures it is on the outside part of the clear plastic blister, and on other's it is directly applied to the bottom of the blister insert, over the picture of the lion's head inside the yellow triangle and the letters "CE." (SWC, 9/01/06) (http://www.swcollector.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=843)

We develop product to be able to go into the heavy collector markets - the U.S., U.K., and Germany with a "one size fits all" package approach. Sometimes, this means that the consumer caution statements needed for one country don't apply to all countries The rules are slightly different between the U.S. and European countries and that's where your seeing some of the products "caught" between the slightly different standards. Since we need to have consistent communication in the U.S. (i.e. not have a caution statement when there is none needed), we'll have to cover up the European warnings when the product is released in the U.S.

Will we ever see an accurate version of Emperor Palpatine/Darth Sidious as he appeared in REVENGE OF THE SITH while dueling Yoda? The version from the "Skirmish in the Senate" Battle Pack had the all-black costume he wore in scenes on Mustafar, in the Imperial Medical Chamber, and on the Star Destroyer bridge, while the costume he wore while dueling Yoda was the one from Hasbro's 12-inch "Darth Sidious" figure and the Unleashed "Palpatine vs. Yoda." (SWC, 9/01/06) (http://www.swcollector.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=843)

We don't have a new ROTS Sidious slated for the foreseeable future, but that would be a good update. Thanks for the comment.

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Has Hasbro ever planned a figure that Lucasfilm vetoed, or has Lucasfilm ever especially recommended a figure? (TJ, 9/01/06) (http://www.thejawa.com/yabbse/index.php?topic=5900.msg55915#msg55915)

All the time. There is a lot of collaborative give-and-take when we are designing a year of figures (or isolated exclusives).  Typically we'll go through several versions of a line plan, settling first on the versions of core characters which are usually uncontested, and then working our way to approval on collector-targeted figures.  It's here that folks (with at Hasbro and Lucasfilm) have favorites or may not care for a figure, and there is back and forth to settle on the line that everyone is comfortable with.  The challenge is that there are many great collector-targeted figures and only so many slots to fit them in, and we want to get the right balance.  This is also where early line plans that are "leaked" out to the public can be misleading. It's unfortunate, but the current line plan that you guys have has examples of these early "wishful thinking" figures on there....an early line plan that was revised later before becoming final.  Some collector figures on there will not be in the actual 2007 line.  The good thing is that we take the ideas and push them off for later use....a good figure will come back into the next year's plan, for example.

The Unleashed line has a tremendous fanbase among collectors.  We know that Hasbro has stated that the line is very expensive to design and tool, but has consideration been given to marketing this line specifically towards collector shops where this kind of stylized figure thrives? (TJ, 9/01/06) (http://www.thejawa.com/yabbse/index.php?topic=5900.msg55915#msg55915)

When the line was a "mainline" item (open to all retailers), the collector shops were free to order what they could sell.  However, this still didn't help get the sales volumes where they need to be.  If your question is about specifcially making this a product for the collector shop channel, we are not pursuing that idea.  We need to make it work on a mass level first and foremost because the volumes we need are higher than the collector channel can support.

We've been getting a number of figures in the Basic Figure and Vintage lines with softgoods, and the quality of softgoods offerings has gotten much better over the past year.  What are the determining factors in deciding whether or not a figure should get softgoods accessories, and what was changed to improve the quality of the softgoods materials? (TJ, 9/01/06) (http://www.thejawa.com/yabbse/index.php?topic=5900.msg55915#msg55915)

Thanks for noticing the improvements to our softgoods. We have tried very hard to get them to a level that meets both collectors and our standards. Because of the small nature of 3-3/4". it's really hard to consistently get great results but we like the results we've been getting.  Softgoods allows us to reinvent characters in fresh, new, and exciting  ways that may have previously never been done before. We typically consider softgoods in cases that will enhance a figures value / performance (i.e. when it will let us achieve a higher / better degree of articulation). In some cases, it's finding the right fabric to drape correctly that makes the difference.   The characters aesthetic details, as well as cost, (Softgoods are very labor intensive, making them costly) will also factor into the equation.

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The Galactic Hunt Obi-Wan and the Evolutions Anakin are amazing sculpts. Also some of the Episode III sculpts including Ki Adi Mundi and Kit Fisto are fantastic. When will we see some more of these "super articulated" Jedi scupts?  A Qui-Gon Jinn akin to the Anakin and Obi-Wan previously mentioned would be very exciting to fans, as would any other SA type Jedi, including Adi Gallia, Eeth Koth, and Bariss Offee.  Also, is the upcoming Yarrel Poof figure an improved sculpt over the Jedi Council figure? (YF, 9/01/06) (http://cgi.denpetersen.com/YAK1/viewtopic.php?t=687)

Thanks for the comment. We do have some of the other Jedi that we want to do in an updated, super-articulated manner, and Qui-Gon is going to get that treatment sometime in 2007. Other that you mention will be updated, but not next year….they are slated for further out figures. Yarael Poof is the same figure as the Jedi Council version, with a lightsaber this time.

Has Hasbro ever considered releasing an iconic vehicle like the X-Wing with several different sticker sheets included so the consumer can decorate it to be like Luke's, Wedge's, or other pilots' X-Wings? It seems like kids would buy the item since it is a recognizable vehicle and collectors might buy multiple to decorate them in different ways. (YF, 9/01/06) (http://cgi.denpetersen.com/YAK1/viewtopic.php?t=687)

This is an interesting idea. We'll look at it in the context of our vehicle program.

With the elimination of stands for the upcoming SW30 figures, will stands be made available in packs on the official Star Wars or Hasbro shop websites? (YF, 9/01/06) (http://cgi.denpetersen.com/YAK1/viewtopic.php?t=687)

The answer is…Yes. They will be available sometime in 2007, although not right away.
Title: Re: The Categorized (and Chronological!) Hasbro Q & A Archive
Post by: Matt on September 19, 2006, 01:13 PM
Week 11 - September 19, 2006

After hearing news on both super articulated versions of Mace Windu and Qui-Gon Jinn, what are the chances of seeing a super articulated version of Luke Skywalker in his Death Star II costume? We now know this Luke was among the top 25 in the Fan Choice poll results but not the winner, yet this iconic version of Luke from the last half of ROTJ has long deserved a high-quality figure, and it'd even have several additional applications (such as a removable vest, and removable Endor helmet & poncho), so when can fans expect to see this? (AF, 9/19/06) (http://www.actionfigs.com/index.php?categoryid=12&p2_articleid=162)

You will have to wait and see if a new Luke is part of the line next year.

Will Hasbro ever produce a figure of the "Imperial Trooper in space" at the Death Star trench's guns watching as the Millennium Falcon is being tractored in? This is different from the EU Spacetrooper. (AF, 9/19/06) (http://www.actionfigs.com/index.php?categoryid=12&p2_articleid=162)

We'll take a look at him. It would not be for some time if we did do a figure, though. Thanks for the suggestion.

Why does Hasbro think the Titanium Series 6" Ultra Vehicle line failed? Was it the pricepoint, the early offerings, general fan disinterest, etc.? (AF, 9/19/06) (http://www.actionfigs.com/index.php?categoryid=12&p2_articleid=162)

There are probably two main reasons - the lack of differentiation from the lower-priced Titanium vehicles, and the limited scope of the offerings initially available which did not convery the sense of collectibility for the segment.

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Since you have stated a desire to see original Kenner figures reproduced in the Vintage Original Trilogy collection, will we be getting the "Death Squad Commander" (aka Death Star Commander) soon to finish off our collection based on the original twelve figures? If playability is an issue, you can always do the cap/helmet trick with him ala the recent General Veers or the 12" figure - that way kids will have two options when it comes to play and collectors will have twice as many reason to buy multiples! (AFI, 9/19/06) (http://www.actionfigureinsider.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?p=41647&highlight=#41647)

Well that's an interesting one, isn't it? The challenge with that one is finding a way to make a body substantially better than the one we have in Saga, and we really like that one right now. Until we have a solution for this one, he'll be lower on the pecking order. But we agree that he stands out as one of the original 12 that should be done at some point to "close" the original 12 (along with a Jawa...which will NOT be out in 2007).

Did the amount of EU characters in the Fans' Choice poll surprise you? Did this affect your 2007 (or 2008) plans? (AFI, 9/19/06) (http://www.actionfigureinsider.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?p=41647&highlight=#41647)

"Yes" to the questions. What surprised us actually was the diversity and strength of support for some of the EU characters. The strong comic character following was expected, but the strength of the game choices especially was more than we thought we'd see. It's not surprising given the success of the great crop of SW videogames (and exciting characters and storylines) from LucasArts. This in turn is great for our long-term program of producing the most exciting characters from Star Wars universe on the whole, including films, games, comics, novels, and the like.

How many waves for 2007? You said there would be a Concept Art figure in the first 8, but will there be more than 8 waves? (AFI, 9/19/06) (http://www.actionfigureinsider.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?p=41647&highlight=#41647)

There will be nine waves total, with a McQ figure for each of the first 8 waves (including the reissue Stormtrooper in Wave 1).

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Almost annually (I think they skipped a year or two) warehouse clubs like Costco have offered a really nice, value-priced, value-added Star Wars toy set for their membership to purchase. Is there anything in the works for this year, and, if so, can we get any details? (Side note: I'm asking because we often don't find out about these sets until it's too late, and they're sold out. So please, any advance warning will help.) (GH, 9/19/06) (http://www.galactichunter.com/absolutenm/templates/full_article_template_1.asp?articleid=5810&zoneid=2)

Yes - there are two this year.  Both will be at Costco.  One is a 2-Pack of Electronic Lightsabers with 2 pack-in 3-3/4" figures (no redeco, straight repack).  The other set will be the "Star Wars Tater Trio Set" which comes with all three Star Wars spuds in a cool new giant-size Darth Tater outer package that serves as a container.  Look for those in about a month.

Have we seen the last of the Holiday Edition action figures? Was the Vader the end for that series? (GH, 9/19/06) (http://www.galactichunter.com/absolutenm/templates/full_article_template_1.asp?articleid=5810&zoneid=2)

I doubt it will be the last…but we will not have a Christmas-themed figure next year at least.

Hasbro Q&A revealed a few weeks ago that the 2007 line has been "put to bed". Is the team hard at work on Clone Wars 3D toys, or do they get some downtime before that ramps up? (GH, 9/19/06) (http://www.galactichunter.com/absolutenm/templates/full_article_template_1.asp?articleid=5810&zoneid=2)

"Put to bed" means that the ideation is done & locked up, but execution is far from done for the back-half.  At any time we are working on parts of 2 years worth of product in differing stages… fine tuning Spring '07, input drawing & sculpting for Fall '07, & strategic direction & line planning for '08.  As a reward for their hard work, we have given our team this Friday afternoon off as down time (Note: Hasbro has year-round half-day Fridays, but the R&D team hasn't been officially informed yet...).

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Can you give us details on which sculpt was used for Saga-064 Commander Appo? And on the topic of sculpts, it appears that the Saga-069 Combat Engineer Trooper re-uses the ROTS Evolution Clone Trooper sculpt. Does that mean he has a removable helmet? (JD, 9/19/06) (http://www.jedidefender.com/newspro/fullnews.cgi?newsid1158676228,25932,)

Appo is based on the super-articulated Clone with the pauldron from the Evolutions pack. The Combat Engineer is based on the Evolutions figure and will have a removable helmet.

When looking at main character re-sculpts, what's the criteria for choosing any given version of a main character out on the market? For example, why choose Tatooine Luke over Throne Room Duel Luke or Bespin Han over Hoth Han, etc? (JD, 9/19/06) (http://www.jedidefender.com/newspro/fullnews.cgi?newsid1158676228,25932,)

We choose a character that we think best matches the wave that we are crafting, and then decide on how to make that figure new depending on the last version we did. Sometimes it's also based on the desire to update a certain figure, and we can build a wave out around that figure if there are enough other figures from that scene to do.

After 100+ basic figures in the 2006 line (75 Saga, 13 Hero & Villains, 14 Greatest Battles), a lot of collectors are feeling the budget pinch trying to keep up. Can you give us a ball-park estimate for the number of basic figures you are planning for 2007 so we can start planning our 2007 budgets now? (JD, 9/19/06) (http://www.jedidefender.com/newspro/fullnews.cgi?newsid1158676228,25932,)

Well, you bring up an interesting point.  We consider the loose, completist figure collector first & foremost when we decide how many figures we are going to do in the basic figure line.  That is why the 26 "EpIII Greatest Hits" figures from this year, along with the UGH figures, were straight repacks so the loose collector could concentrate on the manageable core of the line.  We are going with the 60 basic figures as such (plus the EU 2-packs) for the new figure offerings in '07.  As for packaging collectors, well....this is the inherent complication.  As demand for the line remains very high, we seek to find solutions for the market, especially in kid-appealing figures, that will satisfy overall demand for more figures & help us ensure that we have the best overall mix at retail.  Without introducing additional items like Greatest Hits this year, our need to keep up with demand would cause us to release even more collector figures (like Poggle, Lushros) or cause us to pull them out of the Saga asst completely for whole waves at a time which is not ideal either for the core collector.  We are not trying to build as much product as the carded collector can absorb - we are very sensitive about keeping our collectors bases (loose and carded) engaged in the brand & that means striking the balance.  But when demand continues to be very high, carded collectors do feel the pinch largely due to the success of the line and the necessity of finding additional solutions to a what is otherwise a nice problem to have.

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Any chance of seeing a Yarna figure in 2007? (JI, 9/19/06) (http://jediinsider.com/index.php?catid=8&itemid=9805)

We can't address any more specific character questions for the line next year. You'll have to wait and see...

With the recent release of the AT-AT, is there any chance of seeing a AT-TE ever being made? (JI, 9/19/06) (http://jediinsider.com/index.php?catid=8&itemid=9805)

It's a cool vehicle, but the cost to produce would be very large. It's on our wish list. If it's featured in the animation, we will consider it.

Any plans for a VOTC Bespin Luke or Han Solo figure in 2007? (JI, 9/19/06) (http://jediinsider.com/index.php?catid=8&itemid=9805)

We can't address any more specific character questions for the line next year. You'll have to wait and see...

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Can you shed any light on the Lethal Alliance line of toys, recently hinted at in the Wall Street Journal? Will they be a subline all its own, or a part of The 30th Anniversary Collection? (RS, 9/19/06) (http://www.rebelscum.com/story/front/Hasbros_11th_STAR_WARS_QA_The_Answers_99997.asp)

Lethal Alliance is the new PSP game launching in December from Ubisoft. We do not have any plans regarding this game right now.

Why was the POTF2 Millennium Minted Coins series from 1998 so named? Was it in relation to the Millennium Falcon, or was it in relation to the Y2K Millennium fever? (RS, 9/19/06) (http://www.rebelscum.com/story/front/Hasbros_11th_STAR_WARS_QA_The_Answers_99997.asp)

The latter.

I understand with the main characters, for example Death Star II Luke Skywalker from ROTJ, you have a lot of reference material to work from in making a new figure: the films, photos, etc. There's plenty of resources to use for main characters.

But what do you do when there's little or no reference material for a minor character? For example, Sgt. Doallyn from Jabba's Palace...how would you make this character? Does Lucasfilm have reference materials for such a minor character, or would you use your own creative designs? What do you do when their are limited resources?
(RS, 9/19/06) (http://www.rebelscum.com/story/front/Hasbros_11th_STAR_WARS_QA_The_Answers_99997.asp)

Sometimes there is more than you would think for reference from costume shots and other stills. Practically everything from the prequel trilogies is well-documented, for example. It gets tricker for the OTC, especially EpIV. Many of the Cantina figures, for example, do not have complete body reference but that hasn't stopped us! In these more extreme examples of needing to "fill in the blanks", our design team will come up with a proposed solution for the rest of the figure that is submitted to Lucasfilm. After one (or more) rounds of comments, that character design then becomes canon for that figure or species.

Okay, it's not Star Wars related, but hey, we love all science fiction around here! Since you have the licence, and have done Titanium Series vehicles (and the upcoming Cylon figure), would you ever consider doing a line of Star Wars-scaled Battlestar Galactica action figures based on either the original or the new series like; Apollo, Starbuck, Adama, or a Cylon? (RS, 9/19/06) (http://www.rebelscum.com/story/front/Hasbros_11th_STAR_WARS_QA_The_Answers_99997.asp)

We do have the license to do originals, and we are looking at that. We have no announcements yet, though.

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When the Action Fleet line was cancelled the second time (under the 2002-2003 Saga line), one of the comments that kept coming up in the discussion with Hasbro about it was the future of the molds that were almost to production but halted, and how molds are a very significant portion of the toy's cost and have specific budgets that they are expected to make back in order for Hasbro to consider them worth doing in the first place; the Action Fleet line had several molds that were nearing production and many others that were more than halfway finished but were cancelled and shelved before release rather than risk not making their money back. Shouldn't those molds nearing or at fruition at least be run to recoup some of their budgets in partial sales, how can a mold that's already spent most of the budget be more cost-effective to make zero sales than 50% of its expected sales (isn't that still making half its money back versus making none of its money back)? (SSG, 9/19/06) (http://www.sirstevesguide.com/index.php?categoryid=13&p2_articleid=76)

We base our line plan around product concepts we believe will have the highest audience following and in support of a strategic direction for the line (like the 3-3/4" world of play). As cool as Action Fleet was, it really tailed off and we have moved in a different direction with vehicles (Titanium). That's why even though there was development work for additional Action Fleet vehicles, we are not interested in pursuing those right now. We know there is a collector following for the brand, which is great, but do not have plans for these or the rest of the Action Fleet library right now.

Hasbro was recently quoted as saying that whenever you make a new General Grievous figure it will be correctly scaled, will we be getting a new Grievous figure next year in the 30th Anniversary Collection? (SSG, 9/19/06) (http://www.sirstevesguide.com/index.php?categoryid=13&p2_articleid=76)

We can't address any more specific character questions for the line next year. You'll have to wait and see...

Hasbro has a minimum sales requirement/expectation in mind for each line and even each item within it - often with a timeline attached - which seems to always be geared towards mainstream mass retail audiences, lines such as Action Fleet and Unleashed and Titanium Series 6" Ultra Vehicles often suffer because they either don't meet these requirements, or like the Titanium Ultras even when they do sell they don't sell fast enough for Hasbro's requirements - many of these lines being collector favorites, and some actually get better products as later waves come out. None of the other SW licensees seem to have sales expectations as high as Hasbro's - with the possible exception of LEGO, and even there they vary their expectations wildly between mainstream casual buyers and the hardcore collector base – yet those others continue to produce their SW lines even when it means lower volume sales. What is the difference between Hasbro and those other licensees in this regard, why does Hasbro need to have higher volumes, why are Hasbro's expectations higher or for faster sell-throughs or overly-focused on mainstream audiences which can lead to premature demises of some popular and quality Hasbro SW lines? (SSG, 9/19/06) (http://www.sirstevesguide.com/index.php?categoryid=13&p2_articleid=76)

What you are talking about is the difference between a large toy company with a retail-based business model and a smaller company that has succeeded in creating a different business model. The "boys aisle" space at major retailers is intensely compeitive with a high standard for productivity in a relatively small amount of real estate. If a product line does not meet our - or retailer - expectations, it struggles and the future for that line is in doubt no matter how much we like it or how passionate the fans for that line may be. What fans have to realize is that even though they love something, a line that is struggling does not have as widespread support among fans and that is tough to appreciate without understanding the larger retail landscape and the performance of each line. This is exactly why we chose to partner with Sideshow on the 12" line. We knew that we struggle at retail with 12", but a small company that focuses a great deal of their efforts around this category can excel because they have a very different business model than we have.

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We often see Hasbro is trying to offer some kind of value added pack-in with the Basic Figure line.  In the past 18 months we've gotten stands and the mini-holograms and we're now expecting coins in the 30th anniversary collection.  What goes into choosing this kind of pack-in, and has Hasbro given serious consideration to abandoning the concept to bring Basic Figure prices down? (TJ, 9/19/06) (http://www.thejawa.com/yabbse/index.php?topic=5900.msg56094#msg56094)

We do not set retail pricing - that is entirely dependant on the retailer.  The pack-in has little to do with retail price in any case, and it's inclusion or exclusion does not change our pricing structure.  The principal components are and have always been the figure itself and the packaging.  With the small amount we have to work with we have elected, in the case of this year and next, to include these bonuses as extra values over the course of the year.  In the case of the coins, they are a collectible segment in their own right and kids and colelctors will have a fun time collecting them as a parallel to the basic figures.
 
We've heard on many occasions that Hasbro is always trying very hard to make sure that everyone who wants a figure or a toy can get that item.  But then collectors are presented with the WalMart exclusive wave of Basic Figures and the situation is somewhat different. Obviously these basic figures will be available at WalMart stores, but is Hasbro actively pressing WalMart to offer these figures online through Walmart.com as well? (TJ, 9/19/06) (http://www.thejawa.com/yabbse/index.php?topic=5900.msg56094#msg56094)

We are discussing this, thanks for the suggestion.
 
Any chance we'll see new vehicles in the Galactic Heroes line?  The figures are great, but we really need a TIE Fighter, and re-releasing the X-Wing, even the dune buggy variety, can't tell the whole story on how a new ship would sell. (TJ, 9/19/06) (http://www.thejawa.com/yabbse/index.php?topic=5900.msg56094#msg56094)

Galactic Heroes certainly has captivated both kids and collectors, and we think there is a vehicle opportunity, but we have not figured out yet the exact solution. It's a longer-term initiative in any case. Stay tuned!

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Will we ever see a Commander Neyo clone figure? If so, when? (YF, 9/19/06) (http://cgi.denpetersen.com/YAK1/viewtopic.php?t=773)

We can't address any more specific character questions for the line next year.  You'll have to wait and see...

Any chance of a Galactic Heroes carry case? My son has a ton of these and hauls them everywhere. (YF, 9/19/06) (http://cgi.denpetersen.com/YAK1/viewtopic.php?t=773)

That is a good point and while we don't have a specific solution in mind yet, we are looking at options. It will not be next year in any case.

Does Hasbro have any future plans to make more waves of the animated CW figures. There are still more figures to be made. Also any plans to go outside the CW era and animate other figures (a la Gentle Giant)? (YF, 9/19/06) (http://cgi.denpetersen.com/YAK1/viewtopic.php?t=773)

We do not have plans to produce more Clone Wars animated-style figures at this time.

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Though I am thrilled with the accuracy and detail (removable knife) of the new Chief Chirpa figure, being a long-time ewok fan, I have a few questions. Why not make his lizard advisor toy? What do we do now with all our other larger ewok toys? Will they be re-made as smaller, more accurate figures? And last, what ewok plans are there for the 30th anniversary collection? (YN, 9/19/06)

We can't specifcally comment on any upcoming Ewoks, but we have gone on record as saying there are Ewoks planned for next year. The new ones will be correctly scaled as Chirpa was. However, this does not, in ouropinion, make older Ewoks any less valid given their time and place in the line. In fact, one of our team has every Ewok, Kenner and modern, grouped together on a shelf at home - and they all look great together.

We will be seeing any wholesale club exclusives this year? If so, where and when? (YN, 9/19/06)

Yes - there are two this year. Both will be at Costco.

One is a 2-pack of Electronic Lightsabers with 2 pack-in 3-3/4" figures (no redeco, straight repack). The other set will be the "Star Wars Tater Trio Set" which comes with all three Star Wars spuds in a cool new giant-size Darth Tater outer package that serves as a container. Look for those in about a month.


Does your Battlestar Galactica license cover both the new and the old series and does it extend to figures or just vehicles? (YN, 9/19/06)

We do have the license to do originals for both segments, & we are looking at that. We have no announcements yet, though.

Week 12 - September 22, 2006

With Hasbro concentrating on mid-sized vehicles, will we ever see an AT-ST with more accurate details, ie: opening eye windows? (AF, 9/22/06) (http://www.actionfigs.com/index.php?categoryid=12&p2_articleid=162)

That is high on our list, but there is no specific time planned for it. It's almost a certaintly slated for an update like that some time.

You recently talked about the extra expense of hinged knees in action figures due to having to use nylon pins riveted through the parts. Why can't you just use a rivetless design and snap them into place the way you do with some of the Transformers line's hinges? If it's a choke-concern, most of the figures come with choke-hazard warnings anyway. (AF, 9/22/06) (http://www.actionfigs.com/index.php?categoryid=12&p2_articleid=162)

Our hinged knees actually do not have a rivet. In any case, the process we currently use is the less expensive compared to your sguesstion and results in (we feel) a better aesthetic. (AF editor's note: our question mistakenly used the term "rivet" as the manufacturing process, but none the less the question is still about the use of nylon pins - which Hasbro does employ in some figures' knee articulation - not rivets.)

When will Hasbro make a new sculpt of the Dewback? There's no reason why it couldn't be done to scale with the 3.75" figures and be the ultimate version. (AF, 9/22/06) (http://www.actionfigs.com/index.php?categoryid=12&p2_articleid=162)

Good comment. It's one of those things where we need to balance the priorities of the line vs the great ideas available to fill them. We don't know when it will happen, but we will do a new Dewback sometime.

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Moff Jerjerrod from the 2006 Saga Collection had, shall we say, an interesting face (fairly angry) and a wide leg stance. The character in the film didn't do much but stand around and take a lot of flak from Vader, but his figure looks like he's ready to dish out trouble. Was this figure's sculpt an attempt to make it a more interesting looking character on the pegs or was it just artistic license from the sculptors/designers? (JD, 9/22/06) (http://www.jedidefender.com/newspro/fullnews.cgi?newsid1158957874,48773,)

Both really. We didn't want to give him a blank expression, & we thought an "in action" direction was more interesting for him.

The Droideka is a figure that fans have always wanted to see in a "collapsible" form, one that is able to fold up into a ball shape. With the skill put into the Star Wars Transformers designs, I imagine a folding Destroyer Droid is now possible on some level in the 3.75" line. Are you guys considering giving it a try, maybe in the Titanium Series figure line (like those transforming Titanium Transformers you've got out now)? (JD, 9/22/06) (http://www.jedidefender.com/newspro/fullnews.cgi?newsid1158957874,48773,)

We looked at making it transform and collapse, but with the spindly small parts it didn't result in a satisying figure. But we'll continue to explore it.

At Comic-Con, you mentioned that each of the 2007 waves 1-8 will have a McQuarrie concept figure. Are these concept figures just limited to designs from Star Wars (Episode 4 aka A New Hope) or will there be a chance at a McQuarrie design from The Empire Strikes Back or Return of the Jedi as well? (JD, 9/22/06) (http://www.jedidefender.com/newspro/fullnews.cgi?newsid1158957874,48773,)

While most will be from EpIV, some will go beyond. We'll be releasing specifics as each wave gets closer to shelf.

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Would you consider the mail-away premium George Lucas figure a successful campaign? What are the plans (if any) for future mail-away exclusive items? Any plans on venturing outside the action figure arena and maybe offering something like display stands or other unique accessories like we saw during the vintage days? (JTA, 9/22/06) (http://jeditemplearchives.com/content/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=2540)

We like the idea of continuing to do promotions. The GWL Stormtrooper promo was certainly a success in showing retailers that we have ideas that get collectors excited and drive traffic to retail, and sell-through was very good overall. Retailers look forward to the next wave next year. There were two key learnings, though, that can inform our future plans:
  1) What did not succeed, and this is something we have to constantly work on, was the requirements for the redemption. We should have anticipated that Scout Troopers (and to a lesser extent Lukes and Tuskens) would be heavily picked regionally and disrupt the redemption model;
  2) It was something of a surprise, but the number of actual redemptions was smaller than we thought compared to the number of sets sold through. A lot of collectors have apparently chosen to keep their clamshells sealed, which means the number of GWL figures in circulation is going to be less than we originally anticipated and built for. This, though, is an unfortunate byproduct of having to heat-seal the clamshell to prevent theft of the stickers. So...despite all of that, we do plan another promotion next year and hopefully it will be smooth with tweaks from our learnings.


Will the distribution of the Caucasian and African American Endor Rebel Trooper be a running change and have they been produced in equal numbers? (JTA, 9/22/06) (http://jeditemplearchives.com/content/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=2540)

They will be produced in equel numbers, and it will be as a running change.
 
We saw some images of the Han Solo / Chewbacca Transformer with gold Titanium pack-ins a while back. Can you give us information on when and where that will be sold? (JTA, 9/22/06) (http://jeditemplearchives.com/content/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=2540)

This is a Wal-Mart exclusive product available in limited numbers (compared to the main run). It will be on shelf Nov. 1.

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What does Hasbro think the current number of "collectors" versus "casual buyers" (kids, and parents who buy for them) are in Hasbro's Star Wars line? (SSG, 9/22/06) (http://www.sirstevesguide.com/index.php?categoryid=13&p2_articleid=76)

We don't release numbers for our kid or collector bases, but the number of kids actively engaged in Star Wars right now is VERY high. Our challenge is to plan for some of this audience to diminish over time, but we still need to keep a solid mix of heroes and collector-targeted figures to keep kids engaged. We also acknowledge that some kids will behave like collectors and buy very deeply (if not completely) into the line, but for the most part the "kids" we're talking about are the ones who will get a few vehicles and ten or so main figures over the course of the year to continue their involvement in Star Wars. There are a large number of these kids and we keep them in mind when we design waves and greatest hits.

Star Wars collecting has always had heavy interest in its vehicles, the figures are 3.75" tall because that size would best allow action figures to interact with toy versions of the vehicles (a Millennium Falcon for 6" figures would be the size of a sofa, way too big). Lewis Galoob Toys made its mark on Star Wars with 2 major lines: Micro Machines and Action Fleet, both were vehicles supplimented by little mini-figures, and in their heyday Galoob was the 3rd-largest toymaker behind Hasbro but ahead of LEGO (all Star Wars licensees, perhaps not a coincidence?). In late 1998, Hasbro bought Galoob and within a couple years cancelled all the Micro Machines Star Wars lines (Micro Machines, Die-Cast, and Action Fleet), effectively ending consumers' access to Star Wars vehicle toys - many of which could never have been done in the 3.75" line. Hasbro has made several attempts to rejuvenate these Micro Machines concepts, often with sub-par results, but so far the only attempt that has not failed is the Titanium Series 3" vehicle line (which admittedly deserves many accolades, and its future appears to be getting even brighter); Micro Machines vehicles have not been re-attempted at all, while several Action Fleet relaunch attempts have lacked vehicle features and mini-figures resulting in slow sales - both the Saga Action Fleet and Titanium Series 6" Ultra Vehicles started slow with weak entries and higher prices only to pick up steam and fans right as the lines were cancelled. Star Wars collecting again lacks access to those sizes of vehicles, with that in mind, why did Hasbro buy Galoob toys if that company's main line did not meet Hasbro's sales expectations and its core lines were cast aside? (SSG, 9/22/06) (http://www.sirstevesguide.com/index.php?categoryid=13&p2_articleid=76)

At the time of the purchase, the micro vehicle category was certainly very robust (I recall the days when it occupied almost an entire WALL in the Toys 'R Us planogram!) and was a very popular kid play pattern. However, the micro scale crashed and crashed hard, leaving the collector following as kids moved on to other things. Aside from the robust Titanium line, the the micro efforts you mention have been relegated to the occasional exclusive which never really gives the segment the ability to gain traction and build into something bigger. With the focus on Titanium for the vehicle extension, and with 3-3/4", Galactic Heroes, and Unleashed 2" for the figure expression of the brand, it's unlikely that we are going to try and fit in micro even though we know there is a following for it. So I'm afraid there isn't better news on the micro front.... right now, there just isn't the opportunity nor strategic focus to purse for Star Wars.

Will Hasbro consider making more "clean" army builders such as the ARC trooper, Sandtrooper, Republic Commando, Clone Commander, Galactic Marine, Airborne Trooper, etc., in an army building white color scheme, e.g. no color markings or non-removable pauldrons? (SSG, 9/22/06) (http://www.sirstevesguide.com/index.php?categoryid=13&p2_articleid=76)

That is a good comment. Right now, we do not have plans to go back to those figures in the near future, but if we do those are good suggestions for making them different and desireable as troop builders.

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Can we once again look forward to Army Builder 4-packs?  With so many new Clone versions, new sculpts on old favorites (Sandtroopers!), Are there plans to bring this concept back? (ST, 9/22/06)* (http://www.sandtroopers.com/smf/index.php?topic=5183.msg84994)

The modern Battlepack series has taken the place of this concept.  We may look at a variation of this for Internet accounts next year, but it won't be the same format.

What is the top 3 things that Hasbro has wanted to do, but were shot down, whether it be by LFL, costs, time, etc? (ST, 9/22/06)* (http://www.sandtroopers.com/smf/index.php?topic=5183.msg84994)

Usually cost, time, and item count limitations are the culprits in having to lay aside a good idea.  For 2007, there are two concepts we wanted to pursue but couldn't make work at the time: 1) Poster packs, built around the original theatrical posters matched to 3-3/4" figures, was a victim of item count and costing. These were conceived for '07 because of the widespread anticipation of the 30th Anniversary, but because of their size and cost we had to put them aside.  We may look at this some time in the future, possibly as an exclusive farther down the road; and  2)  A 3-3/4" Turbo Tank.  Yes, it will pain some people to hear that we were working on a model that will not make it to market in 2007, but we just couldn't make the timing work.  Now that we are looking at the animation, we will re-visit which large-size hero vehicle or playset we do.  It may not be the Turbo Tank first...but we love this vehicle and will eventually get to it...patience will be rewarded.

Bothans are widely talked about in the Star Wars universe, yet we have never seen a definitive image of one, nor have we ever gotten a figure of one.  Can we ever hope to see some Bothans? (ST, 9/22/06)* (http://www.sandtroopers.com/smf/index.php?topic=5183.msg84994)

Yes, yes indeed.  If the schedule holds, you will see one at the very end of 2007.

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Since Hasbro is doing some of the SCI-FI Channel's Battlestar Galactica ships as Titaniums, will you be doing any action figures from the new series or the old TV series? Would they be in the same 3 3/4-inch scale as Star Wars figures if you did? (SWC, 9/22/06) (http://www.swcollector.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=860)

Yes, we do have plans and they are in the 3-3/4" scale. The first one up this Fall is the current Cylon. Look for that on shelves in Dec. As for 2007, there are more plans for both the new and old shows but you'll have to stay tuned.

I know current figures based on the Cartoon Network Clone Wars cartoons are being done in realistic (i.e. "film style") sculpts. Will figures based on the upcoming CGI-animated series also be sculpted "film style," or will they reflect the new character designs from the show? (SWC, 9/22/06) (http://www.swcollector.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=860)

The specific style for the new animated figures has yet to be determined.

We're getting the Sith Starfighter and Vader's astromech droid from the novel Dark Lord: The Rise of Darth Vader. Any chance of action figures based on characters from the book, such as Senator Fang Zar (who was also seen in Revenge of the Sith), or Jedi Roan Shryne and Padawan Olee Starstone? (SWC, 9/22/06) (http://www.swcollector.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=860)

We might get to those figures, but it won't be for a while. The novel figures don't have much visual reference, so it's tough to work them into the comic 2-packs. This means the only "home" for novel figures right now is the very competitive slots we have planned for EU figures in the mainline basic figure assortments.

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Many a collector is impatient to get what they might refer to as an "Ultimate" versions of major characters and the somewhat iconic background characters of the Saga.  How does this concept mesh with Hasbro's need to hold the collecting community's interest for the remainder of the Star Wars toy license? (TJ, 9/22/06) (http://www.thejawa.com/yabbse/index.php?topic=6176.0)

You have asked a million dollar (or million figure) question.  We're going to answer this one with your submissions next week!  Sorry for the delay.

Can we expect an entire wave or waves of the 30th Anniversary Collection to be devoted to Clone Wars, or can we expect some sort of mixed EU wave? (TJ, 9/22/06) (http://www.thejawa.com/yabbse/index.php?topic=6176.0)

Good question.  The latter, with some "hero" characters carry-forwards assorted from prior waves.

'Playsets' have been a recurring theme in the QnAs, but what about cardboard dioramas (like the two from the POTF2 days)?  Both of them were very well done and are a great for displaying figures. (TJ, 9/22/06) (http://www.thejawa.com/yabbse/index.php?topic=6176.0)

We are actually looking at this kind of thing with the Galactic Heroes Cinema Scenes this fall, which all have bases that can be removed from the box and set-uplike a mini-diorama.  We will keep considering these for future ideas, balancing out the benefits vs tradeoffs (this can also increase cost, meaning fewer figures per pack).

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Since we're supposedly getting the curved part to the cantina bar in '07, is there any chance we'll see a Wuher or some cantina character that comes with some sort of drink dispenser piece to add to our cantina bar sections? I was kinda disappointed that the second or third release of the Wuher figure didn't come with something like this. You could even kit-bash it from IG-88's noggin for that extra bit of accuracy. (YF, 9/22/06) (http://cgi.denpetersen.com/YAK1/viewtopic.php?t=790)

That's an interesting idea, and we'll look at that. Thanks.

Well, Hasbro, you have confirmed that there will be a new Qui-Gon next year. You've also confirmed that there will be a new Mace Windu, as well. Now can you tell us if a brand new Luke Skywalker (in his Death Star 2 outfit) is coming next year? (YF, 9/22/06) (http://cgi.denpetersen.com/YAK1/viewtopic.php?t=790)

You have asked the right question, but you'll have to Wait until closer to a specific wave before we can reveal more 2007 figures. Does that help?

I'm sure Hasbro is aware but are there any plans to give Commander Cody a much more well deserved scuplt. All of us collectors wonder why he seems to be shorter then the other clones? The articulation is pretty awesome but his height could've been better. (YF, 9/22/06) (http://cgi.denpetersen.com/YAK1/viewtopic.php?t=790)

We haven't heard that consumers found his height lacking. We liked this version a lot, and with so many other characters to get to, it'll be awhile before we get back to Cody. But thanks for the comment and we'll take that into account next time we do a new Cody (or Commander) sculpt.

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Title: Re: The Categorized (and Chronological!) Hasbro Q & A Archive
Post by: Matt on September 29, 2006, 03:58 PM
Week 13 - September 29, 2006

You were recently quoted as saying that in the 2007 basic figure line, the "alien slots" for that year were already full. Could you tell us what these various slots are (possibly something like "core character slot", "imperial character slot", "droid slot") and how many of each would be in that group? If not exact numbers, how about by approximated percentages? (AF, 9/29/06) (http://www.actionfigs.com/index.php?categoryid=12&p2_articleid=162)

We design any line with several levels of figure in each wave. The optimal mix is designed to have both kid and collector traction. It goes something like this: Some core heroes (very strong), some lesser but still know heroes, and then some (usually 2-3) collector figures. These collector figures are drawn from a number of core categories (troopers, Cantina aliens, pod racers, Ewoks, droids, alien Jedi, vidgame characters, Padme and other females, Jabba's palace denizens, Separatists, Senators, Jawas etc) that we know are embraced by, if not all collectors, a stronger and vocal subset. We try and spread it around so there is a good bet that most, if not all, of these categories will be represented each year. One hint... we are fans of Cantina denizens and it's a good bet there will be at least two every year until... well, we run out!

Any plans for releasing the Geonosian Cannon that was on Display with the Arena playset during Toy Fair in 2002? With all of the Clones and Jedi in the arena it'd be nice to give the Sepratists some firepower. (AF, 9/29/06) (http://www.actionfigs.com/index.php?categoryid=12&p2_articleid=162)

That's an interesting idea, but there are no specific plans right now. We'll keep it in mind. Hopefully, it will show up in the animation at some point which would help move it higher on the list.

Although we have what many consider to be the definitive ROTS Obi-Wan figure in the super articulated Obi-Wan Pilot figure, we still lack super articulated versions of Obi-Wan from TPM and AOTC (both of which also need better head sculpts), what about either/both versions of that? (AF, 9/29/06) (http://www.actionfigs.com/index.php?categoryid=12&p2_articleid=162)

Good ideas. No specific date for such figures but they are "on the list" of figures we'd like to do.

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Early in the POTF2 line, Hasbro included extra guns and accessories for, as you've mentioned before, additional playability. Figures like Grand Moff Tarkin used to be great for customizers who would get an extra stormtrooper blaster to arm their customs. Where did these extra accessories go in the modern line today? Please bring them back! (FFURG, 9/29/06) (http://www.ffurg.com/hasbroqa.htm)

Some figures, like Clone Commander, still come with many guns but for the most part we don't pack in extras. We mix up the accessories depending on what we think each character needs. We take this gestalt view at the beginning of each year, recognizing that some characters will be coming with signifciant accessories, which means others will have just what they need. This way, overall, we're able to achieve our cost target across the whole assortment.

We've seen a few answers in the Q&A recently, both at FFURG.com and other sites, that mention tooling costs. What emphasis during pre-production is placed on the ability to re-use some existing molds to create a new figure? Does the re-use of some molds/parts allow for you to have additional accessories, paint apps, or articulation that we might not see if a character is "all-new"? (FFURG, 9/29/06) (http://www.ffurg.com/hasbroqa.htm)

Absolutely. By refreshing a figure (using one that was created before) we can make changes to it and create accessories that would not have been possible before. A good example of that is Foul Moudama. We were able to create a new character by adding some parts to a figure we had before, which we probably would not have done if we had to start from scratch. We do try and take that into account up front for some figures when it make sense.

Has any thought been given to creating more realistic battle damage to vehicles and ships? Many customizers have placed dents and holes in pre-existing parts of vehicles/ships to add to the lived-in, worn-down feel of George Lucas' universe. Getting an updated Battle Damaged TIE Fighter to round out the vintage TIEs would be great, wouldn't it? (FFURG, 9/29/06) (http://www.ffurg.com/hasbroqa.htm)

In our experience kids don't respond that well to this concept and would prefer the vehicle to be intact, so the tendency is to lean toward keeping the vehicle largely intact and showing damage through deco.

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Is there any toy in the line that you regret making or releasing? My thoughts go to the Cruise Missle Trooper. I know Kenner was responsible for that, but what would you say is the most regrettable one? (GH, 9/29/06) (http://www.galactichunter.com/absolutenm/templates/full_article_template_1.asp?articleid=5857&zoneid=2)

There are many that make us wince, but I think you hit on one of them.  The CMT is neither a figure nor a vehicle, & that certainly was dissapointing.  How do you display it?  I would also say that the bulkiness of many of the early POTF2 figures is something we could take back if we could.  As for modern figures, there are a couple that we wish we could have back again to make tweaks, but overall we're very happy with the way the factories are executing the product we turn over.

There were some mixed signals at Comic-Con on this one. Will 2007 3¾" Battle Packs come in the new concave packaging similar to the upcoming Galactic Heroes Cinema Scenes Assortment? (GH, 9/29/06) (http://www.galactichunter.com/absolutenm/templates/full_article_template_1.asp?articleid=5857&zoneid=2)

We never indicated that 3¾" Battle Packs would change format.  They will follow the same format from last year (that has continued this year with some exclusives like Mace Windu's Squadron, Defense of the Galactic Senate, etc).

Is the Wal*Mart exclusive wave from TSC going to come and go as quickly as the Separation of the Twins sets did? Is there a possibility of this wave being offered elsewhere once Wal*Mart is finished with it? (GH, 9/29/06) (http://www.galactichunter.com/absolutenm/templates/full_article_template_1.asp?articleid=5857&zoneid=2)

The seasonal timing more than anything played a big role in helping clear out the Separation of the Twins so quickly.  Since these will be on shelves post-Holiday (latest date is 2/1 on shelf) the guess is that collectors will be able to find them without trouble. Hopefully.

...and I've been reminded by the forum-dwellers that no one ever got back to us about whether or not the Titanium General Grievous is properly scaled (i.e. taller) than basic figures? (GH, 9/29/06) (http://www.galactichunter.com/absolutenm/templates/full_article_template_1.asp?articleid=5857&zoneid=2)

The Titanium Series General Grievous is roughly the same size as the 3¾" General Grievous.

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The plain white Clone Trooper from Attack of the Clones hasn't seen retailer shelves a whole lot lately, but it seems like the kind of army builder that should see a regular rotation in the basic figure line. Is the SA format of this figure due out at retail again in the near future? We know that the Green AOTC Sergeant is on his way this Fall of course, but I'm sure many out there would love more of the AOTC grunts for our armies. (JD, 9/29/06) (http://www.jedidefender.com/newspro/fullnews.cgi?newsid1159554509,46595,)

Good question, and we agree, but there may be many such figures fans want to see come back. Stay tuned for an opportunity for fans to input on which "greatest hits" we should be doing.

Were the scene specific bases that came with some of the 2002/03 Saga figures or the 2004 OTC Dagobah figures designed with anything specific in mind? It seems like they were designed to be a part of something larger as most of them look like they could connect with something else. (JD, 9/29/06) (http://www.jedidefender.com/newspro/fullnews.cgi?newsid1159554509,46595,)

The Padme Factory Chase figure's base was designed to interact with the Geonosis Arena playset, as were some of the Deluxe item bases like the C-3PO & Battle Droid Factory set. In the Dagobah sets, they were just designed to go together and form a larger piece of terrain but there was no specific combination in mind other than combining with themselves. These bases were more of a precursor to the 2005 Collection 2 bases.

Last week, you said you were planning 9 waves for 2007. Will there be a specific "EU" wave or will the EU figures continue to be peppered into the movie themed waves they were this year? And since you can't talk about specific 2007 figures yet, can you at least give us a hint on the themes for those 9 waves? (JD, 9/29/06) (http://www.jedidefender.com/newspro/fullnews.cgi?newsid1159554509,46595,)

There will be a themed EU wave next year that will have most, if not all, of the EU figures (Clone Wars and game-related figures). Most of the 6 movies, but not all, will have at least one wave while some will have more than 1.

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What does the Blue Sticker and "A" on the datestamp of recent case assortments mean? (POTF2, 9/29/06) (http://potf2.com/potj/forums/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=10722)

We haven't seen that ourselves, so we honestly don't know.

The Collection numbers are noticeably absent from TSC line. Will we see them return, or are they gone forever? (POTF2, 9/29/06) (http://potf2.com/potj/forums/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=10722)

We walked away from the Collection 1/2 separation after 2005 because we felt that we could manage the basic figure business from one powerful SKU (85770, or the Saga Collection). What quickly proved to be the case after holiday 2005 was that demand far outstripped supply and we still could not keep up even with 85770 running at maximum capacity. We looked for another basic figure solution to bring more to the shelf, and especially more Episode III which kids still want in high degrees, and thus the 87181 Greatest Battle/Heroes and Villains line was born. It sort of is a C1/2 strategy, but we didn't call them as such because 87181 consists of 100% existing figures so the analogy of C1/2 didn't follow through. We are now looking to do the exact same thing in '07 because of continued high basic figure demand. This will mean there will be two basic figure assortments next year, with a 100% New/Refresh line (87500, the 30th) and a 100% existing line. We're looking for fan input on some of the character selections and the details on how this will take place will be announced soon.

Why do some bubble changes exist? They don't seem to have any effect on the stability of the figure or any cosmetic/noticeable effect. (POTF2, 9/29/06) (http://potf2.com/potj/forums/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=10722)

Sometimes changes happen because we request a slightly different packout to facilitate more reliable transit. Sometimes things happen at the factory level without our request and when there is no noticable effect on the appearance of the product in package (for example when there is a better or more cost-effective way to do something like manufacture blisters at a faster rate or an improved design that reduces scrap rate). Many times we ourselves aren't aware of the change if it doesn't realy affect the way the product is shown in package. Collectors do notice these things, but they are not something that we deliberately design into the mix to produce variations....in fact, we would prefer that we just have one version from the outset for most items and save the "true" variations for when we really want to get them in (like Rebel Trooper running changes, etc)..

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When will we start to see updates on the development of the FC-winning Darth Revan figure? (RS, 9/29/06) (http://www.rebelscum.com/story/front/Hasbros_13th_STAR_WARS_QA_The_Answers_100352.asp)

Soon. We just got the sculpts back and will be working with ToyFare on the story.

In past weekly Q&A sessions, it was implied that hasbrotoyshop.com may offer items that are exclusive to retail stores. Can you clearify that? Also, It was stated that Hasbro is working w/ walmart.com to offer the Wal-Mart exclusives online, is Hasbro working w/ target.com to do the same for Target exclusives? So far Toys "R" Us' tru.com is the only retailer that actively offers thier exclusives to both physical and online stores. (RS, 9/29/06) (http://www.rebelscum.com/story/front/Hasbros_13th_STAR_WARS_QA_The_Answers_100352.asp)

We don't have any more information on the exclusives on hasbrotoyshop.com, except that we will not be offering other retailers' exclusives on there. We have confirmation that wal-mart.com will be carrying their exclusives online if the retail price point is over $12. Target.com will be carrying their exclusives online this Fall but in limited quantities.

Regarding the announcement of the Vader with coin album...the album leaves spaces for "promotional, exclusive and extra coins." Will the promo and exclusive coin slots be labeled or will they simply be blank? (RS, 9/29/06) (http://www.rebelscum.com/story/front/Hasbros_13th_STAR_WARS_QA_The_Answers_100352.asp)

They will be blank because we haven't nailed down what we'll be doing for additional coins yet. Also, we want allow flexibility for folks to slot in coins of their choosing, including dupes if someone happens to be a troop builder.

What are the chances of Hasbro releasing some new Ewoks, maybe in a multi-pack like the Entertainment Earth Astromech Droids (really nice!!) featuring various new Ewoks of different color, size, sex and age (Woklings!!)? Some nice extra accessories like their musical instruments or an Ewok hut would be cool, too. (RS, 9/29/06) (http://www.rebelscum.com/story/front/Hasbros_12th_STAR_WARS_QA_The_Answers_100175.asp)

This would be cool. We do have multi-pack plans for next year, but we're not ready yet to add Ewoks to the mix because we need a few more great figure tools before we get there. Patience!

As a follow-up to several fan/collector questions regarding if and when particular figures will be made and released, are there any figures fans have been asking about that you can confirm wll not be made based on current policies? What I mean is, can you say unequivically that the Tonnika sisters simply cannot be made or can you clear the air on these figures and tell us that they can be made but they just don't fit into the line-up at this time?

While I specify the Tonnika sisters, I am also curious about any others that fans have asked for that you may know for a fact that (unless there are drastic legal or philosophical changes) the figure won't be made. You mentioned earlier that figures of dead figures/corpses are a hard sell. Does this mean we won't get a dead Owen and Beru Lars two-pack or simply that it would be really difficult to have someone approve these as a toy? If it's the latter, please refer them to George Lucas's own thoughts on this, "YODA: Death is a natural part of life. Rejoice for those around you who transform into the Force. Mourn them, do not. Miss them, do not. Attachment leads to jealousy. The shadow of greed, that is." In short, Lucas wants us to have our corpse figures.
(RS, 9/29/06) (http://www.rebelscum.com/story/front/Hasbros_12th_STAR_WARS_QA_The_Answers_100175.asp)

Hah, that's good Dan. However persuasive your argument is, there is a long, long list of living figures that deserve to be made before we get to figures like the Own and Beru "x-tra crispy" figures. It's possible that some day these could be accessories to another set, but that would be far down the road and in any case wouldn't be the focus of any offering per se. There are no specific figures that are taboo or off limits, really. As for the Tonnika Sisters, I have no comment whatsoever and can give no more information on them except to say that figure(s) are not in development.

Can we ever expect another midnight madness? Each of the three that happened garnered some free media coverage for Hasbro and gave collectors a chance to get the bulk of the figures for a new line in one shot. This would make a great annual event to introduce the new line. (RS, 9/29/06) (http://www.rebelscum.com/story/front/Hasbros_12th_STAR_WARS_QA_The_Answers_100175.asp)

Unless there is another film, I doubt we'll see anything like this. The new equivalent is probably the Ultimate Galactic Hunt, which is a strong call to head to retail although it isn't a specific date and time.

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Recently you were quoted as saying that Hasbro had subcontracted the 12" figures to Sideshow as the smaller business model allowed them to manufacture collector-quality 12" figures in a more cost effective manner. Given the rabid fan base the 7" Unleashed line has generated among collectors, and Hasbro's struggles to generate a profit on this line, is there any chance that a similar arrangement could be considered for future Unleashed offerings, whether it be Sideshow or another smaller company? (SSG, 9/29/06) (http://www.sirstevesguide.com/index.php?categoryid=13&p2_articleid=76)

It's possible, but for now we are keeping the Unleashed 7" line in-house while we evaluate it and run with the new tube-style packaging expression.

Given that Ewoks are well-known, somewhat popular (especially with kids), sell fairly well, and were a deciding factor in the final battle of the Star Wars saga, why have the Ewoks been so short-changed in the modern action figure line (8 figures, 3 of which were inaccurate Wicket repaints, in 11 years)? And, are there any plans to correct this in the future? (SSG, 9/29/06) (http://www.sirstevesguide.com/index.php?categoryid=13&p2_articleid=76)

Well, there are a lot of Ewok champions here too and the little furballs will get their due. But they will be by dribs and drabs and not, by same, a Tribble-like Ewok explosion. Patience will be rewarded.

Titanium Series 3" Vehicle collectors are concerned over the packaging which, while quite attractive and eye-catching, has trouble with the J-hook being easily damaged and the bubble being very difficult to open. How did this unusual packaging design come about in the first place, and is there any plan to make it stronger and easier to open? (If not, please consider doing so, thank you.) (SSG, 9/29/06) (http://www.sirstevesguide.com/index.php?categoryid=13&p2_articleid=76)

Thanks. The design was meant to be a premium expression for die-cast vehicles as well as something that could not be pilfered easily. As such, it is durable but can be tougher to open. We will pass on your comments about the J-hooks to the packaging team.

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Why did you release an Official Star Wars Figure Protector Case and advertise the use of it with the current Saga line, illustrated in its instruction flyer that comes with the cases, if it pinches the top of the current Saga line cards, thus damaging the collectable? I can only assume this was an oversight in marketing or in design. Is this something that will be corrected soon? (ST, 9/29/06)* (http://www.sandtroopers.com/smf/index.php?topic=5183.msg85869#msg85869)

We designed it to accommodate the Saga Collection cards and for the most part we have not seen a problem.  However, it is noted that the 2006 (and 2005 before it) cards can have an inconsistent variation in height because of the way they are constructed (blister taped to the backer card, which allows for variations at the time of assembly).  You may have some statistical outliers in your collection that are taller than others, and for that we apologize.

Why does it seem with the re-release of the Boba Fett and Greivous Unleashed and the New Dagaboh X-Wing we are paying for the packaging and assembly? Sure the Unleashed look really cool displayed as the figures are actually in full display mode, but just a few years ago these were released in standard packaging and we had to put the figures onto each base/stand for $5-$6 dollars cheaper. (ST, 9/29/06)* (http://www.sandtroopers.com/smf/index.php?topic=5183.msg85869#msg85869)

Because the product itself has changed, at least the packaging part of it. The packaging is more expensive, along with the size of the package, which increases freight cost.  This has resulted in a greater cost on our end, which is passed on the to retailer and ultimately results in a higher price.

The Galactic Hunt promotion for this year was immensely popular, especially the Silver-Foil figures.  However, they seem to have vanished off the radar.  Does Hasbro plan to do a similar promotion later this year or next?  Perhaps a Gold Foil carded chase figure set? (ST, 9/29/06)* (http://www.sandtroopers.com/smf/index.php?topic=5183.msg85869#msg85869)

There won’t be any more next year, but it will return again next year. Stay tuned!

For decades, Hasbro/Kenner had made small, EU type vehicles for Star Wars characters.  From the MTV-7 and the likes from the Vintage lines to Obi-Wan Kenobi-s scout sub from Episode 1.  Do these sell well enough to think on making more of these, or are there already plans to make something of this nature? (ST, 9/29/06)* (http://www.sandtroopers.com/smf/index.php?topic=5183.msg85869#msg85869)

You won't see anything like this in '07.  We've been turning our attention to on-screen vehicles that deserve to made, and concentrating on keeping the $19.99 vehicle SKU a national (meaning not exclusive) assortment with variety and freshness.

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What are the chances of ever getting a Z-95 Headhunter in the Starfighter line? (SWC, 9/29/06) (http://www.swcollector.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=863)

Since it was not featured in the movies, slim to no chance.

Is there any word on when the Target-exclusive Imperial Shuttle will be out on shelves? The product's DPCI# is 087-06-0483 and it's saying its $59.99. (SWC, 9/29/06) (http://www.swcollector.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=863)

No comment.

We had a great year for astromechs in 2006, but none have yet been announced for 2007. What are the chances for some new OT astrodroids next year - especially ANH ones such as R5-A2, R5-K6, and R3-O1 to coincide with the 30th anniversary? (SWC, 9/29/06) (http://www.swcollector.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=863)

One of the challenges of balancing all the cool collector-targeted figure categories we could be doing (troopers, Cantina aliens, pod racers, Ewoks, droids, vidgame characters, alien Jedi, Jawas, Padme and other females, Jabba's palace denizens, Separatists, Senators etc) is just fitting enough of them in. We will have a couple of new droids, but no new Astromechs next year.

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FROM LAST WEEK: 1) Many a collector is impatient to get what they might refer to as an "Ultimate" versions of major characters and the somewhat iconic background characters of the Saga.  How does this concept mesh with Hasbro's need to hold the collecting community's interest for the remainder of the SW toy license? (TJ, 9/29/06) (http://www.thejawa.com/yabbse/index.php?topic=6174.msg56288#msg56288)

You have asked a million dollar (or million figure) question!  Creating a figure line for any year is a balancing act between hero characters that kids still want and the more obscure background characters that the hard core fan base wants to see. There are so many cool collector-targeted figure categories we could be doing (troopers, Cantina aliens, pod racers, Ewoks, droids, vidgame characters, Padme and other females, Jabba's palace denizens, Separatists, Senators etc) and the challenge is just fitting enough of them in for any given year  Trust me, fan's patience will be rewarded in the long run, as we get to make most of the figures from the films...but patience is emphasized.   We're confident, that every year, as long as we're covering some of these bases, fans will be happy.

Will the Endor C-3PO mold (including all the articulation) be used for any future protocol droids? (TJ, 9/29/06) (http://www.thejawa.com/yabbse/index.php?topic=6174.msg56288#msg56288)

Good question, and we might but there are no specific plans right now.

Will the R2-D2 that's being released next year that's using the R4-G9's mold come with a Trade Federation Crusier, the Invisible Hand hologram that attaches to Artoo's dome? (TJ, 9/29/06) (http://www.thejawa.com/yabbse/index.php?topic=6174.msg56288#msg56288)

No…it will have a different accessory.

We already know that the entire line for 2007 is being called the 30th Anniversary line, but can collectors expect offerings that are similar to the 25th Anniversary 2-packs we got in 2002? (TJ, 9/29/06) (http://www.thejawa.com/yabbse/index.php?topic=6174.msg56288#msg56288)

There are no plans for a similar product.

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In a recent Q&A response, you said that most of the figures from the cancelled TSC Battle of Yavin wave will be released in 2007. Does that include the Death Star Trooper? If so, will this be a newly-sculpted version or just a re-release of the POTF figure? (YF, 9/29/06) (http://cgi.denpetersen.com/YAK1/viewtopic.php?t=823)

Yes, and it will be new.

How about one good playset in 2007. Please Hasbro. (YF, 9/29/06) (http://cgi.denpetersen.com/YAK1/viewtopic.php?t=823)

We've discussed playsets to death, I think. There won't be any in 2007. Sorry! But if you follow my distracting hand movements over to the new vehicles, I think you'll be very happy.

I've heard rumours about a 3 3/4 scale Sith Infiltrator? First of all, is it true? And secondly will it be scaled like the 'real' ship [ideally with space for a couple of probe droids and a Sith speeder or is it going to be a modified TIE fighter with room for one pilot? (YF, 9/29/06) (http://cgi.denpetersen.com/YAK1/viewtopic.php?t=823)

Yes, it is true. It will be develoepd for the $19.99 Starfighter Vehicle line, so liberties will be taken with scale but there will be cool features and will be designed for one pilot. We can't wait to show fans the final product…it's a sensational vehicle.

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Week 14 - October 6, 2006

What are the chances of Hasbro producing a Millennium Falcon vehicle that's actually in-scale (1/18th) with the action figures? If not, what about at least an all-new, larger Falcon with more interior play areas? (AF, 10/6/06) (http://www.actionfigs.com/index.php?categoryid=12&p2_articleid=162)

A true-scale MF would be huge. A more likely reality - and we have only discussed this - is that we would do a new one someday. The likelihood of this happening would be enhanced if the MF were featured in the new animation of TV show.

Will the 501st Clonetrooper using the Super Articulated body ever be made available on a basic card? (AF, 10/6/06) (http://www.actionfigs.com/index.php?categoryid=12&p2_articleid=162)

The one from the K-Mart Battle Pack could come back - if fans voted for it! So how about it... is this a figure fans want to see? (AF editor's note: the K-Mart Battle Pack mentioned is the 2005 ROTS Jedi Temple Assault which came with 3 501st Clones but using the ROTS#06 "Quick-Draw Attack!" Clone body which is less popular than the ROTS#41 "Super Articulation!" Clone body.)

In light of Hasbro making an ethnicity variation on the upcoming Endor Rebel Soldier figure, is there a possibility of ethnic variations for other figures that warrant it like a Black Bespin Guard or Rebel Pilot, especially since there was a Black Bespin Guard figure in the vintage Kenner line? (AF, 10/6/06) (http://www.actionfigs.com/index.php?categoryid=12&p2_articleid=162)

Yes, it is likely that we will continue this trend when it makes sense.

What is the selection process for characters to be made into figures, and what is the best way for fans to increase the chances of the release for a certain figure? (AF, 10/6/06) (http://www.actionfigs.com/index.php?categoryid=12&p2_articleid=162)

The Star Wars 3-3/4" selection process is probably not unlike the NCAA basketball committee selection process. We start out by framing the line by film (our strategy for '06, '07, and '08) and who we could do or redo from a scene along with any new characters. We then slot in the strongest characters to anchor a wave making sure we have strong ('A' level) characters in every wave (not unlike spreading out the division champions across brackets). Once we have the main figures laid out, we start to look at the collector-type specialty figures, and this is where we get a lot of fun lobbying for favorites (again, not unlike lobbying for the smaller school to get in). It's done as a team approach, with collaboration from the team at Lucasfilm too. We take fan input into consideration... things we've seen or heard, emerging trends we're seeing, etc. The ToyFare Top 25 Poll was a great way (and the best, since it was quantitative) for fans to make their voices heard.

Is it an objective of Hasbro's to eventually make every character that had a speaking role in the films - whether or not they interacted with core characters - into action figures? Nearly all these characters have been given names by Lucasfilm or EU authors. (AF, 10/6/06) (http://www.actionfigs.com/index.php?categoryid=12&p2_articleid=162)

Not a stated objective, no. The objective is to field what we think is the overall best lineup each year between core character and collector-types. We may put a background character with no speaking part (Cantina or Jabba's Palace guys, or many droids) over someone with a speaking part just because it's a better or cooler figure.

What are the chances of seeing more "battle-damaged" human characters (such as Qui-Gon, Shmi, and Owen & Beru Lars)? Assuming the chances are slim, why is that, are they considered too gruesome for release? (AF, 10/6/06) (http://www.actionfigs.com/index.php?categoryid=12&p2_articleid=162)

Owen and Beru are too gruesome to do. Qui-Gon probably at some point. Shmi - I dunno. There are just so many figures we could be doing even for redecos that I don't think we'll do her in Tusken captive deco. You never know though.

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What's stopping the production of a Bothan figure like Koth Melan, Borsk Fey'yla, or Asar Seil'lya? We know that's it's the standard EU debate all over again but we'd love to see who Mon Mothma is all shook up over. (FFURG, 10/6/06) (http://ffurg.com/hasbroqa.htm)

Heh. I can say that we will, at some point in the next few years, see one or more of these (Koth is a good one if we ever do more Shadows of the Empire figures). But it won't be near term. Patience..and know that Bothans are on our scanners.

One of the best parts resources for a customizer is one of your other successful lines, GI Joe. With the sculpts and resources of all Hasbro lines at your disposal, we'd love to see more army-builder type figures using GI Joe heads and parts to reduce production costs, while allowing us to have a Rebel army that isn't populated by clones! Any chance we could ever see something like this? (FFURG, 10/6/06) (http://ffurg.com/hasbroqa.htm)

We hear you on good guy non-clone troops, but don't think GI Joe parts are the way to go. Joe is a great line but those unique faces should stay over there, and we'll create unique head sculpts as needed. Astute collectors will recognize that we have borrowed from the Joe weapons cache, though - a quid-pro-quo for letting them borrow the Geonosis Arena tool. But we stopped short of a Lando/Stalker hostage exchange (they do look a lot alike...).

On Hasbro.com, there are several Star Wars items that have replacement parts order forms, like the Ultimate 12" Anakin/Vader and the Clone Commander #33. Why aren't more parts available on the website? Although I'm sure you don't mind customizers buying up peg warmers for individual parts, I'd bet if more replacement parts were available online, customizers would be buying them in bulk. Personally, I could use more Ewok weapons, POTF2 Stormtrooper blasters, and Senate Pods...nudge...nudge... (FFURG, 10/6/06) (http://ffurg.com/hasbroqa.htm)

We'll take that under advisement. For the most part, the number of collectors who would find this service useful would be small. But we'll look at it.

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Will there be any difference between the upcoming Celebration 4 exclusive figure(s) and Celebration Europe's, be it a packaging difference or a difference in the figure itself? (GH, 10/6/06) (http://www.galactichunter.com/absolutenm/templates/full_article_template_1.asp?articleid=5881&zoneid=2)

It's too early to talk about Celebration 4 just yet… ask us in about a month.

Is the upcoming Galactic Marine's helmet removable? Are the flames on the 2007 Super Battle Droid removable, and are his hips ball-joints? (GH, 10/6/06) (http://www.galactichunter.com/absolutenm/templates/full_article_template_1.asp?articleid=5881&zoneid=2)

The Galactic Marine's helmet is in fact removable. The flames on the Super Battle Droid are removable, as they are snap-on parts.  The Super Battle Droid is new and super-articulated with a ball joint head and waist, insert molded shoulders, elbows, and knees…but the hips are not ball joint.

What type of material are the 2007 Collector Coins made from? (Metal or plastic?) Will the Collector Coin Album be available at big box stores? (GH, 10/6/06) (http://www.galactichunter.com/absolutenm/templates/full_article_template_1.asp?articleid=5881&zoneid=2)

They are aluminum - the exact same material the previous coins were made from. We wanted to stay true to the roots of the coin program and make them from the same material and to be the same size.  There are some new details for the 30th Anniversary, though — some coin details that are pretty cool and unique.  The figure/album will be available everywhere from 1/1 to approximately 3/24.

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Have you considered incorporating Remote Control features into ground vehicles for the Star Wars line? It's a vintage Kenner tradition that we haven't seen brought back yet and a few other toy companies working in the 3.75" scale have done this with tanks and things. It produces a pretty cool result and added play value - any chance of a new RC Sandcrawler or landspeeder or something? (JD, 10/6/06) (http://www.jedidefender.com/newspro/fullnews.cgi?newsid1160155228,60770,)

We assume you meant radio control, rather than the tethered (by wire) remote control. We have thought about radio control, but Hasbro looks to higher-profile performance-based RC vehicles, rather than simply using RC as a feature like you mention since it has a large price impact. We will continue to look at it - it would be cool to see an RC Sandcrawler or Landspeeder someday.

Zev Senseca from the Target Rogue Two Snowspeeder is creating a lot of buzz because he's a pretty nice pack-in figure in his own right. Since people seem to really love the X-Wing and other Rebel Pilots in the line, do you intend to make a definitive "generic" sculpt of the X-Wing Pilot or Snowspeeder Pilot gear? Then you can just swap new heads/helmets and paintjobs to give us a few new pilots every year! It seems like an easy way to put out different pilot figures for a fair price. The 3.75" line fans would get in line to buy them if the sculpts were poseable and just right at an average scale. (JD, 10/6/06) (http://www.jedidefender.com/newspro/fullnews.cgi?newsid1160155228,60770,)

That is a good idea, and we'll see. We like the pilots too. We think there can be room for several "definitives" at some point, for variety. SA Porkins, anyone? (OK, just kidding….it's unlikey we'll ever do an SA Porkins).

Are there any INCREDIBLY rare figures that only you Hasbro "insiders" have in your personal collections? We don't necessarily mean prototypes or unproduced mock-ups so much as something that was made as a gift/promo for people working on the Star Wars brand internally. (JD, 10/6/06) (http://www.jedidefender.com/newspro/fullnews.cgi?newsid1160155228,60770,)

Sure - there are a couple things. There is last year's Toy Fair Anakin/Vader press kit, which is more of a special package since the figures were not different. Everyone on the team received one of those…it is still one of the coolest, very limited things we've done. There was also a special gold "Team Star Wars" R2-D2 produced last year and given as thanks to everyone on the team. It was not factory-produced but created in our shop. About 100 were made and distributed. Other than that, we wouldn't abuse our system by making short-run figures. We prefer to use our force powers for good.

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We've seen the coin holder on Entertainment Earth for the 30th Anniversary line coins that will be packed in with various figures. The description mentions it will hold all of the coins from the basic line (60) as well as for promotional and convention coins (and I would suppose other exclusives as well). What is the total number of coins we can expect for the 30th Anniversary line? (JTA, 10/6/06) (http://jeditemplearchives.com/content/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=2570)

That number is still yet to be finalized, but there will only ever be 60 basic figures coins. One thing we are going to do, however, is hold the exclusive coins down to a very minimum. The ony exclusives which will have coins would be either CIV or Comic Con. In addition, if we do end up putting a "Greatest Hits" basic figure line into play, we would have to evaluate what sort of coins they would have.

Which items are the official end of the Saga Collection toys and which are the beginning of the 30th Anniversary Collection toys? (JTA, 10/6/06) (http://jeditemplearchives.com/content/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=2570)

The last wave of the Saga figures will be seen at retail in February and will be on shelf until roughly the end of March. All other figures and sublines on shelf in 2007 will be 30th Anniversary. As for how you (the fan sites) categorize the items, maybe this helps. We planned the last wave of Starfighter vehicles (Vader's Starfighter, Droid Tank, Hailfire) to be in 2006 but decided to put them in the 2007 line look to save our rework for next year since they will carry over. But as far as we're concerned, they are 2006 or Saga products. The same with the first wave of Battle Packs, and Saga tins. Because they were designed to carryover, they got the new look. But really we consider them Saga-year products and are "on the books" for this year. I know, this is probably more complicated than you want!

The George Lucas Mail-away figure redemption form stated that the offer is available 'while supplies last'. How limited is this figure? What is the approximate production run? Is there any chance this figure might run out before the December 31 mail-in deadline? (JTA, 10/6/06) (http://jeditemplearchives.com/content/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=2570)

We don't release numbers on our production runs for any figure, even exclusive promotional figures like this. As of now, unless there is larger-than-anticipated last minute surge, we will have enough to honor all submissions.

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After the success of Expanded Universe clones, is there a possibility that we could soon see some other EU troop builders like Sith Troopers or Mandalorians so Darth Revan won't be all alone in the Old Republic? Fans want more KOTOR figures! (RS, 10/6/06) (http://www.rebelscum.com/story/front/Hasbros_14th_STAR_WARS_QA_The_Answers_100520.asp)

We're looking at that. The EU has many great figures to choose from and we want to spread it around a bit. Stay tuned.

Is there any chance of eventually seeing a newly-sculpted ROTJ accurate Jabba the Hutt? I would also love to see Hasbro build upon Jabba's throne room organically, like you are doing with the Cantina pieces over time. I would love to see the ornate bar-b-que grill that sits behind Jabba (which has never been released before) along with the dais, a new-sculpt Salacious Crumb and sitting Slave Leia. (RS, 10/6/06) (http://www.rebelscum.com/story/front/Hasbros_14th_STAR_WARS_QA_The_Answers_100520.asp)

It is time for a new Jabba, we agree, but just haven't found the spot in the line for him. We're thinking about it though. Interesting suggestion on the organic build for his environment pieces, too. Thanks.

As a follow-up to a previous question from week 6, we ran a Probe Droid Poll asking if fans would like to see blank sets of their movie titled basic figure stands on HasbroToyShop.com, including an Expanded Universe (EU) version. The response was overwhelmingly in favor of such a set (all 6 films and EU). Can we hope to see this in 2007? Figures need stands! (RS, 10/6/06) (http://www.rebelscum.com/story/front/Hasbros_14th_STAR_WARS_QA_The_Answers_100520.asp)

And so it is (time to do stands, that is). Look for a stand multi-pack from HasbroToyShop.com next year, at a date to be announced. Thanks for the feedback!

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Zizzle has released a 2.5-foot-long Black Pearl pirate ship for their Pirates of the Carribean 4" figure line for MSRP $50. In light of this, why hasn't Hasbro done Jabba's Sailbarge yet, especially when Star Wars is the more popular brand? (SSG, 10/6/06) (http://www.sirstevesguide.com/index.php?categoryid=13&p2_articleid=76)

What other companies release is not an indicator of what we could release at comparable retail prices, or even that we could release the same toy as they do. Hasbro has different business models, factories, and standards that we work with - it's a very different situation. One thing that has changed from "the way it used to be" is that playsets used to be low-margin drivers that were intended to be the center of the action figure play pattern. Now the situation is very different and playsets are not embraced in the same way by kids, so the business model is a little upside down and we cannot "subsidize" playsets like we used to. This pushes the price up to a very expensive range, and, of course, the higher the price, the fewer the unit sales. The old catch-22. Until we rebuild the kid base, hopefully through animation, we can't look at 3-3/4" playsets as a viable line.

Could we get a US release of the Eopie Creature from the Episode I line which to date has only been released in non-US countries? (SSG, 10/6/06) (http://www.sirstevesguide.com/index.php?categoryid=13&p2_articleid=76)

We have looked at this. We're not sure how pervasive the demand is, but it remains an option for a future release.

Why doesn't Hasbro include basic figure pack-ins that we can actually use (eg: clear stands; Mouse Droids; Senate Cams; Sith Probes; extra accessories like on and off lightsabers, commlinks, scanners, pilot headsets, oxygen masks, backpacks) instead of gimmicks like holo-minifigs and coins? (SSG, 10/6/06) (http://www.sirstevesguide.com/index.php?categoryid=13&p2_articleid=76)

Star Wars has a rich history of including pack-ins to enhance the collectibility of the line, admittedly with varying results. Our intention with the coins (and to a lesser extent holos) is to establish a parallel collectible segment with a nostalgic tie back to the vintage days. We think fans will enjoy them, since they are "incremental" to the line in the line and not a replacement for accessories. Incremental in the sense that we make sure each figure has the accessories it needs to be a great figure... and many of them next year have great accessories. Wait and see...

What are the chances that Hasbro will make Yarna D'al Gargan (Fat Dancer in Jabba's Palace) in 2007, after 2007, or if definitively not, has Hasbro actively decided that she will never be made? (SSG, 10/6/06) (http://www.sirstevesguide.com/index.php?categoryid=13&p2_articleid=76)

We won't be answering any more specific questions on the 2007 line at this time. However, she is definitely a possible future figure. Not out of the question.

Which version of the Jedi Starfighter will be offered in the Titanium Series Ultra 6" Vehicle line, the Episode 2 or Episode 3 version? Will this or any other new 6" vehicle be released before the line is ended? (SSG, 10/6/06) (http://www.sirstevesguide.com/index.php?categoryid=13&p2_articleid=76)

The Episode III version was tooled up, but unfortunately the 6" scale has been discontinued and the vehicle will not be making it to shelves as part of the series.

If a figure made the top 25 of the ToyFare magazine Fan Choice Poll, does that give the figure more of a chance to be made? (SSG, 10/6/06) (http://www.sirstevesguide.com/index.php?categoryid=13&p2_articleid=76)

Well, that's an interesting question. Broadly, the answer is yes and the higher it is up the list, the better. It certainly helps justify among the "collector-type" figures we could do if we know that fans have passionately voted for a figure. But it's not a guarantee that a figure will be made in the future.

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Will Hasbro ever consider making a case for the titanium series small ships, something similar to the matchbox and hot wheels cases that were released back in the 80's?  Maybe they could release a few exclusives with the case too boost consumer appeal. (ST, 10/6/06)* (http://www.sandtroopers.com/smf/index.php?topic=5183.msg86699#msg86699)

We haven't looked at that but it's an interesting suggestion.  Thanks!

I'd love to see the Tie Interceptor make a comeback. Any plans for 2007? (ST, 10/6/06)* (http://www.sandtroopers.com/smf/index.php?topic=5183.msg86699#msg86699)

It's on the short list of vehicles we would like to do, given an opportunity at retail that works.

The M & Mpire figures were a lot of fun, and there were rumors once that there were plans for a second series.  Seeing as there are plenty of characters to use still, such as Yoda, different troopers, etc, can we hope to ever see these fun little figures again? Do sales dictate second editions? (ST, 10/6/06)* (http://www.sandtroopers.com/smf/index.php?topic=5183.msg86699#msg86699)

That was it for the line.  The promotional window for the M-Pire figures was during and slightly after Episode III and the DVD release, and the promotion was timed to end there with the wind-down of the M&Ms promo activity.  We did not have a second series planned although we brainstormed (and did concept work for) what a line of mini Galactic Heroes--like Mr. Potato Head figures--would be (like Cuke Skywalker, 3-Pea-O, etc...Insert your own vegetable jokes here.  But these just weren't as important to use as doing more Galactic Heroes.

I remember when I was a kid and played with G.I. Joe's that you had a really awesome promotion, as a matter of fact, my all-time favorite promotion that you have ever done.  The promotion was that you make your own G.I. Joe of yourself.  I remember that everyone got the same Joe but what was really neat was that the toy was named whatever you wanted it to be named and you got to create your own battle stats for it.  Any chance we will see this done for Star Wars, maybe as an awesome Fan Club exclusive.  All you really need to do is mail out a Stormtrooper with a piece of paper with the selected stats and name. (ST, 10/6/06)* (http://www.sandtroopers.com/smf/index.php?topic=5183.msg86699#msg86699)

Ah yes, the Steel Brigade promotion.  Unfortunately, this is a time-intensive and not an inexpensive promotion and we just don't think it would get that much interest.  Believe it or not, we have looked at the feasibility of custom heads on other lines, Joe in particular, and just can't get past the huge cost and time involved.  It's just not something we're set up to do, which is deliver higher volume products to retail.

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Is the 30th Anniversary Darth Vader with STAR WARS Coin Album and Exclusive Coin currently available for pre-order online going to be an Internet exclusive, or will it also be available in stores? (SWC, 10/6/06) (http://www.swcollector.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=864)

It will be available in stores and online from roughly Jan 1 until the end of March.

Army-builders and collectors alike were ecstatic over the San Diego Comic-Con 501st Stormtrooper exclusive figure, but some were a bit dismayed that it had English characters on both the figure and the banner, instead of the STAR WARS in-universe characters of Aurebesh. Any chance of a future re-release of this figure with Aurebesh lettering? (SWC, 10/6/06) (http://www.swcollector.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=864)

We don't plan to re-release this 501st figure again, but if we do do a future 501st offering then it makes a lot of sense to do Aurebesh. We did think about it, just didn't do it this time.

With the comic book 2-packs being released with figures and comic book pack-ins, could we see a two-pack featuring new Luke Skywalker and Mara Jade figures, as they appeared in the comic book "Union"? (SWC, 10/6/06) (http://www.swcollector.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=864)

We won't be doing Mara's spa outfit, if that's the one you are referring to. ;)

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The VTSC Scout Trooper seems to be quite the success.  Collectors are raving  about it still, and the figure has been out for the better part of the year. The same goes for the new Sandtrooper.  With that success in mind, has Hasbro explored the possibility of reissuing slightly modified versions of these figures (with ball-jointed hips) along with a new speeder bike or Dewback? (TJ, 10/6/06) (http://www.thejawa.com/yabbse/index.php?topic=6190.msg56383#msg56383)

We're thinking about it, yes.  No timetable for either, though, but it wouldn't be in 2007.

Accessories have progressively been getting more and more detailed and interesting.  Witness Ben Kenobi's chest which was packed with the most recent Tatooine Luke Skywalker.  Has there been a concerted effort made towards coming up with accessories like these, and what is the methodology behind the design and inclusion of said accessories? (TJ, 10/6/06) (http://www.thejawa.com/yabbse/index.php?topic=6190.msg56383#msg56383)

Sure.  We look to those things that resonate or would be cool as inspiration for either updating a character or giving a new character as an accessory. The inspiration is almost always based on something on-screen.  An accessory we haven't done before, like the chest, or T-16 skyhopper model, or a moisture generator, can be the basis to update a figure to be specific to a particular scene.

With the QnAs, it's clear that many collectors have a two track mind: Playsets and vehicles!  What kinds of things are on Hasbro's wish list?  Can you tell us about any of the cool things you've worked on, but didn't (or can't) release? (TJ, 10/6/06) (http://www.thejawa.com/yabbse/index.php?topic=6190.msg56383#msg56383)

Oh I wouldn't say that collectors have a two-track mind…add in troops and droids and Cantina guys and accessories and videogame figures…well, there are a lot of dimensions to what is being suggested!  In any case, we put time and energy behind the things we know we can bring to market and that have the best chance of success.  Right now, that's the Starfighter vehicle SKU and the exclusives vehicles which are almost always updates on existing (previously tooled) vehicles.  Our wish list would be to continue to roll out new vehices each year with some cool updates to classics.  The Death star playset comps we have are well-known as one of those "if we could do anything" things, but one of the more interesting concept models we've worked up is a Clone Turbo Tank.  We won't be looking at a big vehicle like this unless it's in the animation, but it's one of those things that we'd like to get to sometime.  The model is very cool.

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I have a two-part, snowspeeder-related question. Now that we have Zev Senesca in the recently released Target Exclusive Snowspeeder, is it safe to assume that a Luke in Snospeeder Pilot gear (As well as other pilots) isn't far off? (Note, the boots are wrong though, sorry, just wanted to mention). Secondly, the Snowspeeder toy is the only one (that I know of) that has the distinction of being TOO big in relation to the figures. Do you think Hasbro will ever create an all-new sculpt of this classic vehicle in the correct scale? (It really shouldn't be much larger than the Expanded Universe Airspeeder from a few years ago). (YF, 10/6/06) (http://cgi.denpetersen.com/YAK1/viewtopic.php?t=877)

Interesting question. The answer to both is "we'll see" when we next look at doing Snowspeeder pilots or an updated Speeder. It may be a little too large, but it's not as far off as you think.

The new 07 figures look great, especially the redeco of the McQuarrie Concept Stormtrooper. My question is that since his card/packaging is part of the "Signature Series" will we see concept figures from other talented Lucasfilm artists like Joe Johnston, Doug Chang, Trisha Biggar or Ryan Church? (YF, 10/6/06) (http://cgi.denpetersen.com/YAK1/viewtopic.php?t=877)

Well, next year the focus is on Ralph's designs, but there will be one other very cool one in the mix. For future years we could go back and look at other artists and their great concepts, too…but we'll see how the McQ series does before we go there.

I have heard for a long time that Hasbro has shied away from doing more than a few Ewoks since among Star Wars fans there has been much Ewok bashing due to their "cuteness" factor. I haven't counted recently, but I believe there are only about 5-7 different Ewoks ever made (not counting generic ewoks including the one with that globe thing several years ago and whoever came with the glider). I believe we also still have at least three vintage Ewoks (Warok, Lumat & Paploo) that have never been remade. I know I have read repeated requests/suggestions on various collector sites for a mother ewok & wokling and other prevoiusly non-sculpted ewoks. I say all this as background for 2 questions: 1). Is it true that Hasbro backs away from doing several different ewoks? [and if so, how have sales been for ewoks?] 2). Can we someday expect to see the previously mentioned vintage ewoks (including the freeze frame Wicket & Logray) figures resculpted? (YF, 10/6/06) (http://cgi.denpetersen.com/YAK1/viewtopic.php?t=877)

We love Ewoks. While these guys may have once been on the low-end of the desire scale, that's certainly not the case any more and collectors overall seem to have a good appreciation for these furry fiends. What could it be? Is it that there is new respect for Ewoks, based on calm reflection over the years? That these guys might be pretty nasty underneath the fur since they were planning to roast and eat their captives? That we have granted them more respect with hindsight because they did, after all, have plans in place that led to the defeat of a whole garrison of the Empire's best? Or because the collector ranks have been swelled with legions of now-grown kids who fell under Return's spell as "their" Star Wars? Whatever the reasons, you'll see more Ewoks, delivered a little at a time, and eventually we'll do the remaining ones.
Title: Re: The Categorized (and Chronological!) Hasbro Q & A Archive
Post by: Matt on October 22, 2006, 06:42 PM
Week 15 - October 22, 2006

Recently you were quoted as saying that Hasbro had subcontracted the 12" figures to Sideshow as their smaller business model allowed them to manufacture collector-quality 12" figures in a more cost effective manner. Given Hasbro's shelfspace limitations & struggles to generate profits with playsets, larger vehicles, & Action Fleet/Micro Machines, would Hasbro consider subcontracting those fan-desired items out to other companies? (AF, 10/22/06) (http://www.actionfigs.com/index.php?categoryid=12&p2_articleid=162)

We would not consider that right now, primarily because we hope at some point to re-ente those categories. We decided that we would not pursue the 12" business when we decided to go with Sideshow. We cannot say the same for the other business and want to evaluate the opportunity.

What are the chances that you will make the Homing Spider Droid and Corporate Alliance Tank Droid in 3¾" scale if they appear in the upcoming animated series? And their chances if they don't appear in the series, or perhaps do you already have plans to make either of them? Would you be willing to add cockpits inside each for extra play value which don't affect the look of the outside (this would be consistent with SW Battlefront 2)? (AF, 10/22/06) (http://www.actionfigs.com/index.php?categoryid=12&p2_articleid=162)

We have looked at this, but it would need animation support to make it happen. There is a very low chance of them getting made if they are not in the series.

Hasbro was previously asked in a Q&A if the cancelled trophy edition OOM-9 could be released in a Battle Pack, and the response was "If [it] would fit into a future scene we want to do, we'd consider [it]." What about releasing cancelled OOM-9 and also the cancelled Destroyer Droid (from the Droideka vs Gungan 2pack) and Trophy Edition Obi-Wan as regular basic carded figures? (AF, 10/22/06) (http://www.actionfigs.com/index.php?categoryid=12&p2_articleid=162)

We've dug into this one for you. The simple answer is that these figures never went to tooling. Some of the sculpts (like the Darth Maul and Battle Droid/OOM-9) did eventually get made. But the others never got farther than hard copies and paint. So I'm afraid these concepts are ones that will never see the light of day, still.

(AF editor's note: the Destroyer Droid in question is unpainted and was seen in the test-shot phase which nearly always comes after the tooling phase, so it's surprising to hear it didn't get that far.)

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Now that e-tailers have started pre-sells for the Order 66 Two Packs, can anyone at Hasbro shed any light on these? Should we anticipate repaints, or are there new figures paired with troops? (GH, 10/22/06) (http://www.galactichunter.com/absolutenm/templates/full_article_template_1.asp?articleid=5929&zoneid=2)

We will not have any information on these until closer to the on-shelf date.

Artoo and Threepio don't seem to get much attention. With the exception of the Holiday Edition, there have hardly been any two packs with these iconic characters. Any chance we would see nice sculpts of these droids in a two pack with a nice background? (GH, 10/22/06) (http://www.galactichunter.com/absolutenm/templates/full_article_template_1.asp?articleid=5929&zoneid=2)

I think you'll like what you'll see next year with our droid pals.  Stay tuned…

I'm not complaining too much (especially since I already ordered the thing and I can't wait to get it and to tear it open), but the Death Star Briefing multi-figure pack raises a few questions. Are the figure images we've seen the final product? The reason I ask is that the Tarkin figure (an obvious repaint of the ROTS figure) has ROTS boots as opposed to the boots the character wore in the original film. Also, the Motti figure seems to be a straight repack (and as such, the coloring is not in line with the rest of the figures in the set). Any chance the legs for Tarkin have since been swapped out to reflect more accurate boots or that the Motti figure has been given the same arms and/or uniform coloring as the rest of the figures in the set? (GH, 10/22/06) (http://www.galactichunter.com/absolutenm/templates/full_article_template_1.asp?articleid=5929&zoneid=2)

The figures you are referring to are indeed the ones used for this set, and they were not changed except for the Tarkin younger appearance.

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The rumor has always been that Ephant Mon was a figure on which you took a beating financially. If this is true, why? The figure's size was obviously quite large but shouldn't you make up for a figure like Ephant Mon by giving us tiny figures like Yoda or the new Chief Chirpa? Many fans would love to see Hermi Odle (Jabba's Palace) but worry that he'll never see the light of retail aisles because he'd be large like Ephant. (JD, 10/22/06) (http://www.jedidefender.com/newspro/fullnews.cgi?newsid1161565479,56329,)

His large size means that he had a voracious appetite for plastic resin, which made him very costly. However, we have not ruled out other large figures. We just have to be creative in bringing them out and make sure that overall, on an averaged basis, we're making our targets.

Fans were excited to see that the R2-D2 in the first wave of figures for 2007 appears to be the ROTS Sneak Preview Droid sculpt... but then came the disappointment after seeing all the yellow "flame reflection" paint aps on him. Will we be seeing a "clean" R2-D2 using this sculpt or are we going to have to buy some "goof off" to remove those yellow paint aps? (JD, 10/22/06) (http://www.jedidefender.com/newspro/fullnews.cgi?newsid1161565479,56329,)

This figure will only have Invisible Hand battle-inspired deco.

Any chance we'll see the Episode 3 Felucia Clone Trooper from the Evolutions Clonetrooper set released as a basic figure? It was was pretty tough to find since the Evolutions sets weren't out in abundance for many people and many troop builders would love a crack at this one as a basic figure! (JD, 10/22/06) (http://www.jedidefender.com/newspro/fullnews.cgi?newsid1161565479,56329,)

Many folks have probably now seen the rumor that there is a Felucia Battle Pack listed at Target for Spring. I can confirm this: it is real and it is spectactular. As a result, we won't be doing the Felucia trooper as a basic figure (and he will be removed from Greatest Hits voting eligibility).

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Are there any plans to do any more vehicles with sound effects like the POTF line? (JTA, 10/22/06) (http://www.jeditemplearchives.com/content/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=2612)

We weigh the trade-offs on every vehicle for various features (lights, sounds, launching missiles, moving or opening parts, etc). It just happens that we don't have any sound vehicles in the line next year, but future vehicles may. It's not out of the question.

Why does the Greatest Battle C-3PO come with so many different base variations. All the rest of the figure in that line come with the ROTS base. We can see where the white/grey Tantive IV base some into play, but what is the inspiration behind the brown one? (JTA, 10/22/06) (http://www.jeditemplearchives.com/content/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=2612)

Well now that's a case of interative changes to "get it right." We were in such a hurry to get the Greatest Hits to shelf that we asked for products to be carried into the new line exactly like they appeared in the ROTS line. Well, we chose a background for the Greatest Battle C-3PO packaging that just didn't make sense with the lava base from ROTS, but we didn't see this until we were on the edge of production. So it became a running change. We then spec'd the ship interior base in the original colors, and then moved to the corrected, final colors that match the background scene. This was not intended to drive collectors crazy, but to get to what we thought was the best match of background and base. Unfortunately, it couldn't be from piece 1 because of the very tight schedule.

The images of the interacting Super Battle Droid and R2-D2 from the 1st wave of 30th Anniversary figures fresh in mind...will other figures from that line have features that interact and/or will they come with accessories that interact on either the basic figure level or a "deluxe figure level next year? (JTA, 10/22/06) (http://www.jeditemplearchives.com/content/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=2612)

The Cantina bar pieces will also have the same effect of interacting with each other. But for the most part the other accessories are stand alone.

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In the pursuit of movie accuracy, why doesn't Hasbro improve the light-sabre for 3 3/4" action figures, i.e. if you notice the actual sabres are "white hot" with a characteristic colour surround, not transparent as are the current sabres. I would consider this a marked improvement in both play and display modes. (RS, 10/22/06) (http://www.rebelscum.com/story/front/Hasbros_15th_STAR_WARS_QA_The_Answers_100620.asp)

Interesting suggestion..we'll take a look at that.

Given the recent Lucas Family set that was a StarWarsShop.com exclusive, How does Hasbro feel about future exclusives that utilize all new tooling? Has it become more feasible now that the Internet is more prevalent in the home compared to the days of the B'omaar Monk and Oola online exclusives from years past? Could this be the avenue through which we might see the really obscure fan-requested characters in the future? (RS, 10/22/06) (http://www.rebelscum.com/story/front/Hasbros_15th_STAR_WARS_QA_The_Answers_100620.asp)

That pack was the rule rather than the exception, but we will be exploring some new tooling in exclusives to provide a point of differentiation from things we've done in the past. But it won't be mostly new figures, as the Lucas Family Pack was.

With the popularity of the LEGO Star Wars games, would Hasbro ever think of making a similar game, starring action figures? With the graphics capabilities of for next-gen systems like xbox360, ps3, and Wii, they could make near perfect copies of HASBRO SW action figures and a game could be made with a good sense of humor like the LEGO games. The games background could be set in different locations like a person's living room, backyard, toy store, comic book shop, Comic-Con, etc. The whole concept would be based on fun, action, and collecting. Hasbro could also make exclusive figures and etc to go along with the game, and it could help bring more people into the hobby. Just a thought..... (RS, 10/22/06) (http://www.rebelscum.com/story/front/Hasbros_15th_STAR_WARS_QA_The_Answers_100620.asp)

We have already been doing some of this, mostly tongue-in-cheek, in the European commercials. The fan community has also shown that great things can be done with action figures and we would like to cultivate that for the future. But a game? You need a strong stand-alone IP for that, and I don't think we're there yet. Maybe down the road, but not there yet.

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Buyers have long suffered basic figure case assortments that cause more collecting problems than they solve, whether they be cases trying to refresh older product, focus on unpopular figures across multiple cases, or an extended lack of focus on popular figures - even a perception of intentional shortpacking (and I don't mean chase figures like UGH, that's a separate can of worms). Case revisions often don't do enough to remedy the problem, sometimes making it even worse. Currently, the "Greatest Battles" and "Heroes & Villains" older-figure assortments are in heavy rotation and are choking off shelfspace for actual new assortments in many markets. Nearly every Target, Toys R Us, and Wal-mart is stuffed with those figures which move much slower and have no room to put out the newest TSC wave, Endor 2/The Phantom Menace. Now Hasbro is saying this "greatest hits" style of assortment will be continuing next year. Why are new-product case assortments still such a problem, what is Hasbro doing to deal with the problems beyond simple case revisions, and - understanding that there is some need for older figures to keep a continued presence on shelves - how will the current problems of the "greatest hits" assortment be addressed? (SSG, 10/22/06) (http://www.sirstevesguide.com/index.php?categoryid=13&p2_articleid=76)

Just as Collections 1 and 2 in prior years had dediciated space on the pegs, so too will the two basic figure assortments next year (and they also do now, by the way, sit side by side with separate assigned space in the planogram). Retailers replenish figures based on the sell through rate of the assortment, so when stores sell down on 85770 (TSC), they will reorder more. The 87181 (Greatest Hits) have no effect whatsoever on this replenishment. Inventory is managed to keep ample stock on both assortments, independent of how you see them put back on the pegs at the end of the day. One more thing, too - you couldn't be further off regarding the sales of the Greatest Hits figures. They have been a runaway hit and the reason why we are creating a new assortment for next year to keep this going.

On the issue of perceived value with small figures like Ewoks, Jawas, Astromech droids, etc., while scale-accuracy is important, smaller figures have often come in 2-packs - Wicket & Logray, Jawa 2pack, Gonk Droid & Jawa, Yoda & Chian, Jedi Padawans, Library Droids, even the just-released Dud Bold & Mars Guo; Wicket & Logray are not only a 2-pack but are scaled-up for perceived value - yet the recent Chief Chirpa feels like a very empty package because it's a very small figure with few accessories. Why was Chirpa not part of a 2-pack, and would Hasbro consider using the basic 2-pack format with smaller figures again in the future to give greater value for buyers' money and get more figures out there? (SSG, 10/22/06) (http://www.sirstevesguide.com/index.php?categoryid=13&p2_articleid=76)

We will consider it in the future. As to why Chirpa was a single pack, it was needed to help cost average the wave somewhat.

We often wonder why the current "kids market" is treated so much differently from the "collectors market", could you explain Hasbro's perceptions of the distinctions between the "collectors market" and "kids market" in Star Wars collecting? What are the percentages of "kids" collecting the line right now? Isn't that line blurred since most adult collectors started their interest as kids dating back to Kenner's first Star Wars action figures with notions of "collect them all" in 1978? There's a notion among collectors that the "kids market" is more important to Hasbro in the Star Wars collecting even though collectors make up a significant portion of the line's consumers and often buy multiples of each item, are kids today that much different in how they buy and enjoy their toys from 28 years ago that they should be treated as "non-collectors"? (SSG, 10/22/06) (http://www.sirstevesguide.com/index.php?categoryid=13&p2_articleid=76)

Last year, kids outnumbered the collectors by a very wide gap. The reason is simple - we had a great movie, and Star Wars became the thing that kids everywhere wanted to get involved with. Just like collectors love Star Wars figures, kids piled on that bandwagon too. Well, kids didn't jump off that bandwagon this year, just like we thought they wouldn't given the product that we were designing to keep them engaged in Star Wars. Usually after a movie year we see kids' interest shift in a different direction, and some did wander away this year, but kids continue to be involved in Star Wars in a big way and are a very important component of the line's current and future success. Collectors do not want to see us focus on just collectors either - a healthier overall line means we can do more products than we otherwise would because retailers see the demand. If the line were just focused on collectors, the relatively smaller volumes would be at risk for being delisted, or we would have to create so many new, more obscure figures to keep the line going that we could not commit the resources and tooling dollars to get everything done. The healthiest Star Wars line is one that has both audiences, kids and collectors, engaged in the highest possible way. How do kids interact with Star Wars figures? Some have a more casual engagement, picking up a few core hero figures, while others dive deeper and appreciate another tier of characters like Kit Fisto, Agen Kolar, Plo Kloon that are the next step for someone who really wants to build up "the world of Star Wars." Others do a deep dive like an adult collector, and these kids may never leave the brand like many of us never did. These kids behave like colelctors but our data shows them as kids.

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Hey Hasbro ever thought about making battlepacks or extra accesories with your new snowtroopers and sandtroopers and flip up visor scouts, mabye like five per package with a web blaster or something big like that with some nice bfg's for the sandies? I would love to see an AT-AT driver battlepack done like this too. Maybe have a scuplt of a new trooper or imperial commander in with em? I would think these would sell like hotcakes compared to the battlepacks I have recently seen released. (ST, 10/22/06)* (http://www.sandtroopers.com/smf/index.php?topic=5183.msg87949#msg87949)

The Battle Packs are a great format and at some time could get to these ideas….but there are others ones in the pipeline ahead of these.  For now and for some tins the only place to find these figures will be in the Tins.

Do some other Star Wars sites/forums get exclusive official polling rights with Hasbro, or do all sites get equal input?  If we are all equal which figures does Sandtroopers.com get to have in our poll?  And what other sites will be included in this polling survey? (ST, 10/22/06)* (http://www.sandtroopers.com/smf/index.php?topic=5183.msg87949#msg87949)

This is a great question and an opportunity to explain for everyone the philosophy behind the Greatest Hits polling. As you now know, we are working very quickly to make sure we have two basic figure assortments running full year next year -- and we are going to populate the second line with Greatest Hits like we did this year.  Unlike this year, where our carryforward figures were all Episode III, we wanted to draw from all films this time around.  As such it made sense to open it up to a fan vote.  But we needed to act quickly, while at the same time getting the most accurate input possible.  We decided that ALL previously created figures would be eligible for fan voting and consideration for the Greatest Hits.

We approached RebelScum.com with the idea of collaborating on a poll among fans since they have a great comprehensive database and an ability to implement such a poll almost immediately.  The fan vote is not exclusive to RebelScum.  All fans can vote in Round 2 (the bracket of 64) from across the net and make their voice heard.  (Registration is not required for Rd. 2.)

Ensuring that the fans know that their voices are being heard is imperative.  I hope all other sites, such as Sandtroopers.com, realize that although there are many Star Wars fan sites with unique approaches and thriving communities, the Star Wars fandom community as a whole is incredibly strong and this is a chance for all of you to be heard.


Will the new 2007 30th Anniversary Collection of basic figures with collectible coins fit in your figure cases for sale on your website or do we have to look for new cases again? (ST, 10/22/06)* (http://www.sandtroopers.com/smf/index.php?topic=5183.msg87949#msg87949)

They will indeed fit any 6"x9" card, and we have designed the 30th Anniversary figures to fit.  Since the 6" x 9" format is a collector standard we are keeping that footprint as the basic figure card size (believe me....we have had wranglings with some retailers who have wanted to change the size over the years!).  We are designing future-forward compatibility in the line so all future basic figure cards will fit the figure cases.

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There have been rumors that you may have a Star Wars item at certain stores -- more specifically Target -- that will be released on Black Friday (day after Thanksgiving), can you confirm or deny this? (SWC, 10/22/06) (http://www.swcollector.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=874)

I cannot address this issue for any retailer. Sorry.

Is there any chance we could see a re-release of the 3 3/4-inch Max Rebo Band next year, either single-carded, two-packs, or a multi-pack? (SWC, 10/22/06) (http://www.swcollector.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=874)

Yes, there is a strong chance, but it has not been totally confirmed. But as a result of this, the Max Rebo band members will not be eligible for consideration in the Greatest Hits series for next year.

Since the Star Wars Comic Packs revealed so far show figures packed with reprints of the original Marvel Comics adaptation of Star Wars #1-3, will we be seeing similar two-packs for issues #4-6 in 2007? (SWC, 10/22/06) (http://www.swcollector.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=874)

Not initially. We are going to move into some Dark Horse-produced titles after that with occasional dips into the Marvel issues after that. We see the future of the line being roughly 75% Dark Horse / 25% Marvel in the long run.

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You answered in a previous response: One hint... we are fans of Cantina denizens and it's a good bet there will be at least two every year until... well, we run out! My question is, does this apply to some of the background human characters like Debnoli, Garouf LaFoe, Merc Sunlet, Swilla Corey etc, or even the space-suited Cantina characters? Also, does this level of commitment apply to the Jabba's Palace denizens as well? And since the Cantina aliens are mostly seated, will we see a return to articulated knees? (TJ, 10/22/06) (http://www.thejawa.com/yabbse/index.php?topic=6214.msg56585#msg56585)

Admittedly, the human Cantina guys don't get the recognition they deserve.  Probably because they don't embody that cool, alien, otherworldly feel that makes the Cantina so iconic.  But sometime we'll probably do those guys too - later rather than sooner, though, so hang in there. Yes, we'd also like to look at a couple of Jabba's denizens in the same way every year although there we have the classic "skiff guard or palace denizen?" tough choice to make on which ones to do next for the couple of slots we know we'll have.  And yes, knees are important for Cantina guys especially when they were seated on screen.

Given that there is a commitment to the mid-sized vehicle assortment by both Hasbro and Retailers, what are the chances of including something with the same footprint that is not a vehicle within a case mix?  Perhaps the POTF2 Endor playset (you could even include a Speeder Bike so it is a vehicle). (TJ, 10/22/06) (http://www.thejawa.com/yabbse/index.php?topic=6214.msg56585#msg56585)

We are looking at this, but not for playsets. The "footprint" does allow for flexibility.

What percentage of figures you release a year are new characters?  To put it another way, how much room do you give for new characters in a line based largely on the main-line heroes (Vader, Luke, Chewie, etc) in different poses or outfits?  I don't necessarily mean new sculpts, just new characters... (TJ, 10/22/06) (http://www.thejawa.com/yabbse/index.php?topic=6214.msg56585#msg56585)

Roughly about 40% of the basic figures next year are "new" figures that have never been done before (which also includes some trooper type variants we have not done).  The balance are new takes on main characters.

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Thanks for last week's confirmation on the Sith Infiltrator, I know a lot of fans are looking forward to that one. However another vehicle rumored in the same breath as the Infiltrator has been the V-Wing fighter from ROTS. Is it coming as well? (YF, 10/22/06) (http://cgi.denpetersen.com/YAK1/viewtopic.php?t=954)

It sure is. We don't have more info for you, but it will be paired in the same assortment as the Sith Infiltrator. This is one vehicle wave we can't wait to see hit the shelves!

I know that you are no longer able to answer questions about specific characters, but is there any way that you could tell us if there are *any* new-sculpt beasts on the way such as the dactillion, the aiwha, or the orray? These could fill a low price point and it has been a while since we have seen beasts on the market. (YF, 10/22/06) (http://cgi.denpetersen.com/YAK1/viewtopic.php?t=954)

These are all cool ideas, but none are in the works right now.

The Death Star Gunner has got to be one of the best figures released this year. That being said, I'm wondering if we might see some kind of deluxe version with a Death Star turbolaser cannon? There's a photo of a Gunner manning one of the cannons right on the cardback, so as you can see, it wouldn't be very large. (YF, 10/22/06) (http://cgi.denpetersen.com/YAK1/viewtopic.php?t=954)

There are no plans for any deluxe sets right now, but that would be a pretty cool one for a scene-type of pack. With our other priorities, we're not sure how we'd bring that to retail, but we'll discuss it. Thanks.

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Will the new coins be unique to each figure or will every coin be randomly on each card (like the little holo figures were)? (YN, 10/22/06)

The main basic figure line (the 30th Anniversary basic figures) will have a unique coin for every figure (60 total) and will be the coin series that is intended to occupy the 60 numbered slots in the coin binder. There will be additional coins, notably some "movie" coins that are not specific to the character that will be found in the Greatest Hits asst.

The waves of the new Galactic Heroes (Han/Greedo/ Wedge/TIE Pilot, etc.) figures have been very hard to find in the retail outlets. Is this because of any decreased interest from the retailers or has the arrivial of the wave been slowed due to changes made in the paint apps of the troopers? (YN, 10/22/06)

The demand for Galactic Heroes continues to be high�.hang in there, more are on the way.

Are there plans to make more Star Wars charactes as Mr. Potato Heads? (YN, 10/22/06)

As of now, the line ended with Artoo Potatoo. The reality was that demand fell off after Darth Tater and retailers were not interested in carrying additional line extensions, preferring to see us concentrate on the many Star Wars figure SKUs.

Week 16 - October 27, 2006

What are the chances of having a Collector's Society program where fans could buy toys directly (through HasbroToyShop.com perhaps, like how the GI Joe 3 3/4" line is currently offered) that Hasbro thinks wouldn't sell well in regular stores, such as an AT-TE, Sith Inflitrator, and new playsets? (AF, 10/27/06) (http://www.actionfigs.com/index.php?categoryid=12&p2_articleid=162)

Actually we think the Sith Infiltrator would sell very well in stores and that's where it will be released. Any future ambitious releases HAVE to involve the major retailers as that's the only way to get these in the hands of the most collectors possible to sell enough units to justify the investment in the product. Our own HasbroToyShop.com (or any etailer) can play a part in a product release, but cannot carry the load for a brand new product like that.
(AF editor's note: this question was sent in a while before the Sith Infiltrator was a confirmed vehicle.)

Any chance of seeing updates to major characters who have been somewhat neglected of late, especially Episode I Obi-Wan and Jango Fett (no truly adequate, neutrally posed, highly-articulated sculpt at all)? (AF, 10/27/06) (http://www.actionfigs.com/index.php?categoryid=12&p2_articleid=162)

At some point we will get to those figures, yes, but not in the short term.

On the Saga (and currently shipping again as part of The Saga Collection's Endor wave) ROTJ Emperor Palpatine figure, why is the hood so oversized and why hasn't this been corrected? (AF, 10/27/06) (http://www.actionfigs.com/index.php?categoryid=12&p2_articleid=162)

Other Palpatines have had different size hoods. That was just the size we chose for that particular sculpt and it was left as it was for TSC.

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When George Lucas had Carrie Fisher and the other stars sign over their likeness for all LFL products, Carrie was quoted as saying that she couldn't look in the mirror without paying George royalties. Yet, when collectors asked about the long-desired Tonnika Sisters, we've gotten the response that there are "complications" with release of the likeness of one or both of the actresses. Does this mean LFL does not own the likeness to every character and actor within the movies? In the case of the TSC Endor Soliders, did Hasbro have to release royalties for John Doe who played "Endor Trooper #15" in ROJ? (FFURG, 10/27/06) (http://www.ffurg.com/hasbroqa.htm)

We can't/won't comment on these issues. (FFURG editor's note: Hopefully we haven't offended anyone at LFL or Hasbro by this question since it was not our intent. Our sincere apologies.)

As you've seen from past Q&A's from FFURG, we love the simple head swap. Sometimes, Hasbro has made it easy for us to swap heads for unique customs, like Wedge, Dutch, SAGA Endor Soldier, etc. Having seen the removable ball joint peg from the refreshed Endor Soldiers, what is the possibility of seeing a universal ball joint peg in the future for scale across the range of humanoid figures? (FFURG, 10/27/06) (http://www.ffurg.com/hasbroqa.htm)

We hear you loud and clear and know that this is a cool secondary benefit to a contingent of collectors. We will still design each figure as merits for that figure, and we'll take into account ball and socket when it lends itself.

What will be the thickness and strength of the plastic used on the upcoming Super Battle Droid to be released in Wave 1 of the 30AC? Will the plastic be of a quality prone to warping such as that used in previous SBD's or can we look forward to a stronger material for better play and display value? (FFURG, 10/27/06) (http://www.ffurg.com/hasbroqa.htm)

Our desire is for the Super Battle Droid to resist some of the warping we have seen with past figures, and we've increased the width of the knee joint slightly to help.

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Of the perennial characters, who is the team's favorite to refresh over and over? Are any of the major characters running out of fresh ways to spice them up for new retail adventures? (GH, 10/27/06) (http://www.galactichunter.com/absolutenm/templates/full_article_template_1.asp?articleid=5946&zoneid=2)

We love 'em all, with each team member having their different favorites. What motivates us is finding a new hook or avenue for each of the core charcters every year to keep them in rotation so kids get a chance at them too. Our goal is to make sure collectors like the figure too, either as an improvement, upgrade, or to get for the new accessories for display. It is challenging with some of the core, that's for sure, but every year we are surprised still at the ways the movies challenge and inspire us.

Are the "poster style" action figures completely off the table, or is there hope that we'll see them elsewhere (exclusive or otherwise)? (GH, 10/27/06) (http://www.galactichunter.com/absolutenm/templates/full_article_template_1.asp?articleid=5946&zoneid=2)

They are off the table for now.

When stock numbers for exclusives show up in retailers' computers, is this akin to 'penciling in' a date, as opposed to a done deal? Many collectors assume that once an item is in the CPU, it means the ink is dry. Is this not the case? Is it possible that negative reaction to a rough sketch product description can deep-6 an exclusive? (GH, 10/27/06) (http://www.galactichunter.com/absolutenm/templates/full_article_template_1.asp?articleid=5946&zoneid=2)

With very rare exceptions, when a product shows up in a retail computer, it's a "done deal" and has been proposed, evaluated, and accepted by the retailer.

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Star Wars 7" Unleashed - Have the Target and Wal-Mart exclusive reissues sold well enough to keep the line going into 2007? If so, will we see new Unleashed sculpts or will we see more repacks & repaints (if it's re-issues, any chance you could work the Stormtrooper piece into the mix for 2007)? (JD, 10/27/06) (http://www.jedidefender.com/newspro/fullnews.cgi?newsid1162006334,58272,)

There will be additional 7" reissues next year, but along the lines of the same "greatest hits" format. But there will be some twists, including a version of the figure you mention. Stay tuned!

Fans love the Evolutions line. Fans love troop builders (especially of the Imperial variety). How about taking the three troop builders from the OT 30AC tins and packing them together in an Evolutions-esque 3-Pack: Sandtrooper, Snowtrooper, Biker Scout! It'd be like a license to print money, right? Everyone wins! (JD, 10/27/06) (http://www.jedidefender.com/newspro/fullnews.cgi?newsid1162006334,58272,)

We think Evolutions had a specific role as the place to introduce new premium figures. Instead of your suggestion, we would look to use these (existing) figures in new ways down the roads like Battle Packs or as the Greatest Hits voting suggests, as single-carded basic figures. Either way, you can bet that long-term fans will be seeing more of these figures, just not in the format you suggested.

The Star Wars Comic Packs. Set #1, Kir Kanos & Carnor Jax (Crimson Empire) has started shipping and the first non-exclusive wave, based on the old Marvel Comics, were revealed at SDCC. When do we get to hear some official details about Wave 2? Soon? Toy Fair 07? Right Now? (hint, hint) (JD, 10/27/06) (http://www.jedidefender.com/newspro/fullnews.cgi?newsid1162006334,58272,)

As the waves are slottetd roughly 2-1/2 months apart, Wave 2 will be on shelf approximately the first week in April. We will probably reveal the full contents of Wave 2 in December.

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Have you ever considered offering packs of guns or lightsabers for replacements? Lightsabers especially are easy to break or lose. Specifically saber hilts that were released with specific jedi and troops in accessory packs would be nice. (RS, 10/27/06) (http://www.rebelscum.com/story/front/Hasbros_16th_STAR_WARS_QA_The_Answers_100950.asp)

Unfortunately, this is much more complicated for us than it sounds since the weapons tools are scattered all over and matched with the figures. It is a very tall logistics order for us and our factories. If we figure out a way to do it where it makes sense, we'll look at it.

Has there been any consideration to making a set of the 9 holographic Dejarik creatures in 3¾" format? Can you make multi-colored holographic figures? They would be out of scale to the other 3¾" figures but they would be very cool all the same. (RS, 10/27/06) (http://www.rebelscum.com/story/front/Hasbros_16th_STAR_WARS_QA_The_Answers_100950.asp)

On the surface, this is a cool idea. But these, especially in the 3-3/4" format, would be a very niche product too far removed from recognizeable, more in-demand figures. So it'll remain a distant "what if."

How about Pilot/Astromech two-packs from the Battle of Yavin? For example:

Wedge and his droid (red on silver dome, has yet to be named); Porkins and R5-D8; Garvin Dreis and R5-K6; Luke and a new R2-D2 with dome attachment (manipulator arm); ...or any of the other pilots.
(RS, 10/27/06) (http://www.rebelscum.com/story/front/Hasbros_16th_STAR_WARS_QA_The_Answers_100950.asp)

That is a cool idea and we have considered it, but just have not found the place to slot something like this in the mix.

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Although we have two figures from Utapau (Tion Medon and Utapaun Warrior, both Pau'an species), the planet had a second species seen in ROTS, the Utai - not major players, but they have several moments of screen time making them at least as prominent as background characters such as the Mustafar Sentry or Neimoidian Warrior which are already figures - so are we likely to get any Utai in the near future? (SSG, 10/27/06) (http://www.sirstevesguide.com/index.php?categoryid=13&p2_articleid=76)

The poor Utai. The petrol-drenched, varactyl-wrangling blue-collar working class of the sinkhole planet just haven't gotten their fair share of the attention. Which, as befits their status, is a small share. Until they send an ambassador to our line planning meetings, they remain a more long-term goal.

Might you re-release the Naboo Fighter vehicle (last seen in Episode 2, for which there was no toy release) with appropriately-chromed aka vacuum-metallized sections? (SSG, 10/27/06) (http://www.sirstevesguide.com/index.php?categoryid=13&p2_articleid=76)

At some point, we will probably take a look at the Naboo Fighter, but we haven't yet. The specific issues you mention (vac metal) are not as easy to solve as it seems, and depends on the nature of the parts. It's a good suggestion for something to look at for next time. Thanks!

Many Imperial, Rebel, and other-faction lower-rank troopers seen in minor roles in the films have been given names and backstories in the EU. Any chance of seeing these minor individual 'grunts' released as individual character figures thus lending satisfaction for collectors when the names and individual likenesses of these troopers see action figure recognition, as well as another way of bringing greater variety to the various trooper ranks? (SSG, 10/27/06) (http://www.sirstevesguide.com/index.php?categoryid=13&p2_articleid=76)

Interesting question. Every once and a while we will give a grunt (Bren Derlin) a name, but for the most part we think keeping these guys as troop builders, rather than one-off characters, is more appealing to most collectors.
(SSG ed note: Major Derlin is a script-named character in Empire Strikes Back, not a Hasbro-named character.)

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Is the Darth Vader #01 figure in The 30th Anniversary Collection the same figure as The Saga Collection Darth Vader #038, minus the "debris" accessories? (SWC, 10/27/06) (http://www.swcollector.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=880)

It's actually the same figure we reissued for Heroes and Villains of Episode III #1.

After responding "No comment" to several past queries, can you now tell us anything about the rumored Imperial Shuttle Vehicle with Darth Vader and Royal Guard figures that is supposed to be a Target-exclusive? (SWC, 10/27/06) (http://www.swcollector.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=880)

Nope! (SWC note: Target.com has already confirmed this exclusive.)

If the upcoming Concept Art-based figures are popular sellers, could we see more figures along these lines beyond wave 8 of The 30th Anniversary Collection? (SWC, 10/27/06) (http://www.swcollector.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=880)

We think there is a lot of magic in the McQuarrrie series, tying back to those great, early conceptual beginnings of Star Wars, that makes it a perfect series for the 30th Anniversary year. Going beyond that, we probably won't do anything as comprehensive as next year's series, but it's certainly a possibility we'll look for more inspiration in concept art.

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When deciding to give a figure an angled-cut-swivel elbow joint, why not add an additional-horizontal swivel joint directly above the elbow joint?  This, in additional to a swivel wrist joint would greatly increase the level of posability in the figure and would seemingly be a great substitute when ball-jointed elbows are cost prohibitive. (TJ, 10/27/06) (http://www.thejawa.com/yabbse/index.php?topic=6224.msg56635#msg56635)

Each separate part we add brings with it a cost, and what you suggest does make a more expensive figure along the lines of a ball joint elbow, but with different aesthetics (more like GI Joe swivel-arm).  We'd probably opt for a ball joint in that case if we decided the figure needed to have a more premium articulation.

It's unfortunate to hear about the fate of the Titanium Ultra line.  Is Hasbro actively looking at other ways of presenting vehicles to collectors that may be impractical to produce in the 3-3/4" scale?  Come on, don't you guys remember the Collector's Fleet line? (TJ, 10/27/06) (http://www.thejawa.com/yabbse/index.php?topic=6224.msg56635#msg56635)

Fear not about the last few of the Titanium Ultra vehicles….they will be made available to fans after all, just not at mass retail.  Look for details on that soon.  As for your other question, we are always looking at new opportunities to keep the Star Wars vehicle program going strong.  For now, the focus is on the Titanium 3" assortment, which has a long, bright future as long as fans continue to be an engaged in the format as they have been.

Any chance that micro-machine sized ships could be used as a future 'pack-in' item?  They could either be random or themed (like Chewie packed with a Millennium Falcon)? (TJ, 10/27/06) (http://www.thejawa.com/yabbse/index.php?topic=6224.msg56635#msg56635)

That's an interesting idea and one we've considered.  However, they are expensive little buggers so we weighed the cost-tradeoff and have decided not to pursue since it might mean compromising some for the accessories we want to do with the figures.

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I know you included an Obi-Wan with snap-on Clone Trooper armor in the Jedi vs. Sith Battle Pack last year, but I know I'm not the only fan who was really hoping for one tooled from the SA Clone Trooper body with soft goods cape and robe. Is this on the drawing board?

And since you've been making "real" versions of Clone Wars cartoon characters (thank you for that by the way, can't wait for Snow Bunny Padme), I'd like to know if Saesee Tiin in his space armor is also being considered.
(YF, 10/27/06) (http://cgi.denpetersen.com/YAK1/viewtopic.php?t=980)

Good questions. In the short term (i.e. next year), the answer is no. But they are both on our short list of great figures to do.

Rather than give us pack ins that most fans don't want like the Hologram figures and coins, would it be possible to give fans something that they want and could go with their figures? How about something similar to the Marvel "build a bigger figure" wave of figures, but instead SW figures could come with pieces that go together to make up a location set or accessory from the movies. I originally had an idea of deluxe modular sets but this could be scaled down to a piece of wall, floor or door per figure. This would give the fans what there after, a playset of some sort without Hasbro needing more space in stores and larger parts could even be provided in battle packs etc. They could still take or leave certain figures and Hasbro would sell more figures through a more attractive offering. (YF, 10/27/06) (http://cgi.denpetersen.com/YAK1/viewtopic.php?t=980)

We think there is a demand for the coins and we're happy to get the chance in an anniversary year to bring back this cool pack-in. Not every fan will want every pack-in we offer, but we think the coins have a certain nostalgic magic that is just what we were looking for next year. As for the future, it's too early to say but we're looking at lots of ideas. With the rising cost of materials (plastic resin, metal, paper) we feel lucky to be able to offer something next year and hopefully we can keep that going for future years too.

Why do you keep putting out vehicles that the figures cannot fit in? Kit Fisto cannot fit in his Jedi Starfighter, and the Millennium Falcon, even with your cockpit changes, still does not fit Han Solo and Chewie. It seems to me that these vehicles are rush-jobs, and no planning is behind these repaints. It is very frustrating for kids and collectors alike. What is your take on this? (YF, 10/27/06) (http://cgi.denpetersen.com/YAK1/viewtopic.php?t=980)

Our goal of course would be to have every figure fit in every vehicle, but this isn't always possible because so many figures are different. In the case of Kit's Starfighter, we gave the go-ahead as one of the figures actually DOES fit, albeit tightly. Kit is just a challenge to work with because of his Nautolan hair, but we thought it was a great vehicle and collectors would welcome the chance to have it this year rather than wait or possibly never get it. The next time we do a Kit figure (one of our favorite characters), we'll take the vehicle into consideration and design backward compatibility into the figure.
Title: Re: The Categorized (and Chronological!) Hasbro Q & A Archive
Post by: Matt on November 4, 2006, 12:08 AM
Week 17 - November 3, 2006

With Hasbro now producing 6" super articulated Marvel figures, could we eventually see a special line with 6" super articulated Star Wars figures? (AF, 11/03/06) (http://www.actionfigs.com/index.php?categoryid=12&p2_articleid=162)

We have no plans for this type of figure line. As the heart and soul of the Star Wars collecting world, we are focused on making sure our 3-3/4" line is vibrant, fresh, and exciting first and foremost, along with providing continued newness for our other play patterns (Star Wars Transformers, Unleashed 2", and Galactic Heroes).

Will you ever release the Trade Federation PK Droid seen in The Phantom Menace? You could use the Star Wars Saga SP-4 figure mold for the body since they have the same design, and just make a new head. (AF, 11/03/06) (http://www.actionfigs.com/index.php?categoryid=12&p2_articleid=162)

Interesting suggestion. We haven't looked at this one, but will evaluate it. Thanks.

What is with the somewhat recent practice of putting the faces of clone template actors Temuera Morrison and Bodie Taylor on helmeted troopers that we never see unmasked in the movies, especially those in the Original Trilogy who likely are not clones (and if they are clones wouldn't be clones of Jango Fett since the DNA source was killed in Episode 2)? (AF, 11/03/06) (http://www.actionfigs.com/index.php?categoryid=12&p2_articleid=162)

They may not be first generation clones, in any case (and don't templates degrade with each successive imprint? But I digress). Yes, we have worked with Lucasfilm closely to determine the basis for faces under the masks and the answer is� both Jango-derived faces and recruits (whether volunteer or conscripted) are acceptable.

Hasbro previously said in a Q&A they wouldn't be releasing any new Separatist Leaders in 2007, but when you do decide to visit these characters, instead of worrying about basic figures not selling, what about offering them as a set like the upcoming Death Star Imperial Briefing set? You could even do an AOTC set and an ROTS set. (AF, 11/03/06) (http://www.actionfigs.com/index.php?categoryid=12&p2_articleid=162)

The challenge with a multi-figure set is that, with the higher price point, it has to have high-demand figures in the set to be successful. The Separatists do have their fans but this is still a small contingent than other higher-demand segments like Imperial officers and Clones. We're not going to say that we won't ever do this, but it would take a backseat to other ideas for the time being.

Now that we're getting a super-articulated Super Battle Droid figure in the 30th Anniv. line, can we expect to see a super-articulated regular Battle Droid as well? If not, what is holding that back? (AF, 11/03/06) (http://www.actionfigs.com/index.php?categoryid=12&p2_articleid=162)

The challenge we have had with doing an SA Battle Droid is simply due to the thin aesthetics of the figure. Instead, we'll be doubling up future BD droid releases to make army building more affordable and to give the Clones something more urgent to point at at home on shelf than Jedi!

Hasbro's efforts to produce a transforming Droid Fighter/Vulture Droid in the 3�" line wasn't entirely successful, yet the Action Fleet Droid Starfighter mold is a very accurate version of the transformation with a quality sculpt and opening wings that's also a tougher toy and coincidentally is nearly the same size as the Hasbro 3�" line's version. Can Hasbro start using that Action Fleet mold as the 3�" line's Vulture Droid? It could even be offered in Ep 1 colors and Ep 3 colors. (AF, 11/03/06) (http://www.actionfigs.com/index.php?categoryid=12&p2_articleid=162)

That's a very interesting suggestion, that we hadn't considered before. We'll take a look and see if we can't make use of this cool tool in the future for the 3-3/4" line.

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At FFURG, we're quite excited about the new fan poll at Rebelscum for next year's Greatest Hits (GH) as it will give customizers an opportunity to obtain many figures that are currently quite scarce on the secondary market. You've stated in previous Q&As on other sites that the GH are a separate collection from the main collection of new releases. Does it concern Hasbro that the pegs in stores are full of GH figures that aren't moving, leaving no room for other waves of new figures? We're concerned that if there's no room on the pegs, we won't see much of the 2007 GH waves. Is it simply the result of having this year's GH figures be such recent releases from EP3? Do you feel 2007 line of GH figures, with the entire saga to draw from, will do better than the current 2006 GH? (FFURG, 11/03/06) (http://www.ffurg.com/hasbroqa.htm)

Actually the situation is the reverse, which is why we like to remind folks that what they see (or would like to believe) does not reflect the real, national situation for Star Wars. But it does give us a chance to explain. Flow of new stock in to retail is automated based on stock levels and the need to replace sold inventory. The Greatest Hits figures are flying even faster than the main collection, due largely to a huge amount of kids engaged in the brand (a very good thing). However, since they are separately managed from a stock perspective (there are two different assortments set up, like Coll 1/Coll 2), with dedicated pegs, the abundance or lack thereof of Greatest Hits has nothing to do with the stock levels of the regular Saga assortment. And thanks for the support on the Fan's Choice vote!

Staying on the 2007 GH subject, will the winning figures be straight repacks or, if an opportunity presents itself, will the figures be upgraded, through kit-bashing, with improved sculpts, articulation, and/or weapons? For example, would you simply reissue Dak Ralter if he wins the vote or would you use the old head on the new Zev Senesca body, which would be a much better figure? (FFURG, 11/03/06) (http://www.ffurg.com/hasbroqa.htm)

The figures would be straight repacks. We decided to go this route simply because it made it the easiest to get the fan vote boiled down and also because we do not have the ability to go in and have our design team design more "new" figures at this stage since tooling and deco take time (which we don't have) and resources which are being spent on delivering the already planned new figures in 2007. However, one great by-product of the Fans' Choice vote is that they have helped identify figures that deserve an update even though they may not be in the final 8....like Dak.

With the first images of the new 2007 battlepacks reaching the web, many collectors are getting extremely excited for the Tantive IV battlepack with what appears to be VOTC Stormtroopers. Anticipating that collectors, specifically army builders, will be buying tons of this set for the VOTC Stomies and Rebel Fleet Troopers (with two different heads perhaps?), does Hasbro adjust their case assortments and/or distribution of given sets based on perceived collector interest, thus putting more of these sets on the shelves to meet demand? (FFURG, 11/03/06) (http://www.ffurg.com/hasbroqa.htm)

The Rebel Troopers do indeed have two different head sculpts (based on real individuals, whose identities shall for now, remain a mystery..). We will be making sure that this pack, which features the Evolutions Stormtrooper tool, will be in abundant rotation through the Spring.

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OK, so we have a confirmed mock-up for a Juggernaut/Turbo Tank for Revenge of the Sith. Was a concept ever actually worked on for an AT-TE vehicle? If so, what can you tell us about it? (It'll give us something to drool over until the Clone Wars 3D line launches!) (GH, 11/03/06) (http://www.galactichunter.com/absolutenm/templates/full_article_template_1.asp?articleid=5965&zoneid=2)

We have never done up a concept for an AT-TE. We mocked up the Turbo Tank because it had the more memorable scenes from the films, although actual screen time for both was very short. Either one would be a cool vehicle to do at some point if they played a prominent role in the animated series, and assuming that there aren't cool new vehicles that become our focus. Those would be good choices to have!

Can you confirm for us that new (newly sculpted) vehicles will be a part of the upcoming Clone Wars 3D -animated line, or is it all still based on how well vehicles sell in 2007? (GH, 11/03/06) (http://www.galactichunter.com/absolutenm/templates/full_article_template_1.asp?articleid=5965&zoneid=2)

Vehicles are an important part of the 3�" play pattern and we don't see adjusting our focus on developing new ones as long as demand continues.

Our Stormtrooper armies are seeming a little thin these days. (Deserters? Recruitment problems? Cloning malfunctions?) What action is Hasbro taking to beef up the ranks for the Imperials? (GH, 11/03/06) (http://www.galactichunter.com/absolutenm/templates/full_article_template_1.asp?articleid=5965&zoneid=2)

OTC Troop fans should be well-pleased by some upcoming packs next year, from basic figures to the upcoming Tantive IV Battle Pack. One of the reasons we did not consider the VOTC Stormtrooper for elgibility in the current Fan's Choice voting is because this sculpt will be used in the 2007 line. Stay tuned!

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With the upcoming 10-pack Cinema Scenes in both the Galactic Heroes and Unleashed lines, you must know that you run the risk of driving completists away from this line (since they won't want to spend that much money for 8 or 9 figures that they already have just to get the one or two new exclusive ones). You must also know that you (and the retail stores) also run the risk of having numerous sets tampered with as frustrated collectors (for the aforementioned reason) pull the old "figure swap" by removing the exclusive figure(s), replacing them with some older figure(s), and then (fraudulently) returning them back to the stores. So my question is, will the few exclusive figures to these sets be made available seperately at some point to avoid these potential problems? If not, why stick it to the fans of these lines like this? (JD, 11/03/06) (http://www.jedidefender.com/newspro/fullnews.cgi?newsid1162583907,82982,)

We have no plans right now to bring these figures forward as part of the 2-packs. One thing we've learned is that there seems to be quite a few families playing and collecting Galactic Heroes together. We thought that this is a great pack to share, so adult collectors could get figures with some variations they wouldn't see otherwise and we might never do, and kids could get some figures they might not have. So that's why we went with adding new when we could, and it turned out that some packs have quite a bit of fresh figures. One thing to mention, too....is that fans can entirely remove the blister packaging from the inner package and use it as a cool cardboard playset. For the Unleashed, this is more of a troop building play pattern and the new troops, we felt, were important to include. There are also no plans to bring those out in 4-packs.

Speaking of the Unleashed minis, will you ever be correcting the SIDEWAYS Rebel Insignias on Snowpeeder Luke's helmet? They should be right-side up like the picture on the box (and on every Rebel Pilot figure ever released in any line). Is there any hope we'll get a corrected version sometime soon? (JD, 11/03/06) (http://www.jedidefender.com/newspro/fullnews.cgi?newsid1162583907,82982,)

Unfortunately, we are done with the production run on this wave and won't go back and correct. If we re-release next year we'll correct.

Cloud City. It's the site of one of the huge turning points of the Saga, yet it hasn't been granted a wave of action figures since 2004 (and even then the wave was only 3 figures, although that Cloud Car Pilot was pretty sweet). Yeah, there was that one lonely Bespin Vader squeezed into the Tatooine Wave this year, but when can this Captain Solo fanboy expect to see that new SA Bespin Han he so desperately wants? Oh right, no specific figure questions... uh, how about a simple "will we see a Bespin themed wave in 2007" question then? (JD, 11/03/06) (http://www.jedidefender.com/newspro/fullnews.cgi?newsid1162583907,82982,)

Not in 2007. We will definitely be going back to Bespin, but patience. It'll be worth the wait!

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Are there any plans to release battle packs of Order 66 and the execution of the Jedi, like maybe a 4 pack with Obi-Wan, Commander Cody, and 2 Utapau troopers or 1 and a Parjai? Something similiar for other scenes, like a Yoda, Chewbacca, Gree, and Elite corps trooper? You get the idea. Because that would be a super-cool and fast army builder set. Call it "Order 66", or "Rise of the Empire" or something flashy. The kids will love it. (RS, 11/03/06) (http://www.rebelscum.com/story/front/Hasbros_17th_STAR_WARS_QA_The_Answers_101067.asp)

This is definitely a strong theme and some of our Battle Packs have had (and will have) this kind of structure. We know that the Jedi/Clone cooperaton/betrayal leader/troop dynamic lends itself to some interesting possibilities, and will be a focus of some of our products in 2007. Stay tuned....

With all the recent holographic figures that have been released recently (Emperor Palpatine, Princess Leia, Yoda, Emperor Palpatine, Plo Koon, Aayla Secura, Ki-Adi-Mundi, Darth Maul, Commander Cody (upcoming), and Obi-Wan Kenobi (upcoming)), where's Darth Vader?? He has more screen time as a hologram that any other character, except for the Emperor. Might we see this figure one day? If so, which Vader figure would you likely use as the base? Maybe an all-new sculpt? (RS, 11/03/06) (http://www.rebelscum.com/story/front/Hasbros_17th_STAR_WARS_QA_The_Answers_101067.asp)

This is a good suggestion, and we don't know why we haven't slotted in Vader for this unique treatment. We do know that we want to be careful how many we do and how much of each holographic figure that we do (they are some of the smaller run figures we do), but he is a great candidate the next time we do one. Which sculpt should we use? Thanks for the suggestion.

Will there be new versions of Jar-Jar Binks or Episode I Anakin released anytime in the near future, or are these characters considered too unpopular to bother doing again? (RS, 11/03/06) (http://www.rebelscum.com/story/front/Hasbros_17th_STAR_WARS_QA_The_Answers_101067.asp)

Definitely not too unpopular, just in a holding pattern until we find an opportunity to update them or a way to get them into a multi-figure set.

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In a recent Q&A you stated it's important that Cantina patrons have bendable knees because many were sitting. With that said, why don't the figures in Death Star Briefing pack have bendable knees? If I remember correctly these guys were all sitting down, besides Vader and maybe Tarkin. (SSG, 11/03/06) (http://www.sirstevesguide.com/index.php?categoryid=13&p2_articleid=76)

The difference there is that we have produced the Cantina bar elements and we needed to be consistent with that. For the Briefing set, we went largely with character tools we had available to us at the time we created it. We thought it was more important to go for this set this year because we might not have had a window to do it down the road.

Would Hasbro consider changing the Greatest Hits-style line to have packaging different from the regular basic line, the cardback graphics being more different than they currently are, so both it and the regular line draw unique attention from each other? (SSG, 11/03/06) (http://www.sirstevesguide.com/index.php?categoryid=13&p2_articleid=76)

We work with Lucasfilm very closely on the differentiation of each line. It's felt that a "family" look is more important than a different look, and that is why there are small changes between the two rather than very large ones. This is likely to be the case next year for the 30th Greatest Hits line as well.

Is there any way that HasbroToyShop.com could be better-stocked than it is? There's rarely any new SW product on the site. And could HTS.com's ordering system be augmented with an active preorder system on all items listed as "coming soon"? Currently they cannot be preordered if they're still listed as "coming soon". And/or how about an email-notification system on "coming soon" and "out of stock" items? All the pages say now are "check back soon" which isn't too handy, especially for high-demand items that sell out quickly once they go online. (SSG, 11/03/06) (http://www.sirstevesguide.com/index.php?categoryid=13&p2_articleid=76)

These are good suggestions and we've passed them on to the HTS.com team. As for product availability, Star Wars has been challenging this year because of contuinued high demand for many assortments... a lucky problem to have, but a problem nonetheless.

If Hasbro is "testing the waters" with the new Unleashed reissues, why release figures like Grievous who were easy to obtain the first time; why not the second (unmasked) Darth Vader, which you've said you know everyone wants and very few people were able to get? And if the retailers were largely concerned with the size of the Unleashed figures packaging, why re-release them in packaging that is about double the size, especially given that they would logically be a tougher sell at the 33% higher price? (SSG, 11/03/06) (http://www.sirstevesguide.com/index.php?categoryid=13&p2_articleid=76)

That would be a good Vader to do next, but we have slotted one Vader at a time to be on shelf (the exception being the K*B re-release of the Best Buy Vader). As for Grievious, we thought the tube package format really made this figure shine and if there was a figure that would expand the appeal of Unleashed 7" to a new market it would be a great figure execution like Grievous.

Why aren't all the SW forum boards voting on the inclusion for next year's Greatest Hits line? (SSG, 11/03/06) (http://www.sirstevesguide.com/index.php?categoryid=13&p2_articleid=76)

In the future, if we run another such poll, we will probably do it differently to make sure we get the widest possible net-wide participation. Ideas range from selecting a smaller subset of figures for voting and allowing all sites to send back results, or possibly using the Hasbro site as a voting place. We understand the reluctance to drive traffic off-site, but I think it's the community that you and others have worked so hard to foster is what makes each site special, and that's what makes people keep coming back.

Lots of fans love both Jedi Starfighters and were looking foward to the AOTC Action Fleet release and then the ROTS Titanium 6" Ultra release, both were cancelled just before going into production but were tooled up. Could these be saved from limbo and presented as an exclusive special Titanium 2-pack? (SSG, 11/03/06) (http://www.sirstevesguide.com/index.php?categoryid=13&p2_articleid=76)

We have no plans for Action Fleet at this time, but stay tuned for new on the Titanium vehicles. We are working on a way to bring them to retail.

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Hasbro has come up with various interactive games, most recently the Jedi Training game. Do these sell well, and what can we look forward to in the future? (ST, 11/03/06)* (http://www.sandtroopers.com/smf/index.php?topic=5183.msg89120#msg89120)

The Jedi Training Game was a big success.  Our opportunities to invest a lot in new technology and expensive games usually present themselves when there is new entertainment, but we're always looking at concepts.

Are there any characters owned by companies such as Dark Horse or artists such as Jan Duursema that are owned by them that you don't have license to produce?  If so, are there any you are pursuing to get license to produce? (ST, 11/03/06)* (http://www.sandtroopers.com/smf/index.php?topic=5183.msg89120#msg89120)

All concepts are owned by Lucasfilm, and are fair game.

Customizing is a huge trend with collectors from all around.  Are there any plans in the near or far future to come up with packs of body parts, heads in particular, or something of this nature? (ST, 11/03/06)* (http://www.sandtroopers.com/smf/index.php?topic=5183.msg89120#msg89120)

We aren�t focusing on this area.  Sorry!

Any thoughts on other crossovers?  There was the SW/Transformers crossover.  How about a SW/G.I.Joe or Marvel Legends crossover, especially since Hasbro takes over the Marvel Legends line in 2007? (ST, 11/03/06)* (http://www.sandtroopers.com/smf/index.php?topic=5183.msg89120#msg89120)

We have no plans for this type of figure line.  As the heart and soul of the Star Wars collecting world, we are focused on making sure our 3-3/4" line is vibrant, fresh, and exciting first and foremost, along with providing continued newness for our other play patterns (Star Wars Transformers, Unleashed 2", and Galactic Heroes).

How come it takes so long to mail out the George Lucas figure? (ST, 11/03/06)* (http://www.sandtroopers.com/smf/index.php?topic=5183.msg89120#msg89120)

It depends on the workload at the time at our redemption facility, which is why we allow for a window for delivery.  Sometimes it takes less!

Using Star Wars collector sites to run a fan poll is a great idea. It's also an opportunity for a specific site to introduce itself to thousands of potential members the site may otherwise never have a chance to reach.  In the future will you allow other collector sites to have this exclusive opportunity? It's a win-win situation for everyone and Hasbro doesn't run the risk of offending anyone. (ST, 11/03/06)* (http://www.sandtroopers.com/smf/index.php?topic=5183.msg89120#msg89120)

Well - in the future, if we run another such poll, we will probably do it differently to make sure we get the widest possible net-wide participation. Ideas range from selecting a smaller subset of figures for voting and allowing all sites to send back results, or possibly using the Hasbro site as a voting place. We understand the reluctance to drive traffic off-site, but I think it's the community that you and others have worked so hard to foster is what makes each site special, and that's what makes people keep coming back.  The Greatest Hits vote right now on Rebelscum is open to all and registration is not required, so folks can debate beforehand on their own community, vote, and come back to discuss.

Any plans to re-introduce some greats from the Vintage era such as Droids or Ewoks figures?  I'd love to get a Droids edition Boba Fett! (ST, 11/03/06)* (http://www.sandtroopers.com/smf/index.php?topic=5183.msg89120#msg89120)

It's very unlikely we'll be going there any time soon, but we do know that there are some, shall we say, "interesting" characters and deco possibilities from these vintage lines.

What is Hasbro's #1 strategy to retain current and obtain future Collectors? (ST, 11/03/06)* (http://www.sandtroopers.com/smf/index.php?topic=5183.msg89120#msg89120)

Interesting question, Troopers.  Putting kids aside, who are also considered heavily in our line planning, our primary strategy is to keep delivering quality new products that get collectors excited, and believe that this "moving forward" approach demonstrates Hasbro's commitment to Star Wars.  The newness and continual evolution of figures against core "Wants" (whether it's aliens, Jedi, Ewoks, Droids, and the like) is what keeps the line fresh and new.  As for acquiring future collectors....in our experience, a great retailer presence and continued buzz and excitement for Star Wars is the best advertising we can have.  It doesn't really work to advertise to a more casual audience to get folks to "become" collectors.  When talking to collectors, we've found that usually the way they become reacquainted is by rediscovering the fun of Star Wars by seeing it in store or finding vintage gems at a sale or flea market and rekindling those fond memories of their youth. Increasingly, lately, it's also stumbling onto an online fan community that is already in place and getting pulled into the fun of collecting Star Wars figures that we all can relate to and enjoy with our own approaches.  These are experiences that are often happen on the collectors own terms and involve a nostalgic component that is difficult to trigger with conventional advertising.  So we think our best method of acquiring new and future collectors is by continually evolving the product line (looking for new hooks and angles, like the Saga Tins), working with the fan community to spread the word about our great hobby, and making sure that we have a great retail presence for the brand.

What is next on the drawing board at Hasbro HQ that is going to blow us all away? (ST, 11/03/06)* (http://www.sandtroopers.com/smf/index.php?topic=5183.msg89120#msg89120)

We've got a lot of fun stuff in various stages of development so it's difficult to answer that specifically.  We've already revealed a good number of secrets for the line next year, but there are more to come. Sorry to revert to the old "stay tuned" but we gotta!

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With Sideshow offering a 12"-scale Jabba's dias, could we be seeing one in 3 3/4"-scale to go with the Saga '04 Ultra Jabba with Hookah? Perhaps with a new sculpt of Salacious Crumb as an accessory/figure? (SWC, 11/03/06) (http://www.swcollector.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=888)

We'll look at this as it makes sense when (and if...) we do a new Jabba. We'd do both at once rather than just a dais, though.

The packaging for The Saga Collection's Naboo Soldier shows some soldiers in red armor and helmets. Any chance we might see those other soldiers, using the same body but with a new head? (SWC, 11/03/06) (http://www.swcollector.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=888)

We were thinking about this originally. With the production run on this figure, we didn't get a chance to spec this change in. Perhaps some time down the road, but it won't be this year.

If Hasbro were to re-release the ROTS Anakin Skywalker (Battle Damaged) #50 figure, any chances of packing in the Medical Capsule as an accessory? Lots of diorama builders have been asking for this one! (SWC, 11/03/06) (http://www.swcollector.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=888)

We don't have any plans to re-release this...painful...looking figure right now but if we did that's a good accessory to include. Thanks.

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Given your confirmed attempts at utilizing the mid-sized vehicle footprint for items other than vehicles, do the concepts call for repacks of existing toys or new sculpts? (TJ, 11/03/06) (http://www.thejawa.com/yabbse/index.php?topic=6229.0)

Yes.

I know that collectors are usually more passionate about cantina aliens or imperial officers when it comes to supporting characters from the OT ... but are there any plans to release more rebel officers in 2007? If so, could this include new or updated versions of alien characters like the Mon Calamari, Dressellian or Ishi Tib as well? (TJ, 11/03/06) (http://www.thejawa.com/yabbse/index.php?topic=6229.0)

Imperial officers are indeed more popular, probably because there are more known by name from the films (and possibly because there are more Imp officer victims of Vader's wrath on screen than Rebs!).  Anyway, I digress.  We will look at this for the future, but it's unlikely you'll see anything like the Imperial Briefing Room scene for Rebel officers.  As for your other question, they are on the wish list for the future but time will tell when we'll be able to create a wave with a slot for them.

The past several waves of Basic Figures (with the exception of the current Naboo wave) seem to have focused much more on the OT and ROTS.  Can collectors expect more offerings from TPM and AOTC early on in the 30th Anniversary Collection?  If so, are there any hints as to what we might see? (TJ, 11/03/06) (http://www.thejawa.com/yabbse/index.php?topic=6229.0)

We don't want to reveal much more about 2007 line to save some info for later.  Fan interest is very high for OTC and dual kid/fan interest is propelling ROTS.  In time we'll be doing EpI and II justice, but you'll be seeing a greater balance during the 30 Anniversary on the OTC and ROTS.

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Will there be any changes made to the Target exclusive Imperial Shuttle, other than the Royal Guard and Vader pack-ins (both are rehashes)? Will the paint scheme be exactly the same as the Saga version? Will the footpegs inside the vehicle be fixed to accomodate the modern line of figures? Will the copyright stamp on the toy be changed from 1983? I know this ain't gonna happen, but how about some ELECTRONICS? (YF, 11/03/06) (http://cgi.denpetersen.com/YAK1/viewtopic.php?t=1015)

I cannot answer any questions about any such vehicle.

What's the status on a Hermie Odle figure? (YF, 11/03/06) (http://cgi.denpetersen.com/YAK1/viewtopic.php?t=1015)

Stay tuned.

You recently said you won't be doing a new Falcon unless it appears in the cartoon, what if it appears in the live-action show will you do one then? (YF, 11/03/06) (http://cgi.denpetersen.com/YAK1/viewtopic.php?t=1015)

We don't know anything about the TV series yet. If the Falcon is in there, and it's a focus of the series, we would certainly like to look at the opportunity.

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The Jedi starfighter toy from Episode 2 featured a 'fight or  flight' action feature that ended up looking remarkably similar to the  Episode 3 Jedi starfighter (notably the TIE fighter-esque wings that folded up and down)...was the design of the Ep 2 toy reflective of  some sort of unused Lucasfilm concept sketch or was the Ep 3 fighter something of an homage to the Hasbro design or a little of both or neither? (YN, 11/03/06)

The feature for the toy version was proposed by Hasbro. We were looking to develop an �off camera� feature that would play-up the fact the vehicle was a �fighter�. Something that, when deployed, would give the vehicle a formidable appearance. We proposed that the jettisonable body panels (increased firepower reveal) and the opening wings would add visual interest and expand the designs �toyetic� appeal � while maintaining the vehicles �on camera� authenticity. The intent was to add a cue hinting at original TIE Fighter - to give a glimpse into to things to come � helping to tie (no pun intended) the Jedi Fighter to the classic design. We are not aware of any ILM concept sketches that depicted opening wings. Our understanding is that the EPII fighter did influence the EPIII design.

Will we ever see another run of Clone Wars Animated 3 3/4 Figures? (YN, 11/03/06)

If we do more of the Cartoon Network Clone Wars figures, we'll be focusing on realistically styled figures.

I love the Darth Tater T-Shirts on the Hasbro site and the one for sale on HasbroToyShop.com and was wondering if you thought of a  roll-out of shirts based on the figures and vehicles in adult sizes? (YN, 11/03/06)

The Darth Tater shirt was a one-time program developed with Disney, so it's doubtful we'll do something similar.

Week 18 - November 10, 2006

Would Hasbro willing to create a catalog of replacement parts for those parts that break or get easily lost on vehicles and playsets so consumers can always get replacements even long after the toy has stopped manufacturing? If not, why not? (AF, 11/10/06) (http://www.actionfigs.com/index.php?categoryid=12&p2_articleid=162)

We do offer replacement parts through our consumer affairs department for as long as that toy is expected to have a normal useful life. However, it's not every piece, and limited to mainline products (as opposed to exclusives, which operate on a different engineering and ordering system within Hasbro). But, quite simply, with as many products as we have it's just logistically not feasible to be able to stock every part for every toy at all times.

Will fans have a chance to vote for any never-before-made figures in 2007? (AF, 11/10/06) (http://www.actionfigs.com/index.php?categoryid=12&p2_articleid=162)

Yes, that has already taken place with the Top 25 Fan's Choice voting conducted by Toy Fare magazine at the start fo the year. The winner of the poll was Quinlan Vos, who was already being produced in the comic pack line, and the #2 figure was Darth Revan, who was NOT slated for production in 2007, and was added into the mix. So the fans have spoken and we have listened! (editor's note: we meant voting in 2007.)

Will the final 22 The Saga Collection figures be available in Canada? (AF, 11/10/06) (http://www.actionfigs.com/index.php?categoryid=12&p2_articleid=162)

We're looking at that right now. Most will come in with the Wal-Mart exclusive wave, but all may not be available. We are working with the Canadian team on a way to make sure collectors have a chance to get them all between now and spring. Stay tuned...

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Customizers and diorama builders debated for years but have determined that Star Wars and GI Joe are roughly 1:18 scale. We love to get the background accessoies, like the recent Bespin Vader's boxes, or Luke Tatooine's Footlocker. When designing vehicles and accessories, do you try to keep to that exact scale whenever possible? Also, are there any accessories you'd really like to make someday? (FFURG, 11/10/06) (http://www.ffurg.com/hasbroqa.htm)

Yes, we like to keep true to the scale of the figures which (we won't quibble) is approximately 1:18 scale. As for more props, we look to signature movie accessories whenever possible to update a character. One example for next year will be the Moisture Vaporator packed with Luke. We will do these when we feel we have a good window to do them and can afford the piece count. They will tend to be more "signature" than generic, though.

You've mentioned that certain products coming out next year, like the Imperial Conference Room set, would not have enough support to be done later if it wasn't for the 30th anniversary theme of the 2007 lineup. Given this "last chance" for the original trilogy mindset, wouldn't it make sense to re-release the vintage Dagobah playset to accompany the awesome X-wing we got at TRU earlier this year? Are the Kenner molds and tools still available for this playset? (FFURG, 11/10/06) (http://www.ffurg.com/hasbroqa.htm)

The Kenner mold record is very spotty, and we don't know if Dagobah is intact. Admittedly playsets have been faint on our radar screen due to the unenthusiastic market reception for most playsets in the last few years. I do want to correct a misperception, however....we don't see the 2007 line as a "last chance" for the OTC, as the OTC will still be an important focus in our thinking down the road. It's just that with animation and other forms of entertainment looming on the horizon we may not have the opportunity to slot in something like like Imperial Briefing Room in future years.

The "Hunt for Grievous" battlepack was a very innovative use of a head swaps and customizing to make the heavy gunner action figure. Are we going to see this figure re-issued (given it's current rarity) anytime soon? His gun accessory would be awesome to get in a carded figure. (FFURG, 11/10/06) (http://www.ffurg.com/hasbroqa.htm)

Perhaps in future greatest hits lines or battle packs, but no plans right now. Since he didn't advance beyond the Round of 64 in the Fan's Choice polls, he won't be on our priority list to bring back right away.

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During the beginning of the recent Greatest Hits (now known as Saga Legends) campaign, there was an indication that the Y-Wing is in the running to become an exclusive. May we firmly encourage Hasbro to use the classic, vintage mold with a functioning droid port, rather than the less-functional modern refreshed version? If Hasbro isn't open to this expandable playability, why not? Is there a reason that the classic mold hasn't been used? (GH, 11/10/06) (http://www.galactichunter.com/absolutenm/templates/full_article_template_1.asp?articleid=5986&zoneid=2)

Adam, good question. We don't have the vintage tool available to us, so we're looking to the modern one.  While we will be doing some tooling mods, adding a functional droid can't be among them due to the way the tool is structured.

Do you ever put into consideration that a figure might sell twice if you do some simple things to it. I bought two of the Imperial Gunner (one to have the vest on and one to have it off), I also bought two of the VTSC Han Solo, because I could have one with the jacket on and one with it off. These both made sense movie wise. The rumored Endor Leia would have a removable poncho I assume too. That would be another fig that I would buy two of. From a marketing point do you consider this? (GH, 11/10/06) (http://www.galactichunter.com/absolutenm/templates/full_article_template_1.asp?articleid=5986&zoneid=2)

Well that's an interesting question, Mike.  Thanks for letting us know how you like to use the figures in your displays.  The answer is that we do consider this for some figures (like running hair changes in Imperial Officers or face changes in Rebel Troopers, where we actually created a physical difference).  In the Solo you mention, the soft goods is a play feature that happens to work well for your display needs, an unanticipated but welcome second purchase.  Thanks!

Now that we've seen Darth Vader's Sith Starfighter, might we see Lord Vader's Sith Speederbike, his own personalized Sith Infiltrator, or other toys that can be tailored around our favorite Dark Lord? (GH, 11/10/06) (http://www.galactichunter.com/absolutenm/templates/full_article_template_1.asp?articleid=5986&zoneid=2)

We were inspired by the Vader Starfighter when we heard that it was going to appear in publshing, so we had to know more. If these concepts spring from other published sources, we will certainly look at new opportunities for Vader.

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Can we get a picture of the 2007 Galactic Marine, sans removable helmet? Does he have the same head as the 2007 Airborne Trooper? (JD, 11/10/06) (http://www.jedidefender.com/newspro/fullnews.cgi?newsid1163213532,68703,)

Sure, here you go.

(NOTE: Unfortunately, the image file that was sent was corrupted, we’re working on getting it fixed!)

It is actually not based on the same head as the Airborne Trooper. It's based on the younger clone played by Tihoi Taylor.


Early catalog images of the "Ambush at Ilum" battle pack appeared this week thanks to an e-tailer (so I'm sure you'll see this question asked by someone else). Will this set come with one or two of the new droids pictured on the packaging? (JD, 11/10/06) (http://www.jedidefender.com/newspro/fullnews.cgi?newsid1163213532,68703,)

It will come with two: one "solid" and one partially transparent.

Early catalog images of the "Capture of Tantive IV" battle pack also appeared this week (so I'm sure you'll also see this question asked by someone else). Collectors are already asking about those Stormtroopers. Are they based on the VOTC sculpt or the Evolutions sculpt or something else entirely? Will they be nice and clean or will they be "battle damaged" or dirty? The mock-up images make them look pretty dirty which is disappointing if true, everyone knows the Stormtroopers have shiny new armor; it's the rest of the imp troopers who get dirty. (JD, 11/10/06) (http://www.jedidefender.com/newspro/fullnews.cgi?newsid1163213532,68703,)

The figure is the Evo Stormtrooper sculpt. The troopers will be clean. The dirty ones are an error at the factory that we are working to correct. As a result, this one will be delayed relative to the other two national battle packs (Dagobah and Geonosis), but should catch up in schedule quickly. These packs will be available throughout the spring ('07), so collectors should be able to pick up one or more Tantive IV sets without a problem.

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With the release of more Battle Droids in the future are you planning on using the plastic that was used on the Episode I droid? They were the only ones that really stood up without bending over time. (JTA, 11/10/06) (http://www.jeditemplearchives.com/content/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=2673)

We are looking at ensuring they don't have the problems we've seen at home on shelf with our BD armies...that annoying droop.

The Battle of Naboo wave is just starting to show up at retail now and there are 22 more figures slated for the Saga Collection and less than 2 months to go before the new year. Are these all slated for release in 2006 or is the plan to have them released in 2007 and lap over the start of the 30th Anniversary Collection? (JTA, 11/10/06) (http://www.jeditemplearchives.com/content/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=2673)

These last 22 Saga figures will stretch out from roughly the first week of December through 3/24, when the 2007 greatest hits waves should start to feed into the pipeline. If all goes according to plan, these will have ample time at retail for collectors to get them and will not suffer the same short-window fate as prior basic figure waves.

How many comic book 2-packs are planned?  Can you tell us which story arcs they cover? (JTA, 11/10/06) (http://www.jeditemplearchives.com/content/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=2673)

We have 15 packs slotted into the lineup next year with a possible early ship against the 2008 line bringing in one more wave before the end of '07. We don't want to be too specific on the story arcs, but it covers some of the greatest Dark Horse stories (with the occasional Marvel reprint) from both movie period and beyond.

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UK collectors have been fed rumours of a cantina band tin set as a Toys "R" Us exclusive. This was thought to be part of the "spend £50 and receive free tin set" promotion until now. Will this set actually be available to the UK, and if so, when? (RS, 11/10/06) (http://www.rebelscum.com/story/front/Hasbros_18th_STAR_WARS_QA_The_Answers_101182.asp)

The Cantina tin (a Wal-Mart exclusive this Fall in the U.S.) will not be shipping to TRU in the U.K.

Also, speaking of the Cantina, is there any chance of seeing screen-accurate tables and chairs? The tables that came recently with Momaw Nadon and Hem Dazon were too small. And once the molds are made, this can be an annual rerelease and/or exclusive with different characters included to keep it fresh and expand on the Cantina. (RS, 11/10/06) (http://www.rebelscum.com/story/front/Hasbros_18th_STAR_WARS_QA_The_Answers_101182.asp)

This is a good idea and we'll look at it. There are some other Cantina pieces (like the alcove for Han/Greedo encounter) that also deserves to be made at some point. Patience!

Finally, we have seen the prototypes from a few years ago for the Rebel Fleet Trooper accessory pack. Any chance of seeing the X-Wing Ladder, ground lights, and handheld lights eventually released? Preferably with carded figures instead of vehicles so that we can collect multiples at a more reasonable price? (RS, 11/10/06) (http://www.rebelscum.com/story/front/Hasbros_18th_STAR_WARS_QA_The_Answers_101182.asp)

They have a better chance of being done with basic figures than as accessory packs, which just haven't been big sellers for ANY action figure line including Star Wars. Some of those we have looked at for pack-ins down the road. It may take a while to get to these, so we recommend patience. Thanks for the input.

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Why go with the full card-width bubble and figures displayed in poses via the tray? Have you thought about going back to side-bubble, neutral-posed figures for basic figures a la the Vintage, POTF2, and Episode I lines which were easier to store carded and could fit more units into cases? (SSG, 11/10/06) (http://www.sirstevesguide.com/index.php?categoryid=13&p2_articleid=76)

Admittedly, we are less concerned about how many figures fit into a box as we are with the whole presentation of the figure and keeping the excitement and energy level for each figure very high. With the Saga line, we really wanted to emphasize the integration of the figure in the context of the movie scene as well as ensuring we have dynamic posing. That's what we thought was best for the line. For 2007, it's a different approach emphasizing the energy of the character and the focus on a new look for the 30th. The 2007 blister is on one side and not all the way across the card. This might be more like what you are talking about in terms of somewhat smaller blister size, but still a strong departure from some of the past lines in terms of presenting character.

What are the chances of seeing a relaunch of the Collector Fleet series (the larger, electronic starships of the Rebel Blockade Runner, Imperial Star Destroyer, & the very-rare Super Star Destroyer from '96), with new entries such as ROTS ships like the Venator Class Star Destroyer and The Invisible Hand? (SSG, 11/10/06) (http://www.sirstevesguide.com/index.php?categoryid=13&p2_articleid=76)

They don't fit any of the strategies we have, so there are no plans for their re-introduction.

Vacuum-metallizing is nearly always used for C-3PO and R2-D2 even though it seems to be more troublesome to work with, makes the parts more fragile, is difficult to keep paint applied to, limits the amount of articulation & gimmicks that can be have, and the chromed-look doesn't scale down very well. The only time R2's vac-metallized dome has looked right is on the Episode I figure where a dull-coat was applied over it, and unfortunately this technique was never used again. And painted R2-D2 domes generally aren't painted shiny enough even though Hasbro has used shinier paints in other items. Why use vac-metallizing so often with these figures, why not use shiny metallic paints instead, and for remaining vac-metallized elements what about using dull-coat again? (SSG, 11/10/06) (http://www.sirstevesguide.com/index.php?categoryid=13&p2_articleid=76)

Simply, kids like things that are as bright and shiny as they can get. Currently available metallic paints don't achieve the same results, so we haven't been excited by them. There are, however, some new paint techniques available that our R&D lab is evaluating for future vac-metal applications that may offer the same solution you are talking about. We don't know if or when we'll use these (they have to pass our rigorous play test standards), but if they work out, you'll see us using these for future shiny parts or figures.

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Since you are delving into the EU are there plans for figures such as Commander Faie, Commander Keller, Clone Assassins? (ST, 11/10/06)* (http://www.sandtroopers.com/smf/index.php?topic=5183.msg90011#msg90011)

These are good figures (the Commanders can be seen in action in Dark Horse's Republic comics series), but haven't found a specific opportunity for them yet.

Most of us hate the elbow swivel joints they are using, it makes posing too hard. Are there any plans to change this, or will this be what we see from now on? (ST, 11/10/06)* (http://www.sandtroopers.com/smf/index.php?topic=5183.msg90011#msg90011)

We take the needs for each figure into account and realize that there are inherent trade-offs between the different styles of articulations and, importantly, cost of the waves.  Swivel will remain an option for us when a figure needs more articulation, but we are not able to execute a different or more complex (i.e. ball and socket) scenario due to figure or wave costing.

The Heroes & Villains, Greatest Battles, and other figure re-hash lines have been teeming the pegs at all of our stores.  This begs the question: are these product lines actually profitable?  Hasbro has frequently stated that one of the reasons (if not the only reason) for this re-packing is to filter popular characters to younger collectors, who ultimately only want the popular characters.  Is this philosophy based on the actual sales of these type of figures, or focus groups of children who may or may not be collectors? Will Hasbro provide a comprehensive analysis that demonstrates their philosophy that lines like Heroes & Villains and Greatest Battles ACTUALLY sell?  Doesn't the mass amount of figures from these re-hash lines collecting dust, while waves of the new line are selling well, demonstrate that younger collectors--like older collectors--are also more interested in new product?  Does this lack of sales of the Heroes & Villains/Greatest Battles waves cause stores such as Wal-Mart and Target to purchase less Star Wars figures from other lines of new product such as The Saga Collection and, potentially, the upcoming 30th anniversary line? (ST, 11/10/06)* (http://www.sandtroopers.com/smf/index.php?topic=5183.msg90011#msg90011)

We use both market sales data and research with kids to inform our decision-making.  In the case of the Episode III greatest hits figures, we took sales data from Episode III and selected the best-selling figures who still had some ways to go with their sales potential.  As you recall from last year, we had huge demand and many kids couldn't get their favorites by the end of the year.  We have been chasing this demand all year.

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Would any future "Force spirit" action figures, such as a new Spirit Yoda or new Spirit Anakin, be done in a style similar to the OTC Spirit Obi-Wan? Or would we see a return to the translucent blue figures, such as the old POTF2 Jedi Spirits Cinema Scene? (SWC, 11/10/06) (http://www.swcollector.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=895)

We would probably do any future Spirit figures with a sparkly luminescence like the Spirit (Obi-Wan) figure. It does mimic the intended effect, and separates it from the pure blue holo look.

Dark Horse Comics' new STAR WARS: LEGACY monthly is certainly stirring up the imaginations of figure customizers, with multiple Sith Lords and all-new Jedi and Stormtroopers. Any possibility of seeing figures from this comic in the next few years? (SWC, 11/10/06) (http://www.swcollector.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=895)

Not next year for sure (we locked down the year before we knew about Legacy), but it is a strong contender for future issues. This series certainly has some fantastic new characters, and if any fan isn't currently reading this title, they should be!

With the new, spring-loaded electronic lightsabers now hitting the shelves, any plans for an updated, ROTS-style Mace Windu lightsaber or a Darth Sidious lightsaber? (SWC, 11/10/06) (http://www.swcollector.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=895)

Mace is a natural for a line extender, but we haven't slotted him into the lineup yet. We're going to let the 4 main styles (Vader, Obi-Wan, Luke, and the green Jedi) carry the line next year as kids upgrade their main lightsaber arsenal with these 4.

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A number of the offerings in the vehicle line have been character specific.  For instance, we've seen the images of the upcoming Saesee Tiin Jedi Starfighter, and it looks pretty sharp.  However, it seems that we're much less likely to get a pack-in figure with the offerings of the Assault Vehicles line.  Is there an active effort going toward offering Basic Figures that will compliment what we're getting in the Assault Vehicles line?  A pilot version of Saesee Tiin would be a welcome offering with this new Jedi Starfighter, as would a reissue of the OTC TIE Fighter Pilot to compliment the upcoming TIE Fighter. (TJ, 11/10/06) (http://www.thejawa.com/yabbse/index.php?topic=6239.msg56756#msg56756)

The figure lines were designed well before the vehicles, so we were kind of locked in there to the assortments we were going with.  We'll look to that for future releases to do a better job coordinating ships and pilots.  Thanks!

I can't wait to get my hands on the recently confirmed Sith Infiltrator and V-wing starfighters in the '07 vehicle line. How many ships are scheduled for the line and will Grievous' Fighter be among them as well? (TJ, 11/10/06) (http://www.thejawa.com/yabbse/index.php?topic=6239.msg56756#msg56756)

Those are the two new ships for next year.  The Grievous fighter is nice and on our wish list, but is not slated for next year.

More and more it seems that we only see figures packed in with exclusive vehicles.  What goes in to determining whether or not a vehicle includes a pack-in figure? (TJ, 11/10/06) (http://www.thejawa.com/yabbse/index.php?topic=6239.msg56756#msg56756)

It's a combination of our cost targets and whether we feel that based on the product it needs an exclusive figure to help sell through.  Our $19.99 (SRP) Starfighter Vehicle collection is at the consumer price we want it, and has a very tough cost structure for us to maintain.  As such we have chosen not to pack-in figures which would bump the price.

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Since, just like the vehicles, some of the old Kenner molds are often reused for role-play weapons like the Han Solo and Stormtrooper blasters, I was wondering if the mold for the vintage Biker Scout pistol still exists, and if so, could we see it return to retail? (YF, 11/10/06) (http://cgi.denpetersen.com/YAK1/viewtopic.php?t=1037)

We're pretty sure we don't have that one, and are focusing on different blasters in any case.

Will the vintage Rebel Transport vehicle ever be redone for the modern line? (YF, 11/10/06) (http://cgi.denpetersen.com/YAK1/viewtopic.php?t=1037)

It's doubtful, but not out of the question. It suffers from not being a "heroic" fighting vehicle, so it's lower in the priority scale for us.

We know that all good things must one day come to an end, that being said, what is the ONE dream project that you would love to see happen before the line finally ends? (Please say Death Star Playset, lol). (YF, 11/10/06) (http://cgi.denpetersen.com/YAK1/viewtopic.php?t=1037)

The better "dream" project would be eventually to see all of the vintage Kenner figures updated in our Vintage line. There are a lot of figures to go, and some of them get pretty obscure, and various challenges exist (item priorities, product differentiation, and drop-off of character importance) before we can say for certain that we will get to them all. But, like you say, it's a nice dream to have.

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Aside from monetray issues, why is tape used to seal the 3.75" figures to their cardbacks for the ROTS and TSC lines? Will tape be used for the 30th Anniversary line? You do realize that a chunk of your makret is made up of collectors that don't open their figures and tape sealed figures will not do well in posterity? (YN, 11/10/06)

Tape is the only option to seal blisters that wrap around from the front of the package to the back, the aesthetic that we were going to for in TSC. The 2007 basic figure line will be heat-sealed to the front of the blister card like the OTC blisters. The comic packs will continue to sealed with tape around the back of the card.

Will there be any more Vintage Style figures coming back again or have we seen the end of that run? (YN, 11/10/06)

There is a wave of vintage figures slated for May '07�.stay tuned!

The "re-release" of the 7" Unleashed has not gone well (at least  from what I see here and read on the fansites), Both Wal-Mart and Target have "red-tagged" these down to under $5 and yet they still  sit. Even the resculpts at Wal-Mart sat around for long time. Is it safe to say these are done and only the smaller line will continue? (YN, 11/10/06)

There will be another wave slated for WM in Spring. One of the things we were trying to accomplish with this line is find an additional audience for the figures over and above the collectors who got these the first time around, since the (first) audience didn't get us to where we needed to be to continue the line. After spring, we'll take a look at the program and see if there are future opportunities for Unleashed 7", looking at the volume we released, sell-through rates, etc..
Title: Re: The Categorized (and Chronological!) Hasbro Q & A Archive
Post by: Matt on November 17, 2006, 04:42 PM
Week 19 - November 17, 2006

Will all the straight-repacked figures solely be in the Greatest Hits collection next year, or will they also be mixed in with the regular line as they were this year? (AF, 11/17/06) (http://www.actionfigs.com/index.php?categoryid=12&p2_articleid=162)

There were few straight re-packs mixed in the mainline Saga Collection this year, and there should be even fewer in the main assortment next year. There will be re-packs, but we are trying to make each of them differentiated (from their previous release) in some key element.

Any chance of getting a TIE Defender, Moldy Crow, or other Expanded Universe vehicles? EU figures need EU ships to fly around in. (AF, 11/17/06) (http://www.actionfigs.com/index.php?categoryid=12&p2_articleid=162)

Well, doing entirely new EU ships is a challenge because of the tooling, so we probably will not be going there while there are still good screen-accurate vehicles or key re-paints to do. It's a better possibility for the Titanium series.

Hasbro has said that for future releases of Battle Droids they would be released as 2-packs, how about releasing a blue Pilot Battle Droid 2-pack since that BD has been requested since the Episode I line came out? (AF, 11/17/06) (http://www.actionfigs.com/index.php?categoryid=12&p2_articleid=162)

We will look at that possibility. If it doesn't come out next year, we'll probably get to it sooner rather than later.

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Diorama builders often have to customize their own minor characters and background figures to fill in their scenes...that is, until recently. Hasbro's Naboo soldier in the latest wave, as well as the rumored Rebel Honor Guardsman, show that there's a desire from Hasbro to see a few of these background characters made. Although a few Q&As from other sites have already asked about the X-Wing ladder accessory from the canceled Yavin Accessory set, how about making a Rebel Ground-Crew Technician with the ladder accessory? We know it's not in the short term plan, but maybe someday? (FFURG, 11/17/06) (http://www.ffurg.com/hasbroqa.htm)

We have looked at the Rebel Ground crew guy and while we do like him, he's just not as..well, exciting.as others that we have lined up to do. So he'll have to take his place in the queue.
(FFURG editor's note: Yeah, he's not that exciting, but someone has to fuel Luke's X-Wing!)

With the vastly superior (and impressive) sculpt of Chief Chirpa coming out this past year, will there be an effort eventually on the part of Hasbro to re-scale or resculpt Teebo, Wicket, Logray, and the other Ewoks to make them all the proper scale to Chief Chirpa? There's something a little disturbing about the POTF2 Wicket towering over Chief Chirpa. (FFURG, 11/17/06) (http://www.ffurg.com/hasbroqa.htm)

Yes, we will eventually get around to re-doing them, although we can't say when we'll slot each of them into the line. We'll probably take one or two at a time.

One of the recent Q&As from another site regarding Jabba's dais got me thinking that there haven't been many new releases of Jabba's guards in recent years. Sure, there's been a good repaint of Barada and the resculpt of Boushh & Lando Skiff Guard (excellent job on both, I might add), but there's a bunch of good characters left to do. Hasbro's already produced some of the parts needed, including Bora Solq's head which could be used for a new Weequay. Could we expect some Hasbro love to Jabba's band of merry men with new Nikto or Weequay figures, Kithaba, or possibly Geezum? (FFURG, 11/17/06) (http://www.ffurg.com/hasbroqa.htm)

They are very good figures to do, and we have them high on our list of guys that should see some attention with the new modern figure aesthetics. But, like many of the "wouldn't it be cool if." figures that are still out there to do, we just need to slot them into the line when we have an opportunity.

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Now that Tomy (Japan) has made the remote-controlled R2-D2, is there any chance that Hasbro will make the "light show" R2-D2 from RotS where he distracts General Grievous with all of his gadgets? (Spinning action and lights!) Are we likely to see 3¾" scale R2-D2 figures with electronics in the future? (GH, 11/17/06) (http://www.galactichunter.com/absolutenm/templates/full_article_template_1.asp?articleid=6010&zoneid=2)

Ha! This is a good one. We actually hadn't considered this but it would make an interesting figure at some point.  As for additional electronics, we evaluate on a case by case basis as to what we can afford. A motor is a much more expensive component than a light/sound chip so we won't be doing something like this for a basic figure.

The rumors on the Internets are predicting that the Bantha will be re-released next year-ish. So while Hasbro is feeling beastly, what are the odds of getting a Dewback with some real-feel hide, or at least a removable saddle? (The Saga Collection's Sandtrooper would look awfully good on one, wouldn't he?) (GH, 11/17/06) (http://www.galactichunter.com/absolutenm/templates/full_article_template_1.asp?articleid=6010&zoneid=2)

We agree that the Dewback should see a new sculpt at some point and he's on the shortlist of vehicles and creatures that we'd like to do. But, like so many cool things, there's no specific timetable set for an update.

With the Max Rebo Band being potentially revisited in the near future, is there a movement toward "finishing" the band? (Meaning Umpass Stay, Ak-Rev and maybe Gargan?) Also, are we ever likely to get Tech Mo'r from the Cantina Band updated with an instrument that he can sit at whilst playing? (GH, 11/17/06) (http://www.galactichunter.com/absolutenm/templates/full_article_template_1.asp?articleid=6010&zoneid=2)

At least one of those figures is slated for next year in the main assortment. The rest will have to bide their time patiently waiting for their turn on stage, confident in the knowledge that we hear the music, too. We hear the music…

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OK, so, we’re creeping closer to Spring 2007. Any chance we can get some hints about the upcoming 2007 Vintage-style line? Pleeeeeeeeease? Also, on the topic of vintage-style figures, now that you’ve confirmed the inclusion of coin pack-ins for 2007, have you given any more thought to offering up a few vintage-style figures based on the original Power of the Force Kenner cardbacks? It seems like the perfect time to revisit that idea now that you’ve got those new coin toolings going (and the perfect way to get a new Stormtrooper Luke and Endor Leia we all want). (JD, 11/17/06) (http://www.jedidefender.com/newspro/fullnews.cgi?newsid1163795489,42087,)

The new vintage figures will be out in May. The details on the line will be revealed at Toy Fair, in February. We can confirm that there will be six figures in this Asst.

Amidst the plans of recycling ships for 2007, is there any chance of seeing the Toys R Us exclusive Jedi Starfighters re-released (sans pilot figures)? The Blue Utapau and Green Mustafar Jedi Starfighters were items that came and went pretty quickly and are still missing from a lot of collections. (JD, 11/17/06) (http://www.jedidefender.com/newspro/fullnews.cgi?newsid1163795489,42087,)

Good question. Yes, there is a high likelihood that at least one of these ships will find their way into the 85196 Starfighter Vehicle mainline (non-exclusive) assortment next year. There is still very high demand, among kids, for the Anakin and Obi-Wan Starfighters and these do play a very prominent role in EpIII.

The concept for Battle Packs like Mace Windu's Attack Battalion are cool but they are not really from the Clone Wars Expanded Universe material exactly... Is this something Lucasfilm gives to you to run with or do you design things like this yourselves and thus add to the ever-growing EU on your own? (JD, 11/17/06) (http://www.jedidefender.com/newspro/fullnews.cgi?newsid1163795489,42087,)

Interesting question and one that goes to the broader question of "where do ideas that expand the Star Wars mythos come from?" We on the Star Wars toy team like to consider ourselves as storytellers as well; with each product, we reinforce the magic of Star Wars whether its from the movies, games, comics, TV, and even toys, allowing collectors and kids to play Star Wars the way they want to at home. Given the jedi/droid/clone relationship (and one could also addd Starfighters in there too) there are a lot of "off to the side" figures that seem a natural and continuous fit to go with what we see on screen in Episode III. For instance, if we know that Kit Fisto and Plo Kloon have Starfighters, then it also stands that they also have Astro droids. Even Quinlan Vos, who is not seen in the movie, has troops and probably also has a Starfighter and presumably an Astro droid. All of these would be interesting to explore over the course of time. But something about Mace just struck us and we came up with several concepts that explore his off-screen attachments (wait.... Jedi don't form attachments... his... tools?). It's part Mace's power in EpIII. He's such a great character, but his unique choice of purple as a signature color just demands attention. So, indepentandly, we presented his Starfighter, clone batallion, and astro droid, and Lucasfilm gave us the go-ahead with each in turn and so we have expanded the character basis for Mace by expanding his repetoire a bit. So to get back to your original question...the creation of an "off-screen" expansion of the Star Wars mythos is allowed when the result is a natural, adjecent fit with what we already know from on-screen, and when the idea forwards exploration of the rich and expansive, and uniquely Star Wars, world of the jedi-clones-droids-ships relationship.

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Will there be another outlet to acquire the coins next year other than having to buy figures we already have? Perhaps mail-order, POP redemption, or some other service? A lot of fans are excited about the re-release of the coins, but acquiring a whole set would mean purchasing figures we might already have. I think using 30th anniversary figure POP's for redemption would be a good solution since we would still have to buy figures to redeem for the coins we are missing. Any thoughts on this? (JTA, 11/17/06) (http://jeditemplearchives.com/content/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=2691)

There will not be another way to acquire basic figure coins other than getting them with the basic figures.

The sculpts of many of the army-building figures have gotten quite better over the past few years (biker scout, snowtrooper, rebel troops, etc). Are there any plans for more army builder packs like we saw with the stormtroopers, sandtroopers, and rebel troopers? (JTA, 11/17/06) (http://jeditemplearchives.com/content/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=2691)

The battle packs have been an answer to some of this (for example, the Tantive IV pack). However, we would rather have a rich variety of army builder figures offered as basic figures to facilitate fans being able to scale up as they want. We do not plan to go back to the 4-pack model from the past, simply because we understand the troop building affinity and will seek ways to get great troop builders at mass retail.

Will Hasbro have a presence at Celebration Europe, or only at CIV? (JTA, 11/17/06) (http://jeditemplearchives.com/content/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=2691)

We will be at both shows.

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Any chance we can see the Galactic Heroes figures released in two-packs of Clone Troopers like was done with the Stormtroopers a few years back? Fans really like the 501st and Shocktrooper Galactic Heroes figures and would like to get more, but they don't want to get several Palpatines and Sith-Eyes Anakins. (RS, 11/17/06) (http://www.rebelscum.com/story/front/Hasbros_19th_STAR_WARS_QA_The_Answers_101317.asp)

We are doing other troop packs next year, we just haven't slotted in any clones. We'll look at that when we get an opportunity. Thanks for the suggestion.

Is the upcoming 41st Elite Trooper going to be the flip-visor version from the Tins or simply the "regular" VTSC version? (RS, 11/17/06) (http://www.rebelscum.com/story/front/Hasbros_19th_STAR_WARS_QA_The_Answers_101317.asp)

It's going to be the regular VTSC version.

With all these Stormtrooper incarnations receiving unmaskable versions featuring Jango Fett Clone heads, surely it's worth making an "unmaskable" Boba Fett with a repainted Death Star Gunner head, except more grim perhaps and more scars. As Boba Fett is a popular character and the VOTC version is reaching high in the "Fan Favorite's Showdown" Poll then this would be a welcome edition and many fans and kids would buy them. (RS, 11/17/06) (http://www.rebelscum.com/story/front/Hasbros_19th_STAR_WARS_QA_The_Answers_101317.asp)

That would be a good figure to do at some point, and we are looking at him as a possibility in 2008.

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In the photos that recently showed up of the 2007 battle pack "Capture of Tantive IV", why are the Stormtroopers in the box using the Evolutions Sandtrooper mold - the one without any mid-torso articulation - and why are they sporting that Sandtrooper's dirty paint job instead of a clean Stormtrooper deco? (SSG, 11/17/06) (http://www.sirstevesguide.com/index.php?categoryid=13&p2_articleid=76)

They are showing up as Evo-style Stormies because that's what they are. The mix-up came when the factory grabbed existing deco masks to make the sets, rather than the new deco input we specified. They will ship clean. (SSG editor's note: we were asking why they are using Evolutions Sandtrooper molds in this battle pack, not just in the photos.)

In the Episode I line, the Naboo Pilot Anakin figure came with a flight simulator accessory that was really the panel with control sticks and actually fit in the Naboo Fighter vehicle. Would you consider reissuing this accessory in more accurate colors, and making similar flight simulator control stick accessories for the X-wing, Snowspeeder, Y-wing, TIE Fighter, Jedi Starfighters, etc.? These control stick accessories add a welcome layer of realism to the toys and could be released with future pilot figures or with the vehicles themsleves. (SSG, 11/17/06) (http://www.sirstevesguide.com/index.php?categoryid=13&p2_articleid=76)

That's an interesting suggestion. We prefer blasters and sabers (or removable helmets) as primary accessories but will see if your suggestion can be incorporated for a future figure at some point.

What is the status/future of Action Fleet under its original concept - minifigure interaction and true play features? And what is the status/future of actual Micro Machines (the smallest vehicles Galoob regularly made in plastic)? If there are no immediate plans or foreseeable future for either line, why is that? (SSG, 11/17/06) (http://www.sirstevesguide.com/index.php?categoryid=13&p2_articleid=76)

There are no immediate plans for either scale, primarily because we are putting our development efforts against making sure Titanium is as strong as it can be.

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In 2007 or 2008, are we going to see any Star Wars Legacy figures? We'd love to see a Darth Talon, Darth Kryat, Cade Skywalker, Delialah Blue and mostly the new Stormies and Imperial Knights. (ST, 11/17/06)* (http://www.sandtroopers.com/smf/index.php?topic=5183.msg90683#msg90683)

Not in 2007, since the comic pack line was "put to bed" before we knew about Legacy. But there's a high likelihood we'll see a couple figures in 2008.

How about a Shark-deco ARC-170? (ST, 11/17/06)* (http://www.sandtroopers.com/smf/index.php?topic=5183.msg90683#msg90683)

We do have on in the Titanium line. If you mean how about a 3-3/4" one?  It's on the list of "wouldn't it be cool" but nothing is locked down yet.

What about 3 3/4" Fem Trooper (Female Stormtrooper) or female Imperial officers? (ST, 11/17/06)* (http://www.sandtroopers.com/smf/index.php?topic=5183.msg90683#msg90683)

We will probably be doing a female Imperial in the comic packs at some point, since there are some great characters there that we can work with and have storylines in which they play central roles.  However, female Stormtroopers just aren't a natural fit with anything so we will not be going there.  If female Stormies do appear in a future vehicle (such as TV, videogames, or comics) then we'll look at it.

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Will there ever be a single-carded version of Obi-Wan Kenobi as a general of the Republic figure (dressed in Clone Trooper armor)? One that utilzes a Clone Trooper body, perhaps, instead of snap-on armor? (SWC, 11/17/06) (http://www.swcollector.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=4515#4515)

This would be a good figure for a future basic figure and is on the wish list for doing sometime down the road. It won't be in 2007, but there's a strong chance he'll make the 2008 roster.

Now that we're getting a Saesee Tiin Jedi Starfighter, any chance of seeing a figure of him in his battle armor from CLONE WARS, Vol. 2? (SWC, 11/17/06) (http://www.swcollector.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=4515#4515)

That's another gem of a figure from Clone Wars that deserves to see a plastic version someday. He is in the same camp as Obi-Wan in General's armor ... it would be cool and it's on the short list for the not too distant future. If we do Obi-Wan, this would make a good companion figure in a wave.

You recently mentioned you've considered doing rebel pilot/droid 2-packs, and you also mentioned that you've looked at including Micro Machines as pack-ins, but that neither concept really worked. How about combining them? You could release a rebel pilot, his astromech, and a uniquely painted version of his MM ship, along with a stand for them to go on, with perhaps a cardback photo that you could cut out for a backdrop. This would be great for the anniversary of the Death Star trench run scene, and it would be all repaints except for a couple new head sculpts for removable helmets. This concept would also work for Jedi pilots and their droids. (SWC, 11/17/06) (http://www.swcollector.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=4515#4515)

We've thought about combining figures & vehicles in the past in such a way (the obvious idea is a pilot & his ship), but the thought is that the ship would need to be substantial to make this interesting, & the Titanium line fits that bill. Right now we're of the mind that 3-3/4" & Titanium are separate audiences & should probably be kept that way for the time being.

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Was there something - whether it be one specific item or an entire line that surpassed company expectations?  And flip side- What did you expect to do better than it actually did? (TJ, 11/17/06) (http://www.thejawa.com/yabbse/index.php?topic=6242.msg56818#msg56818)

The greatest hits this year have surprised us all, especially since we shipped a record number of Star Wars figures last year for Episode III.  But demand continues to be very high for these core iconic figures, and that strength bodes very, very well for the future of Star Wars collecting.  As for the opposite?  You can look for any prematurely discontinued line as an example of something that did not meet original expectations.  Fortunately, there have been few of these in the past several years.  Probably one item that never hit our "payoff" numbers were the later waves of Unleashed 7", and that was simply due to the declining sales against an item that was at the high end of difficulty in design and production.

The minis from Wizards of the Coast have covered a lot of territory and some cool designs (Basilisk War Droid!), any chance we'll see some of them offered as toys (or made in a larger scale)? (TJ, 11/17/06) (http://www.thejawa.com/yabbse/index.php?topic=6242.msg56818#msg56818)

We do enjoy the Star Wars Miniatures.  We might look to some of their new designs if they will get screen time in other media to help get broader acceptance of the concept.  Expensive new items in a 3-3/4" scale like you mention need extra support to get going (as opposed to say a figure deco we are passionate about and willing to take a chance on).

In regards to the Cantina, is there any chance of seeing screen-accurate tables & chairs? The tables that came recently with Hammerhead & Arcona were too small. And once the molds are made, this can be an annual rerelease and/or exclusive with different characters included to keep it fresh & expand on the Cantina. (TJ, 11/17/06) (http://www.thejawa.com/yabbse/index.php?topic=6242.msg56818#msg56818)

At some point, we will probably do this, but we can't speculate as to when that might be.  But it is a goal eventually for the Cantina guys.

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There are cool looking astromechs coming out from Mace Windu's and Sith Anakin Skywalker's Jedi starfighters. Will we ever see the droids from Plo Koon's, Kit Fisto's, and Saesee Tinn's starfighters? They have really awesome looking colors. (YF, 11/17/06) (http://cgi.denpetersen.com/YAK1/viewtopic.php?t=1051)

They are on our future wish list for figures, but we don't have them slotted in for any particular time. It's probably safe to say that we might see these droids in the next few years.

In prior Q&A's, Hasbro stated that there is an even mix of Greatest Battle figures & new figures being released & that stores will make room for the new stuff. I spoke with a Hasbro rep at a local Walmart last week & she contradicted this information & stated exactly what some of us think is an ever increasing problem. Stores appear to be so over-saturated with Greatest Battles figures (both on the shelf & in the storerooms) that they have no room to put out any of the EP1/Endor waves. It appears only TRU is receiving these waves, yet they were initially released nearly 2 months ago. How does Hasbro ensure their latest products get put on the shelves or even get ordered by stores when the stores have no shelf space for their current stock? Does Hasbro ever recall their merchandise so stores have room for the new products? When will Targets start receiving the new waves? (YF, 11/17/06) (http://cgi.denpetersen.com/YAK1/viewtopic.php?t=1051)

You shouldn't worry about the latest waves getting to retail. They're on the way or showing up now in greater numbers. All figures are strong right now. The greatest hits figures will NOT be a problem for the new Saga figures getting to shelf.  The figures should be put out in the proportion to which they're selling, barring any temporary log jams due to the holiday build-up.

How about a EU dark Jedi Sora Bulq, all it would take would be a repaint of the existing figure to dark colours, cloak and red sabre. (YF, 11/17/06) (http://cgi.denpetersen.com/YAK1/viewtopic.php?t=1051)

It would be a good one to do down the road. Some of the Republic issues that feature him are some of the best Dark Horse Clone Wars-era stories, and fertile territory not just for Sora Bulq, but other great off-screen Jedi as well. With all the great characters to work with, it'll just take time to get to them all.

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The vintage Imperial Dignitary is one of the few figures that hasn't seen the light of day in the modern line. Any hints on when it might surface? (YN, 11/17/06)

It might be a bit of a wait before he gets updated.

I love the Galactic Heroes line and would love to see them in a larger scale. Any chance we would see them in a 4" or 6" scale? (YN, 11/17/06)

We haven't considered that, preferring to keep our product development focused on the main scale.

Are there any plans to make a larger interlocking Star Wars Transformer, where you would need 6 vehicles to make one large giant vehicle, like the Constructicons who formed Devastator? (YN, 11/17/06)

We haven't looked at something this ambitious! It's an intriguing idea, but we're staying focused on delivering core single figures (with the exception of course of the Han/Chewie combiner).

Week 20 - December 1, 2006

Why is the upcoming Saga Collection #64 figure being called Commander Appo? He is clearly modeled after Commander Bow (as he appears in comics, with the pauldron), not Commander Appo (who in the film wears the same armor and markings as the other 501st clones). If it is to differentiate between him as a commander and the regular grunts, why not just call him Commander Bow for the sake of accuracy? (AF, 12/01/06) (http://www.actionfigs.com/index.php?categoryid=12&p2_articleid=162)

We made the assumption that it was Appo who appeared in Purge and took our cue from that.

What level of priority does Hasbro give to redoing original POTF2 figures in either the 30th Anniversary line or the Vintage line? There are some great figures out there we're still hurting for, such as a Luke and Han Stormtrooper that don't resemble Hans and Franz, a regular Princess Leia that's not preposed or weird-looking, Luke Snowspeeder pilot, etc. (AF, 12/01/06) (http://www.actionfigs.com/index.php?categoryid=12&p2_articleid=162)

We don't set out to redo POTF2 per se, but instead look to figures that we think are needed for release and see if they make sense for a good new treatment. We will be getting to new versions of those you mention in time.

Is Hasbro completely satisfied that the VOTC Stormtrooper mold is the definitive 3¾" Stormtrooper figure for the foreseeable future of the line, or might there be changes down the road? For example, the figure has trouble holding the barrel of the blaster due to stiff plastic in the hands; has a stiff, narrow-legged stance that does not lend well to dynamic posing; and of course not all Stormtrooper armor elements were identical in the films, some of the "brows" and "mouths" varied. Also, the current use of the mold uses a different material for the helmet & limbs than from the shinier, harder torso pieces, leading to a noticeable coloring variance as well as trouble with the limbs and helmet staining. (AF, 12/01/06) (http://www.actionfigs.com/index.php?categoryid=12&p2_articleid=162)

Interesting comments, and while we have no plans to do a new "definitive" Stormtrooper any time soon, at some point in the future we will probably by necessity (such as tooling wearing down from use) need to look at upgrades and it might make sense to take a look at a new body. But for now we're sticking to our gunslinger.

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Since we saw at least one playset for each of the prequel films, are we likely to see one (or more) for the upcoming animated series? Was there a contractual obligation to produce a playset for each film, or were they created to fit a play pattern? (GH, 12/01/06) (http://www.galactichunter.com/absolutenm/templates/full_article_template_1.asp?articleid=6046&zoneid=2)

There is no contractual obligation, although the periodicity with which we have released them might seem to indicate that!  We'll look at the opportunity as it presents itself for the animation.

Who has the greater say in the Hasbro Star Wars toy production, the bean counters (marketing, budgeting, etc.) or the creative team (designers, toymakers)? (GH, 12/01/06) (http://www.galactichunter.com/absolutenm/templates/full_article_template_1.asp?articleid=6046&zoneid=2)

Depends what you mean by "production."  As far as line planning, the sessions where we decide what segments and price points we're going to develop and the subsequent details of who fills out the line, it's a 100% collaborative effort.  For individual style and sculpt and deco elements, that's the design teams'  responsibility.  As for how many of each product that actually get's produced (directing the releases), that falls in marketing's camp.

It was rumored a few years back that a Jedi Starfighter (E2 Version) was developed with a hyperspace ring. Is there any chance that we will see this cool accessory developed for our fighters (both versions, please) in the future? (GH, 12/01/06) (http://www.galactichunter.com/absolutenm/templates/full_article_template_1.asp?articleid=6046&zoneid=2)

Yes….at some point we will do this.

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Can we get a picture of the 2007 Super Battle Droid, sans removable flames? (JD, 12/01/06) (http://www.jedidefender.com/newspro/fullnews.cgi?newsid1164949200,30550,)

See attached image: Image (http://www.jedidefender.com/image.pl?http://www.jedidefender.com/news/images/12-06/flamelessSBD.jpg)

You said previously (via Q&A answers) that the upcoming Target exclusive "Battle of Felucia" Battle Pack would get us more of the Evolution-Sculpt Felucia/Yellow Clone Troopers we desire. Will it also give us a Gelagrub (that blue slug thingy) for the troops to ride on? (JD, 12/01/06) (http://www.jedidefender.com/newspro/fullnews.cgi?newsid1164949200,30550,)

We have no plans to make a Gelagrub at the present time. The battle pack will follow the current Battle Pack definition of 5 figures against a backdrop. Would we do the Grub in the future? Maybe, but it's a really specialized creature and I'd have to say it's low on our list of things we "need" to do.

Is the Snowbunny Padme figure from the Target exclusive "Ambush on Ilum" Battle Pack an all-new sculpt? Is she heavily articulated or pre-posed? (JD, 12/01/06) (http://www.jedidefender.com/newspro/fullnews.cgi?newsid1164949200,30550,)

It is an all-new sculpt. She is not pre-posed, but has normal articulation.

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The Titanium die cast figures were very prominent at this year's San Diego Comic Con yet only 4 from the entire line have really shown up en masse at retail while a few others seem to have made it in limited quantities. Is this an indication for how this line is performing? Can we expect to see the figures shown at SDCC to make their way to retail or will the line be scaled back? (JTA, 12/01/06) (http://www.jeditemplearchives.com/content/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=2724)

More are on the way! Titanium figures have had a very tricky production process with some delays due to various issues.

How many waves/figures will we see in the Saga Legends line? (JTA, 12/01/06) (http://www.jeditemplearchives.com/content/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=2724)

Saga Legends will have four waves, with the Fans' Choice coming in the last two. However, there will be multiple remixes of these waves just like the regular basic figure line.

With non-movie stories becoming the future of Star Wars it seems like you are (will be) really jumping into tying in the comics and the future TV series into the toy line. The Legacy of the Force novel series is right in the thick of things now. Do you have plans in offering characters from this series or other novels into the line? (JTA, 12/01/06) (http://www.jeditemplearchives.com/content/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=2724)

First, I would rather say that we are embracing the EU storytelling right alongside of (and not replacing) the movies. The movies are the foundation and will remain that way for a good long time. We know the novels are looming out there, but it's tough to make the direct connection to figures since they are not an inherently visual media. We will have to see how these figures do on future fans' choice polls, and if the strength of the characters continues to resonate, we'll consider them.

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Back at the start of the modern line of 3.75" figures Hasbro (well, probably then Kenner) used to post design sketches of the figures (front, back, and side view) on their website along with a photo of the finished product. I LOVED this feature, as it was interesting to see how the figure was conceptualized as well as how it changed (if applicable) along its path to finished product. This has also been done with a number of the Fan's Choice figures. Might there be a chance to see some "behind-the-scenes" sketches on current/upcoming figures on your site? With the vast improvement and sophistication of articulation (thank you!) has the design process changed? Has the process of developing a figure shifted from drawings on paper to something else? (RS, 12/01/06) (http://www.rebelscum.com/story/front/Hasbros_20th_STAR_WARS_QA_The_Answers_101619.asp)

The process itself is still very similar but involves more tech, as you might guess (drafting onto a pad vs paper in many cases), but the essential input remains the same. It's just a matter of time and priorities regarding getting this out on the website, and partly, it's a victim of wanting to try and hold some new product news as close to the vest as possible (on Star Wars, the ability to surprise and excite is challenging!). We have been prioritizing other types of content for the website, and since the process of how figures are produced has been told before, we didn't think there was a lot of new news there.

I like the way you are making the EU comic 2-packs. I was wondering, what factors go into the selecting of what comics to use, and then what figures to make? (RS, 12/01/06) (http://www.rebelscum.com/story/front/Hasbros_20th_STAR_WARS_QA_The_Answers_101619.asp)

We meet and go through our favorite issues that resonated with cool stories and great characters. We keep a running list and update it as we get caught up with the entirety of the Dark Horse and Marvel library. On our spreadsheet, we note whether we would need new sculpts or can work with existing ones. We also note whether there is any inherent kid appeal to the figures or whether they are purely collector-targeted. We base our final selections (in close collaboration with Lucasfilm and consultation with Dark Horse) on a balance of all factors so the wave has balanced kid and collector appeal, some important new tools, but a manageable quantity, affordable cost, etc. In short it's not unlike the process we go through for basic figures....creating balance that will enable the line to succeed at retail.

What question are you guys most tired of answering -or if you'd like to be more diplomatic- Which question have you been asked the most since this feature started? (RS, 12/01/06) (http://www.rebelscum.com/story/front/Hasbros_20th_STAR_WARS_QA_The_Answers_101619.asp)

It's all fair game, after all, that's what the Q&A is about. We welcome the chance to explain our decisions and thinking. We are often asked about our approach to maintaining balance in the lines, such as the fact that kids are as important to us as collectors, which some collectors still don't recognize as a very positive sign of health for the future of the brand; the misperception that the Greatest Hits means that the regular basic figure line is disrupted, etc. Or questions that require some more detail on the business situation (like the case for playsets). It's all good dialogue and we're happy that we can make it as 2-way as possible.

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Why is it that with some of Hasbro's Star Wars non-main lines (most recently the Potato Head line), the initial item ships in large quantities while further releases are released in smaller numbers that diminish as the waves continue, resulting in a glut of the first items, later items very difficult to find, and diminished sales overall for that line? And why use secondary waves to replenish initial waves when often there's no way to tell how the early waves sell, such as stores having plenty of Darth Tater while the Spudtrooper's case has more Darth Taters in it so stores have less room for Spudtroopers and even less room for them when the R2-Potatoo comes out? The POTJ-era Mega Action line was the same issue, and these examples are hardly alone. (SSG, 12/01/06) (http://www.sirstevesguide.com/index.php?categoryid=13&p2_articleid=76)

The question you ask goes to a drop off in popularity after Darth Tater. The casual consumer (not collector) was what kept this subline turning at retail. Artoo Potatoo and Spudtrooper just weren't the iconic draw and commanded less volume, not enough volume on their own to keep the line going. Darth Tater by far was the more popular of the figures among consumers as a whole, and as such we kept releasing him in heavier ratios.

Since two recent Neimoidian figures (Neimoidian Warrior and Lushros Dofine) were extremely heavy pegwarmers, and the Episode I Neimoidians sold slowly as well, how does that affect the chances of more Neimoidian figures being made in the future? (SSG, 12/01/06) (http://www.sirstevesguide.com/index.php?categoryid=13&p2_articleid=76)

We will do the occasional one every once in while, but we will carefully manage the volume. They are not off the table, but are like Senators... every once in a while we should be doing one to keep that theme active.

Removable lightsaber blades so Jedi figures could have saber accessories that were "on" or "off" and could be worn on their belts was a good concept, but this made the saber blades more fragile. Are there any plans to release Jedi figures - both main characters and secondary - with both solid one piece ignited lightsaber and "off" lightsaber hilt accessories? (SSG, 12/01/06) (http://www.sirstevesguide.com/index.php?categoryid=13&p2_articleid=76)

We have done this in some cases already. It's a good idea for more widespread use and we'll look into it.

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Since you release random Clones and Battle Packs of Clones that are based on your imagination and not featured in the movie, case in point Mace Windu's Battalion, are you considering doing a repaint of Cody to match the 442nd Siege Battalion clones as their commander? if so I would welcome it as well as any more Clones you come out with that has that awesome SA sculpt! (ST, 12/01/06)* (http://www.sandtroopers.com/smf/index.php?topic=5183.msg91785#msg91785)

We would not redo Cody to match, because Cody needs to maintain his on-screen persona.  Glad you like the clones…we were glad to have the Lucasfilm reference for these.  We like them a lot and glad you do too!

I realy like the different flavors of Jedi Starfighters you've been creating especially Vader's, my favorite is the ROTS body style so unfortunately I'll be passing on Kit Fisto's and Seasee Tiin's JSF. I would however like for these repaints to continue and wonder if you plan to release one for Aalya Secura(it was in the comic Obssesion), Yoda, or any other Jedi? (ST, 12/01/06)* (http://www.sandtroopers.com/smf/index.php?topic=5183.msg91785#msg91785)

Ayla's Starfighter in Obsession is awesome, and we'll probably get to it sometime, but for now we're going to take it easy a bit on the Starfighters.  But we'll be back to it at some point….that EpII and EpIII Starfighters are great vehicles.

Can we see pictures of the 2007 Basic asst 2nd wave now please? Think of it  as an early holiday gift for the fans! (ST, 12/01/06)* (http://www.sandtroopers.com/smf/index.php?topic=5183.msg91785#msg91785)

They will be available soon….just not yet.  Sorry!

Will we ever see rebel tanks from Force Commander and Empire at War? (ST, 12/01/06)* (http://www.sandtroopers.com/smf/index.php?topic=5183.msg91785#msg91785)

Probably not, unfortunately, at least in 3-3/4". Titanium is a better possibility but not confirmed.

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Any chance Hasbro would revisit the shirtless Darth Maul from your earlier "Darth Maul with Sith Attack Droid" toy and redo him properly?  The original figure suffered from many problems, not the least of which was lack of poseability. If the comic book packs prove successful, a fully tattooed SA Darth Maul would easily be a good seller for this line. And it could even be packed again with the Sith droid. (Whatever you do, please don't re-release the original shirtless Darth Maul mold). (TJ, 12/01/06) (http://www.thejawa.com/yabbse/index.php?topic=6253.msg57021#msg57021)

Yes, we want to do this one again, but we don't have a timetable for his release (in will likely be in 2008).  Stay tuned.

Most of the Clone Troopers that have painted 'battle damage' or wear and tear only have it on the front.  Is there any particular reason for this, or is it just overlooked during the development?  (PS It drives this Jawa nuts!) (TJ, 12/01/06) (http://www.thejawa.com/yabbse/index.php?topic=6253.msg57021#msg57021)

The deco hits add a great deal of cost, believe it or not, so we put it judiciously where it has the most visual impact.

You've stated that fans have been "unenthusiastic" about playsets and that info suggests that playsets don't and wouldn't do well if released.  Have you considered that perhaps it's the specific playset idea that is unexciting or mediocre to fans, and not the toys themselves?  In other words, the last few playsets that I remember (Theed Palace, Geonosis Arena, Mustafar mountain) are really good toys but lack iconic appeal (for me anyway).  Perhaps if better, more fan-friendly scenes or movie locations were the idea at hand (like a Death Star or Cantina), then the set would sell "enthusiastically?" (TJ, 12/01/06) (http://www.thejawa.com/yabbse/index.php?topic=6253.msg57021#msg57021)

Your points are valid about the ones we have released to date in that they weren't the most iconic from Star Wars.   However, the problem isn't just Star Wars, but many great boys line have suffered from an inability to produce profitable playsets.  Partly it's because the active age of action figure kids has shrunk considerably from the golden age of playsets (1978-1980s), but these great playsets of the past are always the reference point for a lot of us collectors who are from that generation.  Combine that with the fact that collectors on the whole are figure-focused first, vehicle-focused second with playsets somewhere in the second tier, and it paints a business scenario that does not lend itself to taking risks on big playsets.  The liability when they don't sell can be enormous.

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The wookiees were a big part of Revenge of the Sith, plus they make awesome figures. Will there be any new wookiee figures in the 30th anniversary collection or any ewoks, maybe a female ewok with child? (YN, 12/01/06)

We're going to hold off on Wookiees for a while. It may have been their rather small time on screen, or it may just be that their speech is unintelliglbe to the average human, but the Wookiees, aside from Chewbacca and later in the year, Tarrful, did not seem to enjoy the same level of popularity as other characters last year. We'll come back to them at some point, but we're resting them for now.

Regarding the 7" unleashed line, Little kids don't really like this line IMO because they cant play with it. Collectors like myself can't find all of them because of your vendors (Walmart & Target) do not have the products in stock for us to buy! We need some re-releases ( Padme, Slave Leia, Stormtrooper, Unmasked Vader) But we want new sculpts. Also you would have better luck with this line if you sold it through specialty shops like the local Comic Stores or through Diamond. Then you would be able to gage the real following this line has, as the collectors could by only the ones they wanted & not have the peg warmers through off the sales bottom line. Maybe not that great of a question but I would like an answer and I hope Yodasnews can get it for me. I have almost everyone of the Unleashed 7" figs ever put out (that I could find anyway) & would like to add plenty more to my collection. (YN, 12/01/06)

We are still going to try some things with Unleashed 7" next year, but all-new sculpts are not in the mix, and we have to be careful on re-releases. We will probably not re-release Padme and Leia, but the other two are possibilities at some point.

Why are the most sought after figures one to a case. I remember Cody and Scorch being hard to find at first but you have Commander Appo being one to a case as well. Do you realize the demand for the figure? Why not put more per case of have solid case packs? (YN, 12/01/06)

For basic figures, collector-targeted ones, we tool at 1-up tools so our capacity is more limited. It costs more to duplicate figure tools, and for more narrowly released figures it does not make fiscal sense to cut more steel than is needed. When demand is high, we can produce only so many to go in the case packs and as such, the factory can only supply enough to provide 1 per case because the overall production is elevated. That was the case this year. Sometimes (like Scorch) we re-release because demand was much higher than we originally anticipated. Also, keep in mind that what is highly prized by collectors is not necessarily what kids are looking for....so you have been seeing very different case mixes than you were used to seeing, say, during Saga 2002-2004 where collector figures were heavier up, but the overall figure volume was lower too.
Title: Re: The Categorized (and Chronological!) Hasbro Q & A Archive
Post by: Matt on December 8, 2006, 06:52 PM
Week 21 - December 8, 2006

Why do some pack-in figures with vehicles and multi-figure sets use older or less-popular sculpts of the character when better-quality ones exist? Examples include the large-wing TIE Fighter being packed with the POTF2 TIE Pilot figure rather than the vastly-superior Saga TIE Pilot, or Battle Packs that use the ROTS #06 Quick-Draw Clone Trooper or Deluxe Jetpack Clone rather than the #41 Super-Articulated Clone, or the upcoming Tantive IV Battle Pack using the Evolutions Sandtrooper mold that doesn't have mid-torso articulation over the VOTC Stormtrooper. (This question isn't looking for answers to those specific examples, but to the general "why" of this practice.) (AF, 12/08/06) (http://www.actionfigs.com/index.php?categoryid=12&p2_articleid=162)

The reason varies depending on the availability of specific tools, the factory where the tools are located, and whether they can be transferred without causing problems with other products. We like the Evo trooper, though, and we think that it makes a great figure. Overall fans will be very pleased with the results (and we agree that a couple of our vehicle choices were not the best figures but the best available figures). If the aesthetics are solid (like the different SA Stormtrooper tools we have) then we feel variety, rather than uniformity, is something we think is welcome in the Star Wars figure universe.

If and when you decide to make a Battle Droid Commander 2-pack, will you make one figure in the regular color and one in the Geonosis color, or are all of the Battle Droid 2-packs going to be 2 of the same paint application? (AF, 12/08/06) (http://www.actionfigs.com/index.php?categoryid=12&p2_articleid=162)

If and when we do it, it will probably just have one commander and one trooper.

Any possibility of releasing an SA IG-100 Magnaguard (aka Grievous' Bodyguard)? (AF, 12/08/06) (http://www.actionfigs.com/index.php?categoryid=12&p2_articleid=162)

At some point we'll probably do it, but that figure might be one that needs a fresh approach. We might see a new tool before a re-release.

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We know that during the POTF2 era there were various attempts to get the original Darth Vader (Removable Helmet) just right, and the figure was sent back to the drawing board more than once. We know that the POTF2 Luke Skywalker (Ceremonial) was also revised. Are there any instances of this happening in the most recent (post-Episode II) era since the team has been so focused on accuracy? Can you give us any details and specifics about who/what was refined to improve its detail? (GH, 12/08/06) (http://www.galactichunter.com/absolutenm/templates/full_article_template_1.asp?articleid=6069&zoneid=2)

There is quite a bit of back and forth between the Hasbro design and sculpting team and Lucasfilm regarding likeness details. In some cases taking several submissions to get it juuuuust right.  The McQuarrie Boba Fett figure, images of which were released this week, is one example of a figure that underwent numerous revisions to get it just right, and it was a process that actually resulted in two heads; both the McQuarrie design and Joe Johnston-inspired design.  Both heads will now be packed in....a cool result from a somewhat protracted sculpting and approval process.

3¾" Battle Packs seem to be doing really well at retail (especially during this holiday season) and most of those "leaked" over the summer are already out, or coming soon. Is this segment meeting Hasbro's expectations, and can we expect more (general release) Battle Packs in 2007? Any hints as to what concepts or locales we can expect? (When can we expect images and information about the Ambush on Ilum Battle Pack? When is it expected to be at retail?) (GH, 12/08/06) (http://www.galactichunter.com/absolutenm/templates/full_article_template_1.asp?articleid=6069&zoneid=2)

The segment is doing very well and it will continue through spring '07 with remixes of the six packs for which details have been released.  As to whether this will continue throughout all of 2007, we have yet to decide, but we are considering it for a year-round product.

Where do we stand on getting a Silver Death Star Droid (like the vintage Kenner line), a Death Squad Trooper (grey uniform), and an Imperial Officer in a black starched, pressed, and ironed uniform? The Silver Death Star Droid could just be a repaint and the Imperial Officer could have multiple heads... more bang for your buck. (GH, 12/08/06) (http://www.galactichunter.com/absolutenm/templates/full_article_template_1.asp?articleid=6069&zoneid=2)

The Imperial Officer will be coming back based on the fans' choice voting, so he'll be our focus for now. The silver Death Star Droid is a good opportunity for a re-pack at some point, but first we'd bring back the black one, which did not make the fans' choice cut.  As for Death Squad Trooper, it would be an interesting re-paint at some point, but currently there are no plans for him.

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Since the Episode 1 Eopie wasn't eligible for the Saga Legends voting, is there any chance you can squeeze this beast into a Battle Pack in the future? (Sort of like 2004's TRU exclusive Naboo Final Conflict set which featured a repainted Kaduu). The Eopie is still one of the toughest Episode 1 items to track down and many collectors would love to see it return (especially since the beast was featured alongside Obi-Wan in Revenge of the Sith as well). (JD, 12/08/06) (http://www.jedidefender.com/newspro/fullnews.cgi?newsid1165615405,87807,)

This is a good suggestion and we will consider it for the future. Thanks.

Let's talk Titanium. The 3" line has grown into a fan-favorite as many fans have been sucked in by the appeal of these little beauties. As we head into 2007, can we expect to see more ships from X-Wing and TIE Fighter video game series? So many ships from which to choose - the TIE Defender, TIE Avenger, Z-95, and Stormtrooper Transport are a great place to start! (JD, 12/08/06) (http://www.jedidefender.com/newspro/fullnews.cgi?newsid1165615405,87807,)

We have a looong list of new and re-paint vehicles planned for 2007 (and beyond if the line continues to do well). Our plans are to dip into the expanded universe realm and video games for more inspiration for our vehicle selections. It may take a bit, so look for two out of the four vehicles on your list to make it to shelves near the middle of 2008.

What's been the biggest learning point that you've taken away from participating in the first 20 Q&A sessions? Has there been anything in particular that made you sit back and think, "wow, those crazy collectors are really after product X?" Have there been any specific products set into motion for 2008 or beyond based on the collective Q&A input? (JD, 12/08/06) (http://www.jedidefender.com/newspro/fullnews.cgi?newsid1165615405,87807,)

Interesting question. If anything, it has been that our intuition and interest in expanding into the EU definitely struck a vein of fan interest and the large number of EU-related questions have enabled us to think as broadly as possible about the prospects and think about other opportunities. Another thing we have taken away is that beyond the EU, we think that we have been constructing the whole line in a way that touches upon many, if not all, of the specific sub-classes of figures and themes that fans like at least as far as the figure and vehicle selection goes that fans have been asking about. If fans are asking detailed questions that is good for us and helps us think more deeply about things. Of course, the hardest thing about the Q&A is holding ourselves back a bit in our answers and not "spilling the beans" about the exciting things we have coming out. We prefer to keep things as close to the vest as possible so we have new things to talk about, and not have the line gradually revealed all the way until the end of 2008.

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If you ever get around to making a Spirit Anakin what likeness would he most likely have? Hayden Christensen, Sebastian Shaw, or (what I want to see) interchangeable Christensen and Shaw heads so everyone is happy. (JI, 12/08/06) (http://jediinsider.com/index.php?catid=8&itemid=9896)

Well that's the real trick, isn't it? (...To borrow a phrase) Ideally a combination of interchangeable heads if we ever did this figure.

Back at ComicCon it was stated that 10 of the choices from the Fan's Choice poll were in the plans to be made next year. Is that still true? (JI, 12/08/06) (http://jediinsider.com/index.php?catid=8&itemid=9896)

That is no longer factually accurate. The answer is that 11 will be in the line by next year! This total includes Kir Kanos, who of course has already shipped.

If you were to update Luke in Stormtrooper Disguise in the 3 3/4" line, would it just be a head swap, or, would it actually be a shorter sculpt (maybe with head and/or paint deco variants)? (JI, 12/08/06) (http://jediinsider.com/index.php?catid=8&itemid=9896)

Interesting question. Our preference would be to use the existing tools rather than mod them or do new tools for a one-time use.

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The 3" Titanium series X-Wing mold is being rereleased as a Dagobah version soon but the S-foil wings are stuck open on this mold which doesn't look right for the paint scheme. Will Hasbro eventually make a new X-Wing that has opening/closing wings? How about a new 3" Titanium Millennium Falcon with retractable landing gear, or other Galoob die-cast molds that could use updating? (SSG, 12/08/06) (http://www.sirstevesguide.com/index.php?categoryid=13&p2_articleid=76)

At long last the X-Wing will be retired after the release of the Dagobah version. We have plans for a completely new x-wing in 2008 with retractable s-foils and flip down front and rear landing gear.

The Battle Packs Unleashed line recently had a Snowspeeder vehicle set as part of the Battle of Hoth assortment. Will we see more ships in the line? How about taking larger ships from other Hasbro lines (like the 3¾" line's Millennium Falcon for example) that are close to the line's scale and retool them into the Battle Packs Unleashed line? (SSG, 12/08/06) (http://www.sirstevesguide.com/index.php?categoryid=13&p2_articleid=76)

We will not be doing any more Unleashed 2" ships (or playsets) for the time being. The sales have simply not been there for this sub-line, while the 4-packs themselves have been doing very, very well and have found a new audience complementary to the other "major" lines (3-3/4", Galactic Heroes, and Star Wars Transformers). So instead of going after the vehicles, we have actually stepped up production of more new 2" Unleashed figures for next year. Stay tuned for what those will be.

Any chance of getting a figure of "Heater", the character name given to the human actor stand-in for Jabba in for A New Hope played by Declan Mullholland? (SSG, 12/08/06) (http://www.sirstevesguide.com/index.php?categoryid=13&p2_articleid=76)

Very low probability of us ever doing him. He was always meant to be a stand-in and be replaced, so he would be behind a long list of on-screen figures that we would do before him.

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How about hasbro making a new skiff? One a little larger and has the feature of C-3P0 and R2-D2 with the clamps that picked them up in the movie? (ST, 12/08/06)* (http://www.sandtroopers.com/smf/index.php?topic=5183.msg92496#msg92496)

There are other bigger, more aggressive vehicles we'd like to get to before considering a skiff.

What does Hasbro do to try to avoid peg warmers? For example, when you made the Lushros Dophine figure, which has been a peg warmer for about 6 months now, you had to know that this would not be an extremely popular figure among kids or collectors so why did Hasbro make so many of them and how will this issue be rectified in the future? (ST, 12/08/06)* (http://www.sandtroopers.com/smf/index.php?topic=5183.msg92496#msg92496)

Key learning on Lushros: Initially, we dedcided to limit him to a historically-based "low-end number," but because of the runaway success of figures this year, we scaled him up in proportion with the rest of the line (this happens automatically, say, if we decided to double the amount we make of any one wave to keep up with demand, instead of remixing and deleting and adding a different figure). We knew kids didn't want him, and that there are more collectors engaged in 3-3/4" then there have been in many years so we felt confident we could let the line play out on him. We did overshoot on him though, and it was valuable data for future line planning. He is really the only figure that we have seen in abundance, though.  Overall, we do not have any problems with figures and it has not gotten in the way of getting TSC to shelf so this was an isolated incident that has not been a problem and we are watching it more carefully.

Are there any special plans to keep this line alive and well after the 30th Anniversary celebrations are done next year? (ST, 12/08/06)* (http://www.sandtroopers.com/smf/index.php?topic=5183.msg92496#msg92496)

You bet!

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Why were seven out of the ten figures chosen for the Ultimate Galactic Hunt promotion villains? As you know, the "pewter/silver" hologram figures were very limited, especially for those who were trying to obtain a complete set of the heroes; only Han Solo, Obi-Wan Kenobi and Scorch (impossible to find until the red hologram version was released) included hero holograms. I don't see why Princess Leia and Chewbacca were not chosen over the AT-AT Driver and Snowtrooper.  Leia and Chewie are far more iconic than the two Imperials, and it would've balanced out the hero-to-villain, pewter hologram problem. (SWC, 12/08/06) (http://www.swcollector.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=923)

We did not give thought to balancing the holo mix. We selected the figures based on getting a mix from all waves up to that point.

I'm worried that the collectible coin pack-ins for The 30AC might lead to increased incidences of vandalism at retail. Unscrupulous collectors who don't want to buy one of every figure might break into packages in order to get a complete set of coins, leaving behind the carded figures. While it was rare, I did see a few TSC packages at retail that had their hologram figures stolen out of the packaging. Was this at all considered during the product development of the coins and The 30AC basic figure packaging? (SWC, 12/08/06) (http://www.swcollector.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=923)

Yes, we have taken this into account in the blister design. There is an inner trap blister into which the coin is set that cannot be easily removed in the store.

A few weeks ago, Hasbro answered that figures of Clone Wars General Obi-Wan Kenobi in Clone Armor and a Space Armor Saesee Tiin (Clone Wars, Vol. 2) were great ideas for the 2008 line. Might we also suggest the following figures to round out a Clone Wars-themed wave in 2008?

* Barriss Offee (all-new, super-articulated sculpt, from Clone Wars Vol. 1)
* Holographic Darth Sidious with Mechano Chair (EPISODE I Holographic Darth Sidious with all-new Mechano Chair accessory)
* Roron Corobb: Ithorian Jedi Knight (Clone Wars, Vol. 2: all-new sculpt)
* Yoda on Kybuck (Clone Wars, Vols. 1 & 2: Yoda from ROTS Deluxe Yoda on Can-Cell, with all-new Kybuck)
* IG Lancer Droid (Clone Wars, Vol. 1: mix of retooled IG-88 parts and all-new sculpts, with battle lance accessory)
(SWC, 12/08/06) (http://www.swcollector.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=923)

Thanks for the comments. There are some exciting figures here. At this point, 2008 has been locked down for some time and the good news is that at least one of the figures, and maybe more, are on there. In addition, at least one of these, maybe more, will appear before then. Stay tuned...

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In regards to the Vintage line, do you cater more to the collectors versus kids? I ask because in the last Q&A you mentioned your hopes to complete the classic vintage line, including the more obscure characters. I would guess that this was a more collector-oriented line due to the pricepoint and presentation, which would lead me to believe that even the obscure characters would still sell very well. And as there are still a few vintage figures that have not yet been remade in the modern line, such as the palace version of Klaatu, this would be a great way to see these unmade characters. In addition, it would be great to see updates of some earlier figures in the Vintage line such as Admiral Ackbar, Wicket, and the Ugnaughts for example. (TJ, 12/08/06) (http://www.thejawa.com/yabbse/index.php?topic=6268.msg57084#msg57084)

The vintage line is definitely a collector-oriented product because of the price point and in a way, the aesthetics of the package and figures as well (kids don't care as much about articulation, for example).  However, there are also varying degrees of collector affinity for figures as well. The more obscure the figures get, some collectors will drop out and not get the whole assortment.  This is the difference between completist collectors, and collectors who cherry-pick their favorites.  The proof of this is in the rate of sales in the vintage line.  Troop builders aside, which of course have greater depth of purchase, vintage figures sell at a rate proportionate with their overall appeal as iconic Star Wars figures and also, with the excellence of the execution of the figure and degree of "must have"-ness.  So either some kids are skewing vintage (which is possible) or there are subtypes of collectors who are causing this effect.  We think the latter is the major factor.  So naturally, this paints a backdrop of uncertainty for the "last half" say of vintage.  Will waves made up of third-tier figures be as appealing as the first and more iconic 25 or so figures we wil have done by next spring?  No, they won't be to the overall collecting audience.  So that's why we can't say, with certainty, that we will ever complete an entire vintage recreation line because of this.  Hopefully we will some day, but there are a lot of figures to go and we'll probably be doing mainline versions of them before we do vintage.

While the 30th Anniversary of Star Wars and the associated 30th Anniversary Collection are looming on the horizon, it seems that Hasbro is probably planning further ahead for 2008 and beyond.  And it seems very likely that what Hasbro designers may be working on now is a 2008 collection and possibly a line to complement the upcoming animated series.  Now we've heard from Lucasfilm that the Clone Wars cartoon that is in production is going to be very different in style from the 2 Volumes of Clone Wars that we've already seen.  Now to the question:  Has anyone at Hasbro seen concept art or designs for this new cartoon?  And will the toy line that is sure to complement this new series be stylized like the new animation, or in the current life-like style? (TJ, 12/08/06) (http://www.thejawa.com/yabbse/index.php?topic=6268.msg57084#msg57084)

Well, as far as the non-animation component goes, the 2008 line has been "locked down." The line plan has been secure for months and we are moving into sculpt mode with the first waves of figures.  We do not anticipate that there will be changes to this line beyond the few usual character tweaks and refinements, when we are moving from concept into execution. The Clone Wars line has not been finalized and remains in development. We have been working with Lucasfilm very closely on the series, and there are many stylistic details yet to be worked out that will not be revealed for a while, so stay tuned.

In a previous Q&A, you mentioned that you'd already tried to make a Droideka that could turn from "wheel" mode into battle mode but it was too difficult/cumbersome to make viable. What about a "2-pack" then, where you have the regular Droideka mold and the "wheel" Droideka mold that was used in the "Destroyer Droid Battle Launcher". This could be done in both eps1 and eps2 color schemes as a running change. (TJ, 12/08/06) (http://www.thejawa.com/yabbse/index.php?topic=6268.msg57084#msg57084)

The problem with the wheel is that it's not a fun figure and just becomes a fairly expensive accessory or set piece.  We will consider it if the opportunity ever comes up.

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There have been rumors about seeing the ARC-170 next year. Can you confirm that this is true, and if so any details about it and any pack-ins? I would love to see Oddball's fighter with him and his droid, which appears to have the same paint scheme as R4-P17, only in green instead of red. (YF, 12/08/06) (http://cgi.denpetersen.com/YAK1/viewtopic.php?t=1133)

We are looking at an ARC-170 re-release, but it has not been confirmed yet, or even what deco it would be. In any case, we're likely to hold something like that close to the vest for release at an upcoming show.

I understand why you are using the S/A Scout Trooper for now as a Kashyyykk Trooper instead of making a new one, but why didn't you use the S/A Scout with opening visor then you could of at least molded a Kashyyykk Trooper visor and belt for it, to make it slightly more accurate. This surely would not have cost much and helped with any future new Kashyyykk Trooper. While I'm at it will we ever see a Snowpeeder Luke figure with grapple gun accessory and the famous Hoth Trooper sitting with his small repeater cannon? (YF, 12/08/06) (http://cgi.denpetersen.com/YAK1/viewtopic.php?t=1133)

The Kashyyyk trooper was a costly one already (due to deco), so we went with the closed mask version to not escalate ops and part count. As for those accessories, it's unlikely on Luke and at some point we will probably get to the Trooper with cannon.

I really dig the Original Trilogy Troopers in the tin sets with the removable helmets but I was curious about something.  Did you have to go to Lucasfilm to get permission to use the Jango Fett headsculpt for the Storm/Snow/Scout trooper figures? The reason I ask is because sometimes when you have an idea for a toy release, it can end up, either directly or indirectly, as canon to the overall Star Wars saga.

We've seen the Prequel clone troopers without their helmets but not any of the OT troopers, though it's always been assumed that the OT troopers were a mix of clones and conscripted soldiers. Now with the release of these figures, Hasbro is kind of confirming that some of Jango's clones are still in use in the OT, which is why I have to wonder how much permission you have to get from LFL before you produce something that might be integral to the "story". Thanks!
(YF, 12/08/06) (http://cgi.denpetersen.com/YAK1/viewtopic.php?t=1133)

Yes, we get 100% approval from Lucasfilm on everything in the line.  We are not at liberty to create a new canon, but instead discuss opportunities and issues with the team and move purposely if something is cool and fits a direction that is ripe to explore.

Week 22 - December 15, 2006

What other toy lines do you see as the Star Wars line's chief competition, both in-house and across the market? (AF, 12/15/06) (http://www.actionfigs.com/index.php?categoryid=12&p2_articleid=162)

Generally, any property that is vying for kids' mindshare is a competitive property. As far as collectors, there is only one Star Wars! It doesn't mean we can rest on our laurels, though - we have exciting things in store to keep collectors excited for many years to come.

Other than the Comic 2-packs and Battle Packs, will there be any sub-lines for the 3¾" figures (such as Deluxe, Evolutions, Tins, etc.) next year? (AF, 12/15/06) (http://www.actionfigs.com/index.php?categoryid=12&p2_articleid=162)

Right now, aside from the occasional exclusive, we are focusing a little more tightly and do not plan for more tins or deluxe. This is simply because shelf space will be extremely competitive next year and we will not have the luxury of pursuing items like a widespread listing of tins.

Why were there only 5 Vintage-style figures this year, and why was Empire Strikes Back left out of the line-up when there are such worthy candidates as a Snowtrooper, Bespin Luke, Bespin Han, the Hoth incarnations of Han, Luke, & Leia, and even ESB style Boba Fett waiting to be made? What does the future hold for the Vintage-style line? (AF, 12/15/06) (http://www.actionfigs.com/index.php?categoryid=12&p2_articleid=162)

We did not actually think about the line-up in movie terms, but strictly on character terms. As for why there were five - with everything else we were doing, this was the number that we could complete without having to reduce items elsewhere. There is a wave slated for 2007, which will be revealed around Toy Fair timing (February). Beyond that, we are going to stay mum on the topic for a while.

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Due to the cost of producing plastic playsets for the 3 3/4" action figures being so high, would you ever consider updating the old Toltoys or Palitoy cardboard style Death Star playset with new graphics? There's hardly any plastic pieces so production costs would be low. (GH, 12/15/06) (http://www.galactichunter.com/absolutenm/templates/full_article_template_1.asp?articleid=6091&zoneid=2)

We have looked at cardboard (and other materials) but have been underwhelmed by the results and believe that the majority of fans (kids and collectors) probably would be too.

I loved the Jabba's Sail Barge R2-D2 with bar tray you released in 2004, however it's disappointing that he didn't have an open slot in his dome for Luke Skywalker's lightsaber hilt. The original 1998 R2-D2 with launching lightsaber was far from accurate in design, due to his oversized third leg and the ignited lightsaber inside him. Have you considered redoing a more accurate version in the future with just the lightsaber hilt hidden in his dome? It's one of the only remaining R2-D2 variants we still need.

***Note: We could also use a re-release of the Bar2-D2 with a sturdier bar tray! The plastic on the previous release was a little too pliable.***
(GH, 12/15/06) (http://www.galactichunter.com/absolutenm/templates/full_article_template_1.asp?articleid=6091&zoneid=2)

Yes, we have considered this (the saber-launching version) as a future R2-D2 update we could do. Good point on the serving tray, too - we'll take that into account.

With tooling very similar to the Emperor's Wrath Darth Vader figure, are we ever likely to see the nixed CD-ROM Darth Vader (Bespin Confrontation) actually released? There are a lot of "samples" of this figure out there, so why not use it? (Seriously -- it's very close in detail to the Emperor's Wrath Vader which has been released several times with different deco.) (GH, 12/15/06) (http://www.galactichunter.com/absolutenm/templates/full_article_template_1.asp?articleid=6091&zoneid=2)

We'll look into it thanks.

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The new pictures of 2007 wave 2 were really fantastic! It was great to see that both the new Death Star Trooper and Rebel Honor Guard figures appear to be super articulated. Both have removable helmets (another great feature) with unique and fairly generic likenesses. Are the faces based on anyone in particular in the Hasbro organization as some past figures have been, or are they just random? (JD, 12/15/06) (http://www.jedidefender.com/newspro/fullnews.cgi?newsid1166211744,25883,)

They are not based on anyone at Hasbro.

Is there any chance of a variation on the Death Star Trooper in a grey costume for the Death Squad Commander from the vintage line (and just barely visible in A New Hope)? (JD, 12/15/06) (http://www.jedidefender.com/newspro/fullnews.cgi?newsid1166211744,25883,)

Down the road it's a possibility, but there are no plans for next year.

There was some hope for the poncho with the McQuarrie Concept Boba Fett figure. Is the poncho a scrapped idea or just not included in the photo we saw? (JD, 12/15/06) (http://www.jedidefender.com/newspro/fullnews.cgi?newsid1166211744,25883,)

The figure does not have a poncho.

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With so many new Star Wars video games coming out these days, and with kids being so into video games these days, has there ever been thought about doing a line of figures based on them again? (JI, 12/15/06) (http://jediinsider.com/index.php?catid=8&itemid=9911)

Yes.

Do you think we will ever see a return to where the toy market will support the release of large vehicles and playset like back in the 80's? (JI, 12/15/06) (http://jediinsider.com/index.php?catid=8&itemid=9911)

Older kids (10-12 year-olds) who were once active in action figures have left the category entirely in favor of videogames and other pursuits. So we won't see the return of these kids to the category - they have aged out. Combine that with more TV shows and movies, and more toy lines, vying for attention and it means there's a smaller share of the pie for the existing boys brands. I think it's challenging for many boys brands to make playsets work, including Star Wars. We do not preclude playsets from Star Wars, but we would lean in the favor of large vehicles. There are some large vehicles in the mix, but it's too early to commit to what those might be other than what info we have already given previously.

Now that 2007 is almost upon us, can you give us any hints as to what characters we might see done for the VOTC line next year? (JI, 12/15/06) (http://jediinsider.com/index.php?catid=8&itemid=9911)

That will be revealed soon - at Toy Fair or around then. Right now it is too early to reveal.

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Several years ago, during one of the past Fans' Choice competitions, you offered as one of the possible voting options a Rebel disguised in as a Scout Trooper. While this figure did not win, it certainly seems to have been a precursor to the recently released Flip-Visor Scout Troopers. Was this figure the basis for the current Scout Troopers? Any chance we'll get out Rebels in Scout Trooper disguise figures as well? (RS, 12/15/06) (http://www.rebelscum.com/story/front/Hasbros_22nd_STAR_WARS_QA_The_Answers_101683.asp)

It was not the basis for the current flip-visor Scout Trooper, as that was a new concept. We currently don't have plans do to a Rebel disguise Scout Trooper, but it's certainly a cool idea for down the road.

Since you aren't giving specifics on figures for next year, how about answering this: We've heard you want to do an updated version of Luke Skywalker from the second Death Star, however would you offer a variation to this character? He fights Vader and his flap is closed, and after the battle and after the Emperor's lightning, his flap is open. Which version of Luke would we see? Would we get both? Next year maybe?! (I know you said no specifics, but I have to inquire, just this last time tell us when well see this guy!) (RS, 12/15/06) (http://www.rebelscum.com/story/front/Hasbros_22nd_STAR_WARS_QA_The_Answers_101683.asp)

When we do this figure (and it's a matter of when, not if, since he needs to be done) we'd probably do just one version, then come back at some point and do the other. Since a torso tool is significant (as compared to a head) we'd have to do it this way.

In terms of the Comic Packs, is this going to be the only series of action figures looking solely on the Expanded Universe? Because that leaves a massive hole in everyone's collection. Especially seeing that, apart from Splinter of the Mind's Eye and The Thrawn Trilogy very few, if any, Star Wars books have been made into Comic Series. Do you intend to do a wave of EU figures in next year's or even 2008's series of figures based entirely on figures that couldn't possibly be included in the Comic Packs? (RS, 12/15/06) (http://www.rebelscum.com/story/front/Hasbros_22nd_STAR_WARS_QA_The_Answers_101683.asp)

Admittedly, books that do not have visual representation are very low in consideration for us, simply because we can't pack in a story as a way to convey the context for a figure that otherwise the broader audience may not be familiar with. We do not intend to slight the novel fanbase, but we do think we have some figures that will keep them very satisfied over the next couple of years. As we look to the future, we want to evaluate how we can better take advantage of the characters from the novels.

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Can Hasbro give us an idea of how many waves and figures there will be in '07? And roughly how many from each movie or EU source? (SSG, 12/15/06) (http://www.sirstevesguide.com/index.php?categoryid=13&p2_articleid=76)

I cannot give you as many specifics as you want, simply because we do not want to reveal some surprises we are holding in store. But we will answer your question since we have seen some concern from fans who are afraid that we are abandoning the OTC. That is very far from the case now and in the future! It's been simply a case where a lot of discussion (and excitement) has been expressed about exploring EU in the Q&A so naturally fans have been seeing this. Here's a chance to assuage some concerns. There are nine waves of the 30th Basic Figure line (which I think you are asking about), not including Saga Legends or comic packs which are separate SKUs. There are 60 figures in the 30th figure line, of which 8 are McQuarrie figures. The remaining figures break down as follows: 50% are original trilogy, 25% are prequel, and 25% are from other sources, including some Clone Wars. I cannot give more specifics on this breakdown, in order to save some surprises.

In an earlier Q&A, Hasbro said they wanted to put larger accessories in the packages such as the Moisture Vaporator and the curved bar section for the cantina. Can you elaborate on some of the other larger accessories we may see? (SSG, 12/15/06) (http://www.sirstevesguide.com/index.php?categoryid=13&p2_articleid=76)

We cannot give details on others right now simply because they would reveal characters. You'll have to stay tuned. ;)

Was it intentional for the recent Target-exclusive Rogue II Snowspeeder to be without stickers (especially for low-deco areas such as the cockpit), and without the spring-loaded landing gear? The landing leg in previous releases of this vehicle have a spring which held it in the down position when its door was slid open. (SSG, 12/15/06) (http://www.sirstevesguide.com/index.php?categoryid=13&p2_articleid=76)

That was the intention, on both counts.

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Was the Toys 'R Us exclusive Battlepack, "The Hunt For General Grievous" under produced or under shipped?  This was one of the most difficult to find.  Is there any chance of a re-release of this in the future? (ST, 12/15/06)* (http://www.sandtroopers.com/smf/index.php?topic=5183.msg93251#msg93251)

It was neither...it was simply very popular.  While the TRU-exclusive Clone Wars Republic Gunship was re-released, TRU chose not to re-release the matching Battle Pack, so that explains the paucity of this pack.  We are thinking about the possibility of re-releasing it elsewhere but it would not be until well into 2007 if we did re-release.

Are we ever going to see a Clone Blaze Trooper and a Clone Assassin Trooper from the Ep III game? (ST, 12/15/06)* (http://www.sandtroopers.com/smf/index.php?topic=5183.msg93251#msg93251)

They are not in the plans right now, but with the welcome reception to the Republic Commandos figures, we are looking to see what videogame inspired figures we could work into a future line.  We’ll take your suggestion into account.

Is Quinlan Vos still slated for release? If so when? We are seeing a two pack believed to be the Hasbro retailer catalogue stating Komari Vosa and Vilmarh Grahrk, is this a typo? (ST, 12/15/06)* (http://www.sandtroopers.com/smf/index.php?topic=5183.msg93251#msg93251)

He is indeed slated for Wave 2 of the comic packs.  We do not have an image available right now, but the pack should be made available very soon.

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Jabba's holochess droid, BG-J38, has the same body as 8D8 but painted yellow and with a new head sculpt. The Death Star's supervisor droid, AV-6R7, has the same body as EV-9D9 but painted black and with a different head sculpt. Have you looked at these recently as a (relatively) easy way to get never been done characters out while utilizing existing molds? (SWC, 12/15/06)

We have not looked at those but will at some point. On the surface, a holochess droid is less interesting than a physical droid. Thanks for the input.
        
Wondered if you were doing any more Galactic Senate figures? Would really like to see from Episode III a Cellheim Anujo figure and Tundra Dowmeia. (SWC, 12/15/06)

With so many cool themes to choose from that have high collector affinity, the Senate is one of those themes, along with Nemoidians, that is "in the mix" but not the highest on the list right now. Over the next couple of years we will be getting to them occasionally, but they won't be too prolific. Hopefully the occasional one will keep those shelf dios active.

With a new Bantha and Tusken Raider on the way from Toys "R" Us next year, what are the chances of getting, say, a reworked Jabba the Hutt from ROTJ with his dias and maybe a sitting Slave Leia and Salacious Crumb, along with a bunch of accessories? This would be a great set. (SWC, 12/15/06)

We are looking at a new Jabba sometime but it won't be in 2007. By the way - the Bantha on the way is a redeco, not a totally new Bantha.

How do you feel about characters that have been eliminated from the newer cuts (Special Editions, DVD releases) of the movies? The Wolfman (Lak Zivrak) came out right before the SE, but does the fact that he will no longer appears in new versions of ANH hurt his chances for a resculpt or re-release? The same goes for whether we will ever see the very similar Coyoteman or, my personal favorite, R2-A6? (SWC, 12/15/06)

Since the original cuts have been reissued on DVD, we now still consider these characters to be under consideration. But it may take a long time to get to some of them.

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Hasbro mentioned in an earlier Q&A that one of the Revenge Of The Sith TRU exclusive Jedi Starfighters would be reissued in the 2007 line.  Currently at least one etailer is listing an Anakin Skywalker jedi starfighter in one of their assault vehicle case assortments.  Is the fighter that's being offered in this 30th Anniversary Collection assortment the green jedi starfighter that was previously a Toys R Us exclusive? (TJ, 12/15/06) (http://www.thejawa.com/yabbse/index.php?topic=6273.msg57147#msg57147)

Right now, it is the same (yellow) version.  When we add these into the mix, it will be for the back half of 2007.

The Jawa had previously asked about the possibility of coordinating figure releases with the release of vehicles that are somewhat character specific.  The response we got was that it would be looked into in the future.  Fast forward to the announcement of the Saga Legends lineup, and that series has brought us a couple of figures that do seem very well suited to being pilots, those being the Darth Maul for the Sith Infiltrator and Saesee Tiin for the Saesee Tiin Jedi Starfighter.  Now with another new assault vehicle on the way in the V-Wing starfighter, can we expect a new Clone Pilot figure for this vehicle that is similar in deco to the V-Wing Pilot that was part of the Attacktix line? (TJ, 12/15/06) (http://www.thejawa.com/yabbse/index.php?topic=6273.msg57147#msg57147)

You have made a good point and that is why those two figures (Tiin and Maul) are in the line-up.  However, we do not have a V-Wing pilot slated to go with the V-Wing as of this time.  Eventually, it will be a figure we'll do but we do not have a timetable.  Patience on that one.

With many desirable clonetroopers being re-released next year for Saga Legends, would Hasbro consider finally giving us a "clean" variant of many of these troopers (perhaps as a running change?). For example it would be amazing to see the Evo Sandtrooper sergeant (white pauldron) and the RotS #41 clonetrooper without the dirt markings. Clones especially since for army builders it looks VERY bizarre to have an entire army of #41 clones with exactly the same dirt patterns. A clean version would save Hasbro money, give fans a new reason to add to their clone collections and customizers could also customize their own dirt patterns if so desired. (TJ, 12/15/06) (http://www.thejawa.com/yabbse/index.php?topic=6273.msg57147#msg57147)

But since Clones undergo the same training and are pretty much identical in all ways, the markings do make sense! You have a good point for pushing for variety and we'll look into it.  However, we can't make any promises we'll be able to do this next year as the Saga Legends slate will be pretty crowded with the paint schemes we have committed to doing.

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I was very excited when I picked up an Obi-Wan Kenobi #28 on sale at Target a few days ago. I could finally have a soft goods cape, unlit hilt, headset and stand all in one figure, but I was kind of disappointed the figure's foot wasn't deep enough for the stand. Hasbro is releasing another Obi-Wan next year that has been retooled for the mouth piece, but will this version have a retooled peg hole in his foot? With all of the accessories that have been released with this great sculpt of Obi-Wan, dating back all the way to the ROTS Pilot version, I want him to at least be able to stand on his... stand without any problems. (YF, 12/15/06) (http://cgi.denpetersen.com/YAK1/viewtopic.php?t=1169)

Thanks for the comment. The figure does have the same footpeg from this year's version and will ship that way to begin with, but we'll take your comment back to the engineering team and see if we can make the hole deeper going forward. It’s tricky to get the peg that deep when a figure has a super-articulated foot because the foot peg cannot always be migrated to the thicker heel, so it may not be possible. Thanks.

I know the Q&A has had a lot of new vehicle and playset questions and you have told us why you don't make them, but fans are not convinced by these reasons because, they walk down the toy aisles seeing other large toy companies and small companies (who have less funding and resources than Hasbro, make new molds without the issues Hasbro has with making new molds) filling the shelves with new vehicles and playsets for their toy lines, which the retailers obviously don't mind selling in their shops and are being bought; many items could be listed in one store alone. GI Joe being an example of the outcome of this. I would of thought as a toy maker, Hasbro would want to constantly put out new product not just new packaging to keep it fresh, to be Innovative and up to date in your chosen business. For example Hasbro has said no to build-a-figure suggestions, but the next Buffy wave of figures will have it so it must be a good idea. This is the point most fans don’t get Hasbro turned it down; though the company will experiment with items like Choppers and Playskool etc.

As well as fans, Kids want new Vehicles and Playsets to put their favourite figures in, as we all did when we were kids. Collectors will only buy so many Jedi Starfighter repaints before they've had enough and most kids will only want one of each different vehicle, again as we all did when we were young, because we wanted new ships not the same we already had but in a different colour.

Sorry if this sounds more like a rant than a question, but this is the frustration many fans have, we feel let down compared to other fans and kids. You have given us some great figures and battle packs but what about the rest? My question boils down to how come you give reasons, saying you can't do something or you say retailers have an issue with shelf space, when other Toy companies are doing it and retailers are stocking it?
(YF, 12/15/06) (http://cgi.denpetersen.com/YAK1/viewtopic.php?t=1169)

Just because other companies are doing something does not mean it is a successful business model, or that even if it successful for them does not mean that it would be successful for Hasbro or for Star Wars to pursue. We cannot speak for other Hasbro brands, because they have different strategic objectives and make a decision to allocate their resources against the objectives that are going to be important for them to gain momentum with kids. However, we are committed to making new vehicles and that has been well-discussed, as vehicles are an important part of the play pattern. The development of playsets in an inordinately expensive, time-consuming and resource intensive endeavor that has not proven, in Star Wars, to be worth the investment. It literally means that we would be doing less of other things like figures or vehicles, and we do not think that this tradeoff is worth it.

Since the beginning of these Q & A's, (which I want to thank you for by the way) is there any upcoming product that has been given the go-ahead as a direct result of an idea from them, that perhaps otherwise wouldn't have been? I understand if you can't give out specifics right now, though if you did, it would be appreciated. (YF, 12/15/06) (http://cgi.denpetersen.com/YAK1/viewtopic.php?t=1169)

There are a couple important ones. First, there are the Fans' Choice figures in the Saga Legends assortment for next year. While we do read the fan boards to see what folks are talking about, it was the questions about character reissues that got us to thinking about straight re-issues for some characters, which we would otherwise probably never have gotten to (like Pit Droids, for example). That led to to the vote, which really was an amazing thing and the end result is that we were able to accommodate many figures and many types of figures (troops, droids, and characters). The multi-pack of Battle Stands that will be coming out from HasbroToyShop next year is a another good example of something that we wanted to do at some point, but did not trigger specifically until the early Q&As got us to bring forward and finish the idea (look for these in May - 40 stands from all six films + some EU, for $9.99). Other than that, no specific new ideas have sprung from the Q&A, but some of the questions and back-and-forth have given us more confidence in pursuing certain ideas, some of which I cannot discuss right now.

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With the seemingly growing success of the 2� unleashed line especially with the playset style and the awesome snowspeeder , are you going to look into creating more vehicles in this scale? An AT-TE would be incredible. Also, can we look forward to some ewoks and/or a battle for the bunker playset for Endor? (YN, 12/15/06)

Actually, the figures themselves have been doing exceptionally well and the packs have found a new collecting audience of troop builders or desktop diorama builders, including a sizable kid audience too. However, sales for the scenes (the Snowspeeder and Hoth set) have been disappointing. We do not have plans to pursue more of these sets, but are expending the range of 2" Unleashed figure packs for next year in response to demand.

Is there any chance we will be getting an updated version of Klaatu from Jabba's dungeon? (YN, 12/15/06)

At some point, it's a certainty. But when that will be we can't say for certain.

HasbroToyShop.com has had some nice deals in 2006, especially the ability to get exclusives there. Any chance in 2007 you will offer solid case packs on the site? (YN, 12/15/06)

We are looking at this possibility.
Title: Re: The Hasbro Q & A Compendium
Post by: Matt on January 12, 2007, 05:52 PM
Week 23 - January 12, 2007

Hasbro's answers about making EU figures based on the novels have suggested one of the reasons they're not as likely is because there are no singular visual representations of the characters. However, one of the licensed reference books currently out is "The Essential Guide To Characters" which use Lucasfilm-approved artwork of character likenesses from the novels that are not in the comics, such as many of the Yuuzhan Vong and the Solo Kids. Also, the Japanese cover art likenesses has been claimed as canon by Lucasfilm Licensing executive fiction & comic editor Sue Rostoni, these likenesses being used even on the SW.com EU main page as graphic elements. Will Hasbro consider using these sources for the inspiration for future EU figures? (AF, 01/12/07) (http://www.actionfigs.com/index.php?categoryid=12&p2_articleid=162)

We will look at all possibilities to bring popular EU characters out wherever they originate, including novels. The challenge is that novel characters can really only slot into the basic figure line right now and those slots are for the most part driven by the movies and Clone Wars. The comic packs will all have comics, which will house most of the EU this year and next, and is a comic-based format. So that's where we will continue to concentrate our efforts. For the EU characters that are relatively unfamiliar to the larger SW audience, this is important as our strategy has been to tell some of that story (via their comic appearances) so the context is understood and appreciated. Kids like comics too, so that is a great medium for them, as well as for collectors. Novel characters unfortunately have little visual reference and their story is tough to convey in context so they are at somewhat of a disadvantage. All that said, there will likely be some novel-based characters in the comic line either based on the novels Dark Horse has done, or because they are cross-over character who are in other comic stories. Keep in mind that we are aware of the interest and are looking for opportunities to get novel figures in where it makes sense and where they would be positioned for success, rather than failure.

Considering it is the very first spaceship we see in SW and plays a significant role in the first part of the movie, as well as appearing in ROTS, will the Tantive IV (aka Rebel Blockade Runner) vehicle ever be offered? (AF, 01/12/07) (http://www.actionfigs.com/index.php?categoryid=12&p2_articleid=162)

I assume you mean for 3-3/4". The answer is that while it is not out of the realm of possibility, there are several more "large" vehicles we'd like to do ahead of this one so the chance of having it come out in the near future is very slim. To do it right it would need to be large (and thus expensive from both the resource and retail price standpoint) and we think there are some more iconic and action-oriented vehicles we'd like to explore first.

With the onslaught of Titanium Series 3" vehicles lately (5 waves hit stores from beginning of October to end of November) are there less vehicles per wave being produced or are they just moving that fast? Also, will there be refreshes of these waves for collectors that missed them when they were briefly on shelves? (AF, 01/12/07) (http://www.actionfigs.com/index.php?categoryid=12&p2_articleid=162)

There are not fewer vehicles per wave, in fact, they are just moving that fast. There generally are at least 4 vehicles per wave but most average 5 or 6. Unfortunately there will not be refreshes per say but you may see one of the vehicles you may have missed later in the year. Happy hunting!

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The Marvel Comics 2-packs have been hit or miss with collectors. I personally like them as this is something I wanted to see Kenner do back in the 80's and the execution with these figures is great. I was wondering though about the choice of Vader's for the Vader/Rebel Officer pack. This pack is clearly based off the scene where Vader chokes the Rebel Officer, yet Hasbro chose to go with a Vader figure that could not re-create the scene, such as the 2002 SAGA Vader. Even a new arm sculpt would have done the trick here. Was there a decision made about not re-creating the choking scene as shown in the comic? (FFURG, 01/12/07) (http://www.ffurg.com/hasbroqa.htm)

Our choices were based entirely on the figures we had to work with, with no opportunity for any new tools in the first wave, in order to get the product to shelf in the time needed for retailer resets. So our choice was based on that. But in general, we don't necessarily intend to recreate any panel (one scene) in the comic but provide a couple of interesting and new figures when possible wherever they appear in the comic.

Customizers often use other LFL licensed sources for inspiration or reference, like Wizards of the Coast's Miniatures or Trading Card Game. The Miniatures line seems to be in full swing but what about the Trading Card Game? We haven't seen a new set since ROTS. Is the Trading Card game dead or just resting? (FFURG, 01/12/07) (http://www.ffurg.com/hasbroqa.htm)

There will be no further expansions coming from Wizards. Lucasfilm is the best place to ask about the future of the SW trading card game program.

In the last two years, Target has received many exclusive SW items, but inevitably many of them go on clearance on a national-scale such as the Lava Reflection Jedi and Demise of Grievous figures as well as the Skirmish in the Senate Battlepack. How do these clearances effect what exclusive items Hasbro will make in future years and what steps are being taken to ensure a more premium based item is made as an exclusive? (FFURG, 01/12/07) (http://www.ffurg.com/hasbroqa.htm)

The goal is to try and call a number that we think will sell through in a certain period of time (like the duration of an end-cap at Target for instance) Even when we call the number "right", things aren't always perfect in every store, & there are usually some pockets of stock that will go on clearance as part of the move to clean up the stores and get ready for the next end-cap. We use the sales of any exclusive to dial-in on what we think the right quantity is for any future exclusive release. In general, our 3-3/4" releases have been very clean and nothing we have released has had much of an impact on future 3-3/4" releases. The exception has been the Unleashed 7", which we have cut back on for the spring Wal-Mart release to be more in line with the sell-through of the Fall products.

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Titanium action figures seem to have found a nice niche. Is there any chance of seeing some of the cool speeders, like the Return of the Jedi Speederbike, made in metal? This would open the door for a whole new level of detail (similar to Gentle Giant's Speederbike mini-statue). (GH, 01/12/07) (http://www.galactichunter.com/absolutenm/templates/full_article_template_1.asp?articleid=6145&zoneid=2)

Keep your eyes peeled… you will see some speederbikes in the mini scale in the future. As far as a full fledged action figure scale, there are no plans for that at this time, but thanks for the suggestion.

With half of the year leaked out via retailer solicitation lists, are there any major surprises still in store for us collecting folk at Toy Fair this February? Will we see Hasbro circling the wagons around existing lines, or will there be any new sub-lines introduced? (GH, 01/12/07) (http://www.galactichunter.com/absolutenm/templates/full_article_template_1.asp?articleid=6145&zoneid=2)

We are trying to get some surprises there, and there should be a few. You won't really see any new sublines there, either, as most of our lines are already in place at retail. However, we will not be showing any exclusives at Toy Fair, consistent with out past protocol.

Through European outlets, images of the Treachery on Saleucami Battle Pack have leaked out, and the set quite obviously includes two Republic Speederbikes. Is this, perhaps, the future for the small-sized vehicles, or is this Battle Pack a one-off? (Is this a Target exclusive?) (GH, 01/12/07) (http://www.galactichunter.com/absolutenm/templates/full_article_template_1.asp?articleid=6145&zoneid=2)

This is an exclusive for Wal-Mart, and is not part of the same Battle Pack line that is at all retailers. We are open to thinking of figure/vehicle packs like this for ideas further down the road. Stay tuned…

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How many sculptors work on the basic SW figure line and how does the process work? Is one sculptor assigned to a particular figure and solely responsible for it's look? Are there sculptors that work solely on SW or do they work on other lines as well? (JD, 01/12/07) (http://www.jedidefender.com/newspro/fullnews.cgi?newsid1168639598,73495,)

We have a team of 10-12 freelance sculptors on the outside who are supervised by our sculpting design manager. One sculptor will be assigned for a particular figure, and then tweaks and changes (as needed) will typically be made in house, so the end result is usually the collaboration of either one or two sculptors depending on the extent of the changes needed to secure approval from Lucasfilm.

The E-11 Imperial Blaster role-play toy has never looked quite right since it lost the 3 position, fold-out stock featured in the original 1978 release. Any chance we could see that piece return, even if it doesn't actually fold out anymore? (JD, 01/12/07) (http://www.jedidefender.com/newspro/fullnews.cgi?newsid1168639598,73495,)

Probably not. We do have some new blasters coming out in the next couple months - a Rebel Blaster and Episode II Clone Blaster - that are very cool and those will be our new ones for a while.

What does the future hold for the Titanium Series 3.75" Forged Figure line? It seems like the major retailers are clearing out the figures and ending support for the line, but there are a pile of 10-12 previously announced figures that have yet to be released. Is this line really being canceled or will it be making a comeback this summer? (JD, 01/12/07) (http://www.jedidefender.com/newspro/fullnews.cgi?newsid1168639598,73495,)

We would love to continue to support the Forged Figure line and we will continue to support the line through Spring 2007. Unfortunately there was not enough demand for this figure line which has resulted in a lack of retail support for the figures by our retail partners. My advice, buy them now because they will not be around for long.

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Images of the Treachery On Saleucami Battle Pack with BARC speeders recently showed up on the internet. First can you tell us if this will be a store exclusive, or will it see a regular release? Second can you tell us if there are any plans to do further battle packs like this one with the small vehicles? For instance Speeder Bikes with Endor Luke and Leia or Taun Tauns with Hoth Han and Luke are some suggestions our readers have made. (JI, 01/12/07) (http://jediinsider.com/index.php?catid=8&itemid=9957)

Since the cat is out of the bag..we can confirm that it will be a store exclusive for Wal-Mart and will probably be on shelf in April sometime. We are looking at the possibility of additional ones like this in the future, expanding the battle pack idea.

With the Transformers movie due out later this year, can you tell us anything about the plans you have for the SW/Transformers line in 07? (JI, 01/12/07) (http://jediinsider.com/index.php?catid=8&itemid=9957)

The response to the SW Transformers line has been astonishing and we will be continuing with this great sub-line all year. Look for some announcements regarding our next products at Toy Fair.

In a previous Q/A you said there would be a new Mace Windu figure released this year with decent articulation, any chance we can get a sneak peek of that figure with an image? (JI, 01/12/07) (http://jediinsider.com/index.php?catid=8&itemid=9957)

The new Windu figure is in the first wave of the (TAC) and images were released in October. We have attached the released image in case you have not seen it.

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What are the chances that Hasbro can make some type of accessory pack for clones that might include (but not limited to) alternate head sculpts, alternate hand molds (for pointing, making a fist, relaxed, hold other weapons, etc), alternate weapons, and other clone accessories? With the large quantity of clones out now, these would make army building funner and give some additional options and reason to buy clones! (JTA, 01/12/07) (http://jeditemplearchives.com/content/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=2808)

An interesting thought, but lower on our priority list right now since things like this in the past have been more niche and do not sell as many as you might think. However, we have done collector cases, and now battle stands, so a pack like this might make sense as a HasbroToyShop item sometime. We'll look at the options, but no promises yet.

Can we expect to see anything unannounced at Toy Fair this year, or has everything for 2007 pretty much been announced already? (JTA, 01/12/07) (http://jeditemplearchives.com/content/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=2808)

If all goes well, there will be a few new announcements at Toy Fair.

Can you shed some light on what types of exclusives we might see this year for conventions and mail-away? (JTA, 01/12/07) (http://jeditemplearchives.com/content/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=2808)

It is too early to announce anything yet on our Convention exclusives..but we can confirm there will be some.

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From time to time, collectors of the 3-3/4" figures discuss the figures' likely life spans, and how best to store them when not on display. The figures, are, of course made from a variety of plastics, and different plastics degrade at different rates. Many original vintage figures have discolored or have become sticky, and some reports of the earlier modern figures discoloring have come up as well. It seems to me that Hasbro must have in its employment one or more (most likely more) experts in these materials, so I thought it might be nice to here it from you. How long can we expect the modern line of action figures to last before they begin to deteriorate? What range of life spans do these figures have, and are the longer lived plastics generally more expensive to use? Does Hasbro put much thought into this when plastics are chosen for figures? What can we do to display and also store figures in ways that will best prolong their lives? Thanks for your advice. (RS, 01/12/07) (http://www.rebelscum.com/story/front/Hasbros_23rd_STAR_WARS_QA_The_Answers_102819.asp)

We produce toys first and foremost, so do not take into account the long-term storage needs for figures (decades or more) into account but instead choose materials that will provide durability and play value for the expected life of the toy. We do know that collectors would like their figures to stay in optimal shape over the long run. There are some common factors that have proven to be the enemy of many collectibles, not just toys, and those are sunlight, moisture, and dust. There are archival techniques that can be employed, such as storage in cool, dry places away from sunlight and humidity and volatile temperature changes. We can't offically advise you in this capacity but encourage collectors to research the methods that will give them the best results for their particular storage conditions.

Every year we see more Darth Vader figures released, and typically they are simple repacks, repaints, or retools of previous Vaders with perhaps some new accessories. Collectors sort of presume the justification for what may be an overdistribution of this figure is that there should always be a Vader available for kids or new collectors because he is such an iconic SW character. That makes perfect sense. Now, a character that is nearly as iconic is the Stormtrooper. The basic plain white Stormtrooper has the added bonus of being an Imperial (always popular), probably the best army-builder of all time, and you have that superb Vintage Style sculpt. While Vader has been hard to miss, the Stormtrooper, in its various iterations, has been somewhat scarce since 1995. It sounds like you are taking steps to correct that next year with the Tantive IV battlepack and the Stormtrooper with removable helmet. What prevents you from making the stormtrooper as readily available as Vader? Why can't Stormtroopers be released two or three times a year since they'd fit with just about every Original Trilogy assortment? Why shouldn't kids, new collectors, and even a few army-builders have as much access to this iconic character as they do to Vader? (RS, 01/12/07) (http://www.rebelscum.com/story/front/Hasbros_23rd_STAR_WARS_QA_The_Answers_102819.asp)

You bring up a very good point, and the simple answer is yes, we believe that we have a core cadre of characters (not just Vader or Stormtroopers) that should be there in many if not all waves. Because we want to balance it out and mix it up to keep the retail mix fresh, they won't be in every wave, but characters like R2 and Clones, Yoda and Jedi Luke are key characters in the fantasy and need to be heavier in the rotation. As a result you will see us making sure that there are more Stormies than in years past in the mix in the future.

Sometimes exclusive figures are just "too" exclusive, for example the Hunt for Grievous Battle Pack. Is it possible or even feasible, that when an exclusive is released, maybe a few months after it has been gone from the shelves, that Hasbro can offer that exclusive for sell on the net? It seems that most places (i.e. Target, Toys R Us, Wal-mart) do a poor job of stocking the exclusives on their shelves as well as on their websites. Any help from Hasbro would be great! (RS, 01/12/07) (http://www.rebelscum.com/story/front/Hasbros_23rd_STAR_WARS_QA_The_Answers_102819.asp)

In order to incentivize our retail partners to get behind an item, we have an exclusivity policy that we will not offer those packs (or figures from those packs) elsewhere for a length of time (usually up to a year) after they clear the shelves. There are two tricks with that. One, it's rare that an exclusive sells out everywhere clearly and there are sometimes pockets of stock that retailers still have - just the inevitability of the distribution system. Two, we have usually (but not always) moved beyond an item at that point and we're not certain that collectors will embrace a re-release with the ferver that is needed to sell through the quantity that we need for a re-release (another factor that needs to be considered). That said, you will see some cases where we will be bringing out exclusives again, so look for that.

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Will the Mara Jade comic figure be based only on how she appeared in the comics or will Mara Jade-actress Shannon McRandle's likeness be taken into account? (SSG, 01/12/07) (http://www.sirstevesguide.com/index.php?categoryid=13&p2_articleid=76)

She is based on the Dark Horse comic imagery.

From what we've seen, the recent TRU-exclusive Endor AT-AT and Target-exclusive Imperial Shuttle have both sold fairly well, the Shuttle selling through in only a matter of weeks. Will this mean we'll be more likely to see more larger vehicles in the future? If so, would they likely be all-new molds, retooled molds, or unmodified reissues? As a side note, some collectors have felt that large vehicles would always sell better if they were released just before Christmas the way Imperial Shuttle was, furthering the likelihood of selling more units to a wider market - what's Hasbro's take on that? (SSG, 01/12/07) (http://www.sirstevesguide.com/index.php?categoryid=13&p2_articleid=76)

Obviously, higher price points do better before the holidays since that's when gift giving really ramps up and that is the ideal timing for anything that is not an "everyday" priced item (we consider the $19.99 SRP Starfighter Vehicle collection to be sustainable all year long and will keep that going with continued fresh waves). As far as our optimism for large vehicles succeeding based on the recent success - we knew that there was a market for the larger vehicles, the challenge is the extraordinary cost of doing new ones. We are looking at every opportunity to bring all-new ones out. We can't confirm anything right now though. If we did, because of timing, it might not be until 2008.

Off and on since the first Saga line in 2002, basic figure waves have been planned and released around themes - either by a specific scene or by a movie in general. By planning figures in themes, does that require rushing some figures to make a wave's deadline simply because it fits the theme, or padding the wave with figures that aren't entirely satisfying simply to fill the wave with theme-oriented characters? Is the themed wave idea somewhat constricting to what can be done, and have there ever been figures that were planned for a wave but didn't get finished in time and were shelved for missing their theme? (SSG, 01/12/07) (http://www.sirstevesguide.com/index.php?categoryid=13&p2_articleid=76)

We start any year by planning out themed waves to take advantage of each movie, or catch-all EU theme and then work from there. This means digging into figures we have yet to do (usually collector-targeted) and finding ways to keep the core characters fresh to provide a "hero" appeal to the wave for kids. However, the waves can and do vary in size mostly by what we come up with for a good overall wave balance and may be as few as five new and as many as 10. So there is no set formula except for the theme idea to work, we have to have a minimum. Now in some cases, we may feel that we don't have enough ideas we are excited about for figures compared to say another movie, so we might skip a movie in a year (Empire and Phantom Menace are particularly challenging because all the core characters have been produced and we don't feel we need to go back to them every year).... in that case we may take a rich movie like RotJ or RotS and split them into two waves each. Now your question on the challenges it presents when figures are late.... we prefer to keep waves intact and sometimes the wave might be delayed if we feel strongly we need to keep them together. There are other times when we may split and recombine like we did in '06 with the Endor/Naboo wave, which was previously two different waves with more figures, some of which were shifted off into '07 or later due to delays.

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The aliens from Jabba's Palace and Sailbarge show some of the most wild creatures in the SW universe.  Are you planning to make never before made figures from the movie, such as Sgt. Doallyn, Bane Master, Weequay Skiff Master, Weequay Marksman, Kithaba(an easy Barada repaint), and of course new Niktos? (ST, 01/12/07)* (http://www.sandtroopers.com/smf/index.php?topic=5183.msg95927#msg95927)

You bet - that is very fertile ground.  However, like Cantina aliens and other favorites, we'll be doing a couple at a time and over time will add more characters (and hopefully one day almost all of them) so collectors can recreate this very iconic scene.  Your suggestions are very good ones, but I can't give you any more info on who is up when in the rotation.

I fully applaud the current direction you're taking with respect to the EU characters that are slated for 2007. I'm a big EU fan and especially love Timothy Zahn's creations. That said, I'm thrilled to see a new Thrawn, Mara and Bothan announced, or so I read. For the Bothan, what interpretation (source) will you be using for the figure? (I'm very partial to the old 'SW: Rebellion' computergame look for the Bothans myself) Also, are there currently plans to incorporate Talon Karrde, Joruus C'baoth and a Noghri into the line? (ST, 01/12/07)* (http://www.sandtroopers.com/smf/index.php?topic=5183.msg95927#msg95927)

Patience - with time, we hope to get to most of these pretty important figures (we're not sure about C'baoth though….he's lower than others).  As for Bothan reference, we'll probably take our cue from the Rogue Squadron-esque styling of Fey'laa and others which has been a consistent visual mainstay in many of the Dark Horse EU books.

Is there any truth to the rumor tail end of waves aren't produced as much as figures in the beginning of the line? (ST, 01/12/07)* (http://www.sandtroopers.com/smf/index.php?topic=5183.msg95927#msg95927)

In the past this has been the case, and it usually happens when line planning volumes are overestimated and characters become over-released meaning we can't hit our full volume plans but decide to release the figures anyway.  It can also happen when too many new waves are slated for any given production window, meaning that each wave might be produced at a lower quantity of each needed to support sales.  This is why you saw a different strategy in '05 & '06 - front-loading the figures so they are heavier in the front of the year and taper off toward the back half, followed by the need to keep the heat going by introducing some new (often repainted) figures to bridge the gap.  It's always a balancing act to get everything right and running like clockwork, and we do use all the forecasting metrics at our dispoable to smooth out the figures and ensure we have newness throughout the year, so we don't have short waves that will frustrate collectors.

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None of the Kit Fisto figures released so far by Hasbro fit properly into the Kit Fisto Jedi Starfighter vehicle. Could we see a revised figure designed to fit into this vehicle at some point? (SWC, 01/12/07) (http://www.swcollector.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=944)

Actually it takes some manipulation, but we have found TSC #55 Kit Fisto to fit. The image on the package actually shows this figure fitting in the cockpit. We do not have plans to do a new Fisto for the foreseeable future, so the current Fisto is the only solution to getting a pilot for the craft.

Many people are complaining about the repackaged Unleashed figures, such as the upcoming ROTS Obi-Wan / ROTS Anakin / Shadowtrooper. The Shadowtrooper, a re-paint, is the only one people seem to want since, ROTS Obi-Wan and Anakin can still be found on shelves in some areas. Are there any plans for new sculpts for the 7" line? If not, since you're releasing older ones with new packaging, why not release ones that hardly anyone was able to find during initial release, like the removable helmet Vader? (SWC, 01/12/07) (http://www.swcollector.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=944)

There will be no 100% new Unleashed 7" sculpts for the foreseeable future, but there will be an important partial resculpt coming a little later this year as an exclusive. Details on this one have not been announced yet and probably will be held until CIV. As we have discussed in prior Q&A on Unleashed 7", our struggle has been trying to find the largest aggregate audience beyond the audience that picked them up the first time in their carded form, since that market was not enough to continue to sustain the development of new items. Our strategy has been to get the best characters back out there, in measured amounts, in a new package style to determine whether the market can support overall the volumes we need to recoup development costs. While the jury is still out on how successful we have been, we are not abandoning the 7" format.

The past Holiday Edition figure sets, such as R2 and 3PO, Yoda, the Jawas, and then Vader, were great. Since the Vader didn't seem to sell that well, and wasn't very well received by many collectors, is that why the line has been canceled? Just a personal note, just because the Vader didn't sell well doesn't mean people don't want these Christmas figs. Maybe if the Vader would have been the one shown on the card enclosed, you probably would have sold out. (SWC, 01/12/07) (http://www.swcollector.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=944)

We have not pursued one for '06 or '07 simply because we didn't really find any concepts we felt strongly enough about to pursue (one of the reasons we tried something different with the red Holiday Vader). however, there will be a holiday pack in '07, but it won't be Christmas. Hmmm!

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Will every SW film have a wave in the (TAC) line this year? (TJ, 01/12/07) (http://www.thejawa.com/yabbse/index.php?topic=6307.msg57402#msg57402)

Most will, but not every film will have a wave this year.

SAGA # 042  C-3PO - Ewok Deity was a great step forward for a protocol droid sculpt.  Can we expect to see this figure sculpt reused for future protocol droid releases such as E-3PO, U-3PO or for a new version of 4-LOM? (TJ, 01/12/07) (http://www.thejawa.com/yabbse/index.php?topic=6307.msg57402#msg57402)

We will certainly look at that for future protocol droid releases.

In an earlier Q&A session, Hasbro was asked about trying to get exclusive items offered through various retail partners' websites.  The response that we got was that efforts were being made to get some of the exclusive items made available online.  However at this time it appears that only TRU and KayBee have made their exclusives available online.  What has the response been from retail partners like Target and WalMart on this issue?  It does not appear that they have made their exclusives available to collectors online. (TJ, 01/12/07) (http://www.thejawa.com/yabbse/index.php?topic=6307.msg57402#msg57402)

It has not been as easy as you may think.  The ultimate merchandising strategy is decided at the highest levels of our retail partners, but they have been made aware of collectors' desire to find the exclusive products online.

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I love the holographic/ghost effect you used on the Saga Jedi Luke Skywalker (Hologram) and the Spirit of Obi-Wan Kenobi figures. Using the different colors of translucent plastic along with the pearlescent finish made it look very close to the holograms/ghosts in the films.  I'm wondering why this approach was abandoned on subsequent hologram figures like Commander Cody, Plo Koon, Aayla Secura and so on?  Flesh tones and colors on clothing and armor are quite distinct on the characters in their hologram form albeit muted under a blue or purple glow. Which is why I love the Luke/Obi-Wan figures and why I was a bit disappointed when all holo figures afterward became entirely translucent blue.

Finally, are new spirit of Yoda and Anakin figures being considered to match the previous Obi-Wan, and if so, is it possible for Anakin to have swappable Hayden, Sebastian heads? Thank you!
(YF, 01/12/07) (http://cgi.denpetersen.com/YAK1/viewtopic.php?t=1303)

We wanted to distinguish between Spirit figures and hologram figures and felt the blue was best for the latter. If we do more Spirit figures, they would be like the Luke you mentioned. If we do a new Anakin (and that is "if"), swappable heads is a great idea. Thanks!

For the upcoming Geonosis Arena Battlepack, what was the reasoning for putting in the selection of characters you chose? Why not a little more of a mix of some more accurate sculpts/more desirable figures, such as the following -

- Pablo Jill / Coleman Trebor / Red Battle Droid x 2 (from SAGA Accessory Set) / Destroyer Droid (EPI battle damage)
(YF, 01/12/07) (http://cgi.denpetersen.com/YAK1/viewtopic.php?t=1303)

That pack was mostly kid-targeted, and the one "less known" character slot we had to fill was assigned to Aayla because the tools were all in the same factory (a critical component for any battle pack in order to hit our price and release date targets). The figures you suggest would be a good start for another Arena battle pack if we go back to that theme at some point....Coleman Trebor is a figure that deserves a re-release in some form or another.

Are there any plans for producing Galactic Hero Playsets? Given the size of the figures, success of the line, and the fact that nearly all of them now have holes in the feet... it would seem to be a natural course to take. The Falcon was awesome especially since it doubled as a ship and playset. I know a six year old who would love to see a Death Star, Arena Battle, or Hoth playset sitting on his floor. (YF, 01/12/07) (http://cgi.denpetersen.com/YAK1/viewtopic.php?t=1303)

We are looking at ways to expand the GH play pattern but have not settled on our solution and whether that would be vehicles, playsets, creatures, cardboard playsets, or more. We do think that there is a need for more fun things to play with in addition to collect so we will look for ways to bring those to market. Stay tuned....

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With the wide variety of Clone Trooper colors, my stormtrooper contingent is looking rather drab in comparison. Given that it's possible that "just offscreen" there might have been some elite stormtrooper squads (like the blackhole troopers) that had coloring other than white and black? Have you given any thought to making a camoflauge deco stormtrooper, or a red royal guard stormtrooper or other types of colorful markings? (YN, 01/12/07)

In measured steps, I think you will see us look at some of these kinds of troopers and we are open minded. But we have no specifics on release dates or figures to discuss just yet.

The titanium Red Royal Guard TIE Interceptor looks sweet! Is there a chance a 3-3/4" version might be in the works? (YN, 01/12/07)

Not in the near future, but you can bet it's on our short list of awesome things to try for future exclusives!

Has Hasbro been given access to upcoming SW projects, like the new tv shows, to begin working on products that will be released when the projects debut? (YN, 01/12/07)

Lucasfilm Licensing does a great job of bringing us into the projects at an early enough stage to allow us to conceive well-rounded product lines. Beyond the animated line, which we have been looking at, I can't comment on any other entertainment being worked on.

Week 24 - January 26, 2007

Will we see a TIE Interceptor with the new, more accurate, center pod - the improved center cockpit TIE pod that has been released on the standard TIE Fighter the last couple of times? If so, would it have the old 2-piece hatch or the newest, 1-piece, side-opening hatch seen on the upcoming white TIE Fighter? (AF, 01/26/07) (http://www.actionfigs.com/index.php?categoryid=12&p2_articleid=162)

If we do another TIE Interceptor release (and it's high on our "wish list" for an exclusive release), then we would use the new pod with 1-piece hatch from the new white TIE fighter release.

The 2001 POTJ Princess Leia Bespin Escape figure has the best likeness and the first real quality use of scale on a Leia figure ever, yet this figure has not seen any decent rereleases. How about re-releasing this figure with new limbs that aren't preposed, perhaps with a little better articulation? This mold could also be used with changes to the hair, boots, and hands (turned into gloves), plus a new vest that fits, to make a new Hoth Leia. (AF, 01/26/07) (http://www.actionfigs.com/index.php?categoryid=12&p2_articleid=162)

This is a good suggestion, as the aesthetics of that figure are very nice and is one of our favorites too. We'll consider it for Leia in the future.

In the past, TRU has had several promotional figures that could be obtained free with a purchase of $15 or so (such as Holographic Yoda and Palpatine, and some silver figures). Will we see more promotional figures such as these in the future, perhaps more holographic figures that would otherwise not be sold at normal retail? (AF, 01/26/07) (http://www.actionfigs.com/index.php?categoryid=12&p2_articleid=162)

We don't have plans to continue this campaign right now, instead choosing to use our "item count" in different and more impactful ways with our retail partners, preferring to do an additional vehicle at regular price rather than one of these figures.

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It has been widely published that during the 1978-85 Kenner run, that over 250 million action figures were produced. While I understand that Hasbro does not release production run numbers, I was wondering if you could share with us if the 1995-present run by Kenner and Hasbro has surpassed the 250 million mark and if so, approximately when did this occur? Also for comparison, can you provide an approximate total of how many total action figures have been produced during nearly 12 year run of the line? (FFURG, 01/26/07) (http://ffurg.com/hasbroqa.htm)

We closely guard information on our production runs, so we cannot answer your question (it is also difficult to validate anything from the Kenner run since our records are spotty). Regarding the number of figures made to date.well, that would take some time and might be an exercise best left to the fans to figure out!

In previous Q&A's you have mentioned that it is difficult for Hasbro to design EU based figures due to a lack of visual reference material and that has led in part to the creation of the Comics 2-Pack line which has the visuals you need. I was wondering for EU characters from novels which do not have comic adaptations, would Hasbro consider using the various Novel covers, Reference Guides, and CCG Cards that exist depicting EU characters? (FFURG, 01/26/07) (http://ffurg.com/hasbroqa.htm)

If we select to do a novel-based character who does not have any comic appearances, then any other canonical artwork from any source would be valuable inspiration and would not be ruled out for that characters' appearance. It isn't our intent to re-create characters when good information already exists.

This may be considered more of a suggestion than a question, but I'd like to know that should Hasbro consider re-releasing the Imperial Speeder Bike would it be a possibility that it would get all new steering controls? The existing controls which date back to the 1983 vintage Bike are inaccurate and Hasbro has already produced comparable controls on the 2003 Clone Wars Speeder Bike. Should the Imperial Speeder Bike be re-released, it would be a great to see the controls updated to match the design aesthetic of the current figure line. (FFURG, 01/26/07) (http://ffurg.com/hasbroqa.htm)

That's an interesting suggestion, and we'll take that into account the next chance we have to update it for re-release.

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This one hasn't been brought up in a while, but a lot of fans still hope to see a movie-accurate Vader with removable helmet (i.e. the two-stage helmet). Is this figure anywhere on the horizon? If not, with the advances we've seen on the SW figure lines, what's holding it back? (GH, 01/26/07) (http://www.galactichunter.com/absolutenm/templates/full_article_template_1.asp?articleid=6188&zoneid=2)

While the idea is a very good one, the truth is that the minimum thickness needed for the parts to be reliably drawn from the tools is the limiter for this idea and other ideas like it.  We'll take a closer look to see if it is possible, because it would be a cool figure.

The Bossk Titanium figure comes with a strange accessory, a lightsaber hilt that is wedged under his foot. To whom does this lightsaber belong? It's a nice easter egg! (GH, 01/26/07) (http://www.galactichunter.com/absolutenm/templates/full_article_template_1.asp?articleid=6188&zoneid=2)

The thought was to add a bit of story / mystery to the item. He is engaged in a fierce battle with someone... but who is he about to defeat? The lightsaber hilt is meant to be the clue to this question. Unfortunately, the Jedi Order is about to lose one of its own at the hands of this mighty Bounty Hunter. The lightsaber hilt and the Jedi in question remains a mystery (we did not pick a particular figure).

On the upcoming McQuarrie Boba Fett, what on earth (or not) is that thing in his midsection? (GH, 01/26/07) (http://www.galactichunter.com/absolutenm/templates/full_article_template_1.asp?articleid=6188&zoneid=2)

It is the weapons compartment! We wanted to be true to the original design which is why we built this in. Obviously, Fett changed from concept to production, but this… interesting… little feature is something we wanted to put in there as tribute to the source material.

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Any chance we can get a picture of the Rebel Troopers from the "Capture of Tantive IV" Battle Pack without their helmets? (JD, 01/26/07) (http://www.jedidefender.com/newspro/fullnews.cgi?newsid1169863101,30054,)

We only have one picture available for one of the Rebel Troopers, and it's only with the helmet. We're sorry, but this is the best image (http://www.jedidefender.com/image.pl?http://www.jedidefender.com/news/images/1-07//tantive_rebel.jpg) we have for now.

Is the Vader figure slated for 2007's Wave 3 different from the 2007 #01 Vader that comes with the Coin Folder/Album? Is he a new Vader sculpt or is he just the same Vader sculpt as the Coin Folder #01 Vader but with a new ANH coin? (JD, 01/26/07) (http://www.jedidefender.com/newspro/fullnews.cgi?newsid1169863101,30054,)

He is based on the Darth Vader from the comic pack, with new movie deco. He was in turn a rework for EPIV from the 500th Vader.

The new 2007 Death Star Trooper has piqued the curiosity of a few collectors on our forums. Is the figure a 100% new sculpt or are there parts re-used from another figure? Most notably, people think they're seeing Count Dooku parts being used. Is that the case or are they just seeing things? (JD, 01/26/07) (http://www.jedidefender.com/newspro/fullnews.cgi?newsid1169863101,30054,)

He is a 100% new sculpt.

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With all the SA clones being released, there's a significant lack of rifles for clone armies. Has Hasbro considered a weapons pack of rifles and other assorted clone gear to help army builders? (JI, 01/26/07) (http://jediinsider.com/index.php?catid=8&itemid=9983)

We have heard fans, and we are considering this for a future year. What would fans ideally like to see in such a pack?

The Target Exclusive Imperial Shuttle seems to have gone over quite well. Is there a chance we could see new large vehicles as limited time offer retailer exclusives in the future? (JI, 01/26/07) (http://jediinsider.com/index.php?catid=8&itemid=9983)

The recent success of the 3-3/4" high-price vehicles has certainly helped the case for the potential success of larger (more expensive) vehicles down the road. However, we won't commit to anything right now because it's still very far from when we'd introduce anything new that is larger than our $20 assortment, and also because things have a way of changing. But know that larger vehicles are on our radar and we consider them an important part of the SW 3-3/4" play pattern.

Will we see new comic packs in 2007 after the first wave? Any clues on what we will see? Will they always be based on old Marvel Comics, or will we see some based on Darkhorse Comic titles? (JI, 01/26/07) (http://jediinsider.com/index.php?catid=8&itemid=9983)

There will be at least 15 comic 2-packs on the shelves this year, and judging by the early fan reaction, they can't wait to see more. This validates our assumption that delivering two figures (some new, most always refreshed) with a great story is something that fans and kids want to see. The second wave won't be on shelf until about April, and consists of Quinlan Vos & Vilmarh Grahrk from Star Wars #19, Republic #55 with Obi-Wan and Alpha, and Star Wars #4 (Marvel) with Luke and R2-D2. About 25% of the comics this year will be Marvel-derived and the balance will be Dark Horse.

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So now we know that the VOTC Stormtrooper was pulled from the fan voting because the tool was being used for the removable helmet trooper in wave 3 of (TAC). Does that mean that the original unmodified tool will be available for 2008? (RS, 01/26/07) (http://www.rebelscum.com/story/front/Hasbros_24th_STAR_WARS_QA_The_Answers_102934.asp)

We do have plans for Stormtroopers in '08, but it's too early to reveal any details.

It has been said many times that larger vehicles are a tough sell due to their size and cost to produce, so Hasbro is understandably reluctant to make them. However, several recent larger-scaled exclusive vehicles (TRU AT-AT, Target Imperial Shuttle) have sold out. Is this a good indication that there is demand for these? It appears that fans will support larger vehicles. (RS, 01/26/07) (http://www.rebelscum.com/story/front/Hasbros_24th_STAR_WARS_QA_The_Answers_102934.asp)

The recent success of the 3-3/4" high-price vehicles has certainly helped the case for the potential success of larger (more expensive) vehicles down the road. However, we won't commit to anything right now because it's still very far from when we'd introduce anything new that is larger than our $20 assortment, and also because things have a way of changing. But know that larger vehicles are on our radar and we consider them an important part of the SW 3-3/4" play pattern.

Will Hasbro ever decide to change the distribution in their waves? Let's face it, army builder or not, clones (and the like) are easily the best selling figures due to their numbers on screen. Why not release a wave containing 1 each of slower moving characters such as Palpatine, Vader, Senators, and Cantina extras and another consisting solely of clones (maybe 2 or 3 different ones per case). This way, Hasbro could ensure that peg warmers would not be over-shipped and there would be enough clones for all. (RS, 01/26/07) (http://www.rebelscum.com/story/front/Hasbros_24th_STAR_WARS_QA_The_Answers_102934.asp)

The best way to manage the line, as we have been doing very successfully for the past two years, is to stick with a balanced approach. We balance our cases to ensure that we have the best mix at retail for both kid-targeted figures and collectors, ensuring the best retail "turn" on the pegs. Producing solid case packs of "niche" characters is a sure way to doom the productivity and would lead to these types of figures being dropped entirely, which nobody wants to see.

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What happened to the scale when you made the previous Hoth Rebel Trooper (Saga '04-01), which is very short next to other figures, even taking his pose into account? Can we expect a more definitive Hoth Rebel anytime soon to go with that great Major Derlin from last year? (SSG, 01/26/07) (http://www.sirstevesguide.com/index.php?categoryid=13&p2_articleid=76)

We didn't see this figure as particularly short, at least it wasn't designed to be deliberately so. When we do another new one, he'll probably be more of an average height (regression toward the mean).

What are the chances of seeing Titanium Series Battle Droid, Super Battle Droid, and Destroyer Droid die-cast metal figures made? This would avoid the thin-wall problems of their plastic action figure counterparts. (SSG, 01/26/07) (http://www.sirstevesguide.com/index.php?categoryid=13&p2_articleid=76)

Very unlikely at this point. The Titanium series figures slated to go through Spring will be the last of the series. While it would be cool to create a metal series of droids, we don't have any plans for this as these are pretty expensive relative to our 3-3/4" regular line.

Hasbro has previously said that vehicles for the GH line did not sell well, but the only vehicles that have been released in the GH line itself are 2 re-releases of previous Playskool vehicles at higher pricepoints and 2 transforming vehicles taken from an unrelated line. The GH line has only 2 movie vehicles to choose from, the Millennium Falcon and the X-wing, but no vehicles for them to fight. Given that there is now a TIE Fighter Pilot, it seems only natural to make a TIE Fighter around the same size as the X-wing. What might be done to rectify this situation? Also, are there any plans to re-release any of the SW Playskool figures or elements that have not yet been offered in the GH line, such as Wicket or the Wampa or the Naboo Fighter? (SSG, 01/26/07) (http://www.sirstevesguide.com/index.php?categoryid=13&p2_articleid=76)

We are looking at the GH vehicle situation, and agree with you that they deserve another shot. However, before we commit to new vehicles, we have some research to do with kids to get at what they want to see to further their GH experience. We are also looking at getting some of the other un-released Playskool figures and vehicles back out there.

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Will Hasbro try to hit more conventions to showcase their products since we'll never see a movie again or will CIV be the main focus? (ST, 01/26/07)* (http://www.sandtroopers.com/smf/index.php?topic=5183.msg98094#msg98094)

We will once again showcase our Fall line at the SDCCthis year (in addition to CIV).  We'd like to be at more fan events in person, but the travel schedule for the team is what prevents us from committing to more shows than we can handle.  Both conventions are a great time to meet with fans face to face and discuss the line, and we'll continue to support those shows.

Are you going to sell the 501t Trooper that was issued to the 501st members who marched in the Rose Parade to the general public? The packaging is awesome! (ST, 01/26/07)* (http://www.sandtroopers.com/smf/index.php?topic=5183.msg98094#msg98094)

This figure is a special tribute figure and a token of thanks for the folks who did the heavy lifting and provided amazing support for that great event. It will not be made available or sold to the public, aside from the very select few which will be auctioned for for charity on eBay.

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In ANH, when the Falcon is being pulled by tractor beam into the Death Star hanger, we see two Stormtroopers in armor modified for outer space. These designs are significantly different from the EU-based Spacetroopers. Could we see this film-based Space Stormtrooper made as a figure, eventually? (SWC, 01/26/07) (http://www.swcollector.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=950)

We recently asked Lucasfilm about these. They are significantly different than EU-based Spacetroopers because they are, in fact, Stormtroopers with some very minor modifications. Not enough to really be called Spacetroopers, in any case. They would be a cool refresh to the Stormtrooper some time down the road but they are not in our near-term plans.

In any future re-releases of the Saga '04 Luke (Jabba's Palace) figure, would it be possible to use the lightsaber mold from the ROTS Pilot Obi-Wan figure? That lightsaber is much more accurate now than the version from '04 (which was really reusing the lightsaber from the POTJ Ben Kenobi figure from 2000). (SWC, 01/26/07) (http://www.swcollector.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=950)

Good suggestion - thanks.

With all the different, scene-specific versions of Vader made between 1995 and the present, it seems likely that Hasbro will soon have to delve into the EU for new versions of him. In the Dark Horse Comic one-shot Star Wars: Purge, Vader suffers some serious battle-damage at the hands of a group of Jedi. Any chance of seeing a figure of a beaten-but-unbowed Sith Lord somewhere up the line? (SWC, 01/26/07) (http://www.swcollector.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=950)

Yes, but it won't be the version from the Purge comic. Stay tuned…

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I have always wondered why for the VotC R2D2 mold that the rotation of the dome that triggers the pop-up periscope is designed as it is. As it works, the periscope pops up after a short turn and then descends again. This means that the only way to pose R2 with the scope up all the way is only when the dome is partially turned. It looks quite awkward to say the least. Why not have it such that a full 360-degree turn would fully raise the scope so that R2 can face front in both cases whether the scope is hidden or up?  Or wouldn't it simply be better to have let this be manually adjustable? (TJ, 01/26/07) (http://www.thejawa.com/yabbse/index.php?topic=6313.msg57562#msg57562)

A manual feature just wasn't as fun as having it automatically pop up and down when turned, so that became the reason for the design.  We did not consider the posing of the figure as you suggest, but if we ever go back and rework that figure again, we'll take that into consideration.  It's unlikely though - we just don't give such a retool a high priority compared to the other projects on the plate.

For the forthcoming comic 2-pack with Obi-Wan and Arc Trooper Alpha, will the blue stripe on Alpha's helmet be correctly painted i.e. the stripe should run down the helmet to the visor. I've noticed that Hasbro seems to forget this on many occasions (for the original Clone Wars ArcTroopers, the recent re-released Saga2 Clonetrooper sergeant with the green stripe, and the recent Clone Wars Hunt for Grievous Battle Pack).  Also, will this issue be fixed for the Saga Legends colored clonetrooper re-releases next year? (TJ, 01/26/07) (http://www.thejawa.com/yabbse/index.php?topic=6313.msg57562#msg57562)

The figures you mentioned were "good to go" as such but as with sculpting and articulation, refinement over time allows us to dial in more specifically to collectors wishes.  We'll look into this for future figures….all of the ones you mention are currently in production and we may be able to influence change, but we'll be looking at that more carefully for future releases.

Palpatine/Sidious really came into his own in ROTS as a character and established himself as THE Ultimate Villain of the SW Saga.  He got a fair amount of play in the ROTS line with a number of incarnations that were scattered between the Basic, Deluxe, and Evolutions figure lines, but several of these figures suffered from what some collectors are calling the "salt and pepper shaker treatment" and a number of collectors felt that the Evolutions Sidious didn't look enough like the character.  Plus this year Palpatine seems to have fallen by the wayside in the TSC line with three reissues, and once again those figures were rather static in nature.  Can we expect to see more of Palpatine in the near future treated with the kind of aesthetic that more and more core characters have been given, in terms of sculpt, softgoods and articulation? (TJ, 01/26/07) (http://www.thejawa.com/yabbse/index.php?topic=6313.msg57562#msg57562)

Eventually, yes - he is an important character to re-approach in the next couple of years.

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A couple of the figures released lately have incorrect figures bases/stands. (i.e. Kit Fisto, Clone Trooper Sergeant). Will these errors be addressed/corrected in later case revisions? (YF, 01/26/07) (http://cgi.denpetersen.com/YAK1/viewtopic.php?t=1340)

Unfortunately, by the time we caught these mistakes it was too late to change them out. However, there will be an interesting component to our collector stand pack (which will be available through HasbroToyShop.com for the first time at CIV) that will easily allow collectors to "correct" the mistake. Stay tuned...

Would you consider doing a reversal on the ball joints and swivel elbows on figures? You've proven you can make knee articulation utilizing swivel joints with the POTJ's Rebel Fleet Trooper and both Sagas' Sith Training Maul. With most figures, the elbow articulation is SO, much more important than the knee articulation, especially with the lack of chairs or accessories that require sitting. (YF, 01/26/07) (http://cgi.denpetersen.com/YAK1/viewtopic.php?t=1340)

We take it on a case by case basis depending on cost and other factors, but we do hear you that the ball joints and swivel elbows allow for greater poseability. We will incorporate this as the situation allows, but one thing we cannot do is use super-articulation for every figure - we just wouldn't be able to cost out the line if that were the case.

The exclusive Figrin D'an and the Modal Nodes Commemorative Tin is now in Wal-Mart. The repaints are nice and it gives kids and collectors a great chance to catch something they might have missed from the Fan Club release.

However, Lucasfilm licensees agree that there are SIX, sometimes SEVEN members. (I lean toward seven because of the photo in the classic SW Storybook.) In fact, Hasbro even released six band members in its 12" line in 1997. So, why did Hasbro produce only five bith for this set?

It seems a conscious decision was made to exclude a figure because the card even mentions "Sitting out sick: Doikk Na'ts," although a "fizzz" instrument is included. Was this a pricepoint issue? Three figures clearly fit in the bubble. All it required was an additional figure with fanfar instrument. Will we see a single-carded figure to complete the band? (Perhaps with articulated knees?)
(YF, 01/26/07) (http://cgi.denpetersen.com/YAK1/viewtopic.php?t=1340)

We didn't intend to offer the whole band (and there is a compelling argument for seven members). We wanted to keep the price of this tin the same as the regular EpI-VI tins, but didn't want to shortchange the value either. We could have just gone with four figures, but added in the fifth for value since it looked a little sparse with just four of them in there. There won't be a single carded regular figure available in the main line this year. Articulated knees would be a cool feature to add to the Nodes at some point.
Title: Re: The Hasbro Q & A Compendium
Post by: Matt on March 2, 2007, 05:27 PM
Week 25 - March 2, 2007

Many collectors believe that the recent trend of figures having ball-jointed heads has more flaws than advantages, what with the joint requirements creating heads that appear cut off behind the jaw and below the ears making for a bizarre profile, as well as unrealistically long necks. In some circumstances the ball joint's range of motion can be so limited that it renders the joint all but moot; also, with removable-helmet figures sometimes the head comes off with the helmet. Some examples of problems caused by ball-jointed heads are the Ep IV Commemorative Tin's Sandtrooper, the Evolutions Ep II Anakin figure, and VTSC Luke Pilot. So would it be possible to do away with ball-jointed head articulation and either go back to the traditional swivel neck or come up with something that looks and works better? (AF, 3/02/07) (http://www.actionfigs.com/index.php?categoryid=12&p2_articleid=162)

Thanks for the input. Ball jointed heads do offer some advantages in development, for example when there is an opportunity to do head character head swaps. We are aware of the issues and are working on solutions to make the ball joint function better and still have the aesthetics that we think can be very successfully achieved with this format.

Recent high quality sculpts of R2-D2 and C-3PO have been for the most part clean and shiny when generally the droids were dirty and scuffed throughout the original trilogy. Could Hasbro fit in more worn, dulled, and resculpted versions of our droid heroes into the lineup anytime soon, such as Tatooine paintjobs and minor sculpt alterations including sand, restraining bolts and a dented head for Threepio? Modern sculpts of the droid twosome haven't yet been given such a treatment and collectors are still using outdated, inaccurate sculpts for Tatooine scenes and other "weathered droids" scenes. (AF, 3/02/07) (http://www.actionfigs.com/index.php?categoryid=12&p2_articleid=162)

Good input - we'll take that into consideration for future releases. Thanks very much.

Will Academy outfit Biggs from wave 3 have his cape, and if not, why? (AF, 3/02/07) (http://www.actionfigs.com/index.php?categoryid=12&p2_articleid=162)

He will have a cape - we just forgot to bring it to Toy Fair.

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You've announced previously that in 2008 you'll be revisiting Bespin for a wave figures. Will you include Willrow Hood in that wave? If not, do you realize collectors will storm the Hasbro parking lot and smash the windows out of all your cars? Rhode Island is a small state... we'll find you. I mean, to do a Bespin wave at this point and NOT include Willrow? You may as well just spit in all our faces. (CC, 3/02/07) (http://creaturecantina.com/news_stories/2007/0307/hasbro-qna-025.html)

We will base any future Empire wave (realizing that not all Empire waves are Bespin-focused) on the most important characters that we feel need to be re-visited or new ones that should be introduced, and not simply because he was the 10th-ranked figure in the fans' choice poll. At some point, you will probably see a Willrow figure, but not in 2008, so the community will have to be patient.

How come we haven't seen any Super-Articulated (SA) Rebel Soldiers? I mean it would super cool to see a Evolution 3-pack with a Rebel Fleet Trooper, Hoth Trooper (with a re-sculpted bearded face sculpt from POTF2) and a Endor Trooper all SA. We get SA Imperial Troops(including Clone Troopers) all the time and almost every wave. But they're the bad guys who stand for evil, oppresion and tyranny. Rebel Troopers are freedom fighters and soldiers for liberty. Does Hasbro have a pro-Empire leaning? Is Hasbro against freedom? If Hasbro doesn't make SA Rebel Troopers, the terrorist win. (CC, 3/02/07) (http://creaturecantina.com/news_stories/2007/0307/hasbro-qna-025.html)

Now hold on….many of us pay taxes to the empire but oppose the tyranny ourselves, and are working in secret to make sure that the seeds of rebellion are properly cultivated. Good fun aside, yes, we hear ya and the SA rebels will not be forgotten, if and when the opportunity presents itself next; that's the key, though, since the demand for Imps is so high that it just takes a while to work in the new rebels. But when we do, we'll evaluate as you suggest.

Could you please describe the marketing strategy for the Star Wars Transformers line? Obviously, there is a lot of overlap between the two fan bases. I for one am as likely to bore my friends for hours on end describing the Hegellian dialectic operating in the Transformers Movie as I am to discourse on the Roman historical parallels at work in the Star Wars saga. That being said, why didn't we see a greater synthesis in this hybrid line? Maybe a Sith would be so narcissistic as to want to drive a giant robot with his own augustan likeness, but it seems to me that a simple headswap could have had Starscream transforming into an Imperial Shuttle. Did you conduct market tests that showed six-year-old boys preferred vehicles that turned into giant versions of Star Wars characters rather than Transformers that turned into Star Wars vehicles? I'd wager that the 35 year old collector market would have enjoyed the latter. (CC, 3/02/07) (http://creaturecantina.com/news_stories/2007/0307/hasbro-qna-025.html)

Excellent question and one of the decision points we were faced with when our Star Wars R&D team created the idea for the line. We very clearly kept the Star Wars Transformers line focused on the *functional* aspect of transformation rather than an intellectual property (IP)-based transformation to deliberately not confuse the "real" Transformers storyline. This was especially important considering the upcoming Transformers movie this Summer. For the same extent, we have not as a company pursued any GI Joe-vs-Transformers toys even though the cross-over comics have been very successful. It's keeping the communication very clear from a kid standpoint, which was our primary focus. Believe it or not, we did not factor the collector very heavily into the SW TF line thinking at the beginning, since we were not confident that collectors of either Star Wars or Transformers would be converts to the line. Since this super-cool line has been well-received by both kids and collectors alike, you have seen us delve a little deeper to deliver more collector-focused concepts like transforming Imperial Shuttles, Clone Wars deco-vehicles, and Snowspeeders to deepen the collecting and playing experience.

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Can you please offer two points of clarification for the new figures revealed this week on the net? Specifically, will "Academy" Biggs Darklighter have his cape, and will Umpass-Stay have a large drum to beat on (either included with the figure or is it eventually planned for separate release)? (GH, 3/02/07) (http://www.galactichunter.com/absolutenm/templates/full_article_template_1.asp?articleid=6287&zoneid=2)

Biggs will have his cape - we just forgot to bring it to Toy Fair.  Umpass-Stay will come with 1/2 of the drum, which is designed to snap in place to make a whole should you decide to get two for this purpose (or wait until it may be re-released at some point).

Is there any effort going into the hopeful re-release of Commander Gree with accurate paint deco in a Kashyyyk Battle Pack? I want to emphasize the "accurate paint deco" portion of this as the previous figure is way off in terms of movie accuracy... and I know of many who are longing for this. (GH, 3/02/07) (http://www.galactichunter.com/absolutenm/templates/full_article_template_1.asp?articleid=6287&zoneid=2)

We have stayed our hand at re-releasing Commander Gree simply because we are feeling that the fans would want to see us retool him before we repainted one that does not have the correctly molded torso.  Right now there is no timeline for the release of an updated Commander Gree, but that's why we are holding off.

There are rumors of 3¾" figure 10-packs coming out for the Mos Eisley Cantina. Might we see a big box set (sort of "Ultra" Battle Packs) in time for the holiday shopping season? (GH, 3/02/07) (http://www.galactichunter.com/absolutenm/templates/full_article_template_1.asp?articleid=6287&zoneid=2)

The rumors of the 3¾" Cantina band 10-pack are untrue.

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Every year, Hasbro puts out a bunch of really great figures. With that said, I'm sure that every year also has a couple figures that you would have liked to improve or tweak just a bit, but you just ran out of time. In 2005's Revenge of the Sith line, what figure is THE figure you'd like to backtrack and maybe start over again? Grievous' Body Guard Droids perhaps (who could use some more articulation and detailing)? Maybe Commander Gree (who seemed a bit rushed to fill out the line at the end of 2005)? (JD, 3/02/07) (http://www.jedidefender.com/newspro/fullnews.cgi?newsid1172874570,75175,)

Well, there are always a couple at which we wish we could take another pass, but we're glad we were able to get them all out. Since the only way we could do Gree at the time was to repaint an existing tool, we made the decision to go with him and we think he's a nice figure to have. Given his importance to the ranks of the Clones, though, he's the one that we've stayed our hand against re-releasing, even though the demand for him has been very high, simply because the if and when we get Gree back out there he should probably be a new figure. No timeline for him right now, though.

Judging from the rumor lists and photos we've seen so far, 2007 is really shaping up like "The Year of Luke". We've seen many new Lukes with brand new sculpts and that's a great thing for collectors. Are you concerned at all that you're overloading everyone's favorite whiney farmboy into the line this year and not saving "new" versions of the character for the next few years? (JD, 3/02/07) (http://www.jedidefender.com/newspro/fullnews.cgi?newsid1172874570,75175,)

This year does seem to be the year of Luke, which seems appropriate for the 30th Anniversary year. It wasn't deliberate, though - we just came up with a lot of good ideas for look, spaced them out, and then some events conspired (like the delay of our 2006 wave into 2007) to deliver a slightly higher concentration of Luke than originally designed. But this is a fine thing, in our opinion. Luke is the emotional heart and soul of the OTC, a hero who transformation journey is one of the greatest ever told, and its his story (linked inextricably with Darth Vader) that binds that Saga together. We do have some good ideas for future years too, but you won't see as many Lukes next year (or future years) as you will this year.

OK, it's not Star Wars, but we have to ask - do you have the toy license for Indiana Jones IV? If so, can we expect to see the 3.75" scale Indy figures we all want in 2008? (JD, 3/02/07) (http://www.jedidefender.com/newspro/fullnews.cgi?newsid1172874570,75175,)

We cannot comment on the Indiana Jones franchise and whether Hasbro or another company will be executing the license.

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With your great Dark Horse partnership in action figures, can we foresee the selling of cost-friendly "SABER SLIPS" (the pieces found in build-your-own Ultimate Lightsabers) yet "SLIPS" culled and characterized from EXPANDED UNIVERSE sabers / characters such as Quilan Vos, Darth Revan, Darth Krayt / Talon / expandable to Nihlus, and Exar Kun, etc.? I can see this compliment sales of the "Ultimate Lightsaber" as well as the EU line and interest. (JTA, 3/02/07) (http://www.jeditemplearchives.com/content/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=2933)

Good question and one we have given consideration to as we approach a new era of entertainment. Role-play (such as the Ultimate Lightsaber) is driven overwhelmingly by kids, not collectors, so we'll look at new character sabers as they make sense given the recognizability and demand for those characters among the kid audience. Right now, there is almost no awareness of the EU characters among this audience, and as you know, we have even stopped short of generating sabers for the "second tier" level of Jedi like Saesee Tiin, Plo Kloon, Kit Fisto and Sith like Palpatine because the demand for these characters is not as high as the primary heroes. It is likely we would go to these characters before we would get to EU. We hope that helps frame our direction for character selects when it comes to role-play.

With the success of large vehicles (old-molds with better-paint) can we see the mother-of-all-ships; the Royal Naboo Starship, CHROMED to a super-shiny mirror finish? Maybe include a new figure Darth Maul, or new Amidala? (JTA, 3/02/07) (http://www.jeditemplearchives.com/content/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=2933)

We have looked at the Naboo Starship for re-release, but are holding off on it right now and working on other ideas to keep demand satisfied. As for your suggestion about chrome, this is an extraordinarily expensive process and does have some tricky issues with adherence on surfaces that larges, but we'll look into it if and when we do a re-release.

Customizing is very popular among SW fans; ever thought of bringing "Customizing Kits" onto the market ... would save us the trouble of hurting our fingers prying figures apart. They could come complete with pots of paint and little "how to" manuals. (JTA, 3/02/07) (http://www.jeditemplearchives.com/content/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=2933)

Unfortunately, this area is not one in which we are investing a lot of time since it is likely any expertise we develop would still be dwarfed by the great work that you guys are doing and the more advanced tool set you have developed to do the job to your satisfaction. In short, you guys are the experts here, not us, and we prefer to keep it that way. Continue to amaze us with your work...that's the involvement we seek to continue having with this segment of the hobby!

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We know that playsets are not in the cards right now, due to cost restraints and such. But, now that I think about it, I don't really want a playset in the traditional sense. What I want, and perhaps I'm not alone, is a display set of some kind. I want something that allows me to display my figures in various locations on the Death Star. Perhaps a better Carbon Freezing Chamber, or a Bespin Gantry where Luke and Vader can be posed. I want a great backdrop of Mustafar, or Geonosis for my figures to be displayed on.

Maybe something along the lines of the vintage Land of the Jawas, Land of Hoth, or the Rebel Base playsets. These were not much more than plastic stands with a cardboard backdrop, but I think modern versions could be cool. Imagine taking the Land of the Jawas set, turning it into a Mustafar background with lava river and embankment instead of desert sand.
(RS, 3/02/07) (http://www.rebelscum.com/story/front/Hasbros_25th_STAR_WARS_QA_The_Answers_103996.asp)

You have captured, my friend, the very crux of the problem. What you have described is uninteresting from a kid perspective ("passive" vs active action play), which puts us in the range of high-tooling/low return (i.e. extremely high risk). While some vocal collectors are imploring us to pursue this (we can hear the chorus of voices.."Take the risk!"), the market data suggests, and Hasbro management knows, that products like this that narrowly focus on one audience will not succeed and thus they will not take hold. Until we identify those ideas that we are confident can satisfy both markets, we won't be looking at playsets/displays/dioramas.

With all the Clone Trooper figures being released, there's a significant shortage of rifles among my clone armies. Especially for AOTC Phase I Clone Troopers, who carried rifles, not blasters, yet they are always packed with blasters (why is that, anyway?) Has Hasbro considered a clone trooper weapons pack with rifles, binoculars, new pistol and rifle sculpts (ARC Trooper pistols and sniper rifles maybe?) and perhaps gunship turrets? And will the Saga Legends clones (all colors) fix this recurring error? (RS, 3/02/07) (http://www.rebelscum.com/story/front/Hasbros_25th_STAR_WARS_QA_The_Answers_103996.asp)

This is a good comment that we've heard from many different avenues, and we'll look at it. It's unlikely we'll do the ball turret in something like this venue, though.

General Grievous' Starfighter. There's a LEGO version (not your thing, I know), there's a Titanium Series version, but no action figure version? This is one vehicle that seems to fit into your desired starfighter-scale assortment that actually had some significant screen time in ROTS...so how about making it for action figures? (RS, 3/02/07) (http://www.rebelscum.com/story/front/Hasbros_25th_STAR_WARS_QA_The_Answers_103996.asp)

It's a cool design and on "the short list" for vehicles we could do next if there's an opportunity and we can fit it in among our priorities. There's a good chance that if it's in the animation, we'll be taking a hard look at it.

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Just about all modern Jabba the Hutt figures have been based on CGI models of the character which look notably different from the original ROTJ puppet. With the excitement generated by Sideshow's 12" Jabba figure, can we expect to see a Jabba with Throne (dais) of similar quality for the Hasbro 3¾" line? (SSG, 3/02/07) (http://www.sirstevesguide.com/index.php?categoryid=13&p2_articleid=76)

Your suggestion is certainly a valid one. We are looking at doing a new Jabba at some point, but he has taken a back seat to some other ideas we've been working on. When we get back to him, we'll look at what makes the most sense regarding style.

The only versions of the AT-ST to date have been the ESB Kenner mold, while at first glance it appears to be the same shape as the ROTJ version, in reality the ROTJ version is actually a significantly different design. Understanding that a Return of the Jedi AT-ST would require an all-new mold to be made which likely lessens its chances, is it a vehicle that Hasbro might be considering making at any point in the future? (SSG, 3/02/07) (http://www.sirstevesguide.com/index.php?categoryid=13&p2_articleid=76)

We'll look at it at some point, but with the animation coming up-to-speed, the slate is certainly getting more crowded. We know the demand for AT-ST is out there though.

Last time we asked this question in October, you said "We won't be answering any more specific questions on the 2007 line at this time. However, she is definitely a possible future figure. Not out of the question." However, now that Toy Fair has come and gone, can you tell us what the odds are that we will see Yarna D'al Gargan in 2007? (SSG, 3/02/07) (http://www.sirstevesguide.com/index.php?categoryid=13&p2_articleid=76)

There are still several waves to be revealed for 2007, but you will not see a Yarna in the line this year.

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Would you consider doing a fans choice ballet for the Titanium 3" vehicle line? I ask this because the reissues with paint variations and "battle damage" give the impresson that Hasbro has reached the end of the line as far as new ideas. I believe there are plenty of vehicles to be made and maybe the fans need a contest forum to shed light on new vehicles. (ST, 3/02/07)* (http://www.sandtroopers.com/smf/index.php?topic=5183.msg102573#msg102573)

This is an interesting idea and certainly, given the large fan passion for Titanium, a valuable tool for our input.  We'll look into this.

Why do we keep getting different Clone Troopers using so many different body styles?  I just purchased Commander Appo and the Combat Engineer. I was very disappointed to see that Appo does not use the removable helmet body style, instead using the #41 SA body. Same thing with the Mace Windu battlepack (minus the Airborne Clone, kudos for that) and the Betrayal at Felucia battlepack (again, minus the one Clone Sergeant). Two different body styles were created for the Evolutions packs, each with a removable helmet. Why not use these two sculpts exclusively going forward? While I must say that I love getting so many Clone Troopers, I'd love it even more if they were all given a removable helmet. (ST, 3/02/07)* (http://www.sandtroopers.com/smf/index.php?topic=5183.msg102573#msg102573)

The simple fact is that we have more demand for Clones than we have capacity to deliver at once, so we use the most high-quality tools available to us. Judging by fan reactions we have seen and heard, different fans have different favorite bodies, so we are likely to continue to use multiple tools while Clone demand remains high.

What was the thought process behind making the last 5 figures in the 2006 SAGA line exclusives? Any collector can tell you that the last wave in most of the current lines is nearly impossible to find (i.e. Episode 1, POTJ, SAGA 2002, ROTS, etc.), and now it's exclusive to Wal*Mart as well which makes it twice as hard to find, if not more. Not to mention that these five figures are included in a case with other figures, and only 1 of each per case at that. While I am not a fan of exclusives, I do understand that stores want something "special" to bring customers in. However, I would urge Hasbro NOT to make the exclusives part of the regular line of figures in the future. (ST, 3/02/07)* (http://www.sandtroopers.com/smf/index.php?topic=5183.msg102573#msg102573)

Troops - because the "last waves" of any line have been hard to find in the past does not mean that this one will be.  We are very aware of what has happened in the past and have designed this wave not to fall prey to the same issues.  There are other reasons those waves were short as well - mainly the time between the wave's release and the fact that the old line look must make way for the new gives it very little breathing room.  This one has a different circumstance.  The simple fact is that we are releasing as many of these figures as we are for any other average figure in the line, which means that WM will have a good concentration of this.  As is the case with all of our case packs where a figure is weighted at 1-per, like early on with Scorch or Cody, our ratio weighting choices are dictated by the tooling capacity of how many we can physically manufacture to satisfy the overall demand, and not the demand of the figure itself.  How many we put per case is largely irrelevant for collector-targeted products; the most important statistic is the number we eventually make.

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Does Hasbro want to know why I decided to pass on purchasing a certain Star Wars product or why I'm not entirely satisfied with a product that I was on the fence on but decided to try anyway? If so, what is the best way to communicate this information? Can you tell us a specific website, email, or phone number that is best to use for this? What specific information should we include (product's name, UPC, etc)? (SWC, 3/02/06) (http://www.swcollector.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=980)

Sure. You can send us any and all comments on our product line (not just Star Wars of course) to our Customer Service center at hasbro.com. Check it out - we've made it pretty easy to get to where you need to go. This feedback is collected and gets back to the team periodically. Regarding products that are defective or are unsatisfying for a specific reason, information on the products' specific name and UPC code is vital to connect your comment to the issue. The more specific you are, the better. In cases where you didn't choose to purchase a certain item, keep in mind that you may not be the intended target market for that item and your feedback in that case would be less valuable to us. On collector-targeted lines we try to keep up with the various message boards for feedback in any case, so we advise the community to keep doing what they are doing and talk about the products on different forums.

During the last few years there have been chrome, then silver painted convention exclusives, some later sold at TRU. My question is why did you switch from the chrome to the toned down silver and are there any plans to keep up this tradition for convention release or mass release in stores? Those figures rocked! (SWC, 3/02/06) (http://www.swcollector.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=980)

Thanks for the comment. There has been some feeling that once the major characters were done, these "trophy" versions (silver of chrome) sort of lost their uniqueness. In addition, they really don't have a place alongside the figures on the shelves of our collections as a living part of the Star Wars character universe, so our philosophical shift has been away from silver and more toward figures that have a purpose. That's not to say we won't look at it in the future, but we'd rather look at, say, Shadow Stormtroopers as interesting figures than all silver. Regarding the shift from chrome to silver, our factories determine what's best based on what is needed for the paint to adhere to the specific plastic substrate. PVC parts cannot be chromed but must be painted, while ABS parts can be. If something spec'd as chrome will not pass our QA standards, factories will not want to proceed with the figure and silver paint is the only way to go.

Keeping up with Hasbro's tradition of the 100th Luke (12-inch line), 300th Boba Fett figure, and Darth Vader being the last one made (500th figure). Are there plans to keep this going and any hints on what the figure might be and when would this see the light of day? (SWC, 3/02/06) (http://www.swcollector.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=980)

We will definitely keep it going when there is a milestone to celebrate, but right now we don't have a specific one in the mix.

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Can we expect to see the Acklay repacked anytime soon? (TJ, 3/02/07) (http://www.thejawa.com/yabbse/index.php?topic=6365.msg58127#msg58127)

There is a good chance, yes.

Some of the package inserts on the window boxed products look amazing.  Going back to POTF2 with the Y-Wing up to current pieces like the Death Star Briefing multipack or the Betrayal on Felucia battle pack, the backgrounds to these pieces look fantastic, and in a way they might satisfy fans who are clamoring for diorama/playset offerings.  Where did this drive for intricate backgrounds come from?  And might we see some kind of evolution of these backgrounds to where they may be almost as durable as the ships or figures that they're offered with? (TJ, 3/02/07) (http://www.thejawa.com/yabbse/index.php?topic=6365.msg58127#msg58127)

Thanks for the comment - we'll make sure our packaging team, who pioneered this approach and keep "upping their game" with every release, gets your note.  We also hear you on whether the inserts (as they are known) can become more of a part of the play and display aspects similar to what we have done successfully for the Galactic Heroes Cinema Scenes.  It's a little trickier in the 3-3/4" sets but we are looking at ways to make the packaging part of the play experience, and there may be a couple test cases coming.  Thanks again for the comment.

This is something of a 2-part question regarding the Comic 2-packs.  We've been seeing consistent reports of a Comic 2-Pack with Mara Jade.  Who will the other character in the set be?  Also, we've seen reports of an A'sharad Hett & Anakin Skywalker Comic 2-pack.  Will A'Sharad Hett have his Tusken Raider face coverings? (TJ, 3/02/07) (http://www.thejawa.com/yabbse/index.php?topic=6365.msg58127#msg58127)

Mara will be packed with Luke, re-creating their escape from the Stormtroopers in Shadows of the Empire.  Hett will indeed have his Tusken Raider face coverings.

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Would you consider some sort of "Padme Amidala Collection" of 2-packs like the Leia ones? But maybe making them a more limited run/exclusives to avoid an issue of them not selling well? If so, and you included good pack-ins, here are some potential ideas:

- TPM "Chinese outfit" Padme w/ retooled TPM Palpatine or retooled Panaka
- AOTC Fireside Padme w/ AOTC Evolutions Anakin
- AOTC Super Articulated Arena Padme w/ AOTC Clone Trooper (from when they fall out of the Gunship)
- ROTS "Leia hair buns" Padme w/ ROTS Evolutions Anakin
(YF, 3/02/07) (http://cgi.denpetersen.com/YAK1/viewtopic.php?t=1467)

That is certainly an interesting idea for a future Padme line and a "bookend" to the Leia collection. While we don't have that specific idea in mind, at least one of those figures will be coming to the shelf this year. Thanks for the suggestion.

I noticed that the hilt for the up coming Ceremony Luke is the hilt from Darth Vader. Is this just a case of a sample image with the wrong saber hilt? If not, why does Hasbro keep getting this wrong? (i.e. VTSC X-wing Luke also came with the Vader hilt). Also, the hilt in on the attached saber hand for the Ep. III Obi-Wan (which was made early on). (YF, 3/02/07) (http://cgi.denpetersen.com/YAK1/viewtopic.php?t=1467)

We know that the hilt is wrong, but have been spec'ing it when we need a hilt that gets us pretty close. It's something that we are aware of and will be looking at for future releases.

Since the collector tin sets gave us Stormtroopers / Snowtroopers and Scout Troopers with removable helmets or flip up visors to reveal Jango Fett's head underneath, can we expect a Boba Fett with removable helmet in the near future? Or does LFL still want to keep Boba's face shrouded in mystery for the time being? My thinking is that even though he's a clone of Jango, who knows what kind of deformity he might have suffered since he was a kid, has LFL ever hinted at this with you? (YF, 3/02/07) (http://cgi.denpetersen.com/YAK1/viewtopic.php?t=1467)

It is not a case of wanting or needing to keep Boba's face hidden, it's just been a matter of picking our spot for a good Boba like that. At some point there is a virtual certainty of it, but no definite timeline.

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With your great Dark Horse partnership in action figures, can we foresee the selling of cost-friendly “SABER SLIPS” (the pieces found in build-your-own Ultimate Light sabers) yet “SLIPS” culled and characterized from EXPANDED UNIVERSE sabers / characters such as Quilan Vos, Darth Revan, Darth Krayt / Talon / expandable to Nihlus, and Exar Kun, etc.? I can see this compliment sales of the “Ultimate Lightsaber” as well as the EU line and interest. (YN, 3/02/07)

Good question and one we have given consideration to as we approach a new era of entertainment. Role-play (such as the Ultimate Lightsaber) is driven overwhelmingly by kids, not collectors, so we'll look at new character sabers as they make sense given the recognizability and demand for those characters among the kid audience. Right now, there is almost no awareness of the EU characters among this audience, and as you know, we have even stopped short of generating sabers for the "second tier" level of Jedi like Saesee Tiin, Plo Kloon, Kit Fisto and Sith like Palpatine because the demand for these characters is not as high as the primary heroes. It is likely we would go to these characters before we would get to EU. We hope that helps frame our direction for character selects when it comes to role-play.

Anticipating the “Dark Times” which Obi-wan lionized as the saga between Episodes III and IV --- can we see what was done to the recent repaint of Mace Windu’s saber --- but with Obi’s saber (e.g. Obi’s ROTS saber-mold but in a ANH paint job, with tiny little re-tooled add-on’s? Packaging alone can attract fans both (young and old) picturing both Obi’s (young and old)! Like your old vehicle molds with tiny new retooled add-ons; Obi’s weathered “New Hope” saber can wield tiny new details; although small, can make such big differences. Example; a thin-strip of transparent plastic formed to make the “bubble-lined-button” for the igniter press. Or a cheap thinrubber-wrap molded to make a “dull-grip” (covering the “sharp-grip" ROTS-molded-handle) painted rough with weathered spreckles, would be so cool, yet still cost-effective. You did it with Mace’s repainted saber (shamefully, sorry to say). BUT, you’ve done it successfully and beautifully with more detailed repaints of old vehicle molds (coupled with tiny re-tooled add-ons made perfect). You did for Mace, did it for old vehicles --- can we do it for Obi? (YN, 3/02/07)

See above for our philosophy and direction for role-play. The changes to the Mace saber were done for kids and collectors were not a part of our thinking. To this point, our research has shown that collectors are not a big consumer of our role-play toys and we have been devoting our collector-targeted efforts to the things that are most meaningful on the whole to the collector audience, primarily the universe of 3-3/4" figures and vehicles. However, we'll dig a little more into the situation to see if the passion you are talking about for Hasbro role-play is a prevalent feeling in the community, and we'll consider that when we make future release decisions.

Can we anticipate that the 2007 Hasbro Summer Convention Exclusives will once again be for sale on HasbroToyShop? (YN, 3/02/07)

The details on the convention exclusives, both products and who will be distributing them, will be announced closer to convention time.

Week 26 - March 16, 2007

During the POTJ line, you featured a Jedi Training Qui-Gon and Cold Weather Gear Kenobi. Is there any chance of revisting this concept, but with OT core characters? (BTT, 3/16/07) (http://www.behindthetoys.com/forums/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=7428)

Good question. With Episode III in the house and new sculpting and articulation approaches that can update figures we have done before, but in a more "definitive" way, we've felt that we will stick to entertainment (film, animation, or comic) reference before doing more of the "off-screen" variety. However, as we begin to "nail" more and more of those definitive versions, in time we will probably turn our attention to some ideas like this is order to provide new and unique takes on characters that will be satisfying to kids and collectors. That probably won't be for a while though...we've got a lot of great character takes from the entire Saga to go.

The weapons/accessories that come with the figures have numbers or letters imprinted on them. I believe these are the cavity numbers used when creating the mold. What is the purpose of this designation? (BTT, 3/16/07) (http://www.behindthetoys.com/forums/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=7428)

It is chiefly used for debugging purposes by our factories to keep production moving quickly and smoothly. For instance, if it is noticed that during production all of the guns from the "4" cavities are showing deformities (such as from something preventing full plastic injection, or details that have become obscured due to overuse), the tool can be quickly debugged and serviced and gotten back into production quickly, preventing costly downtime.

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Now that some of the upcoming waves have been previewed online and at Toy Fair, what is the difference beyond price and packaging between a basic figure like Award Ceremony Luke and Death Star Trooper and a Vintage style IG-88 or Vintage Bossk? Also when we gonna get some love with an updated 4-LOM and Zuckuss? (FFURG, 3/16/07) (http://ffurg.com/hasbroqa.htm)

The vintage figures will once again be packaged in the clamshell packaging, like last year's figures, and will feature "definitive" premium articulation for those figures or as detailed as we think we will probably ever get. You are correct in noting that more articulation is being incorporated into the basic figures on a figure-by-figure basis, so some will have more and some will have less. In some cases they can even be vintage-like as we can afford them, but we think Vintage still sets the standard.

How is the color schemes of Jedi fighters and their astromechs determined? By Hasbro or Lucas Film Ltd or some Collaboration? There obviously is some strong correlation to tinky winky purple and Mace Windu, black with Vader etc. It would go greatly to helping create custom vehicles for various characters that haven't already been made, like Aayla Secura, Quinlin Vos, etc.. Finally to wrap up this question, is there any correlation between these color schemes and the units of the clone armies, beyond Mace Windu, of course? (FFURG, 3/16/07) (http://ffurg.com/hasbroqa.htm)

If the colors are not defined already (like Mace Windu was, based on the Clone Wars series) then we will collaborate with Lucasfilm to figure out what they should be (it is important to note that nothing is done in a vacuum; even when we suggest figures or ideas that are new these are evaluated for fit into the universe). Some correlations are stronger and more obvious (Mace having had both a purple Lightsaber and Starfighter already, it made since that this theme would carry forward to his troopers). Others do not have a correlation, such as Obi-Wan's Starfighters, which do not tie in with the orange colors of his clone squadron. Aayla's Starfighter already "exists" in the Republic comic series, by the way....it's a dark blue and it's very cool. We have been slowing down on the Jedi Starfighter repaints for now, but there are some cool ones yet to be done. What do the readers of FFURG say about us doing additional ones?

(FFURG Staff Comment) We've had some mixed reaction to the repainted jedi fighters in our ranks. Speaking only from my own personal collecting habits, I've got one of each color fighter, regardless of who's it is, because, like you said, they look cool. I agree that Aayla's fighter would be awesome, but I'd rather see a Rogue Squadron Wedge's F/X X-Wing or a re-issue of the Y-Wing before more Jedi Fighters. After all, it's the 30th anniversary of "A New Hope". Time to give 'ol Wedge some love finally!

The customizing community, well, at least on the Forums on our site, erupted with cheers of joy at the new Force Unleashed Female Imperial Commander. We here at FFURG have two repack suggestions for you that would only require new heads, Admiral Daala and Ysanne Isard. Both are Expanded Universe but are pretty well known and deserve to be in plastic. (FFURG, 3/16/07) (http://ffurg.com/hasbroqa.htm)

We have to admit, when we first saw Juno Eclipse presented to use we were very happy..finally a female imperial officer. There have been several beyond the ones you mention who were prominent in the EU, including Lt. Deena Shan's impersonation and an Imp officer and Moff Tavira from Rogue Squadron's adventures. Hopefully we'll be able to work some of these into the comic pack line with time.

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Vintage series Hoth Han Solo - will he come with two heads (one of which was "accidentally" shown at Toy Fair)? Also, is there a chance that we'll get him in both blue and brown variants again? (Two heads, two color schemes, and completists will have to buy four of the same figure!) (GH, 3/16/07) (http://www.galactichunter.com/absolutenm/templates/full_article_template_1.asp?articleid=6318&zoneid=2)

(See JD, 3/16/07 (http://www.jedidefender.com/newspro/fullnews.cgi?newsid1174087119,84197,))

Hasbro has produced some of the most astonishing vehicles (not just for Star Wars) for decades, so we know the company has what it takes. Does an upstart company producing a massive vehicle/playset (some big pirate ship) inspire Team Hasbro, encouraging the team to push for large vehicles with play features (hypothetically, a big tank, or a big walker)? Did the Imperial Shuttle's holiday success show Hasbro that parents and kids do still want a big box under the tree? (GH, 3/16/07) (http://www.galactichunter.com/absolutenm/templates/full_article_template_1.asp?articleid=6318&zoneid=2)

Thanks for the kudos. We do not base our decisions on what other companies do, we do what is needed to support our own business model which is a mass-market driven kid/collector product line. We have looked at the playset and large vehicle opportunity for the right products, and have not found an opportunity that made sense for both the market and our business model. The success of both the AT-AT and Imperial Shuttle have given us confidence for higher-priced items should we find the right one for our dual audience.

The concept of the 3 3/4" Battle Pack has evolved to include Beasts and Speeders (welcome additions). The original concept used newly re-tooled figures or new paint schemes, more accessories, and clear stands. Are the bonus accessories and stands completely phased out in favor of a new figure here and there? (Padmé from Ambush on Ilum could've really used a stand.) Would the Battle Pack series be the outlet for a completely new Imperial Speederbike? (It's overdue for an update, and there are several key figures that can interact with them.) (GH, 3/16/07) (http://www.galactichunter.com/absolutenm/templates/full_article_template_1.asp?articleid=6318&zoneid=2)

The concept of multi-figure packs is not a new one, as you point out, but the success of the new ones versus the older ones lies in the energetic, scene-based packout and the character selection (either heroes or Clones/troops), and now we are expanding that out to include smaller vehicles and beasts which we are excited about as well because it adds a dimension to the line we haven't had since the "deluxe" price point. We are looking at opportunities for new speeders but don't have anything definitive in the works. Finally, while we don't rule out larger accessories where it makes sense for the these packs, battle stands won't be coming back into them. Fans will soon have the opportunity to get 40-packs of official figure stands (2006 Saga stands) from HasbroToyShop.com. They will be made available for the first time at Celebration IV in Los Angeles.

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The 30th Anniversary Collection "Vintage" Hoth Han Solo - are we going to see a blue coat variant? And what’s the story on that unapproved (as of Toy Fair) "hood-up" head sculpt? If approved by LFL, will we see the alternate head included as part of the 2007 figure or will it be saved for a re-issue down the road? (JD, 3/16/07) (http://www.jedidefender.com/newspro/fullnews.cgi?newsid1174087119,84197,)

OK, good question. The answer is that the vintage figure will only feature *one* color version - the brown coat. We will look to deliver the blue coat at some point, but we do not want to split the vintage run in two to do it. It will just be brown for 100% of the vintage run. As for the hood-up head that was shown briefly at Toy Fair, it was not approved by Lucasfilm and will not be included in the vintage product. It was a mistake that was removed from the Toy Fair display right after we noticed the error, but not before pictures got out.

One more note in vintage....it will start to appear on-shelf on or about 6/1. Because of this timing, we will not be making as many figures as we did in 2006, and are cutting back some to 2004 levels to ensure we don't have a lot of lingering stock this Fall. Collectors should make sure to get them when they see them because they will not be as abundant as they were in 2006.


The large accessory pack-ins with some of the 30th Anniversary basic figures shown at Toy Fair were out of this world. Things like Umpass Stay's drum, Luke's moisture vaporator, and the corner curves to the bar are long requested fan items. Can you tell us if you have any other large accessory pack-ins planned for the future, either the second half of this year or next? (JD, 3/16/07) (http://www.jedidefender.com/newspro/fullnews.cgi?newsid1174087119,84197,)

Thanks! There are a few more surprises planned, such as the torture rack for Han Solo. We will look to do this when we can, but with increases in both plastic costs and the costs to tool up these cool accessories, we can't guarantee we'll always be able to do it. But we're glad fans appreciate them, they are important pieces we've been waiting to deliver up!

Star Wars: The Force Unleashed is already generating a lot of gaming buzz and the Toy Fair figure reveal has the toy buzz going too! Will the recently announced delay in the game’s release date affect the release of the figures? Also, what are the 2 Trooper types shown at Toy Fair? Do they have names yet? (JD, 3/16/07) (http://www.jedidefender.com/newspro/fullnews.cgi?newsid1174087119,84197,)

We will be pushing back all of our The Force Unleashed product with the exception of the new Lightsaber with spring-activated hilt guards. We know that the figures that were shown at Toy Fair really whet a lot of appetites, and trust us, they will be worth the wait! In the meantime, the place in the calendar previously marked for the TFU figures will be occupied by wave 8 of the basic figures which had been pushed out to make room for the TFU wave (wave 9). So there won't be any gaps in the delivery of new figures to the shelves late this Fall.

The two troopers do not have official names yet, as LucasArts is still nailing down the details. By the time we need to deliver packaging they will be final but we have some time yet for that.


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Will the delay of the Star Wars Force Unleashed video game to 2008 have an effect on the release of the toys based on the game? (JI, 3/16/07) (http://jediinsider.com/index.php?catid=8&itemid=10114)

(See JD, 3/16/07 (http://www.jedidefender.com/newspro/fullnews.cgi?newsid1174087119,84197,))

Do you have an image of the TRU exclusive Star Wars Gold Squadron Y-Wing Fighter you can send us? (JI, 3/16/07) (http://jediinsider.com/index.php?catid=8&itemid=10114)

We don't have an image available yet. We will reveal the Y-Wing (along with more of our exclusives program) at Celebration IV. Stay tuned!

Celebration 4 is fast approaching. Can you tell us if Hasbro will be offering an exclusive for the event? if so what is it and are their any images? (JI, 3/16/07) (http://jediinsider.com/index.php?catid=8&itemid=10114)

We will be offering an exclusive figure, but Lucasfilm will be making the official announcement. In addition, the 40-packs of the official Star Wars figure stands will be available for the first time to fans at the event. They will be based on the Saga Collection stands and will be available for $9.99.

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What does the Blue Sticker and "A" on the datestamp of recent case assortments mean? (POTF2, 3/16/07) (http://potf2.com/potj/forums/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=11435)

We add the blue dot or " A" on the package if the existing item has been changed to non-phthalate PVC.

The back of the coins for the Galactic Marine and Airborne Trooper have the 8 spoke Republic symbol. Shouldn't it be the 6 spoke symbol? (POTF2, 3/16/07) (http://potf2.com/potj/forums/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=11435)

Our design team chose the eight-spoke for these by the flip of a coin . Ha, just kidding. EpIII clone troops can be seen as either pre- or post- Order 66, like some with alternate shoulder pads (Shock Troopers for example) have been portrayed in the past. It could have gone either way of course, and we still look at them as either pre-Empire or post to suit our own display needs, and we figured collectors would do the same.

Over the past 11 years of basic SW action figures, we've seen numerous different sculpts of ANH Han, ANH Leia and ANH Luke.  However, in that same amount of time, we have yet to see a single carded Endor Leia, and it took all this time to finally get an Endor Luke.  Throughout the spectrum, there are still some core characters that have yet to be made in a particular outfit (ESB Lando in Han's style shirt), and others that are way overdue for a rerelease (Hoth Leia [which was an internet exclusive many years ago], DSII Luke).  So, instead of asking when and if these characters will be released, I want to know why Hasbro decides to release over and over the before mentioned characters in garb we've already seen instead of creating new figures with different clothing as seen in the films. (POTF2, 3/16/07) (http://potf2.com/potj/forums/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=11435)

We hear you. Sometimes, with the number of figures we have done over the past couple of years in both single basic carded and multi-pack figures, it's a little hard to keep track of all the most iconic versions to make sure they have some representation. Our process focuses more on the figures we feel need to be redone first, while we sometimes feel a certain scene needs to be redone again before perhaps another lesser scene. For example, Hoth Leia is still by all standards a great figure, so we haven't seen the need to release her on a basic figure card or update her just yet, but we will look at what we can do with her in the future. The good news is that we have a very nice Endor Leia coming in Vintage, which is where we figured we can really do her justice. It's not basic 6x9 of course, but this is where you will find her for the foreseeable future.

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Cantina aliens seem to be more popular with collectors than Jabba's aliens. I believe the Cantina scene is the most iconic "space fantasy" scene ever. When determining which cantina alien to produce as a figure, do you base your decision more on movie scenes or on popularity of a character?

For example, the decision to make Myo to fill the scene with Muftak and Djas Phur. If it is based upon movie scenes what's the possibility of such characters as Arleil Schous, Brainiac, F'u Man-Chu, & Bom Vimdin to sit with our Hem Dazon?
(RS, 3/16/07) (http://www.rebelscum.com/story/front/Hasbros_26th_STAR_WARS_QA_The_Answers_104318.asp)

We have to admit that we love our Cantina aliens, but don't necessarily agree with them being more popular than Jabba's Palace denizens, which have gained steam with collectors in recent years and seem to be popular in the Q&A, in online forms, and at conventions. We think the importance of both iconic scenes is that they, more definitely that perhaps any other scenes, transported us to a Galaxy Far, Far Away. We think It's best to "spread the love" to both of these iconic scenes in equal measures and you'll see us try to continue to do to that. As for Cantina character selects, since many of them have about the same screen time, we tend to base our selections on the ones we think look coolest and most uniquely Star Wars and are "must haves" for the Cantina fans. At least one of the ones you mentioned are scheduled for 2008. We hope, eventually, to be able to do all of them but the humans are taking a back seat a bit.

Never-before released Original Trilogy characters (or never-before released scene-specific outfitted characters) are big on my list. This year's line-up appears to have many of these. How big of a priority is it for you to seek out characters and/or outfits that have never before been made?

There appear to be few core characters in outfits we have not yet seen (Luke in Medical Frigate garb and Sumggler Outfit Lando from the end of The Empire Strikes Back come to mind). After these and a few others have been exhausted, will your focus be mainly on how best to re-release many of these with new and exciting accessories or on newly improved sculpts of existing core characters?
(RS, 3/16/07) (http://www.rebelscum.com/story/front/Hasbros_26th_STAR_WARS_QA_The_Answers_104318.asp)

Great question that gets to the heart of our long-term basic figure strategy. It's important to have iconic characters as wave "anchors" to make sure that the waves have kid traction, but at the same time our strategy for coins and beyond is to need to justify their purchase for collectors as well. So we have scrubbed the films very closely to find main characters in versions that make them new and unique and fresh, and in some cases that is a new sculpt, outfit tweak, new sculpting approach with more articulation, or an important new accessory (like Moisture Vaporator) that makes the figure an important one to slot into the mix. Over time, we'll look to all of these factors to keep the mix interesting for both audiences and this strategy should last us a good long while before we look to "off-screen" versions such as the still very cool but "off-screen" POTJ Jedi Training Qui-Gon and Cold Weather Gear Kenobi.

If at all possible, could you have a few of your sculptors share with us the figures they worked on that they are most proud of or most enjoyed? It would be nice to get some feedback from them on what qualities they look for in a figure (either for aesthetics or for play-value) and to know which figures in our collections are their personal best to this point. (RS, 3/16/07) (http://www.rebelscum.com/story/front/Hasbros_26th_STAR_WARS_QA_The_Answers_104318.asp)

Dave Vennemeyer, Star Wars' sculpting manager, reports that of the hundreds of figures that he has sculpted and supervised over the years, his favorite is the VOTC Stormtrooper. "I feel that we really got everything just the way we wanted it with this one. The articulation was well-hidden. The proportions were right. It's a really iconic character and it just all came together well." We also had Dave check with some of his sculptors on the outside, many of which have been involved with Hasbro Star Wars figures for several years. The answers were various: one sculptor prefers his work on the EpI Queen Amidala figures, another likes the recent Bib Fortuna as an example of a very cool alien that was just fun, and a third cites the recent Utapau Airborne Trooper as their personal favorite.

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Looking at my ROTS calendar the other day I saw a scene where Obi-Wan is watching a holographic video in the Jedi Temple of Anakin bowing to Lord Sidious after executing Order 66. Would we ever get to see this as a two-pack, kind of a Holographic Lord Vader's Rise? (SWC, 3/16/07) (http://www.swcollector.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=986)

This is an interesting suggestion and one we too have eyeballed for doing something with at some point. It's worthy of looking into, possibly for a future comic 2-pack for example.

A Cloud Car question seems to come up from time to time, but we never seem to get much commentary back on it. Specifically, the big question that it seems like has not been definitively answered is, "Is the vintage tool still available and usable to re-release this vehicle at some point?" (SWC, 3/16/07) (http://www.swcollector.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=986)

The vintage tool is not available for the Cloud Car, which has left us with the problem of needing to do a new one IF we make the decision to re-release. However, we don't feel it is one of the strongest to redo just yet. We will probably get to it someday. With the new vehicles we have on the slate, I think everyone would agree that holding off on a new Cloud Car is a worthwhile tradeoff. As for the other new vehicles, stay tuned for CIV or San Diego Comic Con for more details....they will be worth the wait.

Will the delay of "The Force Unleashed" next-gen video game until April 2008 mean the delay of Hasbro's game-based action figures? (SWC, 3/16/07) (http://www.swcollector.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=986)

(See JD, 3/16/07 (http://www.jedidefender.com/newspro/fullnews.cgi?newsid1174087119,84197,))

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The Vintage Figure line has quickly become a fan favorite since it's inception in 2004.  Is Hasbro actively trying to limit the line to one wave per year?  Additionally, it seems that with the pack-in coins that we're getting in the current line that incorporating the Power Of The Force line into the vintage line would be a natural fit.  Has that concept been entertained considering the current coin pack-ins? (TJ, 3/16/07) (http://www.thejawa.com/yabbse/index.php?topic=6379.msg58223#msg58223)

We deliberately stayed away from the coins in the VOTC because not all of the figures would have had them.  Instead, we came up with the idea of doing the coins as a mail-in follow-up to our 2006 promotion and to be a "parallel" set with the 30th Anniv. coins.  As for how many we do per year, the vintage line is quite a taxing line from an item standpoint, each one requiring more work than the standard figure. We can't really "fit in" more than a wave of 6 or so per year with all the other sub lines we're developing.  Even though they are popular, we want to make sure we don't over-commit and fall behind on other products as a result.

The Force Unleashed figures shown at Toy Fair were very impressive.  What are the names of all of the characters in that wave?  And when can we expect this to be released?  Will their release coincide with the release of the video game? (TJ, 3/16/07) (http://www.thejawa.com/yabbse/index.php?topic=6379.msg58223#msg58223)

(See JD, 3/16/07 (http://www.jedidefender.com/newspro/fullnews.cgi?newsid1174087119,84197,).)  The final characters names are not all in (especially for the troopers and the Samurai Jedi) and won't be until a little later.  We will probably have the final lineup with us at Comic Con.

While we didn't see him at Toy Fair, we've seen Hermi Odle listed in the product catalog that came with the Battle Packs.  Can we see a picture of the figure? (TJ, 3/16/07) (http://www.thejawa.com/yabbse/index.php?topic=6379.msg58223#msg58223)

We will be saving the debut of Hermie for either CIV or Comic Con.  Stay tuned…
Title: Re: The Hasbro Q & A Compendium
Post by: Matt on March 30, 2007, 10:51 PM
Week 27 - March 30, 2007

With basic figures waves, why is it that some waves will show up in such small amounts that there is never a trace of them, yet the next wave shows up soon afterwards in findable quantities? This is also happening with the Titanium Series 3" vehicles waves. (AF, 3/30/07) (http://www.actionfigs.com/index.php?categoryid=12&p2_articleid=162)

Unless we hold it back for some reason (like we did this year with TAC Wave 1), what you are seeing is an initial "first shot" that factories get out as they ramp up production. If we aren't holding it back, it goes out earlier with more to follow in successive weeks until you are at full production capacities 2-3 weeks after the first batch when is debugged and production is at full steam. Compound that with a collector pounce on the initial product, and it can look like Death Valley on the shelves until supply catches up with demand.

With you knowing that collectors have been asking for new versions of movie accurate Han and Luke in Stormtrooper disguises for a while, why did you go and make them only in the comic 2 packs which are chiefly for EU fans? Will this further delay us getting movie accurate versions of these two now, or perhaps hasten it? (AF, 3/30/07) (http://www.actionfigs.com/index.php?categoryid=12&p2_articleid=162)

Our mainline Episode IV basic figure waves had other versions of Luke and Han slated for them that we prioritized over these versions. We know Han and Luke in Stormtrooper disguise are demanded figures, but we wanted to slot in others first. These versions are sure to come at some point, but for now the comic packs have these guys.

The Galactic Heroes line has really taken off with kids and collectors alike, however the most "kid-friendly" film in the saga - Ep I: The Phantom Menace - is heavily underrepresented with the only offerings being re-releases of the now-defunct Playskool line and 1 new Maul set. Characters like Jar Jar Binks, Sebulba, and Qui-Gon Jinn seem like obvious choices for the line. Will there be more Episode I offerings in the future? (AF, 3/30/07) (http://www.actionfigs.com/index.php?categoryid=12&p2_articleid=162)

Yes, there will be. We should have more information at Celebration IV on what you will be seeing.

We received the following tentative answer back on November 10th and were wondering if there were any new developments on it: ACTIONFIGS: Will the final 22 The Saga Collection figures be available in Canada? HASBRO: We're looking at that right now. Most will come in with the Wal-Mart exclusive wave, but all may not be available. We are working with the Canadian team on a way to make sure collectors have a chance to get them all between now and spring. Stay tuned... (AF, 3/30/07) (http://www.actionfigs.com/index.php?categoryid=12&p2_articleid=162)

Actually the Canadian market did pick up all figures, but the last 22 were in US packaging, and not the bi-lingual. Wal-Mart only picked up their 5 exclusives, but the others were available through TRU and Zeller's. We don't have information on the quantities, but they did get to retail.

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We know the rule about any sorts of sales figures, but... Have the recent larger multi-packs (Delta Squad/Geonosian Warriors, Death Star  Briefing, and Bounty Hunters) been successful enough to keep this "collector market" niche line going even if it's one-off here and there? If so, any hint as to who's next? (Ewoks! Kashyyyk Troopers! Stormtroopers!) (GH, 3/30/07) (http://www.galactichunter.com/absolutenm/templates/full_article_template_1.asp?articleid=6351&zoneid=2)

Yes, they have been well-received and you will see additional offerings in this format for the all. Stay tuned for more details at either Celebration IV or (more likely) Comic Con.

There was a hint in the last Q&A sessions that there are MORE new vehicles on the table to be revealed at Celebration IV. Is this accurate? If so, are we talking Speeders, Fighters, or is Hasbro pulling out the Big Guns? (GH, 3/30/07) (http://www.galactichunter.com/absolutenm/templates/full_article_template_1.asp?articleid=6351&zoneid=2)

Right now we are looking at new ideas in the $20 (Starfighter Vehicle Assortment) price point as that segment has been very well-received and we want to keep the excitement going. We are open to looking at "big guns" if it makes sense against the backdrop of the Clone Wars.  We are not certain that we will be able to announce anything for Celebration IV. Comic Con would be more likely given the timing.

Now that Hasbro has created those really spiffy Chameleon Droids for the Ambush on Ilum Battle Pack, is there any chance we'll see the classic Imperial Probot finally revisited and updated? Also, what are the odds of getting a clearer, more cloaked Chameleon Droid down the road? We need an updated Barriss Offee at some point, right? (Pair her with Yoda and the amazingly executed ROTS Luminara Unduli, and we've got Battle Pack magic!) (GH, 3/30/07) (http://www.galactichunter.com/absolutenm/templates/full_article_template_1.asp?articleid=6351&zoneid=2)

Those are interesting suggestions for sure and the battle pack could be a possibility some time.  No plans for an updated Probot, though.

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Since you were kind enough to confirm the imminent 2007 arrival of the torture rack for Bespin Han Solo last time, can you give us any juicy details on the Han that surely accompanies it? Super-Articulated? All scowly-faced in an "ow, stop torturing me" manner? All new? Repack? Please? (JD, 3/30/07) (http://www.jedidefender.com/newspro/fullnews.cgi?newsid1175292954,55039,)

The figure is partially new with new face (there is more emotion but not all the way to extreme pain), with new upper legs, new torso, and new arms.

Let's talk 30AC "Vintage" IG-88. First off, he looks amazing. On par with the Vintage OTC Chewbacca and all the detail he had. What type of knee and elbow joints is IG-88 sporting (if any)? It's tough to tell from photos we've seen so far where all his articulation lies. (JD, 3/30/07) (http://www.jedidefender.com/newspro/fullnews.cgi?newsid1175292954,55039,)

They are insert molded ball joints at the elbows and knees. He is a sensational figure! We can't wait to get him to the shelf. He is also one of the reasons why Vintage is one of the more labor intensive and tooling intensive lines we have and why we can only slot them in batches of 5 or so when we can do them, but it's all worth it.

The new 30th Anniversary Mace Windu can't sit down due to his plastic skirt. With the Mace Windu Jedi Starfighter on the shelves, one might assume that this Mace would be able to pilot the ship, but the skirt will keep him upright and out of the ship. What happened? Any plans to correct the skirt, either with soft goods or side splits to allow more flexibility? (JD, 3/30/07) (http://www.jedidefender.com/newspro/fullnews.cgi?newsid1175292954,55039,)

He's not the only Mace out there (or will be out there) so this wasn't deliberately considered when we wanted to achieve a certain aesthetic. We do not plan any updates to the skirt for this one.

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In the promotional images for the new 30th Anniversary Collectors Coin Album, there is what appears to be a gold coin shown. Can you tell us what that coin is? Will it be an upcoming exclusive? (JI, 3/30/07) (http://jediinsider.com/index.php?catid=8&itemid=10172)

That is a preview of the upcoming Ultimate Galactic Hunt gold chase version, which should be on shelf around July. All coins for the year will be silver except for a shorter parallel set of gold from the UGHs.

With the release of the Boba Fett figure from the Holiday Special, will we see more figures based from that Special? (JI, 3/30/07) (http://jediinsider.com/index.php?catid=8&itemid=10172)

That is the only one we are planning and will probably ever do.

In a previous Hasbro Q&A, Hasbro mentioned that they have 3 prototypes for a Death Star playset. Since it is likely that these will never be released, how about at least showing us pictures of the prototypes? (we love to drool!) thanks. (JI, 3/30/07) (http://jediinsider.com/index.php?catid=8&itemid=10172)

Sorry, but we're not ready to go there yet, in the chance that someday we (or another brand team at Hasbro) may use some of the ideas for a future project.

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For the SW 30 year Anniversary, any thoughts of making more cut-scene figures like the Biggs, such as Fixer, Cammie or Tank? What about small scale vehicles to go along with these, such as Fixer's or the Lars landspeeder? (JTA, 3/30/07) (http://www.jeditemplearchives.com/content/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=3004)

There won't be any more cut scene figures in the 30th line, but we are considering these for future (post-30th) possibilities and weighing them against other EU-type concepts we see as important in doing. There is a probably a good chance (it may take a few years though) that all of the characters you mentioned will make it to the shelves. However, it's unlikely that we'll ever do the Lars landspeeder given the complexity and tooling required for vehicles and the relatively unknown status of that one compared with other vehicle possibilities.

The decision to push back all TFU product (with EXCEPTION to the new Lightsaber with spring-activated hilt guards) begs the following: Does this mean new lightsabers from new characters? Such as the Zabrak brandishing twin green lightsabers with tonfa shaped hilts? Or those saber-tipped-staffs wielded by those cool black Shadow Guards (whose unique design we haven't seen since Walmart's blink of the eye (re)sell-out of Maul's double-blade)? It's said TFU will be treated like the next chapter. Can we anticipate this will come complete with new sabers? (JTA, 3/30/07) (http://www.jeditemplearchives.com/content/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=3004)

We are going to be doing the one new saber to start with and then see where the others take us. Because of the different "footprint" of some of the other sabers it's much more challenging to bring those to retail (for instance, the Wal-Mart exclusive Darth Maul lightsaber re-issue had to be merchandised out of the normal planogram last Fall). So, for the rest of them we're adopting a wait-and-see attitude and if the demand is there, we can go after it.

When can we expect to see this years UGH figures arriving in stores? Last years UGH figures arrived several months before their projected street date, can we expect the same with this years? (JTA, 3/30/07) (http://www.jeditemplearchives.com/content/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=3004)

We are projecting July "on shelf" this year for the UGHs. We don't think it will be earlier, but that could change depending on the time it takes to build up stock for that wave (Wave 4) and deliver it to retail.

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Has any of the questions or feedback from these Q&As led to any changes in product plans? If so, can you give some examples? (POTF2, 3/30/07) (http://www.potf2.com/potj/forums/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=11536)

For one, it led directly to last Fall's Saga Legends Fan's Choice voting. Many characters were being asked about for re-release that we decided to open it up for vote, and that was a great result of this Q&A. There have been other results as well such as us slotting in a certain idea here or there for figures or pointing us to certain aspects of the EU that deserved attention - like figures from the novels. So yes, we do definitely listen and while results are seldom immediate, you will see some influence from the collective fan input. Keep up the great work!

From time to time, you mention that a figure is on the "short list". How short (or long) is the "short list"? (POTF2, 3/30/07) (http://www.potf2.com/potj/forums/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=11536)

Ha! The short list is always longer than we want it to be, but usually enough figures (sorted by movie or source) for the next couple of years. So you might say that it's 12-15 figures deep at any time, which is culled down to make a compelling wave when we begin our next cycle of line planning. And then we start restocking the list again when we get ideas and inspiration for a new take or a new figure we need to do.

What will the variation be on the Bantha & Tusken Raider Battle Pack? (POTF2, 3/30/07) (http://www.potf2.com/potj/forums/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=11536)

The variation is a change in coloration of all of the Tuskens to a darker reddish brown hue, the idea being that it is another clan. This was actually our intended original version but due to some difficulties in the schedule we decided to split the run using original colors and the new colors.

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Has Hasbro ever considered making action figures from the TV live-action Ewok Adventures? Many fans would like an updated Wicket (with prominent pupils, as seen in the first Ewok Adventure), as well as the main protagonist Cindel Towani, and the fan-favorite from the second movie, Teek. He even cameos in Star Tours. (RS, 3/30/07) (http://www.rebelscum.com/story/front/Hasbros_27th_STAR_WARS_QA_The_Answers_104664.asp)

We have to admit that we haven't taken a look at Ewoks (or Droids) for some time but as these are out there on DVD, and fans are showing very high enthusiasm for Ewoks (and Droids) lately, they do merit another look to see if there's a way to bring some of them to life. Right now there are no specific plans for tie-ins, but you never know. Thanks for the suggestion.

I know it's pretty early to be asking, but will the basic line this year end at 60? Or will there be another couple of rehash/repaint/exclusive waves at the end like 2006 taking us upto 70+. I really hope this won't be the case, for the last 2-3 waves of ROTS and TSC were impossible to find here in the UK, and as far as I know all across Europe. If the last TAC wave is indeed The Force Unleashed wave this should at least keep the main retailers interested as there is something out there to directly help marketing. (RS, 3/30/07) (http://www.rebelscum.com/story/front/Hasbros_27th_STAR_WARS_QA_The_Answers_104664.asp)

It's still murky, but we're working the details of what the changes mean. With The Force Unleashed moving out to Spring 2008 (exact date TBD), we are moving around our waves to make sure that there is a steady flow of figures. Also, like last year with TSC extending into Spring, there is a possibility that the 30th Anniversary line look (TAC) will extend as well throughout the Spring. We are committed to delivering a collection of 60 figures with coins, hopefully all in this calendar year, a wave of coin figures may go into 2008. What is for certain is that there are additional waves for Spring (including now TFU wave) that may or may not have coins. We know that the basic figures continue to do really well in Europe and that demand has remained high, which could relate to your perceived scarcity comment. We are continually working with our international counterparts to make sure that European collectors can get the complete offering and get a mix to retail that matches demand, and will keep passing your comments to them.

I have question about the figures design and production: On average, how long does it take a brand new figure (like the Firespeeder Pilot) to go from the idea stage, through design, and then to first shipment to stores, and where would a figure's production tend to get "bogged down" the most? I know some ideas for figures have been kicked around for a few years before design, and some have been prototyped way before production, but I'm asking for a general average timeframe. (RS, 3/30/07) (http://www.rebelscum.com/story/front/Hasbros_27th_STAR_WARS_QA_The_Answers_104664.asp)

Actual line planning, laying out wave by wave an entire year actually happens a long time in advance of figure development, so for example we may have had the idea to to a "Han Solo with torture rack" figure way back in late 2005 when we were planning 2007, but a specific figure actually won't get on shelf for 12-24 months later depending on where the wave falls in the rollout. An average time frame from the time our design team starts working on a concept for a newly tooled figure (actually drawing it up, with proposed articulation and accessories) is typically 12-13 months before the intended on-shelf date. This is for less complicated figures usually. Vintage takes longer because the sculpting usually requires more time, and role play (new lightsabers), vehicles and Star Wars Transformers take longer (up to 15 months) depending on the complexity of the engineering required to ensure the features work. Repaint waves, when we try and cover a long anticipated gap in the figure delivery schedule, happen on a much shorter time frame because they rely on existing tools and deco can be done more quickly.

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Given that there are only a limited number of unmade figures and figures that need a serious resculpt, does Hasbro deliberately choose not give some figures up-to-date articulation (like knee articulation, etc - even for figures whose characters spend much of their screen time sitting)? We know and understand the argument for the additional cost factor for better articulation and spreading the cost throughout a wave or year, so that Star Wars is profitable, but we also know Hasbro has the license until 2018 and that a business model of *not* producing every figure as a super-articulated ultimate figure would allow Hasbro to continue for many years with later updates to previous sculpts - even when those sculpts were already at modern quality - by simply adding more articulation (ball-joint knees, elbows, shoulders, etc.) while keeping the rest of the mold the same. Is that at all consideration on Hasbro's part? (SSG, 3/30/07) (http://www.sirstevesguide.com/index.php?categoryid=13&p2_articleid=716)

We think the universe for Star Wars figure possibilities is unlimited, rather than limited. We have never been more excited about the possibilities unfolding for the line! It is a tough decision at times, between articulation (more points = more tools, deco, and labor to assemble), accessories, and deco. We add it when it makes a meaningful difference to a previously released character to make them an "upgrade." When it comes to new characters like Cantina patrons, sometimes we can afford more and sometimes not so much so it really varies based on the wave and full-year cost. With so many new figures on the year (2007), it means the pressure is high and we aren't able to liberally distribute super-articulation like we know some fans want. Also, with the comic packs in particular the fact that there are two figures at a sharp price means that we have to manage them so we don't get into trouble and jeopardize the program. As you probably guessed, there are some figures we do hope to update down the road when we get a chance and can get another crack at them. But with new Clone Wars series and great stories being told in comics and video games, it's uncertain when we'll be able to get back to any particular figure.

With the recent addition of the Comic Book Two packs, and the thoughts of EU Figures being shipped in future waves, will we ever see a new sculpt of Kyle Katarn, perhaps as he appears in either Jedi Knight or Jedi Outcast ? This would be great way also to release perhaps the Dark Jedi in the game as well as other characters in the games like Jan Ors or Rahn or even an older version of Luke Skywalker. (SSG, 3/30/07) (http://www.sirstevesguide.com/index.php?categoryid=13&p2_articleid=716)

We hear the fan demand for a Kyle Katarn figure and are looking for ways to get him into the line, hopefully by the end of 2008. We also like the idea of a post-EpVI Luke and will be releasing him (along with Mara Jade) in an Heir-to-the-Empire comic 2-pack in a few months. There are other worthwhile Lukes to look at, but only time will tell when we can get to additional Lukes. The other two characters are not high on our radar screen right now... the best way to rally support for them would be in the next round of a fans' choice poll like we did with Toy Fare last year. We'll discuss the idea of sequelling that great poll with them.

We received the following open-ended answer back on November 3rd and were wondering if there were any new developments on it: SSG: Lots of fans love both Jedi Starfighters and were looking forward to the AOTC Action Fleet release and then the ROTS Titanium 6"" Ultra release, both were canceled just before going into production but were tooled up. Could these be saved from limbo and presented as an exclusive special Titanium 2-pack? HASBRO: We have no plans for Action Fleet at this time, but stay tuned for new on the Titanium vehicles. We are working on a way to bring them to retail. (SSG, 3/30/07) (http://www.sirstevesguide.com/index.php?categoryid=13&p2_articleid=716)

We still do not have any plans for Action Fleet at this time due to other priorities for the line. As for the Ultra series, the last vehicles are coming to TRU as exclusives and that will complete this series. There is nothing more planned for this line exclusive or otherwise.

In the past, figures have included interlocking bases that can create larger diorama pieces. Will we see more of these in the future? (SSG, 3/30/07) (http://www.sirstevesguide.com/index.php?categoryid=13&p2_articleid=716)

We will not be pursuing this idea in any of our sublines right now. While some collectors like these, they don't seem to be universally popular and we have chosen to spend our development dollar in other areas.

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Will there be more holographic figures, if not this year in the future?  We have yet to see Anakin; or Imperial officers, such as Admiral Piett; and there are others I'm sure that would make effective figures. These make a nice addition to my collection, and would love to see a few more from time to time. (ST, 3/30/07)* (http://www.sandtroopers.com/smf/index.php?topic=5183.msg106884#msg106884)

We're glad you like them, Troops. They are cool to do, in measure, and we haven't ruled out the possibilities that we'll do some more at some point.

So on a catalog included with my Battlepack it states that there will be a #30 C-3PO with Salacious Crumb.  Will Salacious Crumb be a repaint or an all new sculpt?  And will the C-3PO have an eye hanging out of it's socket? (ST, 3/30/07)* (http://www.sandtroopers.com/smf/index.php?topic=5183.msg106884#msg106884)

He will be all-new, and the answer to your last question is…yes.

The reason why you made figures from the, "Force Unleashed," game, is because it is a multi-media event (books, comics, toys, and games).  But my question is if these sell well, will you make more characters from other video games, like the 7 Dark Jedi, from Dark Forces II? (ST, 3/30/07)* (http://www.sandtroopers.com/smf/index.php?topic=5183.msg106884#msg106884)

Great question, Troops, that touches on the several exciting directions the Star Wars franchise is headed from here on out.  While movie characters will continue to remain our focus for the main basic figure line (which should have many fans breathing a sigh of relief!) it's no great secret that other entertainment media such as videogames, comics, and novels are making seismic waves in their respective areas because of fundamentally great storytelling that is uniquely Star Wars.  When LucasArts shared their plans with us, we were blown away and new that this was an important new story and we needed to partner with them on bringing these characters to life (so to speak) sooner rather than later.  We'd like to think that this, just like we are doing with the Clone Wars animation, is a great model for keeping the Star Wars line fresh and exciting.  We are looking at some of the other previous games for inspiration as well.  Although there are no plans for Dark Forces figures right now, we will be looking at them for future possibilities.

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What is the rational of mixing specific, i.e. named, characters with troop builders? I can understand a multipack with a specific characters, customers only need to buy one of them to get those and get all those characters. But doesn't it hurt sales to throw in, say, two Stormtroopers, two Rebel Troopers and Darth Vader? Now replace the Vader with another generic trooper and troop builders will buy multiples of this pack. But doesn't it seem like a disscouragment to have a specific character amongst all the troop builders? It seems wastefull to end up with ten Vaders just because I wanted to swell my ranks of troops. Take for example your Toys 'R Us ARC trooper battlepack which was the hardest to find to date. Why not do more like that? (SWAN, 3/30/07) (direct link to MP3) (http://www.swactionnews.com/Podcasts/SWAN084.MP3)

For battle packs, we select the best characters that help us execute a particular scene, especially given that kids actually want these characters, too.  The opening scene of Episode IV is so iconic, that the scene cannot be completed without Darth Vader.  The same with Felucia.  It's not a complete story without the Aayla or Bly.  The Clone Wars pack was different in that it was an all-clone scene.  But in general, for more collector-targeted packs, we feel that collectors will overlook one-to-two figures they may not need per pack to stock up on troops they want.

What would be the chance of seeing a Jabba the Hutt battle pack? I am thinking something along the lines of re-releasing the Ultra Jabba the Hutt from a few years back complete with hookah. This would be a good opportunity to repack figures like Bib Fortuna, Slave Leia, or any of the various figures that have relevance to Jabba. What would also be nice is a retooling of the dais that could be included in such a battle pack. With a dais, while not necessarily a playset, I think it would lend itself to the diorama type collectors, give us a dais which we have had since vintage days, and could have enough play elements to appeal to kids. Given the price point and the nature of the battle packs, as well as how battle packs have been evolving lately, this is something that seems like a good fit. (SWAN, 3/30/07) (direct link to MP3) (http://www.swactionnews.com/Podcasts/SWAN084.MP3)

When, and it's not a matter of if, but of when, in the next couple of years that we do a new Jabba, we'll need to look to the price and format it makes sense in which to deliver him.  It may or may not be the battle pack format that is the one we choose.

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Does the upcoming VTAC Snowtrooper have a removable helmet? If not, is Hasbro making a conscious effort to avoid things like this that tie directly to the prequels in order to maintain a strong vintage feel in the line? (SWC, 3/30/07) (http://www.swcollector.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=990)

Yes, it does have a removable helmet.

In our last Q&A, Hasbro stated that 30th Anniversary Collection waves 8 and 9 would switch places as a result of the delay in the release of "The Force Unleashed" video game, with wave 8 coming out before wave 9 now. Does that mean that wave 9 will still be released in 2007, and that "The Force Unleashed" figures will still be on 30th Anniversary Collection cards and have coin pack-ins? Also, will there be more than one wave of action figures based on the game, even if a second wave were delayed until 2008? (SWC, 3/30/07) (http://www.swcollector.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=990)

The Force Unleashed figures will be moved out to Spring 2008 and will not come out this calendar year. As a result we are arranging our waves so there is continuous flow of new figures through the holidays and Spring 2008. It's too early to tell whether they will have the 30th Anniversary line look, but they will probably not have coins as they are likely to come after we have completed the 60 basic figure coins.

We're getting a lot of grumblings from collectors about the Sith Infiltrator vehicle being in the Jedi Starfighter scale. While we understand that the $20 price point seems the most attractive to retailers, a lot of our readers are saying they'd have been more than willing to pay $30-$35 for a version that was slightly closer to scale. Is this a case where it was either do a Sith Infiltrator at this size, or never do one at all? Is a line of ships in the $30-range--larger than a Jedi Starfighter, but smaller than, say, a Millennium Falcon--just absolutely out of the question? (SWC, 3/30/07) (http://www.swcollector.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=990)

That is exactly the issue. We would not have committed to do this vehicle at a larger scale due to tooling costs and the issue that we do not have this price point in the mainline (the volume requirement are simply too great for an exclusive). We went ahead at the $20 price point because we wanted to see the vehicle get out there. We were less worried about scale - many Star Wars 3-3/4" ships are "distilled" versions of their on-screen inspiration (the Millennium Falcon is one of the most iconic!), and flat-out we knew we could deliver a great toy that kids and many (if not all) fans could enjoy as a welcome addition to their shelves. It's a great toy - we hope that everyone gives it an open-mind and checks it out - they won't be disappointed.

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Whatever happened to the 3 3/4" Battlestar Galactica figures you once said were coming out at the end of 2006?  Sure enough, we saw some cool Titanium ships from BG, as promised.  But what about the figs? (TJ, 3/30/07) (http://www.thejawa.com/yabbse/index.php?topic=6388.msg58399#msg58399)

The whole Titanium figure program for Star War was scuttled due to disappointing sales of the first waves.  This includes the Battlestar figure.  While there are no plans currently, we wouldn't rule out the possibility that these figures could eventually ship as retailer exclusives at some point.

Will we ever see a SA Admiral Ackbar, perhaps accompanied by his command chair?  The majority of the tooling for this could then easily be reused to make army building Mon Calamari officers, technicians, and soldiers... (TJ, 3/30/07) (http://www.thejawa.com/yabbse/index.php?topic=6388.msg58399#msg58399)

Some day you probably will see an SA Ackbar.  The Admiral (and the Mon Calamari in general) has his fans here on the team, but we haven't slotted in an update for him yet for any specific time.  It's great to know support is out there for him!

Will the comic 2 packs ever feature the more obscure characters from the Marvel Star Wars era such as Lumiya, Kiro, Dani the Zeltron, Chido, Crimson Jack, Baron Tagge (with his lightsaber), Jaxxon the rabbit, and most importantly Valance the Hunter (with alternate cyborg head). I've noticed that so far the obscure characters are only from the Dark Horse era. (TJ, 3/30/07) (http://www.thejawa.com/yabbse/index.php?topic=6388.msg58399#msg58399)

While we still will be heavier on Dark Horse, we do want to keep Marvel issues in our sights, too. Dark Horse has created a great depth of characters who are a contiguous extension of the on-screen adventures, and that's why we have been focusing our efforts there for the most part.  Some of the Marvel characters you mentioned are simply not as strong and uniquely Star Wars (Crimson Jack or Jaxxon for example).  You have mentioned a few that we are considering (Valence and Baron Tagge are two of them) but we just have to figure out when we can fit them in.  There are a lot of great characters to do!

Also, I tried to sneak in a follow-up:  In the last round, we asked a question about the Mara Jade comic pack.  Here was the answer:  "Mara will be packed with Luke, re-creating their escape from the Stormtroopers in Shadows of the Empire."

Our resident expert says, "Mara Jade doesn't make an appearance in the Star Wars Saga until the Heir To The Empire storyline.  Shadows Of The Empire takes place between TESB and ROTJ and does not involve Mara Jade."

I asked for clarification on the comic.
(TJ, 3/30/07) (http://www.thejawa.com/yabbse/index.php?topic=6388.msg58399#msg58399)

You are right - we made a mistake.  Luke and Mara are from Heir to the Empire, not Shadows.  Thanks for the correction.

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Why didn't you have items like the Bantha Battle Pack (which is scheduled to hit retail next month) and Order 66 2-packs at Toyfair Obviously photos and mockups exist - what's the story? (YF, 3/30/07) (http://cgi.denpetersen.com/YAK1/viewtopic.php?t=1546)

While Toy Fair has changed over the years in according more attention to press, it still remains a retailer-driven show. For this reason, we don't show exclusives at Toy Fair, concentrating on the "main line" product available to all retailers touring the showroom. Instead, we show and discuss our exclusives privately until the time we are ready to show at a fan-event like Celebration or Comic Con.

If The Force Unleashed game is delayed until Spring of 2008 as rumored, what does this mean for the figures that are coming out? Will there be any more Force Unleashed figures coming out, like Shaak Ti and how are you going to tie in figures to the Clone Wars Animated 3D series that is coming out? Will they be movie style sculpting/articulation? (YF, 3/30/07) (http://cgi.denpetersen.com/YAK1/viewtopic.php?t=1546)

The Force Unleashed figures will be moved out to Spring 2008, but this should not have an effect on our figure planning, as we have a lot of figures planned in the back half of the year to a compressed calendar (Wave 1 being available at retail just now). We will be swapping some waves around to make all the pieces fit together but there will be a steady flow of figures despite the move. As for specific figures, the ones we showed at Toy Fair comprise the whole basic figure line. At some point we'd like to do a The Force Unleashed Shaak Ti but she's not in the works right now.

Did sales for the Lucas Exclusive set do as well online as you had planned? Personally I loved this set and bought a couple to use the figures for miscellaneous characters in dioramas and am glad that you came up with a way to release these unique figures. That being said, can we expect to see any other sort of online exclusive box sets, that might not have the demand to be sold at retail?

If so, what about some sort of Prequel Trilogy Lars Family set to fill the void of some of these characters - Cliegg Lars, Owen Lars, Beru Whitesun, C3PO (SAGA2 Endor mold, but AOTC paint scheme). Maybe someday down the road, Padme's family that is in the deleted scenes of AOTC and briefly at the end of ROTS could be made as well?
(YF, 3/30/07) (http://cgi.denpetersen.com/YAK1/viewtopic.php?t=1546)

The figures from the Lucas family set were for the most part figures that we would not have done in the mainline, and were bound together by a very interesting off-screen relationship and was available uniquely through the only venue for which it really made sense - the StarWarsOnlineShop. So that set was really unique from that perspective and can't really be repeated.

Some of the other figures you mentioned are interesting and could be basic figures themselves or possibilities for, as you mention, a scene pack or Battle Pack type of set although there isn't a lot of action to it, which we usually like to have in our multi-figure sets. We have other concepts we are pursuing for unique multi-figure sets, which you will see in coming months.


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After the incidents of Votc stickers vanishing from the clamshells last year, will this years batch be heat sealed, taped, or both? (YN, 3/30/07)

The clamshells will be sealed, like the majority of last year's run.

When will we see a long lineup of vintage pack figures again? When the OTC lineup was released we got 12 figures total. Now we are lucky if we get half that each year. Not to mention 2005 was skipped altogether. Also, Why do we get excellent super articulated figures from the original Kenner lineup in basic figure packages instead of in the Vintage Collection lineups? You did an excellent job with Saga Collection R5-D4, the 30th Anniversary Jawa, and the Death Star Trooper so why didn't you take the extra step and pack them into Vintage packs? There are many more instances to speak of, but you get the idea. (YN, 3/30/07)

Here's one way to look at it: There is the heart and soul of our figure line - the basic figure mainline, which consumes a good chunk of our design resources - and then there is "all other" which includes or has included vintage, comic packs, Battle Packs (when they have new figures), exclusives (ditto), and Evolutions packs over the past couple years. Each of these takes resources from our pool, and vintage in particular is extremely resource intensive. That's why as long as other lines are going you won't see a huge offering of vintage like you did in 2004, when it was the only ambitious new subline in that lineup. Also add to that the fact we are trying to do more new or substantially refreshed figures in the mainline and you see that we just can't drop big sublines into our production without risking derailing something else. Instead we make sure that we can deliver everything in the "bites" that keep collectors excited, but it just takes more time to get around to everything probably everyone wants. As to why we didn't hold some of the figures for vintage, well we felt that it was too important not to wait on those and to get those in the mainline when we did even though they are vintage-quality and probably will see an upgraded version for a long long time. So in short, we couldn't wait.

The various repainted Jedi Starfighters are great but where's the love for the female Jedi like Shaak Ti, Luminara Unduli and Aayla Secura? Surely they were starfighter pilots in their own right? For that matter what might Master Yoda's starfighter looked like? (YN, 3/30/07)

Well, we had been hearing from fans that they want us to throttle back a bit on the various Jedi Starfighters, but now we're hearing some voices for keeping the program going. Maybe you could help us out with a poll on this one at Yodasnews! Do fans want to see more? And if so, what's the next one they want to see? Aayla in particular has a cool blue one shown in the Republic Comic series, and the others you mention (along with also Quinlan Vos) would be interesting to see as well. Not sure as much about Yoda, however....it seems his ride is more the escape pod kind of vehicle.
Title: Re: The Hasbro Q & A Compendium
Post by: Matt on April 18, 2007, 07:30 AM

Week 28 - April 13, 2007

In a future release, would it be possible to re-release Dannik Jerriko with the holes in his face (the ones caused by the removable proboscises) filled in? (AF, 4/13/07) (http://www.actionfigs.com/index.php?categoryid=12&p2_articleid=162)

We'll look at this next time we look to use the figure- thanks for the suggestion.

Recently, several unique figures and accessories have been released in boxed sets (multi-packs, vehicles) - for example: Zev Senesca, removable-helmet Snowtrooper, white AT-RT Driver, the Geonosian energy binders, etc.. As many collectors who have been with the line for 12 years haven't wanted to purchase (for example) yet another Snowspeeder they already had just to get a new figure, have you given any thought to releasing these figures separately, either carded or as hasbrotoyshop.com exclusives? (AF, 4/13/07) (http://www.actionfigs.com/index.php?categoryid=12&p2_articleid=162)

Everything is fair game for re-release at some point, but we won't do it for at least one year after it appears in that set. Many of our figures will probably NOT be available on basic cards simply given the number of figures that we could choose to repack this way. The best way to have a say in this is to muster support for favorites the next time we do a Fan's Choice poll like the one for Saga Legends.

In the vintage line, Kenner included a cloak with Bib Fortuna that was made out of a wonderful material that lay down closely to the body of the figure. The modern cloaks leave a lot to be desired, as it appears a number of materials have been tried but all coming up lacking in one way or another. Why not use the material that was in the Bib cloak? (AF, 4/13/07) (http://www.actionfigs.com/index.php?categoryid=12&p2_articleid=162)

We can't always use the exact fabric we want due to cost or availability. We purchase fabric on the open market and not everything is available when we need it, and it may not be available at the cost we need either. So we work with what we have available and can afford to use. Sometimes the aesthetic is perfect, other times it is sufficient.

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The Bantha Battle Pack and Betrayal on Felucia Battle Pack raise a certain question. Where's the battle? Is it a little taboo to have Anakin Skywalker beheading a Tusken Raider, or a troop of Clones mercilessly shooting Aayla Secura in the back? (Some of us would be happy to have a battle ravaged Aayla Secura.) With some Battle Packs aimed at collectors, and mass release Battle Packs aimed at kids, what's the rationale? I'd like to see an Octuptara Droid and a mess of Galactic Marines ripping Ki-Adi Mundi to shreds. I'd LOVE to see Yoda actually beheading the troops who betrayed him. So what's the official policy on this? (GH, 4/13/07) (http://www.galactichunter.com/absolutenm/templates/full_article_template_1.asp?articleid=6389&zoneid=2)

The idea is that it may not be a battle happening in pack per se (some do have a battle), but about-to-happen in the case of the many trooper-focused ones we have done. Scenes like you describe may not always make the best kid presentation, either - something we keep in focus.

With the myriad IG-88 figures that Hasbro has created over the years, and the team's creative use of small-sized vehicle parts, are we likely to see IG-Lancer Droids on their swoops in the near future? (As seen in Clone Wars.) (GH, 4/13/07) (http://www.galactichunter.com/absolutenm/templates/full_article_template_1.asp?articleid=6389&zoneid=2)

If and when we get to another Clone Wars wave, this figure could be a great choice. You are more likely to see the droids than the swoops.

With figures being shuttled around to make up for the delayed Force Unleashed line, is there any chance that Hasbro might revisit some cool figures that have been stuck in developmental limbo? (Swamp Obi-Wan Kenobi? Wind-Up Walking Vulture Droid? Holographic Nute Gunray? The Bespin Dinner Table Darth Vader?) (GH, 4/13/07) (http://www.galactichunter.com/absolutenm/templates/full_article_template_1.asp?articleid=6389&zoneid=2)

You do know your concepts - some of which never got off the drawing board. Our modern sculpting aesthetics have left some original ideas, like the swamp Obi-Wan, behind.  If we do that figure someday, it will be with an all-new sculpted figure. The battery-operated Vulture Droid never got tooled, so that would be an all-new project (not a bad one to think about, but certainly not a basic figure). The holo Nute Gunray would not be our first choice for a new holo figure (someday we may do him), and Bespin dinner table Vader was nothing more than a new hand proposed to "deflect" a laser shot but the effect was not that powerful so the idea was abandoned.

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Toys R Us has what appears to be a huge new exclusive Battle Pack, The Battle of Geonosis Creatures, listed on their website. Just how big is this set going to be? Are we talking a re-release of all 3 of the Arena beasties? Any new ones? With figures? (JD, 4/13/07) (http://www.jedidefender.com/newspro/fullnews.cgi?newsid1176503239,17265,)

We will be revealing details of our Fall exclusives program at CIV and Comic Con.

Recently, a few of the on-line retailers announced pre-orders for two "new" Battle Packs, 'Clone Attack' and 'Jedi Vs. Sith'. Are these simply the 2005 Battle Packs of the same name in the new 30th Anniversary Packaging or are they something else? (JD, 4/13/07) (http://www.jedidefender.com/newspro/fullnews.cgi?newsid1176503239,17265,)

These are both repackaged versions (in the 30th line look) of previously released Battle Packs. There will be no change in the set contents.

Also from the recent news pile, pictures popped up this week of single carded Galactic Heroes figures. How and when will these be available? Summer conventions? Are they exclusives? (JD, 4/13/07) (http://www.jedidefender.com/newspro/fullnews.cgi?newsid1176503239,17265,)

These will be available through some of our non-mass-based retailers - Family Dollar and Big Lots. These figures will be 100% repack figures from prior 2-packs (no new deco), but figures who are not in the current Galactic Heroes lineup.

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Can you confirm whether or not the special display box that came with the coin offered at Toy Fair is exclusive to Toy Fair? Or, will this be distributed elsewhere? (JTA, 4/13/07) (http://jeditemplearchives.com/content/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=3042)

The special coin box is exclusive to Toy Fair, although the coin is part of the Vintage redemption set.

Will the Celebration IV exclusive 2-pack be available only at Celebration IV, or will it be available online like the SDCC Stormtrooper was? How about the European version? (JTA, 4/13/07) (http://jeditemplearchives.com/content/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=3042)

There are no plans to make the droids available other than at Celebration IV, right now at least (the same goes for the Europe version). Gencon (the group organizing Celebration), not Hasbro, is the actual retailer for this product, so Gencon is setting the strategy for its own exclusive. However, the McQuarrie Luke is a HasbroToyShop.com exclusive, so we have more control over that. If we do make it available online through HasbroToyShop.com, it won't be for some months after the Convention unless there is leftover Convention inventory.

When will we find out about the remaining figures (31-60) and their numbers/waves? With the delay of the Force Unleashed figures, will this alter their numbering? (JTA, 4/13/07) (http://jeditemplearchives.com/content/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=3042)

We will reveal most all of the details at CIV. The delay of Force Unleashed has caused us to move some waves around to ensure consistent flow of new figures through the holidays—so some changes will be coming.

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Will the McQuarrie droid exclusives be available on Hasbro.com or Star Wars Shop or eventually in retail but in non-exclusive packaging? Please say yes and say it won't be too long after the end of May 2007! (RS, 4/13/07) (http://www.rebelscum.com/story/front/Hasbros_28th_STAR_WARS_QA_The_Answers_105006.asp)

There are no plans, right now at least, to make the droids available other than at Celebration IV, (the same goes for the Europe version). Gencon (the group organizing Celebration), not Hasbro, is the actual retailer for this product, so they are setting the strategy for their own exclusive. However, the McQuarrie Luke is a HasbroToyShop.com exclusive, so we have more control over that. If we do make it available online through HTS.com, it won't be for some months after the Convention unless there is leftover Convention inventory.

Will future Ewok releases focus on individual characters or two-packs to add more value? As covered previously, sometimes money goes into accessories and/or additional articulation. Since these characters are so small with limited accessories, would you seriously consider 2 packs to help collectors build their furry armies? One cost-saving measure might be a newly sculpted Ewok packaged with a significant repaint of an existing mold. This repainted figure can be given a generic title such as "Lumat and Ewok Warrior" or the generic figure could be given a random name not yet established in Star Wars films or literature. Since these figures are so small, this would seem a great way to get more value, to keep costs low, to get out more Ewok figures and to keep collectors and army builders happy. (RS, 4/13/07) (http://www.rebelscum.com/story/front/Hasbros_28th_STAR_WARS_QA_The_Answers_105006.asp)

It'll probably be a bit of both. We can't always afford 2 new sculpts or even the cost of 2 whole figures. We may have a cool accessory we want to do so can't promise that they will always be 2-packs either. What we can promise (and hopefully we can stick to it) is that we won't be putting out single Ewoks without an important accessory like we did for TSC. The exception, possibly, would be if we ever did Vintage Ewoks....then we'd pretty much be tied to the format.

Thanks for producing the amazing Battlestar Galactica Titanium starships. Just wondering if you would ever consider producing an Ultra Battlestar Pegasus, the Blackbird Stealth Ship, the Cylon Heavy Raider, a Cylon Basestar, classic Battlestar Galactica or Cylon Base Ship, or any of the ships seen in the fleet? (RS, 4/13/07) (http://www.rebelscum.com/story/front/Hasbros_28th_STAR_WARS_QA_The_Answers_105006.asp)

Two of those (Classic Galactica and Cylon Heavy Raider) are in development for 2008. The Ultra will not come out, unless it becomes part of a future exclusive, because demand for the Ultra line was much softer than anticipated. The other two are probably not likely to happen due to the complexity of production for our price point.

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When Episode II came out, there was a big fuss made about Hasbro using Realscan technology as an advanced guide assisting in the sculpting process - especially for heads and accessories. In the 5 years after, how often has Realscan been used since then, how helpful has it been, what are some of the most common drawbacks when using it for you, and what is the figure or figure's accessory that is closest to the Realscan source data? (SSG, 4/13/07) (http://www.sirstevesguide.com/index.php?categoryid=13&p2_articleid=716)

We have found that while it's a good start in some cases, 3-3/4" figures needed in some cases more expression than the scans provided, so we have gotten into the habit of simply sculpting fresh almost all the time.

Will the moisture vaporator be available only with this upcoming Luke figure so those who want multiples of this accessory will need to buy multiple Lukes, or will there be other ways to get it in the foreseeable future? (One possibility is to reuse the accessory with Ep 2 Owen Lars, Beru Whitesun, and Cliegg Lars figures.) (SSG, 4/13/07) (http://www.sirstevesguide.com/index.php?categoryid=13&p2_articleid=716)

It's a definite possibility, but for this year at least that's the only way to get this figure.

There has been some confusion about the upcoming Vintage-style Han Solo in Hoth gear figure, specifically his headgear. Pictures from Toy Fair show a version with a removable hat/goggles combination, but will the figure also be able to wear the hood-up look that covered the hat in the movie, and if so, how will this be achieved? If not, why is the movie-accurate hood-up look not being utilized here? What was it about Vintage-style Han Hoth's hood-up accessory which made Lucasfilm pull approval of that item? (SSG, 4/13/07) (http://www.sirstevesguide.com/index.php?categoryid=13&p2_articleid=716)

Lucasfilm did not think the aesthetics of the hood-up head sculpt were right for the product, so they asked us to pull it out. Given that it was too late to resculpt the accessory, we pulled it from the product rather than rework it and delay Vintage more than it had already been delayed.

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I really love the Titanium line, however the recent increase in repaints scares me into thinking that Hasbro "may" be running low on ship ideas.  I would love to see the inclusion of more video game/comic/cartoon vehicles (i.e. TIE Hunter, Outrider, and more specifically the TX-130, AT-XT, and the much beloved Torrent Starfighter). I think these would be welcome additions and breathe much needed diversity to the line.  Has Hasbro thought of including more non-film vehicles as opposed to repaints? (ST, 4/13/07)* (http://www.sandtroopers.com/smf/index.php?topic=5183.msg109417#msg109417)

The problem with this model is that these ships are less iconic and (we think) will probably have less demand and appeal, and at the same time Titanium vehicles are expensive to develop and tool up.  So while we would like to explore some of these options, the best balance for the line will be a continued focus on the most recognizable vehicles with a measured entry into some of the others like the ones you mention.

I have multiples of just about every clone you guys crank out (keep up the good work!!).  Sadly my forces don't have many vehicles to defend the Republic.  I know the 19.99 price point is where you want to keep vehicles.  Without tipping your hand (to much) Can you tell us your thoughts on a 19.99 Torrent Starfighter, AT-XT, or TX-130?  The latter two are from the Clone Wars video game (which I know will be a focus for Hasbro as the animated series arrives). (ST, 4/13/07)* (http://www.sandtroopers.com/smf/index.php?topic=5183.msg109417#msg109417)

You will be getting some much-needed troop vehicle relief over the next couple of years, but we can’t make any announcement about which ones will be coming when.  Please know that they are "in the mix."

Any chance of us getting more of the old army builder type four packs, but using updated figures? I'm sure there are a ton of people who would love to get their hands on a 4 pack of loose VOTC Stormtroopers, Galactic Marines, SA Clone Troopers, etc. (ST, 4/13/07)* (http://www.sandtroopers.com/smf/index.php?topic=5183.msg109417#msg109417)

The Battle Packs (some exclusive, some available at all retailers) have been our solution to cater to the multi-troop purchase model, and you will see us continuing that focus.  Also, the Saga Legends this year will be chock full of highly demanded troop builder figures, so we think fans will have ample choices this year and into the future to stock their armies with choice figures.

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Recent photos of the wave 3 Luke Skywalker (30AC #18) figure show him packed with the lightsaber hilt for Darth Vader's lightsaber. This is the exact same error from 2006 that occurred with the Vintage X-wing Pilot Luke figure. Is it too late to correct this error before the figure ships? Can someone please note that the correct saber hilt is the one that was packed with TSC Tatooine Luke (Saga #036) figure, and perhaps prevent this error from occurring again in the future? (SWC, 4/13/07) (http://www.swcollector.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=4943#4943)

Yes, this has been addressed for the Luke #18. Any future releases of the Luke #12 will be corrected too. We do realize that Luke’s saber is different from Vader’s. Because we use several factories in China, sometimes they do not have the same figures or accessories and to save on tooling expenses we will sometimes specify a Vader hilt to be used without the black banding (but it has slipped by with the black in the past...). We will do our best to keep a close eye out in the future. Thanks for all the fans who help us out!

Since it was confirmed in the last Q&A that the VTAC Snowtrooper does indeed have a removable helmet, do you have any "unmasked" pictures that you could send us?

See attached image (http://www.swcollector.com/temp/snow/snowtrooper.jpg). Also, please note that the front of the kama has been shortened since the time it was presented at Toy Fair, and in fact it's a little crooked in this sample. That will be corrected in final production, but this length is correct for the front.

While we're on the subject of classic troopers with removable helmets, will you ever consider releasing non-Jango or variant, removable-helmet, classic troopers with different heads (packaged with their helmets off, of course) like you have with other soldiers and officers? Starwars.com's Q&A quotes Lucas as telling Episode III crew members that Classic Trilogy troopers were made up of Jango clones as well as other sources like new clone hosts, political favors, and academy graduates. You could even subtly delve a little into the Expanded Universe that has further developed this concept and use characters like the Joker Squad from the Legacy comics, former troopers from Marvel like Beilert Valance and Flint, video game ties like Brenn and Dellis Tantor in Force Commander, or even get into illustrious fan favorites like Davin Felth. An easy win could always just be to start with the existing Kir Kanos and Carnor Jax heads since all Royal Guards were supposedly once Stormtroopers. (SWC, 4/13/07) (http://www.swcollector.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=4943#4943)

We like this idea and it's a good candidate for future comic packs and ideas like it that rely more on the personality under the mask rather than simply a new head on a generic trooper body.

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Is the Destroyer Droid with shield being released later this year going to be a new sculpt? (TJ, 4/13/07) (http://www.thejawa.com/yabbse/index.php?topic=6397.msg58573#msg58573)

It is a modified version of the destroyer that launched projectiles. We have deleted the launchers and swapped heads to a better head than the one it originally came with. Each will come with half of a full shield (due to package fit). If you buy 2, each half of the shield will attach to entirely enclose the droid.

We've recently seen some online retailers listing two new Battle Packs. Those being JEDI VS SITH & CLONE ATTACK.  Can you fill us in on the character lineups in these sets, and what might be new in these battle packs? (TJ, 4/13/07) (http://www.thejawa.com/yabbse/index.php?topic=6397.msg58573#msg58573)

These are both repackaged versions (in the 30th line look) of previously released Battle Packs.  There will be no change in the set contents.

Clone Troopers and Battle Packs have been very popular products with collectors.  Has consideration been given to unit oriented battle packs?From Revenge Of The Sith alone there are some units that have been popular with army builders, including:

    * 212th Attack Battalion:  Including Commander Cody, Airborne Trooper, Utapau Clone Trooper & AT-RT Driver
    * 41st Elite Corps:  Including Commander Gree, Elite Troopers, Kashyyyk Trooper (from the Order 66 2-pack) & AT-RT Driver
    * 501st Legion:  Including Commander Appo, Commander Bow, 501st Trooper (pick one!) & Airborne Trooper
    * Galactic Marines:  Commander Bacara & Galactic Marine
(TJ, 4/13/07) (http://www.thejawa.com/yabbse/index.php?topic=6397.msg58573#msg58573)

This is a very intriguing idea and takes some of the thinking we have been having about army structure to the next level, given that each unit (as seen with Obi-Wan's unit at least) has different specialized troops under the same command.  The Order 66 packs started to expand these boundaries, but we have yet to take the next step as you described.  It certainly is an interesting possibility for future Battle Packs.  Thanks for the suggestion.

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Okay, I love all the Imperial officers that you have been producing over the last few years. But I still have an empty slot in my Empire Strikes Back collection for the ill fated Captain Needa. Any sense on when I might be able to fill that spot with an action figure? (YF, 4/13/07) (http://cgi.denpetersen.com/YAK1/viewtopic.php?t=1583)

We can't tell you for certain when he will come out, but it's a good bet that in the next two years you will have him in 3-3/4" format.

I know the V-Wing Starfighter is just now hitting shelves (I found one last week and it is awesome by the way, thank you!) but is a repaint too early to think about for this vehicle? Specifically, I was wondering if we would ever see it released again someday in it's all-grey Imperial version as seen at the very end of ROTS? (YF, 4/13/07) (http://cgi.denpetersen.com/YAK1/viewtopic.php?t=1583)

The one we produced is the official Lucasfilm-approved movie version.

We're in the midst of the 30th anniversary celebration for A New Hope, but I was wondering if the seeds for the 30th anniversary of The Empire Strikes Back have been planted? Do you think you'll even do anything to commemorate the anniversary of ESB (good opportunity to finally get a Cloud Car out there dont you think? 'wink 'wink)

Plus, 2009 marks the 10th anniversary of Phantom Menace. Do you think this would be a good opportunity to crank out some long awaited figures or a few overdue updates? More pod-racers, a SA Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan and some new, previously unproduced versions of Amidala to name a few?
(YF, 4/13/07) (http://cgi.denpetersen.com/YAK1/viewtopic.php?t=1583)

This year was not meant to be a celebration of A New Hope per se, but of the entire Saga. That's why our packaging and communications don't celebrate the original Star Wars film as much as the whole legacy of Star Wars as it was launched 30 years ago. Right now we don't see doing anything special for the 30th Anniversary of Empire specifically, but something could resonate. It's too early to tell on that one, in any case. The Cloud Car is a low priority for us because there are many excellent newer vehicles we want to get get done first.

Regarding Phantom Menace, yes, over the next couple of years you will see a focus on bringing out more of these characters, although in proportion with the other films of the Saga. You won't see a bigger emphasis on EpI in general, though.....but an important component in the Saga mix.


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Do you plan on doing anymore of the 2 packs, like the Order 66 packs, but perhaps theme specific....example: Biker Scout w/Ewok, Tuskin w/Jawa, Gungan w/Battle Droid, Snowtrooper w/Hoth Trooper, Stormtrooper w/Bespin Guard etc.....? (YN, 4/13/07)

We do not at this time. For the Order 66 packs we wanted to get traction from both audiences and that's why we selected popular characters to pair with the clones. The ones you describe are 100% collector-focused and not very kid-friendly; instead, we think that troop builders will have ample selection with the 30th Anniversary basic figures and Saga Legends, some battle packs, and maybe 1 or 2 comic packs that fit this bill.

Fans would love to get some more figures in the animated style? Can they look forward to a return of them at some point? (YN, 4/13/07)

We will not be producing any more of the Clone Wars animated-style figures. Unfortunately, for each one of these we produced, we did not get results on par with the realistically styled versions of Clone Wars characters. Realistic is where we will be keeping our focus, but we are not leaving Clone Wars behind - there are still many excellent characters to be done from the series.

With all the apparent fan support from wishlists and purchases will we ever see a Cloud Car? Also with the McQuarrie concept figures could we see more of the concept vehicles? (YN, 4/13/07)

The Cloud Car is a low priority for us because there are many excellent newer vehicles we want to get done first. Unfortunately, it suffers because the shape is not very aggressive compared to the rest of the vehicle universe, and the vintage one is one of the least expensive vintage vehicles to acquire meaning that either supply is large of the vintage one or demand just isn't that high compared to everything else.

Also, due to cost of tooling, we don't rule out doing concept vehicles at some point, but we are concentrating our efforts on screen vehicles for now.
Title: Re: The Hasbro Q & A Compendium
Post by: Matt on April 27, 2007, 05:50 PM
Week 29 - April 27, 2007

Now that we've seen photos of the new Jedi Luke figure with cloth vest, what can you tell us about him? Is it an all new sculpt? Is his Death Star 2 costume on underneath the vest, is the vest and outer belt removable? What accessories will he have? What are the chances of seeing him repacked without the vest? (AF, 4/27/07) (http://www.actionfigs.com/index.php?categoryid=12&p2_articleid=162)

PLEASE CLARIFY FOR US WHICH FIGURE YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT SPECIFICALLY, BECAUSE THERE IS NO SUCH LUKE IN THE LINE. WE WILL RESPOND TO THE QUESTION UPON YOUR FEEDBACK. (AF editor's note: we were speaking of Luke Jedi from the 30th Anniversary Collection line, #25, seen in these Toy Fair photos - 1 , 2 , 3 - we will update this column when Hasbro gets back to us)

Will we be getting a new Hoth Rebel Trooper in the foreseeable future? We've got a new, high-quality Snowtrooper coming finally but the Rebel side of the battle hasn't been well-represented in quite a while. The last version was in the 2004 Saga line and was very short (shorter than the protocol droid R-3PO from the same wave even), had little usable articulation, was overly-preposed, and had an odd face. It seems like most of the other OT troopers have gotten decent figures in the past few years except the Hoth Rebel Trooper, the Hoth battle scenes are very 1-sided over this, when will it be his time? (AF, 4/27/07) (http://www.actionfigs.com/index.php?categoryid=12&p2_articleid=162)

There are no plans right now with what we have coming up, but we know it's one of those figures that at some point we'll be doing, but it may not be for a couple of years. Hang in there…

In a recent question about the new Vintage-style clamshells, you were quoted as answering "The clamshells will be sealed, like the majority of last year's run." However, the heat-sealed Vintage-style Saga Collection clamshells were generally rendered unusably damaged once the seals were opened, thus defeating the main purpose of the supposedly-reusable clamshell packaging that is part of the significantly increased Vintage-style pricepoint. So will that issue be taken into account, or are collectors going to have to damage the clamshells to access the contents within? If the latter, why? (AF, 4/27/07) (http://www.actionfigs.com/index.php?categoryid=12&p2_articleid=162)

Unfortunately, due to abuses at retail, there is no other way to do it. The clamshell must be tamper proof, and they must be opened to redeem for the coin promotion.

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How does the size and position of a figure's neck ball joint get decided? Some are very small, some very large, and there are many sizes in between. We can see why this might be necessary on some figures, but there are also figures who have their ball further up inside the head while some where the head only barely sits upon the ball. There doesn't seem to be a whole lot of consistency in figures of roughly the same head-size. Wouldn't it make sense to come up with a few standard sizes to promote future kitbashing and repacking on Hasbro's part, as well as make our lives as customizers a lot easier. (FFURG, 4/27/07) (http://ffurg.com/hasbroqa.htm)

Because there is no one standard universal articulation "buck" for Star Wars, each one if sculpted differently according to the needs of the figure and the sculptor doing the work. We don't plan to change this approach since it allows for the individual needs of the figures to be emphasized.

Without getting into production secrets, how do you apply the paint to the figures? We assume that it's mechanically applied but is it airbrushed? Do you use different types of paint on different plastics (torsos versus limbs)? Do you use a sealant or bake the paint on? The reasoning for our question is that customizers often struggle with the final painting of a figure and weigh it against the paint surviving the articulation. (FFURG, 4/27/07) (http://ffurg.com/hasbroqa.htm)

The paint is hand-applied using copper "masks" cut ot in the shape of the area being painted (imagine the tiny hole for an iris of an eye!). The paint is the same generally whether it's for ABS of PVC plastics, with no sealant or baking as far as we know.

Yeah, we know this is another "When will we get this figure" question, but can we get some love for the Episode 2 Clonetrooper pilot with Gunship pod? We've seen a myriad of Gunships but other than the awesome Evolutions Clone trooper, which was part of a rather expensive 3-pack, we haven't seen any new pilots to transport our troops. It'd be great to see a Ep2 Clonetrooper pilot in the basic figure line. (FFURG, 4/27/07) (http://ffurg.com/hasbroqa.htm)

It would indeed, but we don't have any plans for this figure in the basic figure line any time soon.

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Even though not all of the rumored EU Comic Book 2-packs have been confirmed this year, it's looking like we aren't going to get a Splinter of the Mind's Eye Luke Skywalker and Princess Leia 2-pack. I'm surprised by this because it seems like such an obvious choice for this line for two reasons: First, it consists of two main characters that would appeal to both collectors and casual buyers, which makes sense from a marketing standpoint. Second, it's based on the very first Star Wars EU novel. That kind of significance shouldn't be ignored in the EU line, and the fact that Splinter of the Mind's Eye has a comic adaptation also opens the possibility of including it in your EU line. Many fans would love to see Luke Skywalker and Princess Leia in their Mimban miner jumpsuits with a Kaiburr Crystal accessory. Would you please consider this pair for the EU line if it continues into 2008? (GH, 4/27/07) (http://www.galactichunter.com/absolutenm/templates/full_article_template_1.asp?articleid=6417&zoneid=2)

The line will continue into 2008 (and hopefully well beyond), but this pack is not in the works for 2008.  These are pretty good suggestions and already on our list of things we'd like to do, but there are a lot of new character figures we want to get to before them, many from more contemporary or stronger stories like Heir to the Empire, Shadows of the Empire, etc. before we get to Splinter of the Mind's Eye. Eventually, we hope to do them. Besides, how cool would it be to have a Yuzzem?

Can you confirm/deny the new rumor of a Jedi Starfighter with Hyperspace Ring coming this year as a store exclusive? If you can't specifically confirm the exclusive, can you at least tell us if there's still hope for getting the Hyperspace Ring itself at some point? (GH, 4/27/07) (http://www.galactichunter.com/absolutenm/templates/full_article_template_1.asp?articleid=6417&zoneid=2)

We can't reveal anything concrete because details are not final yet, but there is still some hope for this year.

If you buy four figures containing the curved bar piece, can you connect the four curved pieces together to make a round table? It looks to me like you can with a little center hole in the table. I think it would be a heck of a great table though. Now, not specifically movie accurate, a table like this would look great with a few figures around it. It would be great if this works and would be VERY appreciated if you continued packing in the round pieces with future cantina pieces.

On that same note, how making booths that could assemble the same way and including pieces with three or four different figures to make a full booth for two figures (Han Solo and Greedo) to sit at. I think that would rock.
(GH, 4/27/07) (http://www.galactichunter.com/absolutenm/templates/full_article_template_1.asp?articleid=6417&zoneid=2)

We don't have enough pieces on hand to test your idea, but in theory it will work. Great idea! We also like your idea of creating the "alcove" eventually too. However, we have to say that these big set pieces have really been challenging us from a cost standpoint and going forward we will not be able to do as many of them as collectors will enjoy this year. Yet we are hopeful we can do this someday.

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New pictures of the 30th Anniversary Collection Darth Vader's TIE Advanced x1 Fighter recently surfaced. It appears that the ship is an all-new sculpt. Does it utilize anything from the POTF2 sculpt at all or is it totally new? (JD, 4/27/07) (http://www.jedidefender.com/newspro/fullnews.cgi?newsid1177709286,63523,)

It is the same vehicle from last year carried forward in a new package. It is not a newly tooled vehicle.

Paint applications on the 3.75" figures can get pretty detailed and intricate. Can you give us any details about the paint application process? For example, how do you do the multiple layers of color for the eyes or how are more intricate designs (like the Bantha Skull on Fett's Armor) done? How is the paint so amazingly durable that it doesn't scratch and take damage (like the old Kenner figures were prone to)? (JD, 4/27/07) (http://www.jedidefender.com/newspro/fullnews.cgi?newsid1177709286,63523,)

They are all applied in what is called a paint mask, which are thin sheets of copper cut to cover everything else *except* the area being painted. The eyes are some of the smallest ones, about the size of a hair sometimes. As for the Mando symbol, the paint mask is cut in that shape as well. The formulation of the paint is something that has changed over the years; you will probably find that that is the case across the whole industry....a response to the needs of the market to make longer lasting and more durable products.

OK, Baron Fel. The image that accompanied the Star Wars Figure Stand 40-Pack News on hasbro.com/starwars showed his name on one of the stand stickers. Our question is, how will we get our hands on him? Is he coming in the rumored Rogue Squadron set in the Comic Packs line or as a pack-in with the TRU 181st Squadron TIE Interceptor coming this summer? (JD, 4/27/07) (http://www.jedidefender.com/newspro/fullnews.cgi?newsid1177709286,63523,)

Darn that battle stand list, it sure caused some problems we didn't anticipate! We can confirm that Fel *will* come in the 2-pack and that the TIE Interceptor will come with a figure, but it will not be Fel. Does that clear it up?

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With the continuing success of the Vintage Collection series; what are the chances we'll see a Vintage Power of the Force series, and more importantly: a super-articulated resculpt of Yakface? (JI, 4/27/07) (http://jediinsider.com/index.php?catid=8&itemid=10257)

If Vintage continues, doing some POTF series does make sense so the chances are good at some point. Yak-Face would be very low on our list of ones to do, simply because there are a lot more important characters ahead of him.

We are seeing some pre-orders for something called "I Am Your Fathers Day" 2-pack. What is this? (JI, 4/27/07) (http://jediinsider.com/index.php?catid=8&itemid=10257)

The "I am Your Father's Day" is indeed a real product, one both having some fun with Star Wars and one intended to take advantage of Father's Day gift-giving period. It is a product exclusive to Wal-Mart. It is intended to be a gift that kids can give their dads, and consists of a unique Father's Day card and two figures that of course emphasize a father/son connection. The idea is that you and dad can share the fun of Star Wars, with a figure for both you and your dad to to enjoy. The product has a new zip-strip that allows the card to be taken off cleanly and the package folded back on itself for a gift box. Since it is a 100% kid-targeted product, and if we could have avoided creating a kit-bashed figure we would have, but the "anguished" face of the original Bespin Luke just didn't cut it for what we wanted to do with this set.

What are the chances of seeing new collector figure cases being released? I'm talking about vinyl briefcase ones that have the art on the front with pull-out trays that can be turned over and used as figure stands? Could we see those re-released, one with art from all 6 movies on the front and sticker name sheets to put in the trays for new figures? (JI, 4/27/07) (http://jediinsider.com/index.php?catid=8&itemid=10257)

Carrying cases do not seem to be in that much demand based on actual sales the last few years, so we haven't been in a rush to get back into the category. Your approach is interesting - we'll look at it.

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Coins are a big theme this year for the 30th anniversary, being a big part of the vintage line. As a tie-in, why didn't Hasbro make this years vintage style figures on the POTF style cards, with the coin packed in as well? Was this ever a consideration? It would have been a great tie-in with this years coin collection. Might we still see an exclusive figure packed like this? (JTA, 4/27/07) (http://www.jeditemplearchives.com/content/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=3073)

It was not a consideration because we have certain figures we never made with POTF cardbacks and our direction was "all or none" with the coins. So we decided to make it a mail-in program instead. There are no additional vintage figures planned for this year.

The announcement of the display stand pack was great for collectors of loose figures who have tons from previous lines that could use a similar style stand. Having a variety pack is nice, but what about collectors who might concentrate on only original trilogy figures, or all clones, etc. Any chances of offering all like stand packs on hasbrotoyshop.com? Perhaps a pack of all ROTS or all Expanded Universe, etc? Otherwise, they would end up with extra stands that might not go with the figures they have. (JTA, 4/27/07) (http://www.jeditemplearchives.com/content/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=3073)

This was not an option due to logistics—the creation of 7 SKUs instead of one, and the minimum order requirements for each would preclude some movies, and EU, from ever being made at all if we took that route. We thought that army builders, who were generalist (all films), would probably be getting multiple stand packs and would be fine. Our hope is that those who solely focus on EpII or EpIII Clones or OTC Stormies will probably use them anyway regardless of movie, and over time perhaps accumulate enough (perhaps by buying multiple sets) to suit their needs. They really do a good job of allowing many troops to be posed in a compact space....a great boon for us troop builders.

PS—two more tidbits on the stands pack you can let the public know about:
1) The labels are clear with silver writing so when they are placed on the stands the appearance will be very similar to the '06 TSC stands. The yellow cardstock we have revealed is just the backing for the labels.
2) Any figure from the '06 TSC collection that already came with a stand does not have a label, since the theory is that fans don't need a stand for those figures since they already have them. We were able to dig deeper into the past this way with our 200 label slots and cover more modern-era figures.


Are there plans to continue the expanded universe comic 2-packs past this years run? Or, is this something only planned for the 30th Anniversary Collection? (JTA, 4/27/07) (http://www.jeditemplearchives.com/content/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=3073)

The comic packs will continue through 2008 and into the future as long as fans keep showing their interest in the concept. So far, reaction has been very positive and we hope it continues..the ones we have planned for later this year are fantastic and we can't wait to reveal more when the time comes!

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Will the McQuarrie Luke Skywalker still be in wave 5? Is the C4/CE exclusive just a packaging variation? Or will you be releasing some other character in wave 5, like maybe McQuarrie Han Solo, Ben Kenobi, or perhaps (dare I say it) the female interpretation of Luke Skywalker? (RS, 4/27/07) (http://www.rebelscum.com/story/front/Hasbros_29th_STAR_WARS_QA_The_Answers_105342.asp)

There was never a McQuarrie Luke slated for Wave 5. He will be the HasbroToyShop.com convention exclusive with the possibilty of stock also being available online. Yes, the C4/CE versions will differ in the coin (exclusive to each show) and sticker. That's it. The McQuarrie figure in Wave 5 will be announced at Celebration IV...stay tuned!

What, if any, was Ralph McQuarrie's role in the McQuarrie concept figures? Did he select which figures would be made, did he recommend which artwork to base the figures on, or did he just get samples of the figures and approve or disapprove them? (RS, 4/27/07) (http://www.rebelscum.com/story/front/Hasbros_29th_STAR_WARS_QA_The_Answers_105342.asp)

Ralph did not select/reject the figures, that was done between ourselves and Lucasfilm. But he did provide input, reviewing every sculpt and making comments.

We army-builders love you, but there's one battle you've largely neglected: the Battle of Naboo. Of course we had plenty of Battle Droids in 1999, and a few more over the years, and you did produce some Gungan Warriors, but your basic Gungan Warrior was relatively scarce. Is there any chance you will revisit this figure? Also, since you're growing more flexible about battle packs (including a great big Bantha in your latest), might you retool a basic Gungan Warrior so he could ride a Kaadu and then include a few in a Battle of Naboo battlepack? I could see one or two Gungans on Kaadus, a Battle Droid or two, and a Jar Jar Binks making up a solid set. I know our Gungans could sure use some cavalry. (RS, 4/27/07) (http://www.rebelscum.com/story/front/Hasbros_29th_STAR_WARS_QA_The_Answers_105342.asp)

The time will come when we will do new Gungans, but it won't be for a while. Probably in a couple years.

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In the Toys R Us-exclusive Bantha with Tusken Raiders boxed set, the Bantha's pelt appears inaccurate with curly fur and the eyeholes not cut or attached correctly, compared to the movie character and the original POTF2 Bantha that this toy is based upon. What is the reason for the unattractive visible eyeholes and bizarre curly fur? Also, if boxed Star Wars items sell better the closer they are to $20, why turn the Bantha into a larger $45 set? (SSG, 4/27/07) (http://www.sirstevesguide.com/index.php?categoryid=13&p2_articleid=716)

We do not set retail pricing for our items, that is decided by our retail partners. In any case, soft goods are generally expensive and we could not get the bantha to cost out where we wanted. Knowing this, we went with the direction of adding more Tusekns to justify a higher price point, and to make it more like a complete Tusken clan set. On the fur, we wanted something different and more like the movie banthas with a matted look. We did the best job we could wih the fur available on the market in the time we had for completion of the set.

As this is the 30th Anniversary of Star Wars' release and your line this year is called the "30th Anniversary Collection", now seems the best time to ask this one: what are the chances that we'll be getting a figure of the very first person ever seen in all of Star Wars (that's not a droid), the white-haired Rebel Fleet Trooper who shows worry and then steadies to hold off the Stormtroopers for control of the Tantive IV? For clarification, the Decipher CCG named this guy "Lt. Pello Scrambas" - though nobody seems entirely in love with that name so feel free to NOT use it ;). This would also be a great chance to do a new, better-articulated Rebel Fleet Trooper body. (SSG, 4/27/07) (http://www.sirstevesguide.com/index.php?categoryid=13&p2_articleid=716)

We have not considered doing this figure, but it makes sense for a down-the-road variant of the Rebel Fleet Trooper -- at least for the head. We probably won't update the Rebel Fleet Trooper body for a long time, as it is, it does pretty much everything you could ask of these poor doomed corridor fighters.

With the Titanium Series 3" Star Wars vehicle line, there's been a growing problem on the pegs consistently reported from all across the nation. At each of the 3 major retailers (TRU, Target, Wal-mart), the Titanium 3" Transformers figures - even though they ship in separate cases under unique assortment numbers meant for separate spots in stores planograms - often end up getting placed on the Star Wars Titaniums' pegs by employees because the packaging is the same unique shape and both lines sport the "Titanium Series" badge at the top; and now this is happening with the Spider-Man 3 Titanium 3" figures as well. That ends up mixing several dissimilar lines together, burying and even choking off pegspace for the Star Wars Titaniums while likely also slowing sales for the Transformers Titaniums. Your current solutions mentioned above (asst #s, planograms) don't seem to be enough at the retail level to ensure a separation of product which often means no pegspace for Star Wars Titaniums so they don't get put on shelves as often -- can you do something else to ensure that Star Wars Titaniums aren't overwhelmed at the pegs by Transformers and Spider-Man Titaniums? (SSG, 4/27/07) (http://www.sirstevesguide.com/index.php?categoryid=13&p2_articleid=716)

There is little we can do to correct this this year, but a solution is in the works for 2008. Since the shelf tags are labeled and the product is separated by branding and visible product differentiation, it is up to the retail personnel to reset them to their right areas. This may or may not be happening due to the individual store. What is certain is that is SW Titanoum continues to sell down, it will continue to flow back in to that retailer. Typically there is not a lot of backstock on SW Titanium so the stores put it out as soon as they get it; it won't get in the way of getting new product out there.

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How do you feel about the people who take your action figures and improve them - the customizers. Does it bother you that someone sitting at home can take one (or more) of your action figures, a little paint, and maybe some clay, and make a better, more accurate version of a character than you make? Do you ever look at customizers homepages, or forum postings, or even ebay - and see a figure that was made, and say "Hey, we should make this guy... he looks great!!"? Have you ever seen a customizers work online, and said "That guy can sculpt/paint/create - he should be working for us"? Have you ever hired someone just like that? (ST, 4/27/07)* (http://www.sandtroopers.com/smf/index.php?topic=5183.msg112776#msg112776)

We love it when fans customize, and do definitely look at what fans have created from time to time.  It's great to see people with the same passion with which we ourselves approach the figures.  We have never hired someone based on their customizing work.  We have, however, hired trained pros in design and sculpting who are deeply passionate Star Wars fans. Our designers need to be able to draw any concept (not just Star Wars since they often work on multiple lines), communicate input to sculpting understanding what can and can't work from a materials, engineering, safety, costing, durability, and licensor perspective, and the like.  In short, they don't just create customs, they manage a rigorous product development process.  We are always looking for qualified individuals if they have industrial design education and training.

Can we get a superarticulated dewback? And perhaps a Tauntaun? I love the SA troopers and soldiers you make and think it would be a great idea  to do some of the trooper type beasties in this same style. I am sure a new sculpt on either one of these creatures sure wouldnt hurt anyone's feelings either. (ST, 4/27/07)* (http://www.sandtroopers.com/smf/index.php?topic=5183.msg112776#msg112776)

At some point we should do a new Dewback, but it won't be for a while. In any case it probably wouldn't be SA since it wouldn't actually give you the benefits for the increased cost.  These guys are slow, lumbering beasts and SA would seem like a misplaced expense.  However, the aesthetics could use some updating for sure.  Same goes for the Bantha regarding SA, but the current bantha is a pretty great creature as is.

I can't wait to see the comic book 2-pack of A'Sharad Hett and The Dark Woman, as they're some of my favorites from the EU.  Is there any chance you have a mock up or close to completed prototype you can share an image of with us here at Sandtroopers.com? (ST, 4/27/07)* (http://www.sandtroopers.com/smf/index.php?topic=5183.msg112776#msg112776)

Lee's Toy Review has just released their latest issue, and all of the packs from this wave can be found in this issue. They will have an exclusive on these packs until Celebration IV, when we'll reveal them in the flesh (so to speak).

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With the continuing success of the Vintage Collection series, what are the chances we'll see a Vintage Power of the Force series, and more importantly, a super-articulated resculpt of Yakface (Saelt-Marae)? (SWC, 4/27/07) (http://www.swcollector.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=1001)

If Vintage continues, doing some POTF series does make sense so the chances are good at some point. Yak-Face would be very low on our list of ones to do, simply because there are a lot more important iconic characters ahead of him.

Collectors seem quite up in arms over the McQuarrie Signature Series R2-D2 & C-3PO Concept figures being released as exclusives for Celebration IV in Los Angeles and Celebration Europe in London. While the figures will have event-specific coins and cardbacks, will they eventually be released to the general public in nonexclusive form? (SWC, 4/27/07) (http://www.swcollector.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=1001)

There are no plans to make the droids available other than at Celebration IV, right now at least (the same goes for the Europe version). Gencon (the group organizing Celebration) is the actual retailer for this product, not Hasbro, so they are setting the strategy for their own exclusive. However, the McQuarrie Luke is a HasbroToyShop.com exclusive, so we have more control over that. If we do make it available online through HasbroToyShop.com, it won't be for some months after the Convention unless there is leftover Convention inventory.

Conspicuous by her absence in the McQuarrie Signature Concept series is Princess Leia. Is there just not enough perceived interest in her, or is she in the works, too? (SWC, 4/27/07) (http://www.swcollector.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=1001)

A McQuarrie Princess Leia is not in the works.

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What kind of articulation will the Pre-Cyborg General Grievous figure have being released later this year (TJ, 4/27/07) (http://thejawa.com/nuke/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=2295)

He has a ball joint neck, ball and socket shoulders, bicep, knees, hip and waist. There are some other nice surpises, but you'll have to wait until we reveal him fully.

The Celebration 4/Celebration Europe exclusive McQuarrie concept C-3PO and R2-D2 figures have been unveiled and they look great. Can collectors who are unable to attend either event expect to see these figures available online through Hasbro Toy Shop or Star Wars Shop? (TJ, 4/27/07) (http://thejawa.com/nuke/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=2295)

There are no plans to make the droids available other than at Celebration IV, right now at least (the same goes for the Europe version). Gencon (the group organizing Celebration) is the actual retailer for this product, not Hasbro, so they are setting the strategy for their own exclusive. However, the McQuarrie Luke is a HasbroToyShop.com exclusive, so we have more control over that. If we do make it available online through HasbroToyShop.com, it won't be for some months after the Convention unless there is leftover Convention inventory.

The assault vehicle footprint seems to be the most widely accepted item with retailers aside from the Basic Figure line. Can the concept for that line be expanded, so that we might get some large accessories like a turbo-laser? That would be a great complement to the awesome Death Star Gunner we got in the 2006 basic figure line. (TJ, 4/27/07) (http://thejawa.com/nuke/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=2295)

Thanks! We have a lot of vehicles we'd like to get to before we do accessories like this. The simple reason is that vehicles are such an integral part of the Star Wars universe and do the best job of tying in to the figures to recreate iconic scenes and facilitate new adventures. Ground pieces or accessories like cannon have a place and can be cool, but they are much more limited and historically haven't done as well as vehicles on a per unit basis. So we want to keep going with the highly successful vehicle model for now.

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The current packaging design is growing on me more and more, and being a graphic designer myself by trade, I was wondering how many concepts did the TAC line go through before the approval of the design that went into production? Are there any of the unapproved designs that you could show us? (YF, 4/27/07) (http://cgi.denpetersen.com/YAK1/viewtopic.php?t=1623)

Unlike previous years, Hasbro did not actually design the 2007 line look. Lucasfilm worked with an outside design firm to create the look,and we are interpreting the style guide for our own product needs. Regarding other concepts shown, it probably isn't going to happen because the other concepts were never finished beyond a concept stage, and the ideas may be brought out again for future ideas to influence '08 and beyond.

The extraordinary point blank cannon fire exchange between the republic cruiser and the Invisible Hand during the battle over Coruscant featured some very impressive cannons on both sides. I'd very much like to see a battle pack featuring one of each cannon with a droid and a clone. What are the chances of us seeing such a thing? (YF, 4/27/07) (http://cgi.denpetersen.com/YAK1/viewtopic.php?t=1623)

"Ground pieces" or accessories like cannon have a place and can be cool, but they are much more limited and historically haven't done as well as vehicles on a per unit basis, so our big tooling decisions have been and probably will continue to go toward vehicles for a while. This battle is super-cool, though, and if we ever decide to do more hardware that is certainly a strong one.

So it looks like we're FINALLY getting a Han Solo with torture rack figure (been on my wish list for a while, thank you!). Is it possible that we could see Luke with medical table from the end of ESB? I think this may be the last version of Luke from the original trilogy yet to see a figure. A little flip-open flap on his wrist revealing the wires would be awesome too. (YF, 4/27/07) (http://cgi.denpetersen.com/YAK1/viewtopic.php?t=1623)

Luke in a medical gown? He may not be the most iconic Luke, and we have some other Lukes we'd like to get to (and update) before this one, but over the next couple of years we'll probably get to this figure.

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Several quick ewok questions here. Which ewoks will be included in the 30th anniversary Ewok 2-pack? Generic? Resculpts? Vintage returns? Also, any truth to the rumor of another ewok 2-pack and a female ewok with woklings for next year (please say yes)? If so, and I’m praying it is, please make the woklings separate figures, not attached to a basket or crib or anything – they would be so much cooler that way. With these new ewoks, any plans of different color variants, or battlepacks? Hook us up, ewoks are the main reason I started and am continuing to collect Star Wars figures, keep the ewoks coming! (YN, 4/27/07)

They are new sculpts, but beyond that we are not revealing any more details. The preference would be to deliver another 2-pack, but we haven't hit the costing stage yet to know what we'll be able to afford - 2 figures, or 1 figure and an accessory. It is possible that at some point we will do a basket/baby accessory, but it's still unknown whether it will be included in anything in 2008.

Will Hasbro please consider packing more McQuarrie figures in further cases? It's quite apparent that they're great hits since the McQuarrie Concept Stormtrooper and Concept Boba Fett are never on the store shelves for long, especially with the Stormtrooper at one per case. (YN, 4/27/07)

We are making more of them, so don't give up hope of finding them. We are limited to 1 per case for the McQ figures due to manufacturing capacity, but will continue to release over time.

Has Ralph McQuarrie seen and commented to Hasbro on the Concept Art figures? I am curious to know what he thinks of them. (YN, 4/27/07)

Yes, we have sent a team out see Ralph and he has had great input on the line, reviewing every sculpt and making comments. We aren't in daily contact with him, but from what we hear he really likes them.
Title: Re: The Hasbro Q & A Compendium
Post by: Matt on May 12, 2007, 11:07 AM
Week 30 - May 11, 2007

Now that we've seen photos of the new Jedi Luke figure with cloth vest, what can you tell us about him? Is it an all new sculpt? Is his Death Star 2 costume on underneath the vest, is the vest and outer belt removable? What accessories will he have? What are the chances of seeing him repacked without the vest? (AF, 5/11/07) (http://www.actionfigs.com/index.php?categoryid=12&p2_articleid=162)

Sorry about that. It is all new, with wrist articulation, ball joint elbows, insert molded shoulders, knees, and ankles in addition to waist and hip articulation. It also has an existing lightsaber and a new bone. So you can't say we didn't throw you a frick'n bone.  ;)

Might we ever get the Mustafar hovering lava harvesting platform for the Mustafar Lava Miner, Obi-Wan, and Anakin as Vader to ride on, perhaps also coming with the lava panning droid for Vader to ride on top of? Granted, the hovering platforms were done in the Mustafar playset, but those seemed too small and lacking in accurate detailing. (AF, 5/11/07) (http://www.actionfigs.com/index.php?categoryid=12&p2_articleid=162)

This would be a good pack-in to a basic figure or perhaps a battle pack, and we are trying to figure out how to deliver it. Even though we were able to deliver some nice added pack-in accessories this year, our constant pricing pressures are making it tough to do many more in future years (at least in basic figures).

The Titanium Series line has shared its space with Battlestar Galactica license for some time now with much success. Can you give us a hint as to your plans for the future of this license? You were recently quoted as saying the Cylon Basestar and the classic Cylon Base ship were not likely to happen due to "complexity of production", what does that mean and how would they be different from something like the recently-released classic Cylon Raider? Also, what happened to the plans for the Titanium Forged Figure of the Cylon Centurion, is there a future release here? (AF, 5/11/07) (http://www.actionfigs.com/index.php?categoryid=12&p2_articleid=162)

The Battlestar license has done very well and we plan to continue releasing a new/repaint one every few waves. Some vehicles, depending on the complexity of the vehicle, require so many tools or so much labor to complete that we simply can’t afford to pursue them for our basic line and these two fall into this camp. As for the Cylon figure, that line is discontinued at mass retail and we are looking for ways to bring the figures out as an exclusive mix. We know that there is demand there from a smaller number of devoted fans, but we are looking for a retail partner for the right opportunity.

Can we please have a new, more accurate Dr. Evazan figure? The original POTF2 Cinema Scene figure has been repainted a few times, but the sculpt is still among the least-accurate likenesses of any figure that's never enjoyed a full resculpt. After all, he's got dialog in the movie and an action scene, and it is Star Wars' 30th Anniversary. (AF, 5/11/07) (http://www.actionfigs.com/index.php?categoryid=12&p2_articleid=162)

This is a good suggestion and one we want to pursue at some point. We weigh updating a previous Cantina denizen (like we did for Momaw Nadon) against offering a new never-before-seen figure in terms of what will most pique collector interest. We are definitely considering it, but it may be a few years before we get to him because there are some other cool ones still to be done.

Why are basic carded figures so much more expensive in relation to battle packs that have 5 figures in them? A battle pack which MSRPs for $19.99 and has 5 figures, or 4 plus a larger accessory of some kind, costs less than 3 carded figures (who MSRP at $6.99 a piece). Any chance that the MSRP might be dropping on the single basic carded figures in the near future? (AF, 5/11/07) (http://www.actionfigs.com/index.php?categoryid=12&p2_articleid=162)

The basic figure line is where most of our new Star Wars figures are debuted, and as such the costs to design, develop, and tool are quite substantial (the "per piece price" is reflective of this). Battle packs consist almost entirely of figures for which we already have tooling, and there is a savings on packaging (which can be pretty expensive per figure) when we put several figures or accessories in one pack. As for actual retail pricing, that is a decision that is entirely up to our retail partners who choose the retail price they deem important to meet their business objectives.

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A follow up question - if the 30th Anniversary Collection Darth Vader's TIE Advanced really is just "the same vehicle from last year carried forward in a new package" then why does the 30AC box art say it now has "ejecting wing panels" when this vehicle has never had them in the past? (JD, 5/11/07) (http://www.jedidefender.com/newspro/fullnews.cgi?newsid1178932469,67754,)

This is a mistake and we are working on correcting this in new production. We picked up the package burst from the TIE Fighter and didn't catch it until production had begun. Thanks for bringing it to our attention.

The image that accompanied the Star Wars Figure Stand 40-Pack News on hasbro.com/starwars showed the name 4-LOM. Can we expect a new super-articulated 4-LOM in 2007? Whole new sculpt or does he share parts with either the new 30th Anniversary C-3PO or CZ-4 sculpts? (JD, 5/11/07) (http://www.jedidefender.com/newspro/fullnews.cgi?newsid1178932469,67754,)

He is an all-new sculpt, and he is pretty darn cool. There is no tool sharing between any of the other droids. Details will be revealed at CIV.

By the time these questions are answered, we'll be less than two weeks from Celebration IV. We know we'll see a pile of new goodies revealed at the show, so how about a nice tease to get us through those two weeks? The door is wide open for you here. Something we don't already know from a previous Q&A and something that will wow us with anticipation for the Hasbro C-IV panel! (JD, 5/11/07) (http://www.jedidefender.com/newspro/fullnews.cgi?newsid1178932469,67754,)

A good number of our products that we were holding to break at the show have already been leaked, so I hope you'll understand when we say we want to play it close to the vest on this one at this point. Sorry!

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Will we ever see Star Wars Build-A-Figures like those done with Marvel Legends? Maybe something like Jabba The Hutt? (JI, 5/11/07) (http://jediinsider.com/index.php?catid=8&itemid=10296)

We would just do a new Jabba the Hutt instead. Many of the concepts that work in other build-a lines do not translate to Star Wars (for instance, there really aren't that many great "mid-sized" creatures). We prefer, instead, to just outright make those things that we think have the most appeal.

We've hear rumors of a Luke/Mara Dark Woman/A'sharad Hett & Darth Batman/Leia. Can you confirm this and possibly provide our online readers with hi-res images of them? (JI, 5/11/07) (http://jediinsider.com/index.php?catid=8&itemid=10296)

Folks have probably heard by now that these are debuting in Lee's Toy Review issue #175. While we want let them have the limelight for a while in showcasing these figures, we will give you one sneak peak at one of the packs in this really great wave.

This one is in regards to Titaniums and a little off topic, its about Battlestar Galactica Titanium ships. We have had a alot of people as if there will be a release of the Classic Battlestar Galactica ship released for the Titanium line. (JI, 5/11/07) (http://jediinsider.com/index.php?catid=8&itemid=10296)

It's in the works, but won't make it out this year.

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In our last session, you stated that there was never a McQuarrie Luke planned for wave 5, that Luke will be the C4/CE exclusive. Yet many retailer lists still show him as coming in that wave. Then in another Q&A (over at our friends SWcollector.com), you stated that there is no McQuarrie Leia in the works at all. So that got us thinking....if you notice this photo of the McQuarrie artwork featuring the 5 main characters, there is a female character in that painting who technically isn't Luke or Leia...is this the "Luke Skywalker" figure that's coming in wave 5? If yes, then just what are you calling this character? (RS, 5/11/07) (http://www.rebelscum.com/story/front/Hasbros_30th_STAR_WARS_QA_The_Answers_105755.asp)

Well Dan, that's some pretty good detective work and you nailed it. Rather than be coy, I will confirm but it does requires some explanation. First, the figure is indeed the female Jedi seen in the iconic "Fantastic Five" poster by Ralph McQuarrie. While this character became the inspiration for both Luke and Leia, originally, the character was called neither. We are going with the name "Starkiller Hero" for the package to describe the original inspiration behind the figure rather than the specific character(s) that were subsequently fleshed out. Early line plans (which are always subject to change and are worth the electrons they are printed with) showed Luke as the name but this changed as we got further into it. And thanks for the reflection of 30 sessions....indeed it has been fun!

There have been a lot of rumored repackaged items surfacing lately, with everything from battle packs to vehicles. Even if only half of these items are released, there's a lot of stuff coming out that many collectors already own. Can you explain this? Are you trying to drive collectors crazy? (RS, 5/11/07) (http://www.rebelscum.com/story/front/Hasbros_30th_STAR_WARS_QA_The_Answers_105755.asp)

It's pretty simple - collectors are only part of the target market! Look at it this way...these re-offerings of classic and iconic figures and vehicles continue to get Star Wars into the hands of a new generation of kids and, at the same time, give us confidence in pursuing new opportunities for both audiences. We have said it before - our intention is not to drive collectors crazy with repacks but to keep the momentum going which is perhaps the most important perspective to consider. Kids want the main Jedi, the core starfighter vehicles, lightsabers, and the line - these are often their first Star Wars purchases and it is a sound strategy to make sure these are in the line year after year. When our line look changes every 12-18 months, it's unavoidable that a re-release of a vehicle means that it will come out in the new line look and hence becomes a "new version". Our philosophy is to make it new and different to justify a collector purchase, or completely leave it alone (such as many battle packs or Starfighter assortment repacks) so loose completists don't have to pick it up again. The real challenge, of course, is for the packaged completist collector. They pretty much have to make a decision to pick up the new package version or not; we do feel their pain when faced with buying the inevitable re-release, but again, it's a Good Thing overall for Star Wars.

Looking back over previous Q&As, there are a couple of figures that were confirmed, but have yet to appear on any rumor list as either basic figures and/or battle packs. Can you tell us whatever happened to Qui-Gon Jinn (first revealed by Yakface), Bothan Spy (first revealed by FFURG), Oola (first hinted at here at Rebelscum), and for the love of Yoda...will we EVER see a Tonnika Sister?? (RS, 5/11/07) (http://www.rebelscum.com/story/front/Hasbros_30th_STAR_WARS_QA_The_Answers_105755.asp)

Qui-Gon Jinn and a Bothan will most likely be in the 2008 line, as previously alluded to. However, we have kept 2008 details to a minimum so we have SOME news to talk about as we actually approach that year. ; ) Oola, which was planned for a basic figure repack (not an all-new figure), was replaced in our EpVI wave but has not been forgotten....but she likely won't appear in 2008. We cannot comment on the Tonnika sisters, period.

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A number of questions about the possibility of seeing specific figures & vehicles realized as toys have met with answers about their chances largely hinging on whether or not they appear in the upcoming Star Wars tv shows. Hypothetically, if Lucas changed his mind tomorrow and decided the Clone Wars and live action Star Wars shows were just not going to happen at all, what would happen with those potential toy concepts, and how would Hasbro's general outlook on the future of the Star Wars line change? (SSG, 5/11/07) (http://www.sirstevesguide.com/index.php?categoryid=13&p2_articleid=716)

If there weren't new entertainment on the horizon, we would continue to keep the "Saga" line fresh for fans regardless. We would look at the concepts and decide which of those would be most exciting and relevant, and could stand without the entertainment backdrop, and proceed from there.

She's been one of the most consistently-requested figures since the modern line began, she has far more screentime than Dengar and Bossk and IG-88, a prototype of her was even made for the original Kenner line. She was second runner-up in the ToyFare Fan Choice poll by only a small margin, she had more votes than any other movie character in the poll, and the 2 above her in the poll have already been confirmed to be made (as have Darth Malak, Hermi Odle, ROTJ Luke, Mara Jade, Kir Kanos, Clone Commander, Padme Ilum, and Commander Neyo who all got significantly less votes than Yarna, half of those 4 poll-losers there have even already been released). You obviously recognize some level of demand, based on your April Fools-style joke at 2006 San Diego Comic Con. So why is it that you will joke about collectors wanting a Yarna d'al Gargan figure, but have been unwilling in the past to produce this figure and will not confirm that you are committed to releasing this figure in the foreseeable future? (SSG, 5/11/07) (http://www.sirstevesguide.com/index.php?categoryid=13&p2_articleid=716)

The "April Fool's" spoof was really meant to have fun with the types of more obtuse and macabre characters that some fans have expressed a desire in seeing someday, but a character like Yarna does stand a good chance of becoming a figure at some point. When that is, we can't say for sure, but the odds are very good.

Anakin, Padme, R2-D2, C-3PO, and now the moisture vaporator.... We have everything we need to make killer AOTC Lars homestead displays with one glaring exception: the Lars family itself - Cliegg, young Owen, and young Beru. Is this something that you plan to correct soon? If not or you can't talk about it yet, why the continued vagueness about these 3 characters for so long? (SSG, 5/11/07) (http://www.sirstevesguide.com/index.php?categoryid=13&p2_articleid=716)

It's because they are not off our list, it's just that we have selected what we feel are more interesting characters to round out our EpIII waves so far. Some time down the road we'll get to these figures, but it will take time.

Will you ever be rereleasing the Geonosian Starfighter, perhaps as a repaint? The ship had only a small release in a non-movie line and could use a rerelease. If so, is there anything you can do to strengthen the droopy dual-nose issue? This is a great mold with a very nifty exclusive pilot figure, but that droopy nose thing detracts from this cool set. (SSG, 5/11/07) (http://www.sirstevesguide.com/index.php?categoryid=13&p2_articleid=716)

We'll look at it, but it's not high on our list (it's sort of like the Cloud Car, cool but maybe not as aggressive as vehicles). Part of that has also been because of the child safety constraints we must abide by for the nose of the vehicle, which makes it a little less "hard" than we'd like.

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Will there be any way to purchase the 30th Anniversary coins separately from the figures? Maybe some sort of mail-in offer? (SWC, 5/11/07) (http://www.swcollector.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=1010)

We do not have plans for any mail-in offers. The only way to complete the coin collection will be by getting the individual figures.

Now that Hasbro has gained the Marvel license and build-a-figures are all the rage, could we see something like that apply to a playset or larger vehicle for Star Wars? With fifteen or so vehicles in 2007, either confirmed or rumored, would it be profitable enough to include pieces with each vehicle to build, say an AT-TE, Jabba's Palace, or Star Destroyer? (SWC, 5/11/07) (http://www.swcollector.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=1010)

The build-a concept is not unique or proprietary to Marvel. If we felt it was a sound model, we would look at it where it made sense for Star Wars but have yet to really find something that works in the Star Wars context. Specifically to your question, if we felt that we had an opportunity to tool up and deliver these vehicles (or playsets) we would pursue outright doing these and not as build-a-figures. By doing them as build-a-figures does not help with the issue of huge design and development and tooling expenses associated with these vehicles. In fact, it makes it worse by raising the average costs considerably!

Could we see a picture of the McQuarrie Signature Series Concept Darth Vader with the second optional helmet on the figure? I believe the one based on the painting used for the December 1976 paperback is the one being used in current promotional images. (SWC, 5/11/07) (http://www.swcollector.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=1010)

We will be holding this figure to showcase at CIV. Sorry - we have to keep some reveals for the show.  ;)

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With the most recent release of the TAC #15 Concept Boba Fett, and previously the ROTS #35 Palpatine figure, Hasbro has shown the ability of producing figures with swappable heads. It seems that the next possible step would be to offer the same type of ability to nondescript soldier type characters by offering alternate heads packed with one common body.

Take for example the current #13 Death Star Trooper: He includes a head to use with the removable helmet, but what about also including a head with the Officer's Cap molded on? This scenario would work on the Rebel Honor Guard as well.

This could provide a way for collector's to bolster the variety of their Imperial and Rebel Alliance ranks without the need for producing running variants, thus saving in packaging costs and it has the potential of freeing up a slot in later case revisions for other characters that would be slated to be packed one per case.

Am I on to something here or have I been hitting the "Jawa Juice" too hard?
(YF, 5/11/07) (http://cgi.denpetersen.com/YAK1/viewtopic.php?t=1663)

Ease off the bottle. ; ) What you outline is essentially a new figure. Fans would need a new body to display the new head with, so we're really back to square one. But perhaps the biggest issue is that doing different head sculpts is really introducing new characters in one basic figure card. We (and Lucasfilm) prefer that we concentrate on one character per pack rather the dilute and confuse the story too much, as appealing as it may be to some fans.

Will the Bespin Torture Rack included with the upcoming Han Solo figure include any electronics? It really should have some orange or blue LED's to give it that creepy glow. Do you have any pictures to share of it yet? (YF, 5/11/07) (http://cgi.denpetersen.com/YAK1/viewtopic.php?t=1663)

We looked at it and just couldn't cost it out. In fact, we feel we're very lucky (and in trouble with our financial team because of it) even delivering the substantial heft of the piece in a basic figure pack as is. There are some super pieces this year between the torture rack, gong, kybuck, moisture vaporator, and bar pieces we have decided to do this year that have been real neat accessory pieces, but enjoy them when they are available because with the constant price increase pressures we're under, it's uncertain whether we'll be able to pack-in many pieces like this in the future.

I love Battle Packs and I love Comic Packs so how about a Comic Packs Battle Pack to cover some of the more epic moments from Star Wars comic history? Legacy, Republic, Empire, Tales of the Jedi, there's an unlimited number of themes to draw from. I understand EU doesn't possess the mass-market appeal you're looking for when releasing a new product so you could even make it a new online exclusive similar to the Republic Commandos or Death Star Briefing sets (YF, 5/11/07) (http://cgi.denpetersen.com/YAK1/viewtopic.php?t=1663)

We're glad you like these platforms, and we obviously share your passion for what these venues can come to showcase. We are going full steam with new ideas to keep both of these going separately, but we aren't looking at combining the two any time soon, or at least until we feel we have a great story to tell without having to put a lot of new tools against a battle pack.

Week 30.5 - May 18-25, 2007

The McQuarrie Concept figures are a big hit, and actually finding one on the shelf is a treat. Using them as exclusives for the 30th Anniversary was also a great idea, especially the iconic ones. Any chances that trend will continue with future exclusives for SDCC or maybe hasbrotoyshop? Can you give us some hints on the SDCC exclusive? (JTA, 5/18/07) (http://www.jeditemplearchives.com/content/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=3131)

Unfortunately we can't give you any hints right now; we will be revealing the Comic-Con exclusive at  CIV.  As for future McQuarrie, or other concept art figures, the concept has really been a big hit and there is a possibility that we will do some more in the future.

We've seen alot of multi-pack style offerings in the TAC line, from the standard battle packs to the Order 66 sets. One thing lacking this year and last has been the Deluxe figures. Will we see any Deluxe sets in the TAC line? (JTA, 5/18/07) (http://www.jeditemplearchives.com/content/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=3131)

Not directly.  While Deluxe certainly offers some unique opportunities to deliver accessories that we might not otherwise get, the deluxe is sort of sandwiched between two key price points and has been sort of a catch-all for ideas (including larger accessories, figure multi-packs, small vehicles, larger droids, and the like).  This year, and next, we prefer to keep the focus on basic figures and battle packs and delivering accessories in those (such as the moisture vaporator) that expand the set-building opportunity (or small vehicles, in the case things like Speeder bikes) and keep the spirit of Deluxe going.

Are the Saga Legends straight repacks from their originals, or are they going to have upgraded paint schemes or retooling? (JTA, 5/18/07) (http://www.jeditemplearchives.com/content/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=3131)

There is no re-tooling, but there will be a few paint changes delivering previous or slightly updated paint schemes on better figures than their original counterparts.  This includes the 501st Trooper, who will be offered in the mud-free deco on the original figure, followed by a running change to the super-articulated clone (EpIII-41).  There are a few more examples of figures that will be "new" in terms of their figure/paint combo as well, but the idea is that all of these are greatest hits in spirit from figures that came before.

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So far we have seen a lot of the old Kenner vehicles refreshed and updated over the years. There is one vehicle that I want to know if you still have the molds for, the Rebel Transport. It's a good solid toy that features play value as a vehicle, as a playset and as an action figure carrying case. This is one vehicle that could stand to have a new face lift with some fresh paint based on the movie model. I would go as far as suggest including some of the accessories you have made (like power generators, Hoth Tactical Screens, Conduit Spool, Large & Small Storage Crate, Cargo Compartment, Scanning Box, ect). Kids can then set up a rebel base and then simulate the evacuation from the imperials. Thank you for your time. (YF, 5/25/07) (http://cgi.denpetersen.com/YAK1/viewtopic.php?t=1706)

We don't have all of the original Kenner tools unfortunately, and this is one of the ones we don't have. Since it isn't that iconic a vehicle, it's doubtful we'll go back and retool it. But if we ever did, we would certainly want to take the approach you suggest and make it more of a full environment. Thanks for the suggestion.

It seems as if all your toy properties have crossed over with Star Wars at some point or another, and now that you have aquired Marvel Legends, what do you think about doing...Star Wars Legends?  I'm talking hyper articulated 5" scale figures with accessories and perhaps even a piece of some type of build-a-figure or environment to display them in when you collect them all.  Cool idea or a pandora's box you just don't want to open? (YF, 5/25/07) (http://cgi.denpetersen.com/YAK1/viewtopic.php?t=1706)

We have looked at this, and while there are merits to doing some figures in this scale, the degree of useful articulation we offer in our 3-3/4" system is the same so there isn't much differentiation other than size and what would be a much higher price. Instead, we prefer to devote our development resources to keeping the 3-3/4" system humming with lots of freshness.

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General Grievous Starfighter...will it happen? If so, when do you think? (YF, 5/25/07) (http://cgi.denpetersen.com/YAK1/viewtopic.php?t=1706)

If General Grievous is in the new Clone Ware animation, that will be one of the first vehicles we'll do, but we have to find out more before we commit.

(YF Editor's Note: Grievous Fighter has been confirmed for Dec. '07.)
Title: Re: The Hasbro Q & A Compendium
Post by: Matt on June 11, 2007, 11:04 AM
Week 31 - June 8, 2007

Why has it seemed that so many of the items high on fans' wish lists ("Snowbunny" Ilum Padme, the Senate Pod, and now Galactic Heroes Qui-Gon and Jar Jar) only see release in large, pricey multipack sets that contain many items that we either already have (such as the rest of the Galactic Heroes/Playskool Naboo set) or that are inferior quality (e.g., the incorrect C-3PO from the Illum battlepack)? Given that the cost of developing molds would be the same whether they are released in this manner or on normal cards, why not release them as regular basic figures instead and most likely sell more of them at the original retail price (as opposed to clearance prices of as much as 75% off the original price, which so many of these sets wind up selling for) - and keep longtime collectors happy as well? (AF, 6/08/07) (http://www.actionfigs.com/index.php?categoryid=12&p2_articleid=1384)

The answer, for all of these, was to make a Battle Pack or Scene Pack a substantially new product for collectors. The Ilum set introduced not just Padme, but two new droids as well - what we feel was a solid base of newsness around which to create a Battle Pack. We also are at a loss to figure out how to do a Senate Pod any other way than in a Battle Pack because of its size - we think that was a pretty solid set too. Putting Qui-Gonn and Jar Jar into the multipack was a way to get substantial newness into a Galactic Hero Cinema Scene - in answer to the four from last fall which were primarily new in deco only. Also, we did not have these guys on our Galactic Heroes 2-pack list and may not have done them for years - it was a way to get them into the line sooner rather than later. Bottom line, if we did as you suggested, many of the very elements you like would never get a chance to be produced, at least not any time soon.

Are more properties aside from Star Wars, Battlestar Galactica, Marvel, and Transformers planned for the Titanium Series brand? What about maybe some nifty Star Trek and Stargate Titaniums to go up against our Star Wars ones? (AF, 6/08/07) (http://www.actionfigs.com/index.php?categoryid=12&p2_articleid=1384)

There are no other properties currently planned for the Titanium Series.

In 2002, heavy pegwarming led several figures to be recalled, sent back to Hasbro. Will this happen again anytime soon, perhaps to remedy the problems of Moff Jerjerrod, Lushros Dofine, and the abundant TSC-era Greatest Hits leftovers which are still pegwarming hard nearly a year after their releases? (AF, 6/08/07) (http://www.actionfigs.com/index.php?categoryid=12&p2_articleid=1384)

While you may see some figures more abundant locally, that is not the case everywhere, with no pegwarming problems with any individual figures on a national level. The Greatest Hits, in particular, have long been depleted on a national level. If you have a particular store with an unusually heavy concentration of a particular figure, please send along the store # (any manager should be able to tell you this), the figure in question, and a picture if allowed and we will pass this info along to our retail marketing group to try and address.

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The team at Hasbro knows that their FX-7 was a triumph of the action figure art, and we all love droids. (We know you do. There's no shame in it!) Are we likely to see an FX-6 Droid and a Revenge of the Sith style 2-1B any time soon to complement our cool Chopper Droid and Rebuild Darth Vader figures? (GH, 6/08/07) (http://www.galactichunter.com/absolutenm/templates/full_article_template_1.asp?articleid=6531&zoneid=2)

Droids do rock the world, don't they?  What would the citizens of the Galaxy do without them?  There would certainly be more lost limbs, a lot more missing starships, and a lot less protocol.  We see their place alongside the humans and aliens of the Star Wars universe, and won't forget them come time to create the balanced figure line-up.  The onces you cite are definitely on the "short list" of figures that will probably be done before too long, with a strong chance of one of them coming out next year.

If Hasbro were planning on doing the Sultry Fireside Padmé Amidala from Attack of the Clones (and this is hypothetical, of course, since we never believe rumors lists) would she be entirely plastic, or a mix with soft goods? (GH, 6/08/07) (http://www.galactichunter.com/absolutenm/templates/full_article_template_1.asp?articleid=6531&zoneid=2)

Hypothetically, if we did such a figure, which we may or may not, we might try an all-plastic approach because of the need to really get the look of the garments juuuuust right.  Hypothetically, of course.

The Disney exclusive Star Wars Weekends Cantina Band figures, do their stands connect together, and are we likely to see that particular "set piece" (either with or without the electronics) packed in with other sets so that collectors who can't make it to Walt Disney World can add it to their scenes? (GH, 6/08/07) (http://www.galactichunter.com/absolutenm/templates/full_article_template_1.asp?articleid=6531&zoneid=2)

The bases do link together, although they are all the same and do not form any kind of completed larger base.  We don't have any plans to use it, either with or without sound, in a future offering.  Disney does allow over-the-phone ordering of their Park merchandise.  If you are interested in getting all five instrument versions, we recommend that you order a full, unopened case (each case contains 2 sets of instruments variations)and split the case with a friend.  If you try and get just the five, there's no certainty you will get them plucked from the case just the way you want them.

[GH Editor's Note: The telephone number for Disney DelivEARS is (407)363-6200.]

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Looking over photos from Celebration IV, it seems like "Smuggler" Lando Calrissian is made up of some old figure parts. It appears that he is using the head, arms, and legs of Vintage OTC Bespin Lando Calrissian. Is this the case? Is it simply a new torso? Either way, the figure looks great! (JD, 6/08/07) (http://www.jedidefender.com/newspro/fullnews.cgi?newsid1181351038,10282,)

Lando has a new head, upper torso, and belt. The rest is a re-use of Han tooling. Glad you like the result!

Are you focusing more on "reusable" sculpts now that you have managed to nail a number of characters in near-perfect figure form? What we mean is, your RotS Obi-Wan Pilot figure was re-used a few times, namely the Obi-Wan from the Comic Pack and the 30AC Wave 1 figure with the wet hair and accessories. Is potential future re-use or kitbashing something that you are factoring in when you sculpt main characters now? (JD, 6/08/07) (http://www.jedidefender.com/newspro/fullnews.cgi?newsid1181351038,10282,)

This is certainly something that we can take advantage of, and doing so helps ensure that there are more new figures as well. The comic pack line in particular benefits from the library of "better" figure tools we have built over the past few years (and some coming ones that have not been announced). Otherwise, we might not be able to do as many new and interesting things, or we might not be able to do as many new figures if we weren't able to effectively leverage our library to offset tooling costs.

30AC Han Solo in Wave 2 (with the headset and gloves) is a surprisingly cool figure. Will we ever get an equal quality Luke Skywalker with the headset to accompany him? It would make a great counterpart. What about Chewbacca with the headset since he does sport one briefly as well? (JD, 6/08/07) (http://www.jedidefender.com/newspro/fullnews.cgi?newsid1181351038,10282,)

Thanks for the comment! We're glad you like Han. These are great ideas for future figures. We have no plans for them in the near term, but will look at them for further down the road. Thanks!

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Can you confirm the rumored Sgt. Doallyn for the 2008 line, and will he be in his correct white uniform? (RS, 6/08/07) (http://www.rebelscum.com/story/front/Hasbros_31st_AND_32nd_STAR_WARS_QA_The_Answers_106730.asp)

We aren't going to be confirming rumors about specific figures in 2008, although we have thrown out hints from time to time generally about some figures that we are thinking about, and Doallyn might have been one of those. We do know fans have been asking about him, and if he doesn't make the cut next year we'll probably get to him soon after.

Are the chances looking good for a V-19 Torrent starfighter to be made since it appears in the new animated Clone Wars trailer? (RS, 6/08/07) (http://www.rebelscum.com/story/front/Hasbros_31st_AND_32nd_STAR_WARS_QA_The_Answers_106730.asp)

Wow - that is a challenge. We have looked at the ship, and while it's cool, it's big. If we can figure out a way to do it, we'll certainly consider it, but right now we can't make any promises.

For Wizards of the Coast: What figures will be included in the Hoth Battle Pack? (RS, 6/08/07) (http://www.rebelscum.com/story/front/Hasbros_31st_AND_32nd_STAR_WARS_QA_The_Answers_106730.asp)

The WotC team is not ready to announce the full figure line-up, confirming though that the set will contain two exclusive figures - Blizzard Scout 1 AT-ST and General Veers hologram.

Since The Force Unleashed figures are delayed until next year, does that mean they will not be in TAC packaging? If they aren't, will the coins that were planned to go with them still be included, available to buy separately or did production never get that far? (RS, 6/08/07) (http://www.rebelscum.com/story/front/Hasbros_31st_AND_32nd_STAR_WARS_QA_The_Answers_106730.asp)

We were saving the announcement, but now is a good time to release the info. The TAC line look will "carry over" at retail through Spring to make the look an 18 month segment. We will not make a substantial package change until the Fall when Clone Wars debuts. We are evaluating what the Spring waves will come with (if anything), but the only certainty is that they will not come with coins.

In previous Q&As, Hasbro has mentioned the possibility of a Cantina alcove type playset, and the drink dispenser for the bar. Has there been any further developments in either of these? (RS, 6/08/07) (http://www.rebelscum.com/story/front/Hasbros_31st_AND_32nd_STAR_WARS_QA_The_Answers_106730.asp)

Unfortunately, we may not be able to do this due to the cost of the larger pack-ins. This year with the TAC it's been a celebration of sorts all year long with some extra special pieces, but the perpetually rising cost of materials and tooling presents an extreme challenge to anniversary things like this in basic figures. We can't make any promises, but if we can afford some of these, will will look at them.

I picked up a couple of the Action Figure Base Packs at CIV & noticed there are tons of characters missing from the label sheet. Is Hasbro going to make different versions of the stand packs or I guess just label sheets with different names? The Episode I, POTJ, OTC, Saga I and non-animated Clone Wars figures could really benefit from it. They really need to include more EU stands seeing that a lot of the new waves consist of "EU" characters. 2 stands aren't cutting it. It's annoying that Zuckuss and Dengar are the only 2 bounty hunters missing stands. (RS, 6/08/07) (http://www.rebelscum.com/story/front/Hasbros_31st_AND_32nd_STAR_WARS_QA_The_Answers_106730.asp)

It was our intent to cover every figures from 2004 up that did not originally come with a stand (as all of the TSC figures did last year), but there are some we obviously missed. Right now we do not have plans to issue another label sheet, but could possibly update and change-up the label sheet for 2008.

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Some collectors are growing a little tired of seeing Darth Vader over and over lately, often it's just a reuse of a previously-existing figure. Might you ease up on the Vader releases, especially in Battle Packs and pack-ins? As well, might you consider giving Anakin ROTS #02 a rest since the figure has been reissued half a dozen times in just 2 years? (SSG, 6/08/07) (http://www.sirstevesguide.com/index.php?categoryid=13&p2_articleid=716)

Like we've said before, Vader is a very important kid-cool anchor of the line, and juding by demand, he is still the most popular of all Star Wars figures. So we plan to keep him in the line, but to do it in a way that either completists who already have him can skip him (packaging completists though are kind of stuck here with a hard choice to make) or as part of a Battle Pack where the overall value and differentiation is still the triggering factor. We also like to look and see how we can make him different and updated from time to time, so we do see a new Vader being introduced every once in a while. We're trying to balance it all out so we keep Vader going in all relevant sublines, but don't "force" anyone to have to be compelled to pick him up when he's repacked on a basic figure card.

This year has more convention-exclusive figures than any other: CIV McQuarrie Droid 2pack, CIV McQuarrie Luke, SDCC Shadow Scout on Bike, SDCC McQuarrie Obi-Wan & Yoda 2pack, and the 5 variations on the Disney SW Weekend exclusive Cantina Band Member. What's the thinking behind all these convention exclusives? And why only offer any scant leftovers online, why not just make enough for a larger online presence and make them available to everybody a little later. A lot of collectors cannot make it to these conventions and don't want to shell out scalper prices just to get a complete McQuarrie concept line, can't more accommodations be made? (SSG, 6/08/07) (http://www.sirstevesguide.com/index.php?categoryid=13&p2_articleid=716)

We felt that to celebrate the 30th Anniversary, we really wanted to come up with unique figures to anchor the key events. If there wasn't a CIV, those figures wouldn't have been produced, or they would have gone elsewhere and replaced others. So this year really is a celebration with more exclusive figures than usual.... next year will be back to normal. As far as online, the availability was based on what we percieved to be the demand, but the reaction to Luke has been great. We will make available some extra CIV allotment for hasbrotoyshop.com and these will go back up the week of June 18th. Beyond that, if demand still remains high, we will look at making another release. Also, regarding the McQuarrie R2-D2 & C-3PO, by now you should have seen more sites (such as StarWarsOnlineShop.com) carrying this set as well so the fans back at home can have broader access to the figures.

In the rumored upcoming TRU exclusive Geonosis beasts pack which supposedly includes the Acklay, Reek and Nexu, would the Nexu and Reek retain their electronic sounds or would those features be absent? Also, would the Acklay's weak legs problem be fixed so that it can stand on its own, along with the irregular jointing of the hips where some move vertically and others move horizontally (adding ratcheting swivels to the legs just below the universal-joints would probably solve this)? And would there figures included in this set as well as creatures, and if so which ones? (SSG, 6/08/07) (http://www.sirstevesguide.com/index.php?categoryid=13&p2_articleid=716)

We have not many any announcement about additional exclusives, but will show the rest of the line-up at Comic Con.

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Do you ever plan to release Boba Fett with a removeable helmet, I mean now that we know he is basically a Jango clone seems like a no brainer? Do you think the VOTC Fett would be the best mold to use? Will this be part of the new EE pack? (ST, 6/08/07)* (http://www.sandtroopers.com/smf/index.php?topic=5183.msg123179#msg123179)

This is defintely a possibility for a future pack, but we don't have anything ironed out.  The VOTC Fett would be a good choice to start with in any case.

With the new Shadow Royal Guard coming out, will we get a new Royal Guard with the soft robes and a pike? Also will we ever see Xandel Carivus's Elite Guard? (ST, 6/08/07)* (http://www.sandtroopers.com/smf/index.php?topic=5183.msg123179#msg123179)

The figure will be a redeco of the existing Royal Guard (but with a pike of course).  We don't have plans for a new royal guard any time soon. The chances of ever seeing Carivus's guards are not great - they look cool but don't play a big role in the Crimson Empire storyline.

Are you planning after you release your JSF with the hyperspace ring, to sell the hyperspace ring alone so we can outfit some of your former JSF that didnt come with rings? Perhaps do a set with the different paint jobs to match the ships that were released without this? (ST, 6/08/07)* (http://www.sandtroopers.com/smf/index.php?topic=5183.msg123179#msg123179)

There are no plans right now to just sell the hyperspace ring by itself. It's possible the we will do future versions of the ring to match other prominent ships, but we haven't made any more decisions beyond this version right now.

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With a pre-cyborg General Grievous from "Star Wars: Visionaries" coming, is there any chance we could eventually see a half-cyborg Darth Maul from the same anthology comic book? (SWC, 6/08/07) (http://www.swcollector.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=1042)

It is certainly possible that this figure could come out, but is not slotted into the line right now. We want to gauge the reaction of these first few Visionaries/Infinities figures first, and then look to see where we could go down the road.

With several McQuarrie concept art figures from THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK coming, could we eventually see some McQuarrie concepts from RETURN OF THE JEDI, such as concept Emperor or concept Jabba the Hutt? (SWC, 6/08/07) (http://www.swcollector.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=1042)

What we have shown is it for concept figures for the year, but judging by great fan response, it is an idea we are considering revisiting in future years. There certainly is a lot of great material to work with.

With the 25th anniversary of RETURN OF THE JEDI coming in 2008, are there any special figures or vehicles being planned to commemorate the event? (SWC, 6/08/07) (http://www.swcollector.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=1042)

Nothing special per se is planned, but we will be having a tasty wave of Jedi planned for later in the year, along with a few of other surprises here and there.

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You revealed the new Force spirit of Anakin Skywalker at Celebration IV.  Will there be an alternate head included with Sebastian Shaw's likeness? (TJ, 6/08/07) (http://www.thejawa.com/index.php?topic=6460.0)

While an interesting idea, the figure will not have an extra head.

Now that we're getting Pre-Cyborg Grievous (THANK-YOU HASBRO!), what are the chances of getting the female Kaleesh Ronderu lij Kummar to go along with him? (TJ, 6/08/07) (http://www.thejawa.com/index.php?topic=6460.0)

We're glad you like him - he is really is one special figure.  While we only have plans for this one right now, we can look at the female Kaleesh as a possible future follow-up. They are very intriguing species that is deserves to see more exploration (in story and in toy form, hopefully) over time.

When developing new sculpts in the basic figure line, does the possibility of future repaints and or battlepack releases factor into whether a figure is greenlit? (TJ, 6/08/07) (http://www.thejawa.com/index.php?topic=6460.0)

Sometimes we do take this into account, for instance when we develop Jedi bodies that can be used for future figures who may not command a total resculpt, or especially for figures like Juno Eclipse, whose body ushered in a new opportunity for female Empire officers, starting with the upcoming comic pack featuring Luke and Deena Shan in imperial disguise.  In this case, the re-use of the figure will actually beat the original to market, as did the Mace Windu Squadron Airborne Trooper and the Order 66 Galactic Marine.  Funny how that works sometimes...

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Does it save you a significant amount of money to produce a new mold that has swivel articulation than to use a mold that already exists with ball articulation? You recently released an updated Han Solo that has swivel arms, but it surprises me you would do that since the mold for the arms already existed! I was under the impression that molds were expensive to produce and there's bubble variations all of the time. Please clear up any misconceptions I may have. Thank you. (YF, 6/08/07) (http://cgi.denpetersen.com/YAK1/viewtopic.php?p=24532#24532)

I don't have a solid answer for you - it really depends on the costing of a particular wave and the freedom the design team has to improve the aesthetics of certain figures as long as the larger financial targets are being met. It also may be better to get our costs down by investing in a new tool for the long run, so a better per unit price in the long run helps us control costs, even though it may require an investment.

In regards to the heat sealed VTSC figures, would it be possible in the future to offer just the clamshells for sale through HTS.com?  As you are aware, this wave and the revision of last year's VTSC wave are/were heat sealed, thus the collector must damage the clamshell in order to get at the UGH redemption stickers, rendering it virtually useless in a MOMC / display aspect.

Plus, it would be nice to have something that 1977-1985 carded collectors can use to protect their Kenner carded figures.
(YF, 6/08/07) (http://cgi.denpetersen.com/YAK1/viewtopic.php?p=24532#24532)

This is an interesting idea, and one that we are looking for down the road. It won't be this year though.

It's becoming a growing concern that the upcoming Clone Trooper "Officers" will not have the full stripe extending from the visor to the fin of the front of the helmet. The Clone Trooper sergeant from 2006 had this same problem. If you are already aware of this and the clones do have the complete stripe, may you confirm this? If not, is it possible to have this change instated before they are shipped? Thank you. (YF, 6/08/07) (http://cgi.denpetersen.com/YAK1/viewtopic.php?p=24532#24532)

We don't know if this will be addressed in time to affect the first production, but we will strive for a running change.
Title: Re: The Hasbro Q & A Compendium
Post by: Matt on June 19, 2007, 07:20 PM
Week 32 - June 19-22, 2007

In several Q&As, you've been quoted as saying that the environment pieces included with many figures in this year's basic figure line have been stretching your budgets and probably won't be carried forward in 2008. Since the only deluxe-pricepoint line your SW brand enjoys right now is the Vintage-style and Comic 2-Packs, how about doing a new deluxe line that focuses on more environment pieces and similar large, movie-derived accessories? (AF, 6/18/07) (http://www.actionfigs.com/index.php?categoryid=12&p2_articleid=1384)

The answer is simply that these just wouldn’t be solid performers for us, based on the previous performance of the 2004 Saga Deluxe line or Cantina figures which struggled to meet our numbers and did not enjoy robust sell-through compared to figures and other concepts. We prefer to add them in as we can afford them in basic figures or occasionally, Battle Packs.

Since you're reissuing older figures anyway in the "Saga Legends" greatest hits line, how about revisiting the robot who saved the man who saved the galaxy, 2-1B? 2-1B has dialogue and has become a fan-favorite over the years, yet hasn't been available for a decade even though there's a creepy lookalike in the birth of Vader's armor" scene in Episode III, so this seems like a good fit for the Saga Legends line. Or better yet, how about an all-new, better-articulated 2-1B? (AF, 6/18/07) (http://www.actionfigs.com/index.php?categoryid=12&p2_articleid=1384)

2-1B is a solid choice for reissue, but he didn't come to the top when we did the fans' choice voting back in the Fall so we didn't slot him in. He would be a great one for fans to rally around if we did another round of votes sometime.

From your display at Celebration IV, we noticed that the Dutch Vander Gold Leader rebel pilot sculpt is being used twice MORE for 2 new rebel pilots, Lt. Lepira from the Gold Squadron Y-wing, and from the Rogue Squadron #24 Comic 2pack Hobbie figure. While the Dutch Vander sculpt is pretty nice, many collectors believe it should not be used as the standard rebel pilot body due to its height and oddly-posed arms, not to mention a specific uniform that differs in some ways from other orange-clad rebel pilots. With these 2 new entries, that's 5 rebel pilots - Vader, Wedge, Biggs, Lt. Lepira, and Hobbie - all with the same height (Wedge being especially too tall) and with identical bodies and unusual poses. Might Hasbro start using a different pilot body that isn't as tall or preposed or so identical in costume layout? (AF, 6/18/07) (http://www.actionfigs.com/index.php?categoryid=12&p2_articleid=1384)

The best X-Wing Pilot bodies we have are the Dutch body and vintage Luke. Luke is too short to use on too many pilots so we have stayed away from this sculpt as the basis for any other redecos (most all of the pilots in the Star Wars universe are 6 feet or taller). We see your point about needing another differentiated body at some point for the growing X-Wing Pilot corps, but until we schedule in an all-new sculpt we'll probably continue to use the Dutch body.

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Can we expect to see more Expanded Universe 2 packs based on Marvel Star Wars characters like Jaxxon, Valance the Hunter or Shira Brie/Lady Lumiya? (AFI, 6/19/07) (http://www.actionfigureinsider.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=7806)

There will be more Marvel packs down the road, for sure, but we have not pulled the trigger yet on the three you mention. Of the three, we favor Lumiya and Valence (in that order) over Jaxxon. Try as we might, we just can't cotton to the cottontail. He just doesn't "fit" the Star Wars character universe like the others do (and it doesn't hurt that Lumiya has become a powerful force in recent novels we well). Don't look them anything until the very end of next year, if not later.

Hasbro made some great advances in "hidden" action features with the ROTS line. Using those skills, would it be possible to finally get a real to-scale rocket-firing Boba Fett? (AFI, 6/19/07) (http://www.actionfigureinsider.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=7806)

We still have issues with the size of the firing projectile, which is the main one to hit the aesthetics we think you are really asking about.  The way our current safety standards are crafted, there is just no way to do it without having a non-small projectile.

With expanded universe becoming a big part of the Star Wars line, would we ever see re-issues/updates of Kenner's EU vehicles like the Imperial Troop Transporter or Mini-Rigs? (AFI, 6/19/07) (http://www.actionfigureinsider.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=7806)

It's doubtful that we'll ever get there, especially as some fo the items (like several of the Mini Rigs) were, well, not realy "heroic" vehicles. Some of them were cool, and it's possible we could do them, but just not likely given the other cool stuff on the horizon.

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You have stated that Lucasfilm did not approve the alternate hooded head for your new Hoth Han Solo in the retro vintage line and there was not enough time to resculpt it to release with the figure this year. However, does that mean that you're giving up on the idea, or are you still intending to resculpt it and try for another approval so that this figure can be eventually re-released with the alternate hooded head, perhaps next year on a basic card or in a Battle Pack? A lot of us loved seeing that alternate head briefly on display at Toy Fair and would really like to have Hoth Han Solo with his hood up in addition to the great version you've already released. Please don't give up on this idea just because LFL nixed the first attempt. Such a simple change could make this the complete definitive figure. (GH, 6/19/07) (http://www.galactichunter.com/absolutenm/templates/full_article_template_1.asp?articleid=6552&zoneid=2)

Thanks shabbyblue - your passion inspires us to look for a way to use an alt-sculpt version sometime down the road.  We'll look into it. Thanks!

Is it possible that a 3 3/4" size Imperial Cannon station could be produced? It could include: the cannon, two gunner consoles, and a cylindrical base... maybe with some wires and tubing and a gunner or two as well. I think this would be a popular product as the battle scenes are very powerful to watch. If done properly, the cannons could have a missle (mechanism) feature to make it more appealing to kids (so they can re-enact the battle scenes)...

Along the same lines, there could be the Clone Trooper and Battle Droid cannon stations from Revenge of the Sith... not to mention any Rebel Alliance versions as well. These would all fall into the $20.00 range easily.
(GH, 6/19/07) (http://www.galactichunter.com/absolutenm/templates/full_article_template_1.asp?articleid=6552&zoneid=2)

An interesting suggestion, streams.  We'll look into it, but honestly it'll be a while before we can get to this with the exciting vehicles we have already lined up.  Playset or environment pieces tend not to do as well as vehicles on a per-item basis, but there is something about your idea that might work, and at least inspire multiple sets for display that could help boost our confidence.  Thanks for the suggestion.

Regarding the new Vintage series IG-88. I love all the detail he contains. You guys truly went the extra mile with this figure. My question concerns his weapons. First, the holster on his bandolier. Try as I might, it is just too small to contain the Imperial-style blaster he comes with. Why is this? Did something happen in the manufacturing process, or type of  plastic used, to make the blaster not fit? Or, possibly, was he also slated to include another extra, smaller blaster that would fit in the holster, but it was removed later in the process because of cost issues? Second, the axe-type accessory he comes with has a peg on one end. Is this just the way the prop was designed, or was there any thought that it would attach to something else, perhaps like a bayonet on his rifle? (GH, 6/19/07) (http://www.galactichunter.com/absolutenm/templates/full_article_template_1.asp?articleid=6552&zoneid=2)

Classic case of changes at the factory level that we couldn't catch/correct in time.  Originally the intent was for the holster to fit the E-11 but at first the Asian team filled this in; when we requested it to be opened, they retooled but at a curiously smaller scale.  Some things you can fight and get right (like the figure itself), other details have to take a back seat to make schedule.  On the axe, we're glad you like it.  The axe was inspired by the DK book, but there is no real proscribed use for it.

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Based on some of your Celebration IV comments, it seems like the future of the Vintage premium figure line is up in the air. You seem to be willing to do more (and we'd love them), but haven't nailed down the who, what, or how just yet. At this point, how likely are the following?

- Expanding the line to include Original Trilogy characters not released in the original Kenner line (Tarkin, Fleet Trooper, Han Stormtrooper, etc.)
- Expanding the line to include Prequel Trilogy characters with new "old" Kenner style cardbacks
- Leaving things at Status Quo with only updates of the original Kenner figures.

Any one of those ideas jump out as the leading candidate for the possible future of our beloved Vintage line? (p.s. - yours truly prefers option #3)
(JD, 6/19/07) (http://www.jedidefender.com/newspro/fullnews.cgi?newsid1182308646,72063,)

We like the Vintage figures, and can say for certain only that there will be more vintage at some point but don't have any details. As alluded to in the surveys we asked fans to complete at CIV, and the current survey online at RebelScum.com, we have some choices in front of us and want to get fan input on the directions the line can go before proceeding. So far, the results show that the Vintage line is both something that represents a upgrade over the vintage line, and one that can and should be expanded to other movies at some point. In short - fans love the line look and premium figure expression. We just need to figure out where it makes sense to plan for the next wave when we have an opportunity.

At Celebration IV you mentioned a possible redemption/exchange program for badly scratched coins from 30th Anniversary waves 1 and 2. Do you have any more info on the how and when of this program? (JD, 6/19/07) (http://www.jedidefender.com/newspro/fullnews.cgi?newsid1182308646,72063,)

We don't have the replacement coins in hand yet, but the order is being placed and will cover Waves 1-3 (figures 1-21). Availability should be August 1st at the latest. Consumers who want to exchange their coins 1 for 1 (for the exact same replacement coin) should follow the link on Hasbro.com to our consumer affairs site. We will exchange as many coins as they want,but please remind fans that because of the manufacturing process, none of these coins will ever be perfect.

This year we've seen new, super articulated figure upgrades of Bossk, IG-88, and 4-LOM. That leaves Dengar and Zuckuss in need of toys up to par with their bounty hunter counterparts. It's been 3 years since the latest version of Dengar came out and almost 10 years since Zuckuss was released. Is there any chance we'll get a new Dengar and Zuckuss in 2008 to go along with the other super articulated bounty hunters? (JD, 6/19/07) (http://www.jedidefender.com/newspro/fullnews.cgi?newsid1182308646,72063,)

We agree that the Bounty Hunters all need premium upgrades to vintage standards at some point soon (within the next couple of years). It's more likely to be Zuckuss before Dengar, though.

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Can you list the gold-coin figures that will be available in this year's UGH? Will there be any other UGH toys this year, besides the gold coin figures and vintages style figures? (JTA, 6/19/07) (http://www.jeditemplearchives.com/content/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=3237/#details)

Sure.  There will be four ratios, each with three of the gold foil logo/coin UGH variants.  87500000H will have Galactic Marine, R2-D2, and Mace Windu.  000J will have McQaurrie Stormtrooper, Han Solo, and Luke (ceremony).  000K will have McQuarrie Boba Fett, Darth Vader and Biggs (X-Wing).  000U will have McQuarrie Chewbacca, Animated Boba Fett, and Airborne Trooper.  It should be noted that the Animated Boba Fet will be in each of the ratios as a regular figure in addition to the 000U ratio. Basically, the UGH series will be waved in with almost the entire Wave 4 run, but then we will be chasing higher-demand figures (like the Animated Boba Fett and McQuarrie Vader) in subsequent waves throughout the year. There will be no other UGH-branded product other than Vintage this year.

Now that the vintage style figures are on the shelves, when can we expect shipments to begin for the redemption coin set? The coin sets are available at Disney Star Wars weekends, so I assume they are ready to go. (JTA, 6/19/07) (http://www.jeditemplearchives.com/content/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=3237/#details)

The coin sets are ready to go and will begin shipping out this week.

Your Vader & Optimus Prime voice-changing helmets are cool. Will the anticipated Clone Wars Animated see a Clone Trooper voice-changer helmet? One can just imagine the possibilities, repaints. Like another Target exclusive of the Night-Ops deco.  Or maybe an exclusive repaint helmet of the red shock troopers to match Target's trademark red color (Ha)!   Maybe Walmart can sell a blue 501 legion (Ha, again)!!! Seriously, there are lots of possibilities.  Given egions of clone fans, and Clone Wars Animated coming, a whole new collecting frenzy to get various versions could do us good.  I'd like my wall to be filled with such helmets.  Maybe even make an Ewok drum-set.  Future add-on's (like a visor) can make a Commander Cody, Cmdr. Bacara, etc. Their different voices can also echo across different versions / repainted helmets (all the while milking the same mold). (JTA, 6/19/07) (http://www.jeditemplearchives.com/content/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=3237/#details)

Very cool ideas if and when we ever decide to do a Clone helmet.  As for what specific role play opportunities will exist for Clone Wars, stay tuned.

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At CIV, during the "What's New at Hasbro" presentation, it was mentioned that Hasbro recognized the early defects in the TAC coins and would replace them through the consumer affairs department. Will there be a specific form or address available on Hasbro's web site for this or should people go through the standard part replacement form? Also, is this a guaranteed replacement program where a damaged Luke coin will be swapped for the same Luke coin or is it an "of equal value" type replacement? (RS, 6/19/08) (http://www.rebelscum.com/story/front/Hasbros_33rd_STAR_WARS_QA_The_Answers_106886.asp)

We don't have the replacement coins in hand yet, but the order is being placed and will cover Waves 1-3 (figures 1-21). Availability should be August 1st at the latest. Consumers who want to exchange their coins 1 for 1 (for the exact same replacement coin) should follow the link on Hasbro.com to our consumer affairs site. We will exchange as many coins as they want,but please remind fans that because of the manufacturing process, none of these coins will ever be perfect.

First, I want to say IG-88 is an outstanding figure. You've really outdone yourselves rising to the difficult task of making such a figure articulated and then throwing in some great accessories at the same time.

You've obviously overcome the hurtles of making a thin and gangly droid poseable, so that calls into question the future of the basic battle droid. We're close to having an ultimate battle droid, but each sculpt is lacking in some areas. Now that you've made IG-88 super articulated, when can we see an SA battle droid? We've got some great CIS Supers, and it'd be nice to have an equally quality figure alongside them in battle.

May I suggest the first SA battle droid be released with the AOTC maroon paint app? We don't see that paint job often enough.
(RS, 6/19/08) (http://www.rebelscum.com/story/front/Hasbros_33rd_STAR_WARS_QA_The_Answers_106886.asp)

The tradeoff on Battle Droids is that it is either that it is accurate but doesn't stand, or that it stands (with a super-articulated joint) but isn't accurate. Right now we have been leaning on the side of accuracy, and it's that thin knee joint that presents the problem when trying to get in more articulation - we have to go wider if we do that. We'll take a look and see if an opportunity presents itself to add articulation at some point, at the expense of a thicker knee. Thanks for the comment.

As a customizer, I have literally tore apart hundreds of Star Wars action figures. There is not a consistency to the internal mechanics of the action figures (like 3-3/4 GI Joes). How much of the internal mechanics has to be considered when sculpting a figure? Is the figure sculpted first and then the articulation and internal mechanics made to fit the sculpt or vice versa? (RS, 6/19/08) (http://www.rebelscum.com/story/front/Hasbros_33rd_STAR_WARS_QA_The_Answers_106886.asp)

We first determine what articulation the figure is to have, and then assign it for sculpting. Because the articulation of Star Wars figures is set to vary from figure to figure, unlike GI Joe, which has a standard articulation model, there are a wide range of internal mechanisms to achieve the designed articulation.

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While fun on paper, in realistic settings chase gimmicks such as UGH and 1-per-case McQuarrie Concept figures seem to cater not to people that aren't in this hobby for the enjoyment of it, but rather to those here looking to turn a quick profit. With the already hard-to-find McQuarrie Stormtrooper and upcoming sure-to-be-popular Animated Debut Boba Fett both coming in UGH variations, this will further promote that type of scalping. Have you looked at ways to promote chase figures while still making sure they end up in the hands of folks who will truly appreciate them, such as mail-in promos (send in 5 POPs plus S&H for a chase figure) or online sales or other methods? (SSG, 6/19/07) (http://www.sirstevesguide.com/index.php?categoryid=13&p2_articleid=716)

This is a good idea, but collectors for the most part like to shop at the brick and mortar stores and that's why we created the UGH concept - to reward those who like to hunt. In the past several years, it seems that scalpers had largely come to ignore Star Wars, but do to recent success it seems that scalping has raised its ugly head again. The UGHs unfortunately feed into this, and we are releasing more UGHs and more of each this year than we did last year to give more fans a chance to get one (or more). As answered previously, figures that are 1/case are desginated as such for tooling capacity reasons and we will be chasing many of the McQ figures and the Animated Boba Fett throughout the year (like we did with Cody and Scorch last year).

Since Hasbro ran out of time making it unable to plan and bring a full presentation for Titanium Series at Celebration IV, might we get some info on what's coming in the line, especially beyond the small handful of new pieces that were there? (SSG, 6/19/07) (http://www.sirstevesguide.com/index.php?categoryid=13&p2_articleid=716)

Beyond what we have shown, there is only one more wave. It's a pretty cool wave, with one new retool based on a McQuarrie painting - a concept Snowtrooper on Snowspeeder. Beyond that, there is a Hoth deco AT-ST, a new AAT, a revised V-Wing, and a black chrome AT-AT. That'll be it for 2007, but 2008 will be chock full of goodness Titanium 3" vehicle front, so stay tuned!

After a decade, you've given us badly-needed updates of minor but essential characters like R5-D4 and Biggs Darklighter X-wing pilot, and while they are very welcome, these new versions falter where their earlier, poorer POTF2 predecessors did not: the new versions are missing some of their movie decos. How does it happen that 1998 Biggs' helmet has the full design with the stripe and pattern elements on the back while the 2007 version is just plain white? How is it that 1996 R5-D4 has the blue slot on the front painted blue while 2006 is missing this, as well as the 3 red panels on his back that only the Kenner vintage version correctly employs? We do enjoy these new figures, but why do things like this get missed thus leaving the updated figures less than all they could be? (SSG, 6/19/07) (http://www.sirstevesguide.com/index.php?categoryid=13&p2_articleid=716)

Glad you appreciate the new sculpts. As always, we strive to get all the details right, but on a line as comprehensive as Star Wars, and with the number of sublines that are fully engaged, we (and Lucasfilm) will occasionally miss a detail. It should also be pointed out that not all the reference is consistent from scene to scene, and without knowing the real scoop on these two, it's possible that there was ambiguity in the reference. In any case, we do work hard to get the details right but we don't claim to be perfect! We just hope that collectors enjoy the end-results and continue to stick with us on the exciting path we're on.

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What do you have in store for the Titanium Series carded vechicles? There are countless vechicles that have yet to be made, and yet we're seeing duplicates that are just repainted. Please tell us that you have plans for new never before seen carded titanium series vechicles and what should we expect to see in the future. If you think you've done them all, you would be wrong. If you need conceptual design help, just ask. (ST, 6/19/07)* (http://www.sandtroopers.com/smf/index.php?topic=5183.msg125850#msg125850)

There is one more new vehicle based on a McQuarrie painting - the Snowtrooper Snowspeeder (which has a new figure). Aside from that figure.

You commented in one of your previous rounds of questions that making "certain items" is a poor choice for Hasbro since it won't produce enough sales due to a low relative strength of demand.

What I want to know is what resources does Hasbro use to determine a figures/ships "relative strength of demand?" I am curious as to if you use internal discussion data, information from outside research firms or do you have an internal polling system to determine a products popularity? Would you please enlighten the masses as to your system?
(ST, 6/19/07)* (http://www.sandtroopers.com/smf/index.php?topic=5183.msg125850#msg125850)

We have actual sales data for each of our sublines, down to the item level, and we can track relative velocity of any individual item.  We often use "like" data to inform our decision making for figures or any line we might consider. In some cases, like launching a broad McQuarrie series, we go with our gut on whether this concept would be popular among collectors after internal consultation both within Hasbro and at Lucasfilm.  When we don't have data from which to draw or we are looking at a large investment in resources or capital for a launch, we engage in market research to find an answer. This is done in any of several ways, which I won't discuss for competitive reasons.

Hasbro, why do you make the stances so wide on figures?  It really seems like you are limited the type of poses that can be achived by doing this that looks somewhat natural.  I just opened up my C4 concept luke and he looks real ackward trying to pose him, unless I would use the pose that was in the package.  So what is your criteria for the stances on a figure. (ST, 6/19/07)* (http://www.sandtroopers.com/smf/index.php?topic=5183.msg125850#msg125850)

Our design team set out to achieve a certain aesthetic, and then it's up to our sculpting manager to find a solution to achieve that aesthetic. If a figure isn't designed to specifically have ball and socket hips, for example, then a different mechanism will be chosen. As a defult, we prefer a slightly more actiony pose when we know we aren't going to be able to do full super-articulation.

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How many points of articulation will the Comic-Con exclusive McQuarrie Concept Obi-Wan and Yoda figures each have? (SWC, 6/19/07) (http://www.swcollector.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=1046)

Obi-Wan has 12 points, including ankles (no knees) and ball-and socket shoulders and elbows. Yoda has 10 points of articulation - a lot for our little green friend!

Since Dark Horse Comics' PURGE was a one-shot book, if other characters from the title were to be made as figures (such as Master Tsui Choi or Shadday Potkin), would they be part of the basic line or a second PURGE comic pack reprinting the same comic? (SWC, 6/19/07) (http://www.swcollector.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=1046)

Well, we would like to not do a reprint of the same comic so that sort of leaves other characters from this great comic pretty much without a home for now. Only time will tell if we are able to go back and look at these again and figure out way to use them in some other way. Since their existence is tied to the comic, though, don't count on these guys having much of a chance to come out.

We're only two years away from the tenth anniversary of STAR WARS: EPISODE I - THE PHANTOM MENACE. Knowing how far in advance you have to plot out figures, is it too early to start hoping for all-new, super-articulated sculpts of Qui-Gon Jinn, Darth Maul, and Obi-Wan Kenobi? (SWC, 6/19/07) (http://www.swcollector.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=1046)

It would be a shame to wait that long for quality sculpts of such core figures.

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Recently various collecting websites have posted carded and a loose shots of 3 of the gold coin Ultimate Galactic Hunt figures (#09 McQuarrie Stormtrooper, #11 Han Solo and #24 Animated Debut Boba Fett). Is it possible to reveal the other 9 figures chosen for this promotion and in which case revisions each of the twelve is shipping? It would be nice for collectors to receive a heads up about how and when these are shipping so we can prepare to compete with the eBay sellers and Hot Wheel collectors looking to cash in on these figures. Thank you. (YF, 6/19/07) (http://cgi.denpetersen.com/YAK1/viewtopic.php?p=24994#24994)

Sure. There will be four ratios, each with three of the gold foil logo/coin UGH variants. 87500000H will have Galactic Marine, R2-D2, and Mace Windu. 000J will have McQuarrie Stormtrooper, Han Solo, and Luke (Yavin Ceremony). 000K will have McQuarrie Boba Fett, Darth Vader and Biggs (X-Wing). 000U will have McQuarrie Chewbacca, Animated Boba Fett, and Airborne Trooper. It should be noted that the Animated Boba Fett will be in each of the ratios as a regular figure in addition to the 000U ratio. Basically, the UGH series will be waved in with almost the entire Wave 4 run, but then we will be chasing higher-demand figures (like the Animated Boba Fett and McQuarrie Vader) in subsequent waves throughout the year.

I recently acquired the new IG-88 figure and it is by far one of the most accurate and definitive sculpts that has been turned out by Hasbro. But a few things have me puzzled.

1. Was the holster on his/its back intended to hold the E-11 blaster that is packed with him? If so, why doesn't it fit?
2. The axe accessory is another cool addition, is it intended to held in hand/claw or can a portion of the arm be removed and the axe installed in its place?
3. There are small, round detonators attached to the belt/bandolier, are all or some of them intended to be removable?
(YF, 6/19/07) (http://cgi.denpetersen.com/YAK1/viewtopic.php?p=24994#24994)

Classic case of changes at the factory level that we couldn't catch/correct in time. Originally the intent was for the holster to fit the E-11 but at first the Asian team filled this in; when we requested it to be opened, they retooled but at a curiously smaller scale. Some things you can fight and get right (like the figure itself), other details have to take a back seat to make schedule. On the axe, we're glad you like it. The axe was inspired by the DK book, but there is no real proscribed use for it. You can put it in his hand, but the mount isn't something that you put on his arm. Yes, all of the detonators are intended to be removable.

Are the Vintage (VOTC/VTSC) clamshells, and the clamshells for exclusives like the Concept R2-D2 & C-3PO, and Concept Luke made of acid-free, archival quality plastic like the ProTech "Star Cases"? (YF, 6/19/07) (http://cgi.denpetersen.com/YAK1/viewtopic.php?p=24994#24994)

Yes, the clamshells are made from the same material as our regular figure storage cases offered through HasbroToyShop.com, which are acid free in manufacture and will hold figures safely ensconced for a long time.
Title: Re: The Hasbro Q & A Compendium
Post by: Matt on July 9, 2007, 02:45 AM
Week 33 - July 6, 2007

Two awesome sets released recently were the Death Star Conference set and the Rebel Commando set, and both had 7 figures. ROTJ offers another potential cool set like this, the Ewok roast scene with perhaps Chewie, Han and Luke (on spits), R2-D2 (tied up), Leia, Chief Chirpa, a Logray resculpt, and a mother Ewok with Wokling would be a wonderful way to get several figures that may not be as feasible if individually carded. Similarly, from AOTC, Shmi's funeral scene with Cliegg & Owen Lars, Beru Whitesun, Anakin, Padme, gray C-3PO, and R2-D2. Any chance of getting more sets like the Rebel Commando and Death Star Conference sets, as well as these new ideas? (AF, 07/06/07) (http://www.actionfigs.com/index.php?categoryid=12&p2_articleid=1384)

We're glad you like this "7 figure format" and we plan to keep this format going with some new ideas (and some new tooled figures as well). This year the Diamond exclusive Battlefront II sets and and Entertainment Earth Mandalorian packs follow the format. The scenes you mentioned are very cool, especially with the Ewoks, and we want to think about that in the context of some other things we have coming up. Thanks for the suggestion.

On the upcoming A-wing Pilot figure, he is packed with the incorrect helmet worn by Y-wing Pilots in Return of the Jedi. This error was also made on the Arvel Crynyd figure included in the '98 Rebel Pilots cinema scene, and that figure was repainted and repacked with the green A-wing a few years later. Is it possible for the new figure's helmet to be changed to the proper one (as seen, for instance, on the vintage figure), or if not, why is the error continually being made? (AF, 07/06/07) (http://www.actionfigs.com/index.php?categoryid=12&p2_articleid=1384)

We were unaware of the error, but now that you mention it we will take a look. The figure will likely change from what was shown, since we are so close to production. (AF editor's note: because of the context, that may have been a slip on Hasbro's part and they meant to say it "will not likely change". We will check with them for confirmation)

7-9-07 UPDATE: Hasbro has replied on the matter with this correction to the answer: The figure will UNLIKELY change because we are so close to production.  But if they are taking a look at it now, future production may indeed change.

Recently in Q&A you said that figures in Battle Packs can be sold cheaper in large part due to savings made on packaging multiple figures together and due to the tooling for most Battle Pack figures already existing. Many collectors, both adults and kids alike, take their figures out of the packaging to jump immediately into play and display patterns, sending the packaging into the garbage chute. In the past, we've seen troop builders and mail-away figures come in simple white cardboard boxes, which have logically cut down on your costs. While that would not work for mass-retail, what about setting aside figures for online sales that would be packaged in simple baggies and cardboard boxes, without the printing and pack-in complications of the mass-retail figures to offer them at lower prices? Please consider this for both individual figures where they could be sold individually or in a set with a few other figures from that wave, and army-builders where the tooling already exists and those costs can be exploited in greater numbers. (AF, 07/06/07) (http://www.actionfigs.com/index.php?categoryid=12&p2_articleid=1384)

Thanks for the comment. We too are looking for ways to reduce packaging not just on Star Wars, but across all of our lines, and we already employ this for pure collector-targeted products like the figure cases and battle stands. However, there are collectors of all different stripes including those who the packaging presentation is an important part of the appeal, and of course kids as well are attracted by the scenes we portray. We don't have plans to go to the pure Internet troop builder play of a few years back, but if we do go this route we agree that simpler is better.

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With the rerelease of many of the ships from the Star Wars line with new paint schemes, is there a chance we will be seeing Jabba's Skiff making a reappearance? (BB, 07/06/07) (http://www.bobasbounty.net/index.html)

It's definitely on the list of candidates for rerelease, but we haven't yet slotted it in anywhere. Possibly next year, possibly in 2009, it's a good bet that this quality vehicle will be re-released at some point.

You may have addressed this in the past, but are there any plans for a Jabba the Hutt. Let's face it, its been since the late 90's since a halfway good version of the figure was done, and he is such a core character to the story..... (BB, 07/06/07) (http://www.bobasbounty.net/index.html)

We're looking at Jabba now, but haven't figured out the best approach to take. Since Jabba is so key to the Saga, an idea could take hold and we could do something with it, but it just won't be for a while yet.

Not exactly Star Wars, but all of our readers are interested....can you give us some hints about Indiana Jones and what we'll see from that line? (BB, 07/06/07) (http://www.bobasbounty.net/index.html)

We are glad to hear about the interest in IJ - because we are pumped too! While we will be sneak-previewing some figures at Comic Con International, we have to keep the details under wraps for now. We will divulge that there are some very familiar scales as well as a few surprises in the line. Suffice to say that we have top men working on it. The same top men that have been bringing you the Star Wars line, so there should be a lot of consistency in approach..

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Is there any figure that you guys actually dread the idea of making? If so why? (Character, cost, size, etc.) (GH, 07/06/07) (http://www.galactichunter.com/absolutenm/templates/full_article_template_1.asp?articleid=6585&zoneid=2)

Not really!  We are up for any challenge, as long as we can manage the development and tooling costs and can hit our price from our vendors based on the what we feel will be the right consumer price point.  Probably the only one we dread re-releasing would be Ephant Mon, given his obviously large size and much lower cost, which brings our average way down.  But if we embark on another round of Saga Legends fan voting, we will honor our commitment to re-release him despite the costs.

Now that Hasbro has established a serious online e-tailing presence with HasbroToyShop.com has there been any discussion about using that presence to offer limited runs of, say, existing figures with enhanced packaging and deco? (We know a few collectors who would pay a premium for truly movie accurate Clone Troopers and other concepts.) Is this something Hasbro might consider down the road? [Note: We're not suggesting new sculpts, just enhanced deco, accessories and/or packaging.] (GH, 07/06/07) (http://www.galactichunter.com/absolutenm/templates/full_article_template_1.asp?articleid=6585&zoneid=2)

We have not considered this, preferring instead to consider more differentiated product rather than slight changes as this sounds like.

Have any of the newsies' speculative lists and spy reports (at Galactic Hunter, rebelscum, JediDefender, etc.) ever actually led Hasbro to consider a figure/concept? (If so, who, what...?) [While I'm on the subject -- I really want an R2-D2 figure zapping that ugly little Ewok on his backside. Can someone get on this for 2008?] (GH, 07/06/07) (http://www.galactichunter.com/absolutenm/templates/full_article_template_1.asp?articleid=6585&zoneid=2)

The Ewok idea is a great one and we'll consider it.  However, none of the speculative or rumor lists have inspired us to create figures; in fact, we don't pay too much attention to them because they are based on conjecture or older lists, both of which have come from things we've either said or have created at some point. So we don't spend time going backward. However, we continue to remain inspired by some of the other information vehicles fans have created, like lists of "figures yet to be done", some fan-made customs, specific websites that get into serious detail we might not have known otherwise (such as wookieepedia and the site created by our friends at astromech.net), discussions that have followed some of the questions in the Q&A, and of course discussions at Conventions.  That's a lot of fan-spiration!

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Everyone seems to love the new "Vintage" IG-88 figure. Any chance we'll see him used as the base for a Clone Wars IG Lancer Droid? IG-88 seems like the perfect base for a nice kitbash figure the next time you need some line filler. (JD, 07/06/07) (http://www.jedidefender.com/newspro/fullnews.cgi?newsid1183756854,41433,)

That certainly would be a cool figure to do. If the lancer droids make a return appearance in the animation (and we hope they do, because they are downright awesome!) then we will certainly look at this cool idea.

Since the Saga Legends line was first announced, we've seen and heard that some figures were juggled around. Can you give us a rundown of how many variations we can expect to see for the Battle Droids and the Pit Droids? At first it sounded like there would be 4-5 variations of each, is that still true? (JD, 07/06/07) (http://www.jedidefender.com/newspro/fullnews.cgi?newsid1183756854,41433,)

Saga Legends has not been as easy as we first thought it would be, mainly because not all tools have been located and we have had to recreate some of the deco schemes because the original masks and reference were gone. Add on top of that the logistics of waving in the different versions, and the "simple concept" (on paper at least) of releasing previous versions has been anything but! But we digress....there will be at least four pack variations of Battle Droids, including the first variation of blaster & saber damage (including OOM-9), followed by maroon, then a version of the first without OOM-9, then a darker brown version with no damage. However, we haven't seen the last two versions yet ourselves so we might still have some tweaking to do based on base color and battle damage. Stay tuned.

The Pit Droids is a little clearer since we know that we could NOT locate the tools for the bent-leg pack-in droid and rectangle cart accessory in time to include in the shipments for this year, so we are going with a double pack-in of the straighter-leg one with the hexagonal crate accessory. There will be three versions of this 2-pack: grayish, maroon, and then orange. Both figures will be the same in the pack. Now, we know that this is only half of the solution for Pit Droids, so we are still searching for the bent-leg one, and if we cannot locate it, we will recreate the droid and crate. This will not be before next Spring at this point. But we are committed to making both droids available to fans.


OK, last time we asked, you couldn't say. But, now that the cat is out of the bag thanks to the LFL press release, what can you tell us about your upcoming Indiana Jones IV toy line? Scale? Vehicles? Playsets? New and old movies? Will we see a preview at Comic Con? Will we have to wait until Toy Fair '08 for our first glance? (as you can tell, we're all pretty stoked about Indy toys ) (JD, 07/06/07) (http://www.jedidefender.com/newspro/fullnews.cgi?newsid1183756854,41433,)

We are glad to hear it, because we are stoked too! While we will be sneak-previewing some figures at Comic Con International in San Diego, we have to keep the details under wraps for now. We can divulge that there are some very familiar scales, as well as a few surprises in the line. Suffice to say that we have top men working on it. The same top men that have been bringing you the Star Wars line, so there should be a lot of consistency in approach.

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There has been a large number of Biggs (Tosche Station) figures that have a strange stain on the back and shoulders (mine included) that appears to be from the cape. Is this a widespread problem? Is this warranted enough to have the figure replaced? (JTA, 07/06/07) (http://www.jeditemplearchives.com/content/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=3277)

We have not seen or heard about this issue, and sorry to hear of it.  We will probably not be re-releasing this figure, but if we do we will look into it.   As this is a mainline figure, if you decide you want to try and upgrade, replacements should be available through Hasbro Consumer Affairs at hasbro.com.

Can we ever anticipate in the Comic Packs the making of the cult-favorite Tyvokka figure in the foreseeable future?  Maybe he can pair-up with an existing Plo Koon or a young Dooku repainted in black hair-do?  If not Comic Packs, has Hasbro ever considered a store-exclusive re-release of the JEDI COUNCIL SCENE with Tyvokka and other past & present members, maybe a comic to top it off?  Tyvokka is so unique and so very popular.  A web-search attest to the truth of this cult-favorite among fans, customizers, and auctioners making and selling everything Tyvokka (from custom figures to beautifully sculpted wooden lightsabers).  What do you say? (JTA, 07/06/07) (http://www.jeditemplearchives.com/content/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=3277)

We don't have any plans right now, but the comic packs would be a natural place for Tyvokka. He is on the list for future considerations, but with all of the great choices we have, it's not sure we'll get to him any time soon.   He certainly is a great character....so hopefully we will see him one day.

Since the action figures have blended into one mega line encompassing the entire saga, including EU, will that trend continue in the future with the release of the Clone Wars cartoon figures, being mixed in with everything else? Or, will we see the Clone Wars offered in a separate side line like we did with the past Clone Wars line? (JTA, 07/06/07) (http://www.jeditemplearchives.com/content/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=3277)

Clone Wars is planned to be a separate line right now, and at least as basic figures go, will be side-by-side with the Saga figures at retail much like 30th and Saga Legends co-exist now.

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Are you at all considering the Star Wars: Starfighter - Crossbones series for the Comic Packs? The main character, Nym, has been near the top of many wishlists for several years now, and this series is sadly underrated. Nym was included in a previous Fan's Choice poll back in 2002, so please revisit the idea of making this character. (RS, 07/06/07) (http://www.rebelscum.com/story/front/Hasbros_34th_STAR_WARS_QA_The_Answers_107267.asp)

It's funny you mention that, we just picked up a set of this long out of print series at CIV and have started to re-read it. It's been years since we first read it. Nym is a Feeorin (as is Rav from the new Legacy series), so it's nice to see this interesting alien species get some more attention. Nymn right now is a very remote longshot, and it's likely we would do Rav before Nym...but never say never.

We LOVE the new A-Wing pilot coming in wave 7! He's perhaps the best-looking pilot figure that Hasbro has produced to date: articulation, deco, the whole package is superb! However, as you are doubtlessly aware, this figure has also caused quite a debate. While a viewing of Return of the Jedi and a review of Star Wars Chronicles will reveal that the helmet is accurate for the pilots seen in the back of the briefing room, and accurate specifically to the pilot that most EU sources refer to as Tycho Celchu, it is NOT the helmet seen on the two pilots that are seen FLYING A-Wings during the attack on the second Death Star. We've heard rumors from other sites that there are plans to release Arvel Crynyd (the pilot that crashes into the bridge of the Executor) next year - any chance that you'll confirm this rumor, OR at least - that if you did (hypothetically speaking, of course) do Arvel in the future, that you'd do him with this new body and the different headgear appropriate to the A-Wing pilots that we see during the attack. If this is a plan for the future, we most welcome it, as these variation seen in the rebel gear, particularly the pilots from Return of the Jedi, would be welcome (and seemingly easy) additions to the action figure line! (RS, 07/06/07) (http://www.rebelscum.com/story/front/Hasbros_34th_STAR_WARS_QA_The_Answers_107267.asp)

We were unaware of the error...but now that you mention it, we will take a look. The figure will likely not change from what was shown, since we are so close to production. As far as Arvel being re-released, he was on an early list of ideas we had for exclusives, but he has not been slotted in or confirmed yet so it's nothing more than an idea. The idea to re-release was inspired by the creation of this new tooled figure, though, so if we did, that would be the body we'd use. In light of the helmet issue, we'd look to do the most accurate one for any future reuse of the figure.

To the early Star Wars trilogy, the Womp Rat is one of the most iconic creatures - like the Bothan Spy, by the way. Will we get the Womp Rat as a figure one day? Are there concepts depicting it which are good enough to help make this creature into a figure? (RS, 07/06/07) (http://www.rebelscum.com/story/front/Hasbros_34th_STAR_WARS_QA_The_Answers_107267.asp)

There are some references out there, and we have thought about this figure, but have yet to slot it into anything (I suppose it could have been hanging onto the moisture vaporator, but we were already in costing trouble with this one). Some day we will have a Womp Rat though....some day.

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Undersized heads are becoming more and more common with the 3¾-inch figures. For instance, the Vintage-style Biker Scout and Han Endor figures both have heads that are scaled just too small in proportion to their bodies. And it's not just limited to Star Wars, some of the figures in the upcoming GI Joe 25th Anniversary line seem to be suffering pinheaditis as well. What causes this issue? Is this a conscious design choice, and if so, why? (SSG, 07/06/07) (http://www.sirstevesguide.com/index.php?categoryid=13&p2_articleid=716)

Since there is no one standard sculpting "buck" that we use, each figure is created independent of the other. Variation is possible right from the outset and over the course of the hundreds of figures we have done, there is an acceptable range of both head sizes and overall figure proportions that we try and hit. In the natural course of sculpting, it is more often easier to make adjustments and tweaks by taking away material, rather than adding more on, so the tendency, if all figures started equal but some needed a little more work, is to have some end up a little smaller than others. Sometimes we do plan future uses for heads (such as the possibility of fitting into helmets if there is a chance for it, like the Hoth Han).

Many collectors would like to see modern-day updates of the original Kenner figures from the '70s and '80s. Hasbro has made great progress in redoing those figures and, by any count, there are not many left needing updates. However, collectors don't always agree which Kenner figures are left to be done, nor what counts as a remake of an original figure - for example, Kenner did 2 separate Klaatu and Bespin Security Guard figures, but only 1 of each is currently represented in the modern line; or the Imperial Dignitary where we got a different dignitary character altogether in the modern line. We understand that Hasbro's stance on the remake issue is that, while it is not a stated specific goal of the line, it will likely happen in the line organically over time. That said, what classic Kenner figures does Hasbro consider have not been redone in the modern line yet? (SSG, 07/06/07) (http://www.sirstevesguide.com/index.php?categoryid=13&p2_articleid=716)

The obvious ones would be the dignitary (Sate Pestage-like character) and some of the Ewoks, as well as the ones you cite like the black Bespin guard and Klaatu ceremonial dress figure. As it happens, we have been looking at these because we know the fan demand is there (especially for some of the Return of the Jedi figures) and because they would be interesting to see re-done. It may be a couple of years before we get to most or all of these, but we are pretty confident they will find their way into the line either in basic figures, Vintage, or perhaps another avenue.

Why is there a slowdown for Titanium Series 3" vehicles? There's only a handful of new vehicles from Spring till the end of the year, and based on what you told us in the last round, only 2 more waves for the entire second half of the year. The line still has a lot of great new ships to do, and that's not even including entries from Battlestar Galactica. (SSG, 07/06/07) (http://www.sirstevesguide.com/index.php?categoryid=13&p2_articleid=716)

We hear you. Quite frankly, the ramp-up for other Titanium lines (figures especially) caused us to divert some of our resources and tooling dollars to these other lines, but now that the Titanium Series picture is more clear, we are back and in full development of the next year of Titanium 3" vehicles, and the future is as bright as the past has been for the vehicles we have coming. Hang in there, using this Fall as a time to fill in holes as we re-release some vehicles that have been scarce (both Star Wars and Galactica), and get ready for a great 2008.

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Why can't you make a removable helmet figure that looks like the person still has a neck under the helmet? Or  that actually looks natural? On every one of the removable helmet figures I can think of, the helmet either a) sits right on the shoulders, so it looks like there's no neck or b) the chin sticks out from the bottom of the helmet. (ST, 07/06/07)* (http://www.sandtroopers.com/smf/index.php?topic=5183.msg130456#msg130456)

Thanks for the comment.  While we don't think the actual picture is as dramatic as you suggest, matching up the head and helmet is somewhat tricky due to the different shrinkage rates of the heads and helmets during casting, plus the length of the neck which the factories have been known to modify to help with a fit issue.  So it's not always easy to get the totally perfect fit.  We'll take another look at this for future figures.

Can you give us anymore information about the General Grievous concept action figure that was shown at Celebration 4? It looks like it was originally intended to be an SDCC exclusive, but appears not to be one anymore. Is it going to be exclusive to another convention, or perhaps a retailer? And will it come with a TAC coin pack-in? (ST, 07/06/07)* (http://www.sandtroopers.com/smf/index.php?topic=5183.msg130456#msg130456)

Yes, the concept Grievous figure is going to be a StarWarsOnlineShop.com exclusive that will be available shortly after Comic Con International. It was originally slated to be a Con figure, but schedule slips prevented it from being available in time, so the Shadow Scout Trooper will be the StarWarsOnlineShop.com exclusive for the event instead. The Grievous figure does indeed have a coin.

Any plans for making a Luke and Han Stormtrooper with removeable helmet now that we have the TAC Stormtrooper with removeable helmet figure available as a base? (ST, 07/06/07)* (http://www.sandtroopers.com/smf/index.php?topic=5183.msg130456#msg130456)

At some point we will get to these figures for basic figure cards, but not for a while yet, since we will keep the successful comic 2-pack figures going for this year and into next.

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With the announcement of the upcoming Concept Art General Grievous action figure, could we see more Prequel Trilogy concept figures in the future? A lot of fans--especially figure customizers--were particularly impressed with the "battle weary" concepts for Ploo Koon and Ki-Adi-Mundi in REVENGE OF THE SITH. (SWC, 07/06/07) (http://www.swcollector.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=1067)

This is the only prequel concept figure slated for now. However, the response to the MCQ series has been fantastic, and we know that the appetite is out there more follow-ups like this in the future. Our plates are full next year with some other concepts, but it's possible that we could return with some more in future years.

Following up on a previous question, since the character of Jedi Master Tsui Choi was depicted in several comics other than PURGE, might he still be considered for a future Comics Pack? (SWC, 07/06/07) (http://www.swcollector.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=1067)

We like Tsui Choi as well (incidentally, as explained to us by none other than Dark Horse Star Wars series editor Randy Stradley himself, the pronunciation of his name is "choy choy"). We are looking for a good way to work him in, but don't have anything to announce yet. If our plans work out, it's a good chance that we'll see him before the end of next year in some form.

For the record, what are the twelve McQuarrie Concept Art figures, as is mentioned on the cardbacks for the CIV exclusives? (SWC, 07/06/07) (http://www.swcollector.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=1067)

There will actually be 13 figures, in 11 different cards. The figures are, in chronological order of appearance: 1) Stormtrooper (reissue); 2) Boba Fett; 3) Chewbacca; 4 & 5) C-3PO & R2-D2; 6) Luke; 7) Darth Vader; 8 & 9) Yoda & Obi-Wan; 10) Starkiller Hero; 11) Snowtrooper; 12) Han Solo; 13) and one that has yet to be announced!

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We recently got confirmation via the Q&A sessions that Baron Fel would be offered up in one of the Comic 2-pack offerings.  We've been able to discern that the comic will be from a Rogue Squadron comic, but throw us a bone...who's the other pilot in the 2-pack? (TJ, 07/06/07) (http://www.thejawa.com/index.php?topic=6498.msg59081#msg59081)

The other pilot will be Derek "Hobbie" Klivian, an X-Wing Pilot and pretty key member of Rogue Squadron.  The reprint issue is Rogue Squadron #24, and should be on shelf around Sept is all goes well.

Has there been any discussion on producing a movie accurate Emperor Palpatine from ROTS from the duel between him and Yoda? I like the purple on black cloak scheme, and was disappointed it wasn't made in the last two years. (TJ, 07/06/07) (http://www.thejawa.com/index.php?topic=6498.msg59081#msg59081)

We haven't revisited the Emperor again, but will discuss it for next time.  Thanks for the suggestion.

What if any consideration has been given to incorporating a soft goods skirt/kama (as seen on the vintage snowtrooper) into the design for Clone Commanders and ARC Troopers?  This would add greater poseability to those figures. (TJ, 07/06/07) (http://www.thejawa.com/index.php?topic=6498.msg59081#msg59081)

Interesting idea for a future figure.  We will share your comments with the design team and if it makes sense we'll look at it for future figures.

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Obviously the Star Wars saga is a timeless story with at times, very adult themes including politics, human cloning, creationism, pregnancy, mortality and war.

With that, was there any misgivings about developing and releasing the Han Solo with Torture Rack figure which boils down to kids/collectors recreating a disturbing scene from ESB given the subject matter, today's political climate and a portion of the populace's view on such practices?
(YF, 07/06/07) (http://cgi.denpetersen.com/YAK1/viewtopic.php?p=26074#26074)

We actually didn't give it too much pause, considering that the figure (and accessory) are firmly ensconced in the Star Wars fantasy. It is after all, a scene that endears us to Han Solo even more after all that he goes through.

Any chance of the paint operations being reworked for Darth Malak's eyes? While the sculpt of the figure is excellent, his shocked, "deer-in-the-headlight" look is very distracting. (YF, 07/06/07) (http://cgi.denpetersen.com/YAK1/viewtopic.php?p=26074#26074)

Yes, the paint ops are being reworked (both Lucasfilm and our team here did not like the results from the first shots), and we are trying from piece 1, to solve the issue that you describe.

I'm seeing the new Comic Packs everywhere and it's great to see new figures with these cool sculpts on the pegs - and for the most part, they seem to be selling rather well. I am wondering if you are considering expanding this into perhaps video games? I would think that a few video game 2-pks would be another way to get some of those characters made into plastic that fans would like to see... perhaps some more KOTOR characters, Dark Forces, etc. As for a pack-in, you could replace the comic book with a fold-out poster from the game or something. (YF, 07/06/07) (http://cgi.denpetersen.com/YAK1/viewtopic.php?p=26074#26074)

Thanks for the comment and the suggestion. Based on the fans' response, the comic packs do indeed appear to be tapping into a great area. We see it as a way of bringing some very interesting characters to life who have played intriguing roles in Star Wars storytelling in comics (and in many cases, the novels as well). We think the comic as an important part of the storytelling, and don't plan on changing that any time soon. That's an interesting idea on posters, and we can look at it for the future, but we think what we have in store for handling some of the game figures will please you, including multi-packs (like this years Battlefront II packs) and next year's The Force Unleashed basic figures....as well as a few more surprises along the way.
Title: Re: The Hasbro Q & A Compendium
Post by: Matt on July 23, 2007, 03:33 PM
Week 34 - July 20, 2007

Darth Vader's just unnamed Human Apprentice, who is said to be the main protagonist of the Force Unleashed is just not confirmed to be made as an Action Figure. Will he be produced sooner or later as an Action Figure or do we have to wait a longer time to get that character? (4".de, 07/20/07) (http://www.4-inches.de/inhalt/extra.htm)

We are not allowed to comment upon certain aspects of the game, so we can not answer your question about specific figures beyond what we have shown already for The Force Unleashed. We will say that we expect the game to be a great game, and are looking for opportunities to do more figures as demand continues (much like we followed Republic Commandos, KOTOR, and BFII with figures after the fact).

At Celebration IV you announced the two Battle Packs "Betrayal on Bespin" and "Stap Attack". Both comes with repacked figures (and a silver Super Battle Droid with the Stap Attack Battle Pack). Both Battle Packs would be predestinated for pack-ins of the just unreleased Action Figures of Darth Vader (Bespin Dinner Table) and Nute Gunray (Holograph). In an earlier Q&A session you said that both figures won't have a chance to be released as Basic Figures ('cause their molds would be old-fashioned in some way) but could come with a Battle Pack. Well, these two Battle Packs would be the best chance to get these figures. Molds exists for both. Could you think about it to pack in both of the figures exact as they are molded (the Darth Vader in the Betrayal on Bespin Battle Pack and the Holographic Nute Gunray in the Stap Attack in exchange of the Silver Super Battle Droid)? The Silver Super Battle Droid would be better with another Exclusive Multi-Pack. (4".de, 07/20/07) (http://www.4-inches.de/inhalt/extra.htm)

We do not think the Darth Vader figure nor the Nute Gunray figures are the best lines to do. The Vader figure will probably not ever come out, as we have much better Vaders to work with now. The intent of the STAP Attack pack is to provide a fun arming building set, and Nute Gunray does not fit that idea. Perhaps in the future we will release him, but not for this set.

What is the deal with the rights of making an Action Figure of an actor playing a human character in the Star Wars films? Does Lucasfilm have all rights by all characters or does it works just for the new trilogy? What has to be done in questions of rights before Hasbro getting green light for producing an Action Figure of an human character? Do the actors getting any kind of payment for their agreement and could it be possible that some characters would never be produced as Action Figures 'cause of refusing authorisation by the actors? (4".de, 07/20/07) (http://www.4-inches.de/inhalt/extra.htm)

We work with Lucasfilm to secure approvals on all products that we release. As for your other questions, we cannot offer any insight as those relationships are managed by Lucasfilm and not by us.

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With all the recent editions of the Galactic Heroes Cinema Scenes, might we get one for Endor as well? It would be cool to include a Leia on Speeder with the set as well as some more Ewoks. (AF, 07/20/07) (http://www.actionfigs.com/index.php?categoryid=12&p2_articleid=1384)

Endor would be a cool scene to explore for a future Galactic Heroes Cinema Scene. While we don't have any detailed plans locked down, it's one of the ideas we are exploring.

Over the past few years, you've offered several shared online exclusives which provided figures that otherwise may not have been produced due to a perceived lack of appeal to kids/casual collectors, figures such as Delta Squad, Wulf Yularen, and Baron Papanoida. Would you consider a similar exclusive set where characters are related only by their desirability among collectors, a "Cult Figures" type of set, drawing from the large number of figures that are consistently requested by collectors but you are wary of releasing as carded figures, such as Yarna d'al Gargan, Wilrow Hood, Sim Aloo, Tey How, Wald, Jocasta Nu, Wioslea, Teek, etc.? (AF, 07/20/07) (http://www.actionfigs.com/index.php?categoryid=12&p2_articleid=1384)

We would not pursue this idea as suggested, primarily because we feel that one of the great strengths of Star Wars is the storytelling, scenic, or situational grouping that makes any multi-pack stronger than simply it's individual components. If we do pursue any of the figures you suggest, it's likely they would be presented in a Star Wars context with other figures to tell a story, rather than simply as figures grouped together by their relative obscurity.

Any chance that we could get a new Rancor, perhaps packed with a Dathomir Witch or Sith Witch instead of Luke? (AF, 07/20/07) (http://www.actionfigs.com/index.php?categoryid=12&p2_articleid=1384)

The rancor is certainly a big beast, and would be cool to do a new one at some point. Perhaps if the Rancor looms again in new entertainment, we could take a look at it, but until then we'll keep focused on vehicle updates for those "larger" slots.

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With the popularity of both Star Wars and Transformers, will we be seeing more new Star Wars transformers released in addition to the incredible Vader/Death Star you have announced? (BB, 07/20/07) (http://www.bobasbounty.net/)

Yes, the future looks very bright for this great mash-up, but there won't be any more new ones for this year beyond the already announced wave of three for late fall (At-At, Snowspeeder, and Turbo Tank). We will be revealing the next waves of figures probably around Toy Fair time next year.

Is the larger scale Star Wars Unleashed line continuing? (BB, 07/20/07) (http://www.bobasbounty.net/)

At this time, the only additional figure planned is the Internet exclusive ARC Trooper. While we have not ruled out the possibility they could come back, we are not slotting in any more for now.

I am really excited about the upcoming Holiday Special Boba Fett. Any plans for similar releases? Maybe redoing the Droids or Ewoks lines? (BB, 07/20/07) (http://www.bobasbounty.net/)

This is an interesting idea, as there were some neat characters in there. However, we have had our hands full with the mainline, EU packs, and Clone Wars so haven't looked into this. It's possible for future years. Thanks for the suggestion.

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In your Marvel Heroes line, you guys are doing a few large scaled Marvel characters (Sentinel, Galactus). Is there any chance of carrying the idea over to Star Wars for a Rancor or a Bantha pack in the Galactic Heroes line? Our Galactic Hero Wampa and Taun-Taun need some more friends! (JD, 07/20/07) (http://www.jedidefender.com/newspro/fullnews.cgi?newsid1184969596,39849,)

That's a good idea, and we are looking at how we can keep adding to the creature/vehicle play pattern. While those ideas are not the first ones in the queue, we are hopeful they will get into the mix at some point.

The Entertainment Earth "Mystery Pack" has many fans talking. It seems like there is a back story developing with the figures announced thus far. Just who is behind the back story to the "Mystery Pack" figures? Is it Lucasfilm's doing completely (perhaps based on some upcoming or existing EU continuity) or are the creative minds at Hasbro writing up all the background on the figures in the "Mystery Pack"? (JD, 07/20/07) (http://www.jedidefender.com/newspro/fullnews.cgi?newsid1184969596,39849,)

It's a bit of both. Some of the characters are existing (or will exist) from publishing, and some of the characters were proposed by our team and added into the storyline as it came together. To go back in time to the specific point when the idea for the pack began, the starting point was a Star Wars Insider feature a couple years back by Karen Traviss. This story really intrigued us, and provided a jumping in point into a previously unexplored area that became the basis for the sets. More details will be revealed at Comic Con, so stay tuned.

Pictures of the upcoming AT-RT Patrol battle pack have surfaced, but it's hard to tell from the picture exactly what we're getting. More specifically, the sculpts on the AT-RT Drivers included in the pack - are they the original AT-RT Driver pack-in figure sculpt or are they based on the basic carded AT-RT Driver sculpt (RotS #54)? (JD, 07/20/07) (http://www.jedidefender.com/newspro/fullnews.cgi?newsid1184969596,39849,)

Details will be revealed next week at Comic Con, but the figure used in this pack is based on the carded figure, and not the reduced-articulation pack-in driver.

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Why didn't the VTAC Bespin Luke come with a lightsaber hilt and place to put it on his belt? (JI, 07/20/07) (http://jediinsider.com/index.php?catid=8&itemid=10533)

That would have been cool, but we weren't actually designing the figure to match the packaging reference (on the card artwork, he's shown with the hilt hanging from his belt). Instead, we designed what we thought was a good complete figure as specified. That's a good idea to add on if we use the figure tool again.

Will we ever see a re-release of the Toys R Us exclusive Anakin and Obi-Wan Jedi Starfighters with the blue & green color schemes? (JI, 07/20/07) (http://jediinsider.com/index.php?catid=8&itemid=10533)

Yes, our plan is to bring this into the 85196 Starfighter Vehicle Assortment, for a national release, early in 2008. Look for them in approximately January. Unlike the previous exclusive runs, these will be closed box and will not come with pilot figures.

The Republic Gunship had been put out under many different colors/designs, and under the AOTC, Clone Wars, and ROTS lines. Any chance we will be seeing this ship again any time soon (especially since you are going to re-release the 'Hunt for Grievous' pack)? (JI, 07/20/07) (http://jediinsider.com/index.php?catid=8&itemid=10533)

We don't have any plans for a new or re-released Gunship this year, but there always remains the possiblity that a new version could be produced for Clone Wars. As we see more episodes, we'll have a better idea of how prominent it will be (if at all) and look for opportunities to get it back out there. It certainly is a fantastic ship.

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The Saga Legends figures have been storming the pegs, almost to the point of over-running the new TAC figures. With the huge amount of Saga Legends figures on tap, will this affect how and when we see future waves of the TAC figures? Some stores won't refill their pegs unless they are empty, and if they are filled with Legends figures I can see this affecting how the newer TAC figures are stocked. (JTA, 07/20/07) (http://www.jeditemplearchives.com/content/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=3311)

They are managed separately, just as the TSC and Greatest Hits lines were managed separately last year.  Replenisment is automated, which means that as one sells down, it will be reordered and shipped out for restock. The two SKUs (87500 and 85770) were created expressly for the purpose of separate inventory management.

We were wondering how you came up with the case assortments for the UGH figures.  Right now, you will start off with a wave 4 case assortment that contains all 7 of the wave 4 figures plus a few more favorites. Then there are 4 UGH case assortments that contain 3 UGH figures per case and is then rounded out by wave 4 figures (and a few others).  It seems that this is going to create a backlog of CZ-3s and his pals since there will be 4 or 5 of each of the wave 4 figures for only 1 of each of the UGH figures.  On the surface it looks like it will be harder to find these than last years UGH figures (and as you know, there were a lot of collectors left wanting!) Can you tell us why these case assortments were chosen instead of spreading them out over a few waves and if the UGH will be found in any other waves? (JTA, 07/20/07) (http://www.jeditemplearchives.com/content/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=3311)

You do not know the quantities we are releasing of any one figure, which is the other part of the equation.  Once CZ-3 ships, for example, he may be "done" and never be packed in another case pack for the rest of the year while the other figures, seeing subsequent volume to bring them up to their full potential, may be.  In figuring out how much is too little/too much of any figure, we take all aspects into account.

Due to the problem with the coins we have seen very little of waves 1-3...and the McQuarrie figures (Stormtrooper, Boba Fett & Chewbacca) have been the first to dissapear.   Many people are still looking for these three figures and would love to add them to their collection.  Will these three waves start shipping again with the better coins (and the McQuarrie figures)? (JTA, 07/20/07) (http://www.jeditemplearchives.com/content/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=3311)

Many of the figures will be released again in subsequent waves throughout the year, so hang in there.

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Whatever happened to the Max Rebo Band? It was announced last fall that Jabba's Band members would be on hold for an exclusive for 2008. Is there any more you can tell us about this? (RS, 07/20/07) (http://www.rebelscum.com/story/front/Hasbros_35th_STAR_WARS_QA_The_Answers_107575.asp)

Details will be revealed at Comic Con, next week.

A lot of collectors like soft goods kamas and cloaks because of added posability (like sitting), but cloth doesnt behave on 4" figures the way it would on full sized people, and so we see figures that look like they are wearing puffer jackets or parachutes for cloaks (or clothing crochet knitted for them by their grandmothers). On the other hand, the better looking plastic cloaks and kamas restrict movement. Now here's the idea: you pack figures with plastic covered wires that can be positioned and hold the position. why not insert them into soft plastic cloaks and kamas so we can have posable clothing that holds its position? (RS, 07/20/07) (http://www.rebelscum.com/story/front/Hasbros_35th_STAR_WARS_QA_The_Answers_107575.asp)

We are always looking for ways to mske soft goods as aesthetically appealling as possible, though - as you say, in 3-3/4" scale it's not the easiest task. What you have suggested is a great idea that we are pursuing for some things for next year. Pending clearance of any child safety and age grade issues that might prevent the idea, look for it in late Spring on some figures.

The difficulty in locating certain "tools" for the Saga Legends collection has highlighted an apparent gap in Hasbro's tracking of these assets. An analogy might be a recording studio that has misplaced some of the master recordings of certain of its hit songs. Has this experience prompted Hasbro to implement improved methods and procedures for the tracking and warehousing of its tools to eliminate these problems in the future? (RS, 07/20/07) (http://www.rebelscum.com/story/front/Hasbros_35th_STAR_WARS_QA_The_Answers_107575.asp)

We are always working on systems and procedures to keep track of our tooling database, not just for Star Wars but for our entire business. Star Wars, more than most brands, is tricky because we are often searching for tools from the distant past, where most brands are focused more in the recent past (and we search for a lot of tools). As a result, we have switched vendors and lost the ability to quickly get to some tools, mislabelings have occurred along with occasional parts being misplaced or lost in the shuffle, some databases haven't been updated to reflect the latest project numbers, and the like. It takes time to straighten these out and sometimes we aren't as nimble as we'd like to be in reacting to market forces, but we are always looking for ways to improve and experience helps us get better at managing the process.

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With several figures from Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic series and an entire wave dedicated to SW: Force Unleashed coming in the next year or so, as well as rumors of multipacks dedicated to the SW: Battlefront series, and 2006's popular Scorch figure which led to an entire SW: Republic Commando boxed set, video games seem to be back on the radar. With that in mind, is there any possibility of getting figures from older video games such as SW: Bounty Hunter (Roz, Montross), SW: Clone Wars (Cydon Prax), SW: Revenge of the Sith (Claw Droids, Cin Drallig), SW: Jedi Knight (any of the Dark Jedi), even going back to SW: TIE Fighter (Marek Stele) or even Masters of the Teras Kasi (Arden Lyn, Jodo Kast)? (SSG, 07/20/07) (http://www.sirstevesguide.com/index.php?categoryid=13&p2_articleid=716)

This is a great question, since the LucasArts video games have indeed been strong and our figures tied to them have proven to be very popular. Next up are the two Battlefront II multi-packs slated for this Fall from Diamond Comics, which will be debuted at Comic Con. After that, we will see where the direction leads. Probably the first priority for us will be looking to the name games Lucasfilm has been doing, but we do not rule out covering some of the other memorable characters from previous games. Probably the best way to gauge overall fan demand for these figures would be to embark upon another "fans' choice" poll (discussions we've already begun with Toy Fare Magazine) ideally early next year. Last year's poll gave great visibility, and underscored demand for the KOTOR figures, and it's possible that now that we have addressed many of the major wants from the last poll, new choices from classic videogames will emerge as favorites on the next one. If so, we will certainly consider them. Thanks, too, for the detailed list - it's very helpful.

Why have there been so few Ep 2 & 3 Anakin figures with accurate likenesses of Hayden Christensen? (SSG, 07/20/07) (http://www.sirstevesguide.com/index.php?categoryid=13&p2_articleid=716)

We are always trying to deliver the most accurate likeness possible. As you have probably noticed, it's a challenge in the 3-34" medium to really nail likenesses, so we get as close as we can. There will always be variation between sculptors and changes that occur in the production process.

Ten years ago, Hasbro produced the Cruisemissile Trooper- although not a very exciting toy, the vehicle's design is quite interesting and looks like something the Empire would conceivably use in combat. However, the design has never appeared in any comic, novel, videogame, or reference work before or since. Details as to its genesis seem to be nonexistent. Can you provide a brief history of how this toy came to be (you can omit its later entry in the 'Batman & Robin' toy line ;) ), and why it's never been seen elsewhere in Star Wars? (SSG, 07/20/07) (http://www.sirstevesguide.com/index.php?categoryid=13&p2_articleid=716)

A very interesting question. Hasbro (and Kenner) have periodically had a need to tailor vehicles to strategic, consumable pricepoints for vehicles, such as the mini rigs back in the 1980s. Such was the case for the creation of the Cruise Missile trooper, when our designer Mark Boudreaux set about to create a new mini-vehicle that fit into the Star Wars universe. Of course, due to the need to come in on cost targets, it had to have a dedicated (not removable) pilot, deciding to spend more of the "cost" of the set on getting a substantial vehicle feel rather than the figure element. In consulation with Lucasfilm, the idea took hold and the concept came to life. It has a cool silhouette, very "Empire" as you note, but the reason it probably hasn't been picked up and embraced by any writers (novel and comics) is a question better asked of them. As far as we know, it's fair game to use.

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After seeing Hi Res pics of TAC series 6 and 7, will Han Solo: Bespin Torture Rack's belt and gun holster be included? What about including an interchangeable head of older Anakin actor Sebastian Shaw with the Spirit of Anakin figure? Is this something that's being considered? Great job on TAC, by the way, it's got me back into collecting Star Wars figures! (SWC, 07/20/07) (http://www.swcollector.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=5173#5173)

Thanks for the good word and glad you are liking the line. Han's belt and holster will not be included in the torture rack figure, since the rack is so expensive. The Sebastian Shaw head will not be included with the Anakin figure. It's possible that sometime down the road we could do a dedicated figure with the Shaw likeness, but we do not have plans for it at this time.

Figures like Han Solo: Bespin Torture Rack and Tycho: A-Wing Pilot seem misproportioned in the shoulders and neck, respectively. Is this something that will be able to be fixed before production? Also, will General Pharl McQuarrie's helmet fit the figure's head, as the VTSC Hoth Han's did not? (SWC, 07/20/07) (http://www.swcollector.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=5173#5173)

The helmet will fit on the General McQuarrie figure; it sits easier due to the smaller collar compared to the vintage Han Solo. The vintage Solo will fit, but it takes some work to get it just right. As for the torture rack Han and Tycho figures, the proportions inthe pics are slightly exaggerated because they were models, rather than production. The overall proportions are right, but the shoulders will be set into the sockets a bit more, and we think this is what you are seeing from our presentation pics.

Now that a trailer for The Force Unleashed has been unveiled, has there been any thought to developing a second wave of action figures based on the game? (SWC, 07/20/07) (http://www.swcollector.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=5173#5173)

We have known in detail about the game for some time, so the trailer didn't introduce any additional figures we did not know about. We have not, in any case, slotted a second wave against The Force Unleashed but are considering future figures as a possibility.

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Will we ever see Captain Fordo in his Commander Neyo type helmet from the Star Wars Clone Wars cartoon from Chapters 23 & 25? (TJ, 07/20/07) (http://www.thejawa.com/index.php?topic=6508.msg59151#msg59151)

This is certainly possible, as it is one we have looked at but haven't fit in the line-up yet.

Over the years Hasbro has made some significant updates to some OT vehicles that were originally produced by Kenner.  Some of those include the X-Wing, TIE Fighter, Vader's TIE, Luke's Landspeeder, Slave I, etc.  Are there still some OT/Kenner vehicles  that Hasbro would like to revisit with more of a modern/accurate presentation?  And could we eventually see major updates to vehicles like the Snowspeeder or AT-ST? (TJ, 07/20/07) (http://www.thejawa.com/index.php?topic=6508.msg59151#msg59151)

The one we'd most like to see done is a more accurately scaled Snowspeeder.  We have done all of the rest of the signature vehicles already, so we look at the remaining ones in the context of what has yet to be explored from Prequel, as well as the exciting new opportunities presented in Clone Wars for our vehicle slots.

In 2005, 2006 and now 2007, demand for Star Wars figures has exceeded Hasbro's initial production plans.  As a result, you have released extra waves consisting of repainted or minorly retooled figures to round out the year.  Given the likelihood we will see these types of waves in the future, what is the best way that we as fans can let you know what repaints/ minor retools we would like to see? (TJ, 07/20/07) (http://www.thejawa.com/index.php?topic=6508.msg59151#msg59151)

We do read fan message boards periodically, so we have ideas already on the figures fans would like to see that could be based on existing tools.  We periodically update our lists with the possibilities as need arises, usually on a very tight response time. We consult our notes and with Lucasfilm on ideas that can be pursued and explored.  It's further complicated by the need to use tools that are not in use elsewhere and that are all at the same vendor....a logisitcal puzzle that needs to be solved before we can proceed.  But to get back to your question, our need to respond quickly gives us little time to do any sort of fan input to the redeco/repaint process.  Instead, we'll keep watching the discussions to see what folks are talking about.
Title: Re: The Hasbro Q & A Compendium
Post by: Matt on August 3, 2007, 05:36 PM
Session 35 - August 3, 2007

In the last few years Hasbro didn't bring out Separatist or Senator figures but there would be great figures like Po Nudo, Tundra Dowmeia, Giddean Danu, Fang Zar or Bana Bremu. Will you revisit these characters in the next couple of years (rather earlier than later please). And how would be the chances to get some great Episode III versions of Nute Gunray and Rune Haako? (4".de, 08/03/07) (http://www.4-inches.de/inhalt/extra.htm)    

By now you have seen that we announced Po Nudo will be in our first wave of 2008, so that should be good news for you! We have not forgotten the Separatists or Senators, but we don't plan on getting to them too quickly….our plan would be to get to 1-2 per year, at least for the next couple of years Patience....there are a lot of great characters to get to, and only so small slots to go around per year.

The TAC Figure # 51 R2-B1 seems not to get its tool kit to repair the royal starship as pictures let assume. As this figure is based on the VOTC R2-D2 with extension arm could it get the very same exchangable front panel (open and closed) and some tooling like a diagnostic and cutter arm? The little thing otherwise seems to be quite useless to repair the royal starship besides serving as a target for federal blaster fire. (4".de, 08/03/07) (http://www.4-inches.de/inhalt/extra.htm)
   
The R2-B1 repaint is actually based on the R4-G9 body, so this suggestion (however cool) will not work. Thanks for thinking of it, though.

When will we get official pictures of Maris Brood? The figure that was shown at ToyFair had a green lightsaber and normal eyes while the one that was shown at Celebration IV had a red lightsaber and sith eyes. As the character is a Jedi that survived the Order 6 massacre and seeks revenge which version is the definitive one? Or will there be two versions of that figure? (4".de, 08/03/07) (http://www.4-inches.de/inhalt/extra.htm)

Official pictures will be available approximately December, in advance of that wave's shipment.

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The number of Mos Eisley Cantina patrons who have yet to be immortalized as action figures grows smaller every year as more and more of these iconic scum and villainy are made. One of those still-yet-to-be-made characters could be created partly using existing tooling: the other Duros, Baniss Keeg - the one wearing the red tunic seen sitting next to Ellors Madak. Baniss could be made using the existing POTJ Ellors Madak head sculpt and perhaps recycling other parts from him as well, plus limbs with a little more added poseability. So what say you to the idea of a Baniss Keeg figure? (AF, 08/03/07) (http://www.actionfigs.com/index.php?categoryid=12&p2_articleid=1384)

We like this idea very much, and looked at the possibility during our brainstorming for Wave 7.5 However, it turns out that while we could use an existing body for starters (such as the Luke from the Moisture Vaporator basic card), the Ellors head will not fit and we would need new forearms/hands. So, it's not an easy repaint. Until then, he'll remain in the queue waiting his turn with the other guys who are "next in line" at the watering hole.

With the excitement generated by Sideshow's 12" figure line, does Hasbro have any regrets about cancelling their 12" line, especially since it's clear that there is a strong market for high-quality 12" Star Wars figures? Did Hasbro recognize a deficiency in their 12" Star Wars product which didn't meet consumer's expectations of quality leading to a lack of success, and was that a chief factor behind the decision to end it? Is there anything that in hindsight Hasbro would have done differently with the 12" line to keep it in-house? (AF, 08/03/07) (http://www.actionfigs.com/index.php?categoryid=12&p2_articleid=1384)

I'm not sure if you realize it, but the Sideshow line is produced under license from Hasbro, and that it was our decision to place work with Sideshow to relaunch the 12" segment. The reasons were exactly as you state - despite the move to a super-articulated body format and a more proportionate head and hand size for our 2004/2005 12" figures, we felt that the segment really needed the fresh start. We felt Sideshow could provide, with an emphasis on detail that we did not have the ability to pursue given how full our plates are already. The results, as you summarize, have been fantastic and right in line with what we expected when we embarked on the partnership.

When putting already-released vehicles in new packaging, why do you re-release vehicles that were already out in the previous year's line instead of waiting a while for demand to build back up again? Isn't there the chance of burnout from kids and collectors alike, seeing Obi-Wan and Anakin paint jobs on Jedi Starfighters year in and year out? Why re-release something like Obi-Wan's Jedi Starfighter in new packaging only months after a previous line's rerelease when there are still some vehicles that haven't been re-released in years like the Clone Wars Jedi Starfighter or the Snowspeeder? (AF, 08/03/07) (http://www.actionfigs.com/index.php?categoryid=12&p2_articleid=1384)

We craft the line using the latest sales data, and just as kids have shown a strong demand for basic figures of Darth Vader, Anakin, and Obi-Wan, they have also not surprisingly shown a strong and lasting interest in their vehicles. As long as demand remains high, we'll keep them out there in the mix, raising the whole vehicle tide so we can continue to try more new things.

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So Indiana Jones continues to be a hot topic. When can we expect to see the first products hitting the stores? Will there be some kind of "sneak preview" figures like we had with Star Wars? (BB, 08/03/07) (http://www.bobasbounty.net/)

There will be no sneak preview, but the figures will get to retail several weeks prior to the movie, in approximately early May.

It looks like the "pre-cyborg" General Grievous is a much larger figure than the typical Star Wars figure. Is there a chance we will see a Cyborg Grievous in a more accurate scale as well? (BB, 08/03/07) (http://www.bobasbounty.net/)

We guarantee that the next time we put a Grievous into production, it will be more correctly-scaled. However, when that is is still undetermined - it may not happen until 2009.

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OK, you've said recently that you have no more plans for figures from the Star Wars Holiday Special. But, how about giving us Chewbacca's family members via the nifty Comic Packs series? The Wookiee family has been featured in the comics a few times, so it seems like the perfect venue to get us the Chewbacca/Mallatobuck (Chewie/Malla) and Attichitcuk/Lumpawaroo (Itchy/Lumpy) packs we desperately need. (JD, 08/03/07) (http://www.jedidefender.com/newspro/fullnews.cgi?newsid1186169010,13586,)

That's an interesting suggestion, and since they have appeared in a couple of series (including the classic Marvel series), they are certainly eligible for consideration. We have our hands with a lot of other ideas in the comic packs, but they are not out of the realm of possibility someday.

A few years back, you made a Bespin Guard with a removable hat. Is there any chance that you'll eventually incorporate removable hats on all the Imperial Officer figures in the future? (JD, 08/03/07) (http://www.jedidefender.com/newspro/fullnews.cgi?newsid1186169010,13586,)

We'll look into that the next time we create a new imperial officer. Thanks for the suggestion.

Once upon a time (2003), you shared a design sketch of the Jedi Knight Luke Skywalker figure planned for 2004. It was a great tease for the figure and a unique look at how many of these figures start out. In addition, there were quite a few "progress reports" made for the development of some of the fan choice figures - things like highlighting paint masters or prototypes as they came along. Are there any plans to maybe share some of these things once again in the future? It was a neat "inside look" and might be a nice tease for some of those 2008 figures. (JD, 08/03/07) (http://www.jedidefender.com/newspro/fullnews.cgi?newsid1186169010,13586,)

We have been revealing the in-progress path of Darth Revan in the pages of Toy Fare magazine, but don't have any plans right now to follow any other figures through the development process. If and when we get back out there with another Fans' Choice poll, we will certainly have periodic updates.

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Will the coin packins be limited to the 30th anniversary collection only, or will we see the coins continue in one way or another in future lines? Perhaps as exclusive packins? If they are not going to continue, will we still see them in the ventual vintage style POTF figures, assuming you get around to making any of those? (JTA, 08/03/07) (http://jeditemplearchives.com/content/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=3350)

We have no plans right now to use coins beyond the early wave of next year, but if we do any Vintage POTF in future years we will include a coin to make them true to the spirit of vintage.

So far we have seen 6 figures from the Entertainment Earth Mystery Pack and with the exception of the Omega Squad brother none of them are derived from the novels, comics, movies or any other EU source.  With so much EU material out there, including that of the Mandalorians, why did you choose to make figure out of non-characters instead of making a bunch of figures for characters that people already know and want? (JTA, 08/03/07) (http://jeditemplearchives.com/content/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=3350)

By now you have seen the full range of figures.  A couple of the Mandos have or will be featured in EU novels, so we felt that was a good starting point around which to build the story of these packs.  There are other Mando characters in the universe of course, but some of the other prominent ones (Jaster Mereel for example) didn't work with the time frame so he wasn't available.  Instead we worked with LFL to identify some we could use, and the rest we were allowed to flesh out.

It looks like that we’ll be seeing the Max Rebo band via a Battle Pack!  That is great news for a lot of people.  Will these all be straight re-packs of the POTF2 figures or will they have new paint applications or new accessories? (JTA, 08/03/07) (http://jeditemplearchives.com/content/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=3350)

These will be straight repacks in two new scene packs.  We figured that there are a lot of new fans collecting Star Wars who did not have access to these cool figures previously, so getting them back out will allow folks to build out the cool Jaba's Palace scenes.  With Umpass-Stay at retail very soon, the band is complete except for Ak-Rev, whom we hope will be joining the band before too long with the other half of the gong.

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I am loving the McQuarrie Concept figures from this year....is there a possiblity to see some of the Joe Johnston or Doug Chiang concept drawings of characters turned into figures as well? (RS, 08/03/07) (http://www.rebelscum.com/story/front/Hasbros_36th_STAR_WARS_QA_The_Answers_107963.asp)

It's possible that the concept of more concept figures could return in the future, but there's no concrete timetable for its return.
Dan's Note: We've learned that since these figures have proven so popular this year, there are some additional concept designs considered for 2009, although nothing is final yet, and no specific characters were mentioned.

Will the con exclusive coins (C4. CE, SDCC) be made available at some point fr fans who weren't able to attend? (RS, 08/03/07) (http://www.rebelscum.com/story/front/Hasbros_36th_STAR_WARS_QA_The_Answers_107963.asp)

We don't have any plans to make them available outside the show. We made quite a few so they shouldn't be too scarce or too expensive to acquire on the secondary market, given the time it takes for prices to settle down. Hopefully, they will eventually find their way from the hands of fans who were just getting all the Convention giveaways into the hands of the fans who really wanted them, but couldn't attend. Ideally, at a low price.

Will you ever make an Attack of the Clones-style super articulated clone pilot? The original figures are still selling on Ebay for over retail prices so there must still be demand for this figure. Also, how about a Revenge of the Sith clone pilot with full enclosed helmet as shown in the V-wing description in the Incredible Cross-sections book? (RS, 08/03/07) (http://www.rebelscum.com/story/front/Hasbros_36th_STAR_WARS_QA_The_Answers_107963.asp)

We agree that an EpII SA Clone Pilot would be very cool and will see where that fits in with our future plans. As for the V-Wing with full helmet, we'll check that out. Thanks for the heads-up.

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There are plenty of classic Kenner vehicle molds still in service today, many of which enjoy modifications to the tooling for various purposes. However, one aspect that almost never changes is the cockpits and interiors of the vehicles, leaving them under-detailed and unappealing compared to all-new vehicles. Vehicles, such as the TIE Fighter and Snowspeeder for example, are little more than blank seats for their figures. Will we ever see updated interiors on vehicles such as these, and if not, why? (SSG, 08/03/07) (http://www.sirstevesguide.com/index.php?categoryid=13&p2_articleid=716)

Up until now, we have just been focusing on exterior (visible from the outside) mods. That's a great suggestion to consider for the next time we do some classic vehicles, and we'll look into it.

In your response to the question of individual figure pricing in battle packs vs basic figure single cards, you stated that one of the major factors as to why the figures in Battle Packs can often be produced for less per unit is because the tooling for them already exists and thus doesn't factor into the cost of reusing it - that argument is consistent with prior comments made by Hasbro about costs and mold development. Since that is the case, why is it that the various recent Greatest Hits basic figure lines such as Saga Legends have been the same MSRP as the new, non-refresh, basic main-line figures? (Please be aware that we understand consumer pricing is set by retailers and not by Hasbro, but we also know that retailers set their prices based in no small part on how much they're paying per unit so when Hasbro raises retailers' costs, retailers pass that on to consumers, hence the across-the-board price increases.) (SSG, 08/03/07) (http://www.sirstevesguide.com/index.php?categoryid=13&p2_articleid=716)

The SRP for all basic figures is the same, whether or not they are 30th Anniv or Saga Legends. If we reduced the price of Saga Legends, it would draw an unfavorable (and confusing to the average consumer) value comparison to the 30th line. We want to keep our tooling budget healthy for our mainline figures, and pricing parity helps protect our ability to deliver more new figures like we have been doing this year.

Many fans feel that the Super Articulated Clone Trooper mold from the ROTS line is the best version of this figure, however there are several problems with the sculpt that continue to show up including: upside-down belt packs, one elbowpad strap smaller than the other, different-heights on the knee joints and a 1mm variance from the left to right upper leg leading to leaning figures, and an asymmetrical "cheek" sculpt on the helmet. Will these issues ever be addressed on future figures? (SSG, 08/03/07) (http://www.sirstevesguide.com/index.php?categoryid=13&p2_articleid=716)

The belt pack issue is an assembly error and one we CAN address, but the rest are a little trickier. There are multiple unique sets of tools used in the production of the SA Clones, and what you are seeing may be inherent variety in the different sets. We will take a look at the issues you have pointed out to see if there is anything identify the tools from which these originate and anything we can do to correct, but it may not alway be possible until we have a need to create a new set of Clone tools.

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In regards the popularity of certain exclusive items such as the sandcrawler and OTC slave 1 that are commanding high premiums on the secondary market indicating higher than normal demand, is there any plans to re-issue some of the more popular items or are there details in the exclusivity agreement with certain retailers that preclude you from doing so. (ST, 08/03/07)* (http://www.sandtroopers.com/smf/index.php?topic=5183.msg137942#msg137942)

Our agreement with retailers is such that exclusivity runs for a period of 12 months. After that time (and pending stock levels) the items can be considered for getting back out onto the market if demand still persists and the original retailer chooses not to re-order (they have first right). Such is the case with some of the 3-3/4" Battle Packs, and the Kir Kanos/Carnor Jax comic pack which are coming back into the mainline assortments because they are still in demand. We should be looking at Slave 1 again for release sooner rather than later since that is such an iconic vehicle. It's unlikely we'll get to the Sandcrawler any time soon.

Also in regards to the exclusivity agreements, one topic of discussion is the "pre-orders" being taken by E-tailers for the exclusive items, the question is, are these being supplied by Hasbro or are the retailers supplying the online suppliers thus bypassing the intended consumer and artificially inflating the price ala price gouging, and does Hasbro monitor these types of situations? (ST, 08/03/07)* (http://www.sandtroopers.com/smf/index.php?topic=5183.msg137942#msg137942)

We're not exactly sure what you are asking but we think it is about e-tailers for whom the exclusive is not theirs primarily but whom nonetheless appear to have supply and are offering it for pre-order. You might not know, but some retailers, such as Diamond and Entertainment Earth are also distributors and actually sell the product to a network of other retailers. Sometimes, pre-orders are a part of the processs that is needed to gauge orders and interest prior to production. We do not regulate this, since it is our customers process, just as we do not discuss retail pricing with our customers since that is their decision regarding how to price the item.

Thank you for giving the fans/collectors the opportunity to ask questions. As a collector it is more often than not very difficult to find sought after (chase) items. A recent example is with the McQuarrie concept figures. These concept f igures are near impossible to find. I've had store employees tell me that staff takes them before they hit the shelves and I have entered a store at opening that stocks overnight, only to find new Star Wars figures replenished minus the McQuarrie concept figures. My account of this is that this happens with great regularity with Star Wars chase (short packed) items. We fans/collectors travel a difficult terrain in order to obtain these chase figure/items. And for some, personal experience with friends, it has taken a toll and wore them out. To the point of it no longer being enjoyable and that friend is now spending money and time elsewhere. QUESTION: Are there plans in the near future to make this hobby more fan friendly by making these sought after figures more regularly available? Maybe pack 3 per case of 12, instead of 1? Why pack figures that are obviously going to be s ought after only one per case? (ST, 08/03/07)* (http://www.sandtroopers.com/smf/index.php?topic=5183.msg137942#msg137942)

Absolutely. Some of the scarcity comes from not wanting to go too long on a concept (the response to the McQuarrie figures has exceeded our initial expectations, so we are getting more back into the market) or due to tooling limitations (i.e. how many we can make per week or month, which limits how many we can get out in any period). Just as we did for the 2006 line, we will be reacting to demand and "chasing" the scarcer figures through the year, and possibly even releasing them in subsequent years as demand persist. Remember Scorch and Cody last year? Same thing. More McQuarrie figures are on the way, but it might take a while, so we ask for your patience while we work on it.

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With the new Pre-Cyborg Grievous looking to be nearly as big as the McQuarrie Concept Chewbacca, is that any indication that we're getting closer to a correctly-scaled ROTS General Grievous? (SWC, 08/03/07) (http://www.swcollector.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=5188#5188)

We guarantee that the next time we put a Grievous into production, it will be more correctly-scaled. However, when that is is still undetermined - it may not happen until 2009.

Voolvif Monn, Yoda with Kybuck, and Roron Corobb from CLONE WARS look fantastic. With Shaak Ti such a prominent character in the animated series, and with her featured in THE FORCE UNLEASHED, any chance we could see a new version of her, possibly battle-damaged from her duel with the Magna-Guards or in her FORCE UNLEASHED costume? (SWC, 08/03/07) (http://www.swcollector.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=5188#5188)

We would certainly like to do a new Shaak Ti, but we don't know when we can slot her into the lineup. She is high on list of EU characters to do next though, possibly after 2008.

It's one of the characters I hear customizers planning to do the most, but with the Comic Packs making Expanded Universe dreams into realities, is it likely we'll ever see the all-white, redeemed Darth Vader from STAR WARS INFINITIES: RETURN OF THE JEDI #4 as an action figure? (SWC, 08/03/07) (http://www.swcollector.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=5188#5188)

We'll see how the first Infinities pack does before committing to any additional ones. If it is successful, there is a high likelihood that this figure will come out in a comic pack within the next couple of years.

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Will we see any new sculpts in the 7-inch unleashed line in 2007 or 08? Will there be more Internet Exclusives like the Clone Heavy Gunner? Many fans think that if you give the line a chance and make more new sculpts in the line instead of repacks and retools, the line can do better. (TSE.N, 07/09/07) (http://www.thesithempire.net/site/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=280&Itemid=80)

The challenge with the 7" Unleashed is the extraordinary costs associated with the development and tooling of this line….it has been a labor of love for the design team, but the results from the last waves of new sculpts just did not justify the costs. So we won't be doing any new sculpts this year, but we are going to watch and see how the ARC Trooper does and then see if we can work the format back into our plans somewhere down the road.

Will we see a re-release of the Skiff? (TSE.N, 07/09/07) (http://www.thesithempire.net/site/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=280&Itemid=80)

It's a good candidate for re-release, but we haven't slotted it in yet. You will probably see it back out within the next few years, though.

Considering that lately we've been seeing a lot of action figures from Expanded Universe series and movies, such as Clone Wars and now Boba Fett from the Holiday Special what are the chances of seeing characters from the two Ewok movies, such as Mace, Terak, Teek, Cindal, ect.? Despite significant screen time in the movies, these characters have never gotten an action figure. (TSE.N, 07/09/07) (http://www.thesithempire.net/site/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=280&Itemid=80)

This is a good line of thinking and it has merit, but we do not make any plans right now. We wouldn't rule it out as something we could get to in the next few years.

It has been said before in previous QnA's with other sites that in late 2008 a line for the new Clone Wars cartoon will replace the 30th Anniversary in the main line of figures. Any hints as to how long this new Clone Wars figure line will last? (TSE.N, 08/03/07) (http://www.thesithempire.net/site/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=299&Itemid=80)

It will last as long as Clone Wars (the series) will continue. From the looks of it, that should be a long time!

There have been many rumors about a possible AT-TE. Is there any truth to this? If so, when do you think we should see this? (TSE.N, 08/03/07) (http://www.thesithempire.net/site/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=299&Itemid=80)

It is true that we have been working on a model of the AT-TE, but we cannot yet confirm whether it will come out with the first season of Clone Wars, in a subsequent year, or really at all at this point. If it is prominent in the animation we would certainly like to do it. We would only look at releasing a vehicle this big in the Fall given the need to synch up to the holiday season. We don't want to get hopes up too high in case something happens, but we like the chances that it will come out possibly in '08 but no later than '09.

Last year, we saw a long awaited Republic Commando. Though many of us were very grateful, a few of us were upset that the commando lacked articulation in the knees (especially since the commandos were seen kneeling alot in the video game). Is there going to be a re-release of the commandos with knees? (TSE.N, 08/03/07) (http://www.thesithempire.net/site/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=299&Itemid=80)

We don't have any plans right now to do an updated version with knees. At some point in the future we should certainly look at it.

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Has any consideration being given to having a variant on the Clone Trooper (In Training) figure where he would be in his blue training outfit. (YF, 08/03/07) (http://cgi.denpetersen.com/YAK1/viewtopic.php?p=27844#27844)

Interesting question. We had only planned do to the red training outfit, but the blue one would be an intriguing variation should we ever decide to produce a variant. We'll take it from your endorsement it's a good idea, and consider it, but not for this year. Of course, the Jango in the same wave is pretty close to what you are describing so it's possible to also look at him as an army builder. Thanks!

Now that the Fireside Padme Amidala from EII has been revealed, any chance we can see some detailed shots of her without the feather wrap accessory? ; ) (YF, 08/03/07) (http://cgi.denpetersen.com/YAK1/viewtopic.php?p=27844#27844)

By now, you will have sent the images back from Comic-Con with the wrap taken off. Unfortunately, we didn't shoot anything at Comic-Con ourselves and she is the only model we have right now, so the fansite community will have to be the resource for you right now. Sorry!

What types of features does the new Wave 8 Jango Fett (with poncho) utilize? Removable snap -on armor (all pieces). Super Articulation? Any additional info would be awesome! How does he look under the poncho? (YF, 08/03/07) (http://cgi.denpetersen.com/YAK1/viewtopic.php?p=27844#27844)

Same answer I'm afraid. I can tell you what he has - quality articulation and all removable armor - but you just have to see the images from the last day of the Con to appreciate this great figure.
Title: Re: The Hasbro Q & A Compendium
Post by: Matt on August 21, 2007, 02:34 PM
Session 36 - August 17, 2007

Could you possibly decide to overthink your managing-concept that goes with the battle packs assortment? It really is a nice assortment concept that provides sufficiant possibilities for realising figures or accessories that would not run with a basic figure card, that combines former concepts like the cinema scenes, deluxe and ultra figures or screen scenes, that we loved very much. And at the same time battle packs allows you to resell existing figures again and perhaps again and again. As you stated in former q&a sessions you manage them double tracked, either compiling existing figures in a more children perspective or combining repainted or kit-bashed figures with some new big accessory that would be more collector-related. The most battle packs in the recent past seems to be straight repacks but with their theme specificity offer quite a range of possibilities to do them in a collector-related way. For an example the Betrayal on Bespin Battle Pack would have been a nice opportunity to releasing some environmental accessories like the dinner table and chairs that are just hinted with the cardboard realisation. Another examples would be the Jedi vs. Darth Sidious Battle Pack with its just hinted statues and so on. We all agree that those environmental accessories never would be realised in other ways. I know that this suggestion implicates more plastic and more production costs but it similarly would be another inducement for collectors to buy those Battle Packs like children will do. Could you think about this to come to a conclusion that allows more than just two options, not just beeing children- or collector-related but beeing something in between that anyhow holds costs balanced? (4".de, 08/17/07) (http://www.4-inches.de/inhalt/extra.htm)

Short answer is that we are looking into some things to continue our periodic exploration in this area (like we did for the Senate Pod in that battle pack). Our current strategy has been working very well so we plan to continue that for the most part. We will be looking at some ideas that you suggest for collector-based environmental pieces; the challenge is that for the most part the items, as you suggest, are not particularly integral to the scenes or uniquely identifiable with Star Wars, and thus, not as appealing to the general fan as other things are. We will look for opportunities to do the more recognizable, and uniquely Star Wars, scenic elements as we can justify them in the line.

There is a significant number of figures that undergone some kind of changes after or during releasing state. Your term for that seems to be 'running change'. But with that term in mind it is unclear for us whether this happens because of an error (such as ROTS/#53 Palpatine blue and later red lightsaber) or because of a subsequent decision that the corrected version would do better (such as ROTS/#57 Commander Bly yellow and later brown stripes). A third alternative would be that there are intended more than one versions of a figure (such as the four Clone Trooper Officers from the Saga Legends line). Which of that was the fact with the ROTS/#43 Wookiee Warrior (tan and redbrown color scemes) and ROTS/#28 Anakin with or without sith eyes? (4".de, 08/17/07) (http://www.4-inches.de/inhalt/extra.htm)

As you point out, there are many reasons for change. In general, we don't like running changes because it makes it difficult to communicate to the collector consistently which products to look for. ROTS#43 was an intended running change to excite the collector who wanted to build out a Wookiee army with more variety. ROTS #28 was an error corrected at Lucasfilm's request after production had already begun. The upcoming Saga Legends line, however, has these sorts of things built-in deliberately to allow fans to get all the different versions of figures that have been previously released.   

In ROTS, there were apparently different sized Crab Droids, with some being tank-sized and some person-sized. Hasbro has previously done the tank-sized Crab Droid as a deluxe figure. Would they consider doing a person-sized version that could be carded as a basic figure? It would go great with the upcoming Octuptarra Droid. (4".de, 08/17/07) (http://www.4-inches.de/inhalt/extra.htm)

We'll take a look at this - it could be very interesting for a farther-off wave of EpIII figures. Thanks for the heads-up.

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Now that we've gotten updated versions of Luke Endor, Leia Endor, and the Biker Scout, that is everybody who has ridden a Speeder Bike in ROTJ (minus Paploo if you want to get technical). While asked before, now all the other pieces are in place so it bears revisiting: can we get an updated Speeder Bike vehicle for these guys to ride on? The one used most often is nearly 25 years old and the mold's showing its age with the legs and flaps, plus the giant incorrect handgrips and t-bar. Even more importantly, the Saga Ep 2 Speeder bike is already close enough and hasn't seen a major rerelease - adding clear positionable stands to go with it would be the icing on the cake. So, new Speeder Bike chances? (AF, 08/17/07) (http://www.actionfigs.com/index.php?categoryid=12&p2_articleid=1384)

Good points on the handgrips and t-bar. We like the speeder and still think it has some great future use ahead of it, but we'll take your comments into consideration the next time we are in a position to update. Good comment on the clear stands - that too is an interesting idea to enhance displayability and we'll look at that when we have a chance.

While we've gotten Evolutions sets for some pretty major characters, and now we're seeing more Evolutions concepts coming down the pike, how about Evolutions sets developed specifically for the 2 main protagonists of the saga, Obi-Wan and Luke? Obi-Wan Evolutions could have Ep 1, Ep 2, and Ep 4 versions of the character with all the deserved articulation and accessories (which would fill some pretty big voids in the modern line); while Luke Evolutions could involve Luke perhaps in his Snowspeeder pilot outfit, Dagobah with removable jacket and holster belt, and Jedi covering all the accessories and articulation these versions could need. (AF, 08/17/07) (http://www.actionfigs.com/index.php?categoryid=12&p2_articleid=1384)

Your suggestions are good ones, but in the case of Obi-Wan we decided not to pursue because we felt we were covering off those needs elsewhere in the line. We thought we had covered Luke pretty well recently, and liked the idea of a post-EpVI figure for the next one, so that's why we didn't add him into the mix. Your suggestions are good ones though and we'll think about it for the next time we venture into Evolutions, if we don't have any of those specific versions elsewhere in the line before then.

Unleashed 7" figures are now found in Transformers; both Attacktix and Galactic Heroes-styling is now found in Marvel, Spider-Man, Indiana Jones, and Transformers; Titanium Series is now found in Transformers, Spider-Man, Marvel and Battlestar Galactica -- all these lines started as Star Wars offshoot lines before branching out into new franchises. How did this happen? Is this intentional, is Star Wars a guinea pig for Hasbro's testing of new ideas? (AF, 08/17/07) (http://www.actionfigs.com/index.php?categoryid=12&p2_articleid=1384)

As one of the largest and most diverse fantasies with a great lore of film and other entertainment offerings, and a very passionate fan base, Star Wars is a property that lends itself to new expressions and ideas. All of these are examples of something that has seen success at one point or another in Star Wars that we feel can be leveraged against other boys action brands as well.

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Does Hasbro have any plans for a super-articulated Battle Droid, similar to the TAC Super Battle Droid? All previous BD sculpts have been lacking,and this army builder would greatly benefit from an update, especially with firmer plastic used for the limbs. (BB, 08/17/07) (http://www.bobasbounty.net/)

we'd like to, but the problem with doing anything with more articulation than the current battle droid is that the limb thickness is too thin to be able to work with for the kinds of joints it needs to be super-articulated. Note that IG-88, which has round limbs, can work while battle droids cannot. Until we solve some of these issues, you will not see a new super-articulated battle droid.

I believe you previewed a 12" Indiana Jones figure at SDCC. Are both Hasbro and Sideshow Collectibles going to make 12" Indy figures or will there be an arrangement similar to the 12" Star Wars figures which Sideshow produces? (BB, 08/17/07) (http://www.bobasbounty.net/)

While Sideshow produces 12" figures under sublicense from us, they have a separate arrangement with Lucasfilm on Indy

There are some really great figure customizers out there in the collecting community. Have you ever considered some type of contest for customizers where the winner gets his/her custom figure mass produced? (BB, 08/17/07) (http://www.bobasbounty.net/)

We enjoy the custom work ourselves, but have not considered this type of contest. In general, if a figure is in films or videogames or comics we feel it is a possibility for our line and we have probably considered it as a candidate based on importance, etc....so the ideas that the customizers would bring are not necessarily new, just figures we have not gotten to yet. Also, the figures that customizers create may not be manufacturable as created and we would have to redo it using the Hasbro design and sculpt team in any case. Finally, if it's a non-canon character, then there is a likelihood that we wouldn't consider that character. So, while it seems an interesting idea, the ideas that actually come to the table may not be new or something that we could commit to doing unless the focus was very specific. We'd hate to dissapoint, so that's why we prefer to enjoy the custom craft ourselves.

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With all the talk lately in Q&As about lost tooling preventing the reproduction of older toys, I was wondering if that is the real reason we've never seen a re-release of the TPM Eopie creature? If the production tooling still exists, then is there any hope for seeing this creature repacked at some point in the future since it was never widely distributed back in 2000? It seems like an ideal choice for the centerpiece of a TPM or ROTS Battle Pack. Given the difficulty and expense some collectors went through in getting the original release and the continued demand for this product (currently averaging at $40-60 on auction sites), the Eopie would be a sure winner on toy shelves if you ever released it again. (GH, 08/17/07) (http://www.galactichunter.com/absolutenm/templates/full_article_template_1.asp?articleid=6674&zoneid=2)

The tooling certainly exists. While we have other ideas ahead of it, we wouldn't rule out the Battle Pack possibility at some point in the future.

How plausible would it be to do a figure of a background alien - such as Cane Adiss or Dice Ibegon - that do not have a pre-existing body design? You did an admirable job for Hem Dazon, so has there been any thought to doing these fan favorite characters as well? On Wookieepedia there has been much discussion about the characters' possible alien physiologies so perhaps you could refer to those discussions for design inspiration? (GH, 08/17/07) (http://www.galactichunter.com/absolutenm/templates/full_article_template_1.asp?articleid=6674&zoneid=2)

It is very plausible. Not only has it been done for Hem Dazon, as you mention, but also other figures as well that had little definition beyond a mask.  Eventually, we'd like to get to all of the Cantina aliens, including Dice, so it's a challenge we will have to face at some point.
Cane is probably a little further down the list, but this Jabba's denizen would certainly be an interesting species to tackle.


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With the popularity of the Force Unleashed figures rising, have you considered taking a look at another character-rich video game from the past, Jedi Knight? The Dark Trooper is obviously being asked for again, but a new Kyle Katarn, Jerec, or Jan Ors would be nice too. (JD, 08/17/07) (http://www.jedidefender.com/newspro/fullnews.cgi?newsid1187580869,13281,)

We are not looking at the Jedi Knight game right now, but Katarn is a major EU character so he is more likely to appear in some form first. Jerec is a very interesting character and if we can figure out how to fit him in sometime, he would be a good one to do down the road.

At SDCC, you showed off the new 30AC Droideka with the half-shield. Any chance you've got a pic of the Droideka surrounded by two shield halves so we can see how they fit together? (JD, 08/17/07) (http://www.jedidefender.com/newspro/fullnews.cgi?newsid1187580869,13281,)

Sorry - we do not have an image of this ready.

The Rebel Pilots and their droids are pretty popular character offerings, but many of them wind up as pack-in figures with ships. Since some collectors avoid the vehicles, is there any chance the pilot pack-ins (Zev, Lepira, etc) could be offered in some kind of a Battle Pack or some other set? (JD, 08/17/07) (http://www.jedidefender.com/newspro/fullnews.cgi?newsid1187580869,13281,)

We can't guarantee that any of our pack-in pilots/droids will be available in forms other than with their vehicles (ie. we have no plans for Lepira or R5-F7 beyond appearing with the Y-Wing). Zev, however, is actually available for vote in the next round of Saga Legends.

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At SDCC, you showed images of a new evolution pack with Darth Bane wearing his Orbalisk Armor. Will the armor or at least the helmet be removable on that figure? (JI, 08/17/07) (http://jediinsider.com/index.php?catid=8&itemid=10583)

Darth Bane's helmet is removable, but the armor will be adhered to the body.

If you had the opportunity to re-design the Millenium Falcon toy from scratch, what is one thing you would want to incorporate that was not on the original toy? (JI, 08/17/07) (http://jediinsider.com/index.php?catid=8&itemid=10583)

Hah - that's a great question. While there were a variety of responses from our team when questioned, the #1 answer seems to be room in the cockpit to fit four figures and actual smuggling compartments. Sorry, that's two things, but we can always dream, can't we?

Will the series of figures with 2-1B and Po Nudo be the last series of Anniversary figures? (JI, 08/17/07) (http://jediinsider.com/index.php?catid=8&itemid=10583)

No, it will just be the first series of figures for Spring 2008. The Anniversary line will continue (without coins) through Spring 2008 with the Force Unleashed as well as more figures that have yet to be announced. Look for those around Toy Fair time, if not before.

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Will Hasbro ever revisit the Jedi Council again?  This could be  made as two Battle Packs or like the forthcoming Battlefront II  Multipacks.   Each would include 6 figures and the relevant bases.  It was very hard to get all six of these when released and it would be nice to get a complete set from Episode I, II or III rather than the mixed characters we now have (over the six sets).  Also, a lot of the Jedi’s released on single cards do not include knee articulation so this would be a great way of updating some figures and allow them to sit on the council chairs. (JN.co.uk, 08/17/07) (http://www.jedinews.co.uk/news/news.aspx?newsID=345)

It's unlikely we will revisit the sets as constructed, since we have generaly moved on to new themes with the multi-packs, and some of these characters (such as Oppo) are starting to filter back out there in other ways.  Interesting idea though - these older Jedi could certainly use an articulation upgrade at some point.

There are a couple of items only available on the Hasbro Shop website in the US which don’t ship to the UK.  The items in question are the new 3¾” figure stands (40 stands per pack), first made available at Celebration IV, and the figure clamshells available in packs of 10.  Many UK fans would like to get their hands on these but have no chance other than having to resort to eBay.  Any chance you’ll bring these over to this side of the pond? (JN.co.uk, 08/17/07) (http://www.jedinews.co.uk/news/news.aspx?newsID=345)

When (and if) HasbroToyShop has a business unit for Europe, they will be made available.  Until then, it cannot be made available in any way other than the current one.

Would you ever consider doing a “build your own Clone set” in 3¾” size.   This could be in the form of a Kamino Battle Pack that could include a few different pairs of arms and legs, different torso’s and helmet’s.  You could also include different accessories and weapons.  This would allow you to build the ultimate custom clone and would be a big hit with fans. (JN.co.uk, 08/17/07) (http://www.jedinews.co.uk/news/news.aspx?newsID=345)

It's an interesting idea.  We'll see how well the Clone with snap-on armor is received this Fall before going more wide-spread with the theme.

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Are the vintage style figures still shipping to stores, are have they run their course? How long will the mail-away promotion last? The last promotion was extended beyond the deadline, any chance of this one doing the same? (JTA, 08/17/07) (http://www.jeditemplearchives.com/content/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=3375)

Vintage has run its course at Wal-Mart and Target, but continues on at TRU and other smaller retailers.  The promotion this time has plenty of time for offers to trickle back in - it lasts until 2/29/2008.

Any chance we will see the first Clone Wars figures at Toy Fair, or even sooner? (JTA, 08/17/07) (http://www.jeditemplearchives.com/content/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=3375)

Right now, Toy Fair is the most likely time for the first peak at what they will look like.

You stated before that we would see many of the older case assortments from the TAC line in later assortments, particularly the concept figures. As of yet, I've still not seen these showing up, and many people are still looking for some of them. Now that the coin problem is fixed will these start showing up in higher quanities? (JTA, 08/17/07) (http://www.jeditemplearchives.com/content/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=3375)

We didn't say that older case packs would show up again, but that figures would be remixed into future assortments, which is happeneing for popular figures like the Galactic Marine, Airborne Trooper, the McQuarrie figures, and others.

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Now that the action figure stands are sold out, were they considered successful enough to release again with a new set of labels for older figs that weren't in the first set? Also, would you ever consider selling entire boxes of 1 movie or EU? (RS, 08/17/07) (http://www.rebelscum.com/story/front/Hasbros_37th_STAR_WARS_QA_The_Answers_108247.asp)

We will look to get these back into stock at HasbroToyShop, but with the current label since we have yet to go through our whole order yet. Demand is good, but we won't be able to crack them out into specific movies - the quantity we'd have to make for each one is too large to justify. Instead, we have to keep offering the multi-packs as now.

Thanks for the new Gree, he looks great. Could you please give us as much information on him as possible? What mold(s) were used and does he have any new parts, will he have his backpack and antenna, is his head detachable like Final Battle Jango, is the head under his helmet a new sculpt, etc. (RS, 08/17/07) (http://www.rebelscum.com/story/front/Hasbros_37th_STAR_WARS_QA_The_Answers_108247.asp)

He is an entirely new figure. He comes with his blaster and a macrobinocular. His backpack is molded to his back, with a separate antenna. The helmet is removable, but not his head (ala Jango).

I'm not quite sure if you noticed this, but the Army builder in me has found some problem with the current SA RotS trooper. The details are going fainter and fainter, might this be the time to remake the sculpt to cancel out the antenna, a better sitting position like the Quick Draw version had? (RS, 08/17/07) (http://www.rebelscum.com/story/front/Hasbros_37th_STAR_WARS_QA_The_Answers_108247.asp)

We will look it and see it it's time for a new tool. Our factory does periodically refurbish sculpts, and you may have noticed some that are farther into their lifecycle than others. We still have demand for this figure so we plan to keep it in the rotation for a while. What you are describing would be an all new project....we'll look into it next time we do a new clone.

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We appreciate the extra attention that Jabba's Palace has been getting recently, however there is a group of characters from Jabba's henchmen who have been seriously underrepresented in action figure form: the Skiff Guards. They are featured in one of the primary action sequences in ROTJ, but we haven't seen a new sculpt of any of these guys in over 8 years, and a majority of them have never been made in action figure form. Out of the 5 skiff guards on the "prisoner skiff" (the one bringing Luke, Han, & Chewie to their doom), we've only seen one made into a figure - Weequay - and even that figure is over ten years old. Any chance that we'll get figures of the other four and maybe an update of Weequay at some point in the near future? (SSG, 08/17/07) (http://www.sirstevesguide.com/index.php?categoryid=13&p2_articleid=716)

Yes, over the next few years you will see some more of these cool guards either get their turn for the first time or get a resculpt. You'll have to be patient though - we'll only be able to get to a couple new ones a year.

Seeing as how we're getting obscure, non-canon figures in the Comic Packs such as the Dark Woman and Infinities Vader, what are the chances of getting figures from the early Marvel storyline about the Star-Hoppers from Aduba-3, particularly a figure of Jaxxon? You could even base their appearances off the cover of the Star Wars Gamer magazine from a few years ago that featured them, which showed many of them in a less cartoony way. (SSG, 08/17/07) (http://www.sirstevesguide.com/index.php?categoryid=13&p2_articleid=716)

We look for characters that have interesting or important subplots or are uniquely iconic, so that explains Dark Woman (who appeared in numerous comics and who is tied to the origin of Aurra Sing) and a new take on Vader. We have looked at the Marvel stories again, but just don't see the characters from this storyline making the future cut - they did not have much importance to the Marvel run. It is more likely that other new characters from the Marvel run will be selected before these guys.

Since the AAT has been rereleased with the mid-sized vehicles, will the similarly-sized TX-130 Saber-class tank - seen in the Star Wars: Clone Wars and Battlefront videogames - ever be made? The vehicle was even used for both Republic and Imperial troops in Battlefront II. (SSG, 08/17/07) (http://www.sirstevesguide.com/index.php?categoryid=13&p2_articleid=716)

We have looked at the TX-130 and it is a cool vehicle, but right now would only go after it if it was featured in the upcoming Clone Wars animation.

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Do you track secondary market demand/prices for recent/currently shipping action figures to see which ones should be re-released in future waves? I see that the new Wave 3 cases are shipping with 2 Galactic Marines and 1 Airborne Trooper snuck in from Wave 1. They were fairly scarce at the time of the original release, so I think it was a good idea to re-pack them. It would be nice to see the McQuarrie figures (Stormtrooper, Boba Fett, and Chewbacca so far) get another release, since they have been so scarce at retail and are commanding a high premium on ebay and at toy shows, just like the Galactic Marine and Airborne Trooper were at one point. (ST, 08/17/07)* (http://www.sandtroopers.com/smf/index.php?topic=5183.msg141546#msg141546)

We do not monitor secondary market prices. Instead, we monitor sell-through (provided directly by retailers) to gauge which figures continue to run at high-demand.  In the case of Airborne and Galactic Marine, we knew ahead of time they would be popualr and designed re-releases into the line early. With the McQuarries, popularity has exceeded our forecasts, so it's taken a while to catch up, but we will be keeping more re-releases coming throughout the year as we can slot them in.

Why can't there be any kind of consistency with the amount of new figures per wave? I see from the casepacks at Entertainment Earth that one upcoming wave has 7 new figures in it, the next has 10, and the wave after that only has 4? Can't we get it down to a point where each case of 12 figures contains 2 each of 6 new figures with no repacks? And then if you want to do the revised cases that EE seems to have an abundance of listings for, you can toss in a few figures that seem to be selling well, or some extra army builders. Making each case pack of 12 contain 2 each of 6 new figures would help out collectors like myself who order from EE and just want 2 of each figure. (ST, 08/17/07)* (http://www.sandtroopers.com/smf/index.php?topic=5183.msg141546#msg141546)

The simple answer is not all characters are created equally, so they are not packed out evenly over the course of the year. What you have suggested might work for the first shipment of the year, but then it quickly unreveals as we remix Vaders, core characters, troopers, and the like to bring each figure release up to its potential.  Additionally, we try and stick to themed waves, and we balance it out by wave and not every theme will get the exact same treatment.  We really like the way the EU wave was developing this year, for example, so we put more figure slots into it...we felt that 6 (for example) just wasn't enough for some of the ideas that were developing).  We do provide a type of case pack you suggested to Internet retailers, which consist of more even packing of the new figures (known within Hasbro as an 022 suffix designation).  This was designed to allow collectors to avoid the repacks they don't want.  In cases where there are more than 6 figures, the additional case pack slots are filled with army builders.  Check with your preferred online retailer and make sure to ask for this 022 ratio if it works for you.

Do you have plans on releasing a repaint of the Gunship Pilot to match his color scheme from the Clone Wars series?  He had blue marking and was flying the ARC troopers Gunship while attacking Muunlinst. (ST, 08/17/07)* (http://www.sandtroopers.com/smf/index.php?topic=5183.msg141546#msg141546)

This is something that we are looking at for the next time we release a Clone Wars Pilot.  While he isn't slotted in yet, there's a strong likelihood he will come out at some point.

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Are there any plans to make ARC Troopers in their phase II armor? Fordo appeared in the later part of the Clone Wars animated series in his new armor, as well as Alpha had appeared in the comics in his new armor. With the popularity of clones it just seems like a good chance to make some popular figures. (SWC, 08/17/07) (http://www.swcollector.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=5205#5205)

We have not looked at this, but we'll give it a closer look. Thanks.

With the upcoming Jedi Starfighter (Episode II) with Hyperspace Ring coming out, is there a chance that the Episode III version of the Jedi Starfighter will eventually have a version made with a Ring of its own? (SWC, 08/17/07) (http://www.swcollector.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=5205#5205)

It may take a couple years (this first one was expensive to tool!) but there is a good chance that this will happen.

A lot of clones and droids have come out in different variations lately, but the Crab Droid hasn't been released since the ROTS line two years ago. Is there any chance this figure will be re-released soon? It would be pretty cool to see it in the camo colors to match the Kashyyyk Battle Droids and Super Battle Droid that were released in The Saga Collection. (SWC, 08/17/07) (http://www.swcollector.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=5205#5205)

Yes, we are looking at ways of getting the Crab Droid back out there somehow. Without a specific Deluxe carded segment, we need to find the proper home for it, but there's a good bet that it'll be out within the next 18-24 months.

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The modern Vintage line has covered almost all of our favorite heroes & villains from the OT, almost to the point of exhaustion.  Army builders have found a niche in this line as well.  But with the choices beginning to dwindle from Kenner's original character lineup, how is Hasbro prepared to meet the challenge of keeping a very popular line like modern Vintage going?  What did the responses to polls on this subject reveal at Celebration 4? (TJ, 08/17/07) (http://www.thejawa.com/index.php?PHP&topic=6527.msg59300#msg59300)

We don't have any concrete answers yet on the future of Vintage. The poll answers didn't reveal one strong direction or the other - nearly half of fans felt that Vintage should be opened up to the entire Saga (probably due to the main characters having already been done, as you suggest, and wanting to see only popular characters in vintage), and the other half indicated that they want us to stay true to the Kenner roots and cover only OTC figures.  With the issue of the main OTC figures having been done, it does present a challenge going forward on how to make future waves of vintage compelling, but it's a challenge we'll be looking at.  There is no set date for when we'll see the next wave - right now, Evolutions is our premium-format focus for next year.

Given the fact that the Whiphid Jedi, K'Kruhk has appeared in comics set in both the Old Republic, Clone Wars and Legacy eras, it seems likely that we will eventually see a figure of him.  The real question is will you give us his awesome hat as well? (TJ, 08/17/07) (http://www.thejawa.com/index.php?PHP&topic=6527.msg59300#msg59300)

I would hope that when we eventually get to K'Kruhk - and the chances are good - that he would have his awesome hat as well.

Let me start by saying the Marvel Legends Icons series is fantastic!  they're huge, super-articulated, well-sculpted and superbly detailed.  Dr. Doom's soft-goods cloak, in particular, is an impressive feature for a figure his size!

Since the Unleashed concept has begun to diversify, what are the odds of expanding the Icons series into your other lines, i.e. the Star Wars universe?  Would it even be possible, or might this undermine the efforts of other licensed Star Wars vendors and cause a legal dilemma?  Would the the fact that the figures in the Icons series are nearly 24 inches tall somehow be a loophole?

If not Star Wars, why not the upcoming Indiana Jones line? (I personally wouldn't mind having a two-foot tall Mola Ram on my desk at work clutching a flaming human heart) What about for Hasbro's other popular collectible lines?  I see some brilliant (and lucrative!) potential here!
(TJ, 08/17/07) (http://www.thejawa.com/index.php?PHP&topic=6527.msg59300#msg59300)

We agree that a larger format figure makes sense for the Indiana Jones line, and at Comic Con we announced the first of those figures producing a line of 12" Indiana Jones figures with soft goods, accessories, and features, so we agree that a larger-format figure makes sense for Indy.  For Star Wars, we think that Sideshow is doing a great job with 12" and don't plan to offer a scale at this time that is in that range.

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Is there anything you can tell us about plans for toys accompanying the new Clone Wars series? Will toys be in the animated style, or movie style? (TPU, 08/17/07) (http://www.theprivateuniverse.co.uk/cgi-bin/showarticle.pl?section=news&articleid=1772)

It is too early to discuss specifics of the Clone Wars figures. We will be reserving news for Toy Fair timing, likely next Spring at the earliest.

Might we see more of the packs such as the Mandalorians, Droids or the Death Star briefing room in '08/'09. Can you give us an idea of what sort of thing might be being considered, such as the ANH pilots briefing room or the Rogues Gallery from the front of the Dark Horse Rogue Squadron Encyclopedia for example? (TPU, 08/17/07) (http://www.theprivateuniverse.co.uk/cgi-bin/showarticle.pl?section=news&articleid=1772)

We're glad you like the Rebel Pilots - they do seem to be underserved in the figure line over the last few years, and we hope that introductions like the all-new A-Wing (Tycho) body will help to fill some of that demand. Right now, we hope to continue this multi-pack format, and are working on the details of what the '08 lineup will be right now, but it's too early to reveal those details yet. More likely, it will be closer to Comic Con 2008 timing before we announce anything. Stay tuned.

Considering their cardbacks, plastic bubbles and the figures themselves, how large a carbon footprint does an individual action figure generate? Have you considered reducing package sizes, or do you think you've achieved an optimum balance between function and environmental cost? (TPU, 08/17/07) (http://www.theprivateuniverse.co.uk/cgi-bin/showarticle.pl?section=news&articleid=1772)

We have not calculated the carbon footprint of an individual figure, so we cannot answer your question. We are always actively working on minimizing the package footprint and materials usage as much as possible for any toy (in addition, it reduced our cost as well, which benefits the eventual price to consumers, so the goals are mutual). We have developed what we feel are the most streamlined and economical packages for a given item, and in some cases (such as the Galactic Heroes Cinema Scenes) have even re-used some of the package elements as playset-type accessories to further this endeavor.

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There have been many requests by people from countries outside of the US (such as people from Germany and Australia) for an exclusive figure for their country. Will we ever see one? (TSE.N, 08/17/07) (http://www.thesithempire.net/site/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=306&Itemid=1)

We would like our exclusives to be available to everyone and everywhere that is at all possible so all fans can participate. There are certain exceptions for figures such as R2-KT or the Celebration figures, but going forward we do not plan on having regional or country exclusives and will work on trying to get better distribution of all figures throughout the world. Imagine the frustration in getting figures in, say, 10 different countries around the world that have passionate fan bases had exclusives for 10 different figures - it would be quite frustrating to complete the set.

Will we see more non-animated figures from the clone wars series? Such as Tarr Seirr, Jasper McKnives, Sha'a Gi, K'Kruhk, or even Trandoshan warriors from the Republic Commando games? (TSE.N, 08/17/07) (http://www.thesithempire.net/site/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=306&Itemid=1)

There will be some additional figures coming out, but they will be more prominent figures overall (K'ruhk, playing a role in the Republic comic series, and now the Legacy series, stands the strongest chance). Tertiary characters who are seen only fleetingly, such as the other three, probably will not get made as we begin to look at the wider EU (including video games as novels as well) to fill our precious non-film spots in the upcoming basic figure line. The Trandoshan warrior is an interesting one and the species certainly pops up in multiple sources from games to comics, and while there is nothing planned for these guys, we certainly wouldn't rule out the possibility of seeing more Trandoshans in some form (maybe not exactly this one) in future years.

What are the chances of seeing more of Jabba's henchmen, such as Kithaba, Wooof, Cane Adiss, and Loje Nella? (TSE.N, 08/17/07) (http://www.thesithempire.net/site/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=306&Itemid=1)

We plan to do a couple of Jabba's henchmen/palace denizens in the "Saga" line each year as we go forward (actual mileage may vary, meaning we may not be able to get to as many as we want in a given year due to overall line balance and priorities). We know Jabba's palace is popular, like the Cantina, for some of the offbeat aliens that make Star Wars figure-collecting so fun.

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How do you come up with the character illustrations on the cardbacks of the Thirtieth Anniversary collection if there is not photorealistic version of a particular character? I'm especially thinking of Roron Corobb, Clone Wars Yoda, and the Nelvaan Anakin. There are even cases where the character is in the films, but you've created a new image for them, such as smuggler Lando. Do you cobble together existing images or do you have an art department that uses new photographs? (YF, 08/17/07) (http://cgi.denpetersen.com/YAK1/viewtopic.php?p=28928#28928)

When artwork doesn't exist in exactly the format we need (as is the case for EU and Clone Wars figures), we direct professional illustrators on what we are looking for that will work in the space allotted for the artwork on the figure card. This involves supplying the illustrator with enough reference so they can work with it, and also working with Lucasfilm to make sure that the reference is consistent to what is known of the characters.

Now that the Indiana Jones figures have been confirmed and a few revealed at Comic-Con (which look great by the way, I'm extremely excited). Will you be accepting any questions about this line in future Q&A sessions as well?

I know it's the Star Wars Q&A, but SW and Indy have always gone hand- in-hand down through the years, and since they're being worked on by the same team, I'm hoping you'd be willing to field a few questions about this exciting new line.

IF so, let me attempt to be the first by asking whether or not the "vintage" playsets will get an update (Well of the Souls, Streets of Cairo, Map Room) as well as vehicles (German army truck w/ Ark crate). The flying wing with shredible German Mechanic would also be a cool new addition.

Finally, IF the playsets and vehicles get an update, will they utilize the molds from the vintage toys like many of the current Star Wars vehicles or would they be all new sculpts?
(YF, 08/17/07) (http://cgi.denpetersen.com/YAK1/viewtopic.php?p=28928#28928)

Yes, Indy questions can be sent to the same address here, and since it's the same team bringing you the IJ excitement, we can answer. The answer to playsets is about the same as you might expect from Star Wars - It's a been a struggle so we are adopting a wait and see attitude on them and seeing where our figure/vehicle demand nets out first before going too far in the playset direction. The cargo truck is a definite probability for 3-3/4", but the wing is tough because it really is a big one. One thing that is known is that NONE of the original Indy tools exist anymore, so we will not be going back to the vintage tools.

Dear Hasbro I recently purchased the McQuarrie Luke in TRU (in the UK) and heard rumour that the McObi Wan/Yoda will be coming to the UK as an exclusive and what i want to know is will that and the Shadow scout, Concept Grievous, Mc C3-po/R2 and R2-KT be coming to the UK and Europe through stores? Especially the R2-KT because many non-Americans would like one and to support the cause without a scalper or seller making profit off a charitable figure. (YF, 08/17/07) (http://cgi.denpetersen.com/YAK1/viewtopic.php?p=28928#28928)

We are still working on how to get the McQuarrie Obi-Wan and Yoda to Europe and it will likely be available late this year or in the Spring, but the Shadow Scout and Concept Grievous will not see in-store distribution in Europe since they are Lucasfilm's StarWarsOnlineShop.com exclusives and will remain distributed through that shop. R2-KT will not be released unless there is a charitable promotion in place and that has not been worked out yet anywhere else in the world other than the US, so for now that is not possible. As to the McQuarrie R2-D2 and C-3PO, we are not sure what has happened to the remaining inventory from the show but we will find out and provide you an update when we hear.

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Is it a possibility we will see a re-release of the Sandcrawler at retail? I had a tough time finding one back with the OTC series. I think it would be cool since the release of the Jawa with LIN Droid in wave 3 of the TAC series. I know I would buy another one. (YN, 08/17/07) (http://www.yodasnews.com/)

It's possible that the Sandcrawler will come back out, but probably not in 2008.

Has Hasbro been given access to upcoming Star Wars projects, like the new tv shows, to begin working on products that will be released when the projects debut? Any tidbits of information that you can share, if so? (YN, 08/17/07) (http://www.yodasnews.com/)

Lucasfilm shares with us information as it becomes available to help our development of toys so we can be there when the series launches and match the toyetic experience to the on-screen experience as much as possible.

However, entertainment news is not ours to break so, as much as we might like to, we can't share any tidbits.


Are there certain Star Wars characters that Hasbro is simply not given permission, or allowed, by Lucasfilms to manufacture? (YN, 08/17/07) (http://www.yodasnews.com/)

For the most part, pretty much everything in the Star Wars universe is fair game for consideration. There are a few rare exceptions of characters or ideas we can't or don't go forward with, for a variety of reasons (including strategic direction). However, we don't discuss those in public in the hopes that we can do them at some point in the future.
Title: Re: The Hasbro Q & A Compendium
Post by: Matt on August 31, 2007, 04:55 PM
Session 37 - August 31, 2007

Recent experiences with the Fans' Choice Poll of the Saga Legends 2008 (Wave 5) have shown that some older figures could deserve a repaint or an update in some minor ways. Thus K-3PO could be managed without the blaster shot, the Bespin Guard could get some ethnical revisions with different head sculpts, the Scanning Crew Member could be realized as a repaint of the Imperial Officer with or without gloves and/or another head sculpt and Taun We needs an update with a comparable figure size like her counterpart Lama Su. Do you agree that those figures would profit from some kind of upgrade and with a fitting slot could make their run over the next years? (4".de, 08/31/07) (http://www.4-inches.de/inhalt/home.htm)

We agree, and some of the figures are already on our list for candidates for main line, comic pack, or battle pack figures.

The sculpt of Ewok Graak seems to look like Ewok Lumat, just with another paintjob. Is this an answer to the call of some certain fans (like Adam Pawlus) for more Ewoks? Will we then see Lumat (as a repaint of Graak) next year? And do we then get another Ewok as a repaint of the Romba figure? (4".de, 08/31/07) (http://www.4-inches.de/inhalt/home.htm)
   
We are Ewok fans too, and we have looked for ways to get more of our furry friends out there (we were actually semi-serious when we said at Comic Con 2006 that "Ewoks are the army-builders of the future." The enthusiastic response to the Ewok forest displays at Celebration IV also underscored what we know - that we need to keep updating these fellows every so often.

How do you explain that certain background characters like Bossk, Greedo or IG-88 got their second update since 1995, while other characters like the Gamorrean Guard, Dr. Evazan or Nien Nunb are still waiting for their long lasting first figure update? Those characters just got some repaint in the long run since 1995/1996 but no update. An update of these figures seems to be overdue and they are equally sought-after like the other guys who have been updated. (4".de, 08/31/07) (http://www.4-inches.de/inhalt/home.htm)

All three of the characters you mention are good candidates for update before too long and have been discussed. In all three cases, we have decided to pursue other characters who have never been done from their scenes first, so these updates have taken a backseat to new figures. But we will probably get to all three of these within the next few years.

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With all the Padme costumes left unmade as 3 3/4" figures, would Hasbro consider making an exclusive multipack - such as the Lucas Family set or the Republic Commando or Death Star Briefing - or even a series of multipacks to get those outfits out of the way? With anywhere from 3 to 7 apiece, they could be organized by movie: Ep I - purple Return to Naboo/Qui-Gon's Funeral; gray Coruscant kimono; black Coruscant/Naboo reception; and perhaps a new, complete version of the senate outfit. Ep 2 - any of the 10 remaining outfits but especially the Chancellor's office outfit; the packing gown; the picnic dress. Ep 3 - there's 9 more outfits, not counting the hospital gown or the funeral gown. Even if you only do a few 3-packs of figures, those are figures that would normally not be seen for years, possibly ever, which fans want. Would you at least consider a Padme evolutions set to get 3 of those unproduced outfits figures out of the way? (AF, 08/31/07) (http://www.actionfigs.com/index.php?categoryid=12&p2_articleid=1384)

We know there are a lot of Padme's undone, but we would prefer to handle them one at a time rather than this idea, simply because it's an expensive set with a narrow focus (and sets like Evolutions are geared toward including multiple characters, rather than focusing on one).

Will Hasbro be re-releasing the straight sections of the cantina bar in the near future to coincide with the release of the curved end pieces that were just released? If so, please consider re-releasing the blue Snaggletooth from the K-Mart exclusive as well. Also, on the straight sections, would they be the same or have their inaccurate barstools removed? (AF, 08/31/07) (http://www.actionfigs.com/index.php?categoryid=12&p2_articleid=1384)

Zutton (blue Snaggletooth) is on the list of figures being voted on for Saga Legends 2008. We will consider, if other Cantina figures are selected, re-releasing this straight section. Good suggestion… thanks.

How many Evolutions packs will we be seeing in 2008? (AF, 08/31/07) (http://www.actionfigs.com/index.php?categoryid=12&p2_articleid=1384)

That is a number we are holding onto right now. Giving you a little more info though… there will be at least one more beyond what we have already shown.

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At the past few conventions, you’ve confirmed that the Distillery portion of the Cantina Bar will be coming in 2008 or 2009. A lot of folks are left wondering how it’s all going to fit together since there isn’t a lot of room left in the middle if you use the two corner sections from the recent Cantina figures alone. Any plans to tweak the bar or will the answer be simply "use a straight piece between the curves to make more room"? (JD, 08/31/07) (http://www.jedidefender.com/newspro/fullnews.cgi?newsid1188591687,74823,)

Well that's the real trick, isn't it? We are trying to figure this out as we speak. We don't have any answers yet, but we're trying to get it in there.

Lately, a lot of folks have been finding figures which are noticeably lop-sided with 1 leg longer than the other. Both the Death Star Trooper and Stormtrooper come to mind as examples. Is this a problem with the molding process or is it an artifact of the way figures were posed when sculpted? Are these type of problems noted for correction with future releases of the figures? (JD, 08/31/07) (http://www.jedidefender.com/newspro/fullnews.cgi?newsid1188591687,74823,)

We haven't seen examples like this in our samples process, but it is not a product of the way they were sculpted but perhaps manufacture or assembly. If you find a figure like this, we would love to get it and will replace it with another production figure if the same one is available (or a sub if not), and learn from this to instruct our Asian production teams. Please send them to our attention at the Customer Service address on the Hasbro web site. Thanks.

Now that your 2007 30th Anniversary plans are almost all set, can we get a final count on how many unique coins there will be (counting all the exclusive and convention coins)? Will we have enough slots in our albums to hold them all? (JD, 08/31/07) (http://www.jedidefender.com/newspro/fullnews.cgi?newsid1188591687,74823,)

It's tight but it works, but here's how it breaks down, if one had all the available coins: 60 basic figure coins; 7 Saga Legends; 4 Convention gieaways (CIV, Celebration Europe, and Comic Con, plus bonus Indiana Jones IV gold coin); 5 Convention exclusives (2 McQ Luke, 2 McQ R2/3-PO, 1 McQ Obi-Wan/Yoda), 12 UGH variants, and 7 Vintage coins including the Toy Fair coin. Excluding the latter set (which has it's own folder), it totals 88 coins for 90 spaces. Tight, but manageable!

And, as a bonus, we’ve got a follow up from last time -

4. At SDCC, you showed off the new 30AC Droideka with the half-shield. Any chance you've got a pic of the Droiedka surrounded by two shield halves so we can see how they fit together?
(JD, 08/31/07) (http://www.jedidefender.com/newspro/fullnews.cgi?newsid1188591687,74823,)

Yes indeed.  Pic (http://www.jedidefender.com/news/images/8-07/30AC_droidshell.jpg)  Note that we have colored the shield to "hide" the pin and cavity insertion method. If we went clear, this would have been more visible and we wanted to disguise.

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With the Star Wars role-play stuff like the lightsabers and blasters, have you ever considered making things like holsters and stuff so that kids can carry around their gear like the characters in the movies did? (JI, 08/31/07) (http://jediinsider.com/index.php?catid=8&itemid=10613)

We have considered this, but have found that they impact our ability to deliver the "main thing" which is the blaster or saber, at the price point we want it. General role play sets, we have found, don't do as well if the price wanders up.

You recently have released 8" figures with articulation in the Marvel line under the Unleashed banner. Any chance we will see Star Wars figures like this in the near future? (JI, 08/31/07) (http://jediinsider.com/index.php?catid=8&itemid=10613)

This is not in our plans, as it would distract focus from our other main initiaitves.

You have some cool interactive Galactic Heroes boxsets coming, but is there any chance of seeing actual playsets released for these guys, like a Death Star? We are seeing playsets done for the Marvel versions, so why not Star Wars? (JI, 08/31/07) (http://jediinsider.com/index.php?catid=8&itemid=10613)

We have looked at them, but the costing still has not worked out for Star Wars to be able to do them.

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It’s been over 23 years (yes, really it’s been that long!) since we saw Jabba the Hut released with his throne from Return of the Jedi.  I appreciate that there are no relevant SKU’s for such a release but this could easily be incorporated into Battle Pack range.  You could include Jabba, his throne and a new version of Leia in Bikini outfit that’s able to lie on the throne (you would only have to redo the legs) and Jedi Luke and call it ‘Jabba’s Jedi Confrontation’ OR include Jabba, his throne, Leia as Boushh with Chewbacca and call it  ‘Jabba’s Bounty Hunter Confrontation’.  If money allows you could also include Salacious Crumb and Bib Fortuna and C-3PO in either of the two packs!  Ed: Please go for the first idea with a new Leia that can lie down too!!! (JN.co.uk, 08/31/07) (http://www.jedinews.co.uk/news/news.aspx?newsID=396)

Good ideas and we have considered this prior.  It's one of those ideas that is "next in line" when we can figure out how to deliver, so your suggestion is a very good one.  Thanks.

Our friends over at Lightsabre.co.uk run Richard LeParmentiers official website. Admiral Motti was immortalised as a 3¾” figure in 1999 and was re-released as part of the Death Star set earlier this year, however the mold is looking quite poor considering what you’re now able to do.  Is there any chance that you’ll revisit this figure anytime soon? (JN.co.uk, 08/31/07) (http://www.jedinews.co.uk/news/news.aspx?newsID=396)

The good Admiral will probably not see a new sculpt for a while (meaning not in the next couple of years, anyway).

We love the Galactic Heroes line.  I know packaging is a big part of the product, but in the spirit of trying to help ‘save the environment’ there seems to be a lot of wasted space (considering the size of the figures in relation to the packaging) in the basic range.  Are there any plans to change the packaging?  Also, any chance we’ll see Admiral Akbar in the Galactic Heroes line any time soon? (JN.co.uk, 08/31/07) (http://www.jedinews.co.uk/news/news.aspx?newsID=396)

We do think about materials in everything we do to minimze waste as much as possible.  As with many of our assortment-based lines, we need to do a uniform package size to accommodate the largest of the packs - in this case Vader/Luke, and Chewie/Clone (to use two examples), which take up almost 100% of the blister space.  To go down in size would eliminate these important figures and make our tooling library inefficient, so there is that concern as well.  You may note that other Heroes lines, such as the Marvel Heroes and Transformers do have a smaller blister/footprint, and we have looked at theirs but determined that it would not work for Star Wars.  The good news is that some change is on the way for Galactic Heroes, and you we will have a more efficient method of securing figures in pack soon.  As for Akbar - no plans for next year, but he's a great candidate for 2009.

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Toys R Us is currrently listing a Star Wars Force Unleashed Hero Figure Pack at this page (http://www.toysrus.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2678312&cp).  Can you describe this figure pack?  Is this in fact a set where you can build your own Secret Apprentice from The Force Unleashed? (JTA, 08/31/07) (http://www.jeditemplearchives.com/content/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=3397/#details)

We actually are not in a position to dicuss any more details about this one.

How challenging is it to keep core characters in the mix while keeping thing interesting for collectors who have say, the last 10 versions of Luke Skywalker?  And additionally, how difficult is it to keep things interesting when the character is a fan favorite (like Boba Fett) who only has one or two different costume looks? (JTA, 08/31/07) (http://www.jeditemplearchives.com/content/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=3397/#details)

There are collector forces at work on both sides of the fence - we think enthusiasm is high when there are important versions of that character yet to be done, but also when there are details they would like to see us work on for future versions (there are lots of examples of this in past Q&As). When we introduce an all-new tooled version of a core character, we think it makes a good statement and that we probably get most collectors behind the effort.  Sometimes new articulation or a new accessory does the trick. In the case of comic packs, or even the EU, we have more to work with so we can look for solutions there as well. When the changes are smaller, we try to justify it based on the importance of the character and the importance of the changes.  It certainly makes it a fun and interesting challenge, especially when we task ourselves with keeping at least some version of the core characters (ideally a new version) out there every year.  A balance of both new and refreshed characters allows us to keep the core characters out there and balance our tooling budget.

Every year or two, you guys seem to come up with a new line of toys to showcase Star Wars products, such as unleashed, titaniums, transformers, attacktix, to name a few. Are there any new lines on the horizon, or are you guys pretty much set with the product lines you have now? Do you guys have any unique ideas that you would love to do, but just can't fit it into offering right now? (JTA, 08/31/07) (http://www.jeditemplearchives.com/content/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=3397/#details)

We are constantly challenging ourselves on exciting, new expressions for Star Wars and the Hasbro character portfolio on the whole.  One of the new ones we're excited about is the Mighty Muggs line, which will debut with Star Wars for Spring (on shelf on or about Janurary 1).  Taking it's cue from urban vinyl, it's a cute, fun style that is a perfect fit for the Star Wars character universe.  We are looking further down the road at other expressions that can be suitable as well.  One thing that is for certain is that in a fashion-driven business, we cannot stand still!

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One of the things Evolutions are known are the accesories. While you do not disapoint with the Mandalorian set, we weren't shown any for the other two (except for lightsabers, cloaks, and Bane's helmet). Can you tell us what accesories these sets contain, or at least give us a hint?

Oh, and congrats for keeping Evolutions under wraps for who knows how long. Considering how tightly it was under wraps, it was a suprise that it didn't "slip through your fingers."
(RS, 08/31/07) (http://www.rebelscum.com/story/front/Hasbros_38th_STAR_WARS_QA_The_Answers_108529.asp)

What we have shown prior is pretty much what the sets will have. Our philosophy has been that the characters are the primary drivers, and that we need to include the accessories we feel are needed to make that character complete. In the case of The Sith set, lots of soft goods (and Bane's removable mask). The Mando set (like the 2005 Clone to Stormtrooper set) had more battle gear, etc. The Jedi set has the fewest accessories, but it was important to get a Cloak for Qui-Gon, etc. We are very happy we can get the concept back out there, and can't wait for the sets to get to stores.

The Anakin CW Jedi Starfighter continues to be one of the most expensive vehicles on the secondary market. With the $20 vehicle format being so popular and the CW show coming out next year when can we expect to see that product on the shelves again? (RS, 08/31/07) (http://www.rebelscum.com/story/front/Hasbros_38th_STAR_WARS_QA_The_Answers_108529.asp)

If Anakin's modified shows up in the animation, then we will look to get it back out there.

As you have done the Ralph Mcquarrie concept figures so wonderfully, I was wondering if you had ever thought of doing some concept vehicles for the 3 3/4 line? I feel that the concept X-Wing and concept TIE Fighter would be a fantastic addition to collect. Some of the concept prequel vehicles would be fab too! I remember the concept Airspeeder, Cloud Car and Speeder Bike in the mid 90's and they were terrific, so some new larger sized vehicles to go with the concept figures recently released would be awesome! (RS, 08/31/07) (http://www.rebelscum.com/story/front/Hasbros_38th_STAR_WARS_QA_The_Answers_108529.asp)

They are cool, but the concept vehicles actually struggled a bit originally, partly because these were not the iconic versions of the vehicles everyone knows and partly because some Star Wars collectors are figure-focused primarily so we didn't get the same pick-up from the collectors then as we are seeing with the McQuarrie figures now. This it makes it hard to look at concept vehicles as a justified investment given the costs. We would also, if there is a vehicle slot available, prefer to go after an on-screen vehicle that hasn't been made yet for the 3-3/4" world before we dip into concepts. We wouldn't rule it out (a concept TIE for example could be a cool one) but it's not our priority.

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With Mandalore being produced for the Mandalorian Evolutions set, will other Tales of the Jedi figures - specifically Ulic Qel-Droma and Exar Kun - be in queue for a future wave of Comic 2-packs? (SSG, 08/31/07) (http://www.sirstevesguide.com/index.php?categoryid=13&p2_articleid=716)

We certainly hope so. While they are not in the line for next year, they are on our short list for the line as it continues on.

Originally, it seemed that Saga Legends was supposed to compliment the main TAC line, so as to have multiple "new" figures out at once. However, wave 3 of the main line started showing up at the end of May, and here in mid-August wave 4 is barely starting to show up - yet the first 2 waves of Saga Legends are steadily coming in. Did you stop shipping figures from the main TAC line for a while in order to focus on Saga Legends? If so, wouldn't that be the opposite of the intended goal of simultaneous shipping? Will more waves of the main line be pushed back this year to allow for Saga Legends figures to gain momentum? Right now fans are getting frustrated at the current lack of authentically new product on shelves and are worrying that the final few months of 2007 will be an avalanche. (SSG, 08/31/07) (http://www.sirstevesguide.com/index.php?categoryid=13&p2_articleid=716)

The actual figure lines themselves are managed completely separately and replenishment to stores is based on demand and sell-through, as long as we can supply inventory as need. Delays with the coins have held up the basic figure schedules so far (as well as Saga Legends), but that should all be settled down now and you will see more regular wave deliveries.

With the fans choice polls over the years, you've shown a great openness to suggestions for figures from the collector community. Would you consider extending the concept of fans choice polls into $20 vehicles and/or Titanium Series vehicles? (SSG, 08/31/07) (http://www.sirstevesguide.com/index.php?categoryid=13&p2_articleid=716)

Actually, we have indeed gotten that question before from some sites, and have been willing to explore it given the availability of slots in the line. For the $20 vehicles, it would be unlikely to be an open-ended vote like the Fans' Choice for figures. Titanium is probably something more amenable to being open-ended. We will look at it and get back to you… it may be something we can effect for early next year to influence later 2009.

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Is there anything on the horizen for a re-release of the Anakin with Swoop Bike and Darth Tyranus with Geonosian Speeder? Both of these items never sat upon a shelf when they came out and a lot of people missed out on them. They are also small and should fit a store's plan-o-gram easily. (ST, 08/31/07)* (http://www.sandtroopers.com/smf/index.php?topic=5183.msg144273#msg144273)

That's a good idea and we are looking into it. We admit that the speeder bike play has been a little absent and the Treachery on Saleucami Battle Pack was good effort to get some back out there.  It was successful, and we are looking to get more of these single-rider vehicles back out there. Also coming is the At-RT set, as well as the return of STAPs in the previously announced STAP Attack Battle Pack (say that five times fast!),and exclusive for next Spring.

Will any future releases of the Sandtrooper be released with a rifle similar to the evolutions version? It's nice to get different weathered paint apps but you should add the rifle in there too along with the standard blaster. (ST, 08/31/07)* (http://www.sandtroopers.com/smf/index.php?topic=5183.msg144273#msg144273)

Yes…it will actually be with "medium dirty" version of the Sandtrooper, which is the deco version from the first Evolutions pack.

Any chance we'll see more figures made using the hip joints of the ROTS AT-TE Gunner and 501st Trooper style? The poseablility of them is great. Or, any chance that we will see some Star Wars figures using the new 25th Anniversary G I Joe style bodies/articulation? Again, the articulation of those bodies is great. (ST, 08/31/07)* (http://www.sandtroopers.com/smf/index.php?topic=5183.msg144273#msg144273)

We have been looking at the AT-TE as it applies to upcoming figures. You should see some future figures that use this hip model. As for the 25th Anniversary GI Joe figures, we think some of our troopers have comparable articulation (if not exactly). Since the Star Wars universe is so different and unique to itself, we will continue to design articulation as needed on a figure-by-figure basis.

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Hey Hasbro, everything from SDCC looks awesome! Will you please make a super articulated Yakface? Please, please, please? (SWC, 08/31/07) (http://www.swcollector.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=5246#5246)

Thanks, joenubb! Hmmm…Yak-Face, huh? That was a pretty nice-looking figure for the time and still holds up today, so we haven't had him on any to-do lists. Gotta say it's unlikely we'll get to him in the next couple years. But hang in there, you never know.

I'd really like to see a film-accurate version of Darth Sidious from his Senate duel with Yoda. This is the one figure so conspicuous by its absence in the REVENGE OF THE SITH toy line. Any idea on when we might see one, or at least a better version of the Mace Windu-duel Chancellor Palpatine figure (without any action features and with the correct lightsaber hilt)? (SWC, 08/31/07) (http://www.swcollector.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=5246#5246)

Good questions. No specific timeline is planned, but we will probably be getting to one, or both, of these in the next couple of years either in the basic figures or another form.

Which would we be more likely to see anytime in the future, a re-release of the POTF2 version of Oola, Jabba the Hutt's Dancing Girl, or an all-new sculpt? (SWC, 08/31/07) (http://www.swcollector.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=5246#5246)

Oola's prior figure (both sculpt and soft goods) were pretty good, so we'd say that a re-release will be more likely to happen before a re-sculpt.

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Since we now have a few George Lucas figures out there and the upcoming General McQuarrie. Any chance there will be figures made of other behind the scenes Legends? Such as John Williams? Irvin Kershner? (TSE.N, 08/31/07) (http://www.thesithempire.net/site/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=307&Itemid=1)

We have explored this idea, but the idea has not gone over that well. Beyond George Lucas, the strength of Star Wars really is in the fantasy. If there are on-screen appearances (such as General McQaurrie) it makes sense, but just going outside of that isn't a direction we'll be going.

Will the likeness of Boba Fett in the upcoming Evolution series be based on conjectures before the release of the prequel trilogy or will the likeness be based on an actor such as Jeremy Bulloch or Temuera Morrison? (TSE.N, 08/31/07) (http://www.thesithempire.net/site/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=307&Itemid=1)

The likeness will be based on Temuera Morrison, but we "aged" him a little bit.

Will ball jointed hips now be a standard on all trooper characters? We saw in the first wave of 2008, a 41st trooper and Commander Gree that looked to have ball-jointed hips, will all or most trooper figures have this sort of articulation where applicable, also what are the chances of seeing double joints on the knees and elbows in a similar style to the 25th Anniversary GI Joes? (TSE.N, 08/31/07) (http://www.thesithempire.net/site/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=307&Itemid=1)

We won't be sticking to just one articulation model, but will still be looking at every new sculpt situationally.

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While the A-Wing Pilot figure will be a welcome addition (although there are issues with the helmet accuracy) to our collections, will there not be any A-WING STARFIGHTERS re-released to coincide with them?

The 3.75" version of this craft has not been at retail for some time, and it would be great to see them again. Perhaps some different squadron insignias, battle damage, and other decals could be included, to make every A-Wing have the opportunity of being unique? Whattaya think? I just hate to have figures without vehicles, and vice-versa.
(YF, 08/31/07) (http://cgi.denpetersen.com/YAK1/viewtopic.php?p=29457#29457)

It is a great vehicle, and we are looking at getting the A-Wing back out there next year. No specific retailer has been lined up for it so it's an idea only, but we are looking into it.

Will the upcoming (and very welcome) Episode II Obi-Wan Jedi Starfighter with Hyperspace Ring include a stand for display?

If so, would this display work with the other non-hyperspace ring Jedi Starfighters?
(YF, 08/31/07) (http://cgi.denpetersen.com/YAK1/viewtopic.php?p=29457#29457)

Yes. It won't be a hard-plastic injection-molded stand, due to cost issues, but it will include a clear blister-style stand for display.

When can we expect to first see the Raiders wave of Indy figures and packaging? When is their expected release date? (YF, 08/31/07) (http://cgi.denpetersen.com/YAK1/viewtopic.php?p=29457#29457)

The movie release date is May 22, 2008, so expect to see the figures at least a couple weeks prior, typical form for any movie launch. We probably will not be showing any more figures or packaging until Toy Fair 2008.

Title: Re: The Hasbro Q & A Compendium
Post by: Matt on September 15, 2007, 08:49 PM
Session 38 - September 14, 2007

Can you tell us something about the abandoned screen scene assortment from the SAGA 2003-line? Why has it been abandoned? Rumor lists have had listed some further screen scenes, that should have scheduled for a wave 2 and 3: a Coruscant Nightclub scene with should have come out with 3 figures and had an SKU (84982), a Tatooine (or Lars) Homestead scene and a Hoth Wampa Attack scene. Can you tell which concepts and perhaps which figures should have come with these screen scenes and if some figures got a different concept running (which perhaps holds for the wampa). Depending on how far concepts has been developed are there some existing concept arts or maybe pictures of one or another of the sets that we could get? (4".de, 09/14/07) (http://www.4-inches.de/inhalt/home.htm)

They were on a line list at some point, and work had been done but mostly on a concept level (not sculpting). The sales on that line were struggling so we took some of those ideas and did release them in other forms later. There are no photos available as work never prograssed that far. For instance, the Corscant nightclub scene figures came to be released in the mainline basic figures, and the Wampa was released on the deluxe later. The Lars Homestead still remains a distant dream!

At Celebration IV you displayed a box with wax-sculptured heads of the figures. I identified all but one head. Can you tell us more about this figure? Who is it and when will we see this figure? (4".de, 09/14/07) (http://www.4-inches.de/inhalt/home.htm)

That is the head from the Star Wars Transformers Darth Maul figure.

How do you judge the chances for an Imperial Landing Craft Vehicle from the Tatooine-scene from ANH? If there are chances what would be a realistic time period for such a vehicle? It would be a cool extension for the Imperial Fleet. (4".de, 09/14/07) (http://www.4-inches.de/inhalt/home.htm)

It is defintely a cool vehicle. We do not rule out the possibility of one day doing this vehicle, but it is not high on our priority list as the new vehicles we are looking at are either for the Starfighter Vehicle assortment or for Clone Wars. If this vehicle shows up in future entertainment then there will be a higher chance.

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While the last Jabba we got (Saga Ultra) looked nice, his limited articulation and hard plastic body don't lend him to many alternate poses, so he's a bit boring. What about the idea of doing a new Jabba with an internal skeleton/under-frame for more articulation underneath a rubber skin similar to the Jabba Glob Ep I figure which had a decent look and much more mobility? It seems a shame that action figures of Jabba - who is such a major character - can never be able to move his mouth, arms, and tail at least somewhat like he does in the film. (It could even be released in a special battle pack, or in the $20 vehicles wave, with a full throne and more, even possibly a resculpted sitting Slave Leia.) (AF, 09/14/07) (http://www.actionfigs.com/index.php?categoryid=12&p2_articleid=1384)

Getting more poseability out of a Jabba figure is a great idea, and if/when we do another one we will look to something that can work for our costing parameters. What you suggest would be relatively expensive Jabba, but it doesn't mean there are other ways to do what you suggest.

At Comic-Con, you showed off '08 basic wave 1 and in it was the Octuptarra Droid. However, what was shown actually had the details of the much larger Tri-Droid - another ROTS droid that was an upsized, remodeled version of the smaller Octuptarra Droid - so the feet, guns, and eyes on what you showed are from the wrong design. Will these details be corrected so that it truly is the Octuptarra Droid? (AF, 09/14/07) (http://www.actionfigs.com/index.php?categoryid=12&p2_articleid=1384)

We found out about the differences in the two after we were already down the path. So the figure will be coming out as shown. We couldn't really do it any bigger than we are doing now anyway, at least on a basic figure card, so until we have the opportunity to do a larger one, fans will hopefully appreciate the coolness of this one.

In regards to the Indiana Jones line, what types of ideas are being considered? Would it be safe to assume that characters like Mola Ram, the giant Thugee guard, Temple of Doom "wear & tear" Indy with torn shirt and missing sleeve, Henry Jones Sr., Willie Scott, and Short Round are good possibilities? After all, they do all seem like logical choices. Will the Star Wars Battle Pack and Comic 2-Pack concepts be used in the Indiana Jones line? How about Indy role-play accessories? (AF, 09/14/07) (http://www.actionfigs.com/index.php?categoryid=12&p2_articleid=1384)

Right now it is still too early to talk about the breadth and depth of Indy....that will probably come next around Toy Fair. We we will say that we are doing both a mix of classic (previous three films) and figures from the new Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull. The figures you named are all strong classic figures, so there's a good chance most or all of them will be in the line at some point.

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Has there ever been a thought about maybe doing a mail-in for a set of the current pack in coins? (BB, 09/14/07) (http://www.bobasbounty.net/)

We elected not to pursue this, instead leaving the complete sets of coins a treasure for the fans who have worked hard to chase down all of the versions needed.

Speaking of mail-in offers....is there any current talk about ANY kind of mail in offer using proof of purchases or the "points" from toys? One of my favorite memories as a kid was saving up those circles and getting the Boba Fett figure, Admiral Ackbar, a figure stand, whatever. (BB, 09/14/07) (http://www.bobasbounty.net/)

We are still struggling with the whole mess from the fallout of the Jedi Master points issue and whether we could ever do something with them without angering the folks who were told to (and did) throw their points away. I think we can say that if we do more mail-ins, it will probably not involve older points but specific (not generic) stickers or UPC codes the way we have been doing it with Vintage offers.

The comic book packs seem to be doing well for you, and it has been a great way for us to get expanded universe figures. Will this line continue? Could it also be an opportunity to do a Novel Pack for some characters that were not in comics? (BB, 09/14/07) (http://www.bobasbounty.net/)

thanks to the fans, the comic packs have indeed been doing very well and our plan is to continue them through 2008 (and beyond, as long as they keep doing well). Novel figures are tough because many of the top ones (Jacen and Jaina Solo, for example) have never appeared in a comic adaptiation while others (like the X-Wing series, and Heir to the Empire, etc) have. That makes their opportunities restricted to single carded figures - tough because of everything else we need to cover, the movies coming first in that series, and multi-packs, which have likewise been focused on movies or Clone Wars. So we remain committed to find a way to do the best of the novel universe, but we just have to match it to the right opportunity.

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Now that we've seen the SDCC exclusive Shadow Scout with Speeder Bike, we've wondered why it was decided to do with the older bike style from the POTF2 days rather than the Saga/Clonewars one? Granted, the droopy plastic on the Saga one was pretty bad, but the sculpt was far superior, especially the handlebars, seat, and front section. Couldn't the Saga one be used with a more rigid plastic to give collectors one heck of a figure? (FFURG, 09/14/07) (http://ffurg.com/hasbroqa.htm)

We found that the Speeder looks better with the wider front "fork" and materials selected for the original POTF2 version. We think the aesthetics on that version still hold up extremely well and we were very pleased with the way the set turned out.

Do you think we'd ever see some sort of "design your own figure" from Hasbro where we can go online, pick out several parts (head, body, helmet) and than have it sent to us like Lego does with their own design a set offering? With figure bases as good as Dutch/Biggs, Zev Senesca, the upcoming A-Wing Pilot, or the OTC Tie Pilot, it seems like it could be a really neat online mail-order system where people could order a figure and a head, it'd be sent via baggie in a white mailer (no carding costs), and the buyer could simply pop the head on. It'd be like production level customizing. This could be a way for collectors to finally get all their Rogue Squadron figures that wouldn't sell well in the brick-and-mortar chains. (FFURG, 09/14/07) (http://ffurg.com/hasbroqa.htm)

It is very unlikely you will ever see us offer something like this, simply because we are aligned as an organization to manufacturer and distribute bigger volumes of toys through our retail partners, and our factory partners are really geared up for this as well. Even more specialized offerrings, such as the base packs and protective clamshells, are relatively smaller offerings in the grand scheme of what we ask our factories to do, but giant compared to what the requests would be for something as specialized a build-a-figure. To even set up this business, we would also probably have to charge an extraordinary amount for any figure - far beyond what the components cost if folks were to get several figures and do their own work. In other words, it's a great idea to give individual collectors what they want, but as an organization we have to stick to the things we do best and work toward figures that meets the needs of a larger audience.

Is there any major difference between using a sculptor or a computer to build the toys?. Is it just the human element adds something unique a computer can't add? As the years go by, will you use less sculptors or have them working with computers more for building a figure? (FFURG, 09/14/07) (http://ffurg.com/hasbroqa.htm)

We have every technology available to us to use already, and in some cases, such as vehicles, use that route almost exclusively. This makes sense for machines and other things that do not need an "emotional" context. For figures and we have found that scanned heads, for example, just don't carry that emotion we need for certain scales, like 3-3/4" or Unleashed, and continue to use traditional sculpting methods to achieve the desired effect. As we 3-3/4" collectors have known, this means that figures may vary in detail from one to another (different Luke or Leia figures, for example, will have differences due to the sculpting choices and individual sculptor) and that is part of the nature of the process. Similarly, because of the wide range of articulation choices for any given figure, we just haven't found a way to create an automated process that any more efficient or achieves better results than the traditional approach we use now.

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At Dragon*Con 2007 this [past] weekend Heath Hammond from Sideshow Collectibles stated (to the audience) that Sideshow and Hasbro are in talks to produce playsets/environments in the 3 ¾" scale. Can we get any sort of official comment from Hasbro on this? (GH, 09/14/07) (http://www.galactichunter.com/absolutenm/templates/full_article_template_1.asp?articleid=6724&zoneid=2)

We can confirm that we have had discussions with Sideshow but any public confirmation beyond this is premature.

Since the generic figure bases seem to be selling well through HasbroToyShop.com - and are, in fact, sold out at the moment - might this open the door to other niche items for collectors, such as simple accessory packs? Collectors would like to outfit their Clone Troopers with the choicest rifles, pistols, and gear. Lightsabers have been known to break or become lost. Consider it a mitzvah? (GH, 09/14/07) (http://www.galactichunter.com/absolutenm/templates/full_article_template_1.asp?articleid=6724&zoneid=2)

The bases are indeed selling well, and we were hoping to have something else to go into the line along what you describe eventually.  With Clone Wars coming into the line, our focus has been elsewhere, but we'll look at it again and see if what you suggest can be made into a compelling offering.

Love the new Bespin Torture Han Solo figure, and I appreciate the attention to scene-specific details such as his shirt tail being untucked from the pants and the painful grimace on his face. Unfortunately outside of this scenario the figure can't really be used as a normal Bespin Han Solo for other display scenes. Since all the body parts have been created, is it possible to get a new Bespin Han Solo released on the basic card next year or in a Battle Pack, combining the existing VOTC Endor Han Solo legs, head, and belt/holster, along with the Bespin Torture Han Solo's jacket and arms? It would give us the perfect VOTC-quality super articulated Bespin Han Solo at no additional sculpting costs on your part! (GH, 09/14/07) (http://www.galactichunter.com/absolutenm/templates/full_article_template_1.asp?articleid=6724&zoneid=2)

Waves 4 & 5 are hitting online shops, but there's been no real stocking at big box retail. Is this just summer drought, or are retailers holding stuff back due to the recent safety issues involving that other company? (GH, 09/14/07) (http://www.galactichunter.com/absolutenm/templates/full_article_template_1.asp?articleid=6724&zoneid=2)

Retailers aren't holding back - we stage them as soon as we get them in. Wave 4 has been shipping and will be out there in big abundance soon.  Some of Wave 5 arrived ahead of schedule and slipped out, but the vast majority will be going out after we have moved Wave 4 to retail.

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Talk popped up during SDCC that the 2008 waves of 30AC basic figures would go back to using stands in pack-ins instead of the coins. Since you’ve already confirmed the first wave of figures for 2008, can you confirm for us that stands will be the 2008 pack-in prize? (JD, 09/14/07) (http://jedidefender.com/newspro/fullnews.cgi?newsid1189808094,75353,)

Beginning with the Wave 1 2008 figures, which should be on shelf around February, stands (same as the 2006 TSC line with printed names) will be the pack-in. This will run through the Spring basic figure line.

Any plans to re-release the former TRU Landspeeder? It's been 5 years since the last release, so this iconic ANH vehicle another shot at retail. Maybe the perfect opportunity for an upgraded Uncle Owen as a pack-in? (JD, 09/14/07) (http://jedidefender.com/newspro/fullnews.cgi?newsid1189808094,75353,)

It is about time to re-release that great vehicle, but we just haven't slotted it in yet, having been very focused on the fighters for a while. We'll take a look and see what we can come up with for a new approach to this classic.

If you decide to give us a super articulated Hoth Rebel in the near future, will you re-use the Hoth hat from the new Vintage Hoth Han or will we get a new Hoth hat that has the chinstrap buckled (like so many other removable helmets do these days)?
PS: 30AC Hoth Han's legs are now perfect for re-use on a SA Hoth Rebel!
(JD, 09/14/07) (http://jedidefender.com/newspro/fullnews.cgi?newsid1189808094,75353,)

We don't have him slotted in yet, but he's high on the list of figures we need to update next time we do an Empire wave. It's unknown what headgear he'd have.

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Will the VOTC line continue in 2008? (JI, 09/14/07) (http://jediinsider.com/index.php?catid=8&itemid=10642)

There will not be another vintage-style line in 2008, because we are dedicating those resources and tool budget toward developing the Evolutions reintroduction. We certainly hope to pick up vintage further down the road, and the polls we conducted recently have informed our thinking for when we do bring it back out.

If you had the opportunity to re-design the Death Star playset toy from scratch, what is one thing you would want to incorporate that was not on the original toy? (JI, 09/14/07) (http://jediinsider.com/index.php?catid=8&itemid=10642)

A working ion cannon! Seriously, that was a great playset. The only thing that can really be added would be..space. The ability to arrange figures in more key scenes and capture the scale of the Death Star corridors and rooms.

Will the Jango Fett in the "Evolution of the Fetts" set be super-articulated, and will the helmet come off on the figure? (JI, 09/14/07) (http://jediinsider.com/index.php?catid=8&itemid=10642)

Yes and yes.

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There are still a lot of Padme figures left to do and with only one per year this is going to take quite a while.  With the return of the Evolutions line (thank you!!!) how about a Padme Evolutions three pack featuring Padme from the first three films in three new costumes?  You could easily show her evolving from Queen to Senator. (JN.co.uk, 09/14/07) (http://www.jedinews.co.uk/news/news.aspx?newsID=435)

It does make sense and we have considered a pack like this (among others, of course) if the line were to continue.  Right now we're focused on other packs, but that would be on a short list if the line were to go forward.

You've told us that stands will replace coins as the pack-ins for 2008.  Can you confirm if these will be the same stands that we're part of the 'The Saga Collection', featuring the name of the film the figure came from along with the figures name or something different altogether? (JN.co.uk, 09/14/07) (http://www.jedinews.co.uk/news/news.aspx?newsID=435)

Yes, they will be the same stands, with a custom name for that figure.

What happens to any surplus figures from promotions such as last year's Ultimate Galactic Hunt George Lucas Stormtrooper figure?  Are these available for fans to buy, used for promotional purposes or dare I say destroyed? (JN.co.uk, 09/14/07) (http://www.jedinews.co.uk/news/news.aspx?newsID=435)

They will not be made available for fans to buy.  Any surplus stock is usually used for promotional purposes later on.

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There seems to be a call for accessory packs in the collecting community, but the responses that we've gotten in the Q&A process seem to indicate that they're tough to market. Has any thought been given to trying to incorporate accessories into a more attractive package, like a scene appropriate Screen Pack? For example:

-Clone Trooper accessories in a Kamino training facility pack. This could be the quartermaster station from Attack Of The Clones that dispenses the Clone Trooper helmets
-Imperial accessories in a Death Star alcove pack. Have rifle racks, rifles, blasters, and maybe a mouse droid or two in this set.

This kind of presentation might satisfy both accessory fans and collectors who enjoy the Scene Packs.
(JTA, 09/14/07) (http://www.jeditemplearchives.com/content/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=3426)

These are pretty good ideas and we have been conceptually looking at this approach.  I will say that our product sublines are always evolving. If the figure component of the set is strong, there's always a possibility we could do things like this down the road.

A collecting news site recently reported that there is a Star Wars Legacy comic 2-pack on the way featuring Imperial Knights Antares Draco & Ganner Kreig?  Is this report accurate, and can we expect more Legacy 2-packs in this line in the near future? (JTA, 09/14/07) (http://www.jeditemplearchives.com/content/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=3426)

It's no secret that we were seen conspiring with Randy Stradley, John Ostrander and Jan Duursema at Celebration IV, and we are pleased to confirm that we are indeed pursuing this pack for late in 2008.  As for future Legacy packs, we are hopeful to be able to do more as time/resources/tooling allows, but don't have any others slotted in right now that we can officially talk about.

Hasbro recently confirmed that the blue Obi-Wan Kenobi Jedi Starfighter and green Anakin Skywalker Jedi Starfighter would be making their way into the 2008 assault vehicle line.  Will these new renditions have more accurate paint apps?  The original, exclusive versions in the Revenge Of The Sith line were almost too white. (JTA, 09/14/07) (http://www.jeditemplearchives.com/content/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=3426)

We will be replicating the first exclusive versions exactly as they originally appeared.  Perhaps for a future release we can do these, but for the 2008 releases they will be the same ones that came before.

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As Hasbro is aware, with no film in theaters or show on TV, retailers such as Target and Wal-Mart dedicate much smaller toy aisle space to a line. This is probably the last thing most SW collectors would propose, but has Hasbro considered producing fewer figures annually? The average Wal-Mart and Target toy departments in my area are not run by people who really know or even care about toys. They just open boxes as needed to fill the pegs and leave what's on the pegs where they are until they've all sold or the bi-annual toy aisle makeover forces them to do something new. If Hasbro produced fewer actual figures per year, though, and released a wave every six weeks or so, that might give collectors like me a stronger chance of finding things. (RS, 09/14/07) (http://www.rebelscum.com/story/front/Hasbros_39th_STAR_WARS_QA_The_Answers_108831.asp)

Actually we line plan every year for waves to be 6 weeks apart, but the reality is that waves come in at different rates depending on sculpting, approvals, debugging, and tooling, so it's not an exact science. The issues we have seen at the beginning of this year year due to the delays in the coins are not at all what we wanted - and basically it has shortened the window between each wave that you are seeing now. Figures will come a little fast this fall, but will smooth our for next year back to the more typical schedule. On overall # of figures, the past couple of years we have been doing around 60 basic figures a year in the core basic figure assortment, but for the future we are considering trimming it up a bit to around 52 or so...enough for 8 waves or so.

Many fans (myself included) are cutting the bubbles off of the TAC cards to save the cards due to the visually stunning artwork. Is there any way that you could make just the cards, with no bubbles attached, available to the fans ala the figure stands now on your website? (RS, 09/14/07) (http://www.rebelscum.com/story/front/Hasbros_39th_STAR_WARS_QA_The_Answers_108831.asp)

We hadn't considered that, and it's probably not something we would plan on doing since our gut is that is is a very small subset of collectors, relative to those who buy figures, that would want such a set. We prefer to stay focused on figures and accessories for figure collecting.

What happens to those figures that don't sell? The Toys R Us in my area just recently disappeared its long-standing stock of Greatest Battles Padmes. There were about thirty of them, taking up four pegs in the corner of the Star Wars section. What arrangement do you have with retailers? Do you reimburse them a little, collect the figures, and harvest what materials you can from them? Or do the retailers have to trash them and accept a sunk cost?

In reality, when these things happen, like with GB Padme or the ROTS Neimodian Warrior, and to a lesser degree with any number of other pegwarmers, isn't this the result of poor distribution decisions on your part? Shouldn't the financial burden of overpacking certain figures and overshipping certain waves fall on you? If it didn't, it'd be almost an incentive for you to overship, because retailers would ultimately buy more of your product.
(RS, 09/14/07) (http://www.rebelscum.com/story/front/Hasbros_39th_STAR_WARS_QA_The_Answers_108831.asp)

There will always be mistakes in calling the exact quantities for the hundreds of items we manage every year. How that stock actually gets "taken care of" happens in a number of ways, including markdown agreements between Hasbro and the retailer, department manager initiatives (they may have just gotten tired of seeing slower-moving products), or sometimes pull/replace initiatives executed by our retail merchandising group. Sometimes, as in the case of Star Wars, certain figures are not a problem on a national level (such as the Padmes you cite) but are a local store build-up to which we do not have visibility, but overall does not prevent a problem for overall continual reordering of basic figures. The "cure" for this local build-up is to periodically reset assortments (our five digit product #, 87500 for the 30th Anniversary figures) which will force the old assortment to be discontinued and the new one to take its place. That won't happen this fall, but will take place next Spring as we get ready for The Clone Wars.

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In releasing the new Cantina bar curve sections, several issues have arisen for fans' cantina setups: The first is that the sharp curve of those sections is too close to allow for any future release of the drink dispenser. For that issue, if there ever is a dispenser made, would you consider including a shorter straight section to go between the curves? (Shorter because the current straight seems too long for this purpose, it would break up the look of the curve too much.) The second issue is that there is a mismatch between the look of the curved sections and the previously-released straight sections due to a number of paint and even sculpted detail differences. What about releasing more straight sections with a deco and sculpt to better match up to the curves, as well as add the removable barstool feature they have (perhaps with plugs to make a flat floor)? (SSG, 09/14/07) (http://www.sirstevesguide.com/index.php?categoryid=13&p2_articleid=716)

We have been trying to figure out how the distillery section would work, and there are challenges as you point out but a few ways to solve. We have also thought about a smaller straight bar section, but that's an expensive piece for a small effect and collectors could probably just use another straight section (perhaps a good excuse to re-release). We will not be resculpting the straight bar section, though. If we release it in the future and if we do that, we'll look for deco to more closely match the curved section.

The Titanium Series 3" Star Wars vehicle collection is growing larger and larger. When counted against the Galoob's Star Wars Micro Machines line (the expansive original, not their die-cast), the math shows that there were 87 Micro Machines covering the OT, EU, and Episode I, if we subtract the reissues like battle-damaged, speederbikes with new characters, etc., there were 72 unique vehicles. Meanwhile, Hasbro's Titanium line has 101 Star Wars vehicles including single packs, exclusives, and 5-packs (but not gold or silver versions) counting up to 2007 wave 4. However, if we subtract reissues like repaints, there are just 48 unique Titanium vehicles - and 19 of those are reissues from the old Galoob Die Cast line. While we are thankful just to have any line of small Star Wars vehicles, one does wonder if 53 repaints out of 101 may have a negative impact. What does Hasbro think about this issue? (SSG, 09/14/07) (http://www.sirstevesguide.com/index.php?categoryid=13&p2_articleid=716)

Repaints are an inevitability for a line like Titanium, and thanfully the range of on- and off-screen opportunities that have presented themselves over the years give us the confidence to commission new tools knowing that we will be able to get multiple decos out of them. We will say that we are going to be judicious about which ones that we are going to be repainting, and going more toward the fleet approach when it makes sense (Red Squadron, Gold Squadron, EU squadrons even) and less toward the pewter/battle-damage route.

With the success of the latest Jawa sculpt, might Hasbro consider creating a Jawa/droid-themed multipack or battle pack? One possible suggestion could be 2 or 3 Jawas perhaps with cloth capes, an ANH/Kenner vintage Gonk droid repaint, R1-G4, and perhaps R5-D4 that uses the R4-G9 retractable leg body. Has there been any thought given to creating such a set already? (SSG, 09/14/07) (http://www.sirstevesguide.com/index.php?categoryid=13&p2_articleid=716)

That's a cool idea, but we're not ready to go with such a Jawa-focused set yet. The ideas for the droids are good ones and perhaps those can be used down the line, even if not in a set like this.

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Are there any plans to do a Ralph MaQuarrie display similar to the vintage style stand? I think it'd be a great way to showcase this unique line. (ST, 09/14/07) (http://www.sandtroopers.com/smf/index.php?topic=5183.msg146443#msg146443)

We haven't had any plans to do a display like this. It would make sense to do if we ever released a complete boxed set, but we don't have any plans for this.

Have you began to consider revisiting the Shadows of the Empire Line? There are still many army builders that can be made. I would kill to have the green imperial commando, coruscant guard, black sun sentry, the correct swoop rider with the breath mask and pointy hat, and the popular garbage train sentry. (ST, 09/14/07) (http://www.sandtroopers.com/smf/index.php?topic=5183.msg146443#msg146443)

We are looking at Shadows of the Empire, in the comic context, and will likely get to the major players first.  It's unlikely we'll get to the ones you suggested, at least for the next couple of years, but you never know.  There are some very cool figures in that storyline!

Also, any chance that we would ever see an updated Imperial Troop transport. It wouldn't have to have sounds but opening troop holders on the sides would be cool and maybe without the sounds, there could be a deeper prisoner compartment! (ST, 09/14/07) (http://www.sandtroopers.com/smf/index.php?topic=5183.msg146443#msg146443)

We have thought about something like this, and it would be cool.  However, there are a bunch of other things ahead of it.  It probably wouldn't be for a few years if we did get to it.

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In the upcoming EE set of Mandalorians & Clones, there's a female Mando called Rav Bralor based on this art by Tom Hodges:

However, Hodges named the character Vonte Tervho. Any chance we could see a single-carded version eventually, using that name?
(SWC, 09/14/07) (http://www.swcollector.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=5281#5281)

We take our character names from Lucasfilm's direction, as they establish canon. A character name like Vonte Tervho would be a different character from Rav Bralor, which is not an issue, but that character would need to be officially endorsed by Lucasfilm before we would consider it for any future offerings.

I love the inclusion of a separate R5 unit along with the non-removable R5 unit with the new Y-Wing. Any chances of seeing this on re-releases of the Jedi Starfighters? (SWC, 09/14/07) (http://www.swcollector.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=5281#5281)

Glad you like you like it - we have gotten a lot of great comments on that idea. For the Jedi Starfighters that are released in our $19.99 suggested retail 85196 Starfighter Vehicle Assortment it will not happen because of the tight cost constraints. However, we like the approach too for any future sets (such as exclusives) where have more pricing freedom.

Will there be any way to get a complete set of collector's coins without having to buy each figure? Perhaps something through HasbroToyShop.com? (SWC, 09/14/07) (http://www.swcollector.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=5281#5281)

We elected not to pursue this, instead leaving the complete sets of coins a treasure for the fans who have worked hard to chase down all of the versions needed.

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If Hasbro makes an EU figure as part of its comic 2packs, what are the chances that the character will ever appear in the basic line?  I've been hoping for a Lumiya figure (with SA, neutral leg pose, whip, swappable helmet and head, and soft goods cape) but as some fans have pointed out, the comic pack figures often cut down on the articulation and other premium features in order to keep costs down.

So while Lumiya is an obvious candidate for the comic packs, my concern is that once such a figure is made there, it would be the last time Hasbro ever visits the character.  Just wondering what your thoughts are about this?
(TJ, 09/14/07) (http://www.sandtroopers.com/smf/index.php?topic=8437.0)

Great question.  Certainly, the comic packs have been well-received but they are not the only place we would look to do EU figures.  We are not confiming anything here, since she is currently not in any approved lineup, but if we were to do a Lumiya figure it makes most sense that she would debut in a comic pack.  Given how many figures there are to work with, it is unlikely we would do more than one version of Lumiya in a reasonable time frame (say within a couple of years) but since she has at least two very interesting different outfits/forms, we wouldn't rule out that over the course of our long relationship with Star Wars that you could eventually see more than one.  Patience, as always, is the key.

The Rebel Vanguard figure seems to be built off of the TSC Endor Rebel Trooper.  Will we get a running change of the Rebel Vanguard Trooper like we got with the Endor Rebel? (TJ, 09/14/07) (http://www.sandtroopers.com/smf/index.php?topic=8437.0)

We took our cue from the Rebel Vanguard figure from the start/select screen, and are just going with that one version.  So, no running changes to this one.

Does Hasbro plan to make more video game figures after Darth Nihilus and the Force Unleashed figures? And if so, what games will you be looking at? (TJ, 09/14/07) (http://www.sandtroopers.com/smf/index.php?topic=8437.0)

We are certainly open to doing more figures.  We get updates periodically on the progress of the LucasArts games, and will look to continue that relationship as we see opportunities coming down the road for upcoming future games. As for past games, we have a couple small surprises here worked into the line.

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With the expanded universe comic packs, the McQuarrie concept figures and other non movie figures intermingled in the waves, are there plans for entire waves of expanded universe figures from the numerous novels, games, RPG and comics in the future? (TPU.co.uk, 09/14/07) (http://www.theprivateuniverse.co.uk/cgi-bin/showarticle.pl?section=news&articleid=1922)

Yes, this is certainly a possibility for future basic figure waves. However, we would be sparing and still concentrate primarily on the movie figures for the most part in any Saga basic figure line.

The three alien Jedi created for the original Clone Wars have now all been made into action figures. With their success, are we likely to see more generic alien Jedi being released in the future? (TPU.co.uk, 09/14/07) (http://www.theprivateuniverse.co.uk/cgi-bin/showarticle.pl?section=news&articleid=1922)

If the alien Jedi have on screen appearances (such as in the Geonosis Arena, comics, or Clone Wars existing or new animation) then we will look at them. It is unlikely that we would do arbitrary alien Jedi.

Given that the McQuarrie sub-line has been such an apparent hit with fans, do you have any plans to expand it to cover the rest of the original trilogy? Or perhaps the prequels - the Darth Maul (Sith Apprentice) from the Power of the Jedi line would make a great re-release to launch figures based on The Phantom Menace (black clad Jedis, Sith Witches etc). (TPU.co.uk, 09/14/07) (http://www.theprivateuniverse.co.uk/cgi-bin/showarticle.pl?section=news&articleid=1922)

We will not have any more concept figures for 2008, but hope to return to it in the future.

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What was the reasoning behind the substitution of the VOTC Han Solo for R3-A2 and for the Saga Legends Poll? (YF, 09/14/07) (http://cgi.denpetersen.com/YAK1/viewtopic.php?p=30076#30076)

There is a possibility that this figure will be used in an exclusive set next year, so we needed to make sure that he was not in use anywhere else at the time.

Dear Hasbro, would you consider having a Fans' Choice Poll similar to the figure poll, but for Vehicles? Obviously cost is more of an issue with something like this so the final selection might have to be limited to 1 or 2 repacked/repainted vehicles. (2 vehicles at the $20-25 range or 1 at the $35+ range) The packaging could also reflect that this is a Fans' Choice vehicle similar to the sticker designation you've given some of the Legends Figures. (Sandtrooper & Darktroooper) (YF, 09/14/07) (http://cgi.denpetersen.com/YAK1/viewtopic.php?p=30076#30076)

We have been discussing something like this, and would consider making a future poll along these lines. We're not ready to go on this right away, but will get back to the sites with some ideas at a later date.

Dear Hasbro. Would you ever consider making figure of the UZAY Snowtrooper and guard as a tribute to these famous foreign knock offs from back in the 1980s? (YF, 09/14/07) (http://cgi.denpetersen.com/YAK1/viewtopic.php?p=30076#30076)

We have actually talked to Lucasfilm about this, and together have decided not to pursue anything related to the bootleg products in our Hasbro lines.
Title: Re: The Hasbro Q & A Compendium
Post by: Matt on September 29, 2007, 01:09 PM
Session 39 - September 28, 2007

The call for substancially more Padmé figures seems to be unbroken. While you just made clear that multipacks do have another focus not just for one figure there would be another way launch more than one figure at one time besides the main line. In 1998 you realised 4 2-Packs with Princess Leia in the POTF2 Princess Leia Collection Subline. Like Leia was in the classic trilogy Padmé is the one female main character in the new trilogy and with their multiple dresses she wears in Episodes I to III it would be difficult to realise all or most of her dresses among the main line so some other forms of realisations could hold for launching the mayor sculpts of Padmé. Padmé could get her own 2-Pack subline in a way like the recent Order 66 2-Packs. Each set could come with a Padmé figure in new dress with another main character as Repack, Repaint or another new character. Even a 2-Pack from some deleted scenes with a Separatist Senator would be possible that way. Easily around 6 sets could be possible. More Padmé figures can be produced from time to time with the main line if there will be a slot for her. How do you think about an idea like this? (4".de, 09/28/07) (http://www.4-inches.de/inhalt/home.htm)     

The challenge is that these 2-packs were not very successful at the time, because of the narrow focus, and while we *could* do something like that we have not because we do not think it would be the best idea for us. Female figures, in general, so struggle and are not very popular with kids, so we will continue to turn our attention to Padme periodically in the "collector" slots we have in the lineup. This means that you will likely not see too many at one time because there are many other popular segments that we must also pay attention to. More Padme's will come with time.    

In 1998 Hasbro realised the Dagobah Bogwing Creature with the POTF2-Line in the Complete Galaxy Set Dagobah with Yoda. While this figur has been non-removably fixed with the planetary globe accessory it could not work as a stand allone figure if one wouldn't decide to burst it up from the globe. Did Hasbro think about possibilities to re-release the creature as an accessory figure with another Yoda or Luke in the mainline? (4".de, 09/28/07) (http://www.4-inches.de/inhalt/home.htm)

That is a good idea. While we have not considerd this exactly, we will certainly look at it as a future idea. Thanks.

At the time there has been only our little friend R2-D2 that has been equipped with electronic features (if you don't count the TOMY Droid Repaints with remote control). Does Hasbro concern about ways to release other astromech droids with electronic features or as repaints/kit-bashs of the VOTC R2-D2 figure to equip them with mechanical tooling? (4".de, 09/28/07) (http://www.4-inches.de/inhalt/home.htm)

R2-D2 has a unique personality among all the astromech droids, so we have not thought too heavily about equipping the rest of them with the same technology (for example, we might need to change the sound chip). It is an interesting idea for future droid offering and we will discuss this.

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With the TAC Luke Jedi hitting shelves recently, the question turns to his cloth "vest". The soft goods designed into the figure includes the "skirt" aspect of the vest in the back, but not rest of the vest that's normally above that. Why did Hasbro go with this halter top design rather than an accurate, true vest design thus leaving the back uncovered? And why do the figure without the ability to easily remove the belt and vest to create the Death Star II look from the second half of the film, especially when that look has never been given a decent figure? (AF, 09/28/07) (http://www.actionfigs.com/index.php?categoryid=12&p2_articleid=1384)

This was the actual design, as far as we could tell from the reference. Lucasfilm approved it as accurate, so we went with it. If there is evidence to support that it's a full tunic, we will take a look at it and use it the next time we slot in another Jedi Luke.

Would it be possible to get a Captain Panaka figure with a removable cap, either as a retool of the Ep I line original or as an all-new figure? The good captain hasn't been seen in a while and was often seen in the movie with his hat removed. (AF, 09/28/07) (http://www.actionfigs.com/index.php?categoryid=12&p2_articleid=1384)

We don't have any plans to update Panaka for now, but if we get a chance to do so, that would be an interesting upgrade to consider.

In the OT, the X-wing pilot costume has a band with cylinders just above the right boot, and the chest box hose connects to the left side of the torso. The VTSC Luke Pilot figure has this correct, however the Saga Dutch Vander Gold Leader body does not, yet that Dutch body is currently treated as the defacto pilot body when a new pilot figure is released despite that and its many other drawbacks and inaccuracies. At this scale, approximately 1:18, the difference in height between Luke's 5' 7" body and Gold Leader's 6' 3" body is 1cm, and between Luke and an average-height 6' body would be 0.5cm, which seems a little much for remolding the accurate Luke pilot up to the 6-foot-tall size (though we'd prefer that over continued use of the Gold Leader body). It seems this is one more noteworthy reason to produce a new, better X-wing pilot body, so have we convinced ya's yet to schedule that new figure, huh, huh? (AF, 09/28/07) (http://www.actionfigs.com/index.php?categoryid=12&p2_articleid=1384)

You have brought up some good points, and we will look at it the next time we line up an X-Wing Pilot figure.

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With Boba Fett, Jango Fett and Mandalorians in general seemingly extra popular this year and next, is there any chance we might see a Jodo Kast action figure made while this hot streak continues? Maybe in a Comic 2-pack reprinting Twin Engines of Destruction? You could include both Jodo Kast and Boba Fett. (BB, 09/28/07) (http://www.bobasbounty.net/)

That would be a fantastic 2-Pack, and the odds that we will see it within the next two years are pretty good.

The past few years we've had some great holiday figures (ie Santa Yoda). Will you continue the tradition this year? (BB, 09/28/07) (http://www.bobasbounty.net/)

We will not be continuing the holiday theme this year.

What one figure have you guys been really unhappy with and if time and the opportunity presented itself you would go back and redo it? (BB, 09/28/07) (http://www.bobasbounty.net/)

We're pretty happy with the results from the past few year, and while there are always some things we can focus on, we'll turn our attention a bit further back in time. The figure that most folks here should be redone at some point, only because he's an interesting figure in a great scene, is the Imperial Scanning Crew Technician. Now we don't want to lift up hopes by saying he's coming out next year - he isn't - but we would like to get to him before too long.

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We now know about the Geonosis Arena Creatures; the Max Rebo Band; and the Battle of Hoth sets. Are there any other Ultimate Battle Packs on tap for the Fall/Holiday season? (GH, 09/28/07) (http://www.galactichunter.com/absolutenm/templates/full_article_template_1.asp?articleid=6752&zoneid=2)

That's it for sets that we can confirm.

From spy reports, the upcoming Clone Wars line by Hasbro is shaping up to be an incredibly robust offering. Has any time frame been slotted out for the toys to be released yet? Will toys from the line be release ahead of the debut of the cartoon? Would a really large vehicle be released as a juggernaut piece at the start of the line, or wait for next winter's holiday season? (GH, 09/28/07) (http://www.galactichunter.com/absolutenm/templates/full_article_template_1.asp?articleid=6752&zoneid=2)

Clone Wars is slated for Fall 2008, so we would look to tie our product offering to the back half of the year.  As far as specific intro dates, we will look to synch up to the debut, and that is all that is being worked out now.  Details will probably be available around Toy Fair time frame. Stay tuned...

Will the store with the red-shirted employees be offering another super value item this holiday season similar to last year's surprise Imperial Shuttle? (Or anyone for that matter? C'mon, we need something to drool about until the holidays!!!) (GH, 09/28/07) (http://www.galactichunter.com/absolutenm/templates/full_article_template_1.asp?articleid=6752&zoneid=2)

No comment.

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With the recent toy recall news around the country, toy industry analysts are predicting we’ll see prices increase up to as much as 10% to compensate for additional safety testing. Is it likely that we'll see a price hike within the Star Wars brand in 2008? Would you sacrifice the pack-ins to cut costs before raising prices? I know the prices that retailers set are ultimately outside your control, but to some degree you still set the base MSRP. (JD, 09/28/07) (http://www.jedidefender.com/newspro/fullnews.cgi?newsid1191018191,22685,)

It is up to our retailers to decide what price they will ask for any products, regardless of what we charge it is ultimately their call. As a policy, we cannot comment regarding product manufacturing costing and our sales price to retailers, and trends that might influence these one way or another.

What upgrade to the TIE Fighter would you like to attempt next? We’ve seen changes to the back end, the Wings, and the hatch. What about the interior? Or is the TIE Fighter pretty much just where you want it now? (JD, 09/28/07) (http://www.jedidefender.com/newspro/fullnews.cgi?newsid1191018191,22685,)

That [the interior] would be the next area of focus the next time we are able in our schedules (and can afford the tooling cost) to update.

Has the time for more Wookiee Warriors passed or will we see that RotS Sneak Preview Wookiee sculpt rolled out again with a new paint job and maybe a new head sculpt? It's a fantastic figure and deserves to be considered next time you’re looking for repaint/battle pack ideas. (JD, 09/28/07) (http://www.jedidefender.com/newspro/fullnews.cgi?newsid1191018191,22685,)

We do still have plans to keep Wookiees in the mix and will have a couple figures that should interest you next year. We still see a lot of appeal in the Preview figure, and while we won't be updating the sculpt the next time we use him, down the road it's certainly a good idea.

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Will you ever make proper gun turrets for the republic gunship (bubbles where the pilots can fit); perhaps in a battle pack? (JI, 09/28/07) (http://jediinsider.com/index.php?catid=8&itemid=10667)

The challenge is that it's too big and expensive for a basic figure pack-in (or even half of a turret, like we are during with the Destroyer Droid shell). Battle Packs are the more likely possibility, but we haven't slotted it in yet as we have other ideas to get to first. In the future, we would say the chances are very good, but we just haven't slotted this one into the line yet.

I love what you've done with Clone Troopers and Stormtroopers. All the articulation you can ask for (well, except for Commander Baccura/Commander Cody). I have several shelves in my home dedicated to Clones and their Jedi Generals. As well as Stormtroopers snapped at attention for Darth Vader and the Emperor.

So don't you think it's time you start putting a little more attention on our rebel friends? I'd love to have a squad of Rebel Commandos that could stand at attention for General Madine or crouch behind fallen logs. I'd love to have Hoth Soldiers who could toss a grenade, crawl on their belly in a sniper position, or look through a pair of macrobinoculars.
(JI, 09/28/07) (http://jediinsider.com/index.php?catid=8&itemid=10667)

We won't be neglecting our Rebel friends, but it will be gradually over time, similar to the way we introduced the Yavin Sentry earlier this year, and will be coming out with Tycho as A-Wing Pilot that also makes an excellent troop builder a little later. We have some cool figures planned for the next couple of years as well that we will reveal over time. Hang in there....your patience will be rewarded.

Images of a Target Exclusive 'Battle of Hoth' Ultimate pack recently hit the net. Can you give us official details on this, like the price, when it will be released and maybe some official photos? (JI, 09/28/07) (http://jediinsider.com/index.php?catid=8&itemid=10667)

No comment.

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With Evolutions returning please can you clear up the whether we'll see any Vintage figures next year or if the line is being rested as you've hinted at?  If this is the case, does this mean that the Ultimate Galactic Hunt will also be rested for 2008? (JN.co.uk, 09/28/07) (http://www.jedinews.co.uk/news/news.aspx?newsID=482)

Vintage will be rested during 2008 as we turn our collector-focused product attention to the return of the Evolution packs.  We just don't have the capacity to develop two collector-focused lines like this at once.  We're not certain about the Ultimate Galactic Hunt...next year is shaping up to be a very full year as far as activity goes.

We're now seeing more larger Battle Packs coming out (Hoth, Arena Encounter and others) and some of them, such as Hoth, are utilising some of the playset features from the early POTF2 sets.  Do you have plans to reuse some of the other POTF2 sets such as Endor, Death Star Corridor and Bespin Chamber in any more Battle Packs.  Also, with the Arena Encounter Battle Pack coming soon at Toys R Us will we see a re-release of the Arena playset to compliment it? (JN.co.uk, 09/28/07) (http://www.jedinews.co.uk/news/news.aspx?newsID=482)

We do not have plans to use the Arena Playset at this time, or any of the other elements you have mentioned.  This could change in the future as opportunities present themselves for larger sets.

With the untimely and sad death of Christine Hewitt will we ever see her immortalised in plastic as one of the Tonnika sisters from 'A New Hope'?There are a lot of people that very much want to see this figure and there were various rumours of Hasbro signing an agreement with her to  use her likeness. (JN.co.uk, 09/28/07) (http://www.jedinews.co.uk/news/news.aspx?newsID=482)

We cannot discuss the issue of the Tonnika sisters at all.  We, too, are saddened by Ms. Hewitt's passing.  It was a real pleasure to talk to her and get to know her at Celebration III.  It's a loss for us all.

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We've seen some images leaked out of a Battle of Hoth Ultra Battle Pack. The images seem to indicate that it's a Target exclusive.  Can you give us some more info on this set?  What's the figure lineup?  What's the suggested retail price?  And can we expect more of these Ultra Battle Pack type sets which feature vehicles and/or playsets in the near future? (JTA, 09/28/07) (http://jeditemplearchives.com/content/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=3455/#details)

No comment.

There seems to have been a significant falloff in news posted at http://www.hasbro.com/starwars/.  Has the Q&A process taken over as the primary means of conveying Hasbro Star Wars news to the collecting community? (JTA, 09/28/07) (http://jeditemplearchives.com/content/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=3455/#details)

That is true.  The Q&A is not meant to replace the product news, but we have been behind.  We expect to get caught up and current in the next few weeks.

A recent collecting site rumor report stated that we may see the V-19 Torrent fighter and Trade Federation Homing Spider Droid  released in the 2008 assault vehicle assortment.  Seeing how 2008 is set to be the year for Clone Wars, and both of these items are part of the Clone Wars era, can we expect to see these pieces next year? (JTA, 09/28/07) (http://jeditemplearchives.com/content/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=3455/#details)

We don't like rumor lists.partly because they reveal spoilers, partly because they could build up false expectations.  Since it's too early to reveal any of our farther-reaching 2008 plans, we'll just say that some of what you read may be true, but we cannot confirm which parts.

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The recent Saga Legends poll had both the Saleucami Clone Trooper and Commander Neyo (from the Treachery on Saleucami battle pack) in the top 20. Were the votes for the trooper specifically for that particular clone trooper, or perhaps the votes were meant for the Target-exclusive ROTS Clone Trooper? Were these separated in the final tally, or combined into one vote?

What if you released the figures as a generic "Saleucami Clone Trooper" and included all 3 heads: Neyo (besides, most of his troops actually wore the exact same helmet), the clone with visor (from the battle pack), and the film-inaccurate ROTS Clone helmet. Since the harness is removable, you could also include the belt from the Clone Commander (another Saga Legends figure) and that way fans could get ALL THREE versions of the troops in one package! (Plus have a few leftover parts for customs...)
(RS, 09/28/07) (http://www.rebelscum.com/story/front/Hasbros_40th_STAR_WARS_QA_The_Answers_109141.asp)

Commander Neyo was very clearly ahead of the Clone Trooper, so we are confident that folks were able to distinguish, and based on the voting patterns, a good number of folks voted for both. We kept them separate in the tally, because they are two very different packaging executions - character, vs generic - and we wanted to keep them separate. As such, we'll just be focusing on Neyo and will leave the Clone for a future Legends-type opportunity.

Speaking of Saga Legends, what's the status on the Saga Legends 501st Clone Trooper (SA mold), the Sandtrooper Sergeant (Evolutions mold), and the Pit Droids (sitting mold with locker)? Is it possible to reveal what case assortments these variants will be in? (RS, 09/28/07) (http://www.rebelscum.com/story/front/Hasbros_40th_STAR_WARS_QA_The_Answers_109141.asp)

We have some news. The Sandtrooper using the Evolution tool will be shipping starting with assortment 85770000W, and is expected to hit shelves around January.

We have seen first shots of the Pit Droids with bent-leg stance, and full production figures will be out on shelves in March, with all three color versions rolling out through until the end of Spring.

The 501st is a little murkier. While we have asked to switch this figure out for the SA Clone, we have yet to see a sample. We believe the reason is that we are running the SA clone at full capacity elsewhere and our Asian team has not had the ability to switch production. We are still confirming and are hopeful that this switch will happen but cannot confirm when it will take place.


I love what you've done with Clone Troopers and Stormtroopers. All the articulation you can ask for (well, except for Commander Bacara & Commander Cody). I have several shelves in my home dedicated to Clones and their Jedi Generals. As well as Stormtroopers, snapped at attention for Darth Vader and the Emperor.

So don't you think it's time you start putting a little more attention on our Rebel friends? I'd love to have a squad of Rebel Commandos that could stand at attention for General Madine or crouch behind fallen logs. I'd love to have Hoth Soldiers who could toss a grenade, crawl on their belly in a sniper position, or look through a pair of macrobinoculars.

For years now we've been able to put our Clones & Storms in most any position we'd like.....so please give us the same option for our beloved Rebels.....please!
(RS, 09/28/07) (http://www.rebelscum.com/story/front/Hasbros_40th_STAR_WARS_QA_The_Answers_109141.asp)

We won't be neglecting our Rebel friends, but it will be gradually over time, similar to the way we introduced the Yavin Sentry earlier this year, and will be coming out with Tycho as A-Wing Pilot that also makes an excellent troop builder a little later. We have some cool figures planned for the next couple of years as well that we will reveal over time. Hang in there....your patience will be rewarded.

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Several fan sites in this Q&A series have asked about problems with Greatest Hits/Saga Legends figures and nagging TSC pegwarmer figures, and Hasbro's answers always have the same theme - "the problems are not systemic, it must be your area that's an anomaly". The thing is, these sites and their readers are from all over the country and they're consistently reporting the same issues independently of each other which suggests these aren't be random, isolated events. This has grown especially frustrating with the current waves of the Saga Legends line as it seems to be shipping very heavily and covering many a store's TAC pegs while the main TAC line wave 4 remains sparse and rife for scalper attention. What makes Hasbro so confident about there being no wide-scale problems with lingering TSC pegwarmers or stores not coping with the 2-SKU/2-pegs system for the current basic lines (TAC and SL), and that none of this is creating an intensely-frustrating problem for new figures getting into consumers' hands? (SSG, 09/28/07) (http://www.sirstevesguide.com/index.php?categoryid=13&p2_articleid=716)

We do not have access to individual store level inventories to know what figures are where and in what quantity - that level of information simply doesn't exist. That's why we report that on a national level - the greater whole - waves are shipping as planned, and the replenishment process by which stores are "resupplied" is something we watch on a weekly basis. To be clear on how it works - stores will be resupplied based on what has sold down, not based on what is sitting on what pegs, which is invisible to the automated ordering systems. So if Saga Legends is selling in those stores, it will be reordered. If 30th Anniv. is selling, it will be reordered. To finish that discussion - the stock of one has no impact on the other. However, it doesn't work like clockwork all the time, and the number of older figures of a subline could impact which waves are shipped so it could be possible for a store to miss a wave depending on how much stock and how fast it's selling and what wave is available to ship next. We would ask that if colelctors have noticed problems in certain stores, they please send the Store # of the WM store with the issue (via the same process you use to submit questions) and we will have our retail teams look into it and see if there is a way to "unclog" a local store if its within our merchandising teams coverage area.

What does Hasbro think about using the New Jedi Order (Yuuzhan Vong) series of novels as source material for more figures? Especially now with NJO Luke coming in an Evolutions set next year, might this open the door to getting other NJO characters like Yuuzhan Vong or Fan Choice poll top 25 characters like Jacen, Jaina, Anakin and Nom Anor? (SSG, 09/28/07) (http://www.sirstevesguide.com/index.php?categoryid=13&p2_articleid=716)

We like the idea a lot, and don't rule out that in the next couple years we could weave some of these figures into the line. We can't give you exact details, but we are optimistic. Fans should know that we realize how important these characters have been and we can't wait to see them materialize as well.

Over the past few years, Hasbro's become adept at using mostly existing bodies to create acceptable figures, both in the main line and arguably more successfully in the Battle Packs and multipack lines - the upcoming Entertainment Earth Mandalorian multipacks are the most recent and standout examples of this. With that in mind, might Hasbro consider creating a Rogue Squadron multipack of Rebel pilots utilizing mostly already-existing molds with new heads and new comic- or movie-accurate decos on their helmets? The characters would be taken from characters that already exist in the comics and books. How about alien pilots - such as Gand, Mon Calamari, and Quarren - and female pilots? (SSG, 09/28/07) (http://www.sirstevesguide.com/index.php?categoryid=13&p2_articleid=716)

We're glad you like the Rebel pilots - we do too, and are trying to find ways to get some more of these largely unsung heroes out there like we are with Tycho this Fall. We think you will be very pleased with some interesting figures next year...that's all we can say right now!

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I love what you've done with Clone Troopers and Stormtroopers. All the articulation you can ask for (well, except for Commander Baccura/Commander Cody). I have several shelves in my home dedicated to Clones and their Jedi Generals. As well as Stormtroopers snapped at attention for Darth Vader and the Emperor. So don't you think it's time you start putting a little more attention on our rebel freinds? I'd love to have a squad of Rebel Commandos that could stand at attention for General Madine or crouch behind fallen logs. I'd love to have Hoth Soldiers who could toss a grenade, crawl on their belly in a sniper position, or look through a pair of macrobinoculars. For years now we've been able to put our Clones/Storms in most any position we'd like.....so please give us the same option for our beloved Rebels.....please! (ST, 09/28/07) (http://www.sandtroopers.com/smf/index.php?topic=5183.msg148812#msg148812)

We won't be neglecting our Rebel friends, but it will be gradually over time, similar to the way we introduced the Yavin Sentry earlier this year, and will be coming out with Tycho as A-Wing Pilot that also makes an excellent troop builder a little later.  We have some cool figures planned for the next couple of years as well that we will reveal over time.  Hang in there....your patience will be rewarded.

Hasbro, you've consistantly said that playsets and accessories are not profitable for you.  I'd like your thoughts on your production on the bar pieces.  In recent Q&A's you've stated you see that the dispencer won't fit with the way the curved pieces were made.  You also stated that you wouldn't revisit either the curved pieces or straight pieces to correct the multiple inconsistancies.  I've noticed several discrepencies between the straight pieces of the bar issued years ago and the curved pieces. Beside the sharp angle of the curve, which won't allow for the center piece with the dispencer, the barstool base and coloring of the seat don't match between the straight pieces and curved. Also, the shading/shadowing at the bottom of the bar, close to the floor the trim along the edge of the bar counter doesn't match between the straight and curved pieces and the flooring is different.   And finally, the straight pieces don't even fit well together. What I'd like to know is, are people looking at these things before they are released?  Now that the pieces have been sculpted, released and sold, it won't be profitable to resculpt.  But, why isn't the whole thing looked at as one piece before it is developed and sold as pieces?  I think this is exactly why playsets and some accessory sets have not been successful. I believe even if sales of these pieces, which will primarily be based on the figures, are successful, the execution on the Cantina bar, which could have been so cool, was a failure.  So, we would like your comment on this. (ST, 09/28/07) (http://www.sandtroopers.com/smf/index.php?topic=5183.msg148812#msg148812)

Your question has severeal layers.

First, we didn't design a whole caninta bar at once and then decide to release it in sections - it was created organically, a piece at a time. We did consider the straight second when we created the curved section, but due to a different Asian design and engineering teams and the nuances of production windows, it's not a guarantee that all of the details we intend will have be able to be produced in the way we wanted.  We try to do the best we can on each toy as it comes up.

Regarding your second point. Playsets and accessories have not had success because of the aesthetic nuances you mention, but because the market on the whole (kids and collectors) do not show an appreciation for playsets on near the same level as in past years.  You may think they are important, and most collectors would agree in principal, but we've seen the votes (in terms of sales) and collectors focus on figures and vehicles, skipping things like  accessory packs and the Geonosis Arena set.  Figures and vehicles remain the heart of the line, and other, less iconic and universally recognized accessories, don't fare as well.


I really liked the badgless black tunic officers from Episode VI.  Will we ever see these guys in plastic, like Hewex, Dyer and the ever popular Renz?  I know we have Praji comin out, but I really want these guys. (ST/TJ, 09/28/07) (http://www.sandtroopers.com/smf/index.php?topic=8437.msg148811#msg148811)

We do have plans to tackle these guys as opportunities present themselves. It may take a while to get to specific officers, so hang in there.

In the past you said that stores have different order numbers for the Legends wave versus the regular TAC wave or even the SAGA waves.  In 2 local Wal-Marts, these all share the same pegs, where there are over 60 SAGA figures mixed in with some Legends figures and TAC pegwarmers(R2-D2, Obi and Mace).  Based on your previous answers that this kind of stuff shouldn't happen, what do you say now?  Do you contact these stores and have them get it right or send out a rep?  As a collector what can I do to get new stuff at these stores? (ST/TJ, 09/28/07) (http://www.sandtroopers.com/smf/index.php?topic=8437.msg148811#msg148811)

We do not have access to individual store level inventories to know what figures are where and in what quantity - that level of information simply doesn't exist.  That's why we report that on a national level - the greater whole - waves are shipping as planned, and the replenishment process by which stores are "resupplied" is something we watch on a weekly basis.  To be clear on how it works - stores will be resupplied based on what has sold down, not based on what is sitting on what pegs, which is invisible to the automated ordering systems.  So if Saga Legends is selling in those stores, it will be reordered.  If 30th Anniv. is selling, it will be reordered.  To finish that discussion - the stock of one has no impact on the other.  However, it doesn't work like clockwork all the time, and the number of older figures of a subline could impact which waves are shipped so it could be possible for a store to miss a wave depending on how much stock and how fast it's selling and what wave is available to ship next.  We would ask that if collectors have noticed problems in certain stores, that they please send the Store # of the WM store with the issue (via the same process you use to submit questions) and we will have our retail teams look into it and see if there is a way to "unclog" a local store if its within our merchandising teams coverage area.

Will we ever get the ewoks that help chewy take out the AT-ST in Return of the jedi?  Any other new Ewoks on the horizon, besides the new 2 pack coming out? (ST/TJ, 09/28/07) (http://www.sandtroopers.com/smf/index.php?topic=8437.msg148811#msg148811)

In general, yes, we will keep Ewoks in the line and introduce new ones every so often.  Regarding the specific ones that helped Chewie…we'll look into it and see which guys they are.  They would be good ones to slot into the line at the next Ewok opportunity.

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Considering the success of the Concept Art Series figures, and that there are still plenty of concept characters to be mined, have you thought about doing a figure of The Emperor from the original theatrical cut of THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK -- the one played by a woman in prosthetic make-up that then had chimpanzee eyes superimposed over her real eyes? (SWC, 09/28/07) (http://www.swcollector.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=5303#5303)

While we have been discussing what we could do next for concept characters, that one hasn't made it onto our wish lists.

Although the novel that was to center around Darth Plagueis the Wise has been cancelled, the character is still one that has fans intrigued, especially since it was announced the character is a Muun (same species as San Hill). Any chance we could see an action figure of him eventually? (SWC, 09/28/07) (http://www.swcollector.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=5303#5303)

Eventually, we would like to see him too. We originally proposed a Darth Plagueis figure after EpIII, but then we learned about the story coming and he was put off. Since then, we haven't found a place in the line for him but we will get to him someday.

With a new Max Rebo Band set coming out, could we finally be close to getting a figure of Jabba's palace dancer Yarna del' Gargan? (SWC, 09/28/07) (http://www.swcollector.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=5303#5303)

She's on the short list of ones we would like to do next, but we have not confirmed so. Hopefully by 2009.

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Will there be another UGH type of rarity in 2008? If so, will we still receive the gold coins or will we receive a different type of promotion. (TSE.N, 09/28/07) (http://www.thesithempire.net/site/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=311&Itemid=1)

We are planning promotional activity for next year, but it will most likely not involved UGH. We'll rest that one for 2008.

Will there be another vintage-style line in 2008? If so, what figures could we expect to see (what are the chances of seeing figures based on classic production differences such as vinyl cape jawa, Rocket Firing Boba Fett and Double Telescoping figures)? (TSE.N, 09/28/07) (http://www.thesithempire.net/site/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=311&Itemid=1)

There will not be another vintage-style line in 2008, because we are dedicating those resources and tool budget toward developing the Evolutions reintroduction. We certainly hope to pick up vintage further down the road, and the polls we conducted recently have informed our thinking for when we do bring it back out.

It looks from the initial pictures of the Elite Forces Entertainment Earth 14 pack, that the helmets fit too snuggly on the Mandalorians; not only revealing the chins, but also appearing misshapen on their heads. Will this be remedied when the figures go into production. (TSE.N, 09/28/07) (http://www.thesithempire.net/site/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=311&Itemid=1)

The helmets have been corrected for production.

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Will we have an opportunity, perhaps through a mail-away offer, to get the gold "Indy IV" coin? Perhaps an offer on the first wave of figures? Also Are there any plans for a Vintage-style line for Indy figures, similar to the VOTC/VTSC Star Wars line? One thing the collecting world could certainly use, is a finely-sculpted, super-articulated Indiana Jones figure!  Thanks! (YF, 09/28/07) (http://cgi.denpetersen.com/YAK1/viewtopic.php?p=30610#30610)

We think that you will be plenty pleased by the lineup of quality figures we have slated for Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull. We have discussed it, but right now, we don't have plans to do vintage figures. We will be focusing on some other areas our first year.

In regards to the new Target "Battle of Hoth" Ultimate Battle Pack, I am glad to see a couple of VTSC Snowtrooper in this set, but throwing in the previous (late 90s era) POTF2 Snowtrooper sculpt seems like a wasted slot. Why not something else instead, like the AT-AT driver or E-Web cannon accessory? Also is the AT-ST in this set a straight repack or does it have "snow" paint effect applied to it? Oh one more thing the Snowspeeder Luke appears to have Obi-Wan Kenobi's lightsaber instead of the proper Luke version - will this oversight be addressed? (YF, 09/28/07) (http://cgi.denpetersen.com/YAK1/viewtopic.php?p=30610#30610)

We have no comment.

Some of the gray Clone Commanders in the Saga Legends line have shown up packed with one of 2 weapons: the sandtrooper rifle or the standard clone rifle. Was this an intentional variant or a factory packing error. (YF, 09/28/07) (http://cgi.denpetersen.com/YAK1/viewtopic.php?p=30610#30610)

It was an error on our part for failing to spec the proper weapon at first. Since they were all in the same grouping from the Evolution Pack where the figures started, the factory grabbed the most impressive one, the Sandtrooper rifle, but not the correct one. We have updated on subsequent released.

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If electronics, lights and sounds are so expensive to add to vehicles, why dos Hasbro keep reissuing the electronic R2-D2? I would think that current technology would make it cheaper through the use of LEDs and sound chips rather than battery powered motors and grain-of-wheat bulbs. (YN, 09/28/07) (http://yodasnews.com/)

No new product development (other than updated packaging) is needed, so this is an ideal item for us to keep in the line as long as demand remains high. At this point, we wouldn't achieve a cost-savings sufficient enough to offset the substantial rework costs.

Now that the Vintage Line has been around the block for a few years do you see it returning in 2008? (YN, 09/28/07) (http://yodasnews.com/)

Vintage will be rested during 2008 as we turn our collector-focused product attention to the return of the Evolution packs. We just don't have the capacity to develop two collector-focused lines like this at once.

When can we expect to see a change in the card format, from the current 30th Anniversary line? (YN, 09/28/07) (http://yodasnews.com/)

The current card design will run through Spring of 2008. We will be bringing an exciting new line look to shelves in Fall 2008. We will probably be showing a glimpse of this at Toy Fair 2008.
Title: Re: The Hasbro Q & A Compendium
Post by: Matt on October 18, 2007, 11:41 AM
Session 40 - October 12, 2007

The VOTC Lando looks great, but his cape is neither removable nor does it accurately drape over his shoulders - both of which were seen prominently in the movie. Would it be possible to get that Lando figure retooled so he has a removable cape that drapes all the way over his shoulders? (AF, 10/12/07) (http://www.actionfigs.com/index.php?categoryid=12&p2_articleid=1384)

Great suggestion - we will look at that for a possible future Lando upgrade.

With the implications that the Vintage line is on the back burner for the '08 line and the premium figures will be in the Evolutions sets, might Hasbro consider re-releasing some of the original 2004 Vintage figures on different classic Kenner-style cardbacks? For instance, the '78-'79 Star Wars card is a much more iconic cardback for figures like Vader, Chewbacca, the Stormtrooper, R2, and Boba Fett. And since they would be straight repacks, could they be implemented in the basic line without outer shell cases? (AF, 10/12/07) (http://www.actionfigs.com/index.php?categoryid=12&p2_articleid=1384)

We have discussed this, but our focus is elsewhere right now. We are hoping that the next time we do something with Vintage it will involve new figures, and not just repacks.

With the fast selling of the 1-per-case Darktrooper, will this encourage more to be included in later Saga Legends waves to ensure availability as the line continues ships into 2008? And do you view this figure being a success based on its initial offerings selling out in under an hour on HasbroToyShop website? (AF, 10/12/07) (http://www.actionfigs.com/index.php?categoryid=12&p2_articleid=1384)

There certainly has been a great collector pounce for Darktrooper. We will offer him in future ratios as well.

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For those of us who like to budget in advance, about how many new Star Wars figures will we be seeing in 2008? Indiana Jones? (BB, 10/12/07) (http://www.bobasbounty.net/)

It's too early to give totals, but in next year's "Saga" line (including Spring 30th and the follow-up line) you can expect about the same as this year, perhaps a bit fewer as we make room for Clone Wars. The Clone Wars details are being kept under wraps, but it will be a solid showing. Finally, on IJ, we are looking at close to 30 basic figures....strong support for all four IJ films over the course of the year.

Do you look at the results of the Fan's Choice poll recently and use that information to plan future case packs? With almost all of the winners being Clones or Stormtroopers of some type, does that tell you that future case packs should include more "Army Builder" Figures? (BB, 10/12/07) (http://www.bobasbounty.net/)

We have been moving in that direction for some time now, and the 30th case packs have all had good trooper representation. We are not sure it's a wise strategy to amp it up even more though - say giving over half of our case packs to troops - so look to us to continue to work in different ones and keep them in the line as we have done for the Galactic Marine and Airborne this year, and look for new Troopers or new takes on existing ones to bring into future lines early so we can re-pack throughout any year.

With the upcoming Force Unleashed Game, it was announced that there will be a version for the Nintendo Wii in which the Wiimote will function as a lightsaber and will have a mode in which you can duel another player using the Wiimotes. Have you guys looked at making a version of the lightsaber in which you could slide the Wiimote into the handle for a more realistic gaming experience? (BB, 10/12/07) (http://www.bobasbounty.net/)

Interesting idea, and we love the vision of millions of gamers everywhere using their Hasbro Lightsaber Wiimote docks to wage galactic battles. It gives whole new meaning to "role play". Ultimately though, we don't know how the sales would be vs regular lightsabers so we'll probably continue focusing our efforts there.

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A new Hoth Princess Leia seems long overdue, given that we've only had one released way back in 1998. Can we expect a new Hoth Princess Leia in the basic line within the next of year? Are we going to see a "classic" Princess Leia in next year's pre-Clone Wars line (the VOTC model)? It'd be great to see the iconic Princess Leia with that beautiful artwork. (GH, 10/12/07) (http://www.galactichunter.com/absolutenm/templates/full_article_template_1.asp?articleid=6779&zoneid=2)

We do have plans to update a Hoth Leia, but not in 2008.  We would like to periodically get around to updating key Leias one or so at a time, like we did this year with Endor Leia.  We have not thought about a straight repack of the VOTC Princess Leia on a basic card, focusing instead on the Leia Boushh in the Saga Legends line.

Do smaller figures (a la Pit Droids) cost less or the same to produce from the manufacturing perspective? We are wondering if there's any chance for a comprehensive Pod Race Battle Pack? Things that could be included: All the released Pod Racer Pilots (Gasgano, Ody Mandrell, Teemto Pagales, Dud Bolt, Mars Guo, Anakin and Sebulba) and include Sebulba's massage chair and some droids (including the Otoga 222, C-3PO, and the cleanup droids). Oh and just a reminder -- we want more Pod Race Pilots! (GH, 10/12/07) (http://www.galactichunter.com/absolutenm/templates/full_article_template_1.asp?articleid=6779&zoneid=2)

Figure costing encompasses amount of raw materials used, the number of molds involved (the greater the number, the greater the labor and cycle time to shoot the parts), deco, and assembly.  Pit Droids are efficient in these areas and that's why we can offer 2-packs. We hope that in the future we can do the same with the "smaller" Pod Racer drivers like we did last year. We are not planning a battle pack around them, though, since we think the concept is still a little niche and doesn't involve any core characters or Troopers which have been the mainstay of our packs to this point. With time, though, you never know.

Is the Ewok Village mold still in working order since its last use for the 1991 Robin Hood line? And if it is, has the team ever considered re-releasing it? The Holiday Season would be the hap-happiest season of all! "There'd be Rebels for roasting, and Ewoks for hoaxing when Force Powers are called..." (GH, 10/12/07) (http://www.galactichunter.com/absolutenm/templates/full_article_template_1.asp?articleid=6779&zoneid=2)

OK, Adam - you are hitting the note a little early! Seriously, good jingle. We have not considered a re-release of the Ewok Village playset, and so have not looked for the tools. With the interest in Ewoks, it's something we should look into a some point, possibly for an exclusive. Thanks for the suggestion.

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The new 30AC Han Solo with Torture Rack seems to be receiving a mixed response. Many fans seems to love the Torture Rack, but dislike the scene-specific Han included. What are the chances you’ll be releasing a new super-articulated Bespin Han in 2008 so those unhappy folks can turn their frowns upside down? (JD, 10/12/07) (http://www.jedidefender.com/newspro/fullnews.cgi?newsid1192239640,73358,)

We have no plans right now to update Bespin Han. We'll be turning our attention to a different Han next year.

Will the 2007 Vintage Snowtrooper torso ever be reworked/tweaked so that we can get a super-articulated Snowtrooper Officer (as seen in the AT-AT Cockpit with General Veers)? (JD, 10/12/07) (http://www.jedidefender.com/newspro/fullnews.cgi?newsid1192239640,73358,)

Interesting idea. We will look into it to see what kind of match exists.

Have you ever considered adding non-traditional accessories to the figures (when costs allow, obviously). For example, how about one of those large plants from Felucia the next time we see a 327th Star Corps Trooper? Or even a small shrub for the next Ewok release. Something like that might help spice up some of those many clone re-issues and give diorama builders some nice fodder to use. (JD, 10/12/07) (http://www.jedidefender.com/newspro/fullnews.cgi?newsid1192239640,73358,)

We have considered other accessories, but it always comes down the cost of the piece relative to the iconic importance. Plants aren't high on the list, though.

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Given that we've seen several re-released vehicle repaints (some with pack in figures) any chance of the Naboo N-1 Starfighter (without electronics) getting re-issued as a store exclusive (maybe with an Episode II dirty paint application) with a pack in figure and alternate astromech droid?  Maybe the pack in figure could be either Captain Typho or Padme Pilot? (JN.co.uk, 10/12/07) (http://www.jedinews.co.uk/news/news.aspx?newsID=522)

We haven't looked at it yet, simply because there have been other vehciles to do before the N-1

The packaging for the Saga Collection 2008 will have to change a little bearing in mind the coin is being replaced by a stand so any chance of a sneak peek? (JN.co.uk, 10/12/07) (http://www.jedinews.co.uk/news/news.aspx?newsID=522)

Sorry James, we don't have a sneak peak available yet.  However, the blister will become a little wider out to the edge of the current coin area, and the stand will be shown inside the blister.

Thanks for allowing us to have our say in the 2008 Saga Legends voting.  Any chance we could get a complete list of the final standings for all the 20 figures included?  Also, will any of the other 15 finalists be considered for re-packs anytime soon? (JN.co.uk, 10/12/07) (http://www.jedinews.co.uk/news/news.aspx?newsID=522)

Thank you for getting your readers to participate.  The final order, based on # of votes:

        1. Shadow Stormtrooper
        2. Commander Neyo
        3. Covert Ops Clone Trooper
        4. Utapau Shadow Trooper
        5. Zev Senesca.
        6. ARC Trooper (Clone Wars) red & gray
        7. Clone Trooper Pilot w/ball turret
        8. Clone Trooper (Saleucami)
        9. Zutton
        10. R3-A2
        11. Graxol Kelvyyn
        12. Ephant Mon
        13. Stormtrooper (Vintage OTC)
        14. Colonel Wulf Yalaren
        15. Coleman Trebor
        16. Pablo-Jill
        17. Chewbacca
        18. Gungan Warrior (Fambaa set)
        19. Sio Bibble
        20. Bespin Guard

    We are considering more of these for release in future lines beyond Saga Legends, but don't have any specifics.  Suffice to say, it was great to get the fans and fansites involved in the character selection and it will have a great impact on things we do both in Saga Legends and elsewhere.  Thanks again!


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In 2005 it seemed that collectors were mad about Clone Troopers, any way we could get them.  Hasbro stepped up to that challenge and delivered  A LOT of Clone Troopers.  Two years later it seems that the interest in Clone Troopers seems to have tapered off.  Anecdotal reports from collectors online has them sighting good numbers of the Galactic Marine and the Saga Legends AOTC and ROTS Clone Troopers, and the troops are not selling the way they did in '05 and '06.  Have we hit something of a paradigm shift in troop building?  Have collectors gotten their fill of Clone Troopers?  Or do you think that collectors want to build different armies at this time? (JTA, 10/12/07) (http://www.jeditemplearchives.com/content/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=3489)

The demand for Clones is still mighty, but there is no question that many collectors want to see more of the other types of troop builder figures as well.

It seems that Hasbro is constantly looking for new and fresh ways to keep core characters in the Basic figure line.  Has a more accurate Revenge of the Sith version of Chewbacca (as seen here (http://images.wikia.com/starwars/images/thumb/c/cf/Chewie.jpeg/260px-Chewie.jpeg)) with his cool bronze bowcaster been considered? (JTA, 10/12/07) (http://www.jeditemplearchives.com/content/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=3489)

We haven't considered a new ROTS Chewie, but that's an interesting take. Thanks.

Can you give us some insight into how the Basic Figure line is planned?  Are there a set number of slots, or is it flexible?  Is there competition for those spots in the line?  And does the design team independently work on figure designs, or are they "commissioned" with designing specific figures? (JTA, 10/12/07) (http://www.jeditemplearchives.com/content/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=3489)

We figure out at the start of the year how many basic figure items we will have to work with.  There is usually some flexibity in the number to increase (or decrease) by a couple.   We all bring some favorites to the planning, and there is a good amount of back and forth, especially on collector-targeted figures, which makes the process fun.  The design team is an integral part of the process, so they won't work on an item until is collectively approved.

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Will the just-announced Saga Legends wave 5 include collector coins? If so, what color will they be? The reason I ask is because some fans are eager for an EU coin in silver, and 3 of the winning figure qualify as EU. (RS, 10/12/07) (http://www.rebelscum.com/story/front/Hasbros_41st_STAR_WARS_QA_The_Answers_109431.asp)

Yes, they will come with coins. There will be at least one silver EU coin in there. ; )

Recently, Entertainment Earth revealed that the Han Solo and Luke Skywalker in Stormtrooper disguise figures would be re-released sans the blue "comic book style" coloring. Will we this also see the "red eyes" changed to the normal black color? On a related topic, will the Chewbacca and R2-D2 also be changed to "normal colors" or will they still retain the comic book deco? (RS, 10/12/07) (http://www.rebelscum.com/story/front/Hasbros_41st_STAR_WARS_QA_The_Answers_109431.asp)

Verrry interesting question and one which we have spent considerable time discussing. The comic packs are not simply a repack exercise (like some battle packs). The intent of the comic 2-packs is to be true comic versions of those characters, as if those versions of the characters "stepped off the page" and were in the real world. To this extent, the red visors, Chewie colors, and R2-D2 colors are an essential part of that comic artwork. Those details will not change on re-release. However, the shadow effect was added to the figures in an attempt to mimic the comic tenchique of figure-ground separation using shading (otherwise, Stormtroopers would be mostly outlines and would lack depth). Blue is often used in comics to show shadow to reserve black for character details, which would not be present on a figure if they stepped off the page. So, after we discussed on the team here, it was decided to forgo the shadow on re-release but keep the other details to be true to the comic roots. The reason we love the comics is that there are differences, sometimes small, sometimes major, and it's important to focus on which ones to keep for a point of differentiation from mainline figures.

The Comic Packs this year are a definite hit, and we're all excited to see they are coming back next year. A thought occurs to me with this year's selections. I notice that many of the Dark Horse figures are inspired by the Clone Wars comics, such as Quinlan Vos and A'Sharad Hett, while the artwork and the comics included in them are from other appearances. Was this an intentional mismatch? Were there plans at one point for the matching outfits. Or (as the conspiracy theorist in me suspects) was this a subliminal way to bring back the Clone Wars era back into the minds of collectors, anticipating next year's The Clone Wars animated series? (RS, 10/12/07) (http://www.rebelscum.com/story/front/Hasbros_41st_STAR_WARS_QA_The_Answers_109431.asp)

It was certainly not a way to bring Clone Wars back….only because as far as we are concerned they have never gone away. The simple explanation is that we locked onto the comic issues we wanted to do, and were planning to do the outfits in those issues. In discussion with Lucasfilm and among our design team, it was decided to focus on the same character match-up, but pick the more iconic version of that character's outfit, since we may only have one chance to ever make a figure of that character.

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Will the Vintage-style Luke X-wing pilot body be used on height-appropriate pilots like Wedge, Jansen, Hobbie from the films, and perhaps even Corran Horn, Tycho Celchu, Nawara Ven, and others from the EU since they're all closer to Luke's height (around an inch or 2 either way) than the tall stature of the Dutch Vander pilot figure that's up above 6 feet? (SSG, 10/12/07) (http://www.sirstevesguide.com/index.php?categoryid=13&p2_articleid=716)

If and when we get to some of those Rebs, we'll look at the bodies available and try to pick to make meaningful height differentiation among pilots… that is a good goal to have.

The final results of the Fans' Choice Saga Legends '08 poll were surprising, to say the least - 4 troopers, 3 of which are just former exclusives that are mere EU repaints. The 5 winners don't seem to jive with the fan sites' poll results, which have the Shadow Stormtrooper and Zev playcing highly, but Ephant Mon placing even higher than Zev, and Blue Snaggletooth and Graxol Kelvyyn placing much higher than the Covert Ops Trooper and Utapau Shadow Trooper. Some fans are finding the winning 5 figures a rather underwhelming group and are concerned that the final results may have been skewed somehow, whether by error or by certain fans signing up multiple voting accounts. Granted, this isn't a presidential election, but the odd results like Ephant Mon not making the top 5 despite being the #2 ranked from all the sites asks, can we get a recount on this poll? (SSG, 10/12/07) (http://www.sirstevesguide.com/index.php?categoryid=13&p2_articleid=716)

We can't say for certain that some fans did not vote from different accounts... that is certainly possible. We did the vote this way to get the broadest possible voting, and there were indeed some big surprises to us in the final vote order based on the initial web site straw polls and top 10 lists. One thing that is clear - backing up the first Saga Legends poll, is that troops are still in demand.

Does the Star Wars brand manager or other higher-ups for the line ever personally go down stores' toy aisles to see how product is moving? If so, what do they see of that, and does it ever affect distribution - especially seeing a number of pegwarmers not selling? Does it influence those people in any way? (SSG, 10/12/07) (http://www.sirstevesguide.com/index.php?categoryid=13&p2_articleid=716)

We go out to retail constantly to check on our local stores and see if there are any key learnings or trends to be aware of. We are careful not to jump to conclusions based on what we see locally, and to check what we see locally against the nationally-reported data before reacting. In some cases, if we see locally jives with the national data, we will revise future case-pack weightings (ratios) or the items we are about to manufacture and which will hit shelves in several months. In other cases, what we see locally is not a national trend and does not need to be addressed or is a flag to watch from week to week to see if we have spotted what could be an issue.

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Earlier this year, you sold an album that was intended to hold the coins that would be included with this years action figures in the 30th Anniversary Collection. By my count, that would be:

60 basic figure coins
7 Saga Legends (TPM, AOTC, ROTS, ANH, ESB, ROTJ, EU)
4 Convention giveaways (CIV, Celebration Europe, and Comic Con, plus bonus
Indiana Jones IV gold coin)
5 Convention exclusives from figures (2 McQ Luke (C4 & CE), 2 McQ R2/3-PO
(C4 & CE), 1 McQ Obi-Wan/Yoda)
1 SWS Exclusive (Concept Grievous)
12 UGH variants

 If my math is correct (and I used a calculator to double check) that comes out to a total of 89 Coins. How do you propose that I get all 89 coins (provided I can collect them all, and believe me, I'm trying) into a coin album (that cost me $11, FYI) that has only 80 slots? And this doesn't even take into account the 6 Vintage coins (5 for the figures + the bonus coin) and the Toy Fair coin because they come with their own special cases, even though I would prefer to remove them from those cases and display them with the rest of my coins.
(ST, 10/12/07) (http://www.sandtroopers.com/smf/index.php?topic=5183.msg150934#msg150934)

That are actually 90 coins. Previously, on a different Q&A answer, we had confirmed there were 89, but we forgot the concept Grievous.  However, you are right….there are more coins than slots to house them.  The only way to house them all, if you have them all, would be to get a second binder where you could also bring in the vintage coins as well.  The original intent of the binder was to give some blank space for extras and duplicates, and then we just kept coming up with different coins to the point where we had more than the slots could house.  Our sincere hope is that you are enjoying the "hunt" for the coins and forgive us for the spillover!

If a website like Brian's Toys can offer the "One of every figure club" which allows members to be shipped one of every action figure in every wave of Star Wars Figures that gets released, why can't Hasbro Toy Shop offer a similar program? Surely, HTS can get Star Wars figures just as easily - if not easier - than any other retailers? And why can't Hasbro Toy Shop get new Star Wars figures in a timely manner? Or when they do happen to receive new/currently shipping items, they sell out so quickly? And then take so long to be replenished, if at all? (ST, 10/12/07) (http://www.sandtroopers.com/smf/index.php?topic=5183.msg150934#msg150934)

HTS actually tried this model during Episode III, but it did not go over well since it was started after the figures had started shipping and supply proved an issue.  We ultimately had to cancel out of the program, so we have not been quick to jump back into it and have let others carry the ball.  With planning, it could happen, and we will discuss again. Regarding HTS, they are treated the same as our other retail partners, and their supplies are based on forecasts and orders...if they are selling out quickly, it means that they need to bring up their forecasts to match demand for the next round.

Do you have any comments about the horrendous distribution Star Wars figures are getting at this point in the year? At retail I can find nothing newer than Wave 3, yet some online shops (like HTS and Amazon) are already shipping out Wave 6? And other online shops (like EE) are still waiting to receive Wave 4. How are customers supposed to buy product if there's no product available? (ST, 10/12/07) (http://www.sandtroopers.com/smf/index.php?topic=5183.msg150934#msg150934)

Troops - it's a problem that we are looking into to always try and improve, but it is a very complicated issue and a little different from the past because we have a number of waves in a compressed time this Fall.  We don't have a simple answer for you because there are numerous parts to it and we would need more background to address a particular store.

Here are the "trueisms" to start with from a macro level:  We are producing ample supplies of all waves (based on our forecast data and sales history); as inventories sell down at a store, they are flagged for reorder by the inventory management systsems in place to keep sale going smoothly; we ship to retail distribution centers to resupply stores based on both replenishment of current sales and seasonal forecast increases (for example, getting ready for holiday inventories will increase).  We do not ship directly to stores, but instead we go through the DCs, so we don't exactly control where and when each wave goes to any individual store. Part of it is affected, of course, by how much inventory is at that store already...if a store is slow to sell down, then it may not get reordered when the next wave is available.  Compounding the issue is that, at least with 30th Basic figures, the coin delays at the start of the year compressed our wave deliveries for the back half.

Coin production problems are solved, but it means that we will see a lot of variety that normally would have been more spread out compressed into the back half. Usually, we like 6 weeks between new waves, but this Fall it will be more like 4 weeks or less which does pose challenges. We still want to get the new figures out, rather than delay some waves into next year, so we are releasing them as they come in. When a new wave comes in, we also get some of that out to retail so nobody gets shipped all or most of any wave....even if we still have not exhausted supplies of the previous wave.

This, combined with the earlier note about when stores get resupplied, means that the waves may not show up at your store in the order intended. It is also possible that a store may miss a wave initially (we hope not totally though).  We do our best to spread it out and ship all retailers each new wave, but we can't control the flow from the DCs to store level at that fine a detail.  Now, like we said we are making good supplies of all waves and even though the next wave (5 or 6 for example) starts showing up before the previous, it does not mean we are done with Wave 4. We will continue to ship 4 to ensure all retailers get their share.  Whew!  If you stuck with us through this, hang in there....we think we have some amazing figures on the way and hope you are able to find everything in time at your local store, or, worst case, in different local retailers before too long.


I must admit I was a lil bit angry with the results of the Saga Legends Choice.  I really wanted the VOTC Stormtrooper, so I wanted to know if we'll see him eventually in any line, since I believe he made it close to the cut? (ST/"TJ", 10/12/07) (http://www.sandtroopers.com/smf/index.php?topic=8437.msg150936#msg150936)

We were surprised as well, since going in it looked like the VOTC Stormtrooper would be a big favorite. In fact, he came in at  #13.  But, that is why we did the poll - to get the broadest fan base to help decide. In this respect, the results weren't too different from last year's poll in that troopers dominated the top spots.  However, there is some good news.  First - even though VOTC Stormtrooper didn't make it, we will work to get him in a future basic figure line eventually (not Saga Legends though, and probably not in 2008....a little after that, hopefully).  Second, we are looking to a few more figures from the list as candidates to bring back in basic figures eventually as well, so the poll will have longer-lasting effects (much like last year's did as well, which spun off more than the originally planned 8 fans' choice figures).

Are there any plans in the near future to make the McQuarrie Luke, Obi-Wan, Yoda, & Concept Grievous figures more available, or perhaps repack them sometime down the road?  The scalpers are making a killing on the auction sites with these rare figures.  It's the law of supply and demand: One would think Hasbro might like to collect every possible profit from these figures.  It would drive the illicit prices for these figures down, plus give Average Joe Collector a better chance at scoring these for his collection. (ST/"TJ", 10/12/07) (http://www.sandtroopers.com/smf/index.php?topic=8437.msg150936#msg150936)

We have talked about it, but right now we don't have any plans to make the exclusives more widely available, with one exception. The McQuarrie Yoda & Obi-Wan will be re-released for HasbroToyShop in the U.S., and TRU in Europe (UK and Germany), in early Spring.  The packaging will be unchanged from the U.S. release.

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Have there been any plans to release an Utai figure based on those creature tamers from ROTS? If so, can I recommend a varactyl hatchling as a pack-in for it? It just seemed appropriate, since they're shorter creatures, so they'd probably come with a few extras like the Yoda figures tend to (not to mention they specialized in taming varactyls). (SWC, 10/12/07) (http://www.swcollector.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=5360#5360)

We have looked at the Utai, but just haven't found a chance to get them into the lineup in any of the RotS waves. Like the Ugnaughts, loyalservants to a cause, they will take a while to get there but we are hopeful they will be out eventually.

While we're on that subject, have you considered doing a repaint of the Boga figure to look like a male varactyl? Since the difference is that males feathers are yellow and brown instead of blue, it doesn't appear to be too hard to do, just a standard repaint. (SWC, 10/12/07) (http://www.swcollector.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=5360#5360)

That's an interesting suggestion. We had not considered a re-release of Boga (or an alternate varactyl) yet, as it's still too close in time to EpIII for a creature, but it's an interesting idea for when we do.

How many waves of basic figures will there be in the 2008 Star Wars line, before it switches over to The Clone Wars? Will figures from the films continue to be made and released alongside The Clone Wars figures in 2008? (SWC, 10/12/07) (http://www.swcollector.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=5360#5360)

There will be three waves of figures in Spring before the 30th Anniv. line in the Fall. And yes, "classic" figures will continue alongside Clone Wars figures.

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You announced in your panel at Celebration Europe that the SDCC McQuarrie Yoda and Obi-Wan would be coming to the UK as a retailer exclusive. Summer has passed and we've seen no sign of this two-pack. Please could you tell us if or when this item is coming so we Brits can avoid the Ebay scalpers? (TPU, 10/12/07) (http://www.theprivateuniverse.co.uk/cgi-bin/showarticle.pl?section=news&articleid=2092)

Good news on this front - the McQuarrie Yoda & Obi-Wan will be coming to TRU in Europe, at least the UK and Germany, in early Spring. The packaging will be unchanged from the U.S. release.

In the US many exclusive items are sold via StarWarsShop - Concept Grievous for example. The Celebration Europe Exclusive McQuarrie Concept R2-D2 & C-3PO Action Figures have just been made available to order for Hyperspace members. Although the shop sends internationally we have to pay extra tax and shipping costs to buy these, making the items a lot more costly. Is there no way to make special items available in the UK or Europe directly? Can you not offer some items through the Hasbro Toyshop UK? (TPU, 10/12/07) (http://www.theprivateuniverse.co.uk/cgi-bin/showarticle.pl?section=news&articleid=2092)

The items you mention are specifically given as exclusives to StarWarsOnlineShop.com, and were not shared with other retailers. As we grow our HTS UK presence, it can be a good solution for in-country distribution of exclusives that otherwise would not have a UK or Europe counterpart, but we are not there yet with our strategy. Eventually we hope to be, but not yet.

You seem keen on running variations for army builders (Sandtroopers, Rebel Troopers, Imperial Officers etc) - any chance of seeing a carded variant of the ever-popular X-Wing pilot ? Same body, running change on the head / helmet markings ? We'd love to see some truely diverse characters like Grizz Frix, or perhaps Karie Neth (using the original, more feminine, Luke pilot mold for this female pilot). (TPU, 10/12/07) (http://www.theprivateuniverse.co.uk/cgi-bin/showarticle.pl?section=news&articleid=2092)

The economical thing about doing the troopers is that they do not require separate card artwork because they are "generic" troops. The characters you mentioned are just that - characters, and would need separate cards and would each one be counted as separate items against our item count limits. So the way to attack what you suggest (and we like Rebel heroes!) is to do them occasionally or look for a multi-pack solution when we have enough quality bodies to work with.
Title: Re: The Hasbro Q & A Compendium
Post by: Matt on October 26, 2007, 06:35 PM
Session 41 - October 26, 2007

Hasbro has made a fantastic job with the figure sculpts over the last years. Nevertheless do I think that you have been underachieved with the RA-7 sculpt. The figure seems not be quite movie accurate because it have to be more silver-colored instead of gold-colored. Furthermore the sculpt that bases on the 98' Death Star Droid lacks of state of the art joints. Is it possible that the figure gets a complete update in the following years, e.g. with joints like the C-3PO Ewok Diety and with a TC-14 paintjob? (4".de, 10/26/07) (http://www.4-inches.de/inhalt/home.htm)

That's an interesting idea for an update down the road. Since he's a less "iconic" droid, and has just been re-released in the Saga Legends line exactly as when he came out before, it is unlikely that we would update this figure any time soon. Perhaps a few years from now, but right now our focus is on other newer figures.

There are a lot of R2-D2 figures that have been sculpted since 1995. Nearly each feature of the little droid has been realised over the time. I was wondering that the only feature, that has not yet realised have been done with the McQuarrie Concept figure - the starship control-arm links in the front torso under the dome. Is it possible that you go this way when you do the next update to the droid? And what are the odds for a super-articulated and -tooled R2-D2? (4".de, 10/26/07) (http://www.4-inches.de/inhalt/home.htm)

Interesting idea on the McQuarrie concept part - we will take a look at that. Your idea for an R2-D2 with "everything" is interesting and we have thought about it as well - a "Swiss Army Knife" version of R2-D2 would be cool, but it would actually be too costly for a simple basic figure. That has really stayed our hand on an idea like this, at least until we can figure out whether it makes sense as an exclusive or in some other type of pack. But for now, we have no plans to release a this sort of R2.

You stated in a former q&a session, that the scanning technology lacked for the realisation of emotional looking human faces so you have reserved that technology for technical tools and vehicles only. In my opinion the sculpting of the various Padmé figures that have been done so far seems not be quite accurate and do not reflect the pretty face of Natalie Portman. The look of the face regularly seems to be curiously grim or a little bit Victorian, you know? How about a more handsome Padmé face the next time you do that figure? (4".de, 10/26/07) (http://www.4-inches.de/inhalt/home.htm)

Good comments, and we can't disagree with you. While we always have the intention of doing a perfect figure every time, because they are scultped individually for different articulation models, there is some variation in the process. Female figures, expecially, seem to be hard to get exact, but as always we seek to learn and refine our techniques.

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There are a bunch of alien and droid figures from the POTF2 era that have yet to see upgrades such as: Nien Nunb, Ree Yees, Saelt-Marae (Yak Face), Orrimaarko (Prune Face), Admiral Ackbar, EV-9D9, ASP-7, Ishi Tib, Lak Sivrak, etc.. Is it likely that these guys will be upgraded with better sculpts and articulation in the foreseeable future or are we likely stuck with the ones we have? (AF, 10/26/07) (http://www.actionfigs.com/index.php?categoryid=12&p2_articleid=1384)

Some of these will be upgraded in the foreseeable future. In the longer term horizon, we hope to see all of them updated some day.

For some reason, nearly all the Jedi Luke figures have been from Jabba's Palace with permanent vests. The only Death Star II version in recent memory is the rather unfortunate Saga figure with its rather unfortunate action gimmick, preposed body, and bizarre face sculpt. The newest Jedi Luke (TAC #25) has a cloth vest but it's not meant to be removed and the costume underneath is incomplete for Death Star II Luke. In ToyFare's Fans Choice poll, this was the only OT main character - not to mention the only version of Luke - to make the top 25 (and 3 characters who got less votes have already been made as figures now). So, do you have any plans to make a Death Star II Jedi Luke at this point? If not, why has this popular version been continuously overlooked in favor of Jabba's Palace Luke? (AF, 10/26/07) (http://www.actionfigs.com/index.php?categoryid=12&p2_articleid=1384)

Good point about needing to update him….it's just that for our theming we have picked different ones. It may be a while still, but hang in there - we will get to him.

With the new Clone Wars line coming up, will you be going back to the original series to make figures for characters who didn't get them, whether or not they appear in this new CGI series? Figures like Holographic Sidious on walking mechano-chair, Scuba Troopers, Space Clone Troopers, Plo Koon in armor, IG Lancer Droid (perhaps with its swoop bike), General Oro Dassyne all would make good candidates from the first series. (AF, 10/26/07) (http://www.actionfigs.com/index.php?categoryid=12&p2_articleid=1384)

When the new series comes out, our attention and focus will shift to that one exclusively and we will not likely be doing any more figures from the first Clone Wars series. It doesn't mean we won't look for opportunities from some of the very cool figures you mention, but it becomes much less likely.

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With Transformers coming out on DVD this past week, it renewed our interest in Star Wars Transformers. I believe there are still 3 that haven't hit shelves yet. Any hints on the future of the line? (BB, 10/26/07) (http://www.bobasbounty.net/)

The future of the line is very bright, and we are committed to producing more new figures through next year, and hopefully well beyond. Look for the great wave of 3 new (Luke/Snowspeeder, Cody/Turbo Tank, and AT-AT/AT-AT Driver) any time now.

When exclusives are given to stores, is there anything in the agreements with the companies either asking or requiring them to offer the exclusive through their online store as well? Honestly there is nothing more frustrating to a working collector (or parent for that matter) than hearing that exclusives are hitting stores, but all the local stores are sold out (welcome to Boise, home of the megascalper...). (BB, 10/26/07) (http://www.bobasbounty.net/)

We suggest to our retai partners that they carry exclusives online as well as in-store, but it is ultimately their decision how to market them. We suggest that you voice your frustration to the retailers in question, and hopefully it will influence future exclusives.

As I've said before, my 5 and 2 year olds LOVE Galactic Heroes (heck, I do too!). Any chance of a reissue of the Kashyyk CLone Trooper? That one didn't seem to be on the shelf too long! They'd love to see it packed with a Commander Gree. (BB, 10/26/07) (http://www.bobasbounty.net/)

The Yoda/Kashyyyk Trooper combo is back in production and should be hitting shelves any time now.

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Hasbro has made it clear that the Holiday Special is mostly  off-limits for figure consideration.  I understand your reservations  since it is painfully hard to watch.  Since we did receive a Star Wars  Holiday Special figure in the Power of the Jedi line is 2001 (Zutton -  Snaggletooth) which NEVER appeared in A New Hope and we were just  blessed with the Animated Debut: Boba Fett this year, could you please just check out the Star Wars Chronicles (big coffee table book) and just see some of the cool  additional cantina aliens that could be created if you would just open  your hearts?  There are some amazing creatures (some even cooler than what made it to the movie cut) that were developed for this special  including a white Djas Puhr among others that would be very welcomed  additions to our cantina dioramas. (GH, 10/26/07) (http://www.galactichunter.com/absolutenm/templates/full_article_template_1.asp?articleid=6805&zoneid=2)

For the most part any new aliens that require new tooling would be on-screen aliens from the six movies.  If there are repaint opportunities, we could certainly check it out - this might make an intriguing multi-pack exclusive.

You folks scared EVERYONE with all of the "No comment!" answers in the last round of Q&A. Seeing that those two Ultimate Battle Packs have been leaked with stickers indicating that they will be exclusive to one particular big-boxer, can you confirm or deny whether or not we'll see OTHER cool 3.75" exclusives that haven't been leaked (thus far) in time for the holdays? [A list of fall/holiday exclusives that CAN be confirmed would be useful, but any guidance helping us with our budgeting would be helpful and appreciated!] (GH, 10/26/07) (http://www.galactichunter.com/absolutenm/templates/full_article_template_1.asp?articleid=6805&zoneid=2)

To help you with your budgeting Adam, we can confirm that there will be no specials and exclusives that you do not already know about.

Many fans are enthralled by the 30th Anniversary Collection's cardback art. Would Hasbro ever consider posting some nice print-quality artwork on StarWars.Hasbro.com for collectors to download? It's beautiful art, and it shouldn't be marred by sliced-off bubbles. (GH, 10/26/07) (http://www.galactichunter.com/absolutenm/templates/full_article_template_1.asp?articleid=6805&zoneid=2)

Thanks.  That is a great suggestion and we will look into that possibility.

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Recently, three figures were announced as new additions to 2008's Revenge of the Sith wave - Anakin, Obi-Wan, and the Lava Droid. Along with the figure news came images of a cool new 3-3/4" version of the Mustafar Lava Duel platform. However, there seem to be conflicting reports of how exactly we're getting the platform. Is it a "build-a-platform" type thing or are there unique lava platform pack-ins for Obi-Wan, Anakin, and the Lava Droid? (JD, 10/26/07) (http://www.jedidefender.com/newspro/fullnews.cgi?newsid1193436676,81869,)

The original plan was to deliver the lava platform and connecting droid separately, with pack-ins included with Obi-Wan and Anakin. However, as we got costs back from the factory, it was impossible to do this so we decided to take the platform and droid and combine them together in one pack. The original intent was to join them at home on shelf, and they work just as well combined together in pack.

The EU Spacetrooper was excluded from the second round of fan voting for the Saga Legends line since he's apparently coming out in some form or another next year. Will we be seeing a re-use of the figure’s original sculpt or will we be seeing something new sculpted up for the character? (JD, 10/26/07) (http://www.jedidefender.com/newspro/fullnews.cgi?newsid1193436676,81869,)

It's too early to say exactly how we will be bringing a new Spacetrooper out, and whether it will be a resculpt of this exact one or based on another scene in the entertainment or EU that involves a similar type of concept. For that, you will have to stay tuned...

The recent Saga Legends poll created a lot of buzz around the collecting communities, but when the results were announced a lot of folks were disappointed with the results. It seemed like the votes of the wider audience at Hasbro.com didn’t reflect the desires of the older collectors at the fansites. Has the interest in some of the other figures that finished outside of the top 5 raised some eyebrows at Hasbro, to the point where we'll hopefully start seeing more of the exclusive and pack-in figures available separately on a basic card at some point down the line? Many kids and collectors have to avoid the higher priced packs and vehicles, but would like the opportunity to get some of the unique figures packed therein (like Blue Snaggletooth, Yularen, or EB Chewie) as a single carded figure. Any chance of this coming to fruition later on, outside of (or even in) the Legends line? (JD, 10/26/07) (http://www.jedidefender.com/newspro/fullnews.cgi?newsid1193436676,81869,)

Yes, while we cannot confirm which exact figures we will bring back, we would like to work some of these in somehow.

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It seems like we have a lot of new product coming out all at once. Some of these new waves are not making it to shelves in a lot of places because other figures like the Saga Legends figures are using up the shelf space. Is this something you are aware of, and do you feel confident that the newer waves of 30th Anniversary figures will make their way to shelves in enough numbers that most people will be able to find these figures? (JI, 10/26/07) (http://jediinsider.com/index.php?catid=8&itemid=10726)

As we have said many times before, the Saga Legends shipments have nothing to do with the shipment of The Anniversary Collection figures, so please put that issue aside. The simple answer is that as the TAC figures sell down, more will be shipped to that retailer. Now, the other issue is the wave compression - there are a good number of waves in a short period of time, and some of the new may be shipped before we are done with the previous. We want all retailers to get a proportionate amount of each wave, but this also means that they might show up at different rates. Hang in there - we are releasing a good amount of each wave and not "shorting" anything, so we are confident it'll only be a matter of time before they show up at a retailer near you.

Now that you are doing Indiana Jones product as well as Star Wars, have you ever considered doing a tribute to Harrison Ford set that incorporates both Star Wars and Indiana Jones in the same set for collectors? (JI, 10/26/07) (http://jediinsider.com/index.php?catid=8&itemid=10726)

That is an interesting idea, but something we have not considered pursuing as we remain focused on the characters and each property separately.

We have heard that there may be some type of collaboration between Hasbro and Sideshow Toys to bring Star Wars playsets to the shelves. Is there anything at this point you can tell us about this? (JI, 10/26/07) (http://jediinsider.com/index.php?catid=8&itemid=10726)

There are no further updates on any more Hasbro and Sideshow collaborations. While we have had some good discussions, it has been only that to this point.

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We must be somewhere between the magic 750 and 1,000 figures and we wondered if we’re likely to see a commemorative figure along the lines of the 300th Boba Fett and 500th Darth Vader anytime soon, is so any indication of who it might be? (JN.co.uk, 10/26/07) (http://jedinews.co.uk/news/news.aspx?newsID=572)

Great question, and one for which we aren't ready to talk about yet.  You will have to stay tuned as we figure out exactly how to mark our next milestone.

The Ultimate BattlePacks look awesome [I can’t wait to get my hands on them].  The UK Brand Manager is currently away and I really hope you can put us UK fans at bay by letting us know that we will be seeing these on this side of the pond – pretty please with bows on?  Also, these Ultimate BattlePacks would be a great placement for an upcoming Jabba set featuring the long awaited and much needed Jabba on throne. (JN.co.uk, 10/26/07) (http://jedinews.co.uk/news/news.aspx?newsID=572)

I have no comment whatsover on any such items.

(JN.co.uk UPDATE: We've spoken to the Hasbro UK Brand Manager (who's just got back from holiday) - it's expected that these sets will be available in the UK at Toys R Us.  We're waiting for confirmation on which ones - watch this space!)

A few weeks ago we were told of talks between Hasbro and Sideshow about creating playsets in the 3¾” scale .  As you’re aware a lot of fans seem interested in these and we wondered if there’s any more news you can share on your talks with Sideshow and are the Ultimate BattlePacks, with multiple figures, vehicles & accessories, a way of trying to determine a favourable price point with a link to a proposed playset line? (JN.co.uk, 10/26/07) (http://jedinews.co.uk/news/news.aspx?newsID=572)

There are no further updates on any more Hasbro and Sideshow collaborations.  While we have had some good discussions, it has been only that to this point.

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You had indicated in a previous Q&A sessions that the re-released blue Obi-Wan Starfighter and the green Anakin Jedi Starfighter would have the same white paint applications as the original release.  This picture from Entertainment Earth (http://www.entertainmentearth.com/images//AUTOIMAGES/HS87690lg.jpg) seems to indicate that the paint apps have been updated to better reflect what we saw in the film and we like what we see.  Can you tell us if this new "grey" paint application is what we'll see on these re-released vehicles? (JTA, 10/26/07) (http://jeditemplearchives.com/content/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=3519)

Ok, this is an odd one.  We did not spec any changes to this vehicle, and have no record of a new paint master. Which means that the product that is shipping will most likely be the same one released before but in a new (closed) box. We do not know where the shot referenced came from. We'll dig into it some more...

The Dutch Vander figure was a fairly revolutionary figure when it was introduced back in 2004.  Since then, it has been the basis for a number of Rebel Pilot figures.  It's been reused to give us new versions of Wedge Antilles, Biggs Darklighter and most recently Lt. Lepira with the current Toys R Us exclusive Y-Wing as well as the forthcoming Derek "Hobbie" Klivian.  However, this body is so large that it will not fit in the modern X-Wing fighter that we've come to accept as the standard.  The good news though is that this figure works in other fighters like the Y-Wing.  But considering the appeal that the pilots of Rogue Squadron have with fans and collectors, could we see a retooled series of Rebel Pilots that have the modern articulation that we've become accustomed to that will also fit in the cockpit of the X-Wing?  It would certainly open up the potential to match up pilots with fighters, like Garven Dreis with Red Leader X-Wing, Wedge with the Red 2 X-Wing, Biggs with Red 3 X-Wing, and so on. (JTA, 10/26/07) (http://jeditemplearchives.com/content/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=3519)

That is our intention at some point, but we haven't slotted in another X-Wing Pilot with this update yet.  Hopefully we'll find a way before too long to look at some tweaks, either in the mainline or as an exclusive.

You revealed in recent Q&A sessions that the Vintage line of figures will be taking 2008 off, and that the Evolutions line will be the venue for premium sculpted figures in the line.  Additionally, we seem to be getting figures with large accessories in the Basic Figure line that might ordinarily be placed in a Deluxe Figure line.

With those factors in mind, can we expect a Deluxe Figure line to take the Vintage figure line's place in the retail planogram for 2008?
(JTA, 10/26/07) (http://jeditemplearchives.com/content/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=3519)

There are no plans for a separate Deluxe line.  Also, as we have indicated before, we like to do the "bonus" accessories when we can, but we don't want to promise that we'll be able to afford doing them as frequently going forward.  As costs inevitably creep up it's hard to get these in without sacrificing the figure articulation.  That's one of the reasons why, for Wave 1 '08, we created the lava droid/platform figure from what were originally intended to be accessories for Obi-Wan and Anakin.

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With the Star Wars team splitting their time with Indiana Jones and the Clone Wars CGI cartoon coming next year, how many new sculpts does Hasbro estimate we'll be seeing for Star Wars Original Trilogy figures in the basic carded line? Will each of the 6 films be getting its own wave in 2008? If not, which film won't be getting its own wave? (SSG, 10/26/07) (http://www.sirstevesguide.com/index.php?categoryid=13&p2_articleid=716)

For 2008, we are going to take the classic total down by about one wave. So from the current 60 figures this year, expect around 53 figures or so. Episodes III-VI will each have waves along with a The Force Unleashed wave and a couple other surprises in there.

Due to the unpopularity of the character, is it unlikely that Hasbro will revisit Jar Jar Binks with a super articulated figure? He is definitely a character that would warrant such articulation due to his onscreen antics (no matter how obnoxious), and we haven't seen a new figure of him in quite a while, he could use an upgrade and the kiddies would probably want him. (SSG, 10/26/07) (http://www.sirstevesguide.com/index.php?categoryid=13&p2_articleid=716)

Before too long we will probably be updating Jar-Jar. From our research, kids still like him and the Gungan concept. We just have to find the opportunity to bring him out.

While the TAC line has been doing great designs with aliens and armored figures, a lot of fans feel there have been a number of misfires with main characters in this line. Luke Yavin and Luke Tatooine's headsculpts and decos, Mace Windu's head, Vintage Leia Endor's long neck and inaccurate face deco, Lando in smuggler outfit's new head design and its rolled-back-in-his-head eyes, Vintage Luke Bespin's likeness, and everything about Han Torture Rack from the odd head to the mismatched proportions of the body. And it's not like we always need resculpted heads, POTJ Bespin Leia and Early Bird Kit Luke already have superior likenesses. So what is happening here? (SSG, 10/26/07) (http://www.sirstevesguide.com/index.php?categoryid=13&p2_articleid=716)

Thanks for the comments. In general, there has always been variety to the likenesses 3-3/4" figure line and while we would like every likeness to be exact, at our scale this is not something that we can expect. We're sorry you have been disappointed; while some of your comments are areas we hope to improve upon, for others, it's the first we have heard about overall dissatisfaction with these figures.

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Now that we have seen 3 different Ultimate Battle Packs for this year, is this a segment of the Battle Packs we will continue to see more of? They have a lot of potential as long as there is something new for the collectors. The Arena lacks anything new while the Hoth and Endor have some new 'different' repaints and kitbashed figures. (ST, 10/26/07) (http://www.sandtroopers.com/smf/index.php?topic=5183.msg152749#msg152749)

Any future packs in this larger format (and we hope it can continue, pending successful sell-through) will be developed along the same principals that guide our development of the "regular" Battle Packs.  That is, developing with an eye toward kids only, collectors only, or a dual audience. The Arena is meant to simply bring back the iconic creatures and scenes that the new generation of Star Wars kids, brought into the fold through Episode III, had not been able to get before. It is not really a collector-targeted set in that sense.  As such, we did not see the need to add to the scene as the creatures and the characters pretty much carry the excitement of that scene, and the only changes we made were to update to more movie accurate deco.

Has Hasbro ever given any thought to re-releasing/slightly adjusting any of the older Jabba molds (like the vintage - with the throne perhaps??) for a re-release any time soon? It's been a while without a Jabba, and we need a good one. Or, you could even go with an updated paint scheme such as a Gardulla the Hutt figure/beast, or any of the other EU Hutts from the comics? (ST, 10/26/07) (http://www.sandtroopers.com/smf/index.php?topic=5183.msg152749#msg152749)

Yes, we see the need for a new Jabba and are looking for ways to work one in somewhere, whether as mainline or exclusive.  We really like the idea of alternate Hutts at some point - Gardulla, and there are a lot of cool ones in the EU especially - but our first efforts will probably be devoted to Jabba since kids know him too.

Why should I buy exclusives when the figures return in 2 years at half the cost most of the time?  You are removing the point of these figures being exclusives and paying the higher price point because they are exclusives.  By treating fans this way, do you think that the sale of exclusive figures will decline as collectors refuse to pay $15 or more for a figure that will return on a poll and be released for $7?  I really hate the fact I bought the lastest Fan's Choice winners at full price the other year.  Doing the packins like Zev and Neyo are one thing as they have not been carded before, but to do it with carded figures that people paid through the nose for is a slap on the face. (ST, 10/26/07) (http://www.sandtroopers.com/smf/index.php?topic=5183.msg152749#msg152749)

You are referring to Convention exclusives for the most part, I believe, since these are usually the ones that are premium priced.  Star Wars is one of the most beloved and collected brands out there and this is always a tough choice for us to make.  There is often demand from collectors who can't make the event or get figures otherwise (or if the quantities sell out), who feel left out want to see figures re-released (for instance, the conversations about the CIV/Comic Con exclusives this year).  Re-releasing them later is a way for us to help close the gap with demand, but re-releasing in a way so that the packaging is differentiated from the original.  This helps the package collector hold onto something unique, but it does test the loose figure collector, as you note.  Most of the cases recently have been of the Trooper variety, which we felt better about because we know that folks would like to have multiples, if possible, and wouldn't mind being able to pick up a couple more to complement the original.  This is something that we will weigh carefully going forward each time we make a choice on a fan vote or a "greatest hit" type of offering.

Late 2007 and early 2008 looks to be great and has me excited. Between the confirmations you've made and the "rumor lists" floating about, it looks like most all of the figures and vehicles I've asked for are being produced. There is 1 figure I havent seen hide nor hair of and have a question. Any chance you will revisit the AOTC Clone trooper with removeable armor? While a great figure, it lacks alot of things such as a sculpt useable for anything besides putting on the speeder, which it really doesnt do to well anyway. How about giving that figure a new release... maybe going SA on it and using tech like that of the Wave 9 Clone in training and Jango for removabel armor that stays on better. It'd be nice to have a nice figure in the jumpsuit to work with! (ST/"TJ", 10/26/07) (http://www.sandtroopers.com/smf/index.php?topic=8437.0)

We are glad you are excited….we can't wait to show you even more about what we have planned, but all things in time.  To your question....we hadn't planned on updating this figure, since the recent Kamino training figure sort of fits the bill for us on this point.  It’s possible further down the line we could look at this.

If and when you make Ak-rev will you include the other half of the drum with him and the drum symbols he plays? (ST/"TJ", 10/26/07) (http://www.sandtroopers.com/smf/index.php?topic=8437.0)

The "other half" of the drum would simply be another copy of the same one, since they are reversible and fit together.  If and when we do Ak-Rev, he will come with another half to make a complete one.

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Is the Darth Vader figure coming in wave 1 of the 2008 line a straight repack of the Evolutions ROTS Anakin Skywalker, or are there differences? A "Sith eyes" paint application would totally rock on this figure! (SWC, 10/26/07) (http://www.swcollector.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=5392#5392)

The face won't have Sithified deco, but the torso has been resculpted to allow for more waist articulation.

Now that Toyfare Magazine has revealed there will be an Emperor Palpatine figure in The Force Unleashed figures, will this be the oft-requested "ROTS/Senate Duel with Yoda" costumed version? Will he come with a lightsaber as well as Force lightning? Any images of it to share yet? (SWC, 10/26/07) (http://www.swcollector.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=5392#5392)

The new Emperor will be in the 2" Unleashed format. There is no new 3-3/4" Emperor figure planned for our The Force Unleashed line.

We've received lots of e-mails from collectors that are just not finding the following four figures from wave 5 of the 30th Anniversary Collection line at retail at all: Darth Revan, Darth Malak, Pre-Cyborg Grievous, and McQuarrie Concept Starkiller Hero. They see the other figures from that wave, but these are always gone already. Given the high demand for these four figures--they seem to sell out almost instantly whenever they're offered on HasbroToyShop.com--can we hope to seem them offered in greater numbers in future refresher cases? (SWC, 10/26/07) (http://www.swcollector.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=5392#5392)

We are not done shipping Wave 5 yet, as of this writing, so there is still some more to come and hopefully there will be an opportunity to get these online. Otherwise, some of the figures will be coming back in future cases, and we will look at opportunities to re-release.

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You seem to strike a lot a 'exclusive' deals with US retailers, which sometimes only partially (if at all) make it to the UK. For example we were disappointed to get only 2 of the 6 Target Order 66 2-packs at Tesco. Do you have any plans to either push for a UK exclusive to restore a little balance, or to ensure that foreign retailer exclusives are more readily available via UK sources ? We feel like we're the poor relation here - UK collectors would snap up pretty much everything you produced, provided it was available on store shelves and we didn't have to resort to shipping from overseas / getting scalped on auction sites. (TPU, 10/26/07) (http://www.theprivateuniverse.co.uk/cgi-bin/showarticle.pl?section=news&articleid=2175)

Our intention is to never make "regional" exclusives but to get them distributed everywhere if at all possible, and will be working toward this in future years. We have been working with retailers in the UK, and throughout Europe, to get a more universal distribution of exclusives. We also have confirmation from our international team that Tesco has received all 6 of the Order 66 2-packs...so we are not sure if what you are seeing is what is left from their stock.

Although you've said previously that you've no immediate plans for figures based on EU novels, two have sneaked in via the Heir To The Empire comic pack (Luke/Mara). One of our forum members is desperate for a Corran Horn figure based on his appearance in I,Jedi. Along with his astromech, this would make a great EU 2-pack. Is he on your list of potential future releases ? (TPU, 10/26/07) (http://www.theprivateuniverse.co.uk/cgi-bin/showarticle.pl?section=news&articleid=2175)

Corran Horn only appears in one comic series (X-Wing Rogue Squadron: Family Ties) as a security officer, well before his most iconic stores in later novels. So we don't think the EU comic 2-pack format would be the best choice for a Horn figure. As such, we haven't really found a way to work him into the line yet, but he heads the list of EU figures we would like to see in the next few years if we have the opportunity.

We love Galactic Heroes, but we're wondering why supply of new product is so inconsistent. There have been no new 2-packs at Toys'R'Us for several months now, and the Darth Maul/Sith Speeder item was never seen on the pegs. Is this an issue with the individual retailers not restocking, or is there a limited assortment distributed to the UK ? Will we see the Indiana Jones 'Adventure Heroes' line in the UK ? (TPU, 10/26/07) (http://www.theprivateuniverse.co.uk/cgi-bin/showarticle.pl?section=news&articleid=2175)

We are not sure what the issues are - since the 2-packs have been in continual production and retailers have been able to carry and stock the waves as they come in. What we do know is that the Galactic Heroes style, while an unquestioned smash hit in the U.S., has been slower to be embraced by as widespread a fanbase in other markets (like in the U.S., where it was introduced in 2002 but really didn't start gathering steam until late 2004 ) and it may take some time to really gather an audience and command retailers' attention. Until then, we will try and see what the issues might be in the UK. The IJ Adventure Heroes will be offerred to all retailers in the UK and Europe, and as far as we know will be carried everywhere.

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With the photos of the 2008 assortment of basic figures showing up at online retailers (Entertainment Earth for one), there seems to be some confusion as to what "lava base/platform" is included with the Obi-Wan and Vader figures. Is the lava base that is pictured with the Lava Panning Droid the same as the ones included with the aforementioned figures? If so, are there foot pegs for the figures and do the bases interlock? (YF, 10/26/07) (http://cgi.denpetersen.com/YAK1/viewtopic.php?t=2274)

The original plan was to deliver the lava platform and connecting droid separately, with pack-ins included with Obi-Wan and Anakin. However, as we got costs back from the factory, it was impossible to do this so we decided to take the platform and droid and combine them together in one pack. The original intent was to join them at home on shelf, and they work just as well combined together in pack.

Over the past few years, Hasbro has used a variety of fabric materials to help simulate the scale and weight of Jedi robes, Tusken Raider garb and most recently the cloak and scarf on Hermi Odle. Have you considered using the latter (the lightweight, gauze-type material) exclusively as it seems to best recreate the look of the outfits, especially if applied to Jedi robes/cloaks, at the 3.75" scale? (YF, 10/26/07) (http://cgi.denpetersen.com/YAK1/viewtopic.php?t=2274)

We agree - that fabric is super cool. However, that particular fabric tends to unravel and we use it only for those for whom it looks appropriate in the "worst case" like Hermie and Tusken Raiders. Since it has sort of an uncontroled element to it in that regard, we can't really use it on figures where it would not look the best.

Here's an Obi-Wan themed question(s) for you...

When you released the ROTS #55 Obi-Wan (pilot) figure, it was the most definitive version of EpIII Obi-Wan we could ever hope to get with the great detailing and massive amounts of articulation. Then you made a great figure better by releasing it in the Saga line with the soft goods cloak. This particular Obi-Wan has been released numerous times to date.

My question is, will Episode I and Episode II Obi-Wan be getting the same amount of super articulated love anytime soon?
(YF, 10/26/07) (http://cgi.denpetersen.com/YAK1/viewtopic.php?t=2274)

Yes, within the next two years you will see very nice updates of these important Obi-Wan figures.
Title: Re: The Hasbro Q & A Compendium
Post by: Matt on November 9, 2007, 08:34 PM
Session 42 - November 9, 2007

What will be "new" with the TAC-2008 Obi-Wan Kenobi figure? Are there any figure parts that will be reused with the figure? Could you tell which figure parts will be new and which are reused? (4".de, 11/09/07) (http://www.4-inches.de/inhalt/home.htm)

There are soft-goods integrated into the waist, and a new headsculpt. Other than that, it is built on the TAC #5 figure from Wave 1 of this year.

Hasbro said in the latest Q&A that the mustafar lava platform should have been originaly used with the TAC-2008 figures Anakin Skywalker and Obi-Wan Kenobi, but will now come out with the Mustafar Panning Droid that seems to find its way in this wave in the last minute. Does that mean that the Mustafar Panning Droid has "ersetzt" another figure in the TAC-2008 line? If so, could you tell something about which kind of figure has been replaced? Was it a jedi, an alien or another clone? (4".de, 11/09/07) (http://www.4-inches.de/inhalt/home.htm)

The panning droid was an "incremental" figure that was easy to add since he was already tooled, but too costly to afford as a pack-in. He (it?) did not replace another figure….instead, we muscled him into the case pack.

If Hasbro decides to make a TFU Rancor w/ rider who then would be that rider? Would you tend to a jedi character like Shaak Ti or would it be another force-sensitive rider without any jedi training? And which color would that a Rancor have? Concept drawings of the Rancor offer the colors green or brown with white stripes. (4".de, 11/09/07) (http://www.4-inches.de/inhalt/home.htm)

Wow - great question. If we did a Rancor with Rider, the rider would be someone from the game, and it would be deco'd like the game. We haven't seen a lot of this aspect of The Force Unleashed, so it's tough to speculate further on what a Rancor would come with or look like beyond the art that's out there.

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Hypothetically, assuming there were 2 large battle packs coming out this holiday season, 1 from ESB and another from ROTJ, and both of these sets had versions of the AT-ST vehicle in them, why so many AT-STs at once? Granted, some collectors still don't have a version of the AT-ST vehicle, but would they really want 2 different sets with them coming out at the same time, hypothetically speaking? (AF, 11/09/07) (http://www.actionfigs.com/index.php?categoryid=12&p2_articleid=1384)

Hypothetically, based on a lot of Q&A feedback and discussion at conventions, we think collectors like the AT-ST, and to celebrate both on-screen versions wih tasty sets would be something special indeed.

Since there has been buzz about doing a Willrow Hood (ice cream guy) figure, is there a chance that you'll visit other obscure characters from Bespin such as Treva Horme, Wiorkettle, and alien Bespin guard Utris M'toc? These characters are visually more interesting than Hood (many people think so), and Trooper M'toc could be the basis for a potential army builder as he's a Bespin security officer. (AF, 11/09/07) (http://www.actionfigs.com/index.php?categoryid=12&p2_articleid=1384)

Well, Willrow has the advantage in that he has a sizeable amount of fan support as shown by his relatively strong vote showing in the Toy Fare Fans' Choice poll last year. We like the Utris idea…a strong possibility for the next time that we do a Bespin Guard.

Hasbro's made it clear that the McQuarrie Signature series concept figures have exceeded expectations. There's plenty more concept art designs to mine for new takes on main characters, villains, creatures, and more. With the Evolutions line returning with new concepts, would Hasbro consider doing a McQuarrie- or concept-art-inspired Evolutions pack, showing the different stages of a character from inception to finalization? Also, can we hope to see concept figures from ROTJ some day? (AF, 11/09/07) (http://www.actionfigs.com/index.php?categoryid=12&p2_articleid=1384)

We will not be doing any of the McQ (or other artist) concepts in the Evolution line - we feel the place for these figures is in the basic figure line. We do hope that the concept figures will make a return some time, although it will not be in 2008. If and when they do come back, it's possible a RotJ figure could be in the mix.

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Besides Padme and Leia, there are a lot of other female characters in the Star Wars universe, but they don't seem to get much figure time...Any chance my daughter will be seeing some more female characters in plastic in the future? (BB, 11/09/07) (http://bobasbounty.net/)

Absolutely. There are some great female characters in the Star Wars line, both past (many Jedi come to mind) current, and future. In the short term, Bultar Swan will soon be out in two versions (comic packs and Evolution packs), and Deena Shan is a great new Rebel who has teamed up with Luke Skywalker in the Dark Horse comics (she has her own comic pack out soon). After that, we will have a couple more in our The Force Unleashed basic figure wave (Juno Eclipse and Maris Brood), and then some more interesting surprises for Fall 2008 in our "classics" line. Trust us - 2008 is going to be a great year for women in the Star Wars universe!

Figures and Lightsaber so far, what else can we expect to see for The Force Unleashed? (BB, 11/09/07) (http://bobasbounty.net/)

There are a few more surprises that we can't reveal yet - at least three different items. You will have to stay tuned!

Any chance for a Family Guy / Star Wars Crossover Figure? (BB, 11/09/07) (http://bobasbounty.net/)

We have actually discussed this, but the idea hasn't gone very far.

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GH

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Which figure do you consider to be the single most obscure character you've ever made in the 3 3/4" basic line? Bo Shek? Ephant Mon? Which figure do you feel has set the "obscure background filler" record so far? Any candidates in 2008 to smash that record? (JD, 11/09/07) (http://www.jedidefender.com/newspro/fullnews.cgi?newsid1194650179,5926,)

There have been a few, but any character that occupies the least screen time has to be a candidate. That would cover several characters - some Cantina aliens, Ephant is in there, and even our current favorite "fewest frames of glory" candidate Pax Bonkik.

In the Saga Legends Fans' Choice Poll, the AotC Clone Pilot had a pretty good showing. If he did make his way into the line again, which version would you release, the Evolutions Pack version or the 2002 basic figure with the turret? The 2002 sculpt lacks articulation but has the turret for the gunships, while the Evolutions figure has more articulation but lacks the turret. Which is the more attractive repack in your eyes? (JD, 11/09/07) (http://www.jedidefender.com/newspro/fullnews.cgi?newsid1194650179,5926,)

We would not re-release the 2002 pilot again since the more articulated figure is available.

You mentioned in a previous Q&A session that there will be 30 figures in the Indy line next year. Are Indy figures in 2009 a certainty or is it more of a "wait and see" type of thing and see how 2008 goes first? We're just curious if this is going to be a toy line with legs under it like Star Wars has been, or if it will be much more subdued in character choices/variety. (JD, 11/09/07) (http://www.jedidefender.com/newspro/fullnews.cgi?newsid1194650179,5926,)

We are actively planning and producing for a multi-year run. IJ is something we are committed to and hopefully fans are excited about it as we are.

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What is the thought process that goes into adding articulation to an action figure? The Luke Skywalker figure from the Luke/Mara comic pack has ball-jointed ankles but is missing articulation in his knees. If certain figures only get so many points of articulation, why would it be placed on a joint when it would be better spent elsewhere? (JI, 11/09/07) (http://jediinsider.com/index.php?catid=8&itemid=10751)

Great question. There are several factors that we consider when determining articulation. We are always trying to create the best figure but cost is a large factor in this. The number of parts impacts labor to assemble the figure and in many cases, exponentially affects the cost. The amount of paint needed to decorate the figure is also a factor. These things being factored, we then evaluate the following: 1. Has a similar character like this ever been made? If so, what articulation did it have and how can we make this figure even better or more unique? (i.e. How can we make a new Vader?) 2. Are there any unique poses that fans would want to achieve with this figure? (A cantina alien should probably be able to sit in the cantina and have a tall glass of blue milk.) 3. Given the amount of articulation we can afford, are there insert molded pins already being used in the figure? If so, we can add more of the same color pins in the same mold. (FYI-Nylon/celcon pins do not take paint very well, and paint can chip off.) 4. Character design is also considered. If a figure has a long PVC skirt, it makes no sense to give the figure leg articulation. Now, not to be a politician and ignore your original question. Knees will allow a leg to bend and can make for some nice poses but without the ankle, it is hard to get a figure to stand. Ankles let you move either leg forward or back, and the figures stand much better. So, sometimes it simply comes down to the decision of whether we want the figure to stand better or have superior action pose potential.

Now I realize this is a long shot, but who do I have to bribe over at Hasbro to get a figure of Darca Nyl? Even more of a long shot, our buddy Darca in his mercenary armor from his early days before getting his sweet nomad uniform and slugging it out with Lycan. Again, I know a long shot...but with the contract with Hasbro as far into the future as it is, that leaves room for a lot of "secondary" and Dark Horse characters. (JI, 11/09/07) (http://jediinsider.com/index.php?catid=8&itemid=10751)

It is certainly true that there is room for a lot of great comic-only characters in the lineup, and based on the reception to the comic packs (thank you!) we hope to have a long future with them. That said, Darca has yet to make the cut, based on his appearances in Tales, but his recent battle with Vader in Rebellion was very interesting. We have to see where he goes beyond that (and if he survives...). If Darca turns up elsewhere, we'll continue to give him a look for a further out opportunity.

I know you have been asked this one before, but since it keeps coming up from readers, we thought we would ask again. Any chance of seeing weapon or accessory packs released in some shape or form? (JI, 11/09/07) (http://jediinsider.com/index.php?catid=8&itemid=10751)

We have looked at them as a possibility but have moved in other directions that we hope will fill the need for occasional cool accessories... just not pure accessory packs as you say (which historically have been poor sellers). There are no pure weapons packs planned yet... but our hope is to bring an idea like this out eventually, possibly through hasbrotoyshop.com. It is unlikely to be in 2008 though.

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Why was R2-D2 not included in the 30th Anniversary Saga Legends Wave 1 here in the UK and what factors go into deciding which figures are released from a range like 'Saga Legends' over here? (JN.co.uk, 11/09/07) (http://jedinews.co.uk/news/news.aspx?newsID=627)

We had issues with shipping the electronic into the UK (due to the lights/batteries).  That is the only one that didn't make the cut.

The single-packed Galactic Heroes appear to have been well received and have sold out at most retailers that sell them.  Are there any plans to make more available beyond the first wave of 8? (JN.co.uk, 11/09/07) (http://jedinews.co.uk/news/news.aspx?newsID=627)

The extent to which we change it is limited in part by the case pack, and the need to keep the main core figures in the lineup since the takeaway for these is mostly kids....who want the main heroes primarily.  If we make changes to the lineup, it would only be to add a couple new ones (and replace the more obscure ones).  We are looking at that for Fall 2008, but it's not certain if we will make the change or not.

Are there any more surprises for this year in the form of any additional Battle Packs or other items we've not yet seen or are you now concentrating on 2008? (JN.co.uk, 11/09/07) (http://jedinews.co.uk/news/news.aspx?newsID=627)

There are no more surprises other than the obvious one(s) we cannot officially confirm.  Does that answer your question?  ; )

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When it comes to smaller characters we've seen a continuing trend of trying to add more value to this kind of Basic Figure offering.  With Jawas, they tend to come in twos or with a droid.  With Yoda, we've gotten sizable pack-in accessories, a Jedi younging and even the Kybuck.  With Kabe we got a full-sized figure in Nabrun Leids.  Can you expound on this subject a little further, and can we expect more such offerings in the 2008 line? (JTA, 11/09/07) (http://jeditemplearchives.com/content/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=3548)

We always try to make each figure a complete purchase, and sometimes this means putting in another figure if it makes sense.  We felt Chief Chirpa in 2006 was a little lacking and don't want to do something similar if we can help it.  So we will look to adding something special to an Ewok (sometimes it may mean another Ewok), or a Jawa or Ugnaught, etc.   Yoda could probably command his own pack in some instances,  based on his character strength, but we have decided to add to him the last few times to round him out.  By the way, Yoda with Kybuck was one of our most expensive ever in terms of cost for us to produce, but we felt it was a special pack and important to do. Folks should not expect this to be the norm with Yoda. Now, in 2008 you will find a couple of characters I mentioned in the line, and they will have some sort of pack-in to round them out.

There was a report from Star Wars Fan Days in Texas that an AT-TE vehicle will be coming out in late 2008.  Will this be part of the Clone Wars line?  Will it be a main line offering shipping to mass retail?  And can you give us some initial details about the vehicle itself (size, features, pack-ins, etc)? (JTA, 11/09/07) (http://jeditemplearchives.com/content/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=3548)

We have not officially confirmed (despite reports from the Dallas show) that there will be at AT-TE in the line.  We merely said that if we did it, it would have to be pretty big. Folks are reading between the lines at what we have said earlier, and that's fine, but it's a big vehicle to tackle and it's not 100% certain yet that we will be able to deliver. So....until we have officially confiirmed, which we hope will be Toy Fair time, it's still a wish list item.  There are so many uncertainties with cost, etc. that we would also have to see what is left for a budget to see if a new driver could make it in or whether we would look to do a driver in a different pack.

In the most recent Q&A you stated:

For 2008, we are going to take the classic total down by about one wave. So from the current 60 figures this year, expect around 53 figures or so. Episodes III-VI will each have waves along with a The Force Unleashed wave and a couple other surprises in there.

Does the 53 figure number include the figures from the Clone Wars line?  And can you give us a little insight into what the themes of these waves might be?  And is The Force Unleashed limited to one wave only?
(JTA, 11/09/07) (http://jeditemplearchives.com/content/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=3548)

Sure thing. The 53 is just for "classic" only which encompasses everything other than the new Clone Wars (all six movies, EU including comics and videogames, the earlier Clone Wars, etc.).  Clone Wars basic figures has a whole separate line..exact number of figures to be announced at a later date.  Yes, The Force Unleashed will be one wave (and what a wave it is!) next year.  However, that may not be the last we see of TFU....stay tuned.

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We've recently found the SAGA LEGENDS Sandtrooper figure finally being changed to the Evolutions body, although it's been found with the "less dirty" orange Squad Leader pauldron. Can we still expect the "super dirty" white Sergeant pauldron version coming (the figure that fans actually voted for) as a running change? Speaking of running changes to the Sandtrooper, can we get a list of them all (figure changes, not FC sticker changes)? Finally, it seems that the "clean" black Corporal pauldron has been painted to white...is this the case and we won't see the black at all, or is there something else going on here? (RS, 11/09/07) (http://www.rebelscum.com/story/front/Hasbros_43rd_STAR_WARS_QA_The_Answers_110036.asp)

Well, this one has been the most confusing of all, because we are also working in the figures mistakenly produced for the initial Capture of the Tantive IV first production batch. So here goes.
1. 1st version is the TSC "super-dirty", gray pauldron, with Bantha staff.
2. TSC body, "dirty" version, with orange pauldron and Bantha staff.
3. TSC body, "clean", with white pauldron, and Batha staff.
4. Evolutions body, "dirty" version, orange pauldron, with blaster rifle.

There has been one more version requested, but we have not seen samples - and that is
5. "Dirty" with black pauldron. This *should* be using the Evolutions body, but because of the original body switch, it may be issued using the TSC body.

We have not personally inspected this pre-production version though, so can't say with certainty which it will be. A possible sixth version, super-dirty using the Evolutions body, will likely not make the line unless we re-release additional quantities for a last shot next Spring. If we get that chance, we will....until then, we will likely have just the five.


The upcoming Commander Gree figure is top-notch, and easily in contention for "best figure of 2008", even at this early stage. While we were able to handle him at Star Wars Fan Days recently, we neglected to get a photo of him without his helmet. So in keeping with the Q&A tradition of asking for a photo of a helmetless clone, do you have any shots of Gree that you can share with us? (RS, 11/09/07) (http://www.rebelscum.com/story/front/Hasbros_43rd_STAR_WARS_QA_The_Answers_110036.asp)

Sorry, we do not have an image to send at this time.

News of an AT-TE release next year spread like... well it spread really fast. Can you elaborate on this? Most of us have taken this information as gospel and already thanked the Almighty, but some are hesistant to get their hopes up. Any chance of an official announcement in the immediate future? Will this be a wide release or exclusive? We've heard it's big, that's outstanding news, but how big? How 'bout some rough measurements/dimensions to whet our appetites? How 'bout electronics, yay or nay? How much over $100 should we expect to pay? I suppose it's too early to expect any photos, but I'd be remiss not to request some. Also, what pack-ins are you considering?

We're hungry for info about this, and especially with regards to size and price, it'd be great to know as much as possible as soon as possible so we can budget for it, the kiddies can start saving, and those of us with space constraints can prepare to accomodate this.

Last little question, how well would this have to sell to convince you to crank out a Juggernaut Clone Turbo Tank or an MTT, or some other large vehicle in the years to come?
(RS, 11/09/07) (http://www.rebelscum.com/story/front/Hasbros_43rd_STAR_WARS_QA_The_Answers_110036.asp)

We have not officially confirmed (despite reports from the Dallas show) that there will be at AT-TE in the line. We merely said that if we did it, it would have to be pretty big. Folks are reading between the lines at what we have said earlier, and that's fine, but it's a big vehicle to tackle and it's not 100% certain yet that we will be able to deliver. So....until we have officially confiirmed, which we hope will be Toy Fair time, it's still a wish list item.

There are so many uncertainties with cost, etc. that we would also have to see what is left for a budget to see if a new driver could make it in or whether we would look to do a driver in a different pack.


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Does Hasbro have plans for a wave 2 of pre-printed labels for missed characters...like Airborne trooper,Saleucami trooper,exclusive troopers that came in order 66 2 packs,etc? (RS, 11/09/07) (http://www.rebelscum.com/story/front/Hasbros_43rd_STAR_WARS_QA_The_Answers_110036.asp)

We do not have plans for a sheet of pre-printed labels right now. If we go back and re-run the stands, we would probably do this. However, we still have a supply of stands, so we have not executed this yet. Perhaps some time in 2008.

Can you tell us, with regard to the Saga Legends various battle droid variants, did you run these variants in equal numbers? In my neck of the woods, ever since Wave 2 started shipping, the first variant with the droid commander has been showing up, but hardly any of the maroon variant. Now the third variant is shipping. It seems as if the maroon got seriously short changed. Have you packed the maroon into any additional cases, or do you intend to?

The battle droids at the Battle of Geonosis were maroon. Yet you've hardly ever produced maroon droids, and when you have they've been variants and very scarce. I just want to make sure you know this is an army-builder whose potential has not been tapped. It seems we can buy all the clones our hearts desire, and yet those of us trying to put together a CIS force to fight back, especially from AOTC... we're having some trouble.
(RS, 11/09/07) (http://www.rebelscum.com/story/front/Hasbros_43rd_STAR_WARS_QA_The_Answers_110036.asp)

Eventually the plan is to run all paint variants in equel numbers. However, some variants will hae shorter initial runs and then will come back into the run later - that is the case with the maroon droids. We can't say the same on abel variants, which is almost impossible to gauge.

Any chance of getting original Marvel characters in the Comic Packs, eg Lumiya, Crimson Jack, Valance, Baron Tagge ... even Jaxxon? And maybe comic-art-style renditions of the main characters (preferably in Carmine Infantino style)? Maybe you could scale down the Force Battlers for the latter. Thanks. (RS, 11/09/07) (http://www.rebelscum.com/story/front/Hasbros_43rd_STAR_WARS_QA_The_Answers_110036.asp)

We would not do comic-art style versions of the comic characters. We will stick to the "real" styling based on the movie. Although it would be super cool to see Al Williamson-style characters, or Cam Kennedy....but we digress. Eventually, yes, we hope to see more Marvel original characters in the comic packs and have plans for at least two of those, hopefully in 2009. Don't get your hopes up for Jaxxon, though.

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If Hasbro feels that mid-sized vehicles is the way to go, then will we be seeing more airspeeders and landspeeders in the forseeable future? Some of the airspeeders are pretty much snubfighter sized. (side note: this question was the second-oldest question still on our voting list, it was there since round 7, July of 2006!) (SSG, 11/09/07) (http://www.sirstevesguide.com/index.php?categoryid=13&p2_articleid=716)

By now, fans have seen more of our vehicle direction as we have announced the AT-AP and the Grievous Starfighter. We prefer aggressive vehicles for the new tools, and unfortunately airspeeders are pretty much not the coolest and most aggresive vehicles. So we'll be focusing on other opportunities that Clone Wars (and the films) have given us for the foreseeable future.

With the inclusion of KotOR charaters Darth Revan and Darth Malak in the TAC line, and Darth Nihilus in one of the upcoming Evolutions packs, is Hasbro considering including KotOR vehicles in the Titanium 3" line such as the Ebon Hawk, Leviathon, and Sith Fighter? (SSG, 11/09/07) (http://www.sirstevesguide.com/index.php?categoryid=13&p2_articleid=716)

They are not in the plan - but we are looking at EU possibilities for future waves, and it's possible someday they could make it into the line.

In the Art of Revenge of the Sith book, there was a detailed piece of concept art from Aaron McBride of the Mon Calamari Female Dancer. The concept is applied in ROTS as the dancers in the Squid Lake scene (yes, it's really called that). What are the chances of seeing this Mon Cal Dancer design turned into a figure, especially using the striking design from the concept art? And if you were to make her into a figure, would you give her a name? (SSG, 11/09/07) (http://www.sirstevesguide.com/index.php?categoryid=13&p2_articleid=716)

Long-term chances are not too bad - but it may take a few years. Actually, this exact figure has been "on the bubble" (not a bad pun) for a few years now, on our wish lists we draw up for a given year, but has been put off in favor of other figures.

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Dear Hasbro, With the release of the Battlefront - Renegade Squadron game can we expect to finally see a super-articulated Rebel Commando figure in 2008? Since you can use the legs, backpack and helmet from the 2006 Endor Rebel Trooper you only need to sculpt a new upper body, arms and head. There could also be a running change including the rodian and the sullustan heads based on the customizing feature from the LucasArts website. (ST, 11/09/07) (http://www.sandtroopers.com/smf/index.php?topic=5183.msg154073#msg154073)

No plans for 2008, but we have a more articulated Rebel Commando on our longer term "to do" list.  Your idea for a figure set is really cool - we will look into it.

Will the AT-TE come with some new type of clone driver? (ST, 11/09/07) (http://www.sandtroopers.com/smf/index.php?topic=5183.msg154073#msg154073)

We have not officially confirmed (despite reports from the Dallas show) that there will be at AT-TE in the line.  We merely said that if we did it, it would have to be pretty big. Folks are reading between the lines at what we have said earlier, and that's fine, but it's a big vehicle to tackle and it's not 100% certain yet that we will be able to deliver. So....until we have officially confiirmed, which we hope will be Toy Fair time, it's still a wish list item.  There are so many uncertainties with cost, etc. that we would also have to see what is left for a budget to see if a new driver could make it in or whether we would look to do a driver in a different pack.

Dear Hasbro, I know you don’t like to comment on rumors or speculations, so … if you were to produce new X-Wing or Snowspeeder pilots in 2008 … would you use the existing mold from 2004 as you did with Biggs Darklighter, Hobbie Klivian and Lt. Lepira or a completely new one with more articulation? Ball jointed shoulders and (at least) swivel elbows would make a major improvement. (ST, 11/09/07) (http://www.sandtroopers.com/smf/index.php?topic=5183.msg154073#msg154073)

Here's the skinny.  We are looking at various pilots next year (confirmed in previous Q&As) and it does look like we will be able to deliver at least one upgraded "classic" rebel pilot next year in some form (mainline or exclusive). It is our desire to advance the articulation eventually on all the rebel pilots in the manner you suggest - but it's not confirmed that we will be able to just yet.

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Given that there are only so many SW vehicles that you can do for the Titanium line, is it possible that Hasbro will revisit certain vehicles again and make improvements on them?  You've mentioned already that there are plans on doing a new X-Wing mold with wings that will close. What about a Falcon and Shuttle Tyderium with working landing gears and door ramp, or Gunship with working doors and ball turrets (detachable, so the gunship can be displayed without them as well) and this time painted the correct color to match the full-sized Gunship vehicle, or an AT-AT with actual usable knee and neck articulation (given that the first release could barely move either).  Even the eps3 Jedi Starfighter could be improved by actually including a tiny plastic Obi (or Anakin, or whomever) pilot actually sitting in the cockpit rather than just the empty seat or windows painted black to hide the lack of a pilot. (ST/"TJ", 11/09/07) (http://www.sandtroopers.com/smf/index.php?topic=8437.msg154072#msg154072)

Those are interesting suggestions, Troops, and good ways of "coming back around" to the core vehicles.  We have taken a hard look at Titanium to make sure it gets the support it needs in terms of new tools (including some great EU vehicles) and think we have a *great* lineup for 2008 that will keep the collector base highly engaged.  So while we think we have a bunch of great vehicle opportunities ahead of us, and Clone Wars has given us even more, we'll keep your suggestions handy when we want to update the classics and keep them fresh.

While I do like the latest mold for the Super BattleDroid in the TAC line, I've avoided buying any because quite honestly the two holes in its chest used to attach the "flames" annoys me beyond words.  Will Hasbro eventually plug up these holes and re-release the SBD again?  (BTW I noticed that some early photos of the SBD in the forthcoming comic 2pack with the white Rep Commando show that in some photos he has no holes, but in others the two holes are back again...) (ST/"TJ", 11/09/07) (http://www.sandtroopers.com/smf/index.php?topic=8437.msg154072#msg154072)

Yes, we will plan to reuse him and fill those holes down the road. Hey, maybe you can look past it as we have for our shelves - those could be blaster shots (only Clone Troopers be that precise...).  By the way, we did ask our factory to make the change to fill the holes for the comic pack, but the production samples we have seen do not have this. We will ask again, but it is probably too late to affect much of the run.

Hasbro has obviously had a lot of success with the SA clonetrooper mold in all its forms (Clone Wars SA, RotS #41, Evolutions Commander, Clone Commander, Galactic Marine, etc etc). It's well known that the tooling is very expensive and with the clonetrooper tooling you've obviously gotten a good return on your investment by being able to reuse that tooling over and over by just doing inexpensive repaints and/or tweaking minor parts of the figure to make "new" figures.  And the fans are more than happy to buy them up too, so it is win-win for all involved.

So why has it taken so long for Hasbro to adopt the same policy for other army builders?  Why not dive in and produce tooling for SA bodies such as the Tantive IV Rebel, Hoth Rebel Soldier, X-Wing Pilot, Hoth Snowspeeder Pilot, Mon Calamari officer, Imperial Officer (black/olive/whatever), Jedi Knight (human/humanoid), etc.  After which, you could vary the heads, the ethnicity, the ranks, gender (maybe), or what not and get the same kind of ROI that you've gotten with the clones.  So long as every "template" body is SA, has neutral leg pose (i.e. no more Codys or spread-legged puffy-knee Death Star Troopers please), has either ball-jointed elbows or if angled-cut swivel elbows then at least the arms can be posed straight (and not bent like the AT-TE Gunner), you can reissue that sculpt again and again.

One speculates that if enough thought is put into it in advance, you could even build into the tooling extra leg or arm parts that would let you produce figures of different heights as well so that the soldiers don't all feel too generic. By now it should be fairly obvious that kit-bashed figures that are based on less-articulated molds like Dutch Vander or Major Derlin aren't being greeted too warmly by collectors, we'd all rather wait until Hasbro makes the "ultimate" mold and then happily buy up all the variations churned out from that mold.
(ST/"TJ", 11/09/07) (http://www.sandtroopers.com/smf/index.php?topic=8437.msg154072#msg154072)

Thanks for the comments.  We will say that it would always be our hope, eventually, to create ultimate versions of all of our figures but this is simply not possible all of the time and we have to balance out the line to help us meet our own targets.  The expense you talk about - tooling - is a 1-time expense for the most part and that is a factor when we initiate products.  But the more lasting implication of "super-articulation" all the time is the labor cost to produce, deco, and assemble each one - and that is a cost that increases in proportion to the number of parts and increases with time (as labor rates go up) and it's one of the areas of biggest challenge to us to keep cost-balanced.  If we went SA for everything, it would probably put us up to vintage-type pricing....which collectors might not mind, but this would be hard for kids.  So, we pick our spots and evolve the line gradually....granted, not a sea change like some would like, but a good overall trend.  Stick with us...we have some nice surprises planned for next year and beyond.

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SWC

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Would Hasbro ever consider opening the Fans Choice to customisers ? By this I mean having fans create figures / characters which we could vote on, and would then see Hasbro renderings of their efforts released as part of the toy line ? Is it true that the Rodian Jedi in the Clone Wars 3-pack was inspired by a fan custom ? (TPU, 11/09/07) (http://www.theprivateuniverse.co.uk/cgi-bin/showarticle.pl?section=news&articleid=2240)

It's an interesting idea for sure, but don't know if that would be the best thing necessarily since we would have to make sure fans are voting based on the strength of demand for a character rather the particular execution of a character. As for Pax Bonkik, it is true that he is in our lineup based on fan contributions - but it was the creation of his backstory by a fan in a contest on starwars.com that "romanced" him to the point where he gained attention, and ultimately, a warm spot in our lineup.

Clones, in their various deco's, have been a mainstay of the Hasbro line in recent years. Now that definitive versions have been issued for most squads, what do you see as being the new army building trend ? You've tried astromechs, and standard armoured imperials - can we expect multi-hued protocol droids ? Or does The Force Unleashed / The Clone Wars hold some new paint options ? (TPU, 11/09/07) (http://www.theprivateuniverse.co.uk/cgi-bin/showarticle.pl?section=news&articleid=2240)

One word….Gungans. Seriously, it's tough to beat the impressive presence of a mighty Clone (or Stormie) army, and we think that's where fans still prefer to spend their army building efforts, and there are some opportunities in front of us to still evolve this area (case in point, The Force Unleashed basic figures, Battlefront II packs, upcoming comic packs, etc). Beyond that, there are other good seams we'll be exploring - perhaps a little bit of everything you have said, plus some Ewoks thrown in for good measure.

Can you give us revised release dates for TAC Waves 4-8 in the UK ? Our US cousins are boasting of the arrival of Wave 7 in some of their stores, and we've yet to see Wave 5. Some of our forum members are starting to worry about missing out on short-packed figures (given the excitement around the EU / McQuarrie elements of these waves). (TPU, 11/09/07) (http://www.theprivateuniverse.co.uk/cgi-bin/showarticle.pl?section=news&articleid=2240)

Sure - approx on-shelf for Waves 4-6 has already past - hopefully you have seen progress on your end in getting these to the shelves. Wave 7 - 12/7. Wave 8 - 12/15. Wave 7.5 - 12/21. Now…that's a lot of waves in a short period of time, so expect the later ones to push out as the previous ones "clear" the shelves and reorders come in for new waves. Hang in there - they are coming!

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Since the AOTC Obi-Wan Kenobi Jedi Starfighter is coming back with the Hyperdrive Ring, is it possible that we might see a return of Plo Koon Jedi Starfighter with the Hyperdrive Ring added similar to the current Titanium version? (YF, 11/09/07) (http://cgi.denpetersen.com/YAK1/viewtopic.php?p=33411#33411)

We don't have specific plans for a Plo Koon version, but if the current one proves popular then more versions are a possibility down the road.

Recently hi-res images on the 2008 Kashyyyk Troopers appeared and in the loose shot he has the Evolution Blaster rifle and the binoculars while in the packaged shot he has the more accurate "bulkier" Rifle and no binoculars. Which one will he come with and what's the story on the binocs? (YF, 11/09/07) (http://cgi.denpetersen.com/YAK1/viewtopic.php?p=33411#33411)

The actual one will have the longer rifle and no binoculars. It sounds like the hi-res images picked up Gree's accessories and not the actual Trooper's.

Now that the transition from '07 to '08 figures upon us and with that, the passing of the coins into the night; what is on tap for us as far as the UGH 2008 promotion? Will it go back to the silver stands and silver foil accents on the packaging or is UGH concept on hiatus, joining the Vintage Assortment? (YF, 11/09/07) (http://cgi.denpetersen.com/YAK1/viewtopic.php?p=33411#33411)

There is no plan right now for a specific UGH promotion for next year. We are cooking up some other ideas….but you will have to stay tuned.

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There are certain Galactic Heroes figures that where never available except for in multi packs (like the Shadow Stormtrooper, the Mace Windu battalion clone, or R2-Q5) that contained a lot of figures that collectors that had collected the Galactic Figures line from the beginning had already bought. Are there any plans to re-release these previous multi pack exclusives in a regular two pack, perhaps to reward or thank collectors that had been supporting the line since it was under the Playskool banner? (YN, 11/09/07) (http://yodasnews.com/)

Good question, Mark. We had not planned this, but could take a look at it as a possibility.

Can we expect an updated Return of the Jedi version of Emperor Palpatine, perhaps even with a soft goods cloak and maybe even a throne as an accessory, in the near future? (YN, 11/09/07) (http://yodasnews.com/)

Not in the near future. We are looking at updating the Emperor, but a different version. Stay tuned...

How does Hasbro feel about the current status of the 7" unleashed line? Is there no possibility of it ever making a return, other than in rehashes and repaints? (YN, 11/09/07) (http://yodasnews.com/)

It is very doubtful that 7" Unleashed will come back, other than possible repacks. The audience was passionate, but not as numerous as the collectors who propel 3-3/4", the dual audiences for Galactic Heroes, or the kids who propel Star Wars Transformers and Unleashed 2". When combined with the disproportionate tooling and production cost, it isn't a line we can continue to sustain.
Title: Re: The Hasbro Q & A Compendium
Post by: Matt on December 8, 2007, 10:47 AM
Session 43 - December 7, 2007

As pictures are showing the white Clone Commando from the Comic Pack "Clone Commando & Super Battle Droid" (Star Wars Tales #23) (SKU 87556) will enclose Scorch's Dc-17M as his weapon of choice, obviously because of the grenades that are packed in and that can be pin onto the Super Battle Droid. But with the standard blaster that comes with the three Republic Commando figures (besides Scorch) in the Collectors Pack "Republic Comando Delta Squad" (SKU 87269) we could get a standard Republic Commando for our Clone Armies. That would be much higher in demand I think. The grenades could still be packed in the set, because the Commandos in the game usually are throwing grenades with their hands (Michael). (4".de, 12/07/07) (http://www.4-inches.de/inhalt/home.htm)

That comic pack is already completed and on the way to retail, so it is too late to change. We hope that you give it a try and enjoy it - we think it came out great and have built some squads ourselves with them. We will take your comment into consideration the next time we think about releasing a standard Republic Commando. Thanks.

If there would be running changes, variations or variants (like head, color or else) for some certain TFU Basic Figures like Marris Brood or even Stormtroopers or Clonetroopers that would be produced with the time, would those figures are more likely within the same case or wave like it has been done with the TSC Endor Rebel Trooper or would those variants or running changes more likely come out later within the over-all case mix? (4".de, 12/07/07) (http://www.4-inches.de/inhalt/home.htm)

We have no planned variations of TFU figures at this time. If there were any to happen, they would be packed in future case packs and not within the same case packs. There will be no changes to any troopers figures during the course of the run, deco or otherwise.

Hasbro said in one of the latest Q&A sessions that there will be just one single TFU wave. If that wave won't be completed by some more just unannounced figures this would indicate that figures like Darth Vader's Sith Apprentice will not come out within the basic figure assortment. Or would it be possible that this figure could be released in another way, perhaps with another battle pack or evolution pack or just as an EU-figure within another basic figure wave? Or can Hasbro state, that the Apprentice definitely will not be in the 2008 line? (4".de, 12/07/07) (http://www.4-inches.de/inhalt/home.htm)   

You are absolutley right - the *only* thing that we have confirmed is that there will be one wave of basic figures devoted to TFU. It is also certainly possible that all of the 3-3/4" options you presented could involve TFU. However, we are not at liberty to reveal any more details until after January 1st. Suffice to say there *will* be news. Stay tuned!

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Why are the fans' choice figures so often hard to find? One would think that as a poll winner determined by the fans, it should be packed more than one per case and in multiple waves - especially an army-builder like the current Saga Legends winner, the Darktrooper. Darth Revan, the Darktrooper, the original Saga McQuarrie Stormtrooper, the OTC Imperial Scanning Crew Trooper, and of course Ephant Mon have all been overly difficult to find. So why isn't more done to get the fans' choice figures into the hands of the fans? (AF, 12/07/07) (http://www.actionfigs.com/index.php?categoryid=12&p2_articleid=1384)

In the case of the recent Fans' Choice figures, like Revan and Darktrooper, you will find that over the course of time we will release these over and over and they should be relatively easier to find (we can point to last year's Cody and Scorch, and this year's McQuarrie Boba Fett, Galactic Marine, and Airborne Trooper as figures that have been continuously released). The reasons for 1/case pack is not due to percieved demand, but, as we have answered many times over in the Q&As, due to how many can be manufactured in a given amount of time. When figure demand runs high, we need to produce a *lot* of figures and can only produce so many in a given time with the tooling we have available. As figures prove popular, we will continue to release them as we can.

Several recent multipacks featuring EU figures - such as the Rebel Commando, Battlefront, and Mandalorian sets - seem rather popular with collectors. Has there been any consideration given for using the multipack format for characters that have only appeared in novels? Perhaps the Myrkr strike team of Jedi from Star by Star, or maybe members of Rogue and Wraith Squadrons in box sets, something like that? (AF, 12/07/07) (http://www.actionfigs.com/index.php?categoryid=12&p2_articleid=1384)

What you suggest is a good idea and we will explore it as the multi-packs have indeed proved popular. We're a little leery of the boxed set format for the novel figures, simply because it's a lot of development and a higher price point devoted to characters who don't have a lot of visual development to support them (Mandalorians, we felt, carried their own visual weight and demand to justify). Rogue Squadron has ample comic support, and is a great idea, but we have other plans to systematically get to them over the course of time. Wraith Squadron is very interesting - as we tackle Rogue Squadron, we can look to Wraith for additional ideas.

In this day and age, more and more people are becoming aware of the need to recycle. As collectors, we generate a lot of trash with all the packaging and would feel better about it if we knew it weren't just sitting in a landfill for the next thousand years. What is the recyclability of the materials uses in the packaging, especially the plastic bubbles and trays for the action figures? Has Hasbro ever considered marking the components of their packaging (not just SW but all Hasbro packaging) with recycling symbols? (AF, 12/07/07) (http://www.actionfigs.com/index.php?categoryid=12&p2_articleid=1384)

The PVC vacuform blisters and trays are not recyclable everywhere, so we don't indicate them as such. It's an important issue to us, and we are constantly looking at way of minimizing the amount of packaging each product uses. One area in which we have made progress, for instance, is in the use of wire ties, by going to the less resource intensive, clear bands among other initiatives.

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We haven't seen any reports of the Galactic Heroes Cantina Sets hitting Walmart yet. Are these still scheduled and will they hit retail before Christmas? (BB, 12/07/07) (http://bobasbounty.net/)

Yes, they were delayed while Wal-Mart looked for the right window to get them into the store. They shoudl be hitting stores anytime now...certainly before the end of the year.

The new AT-ST battle packs at Target are fantastic. However, for those looking for an AT-ST by itself...any chance we'll see them alone in the future? (BB, 12/07/07) (http://bobasbounty.net/)

Right now, we do not have plans to release them (or an other version) of the AT-ST separately.

My son recently broke his Galactic Hero General Grievous and I'm constantly hearing "when can we get a new one?" Will Grievous be returning in a future case pack? (Note: I took the opportunity to ask this question for my son, but their answer does provide good information for anyone who has a broken Hasbro toy part!) (BB, 12/07/07) (http://bobasbounty.net/)

We are very sorry to hear that. If you haven't already, you might want to check with our Consumer Affairs team, who provide replacement parts for Hasbro Toys. You can find a link to them on our website. We double checked our plans and will be bringing Grievous back out late July of next year, but he will not be available until then. If Consumer Affairs is unable to help, and you cannot wait, we suggest looking for one of the Galactic Heroes Cinema Scene 10 Packs from last year - Jedi vs. Sith - which has the General in it. There may still be some at some retailers like Toys R Us, who have continued to carry the line.

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GH

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The Target Ultimate Battle of Hoth Pack (and these are out now, so none of that "no comment" stuff  ) seems to be the more popular of the two sets among collectors due to the new Gun Tower. Any chance that tower is going to make its way out to retail again by itself? A new Super Articulated Hoth Rebel Soldier would be a welcome pack-in to go with it! (JD, 12/07/07) (http://www.jedidefender.com/newspro/fullnews.cgi?newsid1197079195,2618,)

We are glad that fans like the new turret - we are very glad we could bring it out as a nice surprise at the end of year like that. Both sets are packed with tons of play value, and both seem to be selling well (hey, who doesn't love Ewoks?!). We do not have any plans at this time to offer the turret by itself - for now, and probably far into the future, the only place to find it will be the Ultimate Battle Pack.

Are there any figures that you've wanted to do, but just couldn't make them work for one reason or another? You've mentioned scrapping a folding/rolling Destroyer Droid in the past, were there any other characters/creatures that you've wanted to do but just cannot find a way/means to do it? (JD, 12/07/07) (http://www.jedidefender.com/newspro/fullnews.cgi?newsid1197079195,2618,)

Sure. There are a few other figures that for one reason or another fall out of the line, either because there aren't enough slots to do everything that our team wants to do, or because of costing, or even timing reasons. All good ideas eventually find their way back in one way or another, even if in another format than they were originally proposed. For instance, one such idea, details of which we aren't releasing yet, that "fell out" of the basic figure line this year due to costing will be coming out as our Comic Con exclusive next year.

Everyone on the team, too, has their "favorites" that they try and get into the line every year. For instance, it has become sort of a joke that one team member has really championed Fozec, from Jabba's Palace, for three years in a row now. Each year Fozec has just missed the cut or been replaced by another character that for one reason or another we felt we needed to do first. Some day, the team member will get his revenge...errr....his wish and Fozec will make the cut. Until then, he remains one of those "high on the list" candidates that is an example of a figure we just couldn't work into the line.


Are we close enough to 2008 that you can start handing out hints on the third wave of figures for 2008? We've got RotS and the Force Unleashed, can we at least know what wave 3's theme will be? (don’t make us wait until February!) (JD, 12/07/07) (http://www.jedidefender.com/newspro/fullnews.cgi?newsid1197079195,2618,)

We will give one hint. Wave 3 will feature one character that will be an upgrade over a previous character released in an early 2007 Battle Pack. The rest of the characters in the wave will be from the same source (movie or otherwise) as that character. That's more than enough hint to get started, and that's all we'll say for right now!

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Recently a scan of a 2008 clone trooper figure redemption coupon showed up online. Can you tell us if there will be a 2008 mail-away figure and exactly what figure will it be? (JI, 12/07/07) (http://jediinsider.com/index.php?catid=8&itemid=10800)

We can confirm that this will indeed be a promotion for next year tied in to Clone Wars, but we are not at liberty yet to reveal more details on which figure will be available. We will reveal more details around Toy Fair. Stay tuned...

Can you tell us when toys based on the new Clone Wars animated series are due out? (JI, 12/07/07) (http://jediinsider.com/index.php?catid=8&itemid=10800)

They will be out for Fall 2008. The exact on-shelf date is still being worked out, but detailed information and images of the figure direction will be revealed in February at Toy Fair.

There seems to be a decent amount of interest from collectors for 6" Marvel Legends style Star Wars figures. What are the chances we might see a line like that in the future? (JI, 12/07/07) (http://jediinsider.com/index.php?catid=8&itemid=10800)

We will not be producing a line like this for Star Wars. When we have tried other collector-targeted scales (like 7" Unleashed) we found that fan interest, when compared to the 3-3/4" system, is just not as strong. In addition, for kids, the 3-3/4" scale is also the best one for a wide-range of figures and vehicles that play together, which is critical to the Star Wars fantasy. Rather than spread too thin against collectors, we will be focusing our efforts against making sure the 3-3/4" is broad, as we have been for the past couple of years. We should note that the other sublines - Galactic Heroes, Star Wars Transformers, and Unelashed 2", have a very strong following among kids and we will continue these going forward as well.

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The Ultimate Battle Packs are now out in the wild and from the pictures we've seen I for one can't wait to get my hands on them; you've done a great job with them.  Will we see any more of these next year and if so can you give us any indication of the themes being considered?  Also, from a UK point of view can you tell us definitively if we'll be seeing these in any UK stores (there's a lot of demand here for them - do we have to beg)? (JN.co.uk, 12/07/07) (http://jedinews.co.uk/news/news.aspx?newsID=712)

The Ultimate Battle Packs have been very well-received, and we are looking at additional opportunities for more packs next year.  As for themes….it's too early to talk about anything, and it's likely we will stay mum on details about these.  Because these were ready so late in the year and were an untested/unproven concept and higher price point, it was decided to wait on these for 2007 in the UK. and Europe.  It's possible that we could look at these for late 2008 release, but we won't know that until later next year.

Saga Legends have been very popular and it's unfortunate that the UK has only officially seen Wave 1.  We understand from the UK brand manager that we will be getting the wave including the five figures we voted for in Quarter 1 2008.  Have the other 7 figures in the wave we're getting been agreed?  It would be a tragedy if the UK didn't see figures like the Dark Trooper (which was the #1 Fan's Choice) and others such as TC-14 that have never been officially available in the UK before.  If there's still time is there any way that this wave can incorporate some of these figures? (JN.co.uk, 12/07/07) (http://jedinews.co.uk/news/news.aspx?newsID=712)

We have touched base with the UK and confirmed that the UK will be getting the five new Fans' Choice figures, but they will not be flowing in any of the previous figures.  Due to high minimum order quantity issues, the team was not able to select from a broader array of figures and focused all of their efforts on the five new.

I understand that we're getting white repaint versions of Han and Luke in Stormtrooper disguise in the Comic Packs early next year but have you considered creating super articulated versions of these figures as seen in the films?  They spend a lot of time wearing these outfits both before and after they enter the trash compacter and it would be great to have definitive versions available. (JN.co.uk, 12/07/07) (http://jedinews.co.uk/news/news.aspx?newsID=712)

Yes, we have considered creating movie versions of these figures, and will probably get to these in the next couple of years.  For now, however, the repainted comic pack versions remain our most articulated (and close to screen-accurate coloring) versions to date.

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Ewoks seem to be on something of an upsurge as far as figures go.  We got Chief Chirpa last year, the Ewok 2-pack this year and another 2 Ewoks in the Battle of Endor Ultra Battle Pack.  Is it possible that we'll see the remainder of the vintage Ewoks, namely Lumat and Warrok, produced in the not too distant future? (JTA, 12/07/07) (http://jeditemplearchives.com/content/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=3588)
 
We would like that too, but it probably won't be as simple as that.  We do have other Ewok plans, but it may take a little while longer for revised versions of these two to find their way into the line.

A number of customizers have been throwing together some kitbashed TIE Pilots recently, made from Baron Fel's helmet and the TSC Death Star Gunner's body.  A good number of these have been posted in collecting forums, and we've heard before that Hasbro checks out the collecting sites and forums.  Do collector made kitbashes like this show up on the Hasbro radar screen, and do things like this inspire future figure? (JTA, 12/07/07) (http://jeditemplearchives.com/content/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=3588)
 
We have to admit that lately we've been a little busy putting the finishing touches on next year and planning for 2009, so we haven't seen the recent batches you mention.  When we get caught up, we'll look forward to seeing what fun fans have had with these recent kitbashes.  As far as whether it will influence future releases, it's tough to say; we already have pretty long lists of figures and ideas we'd like to see (both on-screen, and from other sources like comics, games, and novels) and only so many slots to go around.  Chances are though that the best ideas already have parrallel lines of thinking between fans and our team.  You never know though.... thanks for giving us the heads-up!

We've seen reports that the current Saga Legends line will extend into early 2008.  Can we expect a full  "Greatest Hits", "Saga Legends" or reissue line through the entirety of 2008? (JTA, 12/07/07) (http://jeditemplearchives.com/content/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=3588)
 
Right now, we do not have plans for a full third figure line consisting entirely of greatest hits/legends in the Fall..since this line will basically be replaced by the Clone Wars line.  However, we are planning on doing some select "greatest hits" in the main (Saga) line....but there won't be that many slots to work with as we had this year with the whole line.

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With the recent release of the numerous TIE Fighter vehicles, is there any chance of getting a new, fully articulated, super-detailed, carded TIE Pilot? I'm sure many fans would like the chance to get a TIE Pilot for their TIE Fighters, as well as to update their older TIE Pilot with a better sculpt. If so, when might we expect this? (RS, 12/07/07) (http://www.rebelscum.com/story/front/Hasbros_44th_STAR_WARS_QA_The_Answers_110710.asp)

We think the most recent TIE Pilot (the one we have included in the most recent releases) is a quality figure, but we acknowledge that fans will want to see a more premium figure (with ball-and-socket articulation) at some point. While we don't have plans right now for another one, we will put it up there on "the list" and look at opportunities as they come up for a new take.

Some of the most iconic poses in all of the films are on the posters for the films. Has/would Hasbro ever consider releasing battle packs based on the movie posters, preferably with figures able to strike the poses featured on the poster? Many would love to have a Luke that could hold a lightsaber over his head with both hands, for example. (RS, 12/07/07) (http://www.rebelscum.com/story/front/Hasbros_44th_STAR_WARS_QA_The_Answers_110710.asp)

We have looked at the posters for inspiration from time to time. As yet, though, the ideas have taken a back seat to other initiatives like Vintage & Evolutions, since they pretty much occupy the same collector-focused development sphere.

There are two remaining unproduced Clone Troopers from the Clone Wars cartoon. They are the Clone SCUBA Trooper and Phase II armor Captain Fordo. Will we be seeing either of these anytime soon? (RS, 12/07/07) (http://www.rebelscum.com/story/front/Hasbros_44th_STAR_WARS_QA_The_Answers_110710.asp)

Yes, yes you will. Just how he (and we're not saying which one it is, but it is one of them) will be delivered though remains to be revealed. Stay tuned!


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Does Hasbro have something against Wedge Antilles? Biggs gets 2 figures this year while our boy Wedge - who survives the OT and beyond - only gets his head plopped on an already existing body as an exclusive or pack-in every now and then. What are the chances of seeing a new Wedge single carded in the main line anytime soon? (SSG, 12/07/07) (http://www.sirstevesguide.com/index.php?categoryid=13&p2_articleid=716)

Good point - Wedge is a very important character in the OT and the EU. While we don't have any plans for a carded basic Wedge figure, there will be at least one cool new Wedge figure in the line next year if our schedule holds. We will have info available around Comic Con on what that may be.

Why doesn't the Baron Fel comic-pack figure have his signature Van Dyck facial hair? It's in the art in the comic, and it's even on the packaging art side panel, but the figure is without paint or sculpted facial hair. (SSG, 12/07/07) (http://www.sirstevesguide.com/index.php?categoryid=13&p2_articleid=716)

Great question. In the specific issue included (#4), Fel does have a well-developed Van Dyck and that is the starting point for the package artwork. However, we were directed to actually deco him more like the first issue in the story arc, where he is initially clean shaven, then gradually develops more and more scrub and then finally the full-on facial hair as the story ensues. Right now we don't have plans to do any facial hair variants, but if we do release another Fel it would be good to get the facial hair in there.

Considering that the body for CZ-4 was also used in A New Hope in the Sandcrawler (CZ-1) and in Mos Eisley (CZ-3), will we ever see a repaint of the CZ-4 figure to be these new characters? They could be done as a running change or put into Battlepacks. (SSG, 12/07/07) (http://www.sirstevesguide.com/index.php?categoryid=13&p2_articleid=716)

There is a good bet that at some point we will see these variations, but it may take a while to find the spot for them in the lineup.

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ST

ST/TJ

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Are the Hasbro Protective Figure Cases once offered on HasbroToyShop.com still available? We've had several letters saying people can no longer find them on the shop's site, and we failed to find them ourselves. Will they be making a comeback, or are they being discontinued? (SWC, 12/07/07) (http://www.swcollector.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=1212)

There does seem to have been a run on the cases lately. What appeared to be an ample supply in late Summer has quickly been gobbled up. Your comments have been noted, and more will be on the way. Look for the resupply to come in after the new year.

Speculation amongst collectors is running wild! While we know Hasbro likes to leep some things under wraps, at this time can you confirm or deny whether or not there will be a Vader's Secret Apprentice action figure released either in THE FORCE UNLEASHED wave, or as part of another wave in 2008? (SWC, 12/07/07) (http://www.swcollector.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=1212)

The *only* thing that we have confirmed regarding 3-3/4" TFU is that there will be one wave of basic figures devoted to the game. Suffice to say there will indeed be more news. However, we are not at liberty to reveal any more details until after January 1st. Sorry to keep you waiting...but it will be worth it.

With an Endor Luke released in 2006's The Saga Collection, an Endor Leia released in the 2007 Vintage line, and the Biker Scout released in Saga Legends, it seems like a golden time to release an Imperial Speeder Bike. Any plans? (SWC, 12/07/07) (http://www.swcollector.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=1212)

We agree, and that's why there are a couple of them in the Target Endor Battle Pack. As for other avenues to release these ultra-cool vehicle, we are looking at future ideas but don't have any immediate announcements.

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So - what's it like working at Hasbro ? Are the walls lined with case-fresh, mint-on-card figures ? Is there a giant vault somewhere containing one of each item from the Star Wars line - past and present ? Does the coffee lounge have a giant toybox where you can test the products ? C'mon - it's got to be a dream job for a fan - right? (TPU, 12/07/07) (http://www.theprivateuniverse.co.uk/cgi-bin/showarticle.pl?section=news&articleid=2351)

It's not quite the abundant vintage paradise that one might imagine, but toys do explode like popcorn kernels out of every nook and cranny. Actually, a lot of the stuff in offices and common spaces is mostly the "unglamorous" part of toy design - rough models, pre-production samples for debugging, competitive products, and the like. Definitely more a functional space than a workplace museum.
Space is pretty open in the Boys area, and that's part of the fun; people get to see what other people are working on and that fuels a cool cross-pollination among the teams. As far as office decor goes, recent products are mostly what is displayed since wall space is always a sought-after commodity, and upcoming or recent releases (TAC) tend to be the most exciting and get the prized space. While there are indeed Hasbro/Kenner archives that do boast some case-fresh gems, the archive is only partially complete. We have been there on a couple of occasions for "research" purposes...yeah, that's it....research.


There seems to be a distinct lack of a 'holiday' Star Wars figure for 2007 - did you take the hint from fans after the frankly poor ‘candy-apple' Vader last year ? Will we see this concept return? (TPU, 12/07/07) (http://www.theprivateuniverse.co.uk/cgi-bin/showarticle.pl?section=news&articleid=2351)

You won't see a holiday figure return for 2008, either…at least as we have known it. We didn't really feel there was anything we were excited about pursuing, and we have so many other ideas and projects in development for next year, it was a little hard to fit anything else in.

Given the amount of talented customisers out there, what are the skills you need to be a Hasbro action figure creator ? Product design ? Manufacturing ? Fine art ? Technical drawing ? Sculpture? (TPU, 12/07/07) (http://www.theprivateuniverse.co.uk/cgi-bin/showarticle.pl?section=news&articleid=2351)

All of our designers have either bachelors of science or bachelor of fine arts degress from schools like the Fashion Insitute of Technology (in New York), Cincinnati School of Design, Purdue University School of Design, etc. It's important that someone who is serious about joining Hasbro in toy design have a well-rounded skill set, including the critical ability to illustrate, work with and understand materials, cost analysis, project management, the ability to work with and across a wide-range of discplines, etc. We select designers based on their abilities to solve all sorts of conceptual problems related to toys - whether it is designing role play, girls toys, vehicles, soft goods, electronics...or action figures. It's rare for a Hasbro designer to work exclusively on action figures for any length of time.

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Dear Hasbro, recently there has been some confusion as to the official designation for the Repaints/Replacement wave (Pax Bonkik, R2-B1, etc.) and the AOTC wave (Padme, Jango, etc).

Some sites/e-tailers/retailers call these wave 8 & 9 respectively while others label them 7.5 and 8. Which is correct and if the latter is true, what constitutes a .5 wave designation?
(YF, 12/07/07) (http://cgi.denpetersen.com/YAK1/viewtopic.php?t=2424)

The official Hasbro designation for the repaint wave (Pax, R2-B1, Clone Trooper with poncho, etc) is Wave 7.5, and the AOTC wave is Wave 8. Originally, The Force Unleashed wave was known as Wave 9, and when the game was delayed, it was pushed out until 2008. Shortly after, Wave 8 (AotC wave) suffered some schedule delays and this left a "hole" in our schedule that we needed to fill - and thus the creation of the repaint wave to fill it, since that was the only way we would get fresh figures in time as no new tooling was possible. We then called this Wave 7.5 because it was late (and too confusing) to rename Wave 8 to Wave 9. Instead, we "sliced" the repaint wave in between Waves 7 & 8 . Since then, delays in a couple of the figures (Rebel Vangaurd Trooper and R2-B1) and improvement to the once-delayed Wave 8 schedule have caused the repaint Wave 7.5 to actually ship *after* Wave 8. So there you go...the complete story. In any case, a "half-numbered" (.25, .5, .75 etc) wave will generally happen when we slot in case pack changes (ratio changes), running changes we need to track, or other minor changes. Typically a new/repaint wave like Wave 7.5 would have gotten a "whole numbered" wave name, but in this case we sliced it in and it got the half-number.

Dear Hasbro, first off, thank you for your continued support to all the collecting sites out there with these QNA exchanges, I hope they continue next year. Now to the question: The upcoming new Commander Gree has clearly raised the bar from an articulation standpoint with the added hip and wrist joints. With that, is it a safe bet that these articulation points will be added to any possible future Clone retools?(Bacara, Cody, standard E2/E3 clones etc.) (YF, 12/07/07) (http://cgi.denpetersen.com/YAK1/viewtopic.php?t=2424)

We don't have plans right now to go back and retool other Clone Commanders in the immediate future. It's a good bet that in the years ahead we will look to (and be asked by fans) to do some updates and this is the direction we will probably pursue.

Since 2008 is the 25th Anniversary of Return of the Jedi, can you confirm if there are any ROTJ themed waves slated for release? (YF, 12/07/07) (http://cgi.denpetersen.com/YAK1/viewtopic.php?t=2424)

Yes, we confirm that there will be a RotJ-themed wave in Fall 2008.

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The comic 2-pks have went over real well apparently this year, and it looks like you have many more planned for next year. Hints and rumors of upcoming characters are exciting many collectors. But many also feel that the attempt to keep them at a $9.99 price point causes a problem with the quality of these exciting but half-done figures that won't get better versions down the road more than likely. I understand that every figure cannot be vintage quality, but the majority of these figures are well below basic figure quality. So would you consider raising the price on them to say $14.99 to be able to offer better made figures or are you bent on keeping the $9.99 price point at all cost? (YN, 12/07/07) (http://yodasnews.com/)

Neither, actually. We will be raising our pricing (and suggested price to $11.99 SRP) in 2008 in an effort to be able to provide some more articulation. However, we won't always be able to make each figure super-articulated. We don't in the basic line, either - because of the very high cost related to tooling, deco, and assembly, Vintage-style articulation cannot be the goal for everything. We do hope to be able to continue to offer quality of sculpting and articulation, and a solid value for the 2-pack. This is doubly important since kids have also been big fans of the comic 2-packs in addition to collectors. By maintaining that attainable price point, we keep both audiences engaged and can continue to put forth good batch of new sculpts with each wave..

Why the recent return of the hand held over sized weapons that shoot missles? I don't mind them if the "regular" guns come with the figures too (rebel vanguard) but I'd rather have another accessory/pack-in if possible. I do mind if that's the only gun for the figure as it seems that way in the AT-TE battle pack. Do these guns really draw in that many more kids? (YN, 12/07/07) (http://yodasnews.com/)

While we have and will continue to stay away from figures with dedicated features (i.e. light-saber slashing) for the most part, missile firing is a significant attraction for kids and we see it as a good accessory to include when we can and need to add to the play value. You have a good point to have a non-firing accessory, especially for figures that have a collector draw, and we'll keep that in mind. We will continue to use missile-firing blasters where we think it's important to promote the play pattern.

I would like to know from Hasbro if there are any plans to do figures from the New Jedi Order series of books? I would really like to see something done with The Yuuzhan Vong, and the Jedi? (YN, 12/07/07) (http://yodasnews.com/)

Yes. One of the first figures we will be releasing is the NJO Luke Skywalker figure in the first new wave of the upcoming Evolutions line. That might not be the only NJO character in 2008, either…it depends on how schedules work out, but we should have very exciting news around Comic Con next year about the next NJO figure. Stay tuned!

Title: Re: The Hasbro Q & A Compendium
Post by: Matt on December 22, 2007, 12:50 PM
Session 44 - December 21, 2007

Hasbro regularly answers certain-figure questions with the statement "we would like produce this figure or that vehicle but we don't have an appropriate slot for it at the moment." Why does Hasbro set those narrow limits? Within the POTF- and POTJ era the figure production happened just arbitrary and not film- or scene-specific. Why couldn't a Jocasta Nu pair a Gamorrean Guard or couldn't a Bespin Security Guard beeing released with a Yarna d'al Gargan within the same wave? (4".de, 12/21/07) (http://www.4-inches.de/inhalt/home.htm)

Marcel - our strategy since 2005 has been to create waves of themed figures, by movie, and it's difficult to argue with the success of the strategy as the figure line has maintained an unprecedented level of popularity. By theming figures according to wave, it has helped us achieve balance and focus, creating figures that work together well and meet the needs of both kids and collectors. It has also helped us systematically tackle each of the films and EU concepts in turn. We do not plan to deviate from this waving strategy. The reason why we say we "don't have a slot" for something is that we plan a full year's worth of figures at once, looking at the overall balance. It is very difficult, the further we get into a year, to make changes to the plan since it is really all tied together and approved in conjunction with Lucasfilm. What we promise to do is take your input into consideration the next time we have an opportunity to lay out a plan (i.e. the next year's line, or an exclusive, an opportunitistic repaint wave, etc). So keep that feedback coming - it really is valuable to us - and we will take it into consideration for the next time we can shape the line.

In the q&a-session from 12-01-06 Hasbro made clear that POTF2-figures won't be recycled for the T30AC- or following lines because with the enhanced production methods these figures are antiquated by now. Why does Hasbro then still re-releasing POTF2-figures furthermore like it happens with the Max Rebo Band as repack or the RA-7? And a possible release of an Oola figure recently has been noted as a likely repack of the POTF2-version. Why don't you go any further and only use repacks for the more modern figures while use new molds for re-releases of "older" figures? (4".de, 12/21/07) (http://www.4-inches.de/inhalt/home.htm)

Daniel - we are staying true as far as characters that will be updated with a new sculpt. There are certain figures, specifically very fan-centric figures like many aliens, that we simply will not be updating with new sculpts any time in the next several years, if ever. There are simply waaay too many interesting and new figures to create before we would go back and redo these. In many cases, these figures (such as the Jabba's palace figures) are still quality figures in terms of aesthetics, even though they may not be highly articulated like many modern figures, and there are many new collectors to Star Wars who are interested in adding them to their collections. In these cases, we evaluate the continuing demand of the figures and see whether a re-release makes sense. Since we are not going to be redoing any of the Jabba's palace figures in those sets and doing new ones like Ak-Rev instead, a re-release made sense. As to RA-7, you may not know that it and other figures were determined directly by fan vote for inclusion in the Saga Legends line. We let fans select these, and they determined it was important to bring these back, and we agree it is a good idea since we will not be updating him.

Just another certain-figure question: What are the odds for a Torryn Farr figure within the next two years? That character still has top rankings in many collector-forum wish lists. Even if she is a female character and for that there will be just a few possible slots she would be a great choice for another Hoth wave. And for this she should be released with a screen and a chair, in my opinion that character really demands for those accessories because she has been seen in that certain film-scene. Even if Hasbro more and more have to deliberate which character deserves bigger accessory because of taking into account rising material costs that figure should be given priority even compared with main characters, isn't it? (4".de, 12/21/07) (http://www.4-inches.de/inhalt/home.htm)

Andreas - There is a very good chance you will see her in the next couple of years.

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We understand your current stance on playsets, but if you go back to making beasts, would you consider a Sarlacc pit? It's got a big gross mouth, tentacles, and the special editions have added a large beak (which, should you make this figure, we'd hope could be a removable aspect), yet this is one Star Wars creature that's always gotten the short end of the merchandising stick despite being a major part of ROTJ. It could be done as a beast pack, maybe an ultimate battle pack, or even part of a boxed set with a Tatooine Skiff. (AF, 12/21/07) (http://www.actionfigs.com/index.php?categoryid=12&p2_articleid=1384)

Wow….multiple questions on the Sarlacc this week! All we have to say is that the challenge of making and marketing basically a hole in the ground with teeth is a pretty stiff one indeed. It is a beast, but doesn't look like one. Kids won't get it. How would you display it? Not to get any hopes up, because it is a cool idea, but the challenges might be impossible to solve.

A few Battlepacks have featured Jedi, a Clone Commander, and three Clone Troopers. Will we see this concept applied to more sets in the future, perhaps something like Ki-Adi-Mundi, a grittier repaint of Commander Bacara, and three Galactic Marines? What about extending this idea to the other films beyond Ep III? (AF, 12/21/07) (http://www.actionfigs.com/index.php?categoryid=12&p2_articleid=1384)

We have been looking at continuing this very popular format and there is a chance that the Ki-Adi-Mundi pack will come out this spring. It's too early to confirm that it will be shipping, or how different (or not) the Clones will be, but the Mygeeto battle is a good concept for this. As for other films, we have been doing different concepts since the leader/troops idea works so well for EpIII. It's possible for EpII, but we will have to look at those ideas to see if they are compelling given all of the choices we have available for battle packs.

In the past, Hasbro's stated that main characters should always be available to casual collectors, which makes sense, and Lucas has stated that the saga is about Darth Vader. That said however, there are currently at least 9 different Vader figures available on shelves - TAC Vader, 2 Saga Legends figures, 2 different battlepacks, the TAC coin album, 2 different comic 2packs, and the McQuarrie Concept version. Out of those, all but the McQuarrie version are pegwarming in many areas; some areas also have older Vader figures from as far back as 2005; and there are more Vader's on the way. Have you considered that such oversaturation may be problematic to the line, as collectors are less likely to buy the same character over and over (especially when most are rereleases of earlier molds) while casual collectors (who might only need 1 or 2 Vaders) might find the sheer number of them confusing? (AF, 12/21/07) (http://www.actionfigs.com/index.php?categoryid=12&p2_articleid=1384)

Looking at data at local stores may reveal an area slowdown, or may not even be a problem as the inventory can turn over at a rapid rate. In any case, we are not seeing a slowdown at all on any Vader and he continues to be, by a great stretch, the most popular character in Star Wars in all forms. We do try to make each new Vader purposefully differentiated whenever possible, and weigh all of our release decisions against the collector market when they are targeted as such (McQ Vader or the Leia/Vader comic pack) to make sure these are weighted appropriately.

With our questions, we also sent in these images from ROTJ (http://forums.sirstevesguide.com/showthread.php?p=586261#post586261) regarding the Sept 28th Q&A about Luke Jedi's cloth vest - or lack thereof. Here's what Hasbro said about the matter: (AF, 12/21/07) (http://www.actionfigs.com/index.php?categoryid=12&p2_articleid=1384)

Also, thanks for the image. We have had some differences in input, and this helps tell the story. This would make a great update to that Luke figure when we have a place to slot it in. Thanks for sharing.

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Toy Fair is sneaking up on us...any hints you can give us on what you will be showing? (BB, 12/21/07) (http://bobasbounty.net/)

Mark - we can't offer any sneak previews of any Toy Fair items right now, or even comment on the line list rumors that have been floating around except to say that it is not accurate.  You will have to stay tuned, but trust us, it will be worth it.

So do you guys have one of each figure that's been made lining your offices? (BB, 12/21/07) (http://bobasbounty.net/)

As for this year, yes, a lot of the team members have a wall devoted to the current figures as well as popular sublines like Galactic Heroes, comic packs, and Vintage.  As the new lines come in, they tend to displace the old, which either gets taken home or packed away. As for one of each figure that has ever been made?  There are at least three of us here on the team who have near-complete loose collections of the Kenner/Hasbro 3-3/4" line either on display or packed away for easy access when we are brainstorming ideas.  That's why we are able to work on some ideas quickly, especially exclusives - we sometimes devote our own personal archives to the task!

Are there any vehicles from the 2 trilogies that haven't been done yet that you would LIKE to do (but they keep getting shelved or postponed for one reason or another)? (BB, 12/21/07) (http://bobasbounty.net/)

Great question.  In the Titanium series, we hope to cover pretty much everything, and nothing is off limits, so we assume you mean 3-3/4. Looking over the six films, we have to say that we are very happy with what we have been able to bring to market.  Of course, there are still classic vehicles we would like to re-do when given the chance.  We talked about a few of them with our team and picked a few of our favorites, which may or may not ever happen or be possible, but it's good to dream.  Here goes:  One person really wants to see a Star Destroyer (!). Another has as a wish "wish" vehicle the Clone Turbo Tank, a mock-up of which we have built but it is just too expensive to consider without animation support. A couple of us would like to complete the Pod Racers, but the likelihood of that ever happening is very, very low given that they are cool, but just too niche to justify their development and tooling. Perhaps one day, when an influx of fans nostalgic for Episode I comes into the collecting fold, we will have that opportunity.  Bottom line is that all of these have the odds stacked seriously against them of ever seeing the light of day.  So they remain on the "wouldn't it be cool if someday we could get to these?" list.

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Are there any times you want to pimp-slap the askers of some of the more obnoxiously smug and self-important "Why didn't you do it like THIS?" questions in these forums? YOU know the ones I mean. (CC, 12/21/07) (http://www.creaturecantina.com/news_stories/2007/1226/hasbro-qna.html)

It's all cool. We wouldn't be having so much fun ourselves making Star Wars rock along if there weren't equally passionate fans there to share the excitement, speculate, debate, and just talk Star Wars in general. So we keep it all in perspective. Besides, if things ever get really nasty, there are plenty of Bounty Hunters at Chalmun's, and some of them work for peanuts.

Any chance you guys could STOP packing your figures in their bubbles in "action poses" with their weapons in hand to prevent the type of warping as seen below (please refer to images), please? The amount of water I've had to boil lately to get my figures and accessories straightened out again is frightening. Thank you! (CC, 12/21/07) (http://www.creaturecantina.com/news_stories/2007/1226/hasbro-qna.html)

This is a tricky thing. One of the best on-shelf innovations that has helped our Star Wars figures continue to excite has been the engineering team's work on posing in-pack for a very dynamic presentation. It is highly unlikely we will ever go back to the "old way" except probably for the Saga Tin/Vintage style executions, but we will continue to look for ways to improve. Thanks for the comment.

Would you ever consider offering a Christmas Taun Taun exclusive that plays the Christmas Taun Tauns song? That would be AWESOME!! (CC, 12/21/07) (http://www.creaturecantina.com/news_stories/2007/1226/hasbro-qna.html)

That would be awesome! But, alas, we don't have plans.

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What are the odds of single man swoop/speeder vehicles (i.e. the $9.99/Deluxe) price range coming back in 2008 since there won't be a "Vintage" premium line? (GH, 12/21/07) (http://www.galactichunter.com/absolutenm/templates/full_article_template_1.asp?articleid=6919&zoneid=2)

We will not be introducing a "deluxe" $9.99 price point next year. Past results of this format combined with costing pressures have made us look elsewhere for the solution of getting gear/accessories out.  Instead, we will be infusing speeders into the Battle Pack format, starting in Spring. "Mini vehicles" like these are something we plan to keep in the line for a long time.

With the Clone Wars television series hitting our TV (and potentially other multimedia concepts) next year, are we going to be blessed with some television commercials for the toy line? (A lot of us are fans of the vintage toy commercials, which we pray Hasbro still has somwhere. Not to squeeze in another question, but we'd like to see them in some digitized form someday - even just on StarWars.Hasbro.com as flash video.) (GH, 12/21/07) (http://www.galactichunter.com/absolutenm/templates/full_article_template_1.asp?articleid=6919&zoneid=2)

We ran a continuous loop of the toy commercials in booth at Celebration last year, and they were a big hit…..with countless requests to do just as you have asked, Adam. Unfortunately, rights issues prevent us from doing much more with them at this time.  Regarding your first question, we tend to guard our advertising strategy very closely since it reveals competitive information. We will be revealing the CloneWars line at Toy Fair, and your question will probably be answered there.

Was the Commander Gree figure shown at a recent convention a prototype, or was it the final product? If it is indeed a prototype, do you have plans to make any changes to the decoration in the interest of enhancing its accuracy? (The tampo painting/camouflage is off a bit, and our "accuracy checkers" note that the color for the helmet and his suspender straps aren't quite right.) (GH, 12/21/07) (http://www.galactichunter.com/absolutenm/templates/full_article_template_1.asp?articleid=6919&zoneid=2)

The Commander Gree shown at the Dallas Fan Days show was, in fact, a pre-production and the final product image (http://www.galactichunter.com/absolutenm/articlefiles/6919-Galactic%20Hunter%20Gree.jpg) is attached.

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Any chance we'll see a revised edition of the Rebel Troop Transport from the Vintage line? (IS, 12/21/07)* (http://www.imperialshipyards.net/hangarbay/modules.php?name=Forums&file=viewtopic&p=1830#1830)

Sorry to say it, but no. This has come up a few times in the 18 months or so we have been doing the Q&As, and our answer is the same. This vehicle just doesn't have kid appeal, and our vehicle slots have more iconic (and higher priority) vehicles waiting for their turn. It's highly unlikely this guy will ever be revisited.

With the release of your latest waves of titaniums, are there any plans to release a full size black shadow AT-AT? (IS, 12/21/07)* (http://www.imperialshipyards.net/hangarbay/modules.php?name=Forums&file=viewtopic&p=1830#1830)

At this time, we do not have plans, but that would certainly be a possibility at some point. The "shadow" cadre of Republic and Imperial troops does appear to be very popular.

Hasbro, with all the clones released over the past couple of years what are the chances that the aotc clone trooper pilot will be released? (IS, 12/21/07)* (http://www.imperialshipyards.net/hangarbay/modules.php?name=Forums&file=viewtopic&p=1830#1830)

While we don't have plans right now, this is something that we will be looking at since it has been a while (2005's first Clone Trooper Evolution set) since we have produced a quality articulated version of the pilot. We would not go back to that specific AOTC version but would likely re-release somehow the evolutions version.

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In 2008, the pack-in stands will make a come-back. We've already seen pictures of at least 10 of the 2007 figures re-carded with stands. The carded complete-ist collectors out there are wondering just how many of the 2007 figures will get re-released this way? 25%? 50%? 100%? (JD, 12/21/07) (http://www.jedidefender.com/newspro/fullnews.cgi?newsid1198275234,32904,)

As of this writing, which is pretty much the end of the tweaks we are able to make to the contents of Spring 2008 case pack ratio, there will be 16 2007 figures that "carry forward" into 2008 and will be revised to have bases swapped into where the coins would have been. A good number of these are the late Wave 7.5 & 8 figures which were on the cusp of late 2007/2008 and will straddle the pack-in changeover.

A few folks have noticed something in the backgrounds of the recent box sets. It appears that the backgrounds feature custom-made set pieces, and not just paintings or drawings. They seem to be actual photographed custom dioramas. True or false? If true, where do they come from? And what do you guys do with them after the photo sessions? (JD, 12/21/07) (http://www.jedidefender.com/newspro/fullnews.cgi?newsid1198275234,32904,)

That is certainly true. It is a technique that has been in place for years in our photo studio, starting with the GI Joe line and expanding into other brands as time went on. Once the sets are struck, then the components go back into racks in our photo department where the components can be repurposed for other future sets. We do not keep dioramas intact.

OK, Indy toys. What are we looking at for the launch? Are we talking a "street date" with a big push, including store exclusives (similar to the last few movie lines you’ve done)? If so, any idea what that date will be so we can mark it on our calendars to be sure we have the day off work? (JD, 12/21/07) (http://www.jedidefender.com/newspro/fullnews.cgi?newsid1198275234,32904,)

There will be a tight on-shelf date for the IJ product line, which will be a few weeks before the movie (the theaterical date is 5/22). We can confirm that there will *not* be any store exclusives at the movie launch for IJ... we are focusing on the mainline assortments. The complete lineup will be announced (along with the on-shelf date) at Toy Fair.

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Hasbro, great job with the Target exclusive Ultimate Battle Packs! Great toys at a great value. I especially like the suprise Hoth Rebel gun turret. Please keep the playset-like toys coming!

Have these battle packs been successful to the point that they can be an outlet for playsets or environment pieces? Jabba's throne dais could be released this way as well as a Sarlaac pit. Create some Hoth trenches this way, or an Endor forest or tree to hang the cargo net packaged with TAC #46 R2-D2. I know I'm rambling now, but you guys get me so amped up for Star Wars toys! (JI, 12/21/07) (http://jediinsider.com/index.php?catid=8&itemid=10821)

Thanks for the great thumbs-up on these, Joenubb! We were glad we could surprise folks like that while at the same time delivering some new things in this bigger format. And therein lies the rub - "some new things." As has been well-documented, playsets are backbreakers from a tooling and product costing perspective, and their return on investment is still not justified relative to the higher level of interest in figures and vehicles. That's why there were new elements to these sets, but they were not the sole focus of the sets themselves. By using a considerable amount of existing items, we were able to justify some tooling expense, which we spent on the turret and the logs. So the sucess of the UBPs (and they have been very successful) does not mean a change of format to more playset-dominated sets, but it does open the door to opportunities that have a similar type of format - i.e. some newness mixed with a good dose of existing to keep our costs down.

Any chance we'll ever see Clones in Imperial Officer uniforms like the ones shown near the end of Revenge of the Sith? (JI, 12/21/07) (http://jediinsider.com/index.php?catid=8&itemid=10821)

Great question. We had not considered these, concentrating instead on doing the on-screen Commanders from EpIV-VI every so often. Now that you bring it up there are some interesting possibilities, and we will discuss it on the team and see if any opportunities present themselves down the road.

Any chance we might see some Expanded Universe Galactic Heroes? I'd love a GH version of Mara Jade and Grand Admiral Thrawn. Quinlan Vos and Aayla Secura would make a nice looking 2-pack as well. (JI, 12/21/07) (http://jediinsider.com/index.php?catid=8&itemid=10821)

Hey, awesome screen name, ARBCOToys! We can confirm that Aayla is on the way - here is a sneak pic shown below. Look for the Aayla (http://jediinsider.net/g/albums/QA/GH/ToyNewsi-GH-Aayla-&-bly2.jpg)/Bly (http://jediinsider.net/g/generated/QA/GH/ToyNewsi-GH-Aayla-&-bly1__scaled_600.jpg) pack on shelf around 3/1. While Aayla was born of the EU, she is the only one of your wish list that we are looking at as of now, preferring to work our way through on-screen characters before we turn our attention to the EU proper since kids still make up a sizeable share of the GH audience. We don't rule out the possibility of Quinlan or Mara eventually finding their way into the line because of their continued popularity with fans.

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In a previous Q&A Hasbro responded to our question about larger Basic Figure accessories by saying "we like to do the "bonus" accessories when we can".  With that sentiment in mind, how likely is it that something like an ANH Obi-Wan Kenobi with the Death Star tractor beam control station could make it into the Basic Figure line? (JTA, 12/21/07) (http://jeditemplearchives.com/content/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=3607)

There is no chance that that would happen in a basic figure line because of the sheer size of the piece.

The Fan's Choice Figure contests have always been a hot topic of conversation around the collecting community, and there's also been a fair share of controversy around the process as well.  How is the poll process regarded within Hasbro?  And might we see it return some time in 2008? (JTA, 12/21/07) (http://jeditemplearchives.com/content/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=3607)

We think opening up the voting in a truly democratic manner, where you, the fans, decide, is a fantastic process and we are pleased with the results.  We were surprised at some of the results, but fans did drive the vote and we stand by it.  Overall, we think that it is a fair way of gauging interest among not only the active, vocal fans on the forums and message boards, but also those who may be active collectors but don't frequent the message boards.  While we don't have plans right now to do another Saga Legends-type poll in 2008 (since we don't have a seprate Legends line), we could decide to do another poll on another topic and would probably run it in a similar fashion to the most recent.

I was watching The Empire Strikes Back recently, and it seems that we're really starting to draw down on new characters that can be made into figures for that particular episode.  Does this kind of shortage register with Hasbro in planning TESB themed waves?  And might it open the door for something like a figure of the Emporer's giant flloating holographic head? (JTA, 12/21/07) (http://jeditemplearchives.com/content/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=3607)

It is challenging to be sure, definitely the movie that has had more coverage than any other and the shortest "parking lot" list, but there are still some good opportunities with EpV and we think we have some good multi-year wave plans.  As for your latter comment....you are right on the bulls-eye with something we hope to bring out this year.  Stay tuned!

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With Australia being the “Home of Star Wars Episode II and III”, I would like to know if any more of our local actors will be getting figures made of them in the near future. We have had several Aussie and Kiwi actors such as Bruce Spence as Tio Medon, and Jay Laga'aia as Captain Typho, would it be possible to produce some more Aussie Actor/Characters? Character such as Owen Lars, (Joel Edgerton), Beru Lars (Bonnie Piesse) and Cliegg Lars on hoverchair (Jack Thompson). Maybe even a box set of the Lars Family? (MD, 12/21/07) (http://www.mousedroid.com/hasbro/index.html)

Welcome to the Q&A! We look forward to hearing from our pals down under on the directions we're going. The short answer is that we have looked at ways of bringing more of the "early" Lars clan to the shelves, but they won't be out in 2008. We are optimistic that we will be able to do them at some point, though.

I am thrilled that we are able to purchase more Jedi and Sith action figures. The variety is great, the sculpts are superb, but what I really love are the unlit Saber hilts. What I do find annoying, is that there's no way to attach these hilts onto the figures belt. (Malak, Revan, VTSC Bespin Luke etc). I've noticed that some figures have a hole in their belt, where the hilt should go, but there's no 'peg' on the hilt to attach it! (Foul Moudama). Is it possible for you guys to fix that, so all Jedi and Sith may have their unlit Lightsaber hilts hanging from their belts please? (MD, 12/21/07) (http://www.mousedroid.com/hasbro/index.html)

It may not always be possible, given that some tools are used/shared by other figures. We'll definitely take your comment into advisement for when we do figures with unlit hilts. Thanks.

I thought the 2007 Ralph McQuarrie figures were all brilliant. Great card designs and the translation from sketch to figure was well executed. Is the concept figure line to end with the McQuarrie figures or were further artists works to be explored? Maybe Doug Chiang could be done for an Episode I concept figure design series? (MD, 12/21/07) (http://www.mousedroid.com/hasbro/index.html)

The McQuarrie signature series will end with the Rebel Trooper (#60) this year in Wave 8. There will be no concept figures in the line for 2008, but we are looking at the success this subline has enjoyed this year as an opportunity to bring it back in some way in a future year. No decisions have yet been made on what artists we would focus on, however.

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Congratulations on a fantastic year of Star Wars, and thanks SO MUCH for the Q&A sessions!! It's really great to be able to let our voices be heard and to be able to communicate directly with the Hasbro team. 2007 has been a BIG year for everyone, and I look forward to continuing to work together next year, and for many years to come!

Anyway, on with the questions...!

Is the modern "Vintage" line pretty much done? We know there isn't a wave planned for 2008, but to be honest, the basic figure line has pretty much caught up to the Vintage line in terms of articulation and soft goods. Plus, with the return of the Evolutions sets, the high-quality standard is maintained with an opportunity for an even greater choice of characters. With all of this in mind, the only reason to continue the "Vintage" line is for nostalgic packaging in a protective case, which raises the price. (RS, 12/21/07) (http://www.rebelscum.com/story/front/Hasbros_45th_STAR_WARS_QA_The_Answers_111047.asp)

Thanks for the good word, Dan. We love the Q&A and are glad that we are able to have great dialogue with fans.especially as interest heats up for 2008. Keep bringing the Q and we'll supply the A.

Regarding Vintage, the concept is probably over as far as a high-end, premium clamshell packaged line consisting of 100% new figures, for the reasons you mentioned (a welcome overall trend toward articulation) as well as the fact that there are few really iconic main characters left to do that would be strong anchors for future waves. We do not rule out the possibility that vintage could return in the same format, but we are also looking at other ways where we can harness the great nostalgic power of that very iconic line look. We don't have a timetable for when we bring it back, but know that we are looking at it for farther down the road.


We've heard rumors earlier this year that The Clone Wars line will see the return of action features, which are primarily targeted toward a younger audience, and the results are often not esthetically pleasing. While "quick-draw" and "lightsaber slashing" action is great for play value, many collectors prefer the see added articulation and detailed sculpts instead. Is it too soon to talk about this yet? If they are returning, how extensive will they be? (RS, 12/21/07) (http://www.rebelscum.com/story/front/Hasbros_45th_STAR_WARS_QA_The_Answers_111047.asp)

Dan - we hear you and think you will be very pleased when you see the lineup. While we won't get too specific at this point, we will say that we are developing the line so that it achieves both objectives - the figures have feature play (although it won't be built-in in all cases) and also meet the sensibilities of collectors. Stay tuned...!

With the popularity of the McQuarrie figures this year and their impossibility to find on peghooks, I know you are good at getting more out in later wave revisions, but have you considered releasing a wave of nothing but McQuarrie figures? There's enough out there to put only 1-2 of each per case... (RS, 12/21/07) (http://www.rebelscum.com/story/front/Hasbros_45th_STAR_WARS_QA_The_Answers_111047.asp)

What you suggest would be a poisonous mix for the kid fan who is focused on the main characters. While you might say "that's what Saga Legends is for!" it's vital that each and every case pack of both lines offer attraction for the kid audience. Instead, we'll be chasing the figures, to the best we can...but with demand running even hotter than we can chase, the basic figure line basically wrapping up at the end of June to make way for the new Fall 2008 basic figure line, and three great waves of basic figures still to go in Spring....the slots in which we can re-pack and chase the McQs are not going to be as great as hoped and some of these figures are probably going to remain scarce. There are still quite a few figures and waves shipping, and we're not deliberately shorting any
figure, so we're hopeful fans can still find what they need.


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Will there ever be a Galactic Heroes figure of Princess Leia as Jabba's prisoner (i.e. wearing the metal bikini)? (RTM, 12/21/07) (http://www.toymania.com/news/messages/9903.shtml)

Yes.

Will we be seeing Guri (Shadows of the Empire) in the new comic packs? (RTM, 12/21/07) (http://www.toymania.com/news/messages/9903.shtml)

Not yet. We have only one SotE pack lined up for 2008/2009 with some of the more compelling characters. She is a very interesting character, though, and has appeared in a lot of other sources so her popularity among fans is pretty decent and is in her favor. We would not rule her out for "some day," but not in the near term.

Any plans for more vehicles in the Galactic Heroes line? (RTM, 12/21/07) (http://www.toymania.com/news/messages/9903.shtml)

Yessir! First up, we will be getting the Millenium Falcon back into circulation in a special "Cinema Scene"-inspired window-boxed style package with Han, Chewie, R2-D2 & C-3PO. Look for this exclusively at Wal-Mart in approximately February. After that, we have plans to continue our popular Cinema Scenes format with some more sets in '08 featuring some new takes on existing vehicles along with some new vehicles *and* creatures. The GH goodness will really be amped up next Fall.

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With collectors clamoring for playsets the last few years and Hasbro's take being that there's no market for them at this time, might the Ultra Battlepack concept be used to get us a little closer to playsets by including larger environment elements instead of vehicles? We could have Dagobah with Yoda's hut and the tree (where Luke battles his demons); and a Death Star with trash compactor, corridors & doors, and cellblock. So, might the Ultra Battlepack line be purposed for this need? (SSG, 12/21/07) (http://www.sirstevesguide.com/index.php?categoryid=13&p2_articleid=716)

We certainly look a the Ultimate Battle Pack concept as a way to deliver more play features but at the same time not weigh down a product with a massive tooling burden. As has been well-documented, playsets are backbreakers from a tooling and product costing perspective, and their return on investment is still not justified relative to the higher level of interest in figures and vehicles. That's why there were new elements to these sets, but they were not the sole focus of the sets themselves. By using a considerable amount of existing items, we were able to justify some tooling expense, which we spent on the turret and the logs. Surprisingly, the turret did not take up that many tools and was very efficient from that standpoint compared to some of the other suggestions which are more intensive from a tooling and piece price standpoint. The exception might be Yoda's hut, which is a pretty good suggestion and one we should look into. So the sucess of the UBPs (and they have been very successful) does not mean a change of format to more playset-dominated sets, but it does open the door to opportunities that have a similar type of format - i.e. some newness mixed with a good dose of existing to keep our costs down.

Back in October, Hasbro said that getting a Corran Horn figure in the comics 2packs line was unlikely because he "only appears in one comic series (X-Wing Rogue Squadron: Family Ties) as a security officer, well before his most iconic stores in later novels." However, that's not accurate as he's in the SW:Union mini-series, in at least 3 different outfits - training gear, civilian clothes, and trademark green robes during Luke & Mara's ceremony (which would also be a great way to sneak in a Cilghal figure). Does this up the odds at all for Corran Horn? (SSG, 12/21/07) (http://www.sirstevesguide.com/index.php?categoryid=13&p2_articleid=716)

It still doesn't change our belief that the comic packs might not be the best place to deliver a Corran Horn figure. He's still high on our wish list with some other prominent figures, but we'll have to wait a while longer yet before we can look to do something with him.

With Commander Neyo from the Treachery on Saleucami set being among the winners of the Saga Legends fan choice poll, would you please pack in a second, generic belt with him the way you're doing with the Gray Clone Commander figure in the Saga Legends line? That way, the Neyo-style troopers could be represented by this same figure (remove the pauldron, swap the belt, voila), leading to more sales of the guy. (SSG, 12/21/07) (http://www.sirstevesguide.com/index.php?categoryid=13&p2_articleid=716)

Excellent suggestion, but too late to impact this figure, which is being built now for shipment soon.

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Looking at some of the figures of minor characters that were made years ago, I started to think about how cool they could be if some of them were brought up to today's standards. Some examples that come to mind are Boshek, Tessek, Adi Gallia, Takeel, Dr. Evazan, Prune Face and Ree-Yees. Most of these figures looked nice in their day, but they just don't hold up to today's standards anymore. I understand that remakes of minor background characters can't happen very often, but I'm wondering who, if any, is one minor character that the Hasbro team would really like to have another shot at? (ST, 12/21/07) (http://www.sandtroopers.com/smf/index.php?topic=5183.msg159538#msg159538)

Great question.  As we have produced "definitive" versions of many such backgrounders lately and added them to our shelf displays, we, like you, have noticed that many of these old-timers, while great in their day, do look a little soft around the edges.  We would say that of the seven figures you single out, we have plans to update three of them over the next couple of years, and will probably get to a couple more of them as well before too much longer.  Of the remaining ones, it's unlikely that we'll update Boshek or Takeel for a looong time, if ever, since we would be more likely to spend that "slot" in the lineup on a new Cantina figure.

In a recent thread on our site I mentioned that a dream figure for me would be a remake of the shirtless training Darth Maul in a super articulated format. Another member mentioned that that figure was scheduled for release in the new Sith Evolutions set. I had totally forgotten about that! I was so focused on the Mandalorian Evolutions set that I spaced the others off. So here's my question... it's almost 2008. The 3 new Evolutions sets (Mandalorian, Sith and Jedi) are already announced and confirmed by you. Any chance we can get some more/better pictures of these figures? Include what all accessories will be included, confirm the SA and removeable helmet status of Jango? Clearer pix of Mandalore, Nihl, Bane (does that silly glow in the dark helmet come off? How about Boba? He looks a little rotund, maybe too much uj cake or does his chest armor come off? I'd love to see some updated pix, maybe even packaged if available. (ST, 12/21/07) (http://www.sandtroopers.com/smf/index.php?topic=5183.msg159538#msg159538)

We are glad you asked, and will share what we have. Four pics are attached (http://www.sandtroopers.com/sandwatch/hasbro/20071221/) - three higher-res pics of the same images we showed at Comic Con.  These are all of the pics we have available as of yet, but the sets are shipping soon so more images will be hitting.  Also, there is a more detailed rundown in this month's copy of Lee's Toy Review (#182) with The Sith legacy set on the cover.  As far as accessories go, all of the accessories that come with the figures are shown.  This is important for collectors toknow, since there won't be as much extra stuff as the last line, except for the three reissues which will be the same as before.  The new sets will not have all of the extra gear, and the explanation is simple....as we looked at the components, we felt we added the accessories that the characters would need and that we could afford to add while not compromising the articulation, soft goods and deco on the figures themselves.  As our costs have risen since we last did Evolutions in 2005, trading out extra pieces to deliver high quality figures was the right one.  As for the details you asked about, we can confirm that Bane's mask is removable.  Regarding Jango, we can confirm that he is SA with swivel articulation at wrists/forearms, ball & socket elbows, swivel upper arms, ball & socket shoulders, ball neck, ball & socket waist, swivel hips, ball & socket  knees, and ball & socket feet.  And his helmet is removable. Wow!  Boba looks great in person, his armor is not removable.  We can also confirm that there will be one more special surprise set in this wave....centered around The Force Unleashed.  Look for more information on that after the new year.

Will Canada be getting any figures from the TAC line past wave 5 or have we seen it all up North. One of the  sites said they would not be getting wave 6 on CDN card, so does that also mean we wont be getting anything past wave 6 at Canadian retail? (ST, 12/21/07) (http://www.sandtroopers.com/smf/index.php?topic=5183.msg159538#msg159538)

We have confirmed with our Canadian pals that all waves are indeed planned to be dsitributed with the Canada-exclusive Vader-head packaging. According to the marketing team in Canada, it may take a while into Spring before they all make it out but that is the plan as of now.  Good news!

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Will any of the figures from wave 5, especially Darth Malak, Darth Revan, and Pre-Cyborg Grievous, appear in any future TAC wave case assortments? (ST/"TJ", 12/21/07) (http://www.sandtroopers.com/smf/index.php?topic=8437.msg159539#msg159539)

They will not be repacked into any other assortments.  Since your question centers on additional supply, we have checked and confirmed that more of the original ratios (case packs) have recently shipped to retail with the last planned releases against these going out in the next couple of weeks, so there is more supply on the way.

Hasbro did a magnificent job with the sculpt for the Galactic Marine, however there has been one negative aspect to the mold that fans have mentioned over and over again which I'm wondering if Hasbro is aware of. The base of the marine's feet is slightly curved and this makes it difficult to stand him up (he tends to fall over onto his back) unless you pose him in a very specific way. Typically this has been in a semi-walking pose. Some fans have made this adjustment and had no problems, others have tried and never had any luck (I have 9 marines and read all of the tips from various fan forums and have had absolutely no luck in getting them to stand no matter how I position the ankles or legs). Is there any chance that you might flatten the feet so that any future reuse of this mold won't suffer the same issues? (ST/"TJ", 12/21/07) (http://www.sandtroopers.com/smf/index.php?topic=8437.msg159539#msg159539)

We actually didn't know about that issue, so will make it known to the design team. Thanks for passing that along.

The 2008 Obi and Anakin figures seemingly were retooled so that both could sit more easily in their Jedi fighters, the 2008 Gree has ball-jointed hips... and this got me wondering if, now with the Clone Wars TV show looming and the possibility of more kids getting into playing with Star Wars again, is Hasbro looking at making sure more figures down the road will be able to easily sit in the vehicles that are being released in your $20 price-point line (V-Wing, Starfighters, etc).  This would be great news if so since I fondly remember as a kid playing with the Kenner vehicles and always knowing that any figure at any time could fit inside any vehicle (or beast, like the Dewback and Taun-Taun) and this is one of the aspects that I'd love to see more of. (ST/"TJ", 12/21/07) (http://www.sandtroopers.com/smf/index.php?topic=8437.msg159539#msg159539)

Yes.  We are making sure that our core characters (the ones kids will likely be playing with) will fit inside vehicles.  It won't be possible to make sure that every character can interact with every vehicle (like for instance, Hermie Odle) but there should be a much greater fit.

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(SWC, 12/21/07)

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Despite the strong showing of single carded figures in 2007, there seems to be an ongoing format trend towards multi-figure packs (Order 66, Battlepacks, Comic 2-packs, 2008's Force Unleashed 3-packs and new Evolutions). What's the rationale behind this?

'Cinema Scenes' were popular in the past, so are we seeing Hasbro trying to increase playability by giving the consumer several characters which can interact, balancing obscure and mainstream characters so that more 'fan-favourites' get made, or justifying re-releases with the inclusion of newly-tooled sculpts? (TPU, 12/21/07) (http://www.theprivateuniverse.co.uk/cgi-bin/showarticle.pl?section=news&articleid=2413)

Basic figures still remain the heart and soul of the 3-3/4" collection, and it's important to maintain our focus there to make sure there are an ample number of new figures released, and that this "collection" maintains the core of the movie figure lineup. However, the Star Wars universe holds so much potential and fun that we have actively pursued a variety of alternate means of delivering new figures from both the films and EU sources.

We work closely with retailers to match the opportunity (such as an off shelf display in the checklane register, or an end-cap or promoted item) with an idea that we may have been thinking about. That is how the Order 66 2-packs came about - an idea we had had for a while centering on the relationship between Jedi and the Clones, to an out-of-aisle placement that made sense. So the impetus for more multi-pack offerings is really a product of having a brand that is still in very high demand with story opportunities that lend themsleves to trying many different things to complement the core line.


So, action figure stands are back in 2008 - something we all seem to agree is a great move on Hasbro's part. However, do you have any plans for that vintage / early modern classic - the carry case?

We've seen C-3PO, Vader, Chewie's Bandolier and even a Rebel Troop Transport in the past. With the number of collectors who like to open their figures (they do exist), surely there is a place for a new storage system from you guys? We don't all have abundant shelf-space! (TPU, 12/21/07) (http://www.theprivateuniverse.co.uk/cgi-bin/showarticle.pl?section=news&articleid=2413)

The stands will be back for Spring. However, we have no plans to bring back the figure cases at this point (or make new ones). We *have* looked at it but the cost is just too prohibitive to make it work, and previous sales (in 2005) have not really shown that the demand is high enough to make continued efforts worthwhile. Not to say we won't look at it down the road, but right now it's not a high priority for us.

Star Wars toys obviously go through various proof-of-concept stages between initiation and production. What percentage are discarded during initial (paper) design due to cost constraints, licensing issues etc? How many make it to sculpting but don't progress due to design constraints? Can you give us any examples of figures that have been abandoned? (TPU, 12/21/07) (http://www.theprivateuniverse.co.uk/cgi-bin/showarticle.pl?section=news&articleid=2413)

We don't have many modern examples for you because our design team has been in place for a while and has an exceptionally well-developed sense for what can/cannot be done in different segments. As a result, we are very efficient when it comes to ideation and implementation, especially when it comes to basic figures, battle packs, vehicles, and role play.

The area where, quite frankly, we have spent considerable effort at brainstorming and model-making, but have been stopped at the costing stage, has been the area of playsets. Our challenges with mock-ups of Death Star-type playsets have been well-documented, but we have found it's not just 3-3/4" playsets that are a challenge - any set that used a substantial number of parts and plastic is going to present a costing problem, and ultimately has a high risk of getting bumped from the line when the price point proves prohibitive.


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In the last session of the QnAs, you confirmed that there will be a ROTJ-themed wave in Fall '08. Can you confirm if one of the figures in the wave is a female or a droid? (YF, 12/21/07) (http://cgi.denpetersen.com/YAK1/viewtopic.php?p=35506#35506)

Yes, consider it confirmed.

A few e-tailers, Entertainment Earth and BidBadToyStore.com for example, have pulled their pre-order listings for the Indiana Jones case assortments. Are these still "on track" for an April 08 release? (YF, 12/21/07) (http://cgi.denpetersen.com/YAK1/viewtopic.php?p=35506#35506)

The specific assortments and method of shipping were changed up, so that caused some retailers to have to redo, but we are on track for them be on-shelf a few weeks before the movie.

Dear Hasbro, the first pictures of the Force Unleashed commemorative collection sets have surfaced and it seems that the Emperor Palpatine figure is a straight repack from the 2005 Evolutions set. I really like this version in terms of sculpt and articulation, but the color of his skin seems off. Is there any chance that we’re getting a color corrected - ghostly white - version of this figure, since a lot of collectors are desperate for a SA movie (and game) accurate Emperor Palpatine. (YF, 12/21/07) (http://cgi.denpetersen.com/YAK1/viewtopic.php?p=35506#35506)

We did a straight pick-up, as this was the approved direction. In hindsight, we could have done a different yellow-gray or ghostly-white shade, but it won't happen for this release. Next time we do the Emperor, this will be considered.

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Will you continue with Expanded Universe figures in 2008? Although we love figures such as Luke and Han and the others of the original movies, new characters would be a nice change of pace from the same old, same old. Also, any plans for new vehicles that haven't been released before? (YN, 12/21/07) (http://yodasnews.com/)

The comic book 2-packs will continue throughout 2008. As has been our strategy for 2007, we will continue to make sure that there is a mix of core characters and introductions of characters new to the 3-3/4" scale. By keeping core characters in the mix, it ensures that we have traction with kids, too, who are looking for familiar favorites and a comic book with them in it. This strategy has been very, very successful for us this year and we will continue that plan. Also, by keeping core characters in the mix, we can fill some of those with repaints and dedicate our tooling to new figures, which is what you are asking for. It will be a happy balance. There *will* be new vehicles in the 2008 lineup that have not been released before, as well as some great exclusives that are off-shoots of our existing tooling library. However, it is too early to release details on these yet. Look for some news at Toy Fair, the rest around Comic Con.

I love the different weapons that come with the figures and the effort made to make them the right size. Some seem to be a bit soft. Is it possible to make the guns a little stiffer so that they don't get bent in the figure's hands? Also, would it ever be possible (as a special run, or even as an UGH / chase figure) to get "titanium" blasters included with the figures? Those die-cast versions that came with the titanium figures were awesome and they look great with the figs! (YN, 12/21/07) (http://yodasnews.com/)

The softness/stiffness of the accessories is something that we have been aware of and have spoken with factories about. However, there is likely to continue to be varying degrees of stiffness. The reason is that factories often shoot black parts (like accessories) with plastic that has been recycled, a process that we encourage for certain items. As plastic becomes melted down and reused, it loses some of its integrity, so if weapons are shot with a recycled mix they will be softer. By doing this, it keeps overall costs a bit lower in the long term. As for the Titanium weapons, that is a very interesting question. The weapons are, of course, much more expensive to produce, so they wouldn't be part of a basic figure run. They do look sharp, so we'll look at possibilities.

Any High Resolution Images of The Force Unleashed Basic Figures Carded that you can share? Some low resolution shot have surfaced in the last few days online and we have seen the loose High Resolution ones but we would love to see the figures and cardbacks in beautiful High Resolution for the Holidays! (YN, 12/21/07) (http://yodasnews.com/)

Sorry - these images have not been made available to us yet. Generally, as soon as they're made available they are sent out to the outside world, so we aren't any faster or more efficient on these sorts of requests. Since you asked and we don't have them yet, we will dig around and forward as soon as we get some high-res to share.
Title: Re: The Hasbro Q & A Compendium
Post by: Matt on January 21, 2008, 02:30 PM
Session 45 - January 18, 2008

Hasbro mentioned multiple times that the assault vehicle assortment (or midsize vehicles) will be a core segment within the Star Wars line for the next couple of years and that the most iconic vehicles should appear in that line. Well, the latest vehicle releases are providing a quite good insight into what you mean by this statement. How many "never seen before" vehicles could fans expect for the next years, would there are 2 or 3 "new" vehicles each year? Within this context it will be interesting for fans how Hasbro does appraise the "iconic" value for those vehicles that hypothetically would fit into this format just by their expected size. And before we harass you with that same question for each single vehicle again and again we would ask you on the whole: How would you rate the "iconic" value for vehicles like: Bongo (Episode I), Neimoidian Shuttle (Episode I, II und III), Coruscant Airtaxi (Episode I), Naboo Gian Speeder (Episode I), MTT Shuttle w/ Battle Droid Holder (Episode I), Count Dooku's Solar Sailor (Episode II), Homing Spider Droid (Episode II), Bail Organa's Airspeeder (Episode III), Kashyyyk Oevvaor Katamaran (Episode III), ISP Swamp Glider (Episode III), DC0052 Intergalactic Airspeeder (Episode III), NR-N99 Tank Droid (Episode III), HAET-221 Republic Assault Gunboat (Episode III), Mankvim-814 Light Interceptor (Episode III), P-38 Starfighter (Episode III)? And last part of the question: Are there vehicles among the mentioned ones that Hasbro wouldn't take into account for the standard vehicle assortment because they are not enough "iconic"? (4".de, 01/18/08) (http://www.4-inches.de/inhalt/home.htm)

The outlook is very bright for 2-3 new models a year, and we will announce shortly at Toy Fair the news ones for 2008. There are indeed some very exciting ones on the list, including at least one you mentioned. For the most part, we take into account how uniquely Star Wars they are, how much screen time they get (not always a prequisite, but it helps), the context of their use (are they assault vehicles like fighters, or passive like landspeeders?), ease of fit and manufacturability within the format, what the kid & collector demand would be, and the like. Without revealing too many details, we think that your list contains many vehicles that we will likely not do because they are too passive (speeders, Bongo, taxis), do not have an inspiring design (Dooku's Solar Sailor), represent factions that are not very popular (Nemoidian ships), or cannot be manufactured in this size (MTT, Wookiee catamaran). We have learned to never say never, but those are the criteria we use to guide our decision-making and hone in on the vehicles that we feel are "must-haves" against which we will devote our resources.

If Hasbro would redesign the Millennium Falcon which dimensions would the Falcon have? Would the vehicle be completely "new" or would you re-use parts from the POTF2-vehicle? What could fans expect for a given price, say $ 150,00, electronics, one or more added figures? (4".de, 01/18/08) (http://www.4-inches.de/inhalt/home.htm)

We will not be taking any questions on the Millenium Falcon.

The Sith Apprentice Evolution Set was recently be announced. Is this the set you mentioned as you said there would be a character based evolution set or is this another just unannounced set? With the Sith Apprentice Set there are 7 resulting evolution sets including the 3 repack sets by now that will be released during 2008. Will there be a few more evolution sets on the radar for 2008? (4".de, 01/18/08) (http://www.4-inches.de/inhalt/home.htm)

Yes, we alluded to The Force Unleashed Evolution set previously, but could not announce it official until after the new year. You are correct in your totals. We can also confirm that there *will* be additional Evolution sets in Fall 2008 as the line will continue throughout the year. Details on those sets will be made available around Toy Fair or at later conventions.

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AF

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A couple of online shops have shown the new Hoth Speederbike set. Will we be seeing more of these (I'm going to make up a new phrase here) "Extended" Universe type sets in the near future? (BB, 01/18/08) (http://www.bobasbounty.net/)

That's the only non-entertainment battle pack planned for now.  We have been looking at those images for some time and looking for the opportunity to do that one.  We can confirm that it will NOT be shipping in Spring under our 87503, but it will show up under a new asst later in Fall.  Fans will have to wait a bit longer for it, but it will be worth the wait.

I recently discovered I still had my old Droid Factory Playset.   Is there any chance of an updated version?  Or a build your own Astromech type set? (BB, 01/18/08) (http://www.bobasbounty.net/)

Well that's a very interesting question.  While there are no plans for playsets in Star Wars, the play pattern you describe would be fun.  Stay tuned….

So, you guys are now going to be making the FX Lightsabers (previously made by Master Replicas).   Will be seeing new characters/versions or will you focus on unmade sabers?   Will your pricepoints be in line with MR or lower due to your manufacturing capabilities? (BB, 01/18/08) (http://www.bobasbounty.net/)

We are very excited to be continuing this great line. Our initial plan is to continue the existing product line, and eventually look at additional opportunities whether that be new/unproduced charecters or additional FX products.  We have not announced pricing yet, but we do not anticipate a change from the marketplace as it exists today.

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Why can't Hasbro get the Battle Droid plastic back to the quality of the Episode I Battle Droids? Every single Battle Droid since the (Power of the Jedi) Boomer Damage Battle Droid has been made of fairly soft and extremely unsuitable plastic. The legs warp, the hands are too soft to hold weapons, etc. Is there too much plasticizer in the mix? Is the plastic just too thin? What's the issue behind the scenes that is making our favorite killing machines so limp and listless? (GH, 01/18/08) (http://www.galactichunter.com/absolutenm/templates/full_article_template_1.asp?articleid=6977&zoneid=2)

The issue is with the design.  To be as accurate to the droid design, some of our figures were made with very thin legs. Because of this, the specific plasticity cannot be too hard or we risk breakage and sharp points hazards.  Even when we ask the factory to be vigilant, it is still difficult to control such a fine line with thin parts.  We are aware of the problem, and are taking it into account in designs for the next generations of droids.

Now that art of Darth Plagueis has been revealed is there a better chance of us getting a figure of him, possibly in the next two years? (GH, 01/18/08) (http://www.galactichunter.com/absolutenm/templates/full_article_template_1.asp?articleid=6977&zoneid=2)

At one time, he was high on our wish-list but because of lack of reference, we were asked to put him aside and he slipped down the list. Now that there is certainly more "news," we will revisit the opportunity. It won't be for a while though… but the chances of seeing him come out some day are pretty good.

Hasbro and Target's exclusive Ultimate Battle Packs were a tremendous holiday gift success. What are the odds that we'll see more of this concept in 2008 applied to the likes of Jabba's Palace, the Cantina, or even the Carbon Freezing Chamber where Hasbro can mix excellent heroes with obscure aliens/troops to please both kids and collectors? (GH, 01/18/08) (http://www.galactichunter.com/absolutenm/templates/full_article_template_1.asp?articleid=6977&zoneid=2)

We hope that this format will continue in 2008 and beyond, matching up the right retail opportunity with the right theme. Your suggestions are very cool and may or may not be close to some of our own ideas. For now, though, we're going to keep specifics of our own top concepts close to the vest.

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In the answers to the 12/21 Q&A, someone asked about Obi-Wan and a tractor beam console accessory in the basic line, to which you replied something like "it is not a possibility in the basic line." However, you already have the makings of a great ultimate battle pack with 2 of the 25th anniversary doorways (that had Luke & Leia in the chasm swing), create the complete tractor beam console, and then add the best Luke w/stormtrooper belt, Leia, Obi-Wan, and a few stormtroopers. Would something like this be a possiblity and something Hasbro would be interested in creating? (IS, 01/18/08)* (http://imperialshipyards.net/hangarbay/modules.php?name=Forums&file=viewtopic&p=2675&highlight=#2675)

What you have outlined is something we could do, but it would still cost a considerable amount and we would have to be convinced that it is something that kids would want as well, and that has been the sticking point with playsets - kids don't want them like they used to, and the costs for development/materials/labor is very high.

Can we expect a new SA correct scale General Grievous in the Clone Wars Line this year, or perhaps a true V-wing pilot? (IS, 01/18/08)* (http://imperialshipyards.net/hangarbay/modules.php?name=Forums&file=viewtopic&p=2675&highlight=#2675)

It is to early to announce anything specific regarding specific Clone Wars. Announcements will be made at Toy Fair. As for a V-Wing, there are no plans right now to bring out a true V-Wing Pilot, but that is something we are looking at for the longer term.

Hasbro, what are your thoughts of adding interchangable heads as pack-ins for figures like imperial officers. I would think by doing this you could increase sales as it would be an easy way to be able to swap heads with other figures, thus creating your own figure. (IS, 01/18/08)* (http://imperialshipyards.net/hangarbay/modules.php?name=Forums&file=viewtopic&p=2675&highlight=#2675)

We have no plans to do this. We think that most collectors would want to showcase the range of heads on shelf anyway, so if we go to the effort of making extra heads, we would offer them as complete figures.

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Every year, you manage to knock off one or two figures from the “original Kenner figures yet-to-be-remade" list. Of the figures that are left (see the list below), who has the best chance of making it to the pegs in 2008? Will we see more than one of these in 2008? (JD, 01/18/08) (http://www.jedidefender.com/newspro/fullnews.cgi?newsid1200942870,65901,)

- Death Squad Commander
- Imperial Commander (Black Tunic)
- Lumat
- Warok
- Klaatu (Jabba's Palace)
- Lars Family Power Droid
- Sim Aloo (Imperial Dignitary)
- Vintage Style Nikto
- Vintage Style Barada (Kithaba)
- Bespin Guard (Black)


Actually, in 2008 you will not see any of these. There are some of these on the 2009 list (which is still subject to change of course), but it will take a little longer than you'd like. But trust us, there is much OTC goodness to come in 2008.

Many different pictures of a blue Force Unleashed Stormtrooper Commander have been leaking out over the last few weeks. He doesn't seem to have any wave or number attached to him though. Is he going to be an exclusive of some sort, or will he show up in a second TFU wave that we haven't seen or heard of yet? (JD, 01/18/08) (http://www.jedidefender.com/newspro/fullnews.cgi?newsid1200942870,65901,)

We can’t give you any more detail on this other than the fact that he is not in a mainline assortment (hence the numbering). The actual details are still under wraps and will be revealed closer to the launch date for the game. All of our other mainline TFU sets will still ship on our original schedule, though.

OK, hypothetical question: Let's say that this spring, I were to walk into my favorite bulls-eye themed retailer. What are the chances that I might find another wave of exclusive two-packs featuring a Jedi and a Clone? I mean, I might have seen a rumor list on the subject, and I might have seen a few (more like 7) of the rumored figures on eBay already. So, would the chances be pretty good then? Since you usually don't talk about exclusives at Toy Fair, can you say anything now? (JD, 01/18/08) (http://www.jedidefender.com/newspro/fullnews.cgi?newsid1200942870,65901,)

There will indeed be a sequel to Order 66, comprised of six more sets that will be exclusive for Target. We have tried to make most of the Jedi in this series as new as possible, tooling up at least wholly new figure and parts of others. The plan is to be on shelf the beginning of April.

Sets include:
- #1: Obi-Wan Kenobi & Arc Trooper Commander (red deco)
- #2: Anakin Skywalker & ARC Trooper (blue deco)
- #3 Tsui Choi (new figure) & BARC Trooper
- #4 Emperor Palpatine & Commander Vill
- #5 Luminara Unduli & AT-RT Driver
- #6 Master Sev (new head sculpt) & ARC Trooper (yellow deco).


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What can you tell us about "Captain Rex"? We hear he is going to be a mail-away figure this year. Who is he, what role in Clone Wars does he play and what does he look like? (JI, 01/18/08) (http://jediinsider.com/index.php?catid=8&itemid=10862)

All good questions which will be revealed in time. We will say that he is a central figure in the new Clone Wars series, and that there will be a special promotion so fans can get him first.

Will Star Wars/Transformers continue in 2008 and if so, any hints as to what we might see? (JI, 01/18/08) (http://jediinsider.com/index.php?catid=8&itemid=10862)

You bet. Up next are a pair of redeco/slight retools for this Spring, including a maroon Obi-Wan/Episode II Starfighter with hyperspace ring and Clone Pilot/Clone Wars Republic Gunship.

Any chance of seeing playsets or any large vehicles released in 2008? If so, can you give us some hints as to what they might be? (JI, 01/18/08) (http://jediinsider.com/index.php?catid=8&itemid=10862)

Regarding playsets, our stance has not changed..kid demand is still low for playsets, and they do not justify the extraordinary cost to develop and produce. Our focus will remain on vehicles as the natural extension of the 3-3/4" figure play pattern. There will be a "big" announcement at Toy Fair regarding a new vehicle for Clone Wars....stay tuned.

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Obviously there's so many connections between Star Wars and Indiana Jones including the fact that you're working on both products lines. Consequently, will we see any cross over products this year, maybe even a Harrison Ford Evolutions set or will there be anything else? (JN.co.uk, 01/18/08) (http://www.jedinews.co.uk/news/news.aspx?newsID=830)

Right now, on both properties, the focus has been on the characters rather than the "men behind the masks" as it were.  It's doubtful that we would do something like that, but if there was one actor where it made sense, it's with Harrison Ford.  We won't rule it out, but right now we just aren't focused there.

You've already let us know that there'll be about 53 figures in then basic line next year and that Legends will continue with the additional wave of 5 figures that you let us vote for last year.  Can you let us know roughly how many figures we'll see in the Clone Wars line so we can work out how many single carded figures we can expect to see this year (also in which month will the Clone Wars figures be available)? (JN.co.uk, 01/18/08) (http://www.jedinews.co.uk/news/news.aspx?newsID=830)

All of the information about Clone Wars will be made available at Toy Fair in February, James - so it's too early to release any specific detail.

As normal the UK Toy Fair takes place before the US Toy Fair.  Will the UK have to wait until the US Toy Fair to see the big Star Wars reveal or will we get to see some (if not all) of the new products at the UK Toy Fair first? (JN.co.uk, 01/18/08) (http://www.jedinews.co.uk/news/news.aspx?newsID=830)

Some product news will undoubtedly be released at the UK Toy Fair and Nuremburg, but we are holding most of the new product news, and details, for NY Toy Fair.

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First of all, thank you for making the 30th anniversary of STAR WARS a year to remember. Not only did you make some of the best figures ever but, for me anyway, you made the collecting FUN. Anticipating the different waves and then tracking them down, only to find my favorite characters done so well was rewarding. Wave 5 was my favorite by a long shot. Which brings me to my question.
After Reven, Malak and the new evolutions sets with Mandalore and Nihilus, will Hasbro be continuing with any KOTOR figures? Basic figures in waves or more in multipacks? You seem to have covered the main sith/bad guys but we need some lightsiders to fight against. Or Does Hasbro think the good guys will not sell as well? Once again keep up the bloody good work mates! (MD, 01/18/08) (http://mousedroid.com/hasbro/index.html)

Thanks for the nice comments, Luke. We are glad you have enjoyed the 30th Anniversary collection as much as we have in bringing it to you.

Right now, we don't have plans to do any more for KOTOR characters for a while. It doesn't mean we won't come back to KOTOR again, especially if favorites rise to the top to the next time we do a fans' choice type of poll. After all, Revan and Malak were on there because *you* the fans voted for them in the Toy Fare / wizardworld.com poll, so without your voice it is likely that they would not have come out at all. So keep the flame alive for your KOTOR favorites and be sure to let your voice be heard next time there is an opportunity.


The 30th Anniversary has been a major success both here and abroad. Thank you for listening to the fans in regards to and allowing us to vote on the various websites for the Fan Choice Figure!!! Now as we move into Expanded Universe territory with The Force Unleashed, the soon to be CG cartoon Clone Wars and of course the various novels available etc, etc. My question is.....Will Hasbro EVER make the evil Yuzhan Vong figure from the New Jedi Order series of novels???? (MD, 01/18/08) (http://mousedroid.com/hasbro/index.html)

We have some good news for you - we can indeed confirm that a Yuzhan Vong is in fact in development, but when and how it will be introduced (as a basic figure or as a multi-pack) has yet to be announced. Look for more information around Comic Con timing if all goes as planned..

Recently I purchased a couple of your "New" Destroyer Droids with Shield "effect". Firstly, I think the figure looks great with the blast "effects" on their guns. My problem, and the problem I hear a lot of other people have with the figure, is the Shield itself. The first part of the problem is when you join 2 halves together, the Destroyer Droid does not quite fit inside.

The second part of the problem is the color of the shield. It just does not seem translucent enough. In the films, you can clearly see the Droid inside the shield. With your "effect", if you're able to get a droid inside, you cannot see it. I'm going to assume that there is no chance of you redoing the Shield (making it bigger), but if you ever decided to re-release the figure down the road (either as a single carded figure on in a multipack) would you consider making it a little more translucent, with a blue tinge of course? (MD, 01/18/08) (http://mousedroid.com/hasbro/index.html)

Commander, the size was based on the need to really get the packaging down to the minimum. It takes a little work, but we have found that the droids can fit without a problem if you are patient.

Regarding the color….this was an unavoidable consequence of needing to hide the "ugly" aspect of the method that was required to join the halves - the pins and sockets. If we made the shield more translucent, the effect would have been ruined by seeing the pins. There just wasn't a good way to accomplish the translucency, so the relative opacity gave it the best overall toy-like look. At the end of the day, it was one of those things we tried, and learned a bit about in the process that can influence what we do in the future. Right now, we don't have plans to re-release the shield or make it larger, though that is always subject to change.


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We know that the 7 figures from The Force Unleashed were delayed and were rescheduled to the 2008 line, but what about the coins that were planned for these figures? Was development of these coins far enough along that you could still make them? If so, are there any plans to make them available, perhaps as an exclusive or a mail-in promotion? (RS, 01/18/08) (http://www.rebelscum.com/story/front/Hasbros_46th_STAR_WARS_QA_The_Answers_111645.asp)

The coins were far along and could be produced, but we don't have plans to since we "replaced" their numbers in the system with what became Wave 7.5.

Three words: More Female Figures!

Okay, more words: While we love Clones, Jedi, Droids, multiple versions of Vader/Anakin/Obi-Wan/Luke/Yoda, how about some more female figures? Not just Leia or Padmé, either! There's a lot of females in the Star Wars saga who never seem to get their day. Any chances we will see someone like Aunt Beru, Toryn Farr, or dare we say it?---Yarna? (RS, 01/18/08) (http://www.rebelscum.com/story/front/Hasbros_46th_STAR_WARS_QA_The_Answers_111645.asp)

Yes! A few more females are on the way, with at least one of your list seeing shelves in 2008, and at least one more planned (but subject to change) for 2009.

Will we ever see a SA sculpt Gray Coruscant Clone Trooper? The sculpt used on the one packed in the "Clone Attack on Coruscant" battle pack isn't the best, and I really think this figure deserves to be upgraded. After all, it is actually IN the movie, whereas other clones that have gotten the SA treatment were not (442nd, 5th Fleet, etc.). (RS, 01/18/08) (http://www.rebelscum.com/story/front/Hasbros_46th_STAR_WARS_QA_The_Answers_111645.asp)

The clone in the Clone Attack on Coruscant battle pack is for all intents the Clone Commander from Clone Trooper-to-Stormtrooper Evolutions set with some slight deco changes and interchangeable belts. So...we considered the figure to be SA to begin with (aside from waist articulation). You make a good point that this paint scheme can be used on our other SA clone body at some point, and this would be a very good candidate for a future Saga Legends-type figure down the road.

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Any chance of bringing forward that one vehicle that hasn't been out in the new line, the Twin Pod Cloud Car? (RTM, 01/18/08) (http://www.toymania.com/news/messages/9954.shtml)

While there is a possibility we will update it in the future, the Cloud Car is much farther down on our list than other choices. It suffers a bit being not a very aggressive looking vehicle, and not that cool among among kids. It also seems to be one of the most abundant vintage vehicle and can be had very inexpensively, so we just haven't felt compelled to devote a slot to it yet...

Any chance of seeing Droid based Star Wars Transformers, like an R2-D2 or C-3PO that convert into something? (RTM, 01/18/08) (http://www.toymania.com/news/messages/9954.shtml)

It's a matter of size, character expression, and natural fit between the modes. First, R2-D2 and C-3PO are already robots (well, droids). Generally, Star Wars Transformers make sense in the film context with their character tying into vehicles with which they are associated and there aren't any good ties with the droids and vehicles that are compelling (other than perhaps R2-D2 and a Starfighter). In addition, while R2-D2 would be our first choice, a robot mode for him have to change his silhouette significantly and would not really deliver on R2 that we know and love. That's why the humanoid characters work the best.
 
Are there any figures you completely under-estimated the demand for before it was released? (RTM, 01/18/08) (http://www.toymania.com/news/messages/9954.shtml)

Absolutely. During Episode III, we completely underestimated the sheer number of Darth Vaders we would need due to the sheer number of kids that wanted to get perhaps the most iconic movie character of all time. Of course, Episode III exceeded our wildest expectations for the number of kids who "had to have" Star Wars, so that's a great "problem" to have that has continued to this day.

In fact, little known fact, to this day Vader has been the only character we have ever "solid-packed" in basic figure master cartons to keep up demand! That's right, during 2005, there were entire cases of Vaders being put out on shelf - you may not have noticed it because they would sell down quickly. In addition, the factories were working feverishly to keep up with increased demand on R2-D2 and Obi-Wan. Kid demand for these three remain at huge levels today, which is why we always keep them in rotation. There are also some figures that have chased more reently as well. Most notable were Commander Cody and Scorch in 2006, and McQuarrie Boba Fett this last year.


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SSG

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In the Battlefront packs, why were stands included with the droids but not with the Clones? And while I'm on the subject, why were there only 5? You put 7 droids in the pack, yet only 5 stands. And I realize that the Destroyer Driod has no pegholes to use a stand, but you included stands with R2-D2 and R5-D4 in the SAGA Collection and they have no pegholes either. (ST, 01/18/08) (http://www.sandtroopers.com/smf/index.php?topic=5183.msg163962#msg163962)

Well, you caught us doing something a "little extra" at the very last minute because, well, we could.  There were a few pennies to work with on the droid set, so the designer snuck in some extra bases, as many as he could afford.  There wan't room in the cost to include them with the Clone set, so the Droids were the lucky recipients.

Do you have any plans to upgrade the plastic used to manufacture some of the parts for the figures? A lot of weapons and droid arms and legs are made with a plastic that is so soft that it usually bends beyond repair just removing the figures from the packages. Why do you need to use so many of those clear rubber bands? (ST, 01/18/08) (http://www.sandtroopers.com/smf/index.php?topic=5183.msg163962#msg163962)

To address your first question, we have been asking for more rigid weapons when possible, but there are some caveats to consider.  In the interest of conserving resources and managing costs, we allow our vendors to reuse unused or scrapped plastic components at times.  This reworked plastic, or "regrind", is often used for black parts since black will mask any previous colors thrown into the mix.  Since our accessories are black, sometimes they are shot with the reused components.  Also, with each heating/melting cycle, the plastic loses some stiffness, so that is why there is sometimes a range of stiffness on parts.  Long answer to a short question!   On your second point, we have really striven to pack out our characters in the most dynamic poses possible to showcase the characters and bring out sets to life.  The clear rubber bands have been the cost effective, and we feel most aesthetically pleasing, solution to this challenge.  Alternatives, like wire ties, are more costly and consume more resources.  At times, in order to make sure that nothing slips in transit, there may be a few more bands than seems necessary, but we really try to keep things to a minimum.

Do you think that re-issuing some of the Vintage style figures and previous excluisves via the Legends line will hurt the sale of these types of figures going forward? Vintage style go for anywhere from $10 - $13 depending on where they are purchased, and exclusives can go for more than that. Why should collectors who only want the figure - openers, who are going to remove the figures from the packages and throw the cardboard away - shell out that kind of money when there's a chance that a year or two later the figures will be re-issued on a regular cardback at stores for $7 (like the 07 Boba Fett and Biker Scout)? (ST, 01/18/08) (http://www.sandtroopers.com/smf/index.php?topic=5183.msg163962#msg163962)

It will not harm out future strategy, in part because that strategy will need to change and evolve.  So before we answer specifically, we need to provide some thinking on Vintage as we have seen it to exist the last few years.  We have already been looking at all aspects and challenges of carrying vintage forward as an ongoing assortment with the "original" definition - that is, an all-new, premium OTC-dedicated format that can command a higher price several dollars above basic figure prices.  Since many of our basic figures now are at or near vintage-quality, and the stable of real strong versions of core OTC characters to anchor future vintage waves is getting thin, we just don't feel the future is there for Vintage as we have been bringing it out.  When we come out with vintage next, we'll be looking at all aspects to try and solve the needs of collectors, understanding that packaging, articulation & character selection are all important components of making a compelling line.  This is why we have done polling both at conventions and online to try and get collector input on the issue facing us, and that has been a big help.  So back to your original question, we think using our library of great figure in either Saga Legends of other venues (battle packs, comic packs, exclusives) where it makes sense to deliver our best offering and provided high-demand characters to collectors.

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In 2008 will Hasbro's Star Wars toy production and distribution take a backseat to Indiana Jones, or some other film-based toys, just as it did in 2007 to Transformers and Spiderman 3? (ST/"TJ", 01/18/08) (http://www.sandtroopers.com/smf/index.php?topic=8437.msg163964#msg163964)

No, nor did it in 2007.  We encourage you to another look back at what we have been able to bring to fans in terms of breadth and depth, the number of new things we have been trying and bringing out, and Star Wars performance as one of the top boys brands last year, and we think you'll agree that we are more devoted than ever to making sure that we maintain our connection to collectors and kids.

Do you have any plans to go beyond the first two waves of "The Force Unleashed" figures? Now that the case breakdowns have been released by Entertainment Earth and StarWarsShop.com it looks as if there is only 1 of each figure in each case. Any chance that we can get solid TFU case packs as revisions? Or maybe have these figures slotted back in somewhere else down the line? (ST/"TJ", 01/18/08) (http://www.sandtroopers.com/smf/index.php?topic=8437.msg163964#msg163964)

The waves that will go to mass retailers will have 1 each of the TFU characters due to capacity constraints.  There is a plan to get the figures that will have higher demand - such as Vader and the two troopers, possibly the Shadow Guard, into the line eventually.  There is at least one case pack ration that has been developed for Internet accounts that has the three army-builders double-packed (plus two Kashyyyk Troopers)..ask your online retailer for information on that case ratio if that suits your needs.

First, I would like to thank you for including Darth Revan and Darth Malak in the 2007 lineup. As I'm sure the whole Star Wars team at Hasbro is aware, characters from the Old Republic era are still some of the most popular EU characters today, even among fans, who like myself, have never played either of the games or read any of the comics.  So my question is, besides the Old Republic characters included in the 2008 Evolutions sets, will there be any more KOTOR figures in 2008 from either the comics or the games? (ST/"TJ", 01/18/08) (http://www.sandtroopers.com/smf/index.php?topic=8437.msg163964#msg163964)

Right now, we do not have plans for more KOTOR characters in 2008, but that doesn't mean we won't go back to KOTOR (games or comics) in the future, and are looking at opportunities.

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With Battle Packs such as the Bantha and Tusken Raiders out this year, is there any chance that a similar pack containing a Dewback and Sandtroopers will be released anytime soon? (SWC, 01/18/08) (http://www.swcollector.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=57&t=1227)

There is a possibility that we would do this within the next couple of years, but at this stage nothing has been confirmed. It remains one of those strong possibilities given the right opportunity and resources.

For future Clone Troopers with removable helmets, has there been any consideration to make both the phase 1 and phase 2 helmets for the same figure as accessories? Basically, the helmets are the only thing different about them, so it sounds like a fun idea. (SWC, 01/18/08) (http://www.swcollector.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=57&t=1227)

We don't have any plans for "generic" clones right now. Our strategy has been to make them as scene (movie, and even EU) specific as possible to tell the best story in packaging and graphics. If and when we ever do generic trooper packs, what you suggest is an interesting idea.

Are there any plans to release a Clone Swamp Speeder from "Revenge of the Sith" in the 3 3/4" scale? It seems like a nice vehicle for the $20.00 line. (SWC, 01/18/08) (http://www.swcollector.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=57&t=1227)

This vehicle has been near the top of the list numerous times, but keeps getting bumped in favor of some other ideas. As it is a true on-screen vehicle from Episode III, there is a strong likelihood it will see glory sometime down the road. With the vehicles we have in the pipeline, though, we think you'll be plenty happy waiting in the meantime.

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Most collectors have now seen the intial wave of Indiana Jones figures on StarWarsShop.com. What's the rationale behind not revealing the full case assortment (there are 'mystery' figures), when we all know the characters you aren't showing us because they were previewed at Comic Con last year? (TPU, 01/18/08) (http://www.theprivateuniverse.co.uk/cgi-bin/showarticle.pl?section=news&articleid=2496)

Actually, we have not revealed any characters from Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, which are shipping in each case pack alongside the classic figures.  Details on the full lineup will be revealed at Toy Fair - stay tuned!

The new Hoth Patrol battle (cold weather scouts on speeder bikes) pack looks awesome... almost. Why do you persist in using vertical handlebars when you have a movie-accurate horizontal tooling?  You've gone to the trouble of kit-bashing an awesome new trooper for the pack, any chance we'll see the minor handlebar revision before release - thereby making it a home run? (TPU, 01/18/08) (http://www.theprivateuniverse.co.uk/cgi-bin/showarticle.pl?section=news&articleid=2496)

We use tools that are available to us at the vendor we are working wiith us on this pack. We will look what is possible for this one, and whether a change at this point is possible.

Wave 8 (McQuarrie Rebel Concept, Voolif Monn etc) of the TAC line has yet to reach retailers in the UK - any idea when it'll be arriving? (TPU, 01/18/08) (http://www.theprivateuniverse.co.uk/cgi-bin/showarticle.pl?section=news&articleid=2496)

We have been assured that figures are coming, and should be out around Feb/March.

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YF

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I really enjoyed the Target exclusive Hoth and Endor Battle Packs that came out this winter. They were an excellent mix of retooled and repainted figures and vehicles and the excellent packaging makes for a great display piece. I'm curious why didn't the Endor set come with the Bunker from the mid-90's and will we see this format again - preferably with Jabba's Skiff hovering over a diorama of the Sarlaac pit? (YN, 01/18/08) (http://www.yodasnews.com/)

We felt that the Speeder Bikes added the play value we were looking for, so we decided to pass on the bunker in favor of that. We simply could not afford to put it in without sacrificing the figure quantity either. Based on the warm reception to these sets, we are optimistic that we will be able to bring more out, but as always is subject to costing, timing, and tooling availability to make it work. The one you mention would make a great display, no doubt about it, but would require a much larger tooling budget that we could probably bear.

Are there any plans in the coming months for Hasbro to release play sets? Something like the old sets, Cantina, Death Star and so forth? Also, what is the word on the new Order 66? We have seen pictures of possible clones from these new set, so can you confirm them and when can we expect them? (YN, 01/18/08) (http://www.yodasnews.com/)

There are no plans to release any play sets. There will indeed be a sequel to Order 66, comprised of six more sets that will be exclusive for Target. We have tried to make most of the Jedi in this series as new as possible, tooling up at least wholly new figure and parts of others. The plan is to be on shelf the beginning of April. Sets include #1: Obi-Wan Kenobi & Arc Trooper Commander (red deco); #2: Anakin Skywalker & ARC Trooper (blue deco); #3 Tsui Choi (new figure) & BARC Trooper; #4 (Emperor Palpatine & Commander Vill; #5 Luminara Unduli & AT-RT Driver; and #6 Master Sev (new head sculpt) & ARC Trooper (yellow deco).

The modern vintage line’s future uncertain mainly due to costs at retail, and the fact that regular figures have caught up to the quality of the modern vintage. Why not have a parallel line like you did with TAC and saga legends? You can have equality in figure quality, and this line can hose the vintage style cards, this can bring the entire vintage card back line to the market with parallel pricing, or maybe a simply $1 more if justified by costs. (YN, 01/18/08) (http://www.yodasnews.com/)

We have thought about this, but unfortunately there are several key barriers to doing this that relate to retail and our own productivity, including the figure count we would need to devote to this to keep it fresh (which would pull from the main figure assortment). Also, having vintage as a "permanent" figure stripe does not meet with out need to have a very consistent, uniform line look at retail. This strategy worked in Fall '04 when the line look was black & silver, but this year and beyond it would not fit. We love vintage and the great tie back to the roots of the line, and there are high odds of it coming back again (and again), but there are just challenges with resources and timing. We will get to it before too long, though.
Title: Re: The Hasbro Q & A Compendium
Post by: Matt on February 1, 2008, 11:52 PM
Session 46 - February 1, 2008

For a long time I'd wish a Mantellian Savrip figure for the 3 3/4'' line (the one from Episode IV). That figure doesn't need to be thus large as "Wookieepedia" characterizes (just 4 meters), the size of Hermi Odle would fit. Perhaps the figure could be released in two versions, a solid one and at some time later as a transparent holo-figure. And maybe some times later it could be possible to release the other Dejarik Hologame figures as well. How do you think about that? (4".de, 02/01/08) (http://www.4-inches.de/inhalt/home.htm)

     Ah, yes. Dejarik figures. Something we have discussed is how, if ever, to do figures of the great holochess "characters." One thing that would make it easier is if the species actually appeared elsewhere in the Star Wars universe in "real scale" and not just as miniatures. This is the case with the Mantellian Savrip, which has appeared in comics, but still not in a significant enough role for us to commit to doing this huge fella in the near future. Time will tell whether we can get to him (or others) in 3-3/4" form, but they are a lower priority right now.

I have a question about these "yellow boots". A thing that bothers me again and again is: Why do all these Stormtroopers, Clone Troopers and Biker Scouts that get a painting-upgrade only have those ugly yellow or brown discoloration at their boots and only at their boots? It doesn't matter if they have a mission on Tatooine, Hoth, Endor or at a starship like the Tantive IV: all over there it only seems to be brown or yellow dirt. How could this be? If Hasbro do have too much color left over why don't you use another color as green or like a restrained grey or do apply some black scratches over the figure and not only at the figures boots? (4".de, 02/01/08) (http://www.4-inches.de/inhalt/home.htm)

     The boots are tricky. We do try for variety, and occasionally there are unintended hue results, for example sometimes we have done browns (ie Geonosis), but when lightly painted they look a little red. Other times tans (ie Tatooine) but they sometimes come off looking yellow. We have also done some green drybrushing for Kashyyyk, as well as some gray weathering. Sometimes we do specify a figure for repaint, but don’t change the deco patterns, just the coloration, and leave the boots.

By realizing some of the former Saga 2002-2004 figures Hasbro didn'd do a great job for some figure sizing, especially for Taun We and Bail Organa. Compared with Lama Su the Taun We figure is much too small and Bail Organa (AOTC) is alike too small compared with its counterpart figure from ROTS. Does Hasbro see a chance to revise these figures one given time? After all the Episodes I and II are quite under-represented over the last few years. It would be time for a few more figures from these Episodes, don't you think so? (4".de, 02/01/08) (http://www.4-inches.de/inhalt/home.htm)

     You will see more of a focus for Episode I & II, starting with the early waves of the 2009 basic figure lineup. It is unlikely, though, that we would go back and update some of the more obscure characters when we have upgrades planned for major characters or turn our attention to as-yet-unproduced figures. Given the great years ahead of us on Star Wars, though, anything is possible.

When do the Sandtroopers get some other type of weapons, that are seen in the film? There are in fact quite a lot more weapons that could accompany further Sandtrooper Versions, Repaints or Repacks not only the big thick blaster rifle or the E-11 BlasTech imperial standard weapon. Equipped with some shoulder pauldron variants, belts or backpacks one could recreate some more nice variants of that cool trooper (i.e. like the "new head" Imperial Officer figures). (4".de, 02/01/08) (http://www.4-inches.de/inhalt/home.htm)

     We have found the differences on these weapons to be pretty small ourselves, but will look again to see what variety exists. If the opportunity is there to offer something different, we'll look at it next time we do something Sandtroopers.
 
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Although Hasbro has stated that plants aren't high on the potential accessory list, Hasbro's also shown interest in completing the cantina scene. With that in mind and the increased focus on producing figures of concept art, has there been any consideration of doing a figure of the plantlike Revwien alien developed for the cantina scene, maybe as an accessory or pack-in figure due to its unique design? Would he/she/it be given a proper name? (AF, 02/01/08) (http://www.actionfigs.com/index.php?categoryid=12&p2_articleid=1916)

     That's an interesting suggestion, and we'll take a look when the time is right. Since it is based on a cut scene, and pretty funky/obscure one, we wouldn't offer too much hope on this one though.

Since Hasbro has just stated that it is unlikely that RA-7, Oola, BoShek and Takeel will ever be updated, is it likely that they will be re-released in the forseeable future with new/better paint jobs? And how about doing an Original trilogy version of Sy Snootles with the puppet's smaller eyes, perhaps even with the tusks and the feather hat and microphone - how likely is that? (AF, 02/01/08) (http://www.actionfigs.com/index.php?categoryid=12&p2_articleid=1916)

     It is certainly possible that they could be re-released at some point. We have looked at Oola a number of times, for instance, but just couldn't fit her into the lineup. We'll consider it when the opportunity presents itself.

The idea of having 2 Battle Droids on a single basic card is a good one, as it lets fans build up armies quickly and cheaply. However, the Saga Legends Battle Droid 2packs feature very distinct-looking droids - the first set has a Commander, and the others all have battle damage - resulting in droids not suited for army-building due to identical markings. Will future versions of this 2pack be released in "clean" versions for more army-building potential? In the same vein, will this set ever be retooled to allow the droids to hold the blaster with both hands as the movies consistently showed them, and a few previous figures emulated? (AF, 02/01/08) (http://www.actionfigs.com/index.php?categoryid=12&p2_articleid=1916)

We are essentially done with the Battle Droid 2-packs in the Saga Legends assortment, so no further deco changes or retooling will be done. It is unlikely that any "new" Battle Droids will continue to be offered in 2-packs, though. We will if we can afford them, but that may not always be possible. However, your comment on "clean" deco is a very good one and we will look at that next time we release.

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Is the LucasArts delay in releasing The Force Unleashed going to effect your plans to release figures/toys based on the game?  (Mainly Release Timeline...) (BB, 02/01/08) (http://www.bobasbounty.net/)

     With one exception (a figure that we have not announced yet) everything tied to The Force Unleashed will be going out as scheduled

I've heard rumors about more vehicles for the Galactic Heroes line this year.   Any comments? (BB, 02/01/08) (http://www.bobasbounty.net/)

     That is certainly an interesting rumor, and not unexpected given our assertions at Comic Con that vehicles will play a bigger role in Galactic Heroes, starting with last Fall's exclusive releases.  Look for some "new" news at Toy Fair this year on what the future holds for Galactic Heroes rides.

Overall, you guys do a great job with the sculpts on the figures. But occasionally, Luke doesn't look like Luke, or Leia like Leia.   Who is the hardest of the characters to get the sculpt correct on? (BB, 02/01/08) (http://www.bobasbounty.net/)

     Any human with distinctive characteristics is difficult to replicate exactly right in 3-3/4" and variation is expected from the sculpts that we do send, related to the nuances of casting, tooling, and even factors like the size of the neck post, etc.  The more figures we do of a particular character, the more difficult it is to stay true to a "standard" because of these factors.  So based on the number of Luke's we've done, he is probably the answer to your question.

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We had the rather unexpected Father's Day figure set last year, so are there any holiday-themed figures in the pipeline for 2008? (GH, 02/01/08) (http://www.galactichunter.com/absolutenm/templates/full_article_template_1.asp?articleid=7006&zoneid=2)

     We are looking at a little something something, but it will not be 3¾" focused.  Stay tuned!

Now that HasbroToyShop.com has really gained its footing, is there any chance we'll see the e-tailer tear a page from other licensees to solicit and create limited-run, made-to-order, collector-oriented pieces? (GH, 02/01/08) (http://www.galactichunter.com/absolutenm/templates/full_article_template_1.asp?articleid=7006&zoneid=2)

     Yes, and the recent Cloverfield announcement goes right to heart of your question.  Although "made to order" is not in the cards, things like the FX Saber business and Cloverfield are the types of more premium expressions that we could be doing with HasbroToyShop.

Jar Jar Binks: Wesa wunderin if any Gungans (especialitly Jar Jar Binks) issa gettin' out on da shelf for da Clone Wars? Wesa figure dissa de only chance wesa be seein' Gungans in 2008. What say yousa? (GH, 02/01/08) (http://www.galactichunter.com/absolutenm/templates/full_article_template_1.asp?articleid=7006&zoneid=2)

     Time will tell what, if any, role Gungans will be playing in Clone Wars. If they (or other alien species) play a prominent role in the animation, we will be looking to capture the excitement of this fascinating species in the lineup.

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Imperial Shipyards (not participating this session)

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OK, we've seen the new pics of the "shadow" EU coins coming with a few of the Legends figures in 2008. What we haven't seen yet is a picture of a figure with a silver EU Coin. Previously you had mentioned plans for one. Will there still be a silver EU coin or were those plans changed in favor of the shadow coin idea? (JD, 02/01/08) (http://www.jedidefender.com/newspro/fullnews.cgi?newsid1201907506,2432,)

     Neither, actually. We decided to pursue "shadow" coins for the two Shadow troopers (Storm and Clone), but due to the tight timing, the factory ran the Dark trooper coin (which is gold) to pack in with the Covert Ops Trooper. So right now, there will be no silver EU coin - only gold and black.

Let's pretend that you were planning to re-issue the B-Wing Starfighter as say, oh I don't know, a TRU exclusive this year. Would you include a new human pilot figure with the hypothetical ship or would you just re-pack the Sullustan B-Wing Pilot from the previous releases? (JD, 02/01/08) (http://www.jedidefender.com/newspro/fullnews.cgi?newsid1201907506,2432,)

     Hypothetically, there would be specific reasons why we would *not* want to do a Sullustan and do something else instead.

And our monthly Indy question - Toht. We've seen the new figures for Indy, Sallah, Belloq, Marion, and the rest of the Raiders gang, but no sign of Toht yet. Can we expect to see the creepy man in black in 2008? (JD, 02/01/08) (http://www.jedidefender.com/newspro/fullnews.cgi?newsid1201907506,2432,)

     Not in 2008; we just couldn't fit him in. Hold tight for news on him, and some others, further down the road.

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We got a glimpse of the new Clone Wars AT-TE toy on a CNN news video clip highlighting products coming from Hasbro in 2008 the other day. Are there any details about this toy you can tell us now, like what kind of features will it have, will it come with any figures, what is the price point for it, and when is it scheduled to be released? (JI, 02/01/08) (http://jediinsider.com/index.php?catid=8&itemid=10884)

     We can tell you it is real, and it is spectacular, set to debut when the Clone Wars line debuts. The rest of the details are strictly embargoed until *Toy Fair, though.

I am a rogue squadron fan, I have bought the Rogue comic two pack with Hobbie and Baron Fel, I have Wedge Antilles, and I bought the Tycho Celchu figure, there is only one rogue from the movies still missing and that is Wes Janson....he is definitely a fan favorite...any chances? (JI, 02/01/08) (http://jediinsider.com/index.php?catid=8&itemid=10884)

     You are definitely in luck. There is a Wedge slated for the next wave of Evolutions packs, right now timed for Fall. Look for more details on Wedge and his pilot cohorts at Toy Fair. (Note: We believe there is a typo in this answer and that they ment to say Wes, not Wedge. By the time we read through this, everyone at Hasbro had gone home for the day and we were unable to get clarification. We will update this one next week once we do get their clarification.)

We know there are toys coming that are based on the new Animated Clone Wars series, but can you tell us if anything is planned for the live-action television series that takes place between "Revenge of the Sith" and "A New Hope" that is also in the works? (JI, 02/01/08) (http://jediinsider.com/index.php?catid=8&itemid=10884)

     We have no updates on the live action series. You can be sure that we will be looking at it for possibilities when we know more.

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The Ultimate Battle Packs seem to have proved a big success in the US and from the pictures we've seen they look amazing and such good value too.  The discussion in the last couple of Q&A's has suggested we 'might' get to see some additional Ultimate Battle Packs this autumn.  We asked a while back if we in the UK could get these and you told us that we'd have to see how they sold in the US.  Based on their success and possible new sets coming can we ask that these first two sets be re-issued here in the UK along with any new sets too? (JN.co.uk, 02/01/08) (http://jedinews.co.uk/news/news.aspx?newsID=879)

     We are currently working on getting them into retail for this year, although this has not been confirmed as of yet.  In any case, we are working toward making sure that all of our exclusives are available, or at least offered, to retailers in Europe as well.  Even if they are offered, it does not mean that they will be accepted by buyers due to cost, timing, and specific audience, and some items still may not have a home. We are working hard to follow through on the promise of enhanced distribution throughout Europe though.

The Shadow Troopers two pack (in Order 66 packaging which looks awesome) has been announced as being available at JediCon in March. It doesn't mention anywhere though that this is an exclusive to that event only.  Is that a mistake or will this be available in any others places and if so where\when? (JN.co.uk, 02/01/08) (http://jedinews.co.uk/news/news.aspx?newsID=879)

    The 2-pack will debut exclusively at the Jedi Con. Whether or not it is available at another venue has not been determined yet.

Can we ask about the availability in the UK of the Galactic Heroes Cinema Scenes, Cantina (2 sets) and Jabba's Throne Room, that were discussed at Celebration Europe?  Also, will the Galactic Hero's poster being offered at HasbroToyShop.com be available here at some point? (JN.co.uk, 02/01/08) (http://jedinews.co.uk/news/news.aspx?newsID=879)

     The Cantina cinema scenes will be available soon at Toys 'R Us, if they are not already on shelf.  The Jabba set, unfortunately, did not make it into the lineup for this year, but it will likely return to the lineup in the future…if not this year, then perhaps the next.

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In the answers to the 12/21 Q&A, the question was asked about ANH Obi-Wan Kenobi with the Death Star tractor beam control station accessory in the basic line, to which you replied "There is no chance that that would happen in a basic figure line because of the sheer size of the piece." However, you already have the makings of a great ultimate battle pack if you put 2 of the 25th anniversary bridge extensions (that had Luke & Leia in the chasm swing), create the complete tractor beam console, and then add the best Luke w/stormtrooper belt, Leia, Obi-Wan, and a few stormtroopers. Coupled with a good background photo of the chasm walls, it could look awesome in the package. If you could complete the doorways that would fit over the bridge extension, that would be even more amazing.  Would something like this be a possiblity for the Ultimate Battle Pack or some other assortment type package and would it be something Hasbro would be interested in creating? (JTA, 02/01/08) (http://jeditemplearchives.com/content/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=3661)

     What you have outlined is something we could do, but it would still cost a considerable amount and tooling and we would have to be convinced that it is something that kids would want as well, and that has been the sticking point with playsets - kids don't want them like they used to, and the costs for development/materials/labor is very high.

2005's Red Royal Guard was a major step forward from previous offerings in sculpt, articulation and softgoods.  But it seemed pre-posed in order to hold the rifle accessory.  Fast forward to now, and the upcoming Emporer's Shadow Guard looks impressive as well.  Has that figure been modded at all to better enable it to hold the lightsaber-lance accessory?  And if so, could we see a similar modification made in order to offer up a force pike wielding Emporer's Royal Guard? (JTA, 02/01/08) (http://jeditemplearchives.com/content/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=3661)

     The Shadow Guard uses the existing Royal Guard, with a new pike.  There has been no change to the articulation or grip.

Historically Target has been one of the top sources of Basic Figures for a good number of collectors.  However we have seen numerous reports in collector forums as well as personal sightings of Target stores that are very short on 30AC Basic Figures, but are almost too well stocked with Saga Legends.  And by way of contrast, WalMart and Toys R Us stores seems to have managed their 30AC Basic Figure inventory more efficiently with waves coming out with a greater degree of regularity.  Can you comment on what might be at work here, and is Hasbro working with the retailers to get the Basic Figure line shipments back on track? (JTA, 02/01/08) (http://jeditemplearchives.com/content/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=3661)

     In theory, all waves ship to all retailers at the same (or about the same) time, with the same proportionate share.  What actually happens at retail is out of our control and is affected by seasonal traffic patterns, difference in the demographic composition of the shopping audience, what actually gets shipped from the retail DCs (distribution centers) to individual stores, promotions, and the speed with which retail teams can get the new figures to shelf.  If you surmise that collectors have been a heavier influence at your local Targets, then that could explain the relative paucity of the 30th basic figures right now versus Saga Legends. Also, while Saga Legends has a mix of kid and collector-targeted figures, it may be that in your area collectors are filling up on their troops' needs so what you are seeing is a relative abundance of Legends.

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It has been stated a number of times that various Cantina/Jabba's Palace aliens from the POTF2 area will not be considered for resculpts in the immediate future, as many of them are still quite good aesthetically (such as the Rebo figures). However, the figure of Ponda Baba (Walrus Man) is still a POTF2-era figure, and is not among the best sculpts of that range.
As this toothy fellow is a featured participant of the Cantina sequence, (moreso than Hammerhead, for example, though near-equal to Greedo) is there a likelihood of him getting an update in the near future? (MD, 02/01/08) (http://mousedroid.com/hasbro/index.html)

     Yes (to a Resculpt of  Ponda Baba), and we did not mention him specifically because there's a strong possibility that we'll take another look at him someday.

In regards to vehicles for 2008/09; Do you have any plans to re-release the Naboo Starfighter? Would you ever consider developing a 100% new version with the ability to allow us to insert our own Astro Droid instead of the "fixed" Astro Droid in the current one as it is a bit small and lacks detail? and secondly, Which Grevious figure fits best into the upcoming General Grevious' Starfighter?
Do you have any plans to release a Grevious with a soft goods cape anytime soon (perhaps as part of the Clone Wars line)? (MD, 02/01/08) (http://mousedroid.com/hasbro/index.html)

     We do not have plans to take another run at the Naboo Starfighter, at least for the next couple of years. There will probably come a time when we will want to look at it.
We actually designed the Grevious Starfighter to fit pretty much every figure we have done (sans cape). One cool feature that helps this is a removable dashboard. We are looking at any future ones we may do with this in mind so there is "forward compatibility."
As for a Grevious with a cape, it won't be this year, but we think you'll be very pleased with one we have on the drawing boards. Stay tuned!


In 1996 you released a series of electronic ships - Collector Fleet, which included the Rebel Blockade Runner, Imperial Star Destroyer and the very scarce SUPER STAR DESTROYER (which goes for a king's ransom on eBay if you can find it) Would it be possible to re-release this item as well as the MON CALAMARI STARSHIP (that never saw release) at some stage in the future? (MD, 02/01/08) (http://mousedroid.com/hasbro/index.html)

     Right now, we do not have a strategy or plan for getting these Star Wars vehicles back out into the market. Some day they *could* come back out, of course, and if we do turn our attention to these we will be sure to take these comments into account in looking at the line.

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I'm a big fan of the Titanium Series line and I'm wondering if a couple of major gaps will be filled anytime soon - the Rebel Transport, Rebel Medical Frigate, Cloud Car, Home One, and Death Star II are all prominentley featured but have yet to be done. What are the chances of seeing some of these this year? How about EU vehicles like the TIE-Defender, V-19 Torrent Starfighter, E-wing, Sith Starfighter? (RS, 02/01/08) (http://www.rebelscum.com/story/front/Hasbros_47th_STAR_WARS_QA_The_Answers_112021.asp)

     Thanks for being such a big fan of the die-cast world that is Titanium. We love bringing them to you. These are some great suggestions, and you are in luck. Some of the ships on your list will be out this year (look for the Cloud Car, V-19 Torrent, TIE Defender and the Rebel Transport this Fall). Two on your list will also be rolled into the line in 2009. Stay tuned and keep an eye open.

I'm looking forward to buying the Hoth Speeder Bike Patrol battle pack, but as usual, it's the Imperials that are getting all the love. When are you guys gonna deliver on something cool for our under-appreciated Hoth Rebels? I mean A) we need some super-articulated goodness B) head and color variants and C) something like the speeder bike pack. Maybe a slightly bigger verision of the Kenner mini-rig Hoth Tank with a commander and two rebels with different accesories? (RS, 02/01/08) (http://www.rebelscum.com/story/front/Hasbros_47th_STAR_WARS_QA_The_Answers_112021.asp)

     The Rebels won't be left out, and there is some tasty figure goodness coming their way late in the year. While they may not get a battle pack like the speeder set yet, we really think you'll like what we have planned.

Several years ago, Steve Sansweet published an immensely popular book (The Action Figure Archive) collecting all of the Vintage Kenner figures along with all of the modern-era Star Wars figures released by Kenner/Hasbro to date. That book was never followed up on and it leaves many, many recent years worth of Hasbro figures uncovered.

Dan's Note: Star Wars Insider did run three issues with updates that finished off the POTF2 line and was just beginning to cover the Episode I line before the magazine changed publishers, and the column was cancelled. (Just for the record.... :))

Have you ever considered releasing a similar journal to chronical the figures released since Sansweet's book was published? I'm envisioning a one or two book collection that fills in the gaps where the original book left off. That, or smaller annuals that chronical the releases in the line for each particular year. These could follow a format similar to Sansweet's popular book, detailing each figure, when and in which wave it was released, what scene the figure was modeled after and any additional background in the planning phases or execution of the figure. You might even include some of the figure conceptual drawings like you shared years ago to outline how a particular figure was put together. These would be great for collectors and could serve as checklists for each year's worth of product. Win-win? (RS, 02/01/08) (http://www.rebelscum.com/story/front/Hasbros_47th_STAR_WARS_QA_The_Answers_112021.asp)

     That would be a very cool, but immensely time intensive project. It is more than our team could handle right now, given our focus on the figures themselves, and that's why sites like Rebelscum are so valuable as a central destination for keeping collectors informed on the past (and current) lines.

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Are we going to see DROIDS (yes the 80's cartoon) versions of R2 and C-3P0? (RTM, 02/01/08) (http://www.toymania.com/news/messages/9995.shtml)

     That is a cool thought, but right now we don't have any plans to do anything specifically around Droids in the near future. It doesn't mean we couldn't at some point, if Lucasfilm agreed, but right now our priorities are elsewhere including the new Clone Wars animation.

Any chance of releasing Jaxxon, the big green bunny? (RTM, 02/01/08) (http://www.toymania.com/news/messages/9995.shtml)

     We have to admit that Jaxxon is very, very far down our list of priorities. While a large number of comic fans remember the big green bunny, his role in the Marvel storytelling was very minor and he did not appear in many issues, and at a fairly low point in the Star Wars comic storytelling at that. We think there are much better characters to look to from that series and look forward to getting to some exciting ones over the next couple of years.

Any possibility of a new Jabba the Hutt playset (complete with throne)? (RTM, 02/01/08) (http://www.toymania.com/news/messages/9995.shtml)

     Someday we hope to get to either a new Jabba or a new set with Jabba and throne, but just don't have any news to announce.

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We understand the need for exclusives, but isn't it too much when 1 store has multiple exclusives all at once? Target having the 2 Ultra Battle Packs, 2 vehicles (TIE Bomber and ARC-170), a regular Battle Pack, the AT-RT 2-pack, and 2 Galactic Heroes battle packs all coming out in roughly a 30 day period - and that's just 1 of the 3 major retailers with exclusives! What happened here? Plus, with all these exclusives coming out at once on top of regular new product, it makes getting them even more difficult, is there any chance we'll be seeing production continue on the harder-to-come-by stuff such as the Target- and TRU-exclusive Galactic Heroes battle packs? Could next time, you get them to space out their exclusives' releases a little better please? (SSG, 02/01/08) (http://www.sirstevesguide.com/index.php?categoryid=13&p2_articleid=1320)

     We make recommendations regarding when to stage exclusives, but it is up to our retail partners to decide on when they want to get them on shelves and how to promote them. We will certainly take your feedback into account when we meet with our retail partners. Regarding those two battle packs specifically, their run at Target is over and no more will be flowing onto shelves there. However, if you are patient, we are looking for a way to get these back into the market later this Fall at a different retailer.

Is Hasbro considering continuing the Galactic Heroes line with more figures from Jabba's Palace (like Tessek, J'quille, Oola, the band etc.) and the Mos Eisley Cantina (like Elis Helrot, Kitik Keed'kak, Muftak etc.)? Also, bounty hunters Aurra Sing and Zam Wesell would be round out the bounty hunter set nicely. (SSG, 02/01/08) (http://www.sirstevesguide.com/index.php?categoryid=13&p2_articleid=1320)

     Those are all fun suggestions for additional "background" characters that could be brought into the GH world. We are not going that far into the secondary characters just yet, as there are still some major ones to be focused on, but it's a possibility that given the success of these little guys, someday we could see your choices immortalized in a squishy, fun form. Thanks again for the suggestions.

The Snowspeeder has only been an exclusive item in the past two releases for it where prior releases were regular mass-retail. Why the exclusivity and accompanying higher pricepoint on this vehicle? If it's due to its somewhat large size compared to other vehicles, could it be scaled down to accurate proportions (since it is actually a little over scale as-is) and released in the $20 line? (SSG, 02/01/08) (http://www.sirstevesguide.com/index.php?categoryid=13&p2_articleid=1320)

     Because of the size and greater cost, it has not been possible to get the existing Snowspeeder into the $20 vehicle pricepoint. You and your readers have been instrumental in the past in championing for a "true to scale" version and for this reason we have held off at using it in more exclusives. We have heard you....and are looking at ways to bring a new one to market within the next couple of years. Stay tuned!

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It sounds like a lot of fans have never seen certain 'waves' of figures at retail. We constantly see people in our forums saying "Did wave 6 ever hit in New Jersey?" or "Has anybody seen wave 8 in Ohio?" and comments to that liking. Can you tell us if there was some kind of mix up with distribution during the TAC line in 2007, and if those fans who haven't seen some of the later waves with the coins will still have a chance to get them? Or should they be scrambling to ebay to pay $10+ per figure for everything that they've missed? (ST, 02/01/08) (http://www.sandtroopers.com/smf/index.php?topic=5183.msg167088#msg167088)

     In theory, all waves ship to all retailers at the same (or about the same) time, with the same proportionate share.  What actually happens at retail is affected by what actually gets shipped from the retail DCs (distribution centers) to individual stores. We know that at this level, individual wave information cannot be tracked and it's more of a "first in first out" approach.  We checked what is still shipping, and learned that while '08 Wave 1 has been going out, we will be shipping additional resupplies of Wave 6, 7.5, and 8 as well.

While there are collectors still clamoring for R2-D2 to be released using the R4-G9 mold, I'm wondering if Hasbro will continue to simply reuse the existing R4-G9 and VotC R2-D2 molds for the next few years. Are you planning any innovations with a new R2 mold in the near future? And will Hasbro continue to alternate between the VotC reflective dome and the brushed metal dome or focus only one one style?  I'm a huge fan of the V otC dome (for the nostalgia) but I've noticed that there is also an equally large camp who like the more canonical brushed metal look. (ST, 02/01/08) (http://www.sandtroopers.com/smf/index.php?topic=5183.msg167088#msg167088)

     Will think fans will be pleased with what we have coming up.  For the most part we plan to use the same bodies we have been using, with one exception: there will be one upcoming R2-D2, debuting late this year featuring an R4-G9 body.  It won't be a single-carded figure but part of another set.

I've been a big fan of the RotS Obi-Wan Pilot figure - it has great sculpting and all the articulation any fan could want but I was a bit disappointed to learn that the retooled Obi-Wan for 2008 didn't fix one glaring flaw: the figure has pencil-thin legs! Surely with all his running and jumping around, Obi put on a bit more muscle than that. Is there any chance Hasbro could redo the legs and also perhaps not spread out the legs as much? You'd then have an excellent generic Jedi body to kitbash other Jedi figures from. (ST, 02/01/08) (http://www.sandtroopers.com/smf/index.php?topic=5183.msg167088#msg167088)

     We have good news for you. The Obi-Wan figure in our current Wave 1 uses the original Pilot body, but adds significant new articulation (ball and socket waist) for more poseability (previously, we had announced there would be soft goods changes, but no tooling, so this is a reversal of that previous statement).  So the lower torso is all new and improved.  As to whether Obi-Wan's legs are beefier, we'll leave that open for you to make comparisons.

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Recently when pictures of the Incinerator Stormtrooper and Felucia Stormtrooper were leaked to the net, the reaction on the forums seemed to be very negative. Repainting clones is fine and appropriate, but repainting the classic Stormtrooper armor feels more like a cash grab by Hasbro (or Lucasfilm) and I'm sure many fans would not like these new types of rainbow-colored Stormtroopers to become a part of the canon, even the EU canon. Rather than pursue this direction, which risks further alienation of fans/customers, but recognizing that Hasbro wants to maximize its existing tooling as much as possible, why doesn't the company focus on reusing the mold for say,
a Blackhole Stormtrooper or a new Shadow Stormtrooper with removable helmet, or the red Magma trooper?  These would probably be far more desired by fans.  You can even re-release the white Stormtrooper again but with different accessories like an updated mouse droid or Death Star detention block computer station or Tantive IV wall piece (that would connect together to form the entire hallway, encouraging customers to army build it for the trooper and to build the entire hall).  Hasbro could also appease fans by just releasing the TAC Stormtrooper but rather than the Jango head, offer a generic conscripted human head underneath.

Even fixing some of the issues with the existing molds (e.g. the very loose torso on the TSC Sandtrooper, or using a better helmet sculpt for the TAC Stormtrooper, the drugged-out upward stare of the TAC Stormtrooper's Jango face) are things that a lot of fans would like to see addressed before the tooling is reused any further. (ST/"TJ", 02/01/08) (http://www.sandtroopers.com/smf/index.php?topic=8437.msg167089#msg167089)

     The extensions you offer for Stormtroopers are all good ideas, and we plan to keep classic Stormies in the lineup, in one form or another, for a long time. So don't worry there.  As we have stated previously, the "film canon" is a very important focus of ours and we will continue to explore unproduced avenues and bring excitement to the lineup for years and years to come. There are a lot of other exciting things in store for the Star Wars universe as well, and we think that all fans, film, new animation, video game, and publishing (comics, novels) can share in the excitement of this energy together.  For The Force Unleashed, we are following the LucasArts lead. We can't wait to get the game, and we think that the new storyline is an important addition to the Expanded Universe. We hope that fans will greet this story, and our tribute to the game, with the same excitement and enthusiasm we have had in creating it.

Any chance of releasing any more of the OTC/ROTS "environment" style display stands? I personally prefer those Dagobah, Kashyyyk and Mustafar terrain stands over the ones released in the Saga Collection.  If you do ever re-release some of these with figures or in exclusive display stand packs, is there any chance some new ones could be added? It would be nice to have stands resembling the scenery of places like Tatooine, the Cantina, Hoth Echo Base, Endor, the Naboo palace, plus a few EU worlds like Korriban. (ST/"TJ", 02/01/08) (http://www.sandtroopers.com/smf/index.php?topic=8437.msg167089#msg167089)

     Interesting question, guys….and one that definitely has merit in looking at.  In our research, we have found that most collectors prefer the "generic" stands to the dedicated ones, since they are so scene-specific and most collectors do not build diroamas but arrange their figures on shelf.  But that does not mean that there isn't an opportunity to spice things up with some specific, almost diorama-like, displays down the road. We will keep it in mind as we look toward future opportunities.

Will the convention exclusive Shadow Troopers 2-pack be made available at HTS or SWS.com? (ST/"TJ", 02/01/08) (http://www.sandtroopers.com/smf/index.php?topic=8437.msg167089#msg167089)

     The 2-pack will debut exclusively at the Jedi Con. Whether or not it is available at another venue has not been determined yet.

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With the delay of the release of THE FORCE UNLEASHED video game from Spring to Summer 2008, will this mean the basic figures will be delayed again, even though several FORCE UNLEASHED-related toys (electronic lightsaber, Unleashed Battle Packs) are already in stores? (SWC, 02/01/08) (http://www.swcollector.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=57&t=1231)

     The basic figures are going to ship right on time, projected on shelf about 3/1. Everything else tied to The Force Unleashed, with one not yet-announced exception, will be going out as scheduled.

The large-scale Spider-Man 3 and Marvel Legends Unleashed 360 action figures are great concepts! Any chance of seeing this applied to STAR WARS or INDIANA JONES? (SWC, 02/01/08) (http://www.swcollector.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=57&t=1231)

     There are no plans for more large-scale Unleashed figures in the Star Wars or Indiana Jones lines.

The only 3 3/4" movie-accurate version of Darth Vader's shoulder armor from REVENGE OF THE SITH ended up on the Deluxe "Rebuild Darth Vader!" figure. Now that we've seen greatly improved versions of Vader from A NEW HOPE and RETURN OF THE JEDI, can we expect to see the ROTS version revisited any time soon? (SWC, 02/01/08) (http://www.swcollector.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=57&t=1231)

     Sometime down the road it is a certainty we will be revisiting this Vader for basic figure treatment. The challenge we see with this version right now is the somewhat restrictive armor on the shoulders. To do it right, it will probably restrict movement some at the shoulders, but is an acceptible tradeoff for the aesthetic. No timetable on when we'll get to this one.

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The Evolutions sub-line has a strong resurgence in 2008. Have you ever considered a release that showed the progression in Hasbro's sculpting talents? By this I mean (for example) a 3 figure set including a Kenner Luke from the 70s, a 'bulky' Luke from the re-launch of the line in the 90s, and an all new super-articulated Luke showcasing your current skills ? (TPU, 02/01/08) (http://www.theprivateuniverse.co.uk/cgi-bin/showarticle.pl?section=news&articleid=2556)

     We don't feel that that story would be interesting to most collectors. We have deliberately chosen not to "go back", so to speak, to vintage articulation (or even late '90s resurgence period) and instead will concentrate our offerings around modern articulation and aesthetics.

With both GI Joe and Star Wars, Hasbro has proved that the comic 2-pack format is incredibly popular with fans. When the new Indiana Jones line hits, can we expect it to utilise this format for Marvel / Dark Horse Indy comics? It'd be a great way of introducing otherwise obscure characters into the mix (remember, Brody and Katanga featured in the comics as well as the movies). (TPU, 02/01/08) (http://www.theprivateuniverse.co.uk/cgi-bin/showarticle.pl?section=news&articleid=2556)

     Thanks for the kudos on the comic packs. Given our strong ties to Dark Horse, it is something we are looking at but do not have a confirmed date on if/when we will be doing them. Stay tuned.

There have been rumours circulating of a playset in the forthcoming Indy line. While we appreciate that it's difficult for you to comment this close to Toy Fair, can you confirm or deny the rumour - and give us an idea of what to expect (Kingdom of the Crystal Skull temple, Raiders temple / Well of the Souls etc)? Also, does this set a precedent for the future inclusion of playsets in the Star Wars line - something that’s been often discounted? (TPU, 02/01/08) (http://www.theprivateuniverse.co.uk/cgi-bin/showarticle.pl?section=news&articleid=2556)

     You'll have to stay tuned for Toy Fair to see if there is any news on the playset front for IJ. Regardless of whether we do one for IJ or not, our stance on Star Wars playsets has not changed.

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Hasbro-Your new Mighty Muggs line looks great, and I am already hooked! I noticed however that you are utilizing the same sculpt for every figure, which makes sense and has worked so far. But does this mean we will never see characters like R2-D2 that have huge differences in their size and shape? (YF, 02/01/08) (http://cgi.denpetersen.com/YAK1/viewtopic.php?p=37707#37707)

     We are glad you like the Muggs! We will be looking at different sizing of the Muggs so we can do characters like Yoda, but the shape and proportions of the Mugg torso won't change. Therefore, characters like R2-D2 right now don't fit the Mugg profile. It doesn't mean that we won't do him sometime when we figure out how to "Mugg" him, but not in the near future.

Is there any rhyme or reason to which Galactic Heroes get peg holes? I got really bored the other day and went through my son's whole collection and was surprised at what I found. Some (exp. 3 leg R2, Jawa, Ben Spirit) which have no problems standing have holes. Some have one hole, most have two holes, while others... have none.

By the way... what are those "peg holes" for? Maybe, perhaps, possibly the future could hold playsets? Could there be a chance of display stand sets for the Galactic Heroes similar to the 3.75 and Mpire lines? (YF, 02/01/08) (http://cgi.denpetersen.com/YAK1/viewtopic.php?p=37707#37707)

     Excellent question. Generally, we include pegholes on all of our figures whether or not we have intentions to make playsets or other things with which they would interact. This way, if we ever do bring out something, there can be forward compatibility. In the case where some figures do not have the holes, it is most likely oversight or because the copyright info precluded it.

It seems that aside from the Sith Infiltrator vehicle in the 2007 TAC line, there has not been a single new sculpt for anything from episode I. We have had a handful of repaints and repacks, but no new figures. So, my question is: are you deliberately neglecting The Phantom Menace because it is the least popular episode in the saga? I for one feel that it is high time for a new Sebulba, Sebulba's blue wenches, more pod racers, some Gungans, and heck -- even Jar Jar. (YF, 02/01/08) (http://cgi.denpetersen.com/YAK1/viewtopic.php?p=37707#37707)

     Great question. We admit that over the last couple of years we have focused more on the other five films, with the view that our coverage of Episode I was pretty thorough and that collectors are looking for us to make updates elsewhere right now. We *did* have an EpI basic figure wave lined up for 2008, but it has been pushed out to early 2009 (it will, however, be well worth the wait). Of course there is the great upcoming Evolutions Qui-Gonn and a few other things to look forward to. Going forward, we are treating Ep.I like the other films, so we expect that fans will be happy for years to come.

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As you also seem willing to answer questions about your Indiana Jones line, I have a question pertaining to the Indy figures. As there aren't as many characters (as compared to Star Wars) from the films to make in action figure form is there any chance that the "Young Indiana Jones Chronicles" would be fodder for figures? I don't see many figures from the series being made myself but a few suggestions would be: 8 year old Indy in knickers, young Henry Sr., Anna Jones, Helen Seymour, 18 year old Indy in "Mexico adventure" clothing, 18 year old Indy in Belgian army uniform, and his friend Remy. Just curious if we are likely to see such figures. (YN, 02/01/08) (http://yodasnews.com/)

     We are indeed looking at Young Indy, and we do like some of the concepts there. We think, though, that there is a lot of iconic film reference to go before we probably look to it. We are planning IJ for a nice long run, so we are optimistic that someday we will see something related to Young Indy.

What do you think about making a tribute/maybe exclusive figure to Obi Wan Kenobi in his last stance against Vader? It can be made the same way the 2002 Toy Fare Vader was made with Obi Wan’s saber sticking out of the plastic or something close to. Make the figure with his eyes closed.. Cloaked etc.? (YN, 02/01/08) (http://yodasnews.com/)

     But we did just that with #16 Vader in the TAC line this year! Or did you lose the Obi-Wan figure that came in the pack? Not the flattened cloak, but the full-size spirit figure that was invisible *and* immaterial. OK, we kid….but that's an interesting suggestion for a future tribute. Thanks for the suggestion.

Any chance we get a two pack of the aliens that fueled Obi wan’s fighter at the end of Episode 3? (YN, 02/01/08) (http://yodasnews.com/)

     There is a chance that they will come out within the next couple of years, but will most likely not be a 1-pack due to costing. Stay tuned!
Title: Re: The Hasbro Q & A Compendium
Post by: Matt on February 28, 2008, 02:06 PM
Session 47 - February 27, 2008

As we know Hasbro had planned to release a Stass Allie figure within the first 2008 basic figure wave. It seems that this figure has been withdrawn at short time. What can you tell us about that figure? Is it a new sculpt figure? When will she be released, if ever? As a figure mold should already exist is it possible to get a picture of it? (4-".de, 02/27/08) (http://www.4-inches.de/inhalt/home.htm)

     The idea was to update Stass Allie with a nice quality articulation model and a great sculpt. However, the sculpt didn't turn out as we expected so we went back to the drawing board and pulled the figure until we could get her in again. We will be getting a new Stass (who looks great!) into the line-up in the EpIII-themed wave of the Legacy Collection this Fall.

There are several existing color variations for the Battle Droid yet. Why then is it so difficult for Hasbro to release a Pilot Battle Droid figure? There couldn't be a missing slot for releasing such a figure when there are several Battle Droid figures on the short run. Wouldn't it make sense to release at last a Pilot Battle Droid figure preferably on a basic card? What is the actual state of the Stap Attack Battle Pack that Hasbro has promoted during recent conventions? Will it come out later on or has it been definitely cancelled? (4-".de, 02/27/08) (http://www.4-inches.de/inhalt/home.htm)

     The STAP battle pack, which has the long-planned debut of the blue-deco'd pilot figure, will finally be out this Spring as a Toys 'R Us exclusive. It was originally to be an item in the mainline Battle Pack assortment, but due to the increased package depth could not be fit into the assortment. Because of this release, the pilot was never planned for a basic figure card.

During the POTF2-era Hasbro released several creature with figure sets. Later on creature sets became rare although especially with the New Trilogy there are even more creatures that could be released (e.g. Orray w/ Geonosian Warrior, Aiwha w/ Kaminoan Rider, Shaak w/ Anakin & Padmé, Felucia Gelagrub Beetle w/ Clone Troopers, Naboo Gualaar w/ Funeral Padmé, Utapau Nos Monster), and most creatures that has been released from the Classic Trilogy would profit from an update (e.g. Jabba the Hutt or Dewback). And some creatures could be released in a different way again (e.g. Falumpaset w/ Boss Nass, Eopie w/ Obi-Wan). We know that Hasbro don't want to release other assortments as the existing ones but as the speederbikes has come with the latest battle pack assortment: Could Hasbro imagine to release more creatures within the battle pack assortment and how are the odds for those creatures, mentioned above? (4-".de, 02/27/08) (http://www.4-inches.de/inhalt/home.htm)

     Historically, creatures have done OK but not sold as well as vehicles, which is why we have been putting our emphasis on enhacing our vehicle library in recent years as opposed to initiating new creatures (kybuck excepted). There is a chance that we could get to some more creatures, but some of the ones you mention, like the Aiwha, are positively huge and will probably never be produced. Other creatures, like the Shaak, just because of its nature, will probably never be something that we would focus on when there are many more worthy candidates ahead of it. Smaller creatures could be possible down the road, and an update of Jabba is very likely at some point.
 
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With photos confirming Tsui Choi from the Order 66 2packs now out there, are we likely to see Ratts Tyrell - another member of the same species - in 2008? Could we see 1-2 Podracer figures per year the way we're now seeing Ewoks? (AF, 02/27/08) (http://www.actionfigs.com/index.php?categoryid=12&p2_articleid=1916)

     You will not see Ratts Tyrell in 2008, as we do not have an Ep I-themed wave in the basic figure line. We do have one [Ep I wave] planned for 2009, and we will be targeting a Pod Racer or two, but no word on which ones those will be yet. We'd like to think that, like Ewoks, we could systematically get to the racers a couple at a time and eventually produce them all.

Do you have any plans to release the V-Wing Fighter in Imperial colors as seen at the end of ROTS? (AF, 02/27/08) (http://www.actionfigs.com/index.php?categoryid=12&p2_articleid=1916)

     Actually, we only had one set of reference material for the V-Wing, which we were sure was the end of the film. We will go back and check with Lucasfilm. If it turns out there is another deco version, this would be a great one to release sometime down the road. Thanks for bringing that to our attention.

Now that we're getting an ROTS-specific 2-1B droid, is there any chance we'll be seeing an updated ESB-specific version in the near future? There are many differences between the two designs, both large and small, including head, torso, arms and legs - which is pretty much everything - so the ROTS one wouldn't really fit in an ESB scene. 2-1B is one of the rare OT non-hero droids to actually have lines, and is quite memorable, so an update would be much appreciated. (AF, 02/27/08) (http://www.actionfigs.com/index.php?categoryid=12&p2_articleid=1916)

     Thanks for the support for 2-1B. We've got him in the "parking lot" fur future consideration, but there's no telling when we'll slot him in.

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BB

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Among the Hasbro Star Wars team is there anyone who sort of speaks for or represents the fanboy/fangrrl collectors when ideas are being pitched? We know our input is considered, and we appreciate it. (GH, 02/27/08) (http://www.galactichunter.com/absolutenm/templates/full_article_template_1.asp?articleid=7060&zoneid=2)

     The simple answer is that members of the teams do read the boards and are able to bring outside perspective to the table when we are faced with some choices. The much deeper answer is that enthusiasm for all things Star Wars oozes out of every pore around here, but not always for the same thing (which is great, variety after all is what the Star Wars universe is about!). Most everyone on the team is a passionate fan of one area or another, whether it be source (films, which is everyone, Marvel or Dark Horse comics, video games, novels, Clone Wars) or specific subline (3-3/4", Titanium, Galactic Heroes, Mighty Muggs/vinyl, Transformers, etc).  So often the "fan voice" is right here on the team as well!

We know that figures are decided on through some weird economic values. How does costing break down? Are the main heroes/villains "worth" more than, say, Gargan? I suspect Hasbro might sell more Princess Leia figures than Gargan figures, but I still want ball joints and "real feel" underarm flab on Gargan. (It can be made from the surplus plastic that weapons are sometimes composed of!) (GH, 02/27/08) (http://www.galactichunter.com/absolutenm/templates/full_article_template_1.asp?articleid=7060&zoneid=2)

     That could be an award-winning design for Yarna, for sure.  Actually, the weird economics are not all that weird. It's all about planning. We shoot for an average cost over the whole year that meets our targets, building out our assortments and average cost around some assumptions that help us get to the overall bigger picture without getting too mired in analysis paralysis on a figure-by-figure basis. We'll first break down how the "heroes" and more obscure characters are going to comprise the line and get to our overall release numbers, and then make sure we can hit our targets with the selections we have made. We will try to estimate costs for each figure based on articulation, size (if it has a deeper blister or uses a large amount of plastic or parts), deco, and accessories. We also acknowledge the very real situation that "niche" characters, like Cantina aliens, Jabba aliens, senators, Separatists, and pretty much all female characters (yes, even Leia) are going to be much less popular than other characters that could be produced in much higher numbers. These characters are important to the DNA of Star Wars and are high-collector desire figures, so we know that we'll have so much tooling set aside for them (and most of them are brand new tools). To counterbalance, we need to make sure that we have enough higher-production run figures, such as fresh takes on core characters and troops, that we can release in greater numbers. These characters may or may not be refreshed, which helps out on tooling.  By taking into account the overall costing, tools, individual volumes we arrive at our assumptions on how we will build the line wave by wave but not "sweat" when a few figures are over (or under) our costing assumptions....it all balances in the end if we do a good job at the front in planning.

A handful of figures show bare skin (Slave Leia, Oola, Aayla Secura, and the upcoming Force Unleashed Shaak-Ti). Does this cause problems for adding extra articulation? Does exposed skin automatically mean limited articulation? (GH, 02/27/08) (http://www.galactichunter.com/absolutenm/templates/full_article_template_1.asp?articleid=7060&zoneid=2)

     It does pose some aesthetics challenges, as joints seem to be more visible on a figure with bare arms and legs than on, say, a trooper or Jedi. However, bare skin doesn't mean less articulation…often the limit is the width of the limb we have to work with.  Good try, but we have no news on when, if ever, there will be a The Force Unleashed version of Shaak-Ti.

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With fan interest in playsets for Death Star Scenes, has any thought been given to making modular sets and releasing them in Battle Pack format ? For example, looking at the Classic Death Star Playset, releasing one platform at a time with separating struts, that way we can buy as many as we want and set them up how we want? Perhaps with 1 or 2 figures only packed in? (IS, 02/27/08)* (http://www.imperialshipyards.net/hangarbay/modules.php?name=Forums&file=viewtopic&t=119&start=60)

     That is an interesting idea and we have considered it. The main challenge is that the playset section we would include would eat up a lot of cost and would result in fewer figures - essentially, a playset assortment on a smaller scale. That leads us right back to the issue at hand, which is that kids like Battle Packs for what they offer in figures and story, and would not find the playset compelling either. So while it's an interesting way to "divide and conquer" the playset problem, it still doesn't solve the kid interest issue that prevents us from pursuing a playset in the first place.

Are we ever gonna see hasbro make protective cases for the comic two packs? I would also like to know if the anniversary of the Empire Srikes back is going to see a line that will include mostly figures and vehicles for that movie? Are we ever gonna see a rerelease of the imperial troop transport vehicle? (IS, 02/27/08)* (http://www.imperialshipyards.net/hangarbay/modules.php?name=Forums&file=viewtopic&t=119&start=60)

     That's three questions in one! The answer to all three, at this time, is no. The ESB 30th anniversary in 2010 is intriguing, but we doubt we will see a articularly heavy emphasis on ESB.

There have been some rumors that the Clone Wars line for the new 3D Cartoon will be in an animated style as opposed to a realistic style (Like the Yoda with Kybuck and Tattooed Anakin Skywalker). Is there any truth to this? I think many fans would be disappointed if all the Clone Wars figures will be in an animated style. (IS, 02/27/08)* (http://www.imperialshipyards.net/hangarbay/modules.php?name=Forums&file=viewtopic&t=119&start=60)

     By this time, you have seen the images coming back from Toy Fair, and we can confirm that the style of the figures does indeed match that of the animation, but a style that is much less "extreme" than the previous Clone Wars figures. In addition, the figures are designed with collector aesthetics in mind - higher levels of articulation when merited, for the most part avoidance on internal "features" (Yoda being the exception), and the ability to pose them as you would like, rather than pre-posed. We know that this will not get automatic buy-in from many collectors, but we think that the final figures will be an incredibly high-quality testament to George Lucas' vision and a proud addition to the collections of all those who do choose to embrace the new look.

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A lot of our forum members are currently engaged in speculation and debate about the upcoming The Clone Wars figures. Some think we'll get "realistic" style sculpts, while others think we're going to get a new "animated" style sculpt. Assuming that the debate will be settled with a preview of the figures at Toy Fair, can you share some thoughts on why you chose the style that you did? (JD, 02/27/08) (http://www.jedidefender.com/newspro/fullnews.cgi?newsid1204143094,42696,)

     By this time, you will have seen the images coming back from Toy Fair, and we can confirm that the style of the figures does indeed match that of the animation, but a style that is much less "extreme" than the previous Clone Wars figures. In addition, the figures are designed with collector aesthetics in mind - higher levels of articulation when merited, for the most part avoidance on internal "features" (Yoda being the exception), and the ability to pose them as you would like, rather than pre-posed. We know that this will not get automatic buy-in from many collectors, but we think that the final figures will be an incredibly high-quality testament to George Lucas' vision and a proud addition to the collections of all those who do choose to embrace the new look.

Which one item shown at Toy Fair were you the most excited to reveal? Which one item garnered more excitement from Toy Fair attendees then you thought it would? (JD, 02/27/08) (http://www.jedidefender.com/newspro/fullnews.cgi?newsid1204143094,42696,)

     By far, we couldn't wait to share the AT-TE with everyone. It's an awesome vehicle - at a price point we haven't seen often in Hasbro's Star Wars line - and symbolic of the new era of opportunity that Clone Wars brings.

As you know, JediDefender is proud to support the "Please Give us a Willrow Hood Figure" campaign. During the conventions last Summer, it was sounding like he might finally make his way into our collections in 2009. How about an update for our ICMG fans? Have you guys decided on "single card" or "multi-pack" yet? (JD, 02/27/08) (http://www.jedidefender.com/newspro/fullnews.cgi?newsid1204143094,42696,)

     We can confirm that Willrow will be a basic-carded figure in 2009 in an EpV-themed wave (no updates on who his wave-mates are. You'll have to wait!). As of yet, no design work has been started on Willrow, but we'll see if there's an opportunity to share with everyone the progress of this fan-favorite figure as work starts to begin.

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Could the people who are answering these questions take a moment to introduce themselves and tell us a little bit about their roles on the Star Wars brand team? (JI, 02/27/08) (http://jediinsider.com/index.php?catid=8&itemid=10949)

     It's our policy not to publicly list our team members, but the team answering the questions is essentially the same one that we bring to Comic Con or Celebration - several design and marketing members who have been with Hasbro's Star Wars team for a number of years. While one person in marketing is the "point" for making sure that the Q&A gets completed every other week, questions are distributed out to various team members in design, engineering, packaging, and marketing as needed to get the detailed answer. If team members do not answer back in a timely fashion, or give the appropriate level of detail required to satisfy the fan question, it is up to the senior director to mete out severe punishment. We cannot reveal precisely what that punishment is.

What is your favorite Star Wars movie? (JI, 02/27/08) (http://jediinsider.com/index.php?catid=8&itemid=10949)

     OK, we'll play along. We canvassed eleven members of our team, and came up with some interesting findings. Of the 11, 3 prefer A New Hope ("the original Star Wars") and the other 8 have a single-minded devotion to Empire Strikes back as their favorite. The simple asking of this question, and the debate that ensued, has caused tempers to flare, harsh words that cannot be taken back, and crushed and bruised feelings littered across the Hasbro landscape. It has left a lasting divide that may never be healed. Thanks a lot.

Out of all the Star Wars toys ever made going all the way back to the Kenner days, what is your favorite Star Wars toy that has been released? (JI, 02/27/08) (http://jediinsider.com/index.php?catid=8&itemid=10949)

We broke this one down into two categoriees, since most people on our team are incapable of just one answer. For "favorite figure" - the answers ranged from original Kenner figures including Luke Skywalker ("my very first figure and still my favorite to look at today"), Greedo, Boba Fett, Han Solo Hoth, and Admiral Ackbar, along with 12" Vader and 12" IG-88 which, interestingly, one of our team always wanted but never got (does that still count as a "favorite"?). More recent favorites include the brand new Gree, Vintage OTC Stormtrooper, Evolutions Boba Fett, and Tsui Choi (Boba made it twice for old and new, making him the winner). For all other Star Wars, the answers were wide-ranging from original vintage Kenner Landspeeder and AT-AT (each with two votes), Slave-I, the original kid-sized lightsaber and the Han Solo blaster pistol. The most stylish vintage choice was the Bespin Micro World playset. Modern favorites include the FX X-Wing and the new large-wing TIE Fighter.

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You've confirmed that the new, second wave of Order 66 packs will be coming out later this year.  You've also stated that you're trying to get as  many of the US exclusives into the UK.  Will Tesco or another UK outlet be stocking these? (JN.co.uk, 02/27/08) (http://www.jedinews.co.uk/news/news.aspx?newsID=963)

     We have looked into the situation with our U.K. team.  The remainder of the first Order 66 wave will be released this Spring through Tesco (only two of the first wave have been released so far).  The second Order 66 wave currently is not planned for this year, but could be evaluated for release further down the road pending the success of the the rest of the first wave release.

Will all the new figures coming out in the autumn (Fall) ship in the new packaging revealed earlier this week or will the core line ship on different cards? (JN.co.uk, 02/27/08) (http://www.jedinews.co.uk/news/news.aspx?newsID=963)

     The Clone Wars animated line will ship on the cards shown (Clone Trooper helmet), while the Legacy Collection (built around film characters) will ship on a different Stormtrooper-centered design.

Congratulations on getting the FX lightsaber license.   We read the recent interview with Derryl and Philip from Rebelscum with great interest.  Can you please advise when we're likely to see the first Hasbro FX lightsabers on shelf and idea what the first products will be? (JN.co.uk, 02/27/08) (http://www.jedinews.co.uk/news/news.aspx?newsID=963)

     The first Hasbro-produced Force FX Lightsabers will be on shelves this Fall.  This year we will only be producing the current line-up of sabers, and we will not be looking to add new items until 2009 after we have had a chance to wrap our arms around the business.  There is no update on what new items we will be adding to the line-up but we look forward to getting to them!

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JTA

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Regarding the Titanium series wave 1 of 2008, Saesee Tinn's starfighter seems to carry the Imperial six-spoken logo instead of the correct Republic eight-spoked logo as carried correctly by the other Titanium Series Jedi Starfighters. Will this be corrected before this wave begins shipping? (MD, 02/27/08) (http://www.mousedroid.com/hasbro/index.html)

     You have sharp eyes. This was not caught before shipment began. Instead, it will be a running change.

With a line like Star Wars, I feel that vehicles are the backbone of the line. The movies themselves have always put a lot of emphasis on the vehicles. Very few other boy toy lines focus so heavily of vehicles from both the good guys and the bad guys. Batman is a line that springs to mind that only focus on Batman's vehicles. Having said that, what can you tell us about the 2008 vehicle line-up prior to Toy Fair? i.e. How may we are likely to see. Will your focus for the vehicles change to The Clone Wars later this year or will you try and keep it an even mix of Movie and TV? (MD, 02/27/08) (http://www.mousedroid.com/hasbro/index.html)

     Hi there - by now, you have seen our lineup. We will take our cues for new vehicles from both Clone Wars and the films; there are few vehicles we have not done from the films in 3-3/4" scale, but there are some we will be tackling. The great news for vehicle fans is that the Clone Wars vehicles and film vehicles are created with the same styling, designed to be seamless across both lines. In fact, the V-19 and Homing Spider Droid debuted at Toy fair were designed originally for the Legacy Collection before being brought into the Clone Wars subline to add vehicle support to the figures.

Young Anakin Skywalker and Jar-Jar are well overdue for brand new sculpts, as is Padme Amidala, Padawan Obi-Wan Kenobi and the Trade Federation's Battle Droid unit. We've already seen the upcoming Evolutions Qui-Gon Jinn, which would make a fantastic repack in the basic line. Now, with 2009 being the tenth anniversary year of The Phantom Menace does Hasbro have any special plans to commemorate this event, such as a special TPM wave? (MD, 02/27/08) (http://www.mousedroid.com/hasbro/index.html)

     We will have an EpI wave in the 2009 line, but details on which figures are included will not be revealed until closer to that wave's debut. We do agree that most all of the figures you mention could use a new figure in the next few years. Padme, at least, has a great new EpI version coming in the Evolutions pack devoted to her this Fall.

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Will the Jedi Knight Army Multipack be re-released one day, perhaps in the course of the Clone Wars series? It is very difficult to get, very rare, therefore I'd like to see a re-release. (RS, 02/27/08) (http://www.rebelscum.com/story/front/Hasbros_48th_STAR_WARS_QA_The_Answers_112703.asp)

     We do not have any plans to re-release that multi-pack at this time.

My question will we see a new figure representing 750th or some landmark number like that soon?? And how would you come up with the numbering system. I know that you only number by single carded figures but with the success of the Greatest hits and Saga legends. Most of these are straight repacks while others were in battle packs, vehicles, or just slightly retooled figs. And if I could make a suggestion if one of these special figures will be made soon a two pack of Luke and Leia in the famous pose from the original poster art. (RS, 02/27/08) (http://www.rebelscum.com/story/front/Hasbros_48th_STAR_WARS_QA_The_Answers_112703.asp)

     We have yet to stop and take tally of where the exact figure number stands, and the counting is kind of murky, but you are right there is probably a significant milestone coming up. In any case, we wouldn't count the straight repacks of Greatest Hits and Saga Legends among the numbering; in our book, they don't advance the number of brand new figures, but keep them active much as figures were kept active in vintage Kenner days with refreshes from Star Wars to TESB to ROTJ. That poster pose would be interesting to do someday, but we don't have plans for it right now.

When and if will we see the rest of the council members made in a single pack. Figures like Even Peill, Depa Billaba, Adi Galia and even Oppo Rancisis. We have had the likes of Eeth Koth and Yareal Poof which were fantastic, but I think the last couple need to also have the opportunity to have the soft goods and lightsabers added so the die hard MOC collecotrs can complete there own councils. Thanks. (RS, 02/27/08) (http://www.rebelscum.com/story/front/Hasbros_48th_STAR_WARS_QA_The_Answers_112703.asp)

     That is an interesting question, and one that we have looked at with the repaint/repack waves we have done at various times. Some of them could use updating, but right now we don't have any plans to get them back out there any time soon in single carded format (or any other format either). That could always change as these are prime candidates for re-release sometime.

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Many or most Power of the Force figures had extra accessories (two guns were common). Why do current Star Wars figures include so few accessories now? (RTM, 02/27/08) (http://www.toymania.com/news/messages/10053.shtml)

     We give each figure the accessories we feel makes the figure complete. Some figures get one or even none (in the case of an astromech droid or holo figure) while some may have whole Cantina bar sections, a moisture vaporator, or even a kybuck.

Why, despite being pictured with them on the card's front artwork, do nearly all Clone Troopers not come with rifles, but small blasters instead? The back of their cards even say, "Weapon of Choice: Blaster rifles." (RTM, 02/27/08) (http://www.toymania.com/news/messages/10053.shtml)

It's a matter of cost. We usually don't include both weapons if the figure is super-articulated or has deco - both factors which raise our costs. We do try and rotate the weapons around.

Are there any playsets in the works? We really, really need a Mos Eisley bar (with light-up tables!) and a Jabba throneroom. (RTM, 02/27/08) (http://www.toymania.com/news/messages/10053.shtml)

     There are no playsets in the works. We are concentrating our efforts on bringing out a healthy range of Star Wars vehicles, since we feel the figure/vehicle play pattern is the more dynamic one for Star Wars. In the past decades, playsets have really struggled in Star Wars (and in boys toys in general) as kids do not see them as the important "center" of their play experience. In Star Wars, there are few examples of buildings or settings that are truly iconic and would be the anchor of play sessions. The ones you mention would be narrowly targeted at collectors (kids are much more interested in the prequel trilogy, versus the original trilogy), and as such would not be something that we would look at if we did decide to pursue playsets.

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Would Hasbro ever consider releasing figures based off artist Feng Zhu's Imperial Recruitment posters which appeared in the Star Wars: Visionaires comic series, perhaps as Comic 2-Packs? There's 2 designs in the official series, and 4 more posters drawn but not released. Besides the sexy female recruits in the posters, the SW: Visionaries comic has other great characters like cyborg Darth Maul, Darth Sidious and the Sithisis Worm, Corporal Jobin just to name a few that would make great action figures, especially coming off the heels of the TAC concept figures since the comic was done by ROTS concept artists. (SSG, 02/27/08) (http://www.sirstevesguide.com/index.php?categoryid=13&p2_articleid=1320)

     We love those posters, but it's very doubtful that we'd do figure versions of them. We will confirm that at least one of the figures you mention will become a figure before too long based on a Visionaries story.

Concerning pegwarmers and Saga Legends taking up TAC shelfspace, back on Sept 28th you told us "stores will be resupplied based on what has sold down, not based on what is sitting on what pegs, which is invisible to the automated ordering systems. So if Saga Legends is selling in those stores, it will be reordered. If 30th Anniv. is selling, it will be reordered. To finish that discussion - the stock of one has no impact on the other." Understanding that you have the 2 separate SKUs and assortment numbers in place to avoid these problems, what your argument seems to miss is the rampant amount of human error in the process, pegging Saga Legends on TAC pegs (whether done by store employees, or customers who simply don't notice the difference between the red accents vs orange accents of the basic cards), so in your argument, if Saga Legends takes up all the pegspace, TAC can never sell down and be reordered because it never leaves the back rooms to hit the pegs in the first place. Keep in mind, the TAC & SL cards are pretty much visually identical, and the assortment numbers which are supposed to separate them don't stand out on packaging and at a quick glance appear the same (87500 vs 85770) especially for an overworked, underpaid retail employee who is trying to get too many things done at once. So how can sales be generated for a specific product if it doesn't reach the floor in the first place? (SSG, 02/27/08) (http://www.sirstevesguide.com/index.php?categoryid=13&p2_articleid=1320)

     What you outline is a problem if *only* one (or the other) of the assortment is put out at the exclusion of the other. The same risk - that of human error - has always existed with side-by-side figure lines in Star Wars. Since all case packs are clearly marked by assortment, and replenishment is directed automatically, the impact of human error is minimized.

What are the chances of seeing an Evolutions set of the Seperatists' droids, consisting of updated, all-new versions of the Battle Droid, Super Battle Droid, and IG-100 MagnaGuard (aka Grievous' Bodyguard)? (SSG, 02/27/08) (http://www.sirstevesguide.com/index.php?categoryid=13&p2_articleid=1320)

     We just did a new Super Battle Droid in the 30th Anniversary Collection, so we do not have plans to do a set like this although we acknowledge that both regular BD's and Magna Droids are in need of a new sculpt at some point.

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As I'm sure you are aware, there are many talented customizers - sculptors, painters, builders, etc. - that spend hours and hours sitting in their workshops (or at their kitchen tables) creating toys (and not just Star Wars toys, either).  What does it take for someone to get a job working for Hasbro, sculpting or painting toys, designing packaging, and the like? (ST, 02/27/08) (http://www.sandtroopers.com/smf/index.php?PHP&topic=5183.msg172817#msg172817)

     We'll tackle each of the disciplines one at a time, since they are a little different.  The large majority of our designers and sculptors have industrial design backgrounds, and there are several great schools that specialize in this and with which we have a strong relationship when it comes to internships, etc. We look for folks with solid all-around skills and ability.  This includes work with diverse materials, incorporate features, and cost management.  We look for a very diversified skill set as it is very rare for a designer to stay on one line for more than a couple years before moving to the next assignment; they could be working on girls toys, vehicles, or any other type down the road. For painters, we have a small team in house that handles our painting needs, but we do contract with outside resources to handle the workload.  When evaluating painters, we have hired a wide range, including a wide range of backgrounds from fne artist to hobbyist (i.e. the folks at home).  We evaluate painters on their ability to apply very fine detail and ability to color match.  Anybody interesting in painting for us should contact Hasbro Human Resources (links are found on our web site).  For package design, we typically look for candidates with a degree in graphic design or fine arts, and with experience in packaging and illustration, as well as specialized structural engineers trained in that discpline who direct the structures and materials of our diverse needs.

Have you (or would you) ever consider running a promotion allowing a few lucky Hasbro fans access to see the behind the scenes world of Hasbro? Seeing the process that goes into the planning, designing, testing and production of an action figure first hand would be very interesting to a lot of fans. (ST, 02/27/08) (http://www.sandtroopers.com/smf/index.php?PHP&topic=5183.msg172817#msg172817)

     While we have offered behind-the-scenes tours to a few lucky winners of different contests in the past, it's not something that we can really do anymore.  With so many movie lines in development across the boys division, it really puts a strain on the system as we can't risk having plot points, top secret projects and the like get out to the public. In any case, we think it's far less glamorous than it seems!

How far in advance do you usually begin work on a figure before it's actual release? Is it already decided which figures will be in 2009's line? The reason I'm asking is because from what I've heard, the live-action TV series will probably be starting in the fall of next year. With the TV series not even having any actors cast at this point (at least to my knowledge), will you have enough time to get those figures made and have them ready to sell by the time the show airs? (ST, 02/27/08) (http://www.sandtroopers.com/smf/index.php?PHP&topic=5183.msg172817#msg172817)

     We generally get started on any year's line about 14-18 months before the first toys are available on shelf.  We also tend to plan a full year's worth of product in the initial stages, built around the themes we have chosen.  To give you some reference, we wrapped up planning for the 2009 line in November and have now moved into sculpting and approvals for the first waves, which will be followed by tooling and then package design over the next few months.  Rarely will the plan change, though it has been known to change for significant events - such as when we first saw The Force Unleashed and knew we had to work some TFU products into the line as quickly as we could (the original street date was then pushed back, but we had already fast-tracked the product development).  Your estimate on timing is right - in order to be able to produce figures for Fall 2009 we would need to have reference material ready in the next couple of months. We can't comment on live action, that would be information Lucasfilm would release on their timetable.

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The 2006 Christmas release of the Imperial Shuttle was great. We've seen the Imperial Landing Craft in lego form, how about in 3 3/4" form. Any plans to do so? (ST/"TJ", 02/27/08) (http://www.sandtroopers.com/smf/index.php?topic=8437.msg172818#msg172818)

     We agree that it would be a great vehicle to do.  However, the price point it would need to be in doesn't exist in our line right now.  We wouldn't rule out the possibility that we will do it someday, but right now we are not working on it because we have no way to bring it to retail.

We are starting to get reports of the 2008 TAC figures showing up at Wal-Marts already. I thought these were slated to start shipping in March - what gives? (ST/"TJ", 02/27/08) (http://www.sandtroopers.com/smf/index.php?topic=8437.msg172818#msg172818)

     Our first wave came in early, and, as is our tendency, we shipped some out as soon as we got it.

Is the latest delay of The Force Unleashed video game going to delay the action figures yet again? (ST/"TJ", 02/27/08) (http://www.sandtroopers.com/smf/index.php?topic=8437.msg172818#msg172818)

     No.  While the new date for the release of The Force Unleashed has not been announced, most of the figures will go out on our schedule.  The Evolutions pack is at retail right now, and the basic figure wave should be along in mid-March.  There will also be a few exclusives including a Wookiee battle pack (Target, 3/23 on shelf), Rancor (Target, April in-store), and two three-packs (Wal-Mart, July in-store).

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With the Build-A-Figure concept being applied to the STAR WARS line, how likely are we to see something like a ROTJ-accurate Jabba the Hutt or 8D8 Torture Droid with Full Torture Rack as pack-ins? (SWC, 02/27/08) (http://www.swcollector.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=57&t=1242)

     By now you know that we are focused on droids as the build-a-figure pack-ins in the Legacy Collection/Droid Factory line. So, Jabba will not be a possiblity for a figure, but 8D8 could be…except for the fact that he has already been released and the build-a-droids will be comprised of previously unreleased figures. 8D8 is still a possibility for "some day."

The lightsabers packed with the McQuarrie Signature Series action figures such as Concept Darth Vader and Concept Starkiller Hero were really unique and interesting designs. Any chance for electronic roleplaying versions of them at some point? (SWC, 02/27/08) (http://www.swcollector.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=57&t=1242)

     Unlikely. The McQuarrie concepts hold no relevance for kids, which is the target for our role play line. Instead, we will probably look to new characters or colors as they present themselves in upcoming entertainment for the next generation of lightsabers.

With both Obi-Wan in General's Armor and IG Lancer Droids being released this year, will we be seeing Speeder Bikes for them to ride being released, too? (SWC, 02/27/08) (http://www.swcollector.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=57&t=1242)

     While we will have existing speeder bikes back out this Fall, we won't be releasing any speeder bikes custom-built for these guys at this time. Maybe in future years, but not right now.

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We've seen a number of UK Toy Fair reports which detail the 3 3/4" Indiana Jones line. Raiders, Last Crusade and Crystal Skull all seem to be represented - but Temple of Doom appears strangely lacking. Are you, like Lego, avoiding merchandise from this film due to it's darker tone? Will we ever see Willie, Short-Round and Mola Ram in plastic form? (TPU, 02/27/08) (http://www.theprivateuniverse.co.uk/cgi-bin/showarticle.pl?section=news&articleid=2675)

     Wave 4 of the IJ basic figure line will be Temple-themed, and it will be a doozy of a wave. We showed one image at Toy Fair - of a Temple Thug - and we can tell you that this is one fine wave. As for specific characters, we will confirm Wave 4 at Toy Fair (if not before).....the remaining one(s) will be be in the first of the 2009 waves.

The new Clone Wars packaging previewed on the Official Star Wars site looks incredibly dynamic - great job! However, many have noted that the graphics feature animated renderings of the leads. Is this merely an attempt to tie the cartoon portrayal of characters to 'movie-style' figures in the mind of kids/collectors, or will we be seeing toys that reflect the designs seen on-screen? (TPU, 02/27/08) (http://www.theprivateuniverse.co.uk/cgi-bin/showarticle.pl?section=news&articleid=2675)

     By this time, you have seen the images coming back from Toy Fair, and we can confirm that the style of the Clone Wars figures does indeed match that of the animation. We do want to emphasize that the Legacy Collection - the basic figure line that focuses primarily on movie figures - will continue side-by-side with Clone Wars so the "movie"-figure collectors will get a fantastic line-up as well in a unique card style just for that line. The artwork for the Legacy Collection will feature a Stormtrooper head (as opposed to Clone) and realistic imagery as has been the case for the 30th line.

Will press be given more access to Star Wars product on your stand at the NYC Toy Fair than they were at the UK event? We were frustrated not to be able to get details out to the fans considering that the two shows are relatively close together, and that other licencees were showing Clone Wars items. You've been very gracious in participating in these Q&A's, but how do you really view the fan-site community - as a useful tool for reaching out to your customers, or as a hinderance to your marketing plans? (TPU, 02/27/08) (http://www.theprivateuniverse.co.uk/cgi-bin/showarticle.pl?section=news&articleid=2675)

     We see the Q&A as an essential part of our community-building with fans - that's why we originated it, and why pretty much every Hasbro boys brand has followed suit! Now to your specific question regarding Toy Fair. Given the nature of New York, the tremendous press attention, and the participation of our Hollywood studio partners, we have chosen to save all product news for Toy Fair. We did show the lines to retailers at U.K Toy Fair and Nuremburg, but held all public unveilings so we could best leverage the message on a global scale. After all, it's not just the fan press we are courting - it's international news media, investor relations, and the like - all of which are in attendance in New York. We apologize for not giving you access to the lines at the previous shows, but those are the reasons why New York was central to our bigger corporate plans.

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Now that hip joint articulation has made its way to the basic figure line in the new Darth Vader/Anakin, Obi-Wan and Commander Gree figures, will the Scout Trooper be realizing the added benefit of this upgraded area of articulation in the future? It would surely improve the aesthetics of the figure when mounted on a speeder bike, plus it would address the “bow-leggedness” often occurs with figures of this type (ex: SDCC Shadow Scout). (YF, 02/27/08) (http://cgi.denpetersen.com/YAK1/viewtopic.php?p=39376#39376)

     We will be using it on select figures. We agree that it would be a good addition to future Scout troopers (or any figure that pilots a speeder bike), and will take that into consideration next time we approach those figures.

Bravo on the new Clone Wars (wave 3) figures. A few questions on these: Will Saesee Tinn and the Comic Pack Durge have removable helmets? Does the Calamari Warrior have articulated knees? (YF, 02/27/08) (http://cgi.denpetersen.com/YAK1/viewtopic.php?p=39376#39376)

     An enthusiastic yes to the first two. The Mon Calamari Warrior does not have knees, however. By now, most readers probably know that this great Clone Wars-inspired wave has been moved to this Fall as wave 2 of the Legacy Collection (Droid Factory) basic figure wave. Trust us, it'll be worth the wait!

How many and which of the 2007 figures (w/coin) will be re-released with the display stand pack-ins? (YF, 02/27/08) (http://cgi.denpetersen.com/YAK1/viewtopic.php?p=39376#39376)

     Fifteeen of the figures that previously came with coins will be re-released in on-coin versions with pack-in stands. They include: Anakin (Tatooed), Clone Trooper (Clone Wars/Hawkbat Battalion), Clone Trooper (Kamino Training), Ewoks, Rebel Vanguard Trooper, Destroyer Droid w/shield, R2-B1, Padme Amidala (Fireside dress), Voolvif Mon, MCQuarrie Rebel Trooper, Biggs (X-Wing Pilot), C-3PO w/Salacious Crumb, Spirit of Anakin, Jango fett (w/poncho), and Clone Trooper (7th Legion).

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YN
Title: Re: The Hasbro Q & A Compendium
Post by: Matt on March 13, 2008, 12:04 PM
Session 48 - March 12, 2008

At Toy Fair you introduced the new Rebellion Pilots Legacy evolution pack. Ten Nunb again comes with a white B-Wing pilot gear while this character doesn't have any screentime (cut scene). There is a sullustian pilot figure seen several times on screen in Episode VI but that guy does have a red B-Wing pilot gear. Why didn't you decided to release that guy within the evolution pack, he would slot very well into the evolution pack better than the white guy I think. And with your statement that there wouldn't be a sullustian pilot with the next B-Wing fighter chances seems to be quite small to get a red sullustian B-Wing pilot figure anytime and that would be very disappointing. Would you please think about that point and perhaps recolor the sullustian B-Wing pilot for the upcoming evolution set? (4-".de, 03/12/08) (http://www.4-inches.de/inhalt/home.htm)

     Ten Numb was drawn from Lucasfilm archive reference. We knew that we were going to be doing two Evolution Pilot packs, and wanted to mix it up as much as possible within the packs, as some of the body tooling will be shared. To this end, we selected Kayan Farlander (a human pilot) for the second pack, in his red outfit and it made sense to provide an upgrade over the previous Ten Numb. We really like the Rebel Pilots, and can guarantee that not too far down the road there will be a red-suited Sullustan pilot. As for the rumored TRU B-Wing, you will have to wait a little longer for news on that. We will say that it is not tied to the OTC, but, in fact, something else is brewing in the Expanded Universe that we do not want to announce just yet.

Pictures of the Padmé Amidala evolution pack let the different Amidala figures packed within that set appear different in sizing. Can you affirm that the three Amidala figures will have the same size or do they have different sizes? If that what is the hidden agenda related to that decision? (4-".de, 03/12/08) (http://www.4-inches.de/inhalt/home.htm)

     The Padmes should be the same size. If there is variation, it is due to the inherent nature of toy manufacturing, where during sculpting, casting, tooling, and assembly some variation can creep in. It is not intentional in any case.

The Amidala Evolution Set lets speculations arise for some more Sets of a single evolutionary character i.e. Palpatine. Could you imagine to go this way the next couple of years? (4-".de, 03/12/08) (http://www.4-inches.de/inhalt/home.htm)

     Actually, this year has been an exhausting one for the Evolution line, with a total of eight sets in the works, each one containing three substantially new figures (or new heads, in the case of the second Rebel pilots sets). That's a lot of pretty demanding figures needed to keep the line going! As such, will probably be resting it for a while after this Fall. We might get back to it at some point; it's tough to keep a great idea down. As soon as our sculpting team forgives us, that is....
 
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You've said in the past that you were done with animated figures, that your testing had shown the realistic style to be far preferred over animated, yet the new Clone Wars show's figures are based on its animation rather than the realistic style. What was the thinking behind going animated-style with these rather than realistic? (AF, 03/12/08) (http://www.actionfigs.com/index.php?categoryid=12&p2_articleid=1916)

     We said that we were done with pre-posed figures done in an exaggerated style. The new animated figures are grounded in an animation style, but they are not based on the exact silhouettes of the animated characters. Instead, they are a step toward the realistic style, and designed with a high degree of articulation as needed. We felt that it was important to pick up some of the style cues from the animation to best match the toys to the entertainment, but to design as much as possible with the collector in mind and draw them closer to the realistic style.

[editor's note: Hasbro's previous answers to which we referred, June 9, 2006 - 'Characters in Clone Wars are great - and we're looking at ways of getting more of them in the line for 2007. However any we do will be in "realistic" styling rather than animated. We’ve done some polling with fans, and overall the realistic style is preferred.'; June 16, 2006 - 'We do have plans for some of these characters in 2007, but we won't be announcing the specifics just yet. However, any we do will be in "realistic" styling rather than animated. We done some polling with fans, and overall the realistic style is prefered over the animated style so we are going to stick with that.'; April 17, 2007 - 'We will not be producing any more of the Clone Wars animated-style figures. Unfortunately, for each one of these we produced, we did not get results on par with the realistically styled versions of Clone Wars characters. Realistic is where we will be keeping our focus']

Hasbro's Toy Fair press release uses a July 26th availability date for all the Clone Wars products, as well as the new Legacy Collection line, and does not include an "approximate" qualifier. Will this be just a tentative on-shelf date, or is this a more "concrete" release date like those of the intial prequel films' product lines? (AF, 03/12/08) (http://www.actionfigs.com/index.php?categoryid=12&p2_articleid=1916)

     It will be a hard-coded on-shelf date similar to the Episode III on-shelf date.

The Comic Packs are a very welcomed addition to a lot of Star Wars collectors, but there is a lot of buzz about Hasbro's choices of whom to include in these packs. Many collectors are wondering how does Hasbro chose which characters to make, since the ToyFare fans' choice poll a few years ago included a lot of comic-based characters such as Exar Kun, Guri and others who have yet to receive the action figure treatment. So how does Hasbro plan these packs, and just what goes into your choices? (AF, 03/12/08) (http://www.actionfigs.com/index.php?categoryid=12&p2_articleid=1916)

     We're glad you like the Comic Packs as much as we do. The overall line selection is based on a variety of factors, primary among them being a balance overall in each wave between known characters and more collector-targeted characters (this is very similar to the way we manage basic figure wave composition). For each wave we are looking for new takes on hero character(s) along with a limited number of new or lesser-known but very interesting (and uniquely Star Wars) characters. The process is that we read each comic and pick out the most interesting characters and new takes on classic for each issue, keeping track in a master spreadsheet that becomes the database for our wave selection. We draw from that a wave of packs that go together meeting the above criteria, giving kid/collector traction to each wave. The Toy Fare Fans' Choice poll has been a great inspiration and we have done some of those characters in comic form (including Quinlan Vos and Kir Kanos), but we haven't been filling out the packs with choices primarily from the list, and have been using some of our own favorites and consulting with Dark Horse on some of theirs. It won't be too long (within a year) before a character that you cite - Exar Kun - will get his first figure in the comic pack lineup.

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It is something of an obvious statement that there are millions of Star Wars  fans all over the world, the majority of whom are indubitably hooked up to the internet. Now, even if all the outlet retail chains in the U.S.A. were to pass up on such big-ticket items as the AT-TE and Big Honkin’ Millennium Falcon we’ve heard about (and I actually hope they don’t), would it not still be possible to turn a profit by selling them over the internet, considering the large numbers of good e-tailers across the globe? (CC, 03/12/08) (http://www.creaturecantina.com/news_stories/2008/0312/hasbro-qna.html)

     While the Internet is a great business model, it would not be enough to sustain large tooling-intensive vehicles such as the AT-TE (it is barely enough to sustain some exclusive runs!). A large majority of the Star Wars collecting audience still enjoys shopping at retail (“the thrill of the hunt”) and that is where we will keep our focus with the vast majority of Star Wars offerings.

Are you planning to do any Vong ships/figures/etc. in the future? Like Nom Anor, Tsavong Lah, Shimmra (with Onimi in a 2 pk) or even just Vergere? (I dunno why, but I really like the character.) (CC, 03/12/08) (http://www.creaturecantina.com/news_stories/2008/0312/hasbro-qna.html)

     We will have at least one Yuuzhan Vong figure coming up in a comic 2-pack, and we would like to do more of them as time goes on. Whether we get to 3¾” vehicles is another story - as we would need some serious additional exposure (and perhaps entertainment support) to justify. Vergere is very interesting, but there is a long list of worthy Legacy characters in line before her.

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Considering the advances that the Star Wars team has made in action figure engineering, is it now possible to create a transforming Droideka? (We're sure the Transformers folks would enjoy the competition!) During the Episode I era we were told that a three-part helmet for Darth Vader was impossible, so is our favorite action figure team up for the challenge? (Then we'll get to the collapsing Pit Droid!) (GH, 03/12/08) (http://www.galactichunter.com/absolutenm/templates/full_article_template_1.asp?articleid=7079&zoneid=2)

     Interesting question.  The science of Star Wars figure design and articulation certainly has come far.  We admit that we don't have these figures on the drawing board, but it poses an interesting challenge. We'll share the results with the team and see if there is a possibility for "down the road" to tackle these challenges.  Thanks.

Now that the cat is out of the bag about Darth Vader's Transmission (Comic Con Exclusive), which version of the Emperor's floating head will we get? The recut version? The crazy monkey eyes (pre-DVD) version? Or might there be a variant? (GH, 03/12/08) (http://www.galactichunter.com/absolutenm/templates/full_article_template_1.asp?articleid=7079&zoneid=2)

     The Emperor is from the Empire Strikes Back - Special Edition, rather than the monkey-eyes version.  However, there may be a future Emperor figure himself down the road that has those primal primate eyes.  Stay tuned…!

Is the Shadows of the Empire Princess Leia shown at Toy Fair the final sculpt, or is there still hope for some retooling of her legs to give her smaller thinner ankles? Those fat "cankles" looked really awkward on an otherwise great looking figure. Also, does the Hoth Princess Leia (from the other 2-Pack) have new articulation, or is she a repaint of the POTJ-era Princess Leia? (GH, 03/12/08) (http://www.galactichunter.com/absolutenm/templates/full_article_template_1.asp?articleid=7079&zoneid=2)

     What do you mean “cankles”?! We purposely gave her full-figured ankles because some people may be attracted to that sort of thing! Seriously, in this case, Princess Leia’s small stature created manufacturing difficulties for thin ankles - always an issue with Princess Leia and other females (and Battle Droids, too). When we add extra articulation to elbows, shoulders, and in this case ankles, there are minimum requirements that need to be allowed for when insert molding the nylon pins. In larger figures this is less of an issue because there is more mass to incorporate these restrictions. Princess Leia Hoth has a new head, but the body is the existing body.

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Can u confirm the Lt. Tank Sunber figure rumor? If yes, will he have a clean uniform, or will it have battle damage? (I'd prefer a clean uniform!) (IS, 03/12/08)* (http://www.imperialshipyards.net/hangarbay/modules.php?name=Forums&file=viewtopic&p=4205#4205)

     We can confirm a Tank figure is in the works, as part of the comic pack series. He will hit the shelves later this Fall. As for his uniform, we're going to keep it under raps until Comic Con.

Now that we have Bane Malar, can we expect to see my favorite obscure mercenary from Jabba's Palace, the famed white suit black masked Sgt. Doallyn? (He'd probably be an easy repaint, but just have a different helmet) (IS, 03/12/08)* (http://www.imperialshipyards.net/hangarbay/modules.php?name=Forums&file=viewtopic&p=4205#4205)

     We know fans have been asking for Sgt Doallyn for some time. He is not currently slotted into the lineup in the near-term, but he is on the"short list" for the next time we plan a RotJ wave so it won't be too long before his time will come. Interesting point on whether he can be a substantially repainted figure; we haven't looked into it but certainly will. If that's the case, it could speed up his chances to find a home in another project elsewhere in the lineup.

Hasbro, would you ever entertain the idea of making furniture and set pieces that correspond to particular movie scenes and planets? I would have loved to see the actual table and chairs packed with that bespin bp that just came out. Or make a Hoth bp and pack it with tactical screens and computer stations perhaps? (IS, 03/12/08)* (http://www.imperialshipyards.net/hangarbay/modules.php?name=Forums&file=viewtopic&p=4205#4205)

     We have, in fact, done the tactical screen from Hoth in our 2004 Ultra series. Unfortunately, these diorama pieces prove to be less popular than figures or vehicles, and as a result it has not been the best investment of our resources (tooling especially). However, we do know that there is fan interest there in these set pieces, and we are looking at opportunities to get them in here or there (much like we have done with Cantina pieces in the past, or even the Jedi Council from the Cinema Scene series).

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Legacy Wave 1 features a new Darth Vader with an apparently multi-piece removable helmet, but unfortunately we haven’t really seen any good pics of the helmet off Vader’s head. Can you share a picture (or an explanation if no pics are available yet) of how many pieces his helmet will have? And is it true that this same figure is the basis for the white “Infinities” Darth Vader from the upcoming comic-pack shown at Toy Fair? (JD, 03/12/08) (http://www.jedidefender.com/newspro/fullnews.cgi?newsid1205434949,54832,)

     Initially, the head will be attached and will not be removable from the collar (our factory decided to tool the top of the head only) and we are looking to make a running change to a full head that is separate from the collar. We will send pictures as available. The Darth Vader from the Infinities pack is not the same figure, and is based on another existing Vader figure.

There appears to be some confusion on the SDCC exclusive that you announced at the Toy Fair collector event. The "Executor Meditation Chamber" exclusive is not really a “playset" per se, just a new Holo Emperor and Darth Vader figure set, correct? And will the figures be new sculpts or repacks? (JD, 03/12/08) (http://www.jedidefender.com/newspro/fullnews.cgi?newsid1205434949,54832,)

     The "Disturbance in the Force," the HasbroToyShop.com exclusive for San Diego Comic Con consists of an existing Vader, a newly tooled base with lights and sounds, and a new holographic Emperor bust. When the medallion in the center of the base is pressed, the hologram and light in the middle of the medallion light up, and a loooong sequence of movie dialogue is started. This is one cool exclusive, and it will also be available online after the Convention starts.

The Galactic Heroes shown at Toy Fair looked awesome. A dewback, a rancor, new vehicles - everything fans of the line have been asking for and more! However, you're not expecting us to believe 2008 is going to come and go without a GH version of Ahsoka (or any of the other characters from the new Clone Wars cartoon), are you? It may be a long shot, but is there any chance of an Asajj Ventress GH figure? (JD, 03/12/08) (http://www.jedidefender.com/newspro/fullnews.cgi?newsid1205434949,54832,)

     Well now, we were hoping to leave some info for Comic Con but ya beat us to it. We can indeed confirm that at least one of these female lightsaber wielders will be out for Galactic Heroes. Exact timing is still TBD, but look for them on shelf by mid-Nov.

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In reference to the new Clone Wars animated series figures we have seen - do they all have knee articulation? Some are in question such as Anakin and Obi-Wan (although due to their tunics may be useless anyways), but mostly the Battle Droid. He seems to have elbow articulation and is a nice sculpt. If he had knee articulation, he would be pretty darn complete. (JI, 03/12/08) (http://jediinsider.com/index.php?catid=8&itemid=10969)

     Not all figures have knee articulation in their basic figure form. Obi-Wan, Anakin, and the Battle Droid do not have knee articulation.

Will the Durge figure that is slated for the upcoming Comic 2-Pack have interchangeable hands? (JI, 03/12/08) (http://jediinsider.com/index.php?catid=8&itemid=10969)

     He will not have interchangeable hands.

Can you tell us anything about the Star Wars SDCC exclusives yet, and will there be Hasbro exclusives for Celebration Japan that will be taking place later this year? (JI, 03/12/08) (http://jediinsider.com/index.php?catid=8&itemid=10969)

     The HasbroToyShop.com exclusives for San Diego Comic Con will include "Distrubance in the Force," an awesome 3-3/4" set that will include Vader supplicating before a giant holographic head of the Emperor. What makes it special is the light-up base and very long sound chip, playing pretty much the entire sequence. Also at Comic Con will be a Mighty Muggs General Gree, and a Mighty Muggs Golden Idol from Indy. To top it off, San Diego will also debut some event-specific t-shirts for Mighty Muggs - both Star Wars and Indy. There will be no Hasbro exclusives unique to Celebration Japan, although some of our San Diego exclusives may debut there and be available in the U.S. the following week.

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With the announcement of Celebration Japan later this year, can you tell us if they’ll be a show exclusive(s) and if so what it will be? (jn.co.uk, 03/12/08) (http://www.jedinews.co.uk/news/news.aspx?newsID=1010)

     Our participation, because of the proximity to San Diego Comic Con, will be limited as our efforts are focused on making sure that Comic Con is a success for fans stateside. Our partner in Japan, Tomy, will be releasing news on what they will be doing at Celebration Japan on their own timetable.

Were very glad to see that the Galactic Heroes line is getting a lot of love in 2008, thanks for that.  You’ve made a lot of figures from Jabba’s Palace and we’re getting a new R2 from the Sail Barge along with a Slave Leia.  All that’s really missing from this scene is Jabba’s Band with Dancers - any chance we’ll see this as a Cinema Scene or in two pack form any time soon?  It could connect to the Jabba Cinema Scene in the same way as the two Cantina Scenes link together for extra play value! (jn.co.uk, 03/12/08) (http://www.jedinews.co.uk/news/news.aspx?newsID=1010)

     That is a good idea, and one that we have thought about but just have not slotted into the lineup.  If Galactic Heroes continues to grow in popularity as it has been, that pack will probably be done at some point….we just don't have an idea when.

You’ve confirmed that there’s no Episode I wave in The Legacy Collection this year but there will be in 2009; was this a conscious choice because next year is the 10th anniversary of Episode I?  If this is the case, will you be doing anything special to commemorate it? Talking of anniversaries, this year is the 25th anniversary of Episode VI, consequently will we be seeing anything special to celebrate this – Jabba on Throne maybe or perhaps you have something else up your sleeves... If so, can you share it with us? (jn.co.uk, 03/12/08) (http://www.jedinews.co.uk/news/news.aspx?newsID=1010)

     We skipped this year for an EpI wave because, compared to the other waves in the lineup, we felt that we had some stronger waves elsewhere.  While next year is the 10th Anniv of EpI, we don't plan on necessarily celebrating in any big way (the same goes for EpVI).  We might do something to acknlowdge the 10th Annv., but it might be more subtle.  That's not to say we don't see growing interest and potential for EpI; we feel that the years ahead will see continued growth in the collector ranks of folks interested in EpI and plan to definitely meet that demand as it unfolds longer-term.

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As of this writing, StarWars.com has just released imagery of the new Clone Wars line's packaging.  In that article it was stated that the new line will debut on July 26th.  Is this the kind of hard street date that we've seen in the past with the other movie lines, and do you expect your retail partners to hold midnight madness type events? (JTA, 03/12/08) (http://jeditemplearchives.com/content/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=3746)

     It is a hard street date that will be held across the entire Star Wars Fall line (the Legacy Collection included).  There will indeed be similar activity as during Episode III, but the exact nature has yet to be determined.  We will keep everyone informed as the details shape up.

The current state of the Star Wars planogram in stores has evolved to the point where shelf space is at a premium.  And it seems that barring exclusives, the Starfighter vehicle line is the only vehicle line that we can expect at most stores.  Certainly, we've seen speeder bikes packed in the Battle Pack line, but what about other small vehicles like the land speeder or Coruscant speeders?  Can we expect vehicles like these at all? (JTA, 03/12/08) (http://jeditemplearchives.com/content/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=3746)

     Shelf space has always been at a premium in the boys aisle, and this year is no exception.  While speeder bikes will return in Battle Pack format, the other vehicles are not a part of our focus right now.  We just haven't had the slot to put a landspeeder in the line. It seems to make the most sense as an exclusive, but hasn't made the cut yet.  As for Coruscant speeders, these don't seem to be that exciting or in need of a re-release right now, and haven't be an area of focus when it comes to the Starfighter vehicles.

In a previous Q&A with JTA, Hasbro grudgingly seemed to confirm that we might be getting a giant Emporer Palpatine's holographic head.  Would said hypothetical offering be in the Basic Figure line, or part of a Battle Pack?  And if it is part of a Battle Pack, what else might we get in such a set? [post-Toy Fair note: This was confirmed at Toy Fair] (JTA, 03/12/08) (http://jeditemplearchives.com/content/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=3746)

     Chuck – we are pleased to announce the details on this one.  "Disturbance in the Force," the HasbroToyShop.com exclusive for San Diego Comic Con, consists of an existing Vader, a newly tooled base with lights and sounds, and a new holographic Emperor bust.  When the medallion in the center of the base is pressed, the hologram and light in the middle of the medallion light up, and a loooong sequence of movie dialogue is started.  This is one cool exclusive, and will also be available online after the Convention starts.

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Over the last few years you have been very kind to collectors of Imperial and Republic forces, with great-quality releases of Death Star Gunners, Death Star Troopers, AT-AT Drivers, Vintage and Evolution Sand/Snow/Scout/Storm troopers, not to mention two different decorated clones for every color of the rainbow.

I'm wondering if there are any near-term plans to give their rebel brethren some love? The Endor Rebels from Saga06 and the recent Vanguard Trooper were decent but suffered from their origins as kit bashes of the '02 Endor Rebel. Are there any plans to refresh the Endor troops with a new torso sculpt that will bring them up to the standards of the Empire?

The situation for Hoth on the other hand can only be described as dire. The '04 version looks quite rough even by the standards of the other '04 figures, and really doesn't stand up to today's figures in terms of either sculpt or articulation. We now have Major Derlin, General Rieekan, VTAC Han and even Gen. McQuarrie but no-one in the infantry that deserves to be led by them. Are there any plans to rectify this situation? If not, Hoth might be overrun by the Empire! ...and we wouldn't want that to happen. (MD, 03/12/08) (http://mousedroid.com/hasbro/index.html)

     Give us some time, and we think you will be very pleased with the way the Rebel forces are shaping up, including numerous pilots this Fall in mainline and exclusive sets (and don't forget - we recently had a great Yavin Sentry and A-Wing pilot, too!). Specifically, to your question of a super-articulated Rebel Commando, he is on the "short list" to do the next time we draw up a RotJ wave.

One figure I still cherish from the vintage days of KENNER of course is Jabba the Hutt. Earlier Versions of this figure from 95 to now aren't up to today's standards you must admit. Hasbro are ALWAYS pushing the boundaries, especially of late, with awesome new sculpts and articulation and even AMAZING paintjobs on figures that you cannot believe until the item is in hand. Is there demand enough to make a similar style Jabba with Dais-which hasn't been done as of yet-maybe even a 2pk with Gardulla??? You must admit the spitting frog and goo, and the poor paint work on this figure past DOESN'T do it justice. Thank you for your time. (MD, 03/12/08) (http://mousedroid.com/hasbro/index.html)

     We agree wholeheartedly. However, the challenge with Jabba is finding the way to get him into the line and cover the tooling costs of a new figure (and, if possible, the dais as you mention). We are looking at ways of making it happen, but do not have the specific package for him yet. It will not be '08 in any case.

In previous Q&A sessions, you said that the 'Clone Wars' figures would be both in the 'realistic' style and wouldn't contain many - if any - action features. Now we've seen from Toy Fair that both of these are false. Taking into account the lead time required to both design and produce the figures leading to the products shown at Toy Fair, why were collectors mislead regarding these products? (MD, 03/12/08) (http://mousedroid.com/hasbro/index.html)

     We never stated that the Clone Wars figures would be produced in a realistic style. We said that they would not be produced in an exaggerated, pre-posed style as the earlier cartoon-style figures were.

     In fact, the figures have been designed so they are one step closer to their realistic counterparts in terms of proportions and style rather than exact matches to the on-screen silhouettes. Regarding features, there is only one figure (Yoda) in the line-up that has a dedicated feature (a launching feature in his sleeve). All of the rest of the features are snap-on launchers and may be removed easily.


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Thanks for a great Toy Fair. I was disappointed that you did not show the Battle on Mygeeto Battle Pack. Could you tell us about the Commander Bacara figure? The picture that has been shown online seems to show a more articulated Commander Bacara. Could you let us know if the Bacara is new, slightly re-done, or will it end up just being the old Bacara mold from the ROTS line? (RS, 03/12/08) (http://www.rebelscum.com/story/front/Hasbros_49th_STAR_WARS_QA_The_Answers_112881.asp)

     We did not show the Mygeeto pack as our focus was on Fall for the most part. You do have sharp eyes. The Bacara figure has been upgraded to an SA body for this set, using the same helmet and detachable gear.

Who is Bane Malar? We ask the question rhetorically, as we'd like to hear Hasbro's take on the figure. Best as most of us can tell, he's a photoshopped character from the Decipher Star Wars Customizable Card Game. From what we can see he's not visible in the film, and while he's easily confused with the character that gets thrown down the stairs when Boushh brings Chewie in for the bounty, the EU has established that character as Sgt. Doallyn. Stills from the film bare out that there are differences in the helmets between Decipher's Bane, the character that gets thrown down the stairs, and then Decipher's Doallyn, which they have incorrectly labeled as Skiff Guard from the Carkoon sequence - with yet another, albeit similar helmet.

Can you help illustrate the process by which a character like this gets chosen, and perhaps tell us what the bio on the card back will read? While the figure looks great, it is one of the more "confusing" choices out there, and we'd LOVE to hear YOUR take on the Malar/Doallyn confusion. (RS, 03/12/08) (http://www.rebelscum.com/story/front/Hasbros_49th_STAR_WARS_QA_The_Answers_112881.asp)

     Bane Malor is a character drawn from Lucasfilm archive reference material to which we have access. We double checked with Lucasfilm just to make sure, and indeed he is in on-set photos, but whether he actually made any background scenes has yet to be determined. He is without a doubt a different character from Sgt. Doallyn. Malor was actually brought to our attention during a past Q&A session, and became part of the "parking lot" that we regularly draw from when creating waves for a specific movie. At the time we selected him, we assumed he was on screen somewhere and was interesting to us, our own team favorite pick to complement Yarna (who is a deliberate nod to the fans). While it'll be a little wait before we actually do Doallyn, he is definitely on the short list for the next time we plan plan for a RotJ wave.

Can you illustrate the decision process behind the gray flight suit Ten Nunb in the upcoming Evolutions pack? Outside of a photo in the Star Wars Chronicles, there is no other reference to that appearance of the character. In the film, the same character shows up twice, in B-Wing pilot's gear, but like the other B-Wing pilots, the flightsuit is RED! The Y-Wing pilots are the pilots that wear gray. There is ample reference to back this up, so can you help us with how this decision came about?

And while you're at it, how about some words about the second Rebel Pilots Evolutions set that's in all the retail systems - we understand that it's the same mix of figures, and thus, they'll be largely repaints with new helmet deco and head sculpts - will the B-Wing Pilot in that set (reportedly Keyan Farlander) sport the PROPER Red flightsuit, and B-Wing style head gear (different from the others that have been released so far)? How about the B-Wing pilot in the upcoming TRU exclusive B-Wing (shelf tags have already been spotted for the item). (RS, 03/12/08) (http://www.rebelscum.com/story/front/Hasbros_49th_STAR_WARS_QA_The_Answers_112881.asp)

     Ten Numb was drawn from Lucasfilm archive reference. We knew that we were going to be doing two Evolution Pilot packs, and wanted to mix it up as much as possible within the packs, as some of the body tooling will be shared. To this end, we *did* select Kayan Farlander for the second pack, in his red outfit (and head gear), and it made sense to provide an upgrade over the previous Ten Numb. We really like the Rebel Pilots, and can guarantee that not too far down the road there will be a red-suited Sullustan pilot. As for the rumored TRU B-Wing, you will have to wait a little longer for news on that. We will say that it is not tied to the OTC, but in fact something else brewing in the Expanded Universe that we do not want to announce just yet.

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The Galactic Heroes Darth Vader TIE Fighter shown at Toy Fair looks great! Will it have any sound or action features? (RTM, 03/12/08) (http://www.toymania.com/news/messages/10101.shtml)

     There are no electronic features in the Galactic Heroes TIE Fighter. This would have pushed costing up too high to be able to do the vehicle. However, it does have panels that you can remove by hand to simulate battle. Other than that, there are no other features.

The new Jungle Rancor looks impressive, and I'm even more surprised to see that it's a new mold rather than a rehash of old POTF one. That said, it's disappointing to see that this behemoth is only going to be a store exclusive. What goes into making the tough choice of marketing an all-new figure as a store exclusive instead of a mass release, and should any fans be concerned about its availability upon release? (RTM, 03/12/08) (http://www.toymania.com/news/messages/10101.shtml)

     The main issue is the stand-alone size of the the Rancor and uncertainty over whether it would be popular enough in the much bigger volumes we would need if we were to do a national release. Since it is a creature (as opposed to a vehicle), and from a game not yet released, we decided to set the Rancor up for success by going the exclusive route so we could better manage the overall release.

So glad to see a Padme Evolutions set, thanks! However, since this is a great way to get unreleased/hard to market outfits, why is AOTC Padme in an outfit we've gotten at least three times already (and another wave coming up), instead of one of her other outfits from the film (the rainbow dress from Naboo perhaps)? (RTM, 03/12/08) (http://www.toymania.com/news/messages/10101.shtml)

     We wanted to draw the largest number of collectors to the set. There is a strong iconic draw to the white Padme "battle" outfit and since that figure was due for an upgrade, so this was the right time to trigger it. We thought this gave the pack greater strength than if we solely focused on outfits that were more ornamental with less screen time.

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Why was Titanium Series so poorly represented at your Toy Fair display? Can you tell us what's forthcoming for Titaniums later in the year (preferably with pictures), and why they are delayed until fall? Are we ever getting the Outrider mentioned back in '06? (SSG, 03/12/08) (http://www.sirstevesguide.com/index.php?categoryid=13&p2_articleid=1320)

     We simply could not give adequate coverage to everything at Toy Fair, and some sublines regrettably did not get the true time and attention they deserve. Titanium certainly was not alone in this respect, as we lightly covered it as well as Unleashed 2" and Star Wars Transformers Crossovers as well. In Fall, we will be doing a Clone-Wars inspired redeco wave for the 7/26 Clone Wars brand reset. After that, Titanium will have some exciting new vehicles, a total of twelve all new tools for the Fall including the Cloud Car, and some other surprises we will reveal at Comic Con. Going forward, we are determined to keep Titanium vibrant and exciting, with new tools drawn from movies as well as Expanded Universe.

The Hasbro SW Toy Fair press release has The Legacy Collection clocking in at 30 basic figures. Back in October, you told us "For 2008, we are going to take the classic total down by about one wave. So from the current 60 figures this year, expect around 53 figures or so." The '08 TAC line has 15 figures total across its 2 waves, so according to your info, adding another 30 basic figures will give us a total of just 45 figures, a whole wave smaller than the 53-ish you originally stated. Has an '08 wave been pushed back out of the year, or are there more figures to be expected in the TLC line than the press release stated? (SSG, 03/12/08) (http://www.sirstevesguide.com/index.php?categoryid=13&p2_articleid=1320)

     The answer is that yes, a wave has moved due to sculpting delays, but no the number will not come down to less than 50 figures for 2008. Here's the score: you know about the 15 from TAC in Spring, along with the 16 that were shown between Waves 1 and 2 of Legacy Collection (Droid Factory), bringing the total to 31 "seen" so far. In addition, another 24 figures are on schedule, including a redeco wave which was created to replace the delayed wave (there will now be 8 unique Droid factory figures for the Fall figures, four Astro droids in Waves 1 & 3 and 4 Protocol droids for the subsequent waves). These figures will be spaced out from 7/26 launch until the end of the year, or about 6-8 per month through the Fall if all goes according to the firmed up schedule.

In recent years, many Darth Vader figures have included a silver piece of fabric material around the neck to represent the chain that holds Vader's cape on. However, every time this feature has been included, the "chain" ends up looking too big and out-of-place, while Vader figures that do not include this chain end up looking much better. In the interest of accuracy, could the chain either be scaled down (to better match its look in Episodes III, V, and VI), or done as sculpted plastic (as on earlier incarnations), or simply left off (as in Episode IV) on future Darth Vader figures? (SSG, 03/12/08) (http://www.sirstevesguide.com/index.php?categoryid=13&p2_articleid=1320)

     The thickness of the soft goods chain cannot be reduced any further than it already is due to minimum material strength needs. Sculpted plastic would be the alternative, but it doesn't always work with the soft goods that we choose.

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We've gotten new, updated, better versions of Boba Fett, IG-88, 4-LOM, and Bossk. When are you going to show Zuckuss and Dengar some update love? (ST, 03/12/08) (http://www.sandtroopers.com/smf/index.php?&topic=5183.msg175497#msg175497)

     We do have plans to get to an update of Zuckuss before too long. However, Dengar will still be a ways off.  Eventually, we will get to him as well but he just isn't dialed into a plan yet.
 
I realize that Hasbro has previously said "no" to the idea of a single universal neck peg for all of the basic figures and that the needs of a particular sculpt would dictate the peg size. However would Hasbro please consider the idea at least of a common-sized neck peg on most human characters?  For example, there were many complaints about the face sculpts for last year's Moisture Farmer Luke and Yavin Ceremony Luke. They really didn't resemble Mark Hamill even remotely and most of us searched around for an alternate Luke head to put on these figures to improve the overall look.  For example, when I used the VTSC X-Wing Luke head on my Yavin Luke, I was astonished at how much I suddenly loved this figure - although to make the head not wobble, I had to insert some extra tissue paper inside.   Having the option of swapping heads vastly improved my appreciation of this figure and I even went out and bought a second Yavin Luke for another head swap.  When Hasbro sometimes gives us a figure with a "pinhead" like the VTSC Endor Han, or the comic 2-pack Jedi Leia, again, we collectors would at least be able to find another larger head to fix the problem.  Or if we're not happy with Hasbro's version of X-Wing Biggs (because of the Dutch Vander mold) we'd have the ability to make our own X-Wing Biggs by taking the head from the Tatooine Biggs and putting it on a 2008 SA generic X-Wing pilot body (hint).  Please don't underestimate the value that having a common neck peg size for at least the human characters has for we collectors to fix perceived problems.  The ability to make minor customizations to a figure to suit our own taste has tremendous value and would probably help Hasbro to sell a few more figures for "body parts" or "extra heads". (ST, 03/12/08) (http://www.sandtroopers.com/smf/index.php?&topic=5183.msg175497#msg175497)

     We do try to use a standard neck size whenever possible. Sometimes, the factory makes changes to the neck without notifying us. Usually, by the time we see production samples it is too late to make changes and we just run with it.
 
Even though I'm not a big fan of the Geonosians as characters, I was so impressed with the sculpt and articulation of the TSC Sun Fac that I was happy to add him to my collection. I'm now wondering if Hasbro will be retooling this figure any time soon in order to give us a great generic Geonosian Warrior. It'd be a fantastic army builder and perfect for an arena diorama. (ST, 03/12/08) (http://www.sandtroopers.com/smf/index.php?&topic=5183.msg175497#msg175497)

     Thanks for the comment.  We don't have any specific plans for a Geonosis Warrior update in the near-term, but will take your comment into consideration.  We like the Arena battle ourselves and agree that it needs some more attention someday.

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Would Hasbro ever consider using the comic 2-pack format as a way of revisiting the idea of cardboard dioramas?  It could be done in any number of ways that make sense to you (e.g. 1 figure, 1 comic, 1 diorama, OR 2 figures and 1 diorama OR 2 figures, 1 comic and 1 diorama marketed as a "deluxe" version of the comic packs with a slightly higher price point)  Obviously given the smaller size of the packaging, the diorama could not be as complex as the Jabba or Cantina environments, but it would offer something that isn't too costly for Hasbro to develop unlike a plastic playset and would offer something to collectors who are STARVED for some kind of environment to display their figures in.  Or if not in the comic 2-packs, perhaps for the VotC line when it returns someday?  It'd be a great way to pay homage to the old Kenner-style Land of the Jawas playsets and very fitting with the vintage theme. (ST/"TJ", 03/12/08) (http://www.sandtroopers.com/smf/index.php?topic=8437.msg175533#msg175533)

     While the comic packs would not be the right format for it, doing something with the cardboard display scene idea is interesting and one that we have started to explore (albeit in a small way) with the upoming Captain Rex mail-in figure.  We do know that there are a number of collectors who enjoy the cardboard style scenes (and their tie back to the days of vintage toys), so we will keep that in mind as we look at different ideas.
 
Why is it that sometimes Hasbro will release figures that have oddly-painted eyes?  For example, the TAC Stormtrooper, the RotS AT-TE Gunner, and TAC Smuggler Lando all seem to have strange "drugged out" stares that were not there when the initial hi-res photos of the figures are posted on the SW collecting sites (although maybe these were early hand-painted samples?).  I always wonder why Hasbro's QA doesn't catch the problem early on when they inspect the factory samples and correct it before the figures are mass produced.  The drugged-out look generally seems to be due to the fact that the pupil is painted a little too far upward on the eyeball, giving the impression they're staring inexplicably up to the sky.  You've said that figures are painted by using masks -- is it just a misalignment of this mask on the figures head that shifts the paint a bit too far upward? (ST/"TJ", 03/12/08) (http://www.sandtroopers.com/smf/index.php?topic=8437.msg175533#msg175533)

     You are correct in that the early photos we show sometimes are the hand-painted "paint master" or photo sample that we use for packaging, since often production samples are not available when we are doing announcements or finishing up the cards or boxes.  We also do set standards which the factory will try and follow, but face deco, especially eyes, is the single most difficult thing to get right time after time.  Our factories have incredibly talented painters, but expecting each of them to be the same is a tall order and we must allow some variation, or a large percentage will be rejected.  Sometimes it is done with masks, but eyes may also be hand-painted or applied with tampos.  It depends on the individual figure, and the factory doing the work.
 
It seems that the only criticism of the otherwise superb Kashyyyk 41st Elite trooper is that he is a bit too short. We had a similar problem when Hasbro previously released Commander Cody and unfortunately Cody was dwarfed by his own 212th clones and his general.  Now it's the reverse and Gree (and apparently every other clonetrooper figure) are taller than the poor 41st clones! While maybe height issues are appropriate for a squad commanded by Yoda, will Hasbro look into tweaking this sculpt in the future?  Perhaps thicker boot heels and extending the neck peg and waist just a wee bit taller would help alleviate things?  And could Hasbro also pass a note onto its designers that since we collectors often pose the clonetroopers with their clone commanders and Jedi generals that it's important to ensure their heights are all very close together to create a satisfying diorama? Why the sudden change in the height of the figures? (ST/"TJ", 03/12/08) (http://www.sandtroopers.com/smf/index.php?topic=8437.msg175533#msg175533)

     While we'd like to say that the Republic typically assigned the small, lighter Clones to the scout trooper / speeder bike corps, we realize that makes no sense. But we will say that any differences in height are not intentional as all Clones are supposed to be the same 6'0" height. However, unfortunately, manufacture variances do sometimes occur. One can start with the same size sculpt and still end up with some variances as we have seen before with some figures, however unintentional. These variations tend to happen for several reasons. 1. Humidity does play a part in the molding processes. Typically, figures shrink aprox. 4% from our tooling models. But, this can vary.  2. When tool parts are finally assembled, they can fit together slightly differently than originally intended, adding variety. 3. Removable helmets also tend to pose difficulties. We sculpt heads separately, then make a head casting, then sculpt a helmet over the top of the cast head. This allows us to estimate the wall thickness necessary for a removable piece. But, this is an estimation and there are minimum requirements for manufacturing. In some cases, the manufacturing vendor will request to make the helmet larger in production to increase the wall thickness. This causes a big helmet look and creates aesthetic scale issues.  4.  The combination of elements above can create combination variations. 5. The final possibility is there was an unintended mistake and our hardworking design, sculpting, and manufacturing elves just missed it.

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I've noticed in the last few weeks that the prices of the Titanium vehicles have passed the price of a basic figure. Has the tooling and/or the supplies to make them made the cost go up or is this being done by the retailers? (SWC, 03/12/08) (http://www.swcollector.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=57&t=1244&p=5685#p5685)

     Due to forces beyond out control, we did indeed take a price increase on Titanium vehicles recently. You have probably seen retailers take their price up as a result.

Will Hasbro be making any large scale weapons (like the E-11 and Clone Nerf weapon ) for the upcoming Clone Wars Cartoon to go with the Voice activated Clone Trooper helmet and/or any weapons in general this year? Costumer's and kids love these by the way. (SWC, 03/12/08) (http://www.swcollector.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=57&t=1244&p=5685#p5685)

     We will not be making any new blasters for Clone Wars this year, instead re-decoing our current library of blasters.

PROXY and Shaak Ti are two THE FORCE UNLEASHED characters conspicuous by their absences in the 3 3/4" action figure line. Any chance to see them added as EU characters to the line in the future, either single-carded or together as a Comic Pack (since there is a FORCE UNLEASHED comic)? (SWC, 03/12/08) (http://www.swcollector.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=57&t=1244&p=5685#p5685)

     There is a possibility that one or both of these characters could see the light of day eventually. Although neither is slotted into the line plan (and we have yet to see the TFU comic ourselves), they are cool characters and certainly good candidates for a future offering.

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We've now had time to digest the Indy toy line previewed in NYC, and...wow ! With two Indiana's in both the Raiders and Crystal Skull waves, can we expect additional variant Indy's in the Temple of Doom and Last Crusade waves ? Perhaps "torn shirt" Indy and "necktie" Indy ? Also, Raiders Indy has a touch of the Darth Malak "scary eyes" - will this be fixed prior to release ?. (TPU.co.uk, 03/12/08) (http://www.theprivateuniverse.co.uk/cgi-bin/showarticle.pl?section=news&articleid=2734)

     Thanks for the comments - glad you are looking forward to the IJ line. Yes, we do plan additional Indy figures for Temple of Doom and The Last Crusade as well. As for what those will be, we will plan on releasing the next wave information around Comic Con in July, if not before. As for eyes, there is another similar question about eyes on Star Wars figures from another fan site this week, and the answer is the same: eye deco is one of the toughest aspects of any figure in 3-3/4" scale to get consistent, since it all involves human touches (whether applied by hand, with spray masks, or with tampos). Slight variations is an expected part of the process. As time goes on and we work through the production of any figures with our factories, we look to dial in tighter to reduce variation.

The two small "Indy Trap" dioramas from the Deluxe line have a lot of potential. Will these continue, showing traps from the other movies ? Also, these type of "environments" are really lacking in the Star Wars line...is there any opportunity there ? (TPU.co.uk, 03/12/08) (http://www.theprivateuniverse.co.uk/cgi-bin/showarticle.pl?section=news&articleid=2734)

     These two are it for the year in the Deluxe assortment, but it will continue into next year with some interesting new ideas along the same lines (though probably not as *big* as these have been). While we feel the environmental piece is an important one for IJ, since the action is so specific to certain scenes, the idea doesn't necessarily translate to Star Wars as readily and we have been spending our energies elsewhere, broadening the figure and vehicle lines. That doesn't mean there won't be a few surprises here and there, but there aren't any "Deluxe" lines on the drawing board for Star Wars.

Once again, the Comic Packs look fabulous. Now that you've explored the Legacy, Prequel and OT periods, can we expect a foray into the distant past of KOTOR ? (TPU.co.uk, 03/12/08) (http://www.theprivateuniverse.co.uk/cgi-bin/showarticle.pl?section=news&articleid=2734)

     Yes, but the foray won't be as deep as the film period or Legacy packs. Look for at least one, perhaps two, KotOR/Tales of the Jedi packs next year.

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First off thanks for having another fabulous showing at this year's Toyfair, With all the announcements made, 7/26/08 (Saturday) is going to be the busy day at most retailers which begs the question - are there any TRU (or other retailer) "midnight madness" plans like with past major line releases? (YF, 03/12/08) (http://cgi.denpetersen.com/YAK1/viewtopic.php?p=39944#39944)

     Yes indeed, retailers are shaping up their plans and there will be activity similar to 2005 and the launch of Episode III toys. As for specific details, it is too early to talk about it but as things take shape we will keep fans informed.

I'm REALLY excited about the comic packs taken from the Legacy series. My question concerns the Imperial Knights pack. It looks from the photos that they have Red sabers. Now I know that often the product we see at Toy Fair isn't the final product, so we're wondering if the final release will include the correct "silver/ white/clear" sabers that the Knights are drawn with in the comics. (YF, 03/12/08) (http://cgi.denpetersen.com/YAK1/viewtopic.php?p=39944#39944)

     Yes indeed, the final sabers will be clear (silver).

In the press photos distributed by Hasbro, the V-19 Clone Fighter is displayed with it's wings folded up (for landing) and down (for flight) it was displayed this way in your booth at Toyfair as well, but in both instances the center wing was in the same position. Does this wing, in fact, fold under the main fuselage as shown in the Clone Wars cartoon and will there be any sort of weathering paint treatment this vehicle? (YF, 03/12/08) (http://cgi.denpetersen.com/YAK1/viewtopic.php?p=39944#39944)

     Yes, the center wing will be able to be folded down under the fuselage. This is truly an amazing vehicle if we do say so ourselves! As for weathering, it will be pretty much in the paint scheme shown at Toy Fair. For this guy, the money is definitely tied up in the vehicle tooling, and not necessarily the deco.

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The new 2008 Kashyyyk Trooper was made visibly smaller than the rest of the clones from Episode III. I was very disappointed upon opening this highly anticipated figure to discover this very discouraging flaw. Was there any reason behind this? (YN, 03/12/08) (http://yodasnews.com/)

     While we'd like to say that the Republic typically assigned the small, lighter Clones to the scout trooper / speeder bike corps, we realize that makes no sense. But we will say that any differences in height are not intentional as all Clones are supposed to be the same 6'0" height.

However, unfortunately, manufacture variances do sometimes occur. One can start with the same size sculpt and still end up with some variances as we have seen before with some figures, however unintentional. These variations tend to happen for several reasons.

1. Humidity does play a part in the molding processes. Typically, figures shrink aprox. 4% from our tooling models. But, this can vary.

2. When tools parts are finally assembled, they can fit together slightly differently than originally intended, adding variety.

3. Removable helmets also tend to pose difficulties. We sculpt heads separately, then make a head casting, then sculpt a helmet over the top of the cast head. This allows us to estimate the wall thickness necessary for a removable piece. But, this is an estimation and there are minimum requirements for manufacturing. In some cases, the manufacturing vendor will request to make the helmet larger in production to increase the wall thickness. This causes a big helmet look and creates aesthetic scale issues.

4. The combination of elements above can create combination variations.

5. The final possibility is there was an unintended mistake. And our hardworking design, sculpting, and manufacturing elves just missed it.


There have never been figures based on the later jedi knights games! Seeing as there have recently been figures based on the battlefront, force unleashed, kotor and republic commando games, is there any chance that figures like Desan, Tavion, the reborn and a new KYLE KATARN could be incorporated into the line sometime in the future as a 2 packs or carded figures? (YN, 03/12/08) (http://yodasnews.com/)

     There is a very good chance that Kyle Katarn will become a figure at some point. Whether or not he is based on the Jedi Knights games is TBD. The odds are longer on the others.

Can you speak on the rumors that Hasbro Is working on a way to make the 2008 released FX Lightsabers in some form of plastic or cheaper synthetic material as opposed to the metal we have seen from MR in order to bring the cost down to something not only a collector would buy but also a child? (YN, 03/12/08) (http://yodasnews.com/)

     Those rumors are false. We have an abundant supply of lightsabers focused at kids already in the form of basic, electronic, The Force Unleashed, Ultimate LS, etc. Our intention is to keep production exactly the same, with the same materials, on a consistent and ongoing basis. In addition, future FX sabers that we plan to introduce would also be made of the same materials to form a contiguous collection.
Title: Re: The Hasbro Q & A Compendium
Post by: Matt on March 21, 2008, 12:59 PM
Session 49 - March 20, 2008

(4-".de, 03/12/08) (http://www.4-inches.de/inhalt/home.htm)

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Would Hasbro ever consider doing a figure of a "classic style" Sy Snootles from before the Special Editions? That's the one including the feather hat, tusks, more realistic eyes, a microphone, and can still be seen in the current version on the sail barge. (AF, 03/20/08) (http://www.actionfigs.com/index.php?categoryid=12&p2_articleid=1916)

     We won't say never, but the odds of us getting to updates of the Jabba's band are pretty long.

Does Nippet the Wokling come out of his basket? If so, might you be able to share a picture of this? (AF, 03/20/08) (http://www.actionfigs.com/index.php?categoryid=12&p2_articleid=1916)

     Indeed Nippet does. Attached is a pic. (http://www.actionfigs.com/plugins/p17_image_gallery/images/tb_3312.jpg) Enjoy!

Although Hasbro's been releasing more and more Battle Droid designs lately, one that's been overlooked so far has been the Geonosis Battle Droid Commander, the one that has the OOM-9-style yellow markings on a maroon body. Moreover, the last Battle Droid Commander you released had a regular Battle Droid's backpack, which is inaccurate, the commander droids have no backpack, only a small antenna array as seen on your Ep 1 OOM-9 figure. Might this design be considered for the next time we see Battle Droid figures, perhaps even in a Geonosis Arena battle pack with the unreleased Geonosian Cannon accessory that was originally shown with the Arena playset? (AF, 03/20/08) (http://www.actionfigs.com/index.php?categoryid=12&p2_articleid=1916)

     We do indeed have plans to bring out this maroon commander in 2009 if our plan holds, and we will pass along your comment about the antenna array as the correct one. Thanks.

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What prompted the unusual creation of figures based on the Return of the Jedi sandstorm scene, which fans have never even seen aside from a few fuzzy still photos, and why wasn't Slave Leia in sandstorm garb (or the less significant Skiff Guard Lando) included among the group? (GH, 03/20/08) (http://www.galactichunter.com/absolutenm/templates/full_article_template_1.asp?articleid=7098&zoneid=2)

     When we learned about the existence of the deleted sandstorm scene, we were very intrigued and thought we had the nucleus of an intriguing wave. As you know, a key to our basic figure wave strategy is to look for new versions of core heroes, and this scene was the perfect opportunity to deliver some original, if not in the movie, concepts for these iconic characters.  We do have plans to do a sandstorm version of Princess Leia at a future date.

We (Brian Wilke and I) discussed this a bit at Toy Fair, and the "big tuna" Rebel Troop Transport is seen in all three "Classic" Star Wars films. It's not the most exciting vehicle, granted, but it's a nice sized freighter. Why not resurrect it with more "playset" styled features in its belly and lid? (We modern collectors would just be happy with the piece as-is, but extra features never hurt.) What do our friends at Hasbro think? (It's cooler than the Cloud Car, at least.) (GH, 03/20/08) (http://www.galactichunter.com/absolutenm/templates/full_article_template_1.asp?articleid=7098&zoneid=2)

     This vehicle has been suggsested numerous times in Q&A over the last couple of years, primarily because it (and the Cloud Car) have yet to be updated for the modern line.  Despite that, we do not feel that either of these are the best candidates for our (precious and limited) vehicle slots. They are not overally aggressive vehicles or in the case of the Rebel Transport, visually interesting.  If we were to invest resources and tooling in a vehicle/playset combo as you suggest, our choice would probably not be the Rebel Transport.

For each of the prequel trilogy Hasbro developed one large playset. First we saw the Attack of the Clones Geonosis Arena Playset recycled as the G.I. Joe: Attack on Cobra Mountain Playset. Now we're seeing the Revenge of the Sith Mustafar Duel Playset being recycled to create an Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull playset. Is there a contractual obligation with LFL to make at least one big playset per film? We've been told time and again that they don't sell, but we see "our" sets used for other lines, and it leaves Star Wars fans a little bitter. So what gives here? (GH, 03/20/08) (http://www.galactichunter.com/absolutenm/templates/full_article_template_1.asp?articleid=7098&zoneid=2)

     There is no contractual obligation to produce a playset; we tackle the best line-up for the movie on a case-by-case basis.  For example, there is no playset for The Clone Wars… unless you consider the AT-TE a playset on legs as many kids probably will.

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Hasbro, are there any plans to do an Obi-wan evolutions pack. We are now only lacking a super articulated Episode I Obi-wan to go with our evolutions Qui-gon and Darth Maul. Most importantly though, is the lack of a definitive Episode II Obi-wan. Every version released since 2002-2004 saga collection was rendered sub par by mediocre action features and awkward presculpted poses. While we have had similar comic pack versions released, they have been wearing wrong color clothing or Episode III boots because most have been retools of the Pilot Obi-wan figure, or a solid cloak which restricts articulation. To complete the set, we could use a redo on Episode IV Ben Kenobi. The vintage OTC version was not so satisfactory either, due to straight cut swivel arms that are sculpted oddly, a ridiculously puffy cloak and no knee articulation. Any chance of wish fullfilment this year? Even word of a single carded version of these would be fantastic. (IS, 03/20/08)* (http://www.imperialshipyards.net/hangarbay/modules.php?name=Forums&file=viewtopic&p=4555#4555)

     OK, great question. The answer is that an Obi-Wan Evolution set with figures from EpI, EpII, and EpIV *was* on the drawing board for late in the Evo run, but the plug was pulled. Before you get to angry with us, though, it was cancelled for a good reason: the figures are going to be some of the "anchor" figures for upcoming waves in late 2008/early 2009. All three fgures should see the shelves by the end of 2009, in any case.

I think we can all agree that the KOTOR figures released last year were very popular. Any chance we may see a few more characters from the game? Bastilla Shan, Carth Onassi perhaps? I also wondered if you had considered a player character figure. While technically you already did the character, I won't say how for fear of ruining a plot element for anyone who has yet to play the game, but how about a "battle pack" or 2 pack like the "order 66". I was thinking maybe a somewhat generic figure, male and female versions in a couple of different costumes from the game with swappable heads for different hair styles/ colors and different ethnicities. I think the McQuarrie rebel trooper body would be an excellent mold with minor retooling and different paint. I really love that head sculpt. The McQuarrie figures in general look like they are right out of the game except for color. For 2-packs maybe pair one player character body with one of the main characters? (IS, 03/20/08)* (http://www.imperialshipyards.net/hangarbay/modules.php?name=Forums&file=viewtopic&p=4555#4555)

     We do think that at some point we will get to Bastilla Shan (although there is no timetable), and with the success of the Dark Horse series it makes characters like Carth a greater possibility for future years as that series continues. However, we don't know about the player character idea for KotOR. You have some interesting suggestions, especially using existing tooling (a big criteria for doing ideas like this). While we still doubt we'd do these, given everything else floating around, we will take a look at some point.

Often with these Q&A sessions, we get answers (especially about playsets) about the cost or retooling, new sculpts, etc. Is there any way you can break down this process for us so that we can have a greater understanding on why we get these answers? I think a lot of collectors who ask questions and get these answers get frustrated because we just don't understand all of it. I think if you were able to explain it all to us, we'd be much happier! (IS, 03/20/08)* (http://www.imperialshipyards.net/hangarbay/modules.php?name=Forums&file=viewtopic&p=4555#4555)

     Everything we do as costing associated with it from various areas and all of these are put together before we proceed in a project. We have engineers on staff whose exact job it is to accurately forecast detailed costing information for tooling, plastic prices, packaging specifications, deco, inter-factory transfer costs, transportation, labor, and a host of other things we need to get our arms around. This is vital when creating a product whether it is a single figure, a whole lineup like Legacy/Droid factory figures, a new or repainted vehicle, a new lightsaber role-play item....in short, the entire line. We have targets we need to hit, and in cases where there is an extraordinary cost associated with it (such as a playset) there needs to be a very high degree of confidence that we will meet our goals.

In the case of playsets, we do not have confidence (based on past experience with Star Wars and other brands) that we will have the market support for our ideas. That is why we have focused our energy on large vehicles, like the AT-TE, instead of playsets. It doesn't mean that we will never do things like playsets, but it would have to be a "must have" for today's generation of kids. That would mean that any new playset would not be drawn from the classic films, since they are not as relevant to the next generation of kids as the new entertainment will be. It's too early to tell exactly where Clone Wars will take us, and whether there is a great persistent enviroment in there suitable for playset creation, but from what we have seen we think the big vehicle approach is the best one.


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During the Toy Fair collector event, you briefly mentioned the possibility of a third basic figure line hitting the shelves at the end of the year. The line was going to be like the Saga Legends repack line, but focused more on bringing back figures of characters that would compliment the Clone Wars line. Is this still going to happen, and if so, are we talking mainly Jedi, Clones, and Droids in the line? (JD, 03/20/08) (http://www.jedidefender.com/newspro/fullnews.cgi?newsid1206060291,41391,)

     There will indeed be a third basic figure line this Fall, once again called "Saga Legends". Unlike previous Saga Legends, this one is kid-focused around the animation and will consist of hero characters who are prominent in the animation, but who will not have an animated version for their character right away or who we are looking to get out there in greater numbers to take advantage of the excitement that the movie and TV show will generate. The lineup consists of figures you might expect: Anakin, Obi-Wan, R2-D2, Yoda with Kybuck, C-3PO, numerous Clones and droids, and others.

All of the figures will be existing. It's too early to say whether the line will continue longer than through Spring. Because this line was created to complement the animated line, and be particularly kid-focused, we aren't planning on doing any particular fan-request figures in this line like we have done with past Saga Legends.


Our "OT only" collecting friends are starting to worry about a lack of original trilogy goodness in the basic figure line this year. We’ve had a RotS wave and an EU wave (TFU) in 2008. Confirmed for the Legacy Collection are a RotJ wave and another EU wave ("old" Clone Wars). That’s only 25% OT goodness so far.

In the Q&As, you've confirmed that there are four waves of the Legacy Collection yet to be revealed, one of those being a repaints wave and one being RotS-based (again). Please give our "OT only" friends a reason to believe that the two remaining "yet-to-be-revealed" waves will be chocked full o’ OT goodness!
(JD, 03/20/08) (http://www.jedidefender.com/newspro/fullnews.cgi?newsid1206060291,41391,)

     There have been a number of wave shifts as we've gotten further into the year, so some of our original lineup projections have had to change as we have had delays and shifts (always one of the headaches of trying to give advance info, only to have things change beyond our control). So, here's the latest: In addition to what you have outlined, there will be three additional basic figure waves in the Legacy Collection. One will be a predominantly repaint wave that will draw from across the Saga, one will be an EpIII wave, and the final wave will be EpIV. We were angling for another OTC wave in there but it was running behind so it was pushed out to 2009. We will tell you that 2009 has a great OTC lineup and we hope to provide a sneak peak into that at Comic Con.

OK, so now that we know there are plans in the works for "Midnight Madness" events for The Clone Wars toy launch in July, we’ve got to wonder about the man in the hat. Do you know if there are any "Midnight Madness" events in the works for your big Indy toy launch in May? (JD, 03/20/08) (http://www.jedidefender.com/newspro/fullnews.cgi?newsid1206060291,41391,)

     There are no plans, as far as we know, for special Midnight Madness-type events for IJ. If you hear of any, let us know!

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Will we see more Evolution sets centered around original triology characters, for example Luke (Tatooine, Bespin, Jedi) or Han (ANH, Bespin, Endor)? (JI, 03/20/08) (http://jediinsider.com/index.php?catid=8&itemid=10982)

     We do not have any plans for Luke or Han Evolution sets for this year, since many of those figures were recently done or will be upcoming in basic figures in the next couple of years. In general, on Evolutions, our tendency is to cover a theme with multiple characters (like Legacy of the Sith, Legacy of the Jedi, Legacy of the Fetts, upcoming Rebellion and Imperial pilots) or a single character we are not likely to do in basic figures for a long, long time (Secret Apprentice, Padme).

Can we expect to see any more holiday-themed exclusives this year - like last year's Father's Day set? (JI, 03/20/08) (http://jediinsider.com/index.php?catid=8&itemid=10982)

     We don't have any more 3-3/4" holiday-themed sets planned for this year. However, we are looking at another possibility, and if we can get it done we'll have details at Comic Con. Until then, that's all we will say.

Can you tell us what new Transformers/Star Wars sculpts we might see for this year? (JI, 03/20/08) (http://jediinsider.com/index.php?catid=8&itemid=10982)

     Four all-new sculpts are planned for later this Fall. We are going to be revealing all of them (and possibly more) at Comic Con, but we'll give you a little taste of our September wave: General Grievous/Grievous Starfighter, and TIE Pilot/TIE Bomber.

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We collectors are a funny bunch and sometimes we’re very hard to please.   This is related to some of the exclusives that came out last year.

We don’t know if you’re aware but in the UK the McQuarrie Luke from Celebration Europe is currently being given away at TRU stores with a Star Wars spend over £25 and the Celebration Europe McQuarrie R2 and 3P0 are available now from Play.com for just £1.99. 

Finally, the Comic Con Shadow Trooper Bike/Scout is available from StarWarsShop.com for just $10. With all this is mind, we’ve had several readers e-mailing us and being rather upset at this turn of events based on the fact that these McQuarrie figures were originally £15 at Celebration Europe and whilst the Comic Con exclusive was never available in the UK the costs of buying it on the secondary market was very expensive – especially shipping.

They’ve asked why you think this has happened, was it due to the fact that these items were over-produced and therefore there’s a glut of them left in the market or is there another reason? (JN.co.uk, 03/20/08) (http://www.jedinews.co.uk/news/news.aspx?newsID=1035)

     The simple reason is that while we were able to better forecast demand for the U.S. Celebration exclusives, due to a lot of experience with the U.S. fan base, getting a feel for the size of the European market was more of a challenge.  As such, since it was the first Celebration there, we did not want to disappoint fans and there was excess which found its way to market. If there are future Celebration Europes (or any other European show for that matter), these learnings will help us dial in more acutely on the right quantities to bring.

Captain Rex – this figure looks amazing and we’re really pleased you’ve gone back to revisit the ideas of dioramas that were first seen with the Expanded Universe line.   Unfortunately, the promotion that’s running in the US to get this figure is not coming over to Europe.   Will you or can you find another way of getting this released over here (could it be released as an exclusive or directly via Hasbro UK)?   Otherwise we’re going to have to resort to eBay and it’s not going to be cheap! (JN.co.uk, 03/20/08) (http://www.jedinews.co.uk/news/news.aspx?newsID=1035)

     While we do not have concrete information, our team is still looking for ways to make use of the Captain Rex figure in the European market.  Jedi News - this is great news, we'll keep you all informed...

In the last round of Q&A answers you said that the Comic Con Exclusive Vader and Emperor may debut a week earlier at Celebration Japan.  Will the folk in Europe and especially us here in the UK get a chance to buy this figure set?  Also, is there any chance of a photo... please? (JN.co.uk, 03/20/08) (http://www.jedinews.co.uk/news/news.aspx?newsID=1035)

     Attached is a photo (http://jeditemplearchives.com/news/images2008a/holo-emperor.jpg), James.  Right now it is planned as a Comic Con exclusive (with a Japanese splash) and we are looking for ways to also bring it to Europe although the specific retailer has not been lined up as of yet.

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When can collectors expect to see Hasbro packaged Force FX lightsabers arrive in stores?  And on the same note, can they expect any new products in this line within the calender year? (JTA, 03/20/08) (http://jeditemplearchives.com/content/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=3762)

     This Fall (approximately August) will see the first Hasbro-produced sabers hit market.  Since the factory and production line is the same, it's our intention to make the transition seamless.  There will not be any new products slated for 2008, but there are some on tap for 2009.  Stay tuned for more info on those at the end of the year.

At Toy Fair we saw that some of the other Hasbro licensed properties (Marvel & Transformers specificially) have taken up the Unleashed concept and put a large Unleashed figure offering in their own lines.  In the past the Hasbro Star Wars group has said that the Unleashed figures proved too costly to continue, and yet other boys toys groups within Hasbro are continuing on with this concept.  Did the Unleashed line just prove to not be as solid of a sales performer in the Star Wars line as the 3.75" figure system? (JTA, 03/20/08) (http://jeditemplearchives.com/content/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=3762)

     Collectors just did not embrace the format to nearly the extent that other segments of the line enjoy (especially 3-3/4").  An impressive number of Star Wars Unleashed 7" figures did see the light of day, but the smaller production volumes just could not be sustained when compared to where else in the Star Wars line those design and tooling resources could be employed.  As for the popularity of the format in other lines, we really cannot speculate since every brand is different.

One of the highlights of Toy Fair had to be the AT-TE.  But of equal note was the V-19 Torrent and the Homing Spider Droid which are part of the $19.99 vehicle assortment.  Can collectors expect more than just these two vehicles in the Clone Wars assault vehicle assortment when that line launches in July?  Also, is it possible to get an image of the V-19 toy with all of it's wings in flight mode, as seen in this image (http://jeditemplearchives.com/news/images2008a/v-19-attack-comic.jpg)? (JTA, 03/20/08) (http://jeditemplearchives.com/content/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=3762)

     There will be other vehicles carried forward into the Clone Wars vehicle lineup, including some of the existing EpIII starfighters, a re-release of the Anakin modified starfighter, V-Wing, Grievous Starfighter, and the like.  We will not have any additional new vehicles in the assortment until late in the Fall or early 2009.  See the below picture (http://jeditemplearchives.com/news/images2008a/v-19-attack.jpg) for the V-19 in it's flying position.

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When comparing the designs from the original trilogy and the prequel trilogy, I don't think that anyone would argue that the designs of the prequel Characters, droids, creatures and vehicles are much more complex. Characters specifically are much different. The characters, specifically aliens, of the Original Trilogy are very "Human" shapes, where with the prequel trilogy we get a lot more aliens who are not so human is shape. We get serpent like characters such as Oppo Rancisis, bug like characters like the Geonosians and characters who have a much smaller stature (Tsui Choi, some of the podracers) or have a smaller skeletal structure (kaminoans, some of the podracers).

Having said that, do the design that Lucasfilm have created make it harder (from a design, engineering and cost perspective) for you to turn them into 3 3/4inch figures? Does or has this level of detail/complexity effect your line-up choices? Is there anything that you have been trying to do, but just cannot get it "right" and have put it in the "too hard basket"...at least for now? (MD, 03/20/08) (http://mousedroid.com/hasbro/index.html)

     Generally, the challenges of both are equal but different. There are positives and negatives to both the Classic and Prequels. In the classics, props had to be created using pieces of real objects, but had to be constructed to make us feel that they were futuristic and other-worldly.

This was due in some part to the limitations in technology which made the prop/set designers work under more “real-world” restraints. These restraints created unique and in some cases more believable design solutions. Conversely, the CGI technology of the modern era allowed Star Wars to explore more conceptual designs. However, these design do not always have to meet restraints of actual physics (ie. R2 fitting into a CGI starfighter that is not thick enough for him to fit in or a Destroyer droid that unrolls but the CGI parts actually occupy the same space in ball form.) The challenge with CGI is to really create an object so that you believe to be real. In both cases, the goal is to transport us to different time and place but the means to get there are different. As for actual sculpting difficulties, small characters are fine, since the demands for articulation on these characters are usually relaxed (and there are plenty of small figures in the OTC as well, including Yoda, Jawas, and Ugnaughts. Anything that is taller but very thin (like Battle Droids legs) pose a challenge from the standpoint of making sure there is enough articulation to meet collector needs.

We can sculpt pretty much anything, and we can get anything to move, but getting them to look great (like the on-screen version), move, and be durable and not fall over, is the biggest challenge.


This question is in to a background Tatooine vehicle - The 9000 Z001 Landspeeder, (the UFO like craft that's parked outside the Cantina to the right of the front entrance when Luke & Obi-Wan arrive & walk in). To date, apart from the one included in the Mos Eisley Lego set, I believe there has been no toy made of this unique vehicle to speak of.
Will we ever see this make it's debut in the 3&3/4" line some day? As a huge OT fan - & particularly of EPIV, this would simply be a dream come true for me! (MD, 03/20/08) (http://mousedroid.com/hasbro/index.html)

     We have actually thought about doing that before, but put the idea aside since there are still many more great, aggressive vehicles yet to do.  Someday we could look at it, but it will probably be a long while.

The Titanium Series collectibles was effectively ignored at Toy Fair this year. Does this represent a lack of interest in the brand, or nothing more than a lack of product to show? (MD, 03/20/08) (http://mousedroid.com/hasbro/index.html)

     We could not cover everything at Toy Fair this year, and Titanium was one of the lines that we just didn't have the space and time to explore fully. Rest assured that the basic vehicle assortment will continue on for a long, long time. We have a lot of great vehicles, and quite a few new tools, coming up later this year and are developing many exciting entries for 2009 as well. We plan to take a more in-depth deep dive at Comic Con this Summer..

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Many collectors are passing on the Fett evolution set and are wanting some changes to Boba and Jango. Jango is too purple and should be more blue, Boba's color is off and he is missing the icon on his chest plate. The helmets on both are somewhat warped as well. Is there any chance that Boba and Jango will see single carded releases with these changes? (RS, 03/20/08) (http://www.rebelscum.com/story/front/Hasbros_50th_STAR_WARS_QA_The_Answers_113320.asp)
 
     The Evolution of the Fett clan will run through 2009, and we will be updating to a version with the tampo (a regrettable error). Right now, we don't have any plans to offer these on basic figure cards.

Great job with Toy Fair 2008. The toys look great and I am very excited about all the different things that were shown. One of my favorite items at Toy Fair was the Padmé Legacy Evolutions set. All three figures look great and will make a great addition to the other Padmés. However, I was noticing that of all the Padmés that have been made, there are still no Padmés in her various senator outfits. There are numerous battle Padmés and scene specific ones, including the nightgown/birth one, but none can be used for any of her senator scenes. Does Hasbro plan to release a Padmé in one of her senator outfits soon? Possibly in the 2009 AOTC wave that you have mentioned in previous question and answer threads? (RS, 03/20/08) (http://www.rebelscum.com/story/front/Hasbros_50th_STAR_WARS_QA_The_Answers_113320.asp)

     Thanks for the comments, and we hope all of the Padmé fans like the Evolutions set (we think it came out great and it's worth the wait for some great Padmés). While we don't have a senator outfit in the lineup for 2009, we agree that it should be one of the next ones done when we craft our next AotC wave. So while it won't be as soon as you like, it won't be too long (hopefully) before we get to Senator Amidala.

I would like to say thank you again for the upcoming release of V-19 Torrent Starfighter and TIE-Defender. I was wondering since you have released a number of ships and vehicles ranging for the six episodes,Clone Wars,and EU if you plan to release the following ships and vehicles within the next year or two:  Sith Fighter, UT-AT, SPHA-T, Naboo Yacht, Eclipse-Class Star Destroyer, E-wing, Republic Carrier, Imperial Transport (ANH special edition) (RS, 03/20/08) (http://www.rebelscum.com/story/front/Hasbros_50th_STAR_WARS_QA_The_Answers_113320.asp)

     We assume you mean Titanium. Yes you can look for some of these vehicles in 2009. Specifically we have plans for the E-wing, Republic Carrier, & UT-AT. Thanks for your continued support of Titanium. Keep your eyes open for these new ships and many more.

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Why do the Walmart exclusives seem to be so scarce? The Jabba's Palace entertainers showed up in Michigan for the first time the first week of March, 2008. In other parts of the country they've already been clearanced out. The exclusive comic packs still can't be found around here. This doesn't seem to happen with the Toys R Us and Target exclusives, although last year's Target exclusive battle packs did go very fast. (RTM, 03/20/08) (http://www.toymania.com/news/messages/10133.shtml)

     Not all WM stores will carry Star Wars exclusives, due to different store layouts (amount of space decidated to toys) or the relative strength of the store as it indexes to Star Wars sales. In other cases, it may take a while for the exclusives (or any item in general) to actually get out of the distribution center, and, once in store, to get out of the back room to shelves. We have no other explanation for why the Jabba's Palace sets you saw actually got to the shelf months after most other stores had theirs.

Why do the build-a-droid R7 droids have jet boosters on them and will they be removable? (RTM, 03/20/08) (http://www.toymania.com/news/messages/10133.shtml)

     We added them to put additonal play and functionality in the Droid Factory figures. The good news is that yes, they are removable.

Regarding the SW Legacy Line's Bane Malor, is the bandolier covering his chest removable? Also, is the helmet removable? And is the head ball-jointed? (RTM, 03/20/08) (http://www.toymania.com/news/messages/10133.shtml)

     The bandolier will not be removable, nor will the helmet be (there is no face sculpted for him). The head will be ball-jointed and can be removed.

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Should Hasbro ever decide to revisit the Ishi Tib species with a new figure, would you be more inclined to do one from Jabba's palace first, the prequels, or would you want to update the figure from 1998 of the unnamed rebel? (SSG, 03/20/08) (http://www.sirstevesguide.com/index.php?categoryid=13&p2_articleid=1320)

     We would probably go with an OTC version. While an Ishi Tib is not in any planend waves for the next couple of years, it is a good candidate for eventually updating since there is also a vintage precedent.

With the upcoming Comic Pack figure of Cade Skywalker, you seem to have nailed his look, but he doesn't seem to be coming with his green lightsaber. Might that be rectified in time for the figure's release since it's unlikely we'll be seeing another Cade Skywalker figure for a while? Cade's even holding the hilt on the cover of Legacy #2, and after all, your figure of Quinlan Vos wasn't entirely accurate to the issue he came with, instead opting for his more popular look, so why not give Cade his saber? (SSG, 03/20/08) (http://www.sirstevesguide.com/index.php?categoryid=13&p2_articleid=1320)

     Originally, it was planned that Cade would have a saber hilt. However, the hard copy was misplaced and by the time the mistake was discovered, it could not be included. We decided to release as is (since he has his blaster rifle).

While it's our site policy to avoid rumors, our readers have been wound up a bit on this one so they demanded we ask.... It seems like there was a lot of hype and rumor about a new Millennium Falcon vehicle for the main line, including the leak of a Target DCPI number that came with the AT-TE - which Hasbro is indeed materializing. There was a lot of expectation that Hasbro would unveil both the AT-TE and this new Millennium Falcon at Toy Fair, and while the former appeared, the latter did not, so might you comment on these Falcon rumors at all? If nothing else, a simple confirmation or denial would ease a lot of collector tension. (SSG, 03/20/08) (http://www.sirstevesguide.com/index.php?categoryid=13&p2_articleid=1320)

     We have no comment on anything to do with a Millenium Falcon item, other than to say that it is not our policy to comment on certain rumors especially as they pertain to items that may appear in the Target (or any other retailer's) computers. Often, there is a reason for this secrecy because some items may be part of that retailers promotional tactics such as the Ultimate Battle Packs at Target. Whether or not there is another such concept in development will not be commented upon for this reason.

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With the new release of the clone wars AT-TE vehicle coming up, are there going to be any more plans for producing more large scaled vehicles?  Is it going to depend on the sales of the AT-TE?

Im stoked to see Hasbro making larger Star Wars vehicles.  The one vehicle I would love to see the most is the Clone Turbo Tank.  Im sure a lot of other collectors especially ones who collect mostly clone trooper figures would go into a frenzy if Hasbro planned on doing this! (ST, 03/20/08) (http://www.sandtroopers.com/smf/index.php?topic=5183.msg176818#msg176818)

     We do think that the large vehicle format is the way to go to unlock the excitement of the Clone Wars, but whether we do another one will depend greatly on how this one does and what other vehicles await in the Clone Wars animation.  By this Fall, we should know a lot more on both of those scores, but if what we have seen of the early animation holds out for the rest of the series, the future looks very bright.

Do you have any plans to make more interactive 3 3/4 inch Star Wars action figures? The R2-D2 that beeps and flashes when you press a button on his chest, or the Chewbacca that carried C-3PO with eyes that lit up are recent examples. I understand that costs could be a factor early on, but why not an entire line of staple Star Wars figure with similar interactivity? A Vader with a light saber that would glow red and makes the famous breathing sound when pressed, or a Stormtrooper th at yelled "stop right there" and the tip of his gun would glow red when pressed, would make exciting figures! (ST, 03/20/08) (http://www.sandtroopers.com/smf/index.php?topic=5183.msg176818#msg176818)

     Interesting question.  The biggest obstacles are the extra cost of electronics, and being able to incoporate them in a way that does not detract from the aesthetics of the figure. We can't afford to put lights and sounds in many 3-3/4" figures in the "basic" price point because of the added expense; if we did, we would have to take cost out elsewhere to be able to afford them. We could look at a higher price point (as we have done in the past for FX figures), but aside from droids, we don't think that the electronics within figures add all that much to the 3-3/4" play pattern. If we could afford the cost, perhaps the more serious challenge is where we can actually hide the electronics in the human figures. On figures like R2-D2, electronics and asethetics can be combined relatively seemlessly because of R2's relative lack of articulation and body width that can accomodate the guts (electronics & battery). On humans, something would have to give if the electronics were inside the figures - like an an increase in chest size, and certainly decreased shoulder/arm articulation.
 
In a recent Q&A about the Vintage Line, you made this comment:

"The stable of real strong versions of core OTC characters to anchor future vintage waves is getting thin, we just don't feel the future is there for Vintage as we have been bringing it out."

I'm not sure how you're getting to that conclusion. There were 92 figures in the original Kenner line, not to mention how many characters were never realized in plastic. So far, there have been a total of 23 figures in your "vintage" line, so you've still got close to 70 figures to make, just to catch up with Kenner  . I understand that you're looking at "core" characters, and not all of the original Kenner figures were of "core" characters, but if you're aiming this Vintage line at older collectors who remember the original vintage line and are looking to spark some nostalgia, ANY of the original Kenner figu res would do that. (ST, 03/20/08) (http://www.sandtroopers.com/smf/index.php?topic=5183.msg176818#msg176818)

     Of course there are plenty of solid figures left, but you are assuming that all vintage figures sell-through to collectors at the same rate.  Actually, they do not. Core characters and strong troop builders do the best, with lesser-known characters trailing behind.  Why this is, especially when the recent mail-in redemptions encourage even purchase across the line, is still a bit of a mystery but does point to the fact that we need to craft Vintage waves with the same sensibilities with which we approach basic figures...a mix of core strong heroes to support the smaller-run more obscure characters.  In the main basic figure line, it is easier to compensate a number of lower-volume characters, but in a smaller assortment like vintage, each and every choice is important to helping us get to where we need to be volume-wise.

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Why is it that the GI Joe line figures come with stands and more articulation that SW, yet are still $2 on average cheaper than SW figures? $6.99 average for SW versus $4.99 for GI Joe? When SW basic figures were first given stands, we were told the price increase from $5.99 to $6.99 was necessary to cover the cost of the stand? (ST/"TJ", 03/20/08) (http://www.sandtroopers.com/smf/index.php?topic=8437.msg176822#msg176822)

     You can't necessarily compare across lines in an apples-to-apples manner.  There are a host of other parameters used in establishing and setting our targets.  Lucasfilm royalties are also one factor that we must build into our line which other brands will not have.
 
Any chance of releasing any of the exclusive set Galactic Heroes figures in the regular line of 2-packs? I know a lot of collectors that didn't buy the Cinema Scenes because they had every figure save one or two (Leia from Hoth, Jar Jar and Qui-Gon from Naboo, etc.). Any chance we can get those without spending the $30 for the entire set, even if they were repainted in some form? (ST/"TJ", 03/20/08) (http://www.sandtroopers.com/smf/index.php?topic=8437.msg176822#msg176822)

     We don't have any plans right now to release those figures in the 2-pack line.  Instead, we are working hard to try and make as many of the figures in the Cinema Scenes unique as possible so collectors feel that they are "must have" sets to complement the 2-packs.  Could they appear someday? It's always a possibility, but for now they will remain exclusive.

We're getting Force Unleashed 3.75" figures, and Unleashed Battlepacks... any chance of some Force Unleashed characters showing up in your other lines, like Galactic Heroes? Please?? And what are the chances that we could get some other Expanded Universe characters in the Galactic Heroes line, like Quinlan Vos and Darth Revan? (ST/"TJ", 03/20/08) (http://www.sandtroopers.com/smf/index.php?topic=8437.msg176822#msg176822)

     Interesting question!  Other than bringing in upcoming Clone Wars characters, we don't have any plans to dip into the EU for Galactic Heroes for the foreseeable future.  It doesn't mean we won't at some point, but right now with so many great film characters yet to be made in GH, and Clone Wars bringing a lot of kids to the format, that's where we'll be putting our emphasis.  You never can tell what he future of GH will bring, though; it does have a strong collector following in addition to kids, so we will look to keep it relevant to all audiences.

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Any chance we'll see some "Vintage" Indiana Jones figures similar to the Vintage Star Wars line? (ST/"WOTS", 03/20/08) (http://www.sandtroopers.com/smf/index.php?topic=9921.msg176821#msg176821)

     On a unique package background?  No, at least not in the first 12-18 months.  Most, if not all, of the "vintage" characters/outfits will be finding their way to the basic figure line, though.  Eventually, we could do a vintage-type of package treatment but it wouldn't be for a while.

At the Toy Fair Q'n'A you announced that Henry Jones would be coming out as a figure. Can you give us any more details? Will he be single carded, deluxe, or possibly a pack-in with a vehicle? (ST/"WOTS", 03/20/08) (http://www.sandtroopers.com/smf/index.php?topic=9921.msg176821#msg176821)

     We are assuming you mean 3-3/4" and not another expression (like Adventure Heroes).  Yes, he will be coming out later this year.  Stay tuned!

Again, at the Toy Fair Q'n'A a question was asked about the possibility of future playsets. What would you guys like to see made for the Indiana Jones lines, and would the old molds be used or would they be completely new toolings? (ST/"WOTS", 03/20/08) (http://www.sandtroopers.com/smf/index.php?topic=9921.msg176821#msg176821)

     The original Kenner tools do not seem to be available, at least as far as we can find, so anything we did would need to be new.  As far as what we'd like to see, without question something in the Map Room/Well of Souls vein would be cool (and the most vintage-inspired).  However, playsets are very expensive to produce and we have to see how Akator does (and kid demand for IJ in general) before we can consider any more.

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I'm pretty excited about the Droid Factory concept and think it's like the coolest idea ever. Will we see R2, R3, and R5 astromechs join the line along side the announced R4 and R7 models? And do you know what the duration of this line will be? I'd like to see it go on as long as possible! (SWC, 03/20/08) (http://www.swcollector.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=57&t=1246)

     Thanks for the great word … we are excited about Droid Factory ourselves and hope that it has a long, long run. The answer to your question is yes, yes, and yes … all three models are in the 2009 lineup.

THE FORCE UNLEASHED Evolutions set is awesome, and the Secret Apprentice character's three separate identities look really cool. But, in the character art used on the box, the Sith Lord is using two red-bladed sabers that look like the one packed in the hands of the Apprentice figure, while the art for the Apprentice shows him wielding the pronged saber packed with the Sith Lord figure. Which depictions would be more game-accurate? (SWC, 03/20/08) (http://www.swcollector.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=57&t=1246)

     They are both game-accurate (as of this writing). For more info on the game itself, you will have to wait and see when TFU debuts later this year.

2008's Legacy Collection looks like it will be off to a great start with the Clone Wars and RETURN OF THE JEDI waves. Will this line's packaging be incorporated into the Comic Packs and Evolutions sets, or will those continue to sport 30th Anniversary Collection-style packages? (SWC, 03/20/08) (http://www.swcollector.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=57&t=1246)

     The enite Star Wars line will switch over to the blue & white motiff shownat Toy Fair. The 30th line look will give away on 7/26 to the new look.

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You've pretty much nailed all of the core characters from the original trilogy in terms of sculpts, articulation and variants now (with the prequels catching up). So, what's next in terms of innovation for the brand at this scale ? Can articulation be improved any further, or do the materials prohibit it ? Will we see any more attempts to introduce electronics in 3 3/4" figures ? Perhaps another attempt at the Force FX technology for sabre-weilding characters ? (TPU.co.uk, 03/20/08) (http://www.theprivateuniverse.co.uk/cgi-bin/showarticle.pl?section=news&articleid=2766)

     As for innovation in 3-3/4", there are three things we are continuing to refine: pack-in concepts like the Droid Facory in which every figure gets a piece of a larger collection (the sequel to the 30th Anniversary coins), as well as continuing to push the envelope on soft goods, and updating/producing new unproduced characters with the current aesthetics and articulation. We think we're at a good place with articulation and sculpting aesthetics overall, with most characters having as much as we think they need. We pretty much pack in as much as we can for each wave (we simply can't super-articulate everything, for cost reasons). As for electronics, it's also a question of cost as well as aesthetics. We can't afford to put lights and sounds in many 3-3/4" figures in the "basic" price point because of the added expense; if we did, we would have to take cost out elsewhere to be able to afford them. We could look at a higher price point (as we have done in the past for FX figures), but aside from droids, we don't think that the electronics within figures add all that much to the 3-3/4" basic figures play pattern.

With the success of the Battle Pack format in the Star Wars line, can we expect to see something similar for Indy ? "Rope Bridge Showdown" containing Indy, the aforementioned rope bridge, Thuggee's and crocodiles would be neat ! You've already introduced the concept of multi-packs of army builders with the German Soldier 2-pack (and fans are loving you for it), so the recreation of specific scenes with some environment elements thrown in would certainly be well-received. (TPU.co.uk, 03/20/08) (http://www.theprivateuniverse.co.uk/cgi-bin/showarticle.pl?section=news&articleid=2766)

     We are looking at some IJ battle pack concepts, and the one you mention is a possibility either for the Deluxe assortment or battle packs at some future point.

The figures in the Indy line all appear to have ball-jointed heads. The customising-orientated among us would like to know if the neck posts / ball and sockets are of similar dimensions so that quick swaps can be achieved (eg, Indy head on a German Soldier body = instant Indy in German Soldier Disguise / Cario Indy head on KotCS jacketless Indy body = super-articulated Cairo Indy) ? (TPU.co.uk, 03/20/08) (http://www.theprivateuniverse.co.uk/cgi-bin/showarticle.pl?section=news&articleid=2766)

     We have sculpted IJ with standard head and neck post sizes, but as with Star Wars, our Asian engineering team and the factory do what they feel is needed for production of the figure. This means that some figures change in neck post size and they won't always be consistent. Since timely manufacturing and durability are two of our most important parameters, we often give ground on some of the more minor issues like universal part sizes.

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What were the determining factors that went into producing the Jedi Legacy Evolutions Set. Granted Qui-Gon needed the revision, but why another Bultar Swan since we just received a version of her in the Purge Comic Pack?

Also regarding this set: There are several pre-existing Jedi accessories available that wouldn't require investments in "new" tooling (communicators, lightsaber hilts, aquabreathers, cloaks, robes etc.) why were they not included with this set? (YF, 03/20/08) (http://cgi.denpetersen.com/YAK1/viewtopic.php?p=40329#40329)

     After doing the Bultar Swan in the comic pack, we felt that we were missing the actual on-sccreen version of her and so she became a great candidate to slot into our Jedi pack. Also, we wanted to get a nice, articulated female Jedi body that we could use down the road as needed....so she actually fit two needs in that pack. As for other accessories, we put in what we could afford for these sets. Most of our costing is tied up in the new tools and deco so we used everything we could spare (the additional soft goods robes are expensive, so we could just do the one)

Another Evolutions question: There are currently 3 packaging variants of the Fett Legacy set that have been produced dealing with corrections to the film designation above Boba Fett (1 ROTJ printed, ESB sticker, ESB printed), but the Boba Fett figure itself is still missing the proper symbol on his chest. Will this be addressed in subsequent production runs of this set and/or figure? (YF, 03/20/08) (http://cgi.denpetersen.com/YAK1/viewtopic.php?p=40329#40329)

     The symbol issue was brought to our attention by fans, and we put a change into effect as quickly as we learned about it. At this point we do not have a precise date when the set will be affected, but it might not be until July at this point. This has been a tough set! We want to get it perfect in one shop, but that's not always possible, and this one unfortunately suffered the two errors but we're thankful we have a chance to correct it.

I have a question regarding the Legacy "Deleted Scene" wave. I can't help but notice that the Leia from this scene is missing from this themed-wave. Is this figure in the works or will a new Slave Leia be done instead? (YF, 03/20/08) (http://cgi.denpetersen.com/YAK1/viewtopic.php?p=40329#40329)

     Interesting question. The "deleted scene" Leia is not in the lineup for that wave because we couldn't fit her in, but we do plan on doing the Sandstorm version of her eventually (no specific date has been announced). However, your specific question about another Slave Leia being in the works first is very prescient. We do not have details to offer, but if all goes according to plans we'll see a new one in the EpVI wave planned for '09.

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We know that Hasbro is in contact with Lucasfilm and they give you the material for figure designs. Is it possible that you could request that some of your unique figures designs example (mace windus purple clones, Kashyyyk deco battle droids etc) could be inserted into expanded universe material like the clone wars tv series, as to give these figures some recognition? (YN, 03/20/08) (http://www.yodasnews.com/)

     While we do not have any input as to what gets into the entertainment, all of the characters from various media (whether they be from the shows, comics, books, and even toys) do get incorporated into the Lucasfilm database. In this way, they become part of the expanded storyline that other groups could draw from if they so chose.

Now that you have put the super articulated touch to the 501st clone, can you please move the Clone Commando to the top of the list of the clones who need super articulation? Great figure when scorch came out and the exclusive ones are cool as well, but after just getting the new comic 2 pack all white one, I really noticed how limited his posability is. Really what he needs is knees and ankles and that would be a big improvement over the current figure. Oh, and as a nit pick, shouldn't the visor on the white commando have a blue tint just like scorch's visor? (YN, 03/20/08) (http://www.yodasnews.com/)

     We agree that the Clone Commando is in need of an SA figure. As of this writing, we don’t have one slotted in but will look for a way to update it to SA when we have a chance.

This one is a Indiana Jones question, With the Adventure Heroes Line will we also see play sets and environments like with Star Wars? Something along the lines of the Cantina Sets and Falcon sets? (YN, 03/20/08) (http://www.yodasnews.com/)

     Not initially, but eventually we hope to get to do some Cinema Scene-type ideas as the line continues into future years.
Title: Re: The Hasbro Q & A Compendium
Post by: Matt on April 4, 2008, 09:05 PM
Session 50 - April 4, 2008

A few months ago Hasbro announced a Bothan figure in the Q&A. What has happened to this figure? Is the character that the figure is based on Master Hudorra from the Republic #79 Comic? (4-".de, 04/04/08) (http://www.4-inches.de/inhalt/home.htm)

     It's possible that we'll have a sneak peak at San Diego Comic Con. It will not be based on Master Hudorra, although we do like him. We already used Republic #79 for the Commander Keller/Galactic Marine comic pack, so if we ever do Master Hudorra, it would be in some other fashion.

Ak-Rev comes out with the second part of the big drum and with a drumstick. The band will then at last be completed. But what is the deal with this other instrument Ak-Rev plays? Will Hasbro jumps at the chance to release this to a later time perhaps within another figure compilation or in a new band edition? What considerations have led to the decision not putting this instrument in the Ak-Rev package? (4-".de, 04/04/08) (http://www.4-inches.de/inhalt/home.htm)

     It's a question of costing. We planned the release of the drum in two halves and this pack is packed as it is. We have no plans to release Ak-Rev with another instrument.

In Germany we do have some problems refering availability, price and case-composition of the Star Wars Action Figure line that we want to pick out as a central theme encouraged by lots of collectors and likewise by a lot of retailers in Germany. The distribution of the Star Wars segment is nearly exclusively ruled by one single wholeseller. Formerly there were a handful of wholesellers but in the last years only one wholeseller had focussed on the whole sortiment of action figures. Last year that wholeseller has closed down and another single wholeseller has carried over the distribution of the Star Wars segment. Like each seller does this wholeseller even has to calculate his business. Within the last months it has turned out that this wholeseller is rather hesitant and cautious with his ordering policy and it had happened that more and more Star Wars items didn't find their way to the German collector. Unfortunately retailers are not allowed to order directly from Hasbro and of course it is not allowed to import items that are not available in Germany from the US or other countries. So collectors do have to pay a lot more money for each single action figure than in other countries. Another point is the awkward case-mix that seems to be not balanced well in a nearly 100% collector market that Germany is. Retailers don't sell Darth Vader figures as well as in the US but have to buy 3 Darth Vader figures each case to sell other figures at least one time that are asked for by the collectors. So retailers have begun to sell the whole case but single figures and collectors do have pay more and more money to get their desired figures and have to throw away their hundreds of Darth Vader figures. More and more collectors order their figures via ebay or direct from US retailers so more and more retailers give up the Star Wars segment. All these trends do spoil the party for most collectors. The demand is high to let Hasbro take more attention to the German market. Sollutions to these problems would be a) offer solid cases (the market is too small for bad case-mixes and retailers would better be able to buy exact those figures that would be selling and in consequence they would sell more figures as yet, b) prices should not rise over 10 EUR per figure, c) offer better availability of toys for Germany or at least advertise if and when some certain items would be available (even if delayed) and d) perhaps allow retailers to buy directly from Hasbro to avoid higher prices or less availability. (4-".de, 04/04/08) (http://www.4-inches.de/inhalt/home.htm)

     Thanks for the thorough update. In the U.S., where the product line is developed, we were not aware of the severity of changes to the German marketplace. Some of the changes you suggest are not possible (solid case packs of figures) or out of our control (retail figure pricing), but the others deserve scrutiny and we will look at them. The German market (and German collector) is very important to us but unfortunately things are no so simple as the German market by itself is not large enough to commend separate production; our releases must be synched up with the broader EU releases. We are looking at options to figure this out though....thanks for sticking with us as we work through these issues.

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Many collectors have noted that Moff Jerjerrod was not a great seller and can still be found in stores, while it seemed as though Admiral Ozzel, Captain Piett, and Grand Moff Tarkin seemed to have sold better. There are times where Hasbro really nails a likeness, but unfortunately Moff Jerjerrod did not look like the actor and had an angry facial expression not seen in Return of the Jedi. Would Hasbro ever consider resculpting this figure or does the perceived poor performance of the Jerjerrod figure make it unlikely he would ever be revisited. Do you agree that if this figure sold poorly it may have been in part because of a poor likeness? (AF, 04/04/08) (http://www.actionfigs.com/index.php?categoryid=12&p2_articleid=1916)

     We don't attribute a lingering quantity of his figure to the likeness (we think he is a nice addition to the officer ranks). Instead, it is due to the fact that we released him at levels higher than we had typically gone for purely collector-targeted figures. In any case, he was one of those characters that helps us figure out our "baseline" for collector-targeted figures.

A number of fans would like to see more figures from the SW Holiday Special, which you've stated is not a priority for Hasbro. One of the characters from it, Ackmena, played by Bea Arthur, has been getting some traction lately in the collector community as a figure they'd like to see made. Before fans get too fired up, might you comment on if Hasbro even HAS the licensed authority needed to make a Bea Arthur Ackmena figure? (If by some miracle the answer is "yes", could you posit on its chances of being made?) (AF, 04/04/08) (http://www.actionfigs.com/index.php?categoryid=12&p2_articleid=1916)

     The SW Holiday Special is not high on our list, or importantly, Lucasfilm's and as such, any additional figures have a very, very low likelihood of being produced. It is something best forgotten, and we are happy that we were able to at least get Boba Fett out of there.

Has there been any thought about doing a few deliberate variations to some of the figures this year as running changes offered in later assortments, like you did with the ROTS line? For instance, the new '08 Anakin-as-Vader figure could be repainted with Sith eyes, or the '08 Obi-Wan could be redeco'ed with battle damage. (AF, 04/04/08) (http://www.actionfigs.com/index.php?categoryid=12&p2_articleid=1916)

     We don't have any plans to do that for figures this year. Instead, we would probably release those as separate figures down the road.

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Just wondering if Hasbro has a "green" initiative. Are the plastics used in the manufacturing of Star Wars figures recyclable? And if so would it be feasible to do a mail-in redemption using action figures instead of UPCs? I know I wouldn't mind shipping off three or four figures to receive a new one, especially if it was helping to save the planet. (GH, 04/04/08) (http://www.galactichunter.com/absolutenm/templates/full_article_template_1.asp?articleid=7135&zoneid=2)

     We do have a green initiative related to reducing the materials we use whenever possible.  On the figure question - while it's a very interesting and appealing suggestion - there are many issues surrounding doing something like that.  Foremost would be the overall carbon footprint of shipping back/providing a new figure for replacement, which would not result in a significant amount of material that could be recycled (figures in general do not use large amounts of plastic themselves). Second, since we do not do domestic figure manufacturing, we would need to get the the figures back to Asia which would further defeat the purpose.  In short... it would consume more resources than would be saved. Very interesting thought, though... thanks.

Is there any chance you can give us a look at what the new Darth Vader's 3-piece helmet looks like when disassembled? (GH, 04/04/08) (http://www.galactichunter.com/absolutenm/templates/full_article_template_1.asp?articleid=7135&zoneid=2)

     Sorry, but we still don't have our pre-production samples to send you any updated pics.

More an observation and a couple suggestions than a question for Hasbro: My 6-year-old daughter enjoys playing with my vintage Ewok Village playset using her Galactic Heroes figures. The two generations of product are surprisingly compatible.

Very recently she discovered the Ewok Battle Wagon and has added that to her list of favorite toys. (She loves the working winches and knocks over block walls with the battering ram.)

My suggestions: 1) Offer more Ewoks in the Galactic Heroes line and 2) reissue both of these toys under the Galactic Heroes brand not only for the younger demographic but for the older collectors who just want to get their hands on these fun toys. (GH, 04/04/08) (http://www.galactichunter.com/absolutenm/templates/full_article_template_1.asp?articleid=7135&zoneid=2)

     Those are great suggestions.  We hadn't consider using these old toys as part of the Galactic Heroes universe, but we will take a look.  Great ideas.  Please tell your daughter that more Ewoks are on the way, and first up is a special Cinema Scene available at Target including three Speeder Bikes, one with Paploo.

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Dear Hasbro, is there any chance there could be some new figures from the Droids and Ewoks cartoon series coming out someday? As one of the first Star Wars multi-media events beyond the movies, (consisting of TV shows, comics, toys and more) I think these should warrant some attention. It would be nice to see a tribute to the very first EU figures. Some good choices could be R2-D2 and C-3PO with a Droids color scheme, a realistic Princess Kneesaa from Ewoks, the three masters from Droids and Boba Fett with his droid BL-17 (which would have made a great two pack in the droid factory line!) Boba's Silver Speeder would be cool too! Ok, enough suggestions. But please consider Droids and Ewoks! (IS, 04/04/08) (http://www.imperialshipyards.net/hangarbay/modules.php?name=Forums&file=viewtopic&p=5294#5294)

     We have been thinking about these two series, especialy since they continue to be in DVD release, but just haven't come up with the right idea or the right opportunity. We'll continue to take a look at it though. You have some great suggestions there.

Hasbro, we understand your dilemma with regards to playsets. Any chance the following might warrant consideration? Test the waters first. Rerelease an existing playset, such as the "Hoth Battle" or "Endor Assault" sets? The tooling is already done, and the boxes are small enough to ship alongside vehicle assortments. Heck, maybe even the Cardboard Dioramas of "Jabba's palace" or "Mos Eisley Cantina". Try them first as an exclusive, maybe throw in a modern resculpt or a new exclusive repaint? How about one half of, say the Millenium Falcon cargo bay with Luke wearing the blast helmet and perhaps a robeless Obi-Wan? All you need do is the three walls, the floor the bench with the Dejarik table and the seat Han sits in. Then maybe the other half but from ESB. The computer wall, the alcove where Leia works, maybe a retool of her while we're at it. A shallow hatch in the floor with a tool box to fall on Han's head, and a portion of ceiling for Chewie to hang upside down through. The Seperatist command room on Mustafar, the computer room from the Death Star for example would also be good ideas. You guys are testing the water this year for big vehicles. Give us another shot to prove to you, if it's cool, we'll buy it. (IS, 04/04/08) (http://www.imperialshipyards.net/hangarbay/modules.php?name=Forums&file=viewtopic&p=5294#5294)

     Unfortunately, we will not be going this route. The demand from the playsets the first go-round was not strong enough to merit continuing the format, and we doubt that they would fare any better as a re-release. There is a better chance of us pursuing cardboard displays, but even then we have not buit it into our lineup yet. But it is the most likely format for us to try if we did decide to embark on playsets.

I am really missing the tubular full sized unleashed figures that you have produced the last couple of years. Are there any plans on releasing anymore in the upcoming years? Can I put in a request for an AT-AT driver? (IS, 04/04/08) (http://www.imperialshipyards.net/hangarbay/modules.php?name=Forums&file=viewtopic&p=5294#5294)

     There will be no more further Unleashed 7" figures, either new or re-releases, planned for the foreseeable future. The response to Unleashed 7" over the last few years, whether new or re-released figure, has not been sufficient to keep the line going. Not to say we won't try something in the scale again some day, but not enough collectors were active in the line to keep it afloat.

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A question about upcoming Battle Packs. During Toy Fair, you mentioned that you were not sure when the Battle of Mygeeto and Hoth Speeder Patrol sets would hit retail. Will we see these two in the 30AC packaging or will we need to wait until July to find them on the shelves? And any chance we could get a nice image of the new SA Bacara from the Mygeeto set or the Snow Scouts from the Hoth Set? (JD, 04/04/08) (http://www.jedidefender.com/newspro/fullnews.cgi?newsid1207355042,5966,)

     Battle of Mygeeto should be out on shelves by mid-April or early May. It will be the last of the 30th Anniversary Battle Packs in the current "footprint." A new line of Battle Packs will debut on 7/26, with slightly different boxed dimensions (a little deeper, a little less tall). Hoth Speeder Patrol was suffering delays and had to be moved out, and will be in the first wave of the new Fall assortment.

So, when do we get to see more Clone Wars figures? You can’t just make us wait until SDCC for more basic figures, right? I mean, July’s a long way off and we need something to keep us going! So, how about a hint at Wave 2? (JD, 04/04/08) (http://www.jedidefender.com/newspro/fullnews.cgi?newsid1207355042,5966,)

     We hope that there will be something to reveal (ideally as part of the now-resumed Republic News Posts) before San Diego Comic Con. It all depends on how the schedules are going; if it is running later than we would like, we'll probably just hold for San Diego Comic Con.

Since you were willing to share pics of the SDCC exclusive Disturbance in the Force set, can you share pics of the planned Mighty Muggs exclusives - Commander Gree and the Golden Idol from Raiders of the Lost Ark? (JD, 04/04/08) (http://www.jedidefender.com/newspro/fullnews.cgi?newsid1207355042,5966,)

     Glad to help!  Commander Gree Mighty Mugg (http://www.jedidefender.com/news/images/4-08/sdcc_mugg_gree.jpg) / Fertility Idol Mighty Mugg (http://www.jedidefender.com/news/images/4-08/sdcc_mugg_idol.jpg)

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Is there any chance of seeing a re-sculpted Yak Face figure in near future? (JI, 04/04/08) (http://jediinsider.com/index.php?catid=8&itemid=11004)

     There is defintely a chance, as one of the Kenner vintage figures, we hope to get a chance to update him and produce a "definitive" version some day. However, there are quite a few brand new or more significant resculpt figures ahead of him from Jabba's Palace....so the wait may be awhile.

Will the VOTC line be making a return in any way for 2008? (JI, 04/04/08) (http://jediinsider.com/index.php?catid=8&itemid=11004)

     The VOTC line will not be making a return in 2008.

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How far in advance do you plan a new figures release, how long does it take to develop a figure and can you explain some of the design and build process? Also, how much input do LucasFilm have in the design of the figures and do they request certain figures to be made? (JN.co.uk, 04/04/08) (http://jedinews.co.uk/news/news.aspx?newsID=1081)

     Genenerally, the mainline assortments and stand alone items (those offered to all retailers) are planned from 15-24 months in advance. Exclusives are developed on a shorter lead time - 8-15 months depending on whether there is new tooling involved and the complexity of the item, and are usually developed as retailer promotional windows become clear.  For the mainline, we plan out a year's worth of product at once, and then develop systematically, wave by wave, as we go through the year.  Sometimes, there will be changes as we go through the year depending on schedules and deadlines. In about six months time we should have a good idea of what we will be doing for 2010.  While we brainstorm and come up with the broad brushstrokes of the line, Lucasfilm has a great deal of input (and complete approval) over all figure selections, sculpts, etc.

We know there are 2 Mandalorian Comic Packs coming but with more having been written about Mandalorians (Legacy of the Force series of Books, etc) will there be any more Mandalorian figures coming, for example Mirta Gec, Goran Beviin, Ram Zerimar or maybe Jodo Kast? (JN.co.uk, 04/04/08) (http://jedinews.co.uk/news/news.aspx?newsID=1081)

     At least one of those figures will be coming out this year.  The rest have not been slotted into the lineup anywhere, since it is relatively difficult for us to do novel figures without the visual reference of a comic to draw from. Given the popularity of Mandos, though, there is a chance we will be looking at more down the road.

Have there been any further discussions between yourselves and Sideshow Collectibles with regard to the production of play-sets?  If so, are you able to shed any light on this? (JN.co.uk, 04/04/08) (http://jedinews.co.uk/news/news.aspx?newsID=1081)

     There is no new news to report on this front.

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Iconic scenes in the Saga tend to make for some interesting figures.  One such iconic scene from REVENGE OF THE SITH among fans seems to be Yoda's "Sword in the Clone" moment, as he and Obi-Wan fight their way into the Jedi Temple.  Would something like this be a viable candidate for a Basic Figure pack, even though it might incorporate 2 figures that could stand on their own as Basic Figures?  Or would this be a more likely candidate for something like the Order 66 2-packs? (JTA, 04/04/08) (http://jeditemplearchives.com/content/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=3786/#details)

     We like to theme our waves as much as possible, and have made basic figures in the past that "interact" with other figures to form a scene, so it is not out of the question that we could do ideas like this.  However, that's not where our focus is on basic figures and we like to look for ideas where figures could go together in the same pack for things like Order 66 or the upcoming Droid Factory exclusive packs.  Exclusives like Order 66 do need strong figures that could be basic figures themselves; if you look at the lineup, there are many core heroes in those packs, needed to "anchor" the quality of the set and give kids something to meet their interests.  As great as Tsui Choui is to us collectors, we still need to deliver the Vaders and Obi-Wans for kid traction.

The Saga Legends for later this year is reportedly offering characters that we're going to see in the Clone Wars line, such as Anakin, Obi-Wan & Yoda but in the movie-realistic style.  It also seems to be widely accepted that these figures will be reissues, as we've seen in the 2007/08 Saga Legends line.  Will this upcoming Saga Legends line mine recent figure sculpts, or in keeping with this year's Clone Wars theme, can we expect reissues from 2003's Clone Wars line? (JTA, 04/04/08) (http://jeditemplearchives.com/content/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=3786/#details)

     All of the Saga Legends figures coming this Fall will be resissues of current "realistic" sculpts.  We will not be reissuing the 2003/4 Clone Wars sculpts again.

In your most recent responses to JTA's Q&A session, you mentioned that the V-Wing fighter will be carried forward in the Clone Wars starfighter vehicle assortment.  We've also seen indications that there is another wave of REVENGE OF THE SITH Basic Figures on tap for the Legacy Collection.  Given those factors, and collectordom's love affair with all things Clone Trooper, could we be in store for a V-Wing Pilot Clone sometime in the near future? (JTA, 04/04/08) (http://jeditemplearchives.com/content/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=3786/#details)

     Not for this year, but we are looking at one possibily for 2009.

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MD

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Where's Lumat? On the sticker sheet in the Action Figure Base Packs, Lumat appears on the list. While the "Graak" figure from 2007 appears to be based on the same Ewok photo that the vintage Lumat figure was based on, they apparently are different characters. Speculation was that we'd see Lumat in the ROTJ wave (what's now been revealed as The Legacy Collection wave 1), but that turned out to be another Ewok named "Leektar". So back to our original question....where's Lumat? Has he been bumped in favor of lesser-known Ewoks, or are there plans for this long-lost figure to come out? Longtime fans want to know if we can look forward to checking off another vintage upgraded figure! (RS, 04/04/08) (http://www.rebelscum.com/story/front/Hasbros_51st_STAR_WARS_QA_The_Answers_113685.asp)

     Yes, indeed. Lumat was originally meant to be the figure we were doing in the two-pack with Romba. Lucasfilm asked us to change him to Graak, but the sticker sheet was already out to be printed. Someday soon we hope to get to Lumat.

Another question on a mystery figure....in the latest issue of Star Wars Insider, there is a photo of a blue-striped Stormtrooper figure from The Force Unleashed. Wizards of the Coast's miniature game identifies this character as a "Felucian Stormtrooper Officer" and the Unleashed Battle Packs identify him as a "Stormtrooper Commander." While loose and carded photos have leaked (on a TAC cardback, no less), we've not heard anything official on this character. We understand the frequent delays of TFU has changed the release of some tie-ins, but it seems the bulk of Hasbro's line is still on target, except for this one. Can you shed any light on this figure, and where and when fans can acquire him? (RS, 04/04/08) (http://www.rebelscum.com/story/front/Hasbros_51st_STAR_WARS_QA_The_Answers_113685.asp)

     This figure, a Stormtrooper Commander, will indeed be released as part of an upcoming promotion dealing with The Force Unleashed. As the game was delayed, so too was the promotion. Details have still yet to be announced or finalized, but the figure should be out around the time the game is released.

In a recent Q&A session with our friends over at Jedi Defender, it was revealed that there will be another wave of Saga Legends repacks in the fall, featuring kid-targeted characters from the Clone Wars era. Without giving away the figures in this line, I'm wondering which characters you have listed as "kid-oriented", meaning are there in fact specific characters that are primarily targeted towards kids? If so, who are they? Also, which characters do you consider targeted towards collectors?

On a similar note, are there any characters that are "must haves" when you are setting up a line for the year? Presumably the ones listed above would fall into this category, but are there any others that are shoo-ins? (RS, 04/04/08) (http://www.rebelscum.com/story/front/Hasbros_51st_STAR_WARS_QA_The_Answers_113685.asp)

     Kid-targeted figures include heroes and key villains (characters like Obi-Wan Kenobi, Anakin Skywalker, Yoda, R2-D2, General Grievous, etc) as well as core troopers and key droid opponents. In general these are figures that kids want in order to play out the major battles, which are also figures that we have a strong history with as "outperformers" because kids select these before anything else.  Since these are re-releases, with no changes, we consider these releases to be kid-targeted, even though collectors may be interested in the troops, or to some extent, the change to a new line. We don't have room in the Fall assortment to offer any collector-targeted Saga Legends as we did for the 30th line (based on voting). It's possible we could add that later for 2009, but for Fall '08 it will be all hands on deck to get the hero potential on shelf as quickly as possible for the movie and TV series.

Finally, this is not really a question, but I'd like to show our support for Jedi Defender's recent request for fans to follow the development on the Willrow Hood figure. We'd love to watch the step-by-step development on this fan-supported figure! (RS, 04/04/08) (http://www.rebelscum.com/story/front/Hasbros_51st_STAR_WARS_QA_The_Answers_113685.asp)

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It was mentioned in a Q&A last year that Hasbro had potential plans to re-release some of the figures that kept *just* missing out on winning the polls for Saga Legends such as Ephant Mon, Pablo-Jill, Sio Bibble, R3-A2, and Coleman Trebor. Are there any plans to get any of these figures back out to collectors in any form in 2008-2009? (RTM, 04/04/08) (http://www.toymania.com/news/messages/10174.shtml)

     We don't have any specific plans right now for these guys. If the opportunity beckons, for example in future waves of the new Saga Legends, they will be good candidates for inclusion.

Any chance of re-releasing the old Unleashed figures that were hard to find? Maybe as a Target exclusive ala the Luke & Vader versions from a few years ago? (RTM, 04/04/08) (http://www.toymania.com/news/messages/10174.shtml)

     We don't have any plans to re-release any more Unleashed 7". Not to say it won't ever happen, but our focus remains elsewhere.

Are there any OT battle packs scheduled for 2008? Possibly one featuring Jabba's skiff guards? (RTM, 04/04/08) (http://www.toymania.com/news/messages/10174.shtml)

     There are OTC battlepacks slotted for 2008 (and 2009), but none feature Jabba's Skiff Guards. Details on the new packs will be announced at San Diego Comic Con. We promise there WILL be some pleasant surprises for fans of the Original Trilogy.

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Regarding Luke Jedi in his Death Star 2 look, the only basic figure of this is from 5 years ago, is preposed, has an action gimmick with floppy arms, and a likeness somewhere between "caveman" and "Harpo Marx". That despite Luke DS2 being the only OT main character figure in the last Fans' Choice poll's top 25 - 10 of the 14 figures above him are made or confirmed, as well as 4 of the 9 figures beneath. Hasbro's past answer on this matter was "theming issues, it may be a while, hang in there," yet since the 2003 DS2 Luke figure there have been 7 ROTJ waves and 2 Vintage-style lines with ROTJ figures; as well as 4 more Luke Jedi with Jabba's Palace outfits and Toy Fair has shown yet another ROTJ wave, this time with a Jabba's Palace-styled Luke Jedi from a deleted scene; and the previous new Luke Jedi figure could have fit the bill with its removable vest and outer belt yet was designed specifically against making it into DS2 Luke. Fans want Luke DS2, most of the other Fans' Choice poll results have been made or confirmed, Hasbro's had several opportunities, now we have sandstorm Luke coming - a deleted scene figure - over Luke DS2 which is baffling. So what's the full story here, why no Luke Jedi DS2 yet again? When can collectors finally get the last main OT character's significant costume yet to be done as an action figure? (SSG, 04/04/08) (http://www.sirstevesguide.com/index.php?categoryid=13&p2_articleid=1320)

     We chose the deleted Sandstorm theme to bind several core characters together. We had long planned to do both versions, but the Sandstorm scene came first in rotation because of our desire for the new Han and Chewie, so a new Death Star II Luke was slotted into the next Episode VI wave. We are pleased to announce that if our schedule holds, you will see the next Episode VI wave in late Spring 2009.

Back in 1996, Kenner/Hasbro was developing a Virago vehicle toy for the Shadows of the Empire figure line to go along with the 2 other vehicles the line produced. Several pieces of concept and packaging art were produced, a retailer-enticement sheet describing some cool features was found not too long ago, as well as a prototype model, but the vehicle never materialized. The Galoob Action Fleet Virago remains one of the most sought-after vehicles on ebay, as this ship makes for a unique and exciting Star Wars toy. Did your Virago design ever get turned into a mold? Does Hasbro still have any molds or prototypes of it? What would the chances be of seeing a Virago released today? (SSG, 04/04/08) (http://www.sirstevesguide.com/index.php?categoryid=13&p2_articleid=1320)

     The Virago was never tooled, as the somewhat ambitious plans for the continuation of the EU line at the time were scaled back. While it is a different story to do, we are committed to figures and have not gone the vehicle route for EU aside from repaints. It is doubtful we will get to the Virago in anything other than perhaps Titanium.

The current R5 droid mold (used on R5-D4, R5-J2, and R5-F7) is close to "perfect", but there are a few glaring issues that should be addressed before this mold becomes the all-purpose version. They include the antenna, which comes out and may be lost easily; the pop-up motivator, which worked on R5-D4 but had diminishing returns on later uses; and the chest plate being a separate piece, which has been a problem on every figure to use the VOTC R2-D2 body. The head could just be retooled and used on the more-accurate R4-G9 body. Will these issues be addressed, or will we continue to get more less-than-perfect R5 figures? (SSG, 04/04/08) (http://www.sirstevesguide.com/index.php?categoryid=13&p2_articleid=1320)

     Most often it is a capacity issue - which tools are available when, etc. Certain elements, like a pop-out chest plate, are necessary parts of the design, but we will take your comments into account the next time we release.

Also, could we get clarification on the Ishi Tib answer we received last round since there actually is no vintage precedent that we're aware of? (SSG, 04/04/08) (http://www.sirstevesguide.com/index.php?categoryid=13&p2_articleid=1320)

     (Thanks for giving us a chance to update out answer. We obviously misremembered the PotF version as vintage). While no new Ishi Tib is planned, we would probably do a Jabba's Palace one first. However, we're not sure on that…. given that the Ishi Tib have been fairly prominemt backgrounders in many places, it's possible we would do an entirely different version first.

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2008 TAC sees a return to the pack-in stands last seen in 2006. What about the Legacy Collection and the Clone Wars figures? Will they also contain stands? And if so, will the Clone Wars come with a Clone Wars stand or the generic Expanded Universe stand? While I'm on the subject of stands... I know that in past Q&A sessions you have mentioned that revisiting the sticker sheet for a new set of names is not something on the horizon. But what about if you were to make a package that contained software and blank sticker sheets so that fans and collectors could print their own name stickers, similar to what Testors does with their car and airplane model makers? And what would be the chances of releasing the stands in small packs - say 25 or so - of a movie specific stand instead of the entire set, so that someone could buy 30 ROTS stands to display a Clone Army or 30 ESB stands to display a Snowtrooper army, or something like that? (ST, 04/04/08) (http://www.sandtroopers.com/smf/index.php?&topic=5183.msg179431#new)

     The stands (which are still available on HasbroToyShop.com) have done OK, but not great enough yet for us to make a re-release from the first batch.  It's a nice item to keep availalable, but we wouldn't be able to get near the forecast required to do dedicated packs by movie. At the rate of sales predicted for each, we would have to release years worth of inventory up front - not a prudent decision.  Instead, we'll continue to make available the current pack.  When that sells out, we will release a new sticker sheet, but we aren't really near that point yet.  We have no plans to return stands to the basic figures for 2008/2009, because each of the basic figure sublines already have extra pack-ins that take the place of coins/stand: Legacy will come with a Droid Factory, Clone Wars figures will come with attachable missile launchers for the most part, and the new Saga Legends will come with a small packs of spare weapons.

You recently said no to the idea of modular playsets in battlepacks due to the usual reasons (cost and no play value for the kids). That's understandable so what about revisiting the idea of scene-specific stands like what we saw in the RotS line?  You had a few stands that were generically sculpted (hallway/Temple, swampy/Dagobah-ish, rocky/Mustfarish) and were able to get some nice variety of scenes by just repainting them differently.  These stands obviously had some intent on being able to connect together (especially the hallway/Temple one) but as much as I struggled with it, I was disappointed to find that I couldn't make anything sensible with the pieces.

This felt like a huge missed opportunity since if Hasbro was going to pay for the tooling of these stands anyway, a better design that incorporated more seamless and logical connectibility could've allowed your company to, in future years, release more environmental stands that plugged in and could eventually give us our Tantive IV hal lway or Hoth rebel base or Death Star hallway... And by making one stand into an "intersection" piece that let us connect many separate stretches of hallways together, we could literally build our own Death Star/Tantive passageways as large as we're willing to pay up for (by buying more and more SW figures of course, to get those stands). And a slit in the floor moulding would allow us to slide in either a cardboard or thin plastic wall piece.  So how about this idea? It'd be like Build-a-Diorama but done slowly over years to reward collectors for sticking with the hobby (especially when figures are getting more expensive to collect) and the cost would be incorporated into the cost of the stands as you did with the RotS line. (ST, 04/04/08) (http://www.sandtroopers.com/smf/index.php?&topic=5183.msg179431#new)

     The idea has some merit, but it simply isn't practical for a number of reasons. To do it the "right way" we would have to start with a completed playset model and then chop it up and distribute it across 50 to 60 packs. (We can hear the shouts of fans saying "Yes!  Yes!  That is exactly what we want!").  However, where the idea falls apart is in the amount of tooling required to do that and the end-result being structurally very poor and probably not aesthetically pleasing. If we  thought there was an opportunity to make a specific playset scene, we would just commit to doing it as one item.  The Episode III stands were an attempt to build something greater with an environment-specific stand; however, the product ends-up looking generic anyway and not scene-specific since the stands themselves were constrained by the needs to connect together universally. To have made each one different and unique, to make a unique structural element such as a blockade runner hallway or what-have-you, we would have had to do each as a separate tooled part, which would have dwarfed our tooling budget assinged for the pack-ins.

I've always wondered about this: the RotS Padme figure did not have a "baby bump" even though the character had a full belly at that point in the movie. Your Saga line Taun We figure came with a container for a clone baby yet oddly the ba by was absent inside. In both cases, was there some concern about the negative reaction from the more conservative elements of your customer base that caused you to go in the direction you did?  I can see that an action figure of a pregnant woman or of a genetically-engineered baby might offend some people but I've always been curious if this was Hasbro's reasoning too. And if not, does that mean we might actually get a "clone baby in a bottle" someday? (ST, 04/04/08) (http://www.sandtroopers.com/smf/index.php?&topic=5183.msg179431#new)

     In the case of Padme, she does have a bump to indicate her pregnancy, but it is not nearly as stated as the upcoming Evolutions figure.  We wanted to present her as an action figure still at that stage, to appeal to the greatest audience of kids as well as collectors, so we chose to dial back a bit.  As for Taun We, we did think that showing the baby was too stark an image and chose not to include one in the capsule.  Could we do one in an incubation chamber some day? It's possible, but we have no plans right now.

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Since Hasbro was able to recently provide a nice "shield" half-piece for the Droideka, is it possible that someday we'll see something like this for a basic-carded eps2 Clone Pilot where he comes with a half-piece for the Ball Turret of the Republic gunship? (ST/"TJ", 04/04/08) (http://www.sandtroopers.com/smf/index.php?topic=8437.msg179435#msg179435)

     We have looked at the turret, and it is simply not possible to include it on a basic figure card.  Does that mean that it won't be done? Not necessarily; it does remain on our list of things we want to tackle sometime, someday, but just haven't been able to fit it in anywhere.

I love softgoods but I have to admit that there's never really been a case where the hood part of the cloak looks even remotely good. The hood always fails to convey the same sense of "weight" that a real hood would (obviously due to the scale of the figure I realize) so I was wondering if Hasbro would ever do something similar to the Sideshow 12" Darth Maul figure where the hood has a small wire running inside it that lets you shape the hood to look as it does in the movie?  If not that idea, then what about using a plastic head/hood combined with soft goods for the rest of the body (you did this with the TPM Darth Maul figure that came with the Sith Attack Speeder for example). (ST/"TJ", 04/04/08) (http://www.sandtroopers.com/smf/index.php?topic=8437.msg179435#msg179435)

     That is an interesting idea.  We agree that the hood is a challenge to get it to look realistic in 3-3/4" scale, and we are looking for ways to make cloaks even better in a general sense for display purposes. One thing we are looking at is exploring wire for cloak hems on a few of our upcoming figures (Kit Fisto in the upcoming Wal-Mart exclusive Droid Factory packs is one of them).  If the results are good, we will see if it offers a solution to help the hood keep shape.

Will the VotC Lando sculpt ever be updated with ball-jointed elbows? I was more than a little disappointed when after years of waiting for Hasbro to make a Smuggler Lando from TESB, that the figure ended up just being a minor retool of the VotC mold given that the swivel elbows design meant an inability for the arms to be posed straight and more natural.  Will we ever see a better Smuggler Lando if the mold itself does get better elbows, say in a Battlepack or as part of a Saga Legends release?

Along those same lines, have you ever considered using the Battlepacks or Saga Legends line as a way to re-release older figures with minor but new SA updates to make the figure more appealing to collectors who may already have that figure?  For example, a RotS Aayla Secura or RotS Shaak-Ti but with ball-jointed elbows (since the swivel or fixed elbows were the only real flaw when these figures were originally released) or a taller 41st Elite trooper?  ; You mentioned that we are finally getting an "upgraded" SA Bacara in the upcoming Mygeeto battlepack for example. In all cases, these would be figures that you have 90% of the tooling for but with just a small added cost to update the tooling you'd be able to sell that figure again to those of us who want the real "ultimate" version of that character with the best articulation. (ST/"TJ", 04/04/08) (http://www.sandtroopers.com/smf/index.php?topic=8437.msg179435#msg179435)

     Battlepacks are a great format for getting to some characters that we would not probably otherwise update, but it is on a scene-by-scene basis.  With some battlepacks we look to make them all new in some way, or leave them alone. Saga Legends will remain a line where the figures will be pretty much unchanged from their earlier form unless there is an updated body we can use (such as the 501st trooper migrated to an SA body).  Now, specifically on Lando, we just did this figure last year, so we don't have any plans to go back to him any time soon.  If someday we do update the VOTC Han body, then you can be sure it will be playing in the back of our heads that there is a future Lando upgrade waiting.  In the meantime, we really enjoy Smuggler Lando as a figure who was long overdue, in our opinion.

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Will a 3 3/4 Ark of the Covenant be made? (ST/"WOTS", 04/04/08) (http://www.wellofthesouls.com/questionsqa.php)

     Yes, indeed. It will be found in our Deluxe series ($9.99 SRP), paired with an Indiana Jones in the Map Room robes.

Hasbro currently has the SW license until 2018, what time frame does Hasbro have the license for Indy and any hints at some surprise goodies to come? (ST/"WOTS", 04/04/08) (http://www.wellofthesouls.com/questionsqa.php)

     It is a long-term license for us, although we don't want to discuss the length of the agreement publicly. We have plans for a long and bright future for IJ, especially if as we suspect the movie hooks in a generation of "Indy kids" who will enjoy the franchise just as we have. We have shown the majority of the line for the year already, but we will be debuting a glimpse into what 2009 holds at San Diego Comic Con.

Can you give us a list of what "artifacts" we can expect to find packed in with the 3.75" line coming out soon? And were there any that you couldn't get to do that you'd like to include somewhere down the line? (ST/"WOTS", 04/04/08) (http://www.wellofthesouls.com/questionsqa.php)

     See the attached Indiana Jones relic list. There are a couple types of relics, including those from the film, and those that have hi storical reference. We used a mix of both types. We haven't specified which figures have which artifacts...that is for you guys to discover. But they are all "dedicated" - not randomly packed. Happy hunting!

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Hasbro, do you have any updates on the remaining Saga Legends Sandtroopers that you said we might see this spring? I tried to jot down all the "forthcoming" ones mentioned after the main four in the fall and here's what I came up with:

5. Dirty with black pauldron and probably Evolutions but maybe TSC body
6. Super-dirty Evolutions to be possibly released as a last shot
7. Clean with black (unpainted white) pauldron Corporal with TSC body.

Some claim the clean-black was a short run error that was quickly corrected but its existence caused a demand that made you consider turning it into an official running change at some point.

So, have any of these been released or are they going to be released this year, and can you settle for us whether or not the mysterious clean-black was ever released at the retail level or did all of the existing specimens come directly from Hasbro sources? (SWC, 04/04/08) (http://www.swcollector.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=57&t=1251)

     There are five types of Sandtroopers total. The final (fifth) will be the clean with black (unpainted) TSC body, and our response was indeed to correct the very short run of error figures by getting it into wider distribution. Look for them to be showing up within the next month or so. The other two will not be coming out.

With the Evolutions sets doing so well, could this be where we might finally see a figure of Senate Duel Palpatine, along with a new THE PHANTOM MENACE Darth Sidious and a non-action feature version of Empire Proclamation Palpatine? "The Palpatine Legacy" has a nice ring to it! (SWC, 04/04/08) (http://www.swcollector.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=57&t=1251)

     We don't have a Palpatine set planned for Evolutions, but your suggestions are interesting. Maybe someday we would do a pack like this, if Evolutions returns, and if we haven't done these versions already (we have already slotted at least one of them into the basic figure line for a future wave).

I see we're getting a new SHADOWS OF THE EMPIRE Comic Pack with new sculpts of Leia and Xizor. Why still no Guri? She's been getting the brush-off for a decade now! (SWC, 04/04/08) (http://www.swcollector.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=57&t=1251)

     You'll have to wait a little longer for Guri, as she still does not have a pack slotted in with her name on it. However, she has been bubbling to the surface of a number of internal conversations and chatboards, and we will be strongly considering her for a future wave. The wait may be awhile, but we think your patience will eventually be rewarded.

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The Mighty Muggs line has certainly been a welcome addition to the Hasbro stable for those of us who dig vinyl toys(especially those into collecting Biskup, Kozik, Brian Flynn etc). However,given that the body shape is generic and that two of the most beloved Star Wars characters - Yoda and R2 - don't fit the dimensions, do you plan to represent them in this line by some other means? Or should we just accept that some icons won't make the Mighty Muggs concept? (TPU.co.uk, 04/04/08) (http://www.theprivateuniverse.co.uk/cgi-bin/showarticle.pl?section=news&articleid=2845)

     Yoda will in fact be seeing some Mighty Mugg love, in a form to be announced later this year. However, we still have not decided what to do with R2. As the series continues(and the response has been great thus far, so we are hopeful for a long run), you can be sure we will look for ways to get R2(and his other Astromech stablemates)in there.

A few fan sites have been touting alleged pics of the rumoured Millenium Falcon re-do. Do pics exist ? Can we see them? Is this just wishful fan-boy thinking - or is the product actually in development / production ? (TPU.co.uk, 04/04/08) (http://www.theprivateuniverse.co.uk/cgi-bin/showarticle.pl?section=news&articleid=2845)

     The pics that we could see - all based on wishful thinking - were of previous model kits or Code 3 product. We have not done anything to encourage hope that a new Millenium Falcon is in the works.

We haven't seen the Indy line at retail yet, and already interest is focussing beyond your initial offerings - specifically on vehicles. The 'Last Crusade Tank' and 'Raider's Flying Wing' - are these something you've considered producing? (TPU.co.uk, 04/04/08) (http://www.theprivateuniverse.co.uk/cgi-bin/showarticle.pl?section=news&articleid=2845)

     We are indeed considering the Flying Wing for the vehicle line and are looking at whether it can be done in our $19.99 assortment (if we did it, it would be in '09 at the earliest). However, the Tank is just too big to do in our $19.99 vehicle line. As we don't have another, higher priced assortment in the IJ line, this one will have to be a "wait and see" based on the response to the IJ line, and possibly tied to future movies if we can't get it done for this one. The entire IJ line will have a shelf-date of 5/1.

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Dear Hasbro, in the forth coming Indiana Jones vehicles (which i might add are brilliant), you have made the inserts of the boxes into pull-out cardboard dioramas and crates. Is their any chance that you could do this for the Star Wars line since you will not produce stand alone playsets? Death Star corridors and Hoth hangars etc would be great. (YF, 04/04/08) (http://cgi.denpetersen.com/YAK1/viewtopic.php?t=2843)

     We have looked at this, but it's not so easy to do for Star Wars since this comes with an added cost that has not been factored into the continuing Star Wars vehicle line. When possible, we will look at the feasibility.

I recently purchased the Force Unleashed Jump Trooper and I understand why you didn't make his new gun and gave him an existing similar gun, but on the cardback it shows him with a jetpack on and even mentions it in the description; so why did you make a jump trooper without a jetpack - the main requirement for his expertise? (YF, 04/04/08) (http://cgi.denpetersen.com/YAK1/viewtopic.php?t=2843)

     We try very hard to create product that accurately relates to the SW fantasy and with the highest levels of authenticity and detail. But, the development timelines for the video game are much more fluid than our product development schedule and we were using the best reference we had at the time (which was supplied by LFL) to create the figures. The reason he does not have the correct gun and jet pack is because those were added to the game after we had the product designed, sculpted, and released for tooling. We were however able to match the package copy and images on the package to match the game because these type of changes can happen very late in our development process where as the actual product can not change because of the time needed for tooling and ramp-up time on production capacities.

Dear Hasbro, for several weeks now there have been a couple images floating around of a Stormtrooper Commander (an OT-style Stormtrooper with blue markings) from THE FORCE UNLEASHED line. According to the figure backer card, there is no number indicating that it is part of the “basic” figure series. Is this a store exclusive item? If so where/when will it be available? (YF, 04/04/08) (http://cgi.denpetersen.com/YAK1/viewtopic.php?t=2843)

     This figure, a Stormtrooper Commander, will indeed be released as part of an upcoming promotion dealing with The Force Unleashed. As the game was delayed, so too was the promotion. Details have still yet to be announced or finalized, but the figure should be out around the time the game is released.

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YN
Title: Re: The Hasbro Q & A Compendium
Post by: Matt on May 13, 2008, 11:09 AM
Session 51 - April 25, 2008

(4-".de, 04/04/08) (http://www.4-inches.de/inhalt/home.htm)

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Might the build-a-droid concept be applied to other build-a-whatever ideas such as build-a-beast or a piece of scenery? (AF, 04/25/08) (http://www.actionfigs.com/index.php?categoryid=12&p2_articleid=1916)

     We have had discussions on other types of things we could do if there were no limit, but right now there are no other plans beyond Droid Factory.

After six years, you've finally made a highly articulated Jango Fett figure that has a great sculpt and lots of articulation. Trouble is, his jumpsuit is a garish shade of lavender that never appears in the film or any EU source, the one in the film was a far more muted, bluish tone. Was this an error or intentional, and if in error, will it be corrected in future shipments? (AF, 04/25/08) (http://www.actionfigs.com/index.php?categoryid=12&p2_articleid=1916)

     It was intentional. We don't plan a running change for this set (other than to add the tampo that was omiitted for the first run of Boba Fett).

In the Galactic Heroes line we have gotten an AT-AT Commander and Driver figures, and now several new vehicles and beasts. Might that increase chances of getting a Galactic Heroes AT-AT? (AF, 04/25/08) (http://www.actionfigs.com/index.php?categoryid=12&p2_articleid=1916)

     We would certainly like to do an AT-AT at some point. If kids and fans continue to show an increasing appetite for GH, we'd say there is a strong possibility. For now, we continue to be focused on the Cinema Scenes and an AT-AT is just too big a beast for that format.

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Can we expect more product for The Force Unleashed in the 3¾" line later this year to coincide with the release of the video game in September? You've stated that there won't be any more basic line figures, but is it possible to see more new characters like Proxy and Shaak Ti released in another The Force Unleashed Battle Pack? What about plans for any vehicles, such as the Rogue Shadow. If you're reluctant to divulge specific details before Comic Con, can you at least confirm whether or not you have plans for more NEW The Force Unleashed toys beyond what's already been revealed? (GH, 04/25/08) (http://www.galactichunter.com/absolutenm/templates/full_article_template_1.asp?articleid=7180&zoneid=2)

     Beyond the Wal-Mart 3-packs, and one special promotional Stormtrooper Commander figure, there will be no more The Force Unleashed figures this year. We are looking at the possibility of doing Shaak Ti at some point, but Proxy really isn't in our plans for the foreseeable future as we are focusing on other characters for our EU offerings.

Will you ever rerelease the Tri-Droid retooled as the Octuptarra Droid with the different guns, legs and eyes? (GH, 04/25/08) (http://www.galactichunter.com/absolutenm/templates/full_article_template_1.asp?articleid=7180&zoneid=2)

     That's an interesting variant we could do someday. While we don't have any plans for it now, there is a really good bet that it will happen someday.

We've heard rumblings several times of a Death Star Escape themed wave and/or Battle Pack in the Third Quarter. Is there any merit to this? (Obviously Hasbro knows we'd like nicely articulated Han Solo and Luke Skywalker as Stormtroopers, a revised Princess Leia, and some other third-reel goodness.) Are Original Trilogy fans going to be overlooked as The Clone Wars rage? (GH, 04/25/08) (http://www.galactichunter.com/absolutenm/templates/full_article_template_1.asp?articleid=7180&zoneid=2)

     While there is an EpIV wave slated for the end of the year, there is no "Death Star Escape" theme to it (we're not sure where that rumor came from but it seems to be persistent on several fan sites - we have never, not even conceptually, had such a wave planned). However, we can indeed confirm that SA Stormtrooper versions of our heroes *are* finally coming as part of the EpIV wave along with some more surprises that will be revealed at Comic Con.
 
As a follow-up to your revelation of a new Princess Leia - Slave Girl and Sandstorm Princess Leia planned for 2009, can you clarify if these are meant to be one in the same, or two separate figures coming next year? If they are one and the same, can we expect Sandstorm Princess Leia to accurately resemble the Princess Leia - Slave Girl we know once the cloak and goggles are removed? (GH, 04/25/08) (http://www.galactichunter.com/absolutenm/templates/full_article_template_1.asp?articleid=7180&zoneid=2)
 
     Regarding Slave Leia, we have had a bit of a change-up in our plans and will clarify.  Originally, we wanted to do the Sandstorm Leia, but have instead selected a different version of Leia for our EpVI wave.  We think that you will find this Princess Leia every bit as interesting, if not more so (that's all the info we can give!).  We will eventually get to Sandstorm Leia, but we think you will like what we have for her in '09.

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Dear Hasbro, with the re-emerging interest in the Expanded Universe, do you plan to include troopers that you can army build? I would love SOTE Coruscant Guard and Imperial Commando. Also the Brown Imperial Officer, Yellow and Red Patched Field Stormtroopers and the Imperial Commando from DF II. However, the figure I want most has to be Xandel Carivus' Bodyguard Troops. I will do anything to get these made. I even paid to have customs of them made, but I want official ones, I would gladly sell you my soul to make them! (IS, 04/25/08) (http://www.imperialshipyards.net/hangarbay/modules.php?name=Forums&file=viewtopic&p=6081#6081)

     Some of our packs do indeed have troop building components such as the current Republic Commando/Super Battle Droid, and the WM exclusive Kasshyyyk Clone/Wookiee set. We plan to continue these here and there as we go forward with the line but will not make it an overt focus. Specifically regarding the figures you suggest, we do not have a way of doing Dark Forces in the comic packs, but some of the others may be possible someday if the line continues. We especially like the Xandel Carivus' personal guard from Crimson Empire II as well, but to be honest the chances of this one happening in the next couple of years is slim given the other more prominent figures we are planning.

Dear Hasbro, Since quite a few of Dooku's Dark Acolytes have already been made into figures (including Asajj Ventress, Tol Skorr, Sora Bulq and Quinlan Vos) I'm wondering if there is hope for some of the remaining Acolytes like the female Chiss Confederacy General Sev'rance Tann, Zabrak female Kadrian Sey, and possibly more evil looking versions of Bulq and Vos? (IS, 04/25/08) (http://www.imperialshipyards.net/hangarbay/modules.php?name=Forums&file=viewtopic&p=6081#6081)

     That's a very cool theme you have identified that unites a lot of cool characters. We don't have any of them planned specifically, but we know the evil version of Sora Bulq is out there as a pretty easy update at some point. An update like this to Vos would probably be a ways off because we will be getting to our second Vos version at the end of this year and want to spread it around rather than do him again in such a short time As for new characters, Kadrian Sey is interesting because of the comic reference, but Tann is much more iffy since her video game appearance is a little more obscure.

Are there plans to expand on the novel characters seeing there is a rise in EU, especially in the games and the comics. I know there are a few in the pipeline but it seems many new major characters are sparse. (IS, 04/25/08) (http://www.imperialshipyards.net/hangarbay/modules.php?name=Forums&file=viewtopic&p=6081#6081)

     They are sparse currently, but we will be exploring some key ones a few at a time - most likely as part of any basic figure EU waves or occasional entires like NJO Luke or "crossover" characters in the Mando packs and comic packs. But we are thinking of ways to bring the novels in whenever we can.

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Over the past 2 years, you guys have really been going to town on the characters from the ToyFare 2006 Fan Choice Poll. Over half of the “Top 25” finalists from that poll have been made into figures, with a few more rumored for 2009. Sounds like it’s time for a new poll, don’t you think? (JD, 04/25/08) (http://www.jedidefender.com/newspro/fullnews.cgi?newsid1209173093,877,)

     Yes indeed, yes indeed. We have to say that poll was a great way to get the pulse of what resonates with fans, and it has been a great inspiration as we have planned out the line. At our current count, by the end of 2009, we will have released 18 of the 25 choices with another 3-4 likely in the 2010 line. We do think it's time for a new poll (perhaps with a retrospective) and will talk with Toy Fare about the possibilities. Stay tuned!

At Toy Fair, there was little info on the planned “1st Day of Issue" summer launch promotion for Clone Wars and Legacy (all we saw was the example sticker on a cardback). Do you have any more details that you can share on this promotion yet? (JD, 04/25/08) (http://www.jedidefender.com/newspro/fullnews.cgi?newsid1209173093,877,)

     The "1st Day of Issue" foil variants will be like the UGHs in prior years in that they will be a special hunt variation that is differentiated by packaging only. This includes a sticker and foil version of the logo. The difference in timing is that this year, these variants will be available only during first shipment of product to support our 7/26 launch, so literally collectors will want to try and get to retail that very first day or week. Segments that will have a 1st Day of Issue version will be the Clone Wars basic figures and Legacy/Droid Factory only. Some other segments will have foil logos for a while (including the new Titanium and Evolutions) but these will not be variants but the main issue of those lines, and these will not officially be part of the 1st Day of Issue special run.

A few questions on the Deluxe Map Room Indy with Ark set. Why no poles (or even rings for poles) on the Ark? Will there be another Ark released later with the rings and poles? And where’s the Staff of Ra? Will there be a single-carded Map Room Indy released on down the line, with the Staff of Ra included? (JD, 04/25/08) (http://www.jedidefender.com/newspro/fullnews.cgi?newsid1209173093,877,)

     The Deluxe pack is a bit of a hybrid but one we felt we needed to get out early since both this version of Indy and the Ark are so important. It was added later, so that is why the staff is in with the Belloq in Ceremonial disguise basic figure. The rings and poles weren't in the scope for this one, but could be a possibility down the road.

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Even though we've seen tons of images and details on the new BMF Falcon, can we get an official confirmation that this is coming, when will it be released, what the SRP will be, and will it be a store exclusive? (JI, 04/25/08) (http://jediinsider.com/index.php?catid=8&itemid=11044)

     Can we say we held back confirmation because we really couldn't believe it ourselves that it was happening, and didn't want to dash hopes if it somehow fell through? No? OK then, it is time to come clean. As most people have seen by now, pictures did get leaked of what we were hoping would be the biggest secret we ever held onto - the massive, new 3-3/4" Millennium Falcon. We can confirm that it *is* real, and it *is* spectacular! Please trust us when we say that our intentions were truly in the right place - we wanted to surprise fans everywhere with the biggest secret we had ever tried to hold back leading up to the massive 7/26 launch date for Clone Wars/Legacy. We do expect the first availability to be 7/26 at the same time as everything else. We have been working against a reveal plan, including a world debut in Wired Magazine (June issue, on sale in May!), followed by some very key celebrity reviews and additional exposure prior to the public debut at Comic Con. At least that was our intention...with something like this, as big as it is, and as intense the interest is in Star Wars, it proved impossible to hold. Look for additional details to roll out as per the schedule above, and look forward to the full public debut at Comic Con.

First seen at Toy Fair, the Droid Factory 2 packs with the Hoth Han Solo figure has the R-3PO who was first released in 2004. Will the new R-3PO figure feature the silver/white highlights that were absent in this toy's previous release? (JI, 04/25/08) (http://jediinsider.com/index.php?catid=8&itemid=11044)

     R-3PO will be pretty much as shown at Toy Fair - without the highlights.

Is there any kind of midnight maddness release event planned for the Clone Wars toys like we've seen with previous movie releases? (JI, 04/25/08) (http://jediinsider.com/index.php?catid=8&itemid=11044)

     Each retailer is shaping up its plans, and it is too early to reveal any specifics. Trust us to say that 7/26 will be a HUGE date for Star Wars, and folks should plan on marking that date down on calendars. More details as they become available!

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Is there any more information on the “1st Day of Issue” variants that were revealed at Toy Fair and will these be available in the UK?  Is the difference between these and regular figures just the “1st Day of Issue” sticker or is there more to it?  Finally, on the same subject, is this the equivalent of the foil carded UGH figures from the previous two years? (JN.co.uk, 04/25/08) (http://www.jedinews.co.uk/news/news.aspx?newsID=1154)

     The "1st Day of Issue" foil variants will be like the UGHs in prior years in that they will be a special hunt variation that is differentiated by packaging only.  This includes a sticker and foil version of the logo.

     The difference in timing is that this year, these variants will be available only during first shipment of product to support our 7/26 launch, so literally collectors will want to try and get to retail that very first day or week.  Segments that will have a 1st Day of Issue version will be the Clone Wars basic figures and Legacy/Droid Factory only.  Some other segments will have foil logos for a while (including the new Titanium and Evolutions) but these will not be variants but the main issue of those lines, and these will not officially be part of the 1st Day of Issue special run.
[

What’s the possibility of releasing replacement weapon/accessory packs for the 3¾” figures since these are the first items that go missing? (JN.co.uk, 04/25/08) (http://www.jedinews.co.uk/news/news.aspx?newsID=1154)

     We hear you, and have decided to include special weapons packs as a plus-up feature in the new Saga Legends line coming this Fall.  As the other basic figure lines have added value features (launching weapons in Clone Wars, and Droid parts in Legacy/Droid Factory), this was a great way to round out the Saga Legends line.  Each cardboard weapons locker (similar to the little box that houses the relic in the Indiana Jones line) will have 5 clone weapons - the same weapons in every single Saga Legends figure.

Have Hasbro thought about setting up an official website that allows collectors to tick off their collection against everything ever released (including variants)?  StarWars.com and others have tried this before but it’s not been up-to-date for a while now and doesn’t necessarily include variants – you’re obviously best placed to do this. (JN.co.uk, 04/25/08) (http://www.jedinews.co.uk/news/news.aspx?newsID=1154)

     That is a pretty big task and right now, well beyond our abilities to devote the time and attention to go backward and cover past years.  We will take a look at this for the current year and going forward - however, we think that the existing fansites remain the best way to get a comprehensive view of the recent past.

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The Hasbro ventures into the EU have begun to get more and more interesting with each passing month.  The comic 2-packs have been a great addition to the line.  And now we're starting to see forays into figures/vehicles that are derived from reference material such as the Hoth Speederbike patrol battle pack.  Could we see more EU exploration that draws from reference art in the near future?  I know there's an image of Dooku as a Jedi Master with the much talked about Jedi Master Sypho Dias that drew my eye from THE ESSENTIAL GUIDE TO THE FORCE. (JTA, 04/25/08) (http://www.jeditemplearchives.com/content/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=3806)

     Chuck - our exploration into this world has been carefully managed to keep a "film-first" focus, but based on the success so far fans have indeed shown a strong appreciation for the efforts and we see about the same balance continuing going forward into 2009 and beyond. Master Sypho Dias is certainly a character that has been on our wish lists for some time, and while he isn't in the line-up yet, with time we have a feeling he will be someone we'll want to explore.  Based on the intriguing mention in EpII alone we think he would make an interesting basic figure possibility
someday.


In our Q&A session a few weeks ago, we asked about the starfighter vehicle assortment in the Clone Wars line.  One of the fighters that was mentioned was the Anakin Skywalker modified starfighter.  Can you please clarify if this be the blue and white Jedi starfighter from the original Clone Wars line?  Or can we expect a yellow and grey decoed version of the Delta 7 Aethersprite Jedi Starfighter like the one that LEGO has already released? (JTA, 04/25/08) (http://www.jeditemplearchives.com/content/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=3806)

     In our mainline Starfighter vehicle assortment, we will be releasing Anakin's blue/white modified Starfighter from the (original) Clone Wars line, last released in 2004.  Look for this later this Fall.

The 2008 Commander Gree figure was a huge improvement over the previous version, not just in likeness but in overall sculpt and articulation. Is there any chance we will see more uses of that sculpt in other clones such as the Utapau Clone or a Shock Trooper? (JTA, 04/25/08) (http://www.jeditemplearchives.com/content/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=3806)

     The Gree tooling is very specific to him so we wouldn't use it for any other character.  However, he has some nice articulation features that turned out well, and there is a possibility that down the road we would do other core Clones with this model.  Right now, we don't have any specific updates planned, but the Utapau Battalion would be a good one (along with Shocks).

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I recall a while back in a previous Q&A, that the question of whether an updated Tatooine Landspeeder for the 3&3/4' line being on the cards was asked, & your response was basically that while nothing was being planned in the immediate future, it was a vehicle you do intend to revisit at some stage down the track.

Can you please give us an indication as to how far away down the track you're talking, or is there something on the horizon that you've kept under your collective hats till now & that possibly our patience might hopefully be rewarded sooner than later? (MD, 04/25/08) (http://www.mousedroid.com/hasbro/round06-08.html)

     We still do not have any news on an updated Landspeeder as our focus has been on other vehicles. It still remains one of those "wishlist" updates that someday we hope to get to while we are concentrating on more of the flying vehicles and some other interesting twists. Thanks for hanging in there.

Firstly I just like to say that I love the comic packs. They are a great concept. Without them I feel that there are a lot of figures that would probably never be produced.

With that in mind, "The Stark Hyperspace War" (Dark Horse: Star Wars (Republic) #36-39) offers the opertunity for you to produce a teenage version of both Obi-Wan & Quinlan Vos. Would we be likely to see these as park of a comic pack? Issue 38 would be a good choice. Or would you be more likely to do other characters first? (MD, 04/25/08) (http://www.mousedroid.com/hasbro/round06-08.html)

     We're glad you like the comic packs - we certainly enjoy doing them. As you say, by exploring this rich story-telling arena in collaboration with Dark Horse, we are able to get some compelling characters out there who would never otherwise have a chance to shine in the main basic figure line. For the Stark Hyperspace storyline, it's interesting you bring this series up.

Our feeling is that it's still a little too early in our exploration of the EU to introduce younger versions of our characters, especially Jedi like Quinlan Vos, who only recently got his first figure (with another one to come later this year or beginning of '09). So while Stark remains "on the list" with interesting possibilities like those you mention (along with a younger Tarkin and Aayla), we probably won't be doing anything with the series for a while yet.


My question is in regards to the new Saga Legends SA 501st clone that is shipping as we speak. Previously, it was the Tactical Ops clone that was released - within a very shape specific blister bubble mold on the card.

It was posed with a wide stance inside the bubble which was fine, because it had ball jointed hips. Recently I've discovered that you're packing the new SA 501st figure in the exact same blister bubble mold & this presents an immediate concern. The SA #41 clone figures didn't have ball jointed hips, & packing them in such a bubble mold stretches out the legs which in turn causes them to warp.

Will this new figure continue to be shipped in the Tactical Ops bubble mold, or will the matter be rectified in the near future? (MD, 04/25/08) (http://www.mousedroid.com/hasbro/round06-08.html)

     As far as we know, the blister was not changed (if it was, we have not seen the changes). Sometimes our factory will make updates as needed for the figure, but in this case we have not heard of anything that needed to change to accommodate his articulation. The production run is complete at this point and no changes will be possible if it was not updated at the factory level. We have opened several samples ourselves and the figure came out perfectly each time, so hopefully this will not be an issue.

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When and if you make more figures based on concept art, would you consider any of the concepts that were scrapped when the vintage Kenner line came to an end? Probably one of the most interesting concepts that they came up with was the "Clone Warrior" (seen at theswca.com), which is to my knowledge, one of the earliest Clone Trooper concepts. Not only is he a Clone Trooper from way back in 1985, he has a pretty cool look too! (RS, 04/25/08) (http://www.rebelscum.com/story/front/Hasbros_52nd_STAR_WARS_QA_The_Answers_114147.asp)

     That is a great figure. Right now we have been focused on the concept figures generated for the movies that fans have some familiarity with from published sources, but that's a good one to talk to Lucasfilm about for a possibility some day. Thanks for the link.

In a previous Q&A, you confirmed Kyle Katarn would be in a Comic Pack in 2009. Could you give us any more details about this figure, specifically, will he be in his 'iconic' outfit from Dark Forces II: Jedi Knight, or will he be in the newer outfit he was wearing in Jedi Outcast/Jedi Academy? (RS, 04/25/08) (http://www.rebelscum.com/story/front/Hasbros_52nd_STAR_WARS_QA_The_Answers_114147.asp)

     He will be based on his appearance in Star Wars Tales #21. You can probably figure out from that who he is paired with..and this will be one sensational pack. We can confirm that his actual sculpt will not be as stocky and muscular as he appears in the comics, but more normally proportioned.

This question is a 2 parter:
# First how was the decision made to go with the generic clone head showing underneath a classic figure such as the stormtrooper, sandtrooper, etc. when it was never done up until that point?
# Secondly, being a fan of the new Evolutions Boba Fett finally with a removable helmet (thanks!) what are the chances of doing the same treatment to an AT-AT driver, Tie Fighter Pilot, or Emperor's Royal Guard? (RS, 04/25/08) (http://www.rebelscum.com/story/front/Hasbros_52nd_STAR_WARS_QA_The_Answers_114147.asp)

     The decision to put a conventional Clone head did cause some discussion. You can imagine a table full of fans discussing the composition of the Imperial forces...are they Clones? Are they conscripts? Volunteers? (Ah, good times).

Based on what has been written it seems all are valid, but we reasoned that the well-known Jango/Clone face was the one that made the most sense since everyone is familiar with the likeness and did not impart any personality that would come with an unfamiliar face being introduced.

We think that eventually we will get around to doing removable helmet versions of many of the OTC Imperial troops, if not all at some point. We'll probably stick with the Jango/Clone head for these.


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One of your competitors mentioned that they have a "formula" for character selection when creating a wave of action figures (2 heroes, 1 villain, 1 female, etc). Can you share what Hasbro's "formula" is when creating a Star Wars wave? (RTM, 04/25/08) (http://www.toymania.com/news/messages/10253.shtml)

     We ideally anchor our waves with updates or new versions "hero" characters that satisfy the dual kid and collector audiences. When we are satisfied we have the kid "traction" we need for each wave, we then lay in the collector-specific figures in the right proportion to round out the wave. Given the tremendous range of Star Wars characters and the themes we select we don't work against a hard selection model like you describe but more go by whether the proposed lineup will satisfy all audiences.

The Clone Wars figures shown at Australian Toy Fair look really cool - especially the "fully accessorized" R2D2 and "swappable arms" for the General Grievous. Any chance of seeing these improvements carried over to their respective characters in the non-animated line? (RTM, 04/25/08) (http://www.toymania.com/news/messages/10253.shtml)

     We probably wouldn't do swappable arms for Grievous in the Legacy line. Instead, we'd probably stick with the current strategy of doing quality articulated versions of his iconic forms instead. The R2 is an interesting possibility for down the road, but there are so many accessories/gadgets/powers from the movies that it would be tough to fit them all in. It's an interesting challenge for some day, though.

What is the projected character depth/diversity of the Mighty Muggs line? Just as examples, can we expect a Mighty Muggs Jabba and a Mighty Muggs Salacious Crumb, or will we be lucky to get Mighty Muggs Greedo? (RTM, 04/25/08) (http://www.toymania.com/news/messages/10253.shtml)

     Greedo is a strong possibility, but we don't have plans, at least for now, for the truly silhouette-busting characters like Jabba (and even R2-D2 is in this camp). The only thing we know for certain is that based on the tremendous response, Mighty Muggs has an exciting future where figures like you mention may be a possibility. But for now, we remain focused on driving the Muggs' unique shape and style across the lines.

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C-3PO's presence in the saga is constant, he speaks the first and last lines, he facilitates the most important deeds, and while fussy his actions helped lead the Rebellion to victory, all while remaining one of the most recognizable cultural Star Wars touchstones, so surely he's an important enough character. That said, C-3PO figures have seemed a bit held back by the insistence on using a vacuum-metalized finish which limits articulation and fine detail. This despite the fact that 3PO's shiny, clean finish is rarely seen in the films. Is there some way we could get a super-articulated C-3PO figure sporting a shiny but not vac-metalized gold paint finish, while avoiding the dull look of the Saga Ultra C-3PO? (SSG, 04/25/08) (http://www.sirstevesguide.com/index.php?categoryid=13&p2_articleid=1320)

     We have had problems getting the shiny appearance of C-3PO on a super-articulated, super-detailed body but we think the Endor Deity version (with the introduction of the knees) gets darn close. We are always looking at new paint that meets the needs of our quality (wear and tear), has a super lustre like vac metal, and is affordable. So far we have not found the perfect paint to achieve all objectives but it remains part of something we are always looking at for C-3PO.

Will the Republic Gunship be re-released to coincide with the release of the Clone Wars cartoon? Several are featured in the preview, and some even have new deco. (SSG, 04/25/08) (http://www.sirstevesguide.com/index.php?categoryid=13&p2_articleid=1320)

     We can confirm that there is a redeco in the works, but can't release info yet. Look for an announcement in the next month or two via our Republic News posts.

The 3¾" action figure system has always straddled the toy market - on the one hand it's small enough that kids can have plenty of toys in the system without taking up a lot of space, while on the other it's not as big as many popular action figure scales out there so it's seen as "less product". With yet another round of price increases, this scale seems to be heading for a bit of a quandary: how does a $7.99 Star Wars or Indiana Jones figure in this scale compete with a similarly-priced 5" or 6" figure that sports as much detail and articulation and is perceived as being "more toy for the money". Pack-ins can only take it so far - although obviously you are gambling on the Build-A-Figure concept to take it an extra buck farther - so the question becomes, is there any concern that the eight-dollar Star Wars basic figure will be the pricepoint the brand or the scale itself cannot breach, especially in a sagging toy industry fraught with market-erosion from both video games and the internet, all while during an economic recession? Is there any concern with this price increase over the potential loss of collectors, both hardcore and casual (including kids) alike? You say the majority of your cost concerns are found in new tooling, and the greatest hits-style lines have been selling extremely well for you the past few years, yet the greatest hits-style lines like Saga Legends have no significant tooling costs to worry about beyond routine maintenance since it is all re-releases (aside from the pit droid anomalies). In the past we've asked about why the Saga Legends line shouldn't be a cheaper MSRP in relation to the main line and the answer was to support the system, but shouldn't the recent increased income from the high-selling line of purely existing tools help defray the costs and thus help lower pricing on the main line? (SSG, 04/25/08) (http://www.sirstevesguide.com/index.php?categoryid=13&p2_articleid=1320)

     We are confident that consumers will continue to enjoy our figure offering as a great way to experience the magic of Star Wars. To this end, we have worked to make sure that the lines have good value (firing projectiles in Clone Wars, Droid Factory parts to build and collect, and extra Clone gear in Saga Legends). Typically our discussions of "cost" have centered around tooling, since most questions are regarding new sculpts and added articulation, and we do set targets we must adhere to. However, that is just one factor that goes into our management of the line and there are many, many other financial factors that funnel into the end result.

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You mentioned previously that there's a good chance that at some point you'll create an action figure based on Lumiya (the Marvel comics version, and hopefully from her second duel with Luke). Obviously, that figure would be a great candidate for a removable helmet, but would Hasbro consider simply providing two swappable heads for the ball-jointed neck instead?  While I absolutely love removable helmet/mask figures, my concern here is that we will either end up with a tiny Shira Brie "pin head" (as we saw with the Cody figure) or a woefully oversized helmet (as the case was with the Crimson Empire 2-pack figures). Given the likelihod that Hasbro will only make this particular figure once, it'd be incredibly disappointing to see it not done so that both the masked and unmasked Lumiya look as good as possible. Having two heads would enable the sculptor to not compromise the scale of the head or the mask and sculpt the best look possible. As well, the unmasked Shira coul d retain her ponytail from the scene (which a helmet that fits over her head would not likely be able to hide).  And PLEASE Hasbro, no more "comic toon" colors like we saw with Fenn Shysa and Tobi -- these are definitely not appealing to collectors. (ST, 04/25/08) (http://www.sandtroopers.com/smf/index.php?topic=5183.msg182817#msg182817)

     Lumiya will be based on her appearance in Marvel Star Wars #96.  You beat us to the punch, but since you asked….she will come with interchangeable heads for the headress and Shira Brie modes.  This truly is one fantastic set....we should be showing our first peak at Comic Con.  As for Fenn and Tobi - those figures would not exist were it not for the Marvel Comics run.  Based on the popularity of the comic figures so far, a lot of fans are delighted by this part of the comic pack line. You may not like them, but they are true to the source material and we think these upcoming packs are going to really please a lot of people.

Will Hasbro ever release a soft goods Jawa, or is that something that would likely only be done for the VotC line when/if that is brought back? And does Hasbro have any other approaches for a possible Jawa "light up" eyes down the road e.g. maybe a highly reflective material that simulates "glow" without the need for say electronics? (ST, 04/25/08) (http://www.sandtroopers.com/smf/index.php?topic=5183.msg182817#msg182817)

     Jawa with soft goods is one of those things that we have been "saving" for an eventual Vintage possibility; whether we save it for an eventual return of Vintage or do it elsehwere first remains to be seen.  As we have alluded to before, we have looked at electronics for the eyes but it seems impossible to add in without compromising proportions or articulation of the figure due to the housing needed for the electronics. Interesting suggestion on reflective material to simulate glowing eyes. Thanks for the suggestion.

Will Hasbro look at other more secure ways to attach jetpacks onto figures? I recently saw a complaint about the Evo Boba figure having a loose jetpack that fell off too easily. That also reminded me of the Commander Cody figure which had a tiny peg for Cody's jetpack that meant the pack would fall off if you even looked at it too hard. Instead of just a peg that pushes into the bac k, why not a clip or some other method that offers a better grip? Commander Gree seemed to be a great way to secure it, more of this maybe? (ST, 04/25/08) (http://www.sandtroopers.com/smf/index.php?topic=5183.msg182817#msg182817)

     We will be looking at clips as needed for certain accessories, but it will still be on a case-by-case basis rather than an overall solution.

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Is there any possibility of using the hyperarticulated Gree mold for a future release of the 212th Battalion (orange) Utapau clonetrooper?  It's true that this clone was previously released using the #41 RotS mold, but there are those of us who'd love to have that clonetrooper with a removable helmet (since most of the clones in the Utapau debriefing scene were unmasked).  Provided that the same hue of orange paint is used, a hyperarticulated Utapau clone would fit in great with our existing TSC Utapau clones! (ST/"TJ", 04/25/08) (http://www.sandtroopers.com/smf/index.php?topic=8437.msg182819#msg182819)

     The Gree tooling is very specific to him so we wouldn't use it for any other character.  However, he has some nice articulation features that turned out well, and there is a possibility that down the road we would do other core Clones with this model.  Right now we don't have any specific updates planned, but the Utapau Battalion would be a good one.

You mentioned in the previous Q&A that there are plans to do a Geonosis Battledroid commander figure in 2009. Any chance that this figure will address the always-asked-about problem of thin legs made of soft plastic that eventually warp if the figure is stood upright for more than five minutes?  I know there are quite a few collectors, including myself, who absolutely refuse to buy (army build) any battled roids until Hasbro finds a fix to this problem given that using harder plastic seems to be out of the question.  Come on Hasbro, we need a sturdy army of battledroids for our now-massive clone armies to fight... sturdy legged non-warping battledroids. (ST/"TJ", 04/25/08) (http://www.sandtroopers.com/smf/index.php?topic=8437.msg182819#msg182819)

     We hear you and are looking at a solution to this problem.  In addition to the possibility of upgrades (or even a new BD), we are also looking at the possibility of future figure stands having two foot pegs to help with the problem for all of the existing battle droids.  When standing on shelf for a while, the primary issue seems to be that they draw to one side or the other and two foot pegs seem to help with this.  We are doing some testing on this and if the results look good we will roll it out with our next figure stand multi-pack release.

For the figures that are going to contain pieces for the build-a-droid assortments, how are you going to pack these figures in case ratio wise so that fans and collectors can get everything that they want/need to build the droids? For the astromech droids you said it would be 6 figures to a droid, so that would mean 2 of each figure in a 12 figure case. But, for the protocol droids, you said 8 figures per wave would build 2 driods. But how are you going to pack those 8 figures in a 12 figure case? Basically stores are going to end up with 2 and 1/2 droids per case? Do you think that these "extra" figures are going to get left behind and become peg warmers? Especially when it will be the same 4 in every case?? Do you think this is going to cause problems at retail? Or cause problems with the fans? (ST/"TJ", 04/25/08) (http://www.sandtroopers.com/smf/index.php?topic=8437.msg182819#msg182819)

     Outstanding question and one we are happy to answer.  The case will remain a 12 pack, and we will work only with "whole" droids available in every case pack, with either 2 copies of that protocol available in every case or 3 Astros (2 of one Astro and 1 of the second).  There will be no cases with only half droids available.  We have thought this through *very* carefully, understanding the needs of collectors, and we have a case ratio solution that should satisfy everyone. Here is our approach:  First, the Droid Factory line is designed so that collectors only have to buy one of each new (and that includes new tool as well as refreshed/updated) figure to get every part needed to complete every bonus buildable droid.  If collectors just bought 1 each of figures 1-52 (approximate number we expect by end of Spring 2009) in the first wave in which they are introduced, they will have all the droids.  Second, there is some redundancy built into the lineup in two ways: there will be select "greatest hits" that round out the case packs that will carry duplicates of the droid parts (these are usually kid-targeted figures, or figures where nothing has changed so figure completists can ignore these), as well as typical carryforwards we do from wave to wave to maximize potential for certain characters. Sometimes there will be 2 of each new figure in every case, and some waves will have 1 of each new figure as well as some greatest hits/carryforwards from prior waves. Third, when figures are carried forward from one wave to the next, they will switch to the new droids available rather than carryforward what would be an "old" part when the new droids are intro'd.  So that means that when we get to Wave 2, for example, it will only be protocol droid parts in the case pack and no Astro Droid parts, and vice-versa. This is to give a more ample distribution of each new droid as our intent is to NOT make certain droids scarcer overall but to have good availability.  This does mean that popular characters that will be continued across waves, such as Vader, will have several droid combinations possible depending upon how many waves he is slotted into.  We are cognizant of minimizing these variations and are working to keep these combinations down for the true completist who has to have everything, but carryforwards are inevitable to satisfy our kid market.

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Do you have inside info on if there will be a midnight madness sale for Indiana Jones toys on 5/1? (ST/"WOTS", 04/25/08) (http://www.wellofthesouls.com/questionsqa.php)

     There are no plans as far as we know for a 5/1 Midnight Madness-type event for IJ. If you hear of anything, let us know!

I have a question for hasbro regarding the new Indiana Jones line. I was rather impressed with the 3-d cardboard backdrops that were used for 2 starwars scenes a few years ago(jabba's palace and cantina)and i was hoping that these could be redone in an indy format? I think there is much potential for a ravenwood bar with exclusive marion figure or the temple in the opening of raiders where the idol could be enshrined:) My thinking is one it would also touch the nostalgic hearts of my generation that got treated to a cloud city playset or a cantina adventure catalog exclusive. Many play enviroments with the cost of cardboard and ink.I can think of countless play enviroments or even as a premium of some sort. (ST/"WOTS", 04/25/08) (http://www.wellofthesouls.com/questionsqa.php)

     That is a great suggestion, and one that in Star Wars we have been looking at as well (the recent Captain Rex mail-in has a bit of this thinking, although not full blown like a wide diorama). While we have no formal plans at the moment, it is something we are evaluating.

Most (if not all) of the previewed Indy figures seem to have removable hats, which makes the hats seem just a little too large. Are there going to be any Indiana figures with hats sculpted onto the heads to avoid this problem? (ST/"WOTS", 04/25/08) (http://www.wellofthesouls.com/questionsqa.php)

     Actually only one of the basic figures has a removable hat (the KotCS Indy); the rest are adhered to the head.

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When you were creating the figures based on the Return of the Jedi deleted sandstorm scene, did you get to view some of the actual "lost" footage from the scene, or did you have to go solely off of reference photos in the Lucasfilm archive? (SWC, 04/25/08) (http://www.swcollector.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=57&t=1253)

     We used reference shots available to us in the Lucasfilm archives. It would be a dream come true to see the actual footage, but it was not available and we went with what we had access to.

What happened to New Jedi Order Luke Skywalker's lightsaber in the Jedi Legacy Evolutions set? All promotional images show him with his RETURN OF THE JEDI green-bladed lightsaber, but somehow the actual figure on the shelves got a green-bladed version of Anakin Skywalker's REVENGE OF THE SITH lightsaber. A green-bladed version of Obi-Wan's ROTS saber would have been closer to the mark. (SWC, 04/25/08) (http://www.swcollector.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=57&t=1253)

     The promotional images sometimes use placeholder parts. As for the actual one selected, we worked with Lucasfilm on the one to include, and that's where we ended up.

Isn't it about time to retire all of those Darth Maul lightsaber molds with the tubular blades and sculpt a new one with the "flared" blades at the correct length? (SWC, 04/25/08) (http://www.swcollector.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=57&t=1253)

     Absolutely! Next time we do a Darth Maul, we will take your suggestion to heart.

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(TPU.co.uk, 04/04/08) (http://www.theprivateuniverse.co.uk/cgi-bin/showarticle.pl?section=news&articleid=2845)

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Recently Hasbro held it's Toy Fair in Australia and on display were what we assume are the final packaging mockups for the AT-TE, V-19 Torrent Starfighter and Homing Spider Droid. It is possible for your team to provide our reader "official" images of this packaging? (YF, 04/25/08) (http://cgi.denpetersen.com/YAK1/viewtopic.php?t=2939)
 
     Sorry to disappoint on this one, but our marketing team is holding onto these as part of the release plan starting in a couple weeks that will lead up to our big 7/26 launch. If we sent them out, they would kill us. We promise though, they will be worth the wait.

Now that checks and money orders are starting to be cashed for the Clone Wars Captain Rex promotion, when can we expect these to start hitting our door steps in the US and reaching our friends in Canada? (YF, 04/25/08) (http://cgi.denpetersen.com/YAK1/viewtopic.php?t=2939)

     The Captain Rex figures should be getting out to the first batch of collectors in late May. We were caught a little off guard because of the surprising speed with which the promotional stickers got to retail, so we have been trying to accelerate our Rex delivery. Please thank the fans for hanging in there!

You've mentioned in previous QnAs that there will be an ESB wave in the 08/09 Legacy Line. Could a figure or 2 possibly include a mynock or oxygen masks as we haven't had new versions of these accessories since the Saga "Blue card" days? (YF, 04/25/08) (http://cgi.denpetersen.com/YAK1/viewtopic.php?t=2939)

     We don't have these accessories planned, but next time we craft an ESB wave it would be interesting to look at updating these guys.

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YN
Title: Re: The Hasbro Q & A Compendium
Post by: Matt on May 13, 2008, 12:21 PM
Session 52 - May 9, 2008

(4-".de, 04/04/08) (http://www.4-inches.de/inhalt/home.htm)

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What are the chances we could get a Comic Pack set of Siri Tachi in "Zora" disguise and Obi-Wan in "Bakleeda" disguise from Jedi Quest? It gets you a new character and a core character which helps sell it, but in a new look which adds action figure credibility and is spawned right from the series. (AF, 05/09/08) (http://www.actionfigs.com/index.php?categoryid=12&p2_articleid=1916)

     That is a very interesting suggestion. We had not consider Jedi Quest to be high on our list of comic pack candidates until we looked at Siri Tachi's history in the books. We can't make any promises that we will get to this pack, but we will consider it next time we have a chance to craft a comic line plan. Thanks for the suggestion.

A while back, we asked about the possibilities of pre-orders on the HasbroToyShop website, your response was enthusiastic and passed along to the HTS team, but since then there has been no change to that matter. Since that time, gas prices have soared to nearly double, making it far more difficult for collectors to hit their local retailers day in and day out to find the newest Star Wars figures. With this in mind, might we see a preorder system on HTS any time soon? If not, why not? (AF, 05/09/08) (http://www.actionfigs.com/index.php?categoryid=12&p2_articleid=1916)

     The HasbroToyShop team does indeed do pre-orders, but it is not consistent for all products due to some logistics. (For instance, now the Indiana Jones pre-sells are live, but they had to wait until the national embargo date has passed before being allowed to do it). They will be doing it more and more on Star Wars this coming Fall, so keep checking back.

At Toy Fair in both New York and now Australia, from the Padme Amidala Legacy Evolutions set, the Revenge of the Sith Padme figure is shown without her japor-snippet necklace that she wore in the film with this costume, Anakin even makes a point of it in the movie, making it a fairly integeral aspect to this character and an odd item not to include. Will this be a separate accessory included with the final product? (AF, 05/09/08) (http://www.actionfigs.com/index.php?categoryid=12&p2_articleid=1916)

     We did not do the necklace for this set.

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Do you plan to complete the vintage line of Indiana Jones figures? Meaning, can we hope for modern versions of Toht, German Mechanic, Marion in dress, Indy in German uniform, and Belloq in white suit? (CTR, 05/09/08) (http://www.cooltoyreview.com/story/front/Hasbros_STAR_WARS_INDIANA_JONES_QA_The_Answers_114508.asp)

     As the IJ line continues on, we defintely have plans for versions of all of those iconic supporting characters in the line. At least three of those are planned for early 2009.

With all the attention on recent releases of The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles DVDs, will there be any characters from this TV series in action figure form? (CTR, 05/09/08) (http://www.cooltoyreview.com/story/front/Hasbros_STAR_WARS_INDIANA_JONES_QA_The_Answers_114508.asp)

     Not specifically. We have been looking at Young Indy ourselves (and reading the comics too for additional inspiration), but with all the movie figures we have been focusing on we just haven't fit them in yet.

At Toy Fair, it was hinted at the possibility of another playset...the Well of the Souls...which sounds like a great idea, BTW... Would you consider making is as a series of smaller playset environments like the current deluxe line so that they can be placed together to create the larger scene? (CTR, 05/09/08) (http://www.cooltoyreview.com/story/front/Hasbros_STAR_WARS_INDIANA_JONES_QA_The_Answers_114508.asp)

     The current Deluxe scenes can be put together to connect, and we are exploring some additional concepts for more in this vein. However, these are defintely very tough to develop (both from a manpower and tooling standpoint), so whether we do more willd epend in large part on how these perform. We're hopeful though that we have found a great way to really capture some of that scenic excitement of Indy with these (and future) sets.

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Any chance of seeing Mara Jade from the Comic 2-Pack re-released on a basic card some day with a repainted black bodysuit instead of the comic-based blue color scheme? She'd be a great candidate for a future re-deco wave, and well deserving of basic card status. (And... could you retool her head a bit? The Comic 2-Pack head's hair prevents too much articulation, and it can't even be pushed all the way down onto the peg.) (GH, 05/08/09) (http://www.galactichunter.com/absolutenm/templates/full_article_template_1.asp?articleid=7214&zoneid=2)

     We have not seen the last of Mara Jade in the figure lineup, we can promise you that, but where and when she will make another return had yet to be decided - either in a future comic pack, or as a basic carded figure with changes as you suggest.  We are looking at different options, but in any case it will be a while yet before we have her slotted back in.

Ackmena (as performed by Bea Arthur, legend, thespian, poet, American Treasure, and former U.S. Marine) does LFL own the rights to this character from the 1978 Star Wars: Holiday Special? (No, we're not asking you to make her, just asking if you have the right to do so in any event?) She was a U.S. Marine for Dorothy Zbornak's sake! (GH, 05/08/09) (http://www.galactichunter.com/absolutenm/templates/full_article_template_1.asp?articleid=7214&zoneid=2)

     Since we haven't looked into producing her, we don't have a definitive answer for you but would assume that any characters from that special belong to Lucasfilm. That question would be better directed to StarWars.com.

O.K. Let's imagine a glorious future. The Clone Wars is a massive hit (which is likely). How big would the Juggernaut/Rolling Slab/Turbo Tank vehicle be? Cost? What say you? (GH, 05/08/09) (http://www.galactichunter.com/absolutenm/templates/full_article_template_1.asp?articleid=7214&zoneid=2)

     It would be big - very big.  We also have to wait and see if it actually shows up in the Clone Wars series.  We know about the AT-TE, but beyond that we don't know what the future of the Juggernaut/Clone Turbo Tank looks like.  That would be a very risky one to do just based on the scant on-screen appearance in Revenge of the Sith.

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What is the status of the Target exclusive Battle Rancor from The Force Unleashed? At Toy Fair, we heard Mid-April, but April’s over and we haven’t seen them yet. Has it been delayed until the game’s release or is it just a bit late? (JD, 05/09/08) (http://www.jedidefender.com/newspro/fullnews.cgi?newsid1210380401,46433,)

     The Force Unleashed Rancor should be showing up at retail any day now.

Are you guys ready to talk about the TRU exclusive “Disturbance at the Lars Homestead” Battle Pack yet? If so, what can we expect - an Original Trilogy set, a Prequel Era set, or an EU themed set? (JD, 05/09/08) (http://www.jedidefender.com/newspro/fullnews.cgi?newsid1210380401,46433,)

     It's still too early to divulge any specific of the set, other than it is not a routine Battle Pack, and that it features an OTC setting. More details will be revealed at Comic Con, if not earlier.

Do you have any pics of the second version of the Rebel Pilot Legacy set yet (the one with the Red B-Wing Pilot)? We’re all interested to see how the Red B-Wing pilot and the rest of the set turned out! (JD, 05/09/08) (http://www.jedidefender.com/newspro/fullnews.cgi?newsid1210380401,46433,)

     We do not have pics of this set yet, because our original paint masters aren't a match for what we are actually doing for the final deco. Originally the B-Wing outfit of Keyan Farlander was more maroon when compared to the original Kenner red B-Wing Pilot; since then we have brought ours closer to the vintage color.

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Any chance of getting an Episode 1 Senate Guard figure using the Revenge Of the Sith Senate Guard/Royal Guard body? (JI, 05/09/08) (http://jediinsider.com/index.php?catid=8&itemid=11064)

     That is a good idea for a future figure. At this time, we don't have this one slotted into the line but will put it in the "parking lot" for a down-the-road wave. Thanks.

With the upcoming "Droid Factory" line coming out soon, are there any plans to expand this idea beyond just Protocol and Astromech droids? Any chance of bringing back the actual "Droid Factory" playset in some shape or form in the future? (JI, 05/09/08) (http://jediinsider.com/index.php?catid=8&itemid=11064)

     We use the term protocol and astromech for the general shape and part count of the droids we'll be featuring. We plan to work in the 4-piece and 6-piece model for the pack-ins, and don't have plans to go to much larger or funkier droid models. While the astromech droids are going to be a staple for roughly every other wave, running the range from R2 to R7 units, the "protocol" slots will vary. It won't always be C-3PO-type or RA-7 type figures, but will include other humanoid types (arms, legs, torso, head). We have lined up some *very* cool droids that have never before been produced, some of whom have been drawn from EU source material and lined up to anchor the Droid Factory waves. As for bringing back the vintage Droid Factory, it's an interesting idea, but we don't have any plans to go back to those vintage tools. The aesthetics just don't match what we hope to accomplish with the line these days.

When will official images of the BMF Falcon, be released for all to see? (JI, 05/09/08) (http://jediinsider.com/index.php?catid=8&itemid=11064)

     Detailed shots will be forthcoming in our scheduled debut stores and Republic News Posts.

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Who designs the packaging for the Star Wars and Indiana Jones products?  Is this done in-house by Hasbro or by an outside agency that works with you and LucasFilm?  What’s the process that this goes through? (JN.co.uk, 05/09/08) (http://www.jedinews.co.uk/news/news.aspx?newsID=1209)

     The packaging is designed by an outside agency that Lucasfilm manages.  We are brought in early in the process to provide input and make sure that the line look works for our needs at retail and is optimized for specific segments of the line.

A while ago we brought up the fact that we were fast approaching another milestone figure (like 500th Vader or 300th Boba Fett), probably figure number 1,000.  You said that something was in the works and would reveal soon – that was many months ago and we wondered if this had been lost in the mix or was still happening.  Can you bring us up-to-date with this news and if there are pictures to show can you please reveal? (JN.co.uk, 05/09/08) (http://www.jedinews.co.uk/news/news.aspx?newsID=1209)

     We didn't mean to indicate that a product was in the works, just that at some point we need to figure out where we are in the "number" of figures we have done, and further that if there is an event to commemorate (that we haven't already missed) then it would certainly be worthwhile to look at that.  While we did spend some time looking into what the current figure total could be, it turns out to be a much more complicated exercise (as many fans have long known who have undertaken the same exercise).  As such, with the work in front of us of delivering our current (and future lines), we have not been able to spend the time to do the exercise justice. We do not have a commemorative figure planned to mark any occasion right now and have instead put our energies into moving forward against our upcoming plans.

How do you feel that some retailers here in the UK have already broken the 1st May release date for the Indiana Jones product line (Adventure Heroes, 3¾”Figures and LEGO)?  How far do you go to force the release dates and what lengths will you do to try and ensure the 26th July date is met for the Clone Wars? (JN.co.uk, 05/09/08) (http://www.jedinews.co.uk/news/news.aspx?newsID=1209)

     We actively work to keep all retailers adhering to the same release dates, both with communication from our sales side as well as our retailer teams. The date is set by Lucasfilm and all partners together (including Hasbro and retailers) and is designed to promote an exciting event-like feel for collectors and kids alike. Setting out product early breaks a measure of trust that has been placed with the retailer.  An independant store or a retail chain can look bad if a store or department manager violates this trust for a short-term gain.  The 7/26 launch date will be one of the most exciting dates in Star Wars launch history, and both Hasbro and Lucasfilm (and other partners) are working with our retailers to make sure that everyone is on the same page with the launch strategy.

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Now that Cade Skywalker is going to have two basic figure releases is there any chance to see Ben Skywalker or any of the Solo children as basic figures? (JTA, 05/09/08) (http://www.jeditemplearchives.com/content/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=3827/#details)

     Cade Skywalker is only going to have one figure - in the comic pack with Darth Talon.  There is no other Cade figure planned.  As for the other Solo children or Ben Skywalker, they are a long shot since there is no comic reference.  However, they are candidates for the (precious) slots in future EU-themed basic figure waves.  We would say that long-term, they stand a good chance of getting in somewhere; short term, the odds are not as good due to the few EU-themed basic figures in the 2009 line.

The response to the electronic features on the AT-TE at Toy Fair seem to have been very positive.  I also noticed that there were a good number of buttons for electronic features on the recently leaked images of the pending Millenium Falcon (very nice, I must say).  Are we trending back somewhat toward electronic features?  Has the technology improved enough to make electronic features more viable?  Does the improved state of  LED lights and sound chips make onboard electronics more feasible?  Also, is this something that would probably be limited to larger vehicles?  And could we eventually see some like say....a Target exclusive Gold 5 Y-Wing that says "STAY ON TARGET" at some point in the not-too-distant future? (JTA, 05/09/08) (http://www.jeditemplearchives.com/content/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=3827/#details)

     In general you will not see them added, say, to our $20-$40 vehicles because the "fixed" cost of electronics is a much higher percentage of the total offering and in most cases would necessitate a price increase above the retail price we feel the vehicles need to be at in order to be successful. We look to add electronics to make sure that our offering is as complete as possible for higher-end vehicles, where the cost of the electronics is a smaller percentage of the total vehicle.

Why did Hasbro decide to make their Clone Wars figure line incompatible with the rest of the 3.75" figure line? When it comes to play-patterns and the ability for Hasbro to reuse body-parts/components from previously released figures, this move seems like a huge gamble. Has Hasbro thought of the possibility that many collectors will pass on the figures in this line (like they did for the previous cartoon Clone Wars-inspired line) because they do not conform with the other line that has been running since 1995? (JTA, 05/09/08) (http://www.jeditemplearchives.com/content/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=3827/#details)

     We did not decide to make that decision ourselves - it was a collaborative decision reached with Lucasfilm in order to best match the on-screen entertainment to the toy line.  For the vast majority of kids who will be enjoying the new entertainment, this will be the relevant figure line.  Since the kids will vastly outnumber the collectors this Fall, especially for Clone Wars, this is a decision we felt was the easy one to make.  However, as discussed previously, collectors did contribute to our thinking.

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How many Astro Droids and Protocol Droids do you predict we will see in the Droid Factory series in the 2008-09 line up? Who comes up with the design? Does Lucasfilm have a huge file that the developed during the preproduction of the prequels, that you can reference, or do you get to make the designs yourself and then Lucasfilm approves them. If the latter is the case, would you like to see your designs end up in the television shows? (MD, 05/09/08) (http://www.mousedroid.com/hasbro/index.html)

     The idea behind Droid Factory is to get out there some exciting droids that have never before been produced in a cool new collectible way, as a "bonus" to the figures that we all love to collect.

     We current have lined up about 18 different droids that would take us through the end of 2009…that is, if all waves go according to schedule (if there is anything we have learned, it's that there *will* be change). Of this total, there are 10 Astros and 8 protos in the lineup. All of the concepts have been drawn from continuity or concept figures developed by Lucasfilm (such as the R7 model). This includes EU sources as well such as games, comics, and novels. None of them are Hasbro creations, and all of them are approved by Lucasfilm before we begin development. Thanks for the question!


Are there any plans to retool the Imperial Officer, Death Star Trooper, or AT-AT Driver? so they do not have those awkward looking swivel elbows? Or are these figures on a long term list to get the whole "SA treatment" sometime in the near future? (MD, 05/09/08) (http://www.mousedroid.com/hasbro/index.html)

     Yes, we do have plans to update these guys within the to SA versions at some point. Imperial Officer would be first, in 2009. The AT-AT driver would come later and might be 2010. Death Star Trooper, though, is someone we might save for a Vintage line and probably wouldn't be in the mainline per se.

Yoda is one of the few smaller characters that you seem to be able to do as a single carded figure, and not as a 2-Pack. However, due to his less active role in the series (and lack of costume changes) it seems that accessories are a way to make him seem more appealing. Having said that, what are the chances of us ever see a Yoda with the Holographic Communication Table he uses on Kashyyyk to communicate with the Jedi Council? (MD, 05/09/08) (http://www.mousedroid.com/hasbro/index.html)

     Interesting idea, Commander. We'll take that into consideration for a future possibility for the Legacy line. For all of our Clone Wars Yoda figures, though, we will most likely continue to develop accessories along the current path - good kid-feature accessories like launchers.

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I am a big collector of the Jedi Starfighters. I like to display them with their pilots and the accompanying astromechs. First I would like to thank you for the upcoming Droid Factory sets as I see many astromechs and pilots paired together. My question is 2 fold:
# Do you have plans to produce any more Jedi Starfighters what with The Clone Wars coming out?
# Second, are there any plans to do an updated R2-D2 figure using the standard R4-G9 mold as you utilized it for Vader's R4-K5 as well as Mace's R4-M6? (RS, 05/09/08) (http://www.rebelscum.com/story/front/Hasbros_53rd_STAR_WARS_QA_The_Answers_114372.asp)

     We're glad you enjoy the Starfighter - we certainly do too.

     This is a sidebar - but we also have good news to report for those who felt that stickers should have been included with the Aayla Secura Starfighter (even though as it is, it is deco-accurate to the comic). We will be producing a sticker sheet for the vehicles that can be obtained by contacting our Customer Service department on the Hasbro web site. The stickers are being worked on now but will take several weeks to finish. We will advise 'Scummers on when they will be available, and they can then contact Customer Service. We'll send a pic when ready.

     Now back to the question at hand...

     Yes indeed, Starfighters will continue at a good pace with The Clone Wars animation. While we won't abandon the iconic EpIII version, the focus will be on a new, slightly-modified Delta 2 to match the animation. This new one will be out later this year. As more Jedi are revealed to us in the animation, we hope to be able to match future Starfighters to them as well. Whether we do more deco versions of the "classic" Delta 2 and EpIII Starfighter has yet to be seen, but we will be keeping the main ones in rotation in the Starfighter collection. If we do more "new" color versions of these ships, we may use these as exclusives as we have for the last few variants.

     On R2-D2 with standard R4 body - We will be looking to get this version out eventually. We just have yet to figure out where to slot him in.


In the past, you have said that the more visual material you have on a character, the better the chance that character has of being made into a figure. So with this in mind, how much longer do we have to wait for a Jedi Master K'kruhk figure? He has been in the Republic comics, Jedi Council Acts of War miniseries comics, Dark Times Comics, Legacy Comics, and the Clone Wars micro-series, how much more material do you need? If he is not on the short list, is it due to the cost it would take to make him, due to his size and butt-kicking ability? :) (RS, 05/09/08) (http://www.rebelscum.com/story/front/Hasbros_53rd_STAR_WARS_QA_The_Answers_114372.asp)

     You will very much enjoy what will be coming next year with one of our own favorite as-yet-unmade Jedi. We won't offer any more details other than "he's coming!"

In an earlier Q&A session, you talked a bit about the character selection process for the upcoming Saga Legends line for this fall. But I'm also curious in how the Star Wars team selects the characters for a full line of basic figures. Are there any "must have" characters that you feel need to be included? For instance, which main characters are considered a "shoo-in" each year? How do you choose secondary or background characters like Cantina aliens, droids, senators, second-tier Jedi, troopers, etc.?

Also, with over 50 Q&A sessions behind us, how much do these sessions influence your selection process, considering the many requests for characters? (RS, 05/09/08) (http://www.rebelscum.com/story/front/Hasbros_53rd_STAR_WARS_QA_The_Answers_114372.asp)

     Well that is a great question that goes to the heart of our 3-3/4" strategy. While we have touched on it a little bit in past Q&As, we can elaborate a bit more.

     Before we go in, we will say that the Q&As are extremely enlightending in a few respects. First, there are threads and questions that often validate assumptions we have had, about certain characters or classes of figures that strike a chord, and to which we need to make sure we are looking into even if it means adding characters to the famous "parking lot."

     Second, there is good insight into what can make a character new and different in some cases that does influence our thinking; this feedback of course is also found in forums on many sites, but we can't get out to sites often enough and in the depth we want to get a comprehensive view of what fans are saying. From this standpoint, the Q&A helps us greatly in the sense that the best questions/comments rise to the top and are submiited to us, often independantly by a couple sites, and as such are a good representation of the top level of wants/desires/questions/concerns.

     Now as to how we approach the basic figure line. The key here is that since Star Wars basic figures have a dual audience of kids and collectors, it is imperative that each and every case pack has figures that are relevant for both audiences.

     We will start our yearly planning sesion right around late Summer, to get ready for the next planning year. The process takes a couple months from start to a working line plan, with a couple rounds of lively discussion with our team and Lucasfilm before we arrive at a plan we all agree on and start to schedule against. We start with a brainstorm/planning session that uses both our Parking Lot as well as homework that folks have done. We look to both make sure that we have enough heroes for the year, and at the same time lay out wave structures that make sense and spread the coverage around to at least all the films, with usually 1 wave of EU to bring in some high-demand characters we can't fit in elsewhere.

     To anchor our waves, we have a strict short list of characters that we consider our star hero characters, and we make sure that we have some of these characters in every wave, and at the same time we try to make sure these characters are in the basic figure lineup every year. These top-level heroes are informed by historical sell-through data, so it is fact-based, not an emotional list.

     So we will start by building waves around new takes on the core characters. Depending upon how many stars we have we then look to add strength to the wave by looking to a second level of well-known characters that are not in our top-tier but are key Saga characters nonetheless. The actual list of characters who don't make that "first cut" may surprise some people...but again, we try to be fact based as much as possible, and the more stringent we are the better the line will perform and the more we can keep doing.

     Once we are convinced there is enough iconic strength from these two tiers to give traction to the wave from a kid standpoint, then we turn our attention to the much more subjective, emotional, argumentative, political, deal-forged, exhilarating, and dissapointing part of the selection: the collector figures! We are kidding about most of that, because it is really a fun part to be able to plan and slot in "wish list" figures for the first time, so there is a little deal-brokering going on ("OK, I'll give you Willrow next year if we get Yarna in this year," etc). This is where we need to make sure we have enough tooling to do what we want, and that's why updates to core characters not only keep the line healthy but allow us to develop more in the way of interesting collector offerings.

     This part of the process is subjective in the sense that we consider personal wants and fan wants, paying attention to the sub-categories of collecting interest that have emerged, including in no particular order new troop builders, Cantina denizens, aliens (which includes Cantina), Jabba's Palace denizens (ditto), Separatists, Rebels/pilots, Imperials/officers, senators, Ewoks, vintage updates, Padme versions, Mandalorians, droids, updates to secondary Jedi/new Jedi, and figures derived from non-comic source material (games & novels). With so many categories to choose from, and only so many slots to go around there is no wonder that a lot of folks feel we aren't going as deeply as they'd like. That's why we preach patience...we're in it for the long run too, just like you guys.

     It's during this line planning, and leading up to the subsequent delivery of figures, that sometimes we feel like the luckiest people alive to be able to really dig and work magic to bring new aspects of Star Wars to life in figure form.


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Will there be a price increase for the Star Wars figures like the recent one for GI Joe figures? (RTM, 05/09/08) (http://www.toymania.com/news/messages/10300.shtml)

     As a policy, we don't discuss pricing as that is the decision of our retail partners.

Are there any plans of releasing blank Mighty Muggs through the Hasbro site? (RTM, 05/09/08) (http://www.toymania.com/news/messages/10300.shtml)

     The Mighty Muggs team is right in line with your thinking. Look for both black and white blank versions at HasbroToyShop.com this Fall!

Which versions of Han Solo and Chewie come with the Millennium Falcon? (RTM, 05/09/08) (http://www.toymania.com/news/messages/10300.shtml)

     Han Solo is a straight repack of the '07 TAC (30th) Han Solo in flight gear figure, and Chewbacca is the one from the '05 Early Bird mail-in set.

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Are there folks today at Hasbro who were working on the Star Wars line back when it was reborn in 1995? Was there any clue behind-the-scenes back then that the Star Wars toy line would garner such a huge adult collector following? Were adult collectors considered at all on any level back then when forging the line's beginnings? What do you folks think of the extensive adult collector enthusiasm for the line today, 13 years later? (SSG, 05/09/08) (http://www.sirstevesguide.com/index.php?categoryid=13&p2_articleid=1320)

     Interesting question! There are indeed folks who were with Kenner back when the line was relaunched, who are also an important part of the nucleus of the team today. While we do not mention names here in the Q&A, the faces should be familiar to those who attend or view any of our panel presentations from Celebration or Comic Con. The answer to your question is that yes, when the line was relaunched, consideration was taken as to who the audience would be and what their wants and desires would be to collect the modern line. This shaped the complexion of the line at relaunch and also has been a continuous influence as it has moved forward. This consideration is seen most importantly in three ways: 1. The 3-3/4" scale was chosen as the "default" scale for the relaunch (despite there being no 3-3/4" line in the market at the time and the trend in other lines was moving toward 5-6" figures); 2.The choice to keep the nostalgic 6"x9" basic carded format, which has now been the "heart" of the line now for 20 years inclusive of Vintage; 3. The vehicle designs and approach selected during the relaunch and afterward. Regarding the last point, it was felt that since a portion of the audience would be adult collectors, and that many of them already had the vintage vehicles in their collections, that newness in feautres and electronics was needed to make them different and move the brand forward. This important priority on vehicles, while it has waxed and waned, has never left the line and has been taken to a new level this year with two of our biggest vehicles - the Millenium Falcon and the AT-TE. We should note that there is also a fantastic backstory to the making of the new Millenium Falcon that will be revealed as time goes on....stay tuned!

With a wave pushed out of this year making way for another repaint wave, does this give Episode I fans a chance to buy some figures in 2008? There's the oft-requested Holographic Nute Gunray, or perhaps a different color variation to the Post-OTC Queen's Handmaiden (Rabe) figure. This could compliment nicely next year's Ep 1 wave that you've already confirmed, so, what do you say? (SSG, 05/09/08) (http://www.sirstevesguide.com/index.php?categoryid=13&p2_articleid=1320)

     There won't be any EpI figures slotted into the lineup for the redeco wave.

With The Force Unleashed videogame being pushed back to mid-September, will TFU product be re-released to coincide with the game's release? (SSG, 05/09/08) (http://www.sirstevesguide.com/index.php?categoryid=13&p2_articleid=1320)

     Aside from the two Wal-Mart 3-packs, scheduled to launch with the game, and one basic-carded Stormtrooper Commander whose release is being managed by LucasAsrts, there are no other major re-releases planned. A couple select figures (including Vader) will be re-released for the Legacy/Droid Factory waves, but that's it. This is simply because of the logistics of the launch and the need to bring in the rest of the figures this Fall. It will be something we watch going forward though, and it's possible we could look to re-release some of the more popular figures as time goes on, but it will not be synched up to the Fall release.

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There are a couple of versions and characters of the Force Unleashed characters we don't have: PROXY, Shaak Ti, Juno Eclipse as a rebel and a few Stormtrooper variants. Can you confirm how many figures from TFU we are getting in 2008-09? Other than the ones we know about, of course. (ST, 05/09/08) (http://www.sandtroopers.com/smf/index.php?topic=5183.msg185620#msg185620)

     There are no more TFU figures in 2008 beyond those that have been announced/shown already.  The final ones will be the previously-announced but still unreleased basic-carded Stormtrooper Commander (retail partner and sell-in strategy still TBD) and the Wal-Mart exclusive 3-packs featuring some unique trooper deco.  For 2009, we are loking at one additional figure and that is it for our plans for now for TFU.  As we see and play the game ourselves, we are sure more ideas and favorites will spring forth, but those will have to come further down the road.

Originally we were told that TAC '08 would begin shipping in March. But in early January, we started seeing these hit the shelves. Your explanation was that they were ready early so you shipped them early (and I'm sure most of us didn't mind that). Now my question is this: if the Clone Wars toys are ready early, will you ship them prior to the July 26th date? And if not, do you have anything coming out between then and now to hold us over? That's still almost 3 months away, and it's been at least a month since we've gotten anything new! (ST, 05/09/08) (http://www.sandtroopers.com/smf/index.php?topic=5183.msg185620#msg185620)

     We will not be shipping anything in the new blue/white line look early,including Clone Wars or The Legacy Collection.  All products will be held for the 7/26 launch date.  Given the excitement of the Clone Wars launch, the debut of the Droid factory basic figures, and the amazing new Millenium Falcon and AT-TE among other segments, this is shaping up to be one of the most exciting launches in Star Wars history.

The Basic Figures this year look great! But there is a lack of Original Trilogy in it, other than Legacy Wave 1, an ANH Wave, the Hoth BP and some Droid Factory figures. Is this due to some shifting that we have heard about? (ST, 05/09/08) (http://www.sandtroopers.com/smf/index.php?topic=5183.msg185620#msg185620)

     Yes, the perceived lack of Episodes IV-VI is not by choice, but a matter of schedules sliding around and shifting the EpV wave out into 2009.  Otherwise we would have had one wave from each of the three this year. However, we think OTC fans will be happy with some of the other things we have coming, including the Evolution packs, the new Millenium Falcon, and the exclusives line-up.  Stay tuned for more details around Comic Con on the rest of the lineup through the end of the year.

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Will Hasbro be fixing the holster on the SA Stormtrooper mold so that his rifle will be able to fit easily in it? And is there a way to adjust the holster so that the Stormtrooper could actually sit in a vehicle without the holster getting in the way? (ST/"TJ", 05/09/08) (http://www.sandtroopers.com/smf/index.php?topic=8437.msg185626#msg185626)

     That holster was really meant to be true-to-scale to the figure for aesthetic reasons, so we didn't make it so you could fit the blaster in it.  We'll take a look and see if we can accomplish both objectives the next time we slot a Stormie version into the line.

Will the tooling that is being used to make the comic pack Grand Admiral Thrawn also be reused for a future Imperial Officer in the basic line?  And if so, will the "skirt" part be made of softer plastic so that he can actually sit down (for those of us who are already thinking of swapping heads from the Death Star briefing figures onto a new SA body -- hopefully the neck pegs are compatible). (ST/"TJ", 05/09/08) (http://www.sandtroopers.com/smf/index.php?topic=8437.msg185626#msg185626)

     It is a good possibility that we could use some of the tooling for a new Officer but we do not have firm plans at the moment. We will try to add elasticizers to the PVC to make it as soft as possible, but Europe has different standards regarding PVC than the US, and so sometimes this affects what we are able to do. Also, even making the skirts flexible, it does not always reach the desired result, so that is why we sometimes add slits to the sides or do fabric skirts.

The VotC Chewbacca remains the absolute best version of Chewbacca ever made and probably for a good long time. But is it possible that Hasbro might someday make an even more premium Chewbacca figure that actually uses real "hair" as opposed to sculpted plastic?  You've already done this in smaller ways with the PotF2 Leia figures - and for that matter, would an ANH Princess Leia with real hair buns be another possibility? (ST/"TJ", 05/09/08) (http://www.sandtroopers.com/smf/index.php?topic=8437.msg185626#msg185626)

     There is a very high probability that version will never happen due to the extreme difficulty in getting soft goods "fur" to behave and look good in scale.  It was very difficult when we did a plush version in 2005, and even when we tried new fibers on the Bantha set...so we haven't been excited about the seemingly doomed exercise of trying it on a 3-3/4 figure.

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Though probably not the most 'exciting' concept for an action figure around, will we see a 'Professor Indy' any time soon? (ST/"WOTS", 05/09/08) (http://www.wellofthesouls.com/questionsqa.php)

     We haven't gotten to this most iconic version yet, mainly because we are still debating which action feature to include: chalkboard writing action, hidden artifact reveal, or "student befuddlement" facial expression change. When we figure that out, we'll slot him in. In all seriousness, we have several more great Indys planned for next year, but haven't been able to get Prof. IJ in the line just yet.

What are the chances of you releasing a Dietrich figure in the next wave of Raiders of the Lost Ark figures? For those of you that dont know the name, he was the German Crnl that melted with Toht and Belloq when the Ark was opened. (ST/"WOTS", 05/09/08) (http://www.wellofthesouls.com/questionsqa.php)

     Dietrich is in the plans for early 2009.

Now that you've got that fantastic horse mold, is there any chance of seeing it used for packs from the closing scene in Last Crusade or in the Star Wars line for Ewok/Marauder mounts (c'mon, who wouldn't want Chukha-Trok with a horse?) or in GI Joe (there was that one cartoon where the Joes were riding horses through the deserts of Kentucky to catch Cobra's bullet train)? (ST/"WOTS", 05/09/08) (http://www.wellofthesouls.com/questionsqa.php)

     You can bet that this great horse will be reused in upcoming IJ sets. Interesting thought on the use of the tool as a possible equus companion to Chuhka-Trok if we ever do any sets tied to the live action Ewoks show. Thanks for the idea.

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With the last of the 30th Anniversary Collection line seeing release soon and the new Clone Wars and Legacy Collections not due for release until July, what plans does Hasbro have to keep their "Star Wars" toys in the public's eye admidst the glitter of high-profile movie-based toy lines such as "Iron Man," "The Incredible Hulk," and "The Dark Knight"? (SWC, 05/09/08) (http://www.swcollector.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=57&t=1257)

     It's certainly an interesting time on Star Wars right now. On 7/26 we will be launching what is perhaps our most ambitious Star Wars lineup in history covering, for the very first time, both a new movie as well as the Legacy collection side-by-side (not to mention the biggest sets we have ever done in the new Millenium Falcon and AT-TE!). Knowing that a major changeover was coming, and rather than chancing poor distribution that would frustrate collectors, we decided to delay the new toys that would have been hitting in/from May and beyond (including basic figures, comic packs, and battle packs) and slotted them into the Fall, making the Spring a little lighter, but making Fall even richer. However, that does not mean that we suffer for lack of news and excitement. There are still several exciting exclusives coming in prior to 7/26, including the battle packs out at TRU right now (STAP Attack & Hoth), the TFU Rancor at Target (any time now) and the launch of the Droid Factory 2-packs and a new wave of exclusive comic packs at WM (both set for July 1st). We think that overall the wait for 7/26 - and the hunt for the new exclusives in the interim - will be more than worth the wait. The future for Star Wars is very, very bright!

The Legacy Collection's upcoming "Return of the Jedi" Darth Vader figure with three-piece removable helmet seems like the Holy Grail of Vader figures for most collectors. This would really mean the only definitive Vader left to make is a film-accurate "Revenge of the Sith" Vader in armor, with the film-specific shoulder armor. Any chance of seeing him in The Legacy Collection, too? (SWC, 05/09/08) (http://www.swcollector.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=57&t=1257)

     There is a good chance at some point, but the trick with that figure is getting quality articulation while preserving the shoulder armor. Right now we have not solved this issue, but are looking at it since it is a great figure to anchor a future wave.

Other toy lines in the past have gone off on tangents with "alternate universe" versions of characters, such as Vikings, Samurai, Pirates, and Ancient Egyptians. In your designers' giddiest flights of fantasy, what sort of "alternate reality" would the "Star Wars" characters best lend themselves to? (And, no, the "Infinities" versions don't count, since we're actually going to get some of those in the Comic Packs.) (SWC, 05/09/08) (http://www.swcollector.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=57&t=1257)

     Believe it or not, this really isn't an area where we have spent much time imagining, since we are all busy bringing the "real" Star Wars universe to life. However, being kitbash fans ourselves, we have seen the steam-punk versions of the Star Wars characters and tip our collective hats to the creative genius behind this interpretation, and others. Following this train of thought, we can't help but think that the Samurai genre, which provided much original inspiration for the Star Wars saga, is a natural "parallel" universe. We don't have plans to go there ourselves, but with the real creation of the Darth Vader-samurai armor, intriguing doors have opened.

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(TPU.co.uk, 04/04/08) (http://www.theprivateuniverse.co.uk/cgi-bin/showarticle.pl?section=news&articleid=2845)

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You've repeatedly stated that "SW playsets" are a hard sell especially for kids and are cost prohibitive to develop and/or
retool. How do you square that with the release of the new small playsets/envirorama being released in the deluxe INDY line. (i.e. Indiana Jones with Temple Pitfall & Indiana Jones with Temple Trap). Could a "playset" or "enviroama" of this size be possible for the SW line? It seems like it could be a perfect compromise as product this size is small enough to hang on pegs leaving shelf space for vehicles, Evolutions, Battle Packs etc. Plus, if you included a unique figure (i.e. paint variant), it could help move the product as well. (YF, 05/09/08) (http://cgi.denpetersen.com/YAK1/viewtopic.php?p=42395#42395)

     The Indiana Jones fantasy is very different than Star Wars in some key elements, and that is why the make-up of the line is different. In Indiana Jones, environments play a very important role and solving puzzles and escaping traps are an essential element to the fantasy alongside the characters, whereas in Star Wars the environments actually play a minor role compared to the figures and vehicles who occupy the center stage. Therefore, in IJ, we felt that elements like this were central to the fantasy and important to pursue in order to put out a line that inspires the same play that kids see in the movies. For Star Wars, playsets have historically not sold well relative to other sublines, and so we continue to develop against the sublines that give us the overall best results and allow us the continued development of the line. We also see both the AT-TE and Millenium Falcon as having critical playset-like components in any case, as far as kids are concerned; they are truly two vehicles that command play with figures far above and beyond regular vehicles.

You confirmed/revealed for our friends at Galactic Hunter that SA versions of Luke and Han in Stormtrooper Disguise will be released in the EIV themed wave. Will these be simple head swap creations and will Luke be released on the smaller 2007 TAC #30 Imperial Stormtrooper body, you know because he is "a little short for a Stormtrooper"? (YF, 05/09/08) (http://cgi.denpetersen.com/YAK1/viewtopic.php?p=42395#42395)

     The figures are based on their countrparts from the Comic Packs. We had actually designed the mid torso to be adjustable in production so you could get a normal or shorter version, but the manufacturer modified the tool model. We are however improving the belt/ holster to better hold the Imperial blaster.

With Hasbro's "official" acknowledgment of the existence of the BMF (Big Millennium Falcon) can you answer a couple questions regarding it. Does it have the quad cannon on its underside? Is the panel on the rear of the ship (above the engines) removable like the vintage mold? Does it have a handle on the bottom to aide in the recreation of those epic space battles? Can the escape pod/shuttle be plugged/docked in between the Falcon's freight mandibles (forked forward section)? (YF, 05/09/08) (http://cgi.denpetersen.com/YAK1/viewtopic.php?p=42395#42395)

     Answers are: 1. It does have a non-firing quad cannon on the underside. 2. The rear cover is not removable, except for the battery access hatch, as the electronics and other mechanical components are housed in this area. 3. No, there is not a dedicated handle - the size and weight of this version would really not allow you to “fly” it around like the original – as you stated above – this truly is a BMF!!! 4. Space restrictions (especially the width) in the interior docking bay dictated the overall dimensions of the escape pod. Unfortunately, the distance between the mandibles are too wide for the escape pod to dock.

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The best figure(s) of 2007 have to be Romba and Graak in my opinion, so good I couldn't find one in stores until the re-release this spring. I'm very excited for Leektar and Nippet as well, and am wondering what other ewok plans you have for 2008? Plans for color variants? 2009? Any plans for an ewok catapult? A female ewok? Please please keep the ewoks and ewok accessories coming! (YN, 05/09/08) (http://www.yodasnews.com/)

     We hear you and love the little resistance fighters ourselves! Right now, we don't have any additional Ewok plans for 2008 beyond Leektar and Nippet. We do have plans for a few more sets in 2009, but those details are still being worked out. It won't be anything as big as the Ewok Catapult, though.

Thank you, thank you, thank you for making the Super articulated version of the 501st Legion Trooper a reality. This sculpt is truly the best clone sculpt available. And an even bigger thanks for putting him 3 per case so he wasn’t a pain in the butt to track down at retail. I know that you guys get many sarcastic comments from other collectors out there about releasing clones with “every color under the sun,” but I just want you to know that I personally appreciate and applaud your efforts.

With that said, in a previous Q&A you mentioned that the Grey Coruscant Clone Trooper in SA sculpt (hint: with antenna) would be a good suggestion for a future repaint wave or Saga Legends type of release. And then, in a subsequent Q&A, you mentioned that you will be doing a re-deco wave in 2008 to fill in the void for a planned wave that has been delayed. Dare I hope, dream, offer up my first born child to the gods in trade that I might finally see said Grey Coruscant Clone Trooper in the SA sculpt (again: with antenna) in this so-called re-deco wave??? Please, please, please??? (YN, 05/09/08) (http://www.yodasnews.com/)

     Yes indeed, we can confirm that as SA version of the gray-deco Coruscant Landing Platform figure will be coming in a redeco wave later this year.

Will we be getting anymore Galactic Heroes Key chains? And can you confirm that there are only 6 made so far, with those six being Han Solo (Bespin), Luke Skywalker, Yoda, Boba Fett, Darth Vader and Darth Tater ( Mr. Potato Head )? And If there will be more made, any lists or images you can share with us? (YN, 05/09/08) (http://www.yodasnews.com/)

     Those are the only ones that have been done to date. We don't have plans to add any more characters to those right now.

The image of the Grail Knight revealed at Hasbrotoyshop.com looks fantastic. Does he sport plastic or cloth robes? (YN, 05/09/08) (http://www.yodasnews.com/)

     Thanks - this is indeed one great figure. He will have PVC (plastic) robes.

We want to know if the Force Unleashed wave and Wave 5 Legends with the Fan's Choice clones still ship out to retail until the Clone Wars toys start to hit? (YN, 05/09/08) (http://www.yodasnews.com/)

     No, they will not. All of the lines currently at retail will phase out in June to prepare the shelves for the 7/26 launch of the new lines. Fans should get them while they can, because they won't be coming back.

Target seems to have gotten a good dose of exclusives so far, any reason why they seem to nab up so many while other chains and stores have gotten fewer? Did they simply just ask for more? (YN, 05/09/08) (http://www.yodasnews.com/)

     Our exclusives strategy has been to match programs with available space and promotional plans, and it has worked out that some retailers at different times have appeared to have more visibile programs than others. You will see strong upcoming programs from all three retailers this year, with Wal-Mart getting a strong start in July with the debut of the Droid Factory 2-packs (featuring the buildable C-3PX droid), as well as continuing their exclusive comic 2-pack program with a new wave.
Title: Re: The Hasbro Q & A Compendium
Post by: Matt on August 2, 2008, 08:17 PM
Session 53 - May 23, 2008

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Title: Re: The Hasbro Q & A Compendium
Post by: Matt on August 2, 2008, 08:18 PM
Session 54 - June 6, 2008

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Title: Re: The Hasbro Q & A Compendium
Post by: Matt on August 2, 2008, 08:19 PM
Session 55 - June 20, 2008

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Title: Re: The Hasbro Q & A Compendium
Post by: Matt on August 2, 2008, 08:19 PM
Session 56 - July 11, 2008

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Have you considered doing a deluxe set from the beginning of Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, which would include a Hangar 51 crate containing the > metallic case and alien remains inside? I think that would be a fantastic set and it is a big part of the movie. (TPU, 07/11/08) (http://www.theprivateuniverse.co.uk/cgi-bin/showarticle.pl?section=news&articleid=3223)

     That is a cool idea and we have indeed thought about it, but did not pursue in favor of some other sets. Perhaps someday...

Will you be making an Ark Ghost in the 3.75 inch lineup? The adventure heroes ghost is my personal favorite and I think it would go great with the basic figure lineup as well! You could include a rotating head with the peaceful looking lady on one side and the other have the angry skull face. (TPU, 07/11/08) (http://www.theprivateuniverse.co.uk/cgi-bin/showarticle.pl?section=news&articleid=3223)

     Yes, we plan on getting this out Spring of next year in the Deluxe lineup.

In regards to the Build-a-droids in the basic Legacy collection, will any of the droids included be from the Original Trilogy movies? Most seem like they are EU droids. I think it would be great to get a E-3PO or U-3PO! (TPU, 07/11/08) (http://www.theprivateuniverse.co.uk/cgi-bin/showarticle.pl?section=news&articleid=3223)

     Excellent choices, and while we can't confirm which OTC ones we're honing in on, we will be making sure to mix it around between on-screen and EU.

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Title: Re: The Hasbro Q & A Compendium
Post by: Matt on August 2, 2008, 08:24 PM
Session 57 - August 1, 2008

Many collectors are noticing that the Indiana Jones line of figures seems to be sitting around at stores and not moving as well as hoped. A glut of product seems to be preventing new figures from coming in, and many fans are worried that the line may be cut short as a result, despite the fact that you've announced that you have plans for 2009. Also, with late July came the return of Star Wars which limits the peg space available for the Indy line. Are the results of how this line is selling having an affect on its future? (AF, 08/01/08) (http://www.actionfigs.com/index.php?categoryid=12&p2_articleid=1916)

     The results of how *any* line sells has an effect on its future, as retailers want to ensure that their retail space is as productive as it can possibly be. We certainly hope to get to new figures in 2009. Right now, we are working with retail to maximize the line around what will be one of the biggest DVD releases of the year, along with a strong holiday drive. We know that we have collector interest to some extent (although not nearly to the level of Star Wars) but how long we go will depend on the level of kid engagement and retailer support after the holidays. It's something we'll be watching closely.

Given the focus on Rebel pilots and droids lately, would you consider hitting two birds with one stone and releasing two-packs of Rebel pilots with their corresponding astromech droids? This would be a good way to sell otherwise similar-looking pilots and get their droids at the same time, and also would be a good opportunity to finally update that underwhelming Red Leader figure and his cardboard droid from the 2003 X-wing. (AF, 08/01/08) (http://www.actionfigs.com/index.php?categoryid=12&p2_articleid=1916)

     That is certainly an interesting idea, one that we have considered for a down-the-road possibility.

A few times in Q&A's history, you've suggested collectors submit their local stores' pegwarming data to you so Hasbro store reps can get these problems fixed. Some of the stores did show signs of improvement in this department, but others still suffered old TSC pegwarmers (Moff Jerjerrod is pretty consistent) and showed absolutely no signs of moving for nearly two years (until they were clearanced before the Clone Wars/Legacy Collection SKU reset), and the reports on these were coming in from all over the country. What, if anything, was done on your part to fix the problem, and what will be done in the future? When these issues arise again (as they likely will, since they often have), will we just have to wait several years until pegwarmers go on clearance when the line resets again (which doesn't always happen)? If nothing else, having several Hasbro Star Wars pegs filled up with very old product is going to hamper sales of newer product, hurting your business and hindering collectors' ability to get new figures, right? (AF, 08/01/08) (http://www.actionfigs.com/index.php?categoryid=12&p2_articleid=1916)

     Despite hearing about the issues, we have received very few actual store #s for troubleshooting purposes. We want to underscore that we need specific store information, which can be sent to either consumer affairs or back through the website feedback channel. We don't anticipate as many issues going forward as we will likely be changing out our main assortment numbers every year, so the older stock should automatically purge. When we do keep numbers going, we will keep an eye on the stock in case there are backups, and that's where we'll need your help.

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Could you discuss some of the accomplishments you all most proud of regarding the Star Wars line? On the flipside, what things would you have done differently if given the chance? (BS, 08/01/08) (http://www.banthaskull.com/forums/showthread.php?p=29925#post29925)

     Rather than any one toy (although we all have our favorites!), the single thing we are most proud of, as a team, is the recognition that we are delivering toys that continue to delight and excite kids and collectors, week in/week out and year in/year out. As long-time fans ourselves, the ability to continue to innovate and expend the boundaries of Star Wars toys is very rewarding.

So you've come through with the AT-TE, various Republic Gunships, AATs, Hailfire Droids, and the Homing Spider Droid. You're releasing a Geonosis Command Platform, and now Phase I clones are back in vogue. Any chance, assuming a home run with the AT-TE, that you will continue to bolster the Battle of Geonosis' participants forces by making the SPHA-T? (BS, 08/01/08) (http://www.banthaskull.com/forums/showthread.php?p=29925#post29925)

     Well, that would be an ambitious one, but honestly it's very unlikely it will ever happen in 3-3/4". There are a good number of "larger" vehicles ahead of it if we get the chance to do any more.

Street dates are an exciting concept. It creates an event and should give everyone equal opportunity to purchase the product. The problem is that your retail partners seem to be overmatched when managing their end of the bargain. Product is being sold directly out of the stock rooms which may lead to many disappointments during big launches (ex: 7/26) when stores are already sold out of some items. In more serious instances, the product is being placed on the floor early and customers are being denied sale of the product at the registers with the explanation that there is a "China related recall". While collectors know the real reason for being denied the sale, parents who are shopping for their children will not. In the recent toy industry climate, this is a huge public relations blow for Hasbro through no fault of their own. Are you concerned about this? Are the occasional failures of "street date integrity" within an acceptable margin of error for Hasbro, or do you have plans to tighten up the process in the future? (BS, 08/01/08) (http://www.banthaskull.com/forums/showthread.php?p=29925#post29925)

[Hasbro missed this question (probably a typo or something.) We hope to get the answer shortly...]

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I’ve read somewhere online that you want to get as much use as possible out of your VTSC Greedo sculpt, and your recent Pax Bonkik offering was a dang good start. Dang good! Have you given any more thought to further uses of that mould? For example, a new high-collared, quilted flak-vest sculpt could not only make the two Rodian goons from Jabba’s Palace (Beedo and That Other Guy), but also provide an accessory for any future Hoth Rebels. There are other Rodian characters in the Expanded Universe that could be used, as well. A simple repaint in maroon, black, and tan with a blaze-orange vest and a sniper rifle thrown in could make the Rodian Mercenary from the Jedi Power Battles video game, for example. (CC, 08/01/08) (http://creaturecantina.com/news_stories/2008/0806/hasbro-qna.html)

     Glad you liked Pax Bonkik - he seems to have gone over well. We don't have any other figures lined up yet, but your suggestion is a very interesting one and certainly will get us to think about additional Rodians the next time we set to crafting an EpVI wave or pack.

Ok, I know you guys deal with a lot of negativity with collectors never seeming to be happy and always looking for something to bitch about, I for one want to point out a positive of the modern Star Wars business . . . Slave Leia . . . yes, do you believe it’s been 10 years (1998-2008) since you magnificent bastards at Hasbro gave the fans a figure they waited almost 15 years for. So with this anniversary, I have a pitch for you. A Super-Articulated, newly sculpted Leia (as Jabba’s Prisoner) released as you would a VOTC figure. On a vintage-style card, with the nice clamshell. The vintage card would be awesome as she was never released on a vintage card so it would be cool to see. Make it exclusive, price it at $19.99 and sell it through HasbroToyShop. (CC, 08/01/08) (http://creaturecantina.com/news_stories/2008/0806/hasbro-qna.html)

     That is a very interesting figure idea, up there with the "vintage that never were" including Tarkin and Sandtrooper. We have no plans like that but thanks for the suggestion!

You’ve given us a line of figures based on unused concept art (which have been awesome, I might add). You’ve also embedded a series of figures from deleted scenes (and we’re still waiting for Han’s deleted “girfriend,” by the way). So now that we’ve seen scores of figures that never made it onto the big screen, when are we going to see figures from behind the scenes? That is, when will we see figures of the actors before they got in costume? Or even a straight-up George Lucas-in-flannel figure to “direct” our plastic performers? You could even have a George sporting the “Han Shot First” shirt as a special UGH chase figure. (CC, 08/01/08) (http://creaturecantina.com/news_stories/2008/0806/hasbro-qna.html)

     Unfortunately, probably never. We have evaluated the "men (and women) behind the mask" concept but have decided that the magic remains the characters of Star Wars as the focus (other than the occasional tribute to "the creator").

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Will you be revising your case distributions to make Dr. Henry Jones easier to find and get the wave 1 and 2 figures out of the wave 3 cases (they are overflowing the displays at 4 local Targets, 1 ToysRUs, 3 Meijers, and 6 WalMarts)? (CTR, 08/01/08) (http://www.cooltoyreview.com/story/front/Hasbros_INDIANA_JONES_QA_The_Answers_115883.asp)

     We are using the same ratio management techniques we use for Star Wars, that is producing balanced case packs that appeal to both kids and collectors, and as such we will not be redoing the case pack ratios on IJ.

The challenge with IJ is that kids *only* want and care about Indiana Jones, Mutt, and some of the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull figures - the secondary characters from the previous films are only interesting to collectors. If we produced case packs just focused on The Last Crusade or Temple of Doom, we would be giving the waves too narrow a focus.

Likewise, if we just catered to kids, there would be very few secondary characters. The continued success of the Indy line is predicated upon both kids and collectors remaining engaged; we need both of them in the numbers we originally forecast for the line to be a success and continue forward.


What are the chances of seeing a Circus Train set from the Last Crusade in the Titanium line, perhaps as an exclusive? I was also wondering if there will be anything from the Temple of Doom in the Titanium line? It was left out of the first waves, but I also don't see many options from the film so I was wondering what possibilities there might be. (CTR, 08/01/08) (http://www.cooltoyreview.com/story/front/Hasbros_INDIANA_JONES_QA_The_Answers_115883.asp)

     The Titanium Series line will be done after the 8 vehicles. It's an expensive line for us to do on a relatively smaller brand like Indy, so we will be doing the lineup shown and then rest the line in the hopes we can re-launch with an Indy V someday.

Do you have plans to make a Marcus Brody figure in 2009? (CTR, 08/01/08) (http://www.cooltoyreview.com/story/front/Hasbros_INDIANA_JONES_QA_The_Answers_115883.asp)

     It's unlikely that we'll get to a Marcus Brody figure.

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GH

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Recently a Indiana Jones "tank" with 3 figures appeared in the ToysRus computer, would this be the tank from the last crusade? (IJC, 08/01/08) (http://www.indianajonescollectors.com/)
 
     It is the Jungle Cutter with three existing figures - an exclusive for later in the Fall.

Marcus Brody is a pretty important character in the Indiana Jones lore, will we be seeing a 3.75 inch figure of him in 2009? (IJC, 08/01/08) (http://www.indianajonescollectors.com/)

     It's unlikely that we'll get to a Marcus Brody figure.

Will we be seeing an ARK Ghost in the 3.75" figure lineup? (IJC, 08/01/08) (http://www.indianajonescollectors.com/)

     No plans for an Ark ghost in the lineup. It's a great idea for a future Deluxe-type item, but we have no plans for it right now.

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Remember those Disney exclusive Star Tours figures from 2002-2004? Have there been any discussions about repaints or reissues of any of the droid sculpts into the basic line? Repaints of the R5-D2 and DL-X2 would both make for nice background droids at some point if you're looking to fill a Pilot/Droid themed Battle Pack or something. (JD, 08/01/08) (http://www.jedidefender.com/newspro/fullnews.cgi?newsid1217627437,28978,)

     Interesting suggestion. We had not considered using these in anything that we are doing, but if the sculpts hold up and there is justification for them they could be fair game sometime.

Hypothetical question - let’s say that in one of the Star Wars movies, there’s a scene where the main characters go into a local establishment looking for a space ship ride. Then let’s say that in this establishment there are two female characters who look eerily similar to one another. What could the collector/fan base do to get those “eerily similar looking generic female patrons” made into 3.75” figures? (JD, 08/01/08) (http://www.jedidefender.com/newspro/fullnews.cgi?newsid1217627437,28978,)

     Unfortunately, there is no hypothetical help that will aid in getting these creatures on the production list. It would be nice to complete the scene someday, and we’ll keep trying.

Chewbacca - he’s everyone’s favorite wookiee (well, he’s my favorite wookiee anyway). He’s got it pretty good - a life filled with plenty of adventure, taking on Kessel Runs and such with his best pal Han Solo. Sounds like a good life, right? Wrong! He’s lonely! He misses his family! When, O when will Chewie finally have a 3.75” family to go home to? He needs his Malla! (JD, 08/01/08) (http://www.jedidefender.com/newspro/fullnews.cgi?newsid1217627437,28978,)

     The only other place that some of Chewie's family appears outside the one TV appearance would be the run of Marvel issues with a fairly interesting Kashyyyk storyline. It's possible that we could eventually get to this issue (although it is lower on our priority list).

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Alright guys, I think we've finally worn you down. There was a time when we were told large scale vehicles and playsets don't typically sell well and leave a "footprint" on retail shelves. Fast forward and the BMF is already showing up around the web to an overwhelmingly positive reception, mouths are watering over the coming AT-TE, and you've even got a playset lined up for the Indiana Jones line.

Granted scenes and playsets are more integral to the Indiana Jones universe but if the Akator Temple playset performs well, would that increase the likelihood of seeing more large scale playsets over in the Star Wars brand?

That aside, are there any plans for further deluxe vehicles around the size of the AT-TE and BMF down the pipeline? Just tell me who to bribe to get an Imperial Star Destroyer in the works! (JI, 08/01/08) (http://jediinsider.com/index.php?catid=8&itemid=11257)

     Our stance hasn't changed. The vehicles for this year (Millennium Falcon and AT-TE) are, of course, much more than simple vehicles, and we consider them having playset-like figure interaction, and are greatly aided by the fact they are heavily featured in the entertainment. We will not be pursuing traditional playsets for Star Wars unless there is a compelling scene that presents itself in either Clone Wars or the live action show. The only way we could have done a larger (non-Deluxe) playset for IJ was if we had a good starting place to save on tooling, and luckily we were able to do that.

Please include more of the built-in displays that have been coming out with certain vehicles within the last few years. Really have enjoyed the new Y-wing and the recent Zev Seneska snowspeeder. Please keep 'em coming. (JI, 08/01/08) (http://jediinsider.com/index.php?catid=8&itemid=11257)

     Thanks for the good word. Our packaging team has worked hard to make sure the backgrounds add to the fantasy and are as fully-fleshed out as possible, and we intend to keep doing this whenever possible.

Any chance of seeing a Admiral Daala figure, or perhaps a Lumiya? There's definitely a shortage of female figures in the Star Wars Universe, updated Bespin Leia with the new articulation would be nice as well. (JI, 08/01/08) (http://jediinsider.com/index.php?catid=8&itemid=11257)

     There is good news on the horizon for Lumiya, as she will be coming in the first wave of 2009 comic packs. As for Bespin Leia, there is a good chance we'll get to her eventually, although she is not in the lineup right now.

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Whilst not necessarily a UK centric question I spend a lot of time in Canada and have noticed that for the most part (the BMF being a very notable exception), what is in the stores is usually a couple of waves behind the US and even the UK.  Given the Great White North's proximity to the US, what is the reason for this and is it ever likely to change? (JN, 08/01/08) (http://www.jedinews.co.uk/news/news.aspx?newsID=1451)

     Each country/region slots production as they need it, so they may not synch up exactly with the U.S. after the initial waves, especially given the time it takes to do the packaging adaptation.  That is one of the things we will be trying to work on - synching up the waves globally through better forecasting at the start.

We've seen a few images of the new Greatest Hits figures.  Can you please give us details of what figures will make up the first wave(s) of the Greatest Hits figures and when these are likely to hit shelves? (JN, 08/01/08) (http://www.jedinews.co.uk/news/news.aspx?newsID=1451)

     There are two types of Greatest Hits figures.  The first type will be a new line of Saga Legends figures and will be have their own assortment, numbered serially SL-1, 2, 3, 4, etc. The second type will be more collector-focused Greatest Hits that will be packed in with The Legacy Collection/Droid Factory figures, although they will have "redundant" droid parts to complement the new figures.  This type will be numbered "GH-1" (and 2, 3, 4, etc).  Both types will begin to show up at retail on 7/26.

With regards the Disney Star Wars crossover figures (e.g. Mickey Mouse as Anakin and Stitch as Emperor), what involvement (if any) does Hasbro have with the production of these or are they made by another 3rd party for Disney?  Also, apart from the box set of existing Star Tours figures that was recently released for the Disney Star Wars Weekends, will there be any new figures released in this line? (JN, 08/01/08) (http://www.jedinews.co.uk/news/news.aspx?newsID=1451)

     The Disney team manages all production of these.  Aside from an early glimpse at the line direction we don't have any further involvement.  We do have plans to keep adding gradually to the Disney Parks "library" of sets tied in to their attractions, and there will be a very special and cool set up next for 2009.  Stay tuned!

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We've been seeing some rumblings around the collecting community about the Vintage Figure concept.  Rumors of figure lineups for later this year or beyond.  And further indications that the concept might be extended to the Prequel era.  HYPOTHETICALLY SPEAKING, if that is the case, what OT characters might we expect?  And how would Hasbro approach packaging a premium style PT figure - on the classic Kenner-Star Wars style card, or on a reproduction of the PT style cardbacks? (JTA, 08/01/08) (http://jeditemplearchives.com/content/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=4026/#details)

     We can confirm that there is no vintage line in development at this time, but we would like to see it return in 2010 if possible (don't give credit to rumors - they are often founded on wishful thinking).  If and when Vintage returns, it will draw from a mix of all six films.  We would stick with the classic silver & black if we did it rather than recreate/reinterpret the different films.  The spirit of vintage, to us and most fans, is rooted in the classic Kenner line.

Deluxe Figures have been a prominent part of the Indiana Jones line and indications seem to be that a Deluxe Figure line might be on the way for Clone Wars.  What kind of offerings might we expect in a Clone Wars Deluxe Figure line, and will the concept carry over to the Legacy Collection? (JTA, 08/01/08) (http://jeditemplearchives.com/content/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=4026/#details)

     The main idea behind a future potential return of Deluxe would be to add smaller vehicles back into the line (speeder bikes, etc).  There may be 1-2 other concepts we would look to introduce back into the line (crab or spider droids for instance) but for the most part small vehicles would be the focus.  Hopefully we will see some good small vehicles in the animation to be able to flesh out an exciting lineup.

We've seen a trend over the past several years where most of the OT hero vehicles (X-Wing, TIE Fighter, Rebel fighters, etc) have been upgraded.  And they've been upgraded to the point where most of them are no longer in the accessible $20 price point that the assault vehicles occupy.  Certainly the PT Jedi Starfighters still fit in this range, but with the Delta 7 being updated, can we expect those to stay at a $20 price point?  And can we expect any more OT hero vehicles at that same price point any time soon? (JTA, 08/01/08) (http://jeditemplearchives.com/content/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=4026/#details)

     Most of the older OTC vehicles simply won't fit the price point, so they have stayed outside and have been updated/upgraded as we can afford to do it.  It has been difficult maintaining the $20 price point with even current vehicles that have no changes, much less adding the newly tooled vehicles into the mix (with more on the way in 2009, by the way!).  It's likely that $20 won't be around for too long, but our commitment to continuing to deliver new and updated vehicles remains as long as fans continue to show their support.

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I brought my first Mighty Mugg last month, a Commander Cody. These are a great idea but I was wondering what the story is with the square peg hole in the base of his right foot. What is the peg holes purpose? Are these for some future release of some base environments? or maybe for inclusion of some electronic features? Please resolve this 'Round Peg in the Square Hole' question. (MD, 08/01/08) (http://www.mousedroid.com/hasbro/hasbro12.html)

     We're glad you like the Muggs - it seems a whole lot of people have fallen under their spell as well. Adding a peg hole is sort of systematic on our figure lines….we can't help it, because it gives us forward compatibility if there should ever be future stands or environments. However, there are none planned currently for Muggs - just more of the same great taste!

Recently an image of the promotional poster featuring all the 2008 Basic figures was posted on an internet site. This revealed exactly what we will be seeing as part of Wave 3 & 4 of The Legacy Collection. Of note is Wave 4 (ROTS) and it's 'anchor' figure - a correctly scaled General Grevious.
Firstly, thank-you very much for this. Secondly, what can we expect from the figure? i.e. articulation, accessories, etc. It image on the poster also shows that the figure will have 'four' arms, will we get alternate arms like with the CLONE WARS version? If not, was the figure designed in such a way that you could easily make the 'alternate' arms sometime down the road? Also, will he fit in his Starfighter comfortably or is he a tighter fit than previous versions? (MD, 08/01/08) (http://www.mousedroid.com/hasbro/hasbro12.html)

     There is no need for separate arms, because the arms actually split in two! While he is taller, he will fit into his starfighter without a problem.

With the Clone Wars having such a strong kid focus, and with the creation of such a Huge Millennium Falcon playset, (assume how well it sells thru)...What are the chances that we may see some larger playset created? These could be either battlefield style interlocking pieces depicting different planets depicted in the Clone Wars show or maybe larger ships such as Star Destroyers or even, to appease us 'old timers', playset sections of the Death Star. Having a whole new bunch of figures to play from such an dynamic show sure would warranty some playset development? (MD, 08/01/08) (http://www.mousedroid.com/hasbro/hasbro12.html)

     If the Millennium Falcon (and AT-TE) are a success, we will be looking at other possibilities for bigger/high-priced vehicles. However, traditional playsets are still low on our list due to the extraordinary nature of tooling, recent track record for playsets, and lower kid appeal. A lot too depends on whether there is an iconic playset opportunity in either animated Clone Wars or live action before we would even consider.

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Having seen an image of the upcoming Jedi vs. Sith and ARC Troopers Unleashed Battle Packs, I must say that I'm very pleased. Great work on both sets! (Dooku is definitely a highlight.) But as for the Jedi Generals pack, can you confirm whether there's anything new regarding those figures or are they intended as straight repacks from the Order 66 and Battle of Kashyyyk series? I'm a bit disappointed that you didn't take the opportunity to do up an Agen Kolar in place of Saesee Tiin so that the arrest scene could be completed, but I understand these things aren't always possible. Thanks for your time! (And might I just add that the large-scale Unleashed line was easily my favorite SW merchandise ever. It's certainly missed.) (RS, 08/01/08) (http://www.rebelscum.com/story/front/Hasbros_58th_STAR_WARS_QA_The_Answers_115882.asp)

     We're glad you like the upcoming Unleashed 2" sets, Dan. The generals are all based on existing hero figures. Good news is that there is an Agen Kolar coming later in the Fall (in a pack with Shaak Ti, Plo Koon, and Aayla Secura) so that scene can be completed.

My Question you are going to release Power Rangers (a reference to the Crimson Empire training set), but you wont Release Jaxxon or any of the other Marvel Star Wars Characters with good sculpts, what gives? (RS, 08/01/08) (http://www.rebelscum.com/story/front/Hasbros_58th_STAR_WARS_QA_The_Answers_115882.asp)

     We're not sure what you are referring to regarding the Marvel run. We have announced already that we are producing a Lumiya figure and will be looking to some of the better characters created during the Marvel run for consideration in future packs (not to mention the cool K-3PX in the Wal-Mart droids exclusive sets and upcoming Marvel #94 Ewok 3-pack). We also hope that you give the Crimson Empire set ample consideration. We feel the Crimson Empire storyline and its sequel, Crimson Empire II, written by Mike Richardson and Randy Stradley, is an exceptional, lasting
storyline worthy of attention. CE not only tells a great "origin" story for the Royal Guards, explaining why they are supremely skilled and unfailingly loyal to the Emperor, but also introduces important and memorable characters in Kir Kanos, Carnor Jax, and Mirrith Sinn.


With all of the new figures coming out, do you plan to release a carrying case for the figures? As of now, my 4 year old son is using one of my vintage Vader cases, and a beat up C-3PO case. I would love to buy a new one for him,but there has not been anything in stores for a while. (RS, 08/01/08) (http://www.rebelscum.com/story/front/Hasbros_58th_STAR_WARS_QA_The_Answers_115882.asp)

     We don't have anything coming up but it's something we're always looking at. There are reasons we aren't releasing the Vader (or other recent) cases that we won't go into to, but the opportunity always exists to do a "regular" case and we'll look into it for sometime down the road.

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Will we ever see the out-of-scale Ewoks Wicket, Paploo, and Teebo redone? (RTM, 08/01/08) (http://www.toymania.com/news/messages/10523.shtml)

     Yes, we have plans for at least one of these guys in 2009, and the others will be on our "short list" (pun intended) when we draft up the 2010 line plan.

Now that the WED Droid has been anounced, the only remaining droid from the Purchase of the Droids scene in ANH is 2X-7KPR. Any chance of seeing him in the next year or two, hopefully with a new SA Uncle Owen from ANH? Owen is the only character released in this scene that sorely needs an update! (RTM, 08/01/08) (http://www.toymania.com/news/messages/10523.shtml)

     We agree that Owen needs an update, but it'll still be a while before we get to him. As for the droid, we like the little guy... don't be surprised if you see him in somewhere in the 2009 line.

You've previously mentioned that you are working on a Jabba the Hutt figure in the animated Clone Wars style. Given that we've been waiting for a really well sculpted ROTJ Jabba AND the fact that he's so difficult to slot into the line due to his size, why not take this opportunity to just give us a ROTJ sculpt Jabba which the kids can incorporate into their play pattern as a CW Jabba? I doubt that the kids would complain that Jabba wasn't in an animated style. (RTM, 08/01/08) (http://www.toymania.com/news/messages/10523.shtml)

     Jabba is in the Clone Wars line, so that is the styling he will get to be consistent with the rest of the animated Clone Wars figures. We still have plans for a new EpVI Jabba, and there's a chance that he will come out in late 2009.

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In the latest trailer of Clone Wars animation, there is a sighting of Jabba's Sail Barge. Assuming the upcoming AT-TE and Millennium Falcon sell well, what would the chances be of getting a Sail Barge toy with its appearance in both the cartoon and being a key action segment of the first half of Return of the Jedi? I mean, it could help sell Clone Wars figures and OT figures, in ROTJ alone nearly every major hero is battling on it or right next to it, and it features one of the most well-known Star Wars characters ever, Jabba the Hutt, so you have tons of character recognition and interaction, plus animation support, and those battle elements (cannons, flying Fett, explosions) lend it some "aggressive" action. Any of that help its chances, help clear the filters that have been holding it back so far which you mentioned when asked about this piece before? (SSG, 08/01/08) (http://www.sirstevesguide.com/index.php?categoryid=13&p2_articleid=1553)

     Well, it helps. You make a good case, but the vehicle still has some significant risk vs. other choices we could make. It simply is not as iconic, prevalent in the entertainment, and as cool as the Millennium Falcon (for example). We will keep watching it and see where it appears and what support it gets. If the big vehicle program this year proves a success, and if it has significant entertainment play, then we will take a hard look at it.

Why is it that the Y-wing mold was altered for a dedicated astromech droid dome, making it impossible to insert a droid figure? Might the Y-wing mold ever be remolded to once again accept droid figures into a droid slot? (SSG, 08/01/08) (http://www.sirstevesguide.com/index.php?categoryid=13&p2_articleid=1553)

     This was changed when the bomb-dropping mechanism was added. It is certainly possible that a future edition of the Y-Wing could have the droid slot restored, but this would necessitate a substantial rework of the tooling to do so, and we would need to evaluate the cost.
[Editor's note: the bomb-dropping feature was on the original Kenner ROTJ version, so we will ask for clarification on this. -JT]


How far do you plan on taking the animated-style Clone Wars line? Will it continue indefinitely with a new stream of figures through the run of the show, or will it be more limited and spread out like the previous 2004-2005 line of animated figures? (SSG, 08/01/08) (http://www.sirstevesguide.com/index.php?categoryid=13&p2_articleid=1553)
 
     The Animated Clone Wars series is a massive undertaking on the part of Lucasfilm and their broadcast partners around the world, and will be the way in which a new generation of young fans will experience Star Wars for the first time. Since kids want to play Star Wars like they see it on the screen, our plans are no less ambitious and we will be continuing with new figures, vehicles, role play, and more as the series unfolds.

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What are the chances of seeing some more AOTC padmes made? (I'd love to see senator amidala in her senatorial robes with her hair back in that sort of cone shaped hairdo from palpatines office, and padme in the yellowish outfit from the naboo meadow scene.  Any hope for these? (ST, 08/01/08) (http://www.sandtroopers.com/smf/index.php?topic=5183.msg199689#msg199689)

     There is a good chance that we'll get to these at some point, but it may take a while.  We'd like to do at least 1 new film-based Padme/year, whether EpI or EpII, and will be sure to spread it around.
 
Now that we have a mold for a C-3po (throne) that people like and the ability for a r2 that can be used( retractable leg) How about a two pack of our favorite duo from EP 4? Dirty with jawa restaints and an escape pod? (ST, 08/01/08) (http://www.sandtroopers.com/smf/index.php?topic=5183.msg199689#msg199689)

     These versions will probably be in the lineup soon, but probably not as a 2-pack (although that it a very interesting idea if the other plans fall through).
 
Wedge Antilles is one of the top secondary characters of the OT having survived all 3 movies. How come he has never appeared in the regular carded line? He is definitely one who would be a good candidate for an updated X-Wing body. Or since I dont believe he has been made as a Snowspeeder pilot, how about on the new Snowspeeder body that Wes Janson uses? Also keep the removable helmets on the X-Wing pilots but get rid of the hooded heads. (ST, 08/01/08) (http://www.sandtroopers.com/smf/index.php?topic=5183.msg199689#msg199689)

     Wedge *has* appeared in the regular carded line, although as an exclusive. We did have plans for a great Wedge this year, but the project was delayed and will appear in Fall 2009 if all goes according to schedule. Stay tuned!

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I've noticed that the new Homing Spider seems a bit "short", that is the spherical pod seems to be resting a little too close to ground level when compared to the film version. In the clips that I've seen the distance from the underside of the pod (including the cannon) to the ground seems to be high enough that a Super Battle Droid could stand just under the pod. In the toy however, that distance is far less, maybe half the height of the SBD. Is there any way to adjust the height higher or will Hasbro tweak it so that the pod will be raised higher as it is connected to its legs? (ST/"TJ", 08/01/08) (http://www.sandtroopers.com/smf/index.php?topic=8437.msg199694#msg199694)

     We designed the biggest & best toy we could afford to hit our price point for this guy, and that meant balancing out the articulation, size, and tooling. There is no way to adjust the height. If we added to the height, something else would have had to give or we would not have been able to afford it at all.   It's one of our favorites, and hope that once you get it (this was submitted prior to 7/26) that you approve!
 
There was previous mention by Hasbro of a ROTJ style Rancor based on the recent TFU Target exclusive Rancor mold. Is this still coming, and will it come with a newly sculpted Malakili, the Rancor Keeper? This figure is long overdue for an update and packing him in with the Rancor seems to be the best way to prevent him from pegwarming. (ST/"TJ", 08/01/08) (http://www.sandtroopers.com/smf/index.php?topic=8437.msg199694#msg199694)

     By now, you have seen the Rancor based on the new TFU mold (with new molded parts for EpVI).  He (she?) will come with Luke, but we can confirm that a new Malakili will be coming in 2009 in the EpVI wave.

Was there any reason why it was not possible to have a passageway that connects the BMF's cockpit to the rest of the ship's crew area?  Was it a structural issue or a cost-saving measure? (ST/"TJ", 08/01/08) (http://www.sandtroopers.com/smf/index.php?topic=8437.msg199694#msg199694)

     There were actually several reasons why this was considered, but ultimately not executed.  First was structural support; as this is a big vehicle, we needed to make sure that it had all the structural integrity possible and it was deemed necessary to have a solid "wall" there. Second, there are lights, wires and switches that needed to run through the area.  Third, it would have required more parts than we had in the plans.  And finally, it still would have been a tight passage and not that fun to push figures through.  So for all of these reasons, that passage was left closed.

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Will there be another KOTCS wave for the DVD release?... Ray Winstone's character and Marion seem noticably absent. (ST/"WOTS", 08/01/08) (http://www.wellofthesouls.com/questionsqa.php)

     There will not be another wave of figures for this year. The next wave will be a Raiders wave in early 2009.
 
Any chance for Short Round's car or any of aircraft used in the films? How about the elephants? (ST/"WOTS", 08/01/08) (http://www.wellofthesouls.com/questionsqa.php)

     We'd like to do at least one of those if we can.

Can you give us any info about any characters that are being looked at for 09 yet? How about a 3 3/4" Ark Ghost seeing as how the Adventure Heroes line has one?. Or Lao Che and his sons, from the Temple of Doom? Vogel in black uniform? Indy in German disguise (from Raiders OR Last Crusade)? Donovan? German Mechanic? (ST/"WOTS", 08/01/08) (http://www.wellofthesouls.com/questionsqa.php)

     By now you have seen the Raiders line we debuted at Comic Con that has two of your selections in there. We expect the Raiders wave out in early 2009. As far as other figures go, it's too early to discuss any more beyond that.

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With the Indiana Jones movie come and gone now, will it be difficult to keep retailers interested in stocking this line with nothing like a movie promoting it externally? Already readers are complaining that the Last Crusade wave is next to impossible to find. Is Hasbro taking steps to address this and can they insure consumers that both the Last Crusade and Temple of Doom figures will see as good a distribution as the Raiders and Crystal Skull waves did? (TNI, 08/01/08) (http://toynewsi.com/news.php?catid=262&itemid=13311)

     Like with Star Wars, we do our best to forecast ahead of time what the right mix will be, but once we have started shipping figures there is little we can do to control the mix at the store level, and it is really up to the consumer response to direct the sell-through (i.e. whether there are enough kids to take away all the extra Indy figures, enough collectors to pull through the secondary characters, etc). When new waves come in we do prioritize shipping, so that is one way we control what goes out to stores, but overall, when stores replenish depends on consumer takeaway. We are not shorting the figures from either the Last Crusade or Temple of Doom waves, but how fast they get out there to stores depends on the store-level sell-through of IJ figures, when stores need another shipment, and what wave is scheduled to ship at the time.

Any thought of doing some type of deluxe 3 3/4" ARK toy that lights up or has sounds. Something the really re-creates the opening of the Ark scene from the first movie? (TNI, 08/01/08) (http://toynewsi.com/news.php?catid=262&itemid=13311)

     That's an interesting idea, but we have no plans to do another 3-3/4" Ark.

Will we see a Marcus Brody figure released? (TNI, 08/01/08) (http://toynewsi.com/news.php?catid=262&itemid=13311)

     It's unlikely that we'll get to him.

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After receiving two Evolution Figures, Darth Maul seems to still lack something – Ball Jointed Knees*. He does all sorts of acrobats, he would definitely deserve it. Have you ever considered resculpt the legs of the 2nd Evolution Darth Maul for Ball Joints - and giving him a detailed soft-goods shirt along with his well deserved Flared Double (Breakable) Saber? (YF, 08/01/08) (http://www.yakfaceforums.com/viewtopic.php?p=47780#47780)

     That is a great idea for a future modification for an "ultimate" Darth Maul, although maybe more expensive than we could deliver on a basic figure card. Very interesting idea though, thanks.

*I think this was supposed to be "hips" rather than knees

In past Q&As you have occasionally commented on upcoming items saying how the community would be pleased once said items were revealed, with remarks such as "Stay tuned, we think you'll be pleased with what we have in store."  As such, have you ever created an item which your team thought was great, expecting the community to agree, but were instead surprised to find the community up in arms about it?  Likewise, have you ever created something you thought was sub-par, and gotten a much better reaction than you expected?  Can you share any anecdotes about such items? (YF, 08/01/08) (http://www.yakfaceforums.com/viewtopic.php?p=47780#47780)

     Interesting question, and one for which we don't have a very good answer. We seem to be in synch with the fans for the most part it seems. We will say that there are a couple of exclusives that we thought were well executed but failed to find their mark or took a lot longer to sell through than we anticipated. The Obi-Wan Jedi Starfighter with Hyperspace Ring was one of these, although the fact that Obi-Wan's ship was unchanged from the open-stock version (and this most all collectors already had it) was a challenge for that set. As for the other side, items that we didn't think were our best efforts but succeeded....well believe it or not the very first wave of Battle Packs in late 2005 were a little shaky. There was one solid one (with the new-tooled Obi-Wan and Asaaj) but the others were not our strongest efforts in terms of theming and concept, but the best we could do with the time we had. Instead, they succeeded (wildly) based on the value and heroic presentation by our packaging team, and Battle Packs have never looked back.

Could you clarify some of the figures on the new 2008 Legacy poster that was recently revealed? The Saleucami Clone Trooper figure looks to be a repack of Commander Neyo (aside from the reduced weathering). Is this the figure we'll be getting, or will it actually be the other Clone from the Treachery on Saleucami Battle Pack? Also, will the Holographic Transmission Count Dooku include the lightsaber with the painted hilt or with it be unpainted like previous holographic figure accessories? And finally, what type of articulation will those new RA-7 models have? Will they be on par with the C-3PX B.A.D. figure or more like the previous RA-7 molds (without knee, elbow and ankle articulation? (YF, 08/01/08) (http://www.yakfaceforums.com/viewtopic.php?p=47780#47780)

     By now, you have seen pictures of the figures in question and probably have your answers. The Clone Trooper is indeed the one that came in the Treachery on Saleucami battle pack. Dooku's lightsaber will be unpainted. Finally, the RA-7 droids will have the same level of articulation as the C-3PX with insert molded knees, elbows, and ankles but swivel shoulders.

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It seems like many stores put out the Clone Wars and Legacy figures weeks in advance of the street date. Some even went as far (by mistake, I assume) to put them on the clearance section. This seemed like the biggest leak of any line thus far, we used to see a few slip by here and there but with this latest wave it seems like every day a new report came in of people finding them and buying them. Does Hasbro track these stores and if so, what happens to them? It's nice for those who are able to get them early, but it also is a big disappointment for those of us waiting for the 7/26 events to show up and see that the hard to find or first day foils are all gone because a store sold them out the first week of July. (YN, 08/01/08) (http://yodasnews.com/)

     All stores are supposed to adhere to the retail shelf-date. Directions were given to the store level by the retailers' headquarters, so any violation of this was an unintentional mistake or something they knowingly should not be doing. As we hear of stores releasing product early, we ask them to take the product off the self or stop selling it to consumers, and in some cases our retail merchandising group works to get it to the back room. We don't know what repercussions take place after we report the stores we know of that deliberately break the date; our concern is to keep everyone focused on the date.

We have already heard that the 2008 lineup of FX Sabers will be previously released sabers. This leads to a 2 part question. One is when can we expect to see a new design in 2009 and who's saber will it be? (YN, 08/01/08) (http://yodasnews.com/)

     There will be new sabers in 2009, but it's too early to talk about what they will be and when they will be available. Stay tuned…

Do you have any plans to re-visit the 12" line with the Clone Wars Series or is that something that would still fall under another company? (YN, 08/01/08) (http://yodasnews.com/)

     Sideshow has been releasing a great series of 12" figures aimed at collectors, and our plan is to let them work their magic in this regard. As we did with Indiana Jones, it's possible that we'll explore a kid-targeted 12" line but so far have no concrete plans to reintroduce the size.
Title: Re: The Hasbro Q & A Compendium
Post by: Matt on August 17, 2008, 07:07 PM
Session 58 - August 15, 2008

From your Comic-Con slideshow image, it's impossible to tell, so what's the articulation like on the upcoming Legacy Collection ANH Obi-Wan Kenobi? Some fans fear it will be a repeat of the under-articulated VOTC Ben Kenobi. And might there be any way to release the TLC Obi-Wan's table accessory through alternate means, perhaps in a "Viewing of Leia's Hologram" battle pack with Obi-Wan's foot locker accessory, or maybe bribery & blackmail? (AF, 08/15/08) (http://www.actionfigs.com/index.php?categoryid=12&p2_articleid=1916)

     That's a decent scene around which to build a future Battle Pack, since it involves some major characters. We'll take a look at that. We are generally impervious to bribery and blackmail, tools that only come in handy when we are "negotiating" over our personal selections for the next year's figure lineup. ;)

We're aware that Hasbro's license for Battlestar Galactica expires at the end of the year, and many collectors are saddened because the BSG ships are often highly thought of (and most are highly sought-after!). Might Hasbro pursue future BSG licenses? Has the BSG Titanium line been doing as strongly as hoped? How did it rate compared to Star Wars Titaniums? We've seen listings for the BSG Titanium Basestar, will this piece be released before the license is up, and will there be any other new BSG Titaniums released (like Hasbro's previously-mentioned Cylon Heavy Raider)? (AF, 08/15/08) (http://www.actionfigs.com/index.php?categoryid=12&p2_articleid=1916)

     Right now our plan is to just focus on Star Wars for the assortment for 2009 and beyond. We do not do comparisons across licenses, but we're very glad to have had the chance to produce some great Battlestar vehicles. The Cylon Basestar will be the last BSg Titanium vehicle released, coming out in the last wave this year.

While your Comic-Con display showed new Star Wars Transformers with Grievous' Starfighter, the TIE Bomber, and the V-19 Torrent (which didn't have the correct tag on it in the display unfortunately, and we've yet to see the vehicle mode - could we get a photo of that?) with their minifigs inside the cockpits, it appears the newly repackaged SWTFs have no minifigs at all. Have you guys really removed the minifig concept from the line, and if so, why? Doesn't that detract from the whole point of the Star Wars characters piloting mechs aspect? Will the minifigs displayed with the 3 new SWTF molds displayed at Comic-Con not be included with those sets? (AF, 08/15/08) (http://www.actionfigs.com/index.php?categoryid=12&p2_articleid=1916)

     While we were originally concerned that kids might get the Star Wars Transformers confused with "real" Transformers, our research has shown that there is no confusion. Therefore, the reason for their being has vanished, and due to costing they became an easy choice to remove along with the original "spinny thing" that showed the two modes.

(Hasbro was kind enough to include images of all 3 new figures' vehicle modes in that wave, and please note that the V-19 is not an entirely finished version, it's still missing the wing cannons -ed.)

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With the Popularity of the Saga Collection Stand Set, what are the chances of releasing another set for 2008/2009 with new labels to reflect the new figures coming out. I know some of the labels reflect this years line but there are still some figures on stands in my display case that are still blank and could use the nice, uniform look of these great stands. (BS, 08/15/08) (http://www.banthaskull.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1236)

     Once the current batch of stands sells through, we'll look to update with a new label sheet reflecting some present, missing, and future (!!) characters.

I have one... When or are we ever going to see consistent articulation in the figures. The fact that some are easy to pose and others from the same line are near impossible to get to even stand can be frustrating not only to collectors but children also. (BS, 08/15/08) (http://www.banthaskull.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1236)

Hasbro - {answered question 2 and 3 together}

The Galactic Heroes line has crossed over into Marvel, Indy, Transformers and now GI Joe. However there is a huge difference between the Galactic Heroes line and the other lines. The Galactic Heroes figures (for the most part) all consist of the same standard (rather boring) stance & base sculpts. Were as the Marvel, Indy, Transformers and GI Joe lines all have dramatically different sculpts…more interesting sculpts. The characters have incredible action poses and each one is unique.

Why have the other lines taken such a different route in terms of sculpting and poses? It would be nice to see the Galactic Heroes line start mixing it up a little instead of the same basic poses for most of the figures in the line. (BS, 08/15/08) (http://www.banthaskull.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1236)

     The simple answer is there will not be consistent articulation in the Star Wars line, due to the fact that we sculpt to achieve certain design aesthetics while balancing the needs of each figure for articulation and overall line costing. We can't afford super-articulation for every figure, for instance (nor does every figure need it) but by balancing the needs of the different figures we can afford to put more articulation where it will have the most impact.

[Hasbro did respond the missed question from last week:]

Street dates are an exciting concept. It creates an event and should give everyone equal opportunity to purchase the product. The problem is that your retail partners seem to be overmatched when managing their end of the bargain. Product is being sold directly out of the stock rooms which may lead to many disappointments during big launches (ex: 7/26) when stores are already sold out of some items. In more serious instances, the product is being placed on the floor early and customers are being denied sale of the product at the registers with the explanation that there is a "China related recall". While collectors know the real reason for being denied the sale, parents who are shopping for their children will not. In the recent toy industry climate, this is a huge public relations blow for Hasbro through no fault of their own. Are you concerned about this? Are the occasional failures of "street date integrity" within an acceptable margin of error for Hasbro, or do you have plans to tighten up the process in the future? (BS, 08/15/08) (http://www.banthaskull.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1236)

     Any failures to honor the integrity of street dates is a failure for us and all of our outward communications to stores (including directives from retail headquarters on behalf of Hasbro and Lucasfilm to honor the dates). When stores go "rogue" it hurts everyone, since it creates ill-will among retailers and in general wastes time and detracts from our focus of working on bringing out the best toys we can. We are always looking for ways to improve every launch and share best practices with our other teams who have upcoming movie launches.

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The overabundance of figures on the pegs (especially Mutt Williams, either version,) and your relatively small display of figures at Comic Con, fears have popped up that the line is dying, and dying fast. We know that there is another Club Obi-Wan themed wave coming, could you maybe reveal that wave or at least not an Indy figure from it? Anything you can do to quell fears of premature death for the line. (CTR, 08/15/08) (http://cooltoyreview.com/story/front/Hasbros_INDIANA_JONES_QA_The_Answers_116945.asp)

     While the size of the IJ collector base may not be as large as other brands, no doubt IJ fans make up for it in passion, and without that passion we could never have built out the line as broadly as we have. For that we are deeply appreciative.

Continuation of the IJ line into 2009 depends on several factors, including kid interest and support in IJ through the DVD/holiday period and willing support for retailers to extend the line into a second year. One question is how far we can get without entertainment support for a second year. As such, we do not want to show any figures beyond what we have already shown.


If, hypothetically, you were to make the Rocket Sled from KOTCS, what price point would you place it in and what figures or features would it include? I would love to see this "vehicle" in the 20 dollar assortment with some track and maybe some spring loaded ejecting seats! (CTR, 08/15/08) (http://cooltoyreview.com/story/front/Hasbros_INDIANA_JONES_QA_The_Answers_116945.asp)

     That would be the logical price point at which to do it. We did look at the vehicle but decided that it was not the most interesting one to pursue, and went with the Jungle Cutter instead, which turned out to be a great choice.

With all the deluxe figure sets we've had for the first two waves (Raiders and Crystal Skull), why are there no deluxe figure assortments to accompany the Last Crusade and Temple of Doom waves? Sure, we have the German motorcycle and rider, which is a STUNNING set at that, but the Indy/Henry Jones Sr. motorcycle and sidecar sets are sorely missing to complete that great action sequence. Also, Indy on the stallion seems like a given since the horse tooling already exists.

For the Temple of Doom wave, fans have been clamoring for the mine cars for years. Not only is the tooling minimal, but it could also be used twice to cover both the hero and villain deluxe figure sets. A Thuggee sacrificial pit cage with Willie Scott also seems like a natural fit for this assortment. (CTR, 08/15/08) (http://cooltoyreview.com/story/front/Hasbros_INDIANA_JONES_QA_The_Answers_116945.asp)

     Those are all natural fits for the Deluxe assortment, and were all considered at one point. However, it's unlikely that we'll be getting to these farther-out concepts next year.

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Seriously, no joking here, how much fan noise do we have to make to get the "smiley faced" Luke Skywalker that was originally set for the Hasbro/Wal*Mart Droid Factory 2-packs? Some of us thought it was a refreshing change of pace in all honesty. We'd happily mail away for it! (GH, 08/15/08) (http://www.galactichunter.com/absolutenm/templates/full_article_template_1.asp?articleid=7474&zoneid=2)

     Interesting note on that, Adam.  We will take that into consideration.

Will the Force Unleashed Darth Vader be updated to reflect the character's "younger" look from the video game. (Fans love the older Darth Vader, but the younger version is more game-specific. It would be welcomed.) (GH, 08/15/08) (http://www.galactichunter.com/absolutenm/templates/full_article_template_1.asp?articleid=7474&zoneid=2)

     We don't have plans to update the The Force Unleashed Darth Vader (Battle Damage) figure, but when the game comes out we'll take another look at possibilities for updates and additional major figures that rate future figure consideration. Certainly any Vader variation puts it ahead of just about any other figure!

If "The Team" at Hasbro had one wish for a big box toy under the tree this year, would it be the new Millennium Falcon or something newer like The Death Star? (GH, 08/15/08) (http://www.galactichunter.com/absolutenm/templates/full_article_template_1.asp?articleid=7474&zoneid=2)

     That's a one-sided prize fight, Adam. There is no Death Star playset in development (or, to eliminate doubt, at any state in development/completion) so our vote goes for the incredible Millennium Falcon!

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As I'm sure you are aware, there are a significant number of fans of the earlier Star Wars TV programs, such as the Holiday Special, Droids, Ewoks and the Ewok movies. Your response in various Q&A's has been that if any figures are ever to be made from these shows, that they would most likely have to be exclusives. That is very understandable, since the characters from these shows from the 70's and 80's may not be as familiar to younger collectors.  Now if these could only work as exclusives, how about this for an idea: Make a 4 or 5 pack of figures, one figure from each of the above mentioned shows, possibly with the inclusion of the original Clone Wars, and sell them online at the Star Wars Shop. It could be like an 'Evolution of Star Wars on TV'.  Maybe a collecting website (I know we would be more than happy to host such a poll!) or websites could run a poll for fans to select their top figure choices for each show. Sure, a set like this> wouldn't appeal to every single collector, but it would sure make each and every fan of these classic Star Wars shows very happy, plus it would be giving something to all of us nostalgic old-timers in one swoop! Please don't forget the fans of classic Star Wars TV! (IS, 08/15/08) (http://www.imperialshipyards.net/SMF/index.php?topic=192.msg2673#msg2673)

     Our mode of operation would favor multi-figure sets centered around a theme, and in this case the better approach would be to just do a multi-figure Droids or Ewoks set (we cannot approach the Holiday Special).  Right now, there is nothing on the drawing board.  We are interested in looking at these at some point, but we need to have the right retail partner, and the number of tools required remains a severe challenge to sets like this.

Will we be getting a figure of General Whorm Loathsom in the Clone Wars line? (IS, 08/15/08) (http://www.imperialshipyards.net/SMF/index.php?topic=192.msg2673#msg2673)

     Why yes, yes you will.

Although you have said you highly doubt Xandel Carivus Bodyguards seeing plastic, I was interested in your reply to a question on rebelscum that said...

 "We feel the Crimson Empire storyline and its sequel, Crimson Empire II, written by Mike Richardson and Randy Stradley, is an exceptional, lasting storyline worthy of attention. CE not only tells a great "origin" story for the Royal Guards, explaining why they are supremely skilled and unfailingly loyal to the Emperor, but also introduces important and memorable characters in Kir Kanos, Carnor Jax, and Mirrith Sinn."

So my question is can we continue to see more figures from the Crimson Empire series, and if so will I finally see the light at the end of the tunnel to see Xandel's Bodyguards made? (IS, 08/15/08) (http://www.imperialshipyards.net/SMF/index.php?topic=192.msg2673#msg2673)

     We certainly hope to do additional Crimson Empire-themed sets in the future.  The most likely possibility is through Comic Packs.  We would not rule out Xandel's Bodyguards…they remain in the "parking lot" for consideration, although there are many worthy packs in there that would probably be ahead of them.

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First a quick follow up to the one of our questions from last session  if we can. The question was asked about a Marcus Brody action figure.  The response was "It is unlikely we will do a Marcus Brody figure". Did you mean for next year or did you mean ever? And if so, is there  a "list" of the characters that won't be made? (IJC, 08/15/08) (http://indianajonescollectors.com/)

     We can't really say never, as we hope there will be another Indy film, and if it comes to pass there will almost certainly be a Marcus Brody figure.

Can we expect a 3.75" Belloq in white suit and Panama hat or a  3.75" Toht and German Mechanic in 2009? (IJC, 08/15/08) (http://indianajonescollectors.com/)

     We did show images of a couple of these figures at Comic Con, which are planned for early Spring 2009. This is depending on retail support for IJ continuing through Spring 2009, something that we will be evaluating with our retail partners in the coming months.

Weeks ago you confirmed you confirmed that an Ark Ghost was  coming in a deluxe set next year. Last Q&A session you changed your answer to no Ark Ghost was planned. Can you please clarify? (IJC, 08/15/08) (http://indianajonescollectors.com/)

     We did have plans for an Ark ghost, but now it is no longer in the plans.

What is the status of the Dietrich figure that was confirmed  months ago in a Q&A? He was missing from the new Raiders wave announced at Comic Con. (IJC, 08/15/08) (http://indianajonescollectors.com/)

     He was planned to be in a later wave in 2009, not in the wave that was shown.

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Any chance you could give the "ICMG Fan Club" at JediDefender an update on the staus of their beloved Willrow Hood? Any truth to the rumor that he'll share a body with the Rebel Tech in the Scramble at Yavin BP that was shown at SDCC? (JD, 08/15/08) (http://www.jedidefender.com/newspro/fullnews.cgi?newsid1219026942,61109,)

     We have nothing to share yet as we are at the stage when work is just beginning. He'll be a unique figure due to his somewhat "generously" proportioned physique.

Through the Q&As this year, we've had a few hints about the 2009 Return of the Jedi wave - new DS2 Luke, New Leia, New Ewok, New Malakili. They all sound great… but they are all resculpts (yes, most of those are badly needed resculpts, but they're still resculpts nonetheless). How about giving us a little scoop on a NEW figure in the wave? And will we finally see a modern version of Wooof (aka Jabba's Palace Klaatu) in this wave? (JD, 08/15/08) (http://www.jedidefender.com/newspro/fullnews.cgi?newsid1219026942,61109,)

     Good detective work on the wave lineup so far. We can reward you with some news - yes, there will be a Wooof in the wave.

Since we didn't see anything announced on them at SDCC, I guess we'll have to ask - what's the deal with the three new deluxe figures that are popping up for pre-order at a few on-line shops: Deluxe Indy with Map Room, Deluxe Indy with Soul Trap, and Deluxe Indy with Rocket Sled. True or False? (JD, 08/15/08) (http://www.jedidefender.com/newspro/fullnews.cgi?newsid1219026942,61109,)

     All false. While they may have been considered at one point, none of them ever got past preliminary stages.

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I was always a fan of your Action Fleet line; it provided scale models of most of the vehicles without all the work of painting and gluing a model. Is there any chance of bringing back the Action Fleet line, and if so is there any chance of getting re-releases of some of the later parts of the line, such as the Tie Defender and E-Wing that got very limited releases? Right now they go for over 150 dollars on Ebay.

I am very happy that the titanium line is starting to see releases of more Expanded Universe vehicles, a lot of fans do appreciate it. Especially the Tie Defender that is due out soon. (JI, 08/15/08) (http://jediinsider.com/index.php?catid=8&itemid=11280)

     There is very little chance that Action Fleet as we know it will make a return, only for the fact that the type of play pattern that Action Fleet offers (micro play) has not been a popular scale recently and would probably be merchandised out of the action figure aisle, where our other scales would be more productive. So it remains on the back burner for us. We're glad you like the new Titanium vehicles - there are certainly some great EU ones out there and we hope to keep turning our attention to the best ones still yet to be done.

Yes, I've been debating about this thought and possibility for days. I was just wondering if there was a possibility of Clone Commanders from Episode III being developed into “The Clone Wars” line (i.e. Commander Gree, Commander Bly, etc.?) Because if the Commander Cody character is being developed into a Clone Wars character, wouldn't that mean others would be as well? (JI, 08/15/08) (http://jediinsider.com/index.php?catid=8&itemid=11280)

     Thanks. We have only seen Clone Commander Cody so far, but yes, it's possible that other EpIII Commanders will appear in The Clone Wars.

On the 'Disturbance at the Lars Homestead' playset that debuted at Comic-Con, is there some other way to access the inside of the house part of the set other then the front door entrance? And is there anything inside the house like a table for Luke and company to sit and discuss things like going off to the academy or staying and working another season on the farm?

Also any plans to offer charred figure versions of Uncle Owen and Aunt Beru. So people can re-create the scene from ANH where Luke returns home to find he's been visited by Imperial Stormtroopers? (JI, 08/15/08) (http://jediinsider.com/index.php?catid=8&itemid=11280)

     The only opening is through the front door. Inside, there is a table as well that is a separate part fastened to the base. As for charred versions of Beru and Owen, they certainly are some of the most popular requests we heard at Comic Con, but it hasn't changed our view....we do not plan on releasing these versions.

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This question comes in two parts...  a) The '1st Day of Issue' figures don't appear to have made it to the UK; can we assume then, that we won't be getting them since the implied first day of issue has now passed? b) Were the '1st Day of Issue' only for wave 1 of The Legacy Collection, The Clone Wars and the Greatest Hits repacks or will we be seeing them for subsequent waves? (JN, 08/15/08) (http://www.jedinews.co.uk/news/news.aspx?newsID=1609)

     The "1st Day of Issue" stickers were only for the introductory waves for those assortments and will not appear on any subsequent waves.  Our UK team did indicate that they were shipped to retail in the UK, but they do not have a way of tracking where and when they were distributed.

So the Sarlacc pit isn't a playset... it's an Ultimate Battle Pack.  Might we be getting similar playsets, I mean, Ultimate Battle Packs in the future? :-) Also, will this be coming over to the UK (along with last year's Ultimate Battle Packs that we missed out on)? (JN, 08/15/08) (http://www.jedinews.co.uk/news/news.aspx?newsID=1609)

     It's definitely not a playset in the traditional sense, and is really more of a scene.  The 2007 Target Ultimate Battle Packs will be available at Toys 'R Us this September.  It is uncertain if the 2008 Ultimate Battle Packs (Sarlacc included) will see U.K. distribution this year. If not, we will look for an opportunity next year.

The Galactic Heroes are getting a lot of love at the moment, especially the upcoming vehicles - Darth's Vader TIE Fighter is enormous!  Seeing as we're getting a Snowspeeder soon and we've already had at AT-AT Driver and Commander, will we be seeing an AT-AT to complete the scene anytime soon? (JN, 08/15/08) (http://www.jedinews.co.uk/news/news.aspx?newsID=1609)

     There is a good possibility that if the vehicle-based Galactic Heroes Cinema Scenes get a warm reception this Fall that within a couple years we could be looking at a Galactic Heroes AT-AT.

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In previous Q&A sessions we saw confirmation that an Obi-Wan Kenobi Evolutions 3-pack had been in development, but the set was split up and the Obi-Wan figures were to be divided out into the Basic Figure line.  We saw the EPISODE 4 version in the San Diego Comic Con presentation, and would appreciate any further updates or imagery on that figure.  But what can you tell us about the other two Obi-Wans from that Evoltions set?  When might we expect them, and is a sneak peek a possibility? (JTA, 08/15/08) (http://jeditemplearchives.com/content/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=4068)

     They are both slotted into the 2009 lineup as "anchor" figures for key waves. Sorry, no images are available right now.

The Millenium Falcon passengers Battle Pack looks like a great way for both kids and collectors to enjoy the new BMF Millenium Falcon.  The addition of the oxygen masks, blast shield helmet and cargo containers is icing on the cake.  But what about some of the other major players in the Millenium Falcon?  Some obvious characters come to mind that would go great with our new Falcons, such as a Bespin Han Solo, Princess Leia in Hoth gear, and Nien Nunb.  Is there any chance that we'll see updated versions of any of these three characters in the near future by way of the Basic Figure line? (JTA, 08/15/08) (http://jeditemplearchives.com/content/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=4068)

     It's a good bet that all of these guys will be getting updated figures within the next couple of years.

We asked in a previous Q&A session about the Clone Wars era Y-Wing, and Hasbro's response seems to have been pretty positive.  Since that session, the DK reference book STAR WARS: THE CLONE WARS - THE VISUAL GUIDE has been released and shows Anakin and Ahsoka in some intense action in a Y-Wing.  Does this give the Clone Wars Y-Wing a better shot at being in next year's vehicle lineup?  And if it comes to pass, how about a functional droid socket? (JTA, 08/15/08) (http://jeditemplearchives.com/content/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=4068)

     It does give it a better shot at getting made eventually. No word right now on timing. As far as a droid slot that would be a great idea, and a mandatory feature if such a vehicle did eventually happen.

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MD

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Since wave 2 of Legacy was originally scheduled to be released as a part of TAC, was the artwork for the cardbacks ever completed, and if so do you have any pictures? The artwork from TAC was absolutely awesome and I'd love to see what was made for the awesome Clone Wars themed wave. (RS, 08/15/08) (http://www.rebelscum.com/story/front/Hasbros_59th_STAR_WARS_QA_The_Answers_116943.asp)

     The artwork was completed for the sets, and they did look great. However, since these figures will not be coming out in this form, we don't really want to circulate the images.

Do you have any pictures of the inside of the Lars' Homestead? In another Q&A you stated that there would be a table and chairs and possibly some glasses as well. (RS, 08/15/08) (http://www.rebelscum.com/story/front/Hasbros_59th_STAR_WARS_QA_The_Answers_116943.asp)

     There is a table in the Lars' Homestead, but no chairs or glasses. Sorry, no pics are available of the inside right now; all of our photography is with the dome on the base.

I am a big fan of the AT-TE and the incredible BMF ( I picked up one of each as soon as I was able to find them) and I applaud your gutsy move to release these two landmark vehicles at the same time. I am sure that you would consider releasing other vehicles in a larger scale if the AT-TE and the BMF do well at retail.

Have you received any early numbers that might be an indicator as to how well either of these bad boys are selling? (RS, 08/15/08) (http://www.rebelscum.com/story/front/Hasbros_59th_STAR_WARS_QA_The_Answers_116943.asp)

     While out of the gate we have had a great response to the vehicles, the real test will be how we progress through the holiday period. Thanks to everyone who has stepped up so far, and keep spreading the word!

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Now that we have a good SA Tie Pilot mold will we finally get a basic carded SA Tie Pilot? (RTM, 08/15/08) (http://www.toymania.com/news/messages/10560.shtml)

     At some point, it's very likely, but it won't be for a couple of years.

An Astromech Droid question... After waiting over half a decade for a better R2-B1, many fans were very disappointed with the way the 2007 TAC R2-B1 came out. While he utilizes a superior body to the original version, the dome paint came out terrible. His dome is a dull, slightly purple, flat gray-colored plastic that doesn't look good and is out of place with every other astromech droid; the movie version had a silver metal dome only slightly duller than the average R2-D2 figure's (such as the silver paint on TAC #04 R2-D2, or R2-KT). Was the deco on the R2-B1 figure done so oddly on purpose, and if so, why? Is there any chance that we will ever get a better R2-B1 with a more metal-looking dome, perhaps as a build-a-droid? (RTM, 08/15/08) (http://www.toymania.com/news/messages/10560.shtml)

     OK, here's what happened with this one. The dome was supposed to be molded in a metallic silver with a slight hint of color, and the sample was created and approved by Lucasfilm with spec's for a custom dome color. However, because it was not a standard color, the factory did not properly match the color in production, omitting the metallic. Due to our tight schedules, they started producing them and we had to accept as it was or throw our wave schedule in (further) disarray. We could look to further improve the color of the dome some way in the future, but right now we don't have another R2-B1 in the works.

Will there ever be a Galactic Heroes Jango Fett with removable helmet? (RTM, 08/15/08) (http://www.toymania.com/news/messages/10560.shtml)

     It's a good possibility that some point there will be.

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Many folks feel the big Millennium Falcon to be a true masterpiece in Star Wars toys, but speaking with the designer at Comic-Con, one of the things learned was that the original design for the toy was even bigger than what we got before budgetary realities found its current size. Were there arguments about what features could be packed into the final version? Did Lucasfilm have any specific requests of ideas to do or not to do? What features were on the bubble and barely made the cut? What features (beyond voice recordings, as we know Leia and Lando didn't make the final results there, along with about 40 more minutes of "vital" Falcon dialogue that was originally considered), if any, didn't make the final cut? (SSG, 08/15/08) (http://www.sirstevesguide.com/index.php?categoryid=13&p2_articleid=1553)

     Sorry, out designer is not here to answer your question this week. We will have to follow-up with this answer.

Back in November of '06, you answered a question about the canceled Yavin Accessory set and its Rebel ground crew tech by saying that you liked him but he wasn't exciting enough to do at the time. Now with the Scramble on Yavin battle pack, you have a new, much better version of that Ground Tech coming out, but the original pack's ladder, crates, lights, and direction baton accessories are still missing in action. Those accessories seem like they'd fit perfectly with this new "Scramble" battle pack, but alas no. Did you make molds for those accessories, and if so, could you run them and find a way to get those awesome and much-desired accessories into fans' collections in the near future? (SSG, 08/15/08) (http://www.sirstevesguide.com/index.php?categoryid=13&p2_articleid=1553)

     We did make tools for those accessories, but they are at a different factory and were not available for this accessory set. We are looking at how to use them in a future set.

In the event that Hasbro collaborates with ToyFare Magazine or another outlet on a new open-entry official Fans' Choice poll, could you provide the voters a short list of characters that Hasbro absolutely cannot do - such as the Tonnikas - to ensure that the poll results are as useful as possible rather than having unusable entries? Hypothetically, if you were to do that, what characters might go on that list? (SSG, 08/15/08) (http://www.sirstevesguide.com/index.php?categoryid=13&p2_articleid=1553)

     You hit on the only characters that would be a waste of time on the list. Everyone else is fair game.

Follow up from the last round, the Y-wing Droid Slot Q&A exchange left us a little confused as the bomb-dropping gimmick has been on that toy since its inception in the Kenner ROTJ line when it had the aforementioned droid slot, and were hoping to get clarification on what happened here... (SSG, 08/15/08) (http://www.sirstevesguide.com/index.php?categoryid=13&p2_articleid=1553)

     Yes, it was our mistake on that one. Very sorry. The answer, as it turns out, was not mechanism-related, but aesthetic-related. The Power of the Force droids would not fit into the vintage droid slot, and it would have had to have been made bigger to accommodate. At the time, the Lucasfilm team did not like the aesthetic, and the direction was to tool it over. As a result-- (and then, mysteriously, it cut off in mid-sentence. We'll get back to them and hopefully get that last segment soon. -JT)

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In every Hasbro Q&A I have seen, every site complains about wanting more playsets, more playsets, MORE PLAYSETS!! Now the Sarlacc Pit and the Lars Homestead playsets are coming out and most people are underwhelmed by these offerings. To be honest, they're rather lame and have very high price tags. What kind of marketing research was done for these playsets? I really don't see the Lars Homestead set as being a good seller at all. Shouldn't playsets be based on scenes of major action in the movies therefore making it an exciting piece that children as well as collectors would want to buy? The Lars Homestead is not. Our fear is that these are test items. So my question comes down to this - If the Sarlacc Pit and Lars Homestead playsets don't sell well, will we see a further turning away from Hasbro manufacturing playsets? (ST, 08/15/08) (http://www.sandtroopers.com/smf/index.php?topic=5183.msg202947#msg202947)

     We're sorry you feel that way, Troops. We hope that collectors are willing to consider these. In our opinion, these are some pretty cool sets.  Who thought that we would ever see toys of the Sarlacc pit or Lars Homestead? It should be a dream for fans, and we hope that these will find an appreciative audience.  We don't consider these two to be playsets in the traditional sense, as they don't have multiple play areas, lots of kid-targeted features, etc. Instead it was our intent to capture the flavor of two very iconic scenes from the OTC, an alternative to what otherwise might be a vehicle-based exclusive. The Sarlacc set is built to follow the format established by last year's Ultimate Battle Packs, and would not otherwise exist without the success of last year's sets and Target's support for the concept. Unfortunately, we did not have the set to show in package, as it looks *great*.  Likewise, the Lars Homestead set is not a playset per se but given the central role the homestead plays in the story of Luke, we felt that if was something that many collectors would want to have to build out their Tatooine scenes. Our stance on playsets has not changed, namely that unless there is a compelling, persistent (i.e. in many episodes) environment in the upcoming entertainment around which we can build a strong playset, then we will not pursue due to the extraordinarily high cost of tooling, development, and marketing.
 
On  every single galactic marine I have cannot stand straight without me fiddling with it for 5 minutes. How was this able to get past product testing, or does Hasbro even test it's product? (ST, 08/15/08) (http://www.sandtroopers.com/smf/index.php?topic=5183.msg202947#msg202947)

     We have played with many Galactic Marines ourselves, during the development phase and subsequent to that.  While they do require a little effort to find to center of balance, as do many figures, we don't have a problem getting them to stand up.
 
I appreciate that the sculpting and articulation in the modern figures is improving so dramatically, however swivel elbows are still a problem. My son purely hates them because they pop apart so easily whenever you attempt to pose the figure during play, especially with a lightsaber weilding figure. On the forums I hear constant complaints about the swivel elbows. Has Hasbro not realized that this is a problem? (ST, 08/15/08) (http://www.sandtroopers.com/smf/index.php?topic=5183.msg202947#msg202947)

     Swivel joints will pop apart from time to time, but they also come with a positive - articulation where there otherwise might not be any. Ball-and-socket joints are not the solution for every figure because of our cost parameters, so we use swivel joints to add articulation when there might not be another choice.

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Any chance that the forthcoming SA eps2 Obi-Wan will have two heads (one with normal hair, another with the "wet hair" look from his outdoor Kamino scenes) that we can choose from? (ST/"TJ", 08/15/08) (http://www.sandtroopers.com/smf/index.php?topic=8437.msg202976#msg202976)

     He will be coming with just one head - with normal everyday hair. We usually don't include second heads with figures unless they are really niche and someone we'd be unlikely to do again; in the case of Obi-Wan it's a sure bet we'll get to a Kamino-specific version at some future time.
 
Even on the many rumor lists that I've seen online, there's been no hint of Hasbro giving us a new fully SA Princess Leia from ANH.  Given we still haven't gotten the definitive ANH Leia yet (though the VotC one is decent, but my vintage Kenner Leia still remains the best overall especially because of the great face sculpt) will she be coming soon? (ST/"TJ", 08/15/08) (http://www.sandtroopers.com/smf/index.php?topic=8437.msg202976#msg202976)

     No plans for now for an all-new EpIV Princess Leia, but your question got us to thinking.  It's interesting when you ask people about their favorites, as opinions are wide-ranging. Some here like the Vintage Leia for the overall look and articulation, while others prefer the face sculpt on the slave Leia as closest to the movie Leia, and others prefer the full soft goods on the Princess Leia Collection version.  Somewhere between the favorite aspects of those three figures lies a definitive EpIV version. We'll discuss further for future possibilities.
 
If Hasbro made a Torryn Farr figure, is there any chance she might come packed with a large set piece (similar to Torture Rack Han and Vaporator Luke). Obviously the hope would be for her to sit down at her Ion Cannon control station and issue out orders to fire the cannon. (ST/"TJ", 08/15/08) (http://www.sandtroopers.com/smf/index.php?topic=8437.msg202976#msg202976)

     One thing is for certain - if Torryn Farr were to be a basic carded figure, she would likely not come with much more than perhaps a stoll. Unfortunately, given the challenging nature of costing, big accessories just aren't in the plans for the basic figures.  There is a better chance if we get a chance to do a Hoth-inpsired Battle Pack, and Torryn is selected to be in it, and we are able to fit accessories in in addition to the figures the set would need to be successful.

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Since the Indiana Jones Temple of Doom wave of figures should be hitting retail around the time that the mail-away offer for the Crystal Skeleton figure expires, will the mail-away offer be extended to allow for the lateness of that wave relative to the offer? Many of us plan to army-build from this wave and would like more crystal skeletons! (ST/"WOTS", 08/15/08) (http://www.wellofthesouls.com/questionsqa.php)

     The mail-in offers (all three of them) have been extended until Dec. 31st so fans should have plenty of time to take advantage using the stickers from the Temple wave. Please pass the word on, as it's likely that the stickers on the figures coming out of Asia will not be updated in time to reflect the extended date.

On July 11, this question was answered at ThePrivateUniverse.com:
Q2. Will you be making an Ark Ghost in the 3.75 inch lineup? The adventure heroes ghost is my personal favorite and I think it would go great with the basic figure lineup as well! You could include a rotating head with the peaceful looking lady on one side and the other have the angry skull face.
A2. Yes, we plan on getting this out Spring of next year in the Deluxe lineup.

Now, last week, this question was answered on IndianaJonesCollectors.com:

IJC: Will we be seeing an ARK Ghost in the 3.75" figure lineup?
H: No plans for an Ark ghost in the lineup. It's a great idea for a future Deluxe-type item, but we have no plans for it right now.

So, which is it? Yes or no? (ST/"WOTS", 08/15/08) (http://www.wellofthesouls.com/questionsqa.php)

     The Ark Ghost will not be making it out in the spring after all.

Do you remain confident about and committed to the long term success of the line? It would be very unfortunate if poor planning helped speed the line to a premature end. The products themselves are consistently terrific and the overwhelming majority of collectors are very happy with the actual figures, just not with availability and distribution. What steps is Hasbro taking to ensure the future viability of the line? (ST/"WOTS", 08/15/08) (http://www.wellofthesouls.com/questionsqa.php)

     The Indiana Jones line is without question considered a success, given that Indiana Jones has never previously been a successfully merchandised toy line. However, for a line to be ongoing, we have to have an audience (both kids and collectors) who are interested in continuing to collect the line. We know that IJ does not have a collector base similar to some of the bigger brands (like Star Wars), which places more of a burden relatively on kids to shoulder the load. So far, kids' interest has been somewhat 1-dimensional, showing an appreciation for relatively few figures (Indy and Mutt primarily). We expect that there will be a huge up swell in kid interest in IJ figures during the TV and holiday times, but exactly how long afterward, and how deeply they support the lines are still to be decided.

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We pretty much now know the bulk of the figures and vehicles being released in 2008 and early-2009. Fans suggesting figure ideas now would have to wait until late-2009 or even 2010 to see them on the shelves. In a fantasy world where all deadlines are met, what's the fastest you can possibly take a brand new figure from design to prototype to production to store shelves? (SWC, 08/15/08) (http://www.swcollector.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=57&t=1287)

     It now takes us a minimum of approximately 12-14 months for new figures, 8 months or so for repaints. You can bet that we have *plenty* of surprises in store for fans ... we would not have felt confident showing such an abundance at Comic Con unless we had more great things coming ... stay tuned!

Looking at the pictures from SDCC of the Infinities #3/4 Leia and Vader Comic Pack, although we never see his lightsaber ignited in the comic, wouldn't it seem more likely that an all-white armored, redeemed Vader would also change his lightsaber blade's color from red to, say, Anakin's original blue? (SWC, 08/15/08) (http://www.swcollector.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=57&t=1287)

     That would have meant seeking out a new crystal, and we'll just assume that he had more pressing things to attend to.

Some other STAR WARS licensees ran with the look of the CLONE WARS micro-series and created animation-style designs of Original Trilogy characters. Has Hasbro considered applying the new, CGI-animation style of THE CLONE WARS to figures of Luke, Princess Leia, or Darth Vader? (SWC, 08/15/08) (http://www.swcollector.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=57&t=1287)

     We have not considered doing that. While it would be interesting to see animated versions of the OTC heroes, and realistic versions of the animated characters, we are instead keeping them separate to focus on making each assortment as strong as it can be.

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Are we going to get a Young Indiana Jones (Sean Patrick Flannery) figure from the TV show? (TNI, 08/15/08) (http://toynewsi.com/news.php?catid=262&itemid=13354)

     We do not have plans to get to any Young Indiana Jones figures.

Are the deluxe figures going to continue into 2009? Or will the lack of support from a new movie end this line? Thanks. (TNI, 08/15/08) (http://toynewsi.com/news.php?catid=262&itemid=13354)

     We hope that the Deluxe line, like other segments, continues into 2009. We are still evaluating how far support for the current line extends given that there is not another movie on the horizon.

We got our first glimpse of the Toht figure and its variant at SDCC. Will it be released in equal numbers as the regular figure, or is this similar to a chase variant where it will be limited to something like one per case? In other words, how hard will this version be to find for collectors? (TNI, 08/15/08) (http://toynewsi.com/news.php?catid=262&itemid=13354)

     The intent is to include the second head in the pack rather than do a separate variant.

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If retail stores down the line decide to discontinue ordering Indiana Jones Figures, what would the chances be of Hasbro continuing to offer new Indiana Jones figures through various On line stores, such as Hasbro Toy Shop, Entertainment Earth, etc? I know that collectors would most
definitely continue to support this line and if you already had new figures sculpted (but not released) it would be such a shame for it to go to waste! We would LOVE for this line to go on as long as possible! Keep up the great work! (TPU, 08/15/08) (http://www.theprivateuniverse.co.uk/cgi-bin/showarticle.pl?section=news&articleid=3348)

     Thanks for the good word. The production volumes needed to get a new wave of figures produced is much larger than the online channel can support by itself, this is primarily a collector-targeted channel. The ability to continue to bring IJ figures to market depends on the continual support of the top retailers, along with a strong base of kid support for the IJ fantasy.

So now we have seen that a Queen Organa figure is being released, along with the previously confirmed Willrow Hood, when will Cliegg Lars, Prequal Owen and Beru finally see the day of light? They had way more screen time then the Queen and Hood and are pretty important characters. (TPU, 08/15/08) (http://www.theprivateuniverse.co.uk/cgi-bin/showarticle.pl?section=news&articleid=3348)

     Beru will most likely come within a year. Cliegg is not in the works yet, but stands a pretty good chance of making the lineup before too long.

With the success of the new Build A Droid parts coming with figures, is it possible that an actual Droid Factory playset, much like the one in the vintage line, could be made giving various parts to make Astromech Droids and other droids. It would be popular with collectors and children as it would allow customising potential and playability. (TPU, 08/15/08) (http://www.theprivateuniverse.co.uk/cgi-bin/showarticle.pl?section=news&articleid=3348)

     We agree, and while it's not currently on the drawing boards, it's something we would like to do at some time. We like it less because it's a playset in the traditional sense but more a great way to interact and play with the droid parts kids and collectors have assembled.

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Some collectors, after initially swearing off the Clone Wars line, have started to come around to really like the figures once seeing them in person and now they want them all - including the mailaway Captain Rex. Since the TAC line assortments are all but dead, is there a way to mail off for the Rex using the UPC codes from the Animated Clone Wars (84638 asst.) figures instead? (YF, 08/15/08) (http://www.yakfaceforums.com/viewtopic.php?p=48778#48778)

     Sorry - that mail-in promotion only applies to the 30th Anniv Collection (87500 assortment) and prior Saga Legends (85770 assortment). Some of these are still hanging around at retail, but once they are gone, they are gone.

I, like many, was sad to hear that the tables that are pictured with 2009 ANH Kenobi and Brainiac will not be included, everyone was very excited when we saw these tables they're brilliant and are the type of pack-ins we love! Is there anyway you could rethink putting the tables back in? Also, do you have a breakdown of which figures will include which B.A.D. (R2-N5 and R5-A2 astromechs) part for this wave? (YF, 08/15/08) (http://www.yakfaceforums.com/viewtopic.php?p=48778#48778)

     Unfortunately, it has come down to costing and we could not afford to keep all of the pieces in these figures. For the initial wave, Luke, Han, Space Trooper, and Jawa will come with the R5 pieces, while the Cantina denizens Wioslea, Braniac, Tron Duaba/Dice Ibegon, and Obi-Wan will come with the R2 parts. The other four carry-forward figures in the wave will have a second copy of R5 (so the case pack will have two R5 / one R2).

First off, thank you for revisiting the playset/environment segment in 2008/2009. Many collectors have questions regarding the Lars Homestead. What functionality does the homestead itself have? What level of detail does it have on the interior - table/seating? Is the dome removable to place figures inside? Are there foot pegs to aid in the posing of a couple of those unstable POTF2 era pack-in figures. Is a re-release a possibility with an EII era Beru, Lars with Anakin and Lars Homestead Padme (from 2003)? (YF, 08/15/08) (http://www.yakfaceforums.com/viewtopic.php?p=48778#48778)

     We're glad you appreciate the Lars Homestead set. We don't consider this a playset in the traditional set, but a specific environment meant for collectors. As such, there are no play features other than the ability to pose figures with the scene. The dome does come off, and there is a table inside, but no benches. Also, due to the nature of the base (vacuform), there are no foot pegs for characters. If the set proves popular, a re-release is certainly possible, but we hope you won't have to wait that long to get some other key figures you mentioned.

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Have sales of the AT-TE and new Falcon been strong enough that we can expect more large vehicles and/or play sets in the near future? (YN, 08/15/08) (http://yodasnews.com/)

     While out of the gate we have had a great response to the vehicles, the real test will be how we progress through the holiday period. Thanks to everyone who has stepped up so far, and keep spreading the word!

When can we expect more Greatest Hits figures? Who will they be and what waves will we find them in? (YN, 08/15/08) (http://yodasnews.com/)

     Only one more GH-series figure is planned for this year - a Felucia Clone Trooper. More are planned in 2009 to round out some waves.

The Stocking Stuffer Galactic Heroes sets look fantastic! Any thoughts to bringing back the Holiday Edition figures for the 3 3/4 inch line? And Can we expect to see some Deluxe figures soon from the Clone Wars line? This seems like the perfect line to bring them back! (YN, 08/15/08) (http://yodasnews.com/)

     We will not be bringing back the 3-3/4" Holiday figures any time soon. We are evaluating a new Deluxe-type line for Fall 2009 for Clone Wars.  Details should be available at Toy Fair.
Title: Re: The Hasbro Q & A Compendium
Post by: Matt on October 18, 2008, 01:14 PM
Session 59 - September 5, 2008
Title: Re: The Hasbro Q & A Compendium
Post by: Matt on October 18, 2008, 01:15 PM
Session 60 - September 26, 2008
Title: Re: The Hasbro Q & A Compendium
Post by: Matt on October 18, 2008, 02:12 PM
Session 61 - October 17, 2008

Back in May, one of your answers about The Force Unleashed was that you're looking at 1 more TFU figure for 2009, and that as the Hasbro Star Wars team saw and played more of the game new ideas for toys from TFU would "spring forth"; more recently, you said that the soonest there could be new TFU items is 2010. Now that we've all had a chance to play this awesome new Star Wars game, some collectors are champing at the bit for another whole wave of TFU figures. What TFU items have found their way onto the Hasbro team's wishlists (beyond PROXY, whom you've already said is on your list)? (AF, 10/17/08) (http://www.actionfigs.com/index.php?categoryid=12&p2_articleid=1916)

     We agree with you, and the TFU is an outstanding game with a ton of figure potential. There are quite a few figures we see as having potential, but only so many slots that could go around. Right off the top of our heads our favorites would be PROXY, both Darths, the Mandalorians, Starkiller's father, some of the many new trooper types, and more.

Might you be willing to give us some of the lowdown on what will be coming up from the Greatest Hits sub-line? With the Saga Legends line (we're aware this is different from GH) reusing last year's Yoda on Kybuck, fans would like to see if Greatest Hits might find some figures from that TAC EU wave which were hard to get, such as Darth Revan, Darth Malak, Pre-Cyborg Grievous. And it's not like the main lines where everything's a secret until development's done, Greatest Hits is made up of existing figures, so could we know what to expect in the sub-line? (AF, 10/17/08) (http://www.actionfigs.com/index.php?categoryid=12&p2_articleid=1916)

     We don't have room for them in the lineup right now, but we are looking for ways to get the two Darths back out there somehow. No plans right now for a re-release of the Pre-Cyborg Grievous, but he would certainly be another re-pack candidate someday, and we'll consider it when we have an opportunity.

While we were very pleased to see many new tools for Titanium Series at your Comic-Con display, fans of the line have had a bumpy ride lately. Hasbro didn't bring any new Titaniums to Toy Fair last February, '08 wave 4 was summarily canceled and supposedly redistributed into other waves - though we've not seen any sign of this is case listings so far - and until July many of the line's collectors had only the words in a few Q&As to assure them of the line's progress and were left wondering whether there was a future for it at all (we were thrilled that Comic-Con reconfirmed the Hasbro Star Wars team's commitment to this line). With that in mind, could you give us a preview of any new Titaniums being developed for the future, and what's scheduled for the first half of '09? We'd really appreciate it, it'd help sustain the line's momentum and build a collecting base. And will the Titanium Cylon Basestar you previously confirmed for the last wave of 2008 actually get released since retailer preorders are up to January '09's wave 6 with no sign of it yet the BSG license expires at the end of the year? (AF, 10/17/08) (http://www.actionfigs.com/index.php?categoryid=12&p2_articleid=1916)

     Our line presentations tend to focus on the biggest sublines, so if we don't show something, it doesn't mean it isn't in our focus... just that we don't have the time in limited formats to present. That is the case with Titanium - it is a smaller line with a passionate fan base, so we are happy to communicate our "vision" for the line. It's our intent to keep this line going with as many new tools and meaningful repaints as we can to keep fans excited. In the first half of 2009 there will be 8 Newly tooled ships as well as 6 re-decos to keep your eyes out for. The new ships will be a combination of the new Clone Wars Animated ships as well as Classic Star Wars vehicles. The re-decos will help continue our fleet building efforts with new Y wings, new X wings and new Jedi Starfighters. Regarding Wave 4, it was a victim of the late switch to the new line look, and it ultimately did not ship. As the Battlestar license is up at the end of the year, this vehicle will not end up shipping. The Star Wars vehicles in the wave will be worked back into future waves and will come out in time.

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Seeing the plethora of different ’Troopers in The Force Unleashed and the debacle that was the Stormtrooper Commander release, what are the chances of seeing a few retailer exclusive TFU Trooper sets? As a ’Trooper collector I would love to see the Stormtrooper (with 501st clone markings), Navy (Naval) Comando, Clone/Stormtrooper hybrid, Scout Trooper Commander, Shadow Navy (Naval) Commando, etc. etc. etc, not to mention an accurate Shadow Guard (with correct armour) and a re-release of the Stormtrooper Commander. Help Me Hasbro, you’re my only hope. (CC, 10/17/08) (http://creaturecantina.com/news_stories/2008/1022/hasbro-qna.html)

     The Force Unleashed looks to be on its way to being perhaps the best selling Star Wars game in history - no mean feat with predecessors like Battlefront III and KoTA. Equally as passionate have been the fans, and “when are we getting more TFU figures?!!” is easily the top question for this Q&A session. We like TFU as much as you and we are looking at adding additional characters. If we did, they might not be here before Spring 2010, but many of the characters you suggest are high on our list. We are looking at a way of getting the TFU Stormtrooper Commander back out and available, possibly for Comic Con next year.

With the Darktrooper winning Fan’s Choice, does that improve the odds of a new Phase III Darktrooper with proper scale and, I don’t know, maybe increased articulation? (CC, 10/17/08) (http://creaturecantina.com/news_stories/2008/1022/hasbro-qna.html)

     Yes, and no. The Fan’s Choice vote was to guide us in the re-release of classic characters, not to impact future development of the line. However, the response has been so huge to this figure that we have something very special planned for a new version next year. Details will be available around February. Trust us that this one will be very special.

It’s pretty obvious that someone at Hasbro loves Bossk. I mean, he uttered three words and one snarl onscreen, and he’s had, what, four or five different toy versions since 1995? I realize there’s probably very little or no chance of 3¾”-scale versions of his Hound’s Tooth or Nashtah Pup ships being made, but howzabout a ginchy retro-jag CAP-2 Captivator reissue for our little Trandoshans to tool around in? Or, come to think of it, any of the cooler mini-rig-sized toys? I’m thinking specifically of the ISP-6 Shuttle Pod, Desert Sail Skiff, One-Man Sand Skimmer, Ewok Catapult, and Vehicle Maintenance Energizer. (CC, 10/17/08) (http://creaturecantina.com/news_stories/2008/1022/hasbro-qna.html)

     It isn’t just us. Bounty hunters are *cool* and fans seem to have an insatiable appetite for their kind. You will no doubt be very pleased by one of the ships we have in store for the Titanium Series next year. As for 3¾” versions of Trandoshan ships, it’s highly unlikely except if they do show up in a significant way in the animation or live-action entertainment. Given the animated Clone Wars team’s affinity for cool canonical alien species, it wouldn’t surprise us if they did show up at some point, and our vote is for Bossk and his ship to be part of the action.

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Cool Toy Review's Indiana Jones Q&A removed due to space issues; please see the Indy Q&A Compendium (http://www.jedidefender.com/yabbse/index.php?topic=16536.msg400261#msg400261)

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If and when you do a Guri figure as part of a future Shadows of the Empire comic pack, would she be in the more prominent yellow/blue dress based on the Hildebrandt Brothers' Shadows of the Empire artwork (from the Topps cards series), or the less familiar red/grey dress from the comic book itself? Obviously it's a Comic 2-Pack so I'm sure you're leaning towards the comic design, but there's a lot of us that would greatly prefer the Hildebrandt yellow/blue version since it was featured more prominently in a lot of the Shadows of the Empire marketing back in 1996. (GH, 10/17/08) (http://www.galactichunter.com/absolutenm/templates/full_article_template_1.asp?articleid=7621&zoneid=2)

     Neither, actually. If we are to do a Guri, our choice would be the more action-oriented outfit from Shadows of the Empire: Evolution line.
 
Given the general reluctance to release many female characters in the basic line each year, I was wondering if the Padm� Amidala Evolutions set has been considered successful enough to warrant another Evolutions Asst. set for Padm� Amidala sometime in 2009 or 2010, or is it more likely a one time release? Additional Evolutions Asst.  Imperial Pilots and Rebel Pilots sets have already been confirmed for 2009, so I'm hoping we might eventually get another Padm� Amidala set too (or better yet a Princess Leia Evolutions Asst. set). It would be a good opportunity to release a retooled version of the Evolutions Asst. Padm� Amidala with a torn shirt from her appearance in the Geonosis arena. (GH, 10/17/08) (http://www.galactichunter.com/absolutenm/templates/full_article_template_1.asp?articleid=7621&zoneid=2)

     Great to see another excellent question from Shabby Blue! Thanks for writing in� the Evolutions packs are certainly doing well and we were pleased to be able to extend the line through Spring of 2009 with some additional packs. By the time we decided to add more packs, it simply was not possible to get any more substantially new sculpts into the line and could only work with some partial new sculpts, which is great for pilots and troopers. However, Padme would require an all-new approach as each figure is so substantially different from each other and requires a new sculpt. If the Evolutions line does return some day, which we would not rule out based on its popularity this year, we would not rule out there being another Padme pack as part of the lineup.

Over the last few years we collectors have had to go through water torture with re-tool after re-tool of the TIE Fighter. Will we ever see the finally finished perfect re-tooled TIE Fighter? Or are you going to continue releasing the TIE Fighter time after time with minor adjustments of every release like we have endured over time?
 
What I mean is, are you in the future going to:
 
1. Re-do the cockpit interior to match the movie ship and get rid of the 1970's mold seat and bare interior?
2. Get rid of the middle nipple between the guns and remove the horrid stick out 'nubins' where the screws go (another throwback of the 1970's mold).
3. Have the proper guns and not those red 'dots'.
4. Have a re-re-tool on the cockpit hatch that matches the hatch on the Darth Vader TIE Fighter, getting rid of the terrible 1970's hatch 'nubins'.
5. Re-tool the cockpit window of the TIE Fighter to get rid of the 1970's one that is so bulky?
6. Basically, all of the original vehicles have been retooled except for the TIE Fighter body. Isn't it time to take on the TIE Fighter?

See references:

http://www.scifigeek.info/events/StarWarsExhibit/dsc_0324.jpg
http://www.pixelandpoly.com/graphics/SW_contactsheets/TIE_TN.jpg
 
[Editor's Note: You can also click on the picture to see what changes the TIE Fighter fanatics would like.]

Then I think you will have the perfect up to date TIE Fighter! Pretty please? (GH, 10/17/08) (http://www.galactichunter.com/absolutenm/templates/full_article_template_1.asp?articleid=7621&zoneid=2)
 
     Those are all great comments and we will take them into account if and when we do another TIE version.  For now, we are excited about the "Mutiny on the Ran Ecliptic" Rebel Squadron TIE coming out this year from Diamond Comics�a dream come true for fans of both the classic TIE and the EU.

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Regarding the upcoming A New Hope wave of Legacy figures, any chance we can get a picture of Trinto Duaba wearing his hood/cloak? Or how about a better look at the Jawa & WED Droid duo? (HH, 10/17/08) (http://hanshideout.blogspot.com/2008/10/hasbro-star-wars-q-session-2.html)

     We're sorry but we don't have too much more beyond what was shown at Comic Con. Hopefully the attached images of the Jawa (http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_Bhst0QM2lBk/SPk_muPO8qI/AAAAAAAABZQ/emfBBkVmKDA/s1600-h/SW_Q&A_Jawa.jpg) and WED (http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_Bhst0QM2lBk/SPk_mxINaJI/AAAAAAAABZg/vve29h8Ik20/s1600-h/SW_Q&A_WED.jpg) will suffice.

     On Trinto, we have no images with the cloak at all. Sorry!


In a previous Q&A session, you confirmed a Clone Commando update was coming in in an Evolutions set in Spring 2009 (schedule permitting). Can we hope for a new SA Endor Rebel Commando to be included or should we be expecting more Clones to fill out the set? (HH, 10/17/08) (http://hanshideout.blogspot.com/2008/10/hasbro-star-wars-q-session-2.html)

     It will be Clone-focused.

Things are looking pretty bleak for Dr. Jones as all signs unfortunately seem to point to the end of his toy line. How about this - If retail is drying up and on-lines sales alone won’t support the line, how about putting that nifty 2009 Raiders wave into an SDCC’09 Exclusive Box Set to reward those of us who loved the line? We get the figures we want, you get HUGE amounts of warm fuzzies from us Indy collectors. SDCC seems like the perfect outlet/market for this type set… yes, no, maybe? Please? (HH, 10/17/08) (http://hanshideout.blogspot.com/2008/10/hasbro-star-wars-q-session-2.html)

     Interesting idea, but it's not in the works for Comic Con next year.

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I have heard of numerous stories where there were inadequate supplies of the Game Stop Exclusive Stormtrooper Commander  figures on hand for those who bought the game. I haven't heard of one store who stocked more than a dozen of these figures to be honest. Knowing that part of the issue was not Hasbros, are there any plans to send Game Stop more figures or are there any future plans to release this figure again as part of a legends or basic carded wave? (IS, 10/17/08) (http://www.imperialshipyards.net/SMF/index.php?topic=192.msg4556#msg4556)

     Not only was the problem not ours, we had nothing to do with distribution and did not know the dispensation of this figure until the Friday before the on-sale date for the TFU game. We scrambled to get the word out once we learned, but it was too late to do anything but inform at that point.  We do have plans to get this figure back out there, possibly as early as Comic Con next year.

There are SO many great characters from The Force Unleashed game that beg for their own card.  Are we going to see any Incinerator Troopers,
Shadow EVO Troopers, Kazdan Paratus, or even the giant Phase Troopers?  Maybe a 2-Pack of Phase Troopers as a battlepack?  I know that the incinerator troopers and shadow troopers are in the Wal-Mart exclusive 3-Packs, but will we see these on their own cards? (IS, 10/17/08) (http://www.imperialshipyards.net/SMF/index.php?topic=192.msg4556#msg4556)

     The Force Unleashed looks to be on its way to being perhaps the best selling Star Wars game in history - no mean feat with predecessors like Battlefront II and KotOR. Equally as passionate have been the fans, and "when are we getting more TFU figures?!!" is easily the top question for this Q&A session.  We like TFU as much as you and we are looking at adding additional characters.  If we did, they might not be here before Spring 2010, but many of the characters you suggest are high on our list.  We are looking at a way of getting the TFU Stormtrooper Commander back out and available, possibly for Comic Con next year.

Any idea when we'll see more speeders? Luke's landspeeder should be about due for a re-release or upgrade since it hasn't been available for several years, as well as upgraded versions of Anakin and Zam's speeders from Episode II. And please, please, please consider Boba Fett's Silver Speeder too! It's about time for Boba's other vehicle! (Please see pic at http://www.droidsandewoks.com/silver_speeder.htm) (IS, 10/17/08) (http://www.imperialshipyards.net/SMF/index.php?topic=192.msg4556#msg4556)

     Speeders are admittedly less of a priority for us while we concentrate on more "aggressive" new vehicles and upgrades to key creatures.  We are sure at some point we will re-release Luke's speeder, however.  The others are highly unlikely to ever be re-released or upgraded.  Thanks for making us aware of Boba's speeder.  As cool as it is, it stands a very low chance of seeing the light of day unless it shows up somewhere in future entertainment.

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Indiana Jones Collectors' Indiana Jones Q&A removed due to space issues; please see the Indy Q&A Compendium (http://www.jedidefender.com/yabbse/index.php?topic=16536.msg400261#msg400261)

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Why do Star Wars figures still use T-crotches instead of switching over to the newer types of sculpts used now on G.I.Joe and the upcoming 3 3/4" Marvel figures? (JI, 10/17/08) (http://jediinsider.com/index.php?catid=8&itemid=11386)

     In most cases, it's because of the added expense and for aesthetic reasons - we want the articulation to work seamlessly with the visual appeal of the character rather than be the driving force behind the figure. Based on the continued popularity of our current figure lineup, fans seem to appreciate the results as well and we don't have plans to deviate from the model.

With the inclusion of Fen Shysa in the Expanded Universe Comic Packs, it seems like Hasbro is more willing to go way back into the Marvel run of Star Wars comics. Any chance we could see more old favorites like Kiro, Dani, Bey, Rik Duel, Knife, Drebble, or maybe even a Stenax? (JI, 10/17/08) (http://jediinsider.com/index.php?catid=8&itemid=11386)

     Beyond a Luke/Lumiya 2-pack and the Wal-Mart exclusive Ewok 3-pack next Spring, we will not be doing much with the Marvel comic run in 2009. We do hope to come back in 2010 with some more packs, including, hopefully 1-2 of the characters that you mentioned. Of the ones you mention, Dani and Rik Duel would be highest on our priority list.

In a previous Q&A segment, you guys seemed to indicate that Nom Anor would be making an appearance in plastic form in the near future. Since then, you've showered us with Crimson Empire-related love; first with the Jax/Kanos comic pack and now the upcoming Entertainment Earth exclusive set. This may be splitting hairs, but would it be safe to assume we'll be seeing our favorite Vong infiltrator sporting his armored and cloaked look as seen in the Crimson Empire series or, perhaps, do you plan on retooling [or even pre-tooling] the mold used for the now confirmed Kyle Katarn/Yuuzhan Vong warrior comic pack to offer up a more diplomatic look? (JI, 10/17/08) (http://jediinsider.com/index.php?catid=8&itemid=11386)

     A Nom Anor pack did not make the list for 2009, but we can confirm that he'll be in the 2010 comic pack lineup.

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With more Ultimate Battle Packs being announced Stateside, the UK has still yet to see either of the first two from last year?  Do you have any update on if, when and where we might get these?  Also, talking about things Stateside, will we be seeing the just announced Clone Wars DVD Packs (that are Wal*Mart exclusives in the US being released to coincide with the DVD\Blu-Ray release of the film) in the UK? (JN, 10/17/08) (http://www.jedinews.co.uk/news/news.aspx?newsID=1832)

     The previous two packs (released at Target in late 2007) will be coming to retail in the UK any time now so look for those soon.  The two Ultimate Battle Packs coming to Target later this Fall are currently being looked at for Spring 2009 in the U.K. although we do not have the specific retailer nailed down (the assumption is that it will be Toys 'R Us).  We hope to get distribution lined up before too long - stay tuned.  On the Clone Wars DVD 3-packs, they are getting distributed in the U.K. as well and should be hitting any time now.

With the credit crunch hitting people's pockets hard, it's been suggested that lines like the Saga Legends and the continual vehicle and battle pack re-packs are making it easy for collector's to make cut-backs in their spending.  Do you see certain lines suffering as a result and with these kinds of things, do you have lower production runs to take this into account or will you also be cutting some of these products/lines back to cope with this? (JN, 10/17/08) (http://www.jedinews.co.uk/news/news.aspx?newsID=1832)

     While that would seem to be a concern, the current situation is the exact opposite, in fact. The Star Wars vehicle and battle pack lines have never been more popular than they seem to be right now, in part due to the strong product offering but also the continued popularity of Star Wars.

     If some collectors are deciding to forego purchases, an equal number (plus a large number of kids) may be just joining the collecting ranks and have helped keep the popularity high.


The Galactic Heroes line continues to go from strength to strength and it's very much a fan's favourite - thanks for the vehicles you've added this year, very much appreciated.   There are a few core vehicles yet to be made thought which would fit perfectly into the range; they are Slave I, standard TIE Fighters, AT-ST and the AT-AT.  Can you let us know if any of these are on the drawing board and if we may see any of them in 2009? (JN, 10/17/08) (http://www.jedinews.co.uk/news/news.aspx?newsID=1832)

     We're glad that you are enjoying the GH line - we are certainly having fun bringing it to you.  At least two of your vehicle wish list are on the drawing board and will see the light of day in 2009. No telling which just yet - for that, you will have to stay tuned until the time of the spring Toy Fairs.

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Of the current Dark Horse comic titles on the stands ( Knights Of The Old Republic, Dark Times, Rebellion & Legacy ), we've only seen Comic 2-pack offerings for the Legacy series.� When can we expect to see some offerings for the current comic titles?� And can you give us some hints about which characters might be in the running? (JTA, 10/17/08) (http://jeditemplearchives.com/content/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=4197)

     We have been concentrating more on Legacy because of the amazing impact and excitement this title has brought to the EU (however, don't forget that Rebellion actually inspired the Dagger Squadron B-Wing and pilot Netrem Pollard!).� As far as comic packs go from the current DH titles, the next one up will be Rebellion #3 out late this year/early 2009 featuring a pair of characters in the awesome new Rebel stealth suit. After that will be two more Legacy titles in 2009 (one which will feature Darth Krayt), and finally the first KotOR issue should be out late 2009 if the schedule holds.

We were very pleased to read in the Q&A's that the vintage Klaatu, Wooof, has been confirmed for 2009's basic figure line.� And we were equally happy to see that Jabba's palace aliens will be part of the 2009 RETURN OF THE JEDI basic figure wave.� But can we expect to get some of the never before made aliens from Jabba's palace?� Perhaps aliens like Yoxgit, Cane Addis, Geezum or Loje Nella? (JTA, 10/17/08) (http://jeditemplearchives.com/content/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=4197)

     Long term we do plan to get to some of these guys, but they are not in the 2009 lineup.

In the most previous Q&A session with Jedi Temple Archives, Hasbro confirmed that there would be a new Imperial Officer on the way in 2009.� And that said officer would be an identified character, and not generic.� Are we looking at an all new character, or is this going to be bringing another Imperial Officer up to date?� And could this perhaps be the Captain Needa figure that's been talked about in collector circles for the past couple of years? (JTA, 10/17/08) (http://jeditemplearchives.com/content/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=4197)

     It will indeed be Captain Needa.

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I have to say, the upcoming figures in the Legacy collection are very good but one of the figures confuses me... Wioslea. She was a civillian on Tatooine and THOUGHT to be a jedi, may I ask why has a lightsaber been put with the figure set? Many people have been asking this question and I also wanted to know where do you the inspiration for the lightsaber. (MD, 10/17/08) (http://www.mousedroid.com/hasbro/hasbro15.html)

     This was a mistake in the image that was sent out, as it seems our studio mistakenly put Obi-Wan's lightsaber in Wioslea's hands. The figure does not come with the lightsaber.

Now that we've all played The Force Unleashed we see the potential for another wave of TFU action figures.
I would really love to see Galen Marek, codenamed Starkiller in Raxus Prime Survival Gear, Shaak Ti (Felucia) General Kota's Millitia Guards, PROXY, Imperial Purge Trooper, Kazdan Paratus, Captain Ozzik Sturn, Felician Warriors, Rodian Ripper and Rodian Heavy Defender.
You may even want to upgrade the Shadow Guard sculpt, to be more accurate and if you do, there are another two repaints there (Imperial Royal and Senate Guard). I'd even buy a young Galen Marek and Kento Marek figure two pack! You might even want to consider re-releasing the Stormtrooper Commander figure, as there are people who missed out due to retail stores either not receiving enough stock, or perhaps very sneakily, taking them for themselves and profiting from them on the secondary market. I guess what I am asking is...when can we see more Force Unleashed Figures and what will they be??? (MD, 10/17/08) (http://www.mousedroid.com/hasbro/hasbro15.html)

     The Force Unleashed looks to be on its way to being perhaps the best selling Star Wars game in history - no mean feat with predecessors like Battlefront II and KoTA. Equally as passionate have been the fans, and "when are we getting more TFU figures?!!" is easily the top question for this Q&A session. We like TFU as much as you and we are looking at adding additional characters. If we did, they might not be here before Spring 2010, but many of the characters you suggest are high on our list. We are looking at a way of getting the TFU Stormtrooper Commander back out and available, possibly for Comic Con next year.

At SDCC you revealed that there will be a Magnaguard in THE CLONE WARS line early next year. In the recent Round of QnAs you revealed that you will be releasing the Magnaguard Starfighter early next year too. My question is: When can we expect to see a NEW, more articulated Magnaguard (hopefully with a soft goods cape) in THE LEGACY COLLECTION? (MD, 10/17/08) (http://www.mousedroid.com/hasbro/hasbro15.html)

     We do not have plans right now for a new Magnaguard figure in the Legacy Collection lineup in 2009…possibly in 2010, but not before. The ship, however, is being designed with our standard vehicle aesthetics meaning it will straddle both the Legacy and animated Clone Wars worlds.

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I know it's been stated already that we won't be seeing any realistic style versions of characters from the Clone Wars animated series. But now we've seen a picture of what appears to be a prototype for an incredible realistic style Clone Wars Anakin. Will this figure be released at some point? It's such a great-looking potential figure! Please? (RS, 10/17/08) (http://www.rebelscum.com/story/front/Hasbros_62nd_STAR_WARS_QA_The_Answers_118288.asp)

     We have no plans to produce realistic versions of the Animated Clone Wars characters. Those images are from the very first treatments we did of the figures back in Fall 2006, to show Lucasfilm the figure aesthetics that we proposed pursuing. The sculpts consisted of a dead match for the original Animated Clone Wars Anakin proportions, what a "realistic" take on the figure would look like, and a hybrid that adopted more of the realistic proportions with the animated look, which became the one approved to go forward. Part of the challenge with the original proportions was that the limbs were very thin, making it difficult to incorporate the desired articulation, necessitating the suggested hybrid.

Will Titanium fans see these five ships/vehicles in 2009?
# Sith Fighter
# Naboo Yacht
# SPHA-T
# Republic Gunboat
# Asajj Ventress' Fanblade starfighter

I and many others would love to see all these! By the way, thank you so much for all the new molds in 2008...Great job Hasbro! I would also like to know the Republic Carrier you mention for 2009, is that the CR-20 Republic carrier from the first Clone Wars animations or is it the NU-Class Attack Shuttle from the Clone Wars movie. (Heck, why not both?) (RS, 10/17/08) (http://www.rebelscum.com/story/front/Hasbros_62nd_STAR_WARS_QA_The_Answers_118288.asp)

     We were referring to the Attack Shuttle from the new Animated Clone Wars. None of the vehicles you ask about are in the 2009 line plan, but we are looking at some of these as potential new vehicles for 2010. There are a bunch of new vehicles we'd like to do, and as usual, only so many slots for "new" that we will actually be able to do. In any case, we think what we have coming down the road will be very exciting. Stay tuned!

I was wondering if you had any updates on some figures that you've already confirmed for us, like if they'll be in comic packs, basic figure line, Evolutions, when they'll be released...pictures if possible! ;)
1. K'kruhk
2. Lumiya
3. Exar Kun
4. Kyle Katarn
5. Vong Warrior (RS, 10/17/08) (http://www.rebelscum.com/story/front/Hasbros_62nd_STAR_WARS_QA_The_Answers_118288.asp)

     Sorry, we do not have any pictures for you. Kyle Katarn and Yuzhong Vong, from Star Wars Tales 21, will be up first in a Spring 2009 comic pack, followed a wave later by both a Luke/Lumiya pack and an Exar Kun/Ulic Qel-Droma pack. K'Kruhk will not see his debut until very late 2009 in the last basic figure wave of the year, which should tell you the theme of that wave.

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With the recent release of The Force Unleashed and the success of Hasbro's TFU product in the 2008 TAC line, what are the chances of getting more TFU figures beyond the 2009 Felucia Shaak Ti you recently confirmed? Understanding that the soonest there could be new TFU items is 2010, collectors want PROXY, more of Starkiller's costumes, a new Juno Eclipse more accurate to the final game, accurate Incinerator Troopers, teenage Princess Leia, battle-damaged Rahm Kota, Kazdan Paratus, accurate Jump Troopers, shadow versions of the various troopers, and even a 3.75" figure version of the Rogue Shadow and the Bull Rancor. Any of these gonna happen, and what can we do to increase that likelihood? (SSG, 10/17/08) (http://www.sirstevesguide.com/index.php?categoryid=13&p2_articleid=1553)

     The Force Unleashed looks to be on its way to being perhaps the best selling Star Wars game in history - no mean feat with predecessors like Battlefront II and KotOR. Equally as passionate have been the fans, and "when are we getting more TFU figures?!!" is easily the top question for this Q&A session. We like TFU as much as you and we are looking at adding additional characters. If we did, they might not be here before Spring 2010, but many of the characters you suggest are high on our list. However, we don't think the Bull Rancor or Rogue Shadow are likely candidates unless they show up elsewhere in entertainment as well - neither is really as central as we'd like to have the peace of mind we'd be able to recoup the massive investment needed for these (as it is, we had to split the Rancor into two different packs to be able to justify it, something we can't do with the more confined Bull Rancor).

Not long ago, we asked which EU figures were their personal favorites and wishlist entries, but none of the ones listed were from the Marvel series. With the upcoming Lumiya figure (and by the way, who will she be coming with in that comic 2pack? Issue #96 suggests Luke from the duel, but perhaps someone else maybe?), what other Marvel figures might be on the team members' EU wishlists? (SSG, 10/17/08) (http://www.sirstevesguide.com/index.php?categoryid=13&p2_articleid=1553)

     Lumiya will indeed be coming with Luke, to allow fans to recreate their epic duels. Along with the recently released favs K-3PX, Fenn Shysha, Tobbi Dala, and the upcoming Wal-Mart exclusive Ewok 3-pack, we're glad to have been able to get to some of our top candidates this year. Next year will be a bit drier for the Marvel characters as we concentrate on more Dark Horse facets, but it's a good bet that there will be more Marvel-inspired goodness in 2010. High on our wish list would be some new versions of Luke and Leia, Valance the Hunter, Dani, Rik Duel, and Tippet (to round out the clan). How many will actually make it, if any, in the 2010 line plan remains to be seen.

Back in Dec '07, you told us that while you didn't have a carded basic Wedge Antilles planned, there was "at least one cool new Wedge figure" due in '08 if your schedule held. This August, you told another site that you "had plans for a great Wedge this year, but the project was delayed and will appear in Fall 2009," (again, if schedules held). Then on Sept 5th, a third site asked about Wedge, and you gave a similar answer about the set he's in being delayed until "later in 2009". Now, an online retailer has listed a case assortment for Comic Packs Wave 5 which includes "X-wing Rogue Squadron #32 with Borsk Fey'la and Wedge Antilles (Academy Outfit)" expected out around February '09. Is their set listing accurate, and if so, is this your aforementioned Fall '09 Wedge or a different figure altogether? (SSG, 10/17/08) (http://www.sirstevesguide.com/index.php?categoryid=13&p2_articleid=1553)

     That listing *is* accurate and it is not the Wedge we were hinting at, but in fact another set centered around Wedge. Stay tuned!

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Since the information flow around the TFU Stormtrooper Commander left something to be desired is there any way we will see this rereleased since it sounds like this was shipped in extremely limited quantities. I know you said that you are not handling the distribution but you could still release more of them right? If there was ever a figure to scream Saga Legend or Battlepack. (ST, 10/17/08) (http://www.sandtroopers.com/smf/index.php?topic=5183.msg214327#msg214327)

     We are aware that a lot of fans were frustrated at the inability to get this figure and we will be looking at ways to get it back out there at some point, possibly for Comic Con next year.
 
Back in July you said in a Q&A session that there will be about 4 or 5 figures based on concept art coming in 2009. I'm just wondering if you could give an update on these. Do you have a definite number nailed down now? Will they all be in one wave or spread out over the year? Will they be exclusives? (please no!) And finally, can you drop any hints at all about who they might be? (ST, 10/17/08) (http://www.sandtroopers.com/smf/index.php?topic=5183.msg214327#msg214327)

     There will be no exclusives - they will all be mainline figures in Legacy/Droid Factory waves like the majority of the McQ figures in the 30th lineup.  At present time it looks like there will be four figures in 2009.

Now that you've entered the realm of removable hats for Imperial officers, any chance of a General Veers resculpt with a removable hat? This would have the added bonus of providing a nice custom "Walter Donovan" head for Indiana Jones enthusiasts who might be saddened by the demise of the Indy line and the absence of a Donovan figure. (ST, 10/17/08) (http://www.sandtroopers.com/smf/index.php?topic=5183.msg214327#msg214327)

     It's unlikely we'll be getting to another Veers version any time soon.

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When will we see the Yuuzhan Vong? As one of the biggest species to impact the Star Wars universe, I'm sure they deserve the plastic treatment. (ST/"TJ", 10/17/08) (http://www.sandtroopers.com/smf/index.php?topic=8437.msg214343#msg214343)

     We can't get one out soon enough, as he has been in development for some time as part of a Spring '09 comic pack wave.  He'll be packed out with a new Kyle Katarn figure, reprinting the great story from Star Wars Tales #21. There will be a second Vong, of sorts, when we also debut a comic pack featuring Darth Krayt, also in Spring 2009.  The long wait for both of these awesome packs will be well worth it.
 
In terms of iconic characters you want to keep available, how high up on the list might a new version of A New Hope C-3PO be? Specifically, one that is as articulated as the Endor Throne version but with something like the POTF2 Cinema Scene "Purchase of the Droids" version's texture/paint apps? Or if that's getting too "scene specific", how about just a dirtier version of him and maybe throw in a comlink accessory (which would mean he'd need to be able to hold it somehow)? (ST/"TJ", 10/17/08) (http://www.sandtroopers.com/smf/index.php?topic=8437.msg214343#msg214343)

     We probably will be getting to upgrades for some of C-3PO's other appearances at some point, although none are slated currently.  Adding articulation, as you say, and the ability to hold items are both strong possibilities for future versions.
 
The other day I came across the new Galactic Heroes Obi-Wan's Jedi Starfighter playset and noticed something odd. On the packaging it states that included in the set is a Battle Droid yet there is no figure inside. Why? (ST/"TJ", 10/17/08) (http://www.sandtroopers.com/smf/index.php?topic=8437.msg214343#msg214343)

     The intent was to add Battle Droid to the set, but the request was made too late and it could not make production. One was added to the artwork, which went to the factory separate from the actual physical parts, and we could not get the packaging changed in time once we learned that the figure would not make the set. We kept on with the production of the set since we had an urgent need to get the set to retail, and we reasoned that any consumer would be able to see the contents of the set before purchase so they would not feel they were missing something.  The package has since been revised to omit the droid.

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With the recent release of images of Anakin figural sketches at Target.com, are the Saga-style sculpts something you will pursue for "The Clone Wars" animated characters? (SWC, 10/17/08) (http://www.swcollector.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=57&t=1301)

     Nope. Those images are from the very first treatments we did of the figures back in Fall 2006, to show Lucasfilm the figure aesthetics that we proposed pursuing. The sculpts consisted of a dead match for the original Animated Clone Wars Anakin proportions, what a "realistic" take on the figure would look like, and a hybrid that adopted more of the realistic proportions with the animated look, which became the one approved to go forward. Part of the challenge with the original proportions was that the limbs were very thin, making it difficult to incorporate the desired articulation, necessitating the suggested hybrid.

With The Legacy Collection encompassing all six films and the Expanded Universe, any chance for more Concept Art figures down the line? Lots of fans would still love to see Concept Emperor, Concept Lando, or even Concept Jabba. (SWC, 10/17/08) (http://www.swcollector.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=57&t=1301)

     There are four more concept figures coming in the 2009 line, although they are from artists other than Ralph McQuarrie. Stay tuned!

Has the response to the AT-TE and new Millennium Falcon been positive enough for Hasbro to consider doing a 3 3/4" scale Jabba's Sail Barge? (SWC, 10/17/08) (http://www.swcollector.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=57&t=1301)

     We will not be pursuing a Jabba's Sail Barge. Instead, we have to stick to the most iconic and high-demand vehicles for these upper price points. The Sail Barge, as cool as it is, just would not be popular enough with kids to justify the enormous costs.

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Toy News International's Indiana Jones Q&A removed due to space issues; please see the Indy Q&A Compendium (http://www.jedidefender.com/yabbse/index.php?topic=16536.msg400261#msg400261)

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Why does the Force Unleashed Juno Eclipse figure differ so much from the game model - where as other Characters do not. (TPU, 10/17/08) (http://www.theprivateuniverse.co.uk/cgi-bin/showarticle.pl?section=news&articleid=3596)

     We designed the figure with the input we were given at the time. As it is, PROXY does feature this outfit in the scene where we first meet the both of them.

How successful has the Falcon been in the US and UK - and will that reflect on whether more larger scale types of product will be made in the future? (TPU, 10/17/08) (http://www.theprivateuniverse.co.uk/cgi-bin/showarticle.pl?section=news&articleid=3596)

     There is still a long way to go with the majority of the selling season in front of us. We will have a better handle after the holidays regarding the consumer appetite for our higher-end vehicles. Spread the word, just in case, and make sure that every young Star Wars fan has one or both this coming holiday!

The Build A Droid Droid Factory droids are great, but when you selectively buy figures rather than the whole wave, it can be off putting. Are there any plans to release the droids in a set or on individual cards? (TPU, 10/17/08) (http://www.theprivateuniverse.co.uk/cgi-bin/showarticle.pl?section=news&articleid=3596)

     There are no plans to offer the figures in sets or on individual cards. We look at it this way: if your buying behavior has always been to get individual figures, then you are doing nothing that you did not do before, except that you are accumulating some cool droid parts that you can save and customize together when you have enough. If perhaps the droid parts entice you to maybe pick up a figure you would not have otherwise, then we have done our job in creating a pack-in that has amplified desire where you had lower interest before. For the fan who is more of a completist and is sticking with us through all of the new figure releases, it's downright cool as they will be the happy owner of a number of great new droids only available as bonus pack-ins. From the way we see it, everyone comes away with something cool from the Droid Factory pack-ins.

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We are all devastated to hear the news about the Indiana Jones line's apparent demise.

Is there any chance that a Christmas miracle with huge sales accompanying the KOTCS DVD release could lead to a resurrection of the line? Or have the reports of the line's demise been greatly exaggerated?

Also, NOT getting Toht will register as a punch in the face for those of us who faithfully collected this line. Now, our collections will have a gaping hole in it that can never be filled. So how about taking the sculpt you made, which looks excellent, and producing it as a gesture of good will to us?

If you can't release it stores, go ahead and sell it as an online exclusive for 20 bucks a pop, I'll buy it and so will many other folks. Or, some folks have suggested maybe a "chase" figure in the Star Wars line? Or, instead of putting the remaining stock on clearance, call it back and put them in big movie packs with one of each figure from the movies in them, and sneak in Toht that way? Please? Pretty please with sugar on top?

We simply must have Toht Hasbro, we must! Otherwise, a word of warning: Karma is very unforgiving! Smile Would it make any difference if we descended on your headquarters holding placards in protest? (YF, 10/17/08) (http://www.yakfaceforums.com/viewtopic.php?p=52768)

     At that point, no. Without a movie or entertainment backdrop to maintain kids' interest in the line, it's just not possible to maintain momentum in the intensely competitive boys' action aisle. We are extremely passionate fans of the IJ line ourselves, and anticipate that the line will return if and when there is another IJ movie. Until then, the decision to rest the brand will position it for the best possible return. Your other suggestions are interesting but we can't do IJ as chase figures in the Star Wars lineup - we have to keep them separate, and the online marketplace cannot support our release volumes.

Hasbro, there's a lot of collectors who are very disappointed in how the Indiana Jones line was handled.

We know that you tried, but we feel that one problem was that there just wasn't a good choice of character selection in the initial waves, and ther were some overpacked certain characters (heck, EVEN WAVE FOUR has a lot of figures in it that are pegwarming from the early waves).

Now that the line is ending, is there any part of your decision being influenced by the new line for the GI JOE movie line coming out? And are you going to re-evaluate how you approach that line based on how Indy turned out?

---- Chewie (YF, 10/17/08) (http://www.yakfaceforums.com/viewtopic.php?p=52768)

     We're not sure exactly what you are asking here....our decision to rest IJ is not in any way influenced by the GI Joe movie, but based on the realization that without an entertainment backdrop for the line to keep kids engaged in the brand we would not be positioned for success. As far as character selection, we based our release decisions based on the most popular characters, with a heavy reliance on IJ and secondarily on Mutt. That is not something we would ever second guess, as those are the characters that resonate with kids who form a vital part of the audience and knowing as we do that an IJ line cannot be built on collectors alone. As far as the release decisions made for the secondary characters, we will certainly take that into account the next time we plan out an IJ line if and when there is another movie.

The Gamestop Force Unleashed Stormtroooper Commander promotion was, at best, horribly managed by all parties involved. Some stores said they had no troopers, some gave them to their employees, some didn't hold for the preorders as promised, and others just gave them away. Plus we didn't know the official details of the promotion until just days before the game release.

So....are there any plans to make this figure available in some format to collectors who may actually want one (maybe similar to how the Battlefront Scout Trooper was available through StarWarsShop.com) rather than having to resort to EBAY for them? (YF, 10/17/08) (http://www.yakfaceforums.com/viewtopic.php?p=52768)

     We are aware that a lot of fans were frustrated at the inability to get this figure and will be looking at ways to get it back out there at some point, possibly as early as Comic Con next year.

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Now that The Force Unleashed is out, it was really great to see some of those new figures from the TAC TFU wave in action, like General Kota and Juno Eclipse. However, I noticed that a few key characters don't have figures. Does Hasbro have any plans to revisit TFU and make some more figs? There is easily enough for a whole wave: The Apprentice (carded), Proxy, Kazadan Paratus, Purge Trooper, Incinerator Trooper (carded), Shadow Trooper (carded), Felucian Warrior, Shaak Ti (Felucian outfit), Raxus Prime Junk Warrior, The Apprentice's Father, and more. That's plenty, and it would drum up more interest in the game. And speaking of figures/characters from the game, are there any plans to re-release the Stormtrooper Commander somehow? The fact that it was an exclusive to GameStop for the game's releases was okay, but some stores in my area (and over 100 miles away) didn't even know about the promotion, much less get any figures. I was lucky enough to get one, but I know a ton of collectors who didn't and are griping about the extremely limited release. (YN, 10/17/08) (http://yodasnews.com/)

     The Force Unleashed looks to be on its way to being perhaps the best selling Star Wars game in history - no mean feat with predecessors like Battlefront III and KoTA. Equally as passionate have been the fans, and "when are we getting more TFU figures?!!" is easily the top question for this Q&A session. We like TFU as much as you and we are looking at adding additional characters. If we did, they might not be here before Spring 2010, but many of the characters you suggest are high on our list. We are looking at a way of getting the TFU Stormtrooper Commander back out and available, possibly for Comic Con next year.

Is there any chance and is it even possible to have an updated sound chip for the BMF? Perhaps with sounds and dialogue from the other films in which the Falcon was in? It would be pretty cool if you could swap out a chip and have the sounds and dialogue from each film! While I realize it's probably not possible now that it's been produced, it might be an idea to think about in future vehicles that appear in multiple films. (YN, 10/17/08) (http://yodasnews.com/)

     We packed in what we felt were the key audio clips that really make the Millennium Falcon's character come alive. It is not possible however to swap out the sound chip, and it is doubtful we would release a new version with alternate sounds.

Will we be seeing any more figures based on Ralph McQuarrie's concepts in the future or has that ship sailed? (YN, 10/17/08) (http://yodasnews.com/)

     The concept figure sub-series will be back in a more limited way in 2009, with four figures. There are none from Ralph McQuarrie in the lineup next year, as we are spreading out the concept to some other very cool artists and characters.
Title: Re: The Hasbro Q & A Compendium
Post by: Matt on November 11, 2008, 10:48 PM
Session 62 - November 7, 2008

AF

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When will we see ball & socket hips and wrists on Stormtroopers and phase one clones? I would easily buy 20 new stormies. (BS, 11/07/08) (http://banthaskull.com/index.php?/page/sub/if_you_dare)

     We have no plans to do ball and socket wrists, since that really adds cost that we feel is not warranted on figures, preferring instead to stick with swivel wrists for functionality. We will look to do ball and socket hips only when a figure needs it - like if they are designed to ride a speeder bike or creature, but this will not be a standard across the line.

Can we hope to see “weapons lockers” for the OT line of figures such as loads of imperial blasters, long rifles, and rebel pistols? This WOULD BE AWESOME! Since it is running off of current weapons for clones and we have current weapons for OT this seems a no brainer. (BS, 11/07/08) (http://banthaskull.com/index.php?/page/sub/if_you_dare)

     That is an interesting suggestion for the figures that are specifically original trilogy. We’ll take a look and see what we are able to do.

Who is going be packed with Darth Krayt in the upcoming comic pack? Forum member DarthFagan’s guesses include Cade Skywalker (as he looked when he was Krayt’s captive), Emperor Roan Fel, Sigel Dare (female imperial knight), or Jariah Syn (Cade’s Bounty Hunter friend). Or how about a sith 2-pack with Darth Wyyrlok or Darth Nihl? So are we close? (BS, 11/07/08) (http://banthaskull.com/index.php?/page/sub/if_you_dare)

     It will indeed be Sigel Dare.

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CC

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Last year, Hasbro released the R2-KT figure while making a charitable donation to ensure that the spirit of a figure for the Katie Johnson charity was fully met before any were sold. With R2-KT appearing in the Clone Wars movie, is there a chance we could get animated R2-KT as a repainted animated R2-D2 figure in a similar charity-type release? (CS, 11/07/08) (http://www.collectionstation.com/groups/view/Star-Wars/Official-Hasbro-Q-A_34)

     We do not have plans at this time, but there is a strong possibility that we could revisit that promotion in the future, perhaps in 2010.

Will there be more droid repaints in the Clone Wars line? The molds already exist, so they shouldn't be too difficult to achieve. For instance, will there be TC-70 based on the C-3PO mold, R4-P17 based on the R2-D2 mold, or KRONOS-327 based on the IG-86 mold? TC-70 obviously would be a good companion piece to the upcoming animated Jabba you're developing, and Obi-Wan needs a droid to fit in his Jedi Starfighter's droid slot. (CS, 11/07/08) (http://www.collectionstation.com/groups/view/Star-Wars/Official-Hasbro-Q-A_34)

     Two of three droids you cite will be out within a year. The remaining one has a strong likelihood of also coming out, perhaps as an exclusive at some point. Stay tuned!

In Hasbro's GI Joe line's comic packs, they have moved beyond mere reprints to also feature entirely new stand-alone comics. Given that Dark Horse has released similar Star Wars comics to retailers in the past, have you considered working with them to commission new stand-alone Star Wars comics that feature highly-requested EU characters that otherwise don't appear in the comics and therefore have a lot less chance of being released as figures? (CS, 11/07/08) (http://www.collectionstation.com/groups/view/Star-Wars/Official-Hasbro-Q-A_34)

     Creating new comics comes at a not-insignificant cost, and we prefer to keep our investment in the new figure tools rather than new untold comic stories. The reason we were interested in partnering with Dark Horse was the rich treasure trove of comics that have been produced over the 30-year run. That's not to say we eventually won't do custom comics (Dark Horse is very keen in working with us on this), but the reprints is where we plan to keep our focus.

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Have you considered teaming with the Disney theme parks as a shared (Disney/HTS.com) exclusive outlet for keeping new and old figures out there for fans? The "entertainment support" will be there 24/7, and I believe the Disney Park stores have been selling Indy merchandise and action figures for the better part of fifteen years now. Also, there have been quite a few exclusive Star Tours figures that seemed to be pretty popular as theme park only items... (CTR, 11/07/08) (http://cooltoyreview.com/story/front/Hasbros_INDIANA_JONES_QA_The_Answers_118723.asp)

     This would not be an effective way to merchandise in the relatively limited space available for the Disney Parks. Instead they have better success with the current mix and select exclusives. While a lot of Star Tours figures were produced, the ones at the end were struggling in popularity and proof that the idea may only be able to be extended so far.

Since the Indiana Jones line is ending after the TOD wave, there will be some MAJOR gaps in the collection- such as Toht and Walter Donovan. What is the chance of seeing some of these gaps filled as starwarsshop/indianajonesshop exclusives? You already have both Toht (as seen at SDCC) and Donovan (Cobra Commander body from SCDD Exclusive with a new head) in the works, so why waste the effort already put into these figures and leave collectors upset with incomplete collections? (CTR, 11/07/08) (http://cooltoyreview.com/story/front/Hasbros_INDIANA_JONES_QA_The_Answers_118723.asp)

     Online, unfortunately, only reaches a fraction of the collecting audience. For the IJ figures to really succeed and hit our volumes, we need to have national distribution, and that will happen only when there is more IJ entertainment news. If there is another movie, Toht (and the entirety of the shelved Raiders wave) will be in the lineup.

Since the 3 3/4" wave with the melting Toht has been cancelled...does this mean that the Last Crusade wave of Adventure Heroes has been cancelled as well? I need a cute Sean Connery! (CTR, 11/07/08) (http://cooltoyreview.com/story/front/Hasbros_INDIANA_JONES_QA_The_Answers_118723.asp)

     All of the Adventure Heroes that were previously announced will ship this year.

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In past Q&A responses, you confirmed the following figures for release sometime in 2009. It's been awhile since we've heard about these, so can you tell us if plans have changed for any of them -- 2X-7KPR (the final unreleased droid from the ANH Jawa Sandrawler scene -- doesn't appear to be part of the upcoming ANH wave, so is he to be released in another way?); Holo Darth Sidious with Mechno Chair (still part of 2009's TPM wave?); Maroon Battle Droid Commander (part of the AOTC wave?), the "Interesting ROTJ Leia" (which was formerly intended to be a Slave/Sandstorm variant); and finally one of the following Jedi upgrades you said were coming in 2009: Coleman Trebor, Pablo Jill, or the Nikto Jedi? Are all these figures mentioned above still coming in 2009, or have some been cancelled or pushed back to 2010? (GH, 11/07/08) (http://www.galactichunter.com/absolutenm/templates/full_article_template_1.asp?articleid=7665&zoneid=2)

     The last droid from "Purchase of the Droids" is planned as a pack-in with a Jawa in a later wave of 2009.  Darth Sidious and Mechno Chair is still on target for release next year, as is the Leia, Coleman Trebor, and Maroon Battle Droid Commander. Pablo Jill and the Nikto Jedi upgrades are not in the works for 2009 at this point.

To us (the site guys) Toy Fair 2009 is just around the corner. (Well, it is if you're counting your pennies for those expensive NYC hotels.) Anyway, the $20-range vehicles seem to fly off the shelves. How many new additions can we expect to pop up at the big show, and do you have any hints for us? (GH, 11/07/08) (http://www.galactichunter.com/absolutenm/templates/full_article_template_1.asp?articleid=7665&zoneid=2)

     There will be four 100% newly tooled additions to this spectacular assortment in 2009. The first two that will be out in Spring can be seen in The Clone Wars movie, and they both fly. Let the speculating begin!

Continuing on the vehicle front, is there anything in the plus-sized range for 2009, or will holiday sales be the indicator for such a beast? (GH, 11/07/08) (http://www.galactichunter.com/absolutenm/templates/full_article_template_1.asp?articleid=7665&zoneid=2)

     We really won't be able to take stock of the opportunity to continue the higher-priced vehicle program until after the holidays.  We would not expect to be able to answer either way until Toy Fair at the earliest.

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Once upon a time (Toy Fair I believe), you mentioned that you were looking into doing a running change on the Legacy Wave 1 RotJ Darth Vader figure where the head would be separate from the helmet collar. Should fans of the 3-piece helmet idea keep hoping for this to happen or was the idea abandoned for the time being? (HH, 11/07/08) (http://hanshideout.blogspot.com/2008/11/hasbro-star-wars-q-session-3.html)

     This idea has been abandoned for now, and we will stick to the one version.

As a self-proclaimed Cantina Alien addict, I can’t wait for the next batch of A New Hope figures. Trinto, Dice, Wioslea, and Brainiac all look fantastic... but what’s this we’re hearing about a possible new EU name for Brainiac? “Pons Limbic” - true or false? (And while we’re on the topic of the ANH wave, any chance at a nice picture of that Space Trooper?) (HH, 11/07/08) (http://hanshideout.blogspot.com/2008/11/hasbro-star-wars-q-session-3.html)

     Yes indeed, Pons Limbic is his name. We don't have any better pictures of the Space Trooper beyond the one that we showed at Comic Con, but it should be released in packaging verrrry soon.

Indy Adventure Heroes question for you - will the Last Crusade wave of AH figures still make it to retail? Just want to make sure that we’re (hopefully) still getting our AH scale Henry Sr. and Grail Knight figures! (HH, 11/07/08) (http://hanshideout.blogspot.com/2008/11/hasbro-star-wars-q-session-3.html)

     Yes indeed, these Adventure Heroes will make it to retail by the end of the year.

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IS (No questions submitted this session)

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At what point was the Indiana Jones line considered a failure and the decision made to end it?  Was it before or after the now-defunct 2009 prototypes were previewed at San Diego Comic Con? (IJC, 11/07/08) (http://indianajonescollectors.com/)

     At Comic Con, we were still optimistic that some of the 2009 would make it to retail. In the subsequent months, the Spring 2009 retail landscape became clearer and it became evident that IJ, without the benefit of any new entertainment, would not have the total audience needed to compete and succeed at retail. Our hope was that the audience we saw at the launch and through the movie period could sustain IJ as a long-term brand, but instead interest closely followed the waxing and waning of the movie (and we anticipate the DVD cycle as well). This is a key learning and we now know better how to plan if there should be another IJ movie.

Why did some of the Indiana Jones figures have lesser quality paint applications than those in the Star Wars line considering both are major Lucasfilm licenses and presumably held to the same rigorous approval process? Was this an intentional cost-cutting approach (because even the hand-painted prototypes differed in quality). (IJC, 11/07/08) (http://indianajonescollectors.com/)

     We were using a brand new factory for the IJ figures, and there was a learning factor in the first wave. This became much more refined with subsequent batches.

Will any aspect of the Indiana Jones license continue (Mighty Muggs, Titanium Series, Adventure Heroes, etc.), or is the license as a whole considered over? (IJC, 11/07/08) (http://indianajonescollectors.com/)

     Other than the Entertainment Earth exclusive wave of Mighty Muggs, the rest of the assortments will be done after this Fall.

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Your Legacy Wave 2, all figure from the 2-D Clone Wars cartoon, was outstanding. You wrapped up a lot of the main wants people had from the original CW cartoons in one fell swoop! The question is now, which characters/figures would Hasbro most like to crank out from the original cartoon? Fans at JediDefender certainly liked a lot of the "arena combat" characters from one episode. (JD, 11/07/08) (http://www.jedidefender.com/newspro/fullnews.cgi?newsid1226379026,57577,)

     There are still one or two figures (such as Fordo in Type II armor that with Lucasfilm's permission we could possibly do, but for all intents and purposes we are done exploring the original Clone Wars micro-series. Given their very minor screen time, it is highly unlikely we'll ever do any characters from the Asaaj/arena scene, as cool as it was.

The Yavin Scramble sled the Rebels use to ferry gear and pilots is a really cool little vehicle to get in that upcoming battlepack. Our question then is are you planning more of these types of "big accessories" for battlepacks in the future, like maybe the Hoth trooper sled, vehicle maintenance energizer? Also do you happen to have any new photos of the items from the Yavin Battlepack to share (It really is insanely cool!)? (JD, 11/07/08) (http://www.jedidefender.com/newspro/fullnews.cgi?newsid1226379026,57577,)

     We're glad you like it. Occasionally we have produced some very collector-targeted Battle Packs and plan to occasionally do these going forward. However, as with the large majority of our Battle Packs, the focus will be kid-first and will consist primarily of repacked figures.

The Hoth E-Web/Tripod cannon is cool, but maybe due for an upgrade. It's a little big, and something new could maybe be made to fold up so the awesome new Snowtroopers we've got could carry it around to deploy it. Any chance of that anytime soon? (JD, 11/07/08) (http://www.jedidefender.com/newspro/fullnews.cgi?newsid1226379026,57577,)

     Not for 2009, but we are looking at the possibility of a new one for 2010.

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Will the Y-Wing type ships from The Clone Wars animated series show up as toys? (JI, 11/07/08) (http://jediinsider.com/index.php?catid=8&itemid=11421)

     We are hopeful that some day it will appear as a 3-3/4" vehicle. However, we are grappling with some challenges with this one so we cannot promise that it will be out any time soon.

LucasArts just announced the Old Republic MMO game. Any plans to have any toys tie-in with this game? (JI, 11/07/08) (http://jediinsider.com/index.php?catid=8&itemid=11421)

     We just learned of this ourselves, so can't say if there is a tie-in that makes sense. Given the success of the Star Wars video games, and the success we have had with figures that tie to the games, we are interested in seeing what new character opportunities the game presents.

When can we expect to see a Bespin Han Solo figure from Empire Strikes Back with VOTC type articulation made? (JI, 11/07/08) (http://jediinsider.com/index.php?catid=8&itemid=11421)

     Hopefully we'll be getting to Bespin Han in 2010.

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We've seen the new list of stickers that come with the Hasbro figure stands and we've sort of put 2 + 2 together based on previous Q&A's to reveal that the concept figures for 2009 include Anakin Skywalker.  Will these concept figures be based around the Clone Wars (i.e. the animated style) or the Prequel's (i.e. realistic) or perhaps even a mixture of both?  What other figures will we see in this line - you said that there'll be a total of 4 concept figures next year - are they all from the same period of time and will they all complement one another? (JN, 11/07/08) (http://www.jedinews.co.uk/news/news.aspx?newsID=1898)

     There will indeed be a concept Anakin figure - that much we can confirm.  All of these will be realistic figures that fit the Legacy Collection, and will be drawn from a mix of original and prequel trilogy sources.

2008 saw the majority of Star Wars products coming in the 2nd half of the year.  Obviously, you've been working hard on the Indy line as well and as you've explained that there's a limit of available factories in the far east to produce goods.  Since, it looks doubtful that the Indy line will continue (unless there's another film) does this mean that these same issues will not occur in 2009 and we'll see Star Wars product spread evenly throughout the year ahead?  Also, is it too early to tell us how many figures we can expect to see next year in the Basic (Clone Wars and Legacy) and Comic Pack lines? (JN, 11/07/08) (http://www.jedinews.co.uk/news/news.aspx?newsID=1898)

     Star Wars and Indiana Jones did not share factories.  The chief reason for the back-loaded slate of releases is because we were switching over to all new assortment numbers for this Fall, which meant that any late Spring items were cancelled and rolled into the Fall assortments (otherwise they would have been released).  The situation for 2009 should be smoother, but due to some sculpting challenges we have had, the Spring will be lighter than the Fall once again. Right now, there are about 46 figures slated for the Legacy Collection/Droid Factory in 7 different waves (one wave, the last EU wave, is slated to be January 2010 so we are not counting this one in the 2009 total even though it is very close). There will be about 34 Clone Wars basic figures.  There are slated to be 14 new Comic 2-packs next year as well.

It's been a while (at least it seems that way) since fans have had a chance to vote on which figures they'd most like to see re-released in > the Greatest Hits line or as new figures.  Many of the figures voted for previously have been re-released and some of the most requested figures have also been produced - for that we thank you - how about another fan's choice poll to see what's still wanted so the gaps can be filled?  Talking of re-releases, whilst playsets are off the radar for the moment have you considered re-releasing the cardboard Cantina and Jabba's Playset environments as they offer enormous play value for a relatively small price - maybe they could even be included in some form of Battle Pack in the future? (JN, 11/07/08) (http://www.jedinews.co.uk/news/news.aspx?newsID=1898)

     We have talked about a reprise of the 2006 Toy Fare Top 25 poll at some point, but have not had the time to adequately dive in and work on it.  We hope to get to it some day soon, and when we do, it will involve the different websites helping with the input to the voting lists. It's just a matter of having the time to be able to get everything sorted out.  Stay tuned...

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The Twilight appears to be one of the more prominent ships in THE CLONE WARS.  It was featured in the theatrical release as well as the television series.  Another Star Wars licensee has already offered a toy version of the ship at retail.  It certainly seems a bit too big for the $20 starfighter assortment.  Given the screen time and action that the Twilight has seen, is it likely to make it into a larger vehicle assortment? (JTA, 11/07/08) (http://jeditemplearchives.com/content/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=4250)

     We do not have any plans to make a 3-3/4" version of the Twilight at this time.

Looking over some responses over the course of the Q&A sessions, we took note of Hasbro confirming that there would be not one, but TWO comic 2-packs drawn from the Dark Horse limited series Jango Fett - Open Seasons.  It seems to be a given that we'll probably be getting the namesake of the series in at least one of the packs.  Can you confirm any of the other characters that we might see in the 2-packs?  Perhaps the Mandalorian Montross, or maybe even Dooku as a Jedi Master? (JTA, 11/07/08) (http://jeditemplearchives.com/content/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=4250)

     Actually, we do not have any Jango Fett: Open Seasons packs in the 2009 line plan, and do not believe we have confirmed any (please help us out if you feel we have indeed directly confirmed any).  We have admitted a desire to do some at one point since there are great characters in there in the form of interesting variations on Jango, Jaster Mereel, Montross, young Dooku, and more.  It's possible we'll get to some of these in 2010, but not before.

Several weeks ago we asked about the Clone Wars era Y-Wing and it's chances of making it into the vehicle line.  Now that the Clone Wars episode Shadow Of Malevolence has aired, and the Shadow Squadron Y-Wings have gotten some serious action along with fan acclaim, how much more likely are we to see the Y-Wing in the Clone Wars vehicle line? (JTA, 11/07/08) (http://jeditemplearchives.com/content/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=4250)

     There is a strong chance that we will be doing a Y-Wing at some point.

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In the last couple of QnA rounds you have confirmed that next year we will see a "deluxe"-type assortment for "The Clone Wars" line as a way to bring back things such as the Spider Droid, Crab Droid, Vulture Droid and Speeder Bikes. This is a move that I, and many other Army Builders from around the world, will surely support.
My question is: Would this type of assortment also see such things like the "Republic Artillery Guns" which were used during the Battle of Christophsis? And could an Assortment like this still find a place in The Legacy Collection as a way of releasing Speeder Bikes for the Clone Lancer Trooper and IG Lancer Droids, and perhaps even for Luke and Leia, and perhaps even Darth Maul's Speeder Bike? (MD, 11/07/08) (http://www.mousedroid.com/hasbro/hasbro16.html)

     Many of the things you mention will not be released in the new deluxe-type assortment because they do not relate to the new Clone Wars series, which is what this new format will be 100% dedicated to. We have a limited ability to add new segments to the Star Wars line, and if we added something like this for the Legacy Collection, it would mean that something else would have to go away, and we do not feel it would be the best addition for the Legacy line. Incidentally, the Clone cannon from Battle of Christophsis are way to big for this price point, let alone the Starfighter Vehicle Assortment, so we do not have plans to do them, at least for now.

Way back in 1999/2000 as part of the Episode 1 line you released a "Fambaa with Shield Generator and Gungan Warrior". What are the chances of this being re-released in the Battle Pack format? And would you consider creating the other half of the Shield Generator? The previously released set contains the second half of the Shield Generator which emits the shield over the army. The first half is a longer more cannon like device which shoots a beam of energy into the emitter. This would be a nice addition for those of us who already have the original release. (MD, 11/07/08) (http://www.mousedroid.com/hasbro/hasbro16.html)

     That's a very interesting question and one we'll look at as a possibility for farther down the road. We will not be releasing any of the big Episode I sets any time soon, as we are still a few years away from there being a big upswell in Episode I collecting interest. When that time comes, we'll be looking at new as well as re-release opportunities.

Over the years you have given us a variety of "Pack-Ins" with our figures including Slides, Coins, CommTech Chips, Force Files and little Holo figures to name a few. But the stand out "Pack-Ins" seem to be the stands and now the "Build-A-Droid" pieces. Both of these offer us collectors something functional: Stands allow us to display our figures a little like trophies, and the new Build-A-Droid concept allows us to expand our collections with figures that we would probably never get. My question is: Do you see the Build-A-Droid continuing beyond 2009 - if only for another year or two? Or what other pack-ins can we expect? (MD, 11/07/08) (http://www.mousedroid.com/hasbro/hasbro16.html)

     We like it a lot too and plan for this cool mechanic to have a very long life. As of now, the Droid Factory mechanic will continue in basic figures through at least Spring of 2010. After that, it may continue to show up in other formats (such as multi-packs or exclusives) even if it is not in the basic figure lineup.


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We've started to see what appears to be figures from the Empire Strikes Back wave (seemingly slated for early 2009) start to show on retail websites (such as Walmart.com) - can you fill in the blanks on the wave and/or share pictures. It's been a while since we've seen much of anything new directly from you, and instead of letting some other outlet get the jump on you (like Previews did on the upcoming comic packs), perhaps you'd consider showing us this upcoming wave? At minimum can you tell us who the sixth figure is beyond Luke and Leia from the Medical Frigate, the Hoth Rebel Soldier, Captain Needa and the Ugnaught (grumble - at least tell us that there's something coming with the little guy to fill up the bubble a little further!). Time to get rolling on more early 2009 information don't you think? (RS, 11/07/08) (http://www.rebelscum.com/story/front/Hasbros_63rd_STAR_WARS_QA_The_Answers_118724.asp)

     You have sussed out the entire wave, with two exceptions. The last figure from the wave is a refresh of the Evolution Emperor, with a great new head. The Droid Factory figure is going to be a hot one - the EU favorite HK-47. How's that for some more information? As for photos, we aren't ready to release any photos of this wave yet, but they should be available soon.

Any chance of seeing a redo on the Titanium series Executor? Preferably one that is very detailed and does not have an Imperial Star Destroyer attached to it. (RS, 11/07/08) (http://www.rebelscum.com/story/front/Hasbros_63rd_STAR_WARS_QA_The_Answers_118724.asp)

     We do not have plans to redo this one.

In a recent Q&A you confirmed that a super-articulated Republic Commando figure was coming in a spring 2009 Evolutions pack. Will this figure be a generic white-armored commando, a commando from Omega or Delta Squad (if so, which character?), or a commando of Hasbro's own creation? We Republic Commando fans need something to tide us over for the next few months! (RS, 11/07/08) (http://www.rebelscum.com/story/front/Hasbros_63rd_STAR_WARS_QA_The_Answers_118724.asp)

     It will actually be one we have not done before - Fi, aka RC-8015, who was associated with Omega Squad. Sweet!

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RTM

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Recently, you confirmed that in the '09 Legacy line, there will be an EU wave; separately, you have said that there won't be more TFU figures in '09 beyond Shaak Ti, no KOTOR possible before 2010, no more Clone Wars micro-series figures, and no realistic figures from the new Clone Wars series. With all those EU sources out of the way, and the comic characters getting tons of coverage in the Comic Packs line, does that mean the '09 EU wave will finally show some love for characters from the novels? (Editor's note - for reference, here are all of the remaining yet-to-be-made winners of that poll: Bastila Shan,  Padme Amidala Funeral, Corran Horn, Exar Kun, Nom Anor, Jaina Solo, Anakin Solo, and Jacen Solo. -JT) (SSG, 11/07/08) (http://www.sirstevesguide.com/index.php?categoryid=13&p2_articleid=1553)

     Excellent detective work. Yes indeed, there will be a couple figures from novels in there, including two from the famous 2006 Toy Fare top 25 poll.

(SSG Editor's note - for reference, here are all of the remaining yet-to-be-made winners of that poll: Bastila Shan,  Padme Amidala Funeral, Corran Horn, Exar Kun, Nom Anor, Jaina Solo, Anakin Solo, and Jacen Solo. -JT)

Some collectors have expressed disappointment in the Disturbance at the Lars Homestead set. The example shown in the slideshow at Comic-Con featured much a nicer deco, and while we understand that prototypes usually have more care than production pieces, it seems like this particular production version suffered a severe backslide in quality, the deco just doesn't hold up. It's hard for collectors to understand how a $50 set is only 2 new pieces (the womp rat and the house section), a vacuform base, and 4 older pieces (the 3 figures and the moisture vaporator), and then how it could end up losing significant quality at that pricepoint. We understand the tooling for the house was an extensive portion of the budget, and we appreciate the great effort made to get this made, but collectors keep asking us to ask: what happened here, what went wrong to drag that quality down? And that leads to: why was this set produced now when it couldn't find all the budget for a better deco, more troopers, a treadwell droid, more accessories, etc.? (SSG, 11/07/08) (http://www.sirstevesguide.com/index.php?categoryid=13&p2_articleid=1553)

     We knew from the outset that this set would be narrowly collector-targeted, but because of the prominent and iconic nature of the homestead we decided to go ahead with it. As a result, the overall costs to develop (including tooling) are reflected against a somewhat more narrow volume than that which is reflected in the eventual price. There was just no other way to bring this one out. Originally the Homestead set was to have more troopers and another womp rat, but these had to be removed to contain the costs. As for the deco, the original deco was deemed to be too heavy for the piece and it was pulled back.

Back in April, you said you should have for us at Comic Con a peek at the upcoming Comic Packs Lumiya figure, but with Comic Con come and gone, we still have not seen Lumiya. Is it possible we could see this figure now, and if not, why not? (SSG, 11/07/08) (http://www.sirstevesguide.com/index.php?categoryid=13&p2_articleid=1553)

     Due to sculpting delays, the wave with Lumiya will not be out until the middle of next year. As such, we do not a have a picture of her ready yet.

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On the new animated series Obi-Wan figure, you have added a ball joint at the shoulder that is covered up and solid, and it looks a lot more aesthetically pleasing than previous figures that had the connector showing. Was this a test run of this new type of joint, and will you be adding it to other figures going forward? I'd love to see it put in place as a standard on all figures with ball jointed shoulders, and hopefully ball jointed shoulders will become the standard. (ST, 11/07/08) (http://www.sandtroopers.com/smf/index.php?topic=5183.msg217730#msg217730)

     We have migrated the size of the shoulder joint down somewhat over all the figure lines, but it's still a case-by-case basis and it does come with a range limitation when we do it.  The Obi-Wan figure is an example where the joint is inset into more of a pocket since Obi-Wan's tunic and shoulder pads project out somewhat.  On, say, the animated Clone Trooper, the joint is more visible but that's because it is less inset, allowing for a greater range of movement (including the ability to bring hands together in front of the body.  So while we do make progress overall in continual refinement of the aesthetics, it is always with an eye toward individual functionality.

I have heard rumors of a Bespin Han Solo in the Vintage packaging line coming this year or the next. Is this true? Will he be a new sculpt or one based on the same anorexicly thin body/small head that's been used to make the vintage Endor, Bespin Torture, and sandstorm Han? (ST, 11/07/08) (http://www.sandtroopers.com/smf/index.php?topic=5183.msg217730#msg217730)

     What you have heard is false.  There is no Bespin Han in the works for this year or next (most likely in 2010).  In addition, we have gone on record as saying that the Vintage line is not coming back in 2009, but we are looking at ways to get it back out after that.
 
The move to a build-a-figure format is encouraging, a proven formula it showed with the Marvel line. Do you plan on expanding this idea in the future? Maybe a build-a-weapon, build-a-Sith, or build-a-Jedi figure? Maybe you can incorporate this with your vehicle line and make a build-a-death star. (ST, 11/07/08) (http://www.sandtroopers.com/smf/index.php?topic=5183.msg217730#msg217730)

     We do not have plans to expand this beyond droids. We will not be expanding the concept to flesh-and-blood figures as that doesn't fit the direction of Star Wars, as we treat characters as whole entities rather than pieces.  The exception is droids of course, where by their very nature they can be disassembled.  The Death Star would require an insane number of pieces, and would require too many purchases over too long a period of time to be tenable.  We have no plans to go there.

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When will we get a new Palpatine? I know there is a new comic pack clone Emperor coming, but it's been a long time since a brand new movie accurate Palpatine figure has been released. Today, virtually all Palpatine figures are in need of an update. The only Episode I version is nearly a decade old, there was only one Episode II version ever made, the Episode III red-robed Jedi duel version is really lacking in articulation, several other Episode III versions have never been done, and a new Episode VI version that can sit on his throne is long overdue. Can we expect at least one or more new Palpatine figures in the near future, and if so, could you fill us in on which movie(s) it might be from? (ST/"TJ", 11/07/08) (http://www.sandtroopers.com/smf/index.php?topic=8437.msg217763#msg217763)

     We hear you.  It may take a little while, but we eventually plan to introduce several new Palpatines over the next couple of years. The first one up will be a new EpV version that will be due out early next year, with a new head sculpt on the Evolutions body.  Following that, we have the long-awaited hologram Emperor on mechano chair slated for later next year.  After that, our hope is that we can attack a couple more great versions over the next couple of years, including Senate Duel which is our #1 next "wish list" figure.  Stay tuned!
 
What are the chances for seeing in 3-3/4" plastic, some of the unique clone pilots (ie matchstick and others with unique paint jobs) from shadow squadron that piloted the y-wing bombers against the Malevolence with Anakin in the clone wars series? (ST/"TJ", 11/07/08) (http://www.sandtroopers.com/smf/index.php?topic=8437.msg217763#msg217763)

     There is a strong chance at least one of them, if not more, will be out next year.
 
You've upgraded the Titanium X-Wing recently with an all-new mold with movable wings, I was wondering if Hasbro would also look at doing the same for the Y-Wing? It'd be nice to first have the engines/wings be actual hollow interiors rather than black-painted simulated hollowing and a slightly larger body than the existing Y-Wing mold to allow for more detail in the sculpt. (ST/"TJ", 11/07/08) (http://www.sandtroopers.com/smf/index.php?topic=8437.msg217763#msg217763)

     Interesting idea, but it's not in our long-term plans.

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I'm a long time Star Wars fan that has been pleasantly surprised and impressed by what I've seen so far of The Clone Wars series, in particular the Malevolence story line. Now, how long am I going to have to wait before I can buy the pilots and colorful astromech droids of Shadow Squadron? (SWC, 11/07/08) (http://www.swcollector.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=57&t=1305)

     Some of the pilots will be out next year. No word on whether there will be additional astromech repaints, but that's a very interesting suggestion.

Will all four of the upcoming concept art-based figures for 2009 be from the Prequel Trilogy, or will we see a mix of PT and OT? (SWC, 11/07/08) (http://www.swcollector.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=57&t=1305)

     There will be a mix of original and prequel trilogy.

Just about all of the Yoda figures from the Prequels have had an action feature of some kind. Any chance for a more articulated, non-action feature Yoda along the line somewhere? (SWC, 11/07/08) (http://www.swcollector.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=57&t=1305)

     Interesting question. We are planning a new prequel Yoda in 2010 that should meet your interests.

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TNI

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TPU

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Are there new Greatest Hits ("GH" designated) repack figures planned for the TLC line in '08/'09? Most case revisions from here on out don't specify any further offerings. If so, what are they and when should we expect them? If not, why? (YF, 11/07/08) (http://www.yakfaceforums.com/viewtopic.php?p=54287)

     Yes, there will be approximately a dozen Greatest Hits figures in the 2009 lineup. It's too early to reveal them all, but for the most part they will be drawn from various multi-packs and select basic figure releases from the past couple of years.

During the 30th Anniversary collection, you had a designated "EU" wave with figures like Darth Revan and Darth Malak. Are there plans on the horizon for a similarly themed basic carded wave in 2009 or are Comic Packs, Battle Packs and Evolutions sets to be our sources for most EU material figures? (YF, 11/07/08) (http://www.yakfaceforums.com/viewtopic.php?p=54287)

     There was an EU-themed wave slated as the very last wave of 2009, but now it has slipped a bit and we anticipate that it will be on-shelf in January 2010 at this point. This wave will include the previously announced The Force Unleashed Shaak Ti as well as K'kruhk and a few other major figures drawn from other EU sources.

Can you give us a preview of what the new Clone Wars Jedi Starfighter looks like when separated into its 2 vehicle mode? Also regarding the new JSF, will the hyperspace ring from the TAC release interface with this new design? If so, will we get a hyperspace ring optioned JSF say for Anakin or future releases since it has been featured in the CW series right out of the gate? (YF, 11/07/08) (http://www.yakfaceforums.com/viewtopic.php?p=54287)

     The Hyperspace ring will indeed be compatible with the new Jedi Starfighter. Right now, we are looking for a retail partner for a future version of this ship released with the right. It may not be Anakin as his ship is most likely to be in the mainline Starfighter vehicle assortment, but we could do additional Jedi Starfighters in this manner with the right retail partner.

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With a renewed focus on Jabba-themed items and higher-ticket items (or a combination such as the forthcoming exclusive Sarlacc and Skiff), what is the likelihood that collectors will see either a full or partial Jabba's Sail Barge vehicle/playset in the coming year or two? If it's not currently on the drawing board, what factors would sway you toward developing and releasing one. (YN, 11/07/08) (http://yodasnews.com/)

     While we have discussed it, there is very little chance we would ever release this one simply because it has too many strikes against it. It is not a vehicle that kids would "vote" for, given a choice between a Sail Barge and more aggressive vehicles, it would take a massive development and tooling effort, and it simply is not iconic enough to command what would be a whopping price point. If we continue the big vehicle program, there is a long list of others we would consider before a Sail Barge.

Previous collection lines have run for approximately a year (Saga Collection, Original Trilogy Collection, etc.), so what is the projected lifespan of Legacy Collection and Clone Wars? Will those two merge into a single unified line when the live-action show's merchandising appears on the market? (YN, 11/07/08) (http://yodasnews.com/)

     There will be a new "line look" starting next Fall, but the three basic figures lines as we know them will remain in place at least through Spring 2010. Legacy and Clone Wars will never merge into a single basic figure SKU due to the different audiences and composition of those lines. We don't know anything about live action yet, so we don't know how we're going to handle it. It might be it's own line entirely....we just don't know yet.

When determining the success or failure of a product line, what is the most important source of feedback for Hasbro (aside from sales numbers) and what is the least important? (YN, 11/07/08) (http://yodasnews.com/)

     Sales numbers tell us only that a line did not meet our expectations, not *why*. It's important to understand the why. When a toy or line fails, it could mean that: our original estimates of the market size were off; the consumer insights upon which we built the premise of the toy were unsound; the product did not deliver ultimately on the original promise; or some other unanticipated factor. So to understand why a line fails means digging into the specific especially as it pertains to learning from our mistakes with an eye toward the future.
Title: Re: The Hasbro Q & A Compendium
Post by: Matt on December 11, 2008, 03:25 PM
Session 63 - December 5, 2008

As seen on the very same store shelves that we find our beloved SW figures there are all these really cool G.I.Joe battle packs that often come with 5 themed Joe or Cobra figures - basically troop building packs such as a cobra officer with four differently armed troopers. How cool would it be to get say a squad of stormtroopers with an imperial officer, an entire squad of sandtroopers with different colored pauldrons, or even a squad of rebel fleet troopers with an officer to lead them? Rebel troopers, stormtroopers, snowtroopers, bikerscouts, x-wing pilots, y-wing pilots, hoth troopers, endor rebel troopers…the possibilities are endless! So if it can be done for Joe then why not for the SW line? And how about some OT packs (we have plenty of clones)? (BS, 12/5/08) (http://banthaskull.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1941)

     We *have* made a significant number of Clone or Troop-focused Battle Packs over the years (with a couple of Clone Wars-focused ones coming out as we speak at Target). We will continue to look at these themes for periodic packs, but won't shift the primary focus of the line from highly kid-centric packs featuring figures to round out a battle.

Why are so much Legacy Wave 1 and Animated Wave 1 figures still shipping, and such a small amount of Legacy Waves 3 and 4 showing up? (BS, 12/5/08) (http://banthaskull.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1941)

     Legacy Wave 1 figures should *not* have been shipping for some time, unless what you are seeing are stock that has been in retail distribution centers for some time which might be the case As for Animated Clone Wars basic figures, we are re-releasing many of the figures from the first
waves but this is "invisible" to you at retail since the card backs do not change (unlike with the Legacy/Droid Factory cards).


I know this has been asked frequently last year but it appears through my very non-scientific research that new Legacy figures are selling like hotcakes while Clone Wars and Legends seem to move slower but ship more often. I can point to at least 2 Targets in my area that overstock Legends but under stock Legacy. Is this actually the case and if so, why? And what line is moving the fastest? (BS, 12/5/08) (http://banthaskull.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1941)

     All of the basic figure lines (Legacy/Droid Factory, Clone Wars, and Saga Legends) have been extremely well-received since we launched the new look on 7/26/08. Of the three, the most popular has been the new Clone Wars line, no surprise since the series is breaking viewership records on Cartoon Network in the U.S. and looks to enthrall a new generation of Star Wars fans around the world in similar fashion.

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We’ve had the two Elite Forces of the Republic sets, the Fett Legacy Evolutions set, the comic two-packs with Fenn Shysa and Tobbi Dala, Jodo Kast hitting the pegs, and several different versions of Jango and Boba besides. The fans, we love us some Mandalorians, you betcha. Novels, comics, video games, it doesn’t matter; it’s all good. Any plans to further slake our thirst for more Expanded Universe Mando’ade action figures? Say, some Knights of the Old Republic video game and comic book Mandos, or a Kal Skirata & Walon Vau 2-Pack, perchance . . . ? (CC, 12/5/08) (http://creaturecantina.com/news_stories/2008/1210/hasbro-qna.html)

     There won't be many Mando-inspired figures in the 2009 lineup, but the theme will return in 2010 with some more fairly well-known Mandos appearing for the first time, primarily in the comic pack lineup.

I know you’ve probably been asked this before, but are there any plans of releasing an updated Imperial Troop Transport from the old Vintage line? I mean, it was essentially the first piece of EU material. Hell, I’m sure Target or TRU would snatch it up for an exclusive. I’d settle just for a new, improved sculpt and minor electronics (and if you’re being really generous, a pack-in VOTC Stromie). (CC, 12/5/08) (http://creaturecantina.com/news_stories/2008/1210/hasbro-qna.html)

     This does indeed seem to be a popular question. Our point of view on this one is that there are many great "on-screen" vehicles that we have yet to do, or do in a definitive upgraded way, that we do not have plans to go the EU route for our larger vehicles. It is an interesting vehicle that "matches" some of the Rebel transport vehicles seen in Yavin and in Echo Base (the former of which is coming soon, the latter which we hope to get to eventually). So we would not rule out that we would to it some day, but it is very low on our priority list.

Does Hasbro plan to keep doing the release guide like they did this past summer? It is REALLY helpful to have everything that is coming out (from 3.75” figures to vehicles to Mighty Muggs to Galactic Heroes to store exclusives) in one place so you know what is coming out, roughly when they are coming out, and how to budget accordingly. (CC, 12/5/08) (http://creaturecantina.com/news_stories/2008/1210/hasbro-qna.html)

     We have just been extremely busy of late tackling some issues, but we do hope to get to another one soon. Stay tuned....

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With the confirmation of 2X-7KPR - the last unmade droid from the sale of the droids scene - being released in '09 as another Jawa/droid 2-pack, how will this set be released? This is an ANH scene, you've confirmed that ESB will be the only source getting 2 waves in '09, and the '09 ANH wave already has a different Jawa/droid 2-pack, so where will Jawa/2X-7KPR fit into the overall? Will this be a running change repacked into another wave, or has a second ANH wave been slotted - and if the latter, what other figures will be in that 2nd ANH wave? (CS, 12/5/08) (http://www.collectionstation.com/groups/view/Star-Wars/Official-Hasbro-Q-A-1252008_35)

     The EpIV wave that is coming in Janurary, which included the Jawa/WED droid combo, is not tecnnically considered a 2009 wave but one that was pushed out to the very end of 2008. So it does not count against the wave lineup for 2009, and there will be an EpIV wave slotted into the lineup for next Fall that will have this guy in it.


In the past year, we've seen a lot of figures from the POTF2-era Expanded Universe line getting revisited one way or another. The Darktrooper was rereleased as a Fans Choice figure, while Mara Jade got an all-new sculpt in the Comics Packs line, and in that line we're also about to get an all-new Grand Admiral Thrawn, Dark Empire Clone Palpatine, DE Luke, and a new Kyle Katarn. That leaves just Dark Empire Leia, the Heir to the Empire Spacetrooper, and the Imperial Sentinel left to be done, will any of them be either reissued or resculpted any time soon to join their EU brethren? Was it a conscious choice to get all those other POTF2 EU figures rereleased, or just happenstance? (CS, 12/5/08) (http://www.collectionstation.com/groups/view/Star-Wars/Official-Hasbro-Q-A-1252008_35)

     It is no surprise that these figures are in the modern lineup, since their stories are still some of the most beloved of the EU expansion that helped relaunch Star Wars into stratospheric popularity in the early and mid-1990s. We did not make a conscious choice to redo all the PotF2-era EU figures, and two of the three that you mention still have not been slotted into the lineup to be updated. Given the comic pack format or occasional EU wave, we would not be surprised if we eventually get to them someday.

Will Hasbro be modifying the existing or making a new Hyperspace Ring for the ROTS Eta-2 Jedi Starfighter? Will the existing Hyperspace Ring ever be sold by itself in other colors to go with existing Jedi Starfighters? With the Ring being featured in episodes of The Clone Wars for Plo Koon's and Anakin's Jedi Starfighters, and your confirmation that Hasbro's Clone Wars Jedi Starfighter will fit the existing Ring, will you be selling Anakin's and/or Plo's starfighters with their Hyperspace Rings as boxed sets to get the full product into kid and collector hands, taking advantage of the show's current momentum rather than waiting to double-dip down the road when interest has waned, a la the Ep 2 Obi-Wan Jedi Starfighter with Hyperspace Ring? (CS, 12/5/08) (http://www.collectionstation.com/groups/view/Star-Wars/Official-Hasbro-Q-A-1252008_35)

     We have no plans right now to refit the ring to fit the EpIII (Eta-2) Starfighter. Instead, we are looking for additional ways to bring it out to retail with the Clone Wars Starfighters. Given the size, the most likely route is as an exclusive as was produced before with a combination of ship and ring. Selling it by itself, without a Starfighter, is probably not an option as we do not feel confident that it would succeed on its own as an accessory.

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Will the Temple of Doom wave featuring Mola Ram still make it to mass-market retail (i.e. Wal-Mart, Target, etc, not counting the smaller retailers like Meijers)? (CTR, 12/5/08) (http://www.cooltoyreview.com/story/front/Hasbros_INDIANA_JONES_QA_The_Answers_119109.asp)

     It's not certain at this point that this wave will make it to Target and Wal-Mart before the end of the year, and your best option might be seeking it out online at this point.

You stated that any toys that you had in the works (and are now shelved) would likely be released if a movie were to be made. What figures have made it far enough into production that they would likely be released (ie: we have had confirmation of ROTLA2, Club Obi-Wan wave, Ark Ghost, German Wing, Sidecar, Minecart, Tank...) (CTR, 12/5/08) (http://www.cooltoyreview.com/story/front/Hasbros_INDIANA_JONES_QA_The_Answers_119109.asp)

     The only wave for which tooling was completed was the RotLA wave. The others progressed significantly in development but were not tooled. The exception is the Tank, which was never in development.

Regarding the 5th wave...how far along in the production process did the figures actually get? Would it be possible to re-use the existing tools for other lines? Toht was already used for the Cobra Commander exclusive figure from SDCC, but there are other characters from G.I.Joe (and now possibly even the Marvel Universe line) that could re-use the same body. The Indy-in-German disguise figure could be used for other German Soldier figures (perhaps fighting Captain America), parts of the German Mechanic could double for several other superhero (or villain) figures...so at least you could still get some use from them. (Although I am hard-pressed to find another use for Marion...I'm sure there is one!) (CTR, 12/5/08) (http://www.cooltoyreview.com/story/front/Hasbros_INDIANA_JONES_QA_The_Answers_119109.asp)

     The second Raiders wave was tooled, but never progressed beyond that (through engineering check stages, deco, etc). It's highly unlikely other lines could make use of the tools, since the articulation is very different from the aesthetics that GI Joe and Marvel are striving for. If those designers find them of value for their efforts, they are welcome to look at them.

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Since you recently revealed that Wal-Mart is getting a second wave of Droid Factory 2-Packs in 2009, can you also tell us if Target is getting a third wave of Order 66 2-Packs, or have we seen the last of that sub-line? (GH, 12/5/08) (http://www.galactichunter.com/absolutenm/templates/full_article_template_1.asp?articleid=7709&zoneid=2)

     The Order 66 series is over, at least for now.  It is possible that it will return at some future time.  Instead, Target will have another 2-pack exclusive assortment scheduled for late Spring.

Has there been any further discussion about making select characters from The Clone Wars series into "realistic style"? The Plo Koon just released uses a realistic head with The Clones Wars animation style body, so he's a bit of a hybrid. (Just not the kind we all wanted to drive this past summer!) It's not as if Rotta The Hutt can be made realistic, but other characters (especially some of the unique-to-the-series Clone Troopers) would be welcome additions. (GH, 12/5/08) (http://www.galactichunter.com/absolutenm/templates/full_article_template_1.asp?articleid=7709&zoneid=2)

     Our stance has not changed - we have no plans to bring the animated Clone Wars figures into the "realistic" Legacy line (or vice-versa).

(You may need to pull Mark Boudreaux [Endor Rebel Trooper] out of his toy-packed office for this one.) Back in the waning Kenner period, a cargo loader style mini-ship was conceptualized to fit between the mandibles at the front of the Millennium Falcon. Knowing that it wouldn't take much to whip up a mini-ship and some other cargo-goodies, would this be something that could come out of the (conceptual) mothballs and into the cargo bay? Bonus points if it came in a Battle Pack with the 1999 Pit Droids (not the Fan's Choice) a Pilot Droid, and maybe some of Jabba's Thugs waiting to ambush Han Solo mah-boogie and Chewbacca. (Those of us who didn't wait for the holidays for our BMF's are happy to keep adding new, cool things to it/them.) (GH, 12/5/08) (http://www.galactichunter.com/absolutenm/templates/full_article_template_1.asp?articleid=7709&zoneid=2)

     That’s an interesting idea, but much farther down on the list of things we'd like to do with our tooling resources.

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Just to clear up some confusion, can you confirm the order of the waves next year? We’re pretty sure 2009 (or maybe late 2008) starts with the 8 figures from ANH, then comes the 6-figure ESB themed Wave 2, followed by the 6-figure RotJ themed Wave 3? Is that right? (HH, 12/5/08) (http://hanshideout.blogspot.com/2008/12/hasbro-star-wars-q-session-4.html)

     To clarify, the 2009 basic figure order looks like this: Spring consists of EpIV (8 figures), EpV (6 figures), EpII (6 figures), and EpVI (8 figures). Fall will see four waves: EpIV (8 figures), EpI (6 figures), EpIII (6 figures), and EpV (6 figures) for a total of 54 figures. A 9th wave, the EU wave (6 figures), has slipped to be on-shelf right now around late Dec/early Jan so we are not counting that in the 2009 count, unless we are able to bring that one back in.

The 2009 RotJ Wave. You've confimed a new Leia of some sort (Slave Girl perhaps), Palace Guard Wooof, an Ewok, and a new Malakili. How about a hint at the other two figures in the wave - will we be running around with one of the figures from that wave yelling, "It's a trap!" Or will one of the new figures want to take our AT-STs out for a drive? (HH, 12/5/08) (http://hanshideout.blogspot.com/2008/12/hasbro-star-wars-q-session-4.html)
 
     We will not be revealing any more specific characters from the EpVI wave right now - look for a full preview in an upcoming issue of Star Wars Insider. One note - it turns out that we will not be doing Wooof after all, and instead have made sure he's in the 2010 lineup. In his place is another Nikto guard.

Not really a question, just something I wanted to point out to you guys. If you key up the Pod Race scene in The Phantom Menace, hit pause, and look reeeeeeally close, I'm 100% positive that you'll find a spectator in that crowd named "Ar'nold T'o'ht". He’s easy to spot, he's the one whose face is melting... oh, and he's also in the Cantina, yeah that's the ticket. He's standing right behind Muftak... and he's also standing behind Ephant Mon in Jabba's Palace (he gets around). [Does that help his chances at sneaking into the Star Wars line?] (HH, 12/5/08) (http://hanshideout.blogspot.com/2008/12/hasbro-star-wars-q-session-4.html)

     Good try, but Toht will remain in the IJ holding pattern.

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I know we just got a holographic vader with the saga2 line, which I bought and loved. Still, I was wondering if we could get a holographic vader that was superarticulated or at least in the pose (hands on hips)  he is in when he is demanding a report on the Shield Generator during the Battle of Hoth from The Empire Strikes Back?  Would there also be any chance we could get this same pose in the Ulimate Unleashed Battle Pack format? (IS, 12/5/08) (http://www.imperialshipyards.net/SMF/index.php?topic=192.msg5439#msg5439)

     Right now, we don't have plans to offer another holo version of Vader.  If we do release another one, your suggestion of making it a more articulated version to recreate certain scenes makes a lot of sense.  As for a light-up base to highlight holo figures, we have looked at this but feel that the audience for this is very limited.  We'll continue to look at possibilities, though.  Finally, regarding the Unleashed 2" figures, we plan to stick with pretty Clone Wars for this line with one important OTC addition - a Bounty Hunters pack coming in early 2009.

Can we ever expect to see figures of the Gossam Commando and Koorivar Fusilier? (IS, 12/5/08) (http://www.imperialshipyards.net/SMF/index.php?topic=192.msg5439#msg5439)

     No plans for either of these.  Regarding the Gossam Commandos, their primariy appearance (In StarWars.com webstrips) has not been reprinted so we could not do them as a comic pack.  As for the Koorivar soldiers, we will not be pursuing any additional background figures from the Clone Wars Microseries, with one exception.

Will the General Whorm Loathsom figure you confirmed for us be coming with his assistant bunny droid? (IS, 12/5/08) (http://www.imperialshipyards.net/SMF/index.php?topic=192.msg5439#msg5439)

     Loathsom is a large figure himself who comes with some additional accessories, so we were not able to get the assistant droid in there.  Maybe someday, in another form, we'll get to the droid.

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IJC

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Aliens, aliens, aliens! It's always questions about aliens, but what I want to know is are you considering many humans from the Cantina, Jabba's Palace, or Mos Eisley? What about Garrouf Lafoe from the Cantina? What about Jabba's Goons from the Special Edition Falcon scenes? What about the guy that shoots Luke's hand on the Sailbarge? Any chance we'll get some human thugs and goons too? (JD, 12/5/08) (http://jedidefender.com/newspro/fullnews.cgi?newsid1228713951,60567,)

     We do admit a fascination with aliens that makes the Star Wars galaxy seem so interesting and far, far away. Your point is certainly a great one as there are some strong humans in and amongst the aliens, and we'll consider them for future possibilities when we draw up Cantina or Jabba's Palace waves.

We've gotten a TON of Sandtroopers lately, and they are great. The only question I have then is, when will we get new versions of Sandtrooper weapons? The double-barreled MG-type weapon Sandtroopers are seen carrying in a couple scenes, would be greatly appreciated. A new MG-34 type gun would also be great I think! (JD, 12/5/08) (http://jedidefender.com/newspro/fullnews.cgi?newsid1228713951,60567,)

     Great suggestions, and we'll look at it for the next time we're crafting Sandtrooper plans. Thanks.

You really seem to have a hit with the "Build-a-Droid" concept... It gives collectors a goal to attain the parts to create the droid, and it arguably gives you an "extra figure" at the end of the day. Will BAD then continue past the Legacy Collection or a future package change, or would you consider shelving the droid parts as pack-ins and going back to stands or some such? I collected the coins, and find stands useful, but I consider the BAD parts actually of some value to my collection whereas the other things I really don't care one way or another about. Basically we're just saying give us droid parts, please. (JD, 12/5/08) (http://jedidefender.com/newspro/fullnews.cgi?newsid1228713951,60567,)

     The Droid Factory concept does seem to be a hit, and we will be running it for two years in the Legacy basic figure SKU, along with some key exclusives (such as a sequel to the Wal-Mart exclusive Droid Factory 2-packs lined up for next year). After that, it's too early to say, but we hope to keep it around every now and again with some sets focused on the concept.

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I just recently watched the Clone Wars episode "Rookies" and was introduced to the new Droid Commandos, I was just wondering if there was the possibility of a Droid Commando figure? I would just like to know, so I have something to look forward to. (JI, 12/5/08) (http://jediinsider.com/index.php?catid=8&itemid=11446)

     Yes indeed, you can look forward to a Droid Commando in the Clone Wars figure line-up next year.

Can you tell us if the sales of recent large vehicles like the AT-TE and BMF Falcon have been decent enough to warrant more large-scale vehicles and or playsets in the foreseeable future? (JI, 12/5/08) (http://jediinsider.com/index.php?catid=8&itemid=11446)

     We have no plans for adding playsets to the line. It's too early to discuss the future of any Star Wars large-scale vehicle, as we still have a long way to go this holiday season. If we do make another announcement on vehicles, it would not be before Toy Fair 2009.

I heard that there are a few new Transformers/Star Wars Crossovers coming:  Clone Trooper to AT-TE, Clone Pilot to V-19, Clone Trooper to V-Wing.  Is this true?  (JI, 12/5/08) (http://jediinsider.com/index.php?catid=8&itemid=11446)

     We can confirm that all three of those versions are scheduled to hit shelves in the next couple of months (if they haven't been spotted already). Editor's note: These questions were sent in several weeks ago before we had posted news and images (http://jediinsider.com/index.php?catid=8&itemid=11431) confirming these.

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Gentle Giant and others have taken their respective animated lines across the whole Star Wars Saga (PT, OT and EU).  With the new animated Clone Wars line in place do you have any plans to release characters from the OT and/or EU to match this format or will you only do this if they appear in the Clone Wars series? (JN, 12/5/08) (http://jedinews.co.uk/news/news.aspx?newsID=1985)

     We do not have plans to take classic characters into the animated format (or vice-versa) at this time.  This would no doubt be appealling to a sub-segment of collectors who appreciate the novelty of the expression, but this would tie up valuable figure slots that would otherwise be dedicated to new Legacy and Clone Wars figures.

What's happening with the FX Lightsabres... can you tell us which new FX Lightsabres we'll be seeing in the near future and do you have any pictures you can share with us at this stage?  Will we see the new FX Lightsabres in the UK? (JN, 12/5/08) (http://jedinews.co.uk/news/news.aspx?newsID=1985)

     The FX business has been off to a slower start than we expected due to initial production delays, but that should be behind us now.  We expect that the lightsabers will be available in the UK as soon as retailers place orders for them - expected to be in Spring 2009.  New ones in development include EpI Obi-Wan, and Count Dooku.  We need to make sure that we are in full distribution with the original contingent first, and then we can look at getting the new ones into the mix sometime (hopefully) mid-2009.

With the 30th Anniversary of the Holiday Special being celebrated by TOPPS and others it seems that Lucasfilm are allowing its partners to delve into an area us fans thought was totally off limits.  With this change of heart do you think we'll see any more figures from the Holiday Special - a Chewbacca Family Pack would be fun? (JN, 12/5/08) (http://jedinews.co.uk/news/news.aspx?newsID=1985)

     The Topps cards were promotional cards only (not mass merchandised) produced only against the animated sequence the Special.  It doesn't signal a change in positioning for the live action parts.  It's something we priodically discuss with Lucasfilm, because Wookieees remain one of those special species that really strike a chord with fans, but we don't believe the stance will change.

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We were somewhat surprised to hear that there are more concept art figures on the way in the 2009 Legacy Collection.  The answers from the Q&A sessions seem to indicate that there won't be any McQuarrie designs in the lot.  That seems to almost completely rule out much of the OT with the exception of artist Joe Johnston, who ironically is represented with the new Space Trooper.  But what about the PT concept artists?  Which artist's designs can we expect to see?  Can we expect to see some of the more iconic designs like the Sith Witch that was designed for EPISODE I? (JTA, 12/5/08) (http://www.jeditemplearchives.com/content/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=4318/#details)

     We actually have to ask for clemency on our previous answer for the concept figures, as there was a change....there will indeed be one McQuarrie figure after all.  In addition, there is one Johnston figure, one Jun, and one Thompson.

Back in a May 2008 Q&A session with The Jawa it was mentioned that a VISIONARIES comic 2-pack would be on the way in 2009.  Can you confirm the figure lineup for this pack?  Will it feature the iconic final confrontation between Obi-Wan and cyborg Darth Maul? (JTA, 12/5/08) (http://www.jeditemplearchives.com/content/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=4318/#details)

     We now have more information on the timing of this set. Due to a crowded Fall 2009 comic pack schedule, this pack has now been slotted in with the first wave of 2010 which should be on shelf approximately January/February.  Since it is still so far off, we don't want to confirm the figures in the pack except to say that your guess on one of the characters is incorrect.

In the most recent Q&A session, it was confirmed that there would be not just one, but TWO waves worth of figures representing THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK in the 2009 Legacy Collection.  We were pleasantly surprised to see the lineup for the first EMPIRE wave.  Can we expect a new Han Solo in carbonite or Snowspeeder pilot Luke Skywalker to anchor the second TESB wave?  While many collectors enjoyed the 2006 offering of Han with the ROTJ melting carbonite block, there hasn't been an EMPIRE Han in carbonite basic figure since the POTF2 days.  Can we hope for a new EMPIRE Han in carbonite soon? (JTA, 12/5/08) (http://www.jeditemplearchives.com/content/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=4318/#details)

     We can confirm that Luke - Snowpeeder Pilot is indeed one of the figures.  However, we do not have another Han in carbonite scheduled.

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The success of The Clone Wars movie and now the TV show clearly indicates a growth in a new generation "growing up with Star Wars". Even here in Australia (where we are still to premiere the TV show) Clone Wars figures are very popular. But...the recent economic crisis is sure to have an impact on how Star Wars in 2009 and beyond will be shaped.  Would initiatives such as reduced articulation, cheaper paint jobs, generic cards and/or cheaper packaging be considered to create a new line targeting kids more interested in the TV show and playing with the toys rather than those mature collectors that want nice cards, great paint jobs and unique characters from the films? Short question: Are there plans in place to release a "discount" line of figures that will be more affordable for families and leave the premium lines for collectors? (MD, 12/5/08) (http://www.mousedroid.com/hasbro/hasbro17.html)

     There are no plans to "split" the lines by price point and we will stick to the strategy that has helped keep basic figures extremely popular. Despite what many collectors think, there is still a heavy kid audience in the "Saga" basic figure line, as well as a strong collector interest in Clone Wars basics. By doing what you suggest, we feel that we would marginalize the overall audience and set Star Wars figures on a backward course.

It is a very exciting time to be a collector and lover of star wars. I'm really excited about the confirmation of Coleman Trebor coming next year. I was wondering if he will be a new sculpt or is he a repack and to what wave he will be associated with. Will he come with any accessories since he was on the council and the bigger point will he be able to sit? He is a great figure and I thank you for bringing him back. What are the chances of seeing Depa Billaba and Pablo Jill also in the next coming years? (MD, 12/5/08) (http://www.mousedroid.com/hasbro/hasbro17.html)

     Coleman Trebor is a "refresh" figure meaning he is partly new, but designed to have more articulation than previous figures. In this case, we are using his head and possibly hands, another super-articulated Jedi body, and creating a new torso to bring them all together (and new calves as well). No word yet on being able to sit, but we hope so. As far as which wave he is in...the answer is "none." He will be part of a very cool exclusive 2-pack assortment coming mid-next year. Our hope is to get to much-needed upgrades to Deepa Billaba and Pablo Jill as well sometime, but they are not in the 2009 plans.

One of the interesting aspects of The Clone Wars series is the individualness to many of the Clone faces. Do you have any plans to offer some of these designs in future Clone offerings? And do you think that this concept could be applied to Legacy figures, if only to Commanders? Maybe even create a "Squad Parts Pack" to customise the basic trooper figure into your own themed squad (i.e. multiple unique heads, weapon packs, accessories, armour customization decals, etc)? (MD, 12/5/08) (http://www.mousedroid.com/hasbro/hasbro17.html)

     Yes, there will be many of the "unique" Clone Wars troopers coming in the Clone Wars lineup (basic figures as well as multi-packs like Battle Packs and other formats). We do not have plans to carry this to Legacy figures at this time, instead following the unique expression as seen on screen in the new animated show. This is an interesting new twist following the proliferation of unique armor deco we previously saw in EpIII. One thing we do not know the answer to is whether the under-the-helmet individualtiy carries "forward" to EpIII as well. It's an interesting question we'll ask Lucasfilm when we get a chance.

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We've started to see what appears to be figures from the Empire Strikes Back wave (seemingly slated for early 2009) start to show on retail websites (such as Walmart.com) - can you fill in the blanks on the wave and/or share pictures. It's been a while since we've seen much of anything new directly from you, and instead of letting some other outlet get the jump on you (like Previews did on the upcoming comic packs), perhaps you'd consider showing us this upcoming wave? At minimum can you tell us who the sixth figure is beyond Luke and Leia from the Medical Frigate, the Hoth Rebel Soldier, Captain Needa and the Ugnaught (grumble - at least tell us that there's something coming with the little guy to fill up the bubble a little further!). Time to get rolling on more early 2009 information don't you think? (RS, 12/5/08) (http://www.rebelscum.com/story/front/Hasbros_63rd_STAR_WARS_QA_The_Answers_118724.asp)
 
     You have sussed out the entire wave, with two exceptions. The last figure from the wave is a refresh of the Evolution Emperor, with a great new head. The Droid Factory figure is going to be a hot one - the EU favorite HK-47. How's that for some more information? As for photos, we aren't ready to release any photos of this wave yet, but they should be available soon.

Any chance of seeing a redo on the Titanium series Executor? Preferably one that is very detailed and does not have an Imperial Star Destroyer attached to it. (RS, 12/5/08) (http://www.rebelscum.com/story/front/Hasbros_63rd_STAR_WARS_QA_The_Answers_118724.asp)

     We do not have plans to redo this one.

In a recent Q&A you confirmed that a super-articulated Republic Commando figure was coming in a spring 2009 Evolutions pack. Will this figure be a generic white-armored commando, a commando from Omega or Delta Squad (if so, which character?), or a commando of Hasbro's own creation? We Republic Commando fans need something to tide us over for the next few months! (RS, 12/5/08) (http://www.rebelscum.com/story/front/Hasbros_63rd_STAR_WARS_QA_The_Answers_118724.asp)

     It will actually be one we have not done before - Fi, aka RC-8015, who was associated with Omega Squad. Sweet!

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The Force Unleashed game is really cool and it makes me glad I bought all of the figures when they first came out. During one of the other Q&A's, you mentioned that there was "one more" TFU figure due out. Was this the Stormtrooper Commander? Is it possible to have this figure available via HTS as I had no idea this figure was going to be sold and it was sold out when I went to my local store? (RTM, 12/5/08) (http://www.toymania.com/news/messages/10866.shtml)

     The "one other" TFU figure mentioned was probably in reference to the GameStop exclusive Stormtrooper Commander, but it could also have been a reference to Shaak Ti who is scheduled for an early 2010 Expanded Universe wave at this point. We are also looking to add a wave of new TFU characters for mid-Spring 2010 and work has begun on these figures (at this time we will not be revealing which figures are in the 2010 lineup). Finally, fans will indeed have another chance to get the TFU Commander at the San Diego Comic Con 2009 - when it will be an exclusive shared by both StarWarsOnlineShop.com and HasbroToyShop.com.

The Legacy comic book figures seem to be a big hit -- can we expect many more in 2009? (RTM, 12/5/08) (http://www.toymania.com/news/messages/10866.shtml)
 
     The Legacy packs have indeed been a big hit; for anyone who has not delved into the rich world of Legacy, you are in for real treat. We have some god news for you - there are two more Legacy issues planned for the Comic Pack lineup, including issue #22 (on shelves around July) and issue #7 (around November). There are two additional Legacy packs planned for 2010 as well.

Force Unleashed is a huge success, will the Evo Apprentice get a Saga Legends rerelease? (RTM, 12/5/08) (http://www.toymania.com/news/messages/10866.shtml)

     There are no plans to release any of the Apprentice figures as Saga Legends at this point.

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You said in a recent answer that the Solo twins, while difficult to do because of limited visual references, were high on your wish list. Hypothetically speaking, if you were to make these long-request characters, which versions would you do? Young Jedi Knights (there's a good picture of them in the recent Jedi vs. Sith guide), NJO-era Jedi Knights (probably the most requested versions, and based on Japanese cover art which is probably the largest body of visual reference for these characters and was even used by the Official Site as its EU menu before the redesign) or Legacy of the Force-era (with the added advantage that an alternate head and lightsaber and removable cape would allow you to do Jacen and Caedus as one figure)? (SSG, 12/5/08) (http://www.sirstevesguide.com/index.php?categoryid=13&p2_articleid=1553)

     If we did them, hypothetically speaking, it would be the New Jedi Order-era, based on the Japanese cover art. This would be the most solid selection for the exact reasons you have pointed out - prevalence and familiarity with the character images. If we ever did Caedus, it would have to be new sculpt since the NJO-version would not work for a retrofit.

With Sideshow having released a smashing diorama of the "Look Sir, Droids" scene, what are the chances of Hasbro doing a similar battle pack? It could include the escape pod (perhaps with the proper top hatch openable, or maybe the whole thing upsized) and an assortment of Sandroopers with a variety of pauldrons and accessories. Heck, if you threw in an updated dewback, you'd have quite the nifty ultimate battle pack. Any chance of that? (SSG, 12/5/08) (http://www.sirstevesguide.com/index.php?categoryid=13&p2_articleid=1553)

     We have looked at this scene several times with the theme you suggested, but so far it hasn't made the cut for one reason or another. Maybe someday….

When collectors ask for the same stuff over and over again such as certain vehicles like the Cloud Car, large accessories like Jabba's dais, playsets and dioramas of scenes that are not action- or main-character-themed which Hasbro says they aren't likely to do because those areas are not seen as profitable in today's market, are there any NEW ideas swimming around the Star Wars team with an OT collector focus? Not talking about merely new figures or resculpts of unmade vintage figures, but something new in the 3.75" format that would excite collectors, especially OT-focused ones. Stuff like the nifty new Scramble on Yavin battle pack gets collectors jazzed up. (SSG, 12/5/08) (http://www.sirstevesguide.com/index.php?categoryid=13&p2_articleid=1553)

     While we have looked at many different aspects of the Original Trilogy, the fact is that Kenner covered that ground extremely well, to the point where they even augmented the universe with many of their own original designs (Mini Rigs, the Imperial Transport, etc). Our focus for vintage collectors remains the still (in our opinion) large fertile ground of figures, vehicles, and creatures which have yet-to-be-updated over their vintage counterparts, along with the still numerous unmade characters from many scenes such as the Cantina, Jabba's Palace, Ewoks, and the line. Yet we do try to surprise by doing new things that we think are key to the OTC - like the recent Lars Homestead and Sarlacc pit sets that for the very first time create scenic display opportunities for these iconic scenes. We certainly hope that you enjoy these surprises as much as we get satisfaction from finding new ways to deliver OTC magic.

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To follow up on an answer given to Rebel Scum on November 7th, regarding the Commando Battle Pack due in Spring 2009, which weapon will be featured? The standard DC17 blaster or the DC17 anti armor variant that was included with the Republic Commando/Super Battle Droid Comic Pack? Will he be the black armor or another armor color variant that we have yet to see and will the upper body articulation remain the same or has the figure been completely redone? (ST, 12/5/08) (http://www.sandtroopers.com/smf/index.php?topic=5183.msg221533#msg221533)

     The figure has new knee and ankle articulation, and he will be predominantly blue-colored. We did not change the upper body.  He is based on the cover of the Karen Traviss novel Omega Squad: Targets. His weapon is the version that came with the Republic Commando Delta Squad set, as opposed to the version that came with Scorch basic figure or the comic pack. We have an important update on the wave of Evolution packs that includes this pack as well as Rebel Pilots #3 and Imperial Pilots #2. Originally scheduled as a continuation of the Evolution Packs lineup in Spring '09, development schedule delays have pushed this wave out and as such it will not receive distribution at all retailers. Once we nail down which retailer(s) will be carrying these packs, and the expected on-shelf time, we'll get an update out to all of the Star Wars sites.

Hasbro has said that we will continue to see large vehicles again if the Millenium Falcon and the AT-TE sell well. Let's say that hypothetically they are selling well: What is the next large vehicle we would likely see and when? Turbotank? (ST, 12/5/08) (http://www.sandtroopers.com/smf/index.php?topic=5183.msg221533#msg221533)

     It's too early to discuss the future of any Star Wars large-scale vehicle.  If we do make another announcement, it would not be before Toy Fair 2009.    Sad Angry

Is it at possible that Hasbro could reconsider their position on selling figures in an on-line form. Small runs, exclusives, limited editions similar to how Mattel is doing with their new Masters of the Universe Classics collection? Obviously no one would be willing to pay a $20 premium for a 3 3/4" figure but at a reasonable amount like $10-13. This would allow collectors to finally get a hold of some not so kid friendly figures. It could also allow Hasbro to release some figures from other lines. GI Joe, Indiana Jones and Transformers. (ST, 12/5/08) (http://www.sandtroopers.com/smf/index.php?topic=5183.msg221533#msg221533)

     Hasbro has pursued this option in the past, with no-so-great results. Quite simply, aside from special figures that we do for Comic-Con or for a specific promotional cause (such as R2-KT), these items are not successful for us we concentrate our items on bigger opportunities - such as the robust exclusive program already in place.  Internet distribution just does not have the reach - many collectors still prefer the "thrill of the hunt" of shopping in store - and because of that we prefer to bring our exclusives to our retail partners for the best overall program.

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I just want to say thanks for the Thrawn trilogy characters that have shown up in comic packs. Since this is probably one of the most famous EU storylines of all time, is it a good bet that we will see more new figures from this series in the next year or two? If so, could a certain insane clone of a Jedi master be one of them? (ST/"TJ", 12/5/08) (http://www.sandtroopers.com/smf/index.php?topic=8437.msg221587#msg221587)

     We're glad you like them.  For 2009, we have another pack planned that will see a couple of new figures debut for the first time.  After that, we hope to get to more Heir figures within the next couple of years (including, hopefully one day, Jorus C'Baoth).

You have recently stated that it is unlikely we can expect any new TFU figures until Spring 2010, which means about a year and half from now. Is there any fear that the hype/popularity of the game will have cooled off a bit by then and make the line less successful? If so, in the meantime, have you thought of releasing not only reissues of the TAC figures but perhaps also some clever repaints of stormtroopers, jumptroopers, etc? Or better yet, a carded release of the Felucian rider (perhaps with repaint/weapon swap)? (ST/"TJ", 12/5/08) (http://www.sandtroopers.com/smf/index.php?topic=8437.msg221587#msg221587)

     We aren't worried about the enduring popularity and demand of figures from LucasArts video games, especially given the stratopsheric popularity of the major titles that have been released over the past several years. The figures we have done for Republic Commandos, Battlefront II, and Knights of the Republic have all done well even years after their debut,proving that fan demand will be there when games expand Star Wars storytelling and add exciting new characters to the pantheon. So we are confident that we can continue to look at opportunities from any of them, including TFU, for additional character considerations. As for repaints, 2009 is the first year for some time that we will not have a pure "repaint" wave scheduled, simply because there are so many new waves of figures in the Fall, and the schedule looks solid so we do not anticipate needing one to fill a gap.

Since Hasbro has had to drop the 5th figure from battlepacks due to rising plastic/oil costs, what about substituting the loss of this value for customers by finally giving us a bonus cardboard diorama inside each battlepack? These don't have to be as complicated as the PotF2 Cantina or Jabba's Palace, just good enough to compensate for the loss of the extra figure in a way that is relatively inexpensive to Hasbro. (ST/"TJ", 12/5/08) (http://www.sandtroopers.com/smf/index.php?topic=8437.msg221587#msg221587)

     We have looked at this approach.  Part of the appeal of the Battle Packs has been the way that they are presented requires a minimal amount of blister support to give the illusion of a scene. Because the majority of the audience for Battle Packs is kids (or parent gift-givers) it's important to maintain the presentation we currently strive for. Trying to preserve the background for us would force the blisters to become bigger, changing the aesthetic. It's unlikely that we'll pursue this approach in Battle Packs because of this.

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With the new Build-A-Droid General Grievous finally giving us one that's properly scaled and has incredible split-apart arms, is it too much to hope for another version that comes with a softgoods cape and allows him to be posed hunched forward, with his neck jutting out, as seen in scenes on his ship the Invisible Hand in Revenge of the Sith? An inner cloak pocket with lightsaber hilts would be a really nice touch, too! (SWC, 12/5/08) (http://www.swcollector.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=57&t=1312)

     Now that we have a truly great version of Grievous, we will certainly look at other opportunities. The one you mention, with a detailed softgoods cape, is one we have discussed but doing this version as a basic figure is simply not feasible because of the cost. It remains a possibility for a future multi-pack offering.

Does the Emperor Palpatine Clone figure from the upcoming Dark Empire II #1 Comic Pack come with a "normal" left hand in addition to the Force lightning-casting one? (SWC, 12/5/08) (http://www.swcollector.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=57&t=1312)

     Even better - the force lightning is an add-on piece.

Speaking of the Dark Empire saga, any chance of seeing a figure based on fallen Jedi Empatoyajos Brand? He seems like a natural choice for the Comic Packs line. (SWC, 12/5/08) (http://www.swcollector.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=57&t=1312)

     Honestly, it's very unlikely we'll get to Brand in the comic pack line-up. There are other Dark Empire characters we'd like to get tobefore him, and because he is so…well…funky, we don't see being a strong draw for a comic pack. We see other characters, like Kam Solusar, being ones we would do first. A Dark Empire multi-pack with Luke and the New Jedi Order would be an interesting one to look at someday, and would bethe more likely place for Brand, if we ever got to an idea like that.

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TNI

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TPU

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Is there any chance that we could get some 21st Century love for some of our favorite beasties in 2009/2010? Say the Kaadu, Dewback or Tauntaun to go with the new Hoth Luke perhaps? (YF, 12/5/08) (http://www.yakfaceforums.com/viewtopic.php?t=3873)

     At least one of those will be updated in 2009 in an exclusive pack. It's possible a second will be updated for 2010.

With the re-release of Yaddle and Even Piell can we look forward to seeing more Jedi Council members being re-released on single card? Depa Billaba was a battle-pack exclusive and some weren't able to get her set when it was out, so can we expect to see Depa Billaba along with other Jedi Council members, such as Adi Gallia and Eeth Koth released in a repaint/kitbash wave in 2009? (YF, 12/5/08) (http://www.yakfaceforums.com/viewtopic.php?t=3873)

     These are all characters that we would like to get to in the basic figure waves at some point, and think that all three of these Jedi Council members need an articulation upgrade if they are to be released again (we felt that Yaddle and Even Piell would never be updated and were suitable for re-release). Currently, we do not have any of them slotted into the lineup but they are all highly likely over the next few years.

Carded pictures of 2009's Kenobi and Pons Limbic have turned up and they both have the table, lots of us have got excited but I have a bad feeling about this; please don't say you have got our hopes up again just to dash them on the rocks of disappointment? Also, the holsters for the Luke and Han appear to be the old sculpt. Didn't you confirm with us that these figures would in fact have new, more accurately sculpted holders? (YF, 12/5/08) (http://www.yakfaceforums.com/viewtopic.php?t=3873)

     In what will undoubtedly be well-received news for fans, we can confirm that the tables for both Obi-Wan and Pons Limbic are indeed shipping with these characters after all. It turns out the the order to remove them (in an effort to contain costs on this wave) were given just prior to Comic Con but were received too late as the factory had begun molding production pieces. At that point, it made more sense to keep them rather than remove them. We are glad they are able to come out as they are really great accessory pieces. Finally, on the holsters, they are in fact new in that they fit the blasters better, with a recess at the back of the pouch.

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YN
Title: Re: The Hasbro Q & A Compendium
Post by: Matt on December 24, 2008, 06:04 PM
Session 64 - December 19, 2008

In previous Q and A's I know the topic of weapons integrity has come up. When looking at the new Sarlacc Ultimate Battlepack it seems as though the weapons are becoming even more flimsy. I for one have seen a skiff guard weapon almost bent at a 45 degree angle in the package. Is anything being done to rectify these problems? (BS, 12/19/08) (http://banthaskull.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1991)

     As simple as it seems, there are actually numerous issues that surround this - including what else is in the tools that need to be run (like a soft-fitting helmet). We will be taking it up with vendors to make sure we do not see the softness creep back into the weapons and accessories.

Hasbro Toy Shop, in the past, offered a bundle of the Display Stands that were used as "pack-ins" for figures. Has there been any discussion about the possibility of offering a package of random droid parts through Hasbro Toy Shop Online? The Build a Droid concept is great and I'm sure many collectors would love to create there own unique droids. (BS, 12/19/08) (http://banthaskull.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1991)

     We're glad you like the Droid Factory idea. We have thought about getting more Droid parts out somehow, and are looking for ways to do it where it feels special. It may not be until 2010 if we are able to deliver the idea, so stay tuned.

In the last set of answers, you stated that there will be another EU wave late 2009, early 2010. Also you mentioned that one of the figures would more than likely be Shaak-Ti from TFU. Can you give any other insight as to whom the other 5 may be that are included in this wave? (BS, 12/19/08) (http://banthaskull.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1991)

     At this point, we don't want to confirm any more of the characters from our 2009 waves, so we can hold some info for future panels. Suffice to say it will be a knockout wave of six figures. Some of the past Q&A sessions do hold additional clues to more of the figures in this wave, so for folks willing to dig they might be able to put more pieces together. But that's as far as we want to confirm right now.

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Now that you've confirmed that there will be 4 new concept figures in '09, that one of them is Anakin, and that they'll be from both OT and PT sources, could you confirm whether the other 3 concept figures will be based on major characters (i.e. Vader, Obi-Wan, Yoda, Maul) or can we expect to see some obscure character and even alien design concepts, such as the Mon Calamari Dancer from the Galaxies Opera House or the Revwien alien from original Cantina alien drawings? (CS, 12/19/08) (http://www.collectionstation.com/groups/Star-Wars/Hasbro-QA-12202008_36)

     One will be a top-tier named character, two will be secondary named (but prominent) characters, and the fourth will be a trooper concept.

Now that The Clone Wars TV series has a set schedule, in the future could you possibly coordinate Hasbro's Clone Wars figure releases to coincide with the episodes those figures are in context to? We understand there's a long lead time on figure production, but there's also a long lead on episode production. Seeing a character on the series one day and then being able find the figure in the store the next day would help drive sales, don't you think? For instance, R3-S6 "Goldie" appeared in 2 episodes in early and mid November '08, but the R3-S6 "Goldie" figure isn't due until around February '09. Wouldn't the figures have more appeal with the characters fresh in kids' and casual collectors' minds? Would coordination like that be possible? (CS, 12/19/08) (http://www.collectionstation.com/groups/Star-Wars/Hasbro-QA-12202008_36)

     We do coordinate as much as possible, and Lucasfilm has been great in getting us scripts as far ahead as possible. With a movie, we try to get figures in shelf as quickly as possible at the movie launch, but with the cartoon series, since it's so heavily kid-focused, it's actually better to have the episode air before the figures are available - ideally a couple weeks delay, to create demand for the figure.

For vehicles that must have dedicated, non-removable astromech droid domes - such as the Ep 2 Jedi Starfighter, Y-wing, V-wing, and Naboo Fighter - might it be possible to get future revisits to have at least removable droid domes? Thanks to Build-A-Droid, we now have lots of different droid dome molds available, so if they were interchangeable on those dedicated droid slots it would add considerable play and display value for kids and collectors alike while taking advantage of existing elements and decreasing manufacturing costs slightly (it's gotta be cheaper to just pop a peg into a hole than to screw a dome permanently into a ship). (CS, 12/19/08) (http://www.collectionstation.com/groups/Star-Wars/Hasbro-QA-12202008_36)

     Interesting suggestion - we'll take that into account next time we look at updating those vehicles. Thanks!

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How soon might we expect to get the last two Seperatist characters: Tikkes and Rogwa Wodrata? Do they have a good Lord Malevalchance of being made to complete this group soon, or are they pretty far down on your priority list? Am I being too optmistic in thinking that the headsculpt on the new Clone Wars Quarren Soldier was designed for potential re-use on Tikkes later on, or perhaps Senator Tundra Dowmeia or an upgraded Tessek from Jabba's Palace? (GH, 12/19/08) (http://www.galactichunter.com/absolutenm/templates/full_article_template_1.asp?articleid=7728&zoneid=2)

     At this point, we do not have any more Separatist personalities slotted into the lineup.They are at the top of our "parking lot" for consideration, but it will not be in the next couple of years. Eventually though, it's a virtual certainty we'll get them. As for the Quarren Soldier's head, we did not design it with Tikkes in mind... it's just that to us humans, all Quarren look remarkably similar. Tell that to Lord Maleval at your own risk....

Hypothetically, if you were to release Jacen Solo (who could also become the Sith Lord Darth Caedus) and Jaina Solo in a particular carded wave next year, might Anakin Solo be released with them?  Does he have a much lesser chance of being made? (GH, 12/19/08) (http://www.galactichunter.com/absolutenm/templates/full_article_template_1.asp?articleid=7728&zoneid=2)

     Anakin Solo is certainly an important figure to do at some point when we have another EU-wave slotted into the lineup.  However, he would not be in the first wave we do.

If you had to bet on one racer from the Boonta Eve Pod Race Challenge, who would you (the team) most like to see win? (GH, 12/19/08) (http://www.galactichunter.com/absolutenm/templates/full_article_template_1.asp?articleid=7728&zoneid=2)

     You just have to go with the Gran (Mahwonic). Three eyes should give him an advantage, right? Or does the extreme slipstream reek havoc with the eyestalks?

How long are we going to have to wait to find out what this "unique" ROTJ Princess Leia is??? It's killing us! (GH, 12/19/08) (http://www.galactichunter.com/absolutenm/templates/full_article_template_1.asp?articleid=7728&zoneid=2)

     As for the interesting Princess Leia figure, you'll have to wait a bit longer…we probably won't have images until around Toy Fair timing (February).

Wouldn't it be really nice if we could somehow celebrate Life Day next year? (GH, 12/19/08) (http://www.galactichunter.com/absolutenm/templates/full_article_template_1.asp?articleid=7728&zoneid=2)

     (No answer given.)

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Thanks for the info on the 2009 Legacy basic figure plan. Now that we know to plan for 54 new Legacy figures in 2009, how about a ballpark for the Clone Wars basic figures planned for 2009? Still in the 36-40 figure (6-8 waves) range for 2009? (HH, 12/19/08) (http://hanshideout.blogspot.com/2008/12/hasbro-star-wars-q-session-5.html)

     Yes, we are still in the 40+ basic figure range for Clone Wars.

OK, the site is called "Han’s Hideout", so it should come as no surprise that we love to see new Han figures. One thing that we were pondering today is the apparent lack of Han Solo figures in the Comic Packs line. When are we going to get our hands on a sweet, sweet Marvel Star Wars # 15 Han Solo & Crimson Jack Comic Pack? Or how about a Marvel Star Wars # 28 Han Solo & 'Jabba the Hut' (you know, Marvel's non-slug looking Jabba) Comic Pack? (HH, 12/19/08) (http://hanshideout.blogspot.com/2008/12/hasbro-star-wars-q-session-5.html)

     Aside from Marvel # 3, with Han in Stormtrooper disguise, it's true that we haven't done any other Comic Pack Hans. One of the main reasons is that he seldom changes outfit, and that makes him much less interesting for that reason, as we try to come up with a new take on the core characters as one of the reasons for doing the pack. Luke, for example, has tremendous variety in the comics and that is why he tends to get more attention. The Marvel # 28 issue is something we have looked at and it's an interesting idea, but we just have not slotted that one into the lineup yet.

A few weeks ago, you sent out pictures of a pair of upcoming TRU exclusive Clone Wars vehicles with pack-in figures (Hailfire Droid and V-Wing). Any update on when these are scheduled to appear on the shelves? (HH, 12/19/08) (http://hanshideout.blogspot.com/2008/12/hasbro-star-wars-q-session-5.html)

     They are scheduled to appear on-shelf around April next year. It's possible they could be out in March but April should be the latest.

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Will we be getting  Nute Gunray and Wat Tambor figures in the Clone Wars 3D line? (IS, 12/19/08) (http://www.imperialshipyards.net/SMF/index.php?topic=192.msg5831#msg5831)

     Right now, there are no plans to do these figures in the Clone Wars line.

What are the chances of a Bacta Tank General Grievous being released in a comic two pack from the Visionaries comic story The Eyes of Revolution,
 accompanied with say a new San Hill sculpt and a Nexu cub as an accessory? (IS, 12/19/08) (http://www.imperialshipyards.net/SMF/index.php?topic=192.msg5831#msg5831)

     Very slim that we would do a transitional version of Grievous like that.  We have already done a pre-Cyborg Grievous which is a better figure choice, so if we ever did reprint that story, this figure would be a better choice to pair with someone.

Is the Super Vulture Droid that's being released in the Clone Wars 3D line the same thing as the Hyena Droid Bomber? (IS, 12/19/08) (http://www.imperialshipyards.net/SMF/index.php?topic=192.msg5831#msg5831)

     No, the Hyena Bomber Droid is a unique ship.  The "Super Vulture Droid" is a larger and more true-to-scale version of the Vulture Droid. We use the word "super" in this case to describe its size and function as compared to the original Vulture Droid.

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Hasbsro wrote IndianaJonescollectors.com not so long ago that Hasbro had the plan to release in 2009; a special re-release line for  Indiana Jones with their latest 'Raiders of the lost Ark' figures on  the Kenner cards that were made in 1982 (with the large photo of the particular character on the card). Unfortunately the "death" of the  Indiana Jones Line is coming at the end of the year. Is there still a  change that Hasbro will release this special line?  Hasbro has already the 'Raiders of the lost ark' figures and perhaps also still the 1982  'Kenner' cards. (IJC, 12/19/08) (http://www.indianajonescollectors.com/)

     He was planned to be in a later wave in 2009, not in the wave that  was shown. The IJ line has been put on hiatus. Beyond the Temple of Doom line, there will be no more lines produced unless a fifth movie happens.

We saw on the Internet, the Hasbro 'Raiders of the lost ark' Cargo Truck in a different box; from the Cairo scene. Will Hasbro  release this other version of the Cargo Truck? (IJC, 12/19/08) (http://www.indianajonescollectors.com/)

     There are two versions of the Cargo Truck; the original version with the hard top, and a newly released one with a cloth rear cargo compartment top. This might be the one you are referring to. Due to sparse distribution on the last waves of IJ, it will be difficult to find the last issues (Temple of Doom basic figures, the last 12" figures, and the Cargo Truck, among others) at mass retailers. The product might eventually find its way to retail at Toys 'R Us, from Internet retailers, or at smaller specially chains.

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Expanded Universe waves of figures have come into vogue it seems, and while 2007 saw a mix/match wave of EU figures, the 2008 wave of Clone Wars 2D figures has me wondering if the next EU wave we could get will be a mix of characters from various sources, or if it will be a specific source that all the figures come from (IE: all Knights of the Old Republic characters hypothetically). Do you happen to have any information you could share on that, and the thought process that goes into the EU picking for a single wave? (JD, 12/19/08) (http://www.jedidefender.com/newspro/fullnews.cgi?newsid1229956606,27585,)

     Yes, we can confirm that there will be six figures in that wave, and they will be drawn from various sources. This wave is comprised of some pretty high-demand figures from top-to-bottom, and we are confident that when we do release the details they will be *very* well-received. Right now, this wave is slotted in for very late 2009/early 2010 if the current schedule holds. Right after that, we will have a dedicated wave of The Force Unleashed figures.

With the awesome Yavin IV scramble pack coming, is there a chance the sled from it could get re-used for an Echo Base scramble pack in the future as well? I'm pretty sure a large segment of collectors wouldn't mind that at all! (JD, 12/19/08) (http://www.jedidefender.com/newspro/fullnews.cgi?newsid1229956606,27585,)

     Alas, the transports are pretty different. It's unlikely we'll get to a set like this for Hoth, even though it is one we want to do some day, perhaps as an exclusive if we are able to get it to the right price point.

Last year's "Ultimate Battle Pack" for Hoth featured the incredibly cool and large Hoth Turret. It makes me wonder though, will this item will ever make a re-release somehow, as the UBP was pretty pricey to pick up multiples? I can't really think of how off-hand, but I know I'd love a crack at more of this cool piece at a lower price if I could get them, as it's probably one of my favorite larger pieces in the collection. (JD, 12/19/08) (http://www.jedidefender.com/newspro/fullnews.cgi?newsid1229956606,27585,)

     We are looking at a possible re-use of this one, but right now it's not confirmed. It remains a strong possibility for down the road.

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Is there any chance you will re-release the "Hunt for Grievous" Battle Pack? If no, what is the reason for not doing it with so many other Battle Packs getting re-released? (JI, 12/19/08) (http://jediinsider.com/index.php?catid=8&itemid=11466)

     We wanted to take it easy on too much of the prior Clone Wars Micro series figures from now on, the exception being Wave 2 of Legacy/Droid Factory, which were delayed from its original Spring date. We don't have the ability to release a ton of the prior Battle Packs, but as that one was very popular, it's possible we could get Lucasfilm's permission to re-release sometime.

Any chance of Darth Revan and Darth Malak being re-released, maybe as a comic pack or paired with a third figure such as Bastila Shan for a new Evolutions set? (JI, 12/19/08) (http://jediinsider.com/index.php?catid=8&itemid=11466)

     Re-releasing these two is something we have considered. If we do it, it probably won't be as a comic pack, or as an Evolution pack, since this doesn't really fit with that theming. We are looking for another avenue to get them out, but it may not be until 2010 at this point.

Images of new Battlefront II Battle Packs surfaced recently. Can you tell us how, when and where these sets will be released? (JI, 12/19/08) (http://jediinsider.com/index.php?catid=8&itemid=11466)

     The sets are the *exact* same as the two sets previously released - clones and battle droids - only updated to the new blue & white line look. They will both be out at Toys 'R Us in early Spring - perhaps February or earlier.

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A lot of collectors no doubt have a list of figures / vehicles / playsets / creatures etc. that they would love to see made, but is there anything on your own personal lists of wanted items that a) you know will be made and you can reveal to us and b) you can say categorically, is never going to see the light of day? (JN, 12/19/08) (http://jedinews.co.uk/news/news.aspx?newsID=2030)

     Very soon (mid-February) we will be revealing much more about what is coming next year and are going to hold that information until Toy Fare. Please trust us when we say it is going to be a fantastic year for kids and fans alike.

     As for what won't get made, that is a lot easier unfortunately.  One vehicle we would really love to see is the Sail Barge, but the chances of this vehicle ever seeing the light of day are extraordinarily slim.  We can dream, though!  Another one would be a real Krayt Dragon, a virtual impossibility given its massive size.  Even doing a skeleton as a background scenic element is daunting from a costing standpoint (and trust us, we've looked!).  So those are a couple things right there that would be very cool, but will likely never happen.


You mentioned recently that a Galactic Heroes Snowspeeder is in the pipeline, and with that in mind, can you share an image of what the new 2009 Galactic Heroes Snowspeeder will look like and tell us what figure(s) it will come packaged with?  Can you also advise what the likely date for UK availability will be? (JN, 12/19/08) (http://jedinews.co.uk/news/news.aspx?newsID=2030)

     Here you go. (http://www.jedinews.co.uk/common/CreateThumbNail.aspx?image=/images/news/articles/87936_01%20GH%20Snowspeeder.jpg&filetype=jpg&size=800)  This should give you a good idea of how cool this one will be.  We do not know yet when it will be exactly available in the UK, but our expectation is around April or May.

There are lots of new characters coming out of The Clone Wars, but in particular I would like to know if Hasbro will be releasing a Senate Commando figure (the blue armoured variant of the Senate Guard)?  If so, how likely are we to see a red variant as an "off camera" Red Guard Commando? (JN, 12/19/08) (http://jedinews.co.uk/news/news.aspx?newsID=2030)

     Yes indeed, we will be releasing a blue guard next year in the Clone Wars basic figure lineup.  No plan for a red version yet, but if it shows up in the animation it's a good bet we'll follow.

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Dark Horse comics has recently launched a CLONE WARS comic series as a companion to the animated series.  Can we expect a related offering in the Expanded Universe Comic 2-Packs that utilizes the animated style figures? (JTA, 12/19/08) (http://www.jeditemplearchives.com/content/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=4371/#details)

     We have no plans to introduce animated Clone Wars-themed comic packs, at least for now.

The CLONE WARS series seems to be a fountain of new characters with every passing episode.  Can you give us some insight on how the Hasbro Star Wars team is able to plan the figure line in conjunction with Lucasfilm for an ongoing television series?  Is the Star Wars team seeing episodes in advance or preliminary artwork?  And on a related front has  the team seen any preliminary artwork or plans for the live action television series? (JTA, 12/19/08) (http://www.jeditemplearchives.com/content/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=4371/#details)

     Yes, we collaborate with Lucasfilm well in advance so we can design and deliver figures as close to the original airing as possible. This usually involves reading scripts and seeing character art well before the episodes get put together for viewing.  We do get a chance to view episodes well before the public does, but by the time we see them, our work on new characters (if any) drawn from that episode would have begun long ago. Lucasfilm has no news to report on the live action show, although we can't wait to talk about it when there is information ready to share!

In a March Q&A session with 4-Inches.De Hasbro stated the following:
"We really like the Rebel Pilots, and can guarantee that not too far down the road there will be a red-suited Sullustan pilot."

Our tracking of the Q&A sessions has indicated that there are still some spots in the early 2009 RETURN OF THE JEDI wave which have yet to be filled.   Could we see this previously mentioned red-suited Sullustan pilot in the basic figure line?  And could it in fact be an update on Nien Nunb?  The previous version is a 1997 figure and is in dire need of being brought up to the current aesthetic. (JTA, 12/19/08) (http://www.jeditemplearchives.com/content/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=4371/#details)

     There is indeed a red-suited Sullustan pilot in the wave, in the B-Wing outfit developed for the Evolution packs.  Our hope is that it will be named Nien Numb, but we are working with Lucasfilm on that now and have not nailed it down yet.

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After this year of collecting I have been introduced to the Mighty Mugg. These are very cool toys. My question is will we see the likes of Kit Fisto, Saesee Tiin etc from the prequel movies. Also will we ever get more EU ones as I expect the new Darth Revan MM to be extremely popular especially here in Australia. A lot of Forums are already asking for a Darth Malak to go with him but a Quinlin Voss or Master K'Kruhk would also be very, very welcomed.
Can you please shed a little on future ideas for these cool figures? Also, due to the limitation of the one basic shape, have you had any thoughts about releasing a new design, i.e. Mighty Muggs Version 2.0? (MD, 12/19/08) (http://www.mousedroid.com/hasbro/hasbro18.html)

     The characters you cite are cool choices, but we don't have any of them planned into the lineup yet. As for a version 2.0, we plan to stick with the current silhouette, but noting that there are a few subtle changes here and there (such as a the "robe" lower torso, smaller statured figures such as Yoda and Teebo, and different head add-ons.).

The surprise announcement last round on Mousedroid of a twin pack featuring Coleman Trebor got me thinking. Rather than do items like Build-a-Droid, Comic or Order 66 packs, could you make twin packs into build a scene? That is, make a wave have inclusions or bases that join together to create a scene. e.g. Coleman facing off a droid, Secura with Super Battledroid, etc, etc, etc and the entire wave joining together to form part of the Geonosis Arena. (MD, 12/19/08) (http://www.mousedroid.com/hasbro/hasbro18.html)

     We believe that your suggestion would not be more appealing to most fans than the current figure-focused strategy, and in our experience playsets struggle in terms of appeal versus figures and vehicles. In addition, the cost of the parts to make any significant kind of base would either be too expensive, or would require too many parts to be reasonably attainable if we attempted to make a "must have" scene. Instead, we'll stick to the strong theming and figural focus for our special multi-pack series.

Next year it is rumored that we will be getting four concept figures from four different artists. Can you please confirm if we will be getting Plo Koon from Jun? Also is there any chance of more concept figures in 2010 and beyond scattered through a series like 2007's TAC? These were all very, very cool figures which would be fantastic to get more as some of the ideas are great for favorite characters. (MD, 12/19/08) (http://www.mousedroid.com/hasbro/hasbro18.html)

     Plo Koon is not among the figures selected for the concept series. It's unlikely to return in 2010, although it will be an area that we periodically look toward if we feel there is a strong concept or sub-collection that we can create.

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As we know, Hasbro is always trying to come up with new versions of the main characters, so have you ever decided to look at the EU and some of the "younger" depictions of these guys? Such as Han and Lando from Star Wars Tales, Leia from Force unleashed and Tales, Obi-wan from "Jedi Quest" Luke from "Luke Skywalker's Walkabout" and even younger versions of Jango and Dooku from "Open Seasons"?  I'd love a Lando without the 'stache, as seen in the New Essential Chronology... (RS, 12/19/08) (http://www.rebelscum.com/story/front/Hasbros_65th_STAR_WARS_QA_The_Answers_119927.asp)

     What we look for first are unproduced versions or potential significant upgrades to core characters from the films or from the same time frame in the EU. The target here is really kids, to give the waves some key character strength. We have looked at all of these versions. Of the list you cite, Jango would be a definite candidate someday, and possibly Dooku, but we would probably not pursue the rest since they are a little too far from what we need for recognizeability..

Since the TFU wave in addition to other various released figures proved that Video Game based figures sell well does it mean there's is a very good chance of seeing more like Atris, Bao-Dur, Bastila Shan, Blaze Trooper, Cin Drallig, Clone Assassin, Jolee Bindo, Juhani, Mission Vao, Selkath, Serra Keto, or Visas Marr? (RS, 12/19/08) (http://www.rebelscum.com/story/front/Hasbros_65th_STAR_WARS_QA_The_Answers_119927.asp)

     Some of those characters are certainly possibilities. The EpIII ones, in particular, are interesting candidates since they are versions of Clones. As for the rest, Bastila Shan and Cin Drallig are highly probable over the next couple of years. As for the rest, we may have to wait and see...if we do another fans' vote, we may look to the overall results to see what game characters bubble to the top of the request list. We know we aren't going to have that many extra slots to devote to game characters, so we need to make sure that we select the best, especially for older games.

Can you give us any info on the theme of the new two-packs next year that will be replacing the Order 66 two-packs? Can we expect to see Coleman Trebor (recently an early photo surfaced showing what appears to be a new version of this figure) in this two pack line, or will he be in the Wal-Mart Droid Factory two packs? Will he be paired up with the Geonosis Battle Droid Commander? (RS, 12/19/08) (http://www.rebelscum.com/story/front/Hasbros_65th_STAR_WARS_QA_The_Answers_119927.asp)

     Coleman Trebor is indeed in the new 2-pack series lined up to replace Order 66. It is not the Wal-Mart Droid Factory packs, but another theme. We don't want to give away the theming just yet, but we can't wait to show more around Toy Fair timing.

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Do the same factories that produce Star Wars produce GI Joes, too? If not, when can they start? :) I ask because soft goods jackets, detail, etc can be applied to Joes and Cobras, and vice versa with articulation, and that would be a nice cross-pollination of toy concepts. (RTM, 12/19/08) (http://www.toymania.com/news/messages/10908.shtml)

     The GI Joe team may be looking to achieve a certain aesthetic for their figures, and soft goods may or may not play a role in that. That's a better question for their team, as we don't comment on other brands' efforts... just our own. However, the materials selected are due to design, and not any particular factory's expertise.

What is the policy on creating figures based on "no-named" characters? Is it possible for us to get an generic "Imperial Commander" or a "Rebel Hoth Trooper" that isn't based directly on a named character? Or does Hasbro feel that the fans need the name? I'm looking forward to getting Lt. Renz, but I'd hate to think that he's going to be the only black-tunic'd officer representative in my Imperial army. (RTM, 12/19/08) (http://www.toymania.com/news/messages/10908.shtml)

     Our preference is to make generic troopers whenever possible, especially when they are the rank and file troops. The Rebel Hoth Trooper coming next year, for instance, will be generic. It's a little trickier when it comes to commanders (both Rebel and Imperial) since they are individuals, and we prefer to give them names when they have unique personas. Since there are so many "unmade" commanders still, or commanders that need to be upgraded, we prefer to stay in this vein for a while rather than go the "generic" commander route.

The decision to make the latest B-Wing with squadron colors from the Rebellion comic series threw many for a loop. At a time where the design team seems to be having some fun with designs, is it possible to see some fun repaints of older vehicles? I for one would love to see Wedge's X-Wing in his Bacta War paint job. (RTM, 12/19/08) (http://www.toymania.com/news/messages/10908.shtml)

     What can we say - we loved the collaboration with Dark Horse that resulted in the creation of the Dagger Squadron and the very cool "origin" story for the B-Wing. As for Wedge's X-Wing, we would likely do his iconic EpIV X-Wing first.

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In the Comic-Con presentation, the Clone Wars Magnaguard was shown to include an alternate, cloak-wearing head. Now that carded images have shown up, it appears as though this extra head is not included. Is it actually included and just hidden behind the insert, or is it another case of an accessory being taken out due to cost? If it is the latter, then can we expect a variant down the road? (SSG, 12/19/08) (http://www.sirstevesguide.com/index.php?categoryid=13&p2_articleid=1553)

     We had originally planned to do the cloaked version first (with the sculpted cloak head), but cost pressures forced us to go forward with just the one mode. We hope to be able to do the version with the cloak in 2010.

Assuming you do decide to make the Corporate Alliance Tank Droid, which last you told us was likely since it is in the Clone Wars cartoon, would it have a cockpit and working treads? What other features would you put into it? (SSG, 12/19/08) (http://www.sirstevesguide.com/index.php?categoryid=13&p2_articleid=1553)

     To do this vehicle in the Starfighter Vehicle assortment, which is the most likely place it would go if we did green light it someday, we would not be able to solve all the demands of size, features, inside figure capacity, and treads without making strategic choices to be able to afford it. We would probably not design working treads, but would make sure that we can fit a couple figures inside while maintaining the overall aesthetic of the vehicle and looking for features to add elsewhere (like missiles for example).

With the upcoming Wioslea figure, we have another Jedi-style outfit with soft-goods cloth robe and "skirt", but the upper tunic remains sculpted to the torso and thus doesn't match the color or design of the "skirt" that is supposed to continue the tunic. Don't get us wrong, Wioslea's outer robe looks far better than the oversized VOTC Obi-Wan's robe, soft-goods cloth does have its place in the line. But for matching the "skirt" to the top half of tunic, have you ever considered doing a figure with the tunic entirely as soft-goods? Would you consider doing a major super-articulated Jedi figure with a cloth tunic this way? (SSG, 12/19/08) (http://www.sirstevesguide.com/index.php?categoryid=13&p2_articleid=1553)

     We have looked at this, and even done it occasionally on figures such as the Evolutions and Order 66 Anakins. We have generally found that the upper torso is much more problematic for getting the exact aesthetic that we are trying for. Aside from robes, which are deliberately bulky, any kind of more form-fitting shirt or top will come out bulkier and will potentially be a distraction on a 3-3/4" figure. That is not a problem for the lower torso, where we can anchor the top at the waist, and the straight drape hugs the legs and looks natural. We may still occasionally look for this approach, but we don't anticipate it will be a bigger focus for us.

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One vehicle that is getting quite a bit of screen time in the new Clone Wars series is Padme Amidala's Naboo yacht. This vehicle is pretty important in the Prequels, bringing Padme and Anakin to Geonosis, taking Padme and Yoda to Ilum, and now being pretty prominent in the last Malevolence episode and on Rodia. This ship isn't really that big, about the size of the Sith Infiltrator toy, and could easily retail for $20. All it would consist of would be the cockpit and boarding ramp really. What are the chances of this happening? (ST, 12/19/08) (http://www.sandtroopers.com/smf/index.php?topic=5183.msg223140#msg223140)

     Virtually none.  We are pursuing some great new vehicles, but they are more aggressive vehicles central to the battles in Clone Wars. The Yacht is, as yet, too passive for us to consider.
 
By now I'm sure you've seen some of the many talented people out in cyberspace that make custom figures, whether it be simple repaints (which I'm sure you're verrry familiar with) or actual sculpted from scratch action figures. My question is this: how would one go about applying to a position with Hasbro to help make toys? What type of education/degree would one need? And then, how would someone actually go about applying? Bring a portfolio of work to a convention that Hasbro attends? Send an email to a particular person at Hasbro HQ? (ST, 12/19/08) (http://www.sandtroopers.com/smf/index.php?topic=5183.msg223140#msg223140)

     Hasbro is always looking for talented sculptors and designers.  The main criteria for consideration is having an industrial design education.  All of our designers and sculptors have this key background, since beyond the ability to draw or sculpt they are called upon to problem solve for incorporating and designing features, different materials, achieving costing targets, manufacturability, and the like.  There are numerous great educational institutions out there, many of which have co-op programs with Hasbro, and we encourage folks serious about being in the toy industry to seek out the education needed and then come talk to us at the appropriate point.
 
What's the possibility of a Naboo Queen Evolution Set with Queen Apilana Queen Jamillia and a new Queen Amidala figure, or just the first two being released? (ST, 12/19/08) (http://www.sandtroopers.com/smf/index.php?topic=5183.msg223140#msg223140)

     After the last three Evolutions sets next Summer, the line will be put on hiatus and we do not know when/if it will be back.  It is a popular format, so we don't rule out its return some day.  If it does return, the pack you mentioned is a very interesting one.  It might also be likely that we get to the Queens before then.  If we do, Jamillia would be the first and most important one to do.

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With oil being so much cheaper of late (under $50 a barrel) will Hasbro forgo it's decision to include only four figures per battlepack and return to including fifth figure? (ST/"TJ", 12/19/08) (http://www.sandtroopers.com/smf/index.php?topic=8437.msg223162#msg223162)

     There are many factors, not just the price of commodities, that affect what we include in packs (labor, packaging, cube size, and pricing are all critical elements).  Suffice it to say Value is an important attribute of Battle Packs, and we try and include as much as possible to be as appealing as possible.

Any chance of seeing a figure made of the Droid Commando or any of the other "new" Battle Droids that were recently featured in the Clone Wars series? (ST/"TJ", 12/19/08) (http://www.sandtroopers.com/smf/index.php?topic=8437.msg223162#msg223162)

     Certainly….the Droid Commando and several other cool new droids will be coming in the Clone Wars basic figure lineup next year, in addition to a few other formats as well (Battle Packs, etc).  Stay tuned!

The RotS 2-1B figure was one of the most out-of-scale in Hasbro's history: it was far too small and I noticed a few collectors saying that they would only buy it when it went on clearance because the tiny size didn't justify buying it at regular retail price (I skipped it entirely). What happened here?  You've mentioned in the past that sometimes a figure turns out smaller due to issues with the material or the tooling, but this one seemed too tiny for it to be just error.  Was it cost-saving due to higher plastic costs?  And can you promise us that an eventual TESB 2-1B will be correctly scaled? (ST/"TJ", 12/19/08) (http://www.sandtroopers.com/smf/index.php?topic=8437.msg223162#msg223162)

     It might appear small because of the vintage one we all know and love, but it's actually accurate. We designed 2-1B to the height standards for the 2-1B series droids relative to all other figures, or roughly about the same size as Leia and shorter than Luke.

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What is the initial read on the success of the AT-TE and Falcon? Has the sell-through met expectations? And with the release of the Costcoexclusive AT-TE, can you tell us specifically which figures (by number, i.e. Clone Wars figure #7, etc) have been repacked in that set, and if there are any new figures (repaints or new molds) exclusive to that set? (SWAN, 12/19/08) (http://www.swactionnews.com/archives/ep174.htm)

     (Listen to this MP3 for the answer.) (http://www.swactionnews.com/Podcasts/SWAN174.MP3)

With the economy being in a slump and a slow down in consumer spending and the price of oil dropping per barrel how does this affect Hasbro with the production, pricing, and release of action figures? Will we continue to see the large quantities of figures release per year (60+) that seems to have been the norm since 2006, or will we see the amount of releases/waves/number of products contracting? A lot of collectors are watching their wallets and would hate to have to miss out or have to keep up with a deluge of product in these financially uncertain times. (SWAN, 12/19/08) (http://www.swactionnews.com/archives/ep174.htm)

     (Listen to this MP3 for the answer.) (http://www.swactionnews.com/Podcasts/SWAN174.MP3)

The Mighty Muggs seem to have turned out to be a popular take on the urban vinyl meets Star Wars. There seem to be quite a few that are must haves such as Lando with his winning smile. One thing that had me slightly disappointed was the lack of a weapon to go with the Return of the Jedi version of Boba Fett. If Boba was to be revisited in his Empire attire, would it be possible to include two guns so one can be given to his RotJ brother? Boba needs his signature blaster and other Muggs like Jango and Grevious came with multiple weapons. Alternatively would it be possible to have an online/exclusive accessory set? Something to contain extra light sabers or other add on pieces like pilot gear, cloaks, and extra blasters for the characters that have no weapons or could use more armaments like clones? (SWAN, 12/19/08) (http://www.swactionnews.com/archives/ep174.htm)

     (Listen to this MP3 for the answer.) (http://www.swactionnews.com/Podcasts/SWAN174.MP3)

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Any movement yet towards new product designs for the Force FX lightsaber line? (SWC, 12/19/08) (http://www.swcollector.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=57&p=6004#p6004)

     We are not ready to reveal any new designs yet, since we still have a long way to go to get to our goals for the first series. When we feel that we have retailer and consumer support in place we will start releasing info on the new designs.

The light-pipe eyes on The Clone Wars C-3PO are quite striking. Could we see this feature in a future movie-styled Threepio figure? (SWC, 12/19/08) (http://www.swcollector.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=57&p=6004#p6004)

     It is a very cool feature. There's a good possibility we will look at that for the Legacy collection at some point as well, even though it's not currently slated for any Legacy figure.

The Force Unleashed game seems to have generated some renewed interest in Shadows of the Empire, because of their similar "bridging" themes. With a new comic pack already out, can we expect anything else from SOTE down the line, such as a Guri or a new Dash Rendar figure? (SWC, 12/19/08) (http://www.swcollector.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=57&p=6004#p6004)

     Guri and Dash are at the top of our own wish lists, having recently re-read all of the early EU comic series (Dark Empire, Heir to the Empire, Shadows) ourselves for the same reasons you suggested. We do feel very confident that we'll get to the both of them either separately or together, in the next couple of years.

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TNI

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TPU

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Will you be updating the Stormtrooper mold in 2009/2010 to include the new style blaster holster utilized on the new Han and Luke Stormtrooper figures? Also, are there plans to upgrade the stormtrooper to give it the new ball wrist and hip joints like the Commander Gree has from TAC 2008? (YF, 12/19/08) (http://www.yakfaceforums.com/viewtopic.php?p=56478#56478)

     We will be updating the Stormtrooper to include the new belt later in 2009. As for a new ball wrist and hip joints for the classic Stormie, that's under consideration for further down the road.

You've done an outstanding job in giving us new takes on previously release figures in terms of sculpt, detailing and accessories. One figure (or series of figures) that have yet to receive today's level of modernizing are the Bith. Can we expect to see an all new Cantina Band Member released in the Fall 2009 EIV wave? (YF, 12/19/08) (http://www.yakfaceforums.com/viewtopic.php?p=56478#56478)

     We don't have any plans to update the Cantina band any time soon (having just released updates in 2007). Eventually, with time, we are certain that we will get to them, but it won't be in 2009/2010.

Now that we have a better sculpted Ep3 Clone Pilot in the Evolution line, when can we expect to see named pilots such as Oddball and Capt. Jag' Gakaar from Ep3 in the Legacy Collection as I have a few Republic Gun Ships and ARC-170s with no crew members? Also on the topic of Clone Pilots do you have any plans to release or re-release the Ep2 Clone Pilot any time soon in the legacy or Saga Legends collection? The 2002 Saga version is becoming impossible to find anywhere thesedays at a fair common sense price. (YF, 12/19/08) (http://www.yakfaceforums.com/viewtopic.php?p=56478#56478)

     Eventually, we do hope to get the EpIII pilots (especially Jag) out there in quality bodies. The EpII pilot, from the Evolution packs, will be out as a "greatest hits" sub line figure in the Legacy/Droid Factory waves, starting with the EpII wave next Spring. Oddball and Jag have yet to be slotted into the mainline or exclusive lineup, but given time there is no doubt they will be.

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Are we going to see more Galactic Heroes based off the Clone Wars line (specifically from the new Animated Series). And if so, will we also see some sets specific to certain episodes and adventures? (YN, 12/19/08) (http://www.yodasnews.com/)

     Yes, in fact most of our upcoming Galactic Heroes 2-packs will be based on the new characters from the animated Clone Wars series. We will also look for inspiration for Cinema Scenes sets as well, such as the currently available Obi-Wan with Starfighter.

Again related to the GH line. Many children (and collectors) enjoy army building with these little guys as well, any chance we will see 4 packs if solid clone and solid battle droids in the future? (YN, 12/19/08) (http://www.yodasnews.com/)

     We do not have a 4-pack format available in the Galactic Heroes. Instead, we are sticking to the bread and butter 2-packs and Cinema Scenes, which have been a big hit. We occasionally do troop-oriented packs in both assortments, and will continue to look to these options to round out the line.

In keeping with the GH theme, can GH fans look forward to any type of mail away offer for the line (like the Indiana Jones on Horse one this past summer)? I think it would be well received with younger fans who may not have yet had the chance at a "mail away" offer as well as collector friendly. (YN, 12/19/08) (http://www.yodasnews.com/)

     We don't have any plans to do a mail-in for Galactic Heroes. While the GH line has a lot of adult fans, kids remain the primary recipient. As such, they do not have a great response to mail-in offers. The IJ Adventure Heroes offer had, by a pretty wide margin, the least interest of the three mail-in offers. Therefore we'll keep the Star Wars offers in the 3-3/4" line to give the most folks possible the chance to participate.
Title: Re: The Hasbro Q & A Compendium
Post by: Matt on February 4, 2009, 05:00 PM
Session 65 - January 30, 2009

8d8 from Jabba’s palace shares a body with BGJ-38. Any chance these two will make it into the build-a-droid line? (BS, 2009-01-30) (http://banthaskull.com/forums/showthread.php?p=89128#post89128)

     BG-J38 *will* be coming as a buildable droid Factory figure in early 2010.

Will you release a new Bantha with less curly hair and more straight hair this time like it was in the movie? Or how about some more beasts? It’s been a while! (BS, 2009-01-30) (http://banthaskull.com/forums/showthread.php?p=89128#post89128)

     There are no plans right now to release a new Bantha, although there are a couple new beasts on the way. More information will likely be released at Comic Con, so stay tuned…

Any chance we'll see the Tatooine hut from the Lars Homestead available in a pack with no or just one figure, in a closed box someday? I would gladly buy 4 of them if they were in a better package at a better price point. (BS, 2009-01-30) (http://banthaskull.com/forums/showthread.php?p=89128#post89128)

     We're glad you like it; we agree it's a cool piece. However, we do not have plans to release the hut anywhere outside the Lars Homestead set itself.

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In light of the new Astromechs we have seen in the new Clone Wars series so far:
(massive list snipped)

Whaddya Think (CC, 2009-01-30) (http://creaturecantina.com/news_stories/2009/0204/hasbro-qna.html)

     Hi there - thanks for the rundown. That is a far more detailed list than we have been keeping ourselves regarding the Clone Wars droids. Our focus isn't on producing so many droids models for Clone Wars. We have our hands full chasing the main characters, key Jedi, clones, main Separatists, and different battle droid species that round out the main focus of what kids are looking for. Given time, we think that we will fill in the seems with some interesting characters, but with the pace of the episodes, and the constantly changing story focus, we envision fewer background characters in the lineup compared to, say, the Original Trilogy.

Okay, so you’ve made it clear that there will be no crossover between the “realistic” sculpts of the Legacy Collection and the “animated” sculpts of The Clone Wars lines, which suits a customizer like me down to the ground. At least I know what I can customize without fear of being upstaged by an Official Hasbro Product down the line. But can I just plead the case that regarding the Clones, simple repaints could easily make “realistic” versions of the new Clones, perhaps as online exclusive sets? For example, a set for “personalities” like Rex, Fox, and the like, or themed packs, like the Walker-Pilot Clones with the AT-TE foot insignia on their deltoid armor? (CC, 2009-01-30) (http://creaturecantina.com/news_stories/2009/0204/hasbro-qna.html)

     There are no plans to cross the two lines over; to start with a few clones would just open the door to the inevitable, and that would be a decreased focus on new Legacy figures or new Clone Wars figures as we start to cross-over characters in each unique style. Instead, we have chosen to keep the lines separate to best craft the strongest lineups for each.

Do you feel there are some figures which are the best there are, and the best that will ever be, and producing new sculpts would be fruitless? (CC, 2009-01-30) (http://creaturecantina.com/news_stories/2009/0204/hasbro-qna.html)

     We do think that some figures are about as solid as we are ever going to get them. Case in point, the current EpIV Obi-Wan about to release. Originally planned for an Evolution pack but released as a single basic carded figure instead, this figure is about as great a classic Obi-Wan as we could have hoped for. With the advances in articulation, sculpting aesthetics, and soft goods there are a large number of figures in this category, usually most of the characters in a given new wave any more. We're always curious as to which figures fans believe are still wanting, and we pay attention to those as future possibilities for upgrades.

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It's been a while since we've seen Hasbro visit Jabba's dungeons. Even if none of these are in the works for '09, are any on the short list for a future ROTJ wave? BG-J38, 2-1A with torture rack (we know it's not his official name, but it's fan name of the 2-1B body droid without the mouth), a tortured Gonk droid, perhaps even upgrades for 8D8 and EV-9D9... what are the chances we'll see stuff like that in the moderate future? (CS, 2009-01-30) (http://www.collectionstation.com/groups/view/Star-Wars/Official-Hasbro-Q-A-131_39)

     At least one of these droids will be updated in 2009, but there are no plans right now to pursue the others. With one of our long-term focuses (focii?) to ensure that we get around to a lot of the denizens of Jabba's Palace, both organic and inorganic, we think that given time all or almost all these droids will find their way into the lineup.

Back on Aug 17th, '07, Hasbro answered SirStevesGuide.com's question about the Skiff Guards with "over the next few years you will see some more of these cool guards either get their turn for the first time or get a resculpt. You'll have to be patient though - we'll only be able to get to a couple new ones a year." 17 months later and 2008 closes without a new sculpt for any Skiff Guard, making it 10 years since the last ones. While you have confirmed 1 Nikto guard is slated for next year, do Skiff Guard fans have anything else to look forward to in 2009, as there have not yet been a "couple new ones" in '08 and so far only 1 new one in '09? Or does the patience need to be extended to 2010? (CS, 2009-01-30) (http://www.collectionstation.com/groups/view/Star-Wars/Official-Hasbro-Q-A-131_39)

     This is the danger of answering specific questions in the Q&A, and opening a window into our longer-term plans. We did not have any of these guys in the '08 plans, but have slotted two into the '09 and one more into the '10 basic figure lineups.

Back in October '08, you answered a question about the potential for 4 Jabba's Palace characters - Cane Adiss, Loje Nella, Geezum and Yoxgit - by saying that "long term we do plan to get to some of these guys." If you only plan on doing some of these, which one or ones do you NOT plan on doing? Are there other Jabba's Palace denizens that Hasbro has no interest in pursuing, and why? (CS, 2009-01-30) (http://www.collectionstation.com/groups/view/Star-Wars/Official-Hasbro-Q-A-131_39)

     None of these are really *too* funky to do someday, although there are some strange ones there. To this point none of these have been slotted into any lineup. Geezum does make the most sense since he's a skiff guard. As far as which denizens we are not likely to do, the simple answer is that there are so many populating the palace that we just can't do them all and will need to select priorities first, which would include upgrades to major characters and species (such as Malakili or Gammorean Guards), Skiff guards, and the various dungeon droids - similar to the vintage Kenner focus. We do hope to do others over time, but our ability to really do a lot of these long-term depends on how many new figures we can produce, and continued sustained interest by collectors in the broader Star Wars line.

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Fans love Aayla Secura, so might we expect another new figure eventually? Maybe a Comic 2-Pack version of her in her undercover outfit as "Jayzaa" from the storyline in Darkhorse comics Republic #72 issue. (GH, 2009-01-30) (http://www.galactichunter.com/absolutenm/templates/full_article_template_1.asp?articleid=7808&zoneid=2)

     There are certainly a couple cool versions of Aayla in the comics, and we have some good ones sitting in the "parking lot." One of them just missed the cut for the mainline lineup in 2010, but could find its way to an exclusive. We are confident that given time, and continued support for the comic packs, we will see some more of Aayla one of these days.

You've said that there probably won't be a second Padmé Evolution set in 2009 [or any as of this e-mail], but can we still expect at least one more non-animated realistic Padmé next year in addition to the animated Padmé in her white outfit that has already been revealed? Also on the subject of animated Padmé, is there a good chance of eventually getting Padmé in her Leia-esque battle uniform from the 4th episode of the series Clone Wars: Destroy Malevolence plot? It seems to be prominently featured on various Clone Wars books and advertising, so it deserves as much attention as the standard white bodysuit version you are already releasing. (GH, 2009-01-30) (http://www.galactichunter.com/absolutenm/templates/full_article_template_1.asp?articleid=7808&zoneid=2)

     We can confirm that there will indeed be a new Queen Amidala figure in the Episode I wave this year.  As for Clone Wars Padmé, we will be releasing her in her "adventure" gear. Stay tuned!

Two figures that haven't received the newer, fresher Hasbro update are Oola and the Gammorean Guard. We've heard that both have been at some phase of development, but how likely are we to see them in the near future? (Or how close are they to getting out of the "parking lot"?) (GH, 2009-01-30) (http://www.galactichunter.com/absolutenm/templates/full_article_template_1.asp?articleid=7808&zoneid=2)

     Oola is not in the works to be updated, but we think she is almost a certainty as the farther-but years unfold. She has been on several lists, but has been one of the last cuts each time. The Gammorean Guard will be updated within the next two years.

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A question on the upcoming Clone Wars Jabba the Hutt Battle Pack - dais or no dais? And does he come with any new figures or just some sort of inevitable Anakin/Dooku/Ahsoka repacks that we're all expecting? (HH, 2009-01-31) (http://hanshideout.blogspot.com/2009/01/hasbro-star-wars-q-session-6.html)

     There is no dais with Jabba. He will come with his protocol droid, but no other figures. [HH editor's note: Yeah, I know - old news. This is why Q&A delays suck.]

Based on what you told us last time, we won't hold our breath waiting for our Han Solo with yellow space goggles from Marvel Star Wars # 15 (though we all know it'd rock). As Han Solo fans, what should we hold our breath waiting for in the coming year? With no new Bespin Han planned until 2010 and a new Carbonite Han not in our immediate future, is Stormtrooper Han really the only new Han figure we'll see in 2009? (HH, 2009-01-31) (http://hanshideout.blogspot.com/2009/01/hasbro-star-wars-q-session-6.html)

     There will be on additional version of Han later this year in the EpIV basic figure wave. After that, the next one up will be in later 2010.

And finally a question submitted by one of our younger readers - "Will you make some Wookiees in the Clone Wars Animated toys?" Joe, Age 7 (HH, 2009-01-31) (http://hanshideout.blogspot.com/2009/01/hasbro-star-wars-q-session-6.html)

     Joe, Right now, Wookies do not appear in the animated series, so we would not want to put them into the toy line because we want the toys to match what kids are seeing on TV. However, if Wookies do start to show up in the TV show we think it would be a great idea to include some in the toy line. Thanks!

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Do you have any plans to release the Separatist Boarding Craft aka Pod Hunter in the Clone Wars 3D vehicle line? (IS, 2009-01-30) (http://www.imperialshipyards.net/SMF/index.php?topic=192.msg6980#msg6980)

     No plans for that one right now.

I would like to know if there are any OTC ships (especially TESB) planned for Legacy this coming year? (IS, 2009-01-30) (http://www.imperialshipyards.net/SMF/index.php?topic=192.msg6980#msg6980)

     There are no new brand-new OTC ships scheduled for '09, but there are going to be some dynamite exclusive versions of classic vehicles if the schedules hold.  We'll have more information on those at Comic Con.

Do you have any plans to release the Firefighter Battle Droid from the Destroy Malevolence episode of Clone Wars in the Clone Wars 3D line? (IS, 2009-01-30) (http://www.imperialshipyards.net/SMF/index.php?topic=192.msg6980#msg6980)

     Yes indeed he will be coming, but likely not before the end of this year.

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Our first question/comment comes from some forum discussion regarding the recent Previews Exclusive Crimson Empire: The Crucible figure set. The set is a cool idea because Crimson Empire is really a popular storyline it seems, but some of our readers have expressed concern/disappointment in some parts used to make the Royal Guard Trainees... In particular, there were complaints about the use of the "Training Fatigues Clone" legs, as the ankles aren't articulated and they are sculpted at sharp angles. Was there a reason these legs were used over other more poseable legs? The lack of ankle articulation is pretty detrimental to posing these figures, mostly due to the way the ankles are sculpted in such an extreme stance. The Crimson Empire storyline's a very cool EU subject to go with it seems, but there does seem to be some disappointment in the poseability of the 4 trainee figures in the set just due to the leg choice. (JD, 2009-01-30) (http://jedidefender.com/newspro/fullnews.cgi?newsid1233499873,21143,)

     The choice was based on the best fit and available tooling. For this one, we had to start with an existing torso since the arms, heads, helmets, and weapons were al new, and we thought it was the best match and the tools were not in use elsewhere. We're glad you like the concept of the set; we think the Royal Guards story is an exceptional piece of EU storytelling and we're glad we could bring this one out.

In case we missed it, what happened to the R2-D2 that was going to utilize the R4-G9 body that was supposed to come out this year as part of a set? If it was scrapped, when can we expect to finally get our ultimate clean R2-D2 that doesn't utilize the inferior Early Bird body? Fans are pretty anxious to get an R2-D2 figure based on that R4-G9 sculpt since it's so awesome! (JD, 2009-01-30) (http://jedidefender.com/newspro/fullnews.cgi?newsid1233499873,21143,)

     Actually the set that was to have used this version of R2-D2 had to be dropped. We know that's a great version of R2-D2 to do, and will find a way to bring him out, probably in 2010.

Wilrow Hood got yet another mention in another Q&A from you guys recently, and we've got to ask it... Is there any chance you can give us some kind of update on Wilrow? Like perhaps could you share maybe some concept/design art for him, or where he is at in the production process so far? We'd love to see something here at Jedi Defender where the ICMG movement began. (JD, 2009-01-30) (http://jedidefender.com/newspro/fullnews.cgi?newsid1233499873,21143,)

     He will probably be on-shelf around November at this point, as part of the second EpV wave. At this point we have input drawings only for him. We are pleased to give you a first look at the input for Willrow.  (Pic) (http://www.jedidefender.com/image.pl?http://www.jedidefender.com/news/images/1-08/WillrowHood.jpg)

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I really like both the McQuarrie Star Wars figures that you made and I was wondering if you ever thought of doing a series of McQuarrie Evolutions Packs? They would be just like the 3 figure packs you already make, but they would have two figures that show the Evolution from McQuarrie's concept artwork to the final movie version. Like one could be a McQuarrie Evolutions Pack of Darth Vader (McQuarrie & Movie figures). (JI, 2009-01-30) (http://jediinsider.com/index.php?catid=8&itemid=11535)

     We don't have any plans to return to the Evolution format, at least for now. If we did, it's unlikely that we would put the McQuarrie figures into the mix with actual movie characters unless there was a broader theme to the set like "From concept to screen." That is a bit of a different theme than most everything else we have done, as we prefer to work "in fantasy" whenever possible. If we do pursue more McQuarrie or other concept figures beyond the four slotted for 2009, we'd most likely do them as basic carded figures. It's possible down the road that we will re-release the McQuarrie TAC figures in multi-figure sets. Look for an announcement on that later in 2009.

There's no doubting the popularity of the ‘Legacy’ comics from Dark Horse and their plastic counterparts, collectors and kiddies seem to be picking up the recent Cade/Talon and Imperial Knights packs left and right. While you've discussed future EU releases before, any indication how we may be getting these figures? Will we be seeing more comic pack issues or will figures such as Darth Krayt and Nihl begin sneaking their way into the single card assortments? The Legacy series itself presents a great opportunity for two packs; the aforementioned Sith Lords, Wolf Sazen with Shado Vao or even an Emperor Fel with a newly sculpted Marasiah Fel head on an Imperial Knight body are all great possibilities. So are comic packs the way to go to get great EU characters to the fans quickly and in quantity or will we see them gradually fill in the spots in the basic assortments? (JI, 2009-01-30) (http://jediinsider.com/index.php?catid=8&itemid=11535)

     We're concentrating on delivering Legacy figures in the comic pack format, and do not have plans to introduce them on basic figure cards. Many of the figures you cited will be coming within the next couple of years. Stay tuned!

The articulation on the new Marvel Universe 3 3/4" figures seems to be pretty nice, any chance of testing out this style with Star Wars figures in the future? (JI, 2009-01-30) (http://jediinsider.com/index.php?catid=8&itemid=11535)

     We have no plans of changing the Star Wars aesthetic, which relies on a seamless marriage of sculpting and articulation. Other figure lines make different choices that are best for their needs, but we have been following the current (and highly successful) path for some time and plan to stay on course.

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In the US release for TLC wave 4, the BAD parts are with all the new figures, and the 327th Clone Trooper - which is merely a repaint of the Evolutions Clone Trooper - comes with a redundant BAD part since he's not exactly "new" enough to warrant making collectors buy him again just to build the droid. However, in the UK release of this wave, the 327th Clone comes with an original BAD part - the right arm - while new figure Bail Organa is the one with the redundant part. Why did Hasbro change the BAD parts in wave 4 in the UK, leaving a new figure with a duplicate unnecessary part and an old figure with a vital part... or could this be factory error? (JN, 2009-01-30) (http://www.jedinews.co.uk/news/news.aspx?newsID=2149)

     We did not change the recipe for wave construction in the U.K., as far as we know.  The assortment ratios and part assignments should have been exactly the same.  As the new figures in the wave were Commander Faie, General Grievous, King and Queen Organa, FX-6, and Stass Allie, getting those six should have netted the complete droid.  It's possible you have seen a factory error, and if so, we do not know how widespread it is.

Some of the Galactic Heroes Cinema Scenes and 2008 Comic Packs have been not been seen in the UK.  Will any effort be made over the coming weeks and months to try to ensure we have a chance to buy some of these items (only 4 of the recently released GH Cinema Scene's were officially available over here [Vader's TIE, Obi Wan's Starfighter, Rancor's Pit and AT-RT] meaning that we're missing out on X-Wing Fighter on Dagobah, Pit of Carkoon, Escape from Mos Eisley and Geonosis Battle)? (JN, 2009-01-30) (http://www.jedinews.co.uk/news/news.aspx?newsID=2149)

     We are doing our best to ensure that all toys see distribution in the UK, but that does not always mean that we have enough consumer support to get all toys in all of our assortments to retail.  In this case, we are struggling with both of these to make the release quantities for all items, so we have to pick and choose.  With time we hope to grow the market, but for now it's the best start we can get with these assortments. (JN, 2009-01-30) (http://www.jedinews.co.uk/news/news.aspx?newsID=2149)

This next question was sent before the UK Toy Fair that took place this week - you can read our report from the Hasbro stand tomorrow and find out exactly what we did see and can say!

As normal the UK Toy Fair precedes the US Toy Fair by about 2/3 weeks.  Last year, a movie year, we weren't allowed to see ANYTHING related to Star Wars on the Hasbro stand.  Will we be able to see anything new at the UK Toy Fair this year or will everything be held back for the US? ...please say we'll be able to see something - fingers crossed! (JN, 2009-01-30) (http://www.jedinews.co.uk/news/news.aspx?newsID=2149)

     You will indeed be able to see quite a number of new things at the UK Toy Fair, but whether you will be able to actually talk about them is a different matter!  Seriously, there should be some good news there, but the rules about what can and can't be shared publicly until NY Toy Fair will be discussed by the UK team upfront.

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We've known about the complete lineup for the upcoming EMPIRE STRIKES BACK wave since early November.  But thus far the only images we've seen have been what appears to be a Captain Needa prototype.  Can we get a peek at some of the offerings in this wave?  Perhaps a final version of the previously seen Needa, or perhaps even the eagerly anticipated Hoth Rebel Trooper? (JTA, 2009-01-30) (http://www.jeditemplearchives.com/content/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=4455/#details)

     Images have been released this week already, and additional images will be made available at Toy Fair.

The Q&A process seems to have been dominated with questions about the LEGACY line much more than the CLONE WARS line.  Which is interesting, since it seems that during the holiday shopping season it was much harder to come by CLONE WARS figures than LEGACY figures.  So with that in mind, we thought that CLONE WARS might be fertile ground for a Q&A session.  Has the sales performance of the CLONE WARS line been as much of a surprise to the Hasbro Star Wars team as it has been to collectors?

And on a related note, we've seen indications over the past few months that a CLONE WARS deluxe figure line is in the works.  We've also seen word that a CLONE WARS Jabba might be on the way.  Will Jabba be offered through this line?  And what about the crab droid that we saw in the "Bombad Jedi" episode? (JTA, 2009-01-30) (http://www.jeditemplearchives.com/content/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=4455/#details)

     We are not surprised in the least at the runaway success of Clone Wars (both the series and the figures).  When we started seeing episodes, we knew it was going to rock the kid world, and have been planning big ever sense.  Collector questions on the Q&A are starting to turn more and more to Clone Wars, which is a sign that the "wait and see" attitude that a lot of collectors have had seems to be turning toward anticipation and excitement for future releases. We are glad to see the line getting the all-around respect that we feel it deserves.  as for Jabba - yes, he is coming in the Battle Pack lineup.  As for other segments of the Clone Wars line, stay tuned for news out of Toy Fair in a few weeks.

The news of the 2010 Force Unleashed wave is very exciting indeed.  With that news come all sorts of questions.  First, will the TFU Shaak Ti that we've heard about move to this wave from the previously announced Expanded Universe wave?  And what characters from the Force Unleashed are on the Star Wars team's wishlists? (JTA, 2009-01-30) (http://www.jeditemplearchives.com/content/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=4455/#details)
     
     Shaak Ti will stay in her wave, which is the EU wave slotted in prior to the TFU wave.  There are a bunch of figures on our wish list, which is now moving into the sculpting stage, but we're going to keep the exact contents of this wave close to the vest.  We have to have *something* to talk about in Spring 2010!

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MD

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With all the attention being paid to the EU with The Clone Wars (although one COULD argue that TCW is not really EU) and the Comic Packs, and all of the attention being paid to the Prequel Trilogy this year, can you reassure fans of the Original Trilogy that they have not been forgotten? I know there are several waves dedicated to the OT coming in 2009, but OT fans can't help but feel left out in the cold, what with the OT waves getting pushed back farther and farther away (2008's TESB wave), or seemingly abandoned (Whatever happened to Willrow Hood?). Say it ain't so! (RS, 2009-01-30) (http://www.rebelscum.com/story/front/Hasbros_66th_STAR_WARS_QA_The_Answers_120417.asp)

     While 2008 was light for basic figures, there was plenty of reason to celebrate the OTC with the Millennium Falcon, some cool battle packs, buildable Droid Factory figures, and several exclusives including a revamped A-Wing and both a Lars Homestead and Sarlacc Pit (we never dreamed that we could deliver both of those, but were able to do it). So if pure-OTC fans thought we neglected them last year we really beg to differ!

     Anyway, since the focus seems to be keenly on basic figures, we believe OTC fans will have a fantastic year in 2009. There will be five new waves (if we count the EpIV wave which is shipping now) along with some very special non-basic figure announcements which will come later in the year that will make this a year to remember. Willrow is slotted for the second ESB wave for late 2009.


On the other hand, from a fan of the EU...the Dark Horse comic book Jedi characters are very popular with fans. It's great to see Sharad Hett, K'Kruhk, Ki-Adi-Mundi What are the chances we'll see action figures based on T'ra Saa, Badoo Bok, a REAL Jedi Quinlan Vos, or my personal favorite....Tyvokka the Wookiee? (RS, 2009-01-30) (http://www.rebelscum.com/story/front/Hasbros_66th_STAR_WARS_QA_The_Answers_120417.asp)

     We agree - the Dark Horse run of Republic was an amazingly fertile ground for key character introduction and storytelling, and if fans haven't sought out this series they really ought to (available in trade paperback under the Clone Wars reprint volumes). We will be exploring a good number of characters from this series over the next couple of years, including T'ra Saa and others.

     We just released a Jedi-robe version of Quinlan Vos, so look for him now packed out with the Scout Trooper version of Commander Faie (unless we misunderstood your point about a REAL Jedi Quinlan Vos?).

     We are not sure who Badoo Bok is as we are not tracking him in our parking lot, unless you are referring to Bok the Morgukai warrior, who is indeed AWESOME but not in the lineup yet (hopefully, some day).
Dan's Note: A bit of a private joke here...Badoo Bok is a fan-fiction Rodian Jedi Knight, so that of course wouldn't get past Lucasfilm's scrutiny. But an upgraded version of the figure from the Jedi Knight Army set WOULD be cool, wouldn't it?

     As for Tyvokka, he remains one of the figures that is off limits to us and will not be produced.


It's already been revealed that there will be a Podracer pilot in the Episode I wave in 2009. Will this be a 2-pack, or will we see a single figure release? (RS, 2009-01-30) (http://www.rebelscum.com/story/front/Hasbros_66th_STAR_WARS_QA_The_Answers_120417.asp)

     It will be a single figure release. We would like to be able to do multi-figure packs, but it all comes down to what we can manage to get into the lineup based on costing, etc.

Since this is the 66th Q&A, we gotta ask a clone question (hello? Order 66!)....How soon if at all can we expect an upgrade for Bacara and Cody, after what you did with Gree I'd really like to see these two Commanders get theirs, they are the only two left from ROTS that need to be updated.

Dan's Note: I tried to sneak this 4th question in, but they were wise to me...  (RS, 2009-01-30) (http://www.rebelscum.com/story/front/Hasbros_66th_STAR_WARS_QA_The_Answers_120417.asp)

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Would Hasbro ever consider doing large-scale versions of some of the smaller figures? I don't mean 12" bodies with cloth costumes, like Sideshow does and Hasbro used to do, but literal larger versions of some of the best figures. 4-ups, let's say. (RTM, 2009-01-30) (http://www.toymania.com/news/messages/10974.shtml)

     It's highly unlikely at this point. We discontinued the Unleashed 8" format for the reason that the line only attracted a small following despite extraordinary production costs in terms of time and tooling. Any other collector-targeted size or format that we pursued would likely also attract a niche audience or take away focus on growing the primary 3-3/4" play pattern and other popular expressions we have in motion such as Star Wars Transformers and Galactic Heroes. We will continue working with Sideshow on their 12" figure program.

Will we see a figure of the Clone Wars Mon Calamari Jedi, Nahdarr Vebb? (RTM, 2009-01-30) (http://www.toymania.com/news/messages/10974.shtml)

     There is no Nahdarr Vebb figure planned.

Would Hasbro consider doing Star Wars-themed fashion dolls again? Especially now with more female characters to choose from in Clone Wars, it could be a broader line than just Leia and Padme. (RTM, 2009-01-30) (http://www.toymania.com/news/messages/10974.shtml)

     We would not consider pursuing fashion dolls again. The primary audience for Clone Wars remains boys and (secondarily) their dads.

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2008 marked the 25th anniversary of ROTJ, however there was no fanfare, no commemorative figure sets, no special packaging, nothing from Hasbro mentioning the milestone. Is there a reason it got snubbed while ANH has enjoyed Hasbro products for both its 25th and 30th anniversary? Will 2009 pass without anything celebratory of the TPM 10th anniversary? What about ESB's 30th anniversary the year after? Judging by some of your Q&A answers over the last 6 months, it seems like there's thinking about maybe doing some cool ESB stuff in 2010 - like a Tauntaun, e-web cannon, Bespin Han, and Boba Fett - are those hints suggesting ESB 30th anniversary special stuff? (SSG, 2009-01-30) (http://www.sirstevesguide.com/index.php?categoryid=13&p2_articleid=1934)

     2008 was the year of Clone Wars and our focus was geared toward that as the big new story, with a portion of the very big spotlight being shared with the Millennium Falcon launch. The main story for both 2009 and 2010 will be the second and third seasons of Clone Wars, respectively, but it does not mean that the spotlight can't be shared to some extent. In 2009, there will be a celebration of the 10th Anniversary of EpI, small but significant, and details for that should be released at Toy Fair. For 2010, we are still looking at whether there is a program for the 30th Anniversary of EpV, but nothing is concrete right now.

Longterm collectors have noticed that, in the past, sometimes Hasbro ends up with spare figures at the end of a particular line - either unsold merchandise or even bought back from retailers like in the Saga line. Take for example the HasbroToyShop 8-packs of TAC Farmboy Luke, or Darth Vader, sold as "party favors". Collectors have always wondered, what happens to those extra figures: Are they melted down and recycled back into plastic (and wouldn't their paint make that difficult)? Are they repacked into new sets like battle packs or Saga Legends (which seems expensive to take them out of original packaging and put into a different package)? Are they sold off to toy liquidators, or donated to childrens' charity as a write-off? (SSG, 2009-01-30) (http://www.sirstevesguide.com/index.php?categoryid=13&p2_articleid=1934)

     This is an interesting question, and one we're glad you asked since we have seen some speculation that our Battle Pack or figure choices are dictated by leftover or excess (or, as implied, returned/unwanted) inventory. This could not be further from the truth; we select figures and sets based on the anticipated wants of the groups we are targeting, and match our existing library to those needs. Some Battle Packs may rely on older figures, but if they are kid-targeted (as many Battle Packs are) then many of our older figures are perfect for the audience. We have not brought figures back from retail in many years, but if we did, they would not be repacked into new sets like Battle Packs or Saga Legends. Production of all new toys takes place in Asia, and it doesn't make logistic sense to ship them back for reworking when it would be much less expensive to initiate new production. As for what has happened to figures in the past, it is likely that a variety of options were pursued to move the inventory, including the figure 4-packs that were sold to retailers in the past.

Fans may be a mixed bunch, but when it comes to the latest Sarlacc Ultimate Battle Pack exclusive for Target, while fans were really looking forward to this concept, their overall take on the finished product seems to be a less-than-positive one. The complaints range from weak execution on the set to poor paint on the figures to not enough product for the newly-increased pricepoint over the '07 models. What is the Hasbro Star Wars team's take on the final product that made it to retail, both its successes and its failures? (SSG, 2009-01-30) (http://www.sirstevesguide.com/index.php?categoryid=13&p2_articleid=1934)

     Good question. We understand that not everyone was satisfied with the pricing and execution of the set, and, as with everything, it is up to the individual fan to decide whether the materials and execution are up to their own individuals standards. Not everything always turns out exactly the way we want it, either; we do the best we can within our parameters for costing and what we can afford to produce. We are proud that we do take chances on things that otherwise we would never be able to do, and both the 2007 Ultimate Battle Packs and the 2008 versions are examples of such chances. Pretty much every choice we make is a compromise of some sort, with our strategic objectives always in mind. In this case, it was delivering a set that could retail for the same price as the 2007 Ultimate Battle Packs (actual retail pricing is out of our control). We are thrilled to have delivered a Sarlacc pit to fans, and we put in as much value as we could into the set, including the skiff, as many figures as we could, and the newly tooled parts that offered both versions of the Pit itself. While the larger base was vacu-formed, the set would not have been possible without this approach, and really is the key factor that ensured that the set existed in the first place. We worked hard to get this one out with as many components as we could, and are proud of the results, and hope that many fans share the same enthusiasm toward getting a Sarlacc Pit that otherwise could not exist.

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Is it possible to you confirm what figures you have made for the live action TV series for next year if any? If so what? (ST, 2009-01-30) (http://www.sandtroopers.com/smf/index.php?topic=5183.msg227001#msg227001)

     There is no word on the live action TV series as of yet.

This coming wave of New Hope figures have given us, the fans, 4 more Mos Eisley/Cantina aliens, and Kudos to you because I always wondered what Dice Ibegon would look like with a body. We have Trinto, Dice, Pons (Brainiac) and Wioslea, but we are missing ONE last crucial alien for the cantina. I am of course referring to BOM VIMDIM. Wheres the figure love for are favorite horned patron? (ST, 2009-01-30) (http://www.sandtroopers.com/smf/index.php?topic=5183.msg227001#msg227001)

     There are a couple more significant Cantina aliens coming this Fall, but Bom won't be among them.  Right now, we think you can look for him near the end of 2010 as long as things stay on schedule.

I'm just wondering if you plan on giving any consideration to expanded universe material from the pre-Thrawn trilogy era (70's & 80's) apart from the Marvel comics material. There is actually quite a bit to draw from such as the Holiday Special (which you have stated can't be touched), the Ewok movies, the Droids and Ewoks cartoons, novels such as Splinter of the Mind's Eye, the Han and Lando novels, and storybooks that originally included records like Planet of the Hoojibs and Droidworld. True, none of them have a lot of exposure today, but they would certainly be remembered by collectors that grew up in a time when these were some of the only sources of Star Wars fun apart from the OT.  So what do you think? Is there any chance that figures based on some of these sources could ever be made, perhaps as chase figures, exclusives or some other type of release? (ST, 2009-01-30) (http://www.sandtroopers.com/smf/index.php?topic=5183.msg227001#msg227001)

     There is simply so much great Star Wars reference that we can't cover it all, so we try and hone in on the things that have the most pent-up-demand, or things which we feel tell a great story and can be executed within our tooling and cost constraints. Some of these - like the Ewoks and Droid series, which have seen DVD distribution - are definitely possible if we find the right format. This would most likely be as exclusive multi-figure packs.  They are not high on our list given some of our other choices but remain possibilities as we look to flesh out our plans farther down the road.  Splinter of the Minds Eye is likely in comic 2-pack form and was high on the list for 2010, but did not make the final cut.  It is a strong possibility for 2011 if comic packs are still doing well. The rest of the sources you cite have much lower resonance and would not be under consideration.

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With oil being so much cheaper of late (under $50 a barrel) will Hasbro forgo it's decision to include only four figures per battlepack and return to including fifth figure? (ST/"TJ", 2009-01-30) (http://www.sandtroopers.com/smf/index.php?topic=8437.msg223162#msg223162)

     There are many factors, not just the price of commodities, that affect what we include in packs (labor, packaging, cube size, and pricing are all critical elements).  Suffice it to say Value is an important attribute of Battle Packs, and we try and include as much as possible to be as appealing as possible.

Any chance of seeing a figure made of the Droid Commando or any of the other "new" Battle Droids that were recently featured in the Clone Wars series? (ST/"TJ", 2009-01-30) (http://www.sandtroopers.com/smf/index.php?topic=8437.msg223162#msg223162)

     Certainly….the Droid Commando and several other cool new droids will be coming in the Clone Wars basic figure lineup next year, in addition to a few other formats as well (Battle Packs, etc).  Stay tuned!

The RotS 2-1B figure was one of the most out-of-scale in Hasbro's history: it was far too small and I noticed a few collectors saying that they would only buy it when it went on clearance because the tiny size didn't justify buying it at regular retail price (I skipped it entirely). What happened here?  You've mentioned in the past that sometimes a figure turns out smaller due to issues with the material or the tooling, but this one seemed too tiny for it to be just error.  Was it cost-saving due to higher plastic costs?  And can you promise us that an eventual TESB 2-1B will be correctly scaled? (ST/"TJ", 2009-01-30) (http://www.sandtroopers.com/smf/index.php?topic=8437.msg223162#msg223162)

     It might appear small because of the vintage one we all know and love, but it's actually accurate. We designed 2-1B to the height standards for the 2-1B series droids relative to all other figures, or roughly about the same size as Leia and shorter than Luke.

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SW Action News

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So far we have seen numerous Rebel Pilot figures but we have yet to see one of the Grey Squadron Y-Wing Pilots from ROTJ. Is there any chance we may see one of these in 2009 or 2010? (TPU, 2009-01-30) (http://www.theprivateuniverse.co.uk/cgi-bin/showarticle.pl?section=news&articleid=3917)

     There are no plans right now, but we are very interested in continuing to explore the Rebel Pilots and would not rule it out for sometime down the road.

You have released details for the 2nd Imperial Pilots and 3rd Rebel Pilots Evolution sets. Can you tell us the other 2 figures which will be included with Fi in the Commandos set? (TPU, 2009-01-30) (http://www.theprivateuniverse.co.uk/cgi-bin/showarticle.pl?section=news&articleid=3917)

     The other figures are Alpha-17 (aka Alpha) in red armor and an Imperial Shadow Commando. We did not modify the torso or head, using the existing Commando body.

Are there any plans to produce Force FX blasters at any point? (TPU, 2009-01-30) (http://www.theprivateuniverse.co.uk/cgi-bin/showarticle.pl?section=news&articleid=3917)

     Our focus remains on getting up to speed in the Force FX lightsaber business. We do not have plans, at least for now, to produce Force FX blasters.

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The recent "Lair of Grievous" Clone Wars episode seemed to beg this question – Are there any plans for a Battle Damaged General Grievous in the Clone Wars Line complete with removable legs and battle damaged face plate? (YF, 2009-01-30) (http://www.yakfaceforums.com/viewtopic.php?p=59093#59093)

     We will be updating our Grievous sculpt for 2009 with some cool new touches….you just may like what you see. Stay tuned!

Due to their prominence in the series, can we expect to receive a Clone Wars Super Battle Droid version that incorporates the large cannon-like arm in 2009? (YF, 2009-01-30) (http://www.yakfaceforums.com/viewtopic.php?p=59093#59093)

     Yes, yes indeed.

Since last week you clarified the some of features of the new Super Vulture Droid, what else can be said about it? Is it able to be transformed into its "walking" droid mode and has it indeed been "EU-ized" to carry a pilot/droid of some type? (YF, 2009-01-30) (http://www.yakfaceforums.com/viewtopic.php?p=59093#59093)

     It will indeed be a walking-type model and we'll have more details at Toy Fair. However, due to the need to have a reasonable-sized pop-out head to complete the aesthetic, we decided against having a cockpit that would fit other figures and directed our energies to make the legs split and added firing missiles.

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Over the Holidays I purchased 1 of each of the AT-TE and the BMF. Both are very well loved by my 5 year old. I was so impressed with the Falcon that I bought a second for myself to display, because it really took me back to my younger years. My questions is since Hasbro has this kind of production capabilities to put into a vehicle. Why is this not applied across the board with other ships etc? On the action figure side, I bought my son almost 40 figures, I have to say the most impressive was the TLC GRIEVOUS that seems to be the correct scale. I have to ask, are you going to make one with a cape? That was the only disappointment. Keep up the good work and make more big ships. We want them all! (YN, 2009-01-30) (http://www.yodasnews.com/)

     We're glad you are thrilled with the results on the Millennium Falcon and AT-TE. We're a little uncertain what you mean when you ask why this type of production capability is not applied to the rest of the ships in the line. As a matter of fact, the exact same engineering and design team that worked on the big vehicles also delivers the $20-$25 SRP vehicles.

     Each one is crafted to pack in as many details and play features as possible given our cost constraints; we do not deliberately short any Star Wars vehicle when it comes to features, fun, size, deco, and the like. If you mean to ask why Hasbro doesn't pursue more $100+ vehicles, which can be made much larger and packed with tons of features, the simple answer is that there are very few vehicles that we are confident can carry demand at that very risky price point, and it would be very dangerous for us to expand this focus against an uncertain economy.

     What we know has been extremely successful is our focus on delivering newness in the $20-$25 vehicles, which have been extraordinarily well-received as a significant complement to the 3-3/4" figure line. We will have an announcement at Toy Fair regarding the status of the $100+ vehicle program. As for Grievous, we just could not afford to include a soft goods cape with him. There is a strong possibility that he will come out someday, perhaps slightly different, with a soft goods cape.


In regards to the Jodo Kast figure - Any chance you will re-release him with a real articulated body like the Mando warriors offered through EE? The current release has a lack of features. Will we ever see Jodo Kast on a better, articulated body? (YN, 2009-01-30) (http://www.yodasnews.com/)

     It's unlikely that we will release another Jodo Kast figure. It took so long to fit this one into the lineup as it is…

We have along wish list for figures from Clone Wars, to name a few Clone Trooper (scouts on Teth, from the movie) , Senate Security Clone Trooper (with pauldron, from Ambush), Nahdar Vebb, Jabba the Hutt's protocol droid, Clone Trooper (in Star Destroyer uniform), Senate Security Guard (from Cloak of Darkness), Nute Gunray, Toydarian king, and guards, Jabba's aliens (Weequay and Nikto), Trandoshan Trader (from Downfall of a Droid), Commander Gree, Lok Durd, Cad Bane and Twi'lek civilian! Make our Holiday and let us know which ones we will see in 2009 and share any pictures you may have! (YN, 2009-01-30) (http://www.yodasnews.com/)

     The good news for you is that with the staggering success of Clone Wars that we have a great lineup of basic figures and other formats (Battle Packs, etc) lined up for 2009. Many of the figures you have asked about are in the mix, although not all. The reality is that with so many characters coming fast and furious in various episodes, there is just no possibility of getting to everyone, but we are doing our best to get to the important ones who appear across episodes. That means some characters who only appear once, like Nahdarr Vebb or background characters, stand a very low likelihood of getting a figure. Given time though we are satisfied that you will love the rich Clone Wars lineup. We won't be releasing any images this close to Toy Fair; look for a full report from the websites covering the show in a few weeks.
Title: Re: The Hasbro Q & A Compendium
Post by: Matt on March 4, 2009, 07:55 PM
Session 66 - February 27, 2009

Will there be variants of the recently revealed Episode V wave Hoth Rebel Trooper? More specifically, will he be released with the two heads or will this be a running change? (BS, 2009-02-27) (http://banthaskull.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2485)

     It will be a running change; the first Rebel Trooper will ship in the U-3PO buildable droid wave, and then will carry forward into the next (HK-47) buildable droid wave. Each will come with a different droid part, although the second (HK-47) Trooper will have a redundant part that we always do for the figures that continue into the next wave. You can help us out by passing on a valuable note to fans. Regarding the Hoth Rebel Trooper, a very limited number of the first Rebel Trooper without the lower part of the jacket (skirt) will be getting out there. We did not catch the change until these had already been built out so we are letting them go. For those who get them....your choice is to not open them and hang onto them, or open and enjoy them for what they are. Do not try to get replacement skirts from our Consumer Affairs team, as there is no way to add this to the figure as it needs to be co-assembled at the factory.  Thanks!

You seem to have found a plastic that works for skinny battle droid figures in the clone wars line. When is this going to translate into the regular line? When it happens, I would like to suggest doing the droid troop carrier from Episode 1. That would allow us to purchase many battle droids (like I purchased many WHITE Legends style clones for my ATTE). It is a nice deployment device....don’t you agree? (BS, 2009-02-27) (http://banthaskull.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2485)

     There is no different plastic used for the Clone Wars droids vs. the Legacy droids. Instead, what you are seeing is a different stiffness (durometer) of plastic that was used. It does vary but we try and use the stiffest possible for the BDs. As far as the MTT, which we think is the droid carrier you are referring to, it would indeed be a dream come true some day to produce that beastie for the 3-3/4" line. However, given it's size, it remains a dream for now. Perhaps some day it will be possible if it gets additional entertainment exposure in Clone Wars.

As a follow-up to a previous question asked by Banthaskull member SW_Rebel, will the battle gear be changed to include OT weapons? So far all of the lockers have had PT weapons, and now many of us have all we need. It seems kind of odd for the OT characters in the Saga Legends line to come with PT weapons. (BS, 2009-02-27) (http://banthaskull.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2485)

     There are no plans to change the weapons at this time. If Saga Legends continues beyond Spring 2010, this is something that we could look at as it would add an interesting depth to the lineup.

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It's pretty much a fact of life that every time you get a group of people together, they'll eventually start creating their own slang to encapsulate their experiences, needs, tools, and situations. Do you folks on Hasbro's Star Wars team have any particularly cool, funny, interesting, or entertaining jargon or acronyms you've come up with in the last few years that the fans might not know about and you'd be willing to share for laughs? (CC, 2009-02-27) (http://creaturecantina.com/news_stories/2009/0304/hasbro-qna.html)

     Surprisingly, we don't have too many. We like to use a lot of the same funny phrases that the fans have created - "peg warmer" for example whenever we talk about a figure who is dangerously obscure to the point of plugging up shelves if over-released. Occasionally we'll describe a figure who is the opposite of a pegwarmer as "teflon" (because they won't stick to shelves). One that is sort of funny is "sluggos" - used to describe characters that have very little articulation (and are like solid plastic slugs drawn from a mold) - typically things like Salacious Crumb or mynocks. Other than that, we really don't have too many fun phrases or acronyms. We should probably devote more time to that - so we could generate acronyms that sound better than ones like UGH and BAD. ; )

What do you think of the rumors that after Ep. II, you convinced Lucasfilm to incorporated multi-colored Clones in Ep. III so you release more figures cash in on those crazy Clone army builders? It's ludicrous right? Right? (CC, 2009-02-27) (http://creaturecantina.com/news_stories/2009/0304/hasbro-qna.html)

     We work closely with Lucasfilm to make sure that our character mix is constantly "fresh" and resonates with consumers. One area of freshness we have always requested has been costume changes for main characters, because it provides a richer and more realistic universe to explore. Case in point - the richness and variety in the Original Trilogy which led to new and unique takes on the most of the main cast. In this case, the variations on Clones (which everyone would agree is a main character type) was a great seam to explore for Lucasfilm, because it shows that Clones can have unique personalities and skills and that all life has value, a theme that we see in the new animation. How great this seam that was opened during Episode II would turn out to be has been phenomenal.

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With the Droid Commando now confirmed as getting a figure from Hasbro, we were wondering, what types of accessories might it be coming with? In their premiere episode, the Droid Commandos carried multiple accessories - blaster, stun baton, fusion cutter, even a vibrosword for the leader - dare we hope to see all, even the leader with the sword? What about getting a Droid Commando in clone trooper disguise, also seen in that episode? (CS, 2009-02-27) (http://www.collectionstation.com/groups/Star-Wars/Official-Hasbro-Star-Wars-QA-2272009_43)

     The basic figure of the Commando Droid is one of the troopers and will include a standard Droid blaster that can plug into his back for storage. The figure will be roughly super-articulated for poseability. There is a strong possibility we will do the captain Commando Droid later on down the line, which would include his sword.

The Comic Packs are great since the addition of the comic books give these characters much-needed context, as the average kid and collector who mainly know the movies will likely not know these characters without seeing them in some sort of action. That said, there are still several other expanded universe products that have no context other than the small bio on their packaging. Would it be possible for comic books to also be included in EU multi-figure sets or vehicles as well? For instance, fans of Crimson Empire are liking the look of the upcoming Crucible set, while those who are unfamiliar with the work think it looks more like a cross between Star Wars and Power Rangers. (CS, 2009-02-27) (http://www.collectionstation.com/groups/Star-Wars/Official-Hasbro-Star-Wars-QA-2272009_43)

     We feel better about the target audience when the sets go to a collector-targeted outlet such as Diamond Comics or Entertainment Earth. It's when the sets go to mass retailers as most comic 2-packs do that we feel we need to have that added context. We have thought about offering comics in the multi-figure sets, but usually it comes down to the package configuration and size. We'll take another look in the future to see if it merits the addition of the comic.

As fans of Hasbro's lines, we've seen this for years: official Hasbro images for retailers and on packaging that employ a dark look as if photoshopped to enhance shadows, surfaces and edges. This gives the overall look of the toy increased realism, but often the production deco of the toy can't really live up to that. While there is a fine-print proviso on the packaging about such things, it's still a little unusual. Why does Hasbro employ this tactic so often with their official photography, and why not simply give each toy a subtle, simple paint wash to actually bring those lines out and give them the realistic look which the packaging shows could be possible? (CS, 2009-02-27) (http://www.collectionstation.com/groups/Star-Wars/Official-Hasbro-Star-Wars-QA-2272009_43)

     We have been employing the same package photographic techniques for a number of years, designed to involve the characters in a realistic scene with the intent of achieving an atmospheric feel. It really is just that - an intent to establish an atmospheric mood - and not meant to promise more or different deco than the figures actually have. You are right - the photos have more darkness and edge to them than the actual figures. We have experimented with paint wipes before, with not so great results (some of the previous Cinema Scenes, the one with Wuher in particular come to mind). The bottom line is that they are very difficult to execute in an even way, and some wipes become much "harder" than others and can be undesirable as an addition to one's collection. We like where the figures currently sit regarding their degree of "realism" and edge and will stick with that.

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One of my favorite pieces to get as a child was the many different figure storage cases. My favorites were the ones with movive scenes on the outside and two plastic trays that doubled as display stands. Is there any chance that you would bring these items back in new styles? We could always use storage for opened figs. Backdrops would be great, too!!! (GH, 2009-02-27) (http://www.galactichunter.com/absolutenm/templates/full_article_template_1.asp?articleid=7862&zoneid=2)

     Good request - while those exact heat-sealed vinyl cases may not make it back out, we have been looking at storage cases again. No immediate answers on which ones will come back out (or when).

The upcoming Legacy Collection Ugnaughts look great! Could we psychotic collectors request a purple-smock variant at some point simply to match up with the vintage line? (GH, 2009-02-27) (http://www.galactichunter.com/absolutenm/templates/full_article_template_1.asp?articleid=7862&zoneid=2)

     That would be a *great* variation for sometime down the line with a proper wink to the vintage fan.  For now, though - no plans as we focus on these two versions.

We know that the BMF (Big Millennium Falcon) is getting cleared out at some stores as part of the post-Holiday clear-out, but it is an open stock item that will continue to ship, right? Are there any upgrades planned for this piece in the foreseeable future? (GH, 2009-02-27) (http://www.galactichunter.com/absolutenm/templates/full_article_template_1.asp?articleid=7862&zoneid=2)

     Wal-Mart and Target have taken to clearance out the Millennium Falcon since they do not have a home on the latest planogram. As of now, it's likely that Toys 'R Us in the U.S. will carry another run of them in the Fall in the new red/white packaging. There will be no upgrades to the Millennium Falcon if it does ship again; it's likely that this version will be the signature version for some years. The good news is that the large vehicle program was indeed a success and we look forward to the first Turbo Tanks hitting shelves around August 1.

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When can we expect to see the next batch of Galactic Heroes at retail? We're itching to buy some of those GH Spider Droids and Clone sets! (HH, 2009-02-27) (http://hanshideout.blogspot.com/2009/02/hasbro-star-wars-q-session-7.html)

     The latest wave will be shipping out of Hasbro next week (week of March 2nd). Look for it to start appearing on shelves about two-three weeks from now.

Last time we beat "Comic Pack Han" to death, so now we're moving on to EU Han. How about we help you guys plan out a Han Solo Evolutions set for 2010! We start with a Han in Imperial garb (TIE Pilot or Imp Officer, your pick). Then we move on to a sweet super-articulated Yavin IV Medal Ceremony Han. And finally, we finish with a new Mynock Cave/Mechanic Han Solo. If you could go ahead and get started on that, we'll send a nice basket of cookies ASAP. (HH, 2009-02-27) (http://hanshideout.blogspot.com/2009/02/hasbro-star-wars-q-session-7.html)

     Evolutions is not continuing forward, but we get the idea that you like Han and want to see some more upgraded or new versions checked off the list. Those are three pretty good suggestions for new takes on Han. An Imperial/Academy Han would be interesting and there is comic reference for it; the chances this one could come to light some day in comic form are slight but not out of the realm of possibility. The other two are likely over the next few years. They may not be in the lineup any time soon but they remain good figures to upgrade.

Toy Fair is just four weeks away (two weeks by the time we get these answers back). [Editors Note: Or maybe Toy Fair was two weeks ago - darn Q&A delays!] Give us a tease on one item you're itching to reveal. Any one item you just can't wait for us to see? (HH, 2009-02-27) (http://hanshideout.blogspot.com/2009/02/hasbro-star-wars-q-session-7.html)

     By now, you've seen the rollout from Toy Fair and we hope that you like what you saw. We do not reveal any secrets beforehand - that goes against the idea pretty much - unless we're asked a specific question that merits an answer that would tease out some tasty info.

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I'm wondering if there will be any kind of 'premium format figures coming out in 2009. What I mean here is a line, similar to the vintage collection of a few years ago, made up of figures where you pull out all the stops (super articulation, the best sculpts, accessories that you may not be able to include at the basic figure price point).  If not this year, could you see this kind of line possibly becoming a reality at some point in the future? (IS, 2009-02-27) (http://www.imperialshipyards.net/SMF/index.php?topic=192.msg8304#msg8304)

     Thanks for the question, Pat.  We actually don't see this as a segment on our horizon, primarily because the default for the basic figure line is pretty much Vintage-style super-articulation already, or close enough to the point where a premium price compared to the basic figure is unwarranted.  Our plan is to maintain the premium articulation at the current figure price point for as long as we can, as long as we can contain costs coming out of the factories.  If Vintage does make a return, and we are seriously evaluating it, it would likely be at the same price as the current line and will encompass more than the OTC but would encompass all of the films (as well as all non-Clone Wars EU).

Are there any 2-1B medical droids slotted into the build a droid lineup?  Several variations could be made such as a new version of the Empire Strikes Back droid, a repaint in the Droids animated series color scheme, and a holographic version like the one in the Clone Wars movie. (IS, 2009-02-27) (http://www.imperialshipyards.net/SMF/index.php?topic=192.msg8304#msg8304)

     We just recently released a new 2-1B, and do not have plans to release one in the buildable format in the 2009 Droid line.  Perhaps farther down the road in some capacity it would be a fun addition, but there are no plans right now.

I would love to know if there are any McQaurrie concept vehicles coming? Please, please make the walker first if you ever do one! (IS, 2009-02-27) (http://www.imperialshipyards.net/SMF/index.php?topic=192.msg8304#msg8304)

     Sorry to disappoint, but there are no plans for McQuarrie vehicles on the horizon.

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While some rumored-but-cancelled Indiana Jones items can be confirmed (the German Motorcycle has peg holes where the rumored sidecar would have gone) was there any truth to the rumor that a 3 ¾” scaled Flying Wing vehicle was in development for the Indiana Jones line? (IJC, 2009-02-27) (http://indianajonescollectors.com/)

     Yes indeed, a 3-3/4" scaled flying wing *was* in development before the Indiana Jones program was crated up to await another film, should there be one. While the model was finished, it was never tooled.

The recently released Temple of Doom Mola Ram is hands-down the best 4” scale action figure of the past several years – even including the Star Wars line. The figures from the Temple of Doom wave have an attention to detail and deep understanding of the films that is truly remarkable – for example, I recently discovered the Sankara stones hidden in TOD Indy’s satchel and the cut marks on the back of his shirt. For a die-hard fan of the type that quibbles over an incorrect lightsaber included with a Star Wars figure, discovering tiny details like this weeks after purchase is unique. My question is was the TOD wave designed/conceptualized by the same team and manufactured by the same factories as the earlier first two waves? They almost appear to have been done by a completely different set of people at every level, from conceptualization to choice of accessories to quality of paint apps. Or was this simply a case of learn as you go? (IJC, 2009-02-27) (http://indianajonescollectors.com/)

     We are glad that you saw the incredible attention to detail that we put into the wave, a testament to the deep fans of IJ that we are. All of the 3-3/4" IJ figures were created by the exact same design team and manufactured at the same factory. While the factory did make improvements after the first couple of batches, responding to our and Lucasfilm's high standards for quality, we think what you are seeing in the later waves reflects the result of a more normal design schedule. The first IJ figures were created on a *crazy* pace dictated by the need to develop the line on a very compressed schedule after we learned IJ IV was going to happen. Hopefully that kind of schedule will never happen again, and if we are lucky enough to tackle IJV.

I picked up the recently released 12” Indiana Jones in German Uniform. It has a great likeness to Harrison Ford - even standing side-by-side with the Medicom Indy (which sells for seven times the price!) I was amazed to realize - using a magnifying glass - that it’s the same sculpt as the first release 12” Indy witb whip action, and shares some hair sculpt attributes with the talking Indy, yet it looks so totally different visually, even very close up it looks new. Is it simply an issue of superior, non-glossy plastic that holds detail better, or better paint apps, or something else? How is it the new doll can look so completely different - and superior - yet be from the same mold? (IJC, 2009-02-27) (http://indianajonescollectors.com/)

     It is actually the same head sculp. The Whip Crackin' Indy had a molded-on hat, so there was no hair or top of the head on that guy. So we took the same head sculpt and basically finished it from the forehead up, adding the hair and then tooled it. So it is a new tool, but not a new sculpt per se. We're glad you were happy with the likeness; we (and Lucasfilm) really liked the results of this one too. Of course, the deco is different from the first to reflect different beard stubble, scrapes and cuts, a little more tanned, and any other detail from that particular scene. You are right about the finish, too, we spec'd paint in a matte finish so it did not have a shinier plastic sheen. Thanks for the good word on this one!

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The recent developments around the web have revealed something Toy Fair UK that's piqued everyone's curiosity. There's some new toys listed in a catalogue, and we wanted to ask if you had any information you could share on the Turbo Tank, but we also wanted to know just what the RC Vehicles were going to be too? Will they be part of the 3.75" line of figures, or will they be a separate line entirely? (JD, 2009-02-27) (http://jedidefender.com/newspro/fullnews.cgi?newsid1235884129,30406,)

     By now you have the scoop. The Turbo Tank is indeed a site to behold - our next premium vehicle and a crown jewel in the 3-3/4" vehicle world. The RC vehicles are not in 3-3/4" figure scale and are meant to be our first entry into the world of flying RC vehicles.

The Hoth Rebel Soldier pictured this past week looks really good so far, but fans are questioning the skirt piece being missing from the figure. Not getting into the other myriad of questions you may get asked about the different headsculpts and other things that came up this past week, we're just wondering will the skirt piece be something fans can count on with the figure, and will it be softgoods or plastic? (JD, 2009-02-27) (http://jedidefender.com/newspro/fullnews.cgi?newsid1235884129,30406,)

     We missed the skirt during the first batch of production and did not catch it until a number had already been produced. The skirt will be added as a running change. You can help us out by passing on a valuable note to fans: a very limited number of the first Rebel Trooper without the lower part of the jacket (skirt) will be getting out there. We did not catch the change until these had already been built out so we are letting them go.
For those who get them....your choice is to not open them and hang onto them, or open and enjoy them for what they are. Do not try to get replacement skirts from our Consumer Affairs team, as there is no way to add this to the figure as it needs to be co-assembled at the factory. Thanks! As for the second Rebel Trooper with unique head sculpt, it will be "carried forward" into the next wave of Legacy/Droid Factory and will come with a different part for the next buildable droid.


Shifting gears, the Indiana Jones line was really a fun line of toys to the fans of the series, and its demise has been a real bummer to a lot of folks, but I was curious since it was developed by the same people, are there chances you'll use existing sculpts and items from the Indy line within the Star Wars line? Perhaps a Harrison Ford likeness for a Han Solo (older EU Han perhaps?), or the body of a figure for a Cantina alien in some plainer clothes maybe? Customizers have found a lot of use for the parts from Indy figures to make their own Star Wars figures, so I was just curious if you were looking at them for Star Wars as well. (JD, 2009-02-27) (http://jedidefender.com/newspro/fullnews.cgi?newsid1235884129,30406,)

     We haven't really looked at doing that, even though the kit-basher in us revels at the notion. The main reason why they aren't useful to us is because they are at another vendor, which greatly decreases their utility to Star Wars.

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With all the cool new things we see each week appear in the Clone Wars animated series, how does Hasbro go about picking what gets made into toys and what doesn't from the show? Can you walk us through the process of how something is selected and then the steps of getting it made from cartoon to toy and then on to my shelf? (JI, 2009-02-27) (http://jediinsider.com/index.php?catid=8&itemid=11583)

     The process isn't all that tough - we read the scripts as soon as Lucasfilm makes them available to us, usually 12-18 months before an episode is set to air. From that, we will make our main character selections according to prominence of characters within the story arc. The myriad background characters don't show up in the scripts, so it really helps us focus down on the core heroes and villains of the story-which is key since our total item count that we can put into the assortment is very tightly controlled. With episodes coming fast and furious, we really do need to be selective in getting the main new character introductions into the lineup, and synched up as much as we can to the order in which episodes will be aired. It will not be until much later that we see visuals, and even later until we see completed or near-complete episodes. Seeing episodes helps everything come together and sometimes based on that we will decide to "chase" a character or vehicle that we did not have in the line the first time. From there, you can pretty much pick up the store from the recent edition of Star Wars Insider which details how figures are created from the original art inputs.

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The new packaging looks even better in person and we were pleased to see it at the UK Toy Fair this week.  At what wave will this new packaging come in?  Also, will we see of any of the currently released figures from both the Legacy and Clone Wars lines repackaged in this new style? (JN, 2009-02-27) (http://jedinews.co.uk/news/news.aspx?newsID=2223)

     The new packaging will be available approximately August or September in the US, and about a month after in the rest of the world.  The wave numbering will start over with the new series even though the assortment number (our own internal stock number) will remain the same.  Some figures will indeed be released in both packages for all three of the figure lines (Clone Wars, Legacy/Droid Factory, and Saga Legends).

We're really pleased to see the pictures of the animated Jabba coming in a Battlepack later this year.  Bearing in mind we're also getting a new Slave Leia (hopefully with two sets of legs?) does that mean that we're a step closer to seeing an OTC Jabba with dias and throne soon - maybe later this year or next year perhaps? (JN, 2009-02-27) (http://jedinews.co.uk/news/news.aspx?newsID=2223)

     There will not be a new movie-style Jabba this year, but there is a good chance that there will be one in 2010.  This has yet to be confirmed though.  It's unknown whether he will come with a new dais; our hope is that it will, but we have to be considerate of what the set will cost as well.

We've seen images of the new Ugnaught coming in the new Empire wave of figures later this year.  We understand that approximately half way through the run you'll be changing to another different Ugnaught, is this correct?  Will both of these figures be released in equal numbers?  Also, will both figures be numbered DB No. 43 and will they have the same or different BAD parts? (JN, 2009-02-27) (http://jedinews.co.uk/news/news.aspx?newsID=2223)

     The two different Ugnaught versions will ship with different waves, but both will be numbered the same.  The first, with the console as accessory, will ship with the U-3PO wave, and the second (with apron and the satchel accessory) will ship with the R3-01 body two waves later.  The second one will be produced in a slightly smaller batch size than the first, although that could change depending on how consumer demand continues for the Legacy/Droid Factory line and the size we need to release at the time it's ready to go.

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I am eagerly anticipating Pons Limbic from the upcoming ANH wave. What made you choose this name over Braniac from other sources?
Also there are several characters from both the Cantina and Jabba's palace that remain nameless. How would fans vote for these guys without a name if you did another Fan's Choice? How will you go about naming them if/when you make them? How about a fan's choice on naming them? (JTA, 2009-02-27) (http://www.jeditemplearchives.com/content/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=4541/#details)

     Brainiac was not available to us, as that is a name in another company's character pantheon.  As for voting on character names, keep your hands off the keyboard in that respect. The naming of all Star Wars characters comes from Lucasfilm.  Lucasfilm does not acknowledge fan-created names unless they are generated in an officially- sanctioned event (Pax Bonkik originated from such a contest some years back).

With the news of KayBee Toys failure as a business, we will now have one fewer toy specific retailer at which to buy Star Wars toys.  How can collectors expect KayBee's failure to affect the availability of the Hasbro Star Wars toy line?  How vital was it to have a mall based toy store presence like KayBee Toys? (JTA, 2009-02-27) (http://www.jeditemplearchives.com/content/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=4541/#details)

     The demise of KayBee has no appreciable effect on the availability of Hasbro's Star Wars toys.  As an outlet, they were a very tiny portion of our Star Wars business, and we suspect that fans who shopped there have already found retail alternatives.

I think the Saga Collection was among the most organized collection you have released.  It had a simple numbering system and awesome color coding for the movie source form which a figure came.  The color coding went away for TAC, but you still listed the source on the front of the figure’s card.  I and I am sure other collector’s miss seeing the source.  Why was it omitted?  The TLC cardbacks seem to have a lot of white open space to include this information back.  Collectors like to confirm what source Hasbro developed a figure idea from, so I hope this will be reintroduced in the near future. (JTA, 2009-02-27) (http://www.jeditemplearchives.com/content/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=4541/#details)

     We dropped it to simplify the amount of information that we were communicating on the front of the package.  We didn't think folks would miss it, but we'll look at it next time we have a line change, which would be Fall 2010.  Thanks.

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We recently got a look at photos of some new Titanium Series including The Twilight, the IG-2000, Xizor's Virago, and some others. Many of the new molds look stellar, and the IG-2000 is a great surprise addition. However, the paint jobs on the Twilight and Virago seemed quite unusual, the Twilight has far more blue than the CGI model's nearly gray upper color, and the Virago was sporting purple accents on light gray despite the ship actually being very dark gray (in the photo it's also facing backwards with the wings assembled upside-down). Will the paint on the final versions more closely match the source material? If those are the final colors, why the odd variations? (MD, 2009-02-27) (http://www.mousedroid.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=4082)

     While the paint of the Twilight and IG-2000 will not change, we have made steps to modify the colors of Virago to look more accurate. The reference we use to create these vehicles is sometimes slightly different than the final look of the vehicle that shows up in the animation. Regarding the packaging photo, since the development team can't be at every photo shoot, sometimes mistakes are made in the positioning of vehicles or parts. We do our best to correct, but sometimes things do slip through. There are many sets of eyeballs on each product (all of our vehicles are approved through Lucasfilm) and for as many gradual corrections as we make, sometimes things still get through.

Can you give us any information on how well the "super sized" Millinium Falcon and AT-TE walker sold? Did they reach expectations and projected sales etc? Will we be seeing any more larger vehicles like a new AT-AT walker or even a republic gunship that carries the AT-TE walkers or a normal Republic gunship? (MD, 2009-02-27) (http://www.mousedroid.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=4082)

     By now you have seen the offering shown at Toy Fair, and the good news is that we will be continuing the large vehicle program with the Turbo Tank, as well as a new mid-price vehicle line that will see the debut of a new Clone Wars Y-Wing. We hope that these vehicles are successful when introduced this Fall, so we can continue to bring new ones to you every year.

Can you update us on the Yuzhan Vong figure and how it is coming along??  Any chance of a pic to whet our appetite??? (MD, 2009-02-27) (http://www.mousedroid.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=4082)

     By now you have had a chance to see for yourself the massive Vong figure we showed at Toy Fair; in fact, fans got a double dose of Vong with use showing the Darth Kraty/Sigel Dare 2-pack as well. We hope that you liked what you saw. We really like this vein of the EU, and with the new Dark Horse title set in the New Jedi Order era, a lot of great source material for future NJO-era characters and additional Vong should be open to us. While Dark Horse has not shared any of the story specifics with us (we see comics when they hit the shops) we look forward to seeing how it will shape our thoughts in the lineup for late 2010 and beyond.

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Regarding the different versions of the basic figure line, what's going on with the Hoth Troopers and Ugnaughts? And will there be more Imperial Officers on the new Super-Articulated body? (RS, 2009-02-27) (http://www.rebelscum.com/story/front/Hasbros_67th_Toy_Fair_STAR_WARS_QA_The_Answers_121350.asp)

     Hasbro revealed in an earlier Q&A session that there will be running change to the Ugnaughts, and they will not be released as a two-pack. The accessories will change for both figures: each one will include unique accessories.

     As for the Hoth Troopers, things get a little tricky. There are two versions planned (one with a beard, and one without), but there will also be a small number of the first version that will be released with the lower half of the coat (as seen in this picture). Variation hunters will want to track this one down, because the error was caught early on, but not before a small number was made and sent out.

     As for the Imperial Officer...while this figure is specifically Captain Needa, Hasbro has made him in such a way that the rank badge is a separate sculpted piece. The badge won't be removable from the figure, but Hasbro will be able to create different badges for the different ranks in the Empire.


Ratts Tyrell was shown in the slideshow presentation, but apparently he's not going to be in the wave of figures based on The Phantom Menace? Why not? Will we ever get him? (RS, 2009-02-27) (http://www.rebelscum.com/story/front/Hasbros_67th_Toy_Fair_STAR_WARS_QA_The_Answers_121350.asp)

     According to Hasbro during the Q&A at Toy Fair, Clegg Holdfast will be the podracer in the TPM wave. Ratts Tyrell is a small character, and it was felt that he would be better suited for release at a later time, possibly packaged with another smaller podracer or (better yet), packed with his family, as seen in the extended scene from the Episode I DVD.

     Speaking of Episode I, Hasbro is not letting the 10th anniversary year go by without some acknowledgment. In addition to the wave of action figures (seen here), there will also be a special premium mailaway offer for a special set of Qui-Gon Jinn & Eopie! This will be handled the same way the Captain Rex figure was done, only instead of Captain Rex stickers, it will be Darth Maul stickers.

     Since most US collectors never got a chance to add this set to their collections, it was felt that this would be a great way to make it available at long last. Upgrading the figure to the Evolutions body was a bonus. The Eopie will be repainted, and Qui-Gon Jinn will also come with his Mos Espa poncho.

     As to whether or not it will include the Episode I packaging, similar to what has been done with the G.I. Joe line recently, that is still unknown...although it has been suggested.

     Since this will be a fall release, stay tuned for more information to be announced at San Diego.


With the launch of the recent Marvel Universe Fans' Choice Poll, one can't help but wonder if it isn't time for another Star Wars Fans' Choice Poll. Will there be one this year? (RS, 2009-02-27) (http://www.rebelscum.com/story/front/Hasbros_67th_Toy_Fair_STAR_WARS_QA_The_Answers_121350.asp)

     Hasbro would love to do another Fans' Choice Poll, but first they want to get in touch with Toy Fair magazine (who ran the last poll in 2006) and make a "where are we now?" report, checking out just how many of the Top 25 figure have already been made, or are in the "parking lot" for the future.

     Once they get that under wraps and published, then they want to launch a new poll. However, unlike back in 2006, Hasbro recognizes the power of the collector community, as evidenced in the Saga Legends voting and various wishlist polls. However, this time around, there will be a way for both the collecting community to be involved, as well as the general public who buys ToyFare (which saw an obvious slant towards video game characters from the Expanded Universe).

     While there's no official timeframe announced for this yet, it's on Hasbro's to-do list for 2009.


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Why isn't the upcoming Emperor from 2009 Legacy Collection wave 2 using the same paint app method as the Ghost of Obi-wan or Ghost of Anakin? This figure would greatly benefit from, and appear more screen-accurate with, the same multi-color transparent/translucent paint method used for those characters. (RTM, 2009-02-27) (http://www.toymania.com/news/messages/11048.shtml)

     Those figures were translucent to begin with, which is a very different effect since the plastic has a tendency to glow automatically when it catches light and the paint applications could be very light. To achieve a luminous appearance on the emperor, it had to be done using paint itself, which would have a different appearance no matter how we finessed it. We trust you will like the final version in any case... It is a great figure.

It seems Clones keep getting army building battle packs. Yet, the droid army doesn't receive the same love. Will you be making any droid army building packs? (RTM, 2009-02-27) (http://www.toymania.com/news/messages/11048.shtml)

     We do not have any plans to do strictly droid-building army packs. The reason is that Clones occupy a unique space in kids' minds and they have shown an eager appetite for getting a squad. The same is not true for droids, and such packs would struggle to reach kids compared to sets that concentrate on Jedi, Clones, or a battle scene.

Can you translate the Kota the Triceratops technology into something Star Wars? Maybe a Bantha or a Hutt? (RTM, 2009-02-27) (http://www.toymania.com/news/messages/11048.shtml)

     Sure, we could easily do something like that. However, we have no plans to - those sorts of experiences are not core to the audience that we target with Star Wars.

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Star Wars seems to be doing ok at retail, we're seeing more figure lines surviving, more $20 vehicle sales, more battle packs, and more vehicle exclusives. With this in mind, might Hasbro try pushing the $30-$40 vehicle pricepoint on retailers again? It would be a good way of getting larger vehicles such as the X-wing, B-wing, Republic Gunship, ARC-170, and even stuff like Jedi Starfighters with Hyperspace Rings into heavier rotation, and add opportunities for more new vehicles that would be considered too big to work out at the $20 pricepoint. So, any chance for the return of this pricepoint to mass retail? (SSG, 2009-02-27) (http://www.sirstevesguide.com/index.php?categoryid=13&p2_articleid=1934)

     By now you have seen the announcement at Toy Fair regarding the return of a higher price "mainline" (non-exclusive) segment. The intent is to use this higher price to introduce new vehicles such as the new Clone Wars Y-Wing as well as other vehicles down the line, either from Clone Wars or other sources. As far as other vehicles go, we will still keep them in regular rotation in the line for exclusives. One thing is for certain; Star Wars vehicles have never been more popular in the modern Star Wars line. As far as pricing - the days of larger vehicles like we are talking about being under-$40 are unfortunately well behind us (not to mention that we do not control retail pricing). We do promise to put as much as we can into each one, and bring you a commitment to keep vehicles an important cornerstone of the line.

In the Titanium Series line, the prequel-era fleets have a few vehicles that would really flesh them out. The Acclamator-class (aka the Republic Assault Ship) and the Munificent-class Frigate (aka the Banking Clan Frigate) appear notably in AOTC, ROTS, The Clone Wars series, and a number of popular video games like Battlefront II and Republic Commando. What are the chances of seeing those 2 prequel-era capital ships produced as Titanium Series vehicles? (SSG, 2009-02-27) (http://www.sirstevesguide.com/index.php?categoryid=13&p2_articleid=1934)

     There are no plans for those vehicles in the 2009 Titanium plan.

Ever since the VOTC Stormtrooper back in 2004, you've sculpted Stormtrooper figures' hands to 2-handed hold the blaster with its left hand holding the grip and the right hand holding the barrel. The wrists and fingers are angled very specifically for this, the left hand can't hold the barrel without bending it severely. While there is an unusually high number of shots with left-handed stormtroopers in the OT and its related still photography, the right-handed pose is still more common. So why choose, and stick with, the left-handed design for the Stormtrooper figures? Any possibility of either getting new hands with a more universal pose, or even putting ball-hinged wrists on this ubiquitous Imperial warrior? (SSG, 2009-02-27) (http://www.sirstevesguide.com/index.php?categoryid=13&p2_articleid=1934)

     We have used hinged wrists on a few TCW clone figures but due to escalating production costs we must continually evaluate such articulation. As we strive to constantly improve our figures, we will look at refining the hands on new versions of troopers in the future.

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How does a new paint job and box justify a $30 price increase on an "exclusive" that just came out in December? (ST, 2009-02-27) (http://www.sandtroopers.com/smf/index.php?topic=5183.msg229323#msg229323)

     We're not sure what you are referring to.  Care to elaborate?

So far in the build a droid line you have given us R2, R4, R5, R7, R-A7 and 3PO units as well as the upcoming HK-47. Will there be any other types of droids to assemble in 2009 like maybe an R1, R3, 2-1B  medical droid or even an Imperial Darktrooper? (ST, 2009-02-27) (http://www.sandtroopers.com/smf/index.php?topic=5183.msg229323#msg229323)

     By now, you know the answer - and that there certainly will be more droid types in 2009 including a couple of the ones you mentioned in addition to some that you did not including L8-L9. The Dark trooper will be found exclusively in a new series of Droid Factory 2-packs at Wal-Mart in the U.S., starting in August.

Are there any plans to produce a small scale ship or figure line to be carded and sold for the one dollar price point similar to that of Hot Wheels and or Matchbox cars? Maybe Titanium ships 1/2 the size? Maybe even produce your own Treasure Hunt style chase figure? This line could be similar to the miniatures on individual cards.

Many Star Wars product are too expensive for the young consumers (basic figures $6.99-$8.99), a dollar price point would be a great way to introduce the young fans into the Star Wars universe. At one dollar I would imagine more stores carrying Star Wars product, as Hot Wheels seem to be sold everywhere. (ST, 2009-02-27) (http://www.sandtroopers.com/smf/index.php?topic=5183.msg229323#msg229323)

     There are no plans to do what you suggest, simply because there is no way we can come near the price point. The entry-priced toys that we produce for the dollar channel include single-carded Galactic Heroes and (in the past) Unleashed 2" figures.  While these allowed for a convenient entry price, consumers still vote overwhelmingly for the main bread and butter of the line - basic figures and our role-play.

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No questions from Sandtroopers "The Jawa" this round.  Sorry.

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Last year Zellers brought in the Series 2 Order 66 2-packs; but, almost all of the cases lacked set 6/6 Sev/Arc Trooper with extra pairs of Obi-wan/Arc Commander and Anakin/Arc Trooper packs instead.  Was there a production issue behind this? Canada receives few US exclusives a year and it was disappointing for some completionists who were unable to easily complete the set. (SNOW, 2009-02-27)

     We actually don't have an explanation for what happened, but it does look like the ratio change for part of the Canadian shipments.  It could have been a problem with producing enough components to meet the schedule from the Sev/Arc Trooper pack, necessitating a change.  At this point we don't know the reason, but since that change was made we have implemented a new process whereby any requests to deviate from the standard assortment ratios will be more visible to the global brand team that creates the item...meaning that in the future such changes be discussed and examined more thoroughly before the change is OKd.  This will be something we want to watch carefully, especially on collector-targeted items.
 
I love the Clone Wars figures! Thank you, thank you, thank you. Any chance that in 2009 we will see a correction to the clone armor that has been used on all the clones in the line, including Captain Rex? I know it's being very particular but the "elbow armor" should be attached to the forearm instead of the biceps. You did it right for Obi-Wan. (SNOW, 2009-02-27)
 
     When we sculpted the first wave or two of CW figures, much of the reference wasn’t finalized, and the elbow pad being attached to the upper arm is something that slipped through the cracks.  We have an all-new Clone sculpt for 2010 that will have some more accurate details – including the elbow pad being attached to the forearm.  However, due to continued high Clone demand, the original version is likely to stay in rotation for a while after that.
 
A lot of collectors have noticed that Captain Needa is a partial kitbash that uses the legs from the Death Star Trooper. Could Hasbro please abandon the use of this mold in the future?  If you visit any of the SW forums discussing Needa, these legs are very unpopular: the figure ends up being too tall due to the longer legs, the stance is incorrect (for both Needa and the DS Trooper) as the legs are too spread wide apart rather than standing close together at attention, and worse of all are the knobby knees which don't hide the articulation well.  Your comic pack Thrawn is so far your best sculpted Imperial officer body and his legs would be a far, far better choice for future kitbashes. (SNOW, 2009-02-27)
 
     We agree that Thrawn is a very nice sculpt and we will look into using the Thrawn legs in the future. However, please also note that officers do not always stand at attention, they are not all the same height, there are two different screen-accurate styles of pants, and that the tools are not always available because they may be at a different vendor or might be being used simultaneously elsewhere. So we'll do out best, but depending on how the line shapes out, may not always be possible to use one set of legs.  Thanks for the comment.
 
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We've gotten listener feedback that they like the Mighty Muggs but cannot collect them all, due to space or budgetary constraints.  One suggestion we received was perhaps a miniaturized line of Mighty Muggs, perhaps along the scale of the Galactic Heroes line, representing the Mugg aesthetic with a smaller shelf footprint and price point.  Is such a release possible and/or likely? (SWAN, 2009-02-27)
 
     That is an interesting suggestion and something that we have considered.  However, for now we plan to stick with the current format.  As we announced at Toy Fair, the Mighty Muggs line will be found exclusively at Toys 'R Us from August and beyond.
 
As I look out upon my collection and see the latest ships and figures released with minor differences such as a paint of a slightly more red color or a female twi'lek painted on the nose, I am reminded of the old movie Batman series of figures where almost every release was Batman with a different accessory or paint scheme (the banana yellow Batman being a personal favorite).  It is widely speculated that the lack of character variety led to that series' demise.
 
Given the number of repaints and retools, both along the lines of figures and vehicles, is collector saturation ever a concern?  Or is the turnover of collectors so great that if a slightly different A-Wing is released every couple of years it finds a new audience? (SWAN, 2009-02-27)
 
     Star Wars is an interesting universe.  It is perhaps the most complex, varied, and vast universe ever conceived, with thousand of stories that have branched off from the films resulting in a massive wealth of planets, species, characters, weapons, ships, droids and the like. That epic scope is no doubt one of the things that appeals to us as not just fans, but as collectors. It is the reason why we are asked for the most obscure aliens or droids or Jedi in figure form, but vehicles are equally important. Overall the demand for Star Wars vehicles has never been higher in the modern (1995-now) Star Wars era, thanks in part to a huge number of kids who are engaged in playing with Star Wars figures, but also the very loyal and passionate fan base that is looking for us to continue to upgrade and enhance vehicles, and expand the boundaries of what has gone before. Everyone has a different collecting style, and to those who collect vehicles the recent popularity of vehicles in the line does pose a space challenge, especially those who have been at it for a long time. We believe that as long as we add something significant - whether on-screen deco in the case of the Republic Gunship, or new enhancements like we have been doing with the classic OTC vehicles - we give collectors a reason to welcome them to their homes. In some cases, an upgrade to a vehicle may make a previous version obsolete, and in other cases it may add a significant new deco (or Rebel Fleet variant) to the mix. We will always try to make each vehicle meaningful or won't touch it at all and simply repack it (as we do often in the Starfighter Vehicle line).  Surprisingly, we really don't know if collectors are turning over and being replaced with new ones - we don't have a database that would enable us to analyze that. Instead, we pay attention to how well the vehicles we release do, and use that as basis for expansion/contraction of our plans.  So far, it looks good for more and varied vehicles.
 
We all saw the new packaging for the Clone Wars Season 2 line of figures. Will this be the start of a new line designation, or will it be the same line with a different style of cardback?  And will these changes roll to the Legacy collection as well?
 
     All three of the basic figure lines will make the change to a new red/white line look effective in Fall - basically a year after the introduction of the blue/white line look.  Numbering for all will start over to be fresh with the new line look.

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Any chance of seeing the Comic Pack version of Asajj Ventress re-released single-carded with the correct blades for her lightsabers? (SWC, 2009-02-27) (http://www.swcollector.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=57&t=1332)

     We have no plans to release Ventress on a single card at this time.

While there's an understandably high desire to keep THE CLONE WARS and The Legacy Collection lines separate, there does seem to be a large amount of interest in a movie-styled Ahsoka Tano figure. Could this be the one exception to the rule, somewhere down the line? (SWC, 2009-02-27) (http://www.swcollector.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=57&t=1332)

     As of now, however, there are no plans to cross the two lines but to keep them unique and distinct. If we ever did it, she would be the one (along with Rex) to cross-over.

With the DARK EMPIRE saga getting a new look through the Comic Packs, any chance of seeing a new, correctly-scaled Imperial Sentinel being produced? (SWC, 2009-02-27) (http://www.swcollector.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=57&t=1332)

     That is one that is not high on our list, to be honest. We are somewhat interested in it because we do like Dark Empire a lot, and also because it is one of the original EU figures that Kenner did and we have been systematically updating many of those. However it still remains a far-off possibility.

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Now that it as been revealed that the Ugnaughts are packed out as a single figure release, will the second version include a different accessory, or will it just be a new figure with the same accessories? (YF, 2009-02-27) (http://www.yakfaceforums.com/viewtopic.php?p=60913#60913)

     The first figure will include the console, and the second figure will include the satchel. Neither figure will have all accessories.

Recently images have surfaced for the Clone Wars (animated-style) Jabba the Hutt. Are there any plans to release a new movie version? It seems that the lower body could be easily be reused just requiring new head/arms section. (YF, 2009-02-27) (http://www.yakfaceforums.com/viewtopic.php?p=60913#60913)

     A movie version would require an entire new sculpt. While it remains high on our wish-list, a new movie version is not on tap for 2009. There is a very strong likelihood that we could bring one to market in 2010, but that is far from confirmed right now.

This week (Mon, Jan 12) the new 2009 Red and White packaging was revealed for all Star Wars merchandise. The current line's packaging has different helmet card backs and the positioning of the character imagery on the insert. How will Hasbro make the new Clone Wars, Legacy and Saga Legends packaging discernable from one sub-line to another? (YF, 2009-02-27) (http://www.yakfaceforums.com/viewtopic.php?p=60913#60913)

     The binding element to the line will be the cardback shape and color scheme. First, the title of the series will be different. Second, there will be three main ways to tell the three main card series apart: Key character art will be used for each character in the upper right hand corner of the card back; realistic for Legacy & Saga Legends, and animated for Clone Wars. Third, the inserts for each will have a different color: red for Clone Wars, black for Legacy/Droid Factory, and orange for Saga Legends. We think that this will provide stronger differentiation than we saw this year, when the lines were virtually indistinguishable.

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YN
Title: Re: The Hasbro Q & A Compendium
Post by: Matt on March 21, 2009, 01:19 AM
Session 67 - March 20, 2009

Could we get a photo of the gunner inside the turret of the Geonosis Assault Battle Pack from the Toy Fair coverage? If no additional turret, can we expect some additional clone gear/weaponry in the set? (BS, 2009-03-20) (http://banthaskull.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2595)

     Unfortunately, we do not have a picture at this time of the Clone inside the turret. The fit is not that tight - it's pretty roomy in there actually. There will be no additional weaponry besides their helmets and basic Clone blasters.

Will the vulture droid be repainted into episode 1 colors? And, how about a picture of the vulture droid in walking mode? (BS, 2009-03-20) (http://banthaskull.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2595)

     Eventually, we might repaint it into alternate colors drawn from previous entertainment but right now there are no plans. Here is a pic of the droid in "walking" mode. (http://banthaskull.com/forums/picture.php?albumid=130&pictureid=2729)

Any update on the cantina bar dispenser or any other extra bar parts? It’s been a while and a lot of people really want to complete that cantina. (BS, 2009-03-20) (http://banthaskull.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2595)

     Unfortunately, we were not able to develop the dispenser after all. The piece was simply too deep and complex to be delivered as an accessory in the basic figure assortment. It's possible that someday we could do this accessory in an exclusive pack, but right now there is nothing on the drawing board.

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Having seen the Toy Fair coverage on various other websites, I was just wondering how 2009's exclusives will be handled for overseas markets and customers. With a month or less left to go on Stateside distribution for some of the exclusives slated for this year, like the three Wal-Mart Comic 2-Packs or Jabba's Rancor with Luke, is there any projection for getting more of these exclusives released abroad? The main reason I ask is because I still haven't found a European website to carry the "Lucky Lekku" Gunship, or Battle of Christophsis and Battle at Carkoon Ultimate Battle Packs, so I have to pay through the nose to get them shipped over from an American online dealer, and I don't want to have to do that too often this year if at all possible. (Not because of the Credit Crunch, but because I'd rather spend the money on army-building.) I'm a bored collector with little to buy, and I want to hand your corporation money by the shovelful without getting too many grasping middlemen involved. How can we make this happen? (CC, 2009-03-20) (http://creaturecantina.com/news_stories/2009/0401/hasbro-qna.html)

     We have offered every item in the line to retail partners in Europe so far for 2009, but not every item has been accepted, which poses problems for getting to the manufacturing minimums needed for some of the items. We are trying to work through these issues. The goal is to have complete distribution, at least in the U.K. and Germany, for every item. Unfortunately, the reality is that this will not be possible, and the Rancor is one of those that has not been selected to be supported in Europe.

Why does Hasbro love the re-pack? Is it simple economics or are your sculptors part of a Commie union and lazy? (CC, 2009-03-20) (http://creaturecantina.com/news_stories/2009/0401/hasbro-qna.html)

     We rely on repacks because we would not be able to do Star Wars without relying on our vast library to help offset tooling costs. To put it in proper perspective, the "completist" collectors who would like us to do every Cantina alien, every Separatist, every Pod Racer, every one of Jabba's denizens, comprise a relatively small user base. Some collectors may find this hard to believe, but the vast majority of Star Wars figures that consumers purchase every year are from core, recognizable, characters along with clones and other high-profile figures. The tertiary or background characters are released in much smaller volumes, yet consist almost entirely of new tools. The business model for the obscure characters is thus "upside down." If we had to rely on 100% new figures to propel the line, we would only make the core heroes because it makes the best business sense to develop what most people want to buy. We don't want to do that, however, because collectors are an important part of the consumer base for us (and we are fans of the tertiary guys ourselves!), and doing smaller-run figures is an important way to keep everyone engaged and interested year after year. We have to carefully manage how many we do, however. We hope that clarifies why repacks are, and will continue to be, a vital part of our strategy.

Since we've already gotten several different Clone-, Storm-, and Rebel Trooper army-builder multi-packs (which seemed to sell well), is there any chance we could get similar multi-packs for the various multi-hued Battle Droids and their ilk (Super Battle Droids and Droidekas, for example), or for Podracing-livery-themed Pit Droids? (CC, 2009-03-20) (http://creaturecantina.com/news_stories/2009/0401/hasbro-qna.html)

     We do not have plans to do Battle Droid-themed Battle packs, although droids will be a prominent theme in the Deluxe assortment that will be re-launched this Fall. We would not do a Battle Pack centered around Pod Racing; that topic is too niche to be of general interest for a successful Battle Pack.

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Right now, based on what you've said and shown at Toy Fair, the 2009 basic TLC waves look like this: February (ANH), May (ESB 1), September (TPM). We know the '09 EU wave got pushed into '10, but according to your prior answers that still leaves 4 more TLC waves crammed into the last part of the year. 2008 suffered pacing issues and delays in part because the Hasbro SW team was focusing on Indiana Jones, but this year there is no such sidetrack, so why the pacing problems and slowdowns? Does the fact that so many other movies are getting Hasbro toy lines (GI Joe, Transformers 2, Wolverine) slow the flow of SW toys? Will all 7 remaining '09 waves actually make it to market in this year, or will all those waves on top of each other in the last 3rd of the year cause another push-out and all-repaints wave? As per your Dec 10th Q&A correction, will ROTJ and ANH 2 waves get released between May's ESB wave and September's TPM wave? (CS, 2009-03-20) (http://www.collectionstation.com/groups/Star-Wars/Hasbro-Q-A-March-21_45)

     Indiana Jones, nor any other movie, had (or has) nothing to do with the issues we have had on Star Wars with regard to schedules. Star Wars has a dedicated team assigned to it, and our schedule issues have been due to simply trying to cover a great deal of ground at once. Between Star Wars basic figures, Clone Wars basic figures, Comic Packs, exclusives, and our design to add newness to everything we do, it's an unprecedented level of support for Star Wars. A line the size of Star Wars is challenging for design, sculpting, engineering, and packaging, and any delays for any of these, or delays in securing Lucasfilm's approval, can cause disruption in the pipeline. The system was stressed, but we're back on track again and should be straightened out for this Fall and beyond. Right now, all waves will indeed make it out this year with the last wave likely to be Dec or Jan at the latest, following by the EU wave. There will be no repaint wave planned because there are quite a few regular waves falling into line. Had we been able to react to the delays this Spring, we would have activated a repaint wave this Spring but could not get one done in time and we held the final Spring wave (EpVI) over for the red/white line look rather than cutting it short in Spring.

What are the requirements that a retailer must go meet to get a Star Wars exclusive, do they have to be a certain size company, make a certain number of Hasbro orders a month, etc.? Is there some sort of process that a retailer has to go through to get an exclusive, do they work with Hasbro on what item to produce, or is it out of their hands? (CS, 2009-03-20) (http://www.collectionstation.com/groups/Star-Wars/Hasbro-Q-A-March-21_45)

     Our retail partners are just that - partners in Hasbro's overall business. To be considered for an exclusive, a certain level of overall support needs to be met. Some retails are specific in what they would like to see, but the majority defer to the team to deliver exclusives that meet their needs and target the consumer base we are both looking for (i.e. kids or collectors, or both).

With the Titanium Series line, how much influence does Lucasfilm put into it? Have they ever asked for a specific ship to be included in the line when it otherwise wouldn't be? Have they ever requested a feature be added to a vehicle, or even possibly a potential feature removed? Is the LFL approval process fairly smooth with this line compared to something like the action figure line, have they ever sent a Titanium Series vehicle back to the drawing board or even canned it altogether? (CS, 2009-03-20) (http://www.collectionstation.com/groups/Star-Wars/Hasbro-Q-A-March-21_45)

     Lucasfilm reviews each line plan for overall approval, accepting the majority of concepts but occasionally rejecting some and proposing alternates in their place. Features are a less important feature of the Titanium line, but are a big topic of discussion for other vehicles, such as the Starfighter 3-3/4" Vehicle assortment which is much more feature-oriented. In general, Titanium vehicles have a smoother approval process than 3-3/4" figures, simply because there is less subjectivity involved in the interpretation of things like faces and fewer deco issues. Incidentally, 2009 will be the last year for the Titanium vehicle series. It will be put on hiatus after this year.

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Many collectors are eagerly waiting for more information regarding the upcoming Return of the Jedi wave. Our evil spies report that you intended to show the wave at Toy Fair, but that it was not possible due to time constraints. Is there any chance that you could share pictures with us when it becomes available? We are all very excited to know more about the Death Star II Luke Skywalker, the 'innovative' "Slave" Leia , Skiff Guards, etc. (GH, 2009-03-20) (http://www.galactichunter.com/absolutenm/templates/full_article_template_1.asp?articleid=7897&zoneid=2)

     We did indeed intend to show the wave, but did not get the hard copies done in time. We still don't have great photos of this wave, but will send along one of the images we have - for the Nikto Skiff Guard (http://img266.imageshack.us/img266/3193/7901skiffguardwm.png).  Enjoy!

Hasbro, you obviously keep the molds used for figures and vehicles, where and how are they stored? I'm picturing the government building in Indiana Jones right about now.... (GH, 2009-03-20) (http://www.galactichunter.com/absolutenm/templates/full_article_template_1.asp?articleid=7897&zoneid=2)

     That's about what it amounts to.  Generally, each tool is stored on a pallet and stacked up on large heavy duty racks. We have a vast amount of tooling spread out across the various factories in China, and even some (although doubtful any Star Wars) in Rhode Island.  Periodically, we have to go through and scrap tools that we do not plan on using again, although on Star Wars we try and keep just about everything.  You never know when it will come in handy...

Finally, with everything shifting pretty heavily toward the latter part of the year, a few of the products heading our way feel a bit like "placeholders". In particular, I'm interested in asking about the Mini Rigs that were mentioned at the Toy Fair presentation. Can we safely assume that even if certain products (the Battle Droid and Tank) don't sell gangbusters, we're still going to see NEW Mini Rigs vehicles on our shelves in for the "back half" of the year? Also, just to calm (my) shaking nerves, is the maestro of the orginial Mini Rigs line (Mark Boudreaux) heading up this very honorable extension of a beloved vintage favorite? (GH, 2009-03-20) (http://www.galactichunter.com/absolutenm/templates/full_article_template_1.asp?articleid=7897&zoneid=2)

     The Mini Rig type concepts will be coming in 2010 for the most part. We don't plan on going too long with the assortments this Fall so we will be in a good position come Spring when the newly tooled ones arrive. Of course, if the whole assortment is a disaster for some reason (which we doubt), then all bets are off.  Our preference for this assortment is to work with on-screen vehicles from the Clone Wars, but the number of choices we can make in the "personal craft" size is still unfortunately limited.  So we needed to take some liberties (just like the original Mini Rigs) and Lucasfilm liked our suggestions.  Mark is indeed involved in the new Vehicle/Figure assortment.

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The Comic Packs Lumiya figure - knee articulation or no? Some folks see a knee joint in those Toy Fair pictures, but others don't (and frankly, due to information overload at Toy Fair, I can't remember myself what type of articulation she had). (HH, 2009-03-20) (http://hanshideout.blogspot.com/2009/03/hasbro-star-wars-q-session-8.html)

     Yes, Lumiya will indeed have knee articulation.

The Clone Wars Nikto Bounty Hunter figure - we know he's not coming in the Jabba Battle Pack anymore, but can you confirm that he will make it out at some point in the near future? He's such a great figure, we'd love to get him sooner rather than later! (HH, 2009-03-20) (http://hanshideout.blogspot.com/2009/03/hasbro-star-wars-q-session-8.html)

     Right now he does not have a home, but because he is tooled it is guaranteed that he will eventually come out either as a basic figure or part of an exclusive. He's a great figure, we're just looking for the best way to get him into the line.

Just to clarify a point that has come up on your 10th Anniversary Eopie Mail-Away - will the "Mark of Maul" stickers be found only in Phantom Menace wave or will the stickers be found in other toys/figures as well? (HH, 2009-03-20) (http://hanshideout.blogspot.com/2009/03/hasbro-star-wars-q-session-8.html)

     Currently, only the Legacy/Droid Factory fist waves of figures will have the sticker. We looking at whether we can carry the stickers across all basic figures. Even if the other figure SKUs (Clone Wars, Saga Legends) do not have the sticker, all basic figures will be eligible for the mail-in promotion.

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In the recent Toy Fair slide-show, we saw that the Japanese RC droids are coming to Target. The Remote Control R4-P17 wasn't on the slide. Will he be included, and if not, will he be available at any time domestically? (JD, 2009-03-20) (http://jedidefender.com/newspro/fullnews.cgi?newsid1237789779,6000,)

     We only brought four of the 3-3/4" RC droids to retail, because that is how many can be active at once on different frequencies. It's possible that, if this run is successful, we will sequel the program again at some point with additional droids. If we do that, it's highly likely that R4-P17 would be among them.

Thanks to the recent Build-A-Droid series the list of movie droids that still need to be made is dwindling fast. What are the chances of any of the following seeing the pegs over the next few years? R5-X2 (Jabba's red/white unit from the podrace), R2-A5 (the white/green droid in Mos Eisley), the R3 and R5 units from the Rebel Briefing scene in Return of the Jedi and last but certainly not least a vintage update of the Lars Family Power Droid (Gonk Gonk). (JD, 2009-03-20) (http://jedidefender.com/newspro/fullnews.cgi?newsid1237789779,6000,)

     None of those figures are in the works for the buildable figures in the Droid Factory lineup, but that doesn't mean that we won't be pursuing them in other formats (basic figures down the road, exclusives, the occasional Battle Pack). We do like to turn our attention to the droids we haven't done, so they are in our "Parking Lot" for the long haul.

I'm impressed with the Build-a-Droid figures, and I was wondering if you consider the quality of the fully assembled figures to be on par with figures released in the basic line-up? For instance, would you consider releasing some of the Build-A-Droid figures in the Legends Line at some point? That Dark Trooper coming this year is begging to be army built by collectors, if he were to be released in the Legends line some day (hint hint!). (JD, 2009-03-20) (http://jedidefender.com/newspro/fullnews.cgi?newsid1237789779,6000,)

     While we like the buildable figures, and believe that we have put in hooks to enable them to be seen with the same quality lens as the regular carded figures, we don't have any plans to release them on the basic cards. It's possible that the bodies themselves could be used later for basic carded figures, but as the basis for new figures not as straight re-releases. So the only way to get these specific Droid Factory figures will be to collect the pieces. As for the Dark Trooper - it will be far too big to ever put on a Saga Legends card!

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Since we are getting more large vehicles these days, what is the chance of ever getting a large vehicle/playset of the Venator-Class Republic Attack Cruiser. As a kid I always wanted a cool Star Destroyer toy and since the Cruiser was in the movies and featured regularly in the cartoon it seems like a logical pick to get some plastic love from you guys? (JI, 2009-03-20) (http://jediinsider.com/index.php?catid=8&itemid=11632)

     There is very little chance of this. The Cruiser (and star Destroyer) are simply too big and not exciting enough to be considered.

Last year you all pulled a major surprise out of your hat before SDCC with the BMF Falcon and I know t Toy Fair you all said there would be no other large vehicle this year other than the Turbo Tank, however I was wondering if you are planning anything that will be on par with last year’s summer surprise later this year for fans that you could tease us with? (JI, 2009-03-20) (http://jediinsider.com/index.php?catid=8&itemid=11632)

     will be no surprises on par with that. There will be a lot of product news at Comic Con, but it will be against the remaining Fall mainline waves and some tasty exclusives.

Any plans to expand the 'Build a Droid' concept to something beyond just droid, like a Build a Alien or 'Build a monster/creature' figure? (JI, 2009-03-20) (http://jediinsider.com/index.php?catid=8&itemid=11632)

     are no plans to expand the buildable mechanic beyond the Droid Factory concept.

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First of all, it was really good to see a Yuuzhan Vong figure revealed at Toy Fair.   Does Hasbro plan to release any further EU figures from New Jedi Order such as Jacen and Jaina.  Also, are there any plans for a Zayne Carrick figure either as a Comic Pack or Legacy Basic figure release? (JN, 2009-03-20) (http://www.jedinews.co.uk/news/news.aspx?newsID=2277)

     Yes, there are plans for Jacen and Jaina at some point.  As for Zayne, there are no plans right now.  His was the very last pack cut from the list before we nailed down the 2010 line plan.  He is a strong possibility for a 2011 comic pack, however.

Can you please clear up the issue regarding the Battle Pack with Gun Turrets - this has got people very confused and annoyed.  Please can you confirm how many Fun Turrets we're getting in the Battle Pack - is it one or two?  If it's two then great, if not, why are we paying for a Battle Pack with two figures and one Gun Turret - when this was originally released as a figure from Episode II we got a figure with Gun Turret for the cost of a Basic Figure - now we could be expected to pay three times the cost for a lot less! (JN, 2009-03-20) (http://www.jedinews.co.uk/news/news.aspx?newsID=2277)

     Originally, we designed this set to have two turrets and two clones.

     However, we could not get costs from our factories to fall in line with the cost targets we needed to hit.  As a result, there will be one turret in the pack.  The choice at the end of the day was quite simple: one turret and two clones, or to not produce the item at all.  We obviously feel that it is a nice addition to the world of Star Wars and hope that fans show that our intuition and passion for items like this was not misplaced.


There were reports of a Galactic Heroes AT-AT with electronics (apparently this was seen at the UK Toy Fair) but this wasn't mentioned or seen as part of the US Toy Fair Coverage.  Can you clarify the position on this item and when and if we're likely to see it? (JN, 2009-03-20) (http://www.jedinews.co.uk/news/news.aspx?newsID=2277)

     The item will not be released in 2009; it is being considered right now for 2010.

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The Clone Wars figures on the new cardbacks that were shown at Toy Fair included Mace Windu, the ARF Trooper, Super Battle Droid Sergeant.  But there was also an Obi-Wan Kenobi that was originally released as 2008's CW02 on the new cardback, but with a CW01 number.  Is that new cardback accurate to the new line's numbering scheme?  Additionally, will Hasbro be re-releasing some of those 2008 Clone Wars basic figures as refreshes when the line relaunches this August in the new packaging?  And if so, what would those refreshes include? (JTA, 2009-03-20) (http://www.jeditemplearchives.com/content/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=4591/#details)

     There will be many refreshes in the new red & white line look; quite simply, kids cannot get enough of the excitement of Clone Wars, and their demand persists for the main characters.  We would not want to drop them from the line when they will continue to be the best-selling figures.  The package you saw was a placeholder; the 2008 Obi-Wan figure will be released as CW19 later on in the assortment after we have run the space-suit Obi-Wan for a while.  Other re-release figures will also be coming, but we do not have a final list.

One of the staples of the Basic Figure line over the years has been Darth Vader.  He's the most iconic character of the Star Wars saga.  But he was noticeably absent from the Toy Fair exhibit and presentations. 

Be that as it may, the modern figure aesthetic has given us a tremendous new version of the Dark Lord with the release of 2008's BD #8 Darth Vader.  That begs the question, where does Hasbro believe there is room to continue to innovate with future OT versions of Darth Vader?  Might we see Darth Vader relegated to Greatest Hits type of assortments?  Or could we possibly see a new REVENGE OF THE SITH version, perhaps with the trademark Sith eyes and cloak? (JTA, 2009-03-20) (http://www.jeditemplearchives.com/content/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=4591/#details)

     Darth Vader will continue to be a huge figure for us in the  Legacy and Saga Legends basic figure waves.  We are always looking for ways to bring new takes on him to future waves and your suggestion could be interesting. Thanks!

Noticeably absent from the Hasbro presentation at this years Toy Fair were the Clone Wars figure & droid 2-packs that are starting to appear now at retail.  How extensive can we expect this line to be, and will it consist of refresh figures only, or will some new figures be appearing in this line of 2-packs? (JTA, 2009-03-20) (http://www.jeditemplearchives.com/content/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=4591/#details)

     The figure/droid 2-pack lineup will not be extensive, and all will be repacked.

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My son and I love the Clone Wars voice changer helmets. He has the Blue and I have the plain white. They are really great items with excellent electronics and very durable. Yet we have been thinking...as Boba Fett is a favorite character of his (ours)...is there a chance at a Boba Fett Voice changer helmet in the future? You could even make a Jango Fett plus an entire Mandalorian range in different color schemes. (MD, 2009-03-20) (http://www.mousedroid.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=66626)

     We're really glad you like them. A Mando helmet is a cool idea, but we would only consider it if there was some form of additional current entertainment support for a Mando-type helmet. Being relevant to kids is the only way to make an item like this viable (look how long we waited to do a Clone helmet!).

The articulation in your figs keeps getting better and better but sometimes some of the figures have swivel elbows rather then the ball jointed elbows.
My question is will you guys phase out the swivel joints and completely replace them all with ball joints? Also is there any talk about a new way of doing the hips? Perhaps ball jointed hips? (MD, 2009-03-20) (http://www.mousedroid.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=66626)

     Thanks for the comment. It's unlikely we'll ever phase out swivel arms, as they remain a viable alternative for us as we can't simply produce every figure with super-articulation due to extraordinary costing challenges. We are happy with our current hip designs, and don't feel the need to go to ball hips as a universal solution.

This is more of an idea for "down the road", but one I was wondering if you had ever considered. 2-Packs seem to be popular among collectors, and can make great display pieces when the packaging is interesting.  So, have you or would you ever consider do a series of 2-packs featuring the Animated version of a charcter along with it's Legacy version? It would be an interesting way to perhaps celebrate the Animated series and the SW Legacy at some point down the road. Now, I know that not every character could be done as not all characters in the animation appear in the Live-Action. Obvious choices would be Anakin, Obi-Wan, Yoda, Padme, Clone Trooper, Grevious, Dooku, Commanders Cody & Gree, C-3PO and R2-D2. What do you think? (MD, 2009-03-20) (http://www.mousedroid.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=66626)

     At the present time, we would not consider this sort of combination. The simple reason is that it would narrowly appeal only to those collectors who appreciate both styles of figures. While more and more collectors are getting into Clone Wars, not everyone collects both styles nor would want to be "forced" to collect the other style to complete their collections.

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The old school collectors have a bone to pick. Last year - about this time, you announced that we would FINALLY be getting a new Luke Skywalker as he appeared on the second Death Star, and that the new DS2 Luke would be appearing in a ROTJ wave in the Spring of 2009. Granted that was with the caveat of "if the schedule holds." So while we understand that schedules change - the Original Trilogy fans can't help but feel like the OT continues to get pushed back in favor of PT and CW waves. We're sure that there are valid reasons for all of this, but when, oh when are we finally going to see the ROTJ wave? This delay seems especially silly considering that over time you've revealed the name of EVERY figure in the wave!

Can you tell us when this will be released? And while we know that there's a bunch of love for the OT coming (in the form of additional Empire and A New Hope waves). With the current schedule, we can't help but be concerned that once again "the good stuff" got pushed into next year. Help us understand how the final four waves of the year will be released between September and December. Your own slide presentation corroborates the numbers that all four are still expected this year:

46 figures translates to:

1st ESB Wave - 6 figures
AOTC Wave - 6 figures
TPM Wave - 6 figures
ROTJ Wave - 8 figures
ANH Wave - 8 figures (technically the second ANH wave, considering the ANH wave currently in stores)
ROTS Wave - 6 figures
2nd ESB Wave - 6 figures

Add those up and you get 46 figures. You've gone over the waves in Q&A's recently - so we have to assume that things haven't changed that much. Please help re-assure the OT fans that they will be taken care of, and that perhaps we won't have to wait all the way until SDCC to get something shown for us to get excited over!

And BTW - if you HAVE to kick a wave into 2010 - move the ROTS wave, we've had four straight years of ROTS releases, so it would be okay to finally take a break! (RS, 2009-03-20) (http://www.rebelscum.com/story/front/Hasbros_68th_STAR_WARS_QA_The_Answers_121437.asp)

     The EpVI wave will be the second wave in the Fall assortment. We'll be leading with the EpI wave because the red/white packaging is timed to start with the Qui-Gon Jinn & Eopie mail-in promotion, but after that there will be a flow of OTC goodness, we promise. 2010 looks great as well, as
long as schedules hold of course...


Could you give any more details about Mighty Muggs becoming TRU Exclusives? What will this mean for future waves? If you see the line ending, will you try to pump out the highly requested Muggs like Jedi Luke, young Anakin, Darth Malak, TIE Pilot, Sandtrooper, Jawas, Galen Marek, etc? (RS, 2009-03-20) (http://www.rebelscum.com/story/front/Hasbros_68th_STAR_WARS_QA_The_Answers_121437.asp)

     After Spring (from August on), Mighty Muggs will be found exclusively at Toys 'R Us. Right now there are no plans for additional exclusive waves of Muggs beyond what has already been shown.

I absolutely love the multitude of rebel pilots as of late , but I have one questions- Are we EVER going to see a grey squadron y-wing pilot from ROTJ, and if yes, when? This is a figure that has never been done in any line, vintage or modern. (RS, 2009-03-20) (http://www.rebelscum.com/story/front/Hasbros_68th_STAR_WARS_QA_The_Answers_121437.asp)

     We'd love to see a Gray Squadron pilot or two ourselves, especially a Col. Salm or Lt. Telsij. The former would be a likely candidate someday for a comic 2-pack if the line continues for a long while.

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How about a Queens of Naboo Evolutions 3-pack? Use an as yet unproduced version of Queen Amidala from Episode I, Queen Jamillia from Episode II, and Queen Apailana from Ep III. (RTM, 2009-03-20) (http://www.toymania.com/news/messages/11089.shtml)

     There are no plans for Evolutions to return, at least for the next few years. If we ever did look to reactivate the concept, your concept would certainly be an interesting one.

Toy Fair was great, but we're an impatient bunch. Can you give us a tease to something that we can hope to see at Comic Con? (RTM, 2009-03-20) (http://www.toymania.com/news/messages/11089.shtml)

     Sorry - but we revealed so much at Toy Fair that we are guarding all of the remaining concepts for Comic Con. We promise that we will have some great news regarding things that folks so far have not uncovered... assuming the spies don't ferret them out before then. Stay tuned!

Considering the "crazy" price rises on most of your ranges of toys how come you religiously maintain that items such as Comic-packs have to be designed to a price-point. Hence the fact that we have "SECOND FIGURE SYNDROME" whereby the other figure in a pack is usually a disappointment/total waste of time. eg; the recent Asajj Ventress. Why not just give fans what they want, two fully articulated figures and price accordingly? (RTM, 2009-03-20) (http://www.toymania.com/news/messages/11089.shtml)

     Once we set a price, we have only so much flexibility to increase the price; retailers have a tremendous say in what they will support. So sometimes, it takes steps to get where we need to go. Since Comic Packs were originally designed to be something of a value pack, including two figures *and* a comic, it limited our flexibility on what we could include and the amount of articulation we could afford overall. We have reacted to your (collective) comments though and are doing our best to ensure both figures are of commensurate articulation with the rest of the line.

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With the re-release of certain SAGA/TAC 5 figure battlepacks in Legacy packaging, could the TAC Battle on Mygeeto battlepack which was hard to find in the US/not released in Canada be re-issued as a Legacy item? If not could we see the figures released individually in the Saga Legends lineup? (SNOW, 2009-03-20) (http://www.snowtroopers.ca/forum/index.php?topic=19331.0)

     We don't have any plans to re-release that one in particular, nor do we have plans to release the figures on Sega Legends cards except for the Tri-Droid, which is currently out in the Saga Legends line (in the original TAC colors as opposed to the Battle Pack colors).

Will we ever see the release of new Mighty Muggs in Canada?  Wave 5 shipped in the US back in September, never found this side of the border. (SNOW, 2009-03-20) (http://www.snowtroopers.ca/forum/index.php?topic=19331.0)

     At his point, it's highly unlikely.  There are no plans for new Mighty Muggs after this Spring, although TRU will continue to carry and re-order the existing Muggs as needed to continue their business.

I believe and trust that Hasbro will eventually do a figure of every single Cantina Patron and all of Jabba's cronies, including the human ones, before the license runs out.  However, do you think Hasbro will ever get to the citizens/extras from the streets of Tatooine or Bespin?  As a diorama builder, some citizenry would be great, perhaps even like the less articulated three packs from the Saga/Clone Wars era? (SNOW, 2009-03-20) (http://www.snowtroopers.ca/forum/index.php?topic=19331.0)

     Honestly, it's highly unlikely we'll ever do generic citizens (Willrow Hood is about as far as we'll commit to going!).  We certainly hope to continue to cover a lot more Cantina patrons and Jabba's denizens, but it all depends on collectors' supporting the ones we are bringing out in order to continue. We know the economy has challenged some collectors wallets lately, but it's exactly these collector-specific figures that are most "sensitive" to folks staying on the sideline.  When you see the more obscure figures, make sure you take them away with you to ensure the healthiest flow of these crazy-cool creations.

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Hasbro has shown great confidence in the Mos Eisley cantina scene, recognizing that the iconic scene has great mileage with both collectors and kids, and pledging to complete the roster of background aliens. With that in mind, might Hasbro be interested in expanding that to include Ket Maliss, Cebann Veekan, Myhr Rho, Y'bith, Thorp, Kelbo, the Tin Tin Dwarf, and/or Kal'Falnl C'ndros - characters who are "just off camera" and yet appear in various sources from behind-the-scenes materials to the Decipher's CCG and the Holiday Special? Many of these designs fit well with the in-film Cantina styled characters and all have precedent in or around that area, they could certainly be passed off to casual collectors as being part of that element, just as was done with your recent Bane Malar figure. (SSG, 2009-03-20) (http://www.sirstevesguide.com/index.php?categoryid=13&p2_articleid=1934)

     First let's get something out of the way - Cantina aliens, and the scores of characters like them including the Jabba's denizens, Senators, Pod Racers, female characters, and other tertiary and background characters are interesting only to collectors. It's very important that we not produce too many of these characters, and be careful about how many we produce (can anyone say Yarna?) or else the line risks being imbalanced and unproductive for retailers. Now for your question... the short answer is, probably not. With the Cantina, there are still a solid number of on-screen characters that we would look to do first before we go off-screen even thought there are some very cool choices in the ones you suggest (the Y'Bith is awesome, as is what appears to be the first Nikto in any entertainment - Kal'Falnl C'ndros [SSG editor's note: Hasbro likely meant Kelbo rather than Kal'Falnl C'ndros, who is a large ostrich-type alien whose legs were seen in ANH -JT]). Thanks for the entertaining look at this interesting group.

Titanium Series has suffered another indignity by not being included at New York Toy Fair. With recent significant price increases, a continued focus on pointless repaints, a general feeling of lack of support from Hasbro for pretty much the life of the line, canceled and displaced molds (some shown at the '08 Toy Fair), what is happening with Titanium Series? Fans keep asking about the line, and Hasbro keeps saying they will give it more attention at the next venue, only to get shorted again. What does the future hold for this line that is in many ways the only outlet for most Star Wars vehicles in toy form? Are sales at least solid enough that Titanium collectors can relax their fears a bit for the foreseeable future, or is the line considerably weaker than the 3.75" figure line and thus vulnerable in these uncertain economic times? (SSG, 2009-03-20) (http://www.sirstevesguide.com/index.php?categoryid=13&p2_articleid=1934)

     Titanium is indeed a much less-collected sub line that the 3-3/4" line. In the first year of Titanium vehicles, the line showed promise, but the audience never materialized to grow the collecting base. Since them, we have struggled with the amount of new tooling the line could justify along with the extraordinary number of new/refresh items the line needed to stay productive at retail (an outcome of the smaller batch sizes). While we feel that this year we are giving it some great attention and some exciting new tools, this will be the last year for Titanium. The line will be put on hiatus after 2009.

Will we be seeing any episode-specific Battle Packs for The Clone Wars? This would be a great way to get several of the individualized clones, battle droids, or astromech droids from any given episode without spreading them over a long period of time into the basic line, especially when they're only minor retools or mere repaints or kitbashes. (SSG, 2009-03-20) (http://www.sirstevesguide.com/index.php?categoryid=13&p2_articleid=1934)

     There will be episode-specific packs, but they will mostly be drawn from existing figures (for instance, there will be an upcoming Battle Pack for the episode "Holocron Heist" but there will be no new figures in it). It's possible that 1-2 episode-specific packs will be coming out as exclusives that will have new characters as you suggest, but those have not been confirmed yet.

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From 2/27 Round:
1) How does a new paint job and box justify a $30 price increase on an "exclusive" that just came out in December (the ARC-170)? (ST, 2009-03-20) (http://www.sandtroopers.com/smf/index.php?topic=5183.msg230955#msg230955)

     Now we understand - thanks for clarifying. We're not sure where the $30 increase comes from, as the ARC-170 was marketed at $44.99 last Fall. But the answer to your question really lies in what our commitment and hope is long term for this vehicle SKU.  As we articulated at Toy Fair, we plan to run a limited number of ARC-170s to set the shelf while we work to get in the new exciting Clone Wars Y-Wing as quickly as possible. That is the reason this vehicle assortment exists at the price it does.  Without the ARC-170, this assortment would not exist as it may not make it out to retail until Sept. or Oct - later than retail would tolerate.  Thus, the Y-Wing exists because we were able to bring the ARC-170 out and the pricing for the assortment reflects the new tooling. Hopefully this assortment will be a success and we can look forward to continuing it in 2010 as well.

With all the remakes and upgrades you've done over the years on insignificant characters, is there any chance that we might ever see a new improved Admiral Ackbar figure anytime soon? He's only about the most important strategist that the rebellion has... (ST, 2009-03-20) (http://www.sandtroopers.com/smf/index.php?topic=5183.msg230955#msg230955)

     We do have our eye-stalks set on an update of the dear Admiral. Hopefully, he will debut before the end of 2010, if not, then he will be in the 2011 lineup.

Hasbro's newly revealed pilot/gunship turret pod battlepack comes with 2 pilots and one turret and looks AMAZING! To completely outfit 1 gunship, kids and collectors will need to purchase 2 battlepacks. Will we need to buy ahead and purchase extra battlepacks in anticipation of future gunship releases? Or will Hasbro release this battlepack in conjunction with any and all future gunship repaint/repack releases? (ST, 2009-03-20) (http://www.sandtroopers.com/smf/index.php?topic=5183.msg230955#msg230955)

     Excellent question.  This pack is designed to have a limited run - likely less than 12 months, as the Battle Pack format will change in Fall 2010 back to the original thin depth we used from 2006-2008.  This means that any of the sets developed for the deeper design will remain out of circulation, unless demand is so hot that get them back out as exclusives. Even then, it will likely take some time and there is never a guarantee they will come back out.  So best buy 'em when you see them...

Over the recent years we are finding at retail that figures packs are being returned to stores tampered with. In this case the actual figure and accessories have been swapped out but will keep a retailer from restocking because they believe they have actual product. Is it possible to use tamper resistant tape instead of the clear tape Hasbro uses? (ST, 2009-03-20) (http://www.sandtroopers.com/smf/index.php?topic=5183.msg230955#msg230955)

     We have looked at tamper resistant tape, but it is unusable for our needs. Luckily, the vast majority of collectors are upstanding citizens and the cases of tampering are rare.  Any collectors who see tampered product can return it to the customer service desk and notify store personnel, who can then report that tampered toy as damaged goods and effectively remove it from circulation and inventory.

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Will the Amanin that's in the upcoming comic pack ever be released on Amanin battle (and without ending up with dozens of dirty Sunbers). (ST/"TJ", 2009-03-20) (http://www.sandtroopers.com/smf/index.php?topic=8437.msg230999#msg230999)

     There are no plans right now to release the Amanin on a basic figure card, but it's an interesting idea.  We're thrilled that folks like this guy - he's quickly become one of our favorite figures!

I'm glad to hear that the 'build-a-droid' series will be continuing on into 2010 and that you are using it as a chance to put some obscure droids into the figure lineup that might not otherwise make it. I hope there are lots more to come! On that note, have you given any consideration to two of my most wanted droids, Boba Fett's droid BL-17 from the Droids cartoon and Z-X3 from Marvel Star Wars 47? (ST/"TJ", 2009-03-20) (http://www.sandtroopers.com/smf/index.php?topic=8437.msg230999#msg230999)

     We are glad you like the Droid Factory concept.  You might have missed our Toy Fair presentation where we announced that BL-17 will indeed be coming out in the Wal-Mart Droid Factory 2-pack assortment that will feature the Dark Trooper buildable figure (look for that in July).  Z-X3 was on our short list but did not make the cut.  It is possible that we could do him as a future comic pack someday - that chest blaster is pretty wild.

Could Hasbro make it a point to include the ladder with all of your future X-Wing releases? Or to include the ladder again with another Yavin hangar battlepack so collectors can pick up a few spares to go with their existing X-Wings? (ST/"TJ", 2009-03-20) (http://www.sandtroopers.com/smf/index.php?topic=8437.msg230999#msg230999)

     If/when we release more X-Wings, that would indeed be a good accessory to include. Right now there are no plans for more Yavin hangar packs, but if we do any more we'll keep your suggestion in mind.

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Recently you made the Spacetrooper figure from A New Hope and included the likeness of A New Hope concept Artist Joe Johnson under the helmet. How much back-and-forth is there with Lucasfilm licensing regarding what faces you can put under the masks of Stormtroopers? A Jango Fett head here or there makes sense given they descend from clones, but when you do things like the flip-up visor Scouttrooper or this Stormtrooper, what is the approval process? (SWAN, 2009-03-20) (http://www.swactionnews.com/archives/ep187.htm)

     It's pretty simple - if we know we are going to do a unique head, we decide what reference we'd like to do and sculpt it up for approval.  In some cases, we may use employees for reference since it's always easier to sculpt when there ample photo reference is available.  When there is a special figure - such as the Joe Johnston homage, we’ll discuss that with Lucasfilm before proceeding to make sure that they are on board with the direction.

In a recent magazine article it was revealed that we would be getting R5-H6 as a Build-a-Droid figure later this year, with the associated text going on to identify this droid as being present at the pod race on Tatooine in Episode 01. The problem is, at least as far as we collectors know, that red and white droid was actually R5-X2. To our best knowledge, R5-H6 was a grey and purple background droid from Episode 02, a very different looking astromech. Can you please clarify which droid we can expect to see as a BaD release and can you say whether or not the dome has been newly tooled to reflect the unique appearance of all the prequel trilogy R5 style droids or is it a reuse of the same R5 dome sculpt that is currently available on the yellow R5-A2 Mos Eisley BaD toy? (SWAN, 2009-03-20) (http://www.swactionnews.com/archives/ep187.htm)

     The figure we are releasing will be R5-H6, and he will have a head that is redeco'd from the R5-A2 tool.  There will be three additional astromechs coming in future waves in 2009, and they include R3-01 (with clear dome), along with R3-A2 & R4-P44.

Recently figures have taken another price jump at retail, htiting fans, collectors, and kids hard in these tough economic times. I can't find a less blunt way to put this, so here goes: who's to blame? A lot of people are shaking their fist in your (Hasbro's) general direction, but is this strictly set 100% by retailers? Did Wal Mart and Target just coincidentally decide to jump prices, or did some other factor come into play? (SWAN, 2009-03-20) (http://www.swactionnews.com/archives/ep187.htm)

     We will not go into the details of what it takes to manufacturer a toy and the costs associated with that, but you probably already have a good understanding of the different aspects. It has been well-documented in public statements that Hasbro has pursued price increases to offset higher cost of goods out of factories. What retailers choose to market figures at is additionally up to them and we do not have any control or influence over that.

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With the new $60 vehicle price point, are we going to see a Nu-Class Shuttle from the Clone Wars? It would serve as yet another incentive for collectors to troop build! (SWC, 2009-03-20) (http://swcollector.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=57&t=1334)

     That would be a great vehicle to do if the price point continues, which we certainly hope it does. At present though, we have no plans - we need to take it one vehicle at a time.

There are pics circulating of a rumored upcoming Wedge Antilles X-Wing, which is very promising. But there is a concern that his astromech is not be decoed accurately. In cockpit shots of Wedge in ANH, it is plain that his R2 unit has a red dome with white panels (similar to R3-T2), while in ROTJ you can see that he has a white-domed R2 with black markings. Since onscreen accuracy is of paramount concern to collectors, can we be sure it will be corrected before any release of this vehicle? (SWC, 2009-03-20) (http://swcollector.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=57&t=1334)

     We took our direction from Lucasfilm on which droid to include. There does appear to be conflicting reference, but we have to defer to the official source on this one.

Based on questions answered in previous sessions, I believe we're getting two ground-based Clone vehicles in the Starfighter assortment this year. With the TX-130 announced, can we get confirmation of the Swamp Speeder?(SWC, 2009-03-20) (http://swcollector.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=57&t=1334)

     We're not sure we ever confirmed a Swamp Speeder for this year. In any case, it is not in the Starfighter vehicle assortment for 2009.

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You have mentioned more Legacy comic packs coming, any chance we will be seeing the Ghost of Luke Skywalker or a Han Solo figure in one of the packs? I think that would be a great way to continue to tie the Legacy characters with the Original Trilogy. (TPU, 2009-03-20) (http://www.theprivateuniverse.co.uk/cgi-bin/showarticle.pl?section=news&articleid=4046)

     We don't have plans for the ghost of Luke, but it is one that we really want to do at some point. No plans right now for a new Han, but that could change depending on what is in the new Dark Horse NJO-era comic.

With the live action Star Wars TV series looming on the horizon, I presume Hasbro is already working on figures for it, so are there any plans on what we are likely to see and will it be included within waves or will it have it's own collection like TLC or CW? (TPU, 2009-03-20) (http://www.theprivateuniverse.co.uk/cgi-bin/showarticle.pl?section=news&articleid=4046)

     We have not begun work on live action. Lucasfilm has yet to announce a schedule, but when they do we look forward to getting reference material as soon as it's available.

There appears to be a lot of the stuff shown at USTF that are not making it currently to the UK and with the loss of one of the UK's biggest high street toy buyers Woolworths, it looks pretty bleak for UK Star Wars collectors. How does Hasbro see the UK market now and how will it make sure that UK collectors can still buy from within the UK? (TPU, 2009-03-20) (http://www.theprivateuniverse.co.uk/cgi-bin/showarticle.pl?section=news&articleid=4046)

     Almost everything offered in the U.S. "mainline" will be available in the U.K. We are working hard to get all exclusives distributed in Europe as well, as least in the U.K. and Germany. That has proved challenging as some retailers have decided not to carry them, which have caused some items to be dropped.

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Price hikes. We hate them. We also realize they are sometimes a “necessary evil” when it comes to retail sales.

In the past you’ve stated that you don’t directly set retail prices but Hasbro is the “M” in MSRP and retailers agree to that MSRP. Now with the prices in oil going down, the country in a recession and the dollar not going as nearly as far as it did, how can retailers (who are hurting) charge nearly $2 more now per action figure, comic pack, titanium, battle pack* and vehicle?

The natives/collectors are restless, can you clarify this point further for them since they helped to make the Star Wars brand the #1 license for 2008 (before the price hikes)?

*I thought the drop from the 5 to 4 figure battle pack format was supposed to stave off a price hike for this assortment? (YF, 2009-03-20) (http://www.yakfaceforums.com/viewtopic.php?p=62087#62087)

     A drop in oil prices does not mean that prices drop to produce toys. That is just one factor of many that affect bringing toys to shelves. Rather than discuss in detail here, we suggest that anyone interested in reading further seek out Hasbro's statements to investors regarding our prior public comments on pricing.

     With that answer, we won't be asking pricing related questions in the foreseeable future.


Recently, preorder info has been made available online for the large Clone Wars Octuptarra Droid. What further details can you provide (size, FOBs, cost) regarding this? (YF, 2009-03-20) (http://www.yakfaceforums.com/viewtopic.php?p=62087#62087)

     We can provide no further details. An announcement will be forthcoming at Comic Con.

The new TPM and AOTC Obi-Wan figures are fantastic, thanks for finally updating them. But can something be done at this late stage about the lightsabers included with them? The Episode II figure is shown with the complete wrong saber, and the Episode I saber is the correct one, but chunky and inferior to not only todays standards, but you have already made a saber that not only looks more like the screen used saber but has the "energy flares" coming from the emitter like all current sabers. It was included in 2003's deluxe Obi-Wan on Kamino set. Any chance of this perfect looking saber coming with these two perfect looking figures? (YF, 2009-03-20) (http://www.yakfaceforums.com/viewtopic.php?p=62087#62087)

     The EpII Obi-Wan lightsaber in the cross-sell images is not the lightsaber that is actually included with the figure. Currently they both come with the same accessory but your suggestion of switching to the saber that came with the Deluxe figure is a good idea. We will look into this as an option for a running change and also look to improve the decoration.

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My question is in regards to the recently revealed upcoming packaging for the basic figures. The cardbacks have a unique shape that looks like they will be very different from previous Star Wars packaging. I noticed that the top trapezoidal area (SW logo & character face) has some heavy shadowing underneath it. Will the top trapezoidal area be placed as an additional piece of cardboard on top of the bubble, adding a three dimensional aspect to the packaging? Or, is that just the way the card looks and the bubble will be on a flat card as in the past? Please review the attached moc-up images I made illustrating my concept. Thank you! (YN, 2009-03-20) (http://yodasnews.com/)

     The card back will in fact be flat, with the logo on the same cardblank as the rest of the card.

A previous Q & A revealed that the battle droid from the Galactic Heroes Jedi Starfighter Cinema Scene was dropped due to costs, hence the incorrect packaging image on the rear, but the ones I am seeing on the shelves now have the battle droid figure included. What changed? And why do some people feel like they have been cheated out of a battle droid? (YN, 2009-03-20) (http://yodasnews.com/)

     The droid was dropped, but since the packaging was released with the droid in there, we felt that we should include it after all and reinstated the droid. Unfortunately, it could not have been from piece 1.

We were doing a second look at Hasbro's powerpoint and we noticed that on the slide for the Force Unleashed Stormtrooper, it states: "Available and Hasbrotoyshop.com and StarWarsOnlineShop.com". We assume you meant StarWarsShop.com because if you take a visit to StarWarsOnlineShop.com, it isn't owned by Lucas or Hasbro (from what we have seen) and even has pop ups flagged by many anti-spam pop up blockers. (YN, 2009-03-20) (http://yodasnews.com/)

     Yes, we meant StarWarsShop.com. Thanks for the clarification.
Title: Re: The Hasbro Q & A Compendium
Post by: Matt on April 12, 2009, 03:44 PM
Session 68 - April 10, 2009

Will we see a version of the interior Hoth Base rebel soldiers as done by Kenner back in the day? The troops with the brown vests. Also, what of the Rebel troopers during the Ceremony at the End of "A New Hope". Will we see versions of these troopers in plastic? We have the Honor Guard troops from that scene but none of the Green uniformed troops with what looks like green baseball caps. (BS, 2009-04-10) (http://banthaskull.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2704)

     Those are all great suggestions that are in our Parking Lot for longer-term possibilities. We certainly do enjoy our Rebel troops, as can be attested by the recent run of pilots and capped off by the upcoming Yavin battle pack with the flight crew member trooper. We hope that within a couple years we'll be able to get to one or both of these guys.

There is an Imperial trooper not seen in plastic (from the Shuttle scene w/Vader) in the ranks - wearing a dark blue jump suit and Death Star trooper helm - this be fun for troop building! Are you aware of this character and can you add him to your list if he is not already on it? (BS, 2009-04-10) (http://banthaskull.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2704)

     We were not aware of this guy, but we'll take a closer look. Thanks for the suggestion.

Since you stated at Toy Fair that Ratts Tyrell will be replaced by Clegg Holdfast in the upcoming Phantom Menace Legacy Wave, would it be possible for us to get a good look at the Clegg figure? (BS, 2009-04-10) (http://banthaskull.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2704)

     You bet.  See attached image. (http://img222.imageshack.us/img222/8097/clegg.jpg) He will also come with his goggles and a blaster. We only had this pic to show of the figure. Enjoy!

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Some collectors shy away from EU items unless they tie into major characters from the films, or strongly tie into the movie saga story. With that in mind, what are the chances of seeing figures of these influential EU characters: the ghost of Luke Skywalker (Legacy), Jedi Master Sifo-Dyas, Darth Plagueis, or even a young Count Dooku? (CS, 2009-04-10) (http://www.collectionstation.com/groups/Star-Wars/Hasbro-Q-A-April-10_47)

     We would say that all four figures stand a strong chance of seeing some glory in plastic given time - probably within a few years.

Based on your slideshow at Toy Fair, there seems to be a discrepancy on the subject of exclusive 2-pack figures. The Wal-mart Grievous Droid Factory figure with new cloth cloak shown in the slide was the 4-armed basic figure from 2005's ROTS line, however what was said during the slideshow was that it'd be the super-articulated 2008 figure. Which Grievous will actually be coming in that set with the new cloak? Also, it was noted that that the Target-exclusive Geonosis Arena figure pack Jango Fett would be tweaked, but there was no explanation given and the figure looks the same as the Evolutions version. What's the change there, can fans hope that the evo figure jumpsuit's lilac color is finally being changed to a more blue-gray look as seen in the movie? (CS, 2009-04-10) (http://www.collectionstation.com/groups/Star-Wars/Hasbro-Q-A-April-10_47)

     Unfortunately, we could not deliver the new Grievous as we had hoped, and instead went with the 4-arm Grievous from the 2005 line. We'll look into the possibility of changing Jango to blue/gray for this Fall, but we're pretty far along with this one and it may not be possible. In any case, we *do* have a blue/gray version planned in 2010.

As shown at Toy Fair, the upcoming Geonosis Assault battle pack is coming with the long-requested Gunship pod turret and 2 clone pilots. Since each gunship had 2 turrets in the film, that will require buying 2 sets, making 4 pilots. However, the gunship is manned by 2 pilots in the cockpit, and 2 standard grunts in the turrets. While thrilled to get the pods and more clones, could we get a regular clone trooper helmet as well as, or even instead of 1 of, those pilot helmets so the gunships can be accurately, completely manned? (CS, 2009-04-10) (http://www.collectionstation.com/groups/Star-Wars/Hasbro-Q-A-April-10_47)

     That's a great idea, but we went with the two pilot helmets. It's too late to add a helmet in now, so the pack will ship as shown.

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Will the 2010 The Force Unleashed wave include any upgrades/remakes/variants of Force Unleashed characters you've already done, such as Juno Eclipse in her more screen-accurate outfit from the game or Starkiller in another of his many outfits?  Or will the wave entirely consist of Force Unleashed characters you haven't done yet? (GH, 2009-04-10) (http://www.galactichunter.com/absolutenm/templates/full_article_template_1.asp?articleid=7933&zoneid=2)

     Actually, plans have changed for this wave.  Namely, it will no longer be part of our basic figure plan in 2010  The reason is because the Legacy/Droid Factory figures have slowed considerably since last Fall compared to other parts of the line like Clone Wars basic figures and Saga Legends, and without the strong collector backbone we need to scale back on the number of collector-targeted basic figures in the lineup. We will instead be moving these to the Spring 2010 exclusives lineup and will change things around to look at some multi-packs (similar to the Battllefront multi-pack format).  We think that Juno Eclipse in the version you suggest and additional Galen Marek figures are solid ideas, but we have yet to finalize the lineup.

The "Purge Trooper" figure recently revealed in the Star Wars Insider magazine's pre-production drawings bears a strong resemblance to the Spacetrooper from the Heir to the Empire comics/novel. Is this intended to be a remake of that Spacetrooper, and is he going to be part of the next Heir to the Empire comic pack that was hinted at in a past Q&A? (GH, 2009-04-10) (http://www.galactichunter.com/absolutenm/templates/full_article_template_1.asp?articleid=7933&zoneid=2)

     Yes, it is intended to be a remake of the Spacetrooper, but no, it is not part of the planned Heir to the Empire comic pack.  Stay tuned - we'll have more info at Comic Con about the disposition of this guy.

Is it too late to request that the Evolutions-model Jango Fett slated for Target stores' Geonosis Arena 2-Packs is painted with a blue jumpsuit instead of the purple one? This was requested before when you re-released the Fett Legacy Evolution set, but the opportunity was missed. Now once again there's a chance to sell us a blue suit version of Evolutions-model Jango Fett. Please make it happen! Also on the topic of Geonosis Arena 2-Packs aren't we long overdue for a new-model Bariss Offee with improved articulation? The original action-posed version from 2003 looks out of place next to the next-gen models of her fellow Jedi.  Is she possibly one of the upgrades coming in the Target Geonosis Arena 2-Packs? (GH, 2009-04-10) (http://www.galactichunter.com/absolutenm/templates/full_article_template_1.asp?articleid=7933&zoneid=2)

     We'll look into the possibility of changing to blue for this Fall, but we're pretty far along with this one and it may not be possible.  In any case, we *do* have a blue version planned in 2010.

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OK, we've already got Obi-Wan's Delta 7 Starfighter and Anakin's yellow Delta 7 Starfighter is expected this Summer. How long before we get Ahsoka's ship to round out the set? (HH, 2009-04-10) (http://hanshideout.blogspot.com/2009/04/hasbro-star-wars-q-session-9.html)

     Not long, not long at all. Stay tuned!

A question on the plan for the SDCC'09 Stormtrooper Commander figure - will he get new/special packaging or will it be a complete re-issue of the 2008 figure/cardback? At Toy Fair, it sounded like you were leaning towards all-new packaging. Any progress on a final decision? (HH, 2009-04-10) (http://hanshideout.blogspot.com/2009/04/hasbro-star-wars-q-session-9.html)

     He will be packed on a basic figure card in the new red/white line look, with an outer clamshell.

Rum Sleg from the Phantom Menace Wave is a fantastic looking figure. We have one thing we'd like cleared up though since there seems to be conflicting rumors out there - does he have a removable helmet or not? And is the chest armor removable or not? (HH, 2009-04-10) (http://hanshideout.blogspot.com/2009/04/hasbro-star-wars-q-session-9.html)

     He does have a removable helmet, but the chest armor is sculpted as part of his body.

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Times are hard all over... Lots of layoffs, people are cutting back spending all around, and that leads me to this question; Do the folks at Hasbro think increases in prices with toys are going to greatly affect the future plans of the Star Wars line? It seems like the line in general has increased in price from the basic figures, to the battlepacks, vehicles and more... This certainly has impacted what I spend. Where I used to buy 2 of almost every figure (usually to have some for customizing) or more, I've certainly had to cut back. Are there any fears the line could take a "hit" from the inevitable cutting back many people are doing with their spending combined with price increases and whatnot? (JD, 2009-04-10) (http://jedidefender.com/newspro/fullnews.cgi?newsid1239605581,90057,)

     It is not the price increase, but the overall economic situation that has affected some collectors that has also caused us to take some corrective measures which we'll get to in a minute. Overall, Star Wars sales are red hot, and basic figures, Starfighter Vehicles and Battle Packs in particular are all more popular than ever. However, this seems to be because of very strong kid demand for Star Wars, especially anything relating to Clone Wars. We have indeed seen an effect on the more collector-targeted figures and sets, like Evolutions and even Droid Factory basic figures, which have slowed down significantly since last year and we have lost some of the more casual collectors, retaining a loyal "core." Going forward, we are going to be more cautious about the breadth and depth of the 100%-collector-targeted figures that we put into the lineup, since the economic health of the collector base is tied directly to our success with these types of figures. Collectors are still a very important focus for us and we will still be developing new and re-sculpts figures that fill the collector need, but the prudent course for the long-term health of the brand is make sure that we do not produce too many overall, or over-release these tertiary figures. This means that some releases may be scaled back, and supply kept shorter than in the past for some things. We will continue to look for ways to bring out new and interesting figures in other ways (such as the numerous exciting figure-based exclusives coming this year and in 2010). One outcome of the current collector situation is that we are going to take the announced Spring 2010 wave of The Force Unleashed figures out of the basic figure lineup, and move them over to the exclusives plan.

The Clone lockers are pretty cool sets of pack-ins with the Legends figures, and the "artifacts" that Indiana Jones figures came with were really neat... What I'm curious about though, is that some collectors actually enjoy the little cardboard locker and crates on some level, and have you ever considered including a cardboard box (maybe to look like a Death Star cargo box like the scanner technicians used?) to hold the Build-A-Droid Part? Or perhaps to replace the Clone lockers at some point? I know they'd make some neat background filler to me at least, for my Imperial shelf. Different colors and things would be neat. (JD, 2009-04-10) (http://jedidefender.com/newspro/fullnews.cgi?newsid1239605581,90057,)

     We are looking at including more cardboard elements with some sets, including diorama-like backdrops in the Starfighter Vehicle line starting this Fall (taking their cue from the Indiana Jones vehicle packaging). We also may look at it in other sets as well. Unfortunately, the box is not feasible for the Droid Factory parts since we need the part to be visible from the outside.

We got a pretty great Hoth Han with the last "Vintage" series of figures, and you've now put together what looks like a great Hoth Rebel footsoldier for our snow trenches. I'm curious where you're headed with Hoth-specific characters next? Would you look to Luke, or Leia resculpt? Or would you look at maybe the tan vested Hoth Soldiers ala the vintage rebel figure? Which character from Hoth would be your next goal to get out there on the shelves if you could? (JD, 2009-04-10) (http://jedidefender.com/newspro/fullnews.cgi?newsid1239605581,90057,)

     There is a great new Luke Snowspeeder pilot coming later this Fall, and we hope to get to a new Hoth Leia in 2010. No plans right now for the other Hoth Rebel soldier, but he is one that we have our sites set on, hopefully within the next couple of years.

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Will we ever see Characters that debuted in the Clone Wars cartoon made into non-clone wars/Legacy Collection figures like Rex, Ahsoka and Cad Bane? If not on single cards maybe something like comic packs or Evolution sets. From Animated to non-animated type Evolution sets? (JI, 2009-04-10) (http://jediinsider.com/index.php?catid=8&itemid=11703)

     There are no plans to cross-over Clone Wars characters into realistically-styled figures (or vice-versa, which we also get asked frequently). The lines will remain separate in order to bring fans the greatest variety of figures possible.

Aura Sing is getting some good screen time on the Clone Wars cartoon, will she be making an appearance anytime soon in the Clone Wars action figure line? (JI, 2009-04-10) (http://jediinsider.com/index.php?catid=8&itemid=11703)

     Unfortunately, not soon enough, as we can't wait to get her into the lineup. She is slated right now for 2010.

This may have been asked before, but with all these build-a-droid parts that are getting released, have you ever thought about making an updated droid factory playset like Kenner did many years ago. Something that maybe lets collectors/customizers organize all the droid parts and let’s kids pretend they are actually building droids with those parts. Maybe base it off the droid assembly plant seen in Episode 2? (JI, 2009-04-10) (http://jediinsider.com/index.php?catid=8&itemid=11703)

     We have indeed looked at this, with a theme very similar to what you suggest, but we just can't get it to price out where we think it needs to be to be a successful toy. We don't want to give up hope on this, though, but the chances of this one seeing the light of day are very slim.

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I know we asked this a while ago but it's been almost 4 years since the 500th figure of Darth Vader.  I'm sure we're at/close to/or may have even surpassed the 1000th figure mark; do you have any plans to mark this very special milestone and if so what can we expect? (JN, 2009-04-10) (http://www.jedinews.co.uk/news/news.aspx?newsID=2339)

     We do not have any plans to commemorate a 1,000th figure.  We've been so busy making sure that we're getting everything out that we have not taken a breath to see where we are against that auspicious milestone.  One of these days we hope to be able to get to a count, but it's likely that we have or will miss it.

We've had several requests about some of the older Galactic Heroes Cinema Scenes such as the Hoth, Mustafar, Bounty Hunter and Naboo sets (to mention a few).  Are there any plans to re-release these in the future in current packaging? (JN, 2009-04-10) (http://www.jedinews.co.uk/news/news.aspx?newsID=2339)

     For the most part we've been concentrating on new sets, but re-releasing some "classics" is a good idea.  We'll take that into consideration.

Will we see any more foil figure '1st Day of Issue' figures released this year or are we all done on that and the Ultimate Galactic Hunt idea?  If not, can you tell us what waves will be included in this year's promotion? (JN, 2009-04-10) (http://www.jedinews.co.uk/news/news.aspx?newsID=2339)

     We don't have any plans for either idea this year, but there's a strong chance that one or the other will be back for 2010.

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The news of the upcoming Dark Horse comic title Star Wars Invasion fan has got a lot of fans of the New Jedi Order hopeful.  Hopeful to see their favorite EU characters on the comic page, but also as it opens up some possibilities to get NJO characters made into figures via the Expanded Universe comic 2-packs.

Recent reports stated that Hasbro sees the comics when they hit the stands, and that any Invasion comic packs might be a ways off.  But has Hasbro entertained the thought of partnering with Dark Horse to develop both a comic and comic 2-pack in tandem?  And perhaps promoting such a release into a comic/specialty shop exclusive? (JTA, 2009-04-10) (http://www.jeditemplearchives.com/content/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=4634)

     It certainly is an interesting idea if we had an idea to tell a new story in the Star Wars universe, but honestly there are so many great stories coming that we prefer to let others tell them.  Our lead-times to produce new figures are a good 15-18 months, which is far longer than the Dark Horse lead times.  Short of a custom-comic plan (where Hasbro would commission the story), the current plan seems to be working albeit on an offset time schedule.

The 2009 Clone Wars vehicle line has as many as 4 vehicles that incorporate astromech droids.  The two Jedi starfighters, as well as the Y-Wing and ARC-170.  But we've only seen 2 astromech droids in the Clone Wars line to date, and none were announced in the Toy Fair presentation.  Can we expect an R4-P17 for Obi-Wan's fighter, or any other astromechs to complement the other vehicles? (JTA, 2009-04-10) (http://www.jeditemplearchives.com/content/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=4634)

     Good question.  Right now we don't have any more in the lineup, but we'll keep an eye on how R2-D2 and Goldie do going forward to see if there is demand and opportunity to bring out more. The vehicles are designed to be interchangeable between realistic and Clone Wars figures, so they are compatible at least with the plethora of realistic astro droids for the fans who want to build out their realistic vehicle scenes.

In 2005 the Agen Kolar basic figure seemed to be quite an achievement in sculpting and softgoods.  But even then the figure had a lightsaber that was not the correct color (for Revenge Of The Sith), and a molded cloak.  Since that time we've seen a great new softgoods Jedi cloak with other basic figures, plus some highly detailed lightsabers.  Given what could be some easy fixes, like a softgoods cloak and blue lightsabers, might we see a revised, Revenge Of The Sith accurate Agen Kolar in the near future? (JTA, 2009-04-10) (http://www.jeditemplearchives.com/content/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=4634)

     Actually there will be an all-new EpIII Agen Kolar figure coming this Fall in the basic figure lineup, with even more enhanced articulation.  He will not be coming with a soft goods cloak, and we will look into the saber coloring, since we were caught off guard by that one the first time.  Stay tuned!

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Do you have any plans for C-3PO in the near future? An AOTC repaint of the Ewok Deity mold would be great and all that is needed for TPM C-3PO is knee joints. (RS, 2009-04-10) (http://www.rebelscum.com/story/front/Hasbros_69th_STAR_WARS_QA_The_Answers_121916.asp)

     We do have a couple of takes on C-3PO coming later this year and 2010 that we think you will like. No plans to redo the "naked" version of C-3PO from Episode I, though, although some day we might get to him.

Since we are getting the IG-2000 and Hound's Tooth in the Titanium line, what are the chances you will make the other 2 missing Bounty Hunter ships (Mist Hunter and Punishing One)? It would really be nice to get these 2 ships in 3D form finally. (RS, 2009-04-10) (http://www.rebelscum.com/story/front/Hasbros_69th_STAR_WARS_QA_The_Answers_121916.asp)

     Both of them are well into development and will be out before the end of the year, as part of the last waves before Titanium goes on hiatus after this year.

Regardless of collector opinions on the price/value ratio, do you feel the Lars Homestead and Sarlacc Pit were successful enough forays to continue the format of these type of environment battle packs? (RS, 2009-04-10) (http://www.rebelscum.com/story/front/Hasbros_69th_STAR_WARS_QA_The_Answers_121916.asp)

     The results were decent, with Sarlacc being the more popular of the sets, but they could not compare to any of the vehicle-based sets we have done. We do not have plans to do more of the environmental-type sets, but do not rule out a return to the format some time.

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When it comes to prequel Senators, we haven't seen much lately. The most asked of them is the Senator Grebleips figure, the E.T. alien - will we ever be getting this figure, is it just unlikely because it's a background alien, or is it totally off-limits because it's an easter egg from another film? Also, what about seeing senate figures from Ep 1 like Edcel Bar Gane, Sei Taria, Toonbuck Toora and Mot-Not Rab? (SSG, 2009-04-10) (http://www.sirstevesguide.com/index.php?categoryid=13&p2_articleid=1934)

     Senator and Separatist figures have been very slow sellers for us, so while we're not ruling them out, they are not high on our list of figures to target. We're confident that we'll get around to more some day, especially if the collector base rebounds as these figures are 100% collector-targeted. Until then, they'll stay on the sidelines. Grebleips is off limits per Lucasfilm, joining (among a few others) the oft-asked for female Cantina denizens, Holiday Special live action figures, and Tyvokka as figures we cannot/will not pursue.

With the new Droid Factory sets, included is a Corran Horn / Whistler 2-pack. As Corran Horn is an EU character, he is seen as not likely to get multiple figures, so as such, why is this 2-pack coming with a standard orange flight costume rather than Horn's more distinctive green-hued version? Whistler also is lacking his overall green tinge, but since this seems like it may be the only Corran Horn figure fans will see, why not make it as characteristically accurate as possible? (SSG, 2009-04-10) (http://www.sirstevesguide.com/index.php?categoryid=13&p2_articleid=1934)

     This one is in the orange jumpsuit, which is one of his outfits from the novel and the one we went with. Regarding the coloration of Whistler, we take Lucasfilm's direction on all deco, with the intent of being as accurate as possible to the reference material. As for additional Corran Horn figures someday, we would not rule out the possibility, and the green suit would be a great alternate deco for further down the road. How far, we don't know, considering how long it took to get him into the lineup in the first place. We're stoked to be bringing the pair out, in any case.

With the Build-A-Droid line, there's been some confusion about the naming with a few of the figures. First off, there's R2-N6 who was properly named at last year's Comic-Con presentation yet later got renamed to R2-L3. Second, there's the upcoming U-3PO figure that has a silver tone rather than the slightly brassy look from the movie, and is shipping in an ESB wave, a film which already has a silver protocol droid, E-3PO, except that character has white instead of yellow eyes. What's the deal with these build-a-figures and their identity issues? (SSG, 2009-04-10) (http://www.sirstevesguide.com/index.php?categoryid=13&p2_articleid=1934)

     We do not select the droids to match the film theme of the wave, but instead based on which ones we feel are important to do; as one of the first droids we see in EpIV, we felt U-3PO was the choice to go with. As to the R2-L3, it turns out that R2-N6 was not an official Lucasfilm-given name for this droid, so we later switched based on Lucasfilm direction. This reversal has happened a few times with the buildable astros, since we have targeted several "unmade" droids who had not yet been given official designations.

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When will we see a release on the Mace Windu and Luke Skywalker (RotJ) Force FX sabers? Or with the popularity of The Clone Wars, we will be seeing an Ahsoka Tano Force FX lightsaber any time soon? (ST, 2009-04-10) (http://www.sandtroopers.com/smf/index.php?topic=5183.msg232626#msg232626)

     Unfortunately, we're off to a slower-than-expected start with the Force FX business, as consumer demand is not yet where we forecasted it to be for the original sabers.  As such, we have to move through our material commitments to the original sabers before we can release the new ones. Hopefully they will be out this Fall. There are plans for an Ahsoka Force FX lightsaber, but in the longer term once we are successful with the current lineup.

Are there any plans to release some of the older, hard-to-find figures in the Saga Legends line any time soon? I thought that was what this sub-line was for in the first place? Instead of re-releasing versions of C-3P0 and Luke that are still peg warming in their original packages, why not release figures like Episode 1 Sio Bibble and Ascension Gun Padme, Saga Ephont Mon or Lars' Homestead Padme, or the Expanded Universe Spacetrooper and Imperial Sentinel? And speaking of these re-releases that you love so much, have you ever given any thought to another sub-line of re-releases aimed strictly at the army builders? You could call it Armies of Star Wars or something like that, and just keep figures like Stormtroopers, Death Star Troopers, TIE Pilots, Clone Troopers, etc. in circulation continuously since those are the figures that sell the best most of the time. And I'm sure a lot of collectors would love to be able to walk into Target or Wal-Mart and pick up a handful of Stormtroopers any day of the week instead of waiting for them to be re-inserted into the line. (ST, 2009-04-10) (http://www.sandtroopers.com/smf/index.php?topic=5183.msg232626#msg232626)

     The Saga Legends line was always intended to re-release the best of the best kid-targeted figures, not necessarily to be a collector-targeted SKU. We decided to add some figures to the lineup last year in response to fan voting, but that was not meant to be a standard platform for the line. Currently, the lineup has been designed primarily to focus on the SKU as a complement to Clone Wars, since once we saw the quality of the programming we  knew that we would have trouble keeping up with the demand of Clone Wars figures. In addition to the core that mirrors Clone Wars, we have selected additional popular figures from across the Saga, including several that were voted for by fans previously. While we will not be adding back in the fans' vote to Saga Legends in the near future, we do have plans to upgrade a couple figures you have mentioned over the next two years...so we think that your patience will be rewarded!

I loved the Lucky Lekku and would love to have more individualized gunships like the Crumb Bomber. Are there more gunship repaints planned to coincide with The Clone Wars cartoon? (ST, 2009-04-10) (http://www.sandtroopers.com/smf/index.php?topic=5183.msg232626#msg232626)

     Ideally, we want to keep the Gunship in rotation every year, and as we see new and unique squadrons appear we'll look for a way to get them into the lineup.  There will be at least one coming this Fall.  Stay tuned for news at Comic Con….

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With talk that Hasbro might reuse the Ten Numb/Keyan Farlander sculpt again in 2009, can you fix the tendency for this figure to lean over to his left side?  While the problem is not as bad on Keyan, on Ten he leans over quite conspicuously. I wouldn't want to end up with a small squad of B-Wing pilots that all lean over to one side as Hasbro uses this sculpt for future pilot figures. (ST/"TJ", 2009-04-10) (http://www.sandtroopers.com/smf/index.php?topic=8437.msg232639#msg232639)

     The B-Wing figure was actually designed to stand more "at ease" rather than in a straight lineup, with one leg forward from the other, even though he was not packed out that way.  We try to give our figures an overall neutral pose because collectors like to pose their figures in different ways, but we try to incorporate a natural stance to them so that they feel alive and don't feel stiff.  That probably explains what you are seeing.  At this point, the upcoming red version of Ten Numb will use the same figure.

My son loves the Galactic Heroes line, especially the ships...except for one thing. Why is the Millenium Falcon the only ship that comes with lights and sound features? Just by the looks of the molds on some of them like Vader's TIE Fighter and the Jedi Starfighter, there appears to be enough room to perhaps incorporate some. Was there ever any thought given to including sounds/lights on the other ships or is this simply a price/cost decision? (ST/"TJ", 2009-04-10) (http://www.sandtroopers.com/smf/index.php?topic=8437.msg232639#msg232639)

     The reason you don't see more electronics in the Galactic Heroes vehicle lineup is because, in the early days of GH in 2004, the Millennium Falcon and the X-Wing did sport electronics, but at the higher price points that we needed to command, sales were very sluggish.  Unfortunately, interest was so low at those price points that we reached the point where all plans for additional vehicles were abandoned (including the then-modeled but never-tooled Darth Vader TIE Fighter, which was designed to house electronics at that time).  It wasn't until the conception of the Cinema Scene format that vehicles found their way back into the lineup, but the need to strictly manage these to the $20/$25 price point does not allow us to put electronics into the vehicles. The Jedi Starfighter is a recent creation and was not designed to house electronics.

Could Hasbro make it a point to include the ladder with all of your future X-Wing releases?  Or to include the ladder again with another Yavin hangar battlepack so collectors can pick up a few spares to go with their existing X-Wings? (ST/"TJ", 2009-04-10) (http://www.sandtroopers.com/smf/index.php?topic=8437.msg232639#msg232639)

     That is a solid plan, and in future X-Wing releases we'll plan on it. No plans right now for another Yavin pack, but if we did, it's a good accessory to include.

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Nearly a year ago, we (Canada) were told that Hasbrotoyshop.com would start shipping to Canada. Since we've been hearing for years that they are "looking into it", can we please get a solid answer, when we can expect this to happen? In the last JoeCanuck.com Q & A, Hasbro stated "We will follow up with HTS on this." Please, just give us a final solid date on when Canadians can start purchasing from HTS.  Hasbro is only losing money by not offering the product on HTS to Canadians. (SNOW, 2009-04-10) (http://www.snowtroopers.ca/forum/index.php?topic=19263.15)

     It has taken much longer than originally thought, and the plan is to bring Canada online in 2009.  We still do not have a date for you, though.

We know that the market is smaller in Canada, and that sometimes either retailers are unwilling or unable to pick up some of the very cool exclusives that you make available.  Is there anything that we can do as consumers to help encourage the Canadian retailers to pick up these exclusives (beside obviously buying them when they come up).  And what about those US exclusives like the A-Wing, comic packs (Amanin/Sunber, Ewoks, Nrin/Ibitsam), or Target exclusives (Rancor and Luke, Geonosis Packs, RC droids) which are sought after by many Canadian collectors? How do we ensure these make it up here? (SNOW, 2009-04-10) (http://www.snowtroopers.ca/forum/index.php?topic=19263.15)

     All of our exclusives are offered to accounts globally in all markets, but not all of them are accepted by the retailer due to various reasons.  Once this happens, we do try to resolicit, but sometimes we are not able to secure placement based on account interest, shipping windows being too tight to accommodate retail needs, or MOQs (minimum order quantities from the factories).  This year, we show that the comic packs *will* be picked up by Wal-Mart Canada (both waves, Spring and Fall), but the A-Wing from last year will not make it.  On the rest of the items in question, the Rancor will be going to smaller Canadian accounts (not Zeller's), the RC Droids will not be going into Canada at all, and the Geonosis 2-packs will be going to Zeller's later this Fall.

When will we see the awesome Admiral Ackbar get the super articulated Hasbro 3 3/4" makeover? (SNOW, 2009-04-10) (http://www.snowtroopers.ca/forum/index.php?topic=19263.15)

     We're hopeful that before 2010 is out you will have the famous Admiral updated and ready to command the ever growing army of Mon Calamari forces (we're not planning more in the near-term, but we would say that the recent additions of Mon Calamari Warriors and Ibtisam helped support the need for their fellow Mon Cal to stage a triumphant return!).

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SWAN

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How about some squadron-themed Clone Wars battlepacks? You could do Blue Squadron with Ahsoka, R7-A7, Axe, and Kickback, or Shadow Squadron with Matchstick, Broadside, Anakin, and their Orange R2 unit. They would all basically be repaints, and would make a great complement to the vehicle line. (SWC, 2009-04-10) (http://swcollector.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=57&t=1336)

     We do have plans for a lot of these guys, although not as Battle Packs per se. Stay tuned…

The upcoming Concept Art Anakin figure was shown at Hasbro's Toy Fair event with a red-bladed Darth Vader lightsaber. Recent online photos of the loose and carded figure show him with his Episode II: Attack of the Clones blue-bladed saber (as well as his AOTC saber hilt on his belt). Since the concept art was for Episode III: Revenge of the Sith, shouldn't he have his ROTS-style lightsaber and hilt? (SWC, 2009-04-10) (http://swcollector.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=57&t=1336)

     We originally proposed a red saber for this figure since he has Sith eyes in the concept art, but in further discussions with Lucasfilm we decided that we would do the costume, but not make him Sith. So we went with the blue saber to match. We all missed the black control sleeve on this one...but since it's a concept figure screen accuracy wasn't the paramount concern, but getting the costume right was our primary focus.

What is the approximate height of the upcoming holographic Darth Sidious figure that comes with the Mechno-Chair, and does the figure itself have any articulation? (SWC, 2009-04-10) (http://swcollector.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=57&t=1336)

     The figure does not have any articulation, and is approx. 2-1/2" tall.

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TNI

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TPU

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What's the story with all the repacks (Anakin, Jango, Clone Pilot, Blue ARC Trooper) in the Legacy Collection's later AOTC-themed Build-A-Droid wave? Is seems like these figures would have been better served as Greatest Hits* "GH" or Saga Legends "SL" designated figures rather than falling into the BD sequence of numbering.

Was this done just to provide "filler" until the new packaging switch over and can we assume that Greatest Hit "GH" figures are dead and discontinued for the new packaging? (YF, 2009-04-10) (http://www.yakfaceforums.com/viewtopic.php?t=4307)

     They should have been GH-numbered figures but a communications snafu with our packaging team resulted in them getting BD designations. We apologize for the confusion. We hope that collectors will recognize these straight repack figures and choose to ignore them; otherwise, the construction of the buildable droids in the wave are exactly the same in that collectors can just pick up the new/refresh figures to get the new droid parts and ignore the repacked figures. It does make the numbering system somewhat off for those collecting them in-package, and for that we apologize.

We have had a lot of discussion over the years in collecting groups and in various online forums about the quality of removable helmets for most of the clonetrooper and stormtrooper type figures. Issues range from....

- being too tight on the figure's head that he head comes off in the helmet when trying to remove it
- being too small where the figure's chin sticks out from underneath the front of the helmet, especially when pauldrons are utilized
- being too large that it looks out of proportion with the rest of the body.
- poor production run paint jobs making it look more like a paint-by-number piece
- varying hardnesses of plastics used causing deflection/warping issues when on figure's heads
- varying helmet sculpts/paint jobs used (even within the same wave - Luke and Han) that break the consistent look of our legions

Is it possible to create one standard "go-to" helmet to use across the entire line that would remedy some of these inconsistencies? The absolute best example of the stormtrooper helmet thus far has been included with the TLC Spacetrooper. Would it be possible of have that be the default sculpt to use for the stormtroopers is the future? (YF, 2009-04-10) (http://www.yakfaceforums.com/viewtopic.php?t=4307)

     The issue is that even when we spec an existing helmet, it doesn't always work because each new sculpt we do would be different, based on whether it has hair, a balaclava, or other details. There is always a slightly variable amount of shrinkage to the sculpts, which shrink at different rates depending on whether they are helmets or heads. It is certainly an inexact science! We do our best to match them, but we usually won't know how they will fit until we get the first shots from actual tooled parts, and by then there is little we can do, especially if it's a new helmet. In most cases, we need to go with the figure as-is, or when have the flexibility of time (like with did with the Mandorlorian sets for Entertainment Earth) delay to address since there was not a hard shelf date. Usually, we don't have that flexibility. There will always be some variability to the helmets we do because of this, but we are cognizant of the issues and are always trying to get the best results. One improvement we are looking at as a possible remedy is to model all the helmets digitally, giving us more flexibility in scaling the hard copy (pre-tooling) to best match the head rather than having to try and tweak the sculpt.

Since the clones have their AT-TE and Turbo Tank and with all of their action in the Clone Wars series, is there a possibility of getting the Trade Federation MTT someday in the same size/price range those large vehicles? It seems like the perfect opportunity for transporting all those Battle Droids and Super Battle Droids we have plus it lends itself to being repainted for the live action movie style. (YF, 2009-04-10) (http://www.yakfaceforums.com/viewtopic.php?t=4307)

     We would really like to look at this, but the MTT does not seem to have a future as a player in the Clone Wars series. Until it does, it will have to remain on the sidelines, as cool as it is. We need kid support for our vehicles to succeed and that means entertainment support.

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With the new package design shown at NYTF and more recently in packaged images on the web, is Hasbro looking to release a new clamshell 5 or 10 pack protection pack for the MOC collectors now that the design is back to a more "square" design? (YN, 2009-04-10) (http://www.yodasnews.com/)

     We're glad you asked. The new card is actually 5.5" x 8.25", reduced slightly from the current 6"x9" card size to conform to retail planogram modular sizing (actually the same size as all of Hasbro's new basic figures). It is too small to fit in the current clamshell and right now, we do not have any plans to produce a new, smaller-size clamshell that would accommodate the new card size.

A lot of people were sad to hear that the Mighty Muggs will be TRU Exclusives this fall, can you give us any more information on this? We heard from e-stores and Hasbro direct dealers that MM were a great seller. With a lot of collectors and kids not able to get to TRU in all areas will these also be sold on Hasbro's Website or TRU's site? Any chance they will come back to a broader release in 2010? (YN, 2009-04-10) (http://www.yodasnews.com/)

     Despite fans of the format, Mighty Muggs seemed to appeal to a small but passionate minority of the overall Star Wars collecting audience compared to all our other Star Wars sub lines. There is no chance that Mighty Muggs, at least in the current size or format, will come back as a broader or national release. It is unknown whether TRU.com will be selling Mighty Muggs, but we'll pass on the encouragement. It will not be sold through HasbroToyShop.com.

At the Collector's Event in New York, there was several comments made about new Comic Con debuts. Will there will be "press only collector event" in San Diego as a "Part 2" from New York or will it be like past SDCC Hasbro events where the audience is more diverse? (YN, 2009-04-10) (http://www.yodasnews.com/)

     Comic Con will follow the same format as always - open to the public on Wednesday evening, with a presentation to all comers on Friday (Star Wars day). Everyone is welcome, and trust us when we say that this year will have a tremendous number of reveals....in the presentation if not all in the booth.
Title: Re: The Hasbro Q & A Compendium
Post by: Matt on May 6, 2009, 05:34 PM
Session 69, Dudes! - May 1, 2009

What are the chances of some battle packs with repaints of Battle Droids for the Clone Wars? There is the one with yellow highlights, camouflage deco, blue highlights and others as well as a battle pack with the various astromechs seen in the various episodes? We already have Obi-Wan's Delta 2 Starfighter, but no R4-P17 to fit in the droid slot. Thanks for your consideration! (BS, 2009-05-01) (http://banthaskull.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2803)

     More of the Battle Droid variants from Clone Wars are already on the way. As for Clone Wars astro droids, it's certainly something we have heard loud and clear from fans and will be looking for ways to get more of the them out, and Battle Packs may be one possibility. R4-P17 is one of the most important ones to get out there and we'll look to him first.

So you've given us detailed pics of the upcoming Legacy ROTJ Nikto figure. The large cannon accessory appears to have some kind of clip at the end of the "arm" or "base". Clearly, this is meant to attach to something big in order to keep the figure from falling over. Can you please provide us with pics of the BMF Jabba's Sail Barge you plan on releasing in 2010 but haven't told us about yet? (BS, 2009-05-01) (http://banthaskull.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2803)

     The design team did put that in there for forward-compatibility, should there ever be a chance to do a Sail Barge. There is certainly no Sail Barge in development for all of the reasons we have previously articulated - not iconic enough, not a kid-demanded vehicle, and it would have a massive tooling budget against probably the lowest demand of the "big vehicle program" we have been driving. In short, not a good formula for success, that would likely grind the program to a halt. We would love to do it, because we are fans and it is a cool vehicle to us, but unless Jabba and the Barge shows up in a big way in future entertainment the chances of this one are slim.( oh wonderful sail barge)

In regards to the recently revealed Saga Legends on the new cardbacks, why do you continue to keep making the same choices for repacks? As every SL we've seen on a new card are figures we saw in this year's (Stormtrooper cardback,) and TAC's Saga Legends line. While we realize the need for core characters, is there any way we can shake these up a bit? Maybe replace Vader with the infinitely times better Legacy mold? Or put older Clone Trooper paints - 212, Cato Nemoida, or 7th Legion - in place of clean ones? (BS, 2009-05-01) (http://banthaskull.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2803)

     The simple answer is that we are drawing on the same figure because Saga Legends have been extraordinarily successful in meeting the needs of kids for core characters, and we see that demand continuing. Your point is a strong one regarding different trooper variants - as some of these are long-overdue for a return to the lineup. There's a strong possibility that we'll add future waves of Saga Legends to the lineup that can get some of these back in - since they meet the dual needs of strong Clone Troopers for kids, as well as offering collectors another chance to get them. As for Vader - he's still being repacked in the Legacy Collection, and this not available for Legends. He is a strong figure and sure to be back out on a basic figure card in one form or another.

***

If you had to guess, shoot-from-the-hip style, what percentage of Star Wars would you guess Hasbro has covered with the existing 3.75" line? Obviously the EU has a much wider number of characters, vehicles, and settings to address, so you can pick and choose which sources you'd like to answer for - e.g., "out of just movies & tv" or "out of movies, tv, video games, and recent DH comics", whatever works for you. But with so many main characters and even secondary and tertiary characters getting the action figure treatment, how far does Hasbro think they've taken the brand over the last decade? (CS, 2009-05-01) (http://www.collectionstation.com/groups/view/Star-Wars/Official-Hasbro-Star-Wars-Q-A-for-512009_50)

     Let's tackle the movie figures first, which is the heart of the question. As much as we'd like to answer that with some hard numbers, the truth is that as we have elevated the design and aesthetics of the 3-3/4" figure form to a new plateau, it makes us look at our existing back library of movie figures in a new light, and periodically select "iconic" candidates for upgrades. From this standpoint, the line can continue for years with new versions of the core characters. There are literally hundreds of movie figures we still believe we can deliver that would delight for years and years to come, and it's our hope that we are able to deliver far into the future. As for comic figures (both Marvel and Dark Horse) - the answer is easier...we don't believe we've even scratched the surface of what is possible, or what we'd like to do. What is realistic to do is another story, since there are only so many slots to go around and so many fantastic characters to draw from (one dream of ours, for example is to knock off the Rogue Squadron in it's entirety some day....but even pecking away at a few a year leaves us many years away!). Clone Wars is just getting started, and based on the tremendous ratings and toy success, the future is long and bright. So in short, we think that we are just hitting our stride as to what we can deliver, and hope that you and everyone else stays with us for the tremendous adventure that still lay in front of us with Star Wars.

With Titanium Series ending, the opportunities for re-releasing popular and hard-to-find tools is getting quite short. With that in mind, might you be able to shoehorn re-releases of some of those popular, hard-to-find pieces like the Droid Gunship, Mon Calamari Cruiser, Trade Federation Landing Craft, Rogue Shadow, and Hailfire Droid into the last few waves (perhaps through revision cases) to make sure collectors are as best served as possible, rather than letting the Titaniums' ending serve only scalpers? (CS, 2009-05-01) (http://www.collectionstation.com/groups/view/Star-Wars/Official-Hasbro-Star-Wars-Q-A-for-512009_50)

     The Hailfire and Droid Gunship will be coming back in the last wave, on shelf around Oct/Nov. Unfortunately, it is to late to add anything more to the Titanium lineup as we are well passed our window for adding to the packaging lineup.

While we'd always prefer a worn paint deco on vehicles and droids, we understand sometimes the budget just can't do it. The next time you do a vehicle with a white deco where the budget prohibits additional weathering paint, could you please not use the clean-white color of plastic that you've used on the Clone Wars V-19 or the TLC Dagger Squadron B-wing? This white plastic is just too clean, it screams for weathering as it hides every sculpted line and gives an unwelcome plasticky toy look, while the slightly off-white colors of plastic seem to bring out the lines and look a little weathered better than clean. (CS, 2009-05-01) (http://www.collectionstation.com/groups/view/Star-Wars/Official-Hasbro-Star-Wars-Q-A-for-512009_50)

     Thanks for the input - certainly something to consider when there are definite times when costs prohibit us from pursuing all of the deco ops that we'd want (especially a challenge with new vehicles where most of the cost is tired up on the tooling). We'll pass your thoughts on to the design team.

***

This larger AT-ST people are rumorizing about, that would (hypothetically) be in the mid-size ($50+) range, correct? (GH, 2009-05-01) (http://www.galactichunter.com/absolutenm/templates/full_article_template_1.asp?articleid=7963&zoneid=2)

     We certainly hope that if we did pursue a new AT-ST that it would be larger-sized but also a decent chunk less than $50.

Will we ever see an apparition of Obi-Wan Kenobi as he appears to Luke Skywalker on Hoth (with his hood up)? (GH, 2009-05-01) (http://www.galactichunter.com/absolutenm/templates/full_article_template_1.asp?articleid=7963&zoneid=2)

     This is a cool idea, and ever since we released the great signature Spirit of Anakin Skywalker we have been hankering to do more "spirit" figures with the same soft goods and sheen effects.  A flexible version of Spirit of Obi-Wan Kenobi who could be posed with hood up or hood down could be handled the same way. [Editor's Note: He'd need to be available in a BLUE variant.] We've been keeping some of these spirit character ideas (Obi-Wan Kenobi , Yoda, Qui-Gon Jinn, Sebastian Shaw as the Spirit of Anakin Skywalker , and even Luke Skywalker from Legacy) off to the side for future repaint waves if needed, but with none in the offing right now we may look to slot these into the mainline lineup in future years.

Knowing that we can't have a cardback with EVERY figure on it like the old days, would it be feasible to put together and periodically insert a DVD with pictures (and minor factoids) about the line? (GH, 2009-05-01) (http://www.galactichunter.com/absolutenm/templates/full_article_template_1.asp?articleid=7963&zoneid=2)

     DVDs are very expensive for us to produce, not to mention a tremendous amount of labor to oversee and produce.  Instead, we prefer the cross-sells which, while not being able to contain many pictures, do show more of the lineup.  Also, we plan to produce another poster this year for San Diego Comic Con (as we have done annually for a long time) that showcases all of the "new" figures this year in The Legacy Collection.  In addition to being available at Comic Con, it should also be available on-line as well.

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Recently revealed in an issue of Star Wars Insider was plans for a new Ewok 2-pack - Paploo & NoApaak. Paploo I know, but who or what is NoApaak? You hinted at a great story behind his name, care to share? And any chance you've got a pic you could share? (HH, 2009-05-01) (http://hanshideout.blogspot.com/2009/05/hasbro-star-wars-q-session-10.html)

     Sure - we'd be glad to tell the story. It starts in Spring 2008 when a 7-year old boy named Noah came to visit Hasbro. He lived locally, and was about to undergo an operation that would keep him bedridden for months. Noah was a big Star Wars fan, and when we learned of this we wanted to meet him and sit down and talk about Star Wars. This young man was amazing - sunny, and bright, and even though he had been through a lot of pain and medical work before, it did not disrupt his disposition. And he clearly knew his Star Wars!

     As we love to do with kids who are fans of Star Wars, we started to talk about what their favorite characters or moments were in the films (remember, this was pre-Clone Wars so his knowledge was primarily from the films). As it turns out, Noah was a big fan of Ewoks and we were about to design the Ewok set from the EpVI wave.  We had handy one of the on-set shots with all the Ewok characters given to us by Official Pix (we often source these set shots for development inspiration). So we asked Noah which two Ewoks stood out to him as interesting and that we should do next. One of Noah's choices was Paploo - an excellent choice since Paploo was overdue for an upgrade. We did not recognize the second figure but he seemed an interesting choice and we stuck with it.

     A few months later when we were discussing the set with Lucasfilm, we realized that the second Ewok Noah has chosen has never been officially named (turns out there are a number of them still). When we told Lucasfilm the story of how we picked this figure (or rather how Noah picked him), it suddenly made perfect sense to name the character after Noah as a tribute to the strength and bravery of an incredible little boy. Lucasfilm wholeheartedly agreed, and came up with an Ewok-language name incorporating Noah's first and parts of his last name. We were thrilled, and when we called Noah's family to tell him they were beside themselves.

     Since then, Noah has had his operation and is making a strong recovery. We promised him that we'd get together and celebrate as soon as we got our final samples at the start of production so he can have the first one. It's a small story in the grand scheme of things, but it made a *huge* impact on Noah and his family, and we can't thank Lucasfilm enough for helping to make one little boy's life, and Star Wars experience, magical and something we'll all never forget.


What are the chances of the following figures being recycled into future Saga Legends assortments - VOTC Chewbacca, VOTC Han Solo, and VOTC Luke Skywalker? All three seem to have developed a bit of demand on the secondary market lately thanks to that Big Falcon and most folks wouldn't mind seeing them again on the new cardbacks. (HH, 2009-05-01) (http://hanshideout.blogspot.com/2009/05/hasbro-star-wars-q-session-10.html)

     Good questions. The VOTC Chewbacca will be coming into the Saga Legends line this Fall. The VOTC Han is not available because his tooling is in use elsewhere for another set; instead, we will be getting an older Bespin Han back out there (not a vintage-quality articulated figure, but since this line is kid-targeted we went with the best one we had). We did not have the VOTC EpIV Luke planned for re-release because of the upcoming DSII Luke, but he is a good candidate for getting back into the rotation sometime. Thanks for the suggestions.

And finally, a question from one of our readers: "Any chance we could ever see some Star Wars themed Clipo sets? My kids love using Clipo to build 'ships' for their little Star Wars Heroes figures!" - from aSWmom (HH, 2009-05-01) (http://hanshideout.blogspot.com/2009/05/hasbro-star-wars-q-session-10.html)

     We do not have any plans to cross Star Wars over with Clipo. Cool idea, though - send us some of your kids pics when you get a chance so we can see how the little ones are playing Star Wars!

***

The deluxe assortment seems to be inspired mostly by the success of the Clone Wars, and thus the early figures we've seen are focused on that property. Is there a chance we'll see Original Trilogy deluxe figures, or realistic prequal era figures/characters in the line, or will it mostly be focused on Clone Wars? (JD, 2009-05-01) (http://www.jedidefender.com/newspro/fullnews.cgi?newsid1241248621,47790,)

     Interest in Deluxe expressions has always been much lower than for basic figures, but given the success of Clone Wars and demand for more of the mid-range vehicles, we believe that the Clone Wars Deluxe assortment is poised for success. It's very unlikely that we will be pursuing a deluxe-type assortment for the Legacy Collection; that is why we have tried to do some things differently in the Battle Packs this year (even thought that format will be changing eventually as well).

Regarding the upcoming Scramble on Yavin battle pack, can you confirm which body Red Leader will be using? Will it simply be the VOTC X-Wing Luke body with a new head sculpt (as shown in some pictures,) or will it utilize the new torso pieces from the recent Nrin Vakil figure as shown in other pictures? Most fans are hoping for the Nrin Vakil body, as it's a more average height body/limbs it seems, while Luke is obviously a shorter character. (JD, 2009-05-01) (http://www.jedidefender.com/newspro/fullnews.cgi?newsid1241248621,47790,)

     Red Leader used the Luke figure. When the set was originally created, the Wedge/Nrin Vakil body was not available and thus the Luke body was selected. In fact, if it wasn't for some heroics from our engineering team, Nrin may not have had that body at all since he was supposed to use it *after* we were done running the Wedge/X-Wing exclusive, which was subsequently delayed until this Fall. We managed to push the tooling dollars around, and we were lucky to get him, but not soon enough to impact Red Leader.

Multiple headsculpts are a great way to make the maskless troopers have some variety, as evidenced by the upcoming Hoth Rebel Soldier... Is this something Hasbro will make more "standard" with army builders such as Rebels, Bespin Guards, Naboo military, and other non-clone type soldiers? It's a great feature and definite encouragement for army building. (JD, 2009-05-01) (http://www.jedidefender.com/newspro/fullnews.cgi?newsid1241248621,47790,)

     We like to see variety, but we probably will be doing fewer of the "running change" type figures since it causes extraordinary difficulties in our system. More likely we will look to do head sculpt changes and release alternate versions in some other way, either as candidates for "repaint waves" (should we ever need those again), or Battle Packs.

***

I imagine you will be receiving a flood of questions about the Titanium’s hiatus. I was surprised to read that it has been a struggling sub line almost from the start. I understand the need for multiple repaints to make tooling affordable, yet that creates a paradox in that people stop buying the third, fourth or more iteration of the same vehicle therefore cutting into the margin. With that in mind, is there any possibility of changing the fundamental property of Titanium’s and make them all plastic? It seems counter-intuitive at first, but it seems that more and more plastic is already being used in the newer tools, and you've stated in earlier Q & As about the fact that metal is a more difficult material to work with than plastic. Furthermore, it would seem that utilizing two different types of materials would increase the number of steps required in manufacturing. Would a shift to all plastic lower costs enough for the line to continue with fewer repaints and therefore more new ships for people to pick up? The "Titanium" name would not have to go away, as it is still symbolic of the standard of quality (silver, gold, titanium) of the product if not of its nature - it's not like they've ever been made of actual titanium to begin with. This line has been such a wonderful opportunity to get ships we would have and probably never will see in larger formats, such as the recent Tie Defender, Virago, IG 2000, and Z-95 to name only a few, and it's a real shame to read of its demise. (JI, 2009-05-01) (http://jediinsider.com/index.php?catid=8&itemid=11763)

     We appreciate the fan passion for ways to continue Titanium - the fact that a number of fans have written us with similar suggestions attests to the passion with which fans of the series have approached the news. We have had a lot of heart for the series too - and have kept it going for a long time because of the passion and the desire to see some of the exact vehicles you cite finally see the light of day. We look back on the Titanium Series as a tremendous success, if not in business terms, then in terms of the sheer number of amazing Star Wars vehicles we were able to fit into a 5-1/2 year run. The vast majority of toy lines can't claim to have runs that long, must less claim the variety that was eventually produced. It's exactly for these reasons that it was a very tough decision to shutter the line.

     What you suggest is unlikely, for a couple reasons. First, the tools for plastic vs. metal vehicles cost the same to develop, since the two criteria that determine cost are size/amount of steel used and labor. Thus, moving to plastic would not change the underlying issues with the number of new tools needed to keep Titanium going. Second, to start a line like you suggest, it would need to be launched with an extraordinarily deep tooling lineup - a real commitment to the format, or the results will become a self-fulfilling prophecy. It would literally be better to restart Titanium using a metal format and using the existing tools, rather than start and all-new one. Honestly, we don't know what can be done for a re-launch since the collector base by itself, as it exists, just isn't enough to keep the line going. Unless we found a way to engage kids in the format, or found a way to broaden out to more consumers, it will remain on hiatus.


Can you tell us what the 2009 Star Wars SDCC exclusives will be, how much they will be and show us pictures of them? (JI, 2009-05-01) (http://jediinsider.com/index.php?catid=8&itemid=11763)

     There will be two basic carded exclusives, both in the new red/white line look on the slightly-smaller new basic figure card size, in protective clamshells. The price on these will be approximately $12.99. The first figure, available exclusively at HasbroToyShop at Comic Con and online, will be version of Luke with the "jubilant" expression when he climbs out of the cockpit after destroying the Death Star in EpIV. This figure is a rework of the Luke originally created for the 2008 Wal-Mart Droid Factory Luke/R2-D2 set, which Lucasfilm rejected because the head did not match out original input. In the end, we went with a previous version of Luke's head in that set for the Droid Factory set. There seemed to be significant fan demand to get this version back out there, so we re-sculpted it and added a brand new X-Wing ladder to the set. It will be a basic-carded figure on the new slightly-smaller card size, in a protective clamshell. The second figure will be a re-release of the Stormtrooper Commander figure from The Force Unleashed, which was very sport distribution last Fall during the release of TFU. This version will be on a red/white card (different from the original release) and will be a shared exclusive with HasbroToyShop distributing at the show, and HasbroToyShop.com and StarWarsShop.com distributing the figure online during and after the show.

What I'd be hoping to see appear as a Clone Wars or Saga Legends figure would be ARC Captain Fordo, since the new packaging for the figures is dedicated to Fordo, I would believe that there would be a figure for him as well. Is there a possibility of this? (JI, 2009-05-01) (http://jediinsider.com/index.php?catid=8&itemid=11763)

     There is no Fordo planned right now, but there's a strong likelihood that we'll get to him someday. Lucasfilm has asked that we not pursue any more of the Clone Wars micro series figures, but given there are a couple important ones still to go, we think we'll be able to get them into the lineup in the future.

***

The Battle On Mygeeto battle pack was never available in the UK. Are there any plans to release this again as part of the Legacy Collection, and what other hard-to-find battle packs might we see being re-packaged at a later date? (JN, 2009-05-01) (http://jedinews.co.uk/news/news.aspx?newsID=2417)

     There are no plans right now to re-release Battle on Mygeeto. Right now, the Battle Pack lineup is slated to be new sets (some of existing figures), but none of the previous sets are planned to come back into the lineup. That may change over time as we continue to respond to retailer needs and look to previous "greatest hits" to keep the assortment going. If that happens, we'll take a look detailed data we get back from retailers to decide what to get back out. Mygeeto is a good candidate forrelease some day.

Could we please get further details on the exclusives that will be released in the UK (such as Jabba's Rancor, Comic Packs, Droid Factory and Geonosis Arena sets, etc.), along with dates and which store(s) will be getting them? (JN, 2009-05-01) (http://jedinews.co.uk/news/news.aspx?newsID=2417)

     The Geonosis Arena 2-packs will be coming to Tesco this Fall. Unfortunately the news is not so good for the rest. We have offered these exclusives to several retail partners, but unfortunately did not secure placement for most of them. Comic Packs are not as strong across all of Europe as they are in the U.S., so the exclusives (both Spring and the Fall wave which has yet to be announced) will not be coming to the U.K. The Rancor and Droid Factory will also not be coming. We share your frustration - these are all excellent items and deserve to be distributed all over the world, but we need willing retail partners to be able to able to get them to you. We are working to solve issues for 2010 further ahead of time with the goal of having better global alignment.

With the demise of the Hasbro UK Toy Shop, will collectors in the UK now be able to buy directly from the US store (typically exclusives not released in the UK along with other items like stands and cases, etc.)? (JN, 2009-05-01) (http://jedinews.co.uk/news/news.aspx?newsID=2417)

     Unfortunately, U.K. collectors will not be able to buy from the U.S. store. The only other country in development for shipment outside the U.S. is Canada, and we have had extraordinary difficulties in getting that on line. We don't know if we will be able to add more global distribution to the U.S. site, but if we do it won't be for some time. Sorry - wish we had a better answer for you.

***

Reissues are something that many collectors have grown accustomed to over the years.  Most notably with the vehicle line.  However there are some vehicles that have only seen limited release or re-release.  And some have never seen wide release at all.  Among them?

-AT-ST (general release in the 1990's / Toys R Us / Target exclusives)
-Landspeeder (Toys R Us exclusive)
-TIE Bomber (WalMart exclusive)
-Tatooine Skiff (Target exclusive)
-Y-Wing (Target/Toys R Us exclusives)

Can you elaborate on what makes it more difficult to bring these vehicles to the general release market?  And might we see any of these vehicles re-released in the near term? (JTA, 2009-05-01) (http://www.jeditemplearchives.com/content/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=4694)

     Many of the ones you cite are more expensive than the regular Starfighter Vehicle assortment (notably TIE Bomber, Y-Wing, and even the AT-ST). Because of this, they are prime candidates for exclusives because we don't have a higher "mainline" vehicle price point in the $35-$40 range to host them.  Others, like the Skiff, have a very narrow interest and would likely be released once every several years at the most frequent.  The Landspeeder is one that we do not feel can command the price of the Starfighter Vehicle Assortment, and thus needs to be an exclusive to see the light of day.  We just haven't found the spot for it yet, given the other things we've been looking at.  Eventually, there is a high likelihood it will be re-released.

Collectors are still a little puzzled about the Return of the Jedi wave that was previewed in the Star Wars Insider.  Where in the schedule does this wave fall now?  Has the name on the Sullustan B-Wing pilot from this wave been settled?  And is there any chance of a look at that one? (JTA, 2009-05-01) (http://www.jeditemplearchives.com/content/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=4694)

     The EpVI wave has now been pushed back to be the second wave in the new red/white line look and will be on shelf around October if not earlier. The timing was due to a wave order switch, when we made the EpI our lead wave to tie into the 10th Anniversary of EpI and the Qui-Gon/Eopie mail-in.  The red Sullustan will be Ten Numb.

I know that the Clone Wars is the hot ticket right now but where is the love for the Legacy? The line of deluxe figures from the Clone Wars looks solid for the fans of that line. For those fans of the Legacy collection we feel left out. It has been about six years (four if you count EIII) since we have gotten deluxe figures. Will the deluxe figure ever show up for the Legacy some day? (JTA, 2009-05-01) (http://www.jeditemplearchives.com/content/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=4694)

     Interest in Deluxe expressions has always been much lower than for basic figures, but given the success of Clone Wars and demand for more of the mid-range vehicles, we believe that the Clone Wars Deluxe assortment is poised for success. It's very unlikely that we will be pursuing a deluxe-type assortment for the Legacy Collection; that is why we have tried to do some things differently in the Battle Packs this year (even thought that format will be changing eventually as well).

***

Last year at Comic-Con, it was mentioned that there were plans for a second Endor-themed Battle Pack, which would include the second Imperial Officer pulled from the Shield Generator Assault set. More recently, early word has come out of such a set and the Original Trilogy fans ae eager to learn more. Can you tell us who will be in this new set (please have some Ewoks!), and is it possible to see a close-up of that ill-fated Imperial Officer, even if it's the same photo from last year's presentation? (RS, 2009-05-01) (http://www.rebelscum.com/story/front/Hasbros_70th_STAR_WARS_QA_The_Answers_122331.asp)

     Sorry, but that pack never materialized. Instead, the pack coming this Fall includes an Ewok and glider, Imperial Officer, and Luke. Attached is the exact pic shown in last year's Comic Con presentation. (http://img528.imageshack.us/img528/5972/battlepackshieldgenerat.jpg) The officer dropped from the bunker set is different from the one included in this new Ewok-themed set. We still have not found a landing spot yet. It's a safe bet to make that he will eventually make it out.

UPDATE: Hasbro has sent out an update to this answer with further clarification:

     As it turns out, we ARE using the officer that was dropped from the Shield Generator Assault set after all....he will have the original head, but on a modified torso (one that removes the rank insignia completely and is consistent with the imagery). As an added bonus, we can tell you that the Ewok in this set is Warok.

Combining two lines into one single question, since the question is pretty much the same for both: Mighty Muggs and Titanium Series. Can you comment on the demise of these lines, and more speficially, when they will be ending? There's obviously a lot of characters/vehicles to bring out in these lines, and of those that were already announced (like Ahsoka Tano, the UT-AT, E-Wing, Gungna Sub), which ones will actually come out before they end? (RS, 2009-05-01) (http://www.rebelscum.com/story/front/Hasbros_70th_STAR_WARS_QA_The_Answers_122331.asp)

     Both lines are winding down for the same reason: diminished interest in these formats compared to anything else in the Star Wars lineup. While both started strong - and Titanium in particular has had an AMAZING 5-1/2 year run - interest had waned since the original launches.

     Actually, the two lines diverged significantly in a couple areas.

     Mighty Muggs were faster and simpler to develop, but we were dipping down into characters that consumers did not seem to care for in the vinyl format, and many fans who initially were excited about the concept either did not have the room to continue to pursue or decided that they had had enough.

     Titanium was more difficult to develop, was subject to pricing volatility given the metal component, and needed a significant amount of new tooling to keep it interesting. Both of them, because of the extremely high item count needed to sustain their sales, were less important than the need to refocus our design team elsewhere on new initiatives.


Over the past several years you have made many nice and interesting EU characters. Would you consider making figures from the DROIDS animated cartoon series that aired back in the mid 80's? Some notable characters that would make great figures are as follows:

- Animated C-3PO and R2-D2
- Vlix
- Admiral Screed
- Gaff
- Mungo Baobab

Vintage collectors would be very interested in getting these great figures, and many younger fans of the EU would be as well. In other words, these would probably be popular among everyone! Would you please consider making these? (RS, 2009-05-01) (http://www.rebelscum.com/story/front/Hasbros_70th_STAR_WARS_QA_The_Answers_122331.asp)

     We've actually discussed doing figures from the animated Droids series with Lucasfilm. After discussion, it was felt that that way to do Droid figures "right" would be to produce animated-style figures. This would mean an inordinate amount of new tooling for admittedly niche figures, given that not a lot of folks have really been exposed to Droids. So while it's an interesting idea, the reality of the situation is that we won't be pursuing them any of the Droids figures.

***

Any chance of using the 9" DC/Marvel Signature Series bodies for a 9" line of Star Wars figures? (RTM, 2009-05-01) (http://www.toymania.com/news/messages/11186.shtml)

     We don't have any plans to go to this format, since it's a pretty niche area of collecting interest (we have abandoned it from the Marvel line for the same reason). Instead, we prefer to let Sideshow continue the larger-figure excellence in their outstanding 12" lineup.

Will we see build a droids released in multipacks geared toward mix and match action? Something along the lines of the C3PO and battle droid pack from Episode 2. (RTM, 2009-05-01) (http://www.toymania.com/news/messages/11186.shtml)

     Right now we don't have any plans to go this route right now, but it is something that we have discussed. With the great library of parts we're building up, the opportunity to do something fun like this is interesting.

Are there any current plans for a new Zuckuss figure? Relative to the other bounty hunters from The Empire Strikes Back, he seems over-due. (RTM, 2009-05-01) (http://www.toymania.com/news/messages/11186.shtml)

     We agree. A Zuckuss is indeed in the works... we will have more information available at Comic Con.

***

On a few occasions last year US Walmart Exclusives found their way North to some of the Canadian Walmarts long after their US debut and landed on our shelves at clearance prices. How does this happen or more specifically why does this happen? Are they left over product that Walmart US feels they can't sell? Is there anything we Canadian collectors can do to encourage it more often? I'd love to see the US Exclusive A-Wing hit our stores (even at full retail price) but as it stands it's pretty much a crap-shoot. (SNOW, 2009-05-01) (http://www.snowtroopers.ca/forum/index.php?topic=19413.0)

     When this happens, it means that a) Wal-Mart Canada elected not to carry the exclusive the first time, and b) the exclusive was closed out in the US but Wal-Mart still had inventory and moved it to Canadian retail.  It's unlikely this will continue, as we are trying to encourage the opposite: placement of all exclusives with Canadian retailers if possible, and dialing in on the numbers so WM U.S. does not have overages on any exclusives.   The A-Wing is not planned to go north of the border, unfortunately.

Will the Wal-Mart exclusive evolutions packs (Evolution of the Commandos, Imperial Pilots #2 and Rebel Pilots #3) be coming to Canada in September? (SNOW, 2009-05-01) (http://www.snowtroopers.ca/forum/index.php?topic=19413.0)

     We have confirmation that the Evolution packs will now indeed be coming to Wal-Mart Canada this Fall.  Great news - as these are fantastic.  Look for them available at approximately the same time as the U.S. version hit retail - approx 9/1.

Now that we almost have all of the droids from the ANH Purchase of the Droids scene, is there a chance that Hasbro would make a new bigger Sandcrawler vehicle? You could increase the appeal to kids by making it also open up to function as a Kenner-style "droid factory" and ship it with a ton of different BaD parts (or even a BaD R2, C3PO and bronze RA-7). The OTC Sandcrawler looked great, but if Hasbro can't make a new one to the proper scale (which admittedly would be super huge), if you just made one bigger than the vintage mold this would be a terrific improvement. (SNOW, 2009-05-01) (http://www.snowtroopers.ca/forum/index.php?topic=19413.0)

     We have actually looked at this, but the costs would be staggering to deliver this very passive vehicle in a larger scale and we do not feel it would be successful at the larger size.  We'd put this up there with the likelihood of Jabba's Sail Barge - we would love to do it, but the likelihood is very, very low.

***

With the unfortunate announcement of the Titanium Series line ending after 2009, fans want to know all about its now-limited future. How many new tools will we be getting between now and its end? When can we expect the last wave, and what will be in that wave? What happens to tooling and promises that were on the bubble for '09, like the Outrider which was promised and forgotten last year and then promised again for the end of '09, or the Gungan Sub which was tooled up and promised in 2000 but canceled? Using the term "hiatus" as you did, is there any hope for the brand's revival in the foreseeable future? As Titanium Series is the only outlet for the majority of Star Wars vehicle toys these days, will Hasbro be filling that void with an all-plastic form of Titaniums? (SSG, 2009-05-01) (http://www.sirstevesguide.com/index.php?categoryid=13&p2_articleid=1934)

     There should be nine all-new tools to look for from now until the end of the year, with numerous other repaints rounding out the line (these new tools all follow the latest that have hit shipped recently - BARC Speeder, Xizor's Ship, and IG-2000). The nine include: Hound's Tooth, Clone Wars Y-Wing, Hyena Bomber, Punishing One, Malevolence, a new Republic Gunship tool, Mist Hunter, Nebulon B Frigate, and the Outrider. Unfortunately, the Gungan Sub did not make the cut. We have a lot of heart for the series ourselves - it is amazing to reflect back on the 5-1/2 year run of this line and the incredible number of cool ships that were brought out. We are proud of it and feel it was a tremendous line, but we just couldn't keep it active any longer since the large development cost, the need for a lot of items to maintain retail productivity (an outcome of having a smaller but passionate fan base), and high cost of goods are all factors that could not be addressed for a healthy line. Aside from perhaps an improved cost of goods, an all-plastic vehicle line would not solve the problem either, since tooling costs are the same for plastic or metal, we would still need to introduce a ton of designs, and it would not necessarily attract a larger audience for Titanium. It's something we'll be exploring, though. It's important that we continue to work on ways to bring out the most exciting Star Wars vehicle lineup we can.

With the nifty Build-a-Droid line, every basic figure gets a little bio paragraph on the card except the actual build-a-figure droids themselves. Some of these BAF droids are made up by Hasbro (or are they unknown designs made up by Lucasfilm, we don't know) and have no backstories at all, while others are from comics, novels, even tertiary characters in the movies. Might Hasbro add a section to their website explaining to casual collectors who these droids are, both in-universe and even behind-the-scenes info, and perhaps make up bios for the characters new to the line? This would be win-win, fans would get more nifty bios about their figures, and Hasbro would get more interaction between the figures and their site. (SSG, 2009-05-01) (http://www.sirstevesguide.com/index.php?categoryid=13&p2_articleid=1934)

     We did not create any of the droids in the Droid Factory lineup - they have all come from Lucasfilm entertainment reference, with names supplied by Lucasfilm in the event that a particular figure had yet to be named or had been named by fans but not yet given the official Lucasfilm designation. That's a great idea about given each of their bios a day in the sun. We have some new plans on how to market the droids themselves a little better, especially since we'll be phasing out the confusing "GH" designation for repacked figures in favor of a continuous BD-series code. As a result, we are going to create virtual guide maps to collecting the parts from new/refresh of repack/carry-forward figures. The way we are creating the waves has not changed, with either 6 or 8 new figures, just the way we are labeling some of them is changing. Thanks for the suggestion - it's a great idea.

Given that we have a number of figures from SW: Purge (Bultar Swan, Tsui Choi, Koffi Arana, and of course, Darth Vader), does Hasbro plan to complete the remaining Jedi figures from that story - Roblio Darte, Sia-Lan Wezz, Ma'kis'shaalas, and Jasus Farr - at some point in the foreseeable future? (SSG, 2009-05-01) (http://www.sirstevesguide.com/index.php?categoryid=13&p2_articleid=1934)

     An excellent question. The answer, though, is probably not. Unless we do a multi-pack of figures where we could get extensive re-use of existing characters, it's very unlikely that we'd tool up these characters on their own. That's one of the inherent challenges with the EU - there are so many great and interesting choices, especially with Jedi, that we can only cover so many in a given year. A good example is the Republic comic series, during the Clone Wars era - each issue is literally a treasure trove of great heroes (and villains) but we simply can't do as many as we like as fast as we'd like in one area. Over time, we just hope to be able to continue to delve into these great veins and systematically tackle an occasional one in a particular series. We'll take a look at the Purge Jedi once more, and if they fit something we're doing theme-wise, and can get them tooled, we'll certainly consider it.

***

Are you going to be re-releasing the electronic Battle Droid Blaster from Episode 1 any time soon? It would seem with all the interest in the "Clone Wars" cartoon this would be something to put back out in the market. (ST, 2009-05-01) (http://www.sandtroopers.com/smf/index.php?topic=5183.msg234478#msg234478)

     We do not have plans to get that blaster back out there.  At least with the General Grievous blaster, which is very similar to the BD blaster, kids have shown that they strongly prefer the Clone and Stormtrooper blaster over the droid blasters.  So after this Spring, we will retire the Grievous blaster as well.

Now that we are getting a new Republic Commando with articulated legs, and since we're already gotten Delta Squad and Omega Squad, what are the chances of Hasbro doing a series of four packs featuring the various Repbublic Commando squads? This could be a exclusive with Target or Toys R Us or an open retail item, but it would probably generate a lot of interest with collectors and army builders due to the popularity of the Republic Commando books, video game, current action figures, and just plain cool looking armor. (ST, 2009-05-01) (http://www.sandtroopers.com/smf/index.php?topic=5183.msg234478#msg234478)

     That is a great idea, and one we have had in mind when we updated the Commando tool.  It certainly is an intriguing idea and we are looking at it for down the road.

I hate to ask the ole "will we get such and such figure released again,"but will we see the Fan's choice Darth Revan in the saga legends at some point?"  I really hate seeing the escalating prices for this guy on evilbay. (ST, 2009-05-01) (http://www.sandtroopers.com/smf/index.php?topic=5183.msg234478#msg234478)

     Right now, he is not in the lineup for re-release.  But we recognize the continued demand for Revan and are looking for ways to get him back out there.  It won't be soon, though - these things unfortunately take time to work out.  It may be in Saga Legends, but it may also be part of something else entirely.

***

It's great to see Hasbro finally release a 501st Legion trooper using the #41 RotS mold. However, I bought a few and noticed a problem: the helmet's blue stripe is incorrect! The stripe should be continuous but instead we have a gap between the black rim and the visor. Also the stripe is too wide and should instead narrow from the top of the helmet to the chin.  Please see the paintjob that was done for your TSC Commander Appo figure which was done correctly (although on Appo, he had too much dirt and his chest stripe didn't reach all the way to the neck). Can Hasbro please correct the problem for a future Legends release, I'd love to army build dozens more but only if it's accurately done. (ST/"TJ", 2009-05-01) (http://www.sandtroopers.com/smf/index.php?topic=8437.msg234533#msg234533)

     Thanks for the feedback on this one - we had not heard that on this guy and will definitely look to correct for the upcoming Saga Legends re-release.  It will probably be a running change at this point.  Thanks much for the email on this.

The black RA-7 Build-A-Droid looks great, but isn't the color of the eyes incorrect?  The BaD has gold/bronze eye lenses, but in ANH it seems as if it has silver eyes (and even Hasbro's PotF2 figure used silver eyes).  If this is a mistake, can Hasbro consider including a corrected head in a future Legacy wave so we can actually get a proper version of this character? (ST/"TJ", 2009-05-01) (http://www.sandtroopers.com/smf/index.php?topic=8437.msg234533#msg234533)

     We work with Lucasfilm on the coloring of the figures, and this is what was determined was the correct coloration. It sometimes happens that previous color schemes were thought to be correct, but turned out to be slightly off. When we re-release or upgrade figures, we sometimes go back and adjust seemingly canonical figure colors as better reference becomes available.

The shirtless Evolutions Darth Maul looks great but if Hasbro ever re-releases this sculpt again, say... as part of a 2pack with a Sith training droid from the Darth Maul comic, could you use a brighter shade of red paint?  It was disappointing that the Evo Maul had such a muddy red look whereas in previous action figure incarnations, Hasbro used a much more intense red that really made him stand out.  And any chance of including a softgoods outfit with a re-release? (ST/"TJ", 2009-05-01) (http://www.sandtroopers.com/smf/index.php?topic=8437.msg234533#msg234533)

     Thanks for the feedback.  We will look at this for any future releases. This Fall's Wal-Mart exclusive Droid Factory wave - which uses this figure and a soft goods robe, might satisfy your needs (although the figure is a little darker than the Evo figure version).  Beyond that, we don't have any plans for the figure but if we did re-release we will take your comments into account. Thanks!

***

Many moons ago Hasbro mentioned that the Imperial Dignitaries released were precursors to the rest of the Imperial Dignitary gang. Given that it has been well over five years since the first two Dignitaries came out, any chance of seeing Sim Aloo or the others any time soon? (Especially Sim Aloo who we had in the vintage line). (SWAN, 2009-05-01) (http://www.swactionnews.com/archives/ep193.htm)

     Answer is somewhere in this MP3 (http://www.swactionnews.com/Podcasts/SWAN193.MP3)

With the Unleashed Battle Packs coming to their end, and the Titaniums finishing at the end of this year, and Muggs being reduced to only Toys R Us exclusives, what can you tell us about the viability of the Star Wars Transformers line? (SWAN, 2009-05-01) (http://www.swactionnews.com/archives/ep193.htm)

     MP3 (http://www.swactionnews.com/Podcasts/SWAN193.MP3)

This question is in response to a previous Hasbro Q&A question from another site which asked about creation of more cantina patrons. In your response you cited how collectors alone do not drive the market, pointing to the Yarna figures that seem to be abundant on pegs. In your response you point out that figures need to appeal to kids and collectors and while collectors may yearn for a Yarna or a Willrow Hood, the kid market prefers more iconic characters.

Our follow-up question: With these iconic characters appealing to the kid's market, have you found there to be more appeal in a resculpt of a character versus a repackaged, rereleased figure?

We ask because so many of the main characters have close-to-definitive versions already released, we wonder if it make more sense to put the effort of new sculpts and new toolings to figures that have never been done in the modern line (the missing Imperial Dignitaries, etc.) or ones that do not have good versions yet (such as Lobot needing an update), and keep the iconic, kid appealing figures to the Greatest Hits/Saga legends line. (SWAN, 2009-05-01) (http://www.swactionnews.com/archives/ep193.htm)

     MP3 (http://www.swactionnews.com/Podcasts/SWAN193.MP3)

***

Seeing as you've already made a figure of R3-A2, wouldn't it be better to make one of the other two predominately orange R3 units on Hoth for the upcoming BAD figure? One is in the control room and has some grey on his front and his legs, and the other one is in the hangar, and has differently painted back panels. (SWC, 2009-05-01) (http://www.swcollector.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=57&t=1339)

     R3-A2 is one that we wanted to get back out there as there seemed to be fan demand for a re-release. If we could go back (and it's too late to change at this point), we would have looked elsewhere in Echo base for a different droid. We'll look at those droids for future opportunities.

There have been a lot of cool droids so far in the new CW series, and even a rack of assorted astromech and other droid parts in the Naboo repair shop. Might we see the BAD concept work itself into the Clone Wars line in some fashion? Their collectibility and creative construction features seem to be ideal fit for younger fans. You could even use the existing astromech parts since they are very similar to the animated style anyway. (SWC, 2009-05-01) (http://www.swcollector.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=57&t=1339)

     The BAD concept will not find it's way into the Clone Wars - it will stay a part of the Legacy collection. The Clone Wars figures will continue to have missile launchers in most packs.

I recently noticed that in the Clone Wars movie, Ziro the Hutt has some "bartender" astrodroids wearing the same serving tray that R2-D2 used on Jabba's Sailbarge. Seeing as how there was also a second, red-striped R2 unit on Jabba's sailbarge using the same serving tray, what are the chances we might see you dust off the old "bartender" R2-D2 mold to produce one of these other droids? (SWC, 2009-05-01) (http://www.swcollector.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=57&t=1339)

     That would be an interesting idea, perhaps in conjunction with a release of Ziro sometime. Right now it's not confirmed, but it is something we are thinking about.

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Can you give us any more details as to the likely Pilot characters we are going to see over the next 12 months, you've mentioned Gen. Salm and Lt Telsji previously as one's you'd like to do, are they there? What about the likes of Gavin Darklighter or any of the Wraiths? (TPU, 2009-05-01) (http://www.theprivateuniverse.co.uk/cgi-bin/showarticle.pl?section=news&articleid=4183)

     Your question is excellent, as we are quite fond of pilots ourselves, and will try to provide some guidance. While there aren't going to be quite as many pilots in the next twelve months as there were in the last twelve, there is still a good lineup coming. Confirmed ones for this Fall include the Rebel Pilots #3 Evolution pack (Wal-Mart exclusive including John D. Branon - Red 4, Shira Brie as X-Wing Pilot, and Jake Farrell - A-Wing Pilot), Wedge X-Wing pilot (in a set still to be announced but is one of the worst-kept secrets of the line), Luke - Snowspeeder pilot (new sculpt) in the EpV wave this Fall wave, and Ten Numb (red B-Wing outfit) from the EpVI wave this Fall. In addition, there will be at least 4 more coming in Wal-Mart exclusive comic packs over the next twelve months, and the likelihood of a several more late next year in various exclusives.

The Clone Wars C-3PO is great! The most poseable version yet. Are you going to make a SA classic version of him anytime? Even if it's not in totally shiny gold finish as the others have been. (TPU, 2009-05-01) (http://www.theprivateuniverse.co.uk/cgi-bin/showarticle.pl?section=news&articleid=4183)

     One of the challengers has been getting the vac metal finish right on C-3PO in the Saga/Legacy line, because to nail the finish we cannot use the kind of plastic that lends itself to insert-molder joints. So it's either one or the other, and in our discussions with Lucasfilm the need to have the shiny gold finished has always prevailed. So the current "Endor Throne" version of C-3PO is probably about as good as it will get for a realistic C-3PO.

Ref the Wal-Mart Droid Factory Exclusives. I think the Build-A-Droid idea is a good one but not when it's used on exclusive repacks. We have to buy 5 packs just to get a new Dark Trooper! With the exception of Corran Horn they are all repaints or variations too. That combined with the fact these aren't available in the UK means we have to spend a lot of cash to get them. Can't you bring back the Deluxe figure style and just sell the Dark Trooper that way? I'm sure you would get a lot of buyers. (TPU, 2009-05-01) (http://www.theprivateuniverse.co.uk/cgi-bin/showarticle.pl?section=news&articleid=4183)

     We look at the exclusive wave as having new upgrades to each character (not always possible, but we do try) and a new droid in every pack, so the packs themselves are a solid purchase and together they even better. We do try to make sure that we are earning your purchase with each one, and feel that if a fan likes droids, then they will enjoy the packs and be rewarded with a tremendous buildable droid. Another way to look at it is like this - in the Droid Factory basic figure line up, you may get ten figures that would include a buildable protocol droid and an Astromech droid. For the same (or perhaps even lower) price in the WM lineup, you get 10 figures and the Dark Trooper - a solid proposition.

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In the various QnA sessions over the years you've mentioned that sometimes old molds for figures and vehicles have been damaged or misplaced necessitating the creation of a new one (ex: the BMF). Can you reveal any often/repeatedly used figure or vehicle molds that we can look forward to not seeing again. (YF, 2009-05-01) (http://www.yakfaceforums.com/viewtopic.php?p=65569)

     That's a tough question to answer, since we don't know which tools will break or wear out in advance, necessitating their replacement. If you are referring to upgrades or replacement for older vehicles, there are a couple all-new surprises coming up this Fall that will effectively make existing tools obsolete. For figures, there are continuous upgrades in the lineup that make older tools obsolete. One example would be the current Legacy Battle Droid figure....there is an all-new BD coming that will effectively retire the older one. Details on all of these will be revealed at Comic Con.

When the Legacy/Droid Factory line was initially launched, the included B.A.D. parts were of 2 types: astromech or protocol droid. Now with B.A.D. figures like HK-47, L8-L9 and the ultra cool Darktrooper from the Walmart Droid Factory sets, the trend seems to be moving more toward "one-off" characters whose B.A.D. parts can't be repainted to create other characters as the astromech or protocol droid parts could. If that trend continues, is it possible we could see Episode I version of C-3PO without his coverings offered as the B.A.D. or would he be considered to be too "mainline" for such a release? (YF, 2009-05-01) (http://www.yakfaceforums.com/viewtopic.php?p=65569)

     The intention with the Droid Factory sets was to always try and produce new droids, not just use existing parts. We went to figures like the HK series (and there may be more than one of him!) and L8-L9, and others, because we wanted to add some variety to the parts list rather then cycle through a number of similar-looking proto droids. It is less of a concern for the astros, since there are two new ones per wave. You are right on the EpI C-3PO - we would not do this version as a BAD figure and would keep him as a mainline figure, if we ever slotted him into a future lineup (there is no update currently planned).

I am overjoyed to see that Corran Horn and Whistler will be part of the upcoming Droid Factory sets. I wondered though, what made you decide to give Corran an orange flightsuit despite all of the references indicating that he always wore a green one? Trying to keep us customizers on our toes? (YF, 2009-05-01) (http://www.yakfaceforums.com/viewtopic.php?p=65569)

     Since he does have the orange suit in some of the novels, we decided to go with that version, after consulting with Lucasfilm.

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My favorite figures are the Stormtroopers / Sandtroopers so thanks for doing the Spacetrooper. He's an awesome addition to the line-up. I like the "VOTC" style trooper but think the recent Tantive IV Battlepack trooper is far superior. For me it's that whole torso joint thing that just doesn't work right. It gets loose and the figure looks hunched over. The Tantive IV troopers have a better stance and are aesthetically more pleasing with their ball jointed heads and wider stance. Would it be possible to do a carded run of these awesome troopers Sandtroopers in the near future? You could give them the correct utility belt with a functional holster and give them two hands that can grip a blaster the right way (the left hand is usually hard to open). (YN, 2009-05-01) (http://www.yodasnews.com/)

     The Tantive IV figure is actually the trooper that debuted in the Evolution pack back in 2005, that we have used every once in a while (and which also came out as the Sandtrooper in Saga Legends in the TAC lineup). Good point about the hands - that's come up a few times and something we can look into. It's a safe bet given the great aesthetics of this figure that we'll look to use him again, and a regular Stormtrooper in Saga Legends seems like a good idea - perhaps for Fall 2010.

Will we ever see more Clone Wars Figures based on the 2004 Cartoon Network's Clone Wars Series in Realistic Style? (YN, 2009-05-01) (http://www.yodasnews.com/)

     Beyond L8-L9, who is a buildable droid in one of this year's Legacy Collection waves, we don't have any more figures lined up. We would never say never, the focus has been on the new Clone Wars series. It's possible we could do one or more here or there - Fordo comes to mind as an important one yet to do - but we just have not slotted him into a figure lineup yet.

Can we get a high res picture of Clegg Holdfast? If not, maybe let us know which Klaatu is coming in a future wave? (*Please note that due to the new time schedule with questions, at the time we sent this in we had yet to see an image anywhere else) (YN, 2009-05-01) (http://www.yodasnews.com/)

     Sure - sorry that a site beat you to this one in the previous Q&A. See attached pic of Cliegg Holdfast. (click for the full size shot) (http://img517.imageshack.us/img517/3854/holdfast.jpg)
Title: Re: The Hasbro Q & A Compendium
Post by: Matt on June 12, 2009, 05:26 PM
Session 70 - May 22, 2009

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Without any collector/fan website input, what would Hasbro's Star Wars product offering look like? The fans, kids, collectors, etc. obviously have some influence, but from your perspective, how much? In light of the Organas, Yarna, Moff Jerjerrod, the Sarlacc set, and Lars Homestead set all shelfwarming, would Hasbro make those sorts of things if you didn't have a vocal collector base constantly nagging you in Q&A which obviously influences stuff like Yarna and the Spacetrooper and Willrow Hood? Is the collector base being more of a squeaky wheel getting too much grease, and if you weren't hearing that squeaking, what would the line be like? (CS, 2009-05-22) (http://www.collectionstation.com/groups/Star-Wars/Official-Hasbro-Star-Wars-Q-A-for-522_51)

     Great question! Without the collector input, we would not be emboldened to push the envelope on articulation and figure variety, to explore sub-themes such as aliens, Rebel Pilots and troopers, Ewoks, Droids, and Imperials, nor develop new and updated vehicles. Collector feedback, whether in the Q&A, in person at fan conventions, or via other media like the 2006 Toy Fare Top 25 Fans' Choice poll have all been outstanding sources of feedback and influence on the line. The collector Q&A has been a great way to both receive input on the line and get information back out there - two-way dialogue which has been instrumental in shaping the line. The Fans' Choice in the Saga Legends was a direct result of the Q&A, as have several figures that were asked about which have been added to our parking lot and subsequently turned into figures (the wildly successful Spacetrooper was asked about in a Q&A just as we were looking at that scene ourselves and asking, and we credit the Q&A for spurring us into action on this one). One of the biggest influences collectors have had was the 2006 Toy Fare Fans' Choice poll, which voted and ranked the Top 25 most wanted Star Wars figures. Since that seminal list came out we have knocked off at least 22 of the figures including the upcoming Jacen and Jaina Solo figures...quite an impact on the line! Some of the things you mentioned are not necessarily a result of fan requests but our desire to try some new things in the Star Wars 3-3/4" line, like iconic scene sets (Sarlacc and the Lars Homestead, for example). Since we are collectors ourselves, and want to see some new things done, we are willing to take chances and hope that what we do resonates with fans. It doesn't always work out the way we want it, though, but that's the nature of trying new things every now and then.

Although Titanium Series has done an ok job releasing vehicles from the Clone Wars, there's only been a loose smattering despite the series' meteoric rise in popularity. Still to be made from the Clone Wars includes the Tri-Droid, Pirate Tank, the Malevolence, the Trident, Pod Hunter/Separatist Boarding Ship, Escape Pod, Hyena Bomber Droid, Weequay pirate saucers, CK-6 Freeco swoop bike, as well as existing movie vehicles which are in the Clone Wars not yet done as Titaniums, like the STAP, Acclamator, Munificent-class Banking Clan Frigate, Padme's Naboo H-type Yacht, and LAAT/c carrier. So the Clone Wars is already a rich source of material that has only been somewhat mined in Titaniums. Are there any more Clone Wars vehicles due out before the line's end (besides the Y-wing which we already know about)? Why wasn't there a greater focus on Clone Wars vehicles in the line when it was becoming apparent the line was facing doom? (CS, 2009-05-22) (http://www.collectionstation.com/groups/Star-Wars/Official-Hasbro-Star-Wars-Q-A-for-522_51)

     Since Titanium has very few kid purchasers and the vast majority are collectors, we chose to direct our tools to vehicles that we thought would provide more interesting diversity to the vehicle lineup, such as the Bounty Hunter ships this year. We only have so many slots for new tooling, and most of the vehicles that you bring up from Clone Wars are less interesting than the Republic Gunships, V-Wings, V-19s, Starfighters, and others that we chose to repaint instead. Of the ones you specifically asked about from Clone Wars, we are doing the Malevolence and Hyena Bomber, and Cad Bane's ship the Xanadu Blood.

On the recent Jawa with WED Droid set, the Jawa comes with a small tin can-like piece that has 2 posts sticking out of it. Although there has been much speculation as to what this accessory is, no consensus has been reached. Also, the small accessory doesn't seem to have a dedicated storage spot on the figure's outfit unlike all the previous Jawa accessories, it has a sideways peg but the only peghole found on the Jawa is being used for the ion gun's power pack. So, what exactly is this accessory representing, and where does it fit on the Jawa? Or is it supposed to attach to the WED Droid instead? (CS, 2009-05-22) (http://www.collectionstation.com/groups/Star-Wars/Official-Hasbro-Star-Wars-Q-A-for-522_51)

     To be honest, your guess is as good as ours! We have speculated that it could be a power pack or transmitter for the blaster that stuns R2. But it could just as easily be can of rockwart soup or 40 weight motor oil. It is fun to speculate. As for the storage of the canister, there is a small hole on the back of the belt. The hole can be used for the canister or if the Jawa is holing the canister, to further secure the pouch that is attached to the gun. In hindsight, we should have added two holes. See attached pic for reference.

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Whatever happened to the Tales of the Jedi comic pack featuring Ulic Qel-Droma and Exar Kun? You mentioned a long time back that it was coming, but we haven't seen any pics or updates on this pack, all while other new comic packs are either being revealed or rumored. Was it canceled or delayed? (If it's still heading down the space-lane, might we ask for a photo of it?) (GH, 2009-05-22) (http://www.galactichunter.com/absolutenm/templates/full_article_template_1.asp?articleid=8005&zoneid=2)

     It's still on the way, in the second wave for Fall.  It's trailing a bit at this point so it might not be on shelf until October - we'll have a firmer date for you at San Diego Comic Con. We don't have an image of this set ready to show just yet - we will reveal it at San Diego Comic Con.

Hypothetically, if we were lucky enough to be blessed with that awesome trio of "inebriated" Jawas flopped outside of the Cantina, would they be more likely to be a hard accessory with light-up eyes, or actual figures with soft-goods? (GH, 2009-05-22) (http://www.galactichunter.com/absolutenm/templates/full_article_template_1.asp?articleid=8005&zoneid=2)

     Well that one caught us by surprise!  It's highly unlikely that we'll ever make a set or a figure specifically for this, but it would be nice to have Jawas that can be posed as such.  To achieve that, they may have to be soft goods, or a hybrid.  However the biggest trick is likely to be the ball-jointed hips required to hit that cross-legged pose. That's a little extreme for a Jawa figure design, but you never know.

Medal Han Solo? Medal Chewbacca? Are they slated for some sort of nice gift set with a spruced up Luke Skywalker and Ceremonial Princess Leia? (Also, since Carrie Fisher, in her royal capacity, appeared on MTV to give Chewbacca his medal, does that make her appearance there fair game for a Princess Leia figure, too?) ;-) (GH, 2009-05-22) (http://www.galactichunter.com/absolutenm/templates/full_article_template_1.asp?articleid=8005&zoneid=2)

     We have a Galactic Heroes multi-pack lined up for the Medal Ceremony, but do not have a 3¾" Battle Pack or set lined up. We would like to do a medal Chewie some day, but since he does not get one in the film this is a little bit controversial and we have not discussed the idea with Lucasfilm.  Since he does get his medal in the novel, there is precedence for perhaps an "EU" version to commemorate this. Perhaps something we'll look at down the road, but unlikely in a multi-figure set.

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It's been a while since we pestered you about our good pal Han Solo... are you ready to tell us which version we're getting in the A New Hope wave later this year? The kids on the internet are spilt - about half are thinking new Death Star Escape version, the other half are thinking he's from Yavin someplace. (HH, 2009-05-22) (http://hanshideout.blogspot.com/2009/05/hasbro-star-wars-q-session-11.html)

     He's not from Yavin, so the other half would be right.

It sounds like the new red & white cardbacks will be a bit smaller in size, much like the Marvel cards on the pegs at the moment. Will the smaller cardback affect our ability to get the occasional larger pack-in items (like the Bespin Torture Rack) we've been spoiled with these past few years? (HH, 2009-05-22) (http://hanshideout.blogspot.com/2009/05/hasbro-star-wars-q-session-11.html)

     The smaller card size will limit the pack-ins we can fit in, but the reality is that costs have forces us to scale back on the number of larger-scale offering we can include. We still hope to sneak the occasional one in when we can and feel it's imperative to round out the figure.

That new Galactic Heroes Snowspeeder is fantastic! Any chance of more Galactic Heroes from Hoth, like say a repaint of the snowspeeder with Wedge, Janson, and a new Snowtrooper sculpt? (HH, 2009-05-22) (http://hanshideout.blogspot.com/2009/05/hasbro-star-wars-q-session-11.html)

     That is a great idea - we are always looking to take the "fleet" type of approach with our Galactic Heroes, like we do with the 3-3/4" line. Thanks for the suggestion.

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A simple quick question, why does every Han Solo figure now have the same blaster?  The long barrel scope version is only seen in ANH, after that he has the shorter scope version in ESB and ROTJ. Any chance of getting this version of the blaster for ESB and ROTJ versions of Han in the future? (JN, 2009-05-22) (http://jedinews.co.uk/news/news.aspx?newsID=2491)

     Thanks for pointing that out - we'll take a look another look to make sure we are selecting the most accurate blaster for Han.

Recently images have surfaced showing carded shots of the ARF Trooper and it strikes me that the hips on this figure look terrible. Will these be altered for a future release or is there still time to do something for this outing? (JN, 2009-05-22) (http://jedinews.co.uk/news/news.aspx?newsID=2491)

     That is a pre-production version with the first generation hips.  The ARF Trooper has ball-jointed hips, developed so he could ride an AT-RT, but this early version is not where they will end up.  We have spend considerable time working with the vendor to bring them in tighter to the body.

How come that retail prices for Star Wars figures are so widespread, when they basically all come from one source (the same factory). Prices range from $7 in the U.S. to $15.48 in Germany, $12.88 in Belgium and Netherlands, $11 in the U.K. and $18 in France...?  With the worldwide economy in turmoil and oil prices at such low levels - the price should be coming down not up!  Personally I can see a lot less sales because of the increase in price, and especially once the younger audiences have vanished from the toy aisles again.  [Keep in mind that the prices quoted above are not inflated for special figures but can be found at large retail stores selling each figure from standard cases for the same prices.] (JN, 2009-05-22) (http://jedinews.co.uk/news/news.aspx?newsID=2491)

     The short answer is that we sell figures to all retailers in U.S. dollars which fluctuate in price and present problems for pricing stability; on top of that there are widely varying local taxes.  Combine these effects, along with retailers own margin needs, and you can have tremendous variability in local prices for all toys, not just Star Wars figures.

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Would you consider a Battle Packs set that would include a take on the 212th Attack Battalion as seen in Revenge of the Sith? And if you did, would you be able to better match the orange color used on the armor so it is more authentic to the film? It almost seems like a no-brainer since the other Battle Packs that have focused on Order 66 have been such great sellers and disappeared quickly, like Betrayal On Felucia or Treachery On Saleucami for example. I am sure collectors and kids alike would love to see these Utapau troopers out again (especially since they have not made it into the Saga Legends line yet).  And perhaps you can guarantee collector support if you recolor the orange or provide us with different battle damage applications. (JTA, 2009-05-22) (http://www.jeditemplearchives.com/content/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=4745)

     That is a great suggestion for a Battle Pack, and one which we'll consider for the future.  Interesting comment on the orange coloration - we had not heard that one ourselves but will look into it. Thanks.

I think the Scramble On Yavin Battle Packs set is the best in a very long time.  I don’t think any collector could complain for the value of product you get for the money. Since this [value for the money] has been a steady complaint from the market, I think if you keep providing us with great Battle Packs sets or incredible action figure waves like the New Hope wave from early this year (which really gives us 11 action figures and awesome accessories) it may quiet the complaining.  Can you tell us if it is possible if you will be able to continue and focus more with this medium/platform for the Battle Packs and Basic collection? (JTA, 2009-05-22) (http://www.jeditemplearchives.com/content/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=4745)

     The Scramble on Yavin set did come out great, but the format of the mainline Battle Packs will be changing back to a primarily kid-targeted multi-figure set definition because the intent of this assortment is really to provide more themed sets that make popular gifts or "trade-up" purchases.  Unfortunately, we can't sustain new tooling in this assortment and the focus needs to be on providing as much value as possible.  As for your question on basic figures - we try to make every wave as strong as possible and agree with you that the EpIV wave turned out great.  We have some additional great OTC waves coming out this Fall that we think you'll be equally pleased with.  One thing that will be changing slightly going forward is that there will be fewer figure multi-packs like the Jawa & WED droid, or Trinto Duaba & Dice Ibegon.

As awesome as the Sideshow 12” figure line is, I think it would be more than fair to say that they have unintentionally alienated the 12” figure market.  A single 12” figure that has surpassed the $100 mark is an unattainable purchase for the collectors who could only spend $20 per figure.  Is there any chance you are any closer to possibly considering bringing back the 12” line, however small and infrequent, so more 12” collectors from all incomes can get back into it?  Rumors exist of a 12” Hammerhead mold being completed, Oola, and the Max Rebo Band, and a ROTS Aayla Secura and Obi-Wan Kenobi.  We would love to see these figures finally realized in Hasbro 12” form.  The line seemed too quickly abandoned before Sideshow took over, there was no official closer so to speak. (JTA, 2009-05-22) (http://www.jeditemplearchives.com/content/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=4745)

     We do not have plans to return to the 12" format any time soon.  Actually, we did not abandon our 12" line, as much as it tapered off from previous heights and the final shot for us was the 12" EpIII lineup.  The volumes had been trending down for us for years since the great run of 12" Star Wars in the late '90s. Since the 12" figure collector market is much smaller than the 3-3/4" market and the diminishing production volumes just did not make sense us to keep pursuing. Finally, since collectors have gotten much more sophisticated and exacting with regard to what they want, it made a ton of sense to have Sideshow work their magic with the format. Sideshow is bringing out figures of an astonishingly high quality, which are, in our opinion, worth every penny.

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My son and I love the Clone Wars voice changer helmets. He has the Blue and I have the plain white. They are really great items with excellent electronics and very durable. Yet we have been thinking...as Boba Fett is a favorite character of his (ours)...is there a chance at a Boba Fett Voice changer helmet in the future? You could even make a Jango Fett plus an entire Mandalorian range in different color schemes. (MD, 2009-05-22) (http://www.mousedroid.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=66626)

     We're really glad you like them. A Mando helmet is a cool idea, but we would only consider it if there was some form of additional current entertainment support for a Mando-type helmet. Being relevant to kids is the only way to make an item like this viable (look how long we waited to do a Clone helmet!).

The articulation in your figs keeps getting better and better but sometimes some of the figures have swivel elbows rather then the ball jointed elbows.
My question is will you guys phase out the swivel joints and completely replace them all with ball joints? Also is there any talk about a new way of doing the hips? Perhaps ball jointed hips? (MD, 2009-05-22) (http://www.mousedroid.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=66626)

     Thanks for the comment. It's unlikely we'll ever phase out swivel arms, as they remain a viable alternative for us as we can't simply produce every figure with super-articulation due to extraordinary costing challenges. We are happy with our current hip designs, and don't feel the need to go to ball hips as a universal solution.

This is more of an idea for "down the road", but one I was wondering if you had ever considered. 2-Packs seem to be popular among collectors, and can make great display pieces when the packaging is interesting.  So, have you or would you ever consider do a series of 2-packs featuring the Animated version of a charcter along with it's Legacy version? It would be an interesting way to perhaps celebrate the Animated series and the SW Legacy at some point down the road. Now, I know that not every character could be done as not all characters in the animation appear in the Live-Action. Obvious choices would be Anakin, Obi-Wan, Yoda, Padme, Clone Trooper, Grevious, Dooku, Commanders Cody & Gree, C-3PO and R2-D2. What do you think? (MD, 2009-05-22) (http://www.mousedroid.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=66626)

     At the present time, we would not consider this sort of combination. The simple reason is that it would narrowly appeal only to those collectors who appreciate both styles of figures. While more and more collectors are getting into Clone Wars, not everyone collects both styles nor would want to be "forced" to collect the other style to complete their collections.

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The Jabba's Rancor Target Exclusive pack has been available for some time via Target.com but has yet to find its way to stores. During the Toy Fair presentation your slide show said it was "In Stores Now", yet it is not. Any word on the hold up of this guy or when we should expect to see him (ie release date) in Target stores? (RS, 2009-05-22) (http://www.rebelscum.com/story/front/Hasbros_71st_STAR_WARS_QA_The_Answers_122761.asp)

     This has been a source of frustration for us, as well as Target. When this item slipped its original date from last Fall into Spring, Target agreed to take it but did not have an open spot for it on either the planogram or an end-cap. They are still finding a place for it on-shelf and when we get that date we'll keep people posted.

In order to improve sales on the TLC line, have you looked into non-movie themed waves? That could make it easier to anchor waves with more popular characters instead of having to focus on one film per wave.

In order to keep figures flying off the pegs, would it be possible to stagger waves throughout the year (one wave every two months) instead of very little in the early months of the year followed by a glut of product in the fall? It would be easier for collectors to catch up and for kids to save up for new figures but still allow bigger items in the holiday season for gift-giving. (RS, 2009-05-22) (http://www.rebelscum.com/story/front/Hasbros_71st_STAR_WARS_QA_The_Answers_122761.asp)

     As for non-movie-themed waves, we are looking at going that way but not until after 2010. The reality is that after the first couple of waves each year, we carry-forward the "Greatest Hits" anyway, so the result after a couple months is the same. The challenge with managing The Legacy Collection waves is how many of the purely collector-targeted figures we produce, and how many we release. Too many released too deeply for the size of the collector market at any one time could lead to back-up.

     One solution, which we don't plan on implementing, is going to only versions of the more popular characters....this would ensure sell-through but would eliminate a lot of the newer and more niche characters. Finding the balance is the key.

     As for regular schedule, well that's the real trick, isn't it? Ideally waves would arrive every 6-8 weeks apart, like clockwork. Unfortunately, a combination of different delays has caused periodic bottlenecks to occur. We are ahead of it for the rest of 2009 and 2010.

     Of note - there will always be a bit of a dry spell in the months before the line look changeover.



In a recent Q&A you confirmed the upcoming TFU wave is going to be canceled due to the slagging Legacy line. The reason you gave is that Hasbro wants to scale back on the main action figure line and focus more on the animated series. My question is will this be a temporary phase until things are a little more sound (economically at least) or are you really planning on scaling back and eventually phasing out the main figure line? How will this effect unmade characters, core and background alike, and future Star Wars developments like the live action show? Does the future of Hasbro Star Wars really lay in The Clone Wars and repacks? (RS, 2009-05-22) (http://www.rebelscum.com/story/front/Hasbros_71st_STAR_WARS_QA_The_Answers_122761.asp)

     Actually, none of the reasons you relayed are the reasons we gave to as to why we were moving the TFU wave from mainline basic figures to the exclusives line (note that the figures will be coming out, just not as basic figures).

     What we did say, and we are happy to clarify, is that the number of active collectors seems to have softened, which presents a problem for a basic figure line like The Legacy Collection where new sculpts of more obscure, fan-requested or as-yet-unmade characters remains part of the "heart" of the line. Because of the high volume expectations for the basic figure line, it needs to be very tightly planned or we will miss our targets and retailer expectations will not be met. We are very committed to the main Legacy figure line and do not foresee this fading out as long as there is a strong collector following.

     Slowing demand results in two problems - when we are left with extra figures at retail above what we have planned and forecast, and also in lowered volume expectations for the line, which throws the financials for that line (including the amount of tooling that can be assigned) into trouble. It's something we will be keeping a close eye on, since we are fans ourselves and want to see the line continue to be able to explore some of the more interesting and niche characters that add so much color the Star Wars world.

     We will still continue to pursue new and interesting exclusives whenever possible, which is another way of delivery new and interesting figures. The challenges on Legacy do not have anything to do with The Clone Wars - that line was planned to be very robust alongside Legacy.


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Every major character in the movies has received a Mighty Mugg with one exception: Padme! Is she coming and when? (RTM, 2009-05-22) (http://www.toymania.com/news/messages/11230.shtml)

     There is a Queen Amidala figure in the Mighty Muggs line, but that is the only Padme that will come out for the line.

As a Star Wars collector, I have ALOT of figures. What I don't have is a great way to store them. Back in the old days, there were vinyl cases with plastic holders that worked great. Is there anyway to re-issue (or even better, make new ones) these so we have some way to store our figures? (RTM, 2009-05-22) (http://www.toymania.com/news/messages/11230.shtml)

     We don't plan on re-releasing the vinyl carry cases, but we are looking into a re-release of the Darth Vader carrying case. If that's not your cup of tea, then we recommend storage boxes like the type that are used to organize small household objects, found in the home section of stores like Target. These are clear, and can hold up to a couple dozen figures. They don't have trays like the vinyl cases, but they are modular and relatively inexpensive.

Are there plans to re-release the recent Death Star Trooper figure as a repaint of the vintage Death Squad Commander/Star Destroyer Commander figure? (RTM, 2009-05-22) (http://www.toymania.com/news/messages/11230.shtml)

     We are saving that one for a possible re-release should we ever relaunch the Vintage line. With the nostalgic package, it would make the most sense.

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Last year, with the launch of The Clone Wars, you guys (Hasbro) gave us collectors an awesome breakdown on what was being released in the form of a PDF booklet/brochure. That was incredibly helpful when it came to determining personal spending budgets. Will we be seeing something like that again this year? Please say, yes... (SNOW, 2009-05-22) (http://www.snowtroopers.ca/forum/index.php?topic=19453.0)

     Yes indeed, there will be a new one available this year at Comic Con timing.  It takes a tremendous amount of energy to bring this out, and we had hoped to do one for the Spring lineup, but time got away from us. We're glad to be getting one out for the Fall lineup.

Is there any chance Hasbro would be interested in doing any Al Williamson designed Han Solo, Luke Skywalker or Princess Leia figures based on the Classic Star Wars comic series that Dark Horse reprinted? How about figures of Luke and Leia from the Splinter of the Mind's Eye comics? If you do make these figures, with all due respect, PLEASE keep them in scale with the rest of your EXCELLENT figures, as I passed on the Shadows of the Empire Comic Pack due to the small Princess Leia. THANKS! (SNOW, 2009-05-22) (http://www.snowtroopers.ca/forum/index.php?topic=19453.0)

     Thanks much for the comment.  Yes, we are very interested in doing some of the Classic Star Wars issues - just figuring out how and when to fit them in is the trick.  The characters would probably not look different from the regular line, since Williamson was trying to go for likeness matches. Aside from some great takes on the main characters (the space suit versions of Luke and Han from this series are outstanding), the series was also known for some very interesting color choices which is always interesting when we need to fill out the lineup with packs that are less reliant on new tooling (which is always a consideration with comic packs).  Look for the first of the Classic Star wars packs later this Fall.  As for Splinter of the Minds Eye, we do want to do Luke and Leia, and possibly a Yuzzem, at some point in the future but have not slotted any Splinter packs into the lineup.  It is true that the size of Leia has changed over the years, but the height of her in the Shadows pack is accurate to her height in the Star Wars universe.

It's great to see Hasbro finally release a 501st Legion trooper using the #41 RotS mold. However, I bought a few and noticed a problem: the helmet's blue stripe is incorrect! The stripe should be continuous but instead we have a gap between the black rim and the visor. Also the stripe is too wide and should instead narrow from the top of the helmet to the chin. Please see the paintjob that was done for your TSC Commander Appo figure which was done correctly (although on Appo, he had too much dirt and his chest stripe didn't reach all the way to the neck). Can Hasbro please correct the problem for a future Legends release, I'd love to army build dozens more but only if it's accurately done. (SNOW, 2009-05-22) (http://www.snowtroopers.ca/forum/index.php?topic=19453.0)

     Thanks very much for the heads-up - we had not caught this one ourselves and will definitely take a look.

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In Q&As lately, there have been some disturbing answers that subtly point to problems with the future of the Star Wars collecting hobby. Repeated mentions of Hasbro's iteration of Force FX sabers underperforming at market, then the cancellation of Titanium Series, and now the bad news about the TLC basic figure line culminating in a whole wave of figures getting pushed into exclusives. Force FX not thriving might have something to do with the fact that there is a focus on re-releasing existing designs, or perhaps the lack of marketing and "event" releases. Titanium Series has suffered unbelievable amounts of repaints and price increases, and zero marketing. TLC basic figures have seen heavy production of collector-oriented figures like Yarna and Breha Organa (despite even collectors knowing these should have been hard to find rather than abundant), and miserable pacing with just 3 waves of new figures between July '08 and May '09. Hasbro generally has a poor track record of nurturing collector markets when it comes to lines not centered around the 3.75" theme. Doesn't it seem as if that part of the issue is management decisions, overly lofty expectations, even (in the case of Force FX & Titaniums) Hasbro desired profit margins which can't match the lines' business models established by previous licensees, leading to these lines stumbling and thus their collecting markets waning? (SSG, 2009-05-22) (http://www.sirstevesguide.com/index.php?categoryid=13&p2_articleid=1934)

     First off, things are not so doom-and-gloom when it comes to FX and 3-3/4", and in fact we are very excited about what we are bringing out and believe fans will be delighted as well. We discussed the current situation on each with candor, because we want to fans to understand what is happening in each case. In the case of FX, things are taking longer for a reason. The majority of the business, year after year, was built around the core sabers. New products introductions were a relatively small part of it, since the main consumer for these sabers is not the core collector but a more casual fan, with majority of the business being done in book stores and specially channels (not conventions or the Internet as some might think). These channels and this type of discretionary purchase were hit hard last year, with some going out of business. Combined with an excess of the Master Replicas sabers still in the market last year, it meant a longer than expected ramp up. The good news is that will be behind us as we head towards fall, and new sabers will be on the way, with more new styles coming in 2010 and 2011. In the case of the 3-3/4" collector-figures, there will be fewer of those coming in the basic figure lineup for the near-term and we feel that collectors deserve to know that as well as out commitment to ensuring that the figures will come out even if they are not in the basic lineup. The situation is basically like this: following EpIII, we had reached a new plateau in figure collecting, with a lot of re-engaged fans coming on board through The Saga Collection and 30th Anniversary lines and helping keep Star Wars basic figure sales at very high levels. During the last three years we released a fixed amount of each purely collector-targeted figure - figures like the Mustafar lava worker, any Cantina alien, Umpass-stay, most McQuarrie figures, etc. The releases of these collector-targeted figures would be the lowest quantity of any figure in the line, determined to be a quantity of each figure that would satisfy the core (completist) collector base. This quantity was reliable and consistent and the figures would always sell-through with time. Last Fall, however, we saw a change. There was an overall reduction of collector dollars in the action figure collecting hobby to which Star Wars was not immune, and we saw this on a more granular level in the sell-through of purely collector-target figures. While the hero figures (Obi-Wans, Anakins, Lukes, Vaders, troopers, etc) continued to do very well, the collector figures really started to struggle compared to all past years. This resulted in a need to recalibrate our release levels for these figures, since without that recalibration the normal releases we would make on purely collector figures would now be too large for the current collector market to bear, pegs would really start to back up, and the whole Legacy/Droid Factory figure flow would grind to a halt - in short, a disaster, unless corrective measures were taken. Therefore, we pulled back on the amount of each we release. Since this resulted in a significant impact on the financials of the overall basic figure lineup, as collector-targeted figures cost more than others given their almost 100% new tooling yet smaller production runs, we had readjust future waves because we could not construct them the same way with as many purely collector-targeted figures we as have been delivering. We made this to known to fans because they deserve to know, as it will have an impact on how future basic figure waves will be affected. It is far from a gloomy outlook, as collector-targeted figures are still vital to maintain that emotional core of the line and we have many great ones coming, but instead a short-term (we hope) adjustment to make sure that the basic figure program is going strong. We will also still look to our exclusives lineup to augment the basic figures and comic packs with new and exciting figures drawn from the films and EU, which are great avenues for new and interesting ideas since they stand apart from the basic figure lineup. We certainly don't want to feel the fans who have stuck with us feel like we are letting them down - to everyone who is reading this we say "thank you!" and can't wait to showcase some of the things we are working on for this Fall and beyond at Comic Con We also hope that the fans who were on the sidelines last Fall due to the economic conditions will be able to come back over time; this is a fantastic hobby to which we are deeply committed and earning fan enthusiasm and loyalty is something that promise to work hard to earn.

Last time we asked about Titanium Series capital ships, the 3 examples we used got blasted out of the sky. But there are popular capital ships, from the Acclamator (which you already said "no" about) to the Malevolence to the Rebel Medical Frigate to the Interdictor and more, which are deserving of Titanium Series releases, many of which are recognizable to a general audience and have no other toy outlets. With Titanium Series now facing a finite and already set-in-stone future, are there new capital ships planned for release in the line? If not, what was the thinking behind not choosing them? (SSG, 2009-05-22) (http://www.sirstevesguide.com/index.php?categoryid=13&p2_articleid=1934)

     It's not always a question of recognizability, but a question of what makes the best-looking vehicle. Not all vehicles are created equal, we track weekly sales of all different ships in the line to assess which types fans are selecting at retail. The capital ships, unfortunately, are not the most popular ships in the Titanium line which remain the more aggressive fighter-classes, droid ships, gunship, and the like.

The gauzy material used to make black capes and other soft goods is intolerable. The material is always cut too large, never hangs right, and is translucent. Darth Vader especially has a real miserable time of it, looking more like he's wearing a black chiffon number than his menacing duds. And not one figure using it can avoid it flaring out, poor Garindan looks like he's flying away. We've seen better materials used at this scale, even by you (the second Darth Maul figure comes to mind), so it's past time to reassess new materials for these purposes. If nothing else, getting sharper and better-looking cape designs will sell more Vaders to collectors and kids who already have an army of them. So, what say you on this matter, why are you still using the gauzy black cloth, and are you willing to look into better materials and better sewing for them? (SSG, 2009-05-22) (http://www.sirstevesguide.com/index.php?categoryid=13&p2_articleid=1934)

     Thank you for you positive and insightful feedback. Fabric cloaks or capes at the 4" scale have always presented difficulties. There are several issues that have to be balanced and they are not always within our direct control. Firstly, fabric is purchased by our vendors for the open market, unless they have some still on hand from other items. So, they have to buy what is available and making special orders from fabric manufacturers increases costs and delays the manufacturing schedule. Secondly, fabric that is less "sheer" has a higher thread count. That is why it is more opaque but this comes at a higher cost and thicker fabric also tends to not drape as well on the small figures. So, draping vs. opacity has to be evaluated. Finally, the largest cost to fabric pieces is due to the labor that is required to cut and sew the pieces. The hemming of edges greatly increases the cost, adds thickness, and tends to cause the fabric to hang poorly. We tend to use a polyester tricot material because it can be heat cut which keeps the edges from fraying and eliminates the need to sew hems. I for one do not envy the vendors who create these tiny pieces of Star Wars apparel and think they do an outstanding job. But, we are always striving to improve in every area.

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ST

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ST/"TJ"

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In a Hasbro Q&A with Galactic Hunter you mentioned that collector interest seems to have waned in Star Wars figures and as such you will be taking action, such as moving The Force Unleashed figures to exclusives, out of the primary line-up. You also stated, in a different question, that you don't believe the price increase is at fault for this falling out of collectors. What do you think has caused collectors to stop buying figures, and do you think this is something likely to reverse itself? (SWAN, 2009-05-22) (http://www.swactionnews.com/archives/ep197.htm)

     (MP3) (http://www.swactionnews.com/Podcasts/SWAN197.MP3)

Given that you actions are already being taken to deal with the loss of collector buyers, what does the future hold for the EU figures planned, in the comic 2-packs or the upcoming EU wave with the Solo twins? (SWAN, 2009-05-22) (http://www.swactionnews.com/archives/ep197.htm)

     (MP3) (http://www.swactionnews.com/Podcasts/SWAN197.MP3)

So if there is a reduction in collector-specific figures, does this mean we will be seeing an increase in repacks, more of the Saga Legends, while Clone Wars holds steady and Build-A-Droid figures decrease in release? (SWAN, 2009-05-22) (http://www.swactionnews.com/archives/ep197.htm)

     (MP3) (http://www.swactionnews.com/Podcasts/SWAN197.MP3)

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SWC

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TPU

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I'm greatly looking forward to the upcoming Sail Barge gunner Nikto figure. However, in looking closely at his rail cannon accessory, there is obviously a clip on the bottom which one would assume would be used to attach to the railing of a some sort.

Was this done to "future-proof" the figure IF a Sail Barge were ever to be released? Or is there serious consideration currently being given to producing one? (YF, 2009-05-22) (http://www.yakfaceforums.com/viewtopic.php?t=4478)

With the release of the upcoming Anakin Concept figure, can we expect to see more concept art figures being released?

There are some amazing pieces you could choose from, one in particular is this Padmé Amidala Concept Art that would have been used for Revenge of the Sith had the character not died in childbirth. I think that it would be a great figure to release and would be rather popular due to the fact it's based on an alternative ending of a main character. (YF, 2009-05-22) (http://www.yakfaceforums.com/viewtopic.php?t=4478)

The new Luke Skywalker (Medical Frigate) is an all around great figure in my opinion, plus it covers a version of him that's not been offered before. The question is with his accessory. There's been debate on various forums and amongst my friends as to what this small silver piece actually is. Can you clarify definitively that it's either the commlink that Luke used to speak to Lando aboard the Falcon or is it a tool used by 2-1B to "test" Luke's new cybernetic hand and is it possible to provide the reference photo used in sculpting this "mystery" piece? (YF, 2009-05-22) (http://www.yakfaceforums.com/viewtopic.php?t=4478)

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YN
Title: Re: The Hasbro Q & A Compendium
Post by: Matt on June 12, 2009, 06:01 PM
Session 71 - June 12, 2009

Rumor has it that there will be a Captain Jeremoch Colton figure in the ROTS wave later this year. Are we talking about a new sculpt or just a kit-bashed version of the 2005 Captain Antilles figure? (BS, 2009-06-12) (http://banthaskull.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2957)

     He's an all-new figure with much more articulation than Antilles.

Can we get a better look at the Camie & Fixer comic pack that was recently mentioned to be coming soon? (BS, 2009-06-12) (http://banthaskull.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2957)

     Actually, the Camie & Fixer pack has been removed from the Comic Pack lineup due to some changes we had to make to balance the tooling budget (the tooling bill was staggering and could not do everything we wanted). We are looking for a home for the set, and it will eventually come out, but have not settled on final plans yet. In any case, it's too soon to release any pics on that. It would likely be early Spring of next year before we talked about it.

Bounty hunters seem to be lacking lately or in need of update. Any chance of getting Zam, Dengar, Zuckuss, or Aura Sing (non animated)? (BS, 2009-06-12) (http://banthaskull.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2957)

     Yes, there are a strong chance that they all will be updated within the next 24 months in one form or another.

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Any chance of September's Wal-Mart Evolutions "Army Builder" figures making their way to single-carded status, like in The Saga Legends Collection or even the regular line-up? Specifically, the Storm Commandos and V-Wing Pilots? Please, please, please?! (CC, 2009-06-22) (http://creaturecantina.com/news_stories/2009/0617/hasbro-qna.html)

     With so few Saga Legends slots to work with, and so many great figures that we could choose, the odds of any one getting selected are very small. It's possible that we could do a future vote to determine some that we might add into the mix (we are aware of some of the fan votes currently underway for topics like this), but that won't be for a long time. Better to get enough of them when they are available for your needs, because you just can't count on any availability afterward.

If Fi Skirata in his "custom-painted" white Commando armor is going to come out in an Evolutions Pack like Scorch came out single-carded, might there be an Omega Squad multi-pack forthcoming, like you did for Delta Squad, or Omega Squad in their black "stealth" armor . . . ? Hint, hint? (CC, 2009-06-22) (http://creaturecantina.com/news_stories/2009/0617/hasbro-qna.html)

     We don't have one in the lineup, but that is an outstanding idea for some time down the road.

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Recently, Hasbro has updated cockpits on a few OT ships, including the B-wing, TIE Fighter, and A-wing, not to mention the detailed cockpit on the new Millennium Falcon. We understand that the B-wing and A-wing got new detailed cockpits because they had the opportunity from their use as exclusives, but exclusives or not, are there any plans or thoughts about continuing that practice on other ships? The X-wing, Vader's TIE, and Y-wing are all good candidates for new, detailed cockpits, but would the small size of some of those cockpits prevent those upgrades? (CS, 2009-06-12) (http://www.collectionstation.com/groups/Star-Wars/Official-Hasbro-Q-A-for-June-12th_54)

     We would like to eventually work the same cockpit treatment on all of the classic ships. Right now, the Y-Wing is likely to be up next.

Now that we're starting to see pictures of actual samples of the new basic figure packaging, it begs the question: what is the thinking behind the significant amount of blank white area behind the figures? It basically looks like a nearly empty bubble that one would see in lesser products, such as last year's Star Wars figure keychains from another company. Especially considering the figures' new pricepoint of $8, doesn't it seem like a particularly poor idea to use packaging that minimizes the visual impact of the amount of product within? (CS, 2009-06-12) (http://www.collectionstation.com/groups/Star-Wars/Official-Hasbro-Q-A-for-June-12th_54)

     The line look was directed by Lucasfilm.

Fans are glad to see the Jawa with WED Droid set produced, getting us 1 step closer to a complete "purchase of the droids" scene, but it seems like this pack-in WED droid is a tad on the large size. Comparison images have it around 25% larger than its movie counterpart. Also, the coloring on the toy is significantly different from the Jawa scene's white and red design seen at the droid sale (WED-15-ST68) - the gray and copper droid made into the figure was used in a cut scene by Fixer at Tosche station. So on the WED droid, why the increase in scale, and why the different colors? (CS, 2009-06-12) (http://www.collectionstation.com/groups/Star-Wars/Official-Hasbro-Q-A-for-June-12th_54)

     We "measured" the WED droid very carefully against several film reference points to triangulate the size, but in the end we were faced with a tough choice: due to minimum plastic thicknesses, we either had to break the proportions of the various elements, or take everything up in scale just a tad. We went with the increase, thinking that the proportion and overall aesthetic was more important for on-shelf display than having one element or the other out of balance. As for deco - great detective work! We thought we were doing the Purchase of the Droids version; we'll look into that and if you are right, we have a cool variation for sometime down the road. We expect that few people would mind adding another one of these incredible droids to their shelves given evidence for two distinct ones. Thanks for the heads-up and interest.

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Is there any chance of a retooled or kitbashed Cade Skywalker without the jacket and with sleeveless arms (similar to the first Quinlon Vos' arms)? We see him like this more in the comic than with his jacket on. And on the subject of Cade Skywalker, is there a possibility of someday getting a version in Sith Armor for when he was being mentored by Darth Krayt? (GH, 2009-06-12) (http://www.galactichunter.com/absolutenm/templates/full_article_template_1.asp?articleid=8033&zoneid=2)

     As to a sleeveless version, yes there is one in the works. The Sith Armor version is interesting but short-lived in the comic relative to other characters from Legacy that we are looking at. It's unlikely we'll get to this version.

Are we going to get a version of the Tactical Droid seen in the new Clone Wars cartoons, such as TX-20 or TA-175. Several have appeared in episodes with different paint jobs but they all have the same body design. It would be a great candidate for multiple releases with the different paint jobs. (GH, 2009-06-12) (http://www.galactichunter.com/absolutenm/templates/full_article_template_1.asp?articleid=8033&zoneid=2)

     Yes, we will be getting the Tactical Droid out there sometime within the next 12 months.

In the Q&A from 05/08/09 it was stated that there are new 'tools' (new models) coming out this fall for vintage vehicles that would make the old tools obsolete. It's already assumed that one is the AT-ST (from Endor), and we know two vehicles from Hoth are up for their makeovers. So the question is, does the Hoth vehicle walk or fly? (GH, 2009-06-12) (http://www.galactichunter.com/absolutenm/templates/full_article_template_1.asp?articleid=8033&zoneid=2)

     You're digging in the wrong spot. Answers will be revealed soon, at Comic Con, and as always our collector panel presentation will be picked up and run by all major websites as well as starwars.com, so fans everywhere can get the same information at nearly the same time (not to mention pictures galore from the show floor).

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Can you clear up for us when that second Ugnaught sculpt is shipping? We thought he was coming with the Phantom Menace Wave, but the case packs don't list him. Is he delayed until the RotJ wave (or later) or has he been cancelled all together as some are claiming? (HH, 2009-06-12) (http://hanshideout.blogspot.com/2009/06/hasbro-star-wars-q-session-12.html)

     The second Ugnaught sculpt is shipping in the Fall red & white line look. We decided to make him a "seventh" new figure in a Fall wave rather than not have him ship.

The 'Training on the Falcon' Battle Pack was a great way for you to get some figures and accessories out there to compliment the new Falcon. How about trying it again with an ESB theme this time? Maybe an upgrade to the classic Kenner 'Vehicle Maintenance Energizer' along with a couple of mynocks, Echo Base Han & Chewie and a new Echo Base droid? (HH, 2009-06-12) (http://hanshideout.blogspot.com/2009/06/hasbro-star-wars-q-session-12.html)

     Interesting suggestion, but we have some other plans for the figures next year. Stay tuned!

New info from online shops has revealed a new wave of Galactic Heroes - Ahsoka & Goldie, Thire & IG-86, ARF Trooper & Yoda, and Kit Fisto & Grievous! We’d love to see pics, but if you can’t share them until SDCC can you at least tell us if they are all new sculpts or if some are simple repaints of existing sculpts? (HH, 2009-06-12) (http://hanshideout.blogspot.com/2009/06/hasbro-star-wars-q-session-12.html)

     These are all new figures, and they are indeed awesome! Grievous in particular is amazing with four spinning lightsaber-clenching wrists.

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We've noticed a few of the e-tailers are now soliciting a Ratts/Clegg 2-pack in the Phantom Menace wave cases. Can you please confirm/deny for us if you've been able to work out the tooling cost to give us a Pod Racer 2-pack instead of just a lone Cliegg? (JD, 2009-06-12) (http://jedidefender.com/newspro/fullnews.cgi?newsid1244862810,43950,)

     That image was not vetted before it went out and as such had outdated information. We are working to correct this with our retailers. Even if we could have been able to cost him back in, which we couldn't, it is far too late now.

Are there any plans to re-use parts of the new Captain Typho figure to help whip up a new version of Captain Panaka or maybe a new generic Naboo Royal Security figure from Episode 1? Those original Episode 1 Naboo Troopers are looking a bit dated and sure could use an upgrade.

     We will certainly look at this. We want to make EpI waves on a regular (yearly) basis and the troops are a solid option to always look at for those Naboo hangar scenes.

When designing new figures, what determines whether the head will be cast in flesh-tone plastic or cast in another color and then painted flesh-tone? Is it cost, asthetics or something else that determines which path you choose?

     We are agnostic as to flesh tone in a molded color vs painted, since there are copious examples of both throughout the line. The decision is usually based on what is going to be the least-expensive way to get to the final result, by controlling the fewest deco operations.

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Have you ever considered doing a Star Wars Holiday themed type battle pack? (JI, 2009-06-12) (http://jediinsider.com/index.php?catid=8&itemid=11882)

     We have done holiday-themed set in the past, with mixed results. With the best ones behind us, inspired by Ralph McQuarrie's card art in many cases, we don't see going back to the format for 3-3/4". The Galactic Heroes holiday sets did just OK, so we're not in a hurry to back to the holiday theme.

Will the Clone Wars Y-Wing fighter come with a figure or droid? (JI, 2009-06-12) (http://jediinsider.com/index.php?catid=8&itemid=11882)

     Similar to the Starfighter Vehicle Assortment, the Deluxe Vehicle Assortment will not come with any figures.

Have you ever considered making a Bespin Gantry playset from Empire Strikes Back? (JI, 2009-06-12) (http://jediinsider.com/index.php?catid=8&itemid=11882)

     We have not considered making this scene. If we did embark on playsets, which we are not actively pursuing, we would be likely to select a scene with more action or playset-type features that would be appealing to kids.

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We've been tracking the news of the new Rebel Snowspeeder since your broke that news with JTA in this September 2008 Q&A session. Can you give us an update on when this new Snowspeeder might be coming to market? And with the equally exciting news of an impending Snowspeeder pilot Luke Skywalker, could we also be in store for a new Dack Ralter to man that Snowspeeder with Commander Skywalker? (JTA, 2009-06-12) (http://www.jeditemplearchives.com/content/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=4806/#details)

     The Snowspeeder is still on track for the 2010 Starfighter line.  No plans for Dak right now, but it's a virtual lock that we will get to him at some point.

Fans of the both the vintage and modern figure lines were excited with the news that the Ewok Warok (one of the few remaining vintage Ewoks) would be part of an upcoming battle pack. And it's always a great topic of conversation amongst collectors to see which figures from the vintage line have yet to be produced in the modern era. So when planning out the Basic Figure line, how much of a consideration is making modern resculpts of those vintage line stragglers? And which of those might be next on the list for their modern line rendition after Warok? (JTA, 2009-06-12) (http://www.jeditemplearchives.com/content/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=4806/#details)

     We do try to get some key upgrades into the lineup every year; when we can't fit them in the basic figure lineup we look for other ways to have them "in the bag."  There are quite a few more surprises lined up for next year as well, but we need to keep that close to the vest.  Trust us when we say that the list is shrinking although perhaps not enough for some fans (some like the Imperial Dignitary will still take a long while to find their way into the lineup).

One of the single most anticipated figures in the basic figure line is undoubtedly the RETURN OF THE JEDI throne room duel Luke Skywalker. Collectors seem to have been waiting for years for this one! And more than a few were a little bummed to see that it wasn't shown in the recent Star Wars Insider article. How much of a challenge has it been to design and produce this particular figure, especially considering the great expectations from the collecting community? (JTA, 2009-06-12) (http://www.jeditemplearchives.com/content/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=4806/#details)

     The Luke figure has not been a particular challenge, it's been more the whole wave which has been bumped back due to delays.  We will have the entire EpVI wave available for inspection shortly, at Comic Con.

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I've read recently that you made a comment in regards to the "Legacy Collection not selling well" That may be true, from a certain point of view, but I don't think you guys have the full picture. One of the major problems I have noticed (especially in recent times) is that retail continues to restock with older assortments. My local Target-Australia store has been without new Legacy (and Clone Wars figures) for some months now and yesterday they finally had something on the pegs - turned out to be Legacy Wave #1 and Clone Wars Wave #1 - again! This is happening at a number of stores.

On the same day Coles-Australia put out a fresh case of TAC Wave 4/5 remix (Holiday Boba, Jedi Luke, Stormtrooper etc) and now the people who already bought these figures, have to wait until these are all sold, which could take some time. The last few months have seen Big W-Australia restock, but with TLC Waves #3 and #4, preventing Wave #5 from getting through at many retailers.

How are we expected to support the line, if retailers aren't educated on what is new, what is old and what is last years collection? How can we truly support the line, if there is nothing new to collect? (MD, 2009-06-12) (http://www.mousedroid.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=4380)

     Retailers, for the most part, are far removed from the components in the assortments that ship out of their distribution centers and into the stores. If older waves are showing up, it's because they haven't moved through from Hasbro the retailer in the original expected quantity, meaning that it's slower than we'd like. Before we get to the new waves, we often have to make sure we get through the prior, or else the inventory will get increasingly older and will have nowhere to go.

     However, your comment about TAC shipping into the Legacy Collection space is a disturbing one, since those have distinct 5-digit Assortments and that should not be possible, unless the retailer has "linked" the assortments to avoid markdowns. If that is the case, it could explain why older assortments are showing up, likely out of their warehouses.


Why do we need to have "exclusive" action figures, such as the ones sold on starwarsshop.com or hasbrotoyshop.com? Wouldn't it be easier to simply relegate these releases to the basic line? Then collectors wouldn't have to worry about the (exorbitant) shipping costs from sws.com or the fact that hasbrotoyshop.com does not ship outside the US. (MD, 2009-06-12) (http://www.mousedroid.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=4380)

     HasbroToyShop has made a commitment to go to San Diego Comic Con every year, and we support the initiative with exclusives to offset costs and help contribute to their goals. If not for that, it's likely that we would not do exclusives through HasbroToyShop.

Is there any chance that the following figures will receive upgrades in the next two or three years - Grand Moff Tarkin, Gamorrean Guard, Yak Face, Artoo Pop Up Saber, EV-9D9, Anakin Skywalker (Shaw), Rebel Commando, Rebel Fleet Trooper, Ishi Tibb, Dash Rendar, Anakin Skywalker (Lloyd), See Threepio (TPM and AOTC), Jar Jar (TPM) or what about Chewie as Snoova from SOTE? (MD, 2009-06-12) (http://www.mousedroid.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=4380)

     Yes, some of these *will* be updated in the next two years. We really want to do Snoova; he's come up a few times recently. We think it might be due to the renewed interest in bounty hunters thanks to The Clone Wars.  We would like to see him upgraded but right now don't have him in a specific slot.

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If collector-oriented obscure movie-only background figures are going to be less common in the basic line, is there any other place where they could be offered like a HasbroToyShop similar to MattyCollector.com? Their online-exclusive lines have been pretty successful and they are limited runs. You know, like the Lucas Family box set that was offered on StarWarsShop.com? (RS, 2009-06-12) (http://www.rebelscum.com/story/front/Hasbros_72nd_STAR_WARS_QA_The_Answers_123240.asp)

     We have actually been in business with this model before with the GI Joe line, and it has *not* been a successful business model. The reality is that online sales are only a small fraction of the total releases that brick and mortar will support. Despite the ease of getting figures online, many fans simply don't bother, or they enjoy the thrill of the hunt that is part of their collecting experience. As such, we have no plans to move back to this space and we prefer to devote our resources to delivering figures within our mainline assortments along with great exclusives and occasional Convention items.

Will we see more Shadows of the Empire figures remade (the Prince Xizor & Leia Comic Pack is great!) like Chewbacca in Snoova Bounty Hunter disguise and Dash Rendar, Luke Skywalker In Imperial Guard Disguise and a few characters that were never made like Guri, Furlag, and Leebo! (RS, 2009-06-12) (http://www.rebelscum.com/story/front/Hasbros_72nd_STAR_WARS_QA_The_Answers_123240.asp)

     Yes, there will be some more Shadows figures from the list you mentioned, but it will take some time. Our guess is that within the next two years there will be at least two and perhaps more make it into the lineup in one form or another. Guri is the top choice, but she is not likely to be the first one out.

It's great that you're releasing the remote control astromechs in the U.S., but one of them (R5-X2) was never made as a basic figure (or a Build-A-Droid). All the other droids relased as remote control are also available as regular versions (which are more in scale and better detailed). Any plans to eventually release R5-X2 as a regular figure? (RS, 2009-06-12) (http://www.rebelscum.com/story/front/Hasbros_72nd_STAR_WARS_QA_The_Answers_123240.asp)

     While R5-X2 is not in the lineup now, he would be a great one for down the road. Eventually, within the next couple of years.

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RTM

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The lack of recent Legacy figures appearing at Canadian retail is disconcerting. Can we expect to see waves 5 and later of the Legacy in greater numbers at regular Canadian retail or has ordering & production switched to the new line of figures (in the new packaging) slated for later this year? And is this current lack of Canadian Legacy figures due to a slowdown in the Star Wars brand or are the retailers taking a step back due to the economics in the world? (SNOW, 2009-06-12) (http://www.snowtroopers.ca/forum/index.php?topic=19484.0)

     Retailers are not scaling back, but chasing the assortments that are doing very well.  Similar to what is happening in the U.S., the Legacy Collection/Droid Factory is struggling a bit compared to the other basic figure assortments (Clone Wars and Saga Legends).  Other assortments will be making their way to retail, but likely in smaller quantities in line with the current consumer demand.

I wanted to echo a previous Q&A in saying how great I think the Spacetrooper helmet is compared to all the other removable Stormtrooper helmets tooled so far. Now that we have a great helmet mold, could Hasbro perhaps look at redoing the stormtrooper blaster rifle? If you look at your own artwork on the card for Stormtrooper Han (showing him holding up a blaster), it's a somewhat larger weapon than the current Hasbro mold (especially heightwise). The same actually goes for the clonetrooper short rifle as well, which has always seemed a bit smaller than the movie (look at when the 501st points his rifle at Bail Organa, it looks far bigger/menacing than the rifle that we currently get with our clones). (SNOW, 2009-06-12) (http://www.snowtroopers.ca/forum/index.php?topic=19484.0)

     Thanks for the comment.  We thought we were in scale, but we'll take a look and see if future improvements can be made.

The ESB Evo Emperor with a plastic hood looks great, finally solving the problem of soft goods hoods not having the necessary "weight" to drape downward on the head. And better, the plastic hood isn't too oversized like the previous attempt at the RotJ Emperor's hood. Can we now also get plastic hooded versions of old Ben (using your fantastic ANH Ben sculpt) for a proper ANH Duel with Vader, and of ANH Leia for her scene with R2 in the Tantive corridor? Also can you add footholes to the feet of your next incarnation of ANH Leia (the current ESB one doesn't have them, making it harder to stand her up). (SNOW, 2009-06-12) (http://www.snowtroopers.ca/forum/index.php?topic=19484.0)

     We're glad you like it - the removable hood does seem like a nice solution.  You make some excellent suggestions, and we'll look into it for future versions of Obi-Wan and Leia.

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In a recent answer, you said unless you could find a way to market Titaniums to kids, there were slim chances for a re-launch. Ok. However, in the Titanium brand's history, there hasn't been any focus on in-package co-play, that is, vehicle vs vehicle battle excitement, a "battle in a box". That has long been a feature of the micro-vehicles expression since Galoob's first foray into Star Wars 15 years ago, and over the past 5 years has been a growing portion of Hasbro's 3.75" action figure brand with stuff like multipacks and battle packs. But Titanium hasn't enjoyed such marketing, there haven't been battle packs recreating the Death Star trench run, there haven't been 2-packs of Jedi Starfighters vs Vulture Droids or AT-TEs vs Hailfire Droids. Why hasn't that been explored, get the kid market into battles right from the package, and thus start their Titaniums interest? Might the concept be worth testing out for a holiday retailer exclusive? Relatives are likely to buy kids an X-wing vs TIE Fighter, Snowspeeder vs AT-ST, Slave 1 vs Falcon, and other recognizable 2-packs for Christmas, especially if they have dynamic "in battle" packaging, don't you think? (SSG, 2009-06-12) (http://www.sirstevesguide.com/index.php?categoryid=13&p2_articleid=1934)

     While potentially a very interesting visual packaging execution, we don't think this the multi-pack suggestion an approach that will get kids interested in Titanium. With no inherent play pattern other than to facilitate imagination, and collectability, the format has limited chance to appeal to kids. We have looked at Micro Machines type of play, and even launched a full-scale (non Star Wars) Micro Machines relaunch a few years ago, but the micro play pattern as we know it is no longer interesting to kids.

With the drop in sales of the Legacy Collection, might it be time to rethink the stance on realistic versions of the Clone Wars characters? We know you have said many times "no plans for that", but the original Clone Wars animated line couldn't survive at market with a realistic-styled version out as well, it just seems like 1 popular figure line is always destined to cannibalize the other line's sales. Having realistic-styled CW figs would slow the hemorrhaging of casual collectors away from the core brand, unifying some of the fractured collector community. It also allows interactivity between the lines for the more fickle kids and collectors. So while Hasbro has no plans currently in place for the format change, might Hasbro ask Lucasfilm to rethink their stance for the protection of the realistic line, perhaps at least a single figure exclusive to gauge support for that realistic CW format? (SSG, 2009-06-12) (http://www.sirstevesguide.com/index.php?categoryid=13&p2_articleid=1934)

     It doesn't seem that a migration to Clone Wars is responsible for the drop in Legacy/Droid Factory. On the whole, collector purchases have dropped some, across the whole brand. There may be collectors active in Clone Wars, but if that's the case they have really "voted" to collect that expression. It remains an interesting suggestion, but there are still no plans to "cross-over" the lines.

Hasbro has confirmed that the 2009 Return of the Jedi assortment will include a new sculpt of Malakili, the Rancor Keeper. Given that virtually nobody was asking for a revisited Malakili, and that the '97 figure is one of the biggest pegwarmers of all time, certainly the most notorious one, why did you choose him over so many seemingly more deserving (and requested) Return of the Jedi characters? If there was a Hasbro desire to revisit him, wouldn't it have made far more sense to include him with the Target exclusive Rancor instead? With figures like Bane Malar, Breha Organa, and other not-really-thought-about collector-focused figures being released to less-than-enthusiastic sales, isn't Malakili an even bigger risk? Will there be a conscious effort to limit this figure's production and/or release rate to stem pegwarming concerns? Could you explain to collectors what the thinking was behind this release? (SSG, 2009-06-12) (http://www.sirstevesguide.com/index.php?categoryid=13&p2_articleid=1934)

     We decided that he was deserving of an articulation update, part of our desire to eventually rework all of the Kenner lineup. We would have liked to include him with the Rancor, but he was not ready in time (the Rancor was actually intended to be on shelf last November, but a date slip bumped him out to this Spring; essentially, they were almost a year apart). He will indeed be limited as will *all* collector-targeted figures starting with the Attack of the Clones wave. Despite what you think about Bane Malor, the fans seem to like him; unlike some of the "passive" characters, he was a very successful figure with no sell-through issues whatsoever.

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Hey Hasbro - What's UP? Why haven't the stores in my area seen any new figures since early February? Are you planning on ramming 56 new figures down my throat in a 6 week span sometime soon? (ST, 2009-06-12) (http://www.sandtroopers.com/smf/index.php?topic=5183.msg238290#msg238290)

     We assume you are referring to Legacy and not the Clone Wars figures. The Droid Factory EpIV wave has been shipping for a while (we assume that's the Feb wave you mentioned). The EpV wave has been out for a few weeks, and the EpII wave is now available.  We are actively shipping the new waves.  Beyond us making the waves available for retailers to order, we can't control when they get out and to what stores, since it's up to the automated replenishment systems at individual stores to note when figures need to be shipped from a retailers distribution center to the stores. If your store has some slower-moving figures on the pegs, this may be the reason why. We have noticed that Wal-Mart seems to be doing a much better job of getting the new Droid Factory figures to shelf lately than other retailers.  Those will be the last of the blue/white line look, to be followed in late August/early Sept. by numerous new waves.  There have been about 20 new figures so far this Spring; there will be about 34 available in the Fall.  This is more back-loaded than is ideal, but the change to the new line look meant we had to hold over at least one wave until Fall (the EpVI wave) rather than have it risk not being released at all if we ended up not needing it in Spring (which we didn't).

Today, I picked up the new Star Trek Bridge playset at Target. I am not a big Trek fan and I am not a Trek collector but I thought the playset would be a good way to display some vintage figures from other lines (Black Hole, Battlestar Gallactica, Buck Rogers, etc.) in one spot. The playset is a fairly simple piece (actually, a group of pieces) but is very well done (it actually reminds me somewhat of Palpatine's office in Ep. II and III). Because of its simplicity, it doesn't appear as if it would be overly costly to produce. In addition, the playset can be significantly expanded by buying separate packs of 'galaxy packs' that include chairs, consoles, and figures. Clearly, the galaxy packs are meant to help minimize the actual cost of the original playset while still offering consumers the chance to complete the environment. They also help increase the viability of production by "encouraging" fans to purchase the additional sets, which are mostly composed of re-paints and re-packs of previously released items. Is this an approach that Hasbro would consider for playsets? I can envision similar approaches to several Star Wars environments; the Emperor's Throne Room in ROTJ, Palpatine's Office in AOTC and ROTS, the Mos Eisley Cantina, various Death Star areas, the Hoth base, Yavin, Bespin, etc., etc. (ST, 2009-06-12) (http://www.sandtroopers.com/smf/index.php?topic=5183.msg238290#msg238290)

     This is not an approach that we would consider for playsets.  We do not believe that this would be a successful model for us, because the model is collector-targeted and the only viable playset approach would be a kid-targeted or, best case, attract a dual audience with a properly designed playset.  Playsets cannot narrowly target collectors, since the costs to tool them up are formidable which places a burden on garnering the largest audience possible (for example, like we do with the new large-scale vehicle program which consumers the same design resources and approximately the same tooling and retail price as a playset would). All of the ones you cite would only appeal to adult fans at this point since kids are primarily Clone Wars-focused. If we felt there was a great playset we could do that matched the current entertainment, we would pursue it, but there has been nothing in Clone Wars that is an enduring environment that would led itself to great playset design.  If the Death Star ever came back in future entertainment, that would be our choice, but for now we are concentrating on driving the vehicle system to new and greater heights until the time we do see a large playset opportunity.

In the final part of Season One of the Clone Wars, the Ryloth story arc featured Republic AT-TE's with a different color scheme (Grey with green accent) than the AT-TE's featured in Episodes 2 and 3 (grey with red/maroon accent). Will we see a re-issued AT-TE with this new paint scheme at some point in the future or at the very least a re-release of the AT-TE with grey+red/maroon coloring? (ST, 2009-06-12) (http://www.sandtroopers.com/smf/index.php?topic=5183.msg238290#msg238290)

     We are not planning a re-release of the AT-TE right now, but we hope that in the future we will have an opportunity to bring it back out.  If we do, we have earmarked that Ryloth version as a possibility, along with considering any future color schemes we may see.  The only thing certain is that if there is a re-release it will not the original color scheme.

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With talk that Hasbro might reuse the Ten Numb/Keyan Farlander sculpt again in 2009, can you fix the tendency for this figure to lean over to his left side?  While the problem is not as bad on Keyan, on Ten he leans over quite conspicuously. I wouldn't want to end up with a small squad of B-Wing pilots that all lean over to one side as Hasbro uses this sculpt for future pilot figures. (ST/"TJ", 2009-06-12) (http://www.sandtroopers.com/smf/index.php?topic=8437.msg238491#msg238491)

     This figure was actually made to stand with one leg forward, rather than the standard "at attention" pose that a lot of our pilots have.  We were trying to give some variety to the posing so scenes could look a little more organic and like we see in many scenes. We have heard from a number of collectors that they would prefer to have figures that are in a standard pose, so this is something we'll consider, especially as we release future B-Wing Pilots.

The only really disappointing aspect about both the TAC Mace Windu and now the TLC Stass Allie is the use of rigid plastic for the Jedi skirt. Hasbro took a big step in the right direction with the elasticized skirts and partial soft goods for the rear when they re-did both Obi-Wan and Anakin for TAC so they could easily sit and pose their legs in more dynamic action poses.  That can't be said for Mace or Stass though and it's frustrating that I can't sit them either in Jedi starfighters or in my Jedi Council set from a few years ago.  Could Hasbro please try to design future Jedi figures similar to the Obi and Anakin for better overall playability and poseability? (ST/"TJ", 2009-06-12) (http://www.sandtroopers.com/smf/index.php?topic=8437.msg238491#msg238491)

     That's a great comment that we'll pass on to the design team.  Thanks very much!

For the other rebel ground crewman that was dropped from the Scramble battlepack, can Hasbro include him in a way that makes it easy to army build? For those of us who want to recreate the Yavin ceremony, there are dozens of these crewmen in the audience. Hasbro may love it if we buy a dozen battlepacks to get more of this guy, but our wallets sure wouldn't. And what about making it easier to swap heads with future rebel figures so that we can try to diversify the looks of the crewmen (they aren't clones after all). (ST/"TJ", 2009-06-12) (http://www.sandtroopers.com/smf/index.php?topic=8437.msg238491#msg238491)

     While it's a great idea, we can't ensure a head-swap standard since we don't have a "universal" size and the size of the neck ball differs based on the figure (they are sculpted by an array of sculptors).  As for the future repacking of the ground crew figure, we have no plans to get him back out there but understand the desire.  Perhaps some day we will look at him again.

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In past Q&A's Hasbro has stated that certain segments of the line have suffered due to a shrinking of the collector base. Hasbro has also stated that they have changed some plans due to this downturn (canceled EU wave, etc). With no new theatrical pushes anytime soon for Star Wars, does Hasbro expect the collector base to grow again at some point and/or what will Hasbro try to do to attract the collector base back? (SWAN, 2009-06-12) (http://www.swactionnews.com/archives/ep199.htm)

     MP3 (http://www.swactionnews.com/Podcasts/SWAN199.MP3)

Certain other toy companies seem to have found some level of success with a line of action figures aimed squarely at collectors available as online only exclusives ordered directly from them (Mattel's Masters of the Universe Classics). Instead of having overflowing pegs of Yarna and Wilrows, collectors could just get them on line. Is this a business model Hasbro might employ to distribute figures that might be collector focused but would otherwise languish on store shelves? (SWAN, 2009-06-12) (http://www.swactionnews.com/archives/ep199.htm)

     MP3 (http://www.swactionnews.com/Podcasts/SWAN199.MP3)

Recently we have noticed that Hasbro Toy Shop has been selling AFA graded figures. What were the reasons behind this decision to sell AFA graded figures and will we see this AFA trend continue with Hasbro exclusive figures in the Star Wars license or others? (SWAN, 2009-06-12) (http://www.swactionnews.com/archives/ep199.htm)

     MP3 (http://www.swactionnews.com/Podcasts/SWAN199.MP3)

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I really like how you keep adding a few new cantina aliens to the lineup every year. The accessories that some of them have come with are great too! What I am wondering is if a similar yearly focus on Jabba's Palace aliens could be successful as well, or is there a fear that collectors would not support that kind of a theme as well as they have the cantina denizens? There are still a lot of great palace characters that have yet to be made such as Wam Lufba (Yuzzum), Geezum, Loje Nella and many more. (SWC, 2009-06-12) (http://www.swcollector.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=57&t=1399)

     We would like to follow the Jabba's skiff/Sail Barge aliens systematically, and hope that we can get a couple new ones in each year. Geezum would be a likely candidate someday. The other two are doubtful, at least for a very long while.

You have said in the past that if the vintage style cardbacks ever return, they would also be used for prequel and EU figures. Do you think that these will ever become a reality? Have any concepts ever been created of what a vintage style card for a prequel film character would look like? If so, would you be able to share a picture? (SWC, 2009-06-12) (http://www.swcollector.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=57&t=1399)

     We actually have not created a vintage style card for a prequel character, but can indeed confirm that this is the agreed direction should Vintage ever return. While there is no mock-up, we think that the cards would look spectacular, as if the Vintage line had never stopped. It's an intriguing and powerful concept, and one we hope to be able to get to when the time is right.

I've heard that Malakili is on the drawing board as an upcoming figure. While I look forward to being able to buy a companion for the upcoming Rancor, was any consideration given instead to do any of the other rancor keepers present in Jabba's dungeon that have never been previously released? (SWC, 2009-06-12) (http://www.swcollector.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=57&t=1399)

     We decided to go with Malakili because he checked off another box - that of a vintage figure that we wanted to bring completely up to date. We would like to do the other main Rancor keep some day.

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I find the Clone Wars figures hit or miss. I realise they are designed for kids but some are amazing and others not so much. Are you going to go back and redo or variations of some you have already released at all? For example a fully articulated Anakin and Obi-Wan would be most welcome.  The 1st versions were hampered by the robes and not able to do much below the waist. (TPU, 2009-06-12) (http://www.theprivateuniverse.co.uk/cgi-bin/showarticle.pl?section=news&articleid=4275)

     We will not be re-doing the basic figures to cater to the collector audience, but instead re-releasing them to keep up with kid demand for the core figures. We may release more articulated versions of Anakin and Obi-Wan as needed for other sets - such as the figure/vehicle packs for
example where they may need greater articulation to sit astride a vehicle. There will be other versions of both coming as well (such as space suit versions) but articulation will be on a case-by-case basis. In general, the Clone Wars line will not have as much articulation as the Legacy figure line, since kids are less demanding in this regard.


My 6 years old daughter is becoming a big Star Wars fan, but there aren't any girl orientated toys for her. Are there any plans to fill this collector group? Maybe a Barbie style of doll with interchangeable clothes would be a direction to take. (TPU, 2009-06-12) (http://www.theprivateuniverse.co.uk/cgi-bin/showarticle.pl?section=news&articleid=4275)

     We build any line around consumer insights drawn from the entertainment, matched to the demographic. Despite the huge success of Clone Wars, Star Wars still remains very boy-focused. That's not to say there aren't girls watching, but the market is just not big enough to warrant development of a line for the small demographic and a play pattern that is not a solid fit (more credence could be given to interchangeable Clone gear, for instance, than a Padme-type play pattern like we attempted for Episode I and which did not succeed). We do know that many girls who get into Star Wars want lightsabers and role play, and will play with action figures just like the boys... we saw this during Episode III and believe the same trend holds for Clone Wars.

You have made bigger scale X-Wings, Tie Fighters and Millennium Falcon, is there any chance of there being bigger scale Slave 1? With Boba Fett being such a popular character I am sure that a bigger Slave 1 would be welcomed by collectors. (TPU, 2009-06-12) (http://www.theprivateuniverse.co.uk/cgi-bin/showarticle.pl?section=news&articleid=4275)

     The Slave 1 is very high up on the list of vehicles we'd like to see re-done someday. If there were entertainment support behind, we'd feel more confident about it's chances of success, since we'd need more than collectors to get behind what would be a more expensive vehicle.

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Recently collectors have been noticing a shift in the color of the B.A.D. parts for U-3PO from the bright silver in their initial release to a more subdued champagne/platinum hue. Was this variation produced intentionally to correct an initial molding error or are the new colored parts just something that happens in production? (YF, 2009-06-12) (http://www.yakfaceforums.com/viewtopic.php?p=67756)

     This change was based on a request from Lucasfilm.  We were able to catch the request partway through the run, and the color moved from the silver version to the slightly more yellow "champagne" version.  The color difference is *very* subtle.

The new Magnaguard fighter is starting to hit shelves around the country and I was lucky enough to pick one up the other day and it is one awesome vehicle. High praise to the designer(s) that had the foresight to incorporate the storage hatches for the Magnaguard's electrostaff in each wing. I did notice something quite curious about the fighter though. What is the intended purpose of the hexgonal hole on the top of aft section of the fuselage? The only use I can see for it is to stow the CW Magnaguard figure's rocket launcher. Am I close in guessing what this is for or is there some other function for it that I'm not seeing? (YF, 2009-06-12) (http://www.yakfaceforums.com/viewtopic.php?p=67756)

     Yes indeed, it is designed to be compatible with the Magnaguard's launcher.  You know, this vehicle is a pretty cool one when you think about it.  Who knew, when we first saw Episode III unfold on screen, that we'd see these cool guys get their own ship (much less multiple different versions of this single type of droid).  This is why we love Star Wars!

It's been a while since we've heard anything about the progress of Willrow Hood, can we expect to see a finished version of him on display at SDCC (San Diego Comic-Con)? If not*, would it be possible for you to share a teaser photo with us of the prototype (or final figure) to see how this fan fav's sculpt is coming along? (YF, 2009-06-12) (http://www.yakfaceforums.com/viewtopic.php?p=67756)

     Yes, you will see Willrow in all his fan-requested glory, with signature accessory, at Comic Con.

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YN
Title: Re: The Hasbro Q & A Compendium
Post by: Matt on July 8, 2009, 03:59 PM
Session 72 - July 6, 2009


BS

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Regarding exclusives: Do you have a set number you must produce each year by contract, or do you take each year as it comes, churning out as many as the various retailers, websites, and conventions ask for? And is there any way you could please reduce the number of exclusives per year so we foreigners (and struggling Americans) can catch up? };D (CC, 2009-07-06) (http://tinyurl.com/CC-2009-07-06)

     Star Wars is one of the brands in highest demand for exclusives by retailers, so there is a lot of interest in them every year. We actually turn down a large number of Star Wars exclusive requests every year for simple lack of resources and bandwidth to deal with them all. We do hear your pain, and the good news is that there are fewer overall exclusives in 2009, and our plan is to bring that down even a little further in 2010. We plan to keep doing "meaningful" exclusives (multi-figure sets with some key new figures like Droid Factory, Geonosis Arena, comic packs), more new vehicles, and updated vehicles in the coming years. Trust us, the hunt will be worthwhile.

Looking at the "Turbo Tank Gunner Crew" Figure & Vehicle Pack image shown off at Toy Fair, I got to wondering: are the two missile launchers / mortars in the set actually designed to plug into the Turbo Tank somewhere? And if so, where? (CC, 2009-07-06) (http://tinyurl.com/CC-2009-07-06)

     Yes, they are designed to work with the Turbo Tank and plug into mounts on the top and side door.

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Recently, pictures of the TPM wave surfaced online, and they seem to be of final production samples. We've seen a trend in the last few years of deco work becoming steadily weaker and weaker, with the Gungan Warrior sporting a particularly weak deco. On all previous Gungans, the colored parts of the arms have been detailed and accurate to the film and the different colors on the face have blended together well; on this new version, the paint seems sloppy, with no details on the arms and a stark contrast between the dark and light colors. While we understand that you've cut back on weathering and other details due to cost issues, this Gungan seems a bit much. Will we continue to see increasingly poor paint applications as the line continues, is there too much budget given to articulation at the expense of deco, and if so, what reasons are behind these issues? Will the line's deco get cheaper and more toyetic as the prices increase due to ever-tightening budgetary issues? (CS, 2009-07-06) (http://tinyurl.com/CS-2009-07-06)

     We understand your frustration, and will try to address what you seem to be seeing. Please note that In every case, we are trying to make the best figures we can and in recent years have attempted to increase articulation, which brings with it it's own set of challenges in delivering the overall line on our costing targets. One factor that you may not appreciate is the inherent costs that higher articulation bring; with it comes an increased number of tools to manufacture each figure, increased labor to assemble and paint, and increased deco count because of the number of parts that need to be painted. So just because you see what *looks* like fewer deco ops, doesn't mean there actually *are*; in fact, there may be more depending on the complexity of the figure. The Gungan happens to be a highly articulated figure - moreseo than any Gungan we have done to date - with a decent number of accessories. We are very proud of him and think that you will be very pleased when you finally get to see him in person.

Hasbro has had a long history of packing new figures or improved sculpts in various multipacks with re-released figures. This essentially makes longtime collectors choose between re-purchasing figures they may have multiple times already (Vader and Han Solo are notable repeat offenders), or completely miss out on the new figures in the sets. This has, unfortunately, caused many unscrupulous collectors to purchase the sets, remove the figures or accessories they want, replace them with older, less desirable figures, and return them to the store for full credit. Though honest collectors will bring this to the attention of store management, many times the tampered-with items are back on the shelf the next day for whatever reason. Though we understand the business sense behind offering the new with the old, the practice of figure-swapping-to-return theft is steadily on the rise and far less rare than it should be, while employees are less able or diligent to keep that tampered product off their shelves. Isn't there anything you can do to potentially slow the problem, both the initial swapping and the employees re-stocking the tampered items after it's been brought to their attention? (CS, 2009-07-06) (http://tinyurl.com/CS-2009-07-06)

     It's an annoying problem to be sure, and something that we try to police as we can. Our retail merchandising teams, who are out in stores weekly, let us know of issues fas they arise and pull the damaged product they notice. This ensures it comes out of the system to make sure it gets replaced. We also alert the retail folks at the return desk, and have even participated in criminal prosecutions in a couple of cases in conjunction with our retail partners. Still, we could always use help here since the differences in figures are subtle, and if you are noticing a systematic issue in your local store, please be sure to let the area manager or return desk know of the problems. As for our general philosophy of repacks, which you mention upfront in your question, we always try to make sure that either *all* of the figures in a pack are new and improved in some way, or *none* of them (straight repacks like many Battle Packs). In this way, the completist collector does not feel compelled to buy three figures they already have, say, to get one figure they need. We are always cognizant of the figure completist who wants to have a sample of each figure loose and out of pack, and from that determine our strategy. It doesn't always work out quite the way we want it to for various reasons (tooling resources, figure availability, etc) but we plan to stick with this philosophy.

A recent disassembly of your Titanium Series V-19 Starfighter led to the surprising discovery of a detailed cockpit underneath the opaque yellow canopy. Why was this item released with the opaque canopy rather than a transparent one which would have shown off the detailing underneath? You guys are paying to design, sculpt, and tool up that interior, so why hide it? Will this be addressed in some sort of re-release before the line's end? (CS, 2009-07-06) (http://tinyurl.com/CS-2009-07-06)

     This was a production mistake that was overlooked during final approvals. There will be a running change to a clear canopy that should get out before the line goes on hiatus.

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Now that Pod Racers will be coming only one-per-card, does that mean that you will start doing the same with Ewoks? I hope not, but if that is the case, it would be nice to get a really nice accessory with each Ewok. Some cool Ewok accessories to date have been the Imperial Helmet Drums with Drumsticks; C-3PO's Ewok Deity Throne; the trap net that came with R2-D2; the Ewok Glider; and the Wokling. [Editor's Note: More Woklings, please.] I hope you can find a way to add some more to the mix like the Ceremonial Roasting Spit with Fire Pit! (GH, 2009-07-06) (http://tinyurl.com/lj6sf8)

     For now, we plan to keep producing Ewoks at two-per-card.  We really like your idea on the Spit/Pit and will mark that one for a future accessory should we need to reduce, or look at it for a potential Battle Pack if it makes sense.  Thanks!

Since the beginning of these Q&A sessions there have been hints about the resurrection of beasts (in particular the Dewback). What time frame are we looking at now? A lot of collectors are expecting/hoping to see this come to fruition at Comic-Con 2009. (GH, 2009-07-06) (http://tinyurl.com/lj6sf8)

     We don't have plans to do a wholesale Beast SKU, but do hope to get them into the lineup occasionally.  Look for news on a significant new one at Comic Con - we're not revealing which one it is just yet. Stay tuned!

How good is the chance of getting an Revenge of the Sith Beru Lars retooled/repainted from the [currently shipping] Attack of the Clones Beru Whitesun? The Revenge of the Sith version appears to have the same style outfit except in a different color scheme, with a different hairstyle. Therefore she only needs a new headsculpt and a repainted body. We need Revenge of the Sith Beru Lars to hold our Baby Luke Skywalker figure! (GH, 2009-07-06) (http://tinyurl.com/lj6sf8)

     While we're in no hurry for another Beru, this is one that we know we can activate at some point. A baby Luke figure does make a ton of sense as an accessory.

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In previous Q&As, you've revealed that there will be "a couple" of Cantina Dudes in the Fall ANH wave... but you've also indicated that you'd like to keep their exact identity secret until SDCC. How about this - we'll list off a pile of Cantina Dudes and you tell us generically if we've ID'ed one, two, or none of the figures? Sound Good? Ok, here we go: Mosep (aka Marvel Comic Jabba), Baniss Keeg, Reegesk, Hrchek Kal Fas (Saurin), Tzizvvt, Arliel Schous (Defel), Leesub Sirln, or Solomohal. How'd we do? (HH, 2009-07-06) (http://tinyurl.com/HH-2009-07-06)

     OK, since your approach was fun and you have a very high quality of selects on your list, we'll play along. That list you have there matches pretty well our personal wish list. We'll go ahead and acknowledge that both of the aliens coming this Fall are on your list. Complete details and a preview will be available in a few weeks - stay tuned!

Any chance we could get some bigger pics of the Fall TRU exclusive Galactic Heroes Cinema Scenes (AotC Kamino and ANH Droid Purchase)? Staring at the tiny pics from the Toy Fair collector presentation has been hurting our eyes and we'd love to get a closer look at them before they hit stores in a couple months. (HH, 2009-07-06) (http://tinyurl.com/HH-2009-07-06)

     See attached...

Kamino Showdown Cinema Scene (http://i32.tinypic.com/sf8gns.jpg)

Purchase of the Droids Cinema Scene (http://i26.tinypic.com/li5wn.jpg)

Here's another Han Solo for your "parking lot" - what about combining the parts of Hoth Han and Bespin Han to give us an Echo Base Hangar Han Solo figure? One where he's wearing his brown pants (with yellow stripes) and the notorious Blue/Brown winter parka (hood down). Part Hoth Han, Part Bespin Han, but all good. (HH, 2009-07-06) (http://tinyurl.com/HH-2009-07-06)

     Good spotting. That is one that we have our eyes on for a future version as well. Expect to see him within the next couple of years, most likely in the basic figure lineup.

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We have heard rumors of a newly tooled ATST being released this fall. Can you tell us what price point we are looking at for this item, and if possible, will it include driver figures or inspire the release of a 2 or more driver battlepacks to man up the ATST? And will it be released in either an Empire Strikes Back or Return of the Jedi theme (we would love a little sneak pic if possible please)? (IS, 2009-07-06) (http://tinyurl.com/IS-2009-07-06)

     No information has or will be released on any future vehicles or creatures. Both mainline and exclusive, until Comic Con.  We will say that you will be very pleased with the selection we have on tap.

With the increasing sophistication in figures, particularly in the excellent articulation, will Hasbro be revisiting any other older figures for a revamp, like was done with the ESB Hoth Rebels and Ugnaughts?  Examples would include:  ANH Uncle Owen, Aunt Beru, her Service Droid, Wuher, Naboo Security, Bespin Security, Sebulba, and so on. (IS, 2009-07-06) (http://tinyurl.com/IS-2009-07-06)

     Yes, we will be looking at some of these periodically and at least one significant figure from your list will be coming this Fall.  As for the rest, they are not high on our list and will be much longer-term options for us - especially Wuher whom we think is most in need of an upgrade. It's unlikely that we'll get to Sebulba - in our opinion that Dug is still a sharp figure and would not see redoing him as a priority.

I have noticed that some of your not yet released Clone Wars figures have been showing up for sale on ebay. Some are listed as official Hasbro figures and some are listed as customs, but obviously are not. Some are loose and one, Commander Ponds, are MOC. I am talking about Gree, Bly, Thire, Ponds, and Droidbait coming from Hong Kong, Malaysia, and the Phillipines. Are these figures already released in these countries and not in the US yet? We are including a few examples of sample ebay auctions for reference that can be searched through ebay. (IS, 2009-07-06) (http://tinyurl.com/IS-2009-07-06)

     We cannot comment on these auctions, but we do keep our eye out.  We do take appropriate actions with authorities to ensure the integrity of the chain of custody of our pre-production and prototype figures remains intact.

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It's time for some love for the Endor Rebels. We're curious to know if a possible future Endor Rebel figure could maybe be modeled on the "Sergeant" with the trench coat (like Sideshow's recent 12" figure). Also, the vintage Kener Endor Commando (with the opened camo coat) has never technically been recreated for the modern line. He'd make a good unique looking Endor Trooper in the future too! *hint hint* (JD, 2009-07-06) (http://jedidefender.com/newspro/fullnews.cgi?newsid1246915870,72022,)

     Hints taken..those are excellent figure selections. Right now we don't have a new Endor Commando slotted into the lineup, but it's only a mater of time before we get to them. We feel confident that at some point, one or both of those will see the light of day.

Lots of Star Wars video game updates were doled out at the big E3 show this month. In particular, we're all totally excited by the look of Star Wars: The Old Republic. Based on the fact that we've seen you pull from the recent games (KOTOR, TFU), we're hoping you've got something cooking for potential SWTOR figures in 2010 and beyond? (JD, 2009-07-06) (http://jedidefender.com/newspro/fullnews.cgi?newsid1246915870,72022,)

     Right now there is nothing planned for 2010, only because we are reaching the latter stages of 2010 development and we know nothing about the game beyond the trailer that was recently introduced. We would certainly look to try and do something beyond that, and plan to get together with Lucasfilm when they are ready to give us a peak that could inspire development.

What are the chances of sneaking the Yavin IV Technician figure from the Scramble Battle Pack into the Legends assortment this Fall? Lots of folks out there would love to put together a little army of techies. Or are there other plans for his tooling that would keep him out of the Legends assortment? (JD, 2009-07-06) (http://jedidefender.com/newspro/fullnews.cgi?newsid1246915870,72022,)

     There are no plans for him beyond the Scramble on Yavin Battle Pack. He would not fit the current definition of a Saga Legend since he is not a kid-targeted figure and those slots go to the highest demanded and most recognizable characters from across the Saga.

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JI

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You've said that the Battle Pack format will be changing shortly. Can you tell us how and when this format will be changing - will it be the contents of the packs (to include more vehicles, and less figures, like the recent Yavin Pack) and/or will the size be changing?  When these first started out we had 4 troopers in small mailer boxes and then this evolved into the Cinema Scenes so we're intrigued as to what's next?  Also, will the recently shown pictures of the Kamino Conflict Battle Pack feature any revised sculpts? (JN, 2009-07-06) (http://tinyurl.com/JN-2009-07-06)

     The size will change next Fall - the footprint will be approximately the same size as the Battle Packs that ran from late Fall '05 through until Spring '08, with a little less height since the format has changed to four figures so the height is not needed to pose so many figures in pack.  The deeper package from the blue/white Clone Wars line look has been very difficult to manage for some retailers since fewer could fit on shelf at a time, which presented problems with the number we could include in a case pack and overall ratio management across all retailers as a result.  As to the contents, there will be no more vehicles like the Yavin set in the mainline battle packs, and the assortment will consist of more four (and maybe five) figure packs. We will also draw from the existing library of sets that continually sell very well like Jedi vs. Sidious, Clone Attack on Coruscant, etc.  We will mix in a few new ones, but they are going to be primarily kid-targeted.  As for the new Kamino set, all of the figures are existing with originald eco. We did have to remove some of the grungy paint wipes from R4 for costing reasons, but that is pretty marginal.

We've seen images of the animated Clone Wars Cad Bane figure - will we get the other Bounty Hunters from the last episode of Season 1 of the Clone Wars including Aurra Sing and others? (JN, 2009-07-06) (http://tinyurl.com/JN-2009-07-06)
 
     Yes you will - by next Fall there will be a tasty new assortment of Clone Wars bounty hunters to look for.  We will have a lot more detail on the full range next Spring at Toy Fair.

Wave 2 of the Clone Wars 2-Packs arrived in the UK at Sainsbury's a couple of months back but we've not seen Wave 1 at retail - will we see these in the UK and if so when?  Also, are there any plans for anymore Clone Wars 2-Packs and if so what figures will feature - any chance we'll see any repaints of Battle Droids in these packs as it seems an easy way to get them out there to the fans? (JN, 2009-07-06) (http://tinyurl.com/JN-2009-07-06)

     What you are seeing *is* Wave 1 of that particular assortment….a heroic good guy figure vs. a battle droid, both consisting of mainline deco without changes.  We do have plans for different Clone Wars 2-pack configurations.  Toys 'R Us will also be carrying a wave of 3 other repack 2-packs (Anakin/R2-D2, Grevious/Battle Droid, Cody/Clone).  In the U.S., there will be a couple of special clone-focused 2-packs coming this Fall (unfortunately, we could not get a retail partner to sign onto this one in the U.K. and Europe, although they will be coming to Aus/NZ.

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One of the big attractions of the Ultimate Battle Packs has been the inclusion of some never before made set pieces. Items like the new Hoth Rebel turrets, the Sarlacc Pit and even the Endor logs wound up being a significant draw for some collectors. But something that collectors have become more and more mindful of in the Q&A process is that tooling these items is costly, and these sets take up a good deal of space at retail.

With that in mind, will collectors see more of these exclusive Ultimate Battle Packs in the future? And what of the larger accessories? I know that I for one would LOVE an Imperial Turbo Laser station from the trench run in A New Hope! (JTA, 2009-07-06) (http://tinyurl.com/JTA-2009-07-06)

     Right now, there are no more Ultimate Battle Packs on the horizon. We would like to do more, but recent costing challenges have forced us to abandon the concept. We hope to get back to it at some point - there are a bunch of things we would like do to if we did go back to the format.

A continual point of discussion amongst figure collectors is articulation, articulation and articulation! And since the introduction of the modern vintage line we have seen basic figure articulation improve significantly.

But one of the things that has been a hallmark of the Star Wars saga is that life forms come in all shapes and sizes. Yoda told us that size matters not. But how does the size of a small character such as Yoda impact the sculpt and articulation of a figure? Especially when such a dynamic character as Yoda is involved. (JTA, 2009-07-06) (http://tinyurl.com/JTA-2009-07-06)

     The smaller the character, the less articulation (and fewer sculpted parts) they will generally need. Since we are used to sculpting things at very tiny sizes, though, small limbs do not pose that much of a different challenge as opposed to a regular-sized character. Down to road somewhere is sure to be a smaller character - like Yoda - where we will want to push the articulation envelope and we are sure that our team will enthusiastically step up to the challenge. We have some amazing sculptors working on the Star Wars line!

One of the much talked about images from Clone Wars season 2 has to be the clip of a Mandalorian warrior that was shown at Star Wars Weekends at Walt Disney World. Can we expect to see a Clone Wars Mandalorian in that line in the coming year? And can you offer any insight into who this Mandalorian might be? (JTA, 2009-07-06) (http://tinyurl.com/JTA-2009-07-06)

     You can expect to see him in the lineup in 2010. We are not at liberty to reveal any more, except in due time. Stay tuned!

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My question is about Padme Amidala. Looking over the figures of her that you have produced, I noticed that you have almost completed her "Episode 1 Collection", with only 2 gowns to go, her "Post-Senate" appearance in Palpatine's Apartment, and her "Return to Naboo" appearence.

On top of those, we could use an upgrade to both Padme in her Battle outfit and her Tatooine Disguise (even though the original was great, additional articulation would be appreciated). Being aware of your plans to produce at least 1 Padme per year, what are the chances that any of these figures may appear in the line up in the next few years?

And while I'm on about Padme, if you did a new SA Padme in her Ep1 Battle outfit in the next few years, you could easily create a Battle Pack featuring her Handmaidens in the same outfits, by creating several new heads, for when the demand for Episode 1 becomes greater - as you have predicted. (MD, 2009-07-06) (http://tinyurl.com/MD-2009-07-06)

     The ones you suggest are very good, although neither EpI designs are slotted into the lineup anywhere yet. In particular, we like the idea of an upgraded battle outfit at some point….that is actually a more agressive figure. That is a very interesting idea for the handmaidens in the Naboo battle outfit - thanks for the suggestion.

I really liked your idea of adding extra guns to the saga legends figures during legacy. Are you going to change this up abit and maybe add jedi robes and lightsabers to the jedi legends that are release?  We can never have enough soft good robes or lightsabers these days. (MD, 2009-07-06) (http://tinyurl.com/MD-2009-07-06)

     We don't have any plans to change the format for now, since the cards are all done and we don't plan a re-release with different accessories. That is an interesting idea if we ever go back to the pack-in format beyond the red/white line look.

Way back at 2002's New York Toy Fair with the Attack Of The Clones line was first officially unveiled, the Geonosian Arena Playset was shown with a Geonosian Sonic Cannon. This was ultimately left out of the final set, presumably for cost reasons. What are the chances that we may see this finally released, perhaps in a Battle Pack, or even as part of the Geonosian Arena 2-Packs - should they continue beyond 2009? (MD, 2009-07-06) (http://tinyurl.com/MD-2009-07-06)

     We would ike to do a sonic cannon at some point. While it is not on our active list, we would say that there is a very good chance of this one seeing daylight in the next 3-4 years.

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Fanboys director Kyle Newman has an interesting suggestion regarding an exclusive: bring back the classic cardbacks! This has worked well for G.I. Joe in recent years, and the former "vintage" line from 2004-2007 was somehting that longtime collectors really enjoyed, and one you've stated that you'd like to bring back one day. As a promo, maybe we could even see an exclusive figure of the long-ago promised firing jetpack Boba Fett? That could spark a lot of interest and get collectors very excited! (RS, 2009-07-06) (http://tinyurl.com/RS-2009-07-06)

     There is one way to ensure that Vintage cardbacks could make a return, and that is if Kyle comes to Rhode Island. With Kristen Bell. Then we are pretty sure that we could figure out how to get them back into the lineup. No Ben Quadinaros, though - he is off the table even if Kyle himself would buy ten of them.

You've stated a number of times that there will be 4 concept figures this year. We know the first one is the Anakin concept figure in the AOTC wave. Without mentioning which figures you have on tap for the other three, could you let us know which waves they will be in and can we expect to see the other three concept figures this year, or have any been pushed back to 2010? (RS, 2009-07-06) (http://tinyurl.com/RS-2009-07-06)

     The three will be coming this year, in the last three waves slated for 2010 (EpIV, EpIII, and EpV respectively). The first two red/white line look waves (EpI, followed by the epic EpVI wave) will not have concept figures.

I am very impressed with what you have managed to accomplish with the comic-packs line since it has become available. That said, there is one modern comic that has been ignored so far: Dark Times. Do fans of this series have some hope on the horizon? (RS, 2009-07-06) (http://tinyurl.com/RS-2009-07-06)

     We have our eyes on one Dark Times #6 pack for 2010 (pending final tooling allotment, which has run way over our prediction and as a result some items have been delayed, dropped, and shifted around). Once we get settled down, we hope to get that first one out there and then see where the series leads us. We know there are a couple more we'd like to do longer term if we can ever get to them as well.

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Many popular characters from Season 1 of Clone Wars, such as Cad Bane, have had upwards of half a year between the time they appeared in the show and when their figure was released because it was impossible for Hasbro to design and produce the figures quickly enough. However, Season 2 of Clone Wars was completed several months ago, even though the new season won't premiere until later this fall. With this additional lead time, will we be able to see new characters appear as action figure close to, or even before, those characters appear in the show? (RTM, 2009-07-06) (http://tinyurl.com/RTM-2009-07-06)

     Unfortunately, we still do not have perfect synchronization between the show and the figures in North America, since the shows air first here and the final order is not determined until much later after production is well under way. Similarly, we are not able to proceed until we get assets, and they may not come in time for us to produce a figure since it takes upwards of 15 months even for basic figures from the time we get input until the time they see daylight on shelf. We are working with Lucasfilm to close this gap as much as possible since we want to have a much better match to the actual air date of episodes, at least in North America where the season will debut first. For the rest of the world, or figures will more in synch with the show.

Could they clarify a previous answer? In the last Hasbro Q&A RTM posted the answers to, Hasbro said that the only Padme Mighty Mugg they would release was the Queen Amidala Mugg. That was a strange answer, as up until now, there has been no Queen Amidala Mugg, no mention or rumor of an impending Amidala and the line seems to be coming to a quick halt. Is a Queen Amidala Mighty Mugg forthcoming, or was that answer a mistake? (RTM, 2009-07-06) (http://tinyurl.com/RTM-2009-07-06)

     Unfortunately, the wave that was to include Queen Amidala was the last wave that was cut from the line. At present, there are no plans to release them. If Toys 'R Us has great results with Mighty Muggs as a global exclusive, and we need to release more new ones to fulfill need, this would be the first wave to activate since there are four Muggs (including Amidala) all done and ready to go. Right now, though, we cannot make a release to get to them until current production sells through.

The Build-A-Droid promotion that has been part of The Legacy Collection has been one of the most fun and exciting pack-ins in action figure history. Will the Build-A-Droid promotion definitely end in 2010, or is there a possibility of it continuing for a longer period of time? There are still many, many background droids that could benefit from this program, such as R2-X2, a better R2-B1, and R2-A5. (RTM, 2009-07-06) (http://tinyurl.com/RTM-2009-07-06)

     It's too early to talk about what is coming that far down the road. We will have complete details on the Fall 2010 line, and whether Droid Factory will continue in the mainline, at Toy Fair next Spring.

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Why the big price increase on the new Y-Wing? It sounds like it's the size of the $20 ship assortment, maybe the B-Wing size of $40 tops.  Does it include electronics and lights to bring the cost up so high?  I'm afraid that if it is "plain jane" you are pricing the collectors and the kids out of the market, especially in these difficult economic times.  As cool as it looks, many of us will not pay the $65+ dollars that is being asked for this. (SAND, 2009-07-06) (http://tinyurl.com/SAND-2009-07-06)

     It is a huge ship - the Y-Wing is *much* bigger than the Starfighter Assortment and is bigger even than the Republic Gunship/ARC 170 type ships.  As such, it is an expensive craft to tool, and it commands the new price.  There are no eletronics with this ship.  If this format is sucessful, we hope that it can be a continuing price point that will enable us to introduce some additional "midsize" vehicles and upgrades into the mix.

How come Star Wars figures don't have a list of what the items included are or instructions if needed? For instance what is the tiny item on the new Captain Typho's belt?? There have been a couple of instances in the past where just figuring it out takes an adult time, why wouldn't it be made easier for a kid? (SAND, 2009-07-06) (http://tinyurl.com/SAND-2009-07-06)

     Specific contents like figure accessories change more frequently than we'd like right up until production, so we typically don't list them. Sometimes, they actual accesories aren’t defined but are left more to the imagination to decide how to use (the cannister that came witht he recent Jawa/WED Droid is a great example).  In this case, Typho's accessory is defined - it's a Naboo army-issue thermal detonator.

After the success and positive customer/fan response to last year's Force Unleashed figures that tied in with the video game of the same name, what are the chances that we might see some figures from the upcoming Old Republic video game? And what characters would have the best chance of being made? There were several in the cinematic trailer alone that would translate well into plastic. (SAND, 2009-07-06) (http://tinyurl.com/SAND-2009-07-06)

     It's way to early to talk about The Old Republic.  We saw the trailer at the same time you did, and we were completely blown away by it's awesomeness.  At this point, there is no timetable on when we'd get to meet and discuss what is at the game's core and what and when we would in figure form to accompany it.  What we do know is that we would probably follow the game's debut, rather than try and time our figures to the launch.  We can't wait to see more...and the wait will be too long until we do!

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SNOW

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Understanding that it's still too far away to talk about and that plans could always change, with the upcoming live-action TV show on the horizon to again boost interest in Star Wars collecting, would Hasbro release those figures as their own separate line, or would they be integrated into an overall line such as the Saga series? (SSG, 2009-07-06) (http://tinyurl.com/SSG-2009-07-06)

     We have absolutely no idea what's up with the live action TV show. Most likely we would look at a separate line, as Clone Wars is.

As the first generation of TLC and Clone Wars packaging nears the end of its run, we are noticing smaller amounts of new waves hitting local stores, and odd case assortments in those waves and their revisions. The ESB wave seems to be trickling in very slowly, with many collectors not having seen it "in the wild". The AOTC wave has appeared online, but still not in stores as of June. Clone Wars wave 5 has appeared in short supply and with a case assortment that still only includes 1 of each new figure, padding shelves with existing figures that aren't in short supply and don't seem to need significant restocking, while ensuring new figures get choked out, and it seems to be continuing for the next few CW and TLC waves (we understand the Hasbro argument about not having enough new product manufacturing volume for a wave, but there seem to be less revisions to address that, and more figures not moving fast enough to make way). While we understand that there is always a retailer reset of the lines with new packaging, a holding of the breath, it seems like this year it's been a longer-term problem and many collectors are growing frustrated with the scarcity of newer figures. Are there other reasons behind the lack of new figures on shelves, is there a remedy for it before the new packaging comes in? (SSG, 2009-07-06) (http://tinyurl.com/SSG-2009-07-06)

     Clone Wars continues to be a monstrous hit with kids, necessitating waves with only 1/case of the new figures and constant repacks of the "greatest hits" to ensure that the most popular characters remain in rotation. The problem has been with Legacy; with sales not where we were expecting them, the new waves are having a harder time getting in to retail since there is still a good amount of previous waves on the shelves. However, there here should be plenty of EpV to go around by now. The challenge will be with the EpII wave - we cut back production on this one and it will be the scarcest of all the Legacy waves, and we needed to give new production over to the red/white waves to make sure they get in to retail approximately late August/early Sept. If folks want to be sure they can get the complete EpII wave, we recommend one of the Internet-based suppliers as they are able to order product directly from us by the specific wave, whereas the brick and mortar retailers do not have that precision and there is no telling which stores will get it. Just as an FYI - there is no hard planogram reset date this year for Star Wars, so the new red/white packaging will flow in right after the previous waves have gone through retail, and will not be the same for all retailers depending upon stock.

Perhaps a longshot, but does Hasbro have access to the old Kenner Droids line's vehicle molds, the Side Gunner, ATL Interceptor, perhaps even the infamously never released White Witch? Will there be any chance to see these given new life and released under Hasbro one day? (SSG, 2009-07-06) (http://tinyurl.com/SSG-2009-07-06)

     Sadly, we don't have any of these left in our tooling library. We're not sure if the White Witch was ever actually tooled up, but it sure is a good looking vehicle. Unless it gets modern entertainment support it's highly unlikely that we'd go ahead with it.

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It has been announced that Wal-Mart is going to be shrinking its toy departments by half or more. While it has been said the biggest impact will be felt by independent toy producers we can't but help wonder what impact this will have on Star Wars toys. What have you heard about this and can you tell us if this means no more wal mart exclusives for Star Wars of if we will see less Star Wars in our Wal-Mart stores? (SWAN, 2009-07-06) (http://tinyurl.com/SWAN-2009-07-06)

     MP3 (http://tinyurl.com/nyv6a2)

For the Toys-R-Us exclusive V-Wing it came with a clone pilot. Does this pilot differ from the figure called Oddball on regular cards and if not why not just say the vwing comes with Oddball? (SWAN, 2009-07-06) (http://tinyurl.com/SWAN-2009-07-06)

     MP3 (http://tinyurl.com/nyv6a2)

It had previously been said the new sized cards would not have clamshells that fit. However the sdcc luke figure comes in a clamshell. Can you clarify about availabily of protective cases for these new smaller figures? (SWAN, 2009-07-06) (http://tinyurl.com/SWAN-2009-07-06)

     MP3 (http://tinyurl.com/nyv6a2)

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Several core characters are still in need of updated accessories to bring them current to the modern line. Now that we have an Episode I Obi-Wan with a flare-bladed version of his lightsaber, Episode I's Darth Maul still needs a flare-bladed double-saber and Episode VI's Jedi Knight Luke needs a flare-bladed green lightsaber. Any hints as to when we might see these inprovements made? (SWC, 2009-07-06) (http://tinyurl.com/SWC-2009-07-06)

     Interesting - the older-style lightsabers do seem to be a little simple. The short answer is that we don't have plans to update these accessories, but they would be a good idea to do should these figures become slotted into the Saga Legends line at some point. Thanks for the comment.

In a recent Q&A you stated one of the upcoming Concept Art figures would be a Clone Trooper. Will this be an Episode II or Episode III clone concept? (SWC, 2009-07-06) (http://tinyurl.com/SWC-2009-07-06)

     Sorry about that - we may have mis-answered. There is no concept Clone Trooper figure coming. If you want to check on the answer you were referring to and let us know what the question/answer was, we can help clarify and get you the answer you need.

Photos of a cardboard Death Star Playset prototype have surfaced online recently. Is this something currently in development, or an old concept that was abandonned? (SWC, 2009-07-06) (http://tinyurl.com/SWC-2009-07-06)

     That was an older concept model from several years back. There is no Death Star playset in development.

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In a recent Q&A, in regard to the collector-oriented figures you stated that "the collector figures really started to struggle compared to all past years." My question is how do you account for Bane Malar? He shipped in EQUAL quantity to Ak-Rev and Yarna Gargan and yet he completely sold out! Gargan was a very niche figure and not action-oriented, and Ak-Rev was so poorly articulated and as such both had little play value. Based on the success of Bane Malar, does Hasbro recognize the potential of collector oriented figures that are well articulated and chosen wisely? Yes, we know that super-articulation adds to your costs, but compare the sales figures and I'm sure you'll see the benefit. Please look at what you did right in the initial Legacy wave instead of focusing on the mistakes when planning the future of the line. ("TJ", 2009-07-06) (http://tinyurl.com/TJ-2009-07-06)

     That is an excellent point, and one which we recognize and does factor into our decision when picking figures.  Bane Malor was a very well-received figure, but not becase of the articulation necessarily.  He is an intriguing figure, is clearly a fighter/type, and has a certain unique, identifiable "galaxy far far away" vibe about him that places him squarley in the Star Wars universe and makes you want to know more about him.  Some of the other figures that have been struggling - Yarna, Ak-Rev to a certain extent, the Organas, and even Pons Limbic - don't have the same kind of quality to them.  So among collector-targeted figures, there are a couple sub-types that allow them to be separated into the "aggressive" camp (Bane Malor, Rum Sleg, skiff Gaurds, bounty hunter-types) and the more background/passive types.  The former seem the "safe" bets for these collector-figure spots, but we are still going to be pursuing the second type as well because a certain number of these figures every year helps keep the emotional heartbeat of the line going.  We just have to be careful on the overall number we commit to both in the number we produce, since they eat our tooling budget at a rapid rate, and since we don't want to slow down the productivity of figures at retail  The majority of problems should be behind us this Spring as we rgain balance with the collector base.

Since Ewoks always seem to be good sellers, have you ever considered including a female Ewok to the line? If it's a possibility, how about making it Chief Chirpa's daughter Princess Kneesaa? Even though she was not in Return of the Jedi, she was the most marketed EU character of the Original Trilogy era, appearing as a main character in cartoons and comics, as well as in many different kinds of merchandise: plates, stickers, cards, books, games, dolls...you name it! From '84-'85 Ewoks were huge and Kneesaa was pretty much the number two Ewok character behind Wicket. To this day she is probably the most heavily marketed EU character of all time, yet she has never been made into an action figure. Is there a desire at Hasbro to some day get a Kneesaa figure out there? ("TJ", 2009-07-06) (http://tinyurl.com/TJ-2009-07-06)

     Yes, we would certainly like to get to her some time, but after we have attacked more of the on-screen Ewoks.  There are plenty of them to go, and over the next few years we hope to keep producing them in mainline, and exclusives, to keep growing out that Ewok clan.

For the other rebel ground crewman that was dropped from the Scramble battlepack, can Hasbro include him in a way that makes it easy to army build? For those of us who want to recreate the Yavin ceremony, there are dozens of these crewmen in the audience. Hasbro may love it if we buy a dozen battlepacks to get more of this guy, but our wallets sure wouldn't. And what about making it easier to swap heads with future rebel figures so that we can try to diversify the looks of the crewmen (they aren't clones after all). ("TJ", 2009-07-06) (http://tinyurl.com/TJ-2009-07-06)

     We can definitely look at releasing the ground crewman in another pack or as a single carded item with a different head sculpt. As for the neck joint ball, this is something that we have been trying to standardize with our China vendors. The way it has worked is that we send them the completed sculpt using a standard ball size (we have two sizes that we use for most figures, depending on the figures head size), but from time to time they will make adjustments to the size depending on the specific needs of the figure (i.e. whether it needs to fit into a helmet, etc.). By the time we finally see the figure, the factory has made the decision on final part fit and the figure has already been tooled. We are actually in the process of trying once again to work with the vendors to push for a more consistent standardization of the articulation (especially ball joint necks) and will hopefully have good results to share going forward.

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Unofficial pics broke online of the upcoming Octuparra droid, and from what were able to see this will be in the mid sized vehicle range and that it's going to be very tall when the legs are extended. How tall is it compared to the Tri-Droid from the 30th Anniversary Collection. Also can you confirm if the legs are going to be sturdy like the Homing Spider Droid, or are we going to see a bit of "bendy" plastic like the 3-3/4" Tri Droid? (YF, 2009-07-06) (http://tinyurl.com/YF-2009-07-06)

     We have not made any announcements of an Octuptarra Droid.  We will not reveal any information on additional releases until Comic Con.  Stay tuned!

Unofficial pics broke online of the upcoming Tank Droid and from what were able to see this will be in the mid sized vehicle range and the sculpt looks amazing! Can we see a picture or two of it with figures for comparison, and will the final product have foot pegs on the sides for Battle Droids to ride into battle? (YF, 2009-07-06) (http://tinyurl.com/YF-2009-07-06)

     We have not made any announcements of a Tank Droid.  We will not reveal any information on additional releases until Comic Con.  Stay tuned!

Now that we've received pretty much the ultimate Imperial officer sculpt in Captain Needa, can we expect an updated A New Hope version of Grand Moff Tarkin (or other officer) in the not to distant future? (YF, 2009-07-06) (http://tinyurl.com/YF-2009-07-06)

     Perhaps not as quickly as you'd like, but we do have plans to utilize this body for future officer releases and upgrades.  Tarkin would certainly be high on the list of those we'd like to see updated.

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Can we get a high resolution picture of the new ewok 2-pack Paploo and NoApaak? More ewoks please! (YN, 2009-07-06) (http://www.yodasnews.com/)

     Here you go. Keep in mind that these are pre-final versions; we should have final production versions for public viewing in a few weeks at Comic Con.

(click for high res image) (http://i27.tinypic.com/900j2p.jpg)

When making future troop-builder type of figures (Imperials, Pilots, etc.) can you consider making the ball joints on the heads the same size in all of them? This would make easy customizing possible; we buy extra figures, swap their heads and have "new" reinforcements for our legions. (YN, 2009-07-06) (http://www.yodasnews.com/)

     This has been a question asked time and again on the Q&A, and something that we have been trying to standardize with our China vendors. The way it has worked is that we send them the completed sculpt using a standard ball size (we have two sizes that we use for most figures, depending on the figures head size), but from time to time they will make adjustments to the size depending on the specific needs of the figure (i.e. whether it needs to fit into a helmet, etc.). By the time we finally see the figure, the factory has made the decision on final part fit and the figure has already been tooled. We are actually in the process of trying once again to work with the vendors to push for a more consistent standardization of the articulation (especially ball joint necks) and will hopefully have good results to share going forward.

Can you address the Target Rancor Paint Variants? Some seem to have a dull white or snow like look while others have a glossy dark brown or green look? Was this a running change or just a fluke? (YN, 2009-07-06) (http://www.yodasnews.com/)

     This was not an intended variation. The original deco submission from the factory was the whitish version, but we asked them to change to what you are referring to as the glossy brown/dark green version. We asked this for this change from the start of production, but a number of the white did get out there; we did not notice this ourselves until product began to be distributed at retail. It's something we are looking into with our vendor.
Title: Re: The Hasbro Q & A Compendium
Post by: Matt on August 11, 2009, 02:42 PM
Session 73 - August 10, 2009

We do so enjoy seeing our figures whenever possible, and often buy multiple extra pilots just to outfit the ships. Now it seems there's no longer a need to do so. Over the years Kenner and Hasbro have generally made vehicles with clear or light grey, but still clear, plastic windows. Since the release of the Darth Vader Sith Starfighter, we've seen a few with virtually opaque canopies, thus negating the need to buy pilot figures. (Other candidates include the 2008 Clone Wars Republic Gunship and the fairly dark recently released Anakin Delta 2 Jedi Starfighter and Magnaguard Droid Fighter.) Is there an aesthetic decision in making the vehicles impossible to see inside, is this an oversight? (16B, 2009-08-10) (http://16bit.com/)

     The tech of craft in the Star Wars universe does not have to conform to conventional viewpoints, like the viewpoint that all canopies must be clear. The real world is no different - who hasn't seen cars with opaque windows using polarized filters? Yet these are perfectly functional vehicles. For each of the craft you mention, it was just an aesthetic decision on the part of the designer. It makes it harder to appreciate what we may put inside, but could also lead to different choices for display - is the fleet in space, or in a hangar where I can put the pilot in front? Either way is valid, although there is something heroic and chaotic about the pre-battle chaos of the hangar that evokes both the team-oriented yet deeply personal nature of the Star Wars conflict. That's one reason why we have been going after more pilots - both Imperial and Rebels - recenty, because these largely unsung film-based and EU pilots need to have their day in the sun. We can't wait to see the different ways folks will use set pieces like the vehicle from Scramble on Yavin, or even simply the ladder that comes with the Comic-Con Luke Skywalker exclusive.

If we recall correctly, there was some mention for the Battle Pack box form being changed in the very near future, thus making it so this next wave of Battle Packs will be very here today, gone tomorrow. Assuming this is true, will any of the final 4 Battle Packs from that wave find homes in the new assortment, or perhaps put into other assortments like the new figure with vehicle assortment 91349? (Naturally, we're awkwardly getting at the big Republic Gunship pod, of which we all want several.) (16B, 2009-08-10) (http://16bit.com/)

     The same package size will be used for the new red/white battle pack versions, and it will go back to the older, narrow, figure-based footprint for Fall 2010. The Gunship pod is not targeted for re-release in the new red/white line look, but we'll keep an eye on the sell-through to see how it tracks and guage whether there is a chance/need for re-release. We think based on the first release that there should be plenty to go around, but the extent to which folks will be buying deeper multiples of this is the wild card that could drive it to be scarcer. UPDATE From Hasbro - August 12, 2009: It was decided to re-release the Geonosis Assault (Gunship pod) set, so it *will* be coming out in the red/white line look this Fall.

We just got the yellow Anakin's Delta 2 Jedi Starfighter, and it's great-- R2-D2 is sitting in the droid socket, and everyone's favorite future psycho is in the pilot's seat. We've had Obi-Wan's for months, and love it-- but there's no astromech droid specifically for Obi-Wan Kenobi just yet. Is one planned? We're all ears when it comes to new cartoon astromech droids. (16B, 2009-08-10) (http://16bit.com/)

     Great question. With as many cool things as there are to keep track of in Clone Wars, we sort of lost sight of our little mechanical astromech companions in the line planning (other than R2 and goldie, of course). We are indeed looking at getting out more of the cool cartoon astro droids, but we don't have any details yet on who/what/when will be added. We're hoping that we can get some more out - and Obi-Wan's R4 tops the priority list - by late next year.

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Admiral Natasi Daala is a prominent character in the new Star Wars novel series.  Since we have gotten more Expanded Universe characters over the past few years, what are the chances of getting a Daala figure, either by herself or in a comic-pack? (ASM, 2009-08-10) (http://tinyurl.com/ASM-2009-08-10)
 
     Unfortunately, the list of novel-only characters who have not yet found a home in the lineup is a long one.  Corran Horn and Whistler, some of the Mandalorian figures from the exclusive set a few years ago, and the upcoming Jacen and Jaina Solo figures pretty much comprise the contingent so far.  The simple reason if one of reference; if they appear in a comic, they have a much higher likelihood of being made into a figure since we have reference and a segment dedicated to the comics (for example, the X-Wing series has a good showing for a novel since may stories have been adapted).  If Daala, or any other novel-only characters make strong showing in the Fans' Choice poll, we will certainly take consider them for the mainline or another opportunity as it may arise.
 
Along the same line of thought, any other EU characters you can confirm?  I know that Comic-Con is just around the corner, and you may not be able to reveal anything until then, so if that's the case, can you at least hint at characters or, at least, how large a presence the EU will have? (ASM, 2009-08-10) (http://tinyurl.com/ASM-2009-08-10)
 
     One of the drawbacks of having his batch of Q&A due *after* Comic-Con is that some answers have already revealed themselves.  We hope that you were pleased with what was shown for the EU - both in the mainline wave with Jacen and Jaina, K'Kruhk (finally!), the new Shaak Ti from The Force Unleashed, Space Trooper, and Dark Trooper Phase I.  We think it's a sensational wave.  In addition to this wave, we revealed some of the next comic packs, including Exar Kun and Ulic Quel-Droma from Tales of the Jedi, Master Tholme and Tr'a Saa from Republic, a Black Hole Stormtrooper from Classic Star Wars, as well as 2010 previews of Jarael and Rohlan Dyre from Knights of the Old Republic, and Darth Nihl and Delia Blue (our first Zeltron) from Legacy.  All in all, we think it was a strong showing for the EU at Comic-Con.
 
With the release of "Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen", was there ever any talk of ramping up more Star Wars/Transformers Crossovers to ride the hype and excitement of the sequel? (ASM, 2009-08-10) (http://tinyurl.com/ASM-2009-08-10)
 
     We actually don't expect much of an effect, positive or negative.  Our experience from the first Transformers movie, in 2007, showed us that during the movie window kids who might have otherwise been into Star Wars Transformers seemed to show interest in the "real" Transformers personalities, but this was to a small degree.  This did not last long, and kids found their way back to the Star Wars Transformers play pattern after the movie window, but not to any greater extent because of the huge new awareness and interest in Transformers brought about by the movie.  They have their own kid fan base, pretty much, who stick with it reliably.

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C-3PO needs new figures from across the saga, it's sad but true. The original Ep I Threepio figure was quite good, but he needs knee and ankle joints, perhaps the ability to hold the Anakin Skywalker podracing flag, and a little more accurate deco with yellow eyes and slightly toned-down wires. Episode II Threepio's removable parts gimmick hampered this figure's design, and since then we've gotten the fantastically-sculpted U-3PO Build-a-Droid figure, so that mold could sport the Ep 2 Threepio deco. And then there's the OT Threepio, which you've recently said is hampered with vac-metal bodies because LFL is stuck on the concept over a painted look. However, your team has produced some great-looking shiny silver protocol droids lately without vac-metallizing, and Hasbro's Marvel Universe team has been able to produce 2 different tones of shiny, metallic-looking gold colors on a few Iron Man figures, which are still super-articulated. Is something of those qualities still not to Lucasfilm's approval, or might we finally be seeing a truly super-articulated Threepio soon? (CS, 2009-08-10) (http://tinyurl.com/CS-2009-08-11)

     Back when we added knees to the OTC C-3PO, we were happy with that because it added pretty much all of the articulation we ever thought we'd need in a C-3PO figure. It never seems his poses that require anything more than knees for sitting down, and his arms remain inactive most of the time. But you do have good points on all versions, especially EpII, which we hope we are covering for you in the Target-exclusive Geonosis Arena 2-packs this Fall. We'll take a look at future updated versions of the others for down the line. Thanks for the thoughts.

Are there any plans to make an R6-series Astromech Droid, either as a build-a-droid or a basic figure? This would be the realistic-styled droid with the unique head, not the Clone Wars version that's visually just another R2. We currently have R1 through R5 and then R7, but no R6. The only new tooling for R6 would be a new dome, as the body is the same as the R2 and similar. And while we're on the subject, what about R8 and R9 droids? (CS, 2009-08-10) (http://tinyurl.com/CS-2009-08-11)

     We would like to do R6, R8, and R9 droid domes at some point to really complete the astromech series. While we don't have them slotted into the Legacy/Droid Factory basic figure lineup, it's possible that we'll do them in the future in some way or another.

This might seem like an odd request, but would you re-issue the old Kenner X-wing, specifically the POTF2 version, with some modifications? There's no X-wing at kid pricing anymore, the only OT vehicles at the Starfighter pricepoint are lonely TIEs with nobody to fight, and that classic X-wing had some decent sculpting, strong wings, and was fun to whoosh about. As well, the POTF2 version had a pretty decent deco (though pre-applied stickers would be nice), and that version also had the best sound effects in any X-wing (aside from the Power FX X-wing, but the sacrifices there are numerous), those sounds alone would sell another batch to collectors. To modernize it a bit, the ship could use a tune-up on the cockpit interior, the canopy exterior, the dedicated R2-D2, and the blaster cannon tips need to be reoriented to the proper upright position to get it ship-shape. Don't you think the kids today deserve an awesome X-wing fighter? (CS, 2009-08-10) (http://tinyurl.com/CS-2009-08-11)

     Our hope is that kids who do want an X-Wing will respond to the Wedge version out this Fall. We think most collectors like this more accurately-scaled version as well, so we plan to keep it in rotation every few years with a different pilot/droid combo and accurate paint. We actually hadn't thought of it, but you bring up an interesting point, and that is that we don't have an X-Wing solution for an "everyday" price like the Starfighter vehicles. If we did decide to look at the PotF2 tool, it's likely we run it without too many modifications since it would be largely kid-targeted.

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Now that we see packaging for the 501st Clonetrooper 2 pack can we expect to see 2 packs of current and older production Imperial troopers and Rebel soldiers. Like Gen Veers in armor with a Snowtrooper, or AT-AT driver. Even 2 packs of Stormtrooper & Bikerscout. For the Rebels we can have 2 packs of Hoth Rebel soldiers and Snowspeeder pilots- you get the idea but it be a great way to fill the ranks out. (DP, 2009-08-10) (http://tinyurl.com/DP-2009-08-10)

     It's certainly possible. We have experimented with several different 2-pack configurations in Legacy in recent years, mostly as exclusives (Order 66, the continuing Wal-Mart exclusive Droid Factory packs , and the upcoming Target-exclusive Geonosis Arena). We would like to keep these "themed" pack ideas going as they are fun to do, can create a great program for our retailer partners, and allow us to get to some interesting characters we might not otherwise get to for a long time. One of the key things with these two-packs is to make sure we are delivering some core heroes to keep the segment interesting for kids as well. Whether we will get to what you suggested remains to be soon, but such an idea has been on our list of possibilities. We'd like to do it, but only time will tell if we can get to it.

You recently expressed interest in redoing all the Kenner figures that are in need of a refresh. Does that include figures from multipacks such as: Max Rebo, Sy Snootles, Droopy McCool, Uncle Owen, Oola, Labria, Nabrun Leids, Dr Evazan, Klaatu, Nikto, and Barada? These figures really have not stood the test of time as well as some others and could use the update. (DP, 2009-08-10) (http://tinyurl.com/DP-2009-08-10)

     Most of these we do see as needing an upgrade and plan on getting to them a bit at a time over the next few years. First up, in our books, would be Dr. Evazan, followed by Jabba's skiff guards. Of lesser importance would be the Max Rebo band. We honeslty don't see updating these guys, since articulation isn't the be-all end-all for all figures, and they already have some very nice sculpts.

With the success of the Scamble on Yavin battle pack (it flew off the shelves) has any more thought gone into producing more quality sets based on the OT? (DP, 2009-08-10) (http://tinyurl.com/DP-2009-08-10)

     Yes, but it will not be in the mainline since the Battle Packs are going back to their roots of tooling-light, value-based sets. We will be looking at some of these ideas for exclusive Battle Packs, however, and if they do make the lineup we'll have details on those next year at Toy Fair or Comic Con.

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With Pons Limbic, Hasbro now has the tooling for Cantina tables. If the team simply put together the existing table; VotC Han Solo, VotC Greedo (with a plastic vest this time), and the seating for the booth, you'd have a cool Battle Pack for a Cantina shootout. How about it? Or what about adding a little battery powered table lamp to the table? It would  enhance the Greedo-killing mood (yes, I can dream...). You would of course have to call this Battle Pack Cantina Encounter: Han Shoots First!?!  Diorama builders would definitely like to get more seating for their Cantinas. (GH, 2009-08-10) (http://tinyurl.com/GH-2009-08-10)

     It is one of our dreams to complete this scene, but the trouble is really in the large tooling needed to complete the alcove back and bench. This would be a sweet accessory to do some day, but first we want to figure out how to deliver the "distillery" section seen behind the bar. That is our #1 "dream piece" when we will be in a position to offer a Cantina Battle Pack some day.

The modern Star Wars line  from Hasbro/Kenner has been dominating the toy aisles for almost 14 years, and yet we still don't have an accurate and complete representation of the iconic Jabba the Hutt and His Dais from Return of the Jedi. What is Princess Leia [as Jabba's Slave] (which leaked last week) going to sit on? C'mon guys, don't hold out on me, and please send photos of Big Daddy Jabba the Hutt in honor of Father's Day or something. (GH, 2009-08-10) (http://tinyurl.com/GH-2009-08-10)

     We did design Leia to be "forward compatible" with a Jabba and throne if we did make one. While we started the figure without having a plan in place, we can confirm that we are looking at a new Jabba, which would come with or without the throne depending on costing and tools. We would expect to have an update next year around Comic Con timing.  Stay tuned!

Since you probably have most of your 2010 lineup planned by now, and you indicated last year that we might get a Sandstorm Leia and Sandstorm Lando in 2010 to round out the sandstorm group, can you give us an update on that projection?  Is a sandstorm version of the upcoming Slave Leia in the running for the 2010 line? (GH, 2009-08-10) (http://tinyurl.com/GH-2009-08-10)

     You are right in that 2010 is done and has been locked in for some time, even if we are getting to the final waves of sculpts. Unfortunately, these two did not make the cut for 2010.  We are starting work on 2011 very soon, and there is a strong possibility one or more of them will make it into the 2011 lineup.

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It was sort of an after-thought when we asked about the Ugnaught variant in a previous session, so we'll ask this time.  We're assuming that what you said about the Ugnaught variant (saving him for a "seventh" figure in a future wave) also applies to the Hoth Rebel Trooper variant (saving him for a future wave).  Correct?  And can you shed any light onto exactly which wave that will be? (HH, 2009-08-10) (http://tinyurl.com/HH-2009-08-11)
 
     Actually, the alternate rebel *is* shipping with the final wave of the blue/white Legacy/Droid Factory wave.  He is tough to find though, since not all of the figures in this wave are the clean-shaven version.  Even though we want to re-release him, we have not slotted him into a future wave of the new red/white packaging.  The reason is that the Droid Factory waves are very complex to balance out, and once they are set in motion it's very difficult to move things around.  We will make this pledge: if we cannot get him into a future wave of red/white, we will look to release him on some other way to make sure that everyone gets a chance to get (and troop build) this great Rebel.  
 
My boys love the Galactic Heroes line and they really love the ships and beasts that have been added over the past year.  One thing that we're missing in the line though to truly give them that Kenner-esque Star Wars experience is carry cases.  They need a Star Warsy way to lug those GH figures to Grandma's house!  Here's an idea - drag that vintage Hoth Rebel Transport out of the mothballs!  It's a carry case; it's a ship; it's perfect for the little guys! (HH, 2009-08-10) (http://tinyurl.com/HH-2009-08-11)
 
     Great comment.  We have not been looking at carrying cases in a while simply because they are not as productive as other SKUs, and can carry a stiff luggage tariff that can drive the price up.  In the highly competitive boys' aisle, an expensive, slow-moving item can be a real liability.  However, we are looking at some different ways to do carrying cases, and our first priority is 3-3/4" figures.  If we can figure that one out, we'll look at Galactic Heroes as well.  Thanks for the suggestion.
 
Since fan polls and wishlists are all the rage these days, we thought we'd pass along our Han's Hideout "Top Five" list for your consideration:
 
1) Super-Articulated Bespin Han Solo
2) Bollux/Blue Max (Han Solo at Star's End)
3) Jolli (Marvel Comics)
4) Crimson Jack (Marvel Comics)
5) Bom Vimdin
 
Having seen our list, should we be super-excited for 2010, sort of excited, or bracing ourselves for disappointment? (HH, 2009-08-10) (http://tinyurl.com/HH-2009-08-11)

     It's interesting that you have chosen, aside from the on-screen Han and Bom Vindin, three figures that commemorate the very earliest EU storytelling and are remembered fondly by long-time fans.  In the scheme of what's happening today, however, these are a little obscure and probably not high on most fans' wish lists, but we'll see when the next Fans' Choice Vote nominations conclude in August (be sure and get your top 30 votes in!).  From your list, at least one of those will be out in 2010 (you can probably guess which) and one more is almost a certain "lock" for 2011.  As fo the rest, well, we hope that the comic packs have a long and fruitful life and we can get to one or more of them.  As for our personal choice, it would be very cool to see Bollux/Blue Max some day.


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We are all really liking the new Hoth Rebel Soldier from the Legacy Empire Strikes Back wave. Several Shipyards members have noticed a rather wide stance in the leg portion that makes him a no brainer to ride a taun taun. Would there be any likelihood that we will see a new taun taun as a battlepack or multifigure pack in the future, perhaps similar to the gelagrub battlepack  that is coming out? (IS, 2009-08-10) (http://tinyurl.com/IS-2009-08-10)

     We did not design the Rebel Soldier with a new Tauntaun in mind.  By now you have seen our update on the Dewback, and we hope that it meets your approval.  We would like to take a similar approach to the Tauntaun and are indeed working on one for 2010.  No details yets on how it willcome out, but odds are that it will be an exclusive.  Stay tuned!

We have seen pictures of the new Y-Wing prototype. Does the droid socket fit a regular size droid completely? (IS, 2009-08-10) (http://tinyurl.com/IS-2009-08-10)

     Yes, the new Y-Wing will fit a droid completely.  By now, you have seen the pics from Comic-Con and we hope that this amazing vehicle meets your approval and will find a place in your collection this Fall.

We have seen pictures of the upcoming TRU exclusive Crumb Bomber gunship and I was wondering if you could give us a clue or a pic of the paint apps on the upcoming Walmart exclusive gunship? (IS, 2009-08-10) (http://tinyurl.com/IS-2009-08-10)

     By now, you have seen pictures of this one from Comic-Con, from multiple angles and better than we can supply - we hope they meet your satisfaction.  If not, let us know and we'll see what we can do.  Thanks for the interest!

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A lot of the new Clone Wars Clones have been been getting some nifty wrist articulation. What are the changes of seeing that wrist joint on more figures outside the realm of the armored guys? (JD, 2009-08-10) (http://tinyurl.com/JD-2009-08-11)

     What you are referring to are insert-molded wrists. We use them on a case-by-case basis, and make most sense when characters have wrist armor because of the thickness of the joint needed. This particular joint is very expensive and we cannot afford to do it on many figures; to include it on more figures would mean that we would have to compromise on some other aspect of our figure waves.

In an earlier Q&A, you mentioned plans for the VOTC Chewbacca to ship in the Saga Legends line this Fall, but the figure that we're getting appears to be the Legacy Sandstorm Chewie sculpt instead. What happened? Are there any new plans to get the VOTC or the Early Bird Chewbacca versions back onto the pegs somehow? (JD, 2009-08-10) (http://tinyurl.com/JD-2009-08-11)

     Yes, that was an error and we have made a change to the figure. It will be the VotC version, not the Sandstorm version.

Can you explain to us a bit about the injection molding process that is used to create the ball/socket joints on knees and things? It seems like the pin is molded with a more rigid plastic and then the accompanying body part is cast in a more soft PVC-type plastic OVER the pin itself somehow. Anything you can share on how those joints are built? (JD, 2009-08-10) (http://tinyurl.com/JD-2009-08-11)

     That is essentially how some of our ball and socket joints are created. The process is technically called "insert molding" and involved first casting one element, of a stiffer plastic with a higher melting point, and then inserting it so another component can literally be molded around it. This results in a greater degree of movement in a smaller space. It does not come without cost, though, as labor costs are relatively high for this joint so we use it as often as we can, but not as often as we'd like.

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JI

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We know that a lot of exclusive products are not being taken up by UK retailers.  Is there any way that we can get Hasbro/UK retailers to change their minds over these products - what would we have to do to convince you/them?  In these difficult times all the sales for these items are going to eBay sellers instead of helping to prop up the UK economy which seems crazy, especially when the high street is suffering so badly. (JN, 2009-08-10) (http://tinyurl.com/JN-2009-08-10)

     Every attempt is made to get retailers in all regions to carry everything we do - including making sure that the production window is aligned so high minimum run quantities are not an issue.  There are various reasons why retailers might pass, and once they do we offer it to additional customers if possible.  Sometimes it may not be possible to offer it to anyone else if a UK retailer is aligned with a US retailer; for example, ASDA is aligned with Wal-Mart, and Wal-Mart exclusives can only go to ASDA and nowhere else.  Toys 'R Us exclusives may only be offered to Toys ' R Us globally, but not all regions or countries may take every exclusive depending on how well the buyers think it will sell. It is frustrating to us that not everything has global distribution, but it's something we hope to be able to better address as we achieve success in the UK and more broadly in Europe with this year's batch of exclusives.

We've seen some great pictures of the new Galactic Heroes Slave I and some great new Scenes as well (Max Rebo Band, Medal Ceremony etc) will these products all be available in the UK?  Also, you've told us previously that the AT-AT, seen at the UK and Canadian Toy Fairs earlier this year, will be delayed until 2010 - is that to coincide with the 10th Anniversary of Empire, if not will it definitely be coming next year? (JN, 2009-08-10) (http://tinyurl.com/JN-2009-08-10)

     The Galactic Heroes AT-AT was not delayed into 2010 because of the 10th Anniversary of ESB, but it's a nice coincidence!  The real reason is that we could not fit it onto the planogram with everything else we had going on this year, and double facings were needed for some of the items we had this Fall.  So with nowhere to go, it went the only place it could go - off into the future.  We think we shouldn't have a problem for 2010 at this point.  We would prefer it remain "mainline" (available to all retailers) but should we have difficulty with planogram space, then we will look to make it an exclusive with a key retailer.  It's an awesomely cool vehicle.

We're finally getting a new Slave Leia and one that reclines too (with swappable legs) and it looks amazing!  We're getting LOTS of e-mails asking us again and again when we'll finally see a new Jabba with throne from Return of the Jedi - it's the final piece that people are waiting on to complete their Jabba dioramas/environments.  How long will we have to wait (it's been around 25 years since the last release)? (JN, 2009-08-10) (http://tinyurl.com/JN-2009-08-10)

     We did design Leia to be "forward compatible" with a Jabba and throne if we did make one.  While we started the figure without having a plan in place, we can confirm that we are looking at a new Jabba, which would come with or without the throne depending on costing and tools. We would expect to have an update next year around Comic Con timing.  Stay tuned!

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Just saw the figure two-packs for the Clone Wars. Could we ever see something like this for the Legacy? Maybe an Imperial Officer (named) and a trooper? Same idea with the Rebels: named officer and basic trooper. Or, maybe just Troop builders. (JTA, 2009-08-10) (http://tinyurl.com/JTA-2009-08-10)

     It's certainly possible.  We have experimented with several different 2-pack configurations in Legacy in recent years, mostly as exclusives (Order 66, the continuing Wal-Mart exclusive Droid Factory packs , and the upcoming Target-exclusive Geonosis Arena).  We would like to keep these "themed" pack ideas going as they are fun to do, can create a great program for our retailer partners, and allow us to get to some interesting characters we might not otherwise get to for a long time.  One of the key things with these two-packs is to make sure we are delivering some core heroes to keep the segment interesting for kids as well.  Whether we will get to what you suggested remains to be seen, but such an idea has been on our list of possibilities.  We'd like to do it, but only time will tell if we can get to it.

In a recent Q&A you stated that from now on, battlepacks will be straight repacks. Does this mean main characters or could secondary/background characters be packed in as well? If secondary characters (i.e. troopers) are repacked, will they be straight re-releases or could they be modified? For example, lets say a Echo Base/Battle of Hoth battlepack is to be released. We get a General Rieekan, Major Derlin, Han and Echo Baste Trooper. Would the Trooper be one of the two versions that are currently in the Legacy collection or could it possible have a new head sculpt? (JTA, 2009-08-10) (http://tinyurl.com/JTA-2009-08-10)

     The mainline battle packs will be taking a turn away from the beast and occasional collector-targeted set and will be focused on figure-based, kid-targeted sets effective for 2010, with a return to the original packaging depth next Fall.  Since these are often holiday or special-occasion (reward or birthday) purchases, we want to make sure that we are providing as much value as we can and as a result we can't keep put significant tooling into these sets right now.  We'll be concentrating on either pure re-packs (as we have been doing each of the past several years) or sets that all have something new to all the characters with minor changes (such as the upcoming Resurgance of the Jedi, which does hit a duel kid/collector audience).  It's unlikely that in the mainline we'll be doing collector-targeted sets like you suggest.  We don't rule out the possibility that exclusive battle packs could have a composition like that, but we were responding to a question about the mainline battle packs when we answered that.

We got our first look at the new package artwork around Toy Fair, and that has prompted some questions that seem to arise any time we see a transition between package art looks.

-First, will we see a hard street date for the new look as we did in 2008? If so, what is that date? -Will provisions be made to get decent ammounts of the last waves of the current collection to retail? There's been historical evidence that suggests that the last wave(s) before the transition sometimes get shortchanged. (JTA, 2009-08-10) (http://tinyurl.com/JTA-2009-08-10)

     There is no hard shelf-date for the line this year.  As a result, each of the ongoing assortments will "change" to the new look when the new look is ready to ship from our warehouse to fill orders (i.e. when retailers are selling down on blue/white and need fresh inventory).  This will vary by item, with Saga Legends and Clone Wars already out at retail as this is written, and some other assortments trailing a little further behind.  As for the latest waves of Legacy, one of the reasons why the red/white line look is slower to get in to retail is because still have a decent amount of blue/white inventory that we are trying to get out there, but with the slowdown in a few figures it makes it tougher to control. At a certain point we need to go with red/white and this may mean that the last wave - based Attack of the Clones - will likely see shorter distribution at brick and mortar stores than previous waves.  However, with retailers like Entertainment Earth and Brian's Toys as a solution, collectors have a way of getting complete waves even though they may be short at retail. We recommend going this route if there is any uncertainty in finding the Epi I wave - or even the EpV wave that preceded it - at your local retailers.

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MD

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A new Barriss Offee...how about it? (RS, 2009-08-10) (http://tinyurl.com/RS-2009-08-10)

     We agree she is long overdue in the Legacy lineup. Within the next couple of years there is an outstanding chance of seeing her either in basic figures or an exclusive.

Would you ever create a figure based on the original stand-in Jabba the Hutt from ANH deleted scenes? I'm talking about the fat guy in the furry vest! Since we have gotten some figures based on deleted ROTJ scenes, this version of Jabba would be a nice addition. (RS, 2009-08-10) (http://tinyurl.com/RS-2009-08-10)

     This figure, Mosep, does show up in the Marvel run of Star Wars comics. While he's not high on our list, it's an interesting possibility and we could get to him some day.

Now that Hasbro has sculpted an Ugnaught that seems to be based on him, have you thought about releasing a Yoxgit figure any time soon? The costume you've sculpted matches his pretty closely and you've even put an altered photo of Yoxgit on the front of the package! All you need to do is repaint the suit red, gloves black and use the tusked head and you have a perfect Yoxgit. Perhaps because of saved tooling costs, you could include another small Jabba's palace denizen (such as Attark, Wam Lufba or the fan-waving Jawa) to get us closer to completing the palace scene! (RS, 2009-08-10) (http://tinyurl.com/RS-2009-08-10)

     Well, we Star Wars collectors certainly are a patient lot. We waited 25 years for Yarna, and there are still so many other cool Jabba's palace denizens (and skiff/barge guards) to go. We promise that we won't take our eyes off this area, with new or upgraded figures in the lineup every year.

     We can't promise you a timeframe, but Yoxgit can indeed be used as you suggest than it does make his likelihood of making it closer to realtity. We'll look into for when we have an opportunity and need a repaint. Thanks for the suggestion.


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With Wal*Mart cutting its shelf space for toys, what is going to become of the exclusives that the retailer has picked up? My local store is already overflowing with old product without the aisle reduction, and I'm concerned if they'll be passed over because of it. (RTM, 2009-08-10) (http://tinyurl.com/RTM-2009-08-10)

     The exclusives will still be coming in, targeted for end-caps whenever possible so they do not hit the main aisle space with their full force of volume when they arrive in store. It does not mean that your store will be getting all new exclusives, though, as Wal-Mart creates a distribution strategy based on the current landscape at the time with the stores they feel will be strongest for sell-through. As for older stock, it's possible that those items are not perceived as a "national" problem since there is little or no remaining inventory for the most part, and so do not get closed out. The next time you are in the store, if you could point out to a department manager the issue with older inventory and it's possible they could target them selectively to deal with them; they are motivated to keep the shelf attractive and productive, but do not know the nuances the way you and the rest of the knowledgeable fans do. You can also let us know your local Wal-Mart store # and we can look into it if it's a real problem.

It has been strongly hinted that new mini-rigs are coming. Would these be based on the old Kenner designs or brand new ones? (RTM, 2009-08-10) (http://tinyurl.com/RTM-2009-08-10)

     Well, we announced the new "deluxe" figure/figure assortment at Toy Fair so we suppose this is what people are talking about regarding mini-rigs (that and the fact that Mark Boudreaux, creator of the original Mini-Rigs concept, is leading this assortment too). The philosophy of the line is provide lower-cost, single man vehicles to add excitement to the 3-3/4" play pattern. We plan to match the entertainment as much as possible Speeder bikes, Freeco bikes, etc. will be the typical focus. However, if we need variety Lucasfilm has certainly given us flexibility to go beyond the entertainment in a way that is true to Star Wars if we don't have variety in the entertainment. So from this standpoint, it is possible that Mini-Rig type ideas could find their way into the assortment down the line.

The upcoming Leia as Jabba's prisoner figure features separate removable legs which allow her to be displayed in a lounging position. Is a "Return of the Jedi accurate" Jabba the Hutt (and his throne) currently in any stage of planning or production to display alongside Leia? How about Jabba's throne? (RTM, 2009-08-10) (http://tinyurl.com/RTM-2009-08-10)

     We did design Leia to be "forward compatible" with a Jabba and throne if we did make one. While we started the figure without having a plan in place, we can confirm that we are looking at a new Jabba, which would come with or without the throne depending on costing and tools. We would expect to have an update next year around Comic-Con timing.

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SAND

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Everyone has heard stories about toys being manufactured in Asia with manpower working in despeacable conditions, as some factories often employ children to minimize their costs overhead. With people being more and more sensible about these questions, and sometimes willing to change their buying habits based on such matters, how does Hasbro ensure that the toys produced by their overseas factories meet the basic human rights? Is this even a concern at all for your company? (SNOW, 2009-08-10) (http://tinyurl.com/SNOW-2009-08-10)

     It sure is.  Setting - and following - the highest possible standards for our employees and suppliers is of paramount importance for Hasbro, and workplace conditions have been a key focus of our management team.  We have a rigorous process by which we vet and regularly monitor compliace in all our warkplaces.  Incidentally, these are the same standards that have been in place for years and enabled Hasbro to stand tall among the volatile issues that have plagued the industry in recent years.

THANK YOU! THANK YOU! THANK YOU! for the 'Build-A-Droid' figures.  I LOVE THEM ALL!  Will we see this continue into next year and maybe the year after?  Will Hasbro ever consider releasing a pack of just re-used, re-painted droid parts so fans can make up their own droids?  Yes, I LOVE my DROIDS!   And how about a re-pained R4-G9 with clean R2-D2 colours and a silver (not chrome) dome?  THANKS AGAIN! (SNOW, 2009-08-10) (http://tinyurl.com/SNOW-2009-08-10)

     We're glad you love them.  We certainly do too.  There is still a ton of droid excitement in front of us, both in the mainline and upcoming exclusives (assuming that the Wal-Mart Droid Factory assortment is successful this year, we would like to see a similar set again for 2010).  While it will likely not go on forever in the mainline basic figure SKU, it's very likely that we'll continue to use the library of droids parts in exclusives, and in ways like you suggest where we either use the parts as basic for new figures or even in multi-part sets.  As for R2 using the R4 body, we have that version coming this Fall.  Stay tuned!

I love my Clone Wars Obi-Wan Delta Starfighter but, dang it, all I have is an R2-D2 or R3-S6 to navigate. When can we expect to see a Clone Wars R4-P17? Obi-Wan refuses to go on any missions without R4 despite his claims that he never owned a droid.

Also, seeing as you are re-issuing the Clone Wars General Grievous in the new red packaging, do you consider this to be the best, most accurate effort given to getting his likeness to the fans? As one of the most imposing villains in The Clone Wars his current figure seems rather petite and non-functional. Any chance Grievous will get the treatment he deserves soon? (SNOW, 2009-08-10) (http://tinyurl.com/SNOW-2009-08-10)

     Yes, Obi-Wan does throw is a curve with that phrase.  Could it be that he believes he could never truly "own" a droid, and thus the statement is truthful?  We could debate for hours….the R4-P17 question ("When? When? WHEN!?") seems to be the most popular question from the last few weeks.  We are planing him into the lineup, but it will take some time to get him in.  As for the Grievous, we were quite pleased with the way he turned out, and judging by the demand, he is one of the top five figures in the entire line.  Since the Clone Wars line is kid-targeted primarily, we don't see a need to update him for now but will take your comments into account for when we ge a chance for a new take at him.

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There's been a great focus on troop-building with prequel- and Clone Wars-themed battle packs, especially lately, with even more on the way. Reasonable, after all, it is "Star *Wars*". However, this tactic hasn't been done all that much with the Original Trilogy troops, there are no squad packs or anything of that nature (except perhaps for the Tantive IV pack). Understanding that there is more troop-oriented storytelling going on with the Clone Wars era, there are still plenty of kids and casual collectors who want to set up battles with Stormtroopers and Rebel Troopers from all 3 OT films, the battle packs themselves can help do the storytelling to guide play. So why aren't we seeing more troop-building Battle Packs for the OT? (SSG, 2009-08-10) (http://tinyurl.com/SSG-2009-08-11)

     The focus has been on the prequel-era and Clone Wars because the heat has been here in recent entertainment. We also felt some of this need went filled with some of our Evolution sets this past year. One of the challenges with OTC-themed battle packs is the need to put recognizable characters in with them to ensure that they succeed; it is unlikely that just trooper-themed sets will suceed on their own. That said, next year is a special year with the 30th Anniversary of EpV and we do have plans for a couple surprises next year. Stay tuned!

Having worked on the modern line for some time now, you've no doubt had to look back at the original Kenner line's grand history many times when deciding what the future of the modern line will be. So you've seen it all and made yourselves familiar with figures, vehicles, accessories, cards, boxes, and even baggies from the '78 - '85 Star Wars line. With that in mind, what does the current team consider some of the most oddball, head-scratching entries from that original Kenner line? What types of things do you guys look back and you can't even imagine doing with the modern line? (And should we give Mark Boudreaux a free pass since he actually DID work on that original line, or pull a "Sophie's Choice" and make him take sides?) (SSG, 2009-08-10) (http://tinyurl.com/SSG-2009-08-11)

     Thanks for the interesting and different question. It actually required some thought to get the answers since we have nothing but respect for the Vinatge Kenner line! When it comes to the 3-3/4" figure line, we actually don't have any obvious head-scratchers, just a few things that were a bit odd. Everything seemed to be very well thought-out and blended nicely into a coherent system of play. We did ask Mark what he thought, and he had a few comments, not surprisingly all figure-related since he worked on the vehicles! "I always felt that the wrap-around labels for astromech "deco," as well as vinyl die-cut figure capes, were all odd design choices even though they were standards for the time." In addition, Mark thinks the original 5-point Kenner articulation was a curious choice at the time, even though it became the Kenner "standard" for years afterward. A couple team members singled out the 3-3/4" Rebel Transport as an oddity. Neither a very good vehicle and an awkward carrying case due it's size, it's one item that seems to not really hit either mark. Oh yeah - one of our designers singled out something else from the vintage Kenner line that almost made it out but got cut - the unproduced Luke and Leia fashions for the 12" figures. Those designs were crazy funky (especially Leia's giant clear tarp!).....a shame they never made it out just for the sake of novelty.

Recently, pictures surfaced of a few Clone Wars two-packs based around specific episodes, including characters from "Ambush" and "Rookies". While these look to be great ways to expand episode-specific collections, they also cover existing or already-planned ground. Why were some one-off clones like Thire and Echo chosen for inclusion in these sets when they're also being released via other avenues? It seems like it would make more sense to keep these characters unique to one release so that collectors wouldn't have to choose between releases. Will we be seeing more of these screen scene-type 2-packs, and will they be covering more types of characters beyond just clones? Out of the 4 two-packs we've seen so far, the only non-clone is Yoda. (SSG, 2009-08-10) (http://tinyurl.com/SSG-2009-08-11)

     It came down to need. Due to our retailer relationships, we actually needed to create multiple clone-focused 2-packs for a promotional window, and we had exhausted all other clones from Season 1 when we made the selects. Additional 2-packs will cover different sub-themes and characters, as this format is expected to continue into the future.

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We're seeing a trend (especially in the last AOTC Wave of Build-A-Droid) of figures from the Evolutions or Order 66 series of figures making their way to their individual cardback releases. This includes:

BD #29 327th Star Corps Clone Trooper (from Evolutons: Clone Trooper to Stormtrooper)
BD #50 Anakin Skywalker (from Evolutions: Anakin to Vader)
BD #51 Jango Fett (from Evolutions: The Fett Legacy)
BD #52 Clone Pilot (from Evolutions: Imperial Pilot Legacy)
BD #53 ARC Trooper (from Order 66: Anakin & ARC Trooper)

Are these considered to be Greatest Hits figures, and can we expect to see more of these types of repacks in future lines - perhaps with more specialized figures like Mandalore, one or more from the Padmé Amidala Legacy, Darth Bane, Darth Nihilus, or perhaps even Tsui Choi? (SWAN, 2009-08-10) (http://tinyurl.com/SWAN-2009-08-10)

     Yes, we consider these "greatest hits" figures even though they received their own BD # in error. We have since abandoned the GH numbering since it proved to be confusing overall.  We do plan to keep some of the high-demand figures in rotation, especially core characters and troopers which are high kid-demand figures.  Some of the more specialized figures like the ones you mentioned are likely to be interesting only to collectors, and there only to those who did not get them the first time (which we hope is nobody!).  We don't rule it out, but right now we do not have plans to re-release these.  It's also possible that we will do another Saga Legends vote down the road; if we do, these are great candidates to include in the re-release voting (along with Darth Revan and Malak).

The Qui-Gon Jinn Mighty Mugg has a decal on the back showing his green lightsaber accessory. As the word "Lightsaber" is printed on the box, I'm guessing perhaps the wrong color is underneath the decal? As I cannot remove the decal without destroying it, can you tell us what is under the saber decal, and if it was a wrong color what color it was? (SWAN, 2009-08-10) (http://tinyurl.com/SWAN-2009-08-10)

     Actually, we released the packaging with a blue lightsaber and added the label to show the correct color.

I don't know if anyone on the team involved in the Q&A at present was involved with the relaunch of Star Wars figures way back in 95, but if so I was wondering if you could share with us what the mindset was to provide the overly-muscular depictions of the Star Wars characters, such as the "He-Luke", etc. Was it a trend in toys at the time, an attempt to make the toys more relevant, etc?  (SWAN, 2009-08-10) (http://tinyurl.com/SWAN-2009-08-10)

     There is a strong element of fashion to the toy business, and that is exactly what one of the prevailing trends was that influenced the sculpt of the first waves of the figures.  Fans spoke out, however, and the design of the figures was subsequently toned down and pretty quickly became the movie-real proportions we enjoy today.

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As a person who grew up during the original trilogy era, nostalgia plays big part in my Star Wars collecting, as I'm sure it does for many other collectors in my age bracket. Things like the Kenner line, the Ewok craze of the mid 80's, the first Star Wars animated cartoons and even the Holiday Special provided lasting and cherished memories of the first 10 years of Star Wars. Now I know that those times are long gone, but as great as the modern line is, isn't it about time for some sort of 'blast from the past' salute that just screams 70's and 80's Star Wars? There are lots of possibilities for things that you could try: retro packaging, modern takes on some Ewoks or Droids characters, a character or two from the Ewok movies like Kaink or Chukha-Trok, or even an exclusive never before released vintage figure like this Luke. I'm sure you could come up with something great! (SWC, 2009-08-10) (http://tinyurl.com/SWC-2009-08-10)

     You are right that there are ways to celebrate our heritage and that we can do more, either with special packaging or a subtle change to characters from these other venues that have not been seen before. We remember the same engagement that we had with Star Wars in all the formats you have mentioned, and we want to capture that feelng of fun and excitement that we all had collectively playing with our toys; it makes the present seem so much more enjoyable when it is connected to those times. The good news is that we are looking at all of these options for the future. We expect to have some of them announced next year at Toy Fair, and another surprise or two around Comic-Con.

It was announced since Toy Fair that Shaak Ti and the other "The Force Unleashed" wave 2 figures would be released as retailer exclusives. What are the other figures, and which retailer will they be available through? Any images yet? (SWC, 2009-08-10) (http://tinyurl.com/SWC-2009-08-10)

     Actually, Shaak Ti is in the wave prior (the EU wave, recently shown at Toy Fair). The other figures, which were a new wave, were pulled from mainline and adjusted for the exclusive packs. The packs will now be five-packs, and will be either all new sculpts, or all new deco when we have used a previously existing sculpt. Included will be several trooper variants, including a jump trooper with newly added jump pack. Across the two packs, there will be two versions of Galen Marek, Proxy, and a twist in Juno. More information will be available as we get close to launch later this Fall.

With so many Cantina Aliens getting new sculpts or their first figures, isn't it about time for updated versions of that pair of ruffians, Dr. Evazan and Ponda Baba? (SWC, 2009-08-10) (http://tinyurl.com/SWC-2009-08-10)

     We agree. While not slotted into the lineup yet, these two are high on our sights (along with Wuher) and should be in the line within a couple of years.

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"TJ"

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TPU

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Images have shown up online giving us a glimpse at the new Slave Leia and her interchangeable leg accessory allowing her to sit by Jabba's side. The execution looks great and I think this is an excellent way to create a scene specific figure and it also give collectors more options on how we display our figures. Are there any other plans for an accessory of this type (legs or arms) to be used with other figures? The first one that comes to mind is the possibility of creating a true "Kneeling Darth Vader" as seen in The Empire Strike Back during his communications with the Emperor. It would give us (collectors) a new take on the Dark Lord while keeping a top tier character like Vader available to kids. (YF, 2009-08-10) (http://tinyurl.com/YF-2009-08-10)

     The reaction does seem to be extremely positive to the new version of Slave Leia and was pretty much the main reason for wanting to do a new, "ultimate" version of her.  While we don't have any additional figures planned with swappable torsos, it does give us encouragement that such features would be welcome for the right character.  Your suggestion about Vader is interesting, although we think that the super-articulated Vader (also included in the Disturbance in the Force set last year) can already achieve this pose, albeit with a turned boot versus a toe to the ground.

Any chance of seeing a Blurrg in the deluxe or battlepack line from the Clone Wars 3-part storyline that takes place on Ryloth? Blurrgs have been seen in the Clone Wars cartoon, video games, and even the made-for-tv Ewok movie! See image attached... (YF, 2009-08-10) (http://tinyurl.com/YF-2009-08-10)

     It's unlikely we'll do one, unless they show up again in future episodes of Clone Wars.

There has been some confusion in regards to the second version of the Ugnaught to be released later this year. Will he include the same accessories as the first run Ugnaught or might he have a different pack-in? How about a repainted version of the Han in Carbonite block without the thawing effect? I think the inclusion of this accessory would advantageous from a cost standpoint as there is no new tooling, it gives an a "new" version of an existing "core" character and its slim enough to fit in the new form factor packaging. What say you? (YF, 2009-08-10) (http://tinyurl.com/YF-2009-08-10)

     The second version of the Ugnaught will include the exact same accessory as the first one.  The carbonite Han is a very interesting suggestion, but is too late to actually impact the production at this point.

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YN
Title: Re: The Hasbro Q & A Compendium
Post by: Matt on August 25, 2009, 02:55 PM
Session 74 - August 20, 2009

Will we ever see some of the classic Star Wars characters produced in "clone wars style" animated figures? (AFC, 2009-08-21) (http://tinyurl.com/AFC-2009-08-21)

     The answer to both is that we intend to keep the lines separate. If more classic characters (other than Yoda, C-3PO, R2-D2, Tarkin, etc.) find their way into the Clone Wars, then we will certainly consider doing figures of them. Until then, we don't have plans to cross over the lines.

Are there plans for another LARGE vehicle, playset or accessory for 2010? We realize you probably can't say what it may be, but is something on the horizon? (AFC, 2009-08-21) (http://tinyurl.com/AFC-2009-08-21)

     It's too early to announce any plans for 2010 especially when it comes to higher-priced items. As it went last year (2008), any future items we may be considering hinge on the success of our program for the holiday season in front of us, and that means a good response to the Turbo Tank (so please, make sure that every young or old Star Wars fan gets one this holiday season!). We expect to make any announcements on higher-priced items, if we elect to pursue any, at Toy Fair next year.

Now that we've come 10 years since Episode I premiered, we would like to know, where does the Hasbro Star Wars team see the brand 10 years from now? (AFC, 2009-08-21) (http://tinyurl.com/AFC-2009-08-21)

     We see the brand in great shape 10 years from now. The current success of Clone Wars is amazing, and projecting out through 2010, we are confident in saying that interest in Star Wars over a sustained period has never been stronger, to be made all the more so when future additional TV series enter the horizon. Similarly, a new generation of collectors (with different sensibilities and enthusiam for all things Gungan) will come into the ranks of collectors in the next few years and now-grown kids, who fell under the spell of the Prequel Trilogy in theaters, will ensure that the collector base remains vibrant. They may replace older collectors, who may migrate out of the hobby for one reason or another, but this should ensure that the twin-focus of kid and collector remains strong for the far future. So for those who have been in the hobby a long-time, you will love what we bring out for both Legacy and Clone Wars, and for those who are just entering the hobby, "Welcome!" It's a great time to be a Star Wars collector.

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In previous Q&A's you've addressed the issue that increased articulation = increased costs. With the comic packs, we get really interesting characters that we probably wouldn't get otherwise since they don't appear in films. But it is generally the case that these interesting characters come with great sculpts but sub-par articulation. Have you considered doing fewer sets to offset the higher costs of better articulated figures? (BS, 2009-08-21) (http://tinyurl.com/BS-2009-08-21)

     Ironically, this would not help matters. Since the audience for the Comic Packs is fairly flat, there is no chance of increasing the production run unless we were convinced that fans were deliberately not buying them because of inferior articulation. From our research, we do not believe that to be the case, and so we think our startegy allows fans to get the widest range of interesting figures and keep our expected performance as high as possible. Like the Legacy/Droid Factory collection, though, times have been a little tough for the Comic Packs lately and we hope to really start a turnaround this fall with a large number of exciting new packs. Thanks for the interest and the help in spreading the word!

Can you please provide more details on the "Mark of Maul" promotion?  How many UPCs will be needed, which UPCs will be accepted, how much money to send in addition, how long the offer will run from start to finish, and can we please see a picture of the final product, both boxed and loose? Thank you very much! (BS, 2009-08-21) (http://tinyurl.com/BS-2009-08-21)

     Fans can collect 5 UPC codes to send in to get the exclusive Qui Gon and Eopie figures. The UPCs can be from Build a Droid (87535), Saga Legends (87995) or the Clone Wars figures (87638). For US please include a check or money order for $6.99(USD) shipping and handling and for Canada please include $8.99 (CAD) made out to Figure Redemption Inc. All requests should be mailed to: Star Wars® 2009 Premium Item Offer, PO Box 10790, Bozeman MT 59719-0790. The offer is currently running from now until March 31, 2010. Sorry, no out-of-pack pic is available, only in-pack (2 different attached).

Pic 1 (http://i28.tinypic.com/2hgy2ie.jpg), Pic 2 (http://i28.tinypic.com/aujkaf.jpg)

In regards to the recently revealed Saga Legends on the new cardbacks, why do you continue to keep making the same choices for repacks? As every SL we've seen on a new card are figures we saw in this year's (Stormtrooper cardback,) and TAC's Saga Legends line. While we realize the need for core characters, is there any way we can shake these up a bit? Maybe replace Vader with the infinitely times better Legacy mold? Or put older Clone Trooper paints - 212, Cato Nemoida, or 7th Legion - in place of clean ones? I just feel hardcore collectors feel jaded after seeing these figures year after year. (BS, 2009-08-21) (http://tinyurl.com/BS-2009-08-21)

     Actually, since collectors are not the target of this year's Saga Legends lineup (it is designed to complement Clone Wars for the most part), we stuck with our lineup of best-selling figures. The lineup is pretty well set for the next year but we understand the desire to mix things up a bit, especially when it comes to troops, so we'll take your comment to heart and bring in some more classics at some point, likely next fall (if not sooner). Thanks!

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I really appreciate all the time you take to answer the unending stream of interrogatives from us fans.  It certainly gives us a sense that our voice is being heard; it also means that we consumers can hope to find more products that are driven by our demand.  In the spirit of openness, communication, and exchange, I'd like to turn the tables around this time.  What questions do you have for me? (CC, 2009-08-20) (http://tinyurl.com/CC-2009-08-20)

     OK - that's a fun one. One thing we're lacking some good infromation about is just how broadly, or not, individual collectors support the line. So tell us more about what you buy, say, what you have bought since the line switched over to blue and white? And let us know why you may have stayed away from some things (you won't hurt out feelings). Are you a figure completist? Do you do Legacy and Clone Wars? Which vehicles? Looking forward to your answers. Thanks!

If it's not too much of an industry secret, can you give us an idea of approximately how much it costs to design, tool up for, manufacture, market, and ship a playset (say, the Geonosis Arena, for example)? I was thinking that if you gave us an estimate, it might shock us Collectors into ceasing the "When are we going to get a _____ Playset?" questions. Either that, or it'll motivate us to take up a collection for you (like for, say, a Death Star, for example). (CC, 2009-08-20) (http://tinyurl.com/CC-2009-08-20)

     Unfortunately we cannot share anything regarding the finances of creating an item, since it could reveal non-public financial information. It would probably shock you, though, how much it costs to produce some of the things we develop, given the costs involved. Esepciialy surprising are the costs to develop figures. Of course, the greater the articulation, the greater the overall cost since it means more tooling.

For the record, are there any questions you want us (the collecting community) to just stop asking? Such as "When are you going to make "Tonnika Twins" / Star Wars Holiday Special / Gella Twins / [Insert Your Own Bugbear Toys Here]?" Or, "Why did you swap names on Zuckuss and 4-LOM? You destroyed my childhood!" (CC, 2009-08-20) (http://tinyurl.com/CC-2009-08-20)

     Actually, nobody said that the Gella twins were off limits. We'd like to get to them someday. The other sister question does get a little tedious and a waste of a good Q&A spot if you ask us, since the answer (or non-asnwer) is likely to never change. As to why the names were swapped on 4-LOM and Zuckuss is a perfectly good question. Our answer is that they were swapped because back then, we didn't have the Internet - where someone could upload pictures of stolen first production samples, and forums - so fans could point out the mistake in time for us to correct it.

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Understanding that new tooling costs are a major prohibitive factor in creating playsets, has the Hasbro SW team considered digging out the original GI Joe Headquarters playset tooling to repurpose for the Clone Wars line? Its design is generic sci-fi enough that without resculpting it could pass as a Republic base - such as Rishi Station from "Rookiees" - with simply a different sticker sheet for the control panels. It has a landing pad, a hallway/garage for BARC Speeders, and basic features that keep costs down but fit Clone Wars play patterns. So, any thought given to this idea before? If not, what do you think, and what would its chances be? (CS, 2009-08-21) (http://tinyurl.com/CS-2009-08-21)

     Actually, we had not considered that, but that's a really creative suggestion, thanks. We don't know if it would work for various reasons including tooling availability, licensor approval, cost versus what we think consumers would be willing to pay. The fact is that it's probably too "flat" and a little boring compared to what a playset should and could deliver. Still, it's an interesting idea. But hey, taking that thinking one step further, doesn't the Terror Dome look very similar to a Separatist fortress? Anyone? Well, maybe not exactly, but that would be a dream come true!

With the inclusion of alternate "sitting" legs for the new Slave Leia, it reminds us all that Oola hasn't had an update in over a decade, and could also use legs to sit next to Jabba. Any chance of getting a new Oola with similar alternate sitting legs so she could sit on the Jabba's dais we all hope you'll make soon? (CS, 2009-08-21) (http://tinyurl.com/CS-2009-08-21)

     Oola definitely needs and update; we have her on our short list, probably within the next two years. It would be cool to make her compatible for any future dais that we also hope to make soon.

 In ye olden days, playsets were keen, but MICRO-scale playsets were really where it was at. Old-skool fans still to this day fondly remember Kenner's expansive Micro Collection series. And Galoob put themselves on the map in the mid-'90s with nearly 30 different creative, clever, fun Micro Machines playsets. Granted, Hasbro's stance on playsets for the 3.75" market is abundantly clear in that there's no mass market left there, but has any thought been put into playsets for the ongoing Galactic Heroes line? The brand's cute little styling could translate very well to playsets, and the brand has legs with both kids and collectors. Collectors love to put figures in context, and kids can always use environments to structure play patterns. The cardboard "playsets" from the recent battle packs are nifty, but kids play rough and cardboard doesn't take much abuse. Competitor Fisher-Price's Imaginext line has tons of creative and fun playsets around the same scale as G. Heroes which some kids have repurposed into Star Wars environments such as Jabba's Sail Barge from the pirate ship. So what about actual playsets for Galactic Heroes? (CS, 2009-08-21) (http://tinyurl.com/CS-2009-08-21)

     Given the investment cost, we're more likely to consider playsets for the much bigger 3-3/4" line. Based on sheer numbers, that's where we'd get the best return on the investment if we went beyond the cardboard type of sets (which we think are terrific for the overall price of the Cinema Scene). The real trick, though, is landing on a playset concept that is iconic enough, has both space and features that we can afford to produce, and has significant entertainment support to get such a concept a green light. While we have looked at numerous different concepts in the constant quest to determine whether it's finally "time" to do a playset, we've never had a concept that hits all three of these criteria. Look over Clone Wars for anything, other than perhaps the bridge of a Republic Cruiser, that has consistent and repeatable exposure as a constant scenic element. Clone Wars is a world on the move, and as cool as Grievous' Lair of the Rookie's outpost may be, it is too fleeting to really justify the huge investment and risk. Maybe one day, if we ever have, say, extended exposure inside the Jedi training area of the Jedi temple, or Clone training facilities, then we might have a concept. Until then, we'll continue to devote our energies to different types of playsets like the vehicles, which we feel can satisfy both a great vehicle and a playset-type of need in the line.

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DP

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So the end-of-the-year's big kick-off to the 2010 wave is an Expanded Universe wave. Are there any particular themes that Hasbro has hashed out for the big year? We would be happy to read about them. (GH, 2009-08-21) (http://tinyurl.com/GH-2009-08-21)

     It's too early to talk about basic figure plans for 2010 yet, Adam — that will most likely come at Toy Fair.  We will say that the while the Expanded Universe will be the lead wave for 2010, it will probably be the only Expanded Universe wave for the year as we turn our attention to some other sub-themes, including some special attention to Episode V, given the 30th anniversary.

With seated Enslaved Princess Leia ready, we know that she needs something to sit on, so when (WHEN!!!) will we see a Jabba with his Dais? After seeing that awesome Dewback, we know it can happen! Please give a desperate guy an ounce of hope. [Rancor Pit trap opens!] (GH, 2009-08-21) (http://tinyurl.com/GH-2009-08-21)

     There is hope, Adam, there is hope - lots of it.  It's not in the bag, though, and here's where you can help.  We've previously hinted that due to the size and format, such a beast would most likely be an exclusive. We have taken some big, meaty swings at our exclusives for this Fall  Season — the AT-ST, Dewback, Octuptarra Droid, newly-designed TIE Fighter and others show that we can redefine and create great new vehicles and creatures as exclusives.

     What we'd like to do with Jabba would be no less ambitious. However, continuation of programs like this, and future success in exclusives, depends on collectors supporting the initiatives in front of us.  If we succeed, it opens the door for more opportunities like these and taking chances on some great concepts like a Jabba.  So, while we can offer a big sunny ray of hope, we don't want to officially make any announcements until we know we're totally locked in. This means making sure we have a great story to tell when we talk to our retailer partners. So fans, applying Jabba's own strong-arm tactics, if you want to see him, make sure you pounce and pounce hard *this* Fall Season!


Ummm... so with this Fan's Choice Poll, we're assuming that everything is on the table? If not, please give us a breakdown and the reason(s) involved. (GH, 2009-08-21) (http://tinyurl.com/GH-2009-08-21)

     We discussed this with Lucasfilm prior to the announcement and we decided not to rule out anyone from the vote. The only stipulation we put was to draw the line between the Legacy Collection and Clone Wars characters, to maintain the separation of those two lines. Although fans can vote for anyone, it does not mean that every figure who makes the top 30 this year will, or could, be made down the road. There are still a couple figures from the last fans' choice vote that cannot be made, even if the same characters happen to win this time, since everything is subject to Lucasfilm approval. We will say that, like the last fans' vote, this one is likely to have a deep and long-lasting influence on our lineup.

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A few sneaky folks were able to shoot some pics as you were setting up your SDCC'09 booth. One thing we noticed in the set-up shots was a second Utai figure sculpt that was clearly at the show, but not shown officially. What's the scoop there? Potential running change that was cancelled? Will the second Utai end up on the same "maybe someday" list like Ratts Tyerell did at Toy Fair '09? (HH, 2009-08-21) (http://tinyurl.com/HH-2009-08-21)

     The plan was for a Utai 2-pack, but that became a victim of cost controls with the Droid Factory waves. Right now there are no plans to release this one, but as always we will find a way to get him back out. We can confirm that Ratts is going to be coming out in the 2011 line.

The Walmart Clone Wars 2-Packs - will we have to buy the 2-pack sets to get Clone Troopers Rys and Fives or will those two be coming on basic cards like Jek, Echo, and Denal? (HH, 2009-08-21) (http://tinyurl.com/HH-2009-08-21)

     There are no plans for Rys and Fives to come out on basic figures cards.

On the Fall ANH wave Scanning Trooper - can you confirm that there will be different head sculpts to go with the different cargo boxes? Seems to be some conflicting info on whether or not the figures will have variants or just the cargo box/scanners? And on the topic of Scanner Guy, are the "innards" of the cargo boxes removable pieces or is the box one piece? (HH, 2009-08-21) (http://tinyurl.com/HH-2009-08-21)

     There will be a separate head sculpt that will accompany the second accessory when the figures are released. On the inside of the top box, the scanner is removable (on a tether) but the inside is glued in place.

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Will the new two seater AT-ST be released with two drivers or can we assume you will release a ROTJ Legacy or Legends Figure Wave with an AT-ST driver so we can man up that awesome looking atst? (IS, 2009-08-20) (http://tinyurl.com/IS-2009-08-20)

     While the AT-ST comes with one driver fo the release, we are looking at releasing a carded AT-ST driver within the next couple of years.

The new Target Two packs with the fold down droids look sweet and one immediately thinks of a droid gunship and an MTT.  Is there any hope of getting either one? (IS, 2009-08-20) (http://tinyurl.com/IS-2009-08-20)

     We're glad you like the changes!  We added the articulation to the Battle Droid not so much to be compatible with any future vehicles, but because we feel the Battle Droids needed this kind of upgrade and it does allow for those who want to produce custom displays showcasing the awesomness of these droids, to do so. While we'd love to see it, the MTT is something that we just don't see getting to due to the sheer size and the fact it's a Separatist vehicle, which is much riskier at those price points.  If it is featured priomonently in the Clone Wars animation, we would consider it.  The Gunship is something that is much more likely because it could be done in a more approachable size.

We have all noticed the New Legacy Nikto with the great looking gun. This gun seems to have a clasp that might be made to grip onto a handrail. Could we expect to possibly see an updated Sail barge or Desert Skiff for the future? (IS, 2009-08-20) (http://tinyurl.com/IS-2009-08-20)

     We did design that just in case we had a future vehicle for it to clasp on to, but we do not have plans to pursue either vehicle you mention.  The Sail Barge remains perhaps our top "wish list" vehicle, but unless this bad boy gets some serious time in Clone Wars or a future TV show, we would not pursue it.  It's just too big, expensive, and relatively obscure to be a success.

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The Vader's Funeral Pyre set got the collectors talking in our forums quite a bit. Do you think this piece will be able to come in at a reasonable price (like under $30 maybe) or is it likely to be a bit more expensive, if it comes to light? (JD, 2009-08-21) (http://tinyurl.com/JD-2009-08-21)

     We do feel that under $29.99 would be the target (hopefully well under) based on feedback from folks at Comic Con, online, and relative to other prior sets that were collector-targeted.

The Clone Cash promotion is really neat and we were wondering if figures outisde the Clone Wars line would have the coupons in them? Some folks buy a lot more of the Legacy and Legends figures and that coupon would be a nice plus when you buy so much every year. (JD, 2009-08-21) (http://tinyurl.com/JD-2009-08-21)

     We're glad you like the Clone Cash program. We inserted the Clone Cash into 200,000 Clone Wars basic figures this fall and that will be it for this year. We'll be watching the program to see how it does; it's possible we could expand it to more assortments next year depending on how it goes for this year (of course, it can always be used on Legacy and Saga Legends figures). Thanks!

Did you happen to catch the images that cropped up of those "new" Indiana Jones Figures during Comic Con (toht, Ghost, etc)? Can you comment on if they were something top secret, simply a custom hoax, or something more? (JD, 2009-08-21) (http://tinyurl.com/JD-2009-08-21)

     This was a hoax, and we had nothing to do with it. Whoever did it, did a clever job, right down to replicating our "tent cards" that we use when showing items at Comic Con. It was fun to look at, but nothing is in development or IJ at this time.

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JI

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Will we ever see any more Pod Racing Vehicles or Drivers in the 3.75" line or is what's been produced it?  Have you considered scaling these down for Galactic Heroes? (JN, 2009-08-20) (http://tinyurl.com/JN-2009-08-20)

     There will be more Pod Racers - we would like to get to one a year, if we can, until we've gotten to all the majors (we could see doing 3 or 4 more years at least).  As for 3-3/4" Pod Racing vehicles, we do not have any in development, but haven't ruled out every getting to more of them. As the collector ranks are swelled by the generation of kids who first saw Episode I in theaters as kids, there will be increased interest in all things Episode I, including Pod Racing vehicles.  That time is still a few years off, so hang in there and we are confident you will see some eventually.  As for Galactic Heroes, that's an interesting idea and one we'll discuss internally.  Thanks!

There are so many Clone Troopers in the 3.75" line... how about giving us some sets of Clone Troopers in the Galactic Heroes line, say a squadron of Troopers from Utapau or Coruscant packaged as a Cinema Scene; there are so many different environments to choose from and this would be a great way to give the younger (and older) collector a way to army build rather than just getting one trooper in each two pack every now and again?  Also, will we see the Republic Gunship in the Galactic Heroes line anytime soon? (JN, 2009-08-20) (http://tinyurl.com/JN-2009-08-20)

     Interesting thought on Galactic Heroes, James.  We have done a couple of sets like this and they have been popular, so we would not rule out doing more of these. A Republic Gunship is not likely within the next couple of years.

The Eopie mail away was confirmed for the UK, US and Canada after the US Toy Fair in February, but we've now been told that the offer will only be available in the US and Canada, why the change of heart? UK collectors were very much looking forward to being able to get this, will it be made available another way, if not why? (JN, 2009-08-20) (http://tinyurl.com/JN-2009-08-20)

     It has been delayed due to a heavy slate of other promotional activity this fall.  We confirmed with the U.K. team that it will be offered in the 1st quarter of 2010, at Toys 'R Us.

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The day before the recent Comic Con 2009, a number of pictures appeared online of what seemed to be new Indiana Jones figures, including signage that seemed to be right out of the SDCC display cases.  Within hours of them being reported on several sites, the pictures quickly disappeared from Photobucket, where they were posted.  Luckily, I saved the pictures to my own Photobucket, and here's the link: http://s56.photobucket.com/albums/g190/ebaymogul/

These pictures included utterly convincing “Hasbro-like” versions of a Raiders motorcycle sidecar with riders, and an ark spirit/ghost.  While these figures are pretty much 100% now believed to be “kit bashes” that are fan made (albeit with what everyone on the boards seems to agree was really remarkable skill,) could you comment on the rumor that these are the work of either Hasbro employees (presumably done for fun or as a gag,) or are mock-ups (including components from other 3 ¾” toy lines) used informally by Hasbro?  The theory is that while several of them are clearly kit bashes, the skill level seems more the work of someone working in the toy industry, and there are parts used that appear to come from unreleased Hasbro prototypes (such as Toht's salute hand and poker.)  The bigger question - is this - or was this - some hint of Hasbro Indy plans either past/abandoned or planned/future? (JTA, 2009-08-20) (http://tinyurl.com/JTA-2009-08-20)

     This was a hoax, and we had nothing to do with it, nor was it the work of a rogue employee having fun.  Whoever did it did a clever job, right down to replicating our "tent cards" that we use when showing items at Comic Con.  There remains no current IJ development, and nothing of what was shows bears any relation (other than Toht) to work we had done prior.

As usual, your presentation at Comic Con was great. My question is why didn't we see more for 2010? Last year the presentation showed things coming out as far away as March of '09. That is almost eight months after SDCC. I am curious as to why is R2-X2 in the Empire Strikes Back wave? Isn't "he" one of two possible droids from the Yavin Hangar scenes in ANH? (JTA, 2009-08-20) (http://tinyurl.com/JTA-2009-08-20)

     We didn't show more of the 2010 line at Comic Con because the focus is always on what fans can expect for the next six months, with a just a sneak peek of what is to come.  The 2008 presentation was a little atypical because we had a couple of key exclusive delays (the Ep. VI Rancor and the Wal-Mart Comic Packs) that had slipped out from Fall 2008. We wanted to make sure they got exposure because they were pushed out to the early spring, when we usually don't have many exclusives. Also, because we would not be able to get the word out before Toy Fair on these. We don't have any similar items for 2010, so the balance of the line will be seen at Toy Fair in February.  As to R2-X2, he was meant as a refresh figure similar to some other characters (ARC Trooper, Scout Trooper, etc) and was not part of the original figures created for the Episode V wave.

2005's AT-RT vehicle was an interesting concept.  It's one of the few motorized vehicles that we've had in the line.  But the mechanics of the toy don't seem to replicate just how agile the vehicle has been shown to be in the Clone Wars animated series.  Given that appearance in the Clone Wars, is an AT-RT in the lineup for the near future?  And might it be retooled? (JTA, 2009-08-20) (http://tinyurl.com/JTA-2009-08-20)

     We are looking at a new version of the AT-RT to be brought into the Clone Wars lineup.  It is smaller than the Episode III version, fitting with the more slender design from the Clone Wars animation.  Currently, it's slated for the deluxe figure/vehicle assortment and should be out for the first wave of 2010.  Stay tuned!

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The current Saga Legends Darth Vader/Anakin Skywalker is in desperate need of some new arms. I feel this figure has out grown the swivel elbows, which makes him look funny in the new packaging, as well as make it awkward for him to hold a Lightsaber with two hands. How long are we going to have to wait to get this upgrade? Because other than that, the figure is fantastic! (MD, 2009-08-20) (http://tinyurl.com/MD-2009-08-20)

     We agree that an upgraded version of Episode III Anakin is a good idea, and out plan is that he will out sometime mid-2010. He will be in the regular basic figure lineup, and not Saga Legends.

I'm actually really loving the new 2009 card designs, they look great. I have a couple of short quick questions. We have heard rumors that Darth Nihlus may be getting a run in the legends line, is this true as he would be a fantastic figure. Even Darth Bane would be very cool as we all know how well Sith sell.
My other question is how come we never get Darth Tyranus or Darth Sidious printed on the cards of Palps and Dooku. I would love to get these two guys with their Darth names for my collection. My final question is will we be lucky enough to see Concept Anakin on the new cards to go along with the other three concept figures coming this year as he will look out of place between the TAC and the 09 Legacy cards? (MD, 2009-08-20) (http://tinyurl.com/MD-2009-08-20)

     There is no basis to the rumor that Darth Nihilus will be coming in the Saga Legends line. Right now, the focus remains firmly on Saga Legends as a kid-targeted assortment.

     Good question on Palpatine and Dooku having their Darth names. The answer is that basically Palpatine and Dooku are more well-known to kids, but the appeal of their Darth appellations is noted, and would be an interesting way to name them in the future. Finally, there are no plans at this time to re-run any of the figures from the Episode II wave from this past spring except for Obi-Wan, so for now the concept Anakin will remain exclusive to the blue and white line look.


I've noticed that DK Books are publishing a Star Wars Lego Visual Dictionary. Is there any chance of Hasbro jumping on board for a Star Wars Visual Dictionary as well? (MD, 2009-08-20) (http://tinyurl.com/MD-2009-08-20)

     There are no plans for a similar book on Hasbro's Star Wars toys, but it's an interesting idea.

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A very big lack of Marvel Star Wars Comic Packs, although the one you are bringing out Lumiya/Luke Skywalker rocks and I am glad to have the chance to pick this one up, can I also ask if you are going to bring out any of the following characters from the Marvel Star Wars Comic Packs - Crimson Jack and Jolli, Jaxxon and Amaiza, Cody Sunn-Childe and Demon - also when will the next Marvel Star Wars Comic Pack be available after the Lumiya/Luke one and what will it be. (RS, 2009-08-20) (http://tinyurl.com/RS-2009-08-20)

     There are no plans for any of those characters, but there is an opportunity for them to appear in the Fans' Choice Poll and if so, we will consider them. Although, given each of their extremely brief appearances in the Marvel run, we wouldn't expect them to be higher on the rankings of most fans than, say, Valance the Hunter, Rik Duel, Dani, or even Kiro (none of which are in the upcoming lineup, either). There *are* two Marvel packs slated for next year, the next one appearing in late spring as a Wal-Mart exclusive, which will be revealed at Toy Fair.

Thanks for showing so many new figures at SDCC. What went into your decision to make Nien Nunb a B-Wing Pilot? Fans are much more anticipating a badly needed update of Nien Nunb as seen in ROTJ as a co-pilot to Lando in the Millennium Falcon. Can we expect this movie-accurate version soon please? (RS, 2009-08-20) (http://tinyurl.com/RS-2009-08-20)

     It was our intention to make a red-suited B-wing pilot as a follow-up to Ten Numb who came in the Evolution packs. We needed to character using existing tooling, so we decided to just go ahead and slot in another Sullustan, thinking that there would be an Episode VI reference to support an appearance of a red-suited one. However, as we got further into the figure, and got ready for package art, we all realized that there was no on-screen support for one. It was too late to pull the figure out of the wave without seriously jeopardizing our schedule. So, with Lucasfilm agreeing, we kept on schedule and looked for a name. We decided that rather than make up a new pilot name (Eleven Nunb?) we would instead pick a name that seemed to make the most sense - reasoning that at some point Nien Nunb would have been a B-Wing pilot and it's something that we can imagine as off screen, prior to him being reassigned from the B-Wing squad and becoming Lando's co-pilot where he would not need to wear his B-Wing flight suit. We hope collectors will look past this one and appreciate him for what he is - a cool version of Nien Nunb. Imagine him as a generic red-suited B-Wing to fill out their pilot ranks. Either way, we think he's pretty cool and we're glad we could bring out a red-suited Sullustan. As for an updated, definitive version of Nien, he's not in the 2010 plan, but he's on the short list of candidates that we'd like to get to in 2011.

Would it be possible to revisit the 7" Unleashed line for Darth Revan, and Vader's Secret Apprentice maybe as a TRU, Target, or online Exclusive? (RS, 2009-08-20) (http://tinyurl.com/RS-2009-08-20)

     We will not be revisiting the 7" Unleashed. It is a format that was unfortunately embraced by relatively few collectors compared to our other lines, plus, the extraordinary costs for development and tooling for a very small run don't justify going back to the format. Other brands (Marvel and Transformers) have tried the large Unleashed since then, with similar results, so the format does not look like it's coming back anywhere any time soon.

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What happened with the Boba Fett in the Wal-Mart Droid Factory Wave? All the press materials showed him to be a repaint of the going to be a repack of the animated version. Why the change? Will we be getting that cool repaint of animated Fett in the near future? (RTM, 2009-08-20) (http://tinyurl.com/RTM-2009-08-20)

     Per Lucasfilm direction, we went with the animated Boba Fett from the holiday special rather than a deco that was true to the movie or Droids series. Right now we don't have any plans for additional versions of Fett using the animated figure tools (which includes different forearms, gloves, and belt) but we do acknowledge that there is interest in seeing this, and given Boba's popularity it's certainly something we'll consider. Thanks!

The fan's vote contest is coming up and all types of characters are going to be thrown into the hat. However, there are a few characters (Tonnika Sisters for example) that we have been told are "off-limits" for various reasons. Could you please publish a list of these so we don't waste our votes on these characters? (RTM, 2009-08-20) (http://tinyurl.com/RTM-2009-08-20)

     We purposefully decided not to publish a list of the characters that Lucasfilm has deemed "off limits" in order to get the purest data on what fans want to see. However, the list of figures that cannot be made is a very short list. In the very unlikely event that one of these comes in first place in the poll, we will discuss with Lucasfilm. If it's still not possible to produce that figure, we'll have to go to second choice.

I saw the Darth Vader funeral pyre in action at Comic Con. How do we go about letting you know that we DO want this scene? (RTM, 2009-08-20) (http://tinyurl.com/RTM-2009-08-20)

     You just did! We got a pretty good idea at the show that a good number of fans want to see it, and reading the various reactions in the forum show that while not every fan may be willing to add this to their collection, it seems like there is a significant level of interest. The challenge now is to find a willing retail partner, and to find the right number to release to make everything work out. Thanks for the interest!

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You have mentioned in the past that media support (i.e. appearances in The Clone Wars TV show) helps drive and determine what toys you will produce for the lines. Can you tell us what designs or ideas you have that are "on the bubble" that you would love to do but are waiting for more media support in order to give you the go ahead?" (SAND, 2009-08-20) (http://tinyurl.com/SAND-2009-08-20)

     The examples here would include some of OTC or Prequel ships that we could not update in the Starfighter assortment ($24.99) or as exclusives at, or near, this price point. We feel pretty confident that we can have success with other vehicles if they are cool, but have less support in these formats (like the Rebublic Attack Tank, for example). If some of the bigger vehicles appeared in the Clone Wars, then it would give us a chance to see if they merited an update. We really don't have any specific ones on the bubble because we wouldn't realy consider them unless they were prominent in Clone Wars or perhaps the live action show.

In the last Q&A, you said that if the sales on the CW Y-Wing were good this might open up things for a new line of "midsize" vehicles.  Would that then include a new OT-era Y-Wing by any chance?  I've never bought a Y-Wing previously because there were just too many small dislikes about the old mold (too small, the pilot cannot sit without leaning back in his seat, R2 unit cannot be removed, landing gear seemed too weak, wing plastic was too bendy, etc).  After the spectacular job that was done on the BMF and AT-TE, I'd snap up an OT-Y-Wing in a heartbeat done with the same care and quality!  How about it? (SAND, 2009-08-20) (http://tinyurl.com/SAND-2009-08-20)

     We would not do a whole new Y-Wing in this format, but we do intend to deliver a significant update to the current tool next year that will address many, if not all of your issues (and at a lower price point than the Deluxe format, similar to last year's Y-Wing). Stay tuned!

Do you think you'll ever get to a point where you will stop re-making and "improving" the same characters that have been done over and over before? Will you ever get to the point where you make a Luke Skywalker Tatooine figure and say "AHHH! It's perfect, we will never have to create another Luke Skywalker Tatooine again!"? There really doesn't seem to be any shortage of characters in the Star Wars Universe that haven't been realized in plastic, yet it seems like every year we are "treated" to another Han Solo, Luke Skywalker, Ben Kenobi, etc. etc. I do understand that you want to be able to attract newer, younger fans and consumers by making popular characters available at all times - or at least as often as possible - but why not just use the Legends line for this purpose? Instead it seems like the Legends line is used to reissue figures that are still sitting on pegs in their original release cardbacks, that haven't sold the first time you sent them to stores - what's the purpose of sending MORE of the same figures? How is a figure that was released 2 months ago considered a "Legend" so soon? (SAND, 2009-08-20) (http://tinyurl.com/SAND-2009-08-20)

     You are right, in that we are getting to some definitive characters that we do not feel a need to update, but will keep in the lineup as "carryforward" figures in new packages.  This will be seen both in the current, and 2010 Saga Legends line, as well as the Legacy line - these are important characters for us to carryforward as they provide "anchors" for waves and we can devote our slots a little more to as-yet-unproduced (1st appearance) characters or updgrades for other characters.  By the way, we are wondering where you are seeing the same Saga Legends characters in their original-release cardbacks - that seems a little odd to us as many of these figures are several years old and have been selected based on their popularity and sales data.  The Legends line is drawn from our best-selling characters, complemented by a few select characters to augment our Clone Wars lineup (hence the inclusion of characaters like Plo Koon).  Can you have the reader who asked this question help us out with better descriptions of what they have seen and store numbers so we can check it out?

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With the recent announcement that hasbrotoyshop.com is now shipping to Canada, we would like to know specificly why there is an additional $20 fee being tacked on to the normal shipping fees, plus the cost of the figure. If this is the case, it would not be worth buying the figure from hasbrotoyshop.com as it would come to nearly $50 for a $15 3.75" exclusive figure from hasbrotoyshop.com. If, you waited long enough it would be on ebay for less than half the price including shipping. Many of us would prefer to buy directly from hasbrotoyshop.com, as the chances of getting it near minty would be higher and we also like to get product as soon as it has become available. Please, clarify exactly what this extra $20 is for? (SNOW, 2009-08-20) (http://tinyurl.com/SNOW-2009-08-20)

     The extra $20 covers duty, taxes, and additional costs for us to be able to ship items from the U.S. to Canada.

If you are ever re-visiting the Clone Wars Super Battle Droid would you consider changing the forearm articulation on him? If the swivel post from the elbow joint connected to the forearm rather than the bicep you would get considerably more viable arm poses including the most common "at attention" position with the elbow bent, forearm up, wrist flat front and blasters facing forward. (If it saves on tooling you could just add the forearm post to the elbow joint.) (SNOW, 2009-08-20) (http://tinyurl.com/SNOW-2009-08-20)

     That's a good suggestion - thanks.  Right now we don't have an update planned but it's a good idea for a future revision.  Thanks.

Is it possible to set up some kind of information feed that would inform Canadian collectors of exactly what is coming to Canadian retail? As things get finalized you could let us know. For example, if a retailer steps up for the Scramble at yavin battle pack assortment, you could let us know when this happens. Or once retailers place an order for a certain wave, you could automatically confirm this for us. This would save us from asking every Q&A "Is x vehicle or wave coming to Canada"? It would also benefit retailers because we would then not resort to ordering things from the US for fear of them never arriving at retail here. It would basically act as product announcements like Hasbro USA does when revealing new products, but be Canada specific.

And speaking of Canadian retail and SW toys, the distribution of TLC this year has been terrible, with constant reloading (and clogging) of the pegs with wave 1 and barely a trickle of waves 3 and 4 (and obviously the absence of the last two waves completely). So given that Hasbro at SDCC has stated it will ship four waves in only 2 months(!) will ALL of these waves actually be coming to Canada? And what about existing announced blue-white packaged items like:

Scramble on Yavin
CW Jabba
AT-TE Assault Squad
Ambush on the Vulture’s Claw
Rancor w/Luke which was said in a previous Q&A to be headed to
“smaller accounts”
Spring 2009 comic packs

These answers are exactly what we hope an information feed would tell us, since this year Canadian customers have been left feeling as if we are fumbling in the dark and no idea of what we can or cannot buy. It loses money for Hasbro and obviously makes collecting incredibly, incredibly frustrating. (SNOW, 2009-08-20) (http://tinyurl.com/SNOW-2009-08-20)

     That is a good idea for a list to advise Canadian collectors.  We will work that up and use it for periodic updates as different toys ship.  As for the ones you cite, none of them will be released in Canada as the blue and white line look is finished.  Unfortunately, the retail support for the Rancor fell through at the last minute and we ended up not releasing it.  A pity, but we tried hard to get it placed.

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Resculpts and Clone Wars outfits notwithstanding, there are 20 new outfits for Padme Amidala that you could still produce, and nine years left until your license expires. That said, what's your plan for our favorite queen-turned-senator? Relatively lackluster sales of Breha Organa, another regal female character, might point to a lack of interest in new Padme outfits; there's also the fact that many of the costumes are similar to one another in style and color, particularly her many dark blue and purple ROTS robes. However, when released in cautious numbers, Padme can fully sell through and satiate collectors. Do you plan on making all of her outfits over the course of the line? If not, then how many more do you think we can expect to see, and which ones are most likely? (SSG, 2009-08-20) (http://tinyurl.com/SSG-2009-08-20)

     We do not have a specific plan for Padme other than generally planning one version of her a year. In anything other than her adventure gear or Arena outfit, she is not the strongest figure and there are lot sof other "sub-groups" that we would like ot plan on getting to. It's possible that someday we'll get to do another pack like the "Evolutions" pack featuring Padme, but there are currently no plans for anything other than a basic figure.

There is some confusion for the tail end of the Titanium Series line, what with the wave numbers and date cards shown at SDCC. The Mist Hunter is showing up in retailers' computers in wave 10, while your slide show says the previous wave that should have hit shelves before it in late July and includes 3 new tools - the Republic Gunship, Punishing One, and the Malevolence - is nowhere to be found in retailers computers, nor is the wave after the Mist Hunter with the Outrider and Nebulon B frigate. Where does this confusion lie, and will those sets actually get released or will they get lost the way the Gungan Sub and Basestar did? If they are still on track for release, what are those waves and when are they slated for? (SSG, 2009-08-20) (http://tinyurl.com/SSG-2009-08-20)

     You are right - we did mess up and the Mist Hunter is in a separate wave. We can confirm that the other waves will be released even though they do not appear to be actively listed in the system yet of the particular retailer you checked.

At some point during SDCC, photos were taken of a second Utai figure standing near the Utai Varactyl Wrangler figure on display during the rest of the show and the slideshow panel, however there was no mention of this figure anywhere and it wasn't shown during the main display. This second Utai has a stockier head, different deco, and no headgear. What is the deal with this Utai, will it be released as a running change, has it been cut, and could we get a clearer photo of this figure? (SSG, 2009-08-20) (http://tinyurl.com/SSG-2009-08-20)

     The second Utai has been cut due to costing issues and we do not have plans for a running change since our Utai pack was only planned for one wave. We will see how he does; if it does well we may release the second Utai at a later date in either basic figure or some other form.

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SWAN

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I know you don't want to get into financial figures, but I'm wondering how well the comic packs are doing and if they will be around for the foreseeable future. I hope they are here for the long term since there are so many great characters left to make. Knights of the Old Republic and Invasion need their first figures, and dark side Leia from A New Hope Infinities could be a cool one too (hint hint)! (SWC, 2009-08-20) (http://tinyurl.com/SWC-2009-08-20)

     We have a lot of heart for the Comic Packs, since some of the most exciting stories from the EU have been told in comics and there are somany exciting characters to draw from. That said, the line does need a boost as it's been a little sluggish versus expectations. We have beenworking on a lot of new and exciting figure tools (see this fall's lineup for an example!) and hope that fans share the same excitement we have. Right now, we are planning comic packs to run through 2010 at least, but we really do need fan support for all the packs to ensure that we continueon a healthy pace through 2010.

Looking over my old vintage figures, it's hard not to be impressed by the attention given to the Jabba's palace characters. The detail on figures like Squid Head and Bib Fortuna was some of the best work of it's time. I'm hoping that someday soon Hasbro will start turning more attention towards Jabba's gang. When I look over the list of vintage characters from Jabba's palace: Gamorrean Guard, Ree-Yees, Weequay, Squid Head, Nikto, Klaatu, Rancor Keeper, Bib Fortuna, Klaatu (Skiff Guard), 8-D8, Amanaman, Barada, EV-9D9 and Yak Face, almost all, with the exception of the soon to come Rancor Keeper, are in need of a nicely articulated modern version. Bib Fortuna especially needs a definitive update with articulation! The new palace characters that you have been making are great, but are there plans for new versions of the vintage characters? (SWC, 2009-08-20) (http://tinyurl.com/SWC-2009-08-20)

     We think you'll be pleased with our plans. Many of the characters you cite are on our radar for the next couple of years. We're sorry to saythat Bib, though, is not on our short list as he got what we feel is a pretty spiffy update in the Saga Collection lineup just a few years back(we don't think articulation is the answer for everything, especially since we see Bib do so little).

Since Dark Trooper Phase III is in the new Wal*Mart "Droid Factory" sets and Phase I is going to be single-carded, any chance we'll see the Phase II version before too long? (SWC, 2009-08-20) (http://tinyurl.com/SWC-2009-08-20)

     Surprisingly, we don't have the Phase II in development. It's certainly a possibility for someday, just not in the lineup currently.

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"TJ"

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It's been really exciting to see images of the new figures at the SDCC, can't wait to collect them. I am especially excited to see Major Panno, but disappointed that all the pictures have his cape covering most of him up. Is there any chance of a picture without the cape on? (TPU, 2009-08-20) (http://tinyurl.com/TPU-2009-08-20)

     There you go. Please note this is an image of our paint master, so there may be some differences between this image and final deco.

(image) (http://i30.tinypic.com/2056yjs.jpg)

With 2010 being the 30 anniversary of The Empire Strikes Back are we likely to see a new rescaled Slave 1 or the much wanted Bespin Cloud Car vehicle? (TPU, 2009-08-20) (http://tinyurl.com/TPU-2009-08-20)

     It's too early to reveal any specifics, but if any of these are in the lineup it will be revealed at Toy Fare in February (or possibly the U.K. Toy Fair the week prior).

It's great to see more Cantina characters like Leesub Sirin and Hrcheck Kal Fas being made and wonderful they look, but does this mean that we will eventually get the Tonnika sisters? (TPU, 2009-08-20) (http://tinyurl.com/TPU-2009-08-20)

     It does not mean that you will eventually get the Tonnika sisters. We will be producing some other tasty Cantina patrons next year, though. Stay tuned!

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In light of the revelation that the second version of the Hoth Rebel Trooper is going to be the scarcest of the Legacy Collection figures, how has this effected the distribution of other upcoming figures with running changes like the Bespin Guards and the Imperial Scanning Crew? Are more preventative measures being taken to allow collectors to complete their loose/carded figure collection?

And speaking of figures with running changes, where does the second version of the Utai figure fit in to all of this? (YF, 2009-08-20) (http://tinyurl.com/YF-2009-08-20)

     Yes, the Bespin Wing Guard and the Scanning Crew will be released in separate waves this fall, thus preventing the problem. This is under the assumption that the factory will not forget to switch over to the new head for the new wave - these instructions were obviously ignored during the Hoth Rebel Trooper run and the results were unfortunately bad. To compound it, we did not catch it until after the (already short) run was over. We can confirm that we are looking at ways of ensuring the Hoth figure gets released again next year. The second Utai will not become the basic figure line next year since the Utai was originally only ever to run one wave, and thus we could not slot a second one into the line.

This year at SDCC, it seems like their were several new items announced or on display for the first time that hit store shelves at virtually the same time as the convention was taking place (Corporate Alliance Tank Droid, Ahsoka's Jedi Starfighter, various Clone Wars figures etc). Was this a mere matter of coincidence or something that was planned in order to bombard collectors with new merchandise in a few short days? (YF, 2009-08-20) (http://tinyurl.com/YF-2009-08-20)

     If these beat us out, it was not intentional. Our plans and labels have been baked into place for sometime before we head to Comic Con, and we don't always get revised shipping schedules when toys are that close the market. Most everyone is used to our toys being later than we want - it's a treat when some of them show up early!

SDCC gave collectors a look at many new and unique figures from the A New Hope wave - even after all these years it shows that new takes on existing characters can still achieved (R2-D2, Han and Chewbacca) and the Cantina scene continues to produce some of the most unique figures of the saga and that brings us to Leesub Sirln. While she looks to be a great figure on her own, she appears to be a little light in the accessory department. Would it be possible to get a small bar table with her, maybe like the one that came with Momaw Nadon or Hem Dazon from the TSC line? It's a small enough accessory to fit in the new smaller bubble and she needs a place to set her drink after all. (YF, 2009-08-20) (http://tinyurl.com/YF-2009-08-20)

     Thanks for the comments. It's way too late at this point to add anything to Leesub. We think collectors will want to add her on their own merit - she will not be released in large quantities and should not (hopefully) hang around too long.

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The AT-TE, BMF, Turbo Tank, and the new G.I. Joe PIT are all examples of massive multi-tiered playsets contained within a vehicle. Can we expect to see this trend continue at least once per year (as long as sales support the investment)? If so, does this leave the door open for playset vehicles such as the Executor, the Imperial Star Destroyer, and the Republic Venator-class cruiser? (YN, 2009-08-20) (http://tinyurl.com/YN-2009-08-20)

     As long as sales continue to do well, we would like to see this strategy continue for Star Wars (we can't speak for the strategy of other brands). However, we doubt that the giant imperial ships will be part of any large-vehicle plan. They are not the most interesting vehicles themselves. Even though we would love to see them someday, we're sure there are a good number of candidates ahead of them.

With the unveiling of Concept Anakin Skywalker (Episode III) and Concept Ki-Adi Mundi, it seems clear that Hasbro plans to expand beyond the McQuarrie designs and delve into a larger arena of concept art-based products. Can we expect this to eventually include vehicles as well similar to what we saw back in the "Power of the Force 2" era? (YN, 2009-08-20) (http://tinyurl.com/YN-2009-08-20)

     There are no plans to expand beyond figures right now, simply because the tooling would be too great for a non-core vehicle. The exception would be if a concept vehicle could be done with little change to an existing vehicle, then it might be possible.

Considering Master Replicas spent years telling collectors that they couldn't figure out a reliable way to build Force FX sabers with curved hilts (Dooku and Ventress), it was a very welcome surprise to see both of them as your first new entries in the Hasbro Signature Series Force FX line. Were these developed solely in-house and can we expect to see even more innovative higher-end products from Hasbro's Star Wars brand in the future? (YN, 2009-08-20) (http://tinyurl.com/YN-2009-08-20)

     They were developed in-house and represent the first of the new-designs we have planned. Stay tuned!
Title: Re: The Hasbro Q & A Compendium
Post by: Matt on September 10, 2009, 02:15 PM
Session 75 - September 10, 2009

AFC

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A forum member and card carrying member of the "Collect Them All Club" snapped this picture (http://i32.tinypic.com/xknhi0.jpg) at Toys R Us. [In case the pic is lost to the ether, the pic was taken at a Toys R Us, and shows the new "Imperial" ARC-170 for $79.99 on a shelf above the old TRU exclusive "Wampa" ARC-170 for $44.99.]

Although we were aware of the impending price hike, seeing the two ARCs share shelf space provided clarity. We understand you don't set prices, but you certainly have your own MSRP. Target sells the same ship for $64.99, but even at that price, this wide-release is still $20 above its normally premium-priced store exclusive brother, which is still on the shelves at TRU months after release. Previous versions of the ARC retailed for as low as $29.99.

If this vehicle was rushed to market to keep shelf space available for the upcoming Y-Wing, will we ever see the Y-Wing if unsold ARCs are taking up all the shelf space? (BS, 2009-09-10) (http://bit.ly/BS-2009-09-10)

     You are correct in that we do not set retail prices and cannot comment on any particular store's sales price. What they choose to retail anything for is up to the individual retailer. In addition, the volatlity over the past couple of years have severely challenged our ability to deliver near the same prices as even as recently as year ago, so fans should understand that such a situation is not our intention at all when we re-release some of our best ships. Essentially what you have outlined is basically the issue at hand. The ARC-170 was added to the assortment to hold the shelf space until the Y-Wing was ready to go since it was trailing behind. If it does not sell-through, then the Y-Wing stands a risk of not getting out there in significant numbers. We do know that some Y-Wings will be hitting soon, so keep an eye out.

Recently some carded photos of Legacy Collection figures hit the Internet. Will the Imperial Scanning Tech be packaged with the ever-popular box, and will Hrchek Kal Fas be less crazy-eyed than the prototype? (BS, 2009-09-10) (http://bit.ly/BS-2009-09-10)

     There was an error in the first packaging that was quickly corrected.  The equipment *will* be shipping with the scanning crew - one half of the equipment with the first release, and the second half with the second release in a later wave. The Kal Fas you saw was an early sample, and should be corrected for final production.

I know you've said a Death Star playset is too expensive to consider right now, but I was wondering if was at all possible to release several 'Mini Dios' in the $20 Vehicle line that could be stacked together and turned into a Death Star? So one set would be the Detention room, one would be the Trash room etc, that way fans could slowly build a modern DS but Hasbro wouldn't have to invest in a large dollar playset at one time, but several small ones over a period of say, 3-4 year? I know I'd be excited to put one together, even if it was only 2 sets a year. (BS, 2009-09-10) (http://bit.ly/BS-2009-09-10)

     This question has been asked numerous times already in the Q&A over the past couple years, and our stance has not changed. Basically, environmental pieces or small playsets are not nearly as popular as vehicles and could not be delivered without extraordinary tooling cost.  The only feasible way to deliver a larger playset like this is to do it all at once, but we would not take on something like this unless we are certain that it would succeed based on a strong presence in current entertainment. We have not seen anything to support a new playset, so there is no development going on. Instead, we continue to put our focus on expanding the vehicle range with larger sets that can play a dual role, like the AT-TE and Turbo Tank - both a vehicle and enough areas to make them a playset or rolling headquarters.

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Understanding that new tooling costs are a major prohibitive factor in creating playsets, has the Hasbro SW team considered digging out the original GI Joe Headquarters playset tooling to repurpose for the Clone Wars line? Its design is generic sci-fi enough that without resculpting it could pass as a Republic base - such as Rishi Station from "Rookiees" - with simply a different sticker sheet for the control panels. It has a landing pad, a hallway/garage for BARC Speeders, and basic features that keep costs down but fit Clone Wars play patterns. So, any thought given to this idea before? If not, what do you think, and what would its chances be? (CS, 2009-09-10) (http://bit.ly/CS-2009-09-10)

     Actually, we had not considered that, but that's a really creative suggestion, thanks. We don't know if it would work for various reasons including tooling availability, licensor approval, cost versus what we think consumers would be willing to pay. The fact is that it's probably too "flat" and a little boring compared to what a playset should and could deliver. Still, it's an interesting idea. But hey, taking that thinking one step further, doesn't the Terror Dome look very similar to a Separatist fortress? Anyone? Well, maybe not exactly, but that would be a dream come true!

With the inclusion of alternate "sitting" legs for the new Slave Leia, it reminds us all that Oola hasn't had an update in over a decade, and could also use legs to sit next to Jabba. Any chance of getting a new Oola with similar alternate sitting legs so she could sit on the Jabba's dais we all hope you'll make soon? (CS, 2009-09-10) (http://bit.ly/CS-2009-09-10)

     Oola definitely needs and update; we have her on our short list, probably within the next two years. It would be cool to make her compatible for any future dais that we also hope to make soon.

In ye olden days, playsets were keen, but MICRO-scale playsets were really where it was at. Old-skool fans still to this day fondly remember Kenner's expansive Micro Collection series. And Galoob put themselves on the map in the mid-'90s with nearly 30 different creative, clever, fun Micro Machines playsets. Granted, Hasbro's stance on playsets for the 3.75" market is abundantly clear in that there's no mass market left there, but has any thought been put into playsets for the ongoing Galactic Heroes line? The brand's cute little styling could translate very well to playsets, and the brand has legs with both kids and collectors. Collectors love to put figures in context, and kids can always use environments to structure play patterns. The cardboard "playsets" from the recent battle packs are nifty, but kids play rough and cardboard doesn't take much abuse. Competitor Fisher-Price's Imaginext line has tons of creative and fun playsets around the same scale as G. Heroes which some kids have repurposed into Star Wars environments such as Jabba's Sail Barge from the pirate ship. So what about actual playsets for Galactic Heroes? (CS, 2009-09-10) (http://bit.ly/CS-2009-09-10)

     Given the investment cost, we're more likely to consider playsets for the much bigger 3-3/4" line. Based on sheer numbers, that's where we'd get the best return on the investment if we went beyond the cardboard type of sets (which we think are terrific for the overall price of the Cinema Scene). The real trick, though, is landing on a playset concept that is iconic enough, has both space and features that we can afford to produce, and has significant entertainment support to get such a concept a green light. While we have looked at numerous different concepts in the constant quest to determine whether it's finally "time" to do a playset, we've never had a concept that hits all three of these criteria. Look over Clone Wars for anything, other than perhaps the bridge of a Republic Cruiser, that has consistent and repeatable exposure as a constant scenic element. Clone Wars is a world on the move, and as cool as Grievous' Lair of the Rookie's outpost may be, it is too fleeting to really justify the huge investment and risk. Maybe one day, if we ever have, say, extended exposure inside the Jedi training area of the Jedi temple, or Clone training facilities, then we might have a concept. Until then, we'll continue to devote our energies to different types of playsets like the vehicles, which we feel can satisfy both a great vehicle and a playset-type of need in the line.

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Hasbro made a number of Padme's outfits last year, but this year seems particularly lacking... with the large number of costumes still yet unmade from both ROTS and AOTC, can you tell us if you have any plans to release at least a couple/few of the remaining ones in next year's lineup? (DP, 2009-09-10) (http://bit.ly/DP-2009-09-10)

     Last year was atypical, in that we had the Evolution pack to add a good jolt of Padme for those fans who craze her. Since she is still a nice collecting interest, our mainline plans are more tempered; the ideal is to debut one new Padme every year, if we can. There may be more or fewer as the year shakes out but since she competes with the few precious collector-targeted slots, which typicaly consume disproportionate tooling, we need to keep everything in balance by limiting Padme to one/year.

How about this for a battle pack - bespin guard white head, bespin guard mustache (vintage style), and the two ugnaughts painted in the lighter colors as seen at toyfair and with their heads switched. In the last q and a someone mentioned repainting the Han Solo carbonite block (so that it is not melting) and this might make a nice accessory for this pack. It would be a nice set for someone who wants multiples of these troop builder style figures. (DP, 2009-09-10) (http://bit.ly/DP-2009-09-10)

     That is actually a pretty cool pack idea for a collector-targeted Battle Packs. Unfortunately, our mainline plans have moved away from collector-targeted packs but we'll park this one in the exclusives parking that we draw upon for ideas. By doing this, fans would essentially get all four of the major head types for Bespin Wing Guards, and Ugnaught varuety. Thanks for the intersting suggestion.

Let’s say theoretically that the Clone Wars cartoon features an action packed episode where some clones go on a mission to Tatooine to save someone (anyone!) kidnapped by bounty hunters held up at Jabba’s Palace. On their mission their ship is destroyed and they have to steal Jabba’s Sail Barge to get away. This of course leads to an all out race for their freedom as they are pursued by skiff necessitating the need to unload all that hidden firepower Jabba had installed on his sail barge. I think you know where I’m going with this. Can you lobby Lucasfilm for an episode with the sail barge and in turn of course make a sail barge for us fans? This has been a dream for some OT fans! (DP, 2009-09-10) (http://bit.ly/DP-2009-09-10)

     The real problem is this: the Sail Barge, as cool as it might be, will only be seen in one episode and would not nearly be enough to justify a monstrous tooling budget and instill confidence that enough kids (the majority of the audience) and collectors (the smaller audience) would want this one. We really would have to see it as a feature vehicle in multiple episodes to be able to have confidence that something like this could work. We'd be much more likely to a do a Republic Cruiser, which is in many episodes but still seems an unexciting vehicle compared to the other active and aggressive vehicles from which we can select.

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OK, so with next year being the 30th Anniversary of The Empire Strikes Back, if you are forced (this could get ugly) to make an all-new Imperial Probe Droid, do you:

...give it super articulation and try to fit it into the Mini-Rig-esque price point?
...give it super articulation and its launching pod for the $20 Vehicle price point?
...give it super articulation, toss in Han Solo and Chewbacca, and Battle Pack it?
... or? (GH, 2009-09-10) (http://bit.ly/GH-2009-09-10)

     Here's why it wouldn't work out in the way you suggest, unfortunately: the Deluxe Figure/Vehicle Assortment is Clone Wars-based; the Starfighter Vehicle Assortment has vehicles as its focus, and this would not be meaty enough. Adding something else really makes it a Battle Pack, and; Battle Packs are being redefined in Fall to go back to a slimmer, figure-focused footprint.  This leaves Spring '09 Battle Packs, but we can confirm that we do not have an upgrade Probe Droid coming there. Sorry to dissapoint - we would love to do a new Imperial Probe Droid if we could figure out a way that made sense.

Why are you repacking the Evolutions Attack of the Clones Padmé on a basic card rather than retooling her upper torso/arms as the Geonosis Arena torn-shirt version many of us want? Do you plan to offer that version anytime soon? (GH, 2009-09-10) (http://bit.ly/GH-2009-09-10)

     For this one, we had no tooling to work with so we selected a strong re-pack for this wave.  We do not right now have the torn-shirt version in the plans right now but it's something we have in parking lot to activate down the road.

With The Force Unleashed multipacks coming out for the Fall Season, why weren't they unveiled at Comic-Con? Would now be a good time to ask for a photo or two to illustrate these cool sets? (It's 1:30am, and I'm totally pandering for photos.) (GH, 2009-09-10) (http://bit.ly/GH-2009-09-10)

     The Force Unleashed multi-packs, a Toys 'R Us exclusive, are not Fall exclusives but instead Spring 2010.  As such, we'll have pictures around Toy Fair timing.  Sorry if there was ever confusion on this, we do not think we ever indicated they were in 2009.  There is no way they could beat out the basic figure TFU Shaak Ti in any case, since she was created before the later wave that was moved to TRU.

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Since it looks like the Winter'09 ESB wave has more figures than needed for a 6-piece droid, can you shed a little light on which pieces will come with which figure in that wave? (HH, 2009-09-10) (http://bit.ly/HH-2009-09-10)

     You are correct in that this wave does have more "new" figures than it is supposed to, since six figures are needed to complete any protocol droid. The answer is because R2-X2 was originally designed as a "pure" package refresh brought into the basic figure line for the first time. However, as we got further along we realized that the original deco when R2-X2 was first released in a multi-figure pack, was incorrect and with Lucasfilm we corrected the deco. As a result, it is basically a new figure to replace the old. So a simple package refresh became like a new figure.

     Here are how the parts break out of the "true" six new figures slotted for this wave:
Luke Snowspeeder (HK-50 head); AT-AT Driver (HK-50 body); Bespin Wing Guard
(HK-50 L Arm); Willrow Hood (HK-50 R Arm); Zuckuss (HK-50 L Leg); Concept Art Snowtrooper (HK-50 R Leg).

     The other six "redundant" parts are:
Snowtrooper (HK-50 L Leg); R2-X2 (HK-50 R Leg); Commander Bacara (HK-50 Body); Plo Koon (HK-50 L Arm); Agen Kolar (HK-50 R Arm); Commander Deviss (HK-50 Head).


If the Hasbro Star Wars team was able to contribute to the current "Fans' Choice Poll" with none of your usual worries (like costing or case make-up or whatever), what would your collective top five look like? (HH, 2009-09-10) (http://bit.ly/HH-2009-09-10)

     We canvassed a few members of the team and did not find a unanimous top 5 list. This reflects not only the wide variety of interests, but the high quality of choices still at large in the figure world. In no particular order: Snoova (resculpt); the actual "Sith" species; Mandalorian Neo Crusader; Bastila Shan; Joe Johnston concept Imperial Guard; Phase 2 Dark Trooper (2 votes so technically the #1 choice here); Guri; Weequay Skiff Master; Widdle & Oochee 2-pack; Yuuzhan Vong (more slender sculpt); Luke in Emperor Guard disguise (resculpt); super-articulated Rancor with elbows and knees (hey, that's not eligible!); Nera Dantels; super-articulated AT-ST driver; Bettybot; female Stormtrooper from Legacy 0; Jaxxon; Ponda Baba; Dr. Evazon; Aqualish Technician (Clone Wars); Nelvaan Warrior (mutated - he'd be HUGE!); Shado Vao.

Our Galactic Heroes Sandpeople need a beast of burden! When are we going to see a nifty GH scale Bantha? Pack in a couple Sandpeople, Ben, Luke, and the Droids and you've got the makings of a great scene! (HH, 2009-09-10) (http://bit.ly/HH-2009-09-10)

     While there are no plans for a Galactic Heroes Bantha right now, he's one of the beasts that's high on our creature wish list. Chances are good that you'll see one in the next couple of years.

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I realize that the last wave of Mighty Muggs will be exclusive to TRU, but can you let on as to when they should be on shelf and which four will make up the last wave?  Also, if they do well at retail will we see any additional waves in 2010? (IS, 2009-09-10) (http://bit.ly/IS-2009-09-10)

     Actually, there will be no exclusive wave of Mighty Muggs at Toys 'R Us.  There was to be another wave (including Ashoka), but they were canceled and they will not ship.  Instead, Toys 'R Us is continuing them as an exclusive while we work through the excess stock.  Even if they do well there are no more plans for Mighty Muggs

The Clone Wars Republic Fighter Tank vehicle looks great.  Any chance we'll see a repaint on this vehicle with an Imperial paint scheme and markings like it appears in the Battlefront II game? (IS, 2009-09-10) (http://bit.ly/IS-2009-09-10)

     There is certainly a possibility that we could use this vehicle again to produce other versions.  We have had our eye on the Battlefront II version but do not have it slotted into the lineup anywhere yet.

Looking at my Qui-gon and Eopie Redemption Certificate, I am wondering if you can provide us a list of which figure's upc codes will count towards the redemption? We have heard that saga Legends, CW, and Legacy UPCs from last year will work also.  I take it that Droid Factory, Evolutions, and comic pack UPCs are a no-go? (IS, 2009-09-10) (http://bit.ly/IS-2009-09-10)

     The redemption will work for any of the Star Wars basic figures: Legacy/Droid Factory, Saga Legends, or Clone Wars.  Since the Asst #(87535, 87995, and 87638) has remained the same from the blue/white package transition to the red/white, you may use any basic figure from these assortments.  However, only UPC codes from these three basic figure SKUs will be honored; no other UPC from any other Hasbro Star Wars item will be accepted.

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The new Dressellian Commando is really great looking, and it brings to mind a potential update to a POTF2 figure. Will we get a re-use of some of the new Dresellian Commando to make a new Orrimarko with his eye patch? It seems like the groundwork is there to get the original Pruneface redone semi-easily, and with more articulation and detailing! (JD, 2009-09-10) (http://bit.ly/JD-2009-09-10)

     That is one thing that we have anticipated when we decided to do Major Panno. Actually, his lower torso gives us a lot of flexibility - for Rebel Commandoes as well. So we do think this nice new figure can give yield a couple strong choices offshoots in years to come.

You've knocked out a couple Rogue Squadron pilots in comic packs recently, and a couple more are on the way in future packs. What I'm wondering is, now that you've got these great base sculpts of pilots, are you going to look to fill out as many of the Rogue Pilots from the comics as you can? Or, will you look at doing more film pilots (or updating older pilots that use an inferior sculpt)? A lot of fans seem interested in Pilots with their Astromechs from both the films and EU. (JD, 2009-09-10) (http://bit.ly/JD-2009-09-10)

     Since our tooling base is so strong, we do continue to look for ways to bring both on-screen pilots and their droids, as well as Rogue and Dagger squadron, to fans. This past year we embraced Rebel pilots as one of the strong sub-themes that ran across lines; however, few of them were in the basic figure lineup. Going forward, the vehicles available to us to bring out more pilots will be narrower, as Evolution packs have gone away and exclusive waves of comic packs will be more limited as well. So while we are looking for different ways to bring more of these cool figures out, we don't think there will be quite as many as we saw last year, but our long-term desire is to flesh out those ranks. Patience will be rewarded.

The Scanner Technician seems like a surefire base figure for a number of redecoes, or slight changes, that could crank out super articulated "new" figures. Will we see this figure eventually in the black jumpsuits, maybe with a helmet, like the Death Star Troopers working on the 2nd Death Star and shield generator? What about a new AT-ST Drive to compliment that spiffy new ride he has coming? There's a lot of Imperials wearing that pretty basic jumpsuit, and it just seems like something we could easily see updated into pretty desirable army builders. (JD, 2009-09-10) (http://bit.ly/JD-2009-09-10)

     We're glad you like this guy - we certainly think he turned out great. We do anticipate utilizing this great new base sculpt to bring out some other Imperials over time. What the next one may be, though, has yet to be slotted into the lineup. Stay tuned!

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A question on Star Wars TV characters: In a previous Q&A session you indicated that some of the unique Holiday Special cantina aliens like the Y'bith and the early Nikto could someday be made into action figures. I personally think this would be a great idea since they had a really nice character design and would fit in seamlessly with the Episode IV cantina figures. I hope these guys really do have a shot. But what I'm really wondering is if there will ever be any new figures based on the Ewok movies, Ewoks cartoon or Droids cartoon (beyond the awesome new Boba Fett and BL-17 of course!) It would be an absolute shame if you didn't at least give it a try. At least for the cartoon series characters, couldn't the the idea of a figure two pack with an episode on a DVD be tried? Apparently there was an issue with rights to the cartoons when the DVD's were still in distribution, so this couldn't be done in the past. Perhaps the situation has changed now since the DVD's have been off the market for a few years? (JTA, 2009-09-10) (http://bit.ly/JTA-2009-09-10)

     The characters from the cartoon short in the Star Wars Holiday Special are not necessarily off limits (as we have seen with Boba Fett), but the forgettable special and the live action TV characters who appear therein will not be produced in toy form (sorry, Ackmena).  As for live acion Ewoks, they are not off limits but we just have not felt compelled to go there yet.  The cartoon Ewoks and Droids are a different story; Lucasfilm has OK'd that they are OK to do, but they'd have to be produced in an animated storyline (not realistic) which means that they would require extensive new tooling, far more than would make sense for this niche entertainment interest.  As a result, we've decided to skip any more characters from these series and focus our figure slots on the movies and more prominent EU sources.

Is there anything that can be done to ensure that battle-damage or dirty markings are included more often with our action figures again? While we don’t know everyone’s opinion on this, we do hear clamoring that many collectors would like to see these “dirtied” figures in lieu of extra accessories (and even the big missile-firing ones). It is such a shame sometimes to get a beautifully sculpted clone trooper (for example) that is bright white, especially when he appears dirty and banged up in The Clone Wars TV show. We are sure that something could be done to save cost somewhere else and give us the beautiful paint application back that our figures once had. The same is true for the Sandtrooper and Dewback WAL*MART exclusive. Are we really getting a clean Sandtrooper? Please say it isn’t so! Where are the amazing paint ops as seen on the Evolutions Sandtrooper? We need this back, give us less plastic parts and more art please! (JTA, 2009-09-10) (http://bit.ly/JTA-2009-09-10)

     We made the decision to go clean with the troopers because of the extraordinary cost our factories were asking to actually put that "ditry" deco on.  The cost-cutting elsewhere to be able to add these paint opps is very large, and we did not feel the sacrifice was worth it.  Same issue came up with the Sandtrooper, and we elected to keep the parts the set came with rather than cut elsewhere.

The new AT-ST looks fantastic!  And the demos at Comic Con really helped this vehicle shine.  It seems perfect.  But the driver that's packed in looks frankly, a little lonely in that new, spacious cockpit.  We have not had an AT-ST Driver in the basic figure line (with the exception of Han Solo in his AT-ST Driver disguise) since the POTF2 days.  Can we expect a new AT-ST driver in the near term?  Or perhaps some AT-ST hijacking Ewoks?  If my memory serves me correct, they're named Widdle and Oochee. (JTA, 2009-09-10) (http://bit.ly/JTA-2009-09-10)

     Glad you like the new AT-ST!  It sure turned out fantastic, in our opinion.  Yes, there are plans for all of these figures next year.  The AT-ST driver should be out by the end of next year as a basic figure, while the Ewoks have yet to be confirmed but will likely be part of an exclusive pack.

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I recently picked up the HYENA BOMBER and Cad Bane's XANADU BLOOD Titaniums. Can we expect to see these in the 3 3/4 inch assortment? As the Xanadu Blood is just a repainted Magna Guard Fighter, I'm gonna assume that this one is a 'lock'. (MD, 2009-09-10) (http://bit.ly/MD-2009-09-10)

     Both of them stand a very good chance of coming out for 3-3/4" within the next couple of years, with at least one being in the lineup next year.

     Stay tuned.


I really like the looks of the upcoming Waves of figures from The Clone Wars, however, I was wondering if you had any other female Jedi in your lineup? Namely Aayla Secura and Luminara Unduli. (MD, 2009-09-10) (http://bit.ly/MD-2009-09-10)

     Yes, we have plans for both ladies. Luminara will be out this Fall, and Aayla by next Spring. Thanks for the good word and we hope to see more great female characters in Clone Wars as the seasons unfold.

We've all seen the brand new card design for 2009. While it looks great aesthetically with all those edges and corners, I foresee that MOMC collectors, are going to have a difficult time finding mint examples of their favorite carded figures. Next time you design a new card back, could you take us MOMC people into consideration please? (MD, 2009-09-10) (http://bit.ly/MD-2009-09-10)

     We did not anticipate the extent to which the various corners on this new version would get damaged on their way to retail, since we have done cards with a lot of sharp points before. Next time, we will make sure to police this aspect of the packaging much more - we certainly don't want to discourage any MOC collectors.

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I love what you have done in the Paploo & NoApaak Ewok 2 pack. From what I read in the collecting community, all of the Ewok packs sell through very well. My question/request has to do with your selection process for the Ewoks in these packs. It seems like you are packing main Ewoks with background Ewoks. If you continue to do this down the line, could you please throw us lover's of the Ewok movies a bone on some figures? You could easily make packs like Wicket and Deej, Logray and Kaink, Teebo and Chukha-Trok. All of them would be an instant hit and sell just as well as any other Ewok pack, plus it would be a way to get these figures to the die hard fans. (RS, 2009-09-10) (http://bit.ly/RS-2009-09-10)

     The Ewok packs have been indeed doing well, and this gives us confidence to keep them going in the lineup every year in one form or another. We do have all of the Ewoks mentioned on our short list, and given time all of them should see the light of day. It may take a few years, however.

Have you ever thought of doing a two-pack line for the Cantina (like the Order 66/Build a Droid/Geo Arena packs)? (RS, 2009-09-10) (http://bit.ly/RS-2009-09-10)

     The Cantina patrons are very nice when it comes to collecting interest and this would not be a sound strategy for us. We have done multi-figure packs built around the Cantina in the past, but these were a disappointment and so we look for new and different ideas for the 2-pack lineup.

My question (and I'm sure a majority of us are curious) pertains to the recently revealed DS2 Luke figure. From a previous Q&A, it was our understanding this figure was *all new*, and as the multitude of images from SDCC have shown, that's not the case. Why, with all the fan anticipation, demands, Fan's choice voting, etc. would this figure not be done with the utmost care and detailing? (Snowspeeder Luke is fantastic while DS2 Luke leaves MUCH to be desired) For those dispelled by this version, when can we expect to see a justified release of Death Star 2 Luke (no flap down, all the bells and whistles, SMALLER, CONCEALED JOINTS, etc.) (RS, 2009-09-10) (http://bit.ly/RS-2009-09-10)

     The version you saw at Comic Con was not the final production version, which we expect will have a tighter fit, so the joints are not noticeable. You are correct that this version of Luke is built on some existing parts, which helped us reach our tooling goals for the basic figure line. Not all figures can be newly tooled, and we thought we had a great starting place with using the existing limbs we selected. This version of Luke comes with an interchangeable chest piece so you can display him both ways, important since we don't have another DS2 version of Luke planned.

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When you release a new line of Star Wars action figures and come up with a new design for the backer cards, do you have to make sure that they will fit into the "Star Wars Official Action Figure Protective Cases" or are you allowed more leeway as far as size or shape? (RTM, 2009-09-10) (http://bit.ly/RTM-2009-09-10)

     Up until this year, we have been faithful to the 6"x9" card design and ensured that all figures fit the official protective case. This year, however, Hasbro embarked on a new initiative designed to conform to the standard Wal-Mart planogram peg sizes and reduce, even if it was slight, the amount of packaging required to produce a basic Star wars figure. As a result, the new card size is smaller (5.5"x8.25"). We did a lot of research with collectors before heading down this route, to make sure that we were not making a mistake. The vast of majority of collectors we spoke with thought this was a good idea (or they did not care) and we moved forward with it. Because of this reduced card size, it will no longer fit snigly into the backer-card trap area of the collector cases, and they have not become obsolete for the modern collection. We do not have plans to produce bulk packs of a new official case for the new smaller card size. The one caveat, and it's an important one, will be Vintage. If Vintage does return, it will strictly be in the 6"x9" format and will fit in the current official cases.

Will any of the build-a-droid figures see re-release? (RTM, 2009-09-10) (http://bit.ly/RTM-2009-09-10)

     It's possible that additional figures using the parts could be produced, but the characters themselves in the buildable format are confined to the Legacy/Droid Factory series and none of them will ever be re-released. The possible exception being HK-47, since he was the buildable droid in a very low-production wave. If we do re-release him, we would probably re-release the whole wave of figures he came with in a new package format.

Given the relatively low production numbers on the HK-47 droid wave, will we ever see HK-47 released again? Perhaps in an online exclusive with Darth Revan, Malak, and some other KOTOR characters? (RTM, 2009-09-10) (http://bit.ly/RTM-2009-09-10)

     Right now there are no plans to release HK-47 again, but we are keeping our eye on this one. The one bright spot in this wave being the fact that there are up to twice as many HK-47s that can be built as any of the other characters released for the wave (the carry-forward figures in this wave also coming with "duplicate" HK-47 parts). The secondary market will come in handy in completing HK-47, as people open up the additional carry-forward figures to increase the available part pool.

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The McQuarrie box sets are being listed on StarWarsShop.com for $55.99, and feature 13 different McQuarrie figures - including 3 previous "exclusive" figures that originally sold for $20 each. Why do you keep re-issuing these so-called exclusives a year or so down the road? Why should we, as collectors, continue to pay $20 for a figure that's supposedly exclusive to an event when we can wait a year and get it - plus a dozen other figures - for much less money? The box sets basically breaks down to around $4.30 per figure. That's 75% of the cost of the exclusives originally, and almost 50% of the original retail on the others. Isn't there some sort of agreement that you sign with the events in question for these exclusive figures that should prevent you from re-issuing them down the road? (SAND, 2009-09-10) (http://bit.ly/SAND-2009-09-10)

     We do not have specific agreements with events regarding the exclusivity of figures, and may choose to release the figures again based on need or a special occasion (in this case commemorating the complete-to-date McQuarries collection, many of which proved elusive to many fans).  However, we will never release the figure exactly as it came our prior - so both the 6"x9" carded format and coin were exclusive to the figures when they were released.

Does anybody at Hasbro even realize that EVERY Clone Trooper figure made thus far in the new Animated Series line is wrong? Every Clone has incorrect armor on the forearms and biceps. Did any of the designers even watch the animated series or at least look at reference photos of some sort? Every figure made thus far has the elbow armor extend down from the bicep. That's wrong! In the animated show, the Clone armor elbow armor extends up from the forearm. The only figure to get this right is the awesome General Kenobi and the awful new Mace Windu - and neither of them are Clones, yet somehow you got the armor correct for them.

I'm sure it's futile to ask this, but do you have any plans to correct this mistake in the future? Obviously you already have the tooling from the General Kenobi figure, all you would need to do is to replace the forearms from the Clones with the forearms from Kenobi. (SAND, 2009-09-10) (http://bit.ly/SAND-2009-09-10)

     We do realize they are wrong.  When we first designed the Clone, we had only static model sheets to go from, before they had been fully animated. We assumed that the armor would be like the EpII and EpIII armor in that the elbow guard would be attached to the bicep.  Well, we were thrown a curve and it was instead attached to the forearm.  We have been playing constant catch-up ever since with the Clone tools running at full capacity.  Adapting the Obi-Wan forearms would mean excessive duplication of tools, which based on the continued high demand for Clones does not seem needed.  There eventually will be an updated, 100% newly sculpted Clone with the corrected armor coming down the road.

What was the main reason to going back to a glue on bubble for the new legends and clone wars figures? Was it to try and stop the slash and returns that have been going on since the ROTS line? I applaud the idea of doing this hopefully it will stop all the slash and returns that occurred over the last few yrs, which was part of the reason I stopped collecting very hard to get excited about a figure when you look at it and it isn't what it should be. (SAND, 2009-09-10) (http://bit.ly/SAND-2009-09-10)

     The actual number of figures "abused" this way by unscrupulous collectors (if you can call them that) is very low, luckily.  Our preference for heat-sealed ("glued") blisters has less to do with Lucasfilm's blister card design and more to due with the labor costs involved in assembling the packaging; the flange-sealed (taped) blister takes more labor to produce and thus is more expensive.  Our preference is always heat-sealed, so the change is a welcome one from that standpoint. If it makes it more tamper-resistant, that's a secondary benefit.

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Would you consider using the idea of various hair colours to make new Imperial officers that a) had more up-to-date articulation, b) grey uniforms instead of black?  You could use the hair to differentiate the figures, and also use the rank badges, which we see can now be removed thanks to Captain Needa, to further differentiate.

It wouldn't be too hard to do this - you could use Needa's body, have different heads and at least three different rank badges (maybe Lieutenant, Captain, Admiral).  You could also do this for female officers, with the hair and the rank badges, using Deena Shan's body and adding the rank badges.

Or, at the very least, you could do three bodies with the rank badges attached, but have interchangeable heads. (SNOW, 2009-09-10) (http://bit.ly/SNOW-2009-09-10)

     Our first desire is to make on-screen (speaking part) officers using the new Imperial officer body.  The idea of generic officers is an interesting one, though, and we have done this in the past so we acknowledge that an upgrade would be welcome.  We doubt that we'd do generic female officers, though, since that's more of an EU occurrence. Thanks for the suggestion.

So how do you go about picking out characters for comic packs? Are people working for Hasbro assigned to read stacks of old and new comics, or do you browse through the various fan site forums to get the buzz on which comic characters are the most popular at the moment?  Or does direction come mainly from Lucasfilm? However it's done, I hope you take a look at the recent Knights of the Old Republic comic (#42) which features Jedi versions of Revan and Malak! (SNOW, 2009-09-10) (http://bit.ly/SNOW-2009-09-10)

     Members of our team have read (and read) all Star Wars Comic Packs and we keep a "parking lot" filled with suggestions of figures that can be drawn from each pack (literally hundreds of suggestions).  We decide on the lineup based on how interesting those characters are, how popular we feel they would be, and personal preference for great stories, all balanced against the tooling budget we have to work with.  We have also solicit ideas from Randy Strandley at Dark Horse.  Lucasfilm generally accepts our suggestions for the lineup, occasionally asking us to revise a wave if the character selections are a little too obscure.

Hasbro has gotten a LOT of good use from the Evolutions Emperor/Sidious mold. And the recent TESB Emperor finally came with a plastic hood that fixed the terrible "pointy elf" look that used to occur with the raised softgoods hood. But to my frustration, the softgoods cloak on the Evo Emperor still remains the biggest flaw in this figure.

Unlike the Jedi figures, who mostly walk around with their (softgoods) cloaks open, or not wearing them at all, the RotJ Emperor is all about the black cloak. Using softgoods here, rather than the nice subtle folds and texture of fabric that gracefully drape over his body, what we get is a puffy cloth nightmare - he ends up looking "fat" and goofy. I LOVE softgoods but in this case I want to see a plastic cloak sculpted in a similar manner to your excellent TPM Darth Sidious figure (who resembled the RotJ Emperor better than any other Emperor figure that came after).

How about it? Any chance of an Emperor with plastic cloak as the next upgrade to this figure? (SNOW, 2009-09-10) (http://bit.ly/SNOW-2009-09-10)

     We understand your desire to have a sculpted Emperor with all of the rich folds of a real figure.  The Episode I version does look sharp.  However, we have moved away from this approach because this usually comes at the expense of articulation, and some collectors do not desire the fully-sculpted aesthetic of figures like this. If the figure only "works" in certain poses, there is a decreased need for articulation, this sparking the debate of more possible figures vs. those with less articulation but a nice aesthetic (which describes many figures from 1999 and up).  In reality we may never be able to solve the trade-off of one vs. the other.

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Wookiees have consistently been some of the most popular Star Wars aliens since 1977, but haven't had a lot of great non-Chewbacca figures. Fans were very excited to finally be getting a Wookiee battle on Kashyyyk in Episode III, as well as the promise of more Wookiee figures, but figures of Tarrful and the 2 Wookiees we got didn't fully deliver on detailing or articulation, and 2 of them were hampered by action features. Since then, we've gotten updates of Kashyyyk clone troopers, but no more of their Wookiee "brothers in arms". And now with The Force Unleashed we have 2 full levels on Kashyyyk with Wookiees to fight with, but no toys to recreate this. When will we be seeing new and varied Wookiee warrior figures to live up to these great sources? (SSG, 2009-09-10) (http://bit.ly/SSG-2009-09-10)

     Ewoks have been getting a lot of attention lately, and we agree that their taller furry cousins are due some attention as well. We have slotted a new (non-Chewie) Wookiee into the 2011 lineup and will be looking at what else we can do to build out more following that.

Now that you've shown off the new Slave Leia with alternate sitting lower body, it's got fans hungering for 2 things: a new ROTJ Jabba the Hutt, and Jabba's dais. We know you've heard plenty of these requests and are considering Jabba for a possible new design, up to the point that we almost just sent you literally "blah blah blah Jabba's Dais! blah blah question mark". But hypothetically, if Hasbro were to do a new Jabba with Dais, what pricepoint and format might this be released in for all that new tooling, and would the set include the existing railing and hookah or just assume that enough collectors have the piece and leave it out? Would you go back and use the Kenner vintage throne tooling? Could we convince Brian Merten to get it done as another fantastic exclusive, and if so, does that mean Jabba would have an awesome new cockpit sculpted inside his head? (SSG, 2009-09-10) (http://bit.ly/SSG-2009-09-10)

     Ha! We'll pass along the cockpit comment. We're glad that you are enjoying the fantastic cockpit mojo that Brian has been working. When we designed Leia, it was not specifically with the intent of being forward-compatible to any future Jabba, but since the time we started her we have also started work on a Jabba. We do not have details yet, but we're hopeful it will be out in Fall 2010. If we do get the greenlight, it will be all-new. We'll have updated at Comic Con 2010 if such a beastie does materialize.

In '08, the Clone Wars figure designs were hybrids of the animation appearance and their live-action counterparts, especially Obi-Wan and Anakin. Sculpts were a bit bulkier, bodies were less lengthy and tapered, likenesses a little more grounded. For the red card '09 line however, we're seeing designs that are closer to the show art, such as Obi-Wan Space Suit with a more angular face with larger eyes and a skinnier body that's got longer legs than the '08 figure. What brought about this change, and why? Will we be seeing updates to those '08 figures with this more show-accurate style? (SSG, 2009-09-10) (http://bit.ly/SSG-2009-09-10)

     We started out with a deliberately different sculpting aesthetic for the first wave of figures, for which we did not have reference when we started (the first Obi-Wan and Anakin are examples of these). As time went on, we thought that the proportions we were seeing on later characters worked better for figures and started to adopt them to match the show proportions (in some cases the show proportions changed to become more like the toy line, so there has been a convergence of sorts, which is ideal as in a perfect world the show proportions and toys would match. We don't plan on any updates to the 2008 figures, and will continue running them in the line as they remain highly popular.

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SWAN

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We will see any more R4 units in the BAD line? Three good ones that have never been made are the black & white one from Echobase hangar, the one with orange & silver panels with black squiggles all over it from AOTC, and John D.'s droid the Death Star assault, which is similar to R4-M9 but in black instead of green. B.) Now that we're getting Ahsoka's starfighter, when are we going to get her droid, R7-A7? It was very prominent in the Ryloth trilogy, when she also flew with it in a Y-Wing. (SWC, 2009-09-10) (http://bit.ly/SWC-2009-09-10)

     Thanks for the droid-based question! Right now there are no more R4 units planned beyond what you have seen from Comic Con (R4-P44 in the EpIV wave being the last), but that does not mean they have left our sights. We know that droid demand remains very high and the various rebel pilots remain one of the best "untapped" sources of droids that we have yet to produce. As far as Clone Wars droids, there are a few new Astromech droids planned that we will reveal over time. Even if Ahsoka's R7-A7 is not among them, there is a good chance we will see a release within the next couple of years.

I am really glad that the concept art figures have returned this year, but I am a little puzzled by how it was handled. To me the Anakin figure makes sense since he is is a main character, but the other three, two being secondary characters and one being the second concept Snowtrooper seem like odd choices. With all the various concepts of main characters that were made, I would think that you would want to focus more on those than relaunch the concept art subset with mostly secondary characters. Sorry to be a complainer, but it was also disappointing to see the way they were packaged, especially on the new red cards. Wouldn't it make more sense for the picture of the character to be of the actual concept art and not a modern realistic version? I liked how the 30th Anniversary line presented the concept art figures as something special with unique packaging that stood out from the rest of the figures. Now they just look routine and could easily be confused for average EU characters. That being said, I hope you do continue with the concept art series in the future, as there are many great choices yet to cover such as Lando, Leia, Count Dooku and the Kenner concept Clone Warrior. (SWC, 2009-09-10) (http://bit.ly/SWC-2009-09-10)

     We're glad you are a passionate fan of the concept art series characters. We like them too, but the precious few slots we have available for newly tooled characters have challenged our desire to really make a statement with the concept art characters. Our selections this year were based as much on contrast, or coolness, of the concept as much as anything else; if it was cool-looking and different from the on-screen version we were interested. Unlike in 2007, when the McQuarrie series was a big focus, they are not such a big focus in 2009 and as such we did not create a whole parallel card architecture for them. As we plan 2011, we do not see the concept figures playing a primary role, but we will be considering them as a future sub-theme going forward.

With the release of the upcoming Target exclusive Geonosis 2-Packs, we are now getting the last two Jedi that appeared in the Arena's "survivor's circle", Joclad Danva and Roth-Del Masona. With these Jedi being released, what is the likelyhood of other backround Jedi being made into action figures (or possibly in the 2010 Geonosis 2-Packs), such as Sarissa Jeng, or Sar Labooda? (SWC, 2009-09-10) (http://bit.ly/SWC-2009-09-10)

     We very much would like to see Sarissa Jeng and Sar Laboods produced, and it's possible that one of them will see release as part of a sequel to Geonosis Arena should it prove to be successful. The other one will hopefully find her way into the line somehow; even outside the Geonosis Arena 2-packs, we hope to continue to bring prominent arena Jedi to the lineup.

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I was wondering where a new Ghost of Yoda and Ghost of Obi Wan are on your "parking lot" list?  We need the pair to go with that fantastic Ghost of Anakin you released in the Anniversay Collection! ("TJ", 2009-09-10) (http://bit.ly/TJ-2009-09-10)

     They are a little lower right now, the simple reason being that we haven't had a "repaint" wave in a while and those figures are perfect candidates for a high-impact wave that does not need tooling.  We have been using our "repainting" slots on either new or higher-impact characters lately.  The time will come, though, when these deserving figures see the light of day, so patience will be rewarded.

In the last Q&A, you mentioned you were trying to talk to the China vendors again about standardizing on the ball-joint of the neck (but that they often tweak the ball size to meet needs like fitting a helmet and this alters the neck size by the time of the finished figure).  Is there any possibility of using Hasbro's own GI Joe 25th Anniversary line as a future guide?  I've never really had any problems swapping heads on my Joes due to their standardized neck ball and if there's one thing I hope Hasbro realizes from the success of BaD it's that kids (and adults!) like swapping around heads and limbs to make their own custom SW figures. There's huge play value in making your own Jedi/Sith characters, or putting an Anakin head on a different Jedi body essentially giving Anakin a new costume.  In fact it encourages kids to build a large collection of SW figures in order to have a big library of heads or bodies to swap amongst.  That said then, it'd be nice to have GI Joe and SW heads be cross-compatible to not only have even more opportunities to customize new characters, but from Hasbro's point of view, it could encourage spillover sales from one line into the other. ("TJ", 2009-09-10) (http://bit.ly/TJ-2009-09-10)

     Thanks for the "heads-up" about the uniformity of the GI Joe head ball joint.  We definitely have not had that as a priority.  While customizing is a priority for a small number of collectors, the ability to achieve it would allow for more flexibility in custimization, which is a good thing. We'll talk to the GI Joe team to see what they have been able to achieve on the factory side.  Thanks.

I'm wondering if you can clarify an issue about Star Wars vehicles, or the reissue of. Why do you reissue the Imperial Shuttle and the AT-AT about every 10 years or so. but with other vehicles you reissue those within no time and even repaint constantly. ("TJ", 2009-09-10) (http://bit.ly/TJ-2009-09-10)

     It all depends upon how iconic these vehicles are, their demand among kids and collectors both, and their entertainemnt support that determines our re-release strategy. The simple reason for the vehicle you cited is that the Imperial Shuttle is a very niche vehicle, and from the OTC movies, whereas vehicles like the Republic Gunship are from Episode III AND the Clone Wars, and remain in high demand among both collectors and kids. One thing we like to look for in any vehicle release is a "new story" to tell, like we had with the Endor AT-AT in 2006. There are others vehicles that have recent entertainment gravitas (like the ARC-170) that merit similar re-release status. We'll put you down as a fan of both the Imperial Shuttle and the AT-AT and look for an opportunity for re-release when we can, assuming we can find a new story to tell with these.

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With the much enjoyed and highly appreciated pilots series continuing, single packs, 2-packs and evolutions, I thought I'd ask about some more characters - Gen Evir Derricote (pictured in the Making of Baron Fel), Telsij Cayr (Injured Y-Wing pilot from the same series), Horton Salm, Grizz Frix, Herian I'ngre, Avan Beruss, Fey'lis Ardele, Xarrce Huwle and famously Gavin Darklighter who would only need a new head sculpt from that of his cousin.Also Koyi Komad the RS engineer would be a fantastic addition with some tools to add to the various ship sets and the scramble at yavin battle pack.

Also with so many appearances from pilots in the Legacy series how about the following - Andurgo, Anj Dahl, Jhoram Bey, Hondo Karr, Monia Gahan, Ronto and of course 'Gunner' Yage, Cade's half sister. (TPU, 2009-09-10) (http://bit.ly/TPU-2009-09-10)

     We would love to eventually offer quality, super-articulated versions of *all* of the pilots from the Battle of Yavin, Battle of Hoth, and the Battle of Endor, along with cool EU squadrons like Rogue, Wraith and even Dagger. However, fans will have to be patient and we may never get all the way there (not for lack of trying!).

The reality is that there will be fewer multi-pack options available to us, unlike we had this past year with Evolutions and some exclusives to help out. We'll look for additional ways to bring out more pilots, but patience will always prevail. Of the characters you cite, Horton Salm and Grizz Frixx would be some of our top priorities.


How many figures can we expect to see in 2010 for the non Clone Wars collectors, and how many Comic 2-packs? (TPU, 2009-09-10) (http://bit.ly/TPU-2009-09-10)

     There will be approximately 45 figures in the Legacy basic figure lineup for 2010, about the same number of basic figures that will be available in 2009. As for Comic Packs, we don't want to make release any numbers right now as the exact number is still up in the air.

The Cantina scene is a long standing fan favorite and collectors lap up figures made from that scene, however so far the Outlanders Club scene from AOTC has not seen as many figures made from it's patrons. Are there any plans to make more characters from there? (TPU, 2009-09-10) (http://bit.ly/TPU-2009-09-10)

     We do not have any more plans to go back to the Outlander Club. It just doesn't have the impact and importance that the original Cantina did and as such we are unlikely to add any more new characters to that scene beyond the core ones which have already been produced.

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A quick follow up question regarding the Imperial Scanning Crew figure. Solicitation imagery has shown up online showing the packaging and loose shots for this figure and the collecting natives are restless to say the least as neither show the scanning equipment being included! Please tell us that this isn't another issue regarding cost and those accessories haven't been dropped. (YF, 2009-09-10) (http://bit.ly/YF-2009-09-10)

     There was an error in the first packaging that was quickly corrected. The equipment *will* be shipping with the Scanning Crew figure - one half of the equipment with the first release, and the second half with the second release in a later wave.

It is evident that the clone trooper figures in the Clone Wars line are huge in terms of popularity, due in large part to their superior sculpt/articuation, accessories and general "coolness factor".  One can assume they are equally huge in terms of profitability since the same super-articulated base figure can be repainted and re-accessorized to create virtually any generic clone or clone commander with minimal retooling dollars. Are there plans to use some of that profitability to continue to upgrade more of the other non-clone characters? For example, it seems that Kit Fisto, Plo Koon, Mace Windu, Asajj Ventress and Cad Bane continue to suffer from "knee and ankle joint envy" when compared to the new Space Suit Anakin, Speeder Bike Dooku and Freeco Speeder Obi-Wan figures. Will those figures with articulation dysfunction get the action they so deserve in 2010? (YF, 2009-09-10) (http://bit.ly/YF-2009-09-10)

     The efficiency that re-using Clones gives us is already factored into the line to help facilitate tooling for new characters.  Overall, the Clone Wars line won't be seeing much of a change in articulation from the current design.  Kids, the primary audience for the Clone Wars line, do not seem to care about super-articulation.  In addition, just as with the main Legacy line, we can't add super-articulation to all figures so we must pick and choose our spots.  With the ever-present struggle with costing, this is the long-term view we are taking with the line.

Reports are circulating that Hasbro reps are participating in their own version of Order 66 and are wiping out certain "pegwarming" figures from the aisles (namely the Yarna's, a few of the Cantina Patrons and others). Will this "purge" continue to include some of the survivors in the blue/white Saga Legends line (Saesee Tiin, C-3PO, Plo Koon) as well? (YF, 2009-09-10) (http://bit.ly/YF-2009-09-10)

     We can confirm that our store reps are indeed pulling back a number of collector-targeted figures that have built up at retail over the past year.  The intention is to provide a one-time correction for the pull back in collector spending that has resulted in lower sell-through on the more narrowly collector-targeted like Yarna, the Organas, Cantina patrons, and the like.  We'll still continue to produce these figures (like Willrow) but our release volumes will be tempered to ensure the same issues don't persist.  However, we won't be doing any pullbacks against the 100% kid-focused Saga Legends line.  Going forward, Saesee Tiin and Plo Koon has been removed from the assortment and replaced with different ch
Title: Re: The Hasbro Q & A Compendium
Post by: Matt on October 5, 2009, 12:59 PM
Session 76 - October 2, 2009 (part 1 of 2)

(16b, 2009-10-02) (http://bit.ly/16b-2009-10-02)

In your most recent Q&A you highlighted there will be fewer slots to release Rebel Pilot figures in the line going forward. Giving the modular nature of the figures, have you considered releasing a figure with an extra head and helmet as accessories, allowing the consumer to effectively choose which character(s) it will be? This might help collectors absorb more of the same SKU while allowing Hasbro to get more figures out with fewer in-line variations. An alternate head would definitely encourage us to buy more of the same figure!

     While we have released alternate heads with figures before, it has been alternate heads with the same characters. Since we have been releasing the pilots as characters, we prefer to stick with that model and systematically work our way around to pilots who have yet to see a release. We intuit that fans of the pilots will eventually want to see them all for display, so a pack that would contain multiple head/helmets would not only add extra cost, it ultimately would not solve the long-term desire of providing all of the pilots from the various key battles since bodies would still be lacking.

Here's a question we'd never thought we'd ask in a post-Batman world-- when can we expect snow suit versions of Obi-Wan and Anakin?

     We are delighted to be bringing some alternate forms of these characters to the line! Look for both of them to find their way into the 2010 CW basic figure lineup.

A while ago, a picture got out showing a HasbroToyShop.com SW Stands pack with a new sheet of stickers for, presumably, 2008/2009 figures. Do you have a shot of the new sticker sheet's character names, and are the new stickers (and not the 2007 ones) available at the shop now? And a part II, when will we see "TCW" logo stands?

     There will be no CW logo stand released in a multi-pack. The new sticker sheet is the same one that has been shipping for some time with the stands with two foot pegs, the revision that was made available last Fall. There has been no update since then and do not plan on re-releasing stands since there is still a decent supply of this version. If/when these get close to selling out we'll look at a new release. Incidentally, the dual foot peg base was created with Battle Droids in mind. We spaced the foot pegs apart at a solid distance to allow BDs (and Supers, and Geonisians) to maintain a standing position on shelf. By pulling the legs out a little wider, it keeps the joints tight and not loose. We had had great success in getting our Separatist legions to remain upright and looking spiffy in formation.

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(AFI, 2009-10-02) (http://bit.ly/AFI-2009-10-02)

Now that we’ve seen some very large vehicles that use a lot of plastic again (Turbo Tank, for example), what are the chances of some playset like the AOTC Arena a few year back?? Specifically, some Death Star playsets that could possibly link together or perhaps a Star Destroyer bridge set?

     There is no chance of this idea.  The previous playsets did poorly, and there is no consistent playset-type setting in the CW.  We’ll stick to the stance that the Death Star would be our preferred playset, but we will not pursue it unless it appears in some form of future entertainment.  Until then, there are no plans to pursue large plastic playsets in the line; we’ll stick to vehicles which kids see as both a great vehicle and mobile headquarters.

What is the status of the Galactic Heroes AT-AT that was briefly seen in pictures earlier this year?

     It was canceled out of the 2009 line due to space constraints at retail. We hope to pick it up and run it in a future year, perhaps 2010.  Stay tuned.

We’ve got Clegg Holdfast coming soon, and we’ve seen pictures of Ratts Tyerell, further out. As we approach the last few pod racer pilots left seen in the film, I’d like to know if the five pilots who did not appear in the film, Aldar Beedo, Neva Kee, Ebe Endocott, Wan Sandage, and Boles Roor, are on the radar for getting figures. Do any of those pilots stand a chance of being immortalized in plastic in the next few years?

     Ratts Tyerell still has not been put back into the lineup, even though his figure is technically done (the pictures you have seen are probably from our Toy Fair presentation, when we had a picture of the wrong figure).  In any case, he will likely be the next one up, possibly in 2011.  The others are in our sites, but only after we finish all of the on-screen Pod Racers first and there are still a few to go (Mawhonic, for example).

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(BS, 2009-10-02) (http://bit.ly/BS-2009-10-02)

Please indulge this strictly hypothetical question. Due to the iconic status of the vintage figure, Yak Face would be an ideal candidate for vintage figure program should that platform return. The problem is that the vintage card only existed as a bilingual Canadian card or the Tri-Logo European card. Strictly hypothetically speaking, have you though about how you would handle that figure as part of the vintage card back series? Would you release one of the foreign card backs in U.S. stores? Would you retcon a U.S style POTF card, or would you consider it as a redemption figure (which would be really cool).

     Good question. If Vintage returns, we would not release bilingual or Tri-Logo cards as part of the series. We probably also would not be doing any POTF-style releases, at least with coins anyway, which seem key to POTF. So our answer is that this one would have to be a retcon, to an EpVI in styled Vintage card.

The recent Rebel pilot sets have been great. While not as popular, there is growing demand for attention to the Naboo pilots from Episode 1. Is there any chance we'll see an updated Naboo Bravo Pilot any time soon?

     We are looking at systematically upgrading the Naboo forces over the next few years, and the Pilots are a good candidate. Right now, they aren't in any plan but they are on a list of strong candidates next time we select characters for the new lineup. The key question is whether they will be "named" pilots or we'll do a generic one if and when we update the figure.

With the release of the excellent Scramble on Yavin pack, do you have any plans to revisit the Rebels from the battle of Yavin. Particularly, how long until we see Bob Hudsol and his magnificent mustache in action figure form?

     While we may get to some more Pilots over the next few years, we currently don't have any plans to do other rebels like Hudsol. We do think it would be a shame to pass him over for figure homage, though, and we'll put him into a parking lot of characters should we come up with an idea that works for him.

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(CS, 2009-10-02) (http://bit.ly/CS-2009-10-02)

Way back in the day, Hasbro planned a Naboo Pilot figure with a removable cloth coat, it was to come with a handheld LCD game, but the set was canceled. Now that we're at the 10th anniversary of Episode I, it seems like SW collections are lacking only 1 type of pilot from all the films, the brave Naboo Fighter pilots. Any consideration for doing a new Naboo Pilot with removable coat, perhaps also using that body for an update to Ric Olie who taught Anakin about star piloting? These characters seem to have been forgotten with the passage of time, but had important roles to play in the film.

     There won't be a new Naboo Pilot figure in the next couple years, but there seems to be enough fan interest to warrant a re-sculpt of these guys. We'll park it on the short list in the "parking lot" for the next time we plan out a line, which at this point would be the 2012 line. It's too early to tell whether it'll be a generic pilot (more likely), another named Bravo Squadron pilot (somewhat likely), or an update of Ric Olie (much less likely). Thanks for the suggestion to give these pilots their due.

The upcoming Nikto Gunner you're releasing is a very nifty figure, but is not actually the Nikto Gunner. The Nikto figure we're getting is Nysad, he's the one who pops out of the hatch and shoots 2 shots at Luke only to have them deflected back and kill him. The cannon he comes with was actually used by the other Nikto on the Sail Barge deck, Vizam, who has a different armor design and is basically what we got in the POTF2 Skiff Guards Cinema Scene. How did the mixing of Vizam's accessory and role get merged into the upcoming Nysad figure, and why isn't the character's name used for the figure? Now that we have the proper cannon and a modern Nikto head, are we going to see them reused into the actual Nikto Gunner, Vizam, or are we stuck with the decade-old POTF2 version for that?

     Yes, we realize this but we wanted to offer an all new Nikto Skiff Guard that we had never done before. The cannon accessory just seemed to be a nice added piece to really enhance the value and allow fans and kids to really get into the Sail Barge scene fantasy. It may not be a literal take form the movie but seems like a weapon he would of, or could have, used, and we felt it made him a better figure with it. Eventually, we'd like to update Vizam to add articulation and bring him up to date with the rest of the Jabba Sail Barge brethren, but that will be a long way off and the priority for now lies with figures that have never before been released.

The upcoming Hrchek Kal Fas figure raises a few questions. First, what's up with his eyes? On the prototype images including the one in the slideshow at Comic-Con, they were black as they are in the film and on the card art, but the actual figure has bizarre painted orange eyes with pupils, which looks odd. It seems like it's trying to represent the backs of the glassy clear eyes as they appeared when they caught a certain light, but the end result seems just weirdly off. What will the final production paint be on that? Also, are there plans to release Sai'torr Kal Fas at some point in the future as well, or would collectors be wise to pick up two of Hrchek, since their costumes are virtually identical?

     Thank you for your support and great attention to detail. We love Cantina aliens too and we do strive to make the figures as authentic and highly detailed as possible. As you can see in the painted image of the figure on the back of the package, we never intended him to have gold eyes with black pupils. This was just a production variant from our China vendor, and we have actually already made a production correction to the eyes to give him black eyes. While Sai’torr is not in our current lineups, we do intend to do him someday. When we do we will consider and discuss with Lucasfilm giving him 4-fingered gloves and boots.

***

(DP, 2009-10-02) (http://bit.ly/DP-2009-10-02)

Any plans to release a Imperial hanger crew set to compliment the "Scramble at Yavin? Lots of potential there!

     There is a lot of potential, and someday we'd like to see that, but right now it's not in the works. Thanks for the suggestion though – very interesting possibilities abound and someday it could happen.

With the recent re-releases of OT vehicles such as the Tie Fighter and Darth Vader's Tie Fighter are there any plans to bring back other OT vehicles that haven't see on the shelves in many years such as the Sandcrawler?

     There are no plans to bring back the Sandcrawler, only because it is a very specific, non-aggressive vehicle. Our Starfighter re-releases have fared very well because they are iconic fighting vehicles, versus some of the other more "passive" sets we've done. We don't rule out some others coming back, but for the most part we'll be sticking with the more aggressive vehicles.

A company called iGear out of Japan is producing a high end Ark playset with Teletran-1 for Transformers fans. Is there a chance for high end 3 and ¾ inch playsets made by Hasbro or possibly leased to another company as with Sideshow’s 12 inch line?

     We will not be undertaking playsets ourselves, and right now there are no plans for such a partnership. We did look into this with Sideshow at one point, but that idea was put by the wayside, probably because of the huge tooling investment required and relatively small collector interest.

***

(GH, 2009-10-02) (http://bit.ly/GH-2009-10-02)

Is the release of KRONOS-327 (Ziro The Hutt's IG Assassin Droid) in the CW basic line a forerunner for getting Ziro itself eventually, perhaps as a retool/repaint of the existing Clone Wars Jabba? On a related note, are we ever going to get that really nice Nikto Guard that was cut from the CW Jabba Battle Pack? He has army builder potential if you put him on a basic card.

     Ziro has been discussed but currently is not in the lineup for 2010.  We would still like to get him into the line, and there is potential for him to come out as a retailer exclusive in early 2011.  As for the Nikto Guard, he will indeed come out, with a strong chance at a 2010 release. Right now we don't know if it will be as a basic figure or some other means (Battle Pack or retailer exclusive).  His figure is simply too good to not use.

The new "Mini-Rig" line has great potential for small movie-based vehicles, but so far the focus has only been on TCW animated vehicles. When might we expect something from the Original Trilogy to appear in this line? Maybe some long-overdue retoolings of the classic ROTJ Speeder Bike with more accurate handlebars and a Luke, Leia or Biker Scout pair to ride them?

[As a side note, is the "Mini-Rig" line actually going to be limited strictly to animation? That seems to be the message we've heard, and older collectors are a little ticked off - possibly because the "Mini-Rig" nickname seemed to indicate some ties to the Original Trilogy.]

     The Deluxe Figure/Vehicle line is strictly limited to TCW Animated line.  We will be periodically upgrading OTC vehicles through our exclusives plan, so stay tuned there.  A new accurate speeder bike would be a welcome addition to the plan, but so far we have not slotted it in. We will look at this for 2011.

Finally (it's 5am as I finish this) with all of the exclusives and wave after wave of figures, do the bean counters realize that we're in a global recession? From what we learn from these Q&A sessions, a lot of insignificant items get "costed out", but is there significant product that is stuck in limbo until things even out economically?

     With SW having a huge collector following, we know that the past year has presented challenges in keeping up with the line. Similarly, the line that we showed at SDCC has been in development since the end of 2007/beginning of 2008, and long-lead projects and commitments are difficult to change, especially when the efforts are exceptionally good as they have been this year. Right now, everything shown should make it to retail in the U.S. In some of the more collector-targeted lines, like Legacy/Droid Factory basic figures and Comic Packs, some of the waves may not be out until Spring 2010, assuming that the forecasted quantities move through and that we do not see further collector slowdown.  If that happens, we'll do our best to see that they do get to retail somehow.  It is our intention, going forward, to pull back on the breadth and depth of the offering, somewhat. For instance, we have been working to scale back some on the number of new/refresh figures in the Legacy basic figure lineup (the goal is approximately 40-45 new/refresh figures/year for the basic figure line).  We are also re-examining the number of collector-targeted offerings and exclusives to pare down to the scope of the line for the time being.

***

(HH, 2009-10-02) (http://bit.ly/HH-2009-10-02)

What was your gut reaction to seeing the raw Fans' Choice Poll data/results from the various websites? Were the choices more or less varied than you were expecting? Any trends that you saw that surprised you or any characters that popped up that were completely off your radar until this initial batch of results came in?

     One surprise was how even the results were - drawing from all six films and the EU. Of the films, though, each of the films has at least 3 votes, except for, surprisingly, EpV which had only one character (Toryn Farr) in the top 30. Given that, EpV is generally acknowledged as the fan favorite, it either points to how thoroughly we have covered the film (unlikely since there are many great character re-dos to go), or that fans want to see as-yet-unmade characters generally over re-sculpts (more likely, as there are only five resculpts on the entire list, and the first one, Dr. Evazon, appears at #10). Of all the selections, the strength of Jocasta Nu surprised us. We do not think she would be a strong or compelling figure ourselves, but if she did win we would draft her into the lineup. Some of the strength of fans' desire for her could be precisely because we have expressed that we would not consider doing her ourselves, so if she does win it's a victory for the fans who wanted her!

What can you tell us about the upcoming CW "Anakin with Desert Skiff" deluxe set? That wouldn't happen to be a repaint of the 1996 toy that originally came with Luke would it? Or is the 'Desert Skiff' something new from the series?

     We are using the mini-rig from ‘96 but including an ACW Anakin and changing the decoration on Skiff. It is not in the new entertainment. This assortment is intended to be a way kids to get a low-priced figure and vehicle as a complete purchase/play experience. This assortment will have some “mini-rig” type off-screen items as well as authentic speeder bikes and small single person transports.

Also, some of the retailers are taking pre-orders for a new batch of Galactic Heroes 2-packs. One of the sets listed is a new "Darth Vader & Stormtrooper" set - is this one all new or are they repacks/repaints? And how about "Anakin & ARF Trooper" pack - repacks, repaints, or all-new?

     The former is a resculpt set with more dynamic character poses, while the latter is a repack of a previous set.

***

(JD, 2009-10-02) (http://bit.ly/JD-2009-10-02)

Now that you've upgraded the Republic Clone Commando sculpt with new legs, are there any plans to re-issue any of the former Commandos with the new sculpt? A lot of army builders would like to see them return with the new articulation.

     We have been considering that but do not have plans as of yet. One of the things we're wondering about is whether fans would like to see an update of Delta Squad with the new body, or would rather see new Republic Commandos. We'd love to hear your thoughts on what fans on JD would like to see using this new updated sculpt.

A lot of collectors are really looking forward to the upcoming WMDewback set. In addition to ball-jointed hips and the fantastic new gun, it looks like the Sandtrooper was also given an updated and more accurate helmet sculpt/deco. Can we look forward to seeing this helmet sculpt used on all future Stormtrooper releases? We'd really like to see this version of the Sandtrooper (with his new gun) appear on a Saga Legends card sometime soon!

     While there are no plans for a basic carded Sandtrooper figure beyond this year's Saga Legends figure, it is certainly possible that in future years we could look to use this newly updated body. Meanwhile, we hope fans hunt down this spectacular creature and significant new trooper update. It was a labor of love and one of the exclusives we're keeping an eye on to gauge fan response to all-new sets like this.

The TIE Fighter Pilot in the WM Evolutions set has the "tear drops" on his helmet and a distinctly grey jumpsuit. Since this is a specific pilot from the films (an "Ace" according to EU), will we be seeing a basic all black TIE Pilot that uses the same super articulated sculpt released in the Legends line someday?

     The pilot is intended to be a generic army builder and you are correct in that he sports the "ace" designation. We do not have a regular black TIE pilot slotted into the lineup anywhere yet but it's something that we're keeping our eye on for the future since we think, like this WM pack, he will be in high demand.

***

(JN, 2009-10-02) (http://bit.ly/JN-2009-10-02)

In one of the last Q&A sessions, you said that you'd set something up to let Canadian collectors know what is coming up through the pipe.  Please, please, please can you do that in the UK as well please?  It's very difficult to ascertain what and when we can expect and collectors would rather support UK retailers than having to resort to eBay!

     Thanks for the suggestion; we'll touch base with our UK team to see if we can get a more detailed update for our UK collectors.

Is something BAD happening?  It would seem that in both the UK and Canada the TLC of Build a Droid (BAD) figures have been dropped by retailers for the rest of this year and Hasbro UK and Hasbro Canada respectively are not offering these products to retailers.  Please tell us this BAD decision is not true?  If it is, is there anything we can do to get the core line into retailers in the UK and Canada?

     It is true that the collector business has been severely impacted since last Fall, not just in the U.S. but in the U.K. and Canada as well.  We don't have an answer right now on which assortments may be missing or dropped in the U.K.  For Canada, we can confirm that only a couple of the new red/white Legacy/Droid Factory assortments will make it to retail this Fall.  We are working to find our footing for assortment releases; changes that occurred last Fall can really present problems if they depend on collectors to pull them through (as the Legacy/Droid Factory line does) and inventory at retail remains too long.  In some cases, if the assortments don't move off shelf, we can't commit to bringing in the next ones, or else they will get bottled and backed up.  We're working as hard as we can to understand the problem and correct it, but it takes time.

Will we some more Cantina patrons next year such as, Reegesk (the Ranat) and also some more Jabba's Palace Denizens such as a new sculpt Gamorrean Guard and more?  What are your plans for 2010 for these fan favourite scenes from the Original Trilogy?

     We plan to keep new characters from these iconic scenes in our lineup every year when possible.  2010 will see an EpVI-themed wave with at least two characters from Jabba's palace / Sarlacc battle, but there is currently no EpIV wave (it will instead be the first wave of 2011).

***

(JTA, 2009-10-02) (http://bit.ly/JTA-2009-10-02)

We are very thankful for the attention you have given to the Ewok species, especially since 2006. It’s nice to get 1 or 2 or more of these fur balls every year. Our tribe is growing and a very fast-paced rate and we hope it doesn’t slow down at all. We would like to know however if two of our favorites (and probably two of the most popular) are in the parking lot. Wicket and Logray were our first modern era Ewoks and are in severe need of a good overhaul (scale and likeness) to meet today’s standards. And Teebo would be our next choice, but we think the 2002 sculpt is pretty cool and want to know if there is there a way to ‘simply’ shrink down the mold to get him to be in scale, or would a new resculpt be the best way to handle if he was going to be considered for the line again? Also, it seems that all of the new Ewoks coming out are borrowing the bodies from 2007’s Romba and Graak figures on a frequent basis. Is there a way to change this up a bit more (and maybe thrown in Chief Chirpa’s body frame) on some? We think the Ewoks could be in danger of starting to look a little too much like each other, especially Paploo – he is a taller and thinner Ewok and looks a little too stocky. (But he is still excellent!) Also, thank you for the inclusion of more obscure Ewoks like Graak and NoAhpaak. It makes for a very awesome mix!

     Thanks for the comments - we're glad you like the Ewoks we've been doing. They have clearly struck a vein with collectors too as they seem much talked about and asked about.  Wicket and Logray are two that we would like to redo, and one of them will be coming out in the basic carded figure line next year.  Teebo is also a strong candidate but has yet to be slotted in.  It's a sure bet he will see an upgrade within the next few years as well.  Good comment on making sure we have enough bodies types to portray the Ewoks as diverse as they are on film.  We'll be mindful of that.  Thanks!

The conspiracy theorists in us tend to believe that the second Hoth Rebel Trooper from the blue phase of TLC was indeed never produced despite your original statements that he will be available in very short supply in wave 7. We have yet to see him in person or even find a photo of him packaged on the web, or even for sale on online stores and auction sites. We are beginning to believe that he was missed altogether. Is there a way you can check your resources again and confirm what the deal is with this figure? And can you do anything to cancel out a repacked figure in the red phase of Legacy Collection and put this one in its place instead?

     The factory does confirm that he was indeed manufactured (we have some samples as evidence), but we do not have the data on what quantity got out.  It's possible that he is stuck in a batch of the wave that has yet to ship.  At this point we will not be able to cancel out any repacked figures as we are well past our art release dates (we are currently working on artwork for next Fall's lineup and are well past Spring).  As confirmed previously, this figure *will* see the light of day in a Battle Pack next Fall.  If those plans change we will look for a way to get him out as quickly as possible.

Jedi seem to be a significant portion of the Basic Figure line these days. And a focus for some collectors seems to be on the members of the Jedi Council. We saw a tremendous effort from Hasbro in this area with the Jedi Council scene packs as well as via the Basic Figures line. But we are still missing one Jedi Council member from ROTS, that being Coleman Kcaj.

Likewise, a number of the Jedi council members that we've seen made over the years came from the more stylized years of 2002 - 2004. Several of whom were very much preposed and as a result were incapable of taking their seats in the council. Can we expect to see these Jedi masters revisited anytime soon with the modern aesthetic of sculpting and articulation that we've become accustomed to?

     Yes, Jedi have been a big focus for us, since they are such an essential part of the EpI-III experience (and the similar time frame in the EU comics, which is why we have been concentrating there as well).  Some of the Council figures from the EpII-EpIII era, such as Deepa Bilaba, are on our list of figures we would like to upgrade with additional articulation. Others, like Oppo Rancisis and Yaddle were recently released and are not on the upgrade list only because they are about as articulated as they will ever get.  Coleman Kcaj however is one character that we have yet to slot in to a lineup.  We will take a hard look at him the next time we have a chance.  Thanks for the suggestion.

***

(MD, 2009-10-02) (http://bit.ly/MD-2009-10-02)

We all know that for kids, SW is about Jedi's, Clones, and Bounty Hunters. Given that we already have a lot of role-play toys for Jedi and Clones, the question is not so much are you...but when is Hasbro going to release some cool Bounty Hunter/Mandolorian role-play gear?

     The future is uncertain as to how prominently the Mandalorians will feature in CW. We're keeping an eye on them, as there could indeed be some role play opportunities there if they have a major role in future episodes of the series.

Are we ever going to see Darth Malak, Darth Revan or Pre-Cyborg Grievous repacked in the basic line ever again? A lot of people seemed to have missed out on this wave and are constantly on the lookout for them - so any chance of a comeback for these bad boys?

     Pre-Cyborg Grievous is not a strong candidate for return, unless fans vote him in in a future Saga Legends-type re-release vote (we are looking at this as a possibility for next Spring). Revan and Malak are more likely to return in some form or another within the next couple of years.

Given the amount of time you need to plan upcoming figures, are you looking at doing any tie in figure/s for the Old Republic MMORPG expected in the next year?

     As of this writing, we don't have any information about The Old Republic other than the trailer that everyone else has seen. We don't know a release date, so we can't comment on if/when there will be figures. It’s very unlikely that any figures would be out to coincide with the launch of the game in any case. Instead, we'll probably follow with figures after the launch.

***

(RS, 2009-10-02) (http://bit.ly/RS-2009-10-02)

Will you be releasing a true-to-artwork V-Wing pilot at some point using the new helmet (different deco of course) from the "Republic Gunship" pilot in the new Evolutions set, and the gray flight suit ARC-170 pilot from the first version of this set? Seems like an easy release, and one that actually fills a gap. Similarly, can we assume that we'll see the ARC-170 pilot re-decoed as Oddball at some point?

     There are no plans to release another V-Wing Pilot as of now, but it could be something we re-release in future years and your suggestion makes a lot of sense. Oddball still has not been slated into the line, but as a named and on-screen Clone from Episode III who has yet to have his day in figure form, we're keeping him on a short list of Episode III figures we can do next time we have an opportunity.

Thank you for finally getting around to the Saurin Hr'chek Kal Fas in your rotation through the Cantina patrons. But as has been the sometimes tradition with the release of new figures, we have to temper our excitement over the figure with the fact that the figure is not entirely accurate. The figure seems to have taken on a number of Trandoshan characteristics that are not what we see on screen with the Saurins in the cantina.

The notable differences are the eyes, the Saurins have black eyes, no coloration. The hands, the Saurins have five fingered gloved hands in the cantina scenes. And then finally the feet, the Saurins wear boots in the cantina scenes. Any number of film or production stills easily show these characteristics.

So what are the chances that we'll eventually see a "corrected" Saurin (maybe released as cousin Saitorr Kal Fas) with the more screen accurate characteristics?

     Thank you for your support and great attention to detail. We love Cantina aliens too and we do strive to make the figures as authentic and highly detailed as possible. Lucasfilm has a great reference library of images for us to use but sometimes it can feel like a blessing and a curse.

     A blessing because it is such a great reference asset, but a curse because with this vast array of material, their minor discrepancies and scrutinizing details can sometimes minimize the awe and wonder that we all have when entering the SW universe. You are correct about the boots and the eyes.

     Regarding the boots, we did make a creative decision to give him alien feet that are in keeping with the species because we felt that if he had been meant to be featured as a main character in the movie Lucas would have probably made prosthetic feet, but because he was never intended to be seen as a main character they just had him wear boots. One of the things we love most about Star Wars is the aliens and just giving them human characteristic - while easy and cost effective in production, minimizes the their potential coolness.

     With regards to the eyes, there are two Saurins in the Cantina. One of them has clear dome lenses and the other, in some reference shots, does not and appears to have pupils. As you can see in the painted image of the figure on the back of the package, we never intended him to have gold eyes with black pupils. This was just a production variant from our China vendor, and we have actually already made a production correction to the eyes to give him black eyes.

     While Sai'torr is not in our current lineups, we do intend to do him someday. When we do we will consider and discuss with LFL giving him 4-fingered gloves and boots.


After the recent news regarding the 2nd Utai and beardless Hoth rebel trooper., I'd like to make an add-on to my previous question-

It seems that in the past there has been communication issues at the factories regarding changing a figure to a new variant, so instead of having a 2nd variant issued in a following wave (as was planned originally w/ the Hoth Trooper) could the variant figs such as the 2nd Hoth trooper, 2nd Utai, 2nd scanning crew member, 2nd Bespin Guard, etc be placed in a non movie themed wave to them selves much like a repaint wave is done when necessary to do a repaint wave? (In other words instead of a "repaint" wave, release a "variant" wave)

     The problem with this is that the variant would occupy a full-blown product spot, where we have been trying to do variants as "extra figures" within our item count. To do what you suggest would mean actually slotting in those figures instead of, say, a new or wholly different figure. It has become so problematic to track these figure changes and stay on course for their release that we will stop doing them altogether because of the disappointment they cause when they don't stay on schedule or get cancelled. As of now, the Bespin Wing Guard is scheduled for the final EU wave next Spring. The Scanning Crew member may not make it out in red/white line look but we will look for ways to eventually bring him out.

***

(RTM, 2009-10-02) (http://bit.ly/RTM-2009-10-02)

I've noticed that several new waves of CW figures seem to be hitting stores at the same time. Will the upcoming Legacy waves be released in a similar fashion to ensure they make it to stores by the end of the year? It seems like a pretty tight schedule to release five waves of figures in four months.
 
     We don't know for certain how the Legacy/Droid Factory waves will flow out, only because sales have really been dropping on this line compared to CW, and we do not know when (we won't say *if*) all of the planned waves will be able to get to retail. We are doing our best to try and read the landscape and adjust to release quantities to get everything out. We are committed to manufacturing every wave we have shown, so even if distribution at retail is spotty, it should be available through online retailers.

In the 30-year history of SW astromech droids, there have only been two released without official names. One is the red/blue astromech from the ARC-170 Elite Squad Battle Pack, whose only appearance in SW multimedia is in the CW TV series. The other is the red/white astromech that is coming packed with Wedge's X-Wing. It is not the astromech Wedge has in the original trilogy, nor is it either of his astromechs from the Rogue Squadron series (both are R5 units and not R2's). Can you finally solve the mystery for astromech fans by giving us the official names for these droids, and also clarify where the droid that comes packed with Wedge's X-Wing is from?

     We based Wedge's droid off actual reference photos. Since we just had his head, we had to create a body to match. It may not line up with what has been published but we did start with source material. This will need to be explored more and we'll check on it with Lucasfilm; even though there is no name on the package we should be able to provide one for both this little guy and the ARC-170 pack droid. When we hear back from LFL we will let you know.

I was wondering if you had any plans to release battle packs of regular clones to outfit the great vehicles you've been making. By 'regular' I mean non-animated. I don't collect the animated line, but I've bought the Turbo Tank, the AT-TE, and the Republic Fighter tank. It would be great to get mixed battle packs of pilots, gunners etc. for these vehicles that are geared towards the collectors of the realistic line of SW toys.

     Thanks for the suggestion. We have been concentrating on getting CW packs out there for the kids (and collectors) who want to outfit those with Clone to match the CW. We assumed that collectors would have enough "regular" Clones to do the trick but it does seem like there is an opportunity to provide realistic clones as well. We'll take a look at this and see if there is not something that we can get to over the next couple of years (at this point, the 2010 line is put to bed and we're working on 2011) Thanks for the suggestion.
Title: Re: The Hasbro Q & A Compendium
Post by: Matt on October 5, 2009, 02:02 PM
Session 76 - October 2, 2009 (part 2 of 2)

(SAND, 2009-10-02) (http://bit.ly/SAND-2009-10-02)

Hello there, Hasbro.  As you are no doubt well aware of by now, we here at Sandtroopers are tremendous douchebags and our questions for this session are as follows:

It is known far and wide amongst collectors that a Hasbro Wal-Mart SW exclusive is going to be inconsistently distributed. For example, in Portland, OR, I saw the 2009 Droid Factory sets ONE time at ONE store, and only 3 of the 5 sets were available.

In some parts of the country, the WM SW exclusives are overabundant and easy to find and in other parts, NONEXISTENT.

Realizing that Hasbro has little to no control over this problem, I will skip to the next question and ask why, exclusive after exclusive, does WM continue to get some of the better exclusives?

We know that you get your money up front once the products ship to the retailers, so it's not really *YOUR* problem, but this continues to be a source of frustration for a lot of kids+collectors after we see something previewed at Toy Fair or Comic Con and then NEVER find it in the stores. Is there anything that can be done about such an inconsistent, horrible, careless treatment of your great product line?

     WM is, by a good margin, the #1 toy retailer so it stands to reason that we would partner with them on many of our great exclusives. WM has a lot of data which they use to identify the stores that will be better performing and use that as a base for their exclusive distribution. However, a desire for increased distribution, as relayed to us by the fans via this Q&A and forums, is something that we constantly relay back to WM.  They are considering some changes, so that is good news.  As to the Droid Factory, all five sets were shipped in the exact same quantity in a shelf display, so the comments about only 3 of the 5 showing up are troubling.  Is it possible that someone else beat you to them in your area?  In any case, it is something that we would really like to address and will be working with WM again on the overall exclusive distribution strategy.

I have a question on three figures in particular. A) Sometime late last year in a QNA, someone had asked about an "ultra" artculated stormtrooper. Your reply stated that the first you would make was an Episode III clonetrooper. B) Earlier this year, again in a QNA, someone had suggested a "battle damaged" General Greivous from the CW Series, with removable legs and a broken mask. Your reply was something to the effect "wait till SDCC". C) In SW Insider # 107, a prototype of Darth Maul from "Visionaries" was pictured. I was surprised that nothing was mentioned on that at SDCC. So, what is the status on these figures? Are they (still) going to made? And what format may we see these characters in?

     Thanks for the follow-up, Troops.  The ultra-articulated Stormtrooper is actually coming as a Sandtrooper, with the new WM exclusive Dewback. As for the Grievous, we're still hopeful to see an update like this but he has yet to find his way into the lineup.  Finally, the half-cyborg Darth Maul from Visionaries, with the cool lower torso, was a scratch from our coming pack line.  The good news is that he *will* be coming out next year as a SDCC exclusive (still in the Comic Pack format but with a special treatment). The second figure has yet to be announced and we'll save that for an update next Spring.

Now that  Hasbro has "supposedly" went around to some stores in some areas and removed the "peg warmers" of Yarna, Trinto Duaba, etc. - how long will it be before we can expect those figures to ship in the Legends line?

     It is not "supposed" - we *did* have our legions of retail folk pull back a number of slower moving figures including Yarna, Ak-Rev, the Organas, and Cantina aliens in order to remove them from retailer inventory and stimulate shipment of new waves. They are being destroyed and will never ship, in any form, again.  Was the comment about Legends just poking fun, or did you think we actually repacked poor-selling figures onto new cards?

***

(SNOW, 2009-10-02) (http://bit.ly/SNOW-2009-10-02)

What the heck happened with the distribution in Canada from Jan '09 to the very end of Aug '09? I'm going to be specific with the CW line because you once eluded that it was your hottest selling item for SW merchandise.

There was a huge gap between Wave 3 and Wave 4 of the CW 3 3/4 figures with the latter finally showing up in late Feb. Well, now that there has been 6 months of restocking Wave 4 (with the odd Wave 1 case thrown in) and the knowledge that the elusive Wave 5 was never going to show up in Canada I was relieved to hear my local TRU had gotten in a few new cases.

Yay! Wave 6 on the new Red cards!  Not so. It ended up being more Wave 1 and Wave 4.

There has been so much over-stocking of Wave 4 (and Wave 1) that I think every man, woman and child in Canada has one or more of each and every single figure and it would most likely explain the fact that none of this product is moving anymore, especially not like the top-selling line should. The pegs are jammed full of Padme, Goldie, Plo Koon and Assassin droids. I honestly fear that there is no room for retailers to order the new product and we will yet again be left behind. TRU recently had a 2-week long 25% off sale and it didn't even dent the inventory on their pegs.

Why on earth was there a 6-month glut of Wave 4? Could you not have slipped us a few transport trucks of the missing Wave 5 or at least let the supply of Wave 4 dry up long ago?

     There have been problems with the dates of when the Canadian-version packages have been available, so we have had to skip several waves in Canada (for example, the last wave of blue/white never shipped) and there was a delay on the first wave of red/white, but that should be fixed by now.  That said, we are slated to bring the rest of the waves of CW in for the rest of the year.

Will we see any of the last waves of Titaniums at Canadian Retail before the line goes on hiatus?

     We will not be shipping any new Titanium into Canada before the line goes on hiatus.

I have been informed, from a very reliable source, that Hasbro Canada does not intend to offer the Legacy line of SW figures on the  Red Card format in Canada and that could be related to the poor sales for this product from previous years. Basically, Hasbro Canada will only offer Saga Legends figures and ClW figures. Could you please confirm this information? And if this is indeed the case, could you explain the reason behind this decision? This decision to not offer the Legacy line of figures seriously treathens our capacity to pursue our collecting habits, as we are now forced to rely on US retailers.

     There have been some inventory issues that have prevented us from getting every wave, but another issue has to do with tagging onto the U.S. production with the localized package version for Canada.  The U.S. quantities have been scaled back, meaning that some planned production was canceled and left us without the ability to get Canadian-localized production on some waves.  The U.S. is still getting the new figures, so we are instead bringing English-language packaging out of the U.S. warehouse for at least a couple waves.  We will not have all waves available this way, though.  Right now, we don't have details on which waves will be available in which package version (Canadian adaptation or U.S.) but will make that available as soon as we can.

The conspiracy theorists in us tend to believe that the second Hoth Rebel Trooper from the blue phase of TLC was indeed never produced despite your original statements that he will be available in very short supply in wave 7. We have yet to see him in person or even find a photo of him packaged on the web, or even for sale on online stores and auction sites. We are beginning to believe that he was missed altogether. Is there a way you can check your resources again and confirm what the deal is with this figure? And can you do anything to cancel out a repacked figure in the red phase of Legacy Collection and put this one in its place instead?

     The factory does confirm that he was indeed manufactured (we have some samples as evidence), but we do not have the data on what quantity got out.  It's possible that he is stuck in a batch of the wave that has yet to ship.  At this point we will not be able to cancel out any repacked figures as we are well past our art release dates (we are currently working on artwork for next Fall's lineup and are well past Spring).  As confirmed previously, this figure *will* see the light of day in a Battle Pack next Fall.  If those plans change we will look for a way to get him out as quickly as possible.

***

(SSG, 2009-10-02) (http://bit.ly/SSG-2009-10-02)

The TSC AT-AT Driver was considered by many to be an excellent figure with the only real minus being the swivel elbow joints. The new one looks great, but why did you feel the need do a complete resculpt when simply changing the arms to accommodate ball hinge elbows would have sufficed? You've explained to us in the past that the more tooling required for a figure, the less budget resources can be applied to other figures in the wave, so some collectors are curious why all that new tooling went to the AT-AT Driver instead of something like a new Bespin Han or Hoth Leia. What's the decision-making process there that results in an all-new AT-AT Driver?

     Doing this figure did not knock a core character upgrade out of the mix, as we already had our core characters for the year lined up. We wanted to do a new updated troop-builder for this wave, and of the Hoth Imperials, it seemed like a solid one to do since the arms of the previous did need an upgrade. We could have probably just done arms, but the design team proceeded with a new sculpt.

In the last round, we asked a question about the possibilities of a new Jabba's dais, but the answer we received was instead about Jabba himself. While that was good news for fans to hear and we are quite hopeful on the Hutt gangster front, we're also curious about his dais. Our hypothetical question was asking what pricepoint and format might it be released in for all that new tooling, and would the set include the existing railing and hookah or just assume that enough collectors have the piece and leave it out? Would it have wheels? Would you go back and use the Kenner vintage throne tooling? And what are the odds of seeing the hypothetical Jabba's Dais we're discussing here?

     Sorry to have you spend a second question to follow-up; we thought that our answer suggested it would be *all* new, dais and everything. No idea on price point or format, other than this would not fit anything in the mainline so it points toward the exclusive lineup. The odds of actually seeing it depend on many factors: the ability to cost this beast out with the tooling it would entail; a willing retail partner; a successful sell-through of this year's exclusive lineup to merit confidence that such an item would find a receptive audience. We can confirm that we are working on a new set, but the above factors are still not nailed down yet so it's not a guarantee that you will see him in 2010.

It's been a couple years since fans got to vote for Greatest Hits-style figures. There are plenty of other figures that fans want to see re-released without waiting for them to be remade, but don't fit into the kid-friendly Saga Legends line's focus. Any chance of letting us do another Fans Choice GH vote? It's all the fun and excitement of the fans getting to choose figures for the line without the expense of you having to tool up a bunch of new figures.

     Right now, the focus is on the new Toy Fare fans' choice poll to see which as-yet-unmade characters fans want to see in figure form. After that, it seems like a solid idea to run another poll for which figures to bring back, either in Saga Legends or in another format. We'll look to start that next Spring. Stay tuned!

***

("TJ", 2009-10-02) (http://bit.ly/TJ-2009-10-02)

I like the 'cameo' figures of cast and crew who played a big part inthe making of the saga, and apparently so do the people who put together the SW line. It's been nice to see the Lucas family, Joe Johnston (Spacetrooper), Ralph McQuarrie (Pharl McQuarrie), Anthony Daniels (Dannl Faytonni), Ahmed Best (Achk Med-Beq), and now, if the rumors are true, Jeremy Bulloch being honored with action figures based on their appearances in the movies. Is there a desire at Hasbro to at some point make figures of Rick McCallum (Naboo noble), Nick Gillard (Cin Drallig), Richard Marquand (AT-ST Driver), Warwick Davis (Weazel) and one of my favorites, Ben Burtt as Ebenn Q3 Baobab?

     This is not a stated objective, but by a happy coincidence we slot a new character into the line and it works out that we can use legendary reference for a head-sculpt, as was the case with Joe Johnston and Ralph McQuarrie.  For future figures, we will base them on their importance to the line rather than who was playing that character.  As such, Cin Drallig is high on our list of figures we'd like to do within the next few years, and Richard Marquand stands a good chance as well.  The others you mentioned are very low on our radar screen.

Even though I normally only collect the realistic line, I did recently buy the CW "Goldie" figure during a sale and was blown away at how many little features the CW astromech mold has compared to the R4-G9 sculpt used for the realistic astromechs. That immediately begged the question: hey, when do we get a realistic R2 that has the same level of features?  I'd love to get a manually adjustable scope, tow rope (with a C3PO head accessory to tow along), drill, and computer link plug... the most we've ever gotten was the attachable drill and plug and that only appeared once with the VotC R2 and never used again.  Can Hasbro not also pimp up the realistic R2D2 at some point too?

     That's a good comment about wanting to see more with R2.  We've often mused about producing a "Swiss army knife" R2 in the realistic line but have instead chosen to go with various scene-specific versions.  Someday it would make a good figure and we'll certainly discuss it.  In the meantime, you should also check out the Clone Wars R2, since he has the same features as Goldie and is a great figure.

Is the going back to the glued on bubble an attempt to stop the slash and returns that have hampered the lines since the ROTS series? If so, why did it take so long to go back to the glued on bubble?

     Returns have not been a big problem for the lines that have had the taped blisters, at least any more than heat-sealed blisters have been.  Where there is a will, unfortunately, there is always a way with unscrupulous collectors to try and juke the system.  Instead, it's a cost-savings measure compared to the taped blisters.  The taped blisters, while great for giving the figures a lot of room to be posed out with their accessories in-pack, cost more and was a needed concession as we drew up the new line.  It's possible that we'll return to the taped in a future line.

***

(TPU, 2009-10-02) (http://bit.ly/TPU-2009-10-02)

With next year being the 30th anniversary of TESB, can we expect more figures, vehicles and multipacks from the film and if so is there anything you can share with us as to what we can expect to see? Maybe a new card design to reflect the anniversary?

     Yes, there will be some things next year that will celebrate the 30th Anniversary of ESB. For the most part, this will be "in assortment" using the mainline assortments, but there will be a few extra exclusives next year to celebrate as well. However, there won't be any specific packaging for the anniversary.

When looking at my collection from '95 onwards, there is a huge change in the design, detail, articulation of the action figures. Slowly new sculpts are being done of some figures, and much improved they are, so can we expect that you will remake many more of the early bulky inaccurate and poorly articulated figures to bring them more inline with the newer ones?

     Generally, the design aesthetic that has been employed in the line since approximately 1998 reflects an emphasis on realistically-proportioned figures, accurate sculpting (realistic likeness for the film and EU-based figures), and articulation over built-in features. Since 2004, there has generally been any movement toward releasing characters with a higher degree of articulation, with the apex being a level typified by the modern Vintage line. While not every figure can have this same degree of articulation, this has generally been the sculpting direction when figuring costing permits.

     With so many previous figures with excellent sculpts that have been done since 1998, even if they lack a high degree of articulation, we do not want to commit to updating every figure. Instead, it is our desire to complement, and occasionally upgrade some of the figures as determined by popularity (either within the Hasbro team or inspired by fans via requests or polls), and continue to devote a good selection of the line to delivering new never-before-done characters to continue to expand the horizons of the line.


Back in August you answered a question sent in by our friends at Snowtroopers.ca... and I quote...

Quote
"Is it possible to set up some kind of information feed that would inform Canadian collectors of exactly what is coming to Canadian retail? As things get finalized you could let us know. For example, if a retailer steps up for the Scramble at Yavin battle pack assortment, you could let us know when this happens. Or once retailers place an order for a certain wave, you could automatically confirm this for us. This would save us from asking every Q&A "Is x vehicle or wave coming to Canada"? It would also benefit retailers because we would then not resort to ordering things from the US for fear of them never arriving at retail here. It would basically act as product announcements like Hasbro USA does when revealing new products, but be Canada specific.

And speaking of Canadian retail and SW toys, the distribution of TLC this year has been terrible, with constant reloading (and clogging) of the pegs with wave 1 and barely a trickle of waves 3 and 4 (and obviously the absence of the last two waves completely). So given that Hasbro at SDCC has stated it will ship four waves in only 2 months(!) will ALL of these waves actually be coming to Canada? And what about existing announced blue-white packaged items like: Scramble on Yavin, CW Jabba, AT-TE Assault Squad, Ambush on the Vulture’s Claw, Rancor w/Luke which was said in a previous Q&A to be headed to “smaller accounts” Spring 2009 comic packs These answers are exactly what we hope an information feed would tell us, since this year Canadian customers have been left feeling as if we are fumbling in the dark and no idea of what we can or cannot buy. It loses money for Hasbro and obviously makes collecting incredibly, incredibly frustrating.

A3) That is a good idea for a list to advise Canadian collectors. We will work that up and use it for periodic updates as different toys ship. As for the ones you cite, none of them will be released in Canada as the blue and white line look is finished. Unfortunately, the retail support for the Rancor fell through at the last minute and we ended up not releasing it. A pity, but we tried hard to get it placed."

I know that UK collectors would relish something like this for the UK so they can plan ahead what they are getting from where and when, avoiding over priced importers and so supporting the UK's retailers big and small.

     Thanks for the suggestion; we'll touch base with our UK team to see if we can get a more detailed update for our UK collectors.

***

(YF, 2009-10-02) (http://bit.ly/YF-2009-10-02)

I recently acquired the new Darth Sidious Hologram w/Mechno Chair figure from TLC and noticed a couple odd things and I have a few questions about it, both regarding the chair itself. First, on the top where the hologram projector is located there are 2 small tabs each with a hole running through them. What are these details exactly? Were they possibly added to make this accessory forward compatible with say a chair back thus creating the walking "throne" that could later be included with a new Viceroy Nute Gunray from TPM? And finally, when the entire accessory is assembled and displayed, one can't help but notice that Hasbro's copyright info is prominently, or some might say distractingly, displayed on the chair's front. Wouldn't it have been better esthetically to place that info on one of the legs?
 
     The details you are referring to are actually part of the reference materials we used to sculpt the chair.  As for the copyright line, we're limited to applying it to flat surfaces.  Where it is now is the only flat surface large enough to hold it.

There have been a few online retailers with a product listing for a "CW Anakin w/Desert Sport Skiff". I'm afraid to ask, is this vehicle a repack of the Desert Skiff from the 1996 POTF2 days or something new we have yet to see in the CW series?

     We are using the mini-rig from ‘96 but including an ACW Anakin and changing the decoration on Skiff. This assortment is intended to be a way for kids to get a low-priced figure and vehicle as a complete purchase/play experience. This assortment will have some “mini-rig” type off-screen items as well as authentic speeder bikes and small single person transports.

In our last QnA, you made the follow statement: "Kids, the primary audience for the CW line, do not seem to care about super-articulation."

Frankly, many find this response rather dismissive. If kids don't care about SA, why did the clones have it from the start and why upgrade less articulated figures to better interact with vehicles if kids would "settle" for less? Many "adult" collectors say they don't support the CW line because of the limited articulation, especially the lack of knee joints. Wouldn't its inclusion make the line even more successful? Thanks.

     We did not mean to be dismissive, but wanted to explain the rationale for the decisions we have made in the constant pull between features (including super-articulation) and costing.  We did incorporate more articulation into the Clones at the start because, at the time we embarked on the line, we could, and we knew that there would be collectors who would be attracted to the Clone Wars line who would find the articulation pleasing for the Clones.  However, we couldn't do this to all figures and there won't be a systematic upgrade of all characters to more articulated versions, of which would bring more collectors into the line.  Doing so would cause us to displace features elsewhere which are more important to retain kids.  For them, the play features are more important than super-articulation.  Compatibility with vehicles is important though, which is why some figures get upgraded, not for the sake of adding articulation, but to make the play experience better.

***

(YN, 2009-10-02) (http://bit.ly/YN-2009-10-02)

Revisiting a question from April, have you given any more thought to the idea of manufacturing a protective clamshell case for the new 5½" x 8¼" card size? Without the means to properly protect and display them, some collectors have stopped buying Hasbro figures (including G.I. JOE and Marvel Universe, also) they would normally keep carded. A "Hasbro Action Figure Case" without branding for any specific line would provide an across-the-board solution for the new standard. With more STAR WARS and now Secret Wars comic two-packs being released, we could really use a clamshell for those, too.

     We're sorry to hear that some fans have stopped buying the new figures because of the lack of a protective case. We hope that fans would enjoy the figures on their own merit and consider storage secondary, but we can understand the desire to keep figures in the best possible condition. We have considered doing a new clamshell, but with the sluggish sales of the previous version we have held up as there is still a large amount of inventory of the previous one left. The collector pullback also gives us less confidence that these would be successful. Until we offer a solution, we recommend sourcing cases from other companies that would fit the new card size, along with the comic packs (for which we are not going to release protective blisters).

Would you consider a battle pack of 5 figures in a box the size of the Evolutions line boxes or even smaller? By reducing the package size you help the environment with less waste and also would allow for more shelf space for other items in the toy line or other Hasbro toy lines. Even something smaller like the Trooper Army Builder 4-Pack that came in the plain white box years ago?

     The footprint of the Battle Packs will be coming down, but they will be of a size that allows posing in pack. This is a key part of the appeal of this series, and does necessitate that they are in a wider package to accommodate the posing.

Any chance we can get more diverse Jedi and Sith figures outside of the main figures? A mix of generic jedi knights, masters, padawans and Sith warriors. (for example: Great Hyperspace War, Jedi Civil War, New Sith Wars). Collectors are eager to make a huge fight diorama between Jedi and Sith. But that's a bit difficult with only mainstream figures. Something like the deluxe 3-pks from saga Clone Wars days (JEDI KNIGHT ARMY)? Even repaints/kitbash of previous Jedi Figures if new sculpts would not be possible.

     We won't be doing this route as you suggest (generic figures), but you have hit upon one of our key platforms for the next few years - the debut of new Jedi and when we can, new adversaries. We have been producing a good chunk of new baddies in the Comic Packs lately and are really enjoying the outcome (along with select characters like Darth Maleval in the Jokey Squadron pack). As for Jedi - a bunch of never-before-seen ones, along with some nice upgrades, are coming in the Target-exclusive Geonosis Arena packs (including an cool update of Trebor Coleman). If this format is successful, we hope to sequel it in 2010 with an additional series. Looking farther out, we are excited whenever we see new potential Sith adversaries to produce and will be looking to The Old Republic for inspiration, whenever we get more info. In short, the future for new lightsaber wielding good-guys and bad guys looks very....bright.
Title: Re: The Hasbro Q & A Compendium
Post by: Matt on October 26, 2009, 06:51 PM
Session 77 - October 23, 2009

JTA - HASBRO STAR WARS Q&A ROUNDUP - WEEK OF OCTOBER 23rd, 2009 (http://www.jeditemplewarroom.com/forum/index.php?topic=1910.0)

Session 78 - November 16, 2009

JTA - HASBRO STAR WARS Q&A ROUNDUP - WEEK OF NOVEMBER 16th, 2009 (http://www.jeditemplewarroom.com/forum/index.php?topic=1928.0)

Session 79 - December 10, 2009

JTA - HASBRO STAR WARS Q&A ROUNDUP - WEEK OF DECEMBER 10th, 2009 (http://www.jeditemplewarroom.com/forum/index.php?topic=1936.0)