Hasbro "Fan First" Livestream TVC 3.75" Reveals

[Nicklab]

I think it was a conscious decision to pull Patrick from the livestreams.  His demeanor works in the whole sales and marketing culture with customers and partners.  But it came across as completely inauthentic and borderline disingenuous when it comes to relating to the fanbase.  His overuse of the word "iconic" became ridiculou.  I work in media, and I've dealt with a lot of people who can be a little over the top.  But even I would watch and think "OMG, this guy is so completely full of ****".  He became a virtual punching bag for a lot of the community, and the memes of him got kind of cruel.  When the reactions to the livestream became more about him than the product reveals?  It's time to get him out of there.

I'm looking forward to tomorrow's livestream.  As for what gets revealed?  I'm thinking we'll probably see the production versions of the figures from The Mandalorian season 3 that were pipeline reveals.  But as for pipeline reveals tomorrow?  I have no idea what they might reveal.  The only thing that's got me a little on edge is the potential that Hasbro might reveal something in the pipeline that I put on my March Madness Top 25 submission list, and if I have to edit those submissions.

[Jeff]

I have no idea what they might reveal.  The only thing that's got me a little on edge is the potential that Hasbro might reveal something in the pipeline that I put on my March Madness Top 25 submission list, and if I have to edit those submissions.

I'd like to see them comment on the fact that everything that has been revealed/pre-ordered since October has been "fan channel" items.  There are a lot of unspoken signs that the new "Epic Hero Series" stuff is the new brick-and-mortar line and the 3.75" TVC line is heading towards "fan channel only".  No one has gone on record saying anything about that officially yet.

I'd also like a bit more clarity about the Epic Hero Series stuff.  Does that stuff technically fall under Steve Evans and the "Marvel/Star Wars Collector Products" team or does that line fall under Vickie Stratford and the "Marvel/Star Wars Casual Fan Products" team?

[Jeff]

Live stream - Jing, Chris, Emily, Eric.

Recap of recently pre-ordered things...
- TVC Phase II Clone 4-pack - confirmed new tooled helmet head sculpt
- Deluxe Jango Fett

Note on fan-channel...
- "Even more focused in 2024" on providing Fan Channel
- "Still delivering strong figures" to brick-and-mortar (Target/Walmart) for "characters kids and casual fans will recognize"
- Use Dooku as example of figure fans want so = fan-channel

New TVC reveals today... all of these are mainline figures; Pre-order 1/24 @ 1pm ET (guessing these make up a lot of the wave that is coming with Huyang):
- TVC TBB Captain Rex (uses new Clone sculpt)
- TVC ANH X-Wing Pilot Luke {VC158 repack/refresh with tweaked cardback}
- VC312 The Mandalorian (Season 3) - seems like a repack of the Rescue/N-1 Mando figure sculpt on a new Season 3 cardback
- VC313 Grogu (Season 3) - new pram with three different cover options and his flat shirt (from the DLX Grogu/Luke pack)
- VC314 Mandalorian Fleet Commander - has an interchangeable helmet head
- VC315 TM Axe Woves (Mando Season 3) - "refresh" where this version has an interchangeable helmet head

New TVC Exclusives:
- TVC Sabine/Chopper/Lothcats (2) Multi-Pack - Chopper/Lothcats and Sabine both on Mural cardback
--- Limited Pre-Order window at Hasbro Pulse (1/24 @ 1pm ET through Feb 14th @ 11:59pm ET)
--- (man, these are very nice - new helmet head for Sabine is WAY better than that DLX figure)


TVC Pipeline Reveals:
- TCW 4-Pack - Ahsoka, R7-A7, CH-33P, RG-G1 (Amazon Exclusive)
- HK-87 red/tan repaint
- Dark Trooper (stripped down carded release)
- Ahsoka the White
- Mando with 'borrowed' Beskar Trooper Jetpack
- Updated Mando Season 3 Bo Katan
- Deluxe COBB ******' VANTH with Fett armor

[P-Siddy]

I was rather disappointed in the reveals today. Mostly redos, repaints, resculpts and Mandalorians.  *yawn*

[Jeff]

Mostly redos, repaints, resculpts and Mandalorians.  *yawn*

Yeah, but I'm 100% here for COBB ******' VANTH to finally get some love in TVC.  About ******* time.

Very glad that most of the stuff revealed today had swappable helmet heads instead of removable helmets.  The helmet heads just look so much nicer than the removable helmets these days.

Also very glad they commented on the fan channel stuff and confirmed some TVC stuff still coming to brick and mortar (but only the popular figures/characters).

[GrandMoffNick]

The Retro TPM 6 Pack hasn't gone up for pre order yet has it?

[P-Siddy]

Yeah, but I'm 100% here for COBB ******' VANTH to finally get some love in TVC.  About ******* time.

Yeah, that was the highlight for me.  And also Sabine/Chopper. 

[Jeff]

And also Sabine/Chopper.

I was impressed that they snuck a few more lothcats in there since the mural has more than just Ezra's white one.  Now they just have to find a way to put out the wolves from the mural. 

[Nicklab]

And also Sabine/Chopper.

I was impressed that they snuck a few more lothcats in there since the mural has more than just Ezra's white one.  Now they just have to find a way to put out the wolves from the mural. 

The inclusion of the Lothcats was nice, and I appreciated that.  But when I saw that and the other accessories with Sabine?  I saw how this 2-pack is almost certainly going to cost more than the previous 2-packs.  I'm predicting $49.99 for that.

The figure reveals were basically what I had expected.  Captain Rex was the most welcome surprise.  A number of people had speculated that this would just be a re-release of the Rex that was include in the 4-pack from The Bad Batch.  But I'm happy to see that this Rex was built on the new Clone body, and Hasbro isn't wasting time in putting that tooling to good use.


As for the pipeline reveals?  Bring on that 4-pack!  I'm also really happy to see the Cobb Vanth reveal, even if I would have preferred an un-armored version.  The Mando and Bo-Katan releases are kind of expected, but slightly disappointing.  They confirm a degree of cynicism that I've been feeling about the re-use of parts.  But I do think that TM season 3 Bo-Katan looks remarkably different from her season 2 appearance, and since season 3 is so much about her, I think she deserves a new figure.

[Jeff]

I'm also really happy to see the Cobb Vanth reveal, even if I would have preferred an un-armored version.

I will not be surprised if they pull a classic double-dip - Deluxe TM version with Fett Armor and then re-use some of his parts for a single-carded BOBF version without the armor...

[Nicklab]

Oh, I ALWAYS expect the double dip!  I think it comes down to just how many parts can be repurposed from the Deluxe, armored version to make the unarmored version of Cobb Vanth.

Also - it's confirmed - the Sabine and Chopper 2-pack will be $49.99

[Mister Skeezler]

I wish for that price they could have included a second swappable helmet for the previous Sabine.

[Rob]

Garbage offerings.  There’s literally nothing to get excited about with these reveals, for me at least

[Ryan]

Garbage offerings.  There’s literally nothing to get excited about with these reveals, for me at least

Eh, I was excited about Sabine & Chopper. I think they look great. I was also happy to hear see the overall shift from removable helmets to swappable heads. It's nice to finally see Cobb Vance get pipelined. I do like the new Rex. He wasn't as high on my list but the last figure kind of sucks and he is one of my favorite characters, so I'm happy for the upgrade.

Overall though it did feel pretty ho-hum. Outside of Cobb Vanth, and Season 3 Sabine, there wasn't anything that isn't a retool/kitbash/repack of some sort.

[Rob]

Sure, Sabine and Chopper, it's great to have them to finish off the color scheme crew, but being as those were previously announced and are repaints, THEY should be the boring part of the reveals.  Instead they're the best thing that got shown, and they're $8 more each than mainline figures despite (again) being repaints.