TVC Gaming Greats Line

[Jeff]

Like, sprinkle in Cal Kestis or something…

I've covered this before in other threads, but the current Hasbro team's "what can we do with the parts we have to pretend we're world building" thinking is really getting stale.

It's dumb to have Battlefront II troopers without Iden Versio.  It's dumb to have JFO Purge Tooper and Shock Scouts without Cal Kestis.  It's dumb to have Sith Trooper and Sith Jetpack Trooper without TROS Palpatine.  But Hasbro just goes, "Meh - troopers repaints sell" and here we are.

[Dave]

But Hasbro just goes, "Meh - troopers repaints sell" and here we are.

**L A Z Y**

[Nicklab]

Like, sprinkle in Cal Kestis or something…

I've covered this before in other threads, but the current Hasbro team's "what can we do with the parts we have to pretend we're world building" thinking is really getting stale.

It's dumb to have Battlefront II troopers without Iden Versio.  It's dumb to have JFO Purge Tooper and Shock Scouts without Cal Kestis.  It's dumb to have Sith Trooper and Sith Jetpack Trooper without TROS Palpatine.  But Hasbro just goes, "Meh - troopers repaints sell" and here we are.

THIS!

I think a lot of people who follow The Vintage Collection closely understand some of the elements at work with reusing sculpts from existing figures.  But at some point you have to throw in the odd NEW character / sculpt in order to lend some legitimacy to the Gaming Greats sub-line.  Hasbro has to start factoring in at least ONE new sculpt in each of these Gaming Greats waves.  At least so that it doesn't look so blatantly obvious that they're just repainting an old sculpt and calling it something else.

[Rob]

Same exact thing with the Walmart clone wars repaints.  Perfect opportunity to mix old and new and make it actually exciting with 2 or 3 new figures to go with all those repaints.

[Matt_Fury]

I agree with y'all that I would like to see a Cal Kestis or Iden Versio, or even some of the KOTOR II Characters that haven't been made.

On the bright side, it looks like they are using the Arc Troopers from the 3 pack.

[Nicklab]

Just getting wind of the exclusive status on these:

ARC Trooper (Lambent Seeker) - FAN CHANNEL

ARC Trooper (Umbra Operative) - ENTERTAINMENT EARTH

ARC Trooper (red markings) - BIG BAD TOY STORE

[Ryan]

Like, sprinkle in Cal Kestis or something…

I've covered this before in other threads, but the current Hasbro team's "what can we do with the parts we have to pretend we're world building" thinking is really getting stale.

It's dumb to have Battlefront II troopers without Iden Versio.  It's dumb to have JFO Purge Tooper and Shock Scouts without Cal Kestis.  It's dumb to have Sith Trooper and Sith Jetpack Trooper without TROS Palpatine.  But Hasbro just goes, "Meh - troopers repaints sell" and here we are.

THIS!

I think a lot of people who follow The Vintage Collection closely understand some of the elements at work with reusing sculpts from existing figures.  But at some point you have to throw in the odd NEW character / sculpt in order to lend some legitimacy to the Gaming Greats sub-line.  Hasbro has to start factoring in at least ONE new sculpt in each of these Gaming Greats waves.  At least so that it doesn't look so blatantly obvious that they're just repainting an old sculpt and calling it something else.

The troopers are nice looking... but I 100% agree. While I like the look of these, I may skip them this time... Especially with the price markup. Regular price I probably wouldn't hesitate as much.

There are so many other good ORIGINAL characters from SW gaming history they could use and mix-in. Even just one new figure per wave and leaving the rest as re-painted/packed army builders as Nick said would be a vast improvement. But I'd love an all new wave or two every now and then to keep the line legitimate. My short(ish) list (leaving out KOTOR for now in hopes that remake will have some new figures later):

Wave 3 - Jedi Fallen Order #1

• *NEW* - Cal Kestis & BD-1
• *Repack/Repaint* - Purge Trooper Commander
• *Repack/Repaint* - Rocket Launcher Stormtrooper
• *Repack/Repaint* - KX-Series Security Droid

Wave 4 - Jedi Fallen Order #2 - ALL NEW WAVE

• *NEW* - Second Sister
• *NEW* - Cere Junda
• *NEW* - Greez w/ Bogling
• *NEW* - Night Sister Merrin

Wave 5 -  Jedi Fallen Order #3

• *NEW* - General Jaro Tapal
• *Retool/Repaint* - Night Brother Warrior (2008 TLC Darth Maul Evolutions Repaint/slight Retool)
• *Repack/Repaint* - 13th Battalion Clone Trooper (Jaro Tapal's Troopers)
• *Repack/Repaint* - Heavy Assault Stormtrooper

Wave 6 - Battlefront II

• *NEW* - Iden Versio - Imperial Inferno Gear
• *Retool* - Super Battle Droid (VTC 37 / 30AC Retool with added IG-11 style articulation to legs and wrists)
• *New Headsculpt / Retool* - Del Meeko - Pilot Gear (TBS Dutch Vander repaint with new Headsculpt)
• *New Headsculpt / Retool* - Admiral Garrick Versio - (TVC Tarkin retool with new Headsculpt - would also take an all new version that could later be used for other officers)

Wave 7 - Squadrons / BF II

• *NEW* - General Hera Syndula
• *Retool/Repaint* - Havina Vonreg - TIE Pilot (VC65 retool with new head sculpt & added hip/leg/ankle articulation
• *Repack/Repaint* - Feresk Tssat (TBS Dutch Vander repaint with new Headsculpt)
• *Repack/Repaint* - Republic Commando (All White)

[Muftak]

This **** is just getting old.

Clone repaints that are identical tooling. There isn't a single unique piece among the three. Well, that should make them cheap anyways. Nope, not even regular price, but premium pricing of $16.

And fan channel exclusives, so we have to include shipping since there's no chance to find them at retail. Well, at least we can bundle them up to earn free shipping somewhere. Oops, except each one is exclusive to a different outlet.

Yeah, in the end these wind up costing just as much as last week's Boba Fett.

If it's going to be $25 per figure, I don't want reused parts and Clone repaints. I want a goddamn Ranat and a Jabba's Palace Ishi Tib. (I don't begrudge anyone their video game lead character either, at this point, it's just that I don't know anything beyond Masters of Teras Kasi.)

[Jeff]

Just getting wind of the exclusive status on these:

ARC Trooper (Lambent Seeker) - FAN CHANNEL

ARC Trooper (Umbra Operative) - ENTERTAINMENT EARTH

ARC Trooper (red markings) - BIG BAD TOY STORE

Nothing like having to chase figures across a bunch of different sites... 

Here are some links - not active until tomorrow...

ARC Trooper (red markings) - BBTS - https://www.bigbadtoystore.com/Product/VariationDetails/187972

ARC Trooper (Umbra Operative) - EE - https://www.entertainmentearth.com/product/hsf6253?id=JE-405087801  #sponsored #affiliatelink

ARC Trooper (Lambent Seeker) - EE - https://www.entertainmentearth.com/product/hsf6254?id=JE-405087801 #sponsored #affiliatelink

[Ryan]

This **** is just getting old.

Clone repaints that are identical tooling. There isn't a single unique piece among the three. Well, that should make them cheap anyways. Nope, not even regular price, but premium pricing of $16.

And fan channel exclusives, so we have to include shipping since there's no chance to find them at retail. Well, at least we can bundle them up to earn free shipping somewhere. Oops, except each one is exclusive to a different outlet.

Yeah, in the end these wind up costing just as much as last week's Boba Fett.

If it's going to be $25 per figure, I don't want reused parts and Clone repaints. I want a goddamn Ranat and a Jabba's Palace Ishi Tib. (I don't begrudge anyone there video game lead character either, at this point, it's just that I don't know anything beyond Masters of Teras Kasi.)

Oooff. The split shipping costs didn't even occur to me, I have just gotten so used to free shipping with Amazon. $25 each (including shipping) is absolutely not worth it for these guys. I'm going to pass on them, they really aren't worth that much to me. Maybe Tunghori will get some cheaper loose versions in down the road.

[Jeff]

Well, at least we can bundle them up to earn free shipping somewhere. Oops, except each one is exclusive to a different outlet.

Oooff. The split shipping costs didn't even occur to me

If you are really looking to save on shipping, BBTS might be the best bet.  BBTS usually buys the EE exclusives via EE's wholesale business, but you'll likely pay a $2 markup for the EE figure if you go that route (that is what BBTS did for the EE Purge Trooper - $16 at EE vs. $18 at BBTS).

I can see BBTS charging $16 for the regular fan channel ARC, $16-18 for their exclusive ARC (I can see them adding $1-2 markup because they can), and then $18 for EE's ARC Trooper (wholesale markup).

[Rob]

Between the $30 Boba Fett and having to pay $15.99 each plus shipping from three different sites for these, I’m probably more annoyed with Hasbro than I’ve been in a very long time.  This is so dumb.

[Dave]

What is Hasbro's motivation to having fan channel exclusives at retailers like BBTS? 

I get exclusives via Target, Wal-Mart, and Amazon, but does BBTS really sell that much Hasbro stuff?  This is going to be a pain.

[Rob]

Just getting wind of the exclusive status on these:

ARC Trooper (Lambent Seeker) - FAN CHANNEL

ARC Trooper (Umbra Operative) - ENTERTAINMENT EARTH

ARC Trooper (red markings) - BIG BAD TOY STORE

Nothing like having to chase figures across a bunch of different sites... 

Here are some links - not active until tomorrow...

ARC Trooper (red markings) - BBTS - https://www.bigbadtoystore.com/Product/VariationDetails/187972

ARC Trooper (Umbra Operative) - EE - https://www.entertainmentearth.com/product/hsf6253?id=JE-405087801  #sponsored #affiliatelink

ARC Trooper (Lambent Seeker) - EE - https://www.entertainmentearth.com/product/hsf6254?id=JE-405087801 #sponsored #affiliatelink

Done, easy.  Thanks for the links Jeff.  Being able to get two of them at EE helped a little, and one was only $13.99... I was expecting $15.99 per?

[Nicklab]

I used the affiliate links, too.  Thanks Jeff!