We need more VTC figures!

[Dave]

This is why I miss the les articulated figures.  I may be in the minority but I’d rather have more character variety and less tooling.

I'm all for it if it saves us money, are easier to design, and make.  I love TVC, but if this is what is holding us back from getting new figures then lets go all 5POA.  Kitbashing is getting really, really old.

[Jeff]

I chopped this latest round of "argh Hasbro, we need more figures" and dropped them in here.  It's funny that here we are over a year later (years later in some cases) and the points are all still valid... 

[Dave]

The pricing for TVC is getting to a point where its a little nuts.  Again, I don't know where all the costs sit for making a new figure and how different they would be between 5POA and TVC, but if 5POA could get us back to a $10 price point with good paint apps, and afford us more new figures, then I would be fine if all figures were made like this.  I don't think it needs to be "kid oriented".  To me this could the the whole line. 

It was a lot easier to buy slightly retooled figures.  Goofy kitbashes, etc. when prices were lower.  At $16+ a pop I've started passing on a lot of the "new" figures.  Skipped the Jabba's goons redos and other recent releases.  Dropping $70 on four figures is lot more money than $40, and that adds up quickly.

[Nicklab]

But without kid and retailer support, that ship has sailed.

THIS!

I don't think a lot of collectors realize just how much the loss of volume sales has hurt Hasbro's Star Wars line.  The last fairly large Star Wars section that I can remember at brick & mortar retail was for the SOLO line, and that was maybe 4 feet of shelf space at Target.  That kind of presence matters.  And the evisceration of the TRU chain in 2018 really hurt the toy industry far more than anyone at Hasbro or any other toy manufacturer would care to admit.

Regarding the price hike?  Now I more fully understand the price disparity with R2-SHW.  That was another case of paving the way for the new $16.99 price point.  And news is coming out that Mattel has also increased prices on their Jurassic Park Hammond Collection figures to $16.99 as well.  So there is the possibility that this might be driven by some macroeconomic forces.

This is why I miss the les articulated figures.  I may be in the minority but I’d rather have more character variety and less tooling.

I think that some figures do merit higher levels of articulation.  The new Dark Times Vader has 17 POA, and I would not want to sacrifice any of that.  Figures of Jedi tend to merit this, too.  And a good number of troopers as well.  But then I look at that 2003 super articulated Clone Trooper which was a game changer in terms of articulation.  That had 13 POA and people could not get enough of it.  Dialing things back to that standard might help this line gain more figures per year.  And then if we got characters from the OWK series like Bail Organa or Mon Mothma from ANDOR.  Could each of them make due with 10 POA and we would be just fine with that?  I think the answer is yes.  Because I think the sculping of 2022 is superior and so are the softgoods and paint apps.

[P-Siddy]

Did you see the new Walmart and Target exclusive figures revealed today? Another Fett repaint and another ARC Trooper repaint.   This line is LIT af right now! 

[Dave]

I'd like to see them split the line like they did back in the day.  Have TVC for mostly new figures at the premium price point, and come out with a "Greatest Hits" line that is repackaged main figures and a bunch of trooper repaints that they could offer at a discount vs TVC.

Alternatively, I was thinking about new interesting kitbashes / repaints they could do if they were going to stay with this mentality and get their moneys worth. 

One I'd like to see is a new Ithorian sculpt that they could repurpose for:
- Momaw Nadon (ANH)
- Mok Shaiz (BoBF)
- Jedi Roron Corobb
- Probably others that aren't coming to mind

Maybe make a common base with different soft goods or molded vests, and a different head sculpt.

They could do something similar with Tusken Raiders for BoBF.  Use the same base with different softgoods and different colored plastics as part of a multipack.

[P-Siddy]

I agree, Dave.

I’d love for some diversity in the line besides the Jango Fett and his spawn.

[Muftak]

I'd like to see them split the line like they did back in the day.  Have TVC for mostly new figures at the premium price point, and come out with a "Greatest Hits" line that is repackaged main figures and a bunch of trooper repaints that they could offer at a discount vs TVC.

I see where you are going with this, and I agree to a point, but since the packed/repainted figures are currently subsidizing the line, the "premium price point" line would not even be as cheap as $17.99, it would be well over $20. I don't think I am ready to go there, even for new sculpts, except for a few holdovers from my 2008 OT "want list" that I've waited for forever.