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The Legacy Collection / The Hasbro Q & A Compendium
« 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)
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)
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)
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)*
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)*
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)
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)
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)*
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)
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)
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)
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)
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)
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)
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)
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)
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)
"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)
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)
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)
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)*
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)
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)
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)
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)
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)
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)
The '06 holo figures and bases are being replaced by coins.
Will the figure-numbering system reset in 2007? (BTT, 7/14/06)
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)
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)
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)
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)
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)
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)
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)
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)
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)
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)
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)
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)
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)
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)*
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.
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)
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)
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)
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)*
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)*
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)
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)
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)*
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)
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)
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)
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)
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)
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)
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)
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)
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)
"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)
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)
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)
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)*
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)
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)
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)
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)
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)
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)
The '06 holo figures and bases are being replaced by coins.
Will the figure-numbering system reset in 2007? (BTT, 7/14/06)
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)
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)
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)
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)
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)
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)
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)
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)
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)
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)
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)
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)
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)
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)*
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.
