Informal petition to keep 7" Unleashed Alive!

[ruiner]

I just want to throw this out there and gauge the interest in keeping the Unleashed line alive (as it currently exists) vs. replacing it with the 2" "replacement" figures.

[JesseVader08]

You can definitely add my name to this list.

[JediMAC]

The 2" line is on the way regardless.  It's ready to go, so we're stuck with it.  And I don't personally see that line as a "replacement" for the 7" line, as Hasbro keeps saying.  They're just dropping one line, and starting up another, totally different, one.  I think the LOTR Armies of Middle Earth caught their eye, and they wanted to replicate it for the SW universe.  No freakin' idea why they're saying it's the "new Unleashed".  Makes no sense.

Also strange them scrapping their 7" line.  We were all rather perplexed down at Comic Con when the Hasbro reps kept suggesting that line was a failure, so they had to ice it.  All the sales on Unleashed here in the SoCal area have been very brisk, for the most part.  Started off kinda slow with the line, but things have really picked up the last year or two.  I think the things just don't have a big enough profit margin, so they ultimately decided it wasn't worth the effort anymore.  They could've probably raised the Unleashed price point several bucks, without losing much of their customer base.  Oh well.

Hasbro did make a strong point that the 7" Unleashed line is not dead forever though, but that it's just being put away for a while.  They said several times that it has a decent chance of returning again in a couple years, so we'll see about that.

Strange minds at work over there, at the Big H... 

[DoctorPadawan]

Informal or not, you can add my name to the list.  I think I've been somewhat vocal about this whole Unleashed hiatus/cancellation dealie, so I won't be redundant (for a change).  Even if we have to see those 2" figures hanging around on pegs for the next year, there's still hope (I hope).

[Darth Slothus]

The 2" line is on the way regardless.  It's ready to go, so we're stuck with it.  And I don't personally see that line as a "replacement" for the 7" line, as Hasbro keeps saying.  They're just dropping one line, and starting up another, totally different, one.  I think the LOTR Armies of Middle Earth caught their eye, and they wanted to replicate it for the SW universe.  No freakin' idea why they're saying it's the "new Unleashed".  Makes no sense.

Also strange them scrapping their 7" line.  We were all rather perplexed down at Comic Con when the Hasbro reps kept suggesting that line was a failure, so they had to ice it.  All the sales on Unleashed here in the SoCal area have been very brisk, for the most part.  Started off kinda slow with the line, but things have really picked up the last year or two.  I think the things just don't have a big enough profit margin, so they ultimately decided it wasn't worth the effort anymore.  They could've probably raised the Unleashed price point several bucks, without losing much of their customer base.  Oh well.

Hasbro did make a strong point that the 7" Unleashed line is not dead forever though, but that it's just being put away for a while.  They said several times that it has a decent chance of returning again in a couple years, so we'll see about that.

Strange minds at work over there, at the Big H... 

Agreed about the strange minds.....but, was I the only one who WASN'T perplexed at the briefing???! Way I see it... The BigH blew it with a good line. The high cost to produce a small amount of figs was costing Hasbro alotta money( or not making enough profit). So they decide to counter by mass producing figs- see the failed/overproduced aayla secura/bosk/raider wave. This attempt backfired leaving tons of unsellable merchandise( still see them in many places hopeleessly for clearance) causing H to think the line is degrading- Talk about shooting themselves in the foot.

I still believe this-if H raised their price to 20$ a fig.( to match the 12in. line) then dumped the 12 inch line and continued to produce unleashed at a more normal pre AAYLA wave rate. we would still be enjoying the line.

Yes, put me on the petition. I was a real fan of the wave until Hasbro messed me over telling me they "killed" it.
Oh BTW I'm not impressed about the new line...geez my eyes are getting bad enough as it is!

[Jesse James]

The new line does look fairly weak overall.

You can add me to any petition on this you'd like, but I'm not thinking it's going to help much, at least right now. 

The problem with shortening production on anything is you are also cutting deep into profits on it.  Unleashed seemed popular to me, but then again it wasn't something I was avidly watching either.  I bought Bossk and the Stormtrooper only because they looked so neat to me...  The rest just weren't appealing to my tastes. 

Part of me almost thinks it would've been more popular had it been marketed as an addition to the 3.75" line...  Make the basic line heavy with articulation and gear, and a sub-line of pre-posed figures...  That's at least a more solid move than a 2" line introducing yet another scale... 

[Ryan]

Add me too. I am really bummed out. I have almost every Unleashed, before ROTS came out I had every Unleashed except for Boaba Fett and helmetless Vader. The new 2" line looks OK; by no means are the firgures "Unleashed." They just look like bigger WOTC Minis. I can't say I'm looking forwar to these. I may get 1 or 2, but probably not any more than that.

[jr87mustang]

Add me on, this line is the best they have had in a long time!!  The new packs are going to suck. I will not buy any of them!!

[MetalJedi]

I won't be buying any of the smaller ones till they come back with the 7" line so go ahead and put my name on the list.

[Morgbug]

I think the LOTR Armies of Middle Earth caught their eye, and they wanted to replicate it for the SW universe. 

You mean the line that Walmart brings in and puts fresh out of the case onto the pegs at a rollback price point?  Yeah, that's bloody brilliant marketing there.  That line that's currently as dead as a doornail and never really caught on? 

Again, my same rant, but do these guys ever set foot outside the boardroom and go to stores?  Do they listen to any actual consumers other than those that blow sunshine up their ass cough*RS*cough?  I realize we're a small segment, but if stuff is going perpetually to clearance at stores, that should be important information.  Force battlers, AOME, bump'n'go - all bad ideas. 

[Dressel Rebel]

I'd sign it.

[TheBlackDog65]

I'll sign it, but I agree that H has made their decesion and now they can rest with it. Pretty stupid actually. Since I collected LOTR (still do) the AOME pulled people who were normal TB buyers over to AOME, so all you really did was dilute profits on both sides.  Other item was AOME never really moved the volume they hoped, thus it died. Difference is that SW seems to have more long term momentum in marketing figures then LOTR concerning 3 3/4 vs a 3 inch AOME figure (sitll think and know there is a market for 6 inch LOTR IF they stop making 70% of new assortments rehashes of the main characters).  Anyway, I've said it before, I think the new unleash line will die and be less profitable then the 7 inch line, so KEEP the 7 inch line!

[jr87mustang]

WISHES GRANTED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Although we have to wait