Hasbro at San Diego Comic-Con 2005

[Pete_Fett]

Pete_Fett:

you forgot about Galactic Heros line. so FIVE!!!! =p

I didn't include Galactic Heroes 'cause while the line was rebranded as "Galactic Heroes" in the past year, the Playskool line has been around for a while and just like the Unleashed line has proven its popularity and role in the marketplace. I rarely see Galactic Heroes remain on the pegs for very long.

The existence of Galactic Heroes AND Jedi Force is also puzzling to me - why have two differently scaled lines aimed at the same core audience? Pre-schoolers.

There was really no need for the Jedi Force line, they could have instead invested those development $$$$ into Galactic Heroes vehicles for EPIII.

Who here thinks that the 2" Unleashed, Attacktix, Force Battlers, Jedi Force and the MPire lines will still be around by 2007. I sure as heck don't. I chalk these lines up under the same grouping as EPIC Force and those three 7" Figures that came out in the POTJ line -- attempts at other scales/figure styles that fell flat.

In fact, EPIC Force could be considered the forefather of Unleashed, however, Unleashed has done WAY better at retail than EPIC Force ever dreamed of doing. It's lasted a lot longer and has given us some really top notch display pieces. I for one, am torn on the loss of Unleashed 'cause (a) it means I won't get any more pieces for my Unleashed collection and (b) it means there will be one less line I have to buy - much like with the death of the 12" line. Hasbro is really starting to save me some money. My collecting will be reduced to the 3.75" line and that's it. My romance with Attacktix has also ended and I don't plan on buying the Collection 2 figures even if they do make it to retail.

So thanks Hasbro - your decisions are saving me money!

[DoctorPadawan]

Who here thinks that the 2" Unleashed, Attacktix, Force Battlers, Jedi Force and the MPire lines will still be around by 2007.

Honestly, I think that all of those lines will be defunct by the end of March 2006.  The shrinking of the Unleashed line is a horrible idea, and I'd be surprised if more than one assortment of the 2" line (if it goes ahead that way) makes it to retail before it bombs and WM/TRU/Target won't order any more.

Attacktix is already dead in the water, and the second assortment is just going to be one of those "blink and you miss it" assortments, since retail probably won't order as many of these as Hasbro would like. 

Force Battlers, despite Hasbro's beliefs to the contrary, isn't selling well at all, and I'd be very surprised if WM and Target even keep it in their planograms this fall.  If the third wave makes it to retail, it will be amazing, and if the fourth wave (with Palpatine and Yoda) makes it, it'll be a miracle.  Even though the line was really DOA, it will have its last gasp by the end of the year.

Jedi Force, like Force Battlers, is dead.  When Yoda and Vader become pegwarmers in any line, you know there is little to no fan interest in the concept.  The Jedi Force toys as a whole have more dust per square inch sitting on them at every retailer I go into than any other toy in the "Big Kids" aisle.  I would be willing to bet that, once the Boga is finally released, that will be the final Jedi Force toy to hit the market.

And Pete, I agree with you 100% that Hasbro should stop spending money trying to come up with new ways to fail now that the SW movie era is over, and stick to what works, and try to do that well instead of haphazardly.

[Nicklab]

Matt. get loud about Unleashed.  The line deserves the volume you can generate.   

Here are some of the character ideas I came up with in an effort to give Hasbro some Unleashed food for thought.  I even came up with an idea for 2-packs that would probably sell for $24.99 or so.  Anyway, here are the Unleashed figure ideas:

 THE PHANTOM MENACE
Qui-Gon Jinn
Destroyer Droid
Obi-Wan Kenobi VS Darth Maul 2-Pack
Queen Amidala


 ATTACK OF THE CLONES
Zam Wessel
Kit Fisto
Ki-Adi Mundi
Plo Koon
more Clone Troopers

 REVENGE OF THE SITH
Mace Windu VS Palpatine 2-Pack
Anakin Skywalker VS Count Dooku 2-Pack
Obi-Wan Kenobi VS General Grievous 2-Pack
Tarfful
Wookiee Warriors
Darth Vader on operating table
and more Clone Troopers

 A NEW HOPE
Ben Kenobi VS Darth Vader 2-Pack
Princess Leia 2 (Death Star Escape)
Sandtrooper
C-3PO and R2-D2 2-Pack
Greedo

 THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK
Wampa
Luke Skywalker - Wampa cave
Yoda on Dagobah
Luke on Bespin
Han Solo in Carbonite
Boba Fett 2
Dengar
Zuckuss
4-LOM
Lando Calrissian

 RETURN OF THE JEDI
Jabba the Hutt
Luke Skywalker VS Darth Vader 2-Pack
Emporer's Royal Guard
Biker Scout on Speeder bike
Lando in Skiff Guard disguise

[CHEWIE]

About a year or so ago, I opened a thread somewhere here or at Scum, and was thinking that it would be cool to have the Unleashed go in the 3-3/4" direction...

I really thought that some sort of 2-pks priced at the $15.00-$20.00 range would be awesome.  Each one would have a cool unique base to display them on... the figures themselves would have limited articulation similar to the current Unleashed line...

Also, each movie would have one large scene (almost a playset!) - something around the $40.00-$50.00 range that was a pivotal moment in that particular film.

For instance, here are some ideas for the $15.00-$20.00 range sets -

TPM

- Qui Gon fighting Maul w/ desert environment
- Obi Wan slashing Battle Droid w/ Naboo Forest base

AOTC

- Arena Padme w/ Nexu climbing Arena column
- Obi Wan deflecting shot w/ "hovering" Jango Fett w/ Kamino base

ROTS

- Palpatine fighting Yoda w/ Senate pod base
- Grievous fighting Obi Wan w/ Utupua environment

ANH

- R2D2 and C3PO w/ Tantive IV environment
- Han and Chewbacca sitting in Cantina w/ table and booth

ESB

- Dagobah handstand Luke w/ Yoda standing on him
- Han shooting at Vader w/ Cloud City dining room table

ROTJ

- Han throwing Scout Trooper against tree
- Stormtrooper shooting w/ Ewoks attacking him

Then, there would be a $40.00-$50.00 set for each film -

TPM - Theed Generator room w/ Obi Wan fighting Maul w/ dying Qui Gon on the floor

AOTC - Geonosis hangar w/ Yoda fighting Dooku w/ injured Obi Wan and Anakin lying on floor

ROTS - Mustafar control room w/ Obi Wan fighting Vader and destroyed Battle Droids, dead Nute Gunray on floor

ANH - Death Star hangar w/ Obi Wan fighting Vader

ESB - Bespin gantry/eather vane w/ Vader outstretching his hand to injured Luke

ROTJ - Throne room w/ seated Palpatine and Luke fighting Vader

Thoughts?  I know most people want to see the Unleashed line stay as it is, but I think this would be A LOT better than going to a small 2 inch line.