Hasbro has outright said that when it comes to 3.75 SW figures that 5 PoA has by and large tested perfectly adequate for the age group targeted by the line. Not sure why they're rehashing that CommTech gimmick from The Phantom Menace, outside of they think kids have to have SOME kind of action feature that doesn't relate to the figures actually being articulated.
As I said before, I don't get it. The funny thing is, they say that's fine for the age group they're targeted for. The kids do
look at them, but all I see is adult collectors actually buying them, which few ones we do sell. The A-Wings flew off the shelf, but Kylo's Tie, the modded B-Wing, and that dippy Police skiff are just sitting there. And that BB-8 Playset, people see
that price and just say "
Nope." Not even to put it in layaway.
And I agree about that whole Commtech device back in the day, that went over like a wet fart. And I think this new gimmick will too. Who wants to have some dopey device actually strapped to your hand all the time to make your figures talk, and to make the vehicles make sounds.
Now if they could find a way to re-boot the old Fisher Price Adventure people, that I think
would take off. Yeah, they were only 5 poa, but they were pretty inexpensive, and the stuff was just amazing. Outdoor sets, Space sets, Hell, even a news van. :
https://youtu.be/ZS0DG1eJiYs
https://youtu.be/Uz8Q9DADlCE
These guys were right up there with Lego in regards of no limit to the imagination. Kinda like the old Aventure Team G.I. Joe, but they were smaller, so many more vehicles and accessories. Male
and female figures, and even
children.
They say that the action figure market is dead right now, but I personally believe that's because they are trying to force them into established storylines, instead of making it so the children can make up their own adventures. Take Rogue One for example.... If the child has seen the movie, how can they have their figures go on more adventures, when they outright know
everyone is dead.
Kind of a bummer.
And I was truly suprised they went that route. They could have had a few survive and find a remote system to run around in, hiding from the Empire.
I'm certainly
not against dark movies; But they don't design toy lines for kids of them to make a profit. That stuff is for adult collectors.
I'm not even going to start on G.I. Joe.
My Gawd, how to drive a profitable franchise right into the ground with shitty movie tie ins....
It's like they've totally forgotten that the main driving force is the incredible imaginations of children. It's those flights of fancy and creativity; the very reason while we're all toy geeks to this very day.
The Imaginext line is
EXPLODING. I have a bunch for my own son.
I think that if the Power Team Elite series had a "villain sect" so to speak, and a decent show to tie in with it like the old G.I.Joe, it would explode too. What's the point of having an elite military force, that literally doesn't have
anyone to combat against...? What's the point ?.