Hasbro's Weekly Q&A - July 14th

JediTricks · 07-14-2006, 02:51 PM

Thanks again to all the folks who sent in questions and the handful that actually voted last week.

Hasbro skipped last week due to the 4th of July holiday shortening the work-week. Although they said last week they'd be doing double-answers this week, they changed their minds and have decided to answer only the questions sent in on June 30th.

Let's get to Hasbro's July 14th answers:

Q: When will we see BG-J38 (from Jabba's palace), CZ-3 (from ANH), Elis Helrot (from the Cantina), LIN-V8K (mining Droid from Tatooine), all kinds of different R5 units, a Vac-metal RA-7 (from tatooine on sand crawler), 2X-3KPR (from the Tatooine), Tonnika Sisters and Wioslea (from Mos Eisley)?

A: Steve - that's many questions in one! There are some great figures in there, but we won't be able to answer specific questions like this in the future ("When is character X going to be made?" or "Will character X be made?") unless we are close to announcing a specific wave or product.

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Q: You mentioned "new" vehicles in your 2007 STARFIGHTER lineup, does this mean all those new vehicles are going to be starfighters, or is that just the name of the assortment, perhaps just denoting a size/pricepoint? I know you mentioned you cannot reveal the vehicles at this time, but can you shed some light on if this assortment will include ground vehicles such as Tanks, Sail barges or Walkers?

A: That's just the name of the Assortment, at the $19.99 SRP price point. We won't have the details on the new vehicles until the beginning of 2007.

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Q: With so many high-demand characters with speaking roles in the movies that have not yet been made (such as Tey How, Tagge, Ask Aak, Jocasta Nu, Lando in Smuggler's Gear, Queen Jamilla), why do you produce new sculpts, not just re-releases of existing sculpts, for minor characters who were done adequately in the past and who have five seconds or less of screen time (eg, Hammerhead, Garindan, Bossk, Dengar)?

A: The selection of figures for a wave or the year is always a balancing act to keep the widest possible fan (kid and collector) traction in the brand. In many cases the characters you listed as being re-released are more popular than the ones you suggested for new figures overall. While we do like many of the figures you mentioned, and some or all will probably see the light of day over the next few years, the fact is that Cantina aliens and Bounty Hunters are very high-demand segments of the Star Wars figure world. They stand out among others for their strong iconic nature and important role in taking us to a galaxy far, far away in Episodes IV and V.

You can find previous answers in SSG's weekly Hasbro Q&A archive.

El Chuxter · 07-14-2006, 03:37 PM

I love their total non-answer to my question.

I didn't ask why we get background characters, but why those background characters are resculpted thirty-eleven times. These answers get less helpful and more noncommittal every week.

Tycho · 07-14-2006, 03:39 PM

I don't like some of Hasbro's answers. They were often evasive and their attitude is smug.

Quote:

Although they said last week they'd be doing double-answers this week, they changed their minds and have decided to answer only the questions sent in on June 30th.

Great. Thanks Hasbro. That was big of you.

"I am altering the agreement. Pray I don't alter it any further!" - Remind you of anyone?

Quote:

but we won't be able to answer specific questions like this in the future ....unless we are close to announcing a specific wave or product.

Or if you're saving the big news for Comic Con or your own web update. New Question for Hasbro: "Please define 'close to announcing a specific wave or product.' "

Quote:

Q: "does this mean all those new vehicles are going to be starfighters, or is that just the name of the assortment"

A: "That's just the name of the Assortment, at the $19.99 SRP price point. We won't have the details on the new vehicles until the beginning of 2007."

I'm not getting my hopes up for seeing a V-wing or Sith Infiltrator at Comic Con now. But that's good news as I also hope to see a Droid Gunship, Clone Swamp Speeder, and Grievous' personal ship - all of which would fit in that assortment's price point as toys more than likely (Padme's ship too) along with polka-dotted Jedi Starfighters being repainted for the 6th time.

Quote:

In many cases the characters you listed as being re-released are more popular than the ones you suggested for new figures overall....the fact is that Cantina aliens and Bounty Hunters are very high-demand segments of the Star Wars figure world. They stand out among others for their strong iconic nature and important role in taking us to a galaxy far, far away in Episodes IV and V.

I told you so. I've been saying that for years.

In other words, we'll get young Owen and Beru after Zuckuss has been resculpted and Super-Articulated. We'll get Ice Cream Maker Guy and Yarna after Zuckuss' resculpt has been resculpted.

El Chuxter · 07-14-2006, 03:42 PM

New question for next time:

"I don't think you understood the previous question. Why put money into producing new sculpts of figures who have less than five seconds of screen time and who have been done adequately in the past?"

Or is that too many big words?

JediTricks · 07-14-2006, 03:57 PM

Chux, that is their answer to your question, "[they] are more popular than the ones you suggested for new figures overall." That's Hasbro's answer, they're more popular - it's like high school, so what if Debbie has a car while Janey doesn't, Debbie's cute and she gets a second car for her birthday.

BTW, I was kinda steamed that not only no double-answers even though they said they would, but they didn't answer the June 30th questions from ActionFigs.com that I sent in.

El Chuxter · 07-14-2006, 04:06 PM

I'm debating whether to skip their presentation, as there won't be any actual answers, or to go and tell these douches off.

Eh, it's not the sculptors' fault. I should skip it and save my breath.

Turbowars · 07-14-2006, 05:53 PM

I knew these questions would be totally worthless. That's why I don't vote on the questions anymore, there's no point. I think are guesses to our questions are more accurate than what Hasbro gives us. JT, I'm sorry to say, but you are just spinning your wheels. I bet hasbro doesn't even know who most of the characters from my question anyway.

Thanks Hasbro.

Droid · 07-14-2006, 08:28 PM

I would like to see Hasbro's research that says Hammerhead is more popular with children than Bom Vimdim or Brainiac, just to name two.

Tycho · 07-15-2006, 12:02 AM

Hasbro does research? I'd like to see how they do that period? Did they test the custom choppers with a group full of kids in a rubber room?

Jargo · 07-15-2006, 04:00 PM

I agree. why bother asking when all they say is "we can't anser at this time. that will be revealed next year. we use a pin and shove it in the list while blindfolded to see who gets made or not."

So far these Q&A sessions have produced nothing but the same vagueness we always get from hasbro. Frankly i wish hasbro would shut the hell up until they make up their minds what they're doing and then put out a full statement with full info or stop playing with the people asking the questions.

And what sort of drongo names an assortment of vehicles after one particular type, then states the name has little or nothing to do with what that range includes. dumbasses. Can we have these questions answered by someone with at least half a brain in future please?