Hasbro's Questions & Answers #71

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Q. Would you consider a Battle Packs set that would include a take on the 212th Attack Battalion as seen in Revenge of the Sith? And if you did, would you be able to better match the orange color used on the armor so it is more authentic to the film? It almost seems like a no-brainer since the other Battle Packs that have focused on Order 66 have been such great sellers and disappeared quickly, like Betrayal On Felucia or Treachery On Saleucami for example. I am sure collectors and kids alike would love to see these Utapau troopers out again (especially since they have not made it into the Saga Legends line yet).  And perhaps you can guarantee collector support if you recolor the orange or provide us with different battle damage applications.

A. That is a great suggestion for a Battle Pack, and one which we'll consider for the future.  Interesting comment on the orange coloration - we had not heard that one ourselves but will look into it. Thanks.

Q. I think the Scramble On Yavin Battle Packs set is the best in a very long time.  I don’t think any collector could complain for the value of product you get for the money. Since this [value for the money] has been a steady complaint from the market, I think if you keep providing us with great Battle Packs sets or incredible action figure waves like the New Hope wave from early this year (which really gives us 11 action figures and awesome accessories) it may quiet the complaining.  Can you tell us if it is possible if you will be able to continue and focus more with this medium/platform for the Battle Packs and Basic collection?

A. The Scramble on Yavin set did come out great, but the format of the mainline Battle Packs will be changing back to a primarily kid-targeted multi-figure set definition because the intent of this assortment is really to provide more themed sets that make popular gifts or "trade-up" purchases.  Unfortunately, we can't sustain new tooling in this assortment and the focus needs to be on providing as much value as possible.  As for your question on basic figures - we try to make every wave as strong as possible and agree with you that the EpIV wave turned out great.  We have some additional great OTC waves coming out this Fall that we think you'll be equally pleased with.  One thing that will be changing slightly going forward is that there will be fewer figure multi-packs like the Jawa & WED droid, or Trinto Duaba & Dice Ibegon.

Q. As awesome as the Sideshow 12” figure line is, I think it would be more than fair to say that they have unintentionally alienated the 12” figure market.  A single 12” figure that has surpassed the $100 mark is an unattainable purchase for the collectors who could only spend $20 per figure.  Is there any chance you are any closer to possibly considering bringing back the 12” line, however small and infrequent, so more 12” collectors from all incomes can get back into it?  Rumors exist of a 12” Hammerhead mold being completed, Oola, and the Max Rebo Band, and a ROTS Aayla Secura and Obi-Wan Kenobi.  We would love to see these figures finally realized in Hasbro 12” form.  The line seemed too quickly abandoned before Sideshow took over, there was no official closer so to speak.

A. We do not have plans to return to the 12" format any time soon.  Actually, we did not abandon our 12" line, as much as it tapered off from previous heights and the final shot for us was the 12" EpIII lineup.  The volumes had been trending down for us for years since the great run of 12" Star Wars in the late '90s. Since the 12" figure collector market is much smaller than the 3-3/4" market and the diminishing production volumes just did not make sense us to keep pursuing. Finally, since collectors have gotten much more sophisticated and exacting with regard to what they want, it made a ton of sense to have Sideshow work their magic with the format. Sideshow is bringing out figures of an astonishingly high quality, which are, in our opinion, worth every penny.

Check back in a few weeks and we'll post the next round of Questions (and answers) as soon as Hasbro offers them.