Topic: NYCC 2015 Hasbro Q and A Session

[Tamer]

Well they didn't have anyone to talk to at the Wednesday Night Party so they asked us to send in the questions and this is what we got back. And before you ask yes I sent them all.

Questions Submissions New York Comic Con 2015

With the success of your 6" TFA TIE Fighter offering, how soon could there be a TFA X-Wing to chase it? Perhaps even do decos of both colors (regular white and blue and then the Black Stealth version)?

Steve Evans: The reception has been overwhelming. We expect it to do very well at retail, and this is a play format that we're very excited about and wish to continue.


Will you ever come back with the Vintage Collection with vintage style cardbacks? Is there any truth to the rumors we are hearing that perhaps Toys R US will get an exclusive Vintage Style Version of the Black Series?

Joe Ninivaggi: The rumor is not true. Vintage collection will definitely come back in the future when the time is right.


Why so many 6" clone troopers and no battle droids? These guys need some clankers to fight!

Steve Evans: As Army builders, the Clone TRoopers have proven much more popular than Battle Droids.
 

When can we finally expect to see some killer 3.75" playsets?  Other brands are doing this in the toy aisle and are obviously succeeding... Imaginext is now known for this, and even Terraria has a playset that kids are all over - why is Hasbro ignoring this market?  Or why not at least try simple plastic "background walls" that snap together and each one comes with a trooper?  As long as the quality was there, the market would support these.  We are literally starved for display environments.  If you ever do it, don't give it a half-hearted effort.  That's just guaranteeing a fail.  Can you work out something with Disney or just allow another company that wants to give this a shot do it?  We've been waiting for 20 years for this to happen now...

Steve Evans: We've certainly injected a lot of playset values into the new Falcon, with the interactivity of fixing the Hyperdrive. Subtle storytelling. We like the idea of creating vehicles that come into playsets because when they're closed up they're a vehicle.


Articulation and attention to detail can turn a bland design into something special.  For example... the 5POA Resistance Trooper looks pretty sad (sorry).  But the 6" version looks amazing.  Can we expect to see a 3.75" version with representative details as the upcoming 6" scale one aka the Black Series Line?

Steve Evans: We acknowledge that dealing with characters that have visors can improve and we're looking to improve it.


Am I disappointed in the way they answered, yes. Still, for not being able to have an ISY Staffer there they did take a few minutes to respond to a few questions. Yes, I am shaking my head at the apparent disconnect there seems to be between the brand team and the product, but we need to be professional and courteous in the way we respond to this. Any blatant flaming will be deleted. I am not saying you cannot post displeasure, but keep it civil folks.

[JDeck]

  First off thank you to all involved in these Q&As, its an effective way to communicate with Hasbro. My question was the battle droid one. Meybe I should have phrased it differently, they seemed a little defensive, but its a legitimate question. Of course clones make better army builders but that's beside the point. All those "different" clones are just re-painted re-issues, It would be cool to get at least one battle droid, not an entire army of re-issues. I understand they're trying to utilize the same sculpt for max profit. To me its lazy to sell the same exact thing in a different wrapper, when they can make something different.
    That's the problem with big companies sometimes they sort of lose touch with their consumers. I have to deal with corporate customers all the time and I see it everyday. Its like they're too worried about not making money, than actually making money. I'm guilty of that myself sometimes, but If they sell good product people will buy it. Its great they agree to these Q&As though, at least they're trying, even though they probably dread it.
    I saw one of my questions answered in the photos about the mini helmets. They look pretty cool. I'd have to see them in person, but not bad.

[Tamer]

JDeck, I thought your question was spot on. No need to apologize for it. I think their answer shows a few things: one and foremost, the disconnect they have with the product they are even talking about. I was left wondering if he even knew what a battle droid was? Two, they are only worried about dollar signs even to the point of turning away a potentially huge profit margin showing they are narrow in focus. Three, they were hand delivered these questions and they actually had time to consider their answer (not on the spot in a person to person interview) and they really seemed to be downright flippant if not totally defensive in their responses. We have had Q and A's like this, but not since Joe was the brand manager.

[Commander_Kurgan]

Okay, I'm voicing my displeasure.
Whoever is responsible for the Star Wars Action figure and vehicles line is in every conceiveable way disconnected from the realities of the market and should be subjected to the appropriate measures typical for the industry.

As we all know from previous Q&As, Hasbro is really good at playing this Bullshit Bingo, but I've rarely read so much of it in so few answers to valid questions.
This company needs to be subjected to an epic shitstorm to finally get their attention. I truly believe that the cute and cuddly way to talk to them has come to an end.

[Mandalore25]

They avoided most of the questions, and relatively the same things are asked every Q&A, I don't see why they can't take a hint. If I were working for Hasbroken, and needed to decide what to make, and how to make it, I'd just jump on any Star Wars Forum, or social media to see what my customers want, is this so hard in the age we live in?

[JDeck]

   The 6" waves are just completely random. Look at the last one in June Boushh Leia, IG-88, Emperor and another clone. I like to make dios but what am I supposed to do with completely random figures. All it does is make you say, well a gaurd or a battle droid would be nice. That's another reason why I'm going with Bandai. Their waves make sense, Luke/Vader/stormtrooper, clone/battle droid, Maul/TPM Kenobi R2/R5 Its brilliant! Why Hasbro can't use common sense baffles me. I was hoping for a glint of optimism in these Q&As because in the past they said wait until fall, but it just reaffirms my decision to go with Bandai.

[JDeck]

They avoided most of the questions, and relatively the same things are asked every Q&A, I don't see why they can't take a hint. If I were working for Hasbroken, and needed to decide what to make, and how to make it, I'd just jump on any Star Wars Forum, or social media to see what my customers want, is this so hard in the age we live in?

      I always assumed a Hasbro sleeper was on this forum. Evidently not. Thing is Hasbro is top dog, they don't need to change their ways because there's no competition. Especially with 3.75". No one has them, if you want them your stuck with Hasbro. Then 6" Bandai is limited to Japan. (I think Hasbro blew the whistle on them) there is very little competition. Regardless they don't even seem to be star wars fans, and we're stuck like chuck.

[Graeber]

I'm very dishearten about the 3/4" line. That's what started it all. That's what the majority of us collect I believe. My kids do like the 6" line, but guess what? I'm the one with the money. I'm not spending it on the 6". Just won't do it. No interest in it at all. If Hasbro doesn't make some changes soon, I hope they bring in someone else to run the line, or Disney finds another vendor. With all of that said, I do realize we're a couple months out from the movie and have hope still the have something in the wings for us in December.

[Tamer]

Folks please remember we(isy), and this was our fault, were not able to get a staffer there at the time slot they gave us to ask all the questions. They were doing us a favor by even asking any so before we get too upset at least we got the opportunity to ask a few.

And yes, the Hasbro Folks do read this every once in awhile and yes I do get contacted in regards to comments, etc. Matter of fact I got a response this very morning.

We have to take all this in context, remember that some things they are not allowed to share, but every question we do get answered (like the vintage one this time out for example) is one less grey area.

Can you imagine any company that would willingly take that kind of abuse for an extended period of time to answer questions that they know most of us won't like the answers to anyway? It is a courtesy they have extended to us over the years and one I hope will continue, but we have to take everything with a grain of salt folks. No one is going to be completely satisfied ever. Our heads would probably turn around backwards if we understood the restrictions they are sometimes given with what products they can make, let alone what information they can share. I hope we can all remember that when we are responding, myself included sometimes too!

[Commander_Kurgan]

Tamer, nothing's ISY's fault here.
Other people attend these Q&As, too, and they get the same lame answers which tell us that Hasbro is refusing to listen to their customers.

[IMPURGE]

GREAT questions just not great answers.
I know this is all coming from a company/conglomeret. I mean plans change, people in charge make changes so even if they did plan a 6in battle droid or 6 in I'm sure that unless its all molded and ready to ship they couldn't tell us when exactly we'd be seeing the product.  the answers may not be what we'd want to hear. but also Hasbro is notorious for keeping their plan/product very secretive as if there are so many other companies out there that'll steal their ideas. I get it for the new movie and all, but c'mon.

[JDeck]

Like my Dad once told me, you can please everyone sometimes, you can please some people every time, but you can't please everyone all the time. Meybe it is the secrecy and unpredictability/inconsistency that annoys me. You don't really know what they'll do next. Sometimes they hit a home run sometimes they strike out. They're always vague in their answers. But they did give one definite answer to the vintage collection question, that was nice.

[CHEWIE]

Hats off to you guys for getting in front of them and asking questions your readers are looking for answers to.

The Hasbro team is SO out of touch.  At least they are vocally hearing these questions/issues from the market - maybe someone at their company will take something back to leadership and MAYBE see some positive change happen.  But I doubt it because the company is completely detached from the market and has been for several years now.

I do admit the Falcon playset theme is kind of fun, but they are so far behind other companies now on the playset front and creating enjoyment with their action figure product.  Something tells me a Death Star playset would sell like crazy over this Falcon... no?

Glad they answered the TVC question too, just a shame the answer wasn't what we wanted to hear.

Too bad all they think is wrong with the Resistance Trooper is the visor... sigh.  It so much more than that. 

BTW, I don't collect any prequel toy 6" stuff - BUT, if they made a battle droid in that line, I'd buy a few and then a couple clones and perhaps others.  So what they are doing there just saves me $$$ because I'll avoid that line unless they make some battle droids for it.   

[Mandalore25]

That Hasbroken does look at what is said all over the internet just says they are completely ignorant their market. I haven't bought a Star wars figure since Hasbro sold 6" storm troopers for $10 a piece, and that was what March? I used to spend $100s of dollars a year, so far I spent $30, and next year it looks like I'll spend $0. Beyond looking at the future market, and looking at what the majority say online, they could just look through their past. The most I've ever spent was when the 30th anniversary line was running (and I was 13 at the time), why? Lots character choice, great articulation (wasn't even all super articulated), comic packs! (besides the point now that they can't), cool vehicles, and at the end, a Rancor, what a finish! It was overall pleasing to the majority (they don't have to please everyone, just the majority), and the pegs were always full (not all Hasbro's fault). Why not run a similar line again? I get that it is a courtesy for them to talk to us at all, but if you agree to answer some questions, at least answer them, and/or say it without saying it . It's just baffling to hear what they say, like 5 POA appeals to kids, and the cost to parents? My parents never complained for they had designated amounts money to spend on like Christmas, and birthdays, not set amounts of figures. Just crazy, but that's not just Hasbro, it's most corporations, corporate structure needs an overhaul. Thanks for talking to us Hasbro (seriously), but please next time say something .

[Commander_Kurgan]

Maybe I have a different understanding, but these days it is normal for companies to talk to the customers.
We act as it is a great grace from Hasbro that they spend a couple of minutes with their customers and pretend they care.
We are who make sure they get another pay check next month for crying out loud!
They ought to listen to us and they ought to act accordingly.

Maybe I have a different understanding about talking to a company, too. If we continue to dance around like we're afraid of breaking a few eggs, we will never be heard.
Why not tell them that their product is badly done? Why not tell them that we have refused to spend money on crappy 5POA non-action figures and will continue to refuse to do so untill they improve their product as we know they can.