Playmates Toys

[Paul755]

at this point I’d be surprised if we get more figures. The Prodigy stuff never made it to brick and mortar stores and they are still dumping figures from last years wave. The Target by me put out a ton of Spock’s and Picard’s over the weekend.

I know they showed prototypes of a 2nd wave but if they were coming, I think we would have had an announcement of some kind by now.

 

[fireproof78]

at this point I’d be surprised if we get more figures. The Prodigy stuff never made it to brick and mortar stores and they are still dumping figures from last years wave. The Target by me put out a ton of Spock’s and Picard’s over the weekend.

I know they showed prototypes of a 2nd wave but if they were coming, I think we would have had an announcement of some kind by now.

Be nice if they made it any where close to my state.

 

[C.E. Evans]

at this point I’d be surprised if we get more figures. The Prodigy stuff never made it to brick and mortar stores and they are still dumping figures from last years wave. The Target by me put out a ton of Spock’s and Picard’s over the weekend.

I know they showed prototypes of a 2nd wave but if they were coming, I think we would have had an announcement of some kind by now.

Echoes of Star Trek '09's Wave 2...

It'd be an outright shame and then some if that happens again, especially with Playmates again.

 

[fireproof78]

Well, with Hiya filling in the gap I wonder what licensing things changed.

 

[C.E. Evans]

Who knows right now? Maybe Playmates has the master toy license and sublicensed to Hiya. Or it could just be that Paramount awarded both companies separate toy licenses, with Hiya making stuff just at a different scale than Playmates...

 

[drt]

at this point I’d be surprised if we get more figures. The Prodigy stuff never made it to brick and mortar stores and they are still dumping figures from last years wave. The Target by me put out a ton of Spock’s and Picard’s over the weekend.

Apparently the more recent ones are from a newer production run, as running changes have been observed, so I guess they've sold to some extent. I don't know the case breakdowns, but the only ones that seem to peg warm are the TWOK figures, I've only ever seen Data and Saru on a single occasion each.

Prodigy, I can understand why brick-and-mortar didn't carry them, they're from a "kids' show" so maybe not as big a draw for the collector's section where the other Playmates figures tended to end up.

I doubt any further releases would do much to fill out the crew for any show. I'm thinking it'll be something like Sisko & Worf for DS9, Janeway & Seven for VOY, Kirk & Spock from TOS and maybe Pike and Una from SNW.

Who knows right now? Maybe Playmates has the master toy license and sublicensed to Hiya. Or it could just be that Paramount awarded both companies separate toy licenses, with Hiya making stuff just at a different scale than Playmates...

Paramount's licensing has always baffled me, they seem to allow numerous companies to make very similar products, which has the effect of making it hard for the individual companies to have much success.

 

[fireproof78]

True since Hiya is 1/18 or 4 inches. Technically a different scale than Playmates and they tend to do more higher definition and ultra realistic. Look at their Predator, Robocop and DC offerings.

 

[ATimson]

Paramount's licensing has always baffled me, they seem to allow numerous companies to make very similar products, which has the effect of making it hard for the individual companies to have much success.

Non-exclusive licenses reduce license costs for the companies, and prevent a situation like Activision locking up the Trek gaming rights without using them. As a consumer I'd say they're a win.

 

[saddestmoon]

The Prodigy stuff never made it to brick and mortar stores and they are still dumping figures from last years wave.

The Prodigy figures did make it to Brick n Mortar stores - at least here in New Zealand it did (about the same time it was announced that Prodigy was cancelled).

Generally speaking: Star Trek licensing is strange.

Also - my hunch is, we won’t get anymore Trek merch from Playmates - but I’d love to be proven wrong (and waiting expectantly to eat my hat).

 

[Paul755]

I doubt any further releases would do much to fill out the crew for any show. I'm thinking it'll be something like Sisko & Worf for DS9, Janeway & Seven for VOY, Kirk & Spock from TOS and maybe Pike and Una from SNW.

the prototypes they showed for a wave 2 looked like Judge Q, Worf and Geordi from TNG, Pike and Spock in the fugly Disco-TOS hybrid uniforms and a Voyager version of Seven of Nine. So it looked like they were trying to reuse some of the existing body molds.

there is a convention in Vegas this weekend so maybe we’ll find out something.

 

[fireproof78]

Generally speaking: Star Trek licensing is strange.

Because they don't trust it.

 

[Tomalak]

It's because no one buys it.

 

[Paul755]

https://blog.trekcore.com/2023/08/star-trek-action-figure-news-exo6-snw-hiya-toys-kelvin-timeline/

Info on the Hiya figures at the end of the article. This says they have the license to all live action Trek.

 

[fireproof78]

https://blog.trekcore.com/2023/08/star-trek-action-figure-news-exo6-snw-hiya-toys-kelvin-timeline/

Info on the Hiya figures at the end of the article. This says they have the license to all live action Trek.

Cannot wait for this Hiya Figures. That is excellent.

 

[IMC Headquarters]

I'd shell out for Prime Spock from Hiya. Pass on the others.

Exo's New Worlds offerings look amazing. Of course! Especially Spock, Chapel, and La'an. Pike's hair precludes him from faithful reproduction, no matter how skilled the sculptors. And Number One's augmented self presents challenges as well. But it would be a tableau worthy of already cramped shelf space.

 

[Paul755]

I do think it’s a curious decision to start with the Kelvin crew for the first two waves if they have the option to do any live action. I’m not saying it’s bad by any means. It will be good to have new versions of that crew but I would have expected something from one of the current shows or TOS/TNG.

 

[fireproof78]

I do think it’s a curious decision to start with the Kelvin crew for the first two waves if they have the option to do any live action. I’m not saying it’s bad by any means. It will be good to have new versions of that crew but I would have expected something from one of the current shows or TOS/TNG.

That might come down to licensing too.

I'm only hoping for it to actual see production.

 

[C.E. Evans]

I do think it’s a curious decision to start with the Kelvin crew for the first two waves if they have the option to do any live action. I’m not saying it’s bad by any means. It will be good to have new versions of that crew but I would have expected something from one of the current shows or TOS/TNG.

I'm really inclined to think it's because so many were left with incomplete collections from the Playmates' Kelvin line. At least now is a chance to possibly "get it right" with Hiya (wave 1 has McCoy in a regular uniform and there seems to be a prototype of Chekov in a regular uniform too--Playmates initially only offered them in cadet uniforms in their Wave 1).

To me, what's interesting aside from Hiya having the "worldwide license" to make stuff from all of the live-action productions, is that they have plans for a wave of larger 6-inch figures with cloth costumes as well as "an Enterprise with lights and sound." The figures still seem to be not duplicating exactly what Playmates is doing, but throwing an electronic starship in the mix makes me wonder if they plan to offer something different than Playmates too. Maybe another shot at the Kelvin Enterprise? Quite a few people may have missed out on that one from '09...

 

[Paul755]

could also be that they know Playmates is primarily mining both classic and nu-Trek so to avoid brand confusion they are going with JJ Trek first.

 

[fireproof78]

Who cares about the why? Hiya makes a good product, nice and detailed and the Kelvin universe is one of the best Treks. Now I just need a Pike and I'm good to go.

Also, Hiya has a GI JOE license too, while Hasbro is still making figures. So whatever license they get is designed to allow for variety.