Hot Toys 1/4 Avengers Announcement!

[BuffyGirl]

Well I could only hope that no base would = less cost. So are we assuming here that the 1/4 will be the same as 1/6 they offer, just larger? Not sculpted of resin, etc.

 

[The Mike]

I think it's a safe assumption they'd just be scaling up so same plastics, a base TT if needed, etc. I would be shocked if they didn't keep the same black stand with placcard.

 

[BuffyGirl]

I actually think I'm okay with this. I didn't think I'd want to stray from a statue. But honestly, sometimes I miss posing my stuff. But I'm just not down with 12."

 

[Lawrence]

But I'm just not down with 12."

 

[careyb]

Gonna need bigger shelves!!

 

[willocrew]

Everything you say here is pretty well thought out, except that I don't see how that makes it likely that casual fans will switch over to 1/4 scale.

The big factor here isn't the "1/6 military tradition", I think. The more practical concerns of cost, shipping, and room for display will ensure that 1/6th scale remains strong.

Well that is certainly one of the ways 1/6 fans may view the new 1/4 offering.

But another possibility is that if the 1/4 line really brings to the table some exceptional quality that surpasses any statue on the market today, some fans might feel there is no point buying 4 or 5 1/6 hot toy figures a year and instead switch over to buying 1 or 2 1/4 figures. I.e. Quality over quantity.

They'll be thinking: "Why buy so many hot toys figures when I can cut down on the space hoggers and buy a few really premium pieces that looks better than anything we have seen before and yet is poseable".

My suspicion is that the 1/4 line will become the new deluxe. Sort of like a hot toys DX on steroids.

 

[Uncanny Web-Slinger]

We're Gonna need bigger shelves!!

 

[Spanbauer]

They'll be thinking: "Why buy so many hot toys figures when I can cut down on the space hoggers and buy a few really premium pieces that looks better than anything we have seen before and yet is poseable".

While that is the kind of thinking that got me into 1:6 scale collecting in the first place (before that I was buying large quantities of cheap Hasbro figures), it seems that 90% of the members here don't subscribe to that kind of thinking. Most per-order everything, whether they can afford it/have room for it or not. I bet a lot of people are already considering buying 1:6 scale and 1:4 scale figures, even though the 1:6 will just be a cheaper smaller version of the 1:4.

I think very few will opt to own 3 great 1:4 scale figures instead of 9 pretty good 1:6 scale figures, although I wholeheartedly agree that'd be a smart way to go.

I'll personally be sticking with 1:6 for the sake of price and space. That, and I'd want to have my collection remain consistent in scale. And I'm personally already very selective about what I buy; my collection has dwindled to just four figures to make room for the three new figures I have on per-order.

 

[BuffyGirl]

All I know is that I need to see a price point, before I say I'm actually going to buy. 1/6 OR 1/4. Doesn't matter. As far as I'm concerned HT 1/6 look amazing. But I'm not really into 12". And even with how amazing they look, the prices are outrageous. BUT, they are going to give us some amazingly accurate Avengers items. And I don't know if I can turn my back on that completely. I only like 1/4 but knowing them and my luck, the prices will be well over $300 each. And in the end, 1/6 may be my only option. *sigh

 

[Spanbauer]

All I know is that I need to see a price point, before I say I'm actually going to buy. 1/6 OR 1/4. Doesn't matter. As far as I'm concerned HT 1/6 look amazing. But I'm not really into 12". And even with how amazing they look, the prices are outrageous. BUT, they are going to give us some amazingly accurate Avengers items. And I don't know if I can turn my back on that completely. I only like 1/4 but knowing them and my luck, the prices will be well over $300 each. And in the end, 1/6 may be my only option. *sigh

You can guarantee these 1:4 scale figures will cost at least $400, likely closer to $500. Iron Monger is 18" tall and retails for $479.

 

[BuffyGirl]

You can guarantee these 1:4 scale figures will cost at least $400, likely closer to $500. Iron Monger is 18" tall and retails for $479.

Then there is no question that I'm out. A few of those and that's a seriously great down payment on a new car. Yeesh.

 

[Lawrence]

Yeah, if these approach $500, then it would take something special for me to consider buying it. Like an all metal, light up Iron Man

If these 1/4 figures stay within the $300 range, then I think I can maybe get 1 or 2 (maybe 3). If not, then I'm back to collecting 1/6. Or maybe nothing

 

[Gates70]

Yeah, if these approach $500, then it would take something special for me to consider buying it. Like an all metal, light up Iron Man

If these 1/4 figures stay within the $300 range, then I think I can maybe get 1 or 2 (maybe 3). If not, then I'm back to collecting 1/6. Or maybe nothing

There's no way these will go for $300 if the latest pricing (Indy $250, Joker 89 $250+, Batman 89 $225, Sparrow $220, etc) is any indication. More like $350 - $375+.

 

[Lawrence]

That's still $300 range. Enterbay's 1/4 T800 is $325, so I'm kinda using that as a base price for 1/4 figures.

 

[The Mike]

You can guarantee these 1:4 scale figures will cost at least $400, likely closer to $500. Iron Monger is 18" tall and retails for $479.

That's misguided logic. Iron Monger is a one and done figure plain and simple. A new mold, new R&D and no essential chance of gaining anything back from any of it. The cost of that reflects the fact that HT can't go back to the well.

A 1:4 scale figure would require the assembly of a new TrueType but that can be reused over and over and even at one point sold separate. EnterBay is known for their high prices and they are coming in at around $375 for their Terminator figure with separate Endo arm, accessories and a specialized base. Hot Toys will definitely come in under that cost to remain competitive and I wouldn't be shocked at some of the figures like a Captain America which utilize a TT of that size to be slightly cheaper to get people onboard.

No way this hits $500 marks, not at first, now if they make a 1:4 Jake Sully it'd probably be about $700 but at first I fully expect for them to mimic most PF prices for comparables. If Sideshow's Captain America Avengers PF for example hits $375, I fully expect HT's to be right around that mark. I predict the first Iron Man at 1:4 scale will be priced around $360 from HT.

 

[Khev]

You can guarantee these 1:4 scale figures will cost at least $400, likely closer to $500. Iron Monger is 18" tall and retails for $479.

Jake Sully is also 18 inches tall and retails for $315.

 

[Spanbauer]

That's misguided logic. Iron Monger is a one and done figure plain and simple. A new mold, new R&D and no essential chance of gaining anything back from any of it. The cost of that reflects the fact that HT can't go back to the well.

I think the days of Hot Toys passing the savings found by "going back to the well" onto their customers are behind us. Berserker Predator came out at $195 despite Hot Toys intent to reuse the same body for 3 glorified repaints. Classic Predator costs $220 and Shadow Predator $225 despite the expense of the new body being split amongst the two. And Bruce Wayne (Batman Begins) cost $225 despite being a recycled figure from 2008.

That, and I would anticipate Hot Toys will take the opportunity to incorporate more advanced (read: expensive) features allowed in the 1:4 scale that they can't do at 1:6 scale. More complex electronics, real hair instead of sculpted on male figures, inserted instead of painted eyes, etc. I'd be very surprised if the 1:4 scale figures are just blown up versions of their 1:6 counterparts, with no added features/details.

Jake Sully is also 18 inches tall and retails for $315.

Jake Sully really skinny A more normal-proportioned figure could quickly pad that out another $75, I think.

 

[The Mike]

Realistically I don't think you'll see too much higher than Jake Sully prices, whose TT while specialized for Avatar, wouldn't take too much molding to get a basic TT, unless they go "DX" on all of these 1:4. If they add in PERS and all of that jazz then it'll go into that realm but as basic figures I still argue that you'll see the first around the $350 if not cheaper at first. Of course they'll rise I think as the 1:6 figures do but HT needs to hook people first before raising the ceiling.

 

[Uncanny Web-Slinger]

I think the days of Hot Toys passing the savings found by "going back to the well" onto their customers are behind us. Berserker Predator came out at $195 despite Hot Toys intent to reuse the same body for 3 glorified repaints. Classic Predator costs $220 and Shadow Predator $225 despite the expense of the new body being split amongst the two. And Bruce Wayne (Batman Begins) cost $225 despite being a recycled figure from 2008.

This kinda proves that the logic of Hot Toys re-using the same molds result in figures being cheaper for the collector as false, realistically it just allows Hot Toys to charge the same and sometimes more while having to pay less in production.

 

[azurepred]

All I want is a 1/4 Mark III or VI, so I hope IM is the first they do since I don't like the paint of the SS maquette. Considering these will be plastic with some rubber, these can't start off more than what EB is starting to charge.