Is Sideshow gearing itself AWAY from 1/6 Figures?

[Bardoon]

I am beginning to think that Sideshow is gearing itself away from 1/6 Figures and more towards statues,replicas,etc.

They have begun importing more and more figures from foreign companies such as Hot Toys and Medicom that have certainly blown the socks off of a lot of 1/6 collectors.

They have attained several new licenses (such as Spider-man 3 and World of Warcraft) where I have doubt in my mind the central focus will be on statues and dioramas as we have already seen with the Spidey 3 line.

Also, it seems that their statues (Premium Format,Diorama,etc.) are their main "bread & butter" as they pump those out as quick as possible while at the same time their 1/6 figure lines are seemingly ignored or delayed.

Now I will give it to them that their Star Wars figure line (and to a lesser extent, their LotR one) will certainly continue but will they continue making the simple "cloth" covered figures...content in knowing they can make a lot of money out of them no matter what?Passing up a lot of highly-desired characters such as Vader,Boba Fett,Stormtroopers,etc. and leaving that to the foreign companies?

Or perhaps Sideshow is gearing up their figure body and heavy in R&D to put out something there that can stand a fighting chance against Hot Toys and Medicom?

What's everyone else's take on this?

 

[pixletwin]

I think 1:6 figures are Sideshow's bread and butter. If some recently acquired licences don't include a 1:6 line, that is likely the result of some pre-existing contract between the licensor and a different licensee.

Nah, Sideshow is the definitive 1:6 company and things aint gonna change anytime soon.

 

[The Ringer]

You have a good point there because during toyfair they had nothing new but statues made by them then any new 1/6 scale figures were medicom or HT.

 

[dekadentdave]

Considering that Sideshow only makes $tar War$ in 1:6 anymore I would say about 90% of my collecting is now exclusively Hot Toys.

 

[nash]

sideshow might be the definitive 1/6 company in the US, but overall, i'd have to give it to hot toys or medicom. The asian companies truly focus mainly on 1/6, where sideshow is spreading out their resources to their other products.

 

[Agent0028]

I can see how it would seem like sideshow is moving away from 1:6 figures. Whether they truly are or not I have no clue, but it does seem like the vast majority of stuff coming out now is other stuff. Or maybe the other stuff is just what is catching my eye more these days.

 

[Natrix]

Well, you also have to take into consideration the U.S. licensing issues and that they are a distributor for Hot Toys and Medicom 1/6th figures. Sideshow is still making plenty of 1/6th figures but also offering the best 1/6th figures from the Asian market that they can't get licenses for here.

 

[dekadentdave]

Yeah, they import Hot Toys products but they neglect to distribute Rocky figures. That makes sense.

 

[PosterBoyKelly]

If you can't beat em join em right? I think SS should just focus on PF and Dio's, their 1:^ line is just a dying dog hit by a car. Not that they CAN'T make it awesome, it's just not right now. Kinda barely hanging on, but if the juice it up in the (near?) future, it'd be nice. Maybe they're taking a breather?

 

[pordey2]

I am beginning to think that Sideshow is gearing itself away from 1/6 Figures and more towards statues,replicas,etc.

Yay!


If this means that they start focusing on PFs, poly statues and prop replicas, I'll be a happy man.

But I would feel bad for the 12inch collectors

 

[Wor-Gar]

Indications this year have been that SS is indeed moving toward the statue/bust market. There's obviously a bigger profit margin in $150-$250 statues than there is in a $60-$75 1/6th figure "doll".

Sucks for me... I only collect "dolls".

 

[dekadentdave]

Sucks for me... I only collect "dolls".

Yeah that sucks. I only collect "Action Figures."

 

[galactiboy]

So what was the last non-SW or LOTR 1/6 announcement? I was thinking it was Subject 57, or maybe a Legacy Bond... I can't remember any other lines announcing new 1/6 since SDCC 2006. Would kinda suggest that we may get the rare Bond or Dead figure but the rest will be SW and LOTR.

Passing up a lot of highly-desired characters such as Vader,Boba Fett,Stormtroopers,etc. and leaving that to the foreign companies?

In interviews they keep saying they will make the armored figures, but they are putting a lot of time into getting them right. I think 2008 is the earliest date I've heard so far. But I'm confident we'll be seeing Stormies and Vader from Sideshow.

I mean how could you have a militaries of SW line and not make a Stormtrooper

 

[The Josh]

I don't think SS is getting away from 1/6th. If they where they wouldn't be doing SW and LOTR. However, I'm not sure what lines in 1:6th would sell nearly as well as those two have or will (once LOTR gets going faster). POTC would be one but that may not be available, Indy, Halo, GOW, etc might but I think they will strike for lines that will look good and sell basically. The PF and Poly pieces are selling very very well and I can't blame them for doing a lot of those. However, I think SS will continue to do both and be the best at both.

 

[TheObsoleteMan]

I don't think Sideshow is gearing itself away from 1/6, I think it already has geared itself away. Star Wars is the only line still getting steady releases, and the LOTR line will probably never get beyond the snail's pace it's at now.

Collectible action figures and 1/6 are becoming increasingly smaller niche markets, and I think it will only get worse as the high-end statue market continues to flourish.

 

[Darklord Dave]

Of course they're moving away from 1/6th just as they moved away from bobbleheads (except as a distributor) and the 8 inch figures. If it weren't for Star Wars, I doubt we'd see much in the way of 1/6th from SSC. I wish I were wrong, but with the death of Buffy, Bond and the slowness of LotR - there isn't much for a 1/6th collector who isn't into SW to hang a hat on.

 

[Wor-Gar]

I seriously wonder if we'll ever have a complete Fellowship...or a complete set of SW key characters by the time the 1/6th market is dead?

Why did the 1/6th market die anyway?

 

[TheObsoleteMan]

Why did the 1/6th market die anyway?

IMO, I think a lot of the collectors who cut their teeth on action figures and 1/6 dolls are now "trading up" to high-end statues because of the presence and display impact. Also, rising prices are starting to put the 1/6 market on the same level financially with statues, and statues are deemed a better investment.

 

[King Darkness]

Considering that Sideshow only makes $tar War$ in 1:6 anymore I would say about 90% of my collecting is now exclusively Hot Toys.

Ditto. Hot Toys has my full attention these days.

I have 9 things on pre order right now and only 2 belong to SS. Darkness PF & Faramir.

Its sad to say, but I think in a few years time we will see NO 1:6 from SS.

 

[Wor-Gar]

Also, rising prices are starting to put the 1/6 market on the same level financially with statues, and statues are deemed a better investment.

Makes sense. For now. That is, until the market becomes flooded with statues too.