Sideshow Star Wars License

[The Pawn]

This may be just a rumor, but it comes from a reliable source to me, Sideshow toy has not renewed its Star Wars license. They will still distribute Hot Toys products but will not produce anymore new Sideshow Star Wars products.

Has anyone else heard this or has there been an official announcement?

Edit: corrected spelling error

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[pixletwin]

Nope,but it wouldn't surprise me. Not really.I haven't bought anything manufactured by SS in YEARS.

 

[HPGR_Thrawn]

Interesting. If true, they must have made the calculation that they can't compete with Hot Toys anymore. While that makes sense to me in 1/6 scale, surprising if it is also the case for statues and the like. Also wonder if this is related the shake up among licenses for Hasbro, Mattel, and others.

Have not heard anything about this myself.

 

[bmarz1000]

Too bad. Their aliens and droids were really good. If they stuck to that and let Hot Toys do the humans it would have been "win win".

 

[dukefett]

Interesting. If true, they must have made the calculation that they can't compete with Hot Toys anymore. While that makes sense to me in 1/6 scale, surprising if it is also the case for statues and the like. Also wonder if this is related the shake up among licenses for Hasbro, Mattel, and others.

Have not heard anything about this myself.

In relation to 1/12, I swear Bandai/SH Figuarts have gone all out the last few years at cons showing their Star Wars stuff just to garner interest that they want the license (or a part of it) when Hasbro's is up. Last May they had their own Tamashii Comic Con in Japan and had like 20+ unreleased prototypes, that still aren't up for preorder. They're trickling them out.

How does their license work anyway, I had always thought they had the US license to allow HT to sell their's here with their distributorship. Wouldn't it open it up for another company to get the US 1/6 license?

 

[echo1126]

Maybe this is why we haven’t seen Lando? Canceled along with all Star Wars.

 

[galactiboy]

Could be... it was very odd they didn't come to Celebration in Chicago; pretty much every licensor (big and small) was there.

However, I've also heard this rumor before... so we'll see if it pans out or not.

 

[TaliBane]

This may be just a rumor, but it comes from a reliable source to me, Sideshow toy has not renewed its Star Wars license. They will still distribute Hot Toys products but will not produce anymore new Sideshow Star Wars products.

Has anyone else heard this or has there been an official announcement?

Edit: corrected spelling error

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

What kind of a reliable source? This is someone who knows (ie in the business or at Sideshow,) or another fan who heard it from someone else?

 

[The Pawn]

Very reliable. Not a fan. Was explaining why Sideshow was not at Celebration for first time. Said they will still be distributing but not producing new Star Wars.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[The Mike]

I wouldn't initially be shocked, given that their newer figures were really expensive with less than HT provided and hit and miss in their executions but where they really shined was in the droids and aliens. If I were SSC, I would have focused there at least in the short term and bleed the license. It was a good run, I have a ton of them and seeing that they didn't go all out like the Clones for example with their latest releases (you could have retooled the R2 droids easily or TIE Fighter pilots or even various Rebel pilots using Luke as the base) shows me that it just isn't worth it right now.

 

[TaliBane]

For what it's worth, from SSC CS:

"As far as we are aware, there has not been a change in our relationship with Lucasfilm or the Star Wars license. Rumors are just that, rumors. Unless you see us post something official, consider anything else rumor."

 

[Stryker2011]

Hopefully it's just a rumor. They need to be taking advantage of their ability to do droids and aliens -- (particularly the aliens) as HT doesn't really care about most of them. And I've said it before -- with their new Jabba set they need to be pumping out throne room aliens to push sales. They are seriously sitting on a gold mine right now.

 

[Balsquat]

Always sad when a license does not get renewed. Used to Love the Sideshow Bond line.

 

[teemu]

For what it's worth, from SSC CS:

"As far as we are aware, there has not been a change in our relationship with Lucasfilm or the Star Wars license. Rumors are just that, rumors. Unless you see us post something official, consider anything else rumor."

pretty sure they gave the same response on their GI Joe too

 

[The Mike]

Sideshow CS will always tow the line of "Things are status quo and they will be until they aren't." SSC CS doesn't know what is going on with licenses or releases, etc. They're just there to make sure you get your product or help you if you didn't or weren't happy with it. I remember a while back people were badgering SSC CS for stuff and one of their reps posted that they don't know anything.

 

[galactiboy]

Agreed, a response from CS doesn’t mean much. I still hope they at least release the Lando, but as uneven as their figures are I’d also be fine if HT decided to go deeper. But, it just doesn’t seem like their style to want to offer more niche SW characters.

 

[TaliBane]

Agreed, a response from CS doesn’t mean much. I still hope they at least release the Lando, but as uneven as their figures are I’d also be fine if HT decided to go deeper. But, it just doesn’t seem like their style to want to offer more niche SW characters.

HT is kind of strange - for the most part they don't seem to go that deep (other than variants of major characters) but at the same time they did somewhat obscure figs like Imperial Gunner, and have announced stuff as out-there as a Power droid. But, the Gunner is an armored fig (which HT loves to crank out) and the power droid (and others) never went to PO.

It's unfortunate if it's true because although the ST is ending (not exactly a major figure selling bonanza anyway) stuff like Mando could be a showcase for a ton of stuff Sideshow would have been great at - like the IG hunter in the Mando footage, and I'm sure there's going to be some cool aliens. That being said, I'm sure HT is all over that with their love of all things Fett.

It sort of seems like that era of getting second and third tier SW characters is over - it's really "hero" stuff from now on, with occasional cool armored and maybe a creature or two. I have to wonder if its Asian base makes HT more inclined to shun aliens/creatures over robots/armored though.

Bottom line is the market was shrinking via inflation anyway - an Admiral Ackbar for $160 is cool, an Admiral Ackbar for $270 is a different matter.

 

[TurdFurgusonsHat]

There have been warning signs flashing for awhile. The remakes of old product, the long waits for releases like skiff Lando, Sideshow's inability to make human figures on par with their prices, and recently their no show at celebration. Who knows for sure if this rumor is true but it wouldn't surprise me.

If it is true it's not a good thing, especially with no new movies to keep the Star Wars hype at a high level. Not sure what the future will hold for Hot Toys either with RDJ, Evans, etc retiring from Marvel. I just hope they continue making OT Star Wars figures for years to come.

 

[asgardianboy]

Interesting. If true, they must have made the calculation that they can't compete with Hot Toys anymore. While that makes sense to me in 1/6 scale, surprising if it is also the case for statues and the like. Also wonder if this is related the shake up among licenses for Hasbro, Mattel, and others.

Have not heard anything about this myself.

SSC does not compete with HT. They offer figs that HT does not.
SSC has 1/6 Mythos Boba still pending... How can they be selling that in the near future, and not hold the licence...?

Sideshow CS will always tow the line of "Things are status quo and they will be until they aren't." SSC CS doesn't know what is going on with licenses or releases, etc. They're just there to make sure you get your product or help you if you didn't or weren't happy with it. I remember a while back people were badgering SSC CS for stuff and one of their reps posted that they don't know anything.

Spot on.
CS can't say otherwise. Anything that might hurt anything, they won't say, so they end up being meaningless.

Hopefully it's just a rumor. They need to be taking advantage of their ability to do droids and aliens -- (particularly the aliens) as HT doesn't really care about most of them. And I've said it before -- with their new Jabba set they need to be pumping out throne room aliens to push sales. They are seriously sitting on a gold mine right now.

I will never understand this problem with SSC's human figs. They have USA-based artists that produce 1/4 statues that are so complex and beautiful that you get moved just by looking at them. How come they can't nail likenesses?? And who do you think are the chinese hands doing SSC's figs? I bet it is HT themselves. If both companies are so close to each other, it would be just so convenient. And yet, their figs are consistently (almost intentionally) lower grade and too expensive... why?

There have been warning signs flashing for awhile. The remakes of old product, the long waits for releases like skiff Lando, Sideshow's inability to make human figures on par with their prices, and recently their no show at celebration. Who knows for sure if this rumor is true but it wouldn't surprise me.

If it is true it's not a good thing, especially with no new movies to keep the Star Wars hype at a high level. Not sure what the future will hold for Hot Toys either with RDJ, Evans, etc retiring from Marvel. I just hope they continue making OT Star Wars figures for years to come.

I was not aware myself they had not attended... No good. :-(
I always had hopes they would keep being bold enough to put out SW characters HT would not. :-(

After XI there will be X. Worry not. JJ will make it happen. It will be irrelevant, but it will happen. People will keep being able to purchase figs they have no real, deep attachement to, only to sell them a while later in order to purchase a new wave of figs they have no real, deep attachement to.
The industry will always survive.

m.

 

[AllHailMegs]

Sounds great i hope Prime 1 will be get it. That would be a great start for the US and EU warehouses, i think P1 has waited only for the warehouse plans to get the SW license. In the last years it came not really much from SSC and always the same re-releases as PFs, Figures and Busts.
I bought in the last 10 years only 7 pieces, Darth Maul Cyborg PF, Grievous LiSi Bust, 3PO LiSi Bust, Ewoks vs Stormtrooper Dio, Cody LSB and R2-D2 and 3PO LSFs and in a few Month when it arrives in Europe the Yoda LSF.