Confirmed: Sideshow no Longer Holds the licence for 1:6 LOTR

[Deeznutz6]

Pretty sure your spot on, I guess I cant really ^^^^^ about something they were up front about.

 

[The Ween]

why should they finish ^^^^ that aitn selling!!! Thats the most retarded thing ever! Yeah lets loss money on crap that collectors are not buying!

Somebody please explain to me how, when looking at this page, that these didn't sell? Is there anything in stock?

https://www.sideshowtoy.com/listing...e=2ndnav-lotr-12inch&utm_campaign=2ndnav-lotr Lord of the Rings&type=12 inch Figure&utm_source=2ndnav-lotr-12inch&utm_campaign=2ndnav-lotr

 

[The Ween]

You could post about it on their FB page:
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Hot-Toys/58690437343

I doubt that would get us anywhere, but at least they read that.

Not until "The Hobbit" anyway, but it can't hurt!

 

[icruise]

Somebody please explain to me how, when looking at this page, that these didn't sell? Is there anything in stock?

https://www.sideshowtoy.com/listing...e=2ndnav-lotr-12inch&utm_campaign=2ndnav-lotr Lord of the Rings&type=12 inch Figure&utm_source=2ndnav-lotr-12inch&utm_campaign=2ndnav-lotr

Well, they took quite a while to sell out, with several figures going on the gift card list. Plus other retailers have apparently had a pretty hard time selling out of many of the figures. I've seen a number of them on clearance, and I just bought another set of hobbits for half price.

But anyway, everything sells out eventually. I was going to link to the Van Helsing PF as an exception, but apparently even that has sold out. But that doesn't mean that Sideshow wants to continue making Van Helsing stuff. I assume they just made the calculation that it wasn't worth the time and expense required to design and manufacture the things if they then had to keep them around in the warehouse for months. I still think they could have put out a few more figures just to satisfy the fans, but I guess they didn't think it was worth it.

 

[Fritz]

Well this news really chaps my ass. Now I'll never get that Gondorian Pippin I sooo wanted.

 

[The Ween]

Well, they took quite a while to sell out, with several figures going on the gift card list. Plus other retailers have apparently had a pretty hard time selling out of many of the figures. I've seen a number of them on clearance, and I just bought another set of hobbits for half price.

But anyway, everything sells out eventually. I was going to link to the Van Helsing PF as an exception, but apparently even that has sold out. But that doesn't mean that Sideshow wants to continue making Van Helsing stuff. I assume they just made the calculation that it wasn't worth the time and expense required to design and manufacture the things if they then had to keep them around in the warehouse for months. I still think they could have put out a few more figures just to satisfy the fans, but I guess they didn't think it was worth it.

IMO, they could use part of what they made on yet another Stormtrooper to make a couple more figures in the LotR line. They wouldn't have to make a ton of them, nor make exclusives.

Sure they put the hobbits on gift card for a short while, but look how long some of the Star Wars figures have been on gift card, and how many have been given away during contests, etc. and they still can't get rid of them?

Oh well. Guess we'll have to wait a year or so to see what comes from "The Hobbit".

 

[OSCORP]

but look how long some of the Star Wars figures have been on gift card, and how many have been given away during contests, etc. and they still can't get rid of them?

^This

There's plenty of SW figs that can't sell out.

It comes down to SS probably didn't want to do keep doing all the R&D for LOTR cause of time and $. (IMO)


No biggie though, it's over and i love the figs that i got. And i'm sure someone will get the Hobbit figs in 2011.

 

[creature4000]

Don't give a crap about the Hobbit.. because it's not like they would finish all those either!

All SS had to do is 3 more freaking figs... then we could have had the Fellowship!!!

 

[TheObsoleteMan]

Well, they took quite a while to sell out, with several figures going on the gift card list. Plus other retailers have apparently had a pretty hard time selling out of many of the figures. I've seen a number of them on clearance, and I just bought another set of hobbits for half price.

I think a lot of people underestimate this factor as to why lines get cancelled. If other retailers don't want anymore LOTR figures, there's not much Sideshow can do about it. The answer to that is usually "They could just sell them exclusively through the Sideshow website." They obviously can't afford to do that or they would already be doing it with all of their lines and making 100% of the profit.

 

[Wetanut]

Don't think anybody but Sideshow really knows the reason(s) for the end of the line.
- Maybe it was a limited time license....2 years or so. And SS underestimated the length of R&D it would require to produce each figure. They might have just run out of time.
- Maybe WB/NL was unwilling to keep up with/renew a license that had less profit than they had initially thought?
- Maybe the fickle collecting community just simply moved on and SS was only able to get the LOTR diehards to purchase?
- Maybe Sideshow simply got sick and tired of the nitpicking and whining and decided to move on themselves to a more potentially profit-making line where R&D wasn't eating up the profit margin?
- Maybe the collectors are all correct and the prices were too high to buy the pieces?

Who knows? As disappointed as I am that the Fellowship 9 weren't completed, I accept the fact that it is what it is. My life isn't ruined; my perspective and priorities place toys at a very low place in the overall scheme of things.

 

[LOTRFan]

They obviously can't afford to do that or they would already be doing it with all of their lines and making 100% of the profit.

Yes and no, SS has made significant steps towards becoming on online exclusive seller; adding a charge to retailers to carry their product being one of them. I actually don't think it is an issue of SS "affording" it at all, rather they cast an even wider shadow when getting their product into brick and mortar locations; give it time, SS's exposure has grown significantly lately, and will probably only continue to.

 

[DinoDB1975]

Whatever happened to Sideshow's "Inclusive" line? The Dart Maul figure was an inclusive figure. If I remember correctly, that meant the edition size of the line was based on the amount or orders received for the figure (I may be wrong, as it's been a while since Maul came out). Sideshow could have made other LOTR figures as an inclusive figure. I guess the whole inclusive thing didn't work out, though; wasn't Darth Maul Sideshow's first and last inclusive figure?

 

[pixletwin]

The Inclusive idea was a resounding failure. It created a really bad market saturation and drove prices down on the SW Sideshow after market.

 

[JGouse0498]

Jabba was Inclusive too as was his throne.

But yeah, it really oversaturated the market. Even Jabba is still readily available.

 

[superdoug]

- Maybe the fickle collecting community just simply moved on and SS was only able to get the LOTR diehards to purchase?

I think that's the real culprit. if the figures had been coming out from two towers on they might have gotten a couple more out before the market dried up.

look at the hot toys dark knight stuff, it seems like they were being bought up every where but now i keep seeing more and more people selling theirs off. sure it's not everybody but if they offered an alfred figure now i think they'd sell far less of him then if they offered him 2 weeks after the film came out.

 

[icruise]

- Maybe it was a limited time license....2 years or so. And SS underestimated the length of R&D it would require to produce each figure. They might have just run out of time.

I think this is one likely cause. I would think that they could have renewed the license if they wanted to, but probably figured it wasn't worth it given how things were going. I'm not really sure how the licenses work, but if it involves a large amount of money to renew (as opposed to just a percentage of sales) then I could certainly see them deciding that they didn't have enough time to do any more figures, and that it wasn't worth renewing.

- Maybe WB/NL was unwilling to keep up with/renew a license that had less profit than they had initially thought?

Could be, but unless there's some other company waiting in the wings to do 1/6 scale LOTR figures, it would be a choice between a small amount of money from licensing and no money from licensing, and I can guess which they would probably choose.

- Maybe the fickle collecting community just simply moved on and SS was only able to get the LOTR diehards to purchase?

Of course this is the other likely cause. Striking when the iron is hot has never really been Sideshow's strong suit.

- Maybe Sideshow simply got sick and tired of the nitpicking and whining and decided to move on themselves to a more potentially profit-making line where R&D wasn't eating up the profit margin?

I really hope that Sideshow doesn't make business decisions based on how much nitpicking and whining is going on. Besides, if that were the main criterion, they would've gotten out of Star Wars long ago.

 

[The Ween]

I really hope that Sideshow doesn't make business decisions based on how much nitpicking and whining is going on. Besides, if that were the main criterion, they would've gotten out of Star Wars long ago.

If they did, they would've went out of business a long time ago!

 

[denger4000]

I think there are a number of reasons. But I think ultimately it comes down to the fact the most hard core LOTR collectors prefer the statues over the figures. Sad but true.

Statues are so boring though......I want something I can open and pose!

 

[Blu Falcon]

Like some of you, the LOTR line really got my interest in 1/6 going. I tracked down and purchased multiples of almost every character and some exclusives as well. They remain among the best 1/6 figures I have when displayed together. I've moved on to collecting other figures from various companies such as Hot Toys, Enterbay, Solider Story, DiD, etc., but my heart still aches knowing that the line has officially ended. I sincerely hope that another company picks up the ball and runs with it, but I'm not holding my breath. When the Hobbit is released I'm sure interest in all things Lord of the Rings will be renewed, and your 1/6 figures might be worth something.

 

[stevenlore]

They were doing so well with the Sam and Gandalf sculps. A real shame.