Should Hot Toys re-release Preds? Yes or No? Opinions?

[thenammagazine]

Sounds like all you guys saying "NO" are just concerned about resale value of your figures. Thats very selfish IMO. Hot Toys could do a much better job if they re-did some of the older Predators.

Oxymoronic. Asking them to re-release a figure because you can't pony up the secondary market value that others are seems a hell of a lot more selfish to me.

 

[Wolf873]

Oxymoronic. Asking them to re-release a figure because you can't pony up the secondary market value that others are seems a hell of a lot more selfish to me.

Well to be honest, not everyone can afford secondary market value, while some can. Some of them just get too costly.

 

[Hooney]

it all depends, a newcomer like me welcomes it cuz i missed out on all the old ones. but if i'm all caught up with the series, then maybe not. cuz i'll be having doubles (same company), one being the better version. that's like hot toys releasing the iron man marks 5+ years into the future.

 

[Wolf873]

Well I would call myself a newbie to HT collection too, but I can't afford the secondary market value, just don't get paid that much plus there are other financial priorities. I just save for what I want the most. Plus, I'm not picky about this stuff, so I don't mind buying from Neca or other companies.

 

[thenammagazine]

Well to be honest, not everyone can afford secondary market value, while some can. Some of them just get too costly.

How does that make asking a company to remake a product because you're financially limited, not selfish?

 

[Wolf873]

How does that make asking a company to remake a product because you're financially limited, not selfish?

What's so selfish about it? If it's a re-release, than the person who already owns it doesn't necessarily need to buy it again, but if its an upgrade everybody's happy. It's not like Hot Toys will not sell it all, they always do since they are always on demand. And you got new collectors joining in every month or so, like myself . Besides, if there is an upgrade to something you own previously, why would you want to get rid of the original, it has sentimental value too.

 

[thenammagazine]

What's so self-fish about it? If it's a re-release, than the person who already owns it doesn't necessarily need to buy it again, but if its an upgrade everybody's happy. It's not like Hot Toys will not sell it all, they always do since they are always on demand. And you got new collectors joining in every month or so, like myself . Besides, if there is an upgrade to something you own previously, why would you want to get rid of the original, it has sentimental value too.

Kinda strips away the whole "collectible" thing. I'll never understand this frame of thinking. It's selfish for collectors who bought something when it was released, and those who pay the going rate for it to want the company to keep their integrity and not re-release a product. But somehow, it's not selfish for a newb to say, "____ you, I'm not paying what they're worth (basically what people are paying for them) because I can't afford it. They need to re-run them for me!"

Anybody who follows the more modern releases of Hasbro has seen the value sucked completely out of their collections. Nothing is sacred and they just keep re-releasing the same toy in umpteen different packages. Owning something they're not making any more of doesn't even necessarily have to deal with monetary value. It makes the owner feel special to have a limited edition collectible. Mass producing and doing reruns of items devalues the pieces and undermines the collectibles market. I think for most, understanding this aspect will be the most difficult step in moving up from NECA/McFarlane, Hasbro, etc. - basically other, mass market, mass produced low-end toys, to more high-end, limited edition collectibles.

 

[Darth_Fatso]

I buy my figures cause I want them, not because I plan to sell them later on at a jacked up price. The fact that they go up in value is just a bonus to me. Even though I allready own one, I would have no objections if HT re-released a possibly better version their Midnight Wesker (even though the current vers is pretty much perfect) and he is fetching pretty outragous prices right now.

 

[Wolf873]

Kinda strips away the whole "collectible" thing. I'll never understand this frame of thinking. It's selfish for collectors who bought something when it was released, and those who pay the going rate for it to want the company to keep their integrity and not re-release a product. But somehow, it's not selfish for a newb to say, "____ you, I'm not paying what they're worth (basically what people are paying for them) because I can't afford it. They need to re-run them for me!"

Anybody who follows the more modern releases of Hasbro has seen the value sucked completely out of their collections. Nothing is sacred and they just keep re-releasing the same toy in umpteen different packages. Owning something they're not making any more of doesn't even necessarily have to deal with monetary value. It makes the owner feel special to have a limited edition collectible. Mass producing and doing reruns of items devalues the pieces and undermines the collectibles market. I think for most, understanding this aspect will be the most difficult step in moving up from NECA/McFarlane, Hasbro, etc. - basically other, mass market, mass produced low-end toys, to more high-end, limited edition collectibles.

No, you have a point, I don't think anybody is denying that. But then why do people need to charge $200 extra for something they only paid $200 for? Rarity fee? How's that honest and generous? Well maybe few 10s more would be sufficient, but to buy say 2 or 4 extras only to resell them for 100s more seems more selfish here, no? Because people are looking into their own interest, so both sides are at fault here. No ones truly innocent.

I have seen people do that on ebay. They buy whole lots only to sell them for extra cash to gain profit for themselves, which to be honest goes all to them and not the company.

You're right about Hasbro though. I bought their original Beast Wars figures in 1996, I think it was. But then 10 years later they came out with updated versions for anniversary so the old ones were no longer the best ones. But no one complained. However, I do understand your frustration and what you mean when you mention "collectible", and how re-releasing will diminish that aspect of being special.

But you can't blame someone for being wishful now can you?

Please don't think I'm coming down on you, don't want to get into heated debate with fellow board member over something as small as this . You have a solid point too, its just that I see both sides having valid arguments.

 

[Nintenjoe]

i would definitely pick up a more accurate to scale 1/6th original predator.

 

[thenammagazine]

No, you have a point, I don't think anybody is denying that. But then why do people need to charge $200 extra for something they only paid $200 for? Rarity fee? How's that honest and generous? Well maybe few 10s more would be sufficient, but to buy say 2 or 4 extras only to resell them for 100s more seems more selfish here, no? Because people are looking into their own interest, so both sides are at fault here. No ones truly innocent.

I have seen people do that on ebay. They buy whole lots only to sell them for extra cash to gain profit for themselves, which to be honest goes all to them and not the company.

You're right about Hasbro though. I bought their original Beast Wars figures in 1996, I think it was. But then 10 years later they came out with updated versions for anniversary so the old ones were no longer the best ones. But no one complained. However, I do understand your frustration and what you mean when you mention "collectible", and how re-releasing will diminish that aspect of being special.

But you can't blame someone for being wishful now can you?

Please don't think I'm coming down on you, don't want to get into heated debate with fellow board member over something as small as this . You have a solid point too, its just that I see both sides having valid arguments.

It sounds to me like this is the A-typical "find fault with the wrong people" argument. You guys shouldn't be asking Hot Toys to re-release these. Nor should you be asking people seeking fair market value for their collectibles not to sell for competitive prices. The people you should be taking issue with are the people who pay $600 for a Celtic Predator or $1200 for the Anime Con Scar. They're the ones who drive up the market prices. They're the ones who push these figures out of your reach.

But then this brings up a whole other moral issue. Do you have a right to tell people how to spend their money? Do you have the right to tell someone not to buy a Predator they saved up for? A predator they earned?

IMHO, if you want something bad enough, don't belittle sellers for wanting the same price as everyone else. Don't beg a company to re-release product because you can't afford the fair market value's appreciated price. Save up and earn it. Then buy it. Or come to terms with not owning it and move on (which is what I did with Celtic ). This is a concept that's lost on today's entitlement generation where everybody feels they're owed everything for nothing.

And no, I know you're not dropping stones. This is a nice, rational discussion.

 

[EVILFACE]

lol, newbs.

Snooze you lose.

If you don't want to pony up the $$$$ for a collectible, don't collect them.

 

[Wolf873]

It sounds to me like this is the A-typical "find fault with the wrong people" argument. You guys shouldn't be asking Hot Toys to re-release these. Nor should you be asking people seeking fair market value for their collectibles not to sell for competitive prices. The people you should be taking issue with are the people who pay $600 for a Celtic Predator or $1200 for the Anime Con Scar. They're the ones who drive up the market prices. They're the ones who push these figures out of your reach.

But then this brings up a whole other moral issue. Do you have a right to tell people how to spend their money? Do you have the right to tell someone not to buy a Predator they saved up for? A predator they earned?

IMHO, if you want something bad enough, don't belittle sellers for wanting the same price as everyone else. Don't beg a company to re-release product because you can't afford the fair market value's appreciated price. Save up and earn it. Then buy it. Or come to terms with not owning it and move on (which is what I did with Celtic ). This is a concept that's lost on today's entitlement generation where everybody feels they're owed everything for nothing.

And no, I know you're not dropping stones. This is a nice, rational discussion.

Thanks for being understanding . And yes I have come to terms with not owning what I wanted, like the Endo, that's the only thing really. Some people can't just let go. I did own it though, but I had to sell for financial reasons.

Nice talk by the way.

 

[a-dev]

At this point certain figures like the USCMs are kinda dated by current standards so I wouldn't want rereleases so much as brand new attempts at those characters.

Other figures like the AvPs - they're just not worthy characters, sorry, but the films sucked. Now if the P1 had been one of HT first figures and had only been at AvP level of quality I'd want a complete redo but since its just the AvP preds....meh. No interest in seeking out the older figures as they are, I might consider redos if they were made and there was nothing else out that I wanted at the time but I wouldn't specifically ask for them to be made.

Either way, yeah I've come to terms with not owning Hicks, Vasquez, Apone and the P2 Elder - the only significant ones in the HT back catalogue that I missed.

 

[Macularius]

If HT can make money off them, why shouldn't they re-release? (besides other than the butthurt who spent $600< on some of these). I probably wouldn't buy them even if they did (I don't really like the AvP figures, or most of the older preds for that matter), but it seems like the only argument is that people are just being too cheap...

 

[agent_85]

If HT can make money off them, why shouldn't they re-release? (besides other than the butthurt who spent $600< on some of these). I probably wouldn't buy them even if they did (I don't really like the AvP figures, or most of the older preds for that matter), but it seems like the only argument is that people are just being too cheap...

Actually it's not as simple as just re-releasing them. For a start they may not have usable steel molds anymore after what seemed to be a fairly heavy production run. For example, they used a lot of the same mold, all the AVP predators and at least 3 of the Predator 2 figures have the exact same body.
Also, by today's standards they look dated which means there probably won't be a viable amount of interest especially with so many other more popular and fresher titles getting releases.
Look at it form Hot Toys POV: Which should we put time and money into? The new and exciting properties like Avatar, Iron Man and Metal Gear Solid . . . or AVP? Tough choice.

 

[steyfrosty]

HT should re-do Wolf. The details look fantastic
but the body looks anorexic!
Re-do Kyle and the marines from Aliens.

 

[mikejap]

all predator must re-issue use new body.

 

[thenammagazine]

If HT can make money off them, why shouldn't they re-release? (besides other than the butthurt who spent $600< on some of these). I probably wouldn't buy them even if they did (I don't really like the AvP figures, or most of the older preds for that matter), but it seems like the only argument is that people are just being too cheap...

It's posts like these that make me realize humanity's devolving.

 

[Rotfish]

Well maybe few 10s more would be sufficient, but to buy say 2 or 4 extras only to resell them for 100s more seems more selfish here, no? Because people are looking into their own interest, so both sides are at fault here. No ones truly innocent.

If HT can make money off them, why shouldn't they re-release? (besides other than the butthurt who spent $600< on some of these). I probably wouldn't buy them even if they did (I don't really like the AvP figures, or most of the older preds for that matter), but it seems like the only argument is that people are just being too cheap...

Like I said, I wouldn't have a problem with them upgrading older figures. The value might go down, but that's not the only reason we collect, is it? This is cool, badass stuff. Having a company that's become as skilled as HT go back to our favorite characters and pumping them up would be great. And the relative cheapness upon release could keep older collectors happy too -- especially if the sculpts and paint apps are totally different.
But... HT hasn't been known to do that in the past. They'll release variants out the yin-yang, but no redos or upgrades. Maybe there's a reason for that, perhaps the same one everyone else here has agreed upon.

As for your question on secondary market value, like Nam said, it's not really the sellers that encourage the price to increase. It's the buyers. A seller of any product will price their items at the maximum amount he/she thinks the public is willing to pay. So when a HT Predator 2 Elder usually goes for $600 and then someone bids $700, in many cases that will become the new price. There is somewhat of a limit, I mean the P2 Elder also went for over 1K at a certain point, though we all know that was an exaggeration and it's unlikely for it to happen again. Still, we (the buyers) control the pricing up to a certain degree.

If there's an older piece you want, save up for it and don't buy any of the new stuff. Wait a few months until you have enough money, then get that coveted piece you never thought you'd own. Crossing a line and working for it can add even more reward to your figure.
A little example, I love my Celtic Predator more than any other piece I own, precisely for that reason. When he first came out, I never imagined I'd be able to pony up to the primary market price. Years later, I found a nice-enough deal and pounced (even though it was three times more money). Don't regret that decision whatsoever.