..and THATS the BS KILLING our gig off. I,ve almost just stopped buying figs anymore. The hunt WAS a great part of this whole thing. i miss just looking for toys...
Weird how you are crying and yet the answer to scalping you already mentioned. Just pre order it. Wahhh I don't want to pre order anything and garentee one... I want to not do that and cry when I can't find it instead.
The prototyping costs for a company like Hasbro are very small. They already have engineers on staff. They all have CAD. They have 3D printers in their office. I've worked as an engineer for 25 years and I'm telling you, prototyping plastic parts is easy, quick and cheap in 2021.
Yes, his feeling match perfectly. But the more I watch him the more I realize he has no business knowledge and just wants the world to work the way he "feels" it should work
I’m glad you touched on the fact that these are unnecessarily exclusive products. Typically “exclusive” convention items or store exclusives have different paint, packaging, or accessories, but the basic product is something that can be found by the masses. They have essentially tricked everyone into spending more than what they would be comfortable spending by taunting them with the “act now this is your only chance! See what happened with the barge?” And they are right. I would love to have a Barge, but I will probably never be able to afford one. I love X-Men and I’ve always wanted a highly detailed large sentinel, but I had to put it on a credit card AND I don’t really even have room for it. So I had no choice but to jump on it. Countless people are saying “man I wasn’t collecting when the sentinel was available (a 6 week period?) and now I can’t afford one in the aftermarket.” Sure Hasbro is rewarding 21,000 people who bought them but what about everyone else in the future? Why retire a hugely successful product when they could sell them forever and ever and probably clear tens of thousands of more sales? Once the design and tooling is made, the cost of reproducing these in the future isn’t that much. It’s especially strange from a company who obviously loves repainting existing molds dozens of times.
The shift from toys made for kids to toys made for adult collectors is the core problem. There should be vintage Kenner style Razorcrests and other such simpler, fun toys in every retail toy department shelf. Hasbro has lost its way.
Exactly! I want Star Wars TOYS made by Hasbro/Kenner, not super expensive screen accurate adult collectables. Those kinds of things are great too, but not instead of toy versions. If the mini Razorcrest was just a little bit bigger it would be perfect as a 3.75” figure vehicle and it would cost MUCH less than $300.00!
There's a really nice 3D printable version that seems more the scale they'd release as a toy. I'm eventually going to give it a go and add the Retro Collection wave 3 figures to it as I imagine my paint job will be distinctly "retro" anyway. Not that I wouldn't have possibly gone for the Razor Crest if it had been available here and I had the available funds. This just seems a fun addition and easier to display.
Hasbro is dropping the ball with the Retro Collection. They would sell a ton of Retro Collection Razor Crests is they put them out. Not only collectors but kids would go for them too. They should also make a Bantha, Blurrg and speeder bike too.
@@milzy4501 I'd be very surprised if there isn't a Remnant Biker Scout with Speeder and Baby Yoda in satchel in the pipeline. They've got a good Biker Scout mould and they'd sell a lot, especially as you'd need two. Or three if you want to out IG-11 on one.
To all those "just tighten the screw" comments, it's not a fix. As soon as you move the knee, the screw loosens. "Righty-tighty, lefty-loosey", basic mechanics. Then you have re-tighten the METAL screw against the PLASTIC knee joint. Over time, the metal wins, plastic strips out or cracks. Analog Toys and Retroblasting aren't attacking fans that bought the Sentinel, they're commenting on a glaring design flaw that should never have existed in the first place.
@@FFFFPPPP What about people that bought it as a TOY FOR KIDS TO PLAY WITH? You know, what toys are actually made for in the first place? Since this is the ONLY way to get a sentinel these days.
Even if you tighten the screw and leave it standing and never touch it, it Will get loose. Same happened to my vintage at-st. Besides you shouldn't have to fix a new toy, but unfortunally it's something i have gotten use to with Hasbro toys...
Well, that's on you if you bought it as a toy for your kids to play with! Technically it is a toy but Hasbro said its more of a adult collectors piece! I wouldn't let my children touch this let alone play with it! So, the knee problem is not that big of a deal! U could get a smaller or bigger screw from Home Depot to make it tighter. You can also add joint tightner or floor wax in the screw hole and then put in the screw and add more joint tightner or floor wax on both sides of the screw And then pop the cap back on to cover the screw and you'll have a better knee than when it was constructed! U can also do the same thing using the super glue method (if u know how to do it and not glue the toy!) I love this semifinal and am completely satisfied!
As someone who's worked 6 years in a prototyping department for a toy company. 300 to 400% markup on all toys is the norm. Just keep that in mind every time you spend 20 to 30 bucks just for one action figure.
There are a lot of middle men between designer and consumer that need to be paid along the line. The factory that makes the toys has to make a profit, the distributors have to make a profit, the transportation companies have to make a profit, and the retailer has to make a profit. Retail prices that are 3 to 4 times the price to manufacture are not uncommon and may actually be quite low compared to other products. Try to make an action figure yourself and see how much that costs! (Don't forget to account for your labor! If it takes two hours to make it yourself, a $30 figure means you're only worth $15/hr! And my guess it would take more like 10 - 20 hours to design, print, and paint your own figure.) So now, is $30/figure really overpriced?
@@BanazirGalpsi1968 LMFAO.......... so a $3 profit when they have a whole team to pay. Lets not even get into the factory full of works making these. Sit down... LOL
Copes are coming in hot and heavy. But the factories in China were over charging us 1.50 to 2 dollars a figure for their profit and we'd turn around and sell that figure for 25 to 30 dollars. Make of it what you will. Also once molds are tooled the cost of reissues and kit bashing goes down. So those figures cost even less to make but are still sold at the same price point. Paint apps cost next to nothing. So that myth of more color the more cost is just a myth. Just like articulation cost myth. If you like something buy it. Just understand you're paying way over inflated prices for it.
This has been a trend for a long time. You used to be able to find merchandise in stores, then you had to pre-order, then you had to pre-order (or it'd sell out) before you even could see the final licensor approved item, then collectible companies started doing payment plans on the pre-orders so you're in the hole months in advance. This isn't a surprise. Their argument would be if it went ot retail the risk would he higher and thus the cost would have to be higher. These are guaranteed sales. I don't like it, but people do it, so they will totally take advantage of it until the market collapses and people downsize... it's inevitable really. The pandemic and rising cost of living has made many reconsider their priorities... it'll only get worse until the bottom falls out of this ever bloated collectible market.
The hole in their argument is if it went to retail it would be more units at a lower price for mattel hasbro etc. Its only true for much smaller runs from much smaller non billion dollar companies. Basically, they lie to our faces.
You touch on the thing that annoys me most about Haslab. Setting aside the size of the company, if they wanted to produce a boxed set of the most obscure, one-shot villains in the Marvel Universe then I'd say "ok, use the KS model to make sure people actually want it". But the things they're offering are things that consumers have been saying we want for *decades*. No one who collects Marvel figures doesn't want Galactus. No one with a room full of Kenner Star Wars wouldn't want a sail barge. Just make the products and sell them, it's not rocket science. When I think back about how Mego was able to simultaneously put out Marvel, DC, Planet of the Apes, Star Trek and Starsky & Hutch toys without a problem I wonder how things have fallen so far.
Have you seen the utterly obscure characters they have out in every retail store? Seems they don’t care about how popular a character will be at all, so that makes it doubly weird.
@@WiGgYof09 They could easily have everything ready to go and do a preorder for it online. "Hey, you want a sailbarge? OK, it's ready to go! put down 10% Give us 6 weeks to put it together, and we'll charge you the rest when we ship!" Simple. You could get one whenever you want.
@@WiGgYof09 Retailers put a $300 AT-AT that requires an app on the shelves. Retailers have put 32-inch playsets and vehicles on the shelves for decades. If I go to a toy store right now I'm pretty sure I'll find a Barbie Dream House on the shelves that's a good deal bigger than 32" tall. Retailers will put anything on the shelves if they have a reasonable expectation of selling it. As for the cost of production, if Hasbro can't figure out a way to make a 32" figure at a reasonable price point then they need to clear out their management.
The most incredible thing about this Retroblasting post was how eloquently and passionately Michael could speak unscripted about such a niche but largely unspoken subject. It could so easily of been twenty-six minutes of waffle, but it was a layered and well crafted argument - well played! Hasbro! Take note! Hopefully this may be a wakeup call for both them and elements of the collecting community.
I'm not a HasLab backer, I just don't have the room and the money to do so. I'm a simple 3.75 scale collector, but I'm also done with Hasbro since I don't see the price reflected on the quality and availability of their products.
@@joebauers3746 I agree completely. I think we got screwed on the new Joe line. They look okay, but not enough to make me collect them. We all wanted o-ring figures for a “classic” line. And the prices shouldn’t break ten bucks for a GI Joe figure, sorry. Although, I went on this rant the other night, and my wife said: “Wait… how much did you pay for that 80’s guy the other day?” So… my point may be moot.
Love your channel Michael. Please keep speaking out for the real fans - not the fanboys and "marketing specialist" that keep making excuses. You have been speaking truth since day one and these shills act like they suffer from "battered wife syndrome" and just keep on making excuses for the multibillion $ company that keeps abusing them.
@@zevadprime Lol! The funny thing is, I didn't even know what the specific issue was this time, I just assumed HasLab screwed up big again somehow... And towards the end of the video, when he says the darn thing can't stand... lolol, I never laughed out loud so hard in my life! 🤣
I got one and I won't even be opening the box. This was my first and last Haslab backing.. and their complete lack of addressing has probably cured me of buying Marvel Legends completely. Another great vid!
I am Chinese and have a lot of friends who work at these Chinese factories for big American toy companies. They do not understand why the West pay so much for this stuff that costs maybe a dollar or two each for them to manufacture in China. I don't know if R&D justifies the costs, but the markup is sometimes in the 4 figures on some of these toys.
The 90’s Toy Biz Sentinel, while limited in articulation, is a superior product. Not only can it stand, but it can fire limb missiles, recline grappling hooks, and explode. Got it on sale for $25 with my lawncutting money as a kid. Been happy with it since. Great points, Retroblasting!
I love the RetroBlasting video when Michael delivered the Sail Barge to Australia. That was such a kind gesture on his part and a big reason why I respect this channel so much.
Michael French: Sentinel of truth. Protector of collectors' wallets. Eternally vigilant against the excesses of the giant toy and media conglomerates. And unlike plastic Sentinels, Michael's knees actually function, allowing him to stand for truth, justice and the American way.
It’s seems like a lot of companies are doing this. That’s what all the pre-orders for everything are about. Get the money up front, No risk for the companies. I ordered thunder cats a year ago and still not ready, meanwhile they announce and set up pre orders for all kinds of other lines.
Revisiting this. I agree with everything you’re saying. I feel bad though because I ordered that Razor Crest. I ordered the Ghost. If they had offered that Andor haulcraft I would’ve ordered it in a heartbeat. I want the Cantina, but NOT for 499 dollars. I HATE that you don’t get the product for a whole year. I love all the excitement it generates in the community, but it does seem a little nefarious. I went to pre order the E-wing because I finally had the money, and it was sold out. They definitely make doing business with a pain in the ass…
This reminds me of companies that promise to donate one dollar for every dollar spent. It's like...dude, you're a billion dollar corporation, JUST DONATE IT. Don't rely on us.
That's what's commonly known as "virtue signaling" it's empty and is using the "feel-goods" to get that dollar out of your pocket. I agree, why don't they just donate it if they have it to donate?
The companies who say “One dollar of every purchase made goes to X” jacks up their prices two bucks so they make one buck on top of the donated dollar plus normal price pull. (Edit: i would do it that way if i was unscrupulous)
The idea is that they will match what you put in to get people involved in the cause. Sounds good on paper but silly peer pressure games like that seldom work. So yeah, companies should just donate themselves and let others do so with respect to personal circumstances.
great video, and what makes me most infuriated with Hasbro, Mattel and etc is the difficulty of finding products to buy in stores, thus leaving us in the hands of Ebay scalpers
The preorders thing drives me insane. Like how the fuck does a PRE-order sell out? The whole idea of pre-order is so you know how many you need to produce. That should be the absolute base line starting point for fucks sake. Makes me so angry. =/
I can totally understand backing a small independant project like Valaverse Action Force but why the hell would a multi-billion dollar company like Hasbro need to crowd fund anything? Surely they could release this stuff for a reasonable price at retail and it'd still do well.
Collectible action figures are a small category in the toy industry as a whole, as in very small. They don’t move the units that things like dolls and outdoor items such as NERF consistently do. The big shareholder companies, be they manufacturers or retailers, know this and as a result don’t want to risk a loss on a certain dollar per square foot calculation for items that they know very well enough of those people will wait to go on clearance and thus cut into the profit margin. They’ve been burned a few times on this, especially with things like the Black Series TIE Fighter. Not saying it’s ideal or right, but it’s the current reality. The big companies who make the toys for this specific customer base needs to better understand the customer they are selling these items to first, which to me seems to be the biggest issue. If they actually listened more and took fan input to heart, they’d find better support. Unfortunately, the cold hard reality as of now is that the bottom line is king and until the dollars stop flowing from the consumers into their coffers, they’ll keep on the same track.
I completely agree with you, but the problem is that people want it, so most are gonna take the abuse and then moan about it. Or will resell their broken piece of junk for 1200 dollar on ebay... I try to look away, cause I'm mainly a Vintage collector, but this kinda stuff you just can't explain to any "normal" person that isn't into the extreme collecting world...
It is indeed difficult for "normal" people to understand all this bellyaching from adults about toys and toy companies. To see adults complaining about something as trivial and unnecessary as toys is baffling.
I watched your “Has-BROs” video when it first came out but I didn’t follow Hasbro or Haslab too closely at the time. After following the situation with the Haslab Sentinel’s knees and reading a lot of the comments I can now appreciate just how spot on that video was. These guys are something else.
Michael has some good points when it comes to his not wanting to support Haslab. The question I have is this: would a retailer be willing to acquire a vehicle the size/price of the sailbarge as an exclusive? I always thought that answer being, 'NO' is the reason Haslab was created? To bypass that issue w retail(ers).
The biggest shame with HasLab is the Unicron they did. I'm not a huge Transformers fan but I love Unicron's design and I'd totally pick a up a Unicron if they released one at retail.
The reason it's a Hadlab is because it's made only for collectors and retail stores will not carry something so big that takes up so much space and not made for kids. Also parents wouldn't spend that much $ for a toy.
I was curious when this one came up on my home screen, and thought it might be interesting to find out your thoughts on the wobbly-knee in 2021. I am 100% confident I can state I am glad I did. Without showering you with gracious compliments on your delivery, your message was lucid and more important in 2022 then a year ago when you made it. I stopped the insanity upon discovering the game rules, and decided the entertainment factor in the hobby was victim of corporate greed while I remain loyal. This compromise was the bridge too far for me. Upon the arrival of my Galactus, any sort of allegiance will have diminished beyond tolerable. Don't bite the hand that feeds.
I'm glad that I did 2 things 1) Never backed any HasLab figure/play set. 2) Stop buy Hasbro products. I lost interest in TransFormers figures because of what Hasbro is doing, plus I got into Gunpla model kits a few years ago. The latest figure I got that was not Hasbro was Noble Six from the Halo Spartan Collection and I would say that I made a good purchase.
@slayer. Dude the Jazwares Halo stuff is on point, especially their 3.75in line. Great sculpt, nice paint, tons of articulation and very affordable. It’s awesome.
@@CobraSaboteur Good to hear, I need to give the 3.75" figures a try. So far I'm impressed with the quality of their 6.5" Spartan Collection, the only worry I have is the more softer plastic Jazware used for the knee joints in wave 3.
I'm kind of with you. Lost interest and Transformers. Can't do much better than the masterpieces pier. And I did Kos. So I focus on other Collectibles. I did back to haslabs. Because. Great for display and interacting. A Galactus great for display and interacting. But these are probably two of the largest pieces in a very popular theme, that will ever be
@@randallguzik3764 I have no idea, Epic Games has extended both licenses for Hasbro and Jazware. Jazware and Hasbro both have a partnership for the micro machines playsets.
I am dumbfounded how far Hasbro has fallen, and how they grovel for money yet bitch and moan how much materials cost to make toys; and they’re flush with cash! Hasbro needs to call it a day, and I can’t believe this is the company that gave us G.I. Joe back in the day.
It's Hasbro in name only at this point, unfortunately. They need people passionate about toys at the wheel, and, it looks like that might never happen.
Totally hear you about the Hasbro gouging. Here in Canada we pay $40 for a 6inch Star Wars Black Series figure. In the same aisle Mattel charges 15$ for a 5.5 inch He-Man action figure. There is no reason for the SW figures to be the as expensive as they are. Come to think of it TVC 4inch line is actually $5 more than the He-Man action figures. It makes no sense.
Funny you mention Playmobil, the other Day i was visiting a toy store and i walked through the Playmobil section. I tell you, i was amazed by the amount of playsets and toys they have to offer, and for reasonable prices. I don't like Playmobil figures but i also found myself regretting i wasn't a Playmobil collecter...
You may have some good points, but the fact that these HasLab items keep selling for 2x or 3x original price means no one has made a mistake, unless maybe they paid a reseller. If buyers start loosing money, then things may change. Otherwise it's pointless to try and discourage people.
I understand taking a preorder to make sure there is interest and to make sure everyone who wants one is able to get it. Then you pay when it ships. HasLab doesn't do that. This is pathetic on Hasbro's part.
@@badmoonknight5009 I guess asking price and selling price are two different things. People were definitely asking that much but I don’t know what they were actually selling for.
nice video. I jus started collecting Star Wars the Vintage Collection figures again and I never knew about Haslab stuff, and I've been very skeptical of it since I've learned of it. The prices for figures and vehicles are CRAZY expensive. It should not cost that much for a damn piece of plastic lmao I remember before Disney bought Star Wars and mainly during the Prequel Era when I was a kid, the figures were only like 5-6 bucks lol shit is like double the price and rising. I only collect 3.75 inch figures.
Came for the quality analysis and acerbic delivery, stayed for the quality analysis and acerbic delivery. Thank you for taking the time to say exactly what folks need to hear.
He doesn’t think like that. Michael buys toys because he just loves toys. People who think about the flipping side of it is part of what’s killing the toy industry
Thank you for taking the time to explain all the red tape and incentive devices that are in play with these companies. And yes, i.too dig the Lancia B type car and a Wheel Jack would be rad!
I would 100% agree with Michael here IF these HASLAB items were going to be on the shelf at Target or online afterwards. So far, the Sentinel or the Sail Barge have not and they are in essence "made to order". So this is why I see these items as more of a collector item pre-order that will retain their values just like Mythic Legions or Super7 items (and in some cases NECA - as it can seem when you never see them in stores).
“Layup” is the best term for these Marvel Legends HasLab products, because that is absolutely what the Sentinel and Galactus are. Those would have flown off of the shelves.
Oh, hell yeah they would. Especially at a decent price too. Hasbro could have made a 12 inch Sentinel and Galactus and still would have got their money back and then some. The Haslab scam is just them being greedy and wanting to play with other people's money.
As a model builder loose joints are a ez fix but seeing a super expensive figure coming with joints so loose they are basically non existent that’s horrible
"allowing product to sell out before demand is met is inexcusable." - on pre-orders. Exactly. This has been driving me nuts with Transformers lately. It makes no sense, pre-orders should help the company to know how many to make not to be unavailable after 5 minutes of product becoming available.
What you say makes a lot of sense I've come to those conclusions myself When I considered Any kickstar From whatever company is offering But I also came to the realization that if I wanted a specific item that no retail store is willing to put on the shelf because of the price range and size of the product and they didn't want to take a chance on it sitting on the shelves or not selling as much at all then It's pretty obvious that the only reason why Hasbro made it a kickstarter It's to get it into the hands of the people that were willing to buy it.
It's the same thing as the video game market. Pre-paying is a disincentive to the seller creating a quality product because they already have your money 🤷🏻♂️
Great video! Couldn't have explained it any better. We, as consumers in this country need to unite and STOP giving these greedy, self centered companies our money. They need to eat some humble pie, come back down to earth and realize that we, the customers are the ones who are really in control here.
Maybe my memory is faulty, but didn't my Matchbox Vehicle Voltron have ratcheted joints in the shoulders? In 1984? I mean, that was an expensive toy back then, but at least they knew to engineer the shoulders right... No excuses for Hasbro.
@@retroblasting Thanks for replying! I knew about Lion Voltron; I had Vehicle Voltron. Either way, 37 years later, there's no reason why Hasbro can't do better. Like I said over on Analog Toys's video, Mr. Sentinel needs to hang out with MattyCollector Voltron. Maybe if you face them toward each other, they can both fall into each other after an epic staredown? Or be having too much to drink together? Can we rig up some 3rd-Party in-scale beer steins?
Bro I must be one of them. I personally think he just doesn't understand how the corporate world works, or kickstarter for that matter. Don't use kickstarter because your too big? Really? Why wouldn't a corporations whose bottom line is to maximize their profits while decreasing risk use kickstarter.
lol the thats what got me with bruce willis the action stars that were in the expendibles are more popular than he was any day of the week he should of been honoured rubbing sholders with stallone, swartseneger and lungdren
The sentinel is a character from the X-Men universe. It obviously sold well and X-Men isn't in the MCU yet, imagine how many more would be in demand and sell if the mutants had a movie coming.
Never bought into an Haslab. I'm afraid that Hasbro will never lose those IPs, in fact they will continue to buy up more and more IPs because they dominate the market undisputed. Nothing will change this because people will keep on buying.
I never backed any Haslab projects, but the current one for Star Saber from Transformers has my interest, since the character is Ultra obscure in the west since he's from one of the anime shows I do agree with alot of the video however, is they do Haslabs for obscure characters/brands I can see why they have them as projects rather than regular retail/retail exclusives. Star Saber being a large figure as well as a obscure character would mean he wouldn't make the profit at retail to justify him. anyway Love your stuff Michael
Fwoosh made a video about the Knee, there is one easy accessible screw under a round piece of plastic that you can tighten and the knee SHOULD work fine after that (i mean it is a sample size of one, so no guarantee that it fixes it for everyone). I agree it is an issue that shouldn't exist in the first place but worse it is super bad PR, but at least it sounds like an easy problem to fix. I've never done a Kickstarter, period. That $20 car though... wtf... If that was a Star Wars Black Series X-Wing it would be $125 or so.
@@craighofmann638 huh? ... oh! no, uhm, you say "sample size of one" if you have only one test subject. Means that isn't conclusive evidence only because it worked in one case. Hasbro ain't sending free shit out to popular youtubers that review their stuff all the time, that would be like trying to do viral marketing or something, they barely can pull a stream of their own off by the looks of it. (i mean, could those 3 marketing people in the last stream at least have cameras that don't pixelate like hell so you can see what they are trying to hold into the camera... yikes.)
@@ZeroB4NG Gotcha, my confusion. But chances are that fix should work on others. However, Robo did mention that a ratcheting mechanism would've been appreciated in the knees, as they're included in the elbow joints...
I've heard from a few people over on reddit that this still didn't fix their issue with the knee or not completely and it's still partially loose. YMMV. This could, and probably will, only be a short term fix. Time will tell if it holds up or continues to get worse until it's unfixable or requires a more involved fix. Hasbro definitely dropped the ball on this one.
@@Armageist I haven't heard of anyone trying this, although I've seen it suggested along with Loctite. I also haven't received mine yet and not sure if I'm going to open it or even keep it. Gonna wait to see what develops as of now.
I find myself revisiting this video after the Omega Prime Haslab was (unsurprisingly) successful and has lead to tons of Hasbro bootlickers justifying a terrible business model because they want that toy so badly. Never will I not think a Haslab campaign for your most popular Transformers character is an asinine concept, and it's been hilarious seeing the mental gymnastics from those saying it's impossible to sell otherwise. Frankly, they are making their own hobby harder for themselves and are preventing others who can't afford it from partaking thanks to ridiculous aftermarket prices.
I've noticed this now with "In Stock" items from places like Mattel Creations. I ordered "In stock, ships in 4 to 5 days" figures about 45 days ago. I requested a cancellation 7 days ago and they replied saying: "sorry but it looks like your order has shipped, its too late to cancel. Here's the tracking #". Only thing, the tracking just shows a "request for shipping" being created after they sent me the "sorry" message. Nothing shipped or picked up. Another week has gone by with nothing but a created tracking #. It seems there is a strategy to holding money without delivering goods for as long as possible. Alienating customers doesn't seem to matter to them in the slightest.
* stands up and claps vigorously * I needed to hear that after the crap yesterday with Mattel. Agreed on all points, as usual, and, I always appreciate your willingness to just say things as they need to be said, brother. Well done, and thanks for weighing in.
@@slycooze150 Welp, they are going down this same road with Masters of the Universe, ala Mattel Creations. It's a mess. If you want more details, I did a video on it yesterday.
Yep, keep that screwdriver handy. You'll be doing that fix again and again. Just don't be one of those people that overtightens, otherwise you'll be the one that is screwed.
@@retroblasting see that's the Sarcasm I Miss in your videos. Take that, stretch it into 30 mins and replace this video. I know there's a lot of issues in the toy industry that don't favor collectors, but it's to the point I see your thumbnail and just know your miserable about something.
Another excellent video and a great companion piece to Analog Toys’ video. I find it funny that they announced the Transformer Victory Saber to save their reputation after this debacle.
The free shipping isn’t a selling point for me personally because any Hasbro Pulse order over $50 is free shipping even without premium and most of the time my orders are over $50.
Totally!!!!!!!!!!! Agree with you Michael!!!! Why others can’t see this and understand that they’re stealing from us while taking advantage of us consumers
![FORTNITE CLASSICS IS BACK! Fortnite Item Shop [November 15th, 2024] (Fortnite Chapter 5)](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/RbQURbeFwqs/mqdefault.jpg)
I miss the days when it was easy to find toys on the toy aisle... now it's just exclusives, pre-orders and scalpers :(
I miss those days with mail aways.
Amen to that brother!
..and THATS the BS KILLING our gig off. I,ve almost just stopped buying figs anymore. The hunt WAS a great part of this whole thing. i miss just looking for toys...
Weird how you are crying and yet the answer to scalping you already mentioned. Just pre order it. Wahhh I don't want to pre order anything and garentee one... I want to not do that and cry when I can't find it instead.
I nominate the word scalpers to be a curse word.
The prototyping costs for a company like Hasbro are very small. They already have engineers on staff. They all have CAD. They have 3D printers in their office. I've worked as an engineer for 25 years and I'm telling you, prototyping plastic parts is easy, quick and cheap in 2021.
@@stoneyboyd Well, I guess Star Wars and other properties have hefty licensing fees....but, yes.
Michael French takes a stand, because the Haslab Sentinel can't! :)
Dayum! Not since The Crazy World of Arthur Brown's "Fire" has there been such a massive "BURN!"
🤣🤣
I have 3 of them and none of them have that issue they're actually Really great and look freaking awesome with my collection
@@mizzikedvalle2172 Well, pull up the ladder then, eh?
@@mizzikedvalle2172 just got mine today, and knees are fine. Now I just need to set up my xmen display with this big beauty as the centre piece 👍
The more I watch your channel, the more I wish people would watch your channel. Thank you Michael.
While I am very well spoken, and have an extensive vocabulary...I'm also blessed with a foul temper, foul mouth and a short fuse...lol.
I misss the galactus figure 😭
Yes, his feeling match perfectly. But the more I watch him the more I realize he has no business knowledge and just wants the world to work the way he "feels" it should work
I’m glad you touched on the fact that these are unnecessarily exclusive products. Typically “exclusive” convention items or store exclusives have different paint, packaging, or accessories, but the basic product is something that can be found by the masses. They have essentially tricked everyone into spending more than what they would be comfortable spending by taunting them with the “act now this is your only chance! See what happened with the barge?” And they are right. I would love to have a Barge, but I will probably never be able to afford one. I love X-Men and I’ve always wanted a highly detailed large sentinel, but I had to put it on a credit card AND I don’t really even have room for it. So I had no choice but to jump on it. Countless people are saying “man I wasn’t collecting when the sentinel was available (a 6 week period?) and now I can’t afford one in the aftermarket.” Sure Hasbro is rewarding 21,000 people who bought them but what about everyone else in the future? Why retire a hugely successful product when they could sell them forever and ever and probably clear tens of thousands of more sales? Once the design and tooling is made, the cost of reproducing these in the future isn’t that much. It’s especially strange from a company who obviously loves repainting existing molds dozens of times.
The shift from toys made for kids to toys made for adult collectors is the core problem. There should be vintage Kenner style Razorcrests and other such simpler, fun toys in every retail toy department shelf. Hasbro has lost its way.
Exactly! I want Star Wars TOYS made by Hasbro/Kenner, not super expensive screen accurate adult collectables. Those kinds of things are great too, but not instead of toy versions. If the mini Razorcrest was just a little bit bigger it would be perfect as a 3.75” figure vehicle and it would cost MUCH less than $300.00!
There's a really nice 3D printable version that seems more the scale they'd release as a toy. I'm eventually going to give it a go and add the Retro Collection wave 3 figures to it as I imagine my paint job will be distinctly "retro" anyway. Not that I wouldn't have possibly gone for the Razor Crest if it had been available here and I had the available funds. This just seems a fun addition and easier to display.
Making some not broken things is a good start no matter who their target demographic is.
Hasbro is dropping the ball with the Retro Collection. They would sell a ton of Retro Collection Razor Crests is they put them out. Not only collectors but kids would go for them too. They should also make a Bantha, Blurrg and speeder bike too.
@@milzy4501 I'd be very surprised if there isn't a Remnant Biker Scout with Speeder and Baby Yoda in satchel in the pipeline. They've got a good Biker Scout mould and they'd sell a lot, especially as you'd need two. Or three if you want to out IG-11 on one.
To all those "just tighten the screw" comments, it's not a fix. As soon as you move the knee, the screw loosens. "Righty-tighty, lefty-loosey", basic mechanics. Then you have re-tighten the METAL screw against the PLASTIC knee joint. Over time, the metal wins, plastic strips out or cracks. Analog Toys and Retroblasting aren't attacking fans that bought the Sentinel, they're commenting on a glaring design flaw that should never have existed in the first place.
@@FFFFPPPP So, good for you and to hell with the people that want to actually play with it. Gotcha.
@@FFFFPPPP so buy a statue, not an *action* figure
@@FFFFPPPP What about people that bought it as a TOY FOR KIDS TO PLAY WITH? You know, what toys are actually made for in the first place? Since this is the ONLY way to get a sentinel these days.
Even if you tighten the screw and leave it standing and never touch it, it Will get loose. Same happened to my vintage at-st. Besides you shouldn't have to fix a new toy, but unfortunally it's something i have gotten use to with Hasbro toys...
Well, that's on you if you bought it as a toy for your kids to play with! Technically it is a toy but Hasbro said its more of a adult collectors piece! I wouldn't let my children touch this let alone play with it! So, the knee problem is not that big of a deal! U could get a smaller or bigger screw from Home Depot to make it tighter. You can also add joint tightner or floor wax in the screw hole and then put in the screw and add more joint tightner or floor wax on both sides of the screw And then pop the cap back on to cover the screw and you'll have a better knee than when it was constructed! U can also do the same thing using the super glue method (if u know how to do it and not glue the toy!)
I love this semifinal and am completely satisfied!
As someone who's worked 6 years in a prototyping department for a toy company. 300 to 400% markup on all toys is the norm. Just keep that in mind every time you spend 20 to 30 bucks just for one action figure.
So it costs them 5 to 7 bucks. The toys should be priced 8 to 10 bucks tops.
There are a lot of middle men between designer and consumer that need to be paid along the line. The factory that makes the toys has to make a profit, the distributors have to make a profit, the transportation companies have to make a profit, and the retailer has to make a profit.
Retail prices that are 3 to 4 times the price to manufacture are not uncommon and may actually be quite low compared to other products.
Try to make an action figure yourself and see how much that costs! (Don't forget to account for your labor! If it takes two hours to make it yourself, a $30 figure means you're only worth $15/hr! And my guess it would take more like 10 - 20 hours to design, print, and paint your own figure.)
So now, is $30/figure really overpriced?
@@BanazirGalpsi1968 LMFAO.......... so a $3 profit when they have a whole team to pay. Lets not even get into the factory full of works making these. Sit down... LOL
Copes are coming in hot and heavy. But the factories in China were over charging us 1.50 to 2 dollars a figure for their profit and we'd turn around and sell that figure for 25 to 30 dollars. Make of it what you will.
Also once molds are tooled the cost of reissues and kit bashing goes down. So those figures cost even less to make but are still sold at the same price point. Paint apps cost next to nothing. So that myth of more color the more cost is just a myth. Just like articulation cost myth.
If you like something buy it. Just understand you're paying way over inflated prices for it.
Only 3 or 4x the cost? In the tabletop gaming industry the standard is that RRP should be 6x production.
This has been a trend for a long time. You used to be able to find merchandise in stores, then you had to pre-order, then you had to pre-order (or it'd sell out) before you even could see the final licensor approved item, then collectible companies started doing payment plans on the pre-orders so you're in the hole months in advance. This isn't a surprise. Their argument would be if it went ot retail the risk would he higher and thus the cost would have to be higher. These are guaranteed sales. I don't like it, but people do it, so they will totally take advantage of it until the market collapses and people downsize... it's inevitable really. The pandemic and rising cost of living has made many reconsider their priorities... it'll only get worse until the bottom falls out of this ever bloated collectible market.
The hole in their argument is if it went to retail it would be more units at a lower price for mattel hasbro etc. Its only true for much smaller runs from much smaller non billion dollar companies. Basically, they lie to our faces.
You touch on the thing that annoys me most about Haslab. Setting aside the size of the company, if they wanted to produce a boxed set of the most obscure, one-shot villains in the Marvel Universe then I'd say "ok, use the KS model to make sure people actually want it". But the things they're offering are things that consumers have been saying we want for *decades*. No one who collects Marvel figures doesn't want Galactus. No one with a room full of Kenner Star Wars wouldn't want a sail barge. Just make the products and sell them, it's not rocket science. When I think back about how Mego was able to simultaneously put out Marvel, DC, Planet of the Apes, Star Trek and Starsky & Hutch toys without a problem I wonder how things have fallen so far.
Have you seen the utterly obscure characters they have out in every retail store? Seems they don’t care about how popular a character will be at all, so that makes it doubly weird.
Not to mention that a lot of us are getting real sick and tired of all of the exclusives.
@@WiGgYof09 They could easily have everything ready to go and do a preorder for it online. "Hey, you want a sailbarge? OK, it's ready to go! put down 10% Give us 6 weeks to put it together, and we'll charge you the rest when we ship!" Simple. You could get one whenever you want.
@@WiGgYof09 Retailers put a $300 AT-AT that requires an app on the shelves. Retailers have put 32-inch playsets and vehicles on the shelves for decades. If I go to a toy store right now I'm pretty sure I'll find a Barbie Dream House on the shelves that's a good deal bigger than 32" tall. Retailers will put anything on the shelves if they have a reasonable expectation of selling it. As for the cost of production, if Hasbro can't figure out a way to make a 32" figure at a reasonable price point then they need to clear out their management.
@@froggy7570 You got that right.
The most incredible thing about this Retroblasting post was how eloquently and passionately Michael could speak unscripted about such a niche but largely unspoken subject. It could so easily of been twenty-six minutes of waffle, but it was a layered and well crafted argument - well played! Hasbro! Take note! Hopefully this may be a wakeup call for both them and elements of the collecting community.
He said he had a piece written already tho....
@@r.hewlin8328 but he said early on that he put the script to one side? But I may have misheard/misunderstood him?
I'm not a HasLab backer, I just don't have the room and the money to do so. I'm a simple 3.75 scale collector, but I'm also done with Hasbro since I don't see the price reflected on the quality and availability of their products.
@@joebauers3746 I agree completely. I think we got screwed on the new Joe line. They look okay, but not enough to make me collect them. We all wanted o-ring figures for a “classic” line.
And the prices shouldn’t break ten bucks for a GI Joe figure, sorry.
Although, I went on this rant the other night, and my wife said: “Wait… how much did you pay for that 80’s guy the other day?”
So… my point may be moot.
@@joebauers3746 I tried. She told me “to buy Apple stock, not that stupid shiny guy.” (It was Super Trooper… she was not impressed with his shield.)
Have you seen the Final Faction line? That’s 3.75” and really cool considering it’s a dollar tree toyline
Love your channel Michael. Please keep speaking out for the real fans - not the fanboys and "marketing specialist" that keep making excuses. You have been speaking truth since day one and these shills act like they suffer from "battered wife syndrome" and just keep on making excuses for the multibillion $ company that keeps abusing them.
Michael: "So you knew HasLab was bad & did it anyway. And where did that lead you? Back to me..."
Yup. Truth!
@@zevadprime Lol! The funny thing is, I didn't even know what the specific issue was this time, I just assumed HasLab screwed up big again somehow...
And towards the end of the video, when he says the darn thing can't stand... lolol, I never laughed out loud so hard in my life! 🤣
Did it anyway? Probably because a person wanted that certain figure that they will never get otherwise. Kind of a funny video
@@miragexl007 got taken advantage of sadly
I got one and I won't even be opening the box. This was my first and last Haslab backing.. and their complete lack of addressing has probably cured me of buying Marvel Legends completely. Another great vid!
I am Chinese and have a lot of friends who work at these Chinese factories for big American toy companies. They do not understand why the West pay so much for this stuff that costs maybe a dollar or two each for them to manufacture in China. I don't know if R&D justifies the costs, but the markup is sometimes in the 4 figures on some of these toys.
Paying for all of the salaries, R&D, and such.
The 90’s Toy Biz Sentinel, while limited in articulation, is a superior product. Not only can it stand, but it can fire limb missiles, recline grappling hooks, and explode. Got it on sale for $25 with my lawncutting money as a kid. Been happy with it since. Great points, Retroblasting!
This is 100% on point, Michael.. why this isn't obvious and you therefore have to make a video about, I'll never know. Good work.
I love the RetroBlasting video when Michael delivered the Sail Barge to Australia. That was such a kind gesture on his part and a big reason why I respect this channel so much.
20:42 "a robot... a giant robot... a jumbo machinder of the Marvel persuasion" Haha! Thanks for the logic, huge wit and warm heart, Michael.
Bravo, sir! So much truth in your video!
Michael French: Sentinel of truth. Protector of collectors' wallets. Eternally vigilant against the excesses of the giant toy and media conglomerates. And unlike plastic Sentinels, Michael's knees actually function, allowing him to stand for truth, justice and the American way.
I now try to say jumbo machinder every day I can.
The knees were done like that on purpose as a tribute to the original 90s Toy Biz Sentinel's fall down action feature!
Underrated comment.
After hearing Tony talk about why Hasbro or Super 7 etc wants to do backers and pre-order a year in advance just blew my mind.
Remember how good the Sentinel that was in 3"3/4 scale? Even came with a Wolverine figure.
I own it, the Haslab Sentinel is way better. Just tighten the knees and it’s good to go.
I have the Toy Biz BAF version.
@@loumonoph You're exaggerating.
@@juansanchez209 cope more. You shouldn't have to make fixes on a hundred dollars figure.
@@Press_X_to_doubt This comment section is an echo chamber. Anything contrary to "Sentinel bad!" isn't being tolerated lol
It’s seems like a lot of companies are doing this. That’s what all the pre-orders for everything are about. Get the money up front, No risk for the companies. I ordered thunder cats a year ago and still not ready, meanwhile they announce and set up pre orders for all kinds of other lines.
I gave up with super7 even though I like their figures. But I was spending more and more money, pre-order after pre-order and seeing nothing.
Revisiting this. I agree with everything you’re saying. I feel bad though because I ordered that Razor Crest. I ordered the Ghost. If they had offered that Andor haulcraft I would’ve ordered it in a heartbeat. I want the Cantina, but NOT for 499 dollars. I HATE that you don’t get the product for a whole year. I love all the excitement it generates in the community, but it does seem a little nefarious. I went to pre order the E-wing because I finally had the money, and it was sold out. They definitely make doing business with a pain in the ass…
Hasbro is killing the collector base
All they have to do is produce things we want, and distribute them so that we can pick them up off the shelves.
RetroBlasting vs ToyGuru debate. Would love to see Michael rip Scott's shill ass.
It just shocks me a $400 action figure didn't even have good QC.
This reminds me of companies that promise to donate one dollar for every dollar spent. It's like...dude, you're a billion dollar corporation, JUST DONATE IT. Don't rely on us.
That's what's commonly known as "virtue signaling" it's empty and is using the "feel-goods" to get that dollar out of your pocket. I agree, why don't they just donate it if they have it to donate?
The companies who say “One dollar of every purchase made goes to X” jacks up their prices two bucks so they make one buck on top of the donated dollar plus normal price pull. (Edit: i would do it that way if i was unscrupulous)
The idea is that they will match what you put in to get people involved in the cause. Sounds good on paper but silly peer pressure games like that seldom work. So yeah, companies should just donate themselves and let others do so with respect to personal circumstances.
great video, and what makes me most infuriated with Hasbro, Mattel and etc is the difficulty of finding products to buy in stores, thus leaving us in the hands of Ebay scalpers
The preorders thing drives me insane. Like how the fuck does a PRE-order sell out? The whole idea of pre-order is so you know how many you need to produce. That should be the absolute base line starting point for fucks sake. Makes me so angry. =/
agreed. call it a limited stock item, not pre order. i don’t usually need to wake up at 9am & wait for the site to refresh for a pre order
Friends don't let friends pre-order things. Games, toys, etc.
I can totally understand backing a small independant project like Valaverse Action Force but why the hell would a multi-billion dollar company like Hasbro need to crowd fund anything? Surely they could release this stuff for a reasonable price at retail and it'd still do well.
Collectible action figures are a small category in the toy industry as a whole, as in very small. They don’t move the units that things like dolls and outdoor items such as NERF consistently do. The big shareholder companies, be they manufacturers or retailers, know this and as a result don’t want to risk a loss on a certain dollar per square foot calculation for items that they know very well enough of those people will wait to go on clearance and thus cut into the profit margin. They’ve been burned a few times on this, especially with things like the Black Series TIE Fighter. Not saying it’s ideal or right, but it’s the current reality. The big companies who make the toys for this specific customer base needs to better understand the customer they are selling these items to first, which to me seems to be the biggest issue. If they actually listened more and took fan input to heart, they’d find better support. Unfortunately, the cold hard reality as of now is that the bottom line is king and until the dollars stop flowing from the consumers into their coffers, they’ll keep on the same track.
I completely agree with you, but the problem is that people want it, so most are gonna take the abuse and then moan about it. Or will resell their broken piece of junk for 1200 dollar on ebay... I try to look away, cause I'm mainly a Vintage collector, but this kinda stuff you just can't explain to any "normal" person that isn't into the extreme collecting world...
It is indeed difficult for "normal" people to understand all this bellyaching from adults about toys and toy companies. To see adults complaining about something as trivial and unnecessary as toys is baffling.
@@wheelsofchaoticdoom8946 You nailed it. It only took me a couple of months of collecting to become addicted to acquiring the "plastic crack."
@@wheelsofchaoticdoom8946 well said. It’s become crazy.
I watched your “Has-BROs” video when it first came out but I didn’t follow Hasbro or Haslab too closely at the time. After following the situation with the Haslab Sentinel’s knees and reading a lot of the comments I can now appreciate just how spot on that video was. These guys are something else.
Haslab drove me to selling my entire collection. I just cant kep up. Its too expensive and too stressful.
Michael has some good points when it comes to his not wanting to support Haslab. The question I have is this: would a retailer be willing to acquire a vehicle the size/price of the sailbarge as an exclusive? I always thought that answer being, 'NO' is the reason Haslab was created? To bypass that issue w retail(ers).
The biggest shame with HasLab is the Unicron they did. I'm not a huge Transformers fan but I love Unicron's design and I'd totally pick a up a Unicron if they released one at retail.
The reason it's a Hadlab is because it's made only for collectors and retail stores will not carry something so big that takes up so much space and not made for kids. Also parents wouldn't spend that much $ for a toy.
I wish I got that unicron
That unicron is awful, it's a shambly mess of panels sandwiched on its back. So, it's big, and it looks like a planet, that's it.
To me, the worst part are the channels that compel people to back these projects. Bunch of enablers.
I was curious when this one came up on my home screen, and thought it might be interesting to find out your thoughts on the wobbly-knee in 2021. I am 100% confident I can state I am glad I did. Without showering you with gracious compliments on your delivery, your message was lucid and more important in 2022 then a year ago when you made it. I stopped the insanity upon discovering the game rules, and decided the entertainment factor in the hobby was victim of corporate greed while I remain loyal. This compromise was the bridge too far for me. Upon the arrival of my Galactus, any sort of allegiance will have diminished beyond tolerable. Don't bite the hand that feeds.
The sad part it's that neither the consumer or hasbro will learn. It's like a vicious cycle. I guess it's a good example of a monopoly.
I’ve fallen off from (conventional) toy collecting, but a Mask reissue/relaunch done right would tempt me.
As always there is good logic in what you say. Good points one by one.👍
Multi-billion dollar corporations have no business e-begging.
That Fortnite car is now shooting up in value online, with prices going as high as $100 on eBay.
I'm glad that I did 2 things 1) Never backed any HasLab figure/play set. 2) Stop buy Hasbro products. I lost interest in TransFormers figures because of what Hasbro is doing, plus I got into Gunpla model kits a few years ago.
The latest figure I got that was not Hasbro was Noble Six from the Halo Spartan Collection and I would say that I made a good purchase.
@slayer. Dude the Jazwares Halo stuff is on point, especially their 3.75in line. Great sculpt, nice paint, tons of articulation and very affordable. It’s awesome.
@@CobraSaboteur Good to hear, I need to give the 3.75" figures a try. So far I'm impressed with the quality of their 6.5" Spartan Collection, the only worry I have is the more softer plastic Jazware used for the knee joints in wave 3.
I'm kind of with you. Lost interest and Transformers. Can't do much better than the masterpieces pier. And I did Kos. So I focus on other Collectibles. I did back to haslabs. Because. Great for display and interacting. A Galactus great for display and interacting. But these are probably two of the largest pieces in a very popular theme, that will ever be
Jazware lost the Fortnite license to Hasbro I believe…sucks
@@randallguzik3764 I have no idea, Epic Games has extended both licenses for Hasbro and Jazware. Jazware and Hasbro both have a partnership for the micro machines playsets.
I am dumbfounded how far Hasbro has fallen, and how they grovel for money yet bitch and moan how much materials cost to make toys; and they’re flush with cash! Hasbro needs to call it a day, and I can’t believe this is the company that gave us G.I. Joe back in the day.
It's Hasbro in name only at this point, unfortunately. They need people passionate about toys at the wheel, and, it looks like that might never happen.
Totally hear you about the Hasbro gouging. Here in Canada we pay $40 for a 6inch Star Wars Black Series figure. In the same aisle Mattel charges 15$ for a 5.5 inch He-Man action figure. There is no reason for the SW figures to be the as expensive as they are. Come to think of it TVC 4inch line is actually $5 more than the He-Man action figures. It makes no sense.
Funny you mention Playmobil, the other Day i was visiting a toy store and i walked through the Playmobil section. I tell you, i was amazed by the amount of playsets and toys they have to offer, and for reasonable prices. I don't like Playmobil figures but i also found myself regretting i wasn't a Playmobil collecter...
I just started collecting for me and my son, and now no stores carry them around me anymore.
I had a bunch when I was little. The pirate ship I had was huge and played with it in the pool. Always nice stuff.
You may have some good points, but the fact that these HasLab items keep selling for 2x or 3x original price means no one has made a mistake, unless maybe they paid a reseller. If buyers start loosing money, then things may change. Otherwise it's pointless to try and discourage people.
Well.. all i can say is this video aged extremely well considering the eov haslab
I understand taking a preorder to make sure there is interest and to make sure everyone who wants one is able to get it. Then you pay when it ships.
HasLab doesn't do that. This is pathetic on Hasbro's part.
I am so glad I watched this! Thanks for changing my mind!
What I find insane is the people paying 3 times the price for these items after the fact on eBay. A Sentinel going for over $900 is nuts.
Sentinels never sold for that much. They are typically selling in the $500-$550 range.
@@badmoonknight5009 I guess asking price and selling price are two different things. People were definitely asking that much but I don’t know what they were actually selling for.
@@geraldlaboone9741 I do because I bought one at auction. I got mine for $500.
nice video. I jus started collecting Star Wars the Vintage Collection figures again and I never knew about Haslab stuff, and I've been very skeptical of it since I've learned of it. The prices for figures and vehicles are CRAZY expensive. It should not cost that much for a damn piece of plastic lmao I remember before Disney bought Star Wars and mainly during the Prequel Era when I was a kid, the figures were only like 5-6 bucks lol shit is like double the price and rising. I only collect 3.75 inch figures.
Gotta say, I do move the figs from time to time but I blasted out laughing at that. This guy is gold
Hasbro shouldn't require the money until the product ships.
Came for the quality analysis and acerbic delivery, stayed for the quality analysis and acerbic delivery. Thank you for taking the time to say exactly what folks need to hear.
By the time you get the sentinel it’s worth double to triple
He doesn’t think like that. Michael buys toys because he just loves toys. People who think about the flipping side of it is part of what’s killing the toy industry
Thank you for taking the time to explain all the red tape and incentive devices that are in play with these companies. And yes, i.too dig the Lancia B type car and a Wheel Jack would be rad!
I would 100% agree with Michael here IF these HASLAB items were going to be on the shelf at Target or online afterwards. So far, the Sentinel or the Sail Barge have not and they are in essence "made to order". So this is why I see these items as more of a collector item pre-order that will retain their values just like Mythic Legions or Super7 items (and in some cases NECA - as it can seem when you never see them in stores).
“Layup” is the best term for these Marvel Legends HasLab products, because that is absolutely what the Sentinel and Galactus are. Those would have flown off of the shelves.
Oh, hell yeah they would. Especially at a decent price too. Hasbro could have made a 12 inch Sentinel and Galactus and still would have got their money back and then some. The Haslab scam is just them being greedy and wanting to play with other people's money.
As a model builder loose joints are a ez fix but seeing a super expensive figure coming with joints so loose they are basically non existent that’s horrible
The acerbic delivery is lovely. Michael, you are the man. More sarcasm please 😅😎
😂🤣😂 He's the type thats fuming inside but his tone and intonation even-keel. I love it.
@@meg-k-waldren he is always measured, considered and on-point with his remarks.
Spot on.
Yet again.
It puzzles me why companies still go that route and why fans keep buying into that scheme.
Once again Hasbro has found themselves on their knees literally, but that’s par for the course at this point and deservingly so.
Hasbro has some of the biggest pieces of shit working there.
"allowing product to sell out before demand is met is inexcusable." - on pre-orders. Exactly. This has been driving me nuts with Transformers lately. It makes no sense, pre-orders should help the company to know how many to make not to be unavailable after 5 minutes of product becoming available.
i've gotten smarter i started making my own joes from other toy lines like fortnight
I actually picked up some 4" jazwares Fortnite figures for dirt cheap on ebay. I'm excited to make some customs with them.
What you say makes a lot of sense I've come to those conclusions myself When I considered Any kickstar From whatever company is offering But I also came to the realization that if I wanted a specific item that no retail store is willing to put on the shelf because of the price range and size of the product and they didn't want to take a chance on it sitting on the shelves or not selling as much at all then It's pretty obvious that the only reason why Hasbro made it a kickstarter It's to get it into the hands of the people that were willing to buy it.
It's the same thing as the video game market. Pre-paying is a disincentive to the seller creating a quality product because they already have your money 🤷🏻♂️
Great video! Couldn't have explained it any better. We, as consumers in this country need to unite and STOP giving these greedy, self centered companies our money. They need to eat some humble pie, come back down to earth and realize that we, the customers are the ones who are really in control here.
Maybe my memory is faulty, but didn't my Matchbox Vehicle Voltron have ratcheted joints in the shoulders? In 1984? I mean, that was an expensive toy back then, but at least they knew to engineer the shoulders right...
No excuses for Hasbro.
Yes, the core Black Lion had ratchets in the shoulders and hips to ensure the main robot would be stable.
@@retroblasting Thanks for replying! I knew about Lion Voltron; I had Vehicle Voltron.
Either way, 37 years later, there's no reason why Hasbro can't do better. Like I said over on Analog Toys's video, Mr. Sentinel needs to hang out with MattyCollector Voltron. Maybe if you face them toward each other, they can both fall into each other after an epic staredown? Or be having too much to drink together? Can we rig up some 3rd-Party in-scale beer steins?
Kids playing with computer generated cars.
Adults purchasing physical, tangible model cars so they can look at them.
Hasbro did recently gloss over the fact that the Razorcrest was pushed back to 2022. So, they're sitting on your $$ an additional few months...
It’s sad that most people are gonna miss the entire point of your video!
Bro I must be one of them. I personally think he just doesn't understand how the corporate world works, or kickstarter for that matter. Don't use kickstarter because your too big? Really? Why wouldn't a corporations whose bottom line is to maximize their profits while decreasing risk use kickstarter.
To quote Stallone when Willis didnt turn up to work for Expendables "he's greedy lazy!" Hasbro is Bruce Willis.
lol the thats what got me with bruce willis the action stars that were in the expendibles are more popular than he was any day of the week he should of been honoured rubbing sholders with stallone, swartseneger and lungdren
This is why I love this channel , no ass kissing !
The sentinel is a character from the X-Men universe. It obviously sold well and X-Men isn't in the MCU yet, imagine how many more would be in demand and sell if the mutants had a movie coming.
Never bought into an Haslab. I'm afraid that Hasbro will never lose those IPs, in fact they will continue to buy up more and more IPs because they dominate the market undisputed. Nothing will change this because people will keep on buying.
I never realized why Haslam was wrong until you explained it! Thanks Michael!
I never backed any Haslab projects, but the current one for Star Saber from Transformers has my interest, since the character is Ultra obscure in the west since he's from one of the anime shows I do agree with alot of the video however, is they do Haslabs for obscure characters/brands I can see why they have them as projects rather than regular retail/retail exclusives. Star Saber being a large figure as well as a obscure character would mean he wouldn't make the profit at retail to justify him. anyway Love your stuff Michael
Star saber, as a generations figure, is likely to be pretty much flawless.
Backing if you can afford it is a pretty good idea.
@@TheSonOfRyan I intend to soon
There's already Masterpiece Star Saber
@@Armageist because the budget of a commander class is too high to treat like a takaramail retool of a generations toy
Fwoosh made a video about the Knee, there is one easy accessible screw under a round piece of plastic that you can tighten and the knee SHOULD work fine after that (i mean it is a sample size of one, so no guarantee that it fixes it for everyone).
I agree it is an issue that shouldn't exist in the first place but worse it is super bad PR, but at least it sounds like an easy problem to fix.
I've never done a Kickstarter, period.
That $20 car though... wtf... If that was a Star Wars Black Series X-Wing it would be $125 or so.
That's not a sample. That's Robo's Sentinel that he paid for...
@@craighofmann638 huh? ... oh! no, uhm, you say "sample size of one" if you have only one test subject. Means that isn't conclusive evidence only because it worked in one case.
Hasbro ain't sending free shit out to popular youtubers that review their stuff all the time, that would be like trying to do viral marketing or something, they barely can pull a stream of their own off by the looks of it. (i mean, could those 3 marketing people in the last stream at least have cameras that don't pixelate like hell so you can see what they are trying to hold into the camera... yikes.)
@@ZeroB4NG Gotcha, my confusion. But chances are that fix should work on others. However, Robo did mention that a ratcheting mechanism would've been appreciated in the knees, as they're included in the elbow joints...
I've heard from a few people over on reddit that this still didn't fix their issue with the knee or not completely and it's still partially loose. YMMV.
This could, and probably will, only be a short term fix. Time will tell if it holds up or continues to get worse until it's unfixable or requires a more involved fix.
Hasbro definitely dropped the ball on this one.
@@Armageist I haven't heard of anyone trying this, although I've seen it suggested along with Loctite. I also haven't received mine yet and not sure if I'm going to open it or even keep it. Gonna wait to see what develops as of now.
I find myself revisiting this video after the Omega Prime Haslab was (unsurprisingly) successful and has lead to tons of Hasbro bootlickers justifying a terrible business model because they want that toy so badly. Never will I not think a Haslab campaign for your most popular Transformers character is an asinine concept, and it's been hilarious seeing the mental gymnastics from those saying it's impossible to sell otherwise.
Frankly, they are making their own hobby harder for themselves and are preventing others who can't afford it from partaking thanks to ridiculous aftermarket prices.
It doesn't help that many toy reviewers call these crowd funding.
I always tell them it's pre-orders.
As a Gen X skateboarder, I can say for sure...the knees are weak!
Totally agree. The toy's they've released through their crowd funding would have flown off the shelves at retail stores.
I've noticed this now with "In Stock" items from places like Mattel Creations. I ordered "In stock, ships in 4 to 5 days" figures about 45 days ago. I requested a cancellation 7 days ago and they replied saying: "sorry but it looks like your order has shipped, its too late to cancel. Here's the tracking #". Only thing, the tracking just shows a "request for shipping" being created after they sent me the "sorry" message. Nothing shipped or picked up. Another week has gone by with nothing but a created tracking #. It seems there is a strategy to holding money without delivering goods for as long as possible. Alienating customers doesn't seem to matter to them in the slightest.
* stands up and claps vigorously * I needed to hear that after the crap yesterday with Mattel. Agreed on all points, as usual, and, I always appreciate your willingness to just say things as they need to be said, brother. Well done, and thanks for weighing in.
" Stands up and claps vigorously! " Says Jim, rubbing salt into the Sentinel's knees! :)
@@kieronball8962 PFFFFBWAHAHAHA
So what happened with Mattel?
@@slycooze150 Welp, they are going down this same road with Masters of the Universe, ala Mattel Creations. It's a mess. If you want more details, I did a video on it yesterday.
More of the toy collecting world needs to see your videos.
The reality is pop off a screw cover, tighten a screw a bit, pop the cap back on.
Yep, keep that screwdriver handy. You'll be doing that fix again and again. Just don't be one of those people that overtightens, otherwise you'll be the one that is screwed.
@@retroblasting see that's the Sarcasm I Miss in your videos. Take that, stretch it into 30 mins and replace this video. I know there's a lot of issues in the toy industry that don't favor collectors, but it's to the point I see your thumbnail and just know your miserable about something.
Another excellent video and a great companion piece to Analog Toys’ video. I find it funny that they announced the Transformer Victory Saber to save their reputation after this debacle.
Only thing I really disagree with is the Hasbro Pulse Premium. The free shipping is completely worth it to me.
The free shipping isn’t a selling point for me personally because any Hasbro Pulse order over $50 is free shipping even without premium and most of the time my orders are over $50.
Thank you for being one of the few collectors not kissing Hasbro's ass and telling it like it s and needs to be told too.
Michael I value your opinion and happy that you did the video. I feel the same way about haslab and Hasbro
Totally!!!!!!!!!!! Agree with you Michael!!!! Why others can’t see this and understand that they’re stealing from us while taking advantage of us consumers
Keep up the good fight! Hold their feet to the flames, not literally obviously. 😎🤘