Hasbro's HasLab Experiment: Crowd-Funding Toys of Dreams
Most individuals who have played with toys have owned a toy from the toy giant Hasbro. They are responsible for toy lines like Transformers, Connect 4, Bop It, Play-Doh, Nerf, and so many more. One of their biggest collaborations are with Disney owned properties and one of the biggest of them all is Star Wars. Ever since Kenner lost the rights to manufacturer Star Wars figures, Hasbro has been at the forefront of bringing all of the toys that fans dream of, from 3 3/4 inch figures to 1/12 scale Tie Fighters. Ever since LucasArts was sold to Disney, it appears that Star Wars merchandise found a stronger life in the mainstream. Star Wars memorabilia has been strong among its core fan base but now a newer generation of fans are looking to adorn their home with their favorite Jedi or Sith lord.
While fans are excited for more Star Wars toys and other merchandise, the high end collectibles continue to present items that are a step above what can be provided in the toy aisles of your local department store. From Sideshow Collectibles to Anovos, large to life scale models and replicas are available to those who want the item(s) that connect closest to what they see on screen. Hasbro has been toying around with trying to create better collectibles and now they have launched an item that is above the level of their regular Black Series line.
Jabba's sail barge aka The Khetanna from Star Wars: Episode VI Return of the Jedi.
With their Star Wars: The Vintage Collection, Hasbro is trying to capture the feel of the original trilogy and provide dream sets that would not have been viable in the past. With their push for Jabba's Sail Barge, they are showing something that would connect with the nostalgia of fans who may have the funds to pursue this piece. Even though the ship is using 3.75 inch scale, it still comes out to be over four feet long. It's full approximate specifications are: Length: 49.35" , Width: 14.64", Height: 17.01", Weight: 13.89 lbs.
With these measurements and pricing, many collectors are already pushed away. Most collectors of most mediums are worried about two major issues: space and funds. Even for the collector with an ever growing account, being able to afford whatever their heart desires, they still have to worry about where to put it all. A barge that is four feet in length and over a foot wide takes up valuable space.
Why Should Collectors's Care?
Hasbro is testing the waters with this particular concept. Is having collectors pay ahead of receiving an item a new concept? No. Plenty of Asian based figure creators ( Three Zero, ThreeA, 1000Toys,etc,.) usually require collectors to pay months or even a year before receiving their prized figure. From previous experience with ThreeA, I have seen figures that go way beyond $500 and seen collectors pay it without a blink of an eye. Expenses are different from person to person but to the average consumer, $500 is still a hefty tag to pay.
With Hasbro introducing this method of funding to a broader audience and requiring so many patrons to participate, it shows a different level of gamble than going with a smaller company like the aforementioned toy manufactures. This seems to take less risk when you know that you have a build in group of consumers that are willing to put in $500 for the product and that they are locked in. Also, having a group of 5,000 collectors committed means that the R&D that goes into developing the Barge would not be a waste of time for only a small group of interested collectors. It guarantees them $2.5 million dollars for their efforts, which I doubt truly provides them with a large margin of profit but at least an effort worth pursuing.
As a collector,I'm interested, but I'm not sure if it would be something I can commit to at this time. For individuals who are interested in having scaled models that are a level beyond just a play set, it would be a great thing for this campaign to be successful. These models are not for children and for those who have clumsy fingers. It really is something for display purposes.
At the time of this posting, HasLab has accrued over 1050 backers with 43 days to go. Do I believe it will be a success? Yes. Historically, commissioned or small run pieces usually increase in value due to their lack of availability. Due to the scale of this project, a lot of good will and faith is being put into the hands of Hasbro. If they want this to be a project that finds success more than once, they will have to make sure that they knock it out of the park with this release. If they don't, this will be the last big scale HasLab project that fans will throw their hard earn dollars towards without reservation. If you want to see the full information about Jabba's Barge (The Khetanna) from HasLab, check out the following link: https://www.hasbrolab.com/
What are your thoughts? Do you think that Hasbro is onto something? Is it simply a waste of resources and funds? If you could get Hasbro to build your dream set, Star Wars or other properties, what would you want them to build?