November 2009 - Every couple of weeks, Hasbro will answer three questions per web site about their Star Wars products. Here are the questions and answers for the latest round:
1. It was once stated in a Q&A session a few months back that the Build-A-Droid format would not be utilized once the remaining 2009/2010 figures are released. If that is the case, what will become of the droids that were designed for that format? The astromechs and protocol droids were great fillers, but unique characters, like HK-47 and the upcoming YHV-1 are uniquely different designs that have never before been released, and in the case of HK-47, have been very difficult to come by at retail. Will it be possible down the line to see these released as individual figures?
Answer: Right now, we don't have any plans to go back and re-release any of the Droid Factory build-able figures. The HK-47 tools are being re-used for HK-50 so you can still get another chance at an HK droid.
2. With the announcement that Star Tours at Disneyland getting a makeover in 2011, will we finally see non-droid Star Tours characters made? I'm talking about the flight crew (cast members), Teek or the Mon-Calamari flight controller? A full-sized Star Speeder 3000 that could double as a carrying case would be a welcome addition as well.
Answer: Yes, there will be some new non-Droid characters debuting in a special Star Tours themed set next year. Stay tuned for new of that right around Toy Fair time. As for a full-sized Star Speeder 3,000... not a chance that we'll do anything to interact with 3-3/4" figures.
3. Often, Hasbro's response to a question about a requested vehicle (like the Cloud Car) that "it is still readily available to fans on ebay" - however, looking at the improvements in paint and deco on any Hasbro re-release(as seen in the multiple releases of the TIE fighter) fans feel that any re-release would be an improvement on the original. Maybe you could explain to me the reasoning that Hasbro would prefer fans to buy from the secondary market rather than from your vendor partners?
Answer: Vehicles, just like characters, are not created equally. We cite the Cloud Car specifically as an example of a vehicle which is available on eBay for less than the cost if we created a new one and released it, for example, in the Starfighter Vehicle Assortment. We *do* know that there is an audience of fans who want to have a new-era (non-Vintage) Cloud Car in their collection, however based on demand it appears to be more of a niche audience. If/when we eventually do a Cloud Car, we need to be sure that the audience is big enough to justify the tooling investment.
