darkSpyro

Its been weeks since anything new has shown up ANYWHERE. This is NO evidence of LC Pop Fizz or LC Chill coming out any time soon (having TRU place a spot with release date in DECEMBER, does not make it OUT). Polar Whirlwind and Scarlet Ninjini are having fun abroad. Even Legendary LC Chill has not even made a re-appearance at TRU where no more than 1 Ninjini per box is arriving and don't get me started on MHG which is MIA in VA.

I've decided to stop looking for anything new until next month when the final stuff "could" be coming out though I see it more closer to May.

Activision has taken the release of the toys much like their release dates for DLC on Call of Duty games but unlike those the toys have no fixed release dates.

Activision, I believe, is trying to unload their remaining inventory before releasing anything new which bodes very bad for both them and us. Unless you are a toy collector, the average user has finished the game and will have no interest in buying "DLC" for a almost year old game.

If anyone has hard evidence of anything new which CAN BE BOUGHT NOW at a storeor site (not pre-order), please let me know.

BTW: TRU and Best Buy have a preorders offer for Disney Infinity inwhich you buy the starter kit and get a free single character savings of $12.99. Also TRU only requires $1 to preorder, Best Buy the whole amount.

Well, to be honest - at this time last year we had not even gotten Wave 4 yet. The TRU event that released Rod and Zook was on 3/21 and Dragon's Peak on 3/24. Then we had to wait until mid April before we got the last three (Camo and Warnado first, Wham a couple weeks later).

I think it is a fairly good speculation that they are indeed releasing stock based on retailer orders. Wave 3 Giants moved like crazy with Thumpback and Eye Brawl taking up 2/3rds of a case, and the other two being Giants that were still somewhat uncommon. That pushed up the need for Wave 4, which 5/6ths of the box are still highly sought figures. And now Wave 5 Giant cases are showing up at TRU (nothing new, just a new assortment).

Singles are a bit slower, mainly because it is all reposes and previously released figures. But they still move well.

Lightcores, on the other hand, seem to be languishing. They have added two new labels trying to express why they cost $2 more. But, as a parent, I can understand why some are reluctant to pay more for a figure when little Johnny would be perfectly happy with a normal one. After all, the light is a novelty, and if the store doesn't have a portal display, you can't see the difference. Lightcores interest collectors more than anything. Legendary Chill has the advantage of being a Legendary figure, but the rest have non-Lightcore versions that have been out for some time.

If you are a retailer, you place orders for the things that sell out. It seems TFB over-estimated the desire for the more collector friendly Lightcores. Giants sell really well, so you order more. Singles move so you restock those. Lightcores? Well TFB doesn't want to rush out a new Wave until the previous one sells most of the way through, because once the new ones are out, who wants the old ones? And I have a feeling the Wave 4 cases have 4-8 previously released figures that already aren't selling. If the last three Lightcores aren't in the same Wave it might be Summer before we get them all.

In the end, it probably would have been a better idea to get the Lightcores out early, preferably before Series 2 versions of them. And it doesn't help that some of the Lightcores have really underwhelming effects (Eruptor and Drobot I'm looking at you). I think it is very telling that for Swap Force they have 16 Swappers, 16 newlanders, 16 reposes and 8 Lightcores. Similar count to last time, but I'm sure they would have gone up to 16 if they sold well.

They could just be doing something like last wave where they come out later. It's the most reasonable. The giants didn't even come out till a month later. And the evidence is that their packaging has been revealed that means they are coming out.

I would have to agree with remotely what you are saying, as if you are in the states most areas that aren't the west coast take longer to get things and in better quantity. Ninjini for instance here on the east coast simply takes that time and doesn't have as many come per box. Giants do sell big but they're starting to slow a little. In that, wave 4 as you said does come with many characters others already have and the LCs I think should have had the missing characters placed on them, would have been a better marketing ploy to use those like camo in series 2 and many probably like myself even if something is series 2 are not going to just buy the same figure even with different powers. The local target here on the 17th had a box of jade flashwings, 10 in its box. I had to ask them when i got there first thing to get it from the back because those there didn't know on the release date. This might also be the reason why they spaced out its release to then to get others to buy what else was in stock at this time. Though I was able to get one free for the b2g1 deal that day. The 18th they only got in 1 spyro and 1 wrecking ball. I was fortunate of the person for electronics to hold that one for me and i found the wb when i got there on another shelf.

I think we will see the other two variants but again it'll be along the lines of mid april to may when they emerge. Exclusivity deals and the slow but steady flow of wave 4 is what will lead to that. Unlike other parts of the world as it was probably easier to get the exclusive nature out of the way which is why the netherlands and other foreign areas simply got them first, and a month later than their releases we started to see what they got. So again we'll see them approximately see them within that window for the remaining two to finish out wave 5 since most of that wave is the remaining figures and most are previously released ones either series 2 of them or LCs. I don't recall other than the 2 LCs on what else there is to release and the 2 left over variants.

Also from what you said, I seriously doubt they will make as much on swap force simply from there being some competition that will lead something different, but also the fact of how much they have tapped from people within a 2 years time. I probably share the same sentiment on some that giants will probably be the exit on collecting them for the most part, as if I ever do get swap force it'll be only for deals on ones I like and for the game itself. For example for giants I wouldn't bother collecting lightcore chill now because i got the TRU variant. I got granite crusher on its release and legendary bouncer, and returning both regulars of those giants and never rebuying them. Target does have all giants games on sale for 39.99 this week too for those that haven't got it yet and thats for the starter pack with all 3 characters along with their sale.

Adding to the LightCore woes is the fact that, for serious gamers, the lack of a Wow Pow makes them functionally inferior to the plain versions. Therefore, the people who actually understand what each toy does (more than likely, the people who can afford the extra $2 and wouldn't care) have no reason to purchase them either. It's just an idea that alienates every market. The kids who love the lights have issues fronting the extra two bucks, and the teens and adults who understand the nuances of the game prefer the plain S2 figures for Wow Pows.

Maybe they are holding Wave 4 Lightcores back to ship alongside Wave 5, that way you don't have Wave 4 back stock preventing Wave 5 from coming out. Stores are going to keep ordering stock if it isn't moving. At this point, everything most kids are interested in is out, interest levels are going to start dropping off now. The collectors still have some things left to get, but we aren't the big majority.

I'm surprised, last year they held arguably the most wanted figure until the very end. This year all of the new, most desired stuff (for the kids) was out when Ninjini hit. Back in October, I was sure we wouldn't be seeing Hot Dog or Thumpback until April and all the "filler" would be hitting shelves earlier.

Yes, S2 Drobot as the final figure? Talk about going out with a whimper.

My Best Buy had the newest figures in. On a new display advertising the free lunch box, there was a single Shroom Boom. I looked through him and a few other re releases (single pack Trigger Happy, Gill Grunt, Fright Rider) and found Spyro hidden behind them! He was the last one so of course I grabbed him. I'm so glad I got him!

^ Yup--I found a WB/Spyro pair in the very same display. Pays to look!

If they want to move stuff---fill it with SSA Boomer, Darklight Crypt and S2 Slam Bam

What they really need to do (and what I told a Target employee today) is find out what each area has less of and what the area wants, have the stores with inventory that isn't moving go to the areas those specific items are needed, and they'll sell better. It's really rather logical if you think about it. They could also try to make the website a hub for getting specific figures that they know aren't selling in their specific storefronts and have the buyer pay for shipping. They could make a mint this way and get their inventory moving faster. But it only really works if they change the system to have the numbers to identify figs actually individual instead of a blanket number for all.

Quote: Tashiji

Yes, S2 Drobot as the final figure? Talk about going out with a whimper.

Speak for yourself... Now that I have Scarlet and Disco heading over, besides S2 Spyro who will come out on the 28th[give up to a week], S2 Drobot is the last figure that I want to keep.

Quote:

GamingMaster_76
Speak for yourself... Now that I have Scarlet and Disco heading over, besides S2 Spyro who will come out on the 28th[give up to a week], S2 Drobot is the last figure that I want to keep.

What do you mean by Disco?

^ I'm thinking Wrecking Ball...referencing his Soul Gem...

Oh, I want S2 Drobot about as much as I've wanted any figure to date, and personally see him as a fine nail in the coffin of my Giants collection. But, I'm just saying, he's no Wham-Shell. Whammy was a new figure with staggering demand that Activision wasn't ever able to fully meet, even by the time Giants released. Drobot... well, let's just say I'm sure I'll be able to add him to the old collection on the first day he's out and without much trouble.

TRU had a bunch of legendary lightcore chills today, which is a shipment day, so they should be having their resurgence atm.

Quote: icecube7731

TRU had a bunch of legendary lightcore chills today, which is a shipment day, so they should be having their resurgence atm.

Yeah but since those are a TRU exclusive, they'll be pushing those for awhile regardless of what else they have in stock. Do they have those in a case to themselves or in a group with other figs?

With other figures.

Interesting. So it's not like how they did Legendary Trigger Happy...