Can a Build a Figure be even bigger if stretched over a full year of figures?

Scott Toy Guru Neitlich from Spector Creative looks into the origins and limits of the Build a Figure pack in, giving the industry reasons for limitations to this cool concept.

[onepouchman]

Everybody seems to forget the Hasbro six inch Hulk line that had Fin Fang Foom divided in between two waves which took almost a year to complete. One of the biggest build-a-figures they have ever released.

[Storms]

The one that'll always drive me mad is Final Fantasy VIII Ragnarok. You buy the Guardian Forces, then discover that for the Japanese versions they came with pieces of the ship, so you have to re-buy all the Guardian Forces. Then you find out that late in the series they released Japanese surplus Final Fantasy VIII merch in the US after you've spent boatloads on imports.

[albertorodrigomolinasortiz]

Transformers Cyberverse released a BAF when they made a line of Deluxe-class figures for the line (more or less legends or black series price point). The figure was spread in eight parts in three or four waves, and ended up smaller than the figures it came with, and with simple design (no transformation, ball joints only).
In the toyline for the upcoming cartoon they seem to go even smaller, with the BAF being a human character in three parts.

[FloodBurger]

Remembering how many unique sculpts and paint jobs there were for toy biz back in the early 2000s from Lord of the Rings and Marvel Legends- I can’t fathom the unpaid tooling bill. While we collectors basked in articulated fingers and detailed armor on elves, something unusual was happening behind the scenes.

[juliamenezes]

I have a few kits from Monster High that are sold as add on fashion packs that include characters who arent featured in the cartoon episodes like Harpy its got two legs with 3 toes and two arms with a wing attached along the fore arm these pieces snap into the upper joints of the limbs because the dolls can have hands removed so putting clothes on them is easier the fingers are very soft so it bends. Other fashion packs have a mask and an outfit these are good for hobbiest who want to get into making custom dolls im figuring out a method to turn these into another separate character. So buying the body parts is similar to this build a character offer in the packaging but now theyre not getting made in the factory anymore so its limited resources, a miniature dress mannequin is a good torso but youd have to craft the limbs and head with rooted hair.

[andrewgrant]

Another great video sir- thanks for putting it out! I have to wonder if there's a connection to the promo points (proof of purchase) deal where you had to buy 3-4 (etc) & send them away to get a free item. So many toys used to have them GI Joe, Star Wars, MLP, Transformers, TMNT, & so on. That seemed to stop around the time of the internet exclusive & the Build a Figure concept. My only issue w/ BAF was I either never liked/ wanted all the toys in the line or the BAF itself. It would've been nice to have an alternative way to get the extra part.

[DegeneragentX]

So tell us more about Toy Biz not paying their tooling bill.

[Beedo_Sookcool]

NIfty video! Thank you! If there's one thing that will STOP me buying figures, it's packing all the parts in with a bunch of figures I don't want. Just release the Sauron or Mojo as a deluxe figure, already, and I'll happily pay a little extra . . . .

[robd]

Wow...at 2:14...a Shield Hellicarrier is Great idea to have them release!

[nbriez-c]

Its so weird that you have a video for this today cause last weekend ny friend was wondering why its not like this

[jamesduffy]

This reminds me of the 2009 Star Trek movie figures. Wave 2 never arrived due to poor toy sales, so dreams of completing the Enterprise bridge were crushed.

[rolandkatsuragi]

2:00 Hasbro's short lived modular action figure line, Xevoz is another good example.

[paulfrench]

Hero Mashers were interesting. They included bonus pieces for figures I don't believe they ever intended to complete. I'm pretty sure the only bonus pieces were heads and hands, never torsos or legs.

[jacobfoster]

Man I MISS Marvel Universe !!! 3/1/4 figures would look AMAZING with the Hazlab's Galacticus.

[d.r.ch.m.]

I love what McFarlane is doing with the BAFs.

[douglasnieblas]

The Build-A-Figure concept was ingenious because it forced you to buy the whole wave to finish the BAF. Otherwise kids would only buy the characters they liked and leave the others as peg warmers.

[nealwestmoreland]

Have you done an in depth video about the fall of Toybiz?If not it sounds like a fascinating video for the future.

[AutobotWonko]

I still want to know how Toy Biz got by not paying their tooling bill for so long. That seems like a good video subject.

[Jake_E]

Mcfarlane kind of figured out how to do a year long BAF with its retail exclusives. It’s still a smaller set number of figure planned out in advance, but then released as a retailer exclusive as 1 figure per quarter and a BAF which basically gets that retailer a 5th exclusive figure. They did it last year with their Batman Beyond figures and this year that BAF is Starro.

[PurplePaddy]

2:56 I had that captain American mech figure and it came with a tiny cap inside it that thing was awesome I wanted the hulk one, the Wolverine one looked sick too and I think Spider-Man had one…those figures people tell me never got released but by god I had that captain American mech probably have bits of that shield kicking around thing was crazy, they are mega morphs lol what a throw back big figures