Cal Kestis (Jedi Survivor) - VC#265 (2024)

darth_sidious said:

Shame to see this one going on clearance, it was one of the better deals for the pricepoint, because of the pack-in droid. I wonder if sales just weren't significant because it was from a video game, or they were way overproduced? I hope the sales don't stop other figures from the game being made, as I'd just like to get a Merrin, if they release anything else. My collecting interest is drifting further from EU / gaming content, but that one would be an instant purchase.

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I wonder if some of these figures aren’t selling so well because there’s not a lot of other figures or vehicles to interact and world build with. We see it so many times where a figure or two goes on clearance and then a couple of years later Hasbro finally releases complimentary figures or a playset and then that figure that was on clearance is nowhere to be found and going for 5x or more on the secondary market. Of course Hasbro won’t rerelease the figure because he didn’t do well the first time around.

darth_sidious said:

Shame to see this one going on clearance, it was one of the better deals for the pricepoint, because of the pack-in droid. I wonder if sales just weren't significant because it was from a video game, or they were way overproduced? I hope the sales don't stop other figures from the game being made, as I'd just like to get a Merrin, if they release anything else. My collecting interest is drifting further from EU / gaming content, but that one would be an instant purchase.

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Bantha Rider said:

I wonder if some of these figures aren’t selling so well because there’s not a lot of other figures or vehicles to interact and world build with. We see it so many times where a figure or two goes on clearance and then a couple of years later Hasbro finally releases complimentary figures or a playset and then that figure that was on clearance is nowhere to be found and going for 5x or more on the secondary market. Of course Hasbro won’t rerelease the figure because he didn’t do well the first time around.

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It's something that I thought about, I mean fans were already pretty upset TVC didn't get FO version. Then outside of repaints of older figures there isn't really anything to interact with it, similar to the Hunter fiasco. As well as Andor and Vel. They do this quite often where one media will get built out with other characters while others only get one or two. I kind of get it for FO because of how Hasbro approaches media these days with a "wait and see" pattern, and the fact when FO came out TVC was basically just getting started. Plus there wasn't really a "villain" per say like there was for Survivor, so all they could do was release a few retooled troopers with the budget they had available.

Then along comes the sequel and there already a built-in hesitance because of the first letdown, and a general feel of why have this Cal if there's no Merrin once again or the others nor a bad guy. Add that with the fact that it probably is an instance of VG not being as important as on screen/canon characters are.

I do feel it's unfortunate because we didn't even get a DLX type of release like TBS did w/creatures and his Master's Saber etc. Nor are we likely to get any alternate outfits aside from the easy Imperial one. I hope that Hasbro will find a way to make Jaro Topal somehow with some Zeb reuse!
But I'm not exactly holding my breath on anything more. I also wonder if they'll even bother doing one for the third installment.

Masterfett said:

I actually thought bout how they could do a FO version and I think that Wandering Jedi OWK could be used as a base, just needs a head, new lower arms and lower legs. Tool up a poncho to hide the split belly.

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I made a custom using a Hoth Luke. It's not great, but the split torso works because he wears that harness the whole time.

Been thinking with the recent TBS Dagan Gear figure about what Hasbro might do for TVC, basic or a 2-pk. I think it's possible with reuse from Sol but after Cal being discounted, I'm not sure Hasbro wants to invest in that version again.

I also got to thinking that Hasbro missed a chance with TBS by not tooling an arm socket so that they could have included his Force arm. To which I hope they do it for TVC if ever released in that line. They could easily approach it like they did with Ponda's removable arm, just place the severe joint higher up closer to the shoulder.

Also, I think they could reuse most of Dagan for a Jedi Temple Guard.

Merrin would be my first pick from the first game and I'm sure leg reuse could be utilized from something but I feel the torso needs to be all new. Same probably for her look in Survivor though I'm not as fond of that look and fall below my want for three others.

R1G4R3PO said:

what about Dagan and 2nd sister? - she could maybe reuse/retool Reva parts

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While I'd certainly buy that, I'm not sure it lines up as a 2-pk net being from the same game. The past releases were themed to each other, so I don't see them breaking that format.

Masterfett said:

Merrin would be my first pick from the first game and I'm sure leg reuse could be utilized from something but I feel the torso needs to be all new. Same probably for her look in Survivor though I'm not as fond of that look and fall below my want for three others.

While I'd certainly buy that, I'm not sure it lines up as a 2-pk net being from the same game. The past releases were themed to each other, so I don't see them breaking that format.

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Yeah, my bad. I was thinking 2nd sister was also Jedi Survivor.

Yea, the only reason we'd likely see Dagan is because most of the tooling exists from Sol. If that wasn't the case, I really doubt it would happen at all.

RobakuBalbosha said:

Since in the game we do the Dagan fight with Bode, he'd make the most sense in 2 pack. But he's not the most popular character from the game. Even if he was the big bad in the end.

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These are two great points on why they should make him, when that reveal happens it kind of makes Dagan feel more like a "henchman" type of bad guy. lol
Due to his uniqueness I'm not sure they would invest in the tooling, and for the same reasons as to why no Merrin yet. Or any other of the characters, it's a niche game and there's not enough budget to go around unless/until the right reuse comes along.

Hitek_Lonoshcin said:

Force Unleashed was a niche game and look at all the wonderful figures we got from it. I miss those days.

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That was a very different Hasbro from the one we have today.

Rushie said:

The 30th anniversary line gave us things like Pre-Cyborg Grievous, Henchman Mchencherson (Hermi Odle), concept takes of the ANH cast and then some, a Mustafar Lava miner in the first wave. Giant accessories and good articulation got normalized where it made sense. At a third of todays prices and available everywhere... *sigh*

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The available everywhere part gets me the most. So many more people must have been buying these back then.

Also still amazing that the golden age of collecting happened after the prequels were done and is actually much more anchored around the run of The Clone Wars cartoon series. It’s so unexpected that would be the highest point of collecting. Roughly 2008 to 2012. 2006 to 2008 is also really good and kicks off that golden age.

I count the golden age as starting with CW03/VotC since they introduced the first of definitive super posable figures. It runs through till the end of TVC and TBS 4" coinciding with the Disney purchase

The First Age (Kenner) 1978-1985
The Dark Age (nothing) 1986-1994
The Rebirth Age (PotF2-Saga) 1995-2002
The Golden Age (CW-TBS) 2003-2012
The 5PoA Age (Mission Series-Solo) 2013-2018
The Collectors Age (TVC2) 2019-Now

Hitek_Lonoshcin said:

Force Unleashed was a niche game and look at all the wonderful figures we got from it. I miss those days.

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Oh man, that was probably as close to being in heaven as someone could get in terms of EUish figure offerings from a game! They've never produced as much before it nor after. Makes you wonder if they took a bath on TFU merchandise if they never repeated that formula, yet from what I remember everything offered was an exclusive of some type. And some of them harder to get than others, I count myself very lucky to have found the Shaak Ti wave! As well as the TRU 5-pks because their online presence back then wasn't what it was before the end and the closest store was over 100 miles away and they didn't hold things. lol

I truly miss TAC-TLC the most I think, while some neat gems did come out in previous lines it was few and far between and they were basic 5POA. At least we got a Kyle and Xizor update before the line went into cost saver mode because I have my doubts they'll revisit Dash.

Masterfett said:

Oh man, that was probably as close to being in heaven as someone could get in terms of EUish figure offerings from a game! They've never produced as much before it nor after. Makes you wonder if they took a bath on TFU merchandise if they never repeated that formula, yet from what I remember everything offered was an exclusive of some type. And some of them harder to get than others, I count myself very lucky to have found the Shaak Ti wave! As well as the TRU 5-pks because their online presence back then wasn't what it was before the end and the closest store was over 100 miles away and they didn't hold things. lol

I truly miss TAC-TLC the most I think, while some neat gems did come out in previous lines it was few and far between and they were basic 5POA. At least we got a Kyle and Xizor update before the line went into cost saver mode because I have my doubts they'll revisit Dash.

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It was similar in nature to the Shadows of the Empire releases, but better executed. In addition to the games, there was some Dark Horse Comics, the figures, Lego sets, and probably more that I didn't really pay attention to at the time. There wasn't anything else going on with Star Wars at the time (the first game came out a month before the Clone Wars movie) so it had the full efforts of the LFL marketing behind it. Since then, there has always been something else with Star Wars going on besides video games. I don't think they took a bath on it, I just think they haven't focused on video games in that same way since then. Also, none of the games since TFU have really garnered that much acclaim until the recent Jedi Survivor/Fallen Order games. I don't think Disney has the same appreciation for what a great game can be for the franchise the same way George Lucas did with his LucasArts company.

Rushie said:

I count the golden age as starting with CW03/VotC since they introduced the first of definitive super posable figures. It runs through till the end of TVC and TBS 4" coinciding with the Disney purchase

The First Age (Kenner) 1978-1985
The Dark Age (nothing) 1986-1994
The Rebirth Age (PotF2-Saga) 1995-2002
The Golden Age (CW-TBS) 2003-2012
The 5PoA Age (Mission Series-Solo) 2013-2018
The Collectors Age (TVC2) 2019-Now

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Might I suggest:
The Heroic Age
The Bronze Age Collapse
The Archaic Period
The Prequel Wilderness
The Golden Age
The Dark Ages
The Renaissance