As a parent of a kid who is ravenous for all things Star Wars, I am privy to the inside perspective on what kids want and it isn't 5 POA. The low price point benefits the parents not the kids. The kids want super articulation. I can't tell you how many times my 10 year old teased me about the quality of figures that I grew up with. 5 POA is for parents who have a restricted budget, but still want to buy toys for their kids. It has nothing to do with kids not caring about articulation. That is not accurate information at all.
As far as children's drop in interest when it comes to the Star Wars line, I think that has more to do with Hasbro's character selection. As a parent I can tell you now that young kids don't want OTC characters. My kid isn't as interested in a Luke, Leia, Han and Chewbacca. He has even limited interest in the prequel characters. The majority of his interest falls in the Clone Wars line. Clone Wars is THIS generation of children's Star Wars, and yet Ahsoka figures were ALWAYS in short supply. The Star Wars line was doing wonderfully when the focus was on creating new product for Clone Wars. Kids were always in the toy aisles. Once Clone Wars was abandoned, sales tanked.
I'm sorry but Hasbro has to change with the times and stop promoting toys that would have sold well in the 70's or 80's. They also need to only release figures from the Prequel Trilogy in limited numbers. Those toys are for a generation that doesn't have the interest enough in toys to make the investment. Not unless they are collectors. ROTS came out 10 years ago. The kids who grew up with the prequels are in late adolescence or in their 20's. They aren't the toy buying demographic.
Clone Wars characters ALWAYS should have been the focus. At least until REBELS comes out next year. It is time to put the Prequels and OTC to rest. Kids don't care as much about these characters anymore. It isn't their Star Wars. If Hasbro wants to release action figures for the films that have been released so far, it needs to be in collector focused lines, not kid focused lines.
If I were Hasbro, I'd concentrate on figures for the Rebels TV show and on the new movies only, and put all OTC and PTC figures to rest when it comes to selling them in the big chain stores. Hasbro should start a collector's subscription line for OTC & PTC releases so collectors can fill in their Cantina diorama or Jabba Playset. Kids don't care about these films the way we do. It's not their Star Wars.
When you look at the releases on pegs right now, it's obvious adults are in charge of the releases and they are heavily biased by their own interpretation of what Star Wars is. Not even the grown up collectors want a 20th release of Luke or Han Solo as an action figure. Especially with 5 POA. Hasbro is out of touch. There is a reason 5 POA figures are already on clearance.
Ideally I'd go for Legacy/ ROTS articulation for all action figure lines, but no Vintage hip articulation unless it's a Jedi or a limber bounty hunter.
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