So a friend pointed out something obvious that I overlooked and didn't really get a chance to try to figure it out. Simply put, the observation is how the N-Strike Elite lineup has been released. We started off with the Rampage and Retaliator, two revamped N-Strike designs of the Raider and Recon. Then we had the flagship release of the Hailfire. The Stockade got a UK release too. Those were all released around the same time... all big blasters.
Now we've got news of the Firestrike, Strongarm, Triad, and a repainted Jolt. All small blasters suited well as a sidearm. While it's surely a good thing to have some balance of blasters to choose from (instead of only having larger blasters with the initial release), it just seems like it would've been better to space out the different blasters. Release the Retaliator and Hailfire alongside the Triad. Release the Rampage alongside the Firestrike. Have a mix of blasters so that way fans could've outfitted themselves with the whole lineup with each release instead of choosing which large blaster to get and then choosing which small one to get later once they came out.
It just seems odd to me. Maybe there's some marketing scheme that I've missed, but there's clearly a pattern here with this flurry of smaller blasters being released in the near future.
When you think about it this "odd release" makes sense it is a great marketing strategy so that you have to choose from three expensive blasters therefore making hasbro more money
ReplyDeleteHaving to choose from 3 blasters means you only buy one. Instead, if you spread out the release, you have more potential to make more money because they're more likely to buy the new one AND buy more later.
DeleteIt's a little off topic, but would it be possible to put Retaliator internals into a longstrike.
ReplyDeleteI would think if it would fit into anything it would be a recon, given the identical shells and all. But even then i dunno if any internal changes where made to the shells.
DeleteI'm gonna go out on a limb and say no, however. Makes no sense logically.
If you're clever enough, you can make any internals fit into any shell. The trick is how much modification and alteration is needed to make it work. Could you put the Retaliator guts in a Longstrike? Of course! It'll just take a bit of work and creativity. But that's the fun of modding!
DeleteWell I will try it and post my results.
DeleteHasbro is actually following the tried and true toy industry release schedules. They just call them a "Fall schedule" and a "late fall schedule". It's mostly in partnership with the big 3 retailers (walmart, target, and TRU)who dictate when they put stuff on the shelves. Fall schedule is designed to get toys onto the shelves by August (give or take a few weeks) and the late fall schedule is intended for a Black Friday arrival (give or take a few weeks). There is also a "Spring schedule" that is designed to get product on shelf by February. If these don't hit the shelves in the next few weeks, they are on a spring schedule.
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