But here is the question... if the 25th anniversary figures do really really well, and Hasbro decides to put 3.75" Joes back out again, will they all be this new 25th anniv. style, or will they go back to the cheaper new sculpt (2002) style?

I know a lot of people are bashing these new 25th anniv. figure sculpts. I personally like them, and think it is a great direction to be going in. Things change and you can't expect the toys from 1982 to do well at retail right now, sure I'd buy them, but I am in my mid 30's, I have three son's right now, and I can tell you for a fact, it my two oldest sons had a choice to buy 3.75" or Sigma-6 Joes, they'd buy the Sigma-6 Joes, things are just different and the kids now are used to a different type of toy.

I have been in Walmart a couple times the last few weeks and have seen young boys with their Mom's or Dad's asking for Sigma-6 stuff. One kid was looking at Snake Eyes and saying something like "Wow, look at the cool Dog he has! I want it!" I honestly think (from my experience as being a parent of kids who are into toys right now), that if the 25th Anniv. figures were on the shelf next to Sigma-6, they would buy Sigma-6... UNLESS either the packages are kick @$$ and draw their attention, OR the price point is worked in such a way that the kid would want them over Sigma-6 (which means the kids would have to be 9+ years old or so to be able to do the math in their head), but if the price point is $10 for a 3.75" figure and only a couple of dollars more for a big Sigma-6 guy, then I can't see a kid wanting the 3.75" figure...

As for the 2.5" line, my oldest son like the vehicles, but hates the little 2.5" guys, in fact, the only sets he has wanted were the sets with vehicles, because the non-articulated figures just don't cut it for the kids. My Wal-Mart has all their 2.5" stuff on the clearance Isle, while they are constantly restocking the 8" line.

What price point would make kids want the 25th anniv. Joes? I'd say less than $7 per figure, or priced in such a way that they could get 2 figures for the same price as 1 Sigma-6 figure. Also parents would be more likely to buy them if the price point was setup that way to.

In either case, the person that was thinking about Wal-Mart earlier (can't remember who wrote that message now - sorry) was correct, Wal-Mart would once again be competing against itself and I think that both the 25th Anniv. line and the Sigma-6 line would suffer there if that was the case.

I personally can not wait for the 25th Anniv. Joes to come out, I will certainly buy a full set for myself, and if they are single carded I'll buy probably a few of the Cobra Soldiers... if they are multi-packs or 5-packs, I won't be buying multiples to get the Soldiers... but I will be buying 1 full set either way... As for kids, my personal experience says that they won't be into them as much as they are the Sigma-6 stuff (the cartoon helps with that too).

--== Paragon ==--