Rumor: Hasbro Chose Not To Create ‘Ahsoka’ Toys Due To Lack Of Demand
John F. Trent
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A new rumor claims that Hasbro, one of the largest toy companies in the world, chose not to create any toys based on the newly released Ahsoka series on Disney+ due to a lack of demand.
Ahsoka Tano (Rosario Dawson) in Lucasfilm’s STAR WARS: AHSOKA, exclusively on Disney+. ©2023 Lucasfilm Ltd. & TM. All Rights Reserved.
This rumor comes from YouTuber WDW Pro. He states, “What I’m told is that Hasbro essentially took a pass and Disney allowed them to take a pass. Now folks we’re in rumor and speculation territory. We’ve got two sources reporting this to us, but rumor and speculation territory; I cannot corroborate this.”
Nevertheless, he added, “Apparently, Hasbro was given the opportunity to do a wait and see model with Ahsoka and they are waiting and they are not seeing because I’m told you can pretty much count on nothing more coming out for the Christmas season.”
He also shared, “My understanding there are Black Series action figures for Ahsoka but they are in an extremely limited run. That’s what one of the sources is telling us: extremely limited, bare minimum run. And it is essentially to satisfy collectors, but there’s no demand in terms f the young demographic.”
Indeed there are numerous Black Series figures available to purchase on the Hasbro Pulse website including Sabine Wren, Hera Syndulla, Chopper, The Ghost, Marrok, Professor Huyang, Shin Hati, Baylan Skoll, Morgan Elsbeth, Chopper, and a Sabine Wren helmet.
Marrok, Professor Huyang, and Shin Hati as part of Hasbro’s Star Wars The Black Series
While WDW Pro notes this is indeed a rumor. He did share searches for some of the more prominent characters in the Disney+ Ahsoka series and there are not many toys on the Shop Hasbro website.
In fact, there is only one Ahsoka collectible from the series that is retailing for $29.99. It’s the Star Wars Galactic Action Ahsoka Tano.
Star Wars Galactic Action Ahsoka Tano (2023), Hasbro
Searches for other characters on the Shop Hasbro website do not populate any returns. The only return for Thrawn is a Star Wars: The Black Series Archive Grand Admiral Thrawn figure from Star Wars Rebels.
There are no returns for Sabine Wren, Ezra Bridger, Baylan Skoll, Shin Hati, Morgan Elsbeth, or Hera Syndulla.
Ahsoka Tano (Rosario Dawson) in Lucasfilm’s AHSOKA, exclusively on Disney+. ©2022 Lucasfilm Ltd. & TM. All Rights Reserved.
This latest rumor comes after a previous one from WDW Pro and his sources that alleged that Star Wars toy sales were down 65%.
Pro detailed in the middle of September, “According to the source, Disney has experienced a significant decrease in their retail space within the top non-close out retailers in the U.S. Now, this is not just Star Wars this is everything Disney. Losing nearly 40% of their retail. This decrease affects all sections except baby and preschool categories.”
He continued, “Disney expanded its retail space when it acquired Marvel and Star Wars due to the increased appeal to boys; however, the appeal to boys is largely gone and thus the retail has shrunk for Disney by 40%.”
Later in the video, WDW Pro states, “Today, Lucasfilm does not compare its performance to both the original trilogy and prequel eras citing the differences in times. In other words, Lucasfilm does not permit comps when it comes to the eras pre-Disney to now. Today, Disney would drool on the floor for prequel metrics. Prequel metrics, not original.”
“And how much are we in a difference right now? According to the source, although I cannot fully corroborate this, but according to the source, full priced sales for Star Wars today are down 65%,” WDW Pro asserted.
“Then the source says, ‘One final point that really shows just how poorly Disney has performed… the best year at Kenner for Star Wars merchandise sales back during the time of the original trilogy would easily, adjusted for inflation, outperform all the merchandise sales of the Disney Star Wars era every single year Disney has owned it combined.’ That coming from one of our highest placed sources,” he said.
Scene from Lucasfilm’s AHSOKA, exclusively on Disney+. ©2023 Lucasfilm Ltd. & TM. All Rights Reserved.
RELATED: Toy Executive Confirms Lack Of Demand For Disney’s Star Wars Sequel Trilogy Products
The idea that Star Wars merchandise sales are in decline should not surprise anyone given the current state of Star Wars under The Walt Disney Company. Back in 2020 Diamond Select Toys President Chuck Terceira made it abundantly clear that demand for Disney Star Wars sequel trilogy films was nearly nonexistent.
He told Rebel Scum, “I will say from what we have seen, the sales on the products from 7 & 8 were not too strong. I know those movies, as well as 9, have their fans and those fans might say GG just never did the right products or characters or formats, and they might be correct.”
He continued, “However, we can only go by what we know. For sure the door is not closed to the ST products and we ARE working on a couple pieces for The Rise of Skywalker right now.”
Rey (Daisy Ridley) accidentally shoots the wrong ship in Star Wars Episode IX: The Rise of Skywalker (2019), Lucasfilm
When questioned by Rebel Scum’s Chris Wyman about products he claimed were “very requested characters,” Terceira fired back, “As I mentioned before, we are working on some, but I have to ask..are you SURE there is lots of demand for these ‘very’ requested characters?”
“The overall demand for busts and SW products is not what it was 10 or even 5 years ago,” he asserted.
Adam Driver as Kylo Ren and Daisy Ridley as Rey in The Rise of Skywalker
Terceira would also claim this was an industry wide demand factor and not isolated to Gentle Giant, “It’s not just a GG issue either. The brand is VERY strong with The Mandalorian & The Clone Wars and more new content to come, but you all know what the production runs on collector products were in the past compared to now.”
“We would very much love to make more products from the new movie,” he said. “It’s not like we’re sitting behind our desk wringing our hands thinking how can we stick it to fans and not make busts they want that will make us money…right??”
He then declared, “We just, as of yet, have not seen enough fans that would want to buy a bust have that personal affection for some of those new characters that makes sense to justify going to production, but for sure we’re watching it and perhaps as more time passes, fans affection for those characters will grow.”
Keri Russell as Zorri Bliss and Oscar Isaac as Poe Dameron in The Rise of Skywalker (2019), Lucasfilm
Back in 2019, The Walt Disney Company actually admitted their Star Wars merchandise sales were in decline.
The company stated in their 2019 Q3 report, “The increase at our consumer products business was due to growth at our merchandise licensing and retail businesses. Growth at merchandise licensing was primarily due to higher revenue from merchandise based on Toy Story, partially offset by a decrease from Star Wars merchandise.”
And Star Wars merchandise sales had been in decline since 2016 with Jedi Temple Archive reporting in 2018, “tar Wars merchandise sales have been declining ever since October 2016 (remember that Disney’s fiscal year ends in September). But not only merchandise seems to be affected, since Star Wars book sales and comic book sales are also down. So Star Wars as a whole seems to be in decline at the moment.”
(L-R): Din Djarin (Pedro Pascal) and Grogu in Lucasfilm’s THE MANDALORIAN, season three, exclusively on Disney+. ©2023 Lucasfilm Ltd. & TM. All Rights Reserved.
It looks like Ahsoka will continue the downward trend that The Walt Disney Company has set Star Wars merchandise on with their atrocious handling of the Star Wars franchise.
What do you make of this new rumor that Hasbro is not creating toys based on the Ahsoka Disney+ series?
**Editor’s Note: This article was updated to include the screenshot of The Black Series figures on the Hasbro Pulse website.**
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