Wednesday, October 17, 2012

Bandai Talks Sigma, Legends D-Arts at NYCC


The latest Preorder66 podcast is out, and they had some time to chat it up with Bandai's Adam Nemwman at the 2012 New York Comic-Con. The Mega Man-related bits start at 18:50, but I've gone ahead and pulled those out for convenience sake:

  • Bandai still hasn't decided if they will release the Sigma mockup shown at the 2012 San Diego Comic-Con. They know people want to see it articulated, but right now they are looking at its mechanics and seeing if they can actually get it articulated.
  • Bandai thought there was a HUGE demand for Mega Man Legends D-Arts -- fans on Facebook specifically wanted Volnutt and Tron Bonne. However, the poll they're seeing at NYCC is in favor of Mega Man X products. That, unfortunately, tells Bandai they will have to delay a Legends line. Don't get them wrong; they want to do Legends, but feedback from customers is really going to be the driving force behind production (gee, that sounds so familiar!).
  •  On the upside, Mega Man D-Arts make up 80% of Tamashii's sales in the U.S alone. The numbers are stronger here than Japan, believe it or not!

Well here's hoping for the best. Banda/Bluefin/Tamashii are always looking out for feedback on their Facebook, so hop to it!

Thanks for the tip, Rick!

42 comments:

  1. Why doesn't mega man legends get any love? :(

    ReplyDelete
  2. A Very Disappointed CustomerOctober 17, 2012 at 8:16 AM

    Come on! That's not fair or intelligent at all. How can a poll of a small group of people who attended Comic Con give more insight than a poll on FB which can be answered by a lot more of their customers? Guess I'll never get my Legends D-Arts.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Dear Bandai:
    Sigma doesn't have to be articulated. I would very very gladly accept him as that lovely statue you have there.

    ReplyDelete
  4. legends is nowhere near as popular as legends fans seem to think. and if they're not all spamming votes and stuffing ballots it is pretty obvious, the general public doesn't give a fuck about legends.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Just as I thought. MegaMan X is way popular than Legends, so we have to wait a really long time for Legends D-Arts figures if the MMX populaity dues down.

    Also, there wasn't a mention of Star Force D-Arts in that article, so I'm guessing Bandai/Bluefin thinks Star Force is too unpopular to make D-Arts Action Figures...

    ReplyDelete
  6. Well, I personally don’t see the harm in just doing Trigger, especially since we got Classic Megaman in the face of a rivaling (Kotobukiya) release.

    And how many people play Tron in her mech in MvsC2/3? That would be a good next go-to.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Yeah, Legends wasn't nearly as successful as X, and the fanbase isn't nearly as big. I guess it can be hard to remember that if you're "too close" to the community.

    The common gamer will want MMX before Legends any day. I hope they get around to Legends eventually.

    ReplyDelete
  8. I photographed their Mega Man display, I bought their Mega Man figures, and I never found out where the hell their Mega Man poll was.

    ReplyDelete
  9. All the people on Facebook are just hipsters who want to seem rebellious and obscure by liking Legends.

    Where were these people when the devroom was active? Yeah.

    ReplyDelete
  10. It's a shame, but completely pretictable, really. I love Legends and a Trigger D-Arts would be like a dream come true, but let's face it: It's just not as popular as the X Series, and if you think it is, you're clearly in denial.

    ReplyDelete
  11. It's hard for X figures to NOT dominate the polls with that magnificent Sigma Statue as a possible figure.

    Also, you have to understand that legends was never as popular as X or Classic. I mean, it never even did well initially. Only over the years has it gotten a cult following, mostly surrounding the constant demand for a sequel to a cliffhanger.

    But Classic and X are and always have been far more mainstream. And Since bandai has been making X series figures, really good ones- People just want to see more of that. The want to see those items seen at the booths, like Sigma, or Black Zero, or Vile's Ride Armor.

    That said Im sure there will be a legends figure eventually. If they say that they WANT to make Legends figures, theres no doubt they will. We'll just have to wait a little till the X D-Arts hype dies down.

    PS: I aree with tabby- I would be more than happy to purchase Sigma as just a statue!

    ReplyDelete
  12. A Mildly Bored MarketerOctober 17, 2012 at 3:31 PM

    Hey "Disappointed Customer":

    There might be a "lot more" potential customer feedback on a Facebook poll, but a Facebook poll tells you nothing about just how high that "potential" really is.

    Meanwhile, you already know based on a NYCC survey that you're sampling people who are already spending and willing to spend money.

    When you ask people on the internet "hey are you interested in buying This Sweet Thing", you almost never get reliable feedback on the actual willingness to buy, only popularity of the item.

    ReplyDelete
  13. @AVDC: I say it's because THEY are considered more dedicated than simply liking on facebook. In addition, it indicates to them that those that went have MONEY, meaning they'll be more likely to BUY these figures. You can say you want it on facebook and be so poor you can't afford it.

    ReplyDelete
  14. "How can a poll of a small group of people who attended Comic Con give more insight than a poll on FB which can be answered by a lot more of their customers?"

    An online poll isn't really a good way to measure appeal since the niche group can spread it among themselves. A poll conducted in the field will yield much better results as you're getting general public opinion rather than the opinion of a fanbase. New York Comic Con isn't in anyway small either.

    ReplyDelete
  15. YES!!!
    First Finish the Megaman X series and classic series
    AND THEN they can do whatever they want with the D-Arts line with that spin-off called megaman legends XD

    (Sorry, not a fan of the legend series =P; Mega Man Classic, X series and Zero series only)

    ReplyDelete
  16. @MTM:

    No shit, the flashy and more action-based Megaman sub-series would be more popular than the niche adventure 3D Megaman sub-series. :/


    It's also funny how you mention Star Force only for the sake of doing a "Take That" at the person you obsess over.

    ReplyDelete
  17. Rad!!! ^_^
    More X Series Figures!
    Need Iris (X4 Design)!
    (Shadow Armor & Mavericks would just be nice hopeful bonuses.)

    ReplyDelete
  18. @October 17, 2012 9:05 AM Anon: Ballot-stuffing is cheating by submitting multiple votes. That's not what was going on there.

    And I agree with A Very Disappointed Customer in that this seems kinda arbitrary. :/

    ReplyDelete
  19. I think MML had enough love, care and attention, more than the MMX franchise at least..

    There were like hundreds of Volnutt's figures around, but almost none from X, and even more, Sigma was never portrayed properly in any way like X or Zero were (both BANDAI and D-Arts) =/

    I think it's about time Sigma gets at least 1 figure for a change :)!

    ReplyDelete
  20. ...Can most of the X fans here seriously not express their excitement for more X figures without taking cheap shots at Legends or its fans?

    For a second I thought the comments wouldn't turn into a mass of abuse.

    ReplyDelete
  21. @Radix:

    How is it arbitrary? A facebook poll tells them nothing, only how popular it is. it cannot tell them how maybe sales they will get.

    a Comicon poll however, is conducted in a field that is MUCH more likely to buy, since they are already spending money to go there in the first place. And I would say that Comicon is arguably a much greater sampling of people than a Facebook poll.

    ReplyDelete
  22. @Musashi the Master - I wouldn't hold your breath for Starforce figures. Capcom doesn't solely own the right to it. And Shop Pro (the people who seem to co-own the rights to it and EXE) seem VERY strict on the license.

    I mean, they wouldn't even let EXE or Star Force into the UDON tribute.

    ReplyDelete
  23. So...that means I'll be getting an Axl figure soon...right? Eventually? Maybe?

    ReplyDelete
  24. @Tabby

    I know, right? I liked Star Force as the next guy, but it's really not well loved by almost every MegaMan fan in this community, so that is why Classic, X, and Zero are the most popular in games, and action figures. I don't mean to bash Legends, BN and Star Force fans, but those three MM series either have licesning problems or are not well loved. So bascially, Classic, X and Zero are getting the attention since oh, I dunno, we grew up with those three Action series.

    ReplyDelete
  25. @The Cucuyo

    F*** Axl!!! He never existed apparently. Hes just a made up character by Capcom of trying to add hype to the series. It has always and always will be X and Zero. The two legendary reploids.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Uh, don't look now but they're all made up characters.

      I'd like to see a D-Arts Axl figure too. I'd rather have Sigma first, though. Sigma has never had a figure period, while the Jazwares Axl was pretty nice for a mass produced toy.

      Delete
  26. @Tabby: Who the hell is Shop Pro? I have never heard of them in my life and can't find them on google or wikipedia.

    ReplyDelete
  27. Above anon:

    ShoPro is an extension of Shogakukan-Shueisha Productions. They own the rights to the Rockman EXE/Ryusei shows and comics. Though Capcom own both brands, ShoPro has a large stake in both.

    ReplyDelete
  28. @Protodude: Thank you for answering my question, but I'd like to know how did they exactly end up in such a position that they ended up with that large of a stake that they have say over merchandising rights, or possibly even the games?

    ReplyDelete
  29. Above anon:

    Difficult to say, really. Both brands have their own respective products that belong to a number of different companies like Takara Tomy (produced the toys).

    I don't believe it was ever laid out in plain detail why so many hurdles exist. Just bear in mind those rights don't rest solely with Capcom. They've got the games. ShoPro has publications (magazines and comics), and Takara Tomy has the toys. Those are the big three.

    ReplyDelete
  30. Well, that's certainly a bummer, but as much as I love Legends I'm ok with the X series continuing to get love. I mean, I may say enough is enough once they drain the first four or so games of characters, but for now I'm holding out for a Storm Eagle D-Arts. :P

    Still, staunch supporter of Legends getting the D-Arts treatment eventually.

    ReplyDelete
  31. Whoop, yeah, ShoPro. Pardon my itchy 'p' finger there.

    If I ever get ahold of Matt, or Ash from UDON, on the TMMN podcast again maybe I'll poke a few questions on dealing with ShoPro during the Tribute licensing. It'd be interesting to know.

    ReplyDelete
  32. I really hope bandai decides to release the sigma and ride armor figures, it's about time they did another ride armor since the last ride armor bandai released was way back around 1996 for the mega armor series. I also hope they release x's armors from x2 and x3 as well as vile mk II from x3 and maybe some more bad guys as well.

    does anyone know if bandai will be releasing d arts figures of protoman and bass in the future?

    ReplyDelete
  33. I get that Bluefin wants to poll people who are actually spending money and not just venting on the internet. I can respect that.

    But here's the thing: Classic fans are attending the conventions for Archie's comic series, and X fans are attending the conventions for the toy line that Bluefin has already established. What reason does a Legends fan have to attend?

    Can you say "disenfranchised"?

    Intentional or not, I call hijinx. If you really want to sell a Legends product, you need to know who you're playing to. When your audience has had no commercially backed product of any significance available for over a decade, they're not going to show up at random conventions just to drool over what they wish was there. You need to bait them a little, give them some manner of prompting.

    ReplyDelete
  34. Sadly for Legends fans, the CC poll is probably more accurate of potential sales numbers. On an online poll people can get their friends and other people who would not necessarily buy the products to vote.

    Anyone in marketing knows what people SAY they will spend money on and what they ACTUALLY will spend money on are two very different things. To get the most accurate numbers, you poll people who have shown an interest by opting in. The fact that the people at CC have spent money going to the con and gone to the effort of approaching the booth and found and taken the poll means their input is more valuable. That's just the way it is.

    Especially since the segment of the fanbase that hasn't gotten over the Legends 3 cancellation is very loud and motivated. Any sniff of news or hint of a product/project that might somehow involve Legends gets pounced upon by the uber zealous when the general fanbase either never hears of it or couldn't care less.

    Don't get me wrong, I love Legends. I was planning on buying a 3DS just to play it. If it were reannounced, I'd buy it on launch day. I'd buy the figures too. But what the poll is telling everyone is more people would buy X figures. Is anyone really surprised?

    ReplyDelete
  35. There was a lot of talk of the 100,000 strong group ballot-stuffing the poll Bluefin had on Facebook a while back to make Volnutt the most requested figure... I think this just kinda proves those rumors. =\ Sucks for the Legends fans, I'm sure.

    MMX has always been the most popular of the franchises here in the west, so it makes sense that figures from that would be more requested.

    I'm sure they'll get to making some Legends figures eventually, just, not right now.

    ReplyDelete
  36. "But here's the thing: Classic fans are attending the conventions for Archie's comic series, and X fans are attending the conventions for the toy line that Bluefin has already established. What reason does a Legends fan have to attend?"

    This is really a poor excuse. Just because the Legends fans don't have a reason to go to Comic Con means this poll means nothing?

    People went to NYCC. Some of them happen to be Mega Man fans. A majority of them prefer X or Classic over Legends. The poll basically tells them that there's a much higher general interest for those two than a niche spin-off. The lack of a Legends fanbase has nothing to do with it. Actually, I take that back. It has everything to do with it. There just isn't enough demand for the figures outside easily manipulated internet polls.

    ReplyDelete
  37. @Wolfshadow: No, it doesn't. Read Hypershell's post.

    ReplyDelete
  38. @October 19, 2012 1:53 AM Anon: That's the basis upon which you're going to dismiss that argument?

    How the hell do you "prove" that there "isn't enough demand" for Legends when there is currently nothing new on the market for the Legends fans to get? What makes you assume that there were no voting shenanigans possibly going on with Sigma--or with ANY other choice on that poll?

    You know...part of the fanbase has just reached a new low that I didn't think they'd be petty enough to: dismissing an entire other part of the fanbase over a fucking poll.

    Did nobody think that maybe Bandai's polls have some goddamn safeguards against cheating?

    I didn't want to get so angry at a portion of the MM fanbase, but my God. Some of the crap you people are spewing makes it nearly-impossible for me to believe that it's not being typed by spoiled children.

    ReplyDelete
  39. @RADIX

    Dude, calm down. Legends never was popular to begin with back in the PS1 era, sure Legends 1 and 2 got good scores, but their sales were really low while Classic and X in the PS1 era were pretty damn popular with Classic and X fans. I happen to be an Classic and X fan myself and a bit of a Legends fan myself, but I too was upset by Legends 3's cancellation, but I soon got over it and wait for a new MegaMan game if Capcom does have any effort to make one that is.

    So you're taking your anger on some MM fans because of them saying Legends is not popular. God, man. Just get over the fact that Legends is not popular for Christ's sake.

    ReplyDelete
  40. I wouldn't say Legends wasn't popular back in the PSX era. It was popular enough to spawn a sequel a serialnd a spin off. It just wasn't as successful as the other series. If a company has the choice of spending $500,000 on a game that they project will make $250,000 in profit and one they expect to make $750,000 in profit, they would make money on either but guess which one they're going to spend the money on?

    ReplyDelete

Keep it friendly. Disparaging, belittling and derogatory comments are not permitted.