Following last week’s Hasbro Pulse Fanstream, the company has announced it will be cancelling future pre-orders for its Star Wars collectible lines.
Multiple new Star Wars collectibles for 2023 were revealed last week, with the first Hasbro Pulse Fanstream of the year showcasing upcoming Vintage, Retro and Black Series products. Whilst the line-up of new items looks set to please many fans of the franchise, the latest announcement from Hasbro may mean actually getting hold of them just got a lot more challenging.
The company has stated that none of the forthcoming products shown in the Fanstream will be available for pre-order, with the exception of the Black Series Phase II Clone Commander Jesse (a Walmart Collector Con exclusive). The surprising move by Hasbro may see fans scrabbling to pick up the items from standard retail stores as soon as they land on shelves or even paying inflated prices from third party sellers.
“Following the Star Wars Fanstream on Wednesday, we wanted to clarify the availability of the revealed items,” Hasbro announced. “We’ve heard your earlier feedback on the number of pre-orders, and we have decided to adjust the number of them in the new year. With the exception of the Star Wars: The Black Series Phase II Clone Commander Jesse, all of the items revealed on February 1 will not be going on pre-order. The products will be available on shelf and online during the scheduled dates.”
Some collectors may now find it slightly easier to get hold of Hasbro Star Wars products going forward, without the worry of missing out on pre-orders, but that’s assuming there are no potential stock issues. However, scalpers buying as many items as they can to resell at a later date could result in a lot of fans missing out on what they’re looking for. Only time will tell if Hasbro’s new strategy will prove to be the right move for the company and collectors alike.
Images: Hasbro