The future of TMNT toys
 

Now that the TV show is arriving to the end, how do you think it will affect to the TMNT toy market?

Could this affect to the future of the NECA and Bandai lines?

What can we expect from Playmates or TMNT in general in the next toy fair?

Multitudes of Turtle Variants to try and milk whatever they can from the line, prototypes of figures that never see the light of day, Playmates still maintaining a perpetual stranglehold on the license, NECA releasing stuff that most people won't have access to (not a dig on them,I'm glad they're trying, they obviously care more about the brand than Playmates ever will).

It'll effect Playmates but seeing as neither Figuarts or NECA are releasing things that deal with the Nick cartoon they will continue as they are. Hopefully a few more upcoming releases in the Figuarts line, preferably based on the Fred Wolf series, though I'd be cool with 90 Movie figures as well. I also all expect NECA to release scaled down versions of their quarter scale figures as exclusives this year at one of the conventions.

Maybe a filler line with designs based off the comics until we get the inevitable reboot series, hopefully with good new ideas.

Everyone's already jumping the gun, nothing will change yet, Playmates still has a couple waves coming that they showed last year behind closed doors, like the Usagi line and that Bebop & Rocksteady whatever, that will run them for one more year at least, Tamashii Nations still have Shredder to release, and as long as the line sells as good as it's doing so far they showed interest in doing more lines like a 1990 movie's one, NECA still has some ideias that they haven't told anyone yet, and their first runs with the franchise where higly praised so they're not done with the franchise yet, bottom line is, it's stil early to be worried about the future.

For the high end lines nothing will change. Figuarts line is OT based and if it sells well I imagine we'll see Bebop and Rocksteady previewed before Shredder gets released. NECA will likely continue with convention exclusives as often as they can, OT repaints of their arcade figures & 7" versions of the movie Turtles seem like natural choices plus I know plenty of people want to see their Mirage figures continue. The 1/6 lines from Mondo (Mirage inspired) and Dream EX (OT inspired) will both continue as well. I'm not sure about ThreeZero's lines, the PD line must be over after the OOTS Turtles, the Eastman line will depend on sales I guess.

The only line depends on the Nick show is Playmates. We know they have at least 3-4 more waves of the new "Tales of the TMNT" branding and, whilst season 5 may be the last Nick managed to drag season 4 out across 3 calendar years so whilst I pray we get all of season 5 this year we could still be getting new episodes in 2018 or even 2019 if they really drag things out. Plenty of time for Playmates to keep pumping out Turtle variants along with 1 or 2 fan demanded characters every now and then.

Hopefully when a new series comes along Nick can renegotiate the licensing deal with Playmates so they don't have such a vice like grip on the franchise in figure scale. I have no problem with them doing the basic line but they've proven they have no interest in doing/can't handle a collectors line so let someone else do it!

Only Playmates is effected by the cartoons.

All the other companies making these collector figures and statues will most likely continue to do so.

The show and Playmates line may end, leaving this new generation of fans to move on to the next big thing. TMNT as a whole may fade in popularity for a few years. The collector lines will continue, but those are for us old guys and gals. There will be another show inevitably. I think TMNT is now ingrained into pop culture. It's too much of a cash cow to let it sit for long.

I don't follow the show, comics or toys. Is the comic anywhere near the end? It seems to have had a very nice run so far judging by issue count.

The cartoon's next season will be its last, but it had a pretty strong run. The comics are firing on all cylinders, showing no signs of slowing down (except in the reprint department). Not so sure about Playmates' sales but it's probably safe to say they've been waning over the last year or so.

Nickelodeon paid too much for the property to let it sit too long. Playmates has recently acquired new properties to use as filler until their next mediocre attempt at a line, and until then they will not loos n their grip on the franchise at all.

TMNT is literally IDW's best selling comic. The main series is going to reach 100 issues easily, and we're only on #65 right now. They even just launched a second TMNT ongoing for specials/mini's that take place alongside the main series.

I don't even know what I'd want out of a brand new series. They can't go dark because kids are the focus. I honestly don't even like the Nick version that much.

I guess if I had to request something, it would be a more grounded/gritty story. Kinda how Nolan rebooted batman to be somewhat possible.

Or throw a real curve ball and give Akira Toriyama the creative license!

I don't know. Hard question.

The movie is over. The show is almost over. Nobody knows if a 3rd film will come and if it does it will be awhile. The market is very much oversaturated in TMNT products right now. And we are all aging past that sweet nostalgia spot of ~30 years since franchise birth. In short...I predict the bubble is about to burst.

I believe the high end lines will complete with the turtles and announced figures but wouldn't be surprised if they end there (or go dormant). Highly doubt Mondo will do a lot more figures. Not only are figures not their wheelhouse but they so far have not overdone a franchise. Just can't imagine them dwelling on TMNT past *maybe* a Shredder..even Casey seems like a stretch but I'll allow for the possibility. Certainly no April or Foots.

Those of us trying to participate in all lines of interest are approaching a 2nd house/rent payment per month on TMNT. This was nice while it lasted, and fun, and perfectly timed and gratifying...but all good things come to an end. And our wallets will thank us for it.

Sorry, there's your cynic prediction...if I'm wrong I'm wrong!

Either way people don't realize how good we have it now. For a long time in the early and mid 2000's we had NOTHING outside of Playmates toys. When Neca first got the license and made the Mirage Turtles everyone was so shocked and happy because it was the very first time some other company was making high quality figures.

Nowadays we have so many different companies making high quality TMNT figures or statues that it's unbelieveable. Half the stuff we get today I never imagined we would get even just a few years ago. You guys should be happy you have so much to buy right now.

Frankly, in terms of playmates toys is concerned, I think we'll see tons and tons more turtles variants, and some odd ball characters that will be rare in the future. Similar to the Vintage and 2k3 lines before it.

Um... I know it is super likely but I don't remember anybody confirming that it's ending after season 5....

iirc Ciro said he'd like the show to be 5 seasons, but I don't think there's been any confirmation that the show is over after season 5. Then again I barely frequent Nick threads since people love to spoil episodes that hasn't aired in the US yet.

Yeah the show ending is news to me also....

The only things that I expect to maintain some momentum is the NECA Exclusives, because that's one company that really seems passionate about the series and they want to maintain validity as they hope that eventually they can gets figures back on the shelf.

Also likely the Figuarts line, at least for a few more releases, I doubt it would ever reach the depths of its Dragonball line (though that would be amazing, because I want my Neutrinos dang gummit, and I'd buy everyone of them), but I expect them to at least check off the main characters of Shredder, Bebop and Rocksteady, Krang (preferably in a walker not the android though both would be great), Splinter, Foot Soldier and April, if nothing else, basically the original 10 figures from the very first wave in 88, with the addition of Krang.

^^^ Agree with all that, Huzzah. NECA's slow leak via exclusives is likely to continue. I wouldn't hold breath for anything in their quarter scale 1990 movie line beyond the 4 turtles. Could see Figuarts as the one "high/medium end" to continue a bit longer...but...they're probably just in it to ride the wave out.

Everyone's gonna hit the same problem as Playmates has always had: beyond the bros everything's a unique sculpt (if shortcuts are taken, we will whine and boycott like all faithful fanboys and inadvertently accelerate the demise), and I'm not sure this subculture is quite big enough to support a parade of unique sculpts on 2nd tier (or even 1st tier) characters. Same problem Playmates has that leads to the rinse & repeat turtles syndrome, maybe once we see others fall into that same rut there will be more empathy for Playmates.

I think at the premium price with decent sales numbers will allow some of these companies, especially the import companies to allow a bit more play room in the unique sculpts, with a staggered release. Though the larger or more unique sculpts would also see a markup which will frazzle some people. "How come I paid only 50 for this 6 inch figure, and now they expect me to pay 70 for this 8 inch figure in the same scale,? Boycotting!"

Regardless, if sales stay consistent despite fluctuations in price and scales depending on the character, some of the companies like a Figuarts may still dabble in their character selection, to provide a decent, if not all inclusive line (I mean come on Punk Frogs, they'd share a sculpt along four characters).

I don't agree with any of this.

Punk Frogs...that would be awesome to see happen but I would be in disbelief if they sold well or if they would even gamble on it. I'd buy them though.

If you are correct, then we both win.

Yeah I remember him saying he had plans for stories through season 5, but there's always a small chance it could get renewed again. Just because the series was renewed earlier in previous years and not yet at this point doesn't mean anything... I've seen shows get closer to the wire than this and still get renewed. We still have a whole season in front of us and who knows if anything's coming after it at this point. We might get a season or two more, they might do a revamp like Fast Forward, we might get a soft reboot, a spin-off, that rumored Turtles Forever 2-like thing (wasn't that supposed to be 2018?)... or just nothing for a while until the next incarnation.

What little credibility the internet has left is destroyed by the likes of half or un-truths like pretending something is confirmed when it isn't.

The future: Can I start with the notion that I think that I got more TMNT figures in 2016 than in any other year. And more variety, from a range if companies. Also there was a lot of diversity in product.

So, I think that we will see a bumper 2017, full of product. All the lines started in 2016 will continue and develop more figures than have been advertised so far. Playmates will push dozens of basic figures alone.

Personally - I'm looking forward to see what DreamEx will present. And unlike anyone else, they did not start with the Turtles - rather, a lesser character. So I am confident that these guys will keep rolling out quality figures.

I won't go into the different companies, but I can't see them stopping at the Turtles themselves. Look at the mega bloks range and How that's evolved.

I think the future is good for the Turtles toys.

My intention was not to discuss if the series are going to finish or not, just want to talk about toys and what can we expect in the near future.

In my opinion this last year was very poor in general, just NECA and Bandai are the exceptions. Since 2011 everything has gone very, very fast with the turtles, new comics, serie, toys, we got everything quickly, but I think this is changing. Some brands has left the turtles, lot of delays and other signs.

There is just one month to the NYTF and I hope to see great things and keep enjoying the turtles as a collector, but there is the possibility to be disappointed with the reveals, but this is just speculation.

2011 was a little over 5 years ago. I know time moves quicker as an adult, but 5 years is a long time.

By contrast the 2k3 stuff was drying up already by 2008, only 5 years after 2003. Then 2009 was a last hurrah wave of 25th anniversary figures and that was it.

If I ever get the time I would like to count the number of turtle varieties released and the number of unique non bros released in the vintage line from 1988-1997. Then count up the Turtles released and unique non main four so far from 2012-2016 and compare numbers.

Non turtle variants only get a one count though, like napoleon bonafrog counts once although two different color peace signs.

When the current line is all said and done it will be interesting to see the numbers of what was actually produced compared with the vintage line.


Edit: Quick numbers could be off so take with grain of salt as they say.

But I could guess that 2017 will produce 16 Turtle variants and 9 Unique Non main four figs.

2012
Turtles (main four) variants
12
Unique Non main four figs
9

2013
Turtles (main four) variants
20
Unique Non main four figs
8

2014
Turtles (main four) variants
10
Unique Non main four figs
10

2015
Turtles (main four) variants
23
Unique Non main four figs
12

2016
Turtles (main four) variants
19
Unique Non main four figs
9

*Not counting movie related figs, half shell heroes, Mutations line, classic collection, giant size, or figs not packaged with standard card/bubble. Did count deluxe figs w/vehicles such as Casey & Slamboni.
Used tmntman's website.

I think with all the companies creating product that momentum will carry into the 35th anniversary. And now to speculate because that's fun to do, perhaps a fading of Turtle Mania into the early 2020s. Then coming back strong by the 40th anniversary:lol:. At least as far as mainstream is concerned.

As for the show ending after season 5, seeing as a season 6 was never ordered and season 4 has been going over 15 months for 20 episodes to air I think it will be best to end it soon. The long hiatus' between episodes really kills the momentum of the show.

As for Playmates after that I think they should go back and do some figures that they never did when it was relevant and they will do some uninspired turtle variants. If they aren't going off the show anymore maybe they can do some new characters like the vintage line did that had no ties other media but their creativity isn't what it was back then.

For the higher end figure companies it would be interesting to see them take a chance on the supporting characters. It would be great to see which company would be the first to tackle something like a high end Triceraton figure for example.

The days of Playmates being original are long past, they're not making figures that aren't promoted on the show, they sure as heck aren't going to be making new characters with no show to promote them.

Playmates toyline always ends once the shows do. They won't keep making figures after the show is off the air.

That isn't true at all.
Playmates was releasing re-releases far after the old toon ended and before the Next Mutation started.

I could be wrong, it happens a lot actually. But I thought some figures like the stretch turtles and master mutants got released between shows also Dino turtle I think. I could see Playmates doing a little something more with the Classic Collection after the Nick show ends. But yeah I agree they wouldn't be producing figures for the Nick show when no show was being made.

I just hope Playmates loses the TMNT license once and for all. It's waay past time a competent toy company got the license.

What I meant was they moved on to Next Mutation. The last OT toys in 1996 were those Dino Turtles, then they re-released their old '88-'89 toy catalog for "one last hurrah" and then moved onto The Next Mutation figures.

Hence why we never got any toys based on any of the final season characters like Lord Dregg or Carter or whatever.

Playmates have no interest in the Classics line, they've made that clear many times. That line is beyond dead.

I don't think Playmates should lose the licence entirely as there is a history there and their market is affordable toys aimed at kids. I do think the terms of their licence need to be revised to not have a strangle hold on the market. Having higher end collectibles sold in retail stores would be great.

I have bought a bunch of nick turtles stuff and none of it was for me and if i didnt have kids I don't think I would buy the line. I am glad my kids have their own line of tmnt to be excited about like I did when I was a kid though.

I started buying the 2003 stuff when it came out but the poor distribution here killed that line for me and now that seems to be happening in Canada with the nick line so if it ended soon it wouldnt be a big loss.

Which was dumb but they skipped over so many toon related characters.
They really didn't make toys based on the show until Next Mutation but nothing on the scale of 2k3.
I mean there was a few things here and there but not like 2k3 and this new show.

So long as somebody makes a Shinigami figure, I'm fine with the Playmates line slowly choking to death on old movie figures and bro variants. She was criminally unused, but as a toy the design has so much potential.

I could see her getting a Megabloks or Minimates (are those still a thing?) figure if nothing else.