The other day I was sent a series of images, dates, and information about some gorgeous collectibles that were coming in the Fall.
Two of the figures stood out to me not only for their sharp visuals but mainly for the price tag.
The Protoss Carrier from Dark Horse and Blizzard looks amazing but has a price of $299.99.
Another great looking item is the Wolf figure from Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice. The eye-popping price tag is $469.99 and caused me to think of an interesting point.
With the economic upheaval caused by the Pandemic ongoing how will gamers be able to justify higher-priced purchases? Simply; with new consoles coming from Sony and Microsoft it may be tough for some gamers to come up with the undetermined costs at launch.
In regards to the Wolf figure I joked to someone who commented how much they wanted to order it that they can select either that or a new console. They gave pause and then said I am right as a new console and figure may have a price over $1,000 and that is before any games or accessories are added.
While consumers always have choices I did wonder if releasing higher costs collectibles so close to the anticipated console launches would be a hard thing for consumers to absorb.
While the figures are ideal for collectors it is also clear that they are aimed at gamers as both are based on game franchises.
While I am certain that the majority of gamers will opt for a new console especially when Sony’s upcoming reveal will likely increase demand for that system as well.
It will be interesting to see how this plays out as people are likely to buy and take a worry about it later approach. Another option is to order the figures now and pay for them with the knowledge they will have four to five months most likely until the console of their choice will arrive.
But what would a gamer who wants to purchase both consoles have to do? I understand it is all about choice and that consumers are able to make their own decisions. However in a year with two consoles about to arrive and economic hardships abounding; this may not be the best market for a higher-priced item to be released.
I was informed of a Tron related figure that was to be a SDCC exclusive and was numbered at 3,000 units. This made sense to me as while it has a cheaper price it is also something that collectors will flock to and if SDCC was being held, would likely sell out on Preview Night and would then be offered online for a much higher price.
For me my priority will be getting a PS5 even though my PC is my gaming platform of choice. For me it is all about the exclusives on consoles but that is a discussion for another time.
I really enjoy the collectibles and in my work I am lucky to have had some great figures sent to me over the years. While amazing, most end up staying in their box or displayed in a case.
While they look great; I think I would rather have a console that would get several years of use and assist my work versus a collectible. I hope I am wrong about this as I would not like to see companies step back from higher end collectibles for gamers. But as I said; bad economy, new consoles, and a lack of conventions to see the items up close makes investing hundreds of dollars for a collectible a hard call for those who are not serious collectors.
