Kickstarter – Marauder Task Force “Gaming” Action Figures
When I wrote about the Four Horsemen’s Mythic Legions action figures — see “Why the Four Horsemen’s “Mythic Legions†Aren’t 6-Inches Tall” — I spent some time discussing how the toys could sell well on Kickstarter if there was a game connected with the line. Well, I still say that’s true, but now we get to see how 3.75-inch scale action figures offered as “gaming” figures — without an associated game — perform on their own: Marauder Task Force Gaming Figures.
Hasbro may be in the process of abandoning their G.I. Joe series, but it seems that others are ready to leap in and try to fill the expected void. With a goal of $30,000 the Marauder Kickstarter project still has a long way to go to success, but if they can reach the G.I. Joe fans in the audience they may just get lucky.
Check the project for the figures and all of the available accessories. I still don’t see the “game” side of the project, but the fact that they are offering these as “gaming” figures tells me that someone over there noticed how well miniatures games are performing on Kickstarter.
Related articles
- Spotted Online – Mythic Legions Commentary at ThEpic Review (battlegrip.com)
- New Marauder Gun Runners 3.75-Inch Scale Weapons (battlegrip.com)
man, reading this ‘gaming figure’ over and over makes me really mad!! it really sounds like fishing/luring/intending something where is not really something, why can’t they just call it by their name??? aaarghhh!!
I suspect that the “gaming figure” label might be a preemptive “cover-your-@$$” tactic to throw off Hasbro’s legal hounds. We’re talking about a Kickstarter project with the involvement of former Hasbro employees, after all, and while I don’t think there’s any evidence that they’ve used some sort of proprietary Hasbro techniques or technology in making these figures, it nevertheless helps to call it something besides “action figure.”
On the topic of the actual figures: These look amazing, and offer the features I’ve long been waiting to see from Hasbro or any other established toy manufacturer in this scale. Hopefully it succeeds enough that we’ll see more diverse body types and headsculpts in the future (maybe a smaller male body, a larger male body, and a female body).
here’s Marauder’s answer on fb:
“Hi! We call them “gaming figures” since there is not a toy category on the Kickstarter site. Also, the figures (and our stands) work with larger format games.”
Interesting. There are dozens of campaigns for non-gaming toys on Kickstarter, though (plush toys, collectible vinyl figures, the Four Horsemen’s Gothitropolis action figures, etc.). Makes me wonder what category those were placed in (games? art?).
Man, I’d love a game with rules specifically for 1:18th scale figures. I wish I knew someone that worked in that industry that could try to make that happen….
So seeing the project met its goal and is still collecting backers has me ask:
* Is it the “gaming” word in there, or is it the G.I. Joe-like connection and Hasbro’s recent announcements about their plans for the line that is driving business to the project?
Outside of a comprehensive backer survey, there’s probably no real way to tell if the “gaming” aspect of the campaign is what’s getting backers on board with their money.
Offhand though, I think the names behind the project are a big part of the appeal and backer confidence. Marauder GR (a.k.a. “Marauder John”) has been producing solid aftermarket parts and accessories for use with GI Joe and other 1:18 scale action figures for years, and he’s generally well-regarded in the (somewhat insular) GI Joe collecting and customization communities, so backers in-the-know are probably confident in Marauder GR’s ability to actually get product made to-spec and delivered on time.
In addition, the figures were designed in association with Boss Fight Studio, a collective composed largely of former Hasbro employees and freelancers who have worked as sculptors and designers on the GI Joe, Marvel Universe, Beyblade, Transformers, and Star Wars lines.
@Zed – Whatever happened this project is dramatically different from how their last was proceeding. The first one they ran went to the final day before meeting its goal: https://www.battlegrip.com/?p=43447
And I had even written about that project when it was looking like it would fail — https://www.battlegrip.com/?p=43282 — but this current one is doing great. Surprisingly great.
Should make the Boss Fight project that’s coming be really entertaining to watch.
@Philip: I guess you could say, as you suggested in the article, that the response to this current Kickstarter has been bolstered by the lack of new releases and major announcements from Hasbro regarding its 1:18 scale GI Joe line. There’s an opportunity here for third-party manufacturers and other smaller outfits to fill the sizeable void in the 1:18 scale military toy market left by Hasbro and either by luck or design, Marauder GR and Boss Fight are benefiting from it.
Not that Hasbro’s leaving the market, of course, but I think even the company’s staunchest fans will have to concede that Hasbro’s announced 1:18 scale GI Joe offerings, on the year of the brand’s 50th anniversary no less, are modest at best, underwhelmingly perfunctory at worst.