Skylanders

[cawshis]

When you invoke the cawshis, you get the cawshis!

All that said, there are businesses that use the model you mention! High end designers routinely limit runs to create buzz around their clothing and accessories. That works really well as the prices are high enough to generate profits and the materials are readily available, so they don't have to worry about scale. I feel bad for the ops guys on this one. It hurts my capitalist heart to see a demand not being met!

These sky lander toys are cool. Penny arcade mentioned them way back. Totally a dadcore toy...pick it up for your young kid and you've got a game to play and toys to collect. It's brilliant!

[stormsweeper]

I think the PA mention is part of the reason they hit it so big.

[TanRu]

Is this quote accurate? (from the hacking page linked on the first page)

The game comes with 3 character figures and in order to get all of the special areas in the game you will need to buy at least 5 additional figures at $10 apiece. The game itself is $70, or $100 for the ‘Mega Pack’ which comes with 9 figures instead of 3 but still requires more figures to have one of each type. In order to access all the special areas of the game you need to spend at least $120 unless you get it on sale or rob children for their skylander action figures. While I love the uniqueness of the game and the extra level of interactivity that the portal and figures provide, I don’t have $120 to spend on a single game much less the $360 it would take to buy the game and every single character. With a sequel on the way that includes an updated portal with inductive charging capabilities and even more figures to collect, Skylanders is going to be a very expensive game.

[stormsweeper]

Yep.

http://www.penny-arcade.com/2011/10/17/skylanders

[flojin]

I read the article. This line cracked me up:

“Of course that’s all he wants for Valentine’s Day, Easter and everything. He asks all the time and we look constantly,” said Bertrand, adding that she’s on the Toys ‘R’ Us website three times a day checking to see if new stock of Skylanders has arrived.

To which my father would reply "How's it feel to want, kid? Get used to it." Yeesh.

Or as I say to Kazu, "Quit asking me for crap all the time. The next time I hear the word "skylander" from you, you're getting no tv and no games for a day.