HASBRO – FORCE FX LIGHTSABERS

As fans of Master Replicas line of products may know, Lucasfilm and MR have parted ways.  Master Replicas could not continue to offer their line of products with the licensing fees that Lucasfilm was asking of the company.  But fans of the Force FX line of electronic lightsabers need not worry!  Hasbro has picked up the Force FX banner and will be producing and offering Force FX lightsabers.

So what's changing?  Truthfully, not that much.  The design and construction of the lightsabers will be essentially unchanged.  Some of the Hasbro Star Wars team was very surprised at just how durable the lightsaber blades were, having given them a good bashing only for the sabers to keep on ticking.

The price?  It's going to remain the same.  Expect to see a suggested retail price of $119.99 per lightsaber.  While Hasbro may have increased production capabilities, they do not seem to be ready to offer the Force FX sabers at a lower price point.

Retailers and dealers?  Again, these will remain essentially unchanged.  The most highly visible and widespread outlets being Toys R Us and Radio Shack.  Smaller boutique dealers with an online presence or small store fronts that were carrying the line may well continue to do so.  Check with your local collectible shops for confirmation.

And last but certainly not least, product offerings.  We can expect the full range of previously released Master Replicas Force FX lightsabers to be reissued under the Hasbro banner.  But new offerings may not be immediately forthcoming.  Hasbro estimates that they will probably have a new lightsaber to offer by late 2008 or early 2009.  A Count Dooku Force FX lightsaber seems like a likely candidate, but Hasbro is remaining mum on the subject.

The Force FX Lightsabers were subtly displayed in the background in the Star Wars showroom during Toy Fair 2008. If you blinked, you might have missed them...