Hasbro

Hasbro, the toy manufacturing giant, acquired the Kenner company in the early years of the 1990s. They are the current holders of the master license from Lucasfilm Ltd., granting them the exclusive right to produce all toys under the Star Wars banner. Among their offerings, Hasbro creates action figures alongside a diverse range of other Star Wars-themed toys and games, notably including Galactic Heroes, Star Wars Transformers, the Titanium Series, and even Star Wars-inspired versions of the classic board game Monopoly.

Basic action figure line

The 3¾-inch "basic" action figure line stands as Hasbro's most recognized offering for the Star Wars franchise. The noted 3¾-inch measurement signifies the approximate height of a typical adult male human character within the Star Wars universe, translating to a 1:18 scale. To maintain accurate representations, characters are scaled appropriately; diminutive characters like Jedi Master Yoda or an Astromech droid, and towering figures such as Darth Vader and Chewbacca, are produced with heights relative to each other. Echoing the success of the original Kenner figures from the 1970s and 80s, Hasbro has seen great success with its basic line, releasing over fifteen distinct packaging series, four different figure generations, and more than two thousand unique characters and character variants from the Star Wars narrative across nearly twenty years of consistent production.

Collections:

Action Collection 12-inch figure line

From 1995 to 2005, Star Wars action figures were also produced in a larger 12-inch scale, also known as "one sixth" scale (1:6). The line featured a diverse assortment of characters, from larger creatures to smaller, proportionally accurate figures such as R2-D2 and Yoda. Exclusive multipacks were also made available through retail partnerships. Similar to the 3¾"-scale playsets, the 12" figures were developed by a separate division within Hasbro, which led to some inconsistencies in quality and execution compared to the standard basic (3¾") line. While the basic figure line often kept up with or even pioneered trends in the scale, the 12" figures tended to fall behind in terms of sculpting, articulation, painting, and fabric quality when compared to competing lines of the same scale, even those produced by Hasbro itself.

As consumer interest in Hasbro's larger-scale figures diminished, the company discontinued their production. Subsequently, a sub-license for a "sixth scale" (12") line of high-end collector action figures was granted to Sideshow Collectibles. Sideshow's approach, characterized by direct marketing, limited production runs, premium packaging, high-quality execution, and higher price points, stands in stark contrast to Hasbro's earlier efforts.

Other toy lines

Packaging art for the Asajj Ventress Unleashed figure
  • Star Wars Unleashed (2002– ): Hasbro introduced a series of 7-inch plastic statues depicting Star Wars characters in dynamic action poses, beginning in 2002. In 2006, Star Wars Unleashed Battle Packs were launched, featuring 2-inch versions of the 7-inch statues. Each pack showcased four figures in various poses from the initial six Star Wars films. These battle packs have largely superseded the 7-inch line.
  • Galactic Heroes (2004– ): This line features 2-inch figures designed for both young children and collectors. These figures offer stylized interpretations of characters from the first seven Star Wars movies.
  • Titanium Series (2005– ): This collection consists of die-cast Star Wars vehicles. While most are small, some larger-scale vehicles were also released. The series also includes a set of 3.75-inch die-cast action figures with limited movement.
  • Star Wars Transformers (2006–2012): These toys blend Star Wars with Hasbro's Transformers brand. The Star Wars Transformers are based on characters and vehicles from the Star Wars saga. From 2008 to 2011, the line was rebranded as Transformers: Crossovers with the addition of figures inspired by Marvel Comics characters.
  • Jedi Force (2004–2005): This line offered action figures specifically tailored for young children. Unlike Galactic Heroes, Jedi Force figures stood approximately 6 inches tall.
  • Force Battlers (2005–2006): This series featured larger action figures based on characters from the Star Wars films, with a focus on integrated action features.
  • Star Wars Mpire (2005): This collection, released only in 2005, consisted of M&M candies dressed as Star Wars characters.
  • Star Wars Customs (2006): This line comprised toy motorcycles with Star Wars characters as riders, released by Hasbro for a single year, 2006.
  • Star Wars Mighty Muggs (2008– ): These "Urban Vinyl Dolls" present Star Wars characters in a stylized manner. Each figure uses the same basic mold, with character details achieved through paint. Most figures include an accessory and stand six inches tall.
  • Hasbro Force FX Lightsaber (2008– ): Hasbro began releasing a series of replica lightsabers in 2008.
  • Loopin' Chewie (2015): This is a board game published by Hasbro.

Board games

Hasbro has created several board games themed around Star Wars, including:

Browser games

The Hasbro.com website features a variety of browser-based games.

  • Duel Action Lightsaber Battle [2]
  • Revenge of the Sith Scenebot [2]
  • Star Wars: Naboo Rescue [2]
  • Showdown [2]
  • Star Wars: The Clone Wars: AT-TE Rescue [2]
  • Ultimate Lightsaber [3]
  • Star Wars: Lightsaber Battle [3]
  • Star Wars: Battle Orbs [3]
  • Starfighter Rescue [3]
  • Jedi vs Jedi [3]
  • Star Wars: The Kessel Run [3]
  • Star Wars: Revenge Of The Sith Character Builder [3]
  • Build a Trilogy character [4]
  • Star Wars: Trilogy Comic Creator [4]
  • Star Wars: Trilogy Scenebot [4]

Sources

Notes and references

External links

Appearances