TRU Exclusive BioShock 2 BRUTE SPLICER

[JeffSaylor]

BIG things come to those who wait...

Ever since NECA's new assortment of BioShock figures were revealed last summer (see HERE), fans have patiently been waiting for their release. Good news comes today with the announcement that at least one of those figures - the hulking BRUTE SPLICER - is finally on the way as a new Toys"R"Us exclusive this summer.

NECA states that if this figure does well, that they still have a few other Splicers up their sleeve (Crawler Splicer for one).

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[ZombieSlayer909]

Good to see he's finally being released.

But what really irks me is that NECA uses TRU to gauge not only a product's popularity but its continuation as well.

True collectors don't shop at TRU because the store doesn't cater to them. Parents with kids rarely buy a $15 collectible figure. So not only is the collector getting screwed with all these exclusives but I imagine certain lines are dying because no one goes to the store to support them, thus NECA sees no reason for continuation.

In my opinion, NECA needs to find a new home.

[JeffSaylor]

Well actually, TRU is saving NECA and these figures that otherwise wouldn't see the light of day. There aren't that many mass retailers willing to pick up a figure as an exclusive: TRU, Wal-Mart, Target and K-Mart. I can't imagine the others having interest in this hulking strange fellow (they prefer the safer licenses like Star Wars and Marvel for their exclusives). So yeah, the bottom line is that the Brute Splicer (and other ODD character figures, like Lightning Gremlin, etc) wouldn't even see release if TRU did take the chance and take them on. TRU absorbs the cost, I'm sure, by taking these - insuring their release. The only other avenue would be to perhaps offer them as Con exclusives.

But regular retailer support obviously wasn't there, otherwise we'd have seen this guy released months ago. So yeah, how else are you going to judge this guy's popularity but through TRU? It wouldn't be a pretty picture elsewhere... I'm actually shocked TRU took him on, to be honest. While I LOVE BioShock 2, it's like a two year old game and a strange secondary character at that. Not exactly a hot new title. But hey, TRU must have had some success selling past BioShock exclusives. Only NECA and TRU really know the deal, but we should be thanking TRU - at least for exclusives like this. Their overall prices are crazy, but they remain pretty consistent with NECA product from what I have seen.

[S'laargorath]

Yeah, I'm guilty of doing some whining back in the day about the availability of TRU USA-only or other store/con exclusives -- but no more.

With the very drastic thinning out of action figure releases (at least in 6"-7" scale) in the past 5 years or so, now I'm just grateful for each and every release we actually get, no matter if it takes me a little extra effort or money to get a hold of them. Thank you NECA and thank you TRU!

Not only is this figure very cool in his own right, but I think he'd also make a great base figure for a Mr. Hyde from the movie Van Helsing custom I've always wanted to do. -- Guess I'll be needing 2!!

But I understand what you're saying about the problem with guaging popularity too. I've been wanting more Star Trek figures (NOT Megos, etc) for years now but after the pegwarming escapades of Jakks' Trek prequel figs, not even TRU is willing to take a gamble on any Trek figs anymore.

I wish they'd at least continue with those great exclusives they were releasing. I love my Klingon Kang and Romulan Soldier figs and wish they'd release that Mark Lenard as Romulan Captain they had the excellent-looking prototype made of too.