what could make GI Joe popular again?

The problem is video games are popular now more than ever, and we know how licensed TV/movie games do poorly that a good G.I.Joe game is nearly impossible.

Stop releasing the figures in waves of 3-4 figures why not release them in droves like 10 figures, this was common in the 80's I'd walk into a Toys'R'Us and see pegs full of Joe toys.

And a weekly cartoon preferably aired in the afternoon is sorely needed but that's no longer the case since most afternoon shows are daytime talk shows.

Here's an idea for an app

The kid makes their own GI Joe operative. Designs an avatar, chooses a code name, writes up a file card. They then get sent on "missions" from Duke or Roadblock or somebody. Locate a Cobra agent, rescue a fellow Joe, etc. The kid could have a mission to capture Firefly, he goes to Walmart, sees Firefly on the peg, picks it up and scans the back of the card with his phone. Mission accomplished.

It puts the toy right in the hands of the target demographic. They look at the back which shows what other figures are available

More animal side kicks and Mongolian warriors.

It never fails to amaze me how many collectors still seem to think we're living in the media and toy aisle environment of the 1980's, and therefore what worked then should magically work now (Massive assortments, show more TV commercials, etc...).

Then there's the opposite side of that coin:

Originally Posted by strick9

Hasbro needs to find away to market and restyle the JOEs to todays modern Military. The best advise I can say is there is a reason why kids are more drawn to Call of Duty MW characters then classic Duke, Bazooka and Roadblock.
Then again I think Renagades was good, except they did not have a major toy line going and little to know help with airing TV. The Hub was the only place you could see it and if you dont have the Hub your kids didnt see it.
Think back to when you were a kid,,,,,,it was on every morning before school and after school and there was a MAJOR marketing push for the toys. I remember a toy commercial every commercial break while toons were on.

Hardly anyone plays Call of Duty: Modern Warfare for the characters or story. They play it for the gameplay experience, particularly in multiplayer. Most "kids" probably can't even name any Modern Warfare characters.

That, and once again, Most of the youngest segment of MW players are already aging out of the action figure time of their childhoods (10-11+). Still "kids" but not action figure kids.

Originally Posted by Dem_Yoe'z!

Kids today don't care much for toys; they want video games, TV, and other electronics. The days of ANY toyline being dominant like they were in the 1980's is OVER.

With that in mind, Hasbro should just embrace what made 25th, POC, and 30th figures popular: appeal to COLLECTORS. Dump the core character mentality and spring-loaded BS in favor of new characters with lots of weapons/gear and full articulation. Heck they probably would attract a lot of the kids that still do have some imagination left and would appreciate a superior toy to use it on.

Well let's see, Hasbro did that. It was called Pursuit of Cobra and the 30th Anniversary collection, and it definitely didn't seem to improve overall sales much, if at all. So...there goes that idea in terms of "making the brand more popular."

G.I. Joe has for years been the best value in the 3 3/4" action figure game: Between articulation, accessories, sculpting, paint, etc.... they have always packed in "more" with Joe than with their other lines (Star Wars has the sculpting and paint, but tends to lack on accessories and articulation. Marvel has articulation, but lacks on everything else, etc...). Clearly just making a good action figure line isn't enough to do it.

My kid's 8 and he plays with toys. He likes Star Wars, Legos, Ben 10, Transformers, TMNT, and Hero Factory.

I think Hasbro should put the new cartoon on Cartoon Network instead of the Hub.

They should cut down on the articulation and accessories a bit; think DG Joes with Retaliation articulation.

And finally, Joe should be a vehicle line again, but the vehicles should assemble like Legos in that you can take them apart and customize them a bit (figures too). Maybe not as many pieces as Legos, but my kid likes to deconstruct and mix and match.

Skylanders!

Originally Posted by youdoitimbusy

Skylanders!

Even that isn't as easy as it sounds:
Skylanders works because you have a fairly simple "base game" to which you can swap characters out of, and still have a good time (it's basically a Diablo-style loot grab with some platforming elements).

But how does that work for Joe? IF you buy a Snake Eyes figure, you will probably want to play something styled after ninja/stealth features, which is a completely different gameplay design than a run'n'gun that Roadblock or Duke might feature.
How would you incorporate vehicles (which, again, completely different gameplay designs than a character-centric game)?

What about villains? I'm not sure marketing would be thrilled in making a game where take the role of Firefly and set up bombs, or gun down "Joe greenshirts" as a Crimson Guard.

Originally Posted by Raw Dog

I think Hasbro should put the new cartoon on Cartoon Network instead of the Hub.

Hasbro was trying to get a cartoon on CN a decade ago, they wouldn't take it. Again, while Hub may not be as prevalent as CN...it very much seems like the ONLY venue willing to even touch GI Joe.

They should cut down on the articulation and accessories a bit; think DG Joes with Retaliation articulation.

Eh, that's a bit of a loaded term there ;)
Seriously, the DG Joes all use PoC parts or late 25th parts. The only "lost articulation" was the extra range in the wrists and ankles. Although I think a solid argument could be made for pushing out more figures articulated like Retaliation Zartan, Roadblock 1, or Duke/Flint. You still have all your key articulation, but trimming the ankles and extra knee would not only cut some costs...I think it would make them better TOYS since you have fewer points of failure (those joints WILL wear out eventually)

But I don't necessarily disagree, on the concept: I think GI Joe has put too much the last few years on elaborate accessories, when we were happy getting 25th Cobra Commander..who had A gun. Maybe trimming some articulation and accessories would also help keep the price down a tad.

And finally, Joe should be a vehicle line again, but the vehicles should assemble like Legos in that you can take them apart and customize them a bit (figures too). Maybe not as many pieces as Legos, but my kid likes to deconstruct and mix and match.

Check out Star Wars Amp'd.
It was shown last Toy Fair...and never seen again. The inherent problem is that to allow that kind of customization, you compromise the overall design in the accommodating of that feature. You also have the problem with the product SIZE. Amp'd was to use a newer, smaller, figure design so Hasbro could keep the size (and cost) down.
Not a good idea in a line like Joe where even the smallest reduction gets fans enraged.

Originally Posted by Jmacq1

Hardly anyone plays Call of Duty: Modern Warfare for the characters or story. They play it for the gameplay experience, particularly in multiplayer. Most "kids" probably can't even name any Modern Warfare characters.

There's got to be a reason why characters like Price and Soap have remained in the series, though I certainly agree that the other characters one sometimes plays as are forgettable (and usually die).

Re MW, and other games, I don't think licencing is the way forward, but rather figures who are a homage to the look of these characters, somewhat like the Predator and Aliens homages we're received over the past years.

Kid friendly cartoon