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New Year... new resolutions, new plans... new predictions.
1. New marketing directions for movies. Notice those waaaaaaaaaaaaay cool 'Lord of the Rings' figures? No more just plunking out cookie-cutter figures for the masses. Suddenly, something snazier, more detailed, more for adults is coming into the fray. Say 'hey' to the NEW direction for toys from bit license. Sure, sure you'll still get mass-market stuff that will clog aisles for ages. However, now you'll see marketing folks figure out that Gen-Xers LIKE spending money, and will do so on higher-quality, HIGHER PRICED items then 10 year-olds.
2. Super heroes? Ok, ok, so Batman and Superman don't sell like they used to. However, the secondary market of specialty retailers is still keeping things going with the likes of DC Direct and the up-coming Marvel Legends. Super-heroes don't die, folks, they just get re-sculpted and re-packaged.
3. The next re-inventions of characters. 'Star Wars, Power of the Force,' 'Robots in Disguise,' 'He-Man.' Same names, but EVERYTHING is different. New sculpts, new look, new everything. What's up to bat next? Well, let's see... 'Micronauts?' Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm.....
4. Back-lash...? What do I mean? Remember the late '80s, after the HUGE video-game explosion... when everyone had an Atari or Colecovision or Intellivision (Yes, I'm dating myself)... and all of a sudden CRASH... you couldn't GIVE your games away. Granted, the video-game market has not simply returned, but exploded again... but nothing lasts forever, folks. Yes, the action-figure market is filled with fun, diverse product from a ton o' companies... but how long can those companies keep popping out specialty product at a rather high price-point when people are just saving money due to an 'eh' economy? This may be paranoia... or....