My Thoughts on Square-Enix's New Smaller Action Figure Product Line

After checking out the photos from SQEX's product display at NYCC 2016, one thing surprises me the most - their new smaller scale action figure toy line. After thinking for some time about this new product, finally I can share some of my thoughts and opinions about it.

UPDATE 10-11-16: added some of my positive thoughts on the new product line.

The first prototype figure of this product line is Kingdom Hearts III's Sora. It's a 6 inch figure which almost have the same accessories as the Play Arts Kai version, with additional alternative face sculpt (and few extra hands, I think) and a better looking, and better than PAK stands, "themed" display stand. To me, like I said in this blog post, the figure looks great. They still don't have a name for their new (and probably still experimental) product line, so I'll just call it a PAK mini for now.

Who is SQEX's target market for this?

Well, due to the constant PAK price hike, these future little figures are for those who have smaller budget and still want to collect/acquire their favorite SQEX/third party characters in action figure form. These figs will be cheaper than the larger PAK figs obviously. If these "PAK minis" gets successful, there's a big chance that SQEX will make more.

Potential competition

Because of it's small scale and attention to detail, these products from other companies are PAK mini's potential competition: Figma, Revoltech, NECA, Mezco, Mafex. I can't think of other products. I'm always tempted to get a NECA, Figma and Mezco figures for a while now because of, again, the PAK price hike. That NECA Uncharted 4 Nathan Drake figure looks awesome and easily beats the PAK Uncharted 3 Drake figure.

Buying option

This, I think, is the best move SQEX has made, because they finally gave more option to their consumers. If some people find the larger PAK figs too expensive, they should try the new cheaper, smaller ones. But, also as an option, the collectors of these small figs must have a separate display cabinet.

The positives
They're cheaper so it's safer to play with them. More of these smaller figs can fit in the display shelf/cabinet. My 4 shelf display can hold up to 7 large scale PAKs in one shelf, probably I can store 9 to 10 smaller figs in there. They also have smaller boxes, they wont eat much of your room's space plus it's easy to store and bring them in case you're moving out.

The downside

There's a chance SQEX will lose some of their PAK buyers/collectors and this new smaller figs will sell more than their large PAK figs. Meaning, SQEX's products might start to compete at each other. In my opinion, that looks bad.  

Because of the smaller size, the joints of these figs, especially those tiny ball hinges, might be fragile.

My extra little big PAK rant

I still don't know why PAK figs price constantly getting higher while having the same parts/features and using two to three types of plastic to make, yet their quality still never get addressed and its getting worse especially their toy articulation design. What's up with that? This is coming from a long time SQEX/PAK fan and I'm limiting my PAK purchases even more.

So what do you think, interested on SQEX's new smaller action figure line? If you ask me, I'll wait for them to make more small figs in this line first before I start buying some of them because I've already decided to get the PAK KH3 Sora. And we still don't know if this line is limited like their Final Fantasy Trading Arts Kai mini figs.

Cheers and Happy Collecting!