Disney ditches Mattel for Hasbro.

[DELTAprime]

And now the dirt starts to surface...

MGA Entertainment (the maker of Bratz dolls, and still fighting Mattel in the courts) has started legal action against Hasbro for stealing confidential information to help them gain the dolls contract with Disney.
It sounds like MGA and Mattel would have been front-runners due to their existing experience with girls doll toys, but somehow Hasbro came out in front as the desired choice to produce Disney dolls... and it is claimed by MGA that that was only possible because Hasbro acquired and used MGA's records and information (they mention finances, which would give Hasbro an idea of MGA's actual production costs on their existing doll toylines, and then offer a better bid).

If this ends up being true, I feel bad for MGA Entertainment for being targeted by the two leading toy companies to prevent them from becoming actual competition (anti-competitive behaviour which is illegal in Australia). Also, if it is true, I'm a bit surprised that Hasbro would be so underhanded, since they go on about how they have better ethical standards to Mattel when it comes to producing the toys (if you thought the leaked Hasbro factory photos were bad, apparently Mattel are worse).

OK, trying to think of things that could have won them the contract fair and square.

It could be Disney decided to go with them because they like the cost cutting Hasbro is doing on the Disney toys they already produced. The Star Wars line has become 5 POA figures mostly and a couple of Black Figure every so often. And those Marvel figures we have at work are terrible cheaply made super sized 5 POA figures.

Maybe thats it.

[Oberon Sexton]

OK, trying to think of things that could have won them the contract fair and square.

It could be Disney decided to go with them because they like the cost cutting Hasbro is doing on the Disney toys they already produced. The Star Wars line has become 5 POA figures mostly and a couple of Black Figure every so often. And those Marvel figures we have at work are terrible cheaply made super sized 5 POA figures.

Maybe thats it.

Nah. The stuff we have in Aus is a joke. Comparing what they get in the states, the Star Wars' black series and Marvel's Legends/Infinite series to Mattel's DC, WWE and Masters of the Universe lines. Mattel is a joke. Mattel have been producing the same molds, etc for almost 10 years. Hasbro on the other hand have been evolving. Personally, I'm a DC guy, but it pains me to say that I love my Marvel collection a lot more. Also, Mattel no longer have adult collector lines in retail and will soon phase out their DC collector line altogether in the coming months (I don't collect the other ones so I don't know about them).

As for Hasbro US, they still have retail adult collector lines with the SW black series, Marvel Legends/Infinite series and TF Generations (with the odd Masterpiece here or there). ARG. Sorry for the rant, but it pains me to see how much Hasbro has matured compared to Mattel's spiral into abyss (I first started collecting with DC Comic figures so it hits me in a deep spot)

[DELTAprime]

Nah. The stuff we have in Aus is a joke. Comparing what they get in the states, the Star Wars' black series and Marvel's Legends/Infinite series to Mattel's DC, WWE and Masters of the Universe lines. Mattel is a joke. Mattel have been producing the same molds, etc for almost 10 years. Hasbro on the other hand have been evolving. Personally, I'm a DC guy, but it pains me to say that I love my Marvel collection a lot more. Also, Mattel no longer have adult collector lines in retail and will soon phase out their DC collector line altogether in the coming months (I don't collect the other ones so I don't know about them).

As for Hasbro US, they still have retail adult collector lines with the SW black series, Marvel Legends/Infinite series and TF Generations (with the odd Masterpiece here or there). ARG. Sorry for the rant, but it pains me to see how much Hasbro has matured compared to Mattel's spiral into abyss (I first started collecting with DC Comic figures so it hits me in a deep spot)

I don't pay attention to Mattel at all so I didn't realise they are not evolving their toys. Thats an interesting point. Thanks.