A few months ago, The Forbidden Planet whet our appetites by listing a Sarah Jane Adventures Board Game. This was due to be released on July 30th and cost around about £17.99. The aim of the game was to "repel an alien invasion as you attempt to be the first player to collect four extraterrestrial artefacts." It even came with a battery-powered Mr Smith decoder!
I recently noticed that The Forbidden Planet had taken down the listing, so I decided to get in touch with Toy Brokers, the manufacturers of the board game. Having just got off the phone with them, I'm sad to report that the release of the product has been permanently cancelled.
What a huge shame, it looked like a fantastic board game! Unfortunately rumours suggest that Toy Brokers aren't the only ones looking to pull their SJA merchandise. Character Options, the manufacturers of the SJA toysets, may be pulling the plug on their Sarah Jane line, too. More news as we get it.
I recently noticed that The Forbidden Planet had taken down the listing, so I decided to get in touch with Toy Brokers, the manufacturers of the board game. Having just got off the phone with them, I'm sad to report that the release of the product has been permanently cancelled.
What a huge shame, it looked like a fantastic board game! Unfortunately rumours suggest that Toy Brokers aren't the only ones looking to pull their SJA merchandise. Character Options, the manufacturers of the SJA toysets, may be pulling the plug on their Sarah Jane line, too. More news as we get it.
10 comments:
WHAT?????
I wondered why i hadn't seen it in the shops, i was sooo looking forward to this coming out. Do you know why they cancelled it?
Bah, I never get it when these companies basically finish making the board game, then decide they don't want to release it. What a waste of money! It looks rather complicated, but I like complicated board games. :D
It was a rather short phone call, so wasn't able to ask why they cancelled it. Just one of those things, I suppose. I loved the level of work that went into making the board game. Most games just consist of plastic and card, but I thought the electronic decoder was a really novel idea. Gah, I wish I worked for Toy Brokers. I'd love to get my hands on the only copy of the board game in existence!
Nabu, I *love* the pun you created for this post's title! Very clever!
And yes, I'm afraid it looks like the curtain may have fallen on CO's SJA line. Talking to the manager of Manchester's Toys 'R Us, I asked him why the shop had downsized its Doctor Who section - and specifically, the section of SJA toys.
Their answer? Quite simple:
"They weren't selling."
He blamed bad packaging, poor advertising, a specialist audience and the credit crunch.
A seperate source tells me:
Plans *are* in motion for more SJA toys, in whatever form that may take, next year - but nothing is definite.
Ant.
Lol, my titles are pretty lame most of the time :D Tried taking a leaf out of your book, jack!
And all may not be lost...
Got in touch with the Marketing Manager for Character Options, and he seemed to insinuate that the future of the SJA range would depend on a meeting he'll have with Character's product developers in a few weeks time.
If they have some good ideas for him, we may see new SJA toys out as early as next Spring! *fingers crossed* We won't know anything for certain until Season 2's started.
As for Toys R Us, I've heard their snazzy SJA displays may be coming down in a couple of months. :O If you're after them before they get destroyed, may be wise to go down to your local 'Toys R Us' and casually enquire about how you'd go about getting your hands on one.
I have a mental image of you being chased away from Toys 'R' Us by security guards while carrying a giant carboard cutout of Sarah Jane now. :O
Haha, some people may call it stealing - I prefer the term 'liberating' :D It'd be a crime to have any destroyed :D
This is very annoying.
In response to this news (and to my continued unemployment, drat...) I have made my own crappy, slung-together SJA Board Game, here:
http://sarahjanesmith.cosmic-archer.com/sjaboardgame.html
Hopefully it might cheer you guys up a bit! Good sleuthing on this one, btw. I wonder if they would ever have told us if you hadn't asked?
:( Why on earth did they think that just sarah janes would sell??? No wonder the market failed ... no advertising and only the old woman to play with :( :( :(
...sorry lis, but only you for kids to play with? Someone REALLY nneds to talk to those guys in marketing to try to understand what the kids themselves want :(
Post a Comment