Last week, we asked our readers if they believed whether or not modern toys can become nostalgic? The future is tough to predict, so there’s no telling what the next generation of collectors will long for. Let’s see what a few of our members had to say.
Jmacq1
“But more seriously, I don’t really know, but I’m leaning towards “no.” Part of what made the “nostalgia” so powerful for our generation was that the toys of our youth actually went away for a while, so it had some impact when it “reappeared.” Nowadays it seems like the lines just keep going and going and going. Of course, that’s not necessarily a bad thing either…someone that was 8 years old when Star Wars Episode 1 came out is 18+ now. If they’ve collected all that time, they’ll likely keep collecting into further adulthood…“
Super_Megatron
“Nostalgia is a longing for the past, often in idealized form. It doesn’t matter what the toy line is, it’s the collector that feels the need to reconnect with their childhood, not the quality of the toy line they used to enjoy.“
mattwrightkitty
“I feel safe in assuming that there will be feelings of nostalgia for the aforementioned toy-lines. Already, I’m seeing my college students (very young adults) mentioning their favorite toy lines such as Pokemon, Dragon Ball Z, Transformers Armada, GI Joe Valor Vs. Venom, etc.
It’s funny to hear these lines mentioned in this way, because it feels like just yesterday that I was brushing those pegs aside to get to my 2002 Star Wars Saga figures, Four Horsemen Masters of the Universe and Toy-Biz Marvel Legends.
I’m not so sure that it means those particular incarnations will be resurrected; they’ll just stay alive in the forms of new series, movie-versions and maybe even video game versions.
When I think about the lines for which I’m nostalgic (those truly stuck in their time) they are lines like Mantech, Centurions, Power Lords and Inhumanoids. Mostly boardroom toy-concepts that saw a year or two worth of release-time. These won’t see re-release, but were solid competitors in their day.
It depends on the consumer-demand, I guess. “Who’s making customs of what, and how often?”“
CyberScream95
“The golden age for original and instant classic toys are over. But Pokemon is already Nostalgiac. Maybe Ben 10 because its so popular. But still, things change faster today then they did in the 80s. New toy lines seem to come out every day. Its near impossible for new stuff to become instant hits these days. And because of that (and today’s society) most kids won’t remember toys the way us collectors do.“
Thanks to everyone who participated. Look for our next discussion this afternoon.