the Future (1 Viewer)

[9thHussar]

Hi
any thoughts on the future of our hobby - will it keep growing or retract over time as the age group most involved grows older?

9th

 

[Scott]

In the late 1960s I read that collecting and playing with toy soldiers and war gaming was over because of disgust with the Viet Nam War. SEARS stopped selling war playsets and toy guns I think. It was war and not toy soldiers as we can see today. The "serious" collectors back then were older men as well. They come from somewhere. Guys that live at home with mom that can't get a date?

 

[Carnahan]

I think it's safe to say that the hobby will last - it's been around for a good long while already and weathered changing times. I don't think the age factor affects hobbies as much as it seems, as I can remember the plastic model section in my local hobby store being frequented mainly by older guys back in the 80s...and yet plastic models are still around. The internet has definitely helped things a lot, allowing the little guy to get into the game without the need for brick and mortar establishments as well as reaching a global market. We may not be the biggest segment of the hobby community, but we will always be around.

 

[Pesudomin]

The way I personally see the hobby going is one of retraction.
This is simply because kids cannot buy 'traditional' 54mm figures in the toy shops.
You really have to start an interest early for it to take root and grow.
When I was a child we all played with toy soldiers but now this is not so common.
Apart from poorly made copies of Airfix what you now find in the stores are the PAPO, SCHLIECH, ELC, EPIXX and PLASTOY style of well detailed and painted larger size figures. The unpainted 54mm figure is now only found in a few model shops and at the toy and model soldier shows and are bought in the main by adult collectors.
Many plastic collectors now react to the large figures in the same way hollow cast fans did when plastics came along in the mid 50s - because it's not something they knew and grew up with it's either ignored or treated with fear and contempt.
In 20 years time there will be a whole new collecting generation who will be looking for and paying high prices for early Papo style figures whilst the 54mm collectors will be in a diminishing minority, much the same way collectors of Hollow cast are today.

 

[9thHussar]

Interesting points pesudomin... maybe we shall have to enjoy them before we get too old and shaky..the figures should keep our minds stimulated
Regards
9th

 

[Denver]

This is an interesting discussion.
I have told to keep only two playsets that I have: Rin Tin Tin Fort Apache and the Stockade Fort. One other is around that may have some value, but I have not taken the time to acquire it. These are from the 1950's.
I have shown them how to sell the 20 metal sets that sit in a closet.
The rest they will make a small effort to sell but will probably donate.
In the future, children will have holographic toy soldiers.
Our small pieces of plastic and metal will be archaic to them.

 

[Scarlet Pimpernel]

The way I personally see the hobby going is one of retraction.
This is simply because kids cannot buy 'traditional' 54mm figures in the toy shops.
You really have to start an interest early for it to take root and grow.
When I was a child we all played with toy soldiers but now this is not so common.
Apart from poorly made copies of Airfix what you now find in the stores are the PAPO, SCHLIECH, ELC, EPIXX and PLASTOY style of well detailed and painted larger size figures. The unpainted 54mm figure is now only found in a few model shops and at the toy and model soldier shows and are bought in the main by adult collectors.
Many plastic collectors now react to the large figures in the same way hollow cast fans did when plastics came along in the mid 50s - because it's not something they knew and grew up with it's either ignored or treated with fear and contempt.
In 20 years time there will be a whole new collecting generation who will be looking for and paying high prices for early Papo style figures whilst the 54mm collectors will be in a diminishing minority, much the same way collectors of Hollow cast are today.

Unfortunately, I think you're right. Frankly, I am a little surprised that few manufacturers (particularly the big ones) have made an effort to produce cheaper (even plastic) figures suitable for children in order to capture a new market share, grooming them as adult collectors. They obviously don't see this as a viable market, but I forsee a continually shriking market without such an initiative. If the industry is to continue, they need to generate interest in children. We all know how that transfers into an adult hobby later in life, but I suspect most on the forum played with inexpense "toy soldiers" as children. For me it was the Britains Deetail range, and it never got out of my blood. And there is something to be said for quality (even for children). I am not sure how satisfied I would have been with a bag of green plastic army men after having had the Britains plastics.

 

[Mitch]

I think and, this has been very interesting, that the hobby will as it has ever since it started evolve with the times it finds itself in. I started with an interest in WWII from surviving family members and WWII comics and, then metal and plastic soldiers into 1/35th scale kits then anything and everything from 1/6th figures to glossy and matt figures.

I have no real worries that the hobby will retract or diminish but, its probably in my lifetime (I am quite young) going to change again as tastes and new collectors come into the hobby with different tastes. who knows the conflicts of say the Falklands Iraq and Afganistan may in time become more popular than WWII as, it is in the living knowledge of future collectors.

Whatever happens I am sure we will continue to have a vibrant hobby
Mitch

 

[Pesudomin]

One other observation I would make is that in the U.K at least all the shows that I have gone to appear to be attended by the same old faces getting older.
I have to say that the only British show were I have seen lots of kids is at Plastic warrior - they also give boxes of figures free of charge at the entrance to anyone under 14 - these are donated by companies such as AIP - perhaps this could be done at other shows?

 

[larso]

Sometimes it's less about wanting the toys and more about exploring the history. As history as a subject declines in schools, or if it exists, its focus is on topics other than war, fewer people (well blokes) will have an understanding or interest as a starting point.

I also think about the wonderful multi-coloured toys that came with Star Wars and Lord of the Rings - it's hard to imagine that things like these won't be more popular with the next generation of collectors.