The first impact of Bonds's withdrawal from PA deal

helionaut

There's a collectible figures baseball game called Sportsclix that will be coming out soon that I think will be fairly popular. The company, Wizkids, also makes similar games like Mage Knight, Heroclix, and Crimson Skies. They put out 6 promo figures for the new game, including a Bonds. Now rumor has it that since he didn't sign the Player's Association licensing agreement there won't be a Bonds figure in the new game. That has driven the price of his promo piece from $5-6 to $40-50 on ebay. And lest you think this all kind of goofy, remember Magic cards, where the most powerful rare cards from the early series still command $200-500. When Mage Knight, the first of these games hit, the most powerful piece sold for about $40 at first, and that was for an imaginary character. I think this might be the speculation piece of the year if you're into that sort of thing.

riccaboni

Playing the Devil's Advocate, MLB Showdown is/was and forever will be one heck of a game. I used to compete, make line-ups, rotations the whole nine yards. Showdown continues to be a great game. But there isn't a ton of interest in it outside of a couple hundred die hards. Compare those promo sales to those of the Showdown promos. I remember when I went to my local Zainy Brainy to play in a tournament, and I was one of three people there and we each got entire promo sets plus duplicates. I went on eBay and got about $35 each for the McGwires, $20 each for the Griffeys and about $10 for each other promo. Now, these same promos can probably be had for significantly less.

MLB Showdown has one heck of a formula and I would be suprised if this game is better or has any potential to be. This is the first time I have heard of this set also, which also begs the question, will it even have enough initial support to support a second set?

Just my thoughts,

-Ian

kuhlmann

you have a link to any of these ebay auctions for this stuff. topps sent me over 100 of them for free. but i cant find them on ebay.

helionaut

I just search like this:Sportsclix

I liked MLB Showdown, too, though the 3-D aspect of this game appeals to me more. The figures are cool, even if they are not McFarlane-quality likenesses. I think it'll get plenty of support. Topps is somehow tied up together with Wizkids, and there are cards promoting the game in 2004 Topps packs. The Marvel and DC comics Heroclix games seem to be going great with 6 or 7 series released in the past 2 years. Mage Kngiht has been out for 3 or 4 years and its only competition is the other Wizkids games. All the games are fun to play and collect. With a real-life lineup and what looks to be interesting and flexible gameplay, I don't see why the baseball game shouldn't succeed. I've heard they are working on a NFL football game also.

kuhlmann

Thanks i kept typing sports clix 2 words and nothing popped up. i have about 25 of each player.

BigKidAtHeart

Main page for this game and figures.


it seems to me that this will be like
SLU figures (except for a rare bonds promo)
and be worth nothing in time.

kuhlmann

You really think this game will take off?? the hero clix and magic games are different to me. Sports has the best games going and that is Fantasy, i cant see this taking anyone over the age of 10 out of playing fantasy sports. maybe it will, remains to be seen. I sell fantasy sports on my website right in my store and we do real well with it. i just cant see this competing with fantasy.

joestalin

On a similiar note, many of Bonds autographs went up in this months beckett, will GU and
numbered inserts follow?

JS

helionaut

Kuhlmann- try sport*clix with an asterisk. It's one word, some people put an 's' in the middle, some don't. Or just follow the link in my last post. And yes, I think it will do well. I don't see it taking off like Magic circa 1995, but it'll be fine. There is a long history of games like this. It's simply Stratomatic with figures instead of cards. And the packs have the collectible angle, with common, uncommon, and rare figures (I'm assuming).

Cubfan

Is there a way to buy the set of players? Or do you just buy these "packs" of 3 and hope for the best?

That would be like buying an APBA game but only getting the players you opened in packs of cards to play with.

helionaut

There will be "Starter" sets that include 9 players, a stadium setup, dice, etc. But full sets will have to be assembled from the marketplace, which won't be too hard, I don't think.