World Beyblade Organization by Fighting Spirits Inc. Beyblade Discussion Beyblade General

Where are we at w/ Beyblade as a whole?

Mar. 22, 2016  5:14 PM
 
Hello all!

First time poster here, so I'm glad to see people actively interested in beyblade like myself even in darker times like this for our hobby. So, I'm a casual fan - played a ton in the first introduction to the series and got back into it mildy with friends for metal fusion. Unfortunately, as I've grown older, my friends who did still play have all moved away and I'm left with the hobby to just myself - so the passion is sometimes stripped when I lack friends to battle with and share my interests with. Luckily, this forum and a few others have a community that still keeps it alive enough for me! So thanks all! Smile

My question is simple; where are we at w/ beyblade? As metal fusion came out, I remember a small resurgence in the fanbase catching on initially and then the series taking off once again. Sadly, majority of stores near me had all the same beys as usual, pegasus, leone, etc. This led to casual fans falling off the interest pretty heavily around me as 4-5 beys in a shop was exciting initially but fell off quickly once the goal became to purchase them online for triple their prices.

As I remember, I finally gave beyblade up myself when I hit the point where my friends stopped playing all together and then finally moved away for college. I still enjoyed theory-crafting and besting my beyblade against some of my others to make sure if I ever did meet anyone else near me in WI that I'd still be fresh. Finally though, I gave up. Metal fusion was near the end of its days and I had every one I could find in the stores and a few from online where I got a little desperate. Then it happened.

As I strode to the store casually one day, I stumbled across the Bey.. I forgot the name. The wheel ones? I was dumbfounded, a deer in the headlights at this sight. What had they done! I guess that idea went plummeting fast hey? I don't see anything beyblade whatsoever in stores anymore so I was wondering, have we just swept that beyriders thing under the rug then? Is metal fusion still our go to for now? And what is this beyblade burst?

I hope to see beyblade return once again! I love creating custom beys and battling. Even if by myself Tongue_out.

Thanks!!
Mar. 22, 2016  5:45 PM
 
You couldn't have come at a better time, look around, Beyblade Burst has emerged
Sorry, didn't fully read your entire post before replying. Beyblade Burst is the new generation of Beyblade, and it's incredible
Mar. 22, 2016  5:56 PM
 
(Mar. 22, 2016  5:45 PM)gankoba Wrote: You couldn't have come at a better time, look around, Beyblade Burst has emerged
Sorry, didn't fully read your entire post before replying. Beyblade Burst is the new generation of Beyblade, and it's incredible

I'm watching Atamaii - Stu's youtube channel based on toys and I'm seeing a lot of Burst coverage! Very interesting, but obviously so much more to know!
Mar. 22, 2016  6:07 PM
 
Check out my channel while you're at it, I live in Japan and try to get videos of all the new stuff when they get released. Some exciting things coming in a week!!
Mar. 22, 2016  11:05 PM
 
(Mar. 22, 2016  5:14 PM)Coffeetime Wrote: Sadly, majority of stores near me had all the same beys as usual, pegasus, leone, etc.



This is what happened in Australia. So far as I remember, it was not the lack of Beyblades in stores that broke the local scene; it was the lack of new releases. If there were no beyblades available at all, it might have suggested they were selling well and new stock would be inbound. And yeah they sold plenty of units, but as a whole beyblades weren't selling well in comparison to the overstuffed channel of old units everybody already had. As a casual consumer, why buy the same thing twice?

My impression is that this is what kills games. Stagnation in the product release schedule sucks.

On the other hand, the Burst releases are coming so thick and fast that I've noticed quite a few people around the board comment that they're reluctant to test new designs (like what would traditionally be the focus of this entire forum) because whatever they test will just be superceded in a few weeks by the next Odin-or-whatever.

Just a curious flipside. Either way, you now have plenty of new beyblades to buy online.
Mar. 22, 2016  11:33 PM
 
(Mar. 22, 2016  11:05 PM)Beylon Wrote:
(Mar. 22, 2016  5:14 PM)Coffeetime Wrote: Sadly, majority of stores near me had all the same beys as usual, pegasus, leone, etc.



This is what happened in Australia. So far as I remember, it was not the lack of Beyblades in stores that broke the local scene; it was the lack of new releases. If there were no beyblades available at all, it might have suggested they were selling well and new stock would be inbound. And yeah they sold plenty of units, but as a whole beyblades weren't selling well in comparison to the overstuffed channel of old units everybody already had. As a casual consumer, why buy the same thing twice?

My impression is that this is what kills games. Stagnation in the product release schedule sucks.

On the other hand, the Burst releases are coming so thick and fast that I've noticed quite a few people around the board comment that they're reluctant to test new designs (like what would traditionally be the focus of this entire forum) because whatever they test will just be superceded in a few weeks by the next Odin-or-whatever.

Just a curious flipside. Either way, you now have plenty of new beyblades to buy online.

Actually, you are comparing oranges and apples: there is nothing new at all in Japan's Beyblade Burst rythm of releases, it was exactly like that for Metal Fight Beyblade and probably for Bakuten Shoot Beyblade too. What differs is how Hasbro spreads releases, making them come out of nowhere, in waves, not everywhere at the same time. And that, also, has been the same ever since Hasbro is on board with the Beyblade brand as well, as far as I know.
Mar. 23, 2016  12:26 AM
 
(Mar. 22, 2016  11:33 PM)Kai-V Wrote: Actually, you are comparing oranges and apples: there is nothing new at all in Japan's Beyblade Burst rythm of releases, it was exactly like that for Metal Fight Beyblade and probably for Bakuten Shoot Beyblade too. What differs is how Hasbro spreads releases, making them come out of nowhere, in waves, not everywhere at the same time. And that, also, has been the same ever since Hasbro is on board with the Beyblade brand as well, as far as I know.

I think I see what you mean. For the MFB product, Hasbro's release schedule clearly did not fit the schedule used in Japan. It was the Hasbro product that was overstuffed in Australia and which killed the community here. What we're seeing right now with Burst is the traditional Japanese release schedule. If Hasbro had used the Japanese schedule too (and they will not, apparently) then they might have made better local return on their product.

Despite those differences, I think it is fair to say that WBO testing for Burst has been lacking. Sure people are testing, but not nearly as much as they used to during MFB. I have read multiple times that this lack of testing is largey due to the release schedule. Is there any truth in this observation? Are people really testing less-frequently now than they did during the initial Metal System? Can we even compare testing frequency from that period with testing now, considering the growth and experience of the WBO community in the interim?

Personally, I suspect the lack of testing relates more to the "random" aspect of Burst gameplay in general. But hey, I can only tell it as I read it.
Mar. 23, 2016  12:31 AM
 
Hasbro releases Beyblade as a typical seasonal toy whereas the Japanese rhythm is more akin to a trading card game. North American toy distribution — at least, in my personal experience — is much more rigid.

Quote:Personally, I suspect the lack of testing relates more to the "random" aspect of Burst gameplay in general. But hey, I can only tell it as I read it.

Burst is hardly random. The results of Beyblade Burst battles are about as predictable as other formats. However, it's much more fatiguing to test (constant reassembly), there's a general sense among most people of what parts are good right now, and there's pent up demand for Dual Layer releases which are largely expected to wipe a lot of the slate clean anyway.

I also think there were more hardcore teenage players with free time to spare back then than there are right now.
Mar. 23, 2016  12:44 AM
 
its not that bad to have some return of old beyblade. If you using a lots parts who suffer from worn, I think about Rubber tip, it was cool to get a chance to get a brand new part to replace your worn parts. but if you never organize a tournament it can be useless to buy doubles
Mar. 23, 2016  12:53 AM
 
(Mar. 23, 2016  12:31 AM)Bey Brad Wrote: Hasbro releases Beyblade as a typical seasonal toy whereas the Japanese rhythm is more akin to a trading card game. North American toy distribution — at least, in my personal experience — is much more rigid.

Even when Hasbro gave us a specified release date for a new wave you often couldn't find it for another month. If Hasbro wanted a street-date release they could easily do it, similar to how Nintendo has with Amiibo.

(Mar. 23, 2016  12:31 AM)Bey Brad Wrote: I also think there were more hardcore teenage players with free time to spare back then than there are right now.

Hopefully we'll see more of those soon...
Mar. 23, 2016  12:59 AM
 
(Mar. 23, 2016  12:31 AM)Bey Brad Wrote:
Quote:Personally, I suspect the lack of testing relates more to the "random" aspect of Burst gameplay in general. But hey, I can only tell it as I read it.

Burst is hardly random. The results of Beyblade Burst battles are about as predictable as other formats. However, it's much more fatiguing to test (constant reassembly), there's a general sense among most people of what parts are good right now, and there's pent up demand for Dual Layer releases which are largely expected to wipe a lot of the slate clean anyway.

Gah, I knew that comment would spark a flame. The paranthesis was just aloof sarcasm. Let's be clear, nobody is actually saying Burst gameplay is straight-up random.

Your note about the dual-layer system suggests the current release schedule has some bearing on the lack of testing though. And the level of comfort everyone enjoys with current parts could probably be attributed simplyto the early days of the series, which seems legit...

(Mar. 23, 2016  12:31 AM)Bey Brad Wrote: I also think there were more hardcore teenage players with free time to spare back then than there are right now.

...But this note about a lack of hardcore teenagers and a lack of free time is a more curious notion. What makes you think this?

(Mar. 23, 2016  12:44 AM)loyd87 Wrote: its not that bad to have some return of old beyblade. If you using a lots parts who suffer from worn, I think about Rubber tip, it was cool to get a chance to get a brand new part to replace your worn parts. but if you never organize a tournament it can be useless to buy doubles

Agreed. But casual consumers don't attend tournaments. The bulk of Beyblade buyers are not members of this forum and have no need for duplicates.
Mar. 23, 2016  1:00 AM
 
(Mar. 23, 2016  12:53 AM)Wizard Wrote:
(Mar. 23, 2016  12:31 AM)Bey Brad Wrote: Hasbro releases Beyblade as a typical seasonal toy whereas the Japanese rhythm is more akin to a trading card game. North American toy distribution — at least, in my personal experience — is much more rigid.

Even when Hasbro gave us a specified release date for a new wave you often couldn't find it for another month. If Hasbro wanted a street-date release they could easily do it, similar to how Nintendo has with Amiibo.

Amiibo is marketed more as a collectable than a toy though. And Hasbro's distribution system must be quite different. Of course, I don't doubt they could do it if they really wanted to.
Mar. 23, 2016  1:36 AM
 
(Mar. 23, 2016  1:00 AM)Bey Brad Wrote:
(Mar. 23, 2016  12:53 AM)Wizard Wrote:
(Mar. 23, 2016  12:31 AM)Bey Brad Wrote: Hasbro releases Beyblade as a typical seasonal toy whereas the Japanese rhythm is more akin to a trading card game. North American toy distribution — at least, in my personal experience — is much more rigid.

Even when Hasbro gave us a specified release date for a new wave you often couldn't find it for another month. If Hasbro wanted a street-date release they could easily do it, similar to how Nintendo has with Amiibo.

Amiibo is marketed more as a collectable than a toy though. And Hasbro's distribution system must be quite different. Of course, I don't doubt they could do it if they really wanted to.

Perhaps it was a bad comparison, but you got the point regardless. They could do it if they wanted to. But I doubt Hasbro really sees much of a reason to push for such a thing so I wouldn't expect it to ever happen.
Mar. 23, 2016  2:32 AM
 
im a 19 year old blader, i have always been since the start of beyblades, i know how it is not to have friends to beybattle with but its still just as fun with out them. As for burst, its been selling really well in japan and will be out internationally next year and later this year in the U.S. this new generation is basicly made of 3 parts and sometimes the bey bursts. its a great new generation. if you want to see how they are and some reviews on these beys and also battle video with them check out some of my vids on you tube ( link below) right now im on vacation so i havent made any vids in about a month and i wont be back till the end of april, but im working on a project about the history of beyblade ( even on vacation ) so that will also help cover the things that you missed and a look back at it all. also the WBO has a great catelog of information about the burst series. if you have any questions just PM me or any one else
https://www.youtube.com/user/Latios300000beys/videos