>>10355795>If you look at each of the Hasbro lines, their engineering isn't really all that different.Would you say GI Joes and MU figures aren't really all that different in engineering?
Because all these minor differences are because they were made in different factories.
They can't just create a new workstation and tools just for a single figure, because that's expensive and requires more training.
This is why there was such a staggered upgrade when it came to MU figures leap frogging GI Joes (then vice versa) in the 00s and 10s. It's why the Overwatch figures were better engineered than the Marvel Legends in the 2020. One factory gets retooled, while the other(s) wait for theirs... if ever.
>you can often seen patented joints/engineering on patent sitesDoes Mafex file their patents in the US? That's why i say probably not, especially since Mafex doesn't seem to have official sales in the US.
Given how common joints are, i doubt there's any real reason to patent that shit.
> the same pin/disc system with minor variationsI doubt those variations are for avoiding patents, because there are changes within the same company. Joints from pic are no longer used today.
Companies like Hasbro/McFarlane/ToyBiz/etc basically perfected the double joint in the 00s, yet I've seen bizarre shit that shouldn't exist since then.
And those joints they used back then wouldn't be protected anymore either, so why aren't other companies using those joints? Fucking Loyal Subjects have some ugly shit.
So why the changes? Cheaper tooling. Different tolerances on the plastics. New codes. Cost saving on using less plastic. Fewer steps in assembly. Fan demand/complaints. Lots of reasons.
