Schleich's future

[Libraraptor]

To be honest, I find it a little ridiculous to try to hit the gigantic capitalistic steam ship Schleich with our little "collectors´ dinghy". They won´t listen to us at all since they´re on their way to make even more money with mass producing figures of recent animals.  But hey folks, we DO have quailty galore! CollectA is catching up to Safari who get even better with nearly every release and we do have Papo as well. Noone needs Schleich for figures of extinct animals. That´s how it is.

[tanystropheus]

I was anticipating progressive improvements in Schleich's dinosaur figures with their recently rebooted "World of History" line (...perhaps a Shonisaurus repaint, Kronosaurus resculpt, Anhanguera resculpt, etc??). The "World of History" line was quite decent--Quetzalcoatlus/Brachiosaurus/Saichania comes to mind. Their recent T-rex (despite appearing somewhat dazed and borderline derpy) was a noticeable improvement over their previous attempts. However, in 2013, Schleich will be introducing, arguably, the worst Styracosaurus figure in recent years.  The Carnotaurus looks absolutely nothing like their promo renders---It's a train wreck. Schleich is no longer salvageable.

[ZoPteryx]

I was anticipating progressive improvements in Schleich's dinosaur figures with their recently rebooted "World of History" line (...perhaps a Shonisaurus repaint, Kronosaurus resculpt, Anhanguera resculpt, etc??). The "World of History" line was quite decent--Quetzalcoatlus/Brachiosaurus/Saichania comes to mind. Their recent T-rex (despite appearing somewhat dazed and borderline derpy) was a noticeable improvement over their previous attempts. However, in 2013, Schleich will be introducing, arguably, the worst Styracosaurus figure in recent years.  The Carnotaurus looks absolutely nothing like their promo renders---It's a train wreck. Schleich is no longer salvageable.

I was hoping for a similar improvement as well.

To be honest, I find it a little ridiculous to try to hit the gigantic capitalistic steam ship Schleich with our little "collectors´ dinghy".

Ha!  Love that metaphor!

[SBell]

I was anticipating progressive improvements in Schleich's dinosaur figures with their recently rebooted "World of History" line (...perhaps a Shonisaurus repaint, Kronosaurus resculpt, Anhanguera resculpt, etc??). The "World of History" line was quite decent--Quetzalcoatlus/Brachiosaurus/Saichania comes to mind. Their recent T-rex (despite appearing somewhat dazed and borderline derpy) was a noticeable improvement over their previous attempts. However, in 2013, Schleich will be introducing, arguably, the worst Styracosaurus figure in recent years.  The Carnotaurus looks absolutely nothing like their promo renders---It's a train wreck. Schleich is no longer salvageable.

It's not just the dinos line in the World of History series. Even though some of them only came out this past fall, the New Heroes figures have already been chopped--including my personal favourite, the hyena+gladiator, and the war elephant. No idea why, but they don't even show up on the Schleich site anymore unless you search for them. So they pretty much don't seem to care about 'the past' except as a necessity (after all, if they drop the dinos, that gives museums excuses to bring in other companies in spite of contracts).

[suspsy]

Sorry, I wasn't very clear. I was referring only to releases of the last years.

So was I in my defense of Schleich.

Look at 2012 and 2013 Schleich animals and compare with Collecta and Mojo released of the same years.

I cannot do this as I know of no locations in my area that sell Collecta or Mojo. All I know is that the Schleich animals I've seen in stores (the pachyderms, the ungulates, the felines, the canines, the bovines, the equids, and the rest) seem perfectly good as far as accuracy and detailing are concerned.

I must say, I really don't like what I've learned about Schleich in this thread. I'm not one to criticise a company for practicing capitalism, but it's a damned shame there can't be more variety in children's stores.

[Horridus]

As lots of others have been saying, there's no way they're going to be interested in dealing with the likes of us. They're making too much money. Blatant copying of Papo might be a good sign, though - now, if only they'd do a better job of it. We've already got Papo, we don't need second-rate Papo - but Extra Papo wouldn't be so bad. (Yes, I am not counting on them producing any remotely anatomically correct figures ever again.)

[radman]

Schleich puts out the occasional unique winner, like their 1:40 Shonisaurus.  That thing is awesome and needs to be in every serious collection.  No one else has anything like it (that I know of), except Cliff Green, and that thing costs a bundle.

[Takama]

Yeah, too bad its retired and becomeing hard to find.


Really the only Schelichs i like the most is the new Saichania and Parsaurolophus

[Horridus]

Schleich puts out the occasional unique winner, like their 1:40 Shonisaurus.  That thing is awesome and needs to be in every serious collection.

I've got one, but it's from years ago, when they were still affiliated with the museum. No chance of anything like that now, I don't think. It's an outdated restoration of that animal now anyway, but I agree it's quite a nice figure.

[SBell]

Schleich puts out the occasional unique winner, like their 1:40 Shonisaurus.  That thing is awesome and needs to be in every serious collection.

I've got one, but it's from years ago, when they were still affiliated with the museum. No chance of anything like that now, I don't think. It's an outdated restoration of that animal now anyway, but I agree it's quite a nice figure.

Most of their restorations were outdated, even when they were first put out. And honestly, most of their very best pieces aren't even their dinosaurs--Shonisaurus, Kronosaurus, Elasmosaurus, Desmatosuchus, some of their mammals. All from the days of museum affiliation (although given the way the figures came out, I doubt they were as closely associated as the Carnegie is with its namesake line).

[Concavenator]

Well,I'm a bit of disappointed with Schleich 
When I was 8,as almost every children,I collected Schleich's dinosaurs and animals,but now they look very bad"(the dinosaurs and some animals).
Last year,I thought (when I discovered the World of History series)was going to be an improvement.I liked some pieces like the new Tyrannosaurus,Velociraptor and Allosaurus(though still were some bad ones,like Triceratops).And then an autumn day I'm on the Internet and discovered a fat voluminous ugly Schleich 2013 Carnotaurus (just my thoughts,no offense to people who like it,of course),and a McDonals Happy meals,cartoonish Styracosaurus.I'm one of those people who can't wait to see next year releases,no matter what month is,and discover a figure like this is like receiving a punch.At least for me.Am I the unic here that thinks that Carnotaurus was launched for making childrens laughing?(Again,these are my thoughts,I respect people's comments)Because when I first saw it,I almost laughed.And then I thought:'Oh no,it's a 2013 release!  ).And the Styracosaurus looks like small-children cartoons,and it looks like a rainbow unicorn with many horns.They shouldn't be at museums.They cannot be compared with Papo's,Wild Safari's ,Carnegie's and CollectA 's dinos(the recent ones,I mean),
I'm severaly disappointed,I don't support them now.Otherwise,I'd like them to put the previous line again in existence,at least were some decent figures,and I'd like either to make the actual line dissappeared or to put it as a secondary line.And please,out the mini-dinos line,they look so inaccurate and goofy looking and so and so 
Otherwise,I don't believe that Schleich pays some attention of us,as they have a LOT of fans of their other figures who doesn't looks so OK after all 

[Blade-of-the-Moon]

Honestly if Schleich wants to appeal to a much younger crowd with Chinasaur quality figures or worse..I'm good with it.  I think I have may be 10 Schleich figures ?   There are better companies out there producing more quality pieces right now. Money seems to be getting tighter all the time so I'm happy to not have spend money on their items really.

[sauroid]

you almost laughed when you first saw the Carno? i almost cried when i saw the Styrac.

[SpartanSquat]

Its very sad that schleich in some of their figures downed. I collected all Replica Saurus since I was 4 years old. Their new figures, some are great like t-rex and other wel...the carnotaurus is not the best but it have a good quality in the skin, but they need to have some experts to make their figures. I hope in the future will make more better figures. My good frine that works in the shop of NHM of Madrid told me that Schleich is having some economic problems.

[Megalosaurus]

I've had dinosaur toys since i was a kid, chinasaurs, bootlegs, JPs, marx, kaijus, etc. But i'm an adult now (that means no more playing, its collect time), and a few years ago i meet someone that was selling Replica Saurus figures. I bought then Spinosaurus, Allosaurus, Stegosaurus, Saltasaurus and a Macrauchenia. I was so happy by that time. Then i look for reviews of those and other figures and that took me to the DinoToyBlog.
So, thanks to Schleich i'm part of this forum.
Now i have almost all Papos, a lot of Carnegies, some CollectAs, some Bullylands, etc.
And a few months ago i've got all Schleich prehistoric mammals to be companions of my Macrauchenia. Also i bought my orange Parasaurolopus.
Now i'm looking for the Shonisaurus.
When i see World of History models, OMG they are the same Replica Saurus but smaller and colorful (quetzalcoatlus with butterfly wings, thats crazy), i didn`t bought any. This year´s Schleich dinos seems to be for kids 8-, I will not buy any of them.
So i feel Schleich is getting worse and worse.
I'm gonna hold my macrauchenia and cry for the old days

[Concavenator]

I've had dinosaur toys since i was a kid, chinasaurs, bootlegs, JPs, marx, kaijus, etc. But i'm an adult now (that means no more playing, its collect time), and a few years ago i meet someone that was selling Replica Saurus figures. I bought then Spinosaurus, Allosaurus, Stegosaurus, Saltasaurus and a Macrauchenia. I was so happy by that time. Then i look for reviews of those and other figures and that took me to the DinoToyBlog.
So, thanks to Schleich i'm part of this forum.
Now i have almost all Papos, a lot of Carnegies, some CollectAs, some Bullylands, etc.
And a few months ago i've got all Schleich prehistoric mammals to be companions of my Macrauchenia. Also i bought my orange Parasaurolopus.
Now i'm looking for the Shonisaurus.
When i see World of History models, OMG they are the same Replica Saurus but smaller and colorful (quetzalcoatlus with butterfly wings, thats crazy), i didn`t bought any. This year´s Schleich dinos seems to be for kids 8-, I will not buy any of them.
So i feel Schleich is getting worse and worse.
I'm gonna hold my macrauchenia and cry for the old days

Are you looking for Shonisaurus?
If so,there's a place where you can purchase it new:
http://www.ebay.es/itm/Raritat-Shonisaurus-Schleich-16449-neuwertig-/360693720212?pt=DE_Spielzeug_Action_Spielfiguren&hash=item53fb056494&_uhb=1

And used,for a lower price:
http://www.ebay.es/itm/Schleich-Shonisaurus-1-32-Nr-16449-/330920795802?pt=DE_Spielzeug_Action_Spielfiguren&hash=item4d0c6a9e9a&_uhb=1

[tanystropheus]

The thing to remember about Schleich (and Bullyland) is that they are no longer independently owned by families that care about their figures. Both were sold several years back (7?) to large conglomerates, neither of which probably want to spend a bunch of money on dinosaurs that will sell anyway (have you seen the 2013 thread? There are people actually excited about the terrible releases for this year!).

Haha, if you check out the review for Schleich's Carnotaurus dinosaur model, you will find in the comments section:

Chosenhorse2: Great review by the way Carnotaurus is 1 of my favorite carnivorous dinosaurs, Schleich's model looks even better than Papo's.

Pure comedy.


Disclaimer: It's a good review overall by Everything Dinosaur, but that particular youtube commenter (and there's many more similar comments on the 2013 thread) must have been a tad bit delusional. It is certainly not a better model than Papo!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_uCH7nab-Wg

[Everything_Dinosaur]

From our perspective having had discussions with Schleich it seems that they see themselves very much in the "toy market" and not really in the "model business".  The Schleich brand is extremely successful, almost ubiquitous in some parts of Europe and they have much more in their replica portfolio than just the prehistoric animals, the range we refer to as "World of History", so they don't necessarily have such a focus on dinosaurs when compared to other model companies.  Last year Schleich in the UK entered into a business relationship with Signature publishing, the printing group that owns a monthly magazine title called "Dinomite".  The target audience for this magazine is 5-8 eight year old children.  They are making models primarily aimed at this target audience.

In our view, this summarises their current strategy towards prehistoric animal models, they have a dominant position in the toy market and this, from what we understand is where they want to be.  Having said this, we hear from a reliable source that last year Schleich tried unsuccessfully to poach the design team from Papo.

[tyrantqueen]

Having said this, we hear from a reliable source that last year Schleich tried unsuccessfully to poach the design team from Papo.

Makes me dislike them even more. Schleich are like the EA of dinosaur toy collecting it seems.

Chosenhorse2: Great review by the way Carnotaurus is 1 of my favorite carnivorous dinosaurs, Schleich's model looks even better than Papo's.

Pure comedy.

[Concavenator]

The Schleich figures are in EVERYWHERE!!It's like a plague.I sometimes go to Madrid and there there are Schleich figures and dinosaurs even in the bakeries!Here in Seville in every toy shop there are Schleich figures.Otherwise,I only can find Papo's dinosaurs and Bullyland's dinosaurs in a small shop,leaving CollectA's and Safari Ltd.'s figures to buy in the internet.There's no choice.Also,in every european city I've visited some museum shops and again,they're in EVERYWHERE.

'Why to improve our dinosaurs when we sell all over the world,even in bakeries,souvenir shops,etc,etc,and etc?There's no need to worry'-This is what I think Schleich thinks.
And Schleich trying to supper Papo?No way...even their animals looks inferior to those of Papo.All the major brands(even Bullyland's) dinosaurs are better than those of Schleich.