Nacelle will make new Star Trek action figures but will it be successful?

It was recently announced on StarTrek.com that The Nacelle Company has received the license to make new Star Trek action figures. It is reported that the line will span the era from Star Trek: The Original Series through Star Trek: Enterprise, as well as the feature films. Although there is a sense of optimism around this announcement, there are some possible caveats to consider as well.

Since their heyday in the 1990s, when Playmates Toys produced an expansive range of 4.5-inch action figures, Star Trek action figures and dolls have been rather hit-or-miss. Aside from the high-end collectibles produced by Exo-6, recent licensees, like McFarlane Toys and Playmates, have only produced a handful of characters before closing off their lines.

As great and popular as Captains Kirk and Picard are, there are other beloved Star Trek characters who deserve to be rendered in plastic. Fortunately, Nacelle seems to be aware of this and has said that a focus will be on characters that haven't been available before. This could be exciting for old and new fans, who may want an action figure of, say, Ezri Dax without paying $200 on eBay.

Despite these exciting positives, there are a few things to bear in mind. For one, there's the concern that Nacelle's Star Trek line will be like those of other recent licensees, and stop production after a year or two. Maybe Star Trek action figures aren't popular enough to be profitable.

That concern could also lead to another issue: Action figures currently produced by Nacelle—including a resurrection of Biker Mice from Mars—are a bit pricey, with an MSRP of $34.99 (USD) for 1/12 scale 6-inch action figures. This is in contrast to other 6-inch figures, such as Star Wars: The Black Series, Marvel Legends, or DC Multiverse, which tend to retail for $24.99.

As it is, spending $25 for a toy can be a hard pill to swallow, especially if considering that these are meant to appeal to children, and not just adult collectors. $35 may be more than people are willing to pay, especially if the build and design quality are not commensurate with the price. $35 feels like an odd middle-ground between being a toy and a collectible.

Some people may also be disappointed to hear that Nacelle's figures will be 6 inches and not the 4.5 inches of the old Playmates toys. That would mean that an Ezri Dax would tower over one's existing Deep Space Nine Playmates collection, for instance.

At the same time, Playmates tried to resurrect its 4.5-inch line a few years ago, and they noticeably stopped after their initial wave. The trend has been moving towards 6-inch action figures for years—and there have been 6-inch Star Trek figures before—so that could be reasonable.

Star Trek has historically had fans of all ages. It's important, then, to have action figures and other merchandise that reflect that. Museum-grade Star Trek collectibles with hand-sewn cloth uniforms are amazing, but there's also a need for durable action figures that can stand up to the imaginations of 10-year-olds while also being nice enough for adult collectors on a budget.

On the bright side, The Nacelle Company is presumably passionate about Star Trek. Brian Volk-Weiss was quoted in the StarTrek.com announcement that he named the company after the nacelles found on Starfleet ships, and Nacelle produced The Center Seat a few years ago, documenting the era of Star Trek that these action figures will span.

To quote Kirk quoting Spock, "There are always possibilities." Hopefully, Paramount and Nacelle will reveal more in the coming weeks and months that will alleviate any concerns about the quality or price of their Star Trek action figures. For now, though, I remain wary of the longevity and affordability of this enterprise.