Gel Ball News: Hasbro “Owns” the Market Now? Part 1
November 15, 2023The gel ball market has been on a wild ride, between everyone joining the market (even Xshot joined the game this summer) and legal battles raging in the background (starting with Hasbro filing infringement complaints, and continuing with some settlements). Indeed, given the mass influx of products both on store shelves and online, it would seem that the market, at least for the time being, is going to grow dramatically, and there’s a lot of money at stake.
As of yesterday, documents became available online detailing the results of Hasbro’s infringement complaint, with them winning the case against Prime Time Toys, the only company to not settle beforehand. Between licensing settlements and the possibility of kicking a competitor out of the market, it would seem that Hasbro is set to make money on ALMOST everything – they can sell blasters, get royalties from other companies, and use this as precedent for going down the line of companies that have yet to be dealt with (I somehow doubt that X-shot went to Hasbro and got a license, for example). That’s not the whole story, however, because there are legitimate questions as to how Hasbro got into the market in the first place.
Are the patents valid? Did Hasbro steal IP from Gel Blaster in their rush to put blasters on shelves? Are we seeing the difference between what is legal, and what is ethical?
This is going to be a VERY long subject, filled with both information and some opinion sprinkled in, and context is a must. Take a few minutes, strap in, and hopefully I can make it all make sense over the next few posts.
Gel Zone Pro Kratos Review
November 12, 2023Blaster companies don’t always undersell their blasters. Range claims, after all, tend to be the maximum you see, not the typical. In that sense, the Gel Zone Pro Kratos is far better than you’d expect from the price and advertised performance. 200fps? Try 252fps average!
With a $70 price tag, high performance, and the small bonus of glow in the dart rounds, it’s hard to beat the Kratos when it comes to off the shelf gel blasting.
Mall Mutation Madness: Hardcore 4 Game Report
November 7, 2023I’m a bit late posting this (as well as being late in filling out the game feedback form), but let’s get this game covered!
Mall Mutation Madness, if you didn’t already know, is a giant, overnight Humans v Zombies event that takes place in St Peters, Missouri. Humans attempt to complete various objectives through the night while trying to survive encounters with zombies, as well as (potentially) each other. This year, the players were part of a mining expedition to Antarctica, trying to gather resources, complete tasks, and uncover a puzzle to escape before the zombies took them.
The game itself was great, with plenty of opportunities for both combat and new styles of play. Unfortunately, it was also bogged down by the data tracking and leveling up mechanisms required for the game. Let’s dive into the game!
Credit for photography on this page goes to Amelia Granthon and David James. Thanks for the event photos!
Nerf Pro Gelfire Dual Wield Pack Review
October 27, 2023The Nerf Pro Gelfire line has many unique entries. Among them is the Dual Wield Pack, a $30 set that comes with two trigger-primed blasters, operable with one hand. They hit surprisingly hard, and while their design results in hopper size and feeding issues, they’re still quite fun to fire. If anything, they’re a fun way to introduce kids to gel ball blasting. Or to keep in a large pocket for emergencies!
Toy Fair, Part 3 – Hasbro’s Press Tour!
October 2, 2023
Toy Fair 2023 – News From Day 2!
October 1, 2023This post is dedicated to a few outliers in the blaster field. I spent plenty of time walking up and down the rows yesterday, looking for companies that had blasters on display, and I found a few! I also messaged a few others, so hopefully these get more coverage in the future. Here we go!
Yes, I know the featured picture is for Beanie Babies, It was too cute to ignore!
