RIP Super Cute BB-8 Toy: Sphero Calls Quits On Licensed Bots
Sad bloop. Photo: Getty Images
Alas, Sphero’s BB-8, R2-D2, and other Disney-licensed robots will bleep and bloop no more. The Verge reports that Sphero has decided to clear out its remaining inventory of licensed toys—and no, it won’t be restocking any more.
In a statement to The Verge, Sphero CEO Paul Berberian said that while the toys did well soon after their related movie releases, interest just waned over time. And while the insanely adorable BB-8 reportedly sold millions of units, the company’s data reveals that most of them have collected dust since. (I too, am guilty as charged as my BB-8 is currently covered in an inch of dust on my TV stand.) Instead, Sphero seems to be shifting gears toward more education-focused robots like the Bolt.
All of this makes sense—cute home robots have had a pretty bad year—but it doesn’t make it any less sad. If you go onto Sphero’s websites, the listings for BB-8, R2-D2, Lightning McQueen, and Spider-Man products are unavailable and described as “legacy products and no longer in production.” Sad bleep blorp.
We reached out to Sphero for comment and will update if and when we hear back.
[The Verge]
Advertisement
Powered by WPeMatico