The Autumn of 2021 saw the Fornite license for 6-inch scale figures transfer away from Jazwares - and McFarlane who had been doing 7-inch figures - and move to Hasbro who launched the Victory Royale Series of Fortnite figures, adding it to their extensive roster of collectible 6-inch figures.
This figure was provided to us free of charge by Hasbro for us to photograph & review
The Victory Royale series provided Hasbro with an option to experiment with their packaging for the new figures as they work to their commitment to reducing plastic. The Fortnite figures are presented in an almost fully cardboard box with a single-window that shows us the head and torso of the figure. Inside, we lose the plastic tray and the figure is tied into the cardboard tray by way of elasticated ties. The accessories, no longer on display in the windows, are wrapped in wax paper and tucked into the inner tray.
The figure of Skye is executed in an animated style rather than the more realistic figures we might find in the Marvel or Star Wars lines. The face has exaggerated features such as larger eyes, and the colours across the figure are bold and bright. Skye features a blue jacket with painted badges and a yellow sweater, red 'Ollie' hat, and black shorts and tights. Around her neck is a camera piece, an individual cast piece. The figure is finished with a pair of brown fur topped boots and for the hands a pair of fingerless red & black gloves. Said hands do look quite large considering Skye's frame...
The hand's decision is most likely to ensure Skye can hold the various weapons and accessories that Hasbro is going to bring into the line. The set itself is quite light on weaponry, but we can look forward to stand-alone loot packs to increase the figures arsenal.
We do get a few pieces with Skye, starting with her mythic Grapple Gun. There are also a pair of blue-bladed 'Swords of Wonder' which act as Skye's harvesting tool. The Fortnite figures are also going to have a generic back socket for the addition of back bling, with Skye coming with her Adventure Pack. This too has a lot of colour and deco additions including a tree icon on the shield, and individual screen and buttons painted on the mobile phone. A slot is worked into the pack so one of the Swords of Wonder can be sheathed in the back bling.
Skye is a deluxe release in the Victory Royale series as she includes her Ollie Glider. Ollie arrives in two halves and clips together to make the final glider. Like Skye, the colours on Ollie are crisp and bright with painted eyes and mouth and a golden star on his underbelly.
Ollie can stand on his own, although he features no articulation. Skye can also hold onto the two lower handles to display the pair as a player and a glider, but this is not easy to pull off as a free-standing display considering the size of Ollie and trying to balance this on the smaller frame of Skye. There is also no stand included and while you can get some poses on an aftermarket stand (see below) it is far from ideal.
When it comes to articulation, Hasbro has pulled out all the stops and Skye has 24 points of articulation, beyond that of both Marve Legends and G.I. Joe. Skye has double joints on her knees along with ankle rockers, boot cut & thigh rotations, and hip ball joints. The arms also get double joints on the elbows, wrist pivot, bicep swivel, ball joint shoulder,s and butterfly joints. Across the main trunk of the body, we get a waist swivel, chest ball joint, and dual joint neck that articulates at both ends. All of these joints are tight and secure and Skye stands securely once posed and balanced.
The Victory Royale series from Hasbro is off to a good start if Skye & Ollie is anything to go by with a good choice of aesthetics in line with the game graphics, bright and crisp paint job, decent accessories with scope for more via add-on packs and the most comprehensive articulation of any Hasbro 6-inch collectors line. Whether you are a fan of Fortnite, or a collector of well-designed and interesting figures - something that Jazwares and McFarlane benefited from - then the Hasbro Victory Royale series will not disappoint.
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About Me : As a child of the 70's and 80's I grew up in a golden age for action figures and in my youth bought and sold myself through collections of Star Wars, G.I. Joe (Action Force) and M.A.S.K. while also dabbling in He-Man, Transformers and Ghostbusters. Roll forward and I am now reliving that Youth with the action figures of today and am a collector and fan of the larger 6-8 inch figures from my favourite movie and TV licences - including the ones mentioned above, but also the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Doctor Who and the Aliens. I launched The Mephitsu Archives in 2015 with a view of creating a UK focused site or these figures where fans can pick up the latest action figure news, read reviews and get information on where to buy their figures and what is currently on store shelves. I hope I am delivering that to you guys...