The Episode 1 Collection
The night of May 2nd to May 3rd marked the start of the Episode 1 Collection and the very first Star Wars Midnight Madness event at Toys'r'us stores for Star Wars Collectors.
It was the first time in over 24 years that Star Wars figures based on a new movie were released. The anticipation for new Star Wars toys was through the roof. At first, the line was an instant success, but after The Phantom Menace had launched in movie theaters a few weeks later, demand for the toys and the figures vanished very quickly. Hasbro over-produced and over-estimated the demand for Episode 1 toys, leaving many retail stores stuck with products for years to come. Many retailers ended up clearancing the toys out.
The Episode 1 toy line itself offered some very cool figures, including a Darth Sidious and Holographic Darth Sidious figure which would be the best versions of this character for many, many years to come. The toy line also featured a cool variety of characters, from politicians, aliens and Jedi to Sith.