Monthly Star Wars Action Figure Re-Cap - January 2026

1/31/2026 Monthly Recap

January 2026 kicked off a massive year for Star Wars action figure collecting, setting a high bar right out of the gate. From the launch of a new monthly program by Disney to Hasbro's first livestream of the year, collectors were inundated with reveals, pre-orders, and plenty of updates to track. Below is a concise recap of the biggest news stories that hit this month, summarizing everything you need to know as we head into February.

Disney launches Droid Factory Friday program
Hasbro's First Livestream of 2026
Maul – Shadow Lord & Lucasfilm Leadership Shake-up
GameStop closing stores
Feature: Oma Tres still not made into a figure
Collector resources & website updates

Disney Launches Droid Factory Friday

DisneyStore.com officially launched their new Droid Factory Friday program on January 2nd, just days after launching the first ever made 3 3/4" droids based on Valentine's Day. This new initiative sees a unique, exclusive droid released on the first Friday of every month. The inaugural figure, R5-K6 (inspired by A New Hope), proved incredibly popular and sold out in under a week. Following the launch, Disney updated the schedule and naming conventions for upcoming releases: the Mandalorian-inspired droid previously known as CW-24 is now CU-28 (arriving February 6), and the Clone Wars droid Q2-K2 is now QT-KT (arriving March 6). Furthermore, they revealed the fourth entry, DD-BD from Solo: A Star Wars Story, which is scheduled for pre-order on April 3rd.

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Hasbro News: Livestreams, Delays & Starkiller

Hasbro held their first Fanstream of the year on January 12th, dropping reveals for The Vintage Collection, The Black Series and The Retro Collection. While excitement was high, there was a slight speed bump later in the month regarding the 3.75-inch Cantina Alien 4-Pack. Originally set for a late January pre-order, Hasbro announced that the set, featuring Garindan, Labria, Chalmun, and Arleil Schous, has been delayed until February 19th. On the 6-inch front, collectors were treated to new reveals of Watto, Taun We and a Geonosian Warrior, along with detailed images of the highly anticipated Lord Starkiller from The Force Unleashed, showing off the intricate sculpting and lightsaber hilts that have fans eager for its release.

View livestream recap

Maul Returns & Franchise Momentum

In massive entertainment news that will surely drive future figure production (well, we never know with Hasbro, it was all crickets from them when this was annouced), Lucasfilm dropped the trailer and poster for a new animated series, Maul – Shadow Lord. The announcement provided the release date (April 6, 2026) and a first look at the aesthetic, sending ripples of excitement through the collecting community. This news is likely to influence figure pipeline speculation and most wanted figures all year long and beyond. The question which needs to be asked however is why Hasbro entirely ignored this announcement with not a single re-post or post about this announcement.

In a monumental shift for Lucasfilm, it was announced that a major restructuring of its leadership team will take place this year. After nearly 14 years at the helm, Kathleen Kennedy is stepping down as President to return to full-time producing, where she will focus on upcoming projects such as The Mandalorian and Grogu and Star Wars: Starfighter. Taking the reins is Dave Filoni, who will serve as President and Chief Creative Officer, alongside longtime executive Lynwen Brennan as Co-President. This move combines Filoni's creative vision, honed through The Clone Wars, Rebels, and Ahsoka, with Brennan's operational expertise. Filoni continues to drive the future of the saga, currently developing Ahsoka Season 2 and the theatrical release of The Mandalorian and Grogu, set for May 22, 2026.

Oma Tres & Hidden Character Discussions

We also took a moment this month to look back at the sequel trilogy with a feature article questioning why John Williams’ cameo character, Oma Tres, has still not been immortalized in plastic despite his significance to the saga’s musical legacy and fan interest in such deep cut characters. We also put together an image for you all for social media of every 3 3/4" TVC figure released based on the sequel trilogy.

Read the Oma Tres editorial

GameStop Closing Stores

GameStop store closures are becoming a growing concern for Star Wars action figure collectors, especially those who rely on walk-in hunting or still have open preorders. As of early January 2026, an unofficial closure tracker is already showing nearly 300 confirmed U.S. store shutdowns, with additional locations still being reported, and industry estimates suggest the total could continue to change. The lack of an official public list means many collectors may not realize their local store is closing until it happens. This hits the hobby hard, as GameStop has long been a key preorder partner, while recent pricing above MSRP and slower in-store sales may be contributing factors. Collectors are encouraged to check their local stores soon, verify any active preorders or deposits, and identify alternative nearby locations to avoid being caught off guard.

Read the GameStop closing stores editorial

New Collector Resources & Visual Guides

Finally, we published several new resources to help collectors navigate the expanding universe of figures. We released a comprehensive visual guide detailing every Boba Fett jetpack released in The Black Series since 2013, ensuring you can match the right accessory to the right bounty hunter. We also published an overview of every Clone Commando figure released to date and started a new tracker for Black Series packaging errors. With so many figures hitting the shelves, these guides are essential for keeping your collection organized.

Explore collector resources

For all news for January 2026, have a look at the full list of articles: January 2026

January Recap On GalacticFigures.com