FORCE LINK
Force Link is an interactive 3.75-inch (1:18 scale) Star Wars toy line and wearable technology ecosystem created by Hasbro. Utilizing embedded Near-Field Communication (NFC) chips, the line activates authentic sound effects, lights, and film dialogue when figures and vehicles interact with an electronic gauntlet. Launched in 2017 alongside Star Wars: The Last Jedi, the line evolved into Force Link 2.0 before ending in 2019.
Cronologia
Panoramica
Force Link was an interactive 3.75-inch (1:18 scale) Star Wars action figure line and wearable technology ecosystem produced by Hasbro.
Inspired by Kenner and Hasbro's 1999 CommTech chip technology introduced during The Phantom Menace era, Force Link brought dynamic audio and light features into everyday toy play. The line utilized Near-Field Communication (NFC) chips embedded inside figures, vehicles, and playsets.
When a child or collector wore the electronic Force Link wristband gauntlet and picked up or moved a compatible toy, the gauntlet detected the chip and activated character-specific sound effects, battle noises, lights, and authentic film dialogue through its built-in speaker. Positioned as Hasbro's flagship mainline 3.75-inch toy system between 2017 and 2018, Force Link bridged traditional action figure play with interactive audio technology across all eras of the Star Wars saga.
Storia
Hasbro officially launched Force Link 1.0 on September 1, 2017, as part of the global "Force Friday II" merchandise event for Star Wars: Episode VIII – The Last Jedi.
The initial release centered on the Force Link Starter Set, which featured the original electronic gauntlet reader and an exclusive 3.75-inch Kylo Ren figure, complemented by flagship items like the BB-8 Mega Star Destroyer Playset.
In April 2018, Hasbro upgraded the line to Force Link 2.0 to coincide with Solo: A Star Wars Story. To overcome the fixed onboard sound library limitations of the 1.0 gauntlet, the 2.0 reader added Bluetooth connectivity, allowing users to sync with a dedicated iOS/Android mobile app to update firmware and download voice files for new figure waves. Hasbro officially discontinued active app support on June 30, 2019, transitioning its 3.75-inch scale focus back to traditional collector lines like The Vintage Collection and stylized series like Star Wars Resistance and Mission Fleet.
I PEZZI DI FORCE LINK
Collezionismo
Force Link occupies a distinct secondary market niche for 3.75-inch Star Wars collectors due to its broad character coverage and interactive technology. Because the line encompassed characters from the Prequel Trilogy, Original Trilogy, Sequel Trilogy, Anthology films (Rogue One and Solo), and Star Wars Rebels, it offers extensive 1:18 scale world-building.
Value trends favor the late-wave 2018 Force Link 2.0 releases, such as Val, Rio Durant, L3-37, and Tobias Beckett, which command elevated prices due to limited production runs right before the line ended. Larger items like the Kessel Run Millennium Falcon and BB-8 Mega Star Destroyer remain popular display centerpieces. A major advantage for collectors is hardware longevity: although Hasbro retired the companion smartphone app on June 30, 2019, gauntlets retain full offline capability to read NFC sound chips embedded inside all figures.
The Force Link Han Solo's Landspeeder toy included a functional spring-loaded ejector seat alongside its sound chip tech.
