Good Smile Company (GSC), a popular manufacturer of figures and merchandise, has recently launched a new and exciting platform for fans: Create Space. This simple platform allows fans to create merchandise ideas for products they would want to see and submit them to the company.
Launched the beginning of March, Create Space cycles through themes which fans can submit ideas for. The platform allows fans to submit as many ideas as they have for the theme and accepts many types of artwork submissions, including mousepads, t-shirts, enamel pins, and more. While currently, it seems that only simpler merchandise is included on the platform, the verbiage surrounding items is vague, suggesting potential growth into different kinds of products.
Create Space also offers a unique opportunity to fans: if the design is chosen, users can enter into an assignment agreement with the company. The agreement transfers the artwork rights to Good Smile Company, but pays the user for the rights. According to GSC, payments tend to start at $250 but will vary.
Create Space is an exciting development for fans. Not many companies allow the direct submission of ideas, so this ability alone helps fans guide what products they want to see. GSC also coordinated the ideas in an excellent way, managing submissions through the themes to allow for guidance and organization. Hopefully, these themes continue to grow and vary to allow different fandoms to submit ideas. In addition, the expansion of merchandise options to submit would also be a huge benefit, and allow fans even more expression. Figure and Nenderoid ideas alone would likely garner thousands of submissions.
The potential of this platform is as limited or widespread as GSC decides. It’s an excellent way to get fans involved in the merchandising process and create items they will buy, but it could also squash fan dreams and love of certain fandoms if not properly handled. Only time will tell what path GSC takes, and how Create Space can either create more fans or create disappointment.
The Create Space platform is currently hosting its second space, centered around submissions for Guild Wars 2 and Gumi x Hatsune Miku until April 9. To submit an idea, go to https://www.goodsmileus.com/create. For more information about Create Space, check out the FAQ.
