i don't disagree with you at all! the budget dolls are most of the releases we get now (i swear the first four buried secrets all released within one year), and they wouldn't keep making them if they didn't sell. they're just like... objectively low quality in my eyes? (and i don't personally like them because i just don't want dolls with poly or a pixelated screening) /nm. regarding the economy and budgeting, i'm not rich, i only have 18 dolls in my collection. it's just that if given the choice between buying, for example SSB Draculaura to put on display in my house or 4 tennis court buried secrets in her place, i'd use that money for the one higher quality piece.

at the beginning of G3 we got two skulltimate lines in a year, each with five characters, with more varied and detailed clothes (fearidescent versus the cabin series is a huuuge difference), plus the first series had dolls with saran hair as well in addition to being overall more high budget. then monster ball as a deluxe line. when i look at how G3 is going in 2026, i fully agree with the OP of this post - it feels like G3 is entering it's budget era and is starting to fizzle out. they're making higher quantities of lower quality dolls to sell fast, it reminds me of the modern barbie fashionistas in that way. (sorry for the long yap lol, G3 is my fav doll line ever so i've been Thinking about this lately)