New Albums

[Didi]

So you guys know how the new albums have been coming out with only 6 episodes? And now they're making about 2 of these 6-episode albums a year. I think they should just make one 12-episode album for the year like they usually did. I want to know what you guys think...?

[TigerShadow]

It's my understanding that they did this because money is really tight at FOTF right now, and they simply couldn't afford to produce two twelve-episode albums a year with the system they were using. That's why they started the OAC, so that they could get money on a regular basis from their subscribers. They're still producing twenty-four episodes a year; it's just that twelve of them are OAC-exclusive.

As to why the albums were split, AshleyWhittaker received an answer from Dave Arnold about this in an e-mail back with 59 was first released:

We're doing this as a result of input from buyers and sellers who say that they would prefer that we release our product more often and with a lower price point. By making this change, we’ll be able to release two six episode packages of new material per year (people won’t have to wait for the twelve episodes to be produced before being able to purchase them), and each package will be sold at a lower price, which we hope helps as well.

(I used to hate the concept of the OAC with every fiber of my being; now, I think it's really great, because we don't actually have most of the albums on cassette or CD, and some of the ones we do have are too damaged to listen to anymore.)

[AIOrocks101]

I think they should go back to making three 12 episode albums a year like they used to. That would be nice.

[PennyBassett]

Actually, they're technically still making 24 episodes a year, the other 12 are in the club.

[Doll]

I don't mind the 6 album releases because as mentioned above, we get albums sooner. As I don't collect the physical albums, the shorter albums are almost better for me.

[Didi]

I do like how we get the albums sooner. We don't get 2 12-episode albums a year, just 1. But if money is tight, then I think they should just make one a year instead of two.

[TigerShadow]

They do only make one album a year—one public album, anyway. And that's the album where they introduce and continue all their storylines. The other "album" is the OAC season, a combination of slice-of-life and missions episodes that don't affect the storylines, which you only get if you subscribe to the club and pay regular monthly installments.

[Shadow]

The OAC is amazing. But the only album I have on disk is 60.

[Didi]

They do only make one album a year—one public album, anyway. And that's the album where they introduce and continue all their storylines. The other "album" is the OAC season, a combination of slice-of-life and missions episodes that don't affect the storylines, which you only get if you subscribe to the club and pay regular monthly installments.

No, no. They make 2 a year. Album 60 came out early 2016, and album 61 comes out October 2016. To the public.

[TigerShadow]

I meant one twelve-episode season. I know they make two albums a year, but only twelve episodes are available to the public instead of the previous twenty-four. Sorry; I should have been clearer about that.

[Didi]

Oh, ok

[Shadow]

The club is fine, but I can see how it may be a problem.