You're not getting everyone else's point: the merchandise doesn't affect the films' reception. Alien Resurrection wasn't well-received critically, but still made more than the previous movies -- and this was after a long line of Kenner Alien action figures with accompanying comic books, costumes, shirts, and cutesy figures. Same with the first AvP film. It was the highest grossing Alien or Predator movie until Prometheus, despite cartoonish merch.