The list really puts the line into perspective. Still doesn't dampen the disappointment of what could/should have been.

That's all well and good, but where does a Sail Barge figure prominently into Clone Wars seasons 5 or 6?

This isn't about busting chops or hating on people who want big vehicles.  I'd love a Sail Barge.

This is about the fact that right now the market won't support it, and Hasbro doesn't have high enough confidence in the Star Wars brand to invest in the design, tooling, product safety testing and eventual marketing of a big vehicle.  With a company the size of Hasbro this isn't a casual undertaking.  A piece like this is a centerpiece that you build a line around.  And engineering a vehicle line this is more complicated than pressing a big Castle Greyskull.  The two items really are not that comparable.

And then you look at other things in the line:

BLACK SERIES 3.75" FIGURES - Only 19 being offered in 2013
CLONE WARS ANIMATED 3.75" FIGURES - DISCONTINUED
SAGA LEGENDS - Basic figures reduced to 5 POA, price point deliberately lowered to draw in higher volume sales
STARFIGHTER VEHICLES - Stripped down to smaller / simpler sculpts to meet a reduced price point

The only big chance Hasbro seems to be taking is on the BLACK SERIES 6" figures.  And that seems to be tied in to a scale that has been more attractive to general toy collecting.

The line simply does not seem healthy enough to support a $150 - $200 vehicle.  Perhaps in 2015 or beyond, following the Episode VII release we'll be in a position where Hasbro can take a chance on something like the Sail Barge.

I wasn't referring to the sail barge, but the media support. There is current media in the Clone Wars and Hasbro doesn't support it.

Quote from: Jeff on February  9, 2013, 06:09 PM

Looks like you made the right call, Pete...  and will be spending some more money at Toy Palace to get the 2013 Yoda cards too.

From GH's Facebook:
"Movie Heroes (2012 and 2013) Sandtrooper, Boba Fett, Anakin, Battle Droid will be European release only"

Wow, that really stinks, so essentially I'll have to get the Yoda wave for just 2 figures - Red Exploding Battledroid and Jango Fett. Maybe I'll get lucky and there will be a spare Sandtrooper and Anakin in that case.

Not sure what I'm gonna do about the Clone Wars Wave 1 case too...

Me neither.
What a bunch of horse pucky.

Amazon gets in the game, eh?

But how many times do you go to the well? If there's one thing I'm confident in the J.J. Abrams era is that they're not going to be pushing crap on us every five seconds. Abrams knows how to build buzz. If Star Wars is constantly available, it loses luster. Look at Disney and its "vault" mentality. Granted, it's an extreme example, but there's got to be a healthy middle ground.

The find-in-store feature on Wal-Mart's site is flawed. There are a number of stores that don't show up, let alone tell you if they have the MTT in stock.

Quote from: Pete_Fett on December 13, 2012, 07:53 AM

I'm still confused as to how Hasbro Toy Shop can refuse a Hasbro Exclusive Item.

That's who would have carried this figure at Celebration, right?

Tis figure was probably going to be a victim of two VPs at Hasbro having a pissing-match, so while it's probably more than we would have paid for it at the convention, I'm glad we're getting the character AND on a vintage card back.

I wrote Brian's Toys asking why my order from mid-July hadn't shipped yet and the next day I got a shipping notification. It's not like my order was small either, I ordered four of them, just seems odd to me that an online retailer would be holding off processing a $100+ purchase. 

My order for the group was 7 - I don't think they are picking and choosing by the amount ordered.  They're just processing orders as usual and then getting to any JN orders as time permits.  They said they would deliver in January and we're not even half way through December.  Brian's should probably be sending the guys that ordered first, but who knows what kind of order processing system they have.  Clearly raising a stink bumps you to the front of the list.

As for why it wasn't carried at a convention - I think it wasn't going to be ready in time.  If they're shipping in Dec, they probably were produced in Nov, which would have been too late for any of the conventions.

NO, that's just the thing, there's no logic to how they are filling orders AT ALL.
Brian's Toys has successfully assured itself of never getting another exclusive again.