I think it's another instance of a no-win for Hasbro. Make an exclusive a repaint and people complain. Make it new figures of unmade characters and people complain.
I think of the two evils they opt for the former due to cost and the hope it offends the least. You make it all new stuff, they'll never hear the end of it from most. I mean, people harped that Carbonite Jar Jar was exclusive haha.
Hell, make no exclusive and people will still be angry. *shrugs*
I read something recently about how they wish they'd make stuff like that exclusive snowspeeder with Zev again, and I distinctly recall people pissed at buying another ship they have to get a figure they don't. I can't get behind that mentality, and I don't recall those things being a part of the "good old days" to most. Anyway yeah, a repaint is cheap and the least anger-inducing, so I get it.