2023 HasLab - TVC The Ghost

[Dave]

If the rumors are true that this is a $600 item, then I hope they consider backing and tier thresholds differently than they did for Razor Crest which was *only* $350.  I think $600 is going to pull a lot of more casual fans, speculators, and fans without plenty of cash out of the mix on this one.

I guess the Transformers Unicron was in this price range and had a threshold of 8,000 backers, but they only ended up getting to 10,000.  I think there is probably more upside with TVC Star Wars.

I think the threshold might only be 7,000 backers, and the tiers will be fairly tight, maybe in increments of 2000 backers?

I guess it all depends on how much they bundle in to the base package - extra figures, etc., and how much they try and stick in to unlock tiers. 

I hope Hasbro doesn't get greedy on this and is able to make this program happen with sensible pricing, targets, value, etc.

[Nicklab]

I think part of the calculus now is speculators.  Only 8800 people backed the barge which was $500.  Before it even shipped people were getting double their money back from people who didn't take part in the campaign.  And now it can sell for close to $2K.  A lot of people saw that kind of spike in the secondary market for some of the Marvel campaigns, too.  I think some regarded it as an investment.  Others looked at it as buying two of the Haslab items in order keep one and sell the other in order to pay for both.  Is a higher price going to deter that?

[Matt_Fury]

I don't think the Ghost will do Razor Crest numbers...especially with a $600 price tag.  If the economy was better, things might be different, but Hasbro is going to have to weigh that in their calculations.

What I would like to see for the unlocks:

     - The second Phantom.  There should be one in the base unlock, so the other one should be a tier unlock.
     - Special versions of the crew on special cards.  There had better be single carded releases of each of these figures in the main line.
     - An electronics package.  Get enough interest in this thing to add electronics to it.
     - An advanced display stand.  I really like the one that came with the Razor Crest, but I would like something adjustable to display the Ghost in different ways.  Hell, the Mando N-1 Starfighter is coming with a display stand.

[Rob]

Ghost could be $350 and it probably wouldn't do Razor Crest numbers... that one got like 28,000 and it was a ship that was wildly popular at the moment, whereas Ghost was a thing years ago and will be later this year...

[Jeff]

If I was running things at Hasbro Star Wars, here is what I would do:

Base offering = $600 The Ghost with removable Phantom v2 plus Ahsoka, Hera, and Chopper
unlock #1 = Sabine (Ahsoka)
unlock #2 = Ezra (Ahsoka)
unlock #3 = Zeb in Pilot Gear (The Mandalorian)
unlock #4 = Hera and Kanan's kid whose name I can't remember and am too lazy to look up (he's got to be in Ahsoka, right?)

By my math, that works out to The Ghost (~$400) plus The Phantom v2 (~$95) plus 7 figures (~$105).  That isn't terrible if the Ghost really is 'BMF' sized.  It ties into the new Disney+ programming/marketing nicely. 

Plus, it also allows me as Hasbro to do my most favorite thing these days - massive double-dipping! In the mainline next year, around the time The Ghost is due, I offer up:

- mainline TVC vehicle - The Phantom v1 (that is compatible with HasLab Ghost) with retooled TVC Rebels carded Hera
- mainline TVC basic figure - retooled Rebels Chopper on Rebels cardback
- mainline TVC basic figure - retooled Rebels Sabine on Rebels cardback
- mainline TVC basic figure - new Rebels Ezra on Rebels cardback
- mainline TVC basic figure - new Rebels Kanan on Rebels cardback
- mainline TVC deluxe figure - new Rebels Zeb in the $28 line (because you know they'll want deluxe $ for him)

[Ryan]

Jeff, I like your list a lot. I think I'd only add a flying display stand, maybe as the first unlock. That feels like an essential piece of the set to me. 

I do hope that whatever the figure unlocks are, they only come carded if they will also be available loose in some other format later, (say a 7-Pack Ghost Crew set, in the same vein as the army building packs). Otherwise, I'd hope all of the exclusive figure unlocks are loose. I'd hate to need to buy a second Ghost just to get an opener & a carded version.

[Jeff]

Jeff, I like your list a lot. I think I'd only add a flying display stand, maybe as the first unlock. That feels like an essential piece of the set to me. 

If The Ghost is larger than the BMF Falcon like the rumors were saying, a stand might not be an easy thing to do.

[Dave]

If The Ghost is larger than the BMF Falcon like the rumors were saying, a stand might not be an easy thing to do.

I really hope its not as wide as the BMF.  That thing is really tough to display because of how broad it is.  Hopefully they find a way to make it cool without being obscenely large.

[Ryan]

Jeff, I like your list a lot. I think I'd only add a flying display stand, maybe as the first unlock. That feels like an essential piece of the set to me. 

If The Ghost is larger than the BMF Falcon like the rumors were saying, a stand might not be an easy thing to do.

I'd take a welded steel baseplate & armature. 

[Nicklab]

Regarding the stretch goals?  Like I mentioned earlier, I get concerned about locking characters behind a pay wall.  A structure that might work for me?

TIER 1 - Ghost magnetic cargo containers - as seen in the REBELS series, the Ghost could magnetically lock cargo containers to the bottom of the ship's hull.  This type of accessory might be seen as similar to the Razor Crest's escape pod
TIER 2 - Hera Syndulla (Star Wars Squadrons look & cardback)



TIER 3 - Chopper in Imperial Disguise



TIER 4 - Crate with Puffer Pig(s)


Some of these just seem like they would work in the context of the vehicle and Haslab theme without putting a main Rebels or Ahsoka character behind the paywall of the Haslab.  Collectors will no doubt want to get both a REBELS and an AHSOKA version of Hera and Chopper.  These versions are a little more unique / kitsch so that mainline offerings are still a possibility - although it would be cool to get a version of Chopper in the Imperial paint scheme!

[Jeff]

https://hasbropulse.com/collections/haslab/products/star-wars-the-vintage-collection-the-ghost

$499.99

The Ghost with Hera Syndulla (Rebels cardback) and Phantom II shuttle.

Base - 8000 backers to fund
Tier 1 - 11000 backers = Ezra Bridger on Rebels cardback
Tier 2 - 14000 backers = Kanan Jarrus on Rebels cardback
Tier 3 - 17000 backers = Garazeb "Zeb" Orrelios on Rebels cardback

(where are Sabine and Chopper?!?)

[Ryan]

And... Backed.

It looks ******* great. I almost picked up a second to hold onto for a rainy day, but am going with 1 for now. $499.99 feels like a steal, I was expecting $599.99+

[Nicklab]

OMG!  It's fantastic!  And $500 - $100 below a lot of the predictions!

I think I might back 2

[Jeff]

Now is the time to get Pulse Premium if you don't already have it.  Better to pay $50 for Pulse Premium and get free shipping for a year than just paying $50+ for shipping on The Ghost.

[Ryan]

OMG!  It's fantastic!  And $500 - $100 below a lot of the predictions!

I think I might back 2

I am really feeling like adding a second, I may wait a few weeks just to space out the cost. I'll probably end up just taking the figures from the second set and then selling off the Ghost itself.

It's already at almost 1,500 backers. I do wonder if this gets fully back quick enough if they'd consider adding a carded 'Rebels' Sabine & a carded 'Rebels' Chopper to the set. It'd be a bummer not to get those.