In an effort to provide a little context on these bigger offerings, here's some context:
VC-162A - SITH TROOPER (ARMORY PACK)RELEASED - 2019
AMAZON EXCLUSIVE
17 POA
6 x ACCESSORIES
MSRP - $17.99
VC-177 DIN DJARIN (THE MANDALORIAN) WITH THE CHILD
RELEASED - 2020
WALMART EXCLUSIVE
17 POA
9 x ACCESSORIES
MSRP - $17.99
Even now we're seeing basic figures with a substantial number of accessories in basic figures.
The Emperor - 5 accessories
Offworld Jawa (Arvala 7) - 6 accessories
Teebo - 9 accessories
ARC Trooper Fives - 6 accessories
ARC Trooper Echo - 6 accessories
Looking at the new releases?
AHSOKA TANO & GROGU
RELEASE DATE - 2022
WALMART EXCLUSIVE
9 x ACCESSORIES
MSRP - $20.97
INCINERATOR TROOPER & GROGU
RELEASE DATE - 2022
WALMART EXCLUSIVE
7 x ACCESSORIES
MSRP - $20.97
BOBA FETT (TATOOINE)
RELEASE DATE - 2022
GENERAL RELEASE
9 x ACCESSORIES
MSRP - $26.49
I will personally give the Stormtrooper with E-WEB a pass because of the size of the accessory. The power generator alone is a very sizable accessory that would never fit on a basic figure card. The same goes for the size of the Maldo Kreis set with Din Djarin, Grogu and all of the spiders, along with the size of the card and blister. Is the new $20.97 pricing on Deluxe figures based on the size of the package?
I think that the Carbonized figures were a marketing exercise:
-Give a retailer an exclusive
-Use existing tooling to minimize costs
-Raise the price to see what the market will bear
Collectors took the bait! They paid $17.99 for what would otherwise be a TVC basic figure, but with a shiny finish and thicker cardboard. Call it FOMO, call it collecting addiction. Hasbro and retailers took note, and here we are now. But it seems like collectors might have had their fill of this kind of blatant repainting, because I've seen wave 2 of the Carbonized TVC line sitting, and it is still readily available online.
But the bigger issue seems to be Boba Fett. Are we looking at a Boba Fett tax because of the popularity of the character? I still remember the 300th Boba Fett back in the POTJ era. From a sculpting standpoint it was a big step forward. But in terms of articulation it was on par with other figures of the time. And it cost almost twice as much as a POTJ basic figure. Is this new Tatooine Boba Fett the modern equivalent of the 300th Boba Fett?
So where does the line get drawn on price? I saw so many vocal reactions to the price on Boba Fett yesterday. I was one of them. But then FOMO comes into play and I know that people are going to buy it. I don't think that I'm any different. But crap like the Carbonized collection? Keep it, Hasbro.