You may not want to admit it, but there's a valid comparison. You said yourself that this is in a way, a playset. And let's not forget that we're not talking about another $40 or $50 toy here, this is something immense.
What's the valid comparison I "have to admit to" here? That high-priced items equate a likelihood we'll get playsets? There's absolutely no logic backing that up other than wishful thinking. A $150 Millenium Falcon is still a $150 Starship... It's a $150 STarship that was a focal point of no less than
three movies. A starship that has tons of action inside it, tons of action outside it, tons of flying and dogfighting scenes, and tons of harrowing escapes. At the end of the day, instead of a cockpit that holds one figure, it's got a cargo hold that can hold a dozen figures, but it's still just a ship... The only thing remotely "playset like" about it is that it has a spacious interior, but so does the AT-AT... And the AT-TE as well. I'd label neither a "playset" though, other than you can get inside them with kid hands and "play". Had they done just the engineering section of the Falcon or something, then maybe there'd be something to discuss, otherwise there's nothing.
I think what the point is that's being missed here though, is this;
The Millenium Falcon is iconic... It's a single, whole "thing", that Hasbro can put together in one package and market at little risk to themselves... They can add awesome play features like firing rockets and guns, light-up headlights, light-up engines, sound effects, lots of room for little kid hands, but not too large for them to lift it, and all the other little things that will appeal to children (and big kids) on some level. And they can say at the end of the day that this is a ship featured in three films, not some obscure off-the-wall hallway, doorway, room, crevice, nook, or whatnot... They can justify any potential risk because the ship is an icon itself, and they can get the play features in there kids will enjoy, and ultimately they're not taking much risk at all by offering this item. They've proven other big ticket items sell well because parents like to make their children happy at the holidays, and this is just a Star Wars example of the same.
On top of that, it's as low-risk as it gets for a Star Wars item... The only real risk is having it out alongside a Prequal Trilogy vehicle featured in a brand new cartoon. I think that variable is still up in the air.
We're both pretty stubborn about this, but I'm pretty surprised that you don't think the fans are floored Jesse. Read the Falcon thread... other forums, the GH blog, etc.
I think you're not quite understanding the point... Are fans floored that this even happened? If they are, they haven't kept up with anything in the news then. Hasbro's said multiple times they're interested in redoing the Falcon. They didn't say how, or when, but they've said it's a ship they wanted to revisit... Are people floored by the quality? That may be... But the $150 pricepoint isn't "news" since we broke the DPCI number for the Falcon here some months ago actually before Toy Fair even. We knew if indeed this Falcon was coming, it was $150... With a 2 foot AT-TE on the table, one could guess the Falcon was going to be special just like Galactic Hunter's photos showed... To me though, there's no surprise here or shock. Maybe some shock at just how cool it is, but not that it was coming.
It didn't take a clairvoyant to predict this thing was on the table though... The writing was on the wall for some time. Nobody's doubting it's awesome and the pictures from GH were great... But were there that many people who didn't see something good coming?
Not sure how the most iconic vehicle now suddenly means that we'll now be getting playsets.
Don't recall anyone saying it does? Only that Hasbro is clearly looking at larger scaled items now, and if this and the AT-TE do well enough, they might look at further options.
Didn't you imply it here:
I can already hear the seething rage from some people that a big item/vehicle/playset discussion is starting... oh wait, ARE getting some of this now, just as the faithful have been predicting.
I'm sure we're going to have to wait and see how sales are on these, but it shows that Hasbro finally realizes there is demand for larger items in the 3-3/4 line. Will we see a Sail Barge somewhere down the road? Or a new attitude towards playsets? We can certainly hope so.
I don't recall a group saying Hasbro would never do this or that large vehicle... Playsets, people have only cited Hasbro's own responses on the matter that they aren't/can't/don't want to do them. Vehicles though... No. And you did lump large vehicles and playsets together twice in this reply earlier in the thread... You were equating them as one in the same, or at the very least "related" by price or size or something, when in fact they are not related at all. And like I said... Nobody "predicted" this... The Falcon was on Hasbro's radar, admitted by themselves, because it's such an iconic ship. And then our DPCI news broke that this was being considered, and then some rumors to follow that up, and all culminating this past week with the pictures Galactic Hunter got...
No "predictions" that were being denied there by anyone.
I've heard that argument over and over, and to be honest it's getting weaker each time someone says it. Why you ask? Because all the playsets they've made so far are junk. Give us something that actually looks cool, then if it doesn't sell, this argument will have more validity. Until then what you're basing history off of is mostly pieces of plastic
That's just it though...
You think they're crap playsets. Ask Hasbro if they think the Bespin Freeze Champer was "crap", or if the Episode 3 Mustar playset was "crap". Bet you get a difference of opinion on "crap". Your definition of "crap" is Hasbro's definition of what needs to be done to move that expensive hunk of plastic to people other than the handful of collectors who say they want playsets, but only want them on their terms.
That's all there is to it... It's not a piss on it attitude, it's looking at what we've been told in the dialogue with Hasbro and realistically digesting it. They're looking at options available to get playsets out to the public, but I think the phrase, "You can't please all of the people, all of the time.", comes to mind. Something about the playset won't make someone happy, and ultimately it may not make enough people happy to justify the risk, so Hasbro just doesn't take the risk...
There isn't a conspiracy against playsets, as I think everyone in here would love a hyper-accurate playset of the Death Star with decent size to it, and less "kid features" than previous playsets. It's not that anyone's wishing we wouldn't get that, they're just assessing the evidence why we aren't getting that, and looking at it realistically. I think everyone actually
hopes they throw a curve ball with a cool playset some day. I know I do anyway... And I don't think anything is impossible, but I don't look at the vehicles we're getting this year as a sign Hasbro is now interested in rethinking their stance on playsets. Vehicles sell better according to Hasbro, vehicles are more appealing to kids, vehicles offer more room for play features and action, and vehicles like the Millenium Falcon are iconic for the films while the AT-TE is a popular Prequal Trilogy design that is featured heavily in the biggest media event of 2008... It's not coincidence then that both are getting expensive all-new sculpts. The only surprise to me is that it's both in the same year and seemingly released at the same time too.
