LOTR & The Hobbit 2013 Set Discussion

[Alcarin]

  Quote

To me it looks like were missing one to two sets

Could be a smaller wave :P

[Lynx]

  On 8/8/2013 at 6:05 PM, deskp said:

The correct response would be, no shit sets..

Riddles was even sold at bargain prices in Australian supermarkets. And even there it remained on the shelves. I would expect that the Wizard Battle sold much better, so I'm hopeful that the 12$ sets will continue.

The idea for Riddles was good, but in all fairness it's difficult to design a LEGO set based on an encounter that lives from its character interaction, rather than its environment.

[Fives]

Got a reply back from Jordan Scott. He said he's not sure what info he can give away, so he's not gonna take the risk. It's the answer I expected. Worth a shot.

[deskp]

  On 8/8/2013 at 8:00 PM, Lynx said:

Riddles was even sold at bargain prices in Australian supermarkets. And even there it remained on the shelves. I would expect that the Wizard Battle sold much better, so I'm hopeful that the 12$ sets will continue.

The idea for Riddles was good, but in all fairness it's difficult to design a LEGO set based on an encounter that lives from its character interaction, rather than its environment.

And it didnt really have any new characthers that was only in that set, gollum was pretty much the same, jsut a little bit less good than the shelob print.

[Hypernova888]

Has Anyone seen Brotherhood Workshop's Thranduil? I think LEGO's will look similar. I imagine that the LEGO Version will have a Hairpiece similar to Legolas's, but With a hole in it similar to the Friend's hair, with a separate crown.

[Faefrost]

  On 8/8/2013 at 8:00 PM, Lynx said:

Riddles was even sold at bargain prices in Australian supermarkets. And even there it remained on the shelves. I would expect that the Wizard Battle sold much better, so I'm hopeful that the 12$ sets will continue.

The idea for Riddles was good, but in all fairness it's difficult to design a LEGO set based on an encounter that lives from its character interaction, rather than its environment.

And yet it is the single critical scene that ties the Hobbit to the LotR, and probably the fan favorite scene in the movie. If they had ignored it we would have screamed bloody murder. And it's not like they left anything out of the scene or could have in any way changed it, or tucked it into a different set. it's Bilbo (really the same outfit to, not much option there. Maybe they could have dirtied it up a bit?) Golum (and what are they going to do with his fig beyond give him a mildly different facial expression? New color designer loincloth?) Golums little boat and his little rock cave thing. Maybe they could have included the Goblin that Golum kills in front of Bilbo?

[Deathleech]

  On 8/8/2013 at 7:33 AM, matticus said:

Well with any rumor I take it with a grain of salt, but also this is how we get set information most of the time.

True, but we had two or three lists last year and only one was even remotely correct. And even that list was missing most of the sets. The Pirate Ship Ambush was the only one they hit dead on. It had the "Eagle's Nest", which I suppose could have been the Black Gate set, and Frodo and Ringwraith which doesn't even remotely fit any of the sets actually released.

[scottjs]

Looking at pricing I believe that 49.99 GBP is still an accurate price for Laketown Chase as that set could be mimicking Attack of the Wargs which is the same amount in both USD and GBP. I suspect that an actual model of Smaug is being kept under wraps until the movie comes out i.e. NDA agreement with Newline. TLG wouldn't release a Smaug set this year and next would they, seeing that dragons sell so well? I imagine no as they could not design him differently enough to warrant picking up the second version, I'm just thinking out loud.

[matticus]

  On 8/9/2013 at 4:07 AM, Deathleech said:

True, but we had two or three lists last year and only one was even remotely correct. And even that list was missing most of the sets. The Pirate Ship Ambush was the only one they hit dead on. It had the "Eagle's Nest", which I suppose could have been the Black Gate set, and Frodo and Ringwraith which doesn't even remotely fit any of the sets actually released.

Well I was just saying rumor lists in general. Star Wars set rumors seem to be on a lot, but wish Lego would just handle this better in announcing sets before rumors get out. I have the feeling however that the license requires them to keep it quiet for as long as they can til pictures/announcements across numerous product lines can be released in anticipation for movie/tv show/etc.

[deskp]

  On 8/9/2013 at 4:56 AM, matticus said:

Well I was just saying rumor lists in general. Star Wars set rumors seem to be on a lot, but wish Lego would just handle this better in announcing sets before rumors get out. I have the feeling however that the license requires them to keep it quiet for as long as they can til pictures/announcements across numerous product lines can be released in anticipation for movie/tv show/etc.

Lego was not allowed to reveal dol guldur set names surely, it was only just "anniunced" in a magazine that the dol guldur battle will happen in DOS.

The amount of people that the "rumors" rach is pretty low anyways.

[Elander]

The "79011 Dol Guldur Ambush" and "79014 Dol Guldur Battle" are sounding interesting.

Maybe we will seeing the Necromancer and the Witchking of Angmar?

The "79012 Mirkwood Elf Army" would suits to the battle.

Hopefully we will seeing hereto only soldiers and no characters...

[Gryphon Ink]

Guys, even a small wave is almost always going to have a $10 set and a $100 set. The small set is a crucial part of TLG's sales strategy (the small impulse buy/extra present) and the big one is just as critical. There is no way TLG would leave both of those sets off a hot licensed theme timed for maximum exposure during the Christmas season. They might as well say screw this ABS stuff, this year we're going to sell wooden ducks.

Ergo, the set list is fake. No ifs, buts or maybes. It's just something somebody made up.

[Alfadas]

  On 8/9/2013 at 11:26 AM, Gryphon Ink said:

Ergo, the set list is fake. No ifs, buts or maybes. It's just something somebody made up.

Or maybe the list is not complete, 2 sets are missing from the list. That would mean a normal wave, not a small one. But, we will see who is right when the pics start showing up.

[Darth Punk]

Not really, the missing high and low sets could be exclusives. If the list is real it most likely came from a retailer who would not get information about the exclusives. I would bet a Smaug set when it comes will be a lego exclusive and would be kept under wraps until an official announcement.

[Gryphon Ink]

  On 8/9/2013 at 1:16 PM, Darth Punk said:

Not really, the missing high and low sets could be exclusives. If the list is real it most likely came from a retailer who would not get information about the exclusives. I would bet a Smaug set when it comes will be a lego exclusive and would be kept under wraps until an official announcement.

You could be right about a Smaug set, but the $10 set is never an exclusive.

[The_Chosen_1]

  On 8/9/2013 at 1:16 PM, Darth Punk said:

Not really, the missing high and low sets could be exclusives.

I highly doubt that, at least for the lowest-priced set. $20 and under sets are big movers for Lego, so they'll want them to be widely available.

[Darth Punk]

Well I was thinking more along the lines of a poly bag for the lower end which some have been somewhat exclusive or at the least hard to find. Also if the previous info is right about only 5 sets there may not be a $10-12 set.

[Faefrost]

  On 8/9/2013 at 1:16 PM, Darth Punk said:

Not really, the missing high and low sets could be exclusives. If the list is real it most likely came from a retailer who would not get information about the exclusives. I would bet a Smaug set when it comes will be a lego exclusive and would be kept under wraps until an official announcement.

Have we ever seen a situation where the high and low price point sets are the exclusives? Those are almost always middle of the pack. Also don't forget that the recent Super Heros sets have all avoided the typical $99+ upper price. Smallville, Malibu Mansion, Daily Bugle, etc.

I agree that there might be an un announced Smaug set out there, but honestly it doesn't make a lot of sense. There is nothing in any deals with New Line that would likely preclude them from "saying" they have a dragon based set in the works. It's sorta kinda expected that they and every other to licensee probably will be making one. The restriction would be that they can't "show" us what it looks like. A set name or number could be revealed, just no photos, even in merchant catalogs.

So if that list is correct (still very questionable) than it either means that there likely is no large Smaug set this release, or if there is such a thing it is a large Lego only exclusive, ala Orthanc or Ewok Village, that is on a differing release schedule (and does not get advertised to retailers.)

Edited August 9, 2013 by Faefrost

[CMP]

I don't get what's so unthinkable about these being the only Hobbit sets this wave. Lord of the Rings only got four sets last wave.

That said, it would be odd if we didn't get Smaug.

[Almaras22]

^Four sets plus Orthanc

Somewhat off-topic from the Hobbit (I'll wait until we get confirmation before giving it serious thought), is it odd that we haven't seen or heard anything in terms of LOTR polybags for this wave? When did they start popping up last year? Is it likely that we will get two more this year?

Edited August 10, 2013 by Almaras22

[just2good]

  On 8/10/2013 at 12:24 AM, Almaras22 said:

^Four sets plus Orthanc

Somewhat off-topic from the Hobbit (I'll wait until we get confirmation before giving it serious thought), is it odd that we haven't seen or heard anything in terms of LOTR polybags for this wave? When did they start popping up last year? Is it likely that we will get two more this year?Four sets plus Orthanc

Seems like we will not get any polys this year for LOTR. We first heard about 'em in June last year, and the sets this year and last year were released the same time.

Edited August 10, 2013 by just2good

[CMP]

  On 8/10/2013 at 12:24 AM, Almaras22 said:

^Four sets plus Orthanc

I consider Orthanc separate. I doubt we're getting another Lord of the Rings/the Hobbit exclusive that size again for quite some time.

[Infernum]

  On 8/10/2013 at 12:25 AM, just2good said:

Seems like we will not get any polys this year for LOTR. We first heard about 'em in June last year, and the sets this year and last year were released the same time.

Nooooo! I live for polybags!

[SirBlake]

  On 8/10/2013 at 12:25 AM, just2good said:

Seems like we will not get any polys this year for LOTR. We first heard about 'em in June last year, and the sets this year and last year were released the same time.

I hope that's not the case. The Mirkwood Elf was a great polybag set and a Gondor soldier poly would sell like C-R-A-Z-Y. TLG is leaving truckloads of $$ behind if they don't take advantage of that one.

[Darth Malgus]

I'd pay scalpers prices to get some Gondorian Soldiers here in Australia if they make them as a polybag!