legolandia

Does Lego intend to continue with the current schedule of Star Wars sets releases?

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I remember, not too log ago, Lego was releassing just one wave of sets per year. Then it changed to the current 3 waves per year. Whilst I am happy that Lego Star Wars sets are enjoying an increasse in popularity I have also become conscious that it is rather difficult for collectors to keep up with this relentless tide. Not to mention the fact that since the Falcon it is also becoming somehow a bit of a habit to releasse the mamoth (in every sense) £650 sets too. I have also noticed that the quality of the sets has been watered down quite considerably as well. I dont mean quality of materials but rather quality of models being releassed. 

I do wish Lego slowed down a bit. How do others feel?

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My wallet would certainly feel better with only one or two waves per year.  That said, I watch for sales aggressively to keep costs down, but it would be even easier with just one less wave on shelves in a year.

Cheers

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We're probably gonna go back to 2 waves per year with the larger/exclusive sets spread out throughout the year for the next few years, outside of TV releases we'll be out of the big movie merch roll-outs of recent years, as well as Anniversaries such as 20 years of Lego Star Wars, well unless there's a sudden big push for the ESB anniversary, but that doesn't seem likely outside of some of the sets being sourced from ESB.

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I would concur with this. It's almost to the point there is so much choking shelves right now and makes it very hard to get excited about it all...especially with re-issues. In the last year I've had to make the choice to become more selective having been a completionist since Day 1 20yrs ago. But one has to realize that the only way LEGO has to make money is try to push out stuff people will buy and in doing so what with all the other themes feel that LEGO is competing with itself in terms of shelf frontage and assortment...almost to the point where one will just walk away, as I have done numerous times. My hope is for 2 releases a year with the usual 5 sets per wave plus the usual UCS set in the spring and the and an expert set in the winter.

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I'm fine with the increased number of sets. There's just too much Star Wars content now with the OT, PT, ST, Anthologies, EU and various TV shows that just having one or two waves of sets per year isn't really enough to cover them.

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Even if I do not get the sets, I appreciate the overflow of ideas, and like to revel in the creativity behind them. 

Though I can understand how bothersome it must be for completist to keep up with the hobby, especially when prices continue to escalate and the instances of lackluster sets.

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Even now it's impossible to cover all 11 movies (incl. TROS), tv shows and games. Lowering the number of sets/year would mean leaving even more angry fans behind (only 2 sets for Resistance? Really?), because "their" beloved show/movie/trilogy doesn't get enough coverage. Now to UCS...i'm glad they finally released the UCS MF and SD, because the prices for the original sets are insane and bricks/building techniques developed a lot over the last years. Yes, the new SD costs $700, but with rebates we're already in the $500 range. That's better than paying $3000+ for a rather shitty 10030. And i can't imagine any set apart from DS, SD, SSD or MF to break the $500 barrier in the next years, because what should it be? We had the discussion in the last months.

Demanding a lower number of sets, just for collectors being able to buy all, is a bit selfish. If you don't like the sets, don't buy them. Nobody forces you to buy them.

And to add insult to injury your signature shows your demand for a jedi temple. Moaning about too many and too expensive sets on the market, but demanding something what probably would be very expensive and would appeal only to a very small number of fans. Chapeau!

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4 hours ago, m4st3rt3ch said:

And to add insult to injury your signature shows your demand for a jedi temple. Moaning about too many and too expensive sets on the market, but demanding something what probably would be very expensive and would appeal only to a very small number of fans. Chapeau!

Wow, hold on! Please calm down and change your tone. It was a genuine question and if you read my op you will see that I am making no demands or moaning as you put it. Rather making an observation. This is a collector's forum and therefore the questions asked are mainly for collectors' and responses from collectors' point of view.

I apologise, I didnt now you were an expert researcher in Lego Star Wars field. But considering that you claim that a Jedi Temple would appeal to a very small number of fans and that it would be very expensive rather means that you haven't got a clue. First I did not specify what size the Jedi Temple should be and second, if you look at various Architecture sets you would realise that the set would not need to be very expensive at all. 

My suggestion is that you need to revise what "moaning" and "demanding mean. Once you have done that then re-read my op and signature and you will realise that neither can be classed under those two words.

Please do not turn a genuine post into an argumentative one. If you have nothign to contribute in a calm and polite manner then please do not post at all.

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10 hours ago, LiLmeFromDaFuture said:

Even if I do not get the sets, I appreciate the overflow of ideas, and like to revel in the creativity behind them. 

Though I can understand how bothersome it must be for completist to keep up with the hobby, especially when prices continue to escalate and the instances of lackluster sets.

Likewise, I appreciate the ideas and creativity, however it can be argued that quite a few of the sets fail on the creativity side. There's quite a bit of shelf-filling sets and re-releasses as well.

I am mainly and foremost a minifigure collector and for the past 15 years I have been collecting them all (-3). In terms of sets I am very selective in what I collect. In the earlier years the variation in minifigures was slow and various sets used the same minifigures as previous sets quite often. This made the collecting quite easy. Nowadays, I think Lego has realised the potential of minifigures to sell a set and they keep making tweaks in design to minifigures every year which makes it hard to keep up and on the expensive side. 

Generally I tend to buy sets that have 3 or more unique minifigures, keep the minifigures and sell the set. Now and again I will buy a set which may have fewer unique minifigures or none at all if I want the actual set (SSD, UCS MF, etc).

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On 10/26/2019 at 1:31 AM, legolandia said:

I remember, not too log ago, Lego was releassing just one wave of sets per year. Then it changed to the current 3 waves per year. Whilst I am happy that Lego Star Wars sets are enjoying an increasse in popularity I have also become conscious that it is rather difficult for collectors to keep up with this relentless tide. Not to mention the fact that since the Falcon it is also becoming somehow a bit of a habit to releasse the mamoth (in every sense) £650 sets too. I have also noticed that the quality of the sets has been watered down quite considerably as well. I dont mean quality of materials but rather quality of models being releassed. 

I do wish Lego slowed down a bit. How do others feel?

I have bought more LEGO this year than any other and it has cost a small fortune. I'm someone that would love to have everything but I just cannot keep up with LEGO.

I tried doing a very rough calculation to see how much it would cost to buy every set released in 2019 and it would cost over $1500 without including the UCS Star Destroyer. Even if you bought at 20% off, this would cost $1200 a year. Who can keep up with that? It's a bad mix of high prices and a lot of sets. 

The solution to the problem would not be as simple as reducing price or reducing sets release because fans wouldn't like that either. Lower prices would mean lower piece counts and a decline in general build quality. Lower sets count would mean that fans would have to wait ages for releases and they'd get bored of the theme quicker. 

I'd love to see a solution whereby LEGO would let us buy from the back catalogue - although this option would be hated by collectors as it would devalue their stock significantly. Personally, I buy lego for the lego, not for the investment

Edited by Little Brix

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17 hours ago, legolandia said:

Likewise, I appreciate the ideas and creativity, however it can be argued that quite a few of the sets fail on the creativity side. There's quite a bit of shelf-filling sets and re-releasses as well.

I am mainly and foremost a minifigure collector and for the past 15 years I have been collecting them all (-3). In terms of sets I am very selective in what I collect. In the earlier years the variation in minifigures was slow and various sets used the same minifigures as previous sets quite often. This made the collecting quite easy. Nowadays, I think Lego has realised the potential of minifigures to sell a set and they keep making tweaks in design to minifigures every year which makes it hard to keep up and on the expensive side. 

Generally I tend to buy sets that have 3 or more unique minifigures, keep the minifigures and sell the set. Now and again I will buy a set which may have fewer unique minifigures or none at all if I want the actual set (SSD, UCS MF, etc).

Sorry, if i misinterpreted, your post, but:

"I do wish Lego slowed down a bit." for YOU being able to keep up collecting?

"a bit of a habit to releasse the mamoth" REreleasing 2 age old, sought after and painfully expensive (on the 2nd hand market) sets in 3 years is no habit, it's a coincidence and it was about effing time after 10 (MF) and 17 (SD) years. I pray to the FSM every night 2020 or 21 will see the release of a new SSD after ~10 years, because a new one for $500-600 is better than ~$900 for an old one. But not if it's inconvenient for YOU as a collector of minifigs.

"which makes it hard to keep up" again, you collecting.

Sounds like *nag*nag*nag* and exactly what i criticised. Too many choices what to buy, for YOU. So you'd like everyone else to have less choices. 

I'm getting a little thin-skinned lately because of the constant nagging at LEGO. It's amazing how positive people on other SW fandom related sites react to new sets. I admit, not everything LEGO touches is gold, but they aren't evil sith lords either. And i can assure you these posts were typed in a calm and collected, admittedly sarcastic manner.

And sorry for the jedi temple part. Do you want a jedi temple for ants, or a minifig sized one with a handful younglings to slay (and you to collect)? You don't have to be a researcher to realise that's stuff for hardcore AFOLs. A good indicator always is the number of MOCs or tries (and backers) to get something realized via IDEAS. Looking very bad for any jedi temple you could have had in mind. Maybe when pigs can fly or LEGO released a 501st battlepack.

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On 10/26/2019 at 12:02 PM, m4st3rt3ch said:

Demanding a lower number of sets, just for collectors being able to buy all, is a bit selfish. If you don't like the sets, don't buy them. Nobody forces you to buy them.

I wouldn't put it so hard, but I kind of agree to this. From the perspective of a MOC builder, the more is often the better as it is usually the minifigures and new molds that are the most interesting parts of new sets. I understand the completionist viewpoint, though, but hardcore collectors are a minority. However, I do agree to the original post in the fact that many of the new sets have been clumsy and boring remakes of decades old designs. Whereas one solution was to slow down the production rate in order to gain back more quality, I don't think that a billion dollar enterprise would really be lacking the means to produce high quality designs in short intervals. Quite simply, hire new and more designers. There is a queue of extremely talented and enthusiastic fans to join TLG's ranks.


- Samppu

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Over time I have modified my LSW purchasing habits due to diminishing space, but also because of the perspective I've gained from buying SW LEGO since day 1.  I have learned to refine my taste for these sets to such a degree that it's much easier for me to leave most behind on the shelf lately - even if my reaction is initially very positive. 

Also, I'm not compelled to drop a lot of cash on a set that I feel indifferent about just to acquire the minifig(s) - and I think this is where many collectors begin to feel overwhelmed.  Case in point: the new 75254 AT-ST Raider.  I'm excited for The Mandalorian, the figure looks great, the walker isn't bad, but I'm just not that wowed by the set.  So, I'll just buy the Mando fig on Bricklink if I really want it.

To hope that the world's largest toy manufacturer throttles back on product releases of an historic cash cow is a losing battle.  Individual consumers have a personal responsibility to make wise decisions regarding the spending of their disposable income.  To point at LEGO and suggest they're somehow responsible for one's own financial hardship is displacement of blame and foolish.

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2 hours ago, lowlead said:

Over time I have modified my LSW purchasing habits due to diminishing space, but also because of the perspective I've gained from buying SW LEGO since day 1.

Cannot agree more. I've done more or less the same thing. I select some sets for me and I let my children to select theirs. They have learnt that as I use to select SW sets, they move to other themes like City, Creators, Superheroes, Jurassic World or Harry Potter. 

That makes the amount of sets to cover too wide and indeed it's a ton of $$, or €€ in my case. So I try to be selective and try to find deals as much as possible, not in every case, but in most of them.

Then there are the UCS sets, which require additional planning... 

Edited by dvogon

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6 hours ago, Samppu said:

Quite simply, hire new and more designers. There is a queue of extremely talented and enthusiastic fans to join TLG's ranks.

I doubt the designers are a problem at all. I am sure they would love to operate without restrictions but they have to work within the limits set by the higher-ups (number of piece, size of pieces, new moulds, prints, stickers etc.). I am also quite sure they would love to do something different rather than Snowspeeder set number 8.

 

On 10/26/2019 at 11:02 AM, m4st3rt3ch said:

Demanding a lower number of sets, just for collectors being able to buy all, is a bit selfish.

I am not a collector and I have different needs, thus I do not agree with the OP, but he is speaking from a customer's perspective. There is nothing wrong about a customer being selfish, just like there is nothing wrong with TLG wanting our money.

After all, when disagreeing with him I too have my own interests in mind. And frankly, I doubt you buy Lego to better mankind or something. I for one do it because I personally enjoy building Lego and gifting it to loved ones. Therefore, I would love to see more sets because that increases the chances for sets I want to own. That's quite selfish, yes. And while TLG may not be Sith lord evil, it is still not a non-profit operation or charity. It is a business. Buying Lego is a business transaction guided by hard economic interests on both sides. No need for any moralising.

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YHaven't been buying been sticking to larger moc builds. My beef with Lego is their VIP program and the constant reissue of sets. How many MF, AT-ST, TF, Y

Wings can you collect. Its getting old.

Edited by KevinYoung

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On 10/26/2019 at 1:31 AM, legolandia said:

I remember, not too log ago, Lego was releassing just one wave of sets per year. Then it changed to the current 3 waves per year. Whilst I am happy that Lego Star Wars sets are enjoying an increasse in popularity I have also become conscious that it is rather difficult for collectors to keep up with this relentless tide. Not to mention the fact that since the Falcon it is also becoming somehow a bit of a habit to releasse the mamoth (in every sense) £650 sets too. I have also noticed that the quality of the sets has been watered down quite considerably as well. I dont mean quality of materials but rather quality of models being releassed. 

I do wish Lego slowed down a bit. How do others feel?

They have released TWO £650 sets.

I don't think collectors need to keep up with everything they release. Collectors set their own parameters for their collection, and can buy what fits with it.

10 hours ago, KevinYoung said:

YHaven't been buying been sticking to larger moc builds. My beef with Lego is their VIP program and the constant reissue of sets. How many MF, AT-ST, TF,

Y Wings can you collect. Its getting old.

How many do you feel you need to collect? Buy one, if you want another newer one, then buy that too. If you are happy with just the one, then stick with what you have.

Just because you have a model bought some years previously, why should that stop others from buying a new version?

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12 hours ago, Flieger said:

I doubt the designers are a problem at all. I am sure they would love to operate without restrictions but they have to work within the limits set by the higher-ups (number of piece, size of pieces, new moulds, prints, stickers etc.). I am also quite sure they would love to do something different rather than Snowspeeder set number 8.

Yep, that is true. And this problem would not change no matter how much time the designers had to create a set. I was only thinking in terms of time and pressure thinking about e.g. the snowspeeder anniversary set that is yet another copy of the decade old design. Whether the problem is in lack of talent (I would guess not), lack of fresh ideas or, most probably, lack of time, hiring a few more and new designers would certainly improve all of these problems.

- Samppu

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