Is a strong 2013 showing (SDCC 2012) our last best chance for playsets?

[The All American]

While the line may last a long time in terms of figures, with prices increasing and sales perhaps decreasing down the road, are the upcoming SDCC 2012 reveals for 2013 our realistic last best shot to get playsets in this line?

I hope not, but I fear our window of opportunity might be closing. If the likes of Ram Man, Mantenna, and the Horde Troopers are revealed at SDCC 2012, I would imagine sub sales might stay pretty high in 2013, and could finally justify to Mattel that it's safe to release a playset before the distant "movie year". Also, releasing a playset like Castle Grayskull in 2014 would keep the line fresh as many of the major characters will no longer be left to entice us (especially for the vintage purists).

So, hoping for a strong SDCC showing! Will it be enough to entice us to sub for 2013, so we can finally get Castle Grayskull? Then Snake Mountain? Then the Fright Zone, Crystal Castle, and Eternia?

[vertigoink]

First I love your enthusiasm, that being said though the chance of us ever getting ANY playset or even one beyond Grayskull is unlikely. I DO agree though that if there was ever a good time to send Mattel the message that the playset could make money it's now. We're hot off the heels of the DC comics digital premiere and a week away from the retail premiere. It's also still the 30th so we'll see even more goodies at SDCC and all the new licensing and other media really should shout to Mattel "the castle is viable now, MAKE IT!". Whether or not fans will be motivated to actually subscribe though is the question.

[RockinHard]

Damn, I'm just realistically hoping for more vehicles . . .

[Lay Ze-Man]

There's not much that would get me to subscribe, but a guaranteed Battle Ram would be very enticing.

[MegaGearMax]

At this point, it's hard for us to get Castle Grayskull, let alone any other playset.

I DO think that Mattel should reconsider selling it to the fandom in pieces before it's too late.

Sell the front outer wall first, then the side.



Next sell the floor packs.
Throne Room/Dungeon pack:
• sculpted monster arms and tentacles coming from the cell in the floor that you could snap in place
• two sculpted parapet floors
• a sculpted throne room floor with trap door switch
• Maybe a soft goods rug?
• Grayskull Throne that can be reused as a less elaborate Zodac's chair
• Flag
• Tapestry



Science Room/Elevator pack:
• the science room sculpted floor
• Elevator and sculpted computer that you can snap in place.
• Ladder
• Laser cannon
• Training thingee
• Small weapon's rack



Lastly, we can make the Grayskull armor and it's little box a sub exclusive or SDCC exclusive.

Then do an official poll if you want another side like in the 200X Castle and send in your ideas for what should go inside.

[Donimo]

I think if Mattel were to do Castle Grayskull, this would be the year. But, it seems highly unlikely. They don't seem confident that enough people would buy it. Since it's a large commitment to have it sculpted, engineered, and produced, they won't take even the slightest risk. I don't think splitting up CG into different pieces and sold that way would work. (I think selling separate pieces instead of a whole would only work for Eternia and the 3 towers.) But, if they set up a sort of "subscription" for a complete CG to be paid for in 6 or 8 installments by the end of the year, then put a graph on MattyCollector.com detailing the minimum amount needed to move forward, I think they'd find that the MOTU community would probably come up with the numbers needed to produce it. But, I don't see them wanting to put forth the effort. It could be done if they would just think outside the box.

If they were to make a Castle Grayskull, the supplemental packs that MGM suggested above would be awesome as a follow-up. Maybe once a year sell a new CG pack of goodies. But CG itself and the basics should all come together to start with.

[Berserker79]

I don`t think this will happen. A playset for several hundreds of $ plus shipping is too expensive for many collectors. If even a 45$ Wind Raider didn`t sell that good, a 300-400$ playset would do worse.

Personally I won`t support a big piece of plastic for so much money.

[wundarwarrior]

If Hasbro can put out a 4' long Helicarrier as a SDCC exclusive, Mattel can do Castle Grayskull. The Helicarrier is under $200 I believe and it is more intricate as far as tooling. Pieces like that are not meant for EVERYONE but they can still make it profitable. It just sounds like Mattel operates on a shoe-string budget whenever Scott talks about money so it would take some effort on their part, but it is possible.

[Shadow-Ra]

I don`t think this will happen. A playset for several hundreds of $ plus shipping is too expensive for many collectors. If even a 45$ Wind Raider didn`t sell that good, a 300-400$ playset would do worse.

Personally I won`t support a big piece of plastic for so much money.

Agreed, I personally wouldn't buy any playset.

[MegaGearMax]

I don`t think this will happen. A playset for several hundreds of $ plus shipping is too expensive for many collectors. If even a 45$ Wind Raider didn`t sell that good, a 300-400$ playset would do worse.

Personally I won`t support a big piece of plastic for so much money.

Arguably the Wind Raider was sold 10 days before Christmas, when most people are tapped out from Christmas shopping (if the WR does bad this time, then they have no excuse). If Mattel breaks down and sells Grayskull in pieces, then fans won't have to pay so much at one time. The diorama folks can just buy the front facade, while the playset fans can buy the other upcoming pieces.

If Hasbro can put out a 4' long Helicarrier as a SDCC exclusive, Mattel can do Castle Grayskull. The Helicarrier is under $200 I believe and it is more intricate as far as tooling. Pieces like that are not meant for EVERYONE but they can still make it profitable. It just sounds like Mattel operates on a shoe-string budget whenever Scott talks about money so it would take some effort on their part, but it is possible.

Hasbro has bigger stones than Mattel. They will take risks and they pay off most of the time. When some of those ideas fail, Hasbro will simply try again. Mattel will let a property fade for a generation. It's so bad, that we can't even compare the two anymore.

[Jubilation]

There's nothing they could show me that would get me to subscribe again. This year will be the last year I ever have a sub. I've loved all the vintage MOTU this year but I'm just not happy with the lack of Great Rebellion females in the line and I'm just not interested in all these new characters that are popping up every 5 minutes while I'm still missing the likes of Glimmer, Castaspella and Mantenna.

[Dynamo of Eternia]

If it happens, it happens, if it doesn't it doesn't. I would prefer that it does happen, but I'm not getting my hopes up too much. If we don't get one, then sooner or later I'll find some way to customize my own or something, but I will wait it out to see if it ever does come to fruition first.

I plan to subscribe again for next year while also buying probably most any items sold outside the sub, and the occasional duplicate of some items when I have use for them, so I'll be doing my part as best as I reasonably can.

[wundarwarrior]

Arguably the Wind Raider was sold 10 days before Christmas, when most people are tapped out from Christmas shopping (if the WR does bad this time, then they have no excuse). If Mattel breaks down and sells Grayskull in pieces, then fans won't have to pay so much at one time. The diorama folks can just buy the front facade, while the playset fans can buy the other upcoming pieces.



Hasbro has bigger stones than Mattel. They will take risks and they pay off most of the time. When some of those ideas fail, Hasbro will simply try again. Mattel will let a property fade for a generation. It's so bad, that we can't even compare the two anymore.

Nothing about them labeling the WR a failure makes sense. It sold out in 3 days and if they didn't make enough to make money shame on them. Had more units been released it would've sold more. And saying 3 days is too long is junk. It was Christmas! What difference does a sell out in 30 minutes vs. 3 days make? None. The point is the product was sold in its entirety. Never will get their logic.

I agree about Hasbro and their chance taking. This is why they are the best company. As a collector you will almost always get that obscure piece you always wanted. Mattel makes me so frustrated that we as consumers, show them an unprecedented loyalty and they continue to act like they're doing us a favor by still making MOTUC. I'm sorry but look at the new Batman movie figures. Their 3.75" figures are atrocious. Its an embarrassment when you compare them to Hasbro's figures in that scale. But, MOTUC which sells amazingly well with all of its hiccups, is always threatened if something doesn't sell very well, and by that they mean 3 days. If this line ends without a playset, it will be heartbreaking. So many people dump money into this line and it would be a great way to show appreciation for our hard earned dollars. I would be ok with a generic mold that could be retooled to make Snake Mountain and anything else. With all the new media and merchandise coming I think we have a little time before it's a lost cause.

[Beastmaster]

Mattel will wait to see how Granamyr does. He'll be a reference point of how well very large and expensive items do in the line.

So if Granamyr sells out in 5 minutes, they'll probably think about other, large scale items, but not sooner.

[JonWes]

If Hasbro can put out a 4' long Helicarrier as a SDCC exclusive, Mattel can do Castle Grayskull. The Helicarrier is under $200 I believe and it is more intricate as far as tooling. Pieces like that are not meant for EVERYONE but they can still make it profitable. It just sounds like Mattel operates on a shoe-string budget whenever Scott talks about money so it would take some effort on their part, but it is possible.

The Hellicarrier is not that impressive, honestly. Sad for me as I was looking forward to it. It's long but it's very flat. Kind of like an overblown play mat. And it's made for 3 3/4'' figures. Not sure it's a great comparison.

[The All American]

If this line ends without a playset, it will be heartbreaking. So many people dump money into this line and it would be a great way to show appreciation for our hard earned dollars.

I agree! Castle Grayskull is really the center of all the struggles, the whole reason there is a battle for the Masters of the Universe - Eternia, He-Man, and Skeletor wouldn't be important if there were no secrets of Grayskull to have, protect, or find.

Mattel will wait to see how Granamyr does. He'll be a reference point of how well very large and expensive items do in the line.

So if Granamyr sells out in 5 minutes, they'll probably think about other, large scale items, but not sooner.

Understand what you mean, and Mattel might see it this way, but Granamyr is not as important as Castle Grayskull, or any potential playsets. I think comparing them is like apples and oranges. There should be a lot more interest in a Castle Grayskul or Fright Zonel than a Granamyr, no matter the price difference.


Overall, I hope Mattel realizes how great a playset would be for the line. This is the time to do it, I feel. I wonder if their biggest fear is excess stock, and the amount they'd have to hold back for CS stock. If someone pays $200 or $300 for a playset, and it's missing parts, that's gonna be a lot for Mattel to replace and shipping of course too.

[Firefly]

I don't think we will a Grayskull release due to the price it would cost. While I believe the Grayskull in pieces thing might work, I think Matty already said they wouldn't. Plus, imagine if the line ended before all the Grayskull pieces were released completely and like only 75% of it ended up coming out (or if the sales of the Grayskull pieces themselves weren't considered good enough to continue to completion).

[Dragonblaster]

Playsets?!
I guess we'd be lucky to get more vehicles!

No Battle Ram, we...battle ?

[uaxuctum]

Nothing about them labeling the WR a failure makes sense. It sold out in 3 days and if they didn't make enough to make money shame on them. Had more units been released it would've sold more. And saying 3 days is too long is junk. It was Christmas! What difference does a sell out in 30 minutes vs. 3 days make? None. The point is the product was sold in its entirety. Never will get their logic.

The logic is: it never sold out. How come some people still take that labelling at face value? What MattyCollector's SOLD OUT label means 99% of the time is merely: "We're holding all remaining stock of this item back, until an unspecified further date, so that it doesn't appear like it's pegwarming". That further date to put more of the existing stock back online for sale, is next month in the case of the Wind Raider.

Mattel has plenty of supposedly "sold out" MOTUC items gathering dust in some warehouse somewhere. Most supposed "reissues" are merely stock held back until a second sale date, produced in the same batch as the "first issue" but packaged with the "The Original" burst (that's why on subsequent sales they place that disclaimer saying they can't guarantee you'll get one or the other, because they have remaining stock of both, since the "first issue" never really sold out in previous sales). Heck, we've even heard of a warehouse employee stating that he has seen some Sorceress or Fisto units in the warehouse he works in, despite Digital River's unfathomably wretched system claiming all units were gone (leaving some subscribers stranded without their "guaranteed" ones).

In fact, they must have remaining units of even Shadow Weaver lying around somewhere, because: (a) they had to produce more units than merely the exact number of subscriptions, so as to be able to cope with possible customer service replacement needs due to factory errors (botched paintjobs, missing parts, mismatched limbs, etc.), and (b) not every subscriber actually received her, because some had their subscription cancelled before they could get her delivered, because of Digital River's epic incompetence. So it wouldn't surprise me that some resellers offering Shadow Weaver might be MattyCollector in disguise trying to get rid of remaining Shadow Weaver stock at a hefty premium.

[The All American]

Playsets?!
I guess we'd be lucky to get more vehicles!

No Battle Ram, we...battle ?

Is this the consensus...

"Playsets?!? Don't talk about playsets. Are you kidding me, playsets? I just hope we get another vehicle."

[uaxuctum]

At this point, it's hard for us to get Castle Grayskull, let alone any other playset.

I DO think that Mattel should reconsider selling it to the fandom in pieces before it's too late.

Sell the front outer wall first, then the side.

http://www.he-man.org/assets/images/.../grayskull.gif

Next sell the floor packs.
Throne Room/Dungeon pack:
• sculpted monster arms and tentacles coming from the cell in the floor that you could snap in place
• two sculpted parapet floors
• a sculpted throne room floor with trap door switch
• Maybe a soft goods rug?
• Grayskull Throne that can be reused as a less elaborate Zodac's chair
• Flag
• Tapestry

http://www.he-man.org/assets/images/...grayskull0.jpg

Science Room/Elevator pack:
• the science room sculpted floor
• Elevator and sculpted computer that you can snap in place.
• Ladder
• Laser cannon
• Training thingee
• Small weapon's rack

http://www.he-man.org/assets/images/...ullinserts.jpg

Lastly, we can make the Grayskull armor and it's little box a sub exclusive or SDCC exclusive.

Then do an official poll if you want another side like in the 200X Castle and send in your ideas for what should go inside.

I really hope that, if we ever get a MOTUC Grayskull, the Four Horsemen use that chance to finally give us a decent Castle Grayskull interior—something closer to what's seen in the cartoons or movie—instead of slavishly copying the vintage one. The Sorceress deserves a decent throne hall.









OTOH, if a MOTUC Grayskull has to be a mere resizing of something already previously released, I think the 200X Grayskull interior is more deserving, since it actually creates a coherent sense of an interior building space.

[MegaGearMax]

I really hope that, if we ever get a MOTUC Grayskull, the Four Horsemen use that chance to finally give us a decent Castle Grayskull interior—something closer to what's seen in the cartoons or movie—instead of slavishly copying the vintage one. The Sorceress deserves a decent throne hall.

OTOH, if a MOTUC Grayskull has to be a mere resizing of something already previously released, I think the 200X Grayskull interior is more deserving, since it actually creates a coherent sense of an interior building space.

Mattel could probably milk customization for Castle Grayskull using Filmation and 200X elements, but I just went with the original castle as the most basic example of how they could produce it in pieces.

I think the whole movie year thing is unreliable (look at Ghostbusters). Opportunity would pass by if Mattel waited.

[Donimo]

Yeah, the whole "wait for a movie year" thing for us to get CG is a bust. The movie has been in development hell for years and will likely be there for many more, despite what DeVon Franklin says. That's if it even gets made, period. So, I agree that if Mattel waits for that magical movie year, the opportunity will pass by.

[The Horrorist]

Why they don't produce a smaller set first like the Slime Pit and see how that does.

[MegaGearMax]

Why they don't produce a smaller set first like the Slime Pit and see how that does.

They want to start with Grayskull first. In a way, I can see why...if people aren't feeling the Slime Pit, then Management might not want to try a bigger playset like Grayskull.