75159 - UCS: Death Star (2016)

[gregpj]

This one is for you LEGO, inspired by @BrickLegacy and brought to you by Brickpickers everywhere.

[tjj1984]

53 minutes ago, dcdfan said:

I don't think we have proof, per se. Just this, which can obviously change (as we've seen)...

 

Out of curiousity, what were past sets whose details ended up being different from what Brickset initially reported?

[dcdfan]

27 minutes ago, tjj1984 said:

Out of curiousity, what were past sets whose details ended up being different from what Brickset initially reported?

Yesterday, it was reported that 75144 Snowspeeder had the UCS tag removed, which has since returned and now has been bumped to 2017...

Edited April 28, 2016 by dcdfan

[citymorgue]

well, I wouldn't be completely bummed if it were to be pushed back until next year.  There's going to be way too much money getting dumped this year as it is.

We got possibly Big Ben, Disney castle of some sort, architecture sets, Death Star possibly, Porsche, BWE, Klaas, etc.  A LOT of money sink right there.

[jstodda]

On 4/28/2016 at 11:29 AM, biking_tiger said:

For it to be "bigger and better" the price tag would be crazy high, wouldn't it?

As it was, 3800+ pieces with 24 minis for $400--and released 8 years ago. With EV and AoH pricing (factoring in the license and minifigures), I'd estimate $500-600 as a new release today.

Just curious to see if TLG is ready to go that high. Anything less than $600 would be less than 10188, and then what's the point?

This last statement made me think. With Star Wars all over the place again (even 2 years ago the USC falcon was thousands less than it is today) I could see them going big soon. There are TONS of options for the value family (Microfighter, mini sets), there are several options for the avid collector (ATAT, ISD, etc) and even a few big sets: SC, EV, etc. But really the last time they went really BIG was the SSD in 2011 and the UCS falcon in '07 before that.

 

07 was the UCS Falcon, 08 the Death Star, 09 maybe the Tantive (small by comparison), 2010 nothing sizeable, 2011 SSD (and a good size Hoth remake that just got remade), 2012 USC R2D2 and B wing, 2013 Ewok Village and Red Wing 5 (both large but small by Falcon/DS standards), 2014 had Sandcrawler and 2015 really only had the new remade Falcon with the revival of Star Wars FA. That said, I think they are due going REALLY big and they know that Star Wars pays and Disney pays. Star Wars sets show that the AFOL population is well prepared to pay $500+ if the set is the right one (USC falcon showed us that). Fingers crossed they go really big again soon, as long as they do it right.

[Pomodoro]

36 minutes ago, jstodda said:

This last statement made me think. With Star Wars all over the place again (even 2 years ago the USC falcon was thousands less than it is today) I could see them going big soon. There are TONS of options for the value family (Microfighter, mini sets), there are several options for the avid collector (ATAT, ISD, etc) and even a few big sets: SC, EV, etc. But really the last time they went really BIG was the SSD in 2011 and the UCS falcon in '07 before that.

 

07 was the UCS Falcon, 08 the Death Star, 09 maybe the Tantive (small by comparison), 2010 nothing sizeable, 2011 SSD (and a good size Hoth remake that just got remade), 2012 USC R2D2 and B wing, 2013 Ewok Village and Red Wing 5 (both large but small by Falcon/DS standards), 2014 had Sandcrawler and 2015 really only had the new remade Falcon with the revival of Star Wars FA. That said, I think they are due going REALLY big and they know that Star Wars pays and Disney pays. Star Wars sets show that the AFOL population is well prepared to pay $500+ if the set is the right one (USC falcon showed us that). Fingers crossed they go really big again soon, as long as they do it right.

 

I also really wish and can't help believing that they have a 3,500+ parts set in the works. Next year is the 40th anniversary of ANH, there has to be something really big planned. However I don't think it will be the MF that we keep hearing about every six months here and there. 

Regarding the new DS, if it's an updated 10188 I'll be very disappointed, especially after AoH. 

PS: you're forgetting Slave I and the Tie Fighter in 2015, which are, IMHO, among the best UCS sets released these past 5 years.

Edited April 30, 2016 by Pomodoro

[inversion]

4 minutes ago, Pomodoro said:

Regarding the new DS, if it's an updated 10188 I'll be very disappointed, especially after AoH. 

I would not be disappointed. That is what I expect. We still should get many diverse and unique sets, but I expect DS to be something like the Golf to Volkswagen: nobody complains because the car is only receiving gradual facelifts, since that's what the customers want. If there is a permanent high demand for a certain type of set then it would be foolish not to produce it. LEGO permanently having a DS on offer would not strike me as something irrational or harmful to the brand. DS is not exactly an UCS, it is more likely a HUGE playset. Star Wars's police station.

[Val-E]

5 minutes ago, inversion said:

I would not be disappointed. That is what I expect. We still should get many diverse and unique sets, but I expect DS to be something like the Golf to Volkswagen: nobody complains because the car is only receiving gradual facelifts, since that's what the customers want. If there is a permanent high demand for a certain type of set then it would be foolish not to produce it. LEGO permanently having a DS on offer would not strike me as something irrational or harmful to the brand. DS is not exactly an UCS, it is more likely a HUGE playset. Star Wars's police station.

Put it this way, it won´t be square.

[jstodda]

You are absolutely right about the Tie Fighter and the slave. I have both and I think they live up to the UCS branding, especially this slave. Neither of them however are even close to the scale of a DS or a UCS falcon.

[Pomodoro]

13 minutes ago, inversion said:

I would not be disappointed. That is what I expect. We still should get many diverse and unique sets, but I expect DS to be something like the Golf to Volkswagen: nobody complains because the car is only receiving gradual facelifts, since that's what the customers want. If there is a permanent high demand for a certain type of set then it would be foolish not to produce it. LEGO permanently having a DS on offer would not strike me as something irrational or harmful to the brand. DS is not exactly an UCS, it is more likely a HUGE playset. Star Wars's police station.

I know, but I'm not Lego, I'm just a collector who wants a pretty Lego Death Star to put on a shelf.

Edited April 30, 2016 by Pomodoro

[inversion]

Just now, Pomodoro said:

I know, but I'm not Lego, I'm just a collector who wants a pretty Lego Death Star to put on a shelf.

And I want a pretty Hungarian Parliament in the Architecture series... won't happen. Our expectations should be in line with the company's product strategy so we only get disappointed when they underperform (AoH).

[Pomodoro]

21 minutes ago, inversion said:

And I want a pretty Hungarian Parliament in the Architecture series... won't happen. Our expectations should be in line with the company's product strategy so we only get disappointed when they underperform (AoH).

I don't think anyone outside of TLG has actual knowledge of the group's product strategy, this is all conjectures. Until anything is announced, I'm going to hope the new DS is closer to 10143 than 10188 (and I know I'm not the only one). 

[asharerin]

On 4/30/2016 at 0:22 PM, Pomodoro said:

I don't think anyone outside of TLG has actual knowledge of the group's product strategy, this is all conjectures. Until anything is announced, I'm going to hope the new DS is closer to 10143 than 10188 (and I know I'm not the only one). 

It was revealed today R3-M3 fig with clear dome will be in this set. So that pretty much confirms it will be a playset with minifigs rather than a display set, and that it will be OT and not Starkiller Base. 

 

[xxgatorzxx]

I just had a horrible thought, what if it is like the Hoth set, not a single huge death star but 5 or 6 different rooms / scenes.  Im sad now.

 

[Marchew84]

10 hours ago, xxgatorzxx said:

 I just had a horrible thought, what if it is like the Hoth set, not a single huge death star but 5 or 6 different rooms / scenes.  Im sad now.

 

You've just ruined my day as I am so hoping for the most amazing display piece! I am personally hoping for a huge display piece which is 5k pieces, priced at £450 (or $700) and has amazing detail of either the first or second death star.

I went into Legoland Windsor about 2 months ago and asked if I could buy their display 10188 Death Star. They said no but someone came over who was a permanent member of staff who said that permanent staff had gone to a Lego event on future sets (which featured the new Death Star). Unfortunately they wouldn't give me any details at all but they said it would be released around the summer time (so I reckon in 2 months time as that would fit nicely between rubbish Hoth set and the Rogue One sets which will be released later in the year).

[Marchew84]

Not meaning to spam this forum but normal business sense should come in here. The playsets are aimed at children so could a playset command the UCS price point?

They need to look at the prices that sets like Death Star II and other retired display UCS sets command and then see that the display pieces are the way to go (even if they make them huge and pricey).

Imagine the price (now and after retirement) that a UCS Star Wars set which has the highest piece count of any Lego set could command!

[jaisonline]

16 hours ago, asharerin said:

It was revealed today R3-M3 fig with clear dome will be in this set. So that pretty much confirms it will be a playset with minifigs rather than a display set, and that it will be OT and not Starkiller Base. 

 

 

Revealed by who?

[cissi]

18 minutes ago, Marchew84 said:

Not meaning to spam this forum but normal business sense should come in here. The playsets are aimed at children so could a playset command the UCS price point?

But here I thought 10188 is already a playset hitting the UCS price point wheseas 75098 a playset indeed got marked as UCS at the UCS price point!

[Fenix_2k1]

Just a thought.  Given that next year is the 40th Anniversary could this Death Star be a huge anniversary set like 10179 was?

[citymorgue]

On ‎5‎/‎15‎/‎2016 at 11:52 PM, asharerin said:

It was revealed today R3-M3 fig with clear dome will be in this set. So that pretty much confirms it will be a playset with minifigs rather than a display set, and that it will be OT and not Starkiller Base. 

I with @jaisonline, where did this piece of info come from?  And just because there is a minifig, does not automatically mean it's a playset.  There are several UCS sets that have minifigs, but essentially zero play value.  Granted, if it is a playset, I wouldn't be surprised at all, since Lego seems pretty keen on completely saying eff it to this years Star Wars sets.

But what I find strange, is that we've had very, very little information out about this set, and just this one piece of information seems like someone's personal speculation/wish list.

[fossilrock]

Come on fellas, it's going to be a playset.  

I'm also convinced this will have a Rogue One tie-in.  So, I think the OT/ROTJ scenes will be mostly safe in the original.  I'm sure it will look different from that version.  

[asharerin]

2 hours ago, citymorgue said:

I with @jaisonline, where did this piece of info come from? 

From the same source that gave the initial info about this set to a few people last year.

 

2 hours ago, fossilrock said:

I'm also convinced this will have a Rogue One tie-in.  So, I think the OT/ROTJ scenes will be mostly safe in the original.  I'm sure it will look different from that version.  

I think this new SW flagship set will be in Disney parks for many years to come. Not sure they will leave out OT/ROTJ .

[Darth_Raichu]

My SPECULATION:(ie. source is my brain)

It will have the same design as 10188, with the exact same if not mostly the same but updated/refreshed set of minifigs, and Disney logo on the box.  Oh, and price will be $500

Also, there will be a (mini) helicopter added to justify the price increase.

[Will 4]

24 minutes ago, Darth_Raichu said:

My SPECULATION:(ie. source is my brain)

It will have the same design as 10188, with the exact same if not mostly the same but updated/refreshed set of minifigs, and Disney logo on the box.  Oh, and price will be $500

Also, there will be a (mini) helicopter added to justify the price increase.

 

thinking of the bat cave its highlights will be includes a cat

[gbg108]

If 10188 had a normal 2-3 year run I could get on board with that theory. But having been around for so long the market for 75159 would be stale from day one. Personally I think a refresh is the least likely outcome. 

My thinking...TLG is expecting this to take over as the flagship Star Wars set for the next 3+ years. This is the set that will sit in the window to make everyone who just saw the movie drool and come into the store. Then they see the $500 price tag and buy something else :). Regardless of this turns out to be a play set or a display piece (or a hybrid), it has to be good or I'd think Star Wars sales in general will slump. 

 

[bricketycricket]

3 hours ago, Darth_Raichu said:

My SPECULATION:(ie. source is my brain)

It will have the same design as 10188, with the exact same if not mostly the same but updated/refreshed set of minifigs, and Disney logo on the box.  Oh, and price will be $500

Also, there will be a (mini) helicopter added to justify the price increase.

I agree with this. I think the Death Star set(s) will be to the Star Wars theme what the police station is to the City theme (though obviously larger and more expensive)