Industry: The Price of Plastic
Fantasy Flight Games just threw down the plastic gauntlet and the winners could be the customers.
Star Wars: Legion from Fantasy Flight Games is making a trench run at your wallet. Let’s just take a look at numbers:
Imperial Knight Warden $157
Skarre, Admiral of the Black Fleet + Bandana Preorder $124.99
AT-ST Unit Expansion $49.95
The AT-ST clocks in at a significantly lower price than the other “big kits” from Games Workshop and Privateer Press. But why? Is it a materials cost? Is it a complexity of production cost? Do they have some crazy licensing deal worked out with Disney? Is the AT-ST under-costed? Are the other kits over-costed? Is FFG losing money in an attempt to scoop-up market share?
Perhaps more importantly, what does this mean for the Miniature Wargaming Industry as a whole? Star Wars: Legion is a pretty major release, from a well respected company, backed with an IP that’s kind of a big deal…It’s going to be interesting to see if some of the other players in the industry “adjust” their pricing in the future. Whatever happens I can guarantee they are sitting up and taking notice.
Folks have lots of questions, and frankly so do we – but we’re not going to complain about getting great, large model kits at a price point we haven’t seen in a LONG time. Star Wars: Legion releases in March… It’s going to be a bloody battle for your wallet!
What do you think of FFG’s “aggressive” pricing model for Star Wars: Legion? Do you think it’s going to shake-up the industry?