Any idea when the Death Star will be discontinued? It's been around about 4 years...way past normal set lifespans in stores. Thoughts?

US site gives available 19th October. Limit is 1 per household - is that new?

US site gives available 19th October. Limit is 1 per household - is that new?

For 10188 or 10240 (as someone posted above)?  Anyway, limit 1 would be a new low for either set.  Of course, it seems to have meant nothing in the case of Simpsons House or Tumbler.  I used to look for patterns in this stuff, but lately I think Lego just chooses and changes set limits at random.  Or 'cause some marketing exec lost a bet.  Those crazy Danes made more sense when they were running around with two-handed axes terrorizing northern Europe...

Edit: So yeah, it's limit 1 for DS (and they're still making more!), and call to check for R5.  Of course, R5 was sold out earlier in the year, and then came back for the past few months.  As the best president of any nation ever once said, 'Trust but verify'.

Edited October 5, 201510 yr by GhostDad

For 10188 or 10240 (as someone posted above)?  Anyway, limit 1 would be a new low for either set.  Of course, it seems to have meant nothing in the case of Simpsons House or Tumbler.  I used to look for patterns in this stuff, but lately I think Lego just chooses and changes set limits at random.  Or 'cause some marketing exec lost a bet.  Those crazy Danes made more sense when they were running around with two-handed axes terrorizing northern Europe...

For DS to be on topic!

For DS to be on topic!

Well, this new run of DS better have that sexy new expert box design, or some random guy on bricklink owes the lego investing world an apology...

US site gives available 19th October. Limit is 1 per household - is that new?

Yup. Leave it to someone from Europe to notice what America should have known...

Time zone assisted! Listen, this new smaller box thing doesn´t fly as the inner boxes are all pretty full as is plus the manual also takes up the full width. Let´s see.

The limit 1 change is definitely noteworthy now that it is possible to order it again. Is it a double VIP countermeasure or does it mean this is last production? So many questions.....

Edited October 5, 201510 yr by valenciaeric

Time zone assisted! Listen, this new smaller box thing doesn´t fly as the inner boxes are all pretty full as is plus the manual also takes up the full width. Let´s see.

The limit 1 change is definitely noteworthy now that it is possible to order it again. Is it a double VIP countermeasure or does it mean this is last production? So many questions.....

Good point re: DS in a smaller box.  That would in fact require removing pieces, or maybe just tossing out the manual altogether.  It's not impossible they would just slap the Disney logo on the existing box though.  I don't really know what to think of all the redesigned Creator boxes, except that Lego seems to have some underemployed graphic designers in its ranks...

 

For all of you who don't know it yet ;-) (To lighten up the mood AND showing you a possible remake for the beloved DS Set).

Good point re: DS in a smaller box.  That would in fact require removing pieces, or maybe just tossing out the manual altogether.  It's not impossible they would just slap the Disney logo on the existing box though.  I don't really know what to think of all the redesigned Creator boxes, except that Lego seems to have some underemployed graphic designers in its ranks...

Kudos to Ciglione for raising this point more than 6 months ago - big corporations do tend to like deadlines for implementing new schemes such as box environmetal compliancy and this, coupled with the Disney logo thing, makes a new box roll out across the SW board a logical thing to do at a time when some sets have had their last production runs. Other sets may well get new boxes even if they are down to retire soon as that is what the system dictates and the cut off date is the cut off date.

The interesting thing to figure out is why they would want to restrict sales of DS if it is not done, unless they don´t have production capacity to meet demand over Xmas. Styming Reselles at double VIP seems overly petty and a drop in the ocean.

I´ll take limit 1 over a new box, any day in terms of EOL speculation!

 

Edited October 5, 201510 yr by valenciaeric

For all of you who don't know it yet ;-) (To lighten up the mood AND showing you a possible remake for the beloved DS Set).

"(To lighten up the mood AND showing you a possible remake for the beloved DS Set)." - these seem contradicting.

There is a top secret board meeting today over whether to redo the box or not.  Probably why shop at home is down too.

 

Reading over the last few pages, I can't help but wonder why no one has yet moved all those posts into the bubble thread? 

The MODs are huddling as well speak.

The argument about finding the hidden gem sets and triple your profits reminds me of all those Gambling stories.  
All, Yes All, The gamblers I know only share their great "night" of winnings, I have never heard any one of them tell me how much they lost.
Your degree of success in finding those hidden gems are very slim.  Even if you went 1 for 2, you have lost imo.  
I do have some of those gems, but it wasn't planned.  I purchased them because either they were discounted deeply or I just Liked the set.  I never brought those premeditated as winners.  
btw, i think the DS is done. (Limit 1 is a clear signal)
By this time we would have seen the new box design.

Didn't someone say that last year 2 years ago 3 years ago 4 years ago ?

 

Summary of today´s  DS news.Back available to order at US shop but limit 1. Evidence of new box has not been provided.

Everything else is awesome.

My biggest concern with 10188 is that it is going to get the Winter Toy Shop treatment in 2016. New box, a few new pieces, and updated minifigs (maybe a few different). When the info came out we would be getting a new DS for 2016 I assumed it would be a complete redo but now I am not so sure and sadly it would not surprise me in the least if the new model is just 10188 with window dressing. 

I am not trying to scare anyone off this set as it will bring tremendous returns if it does go this year and if the 2016 DS is completely different. The direction that this company is taking with its products must also be considered though.

My biggest concern with 10188 is that it is going to get the Winter Toy Shop treatment in 2016. New box, a few new pieces, and updated minifigs (maybe a few different). When the info came out we would be getting a new DS for 2016 I assumed it would be a complete redo but now I am not so sure and sadly it would not surprise me in the least if the new model is just 10188 with window dressing. 

I am not trying to scare anyone off this set as it will bring tremendous returns if it does go this year and if the 2016 DS is completely different. The direction that this company is taking with its products must also be considered though.

YIKES! I didn't think I could possibly despise this set more than I do. Thanks, now I need to go vomit...

My biggest concern with 10188 is that it is going to get the Winter Toy Shop treatment in 2016. New box, a few new pieces, and updated minifigs (maybe a few different). When the info came out we would be getting a new DS for 2016 I assumed it would be a complete redo but now I am not so sure and sadly it would not surprise me in the least if the new model is just 10188 with window dressing. 

I am not trying to scare anyone off this set as it will bring tremendous returns if it does go this year and if the 2016 DS is completely different. The direction that this company is taking with its products must also be considered though.

It´s a definite possibility.

It´s a definite possibility.

possible but unlikely. Can you imagine how many rare parts the company has to make to complete such a huge set? They have to bring up the mold and start making a decent number of parts for a production run, and then these parts will sit in the warehouse for ages. With luck maybe some of them will be used in other sets.

I would think once TLG used up the rare parts inventory they will call it a day for this set. This ain't the winter toy shop which has very common parts.

If I am TLG exec, having an entirely new death star makes better business sense as it will attract buyers who already bought 10188, on top of new Lego star wars fans.

You can go back to page 80 and see it all go down.  There's everything from intense optimism, intense concerns about investment, and everything in between.  Granted, it's only been 2 and a half months since it went to sold out status, but this is one of those sets many thought were a big risk to begin with because it was bound to be remade for exactly the reasons you stated. 
And yes, I think Star Wars fatigue could hit.  Maybe not after Force Awakens, but it could start around Rogue One and that's when things could begin to turn south for investing in SW lego sets.

SW fatigue already here, because of the continuous rehash of so many SW sets. However, I think for bigger sets of iconic SW ships and characters, the market potential is still huge. Don't forget there are plenty of new fans coming from China, where there will be a new Disneyland in Shanghai. So long as the set is big, iconic and desirable, there will be fanboys willing to shell out good money. After all with everything on the cloud and digitised, there is plenty of freed up space in homes. A couple of big exclusive Lego sets would make nice displays.

... Can you imagine how many rare parts the company has to make to complete such a huge set? ...I would think once TLG used up the rare parts inventory they will call it a day for this set. This ain't the winter toy shop which has very common parts....

Are you sure about this?  I've considered the theory before (with this, and other sets) that Lego would be concerned with reducing part numbers, improving efficiency, etc... but in fact - with each new set - they are constantly introducing new part numbers. Just look at any new set (even medium-small sets) and you'll find 3 or 4 (or more) new unique parts... many of which could have been substituted with more common parts, but weren't.  In fact, the Death Star, for having almost 4000 parts actually has very few rare parts (outside of the minifigs)... probably because it has been around so long that it's parts have been adopted into many other sets.

SW fatigue already here, because of the continuous rehash of so many SW sets. However, I think for bigger sets of iconic SW ships and characters, the market potential is still huge. Don't forget there are plenty of new fans coming from China, where there will be a new Disneyland in Shanghai. So long as the set is big, iconic and desirable, there will be fanboys willing to shell out good money. After all with everything on the cloud and digitised, there is plenty of freed up space in homes. A couple of big exclusive Lego sets would make nice displays.

I'd give at least even odds that the Shanghai Disneyland sells counterfeit lego sets.  I wouldn't be all that surprised if they sold the fakes right there in the Lego brand store.  Everyone, everywhere loves Star Wars.  But especially with their economy headed toward what's shaping up to be a hard landing, I wonder how many Chinese will love (enough to pay a premium) REAL Star Wars...

Don't recall if it's been mentioned but back orderable @ LEGO Shop at Home...Limit 1...

Don't recall if it's been mentioned but back orderable @ LEGO Shop at Home...Limit 1...

Yeeesterday´s news but true.

Yeeesterday´s news but true.

Sorry, I'm not interested so I haven't really been following it, I just wanted to let people who are interested...

I'd give at least even odds that the Shanghai Disneyland sells counterfeit lego sets.  I wouldn't be all that surprised if they sold the fakes right there in the Lego brand store.  Everyone, everywhere loves Star Wars.  But especially with their economy headed toward what's shaping up to be a hard landing, I wonder how many Chinese will love (enough to pay a premium) REAL Star Wars...

everyone wants the real stuff if they can affort it, and right now many chinese can afford authentic stuff. How else do you explain surge in sales of authentic luxury goods like LV and Chanel to the chinese?

The chinese are willing to spend good money for their kids, and they sure are not going to risk toy safety. Many chinese families are spending a lot more on their kids than the average american or european family.