Exciting times with the possibilities being announced and speculated. I'm just at the point that I feel that prices are just getting out of control. I have to admit that I chuckle when I see posts saying, "...price sounds decent..." when referring to a $500 dollar price.
I think that in my case, it is the fact that my interests are so diverse that I just can't be paying these amounts on a constant basis.
Yea, when it comes to these higher priced figures, you gotta not only think really hard about if it's worth it, but also be really certain that it's something you actually want and not just caught up in the hype of it all. Lots of folks have gotten priced out in the last couple of years and I think it's worse if you collect multiple lines/franchises. I, myself, have gotten caught up in the last year of buying into multiple lines that I think I need/missed out on simply b/c I have more financial freedom to purchase stuff that I didn't while things were a little rocky. However, now that I've looked back, I'm going to purge the collection a bit.
Hmm, would I drop 500-600$ for a top of the line Thorin? Maybe/probably since it's my favorite Middle Earth character. But then I'd want some sort of companion piece - young Bilbo and Gandalf, at minimum. So that's another $1200 more. In theory. (Tho for the price point IMO ASMUS Thorin is one of their finest; great sculpt and they really pulled off a fairly elaborate layered costume with accessories, so that $600 had better buy a lot).
Argh, except for specialty pieces like Thranduil on throne (or I plan to get Kuill + blurrg, for instance $$$$$$!!!!) I already hit the wall with a lot of pricing, and then WETA sends out an e-mail saying THEIR prices are going up, too.
Thing is, am sure when ASMUS started their figure line they ran some cost evaluations. I assume they did, as it would be stupid not to. What customers might feel like paying, what materials could be used to keep to a certain price point. E.g. you can always go luxury but will you have enough customers to justify the cost? Queen studios stuff seems to sell out - high priced with a niche market. Limited production. Which is another way to do do business.
I just don't know if I wanna pay for reboots of figures I already own. But yeah, it's hard at times to talk yourself out of a hyped beautiful figure. Mostly I've been able to do that with poly statues. Guess it's up to the individual if you are going to be thrilled with your $500 figure or hate yourself a year from purchase. Thing with ASMUS has been, the price hasn't made me writhe in shame and guilt.
Besides that, yeah, there have been issues. But being a costume/detail junkie I'm fascinated by what ASMUS has been able to pull off, to-scale.
