I posted something related to this within another thread but thought this was worth discussing separately. At expo JJP announced new price points for Hobbit (and introduced a new edition of Hobbit). The reaction to the Hobbit reveal aside, what do folks think of the new price points?? I'm baffled by their strategy. FYI .. it's $8000 for a "regular" edition. $8500 for a "limited" edition. $9000 for the newly revealed "Smaug" edition.

First, WHY is JJP charging (or listing) the SE for $500 more than the LE? You get nothing more at all that I can see or that they've noted. It's simply different cabinet art ... and (one thing) is apparently a Smaug toy that is painted all gold (which to me seems like a negative since it will hurt the detail in Smaug even more). It also seems like a cheaper process for JJP to paint Smaug all one color (albeit we haven't seen it yet.) So what exactly are you charging $500 for JJP? That's a lot of money and for what? It's not like the 75th edition of WOZ where you at least got several hundred dollars worth of extra toys (grrrrr ... I hate thinking about that.) It's even more odd when you consider there could actually be more SE's made than LE's (or even the exact same amount.) There's no telling where the numbers will fall given the December 31 deadline for ordering (or switching to) the SE.

So what do you think the reasoning is? It seems to me they couldn't sell out 1500 LE's in nearly 2 years and now they actually raise the prices, introduce a new special edition, and think they'll sell even more games? It is completely baffling to me right now.

Side note: As for asking $500 more for the newly annonced SE edition, it seriously makes it seem like a smoke screen in order to get current LE pre-orders to just accept JJP introducing a new "special" edition (as if you're somehow getting more value by them introducing even yet another edition simply priced higher.)

Well, if your number is 886 (for example) and they only end up making 500 SE's then those numbers are more meaningless than ever. And it was very poor preparedness to not have even a pictue of the gold painted Smaug. They really are making this up as they go.

Its still completely illogical to me to charge $500 for one LE versus the other when you get absolutely nothing more (just different).

Lastly, can they sell games at this price point? Well, if they couldnt sell 1500 LE's in 2 years time at $7500 (and then at $8000) you dont have to be a rocket scientist to see where this is heading unfortunately.

YES, please read my posts from the last 4-6 months ESPECIALLY over the last month. I have made MANY posts defending Hobbit. MANY. I have stressed people would be silly to cancel their pre-orders at this point. I have repeatedly stated that there are many things in this game to be excited about. Take your own advice and go read my posts.

That is shocking to you??? I think those are probably all from this past weekend alone. I guess this is going to come as a news flash to you but Hobbit was actually one of the hottest topics from Expo ... just not for the reason you proclaimed (that there will be a "lot of very happy people".)

Honest to God ... how is it you have time to be on Pinside much less running statistics on my posting (just slightly stalkerish, no??) I would think you would have a TON of work to be doing along with the rest of JJP after this past week, no??

And seriously, why can't you just answer the question!! I get that the LE costs $500 more over the regular edition (because you get powder coating, Invisiglass, and a shaker.) But there is no logic as to why the SE costs $500 over the LE (you get different cabinet art and a different colored Smaug toy?)

FWIW, I honestly have no motives other then to get JJP to improve their treatment of customers and improve their transparency (better communicate to their customers instead of all the cagey answers) and improve their games (actually listen to customers like they say they do.) If you actually read my posts I have posted plenty of positive things about Hobbit.

I'm not hiding behind my Pinside account. Jack (and many others) know EXACTLY who I am. It's no secret.