75827 - Ghostbusters HQ (Coming In January 2016?)

black_towr

Why would someone feel cheated if the Ecto-1 wasn't included? The young people of today have such a sense of entitlement. Are you going to run to your room and throw a tantrum if it doesn't? 

andhe

black_towr said:

Why would someone feel cheated if the Ecto-1 wasn't included? The young people of today have such a sense of entitlement. Are you going to run to your room and throw a tantrum if it doesn't? 

Maybe cheated was the wrong choice of word. Perhaps I should have said something more like the set feeling incomplete? As who wants the Ghostbusters HQ without the car? It would be like TLG selling a City Fire Station without the truck.

binaryeye

Pmh said:

Its awesome and I would probably buy it. Will fit nice with other modular houses.

It seems a bit early to conclude this, considering we don't know what it looks like.

SumoLego

Lego tends to be obsessed with vehicles.  (The Simpsons modulars come to mind.)  It would be surprising for one to be omitted.

Although, I still find the piece count outlandish, and since this is geared towards AFOLs, I can see the marketing upside to NOT included the car.  Why include a $50.00 set when it can be purchased separately?

andhe

^Assuming that it CAN be purchased separately. Perhaps they'd do another production run of the Ecto-1 or at least ensure they are available in brand stores.

SumoLego

I'd really be shocked if they retired an Ecto-1 only to include it in a substantially larger set.  That really would make little sense.

VorpalRyu

I have a mild suspicion that this rumoured GBHQ could be a modular Fire Station. How many people would buy two if it were practically the GBHQ & TLG at some point released a polybag of the GB sign that could replace the Fire Station signage? I know I'd be grabbing two for myself...

It would be a way to get a second Fire Station, without as much anger as if they re-released FB & those who have FB & Ecto-1 still have reason to buy.

Yodalicious

I don't know about the rest of you, but there are still TONS of Ecto-1s available in my area. Now, they might not be when this set comes out (if it does), but the TRUs here are overflowing with it. 

fourstud

J2G says no Ecto-1.

binaryeye

VorpalRyu said:

I have a mild suspicion that this rumoured GBHQ could be a modular Fire Station.

If that were the case, the set number would be 102xx.

Chang405

VorpalRyu said:

I have a mild suspicion that this rumoured GBHQ could be a modular Fire Station.

We already had a modular fire station that retired not too long ago. I doubt LEGO's approach to AFOLs is the same as to the general public (kids). Releasing waves of fire related buildings isn't going to cut it.

TheLoneTensor

We already had a Winter Toy Shop not too long ago too.

Paperballpark

^ case in point.

chuxtoybox

Is there really going to be that much demand for this? I can see the car because it sort of ties in with the BTTF Delorian as part ofan 80's theme and  even kids who've never  seen  any of the GB or BTTF movies may have wanted them just because they were "cool cars", but without the car and the marshmallow man, take away the minifigures and there's nothing to tell me this is from GB except the flag.

I'm not that big of a GB fan anyway but I think a rooftop playset with an altar, the 4 main guys, new Sigourney Weaver and Rick Morranis minifigures, and two demon dogs would be a lot cooler.

Personally, I'd like to see the BTTF train instead because it would tie- in more with the other vehicles, especially the Delorian, it would be another reason to briefly bring Western back and it would be another train.

(Am I the king of run-on sentences or what?)  

madforLEGO

The idea of another firehouse after the FB was gone.. ugh.. Then again, if this set is really over 350 USD (which is around what FB goes for) then I do not see the FB losing value, but maybe being capped for a bit. Since I believe the source also said this is not taking a modular spot one would presume that this is a one off large scale set, and not so much another Firehouse modular. Unless LEGO is really going nuts and judging off of the eBay demand that they can redo FB and sell it for 350 USD, which I doubt seriously.

As for the Ecto 1 being included, I doubt the value of the Ecto1 set will go down EOL. A 50 USD vehicle with the Ghostbusters, or a 300+ USD HQ? Guessing many would still buy the Ecto 1 if it was 100 USD in the after market.

But in this end this is all just rampant speculation seeing as no photos of the set have snuck out yet.

In the end, like others, I wonder if this is just a giant smokescreen to take people attention away from what the next mod will be.

chuxtoybox

^You're the 2nd person I've seen that used the term "smokescreen". Is LEGO really bothering to use covert tactics to keep fans from knowing what's coming next? I can see a SW set due to the fact that no one is supposed to be showing anything about SW Disney doesn't want them too yet, but a modular 100% owned by LEGO?

Can you give an example of LEGO doing this before? I'm still green when it comes to the little-known side of collecting LEGO. Before I started frequenting Brickset, I used to just look in the LEGO catalog I got in the mail and say, "That's cool!" without thinking there had been espionage involved. :) 

madforLEGO

chuxtoybox said:

^You're the 2nd person I've seen that used the term "smokescreen". Is LEGO really bothering to use covert tactics to keep fans from knowing what's coming next? I can see a SW set due to the fact that no one is supposed to be showing anything about SW Disney doesn't want them too yet, but a modular 100% owned by LEGO?

Can you give an example of LEGO doing this before? I'm still green when it comes to the little-known side of collecting LEGO. Before I started frequenting Brickset, I used to just look in the LEGO catalog I got in the mail and say, "That's cool!" without thinking there had been espionage involved. :) 

No real time before, but with LEGO lately there is a first time for everything. I do not think think anyone saw the WV Toy shop being redone (and arguably there was some subterfuge to the rumor mill for the next WV set). 

dougts

TheLoneTensor said:

We already had a Winter Toy Shop not too long ago too.

And FB and WVTS were both originally released in 2009 too

sonsofsceva

I remember seeing the real building in NYC used for the fire station. It really is very narrow, and much deeper than the Fire Brigade,  a very different design. And, it really isn't a fire house anymore, is it? It is a Ghost-Containment Facility with nuclear systems!

VorpalRyu

A Fire Station that can do double duty as the GBHQ... TLG could follow that up with a alternate TH that looks like the one in BTTF, release a polybag with a busted clock & a few other BTTF flavoured extras for it.

I don't know, just the piece count & price seem a bit fishy, double that of a modular? Unless TLG are expecting us all to want two of them...

It would be a tactic that would take a little bit of bite out of a straight out re-release. The modulars are popular, but there are people out there that don't want get into them, because they missed FB, TH, etc... This strategy could redress this issue while still giving those who have them reason to buy one too.

Merely conjecture at this point, but I still can't shake the feeling that the announcement itself is a smokescreen...

TigerMoth

chuxtoybox said:

Is LEGO really bothering to use covert tactics to keep fans from knowing what's coming next?

Probably not. But it would certainly use them to prevent its competitors knowing what it has in mind.

CCC

^^ did I miss something - was there an announcement?

Paperballpark

Wow, so many conspiracy theories! Personally, I believe this is a forthcoming set, at about the price and piece count suggested.

Mynatt

 Spengler: “I collect spores, molds, and fungus.” 

Me: "I collect polybags, minifigues, and exclusives."

Can't help but feel that Spengler's hobby is just a bit less expensive...

Jern92

Yodalicious said:

I don't know about the rest of you, but there are still TONS of Ecto-1s available in my area. Now, they might not be when this set comes out (if it does), but the TRUs here are overflowing with it. 

I want one! There are one left reasonably-priced in Malaysia sadly

Armyofdarknessaw

I am such a big Ghostbusters fan i really hope this rumor is true. $350 is a ton, but I'll get it anyway. The Ecto 1 was actually what got me back into Lego so this would be a must.

SumoLego

CCC said:

^^ did I miss something - was there an announcement?

A guy said something on the Internet.  It must be true.  Bonjour!

https://youtu.be/bufTna0WArc

Basta

If the HQ rumours are true then either the set will come with an Ecto 1 or the IDEAS set will stay out for as long as the HQ is around for. IMO the later would be preferred as more bricks for the HQ.

Purploros

dougts said:

TheLoneTensor said:

We already had a Winter Toy Shop not too long ago too.

And FB and WVTS were both originally released in 2009 too.

Illuminati.

super_curry_max

why would the firehouse need to come with the ecto 1? the batcave doesn't come with the batmobile.

prevere

Ideas ECTO-1 is going to retire relatively soon. Maybe even before the mythical GB HQ comes out. Why? Because it makes no sense.

fourstud

The S@H link is complete confirmation that a 'Firehouse Headquarters' is coming out. 

SumoLego

Purploros said:

dougts said:

TheLoneTensor said:

We already had a Winter Toy Shop not too long ago too.

And FB and WVTS were both originally released in 2009 too.

Illuminati.

Dude!  

The first rule of the Lego Illuminati is don't talk about Lego Illuminati.  Or Fight Club.

Dammit.  I've ruined everything.  Kevin Spacey is going to put my head in a box.

VorpalRyu

^ & we all know there's only six degrees of separation for anyone with Kevin Bacon, so Kevin Spacey & him will talk about this eventually... Run Sumo Run...

SumoLego

^^ I don't think that is confirmation of anything other than some Lego webfolk made an active URL.

I'm sure if there was one that said "Banana Hammock" or "Life-Sized Charles Barkley" we wouldn't be speculating quite as wildly.

(And not to say that this set may come to fruition, but trolling S@H addresses doesn't impress me.)

xiahna

@sumoLego @vorpalRyu you guys caused me to almost inhale my throat lozenge! That's going to have me chuckling for a while now. :)

SumoLego

@VorpalRyu - That one is easy: Kevin Spacey was in Glengarry Glen Ross with Jack Lemmon.  Jack Lemmon was in JFK with Kevin Bacon.

Thankfully, my head is too large for a standard hat box, so I'm safe.  My cranium runneth over.

And there is no such thing as a Lego Illuminati or Fight Club.

(See what I did there?)

Time for bed.

CCC

CM4S said:

The S@H link is complete confirmation that a 'Firehouse Headquarters' is coming out. 

That wasn't an announcement though.

Also the French(?) site had GB in their name for it, do it almost confirms that it is Ghostbusters. But I have yet to see anything official, and anything official that contains a piece count and price.

Xefan

I think a lot of the skepticism is based on the fact that this would be a rather random, lonely isolated set if they retire the Ghostbusters Ecto-1 before hand.

But I don't think this is necessarily true, it sounds like this set is rumoured to be released around the same time we're due to see a Ghostbuster's dimensions level pack, and two character packs?

iso3200

I had the set confirmed to me yesterday. UK released at "Helicarrier" money, so £270/£275. Not much of a surprise given $350 already known,

3stackshs

News flash.  I heard somewhere they are making a life size Lego Charles Barkley.

VorpalRyu

The URL couldn't be a placeholder for the Dimensions level pack... As for releasing a modular scale set to support one licence in the Dimensions line? YEAH! Nope... I think if TLG were going down that path, we'd see modulars of Wayne Manor, the Daily Planet, Hill Valley's Town Hall & the Wicked Witch's Castle.

I think if there is to be an actual fire station style modular for 2016 (GB or not), I honestly think that what I said previously is the most plausible possibility & even then, I don't think its a high percentage chance. But if I'm on the money, I'd be waiting to hear news on a polybag GB sign for the firehouse.

Xefan

VorpalRyu said:

The URL couldn't be a placeholder for the Dimensions level pack... As for releasing a modular scale set to support one licence in the Dimensions line? YEAH! Nope... I think if TLG were going down that path, we'd see modulars of Wayne Manor, the Daily Planet, Hill Valley's Town Hall & the Wicked Witch's Castle.

I don't think anyone said the URL would be for the Dimensions level pack - it has its own set number so it's pretty clear that's not the case.

I think it's silly to assume that if they were going to do one tie-in then they'd have to do all of them too, that's obviously nonsense. It really depends on what their market research has shown, and given the popularity of Ghostbusters HQ MOCs on Ideas it's not terribly surprising that that particular set would have shown the popularity necessary to justify it. TLG isn't an unthinking beast whereby there are only absolutes, and that if they choose to do one tie-in to a Dimensions theme then they have to do all of them - they're smarter than that and they'll only do it where they believe it makes sense.

Given that GB is receiving 3 Dimensions packs (as opposed to say Jurassic World's one Team pack), and has already done well with an Ideas set, they obviously see it as a franchise that they can milk for more than they currently are.

Sethro3

I think they certainly could do a  GB set other than IDEAS. But why do they think there is a market for a $350 building? I could see a HQ selling well at $200, but $350 puts the buyers into a whole other bracket. I don't know sales numbers of anything, so I don't know how the Helicarrier has done at that price. But maybe they don't have to expect to sell as many as I think to make it worthwhile.

I'm more surprised there is a market for a $350/4000 piece building, but there isn't a market for a similar price/piece Minas Tirith.

CCC

They might not need to make many sales with it. There is always room for flagship sets, ones that make people go wow, that's made from Lego? They get people into the store. Even if few will buy.

It may also push sales of Ecto-1. Imagine seeing that in the store window, seeing the price, thinking maybe not but I'll buy the car on its own.

binaryeye

VorpalRyu said:

As for releasing a modular scale set to support one licence in the Dimensions line?

VorpalRyu said:

I think if there is to be an actual fire station style modular for 2016 (GB or not), I honestly think that what I said previously is the most plausible possibility & even then, I don't think its a high percentage chance. But if I'm on the money, I'd be waiting to hear news on a polybag GB sign for the firehouse.

Why do you keep referring to modulars? A $350 licensed set is not a modular.

Lobot

Personally I think it will fly off the shelves, even at £275. 

There's a lot of fans in their early 40's with more money than sense (me included!) who saw the films in their childhood and will jump at the chance to own it.  Based on recent sets, TLG are bound to cram it with a load of minifigures and that will also be irresistible to many.... who wouldn't want a Louis, Dana or Janine? 

Chubbles

I love the Ghostbusters but there are dozens of things I'd rather see than a Ghostbusters HQ at that price point.  It's not an overly impressive building or anything.  Take the Slimer symbol off the front and it's a generic building.  They'd have to do something really cool with the interior, specifically the ghost chamber to catch my attention.

Xefan

Chubbles said:

I love the Ghostbusters but there are dozens of things I'd rather see than a Ghostbusters HQ at that price point.  It's not an overly impressive building or anything.  Take the Slimer symbol off the front and it's a generic building.  They'd have to do something really cool with the interior, specifically the ghost chamber to catch my attention.

Yeah but the same is true of both Simpsons sets- they look utterly dull, boring, and forgettable from outside, but the interiors are awesome.

BrickDancer

At $200 price point versus $350, it's much more attractive by comparison. Plus, the frequency that we see exterior shots of either locations on any given episode over a 25 year era makes it much more viable than the GB HQ which has been in only 2 movies released decades ago. Even then, you can argue it didn't play that central of a role in the 2nd movie compared to the 1st when the GB team moved in.