Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle Sneak Peak at Rockefeller Center

[Toys N Bricks]

Get a sneak peak at one of the LEGO Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles set at the New York Rockefeller Center LEGO Store on October 13! Dress up as your favorite Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle and you will receive a free exclusive Krang Android minifigure. Minifigure available to only the first 300 people, while supplies last.

Article Link: http://toysnbricks.com/lego-teenage-mutant-ninja-turtle-sneak-peak-at-rockefeller-center/

[Buttmunch]

This is why I hate Lego. How is this even remotely fair to a majority of their collectors/fans?

If anyone happens to get an extra Krang, I'd very much be interested in taking if off hands!

[SpaceNinjaDino]

Not sure why they feel compelled to make figures so limited and exclusive. The promos should be like "you can get this exclusive minifigure free by just showing up at a place OR make an order of $75 from the online store or other store on x day."

By making only 300 of these figures, you are just handing out very rare and expensive items for free who will be able to sell them on eBay or Bricklink for $xxx. How does that benefit LEGO? If items offered were more like the TC-14 promo or Hulk promo, then LEGO would directly benefit because it requires purchases.

[Buttmunch]

Not sure why they feel compelled to make figures so limited and exclusive. The promos should be like "you can get this exclusive minifigure free by just showing up at a place OR make an order of $75 from the online store or other store on x day."

By making only 300 of these figures, you are just handing out very rare and expensive items for free who will be able to sell them on eBay or Bricklink for $xxx. How does that benefit LEGO? If items offered were more like the TC-14 promo or Hulk promo, then LEGO would directly benefit because it requires purchases.

Exactly. Its not like they are making any money off of these, so why tortue their fans like this. I'm more than willing to buy $xx of Legos to get a free, exclusive figure. Heck, I'd be willing to buy the figures seperately too if they'd want to do them that way.

These super limited, geographical exclusives suck! I mean its not even just a legoshop exclusive, but specific to one specific legoshop.

[popnfresh]

They do it to reward super hardcore fans, not to punish everyone else. A little bonus of something small to the truly dedicated is not going to ruin brand for everyone else somehow. Its not like they only released 300 ucs at-at sets and sat back and laughed.

[SpaceNinjaDino]

Another option would be a timed exclusive. Like those people could be the only 300 people in the world that has that figure for 6+ months. Then they open it up to everyone else.

[Luciant]

And the NY Stores have a nasty mark-up so, maybe this is Lego's way of giving back.

[admiralheinrich]

AFOLs aside, I like that this could easily be acquired by kids dressed in turtle costumes. I think we forget that the ones most shortchanged out of these rare figs are kids and I'm sure we all know how having a different or unique toy can really entertain a kid. Some of us may cringe at the idea of scuffing a rare figure during daily play but the experience means a lot to them. Good job LEGO. :)

[SpaceNinjaDino]

AFOLs aside, I like that this could easily be acquired by kids dressed in turtle costumes. I think we forget that the ones most shortchanged out of these rare figs are kids and I'm sure we all know how having a different or unique toy can really entertain a kid. Some of us may cringe at the idea of scuffing a rare figure during daily play but the experience means a lot to them. Good job LEGO. :)

Kids don't care if the item they play with is rare. Actually if they found out that it is rare and understand what that means, they might start developing a complex. I remember the first time I ran in to that when my mom spent 6 months trying to find a G1 Optimus Prime (which she finally found hidden stashed in the store). So now I had to be extra careful, because he wouldn't be able to be replaced. I took care of my toys anyway (including never separating the accessories), but it was the first lesson of rarity.

I guess this is not the end of the world. This isn't the first time I won't be able to get my hands on LEGO minifigs.

[soulless_minion]

They also might even keep a few of these minifigs back and sell them on ebay and such to get their money back and cover the cost of the "freebies"

[admiralheinrich]

Went to the Lego Store, saw kids in masks/bandanas, made a pretty decent TMNT mask along with a friend and we made a day of it. Got Krang, had fun, joked around with kids. After all it's about fun.

[Buttmunch]

So was there a ton of people there? Was a bandana enough to get a Krang? Laid back or strict? I just seemed very last minute so I'm curious how well it turned out. I mean 1 day notice? Really?!?

[legohunter]

Another option would be a timed exclusive. Like those people could be the only 300 people in the world that has that figure for 6+ months. Then they open it up to everyone else.

Timed exclusive is a good idea. This would be the right way to definitely reward the hardcore fans. It is not making sense that only the hardcore fans living at NY city.

[vynsane]

I'd wager this isn't the last we'll see of that Krang figure. It wasn't coincidence or happenstance that this particular give-away was on the same weekend as NY ComicCon, where the TMNT license was announced. It was most likely originally only going to be a marketing ploy to get NYCC people to go to the NYC LEGO Store, but then they decided to send out the email to NY Metro area residents in their database to widen the range. I doubt they made only 300 of this guy - that would make him one of the top 20, maybe top 10, rarest minifigures.

[Buttmunch]

Whats so hard to believe about that? Sounds like classic Lego to me. I hope you're right, but they haven't re-released any of the recent exclusive minifigures like Bizzaro, Captain Marvel, Symboite Spider-man, etc.

[vynsane]

Honestly, I don't know - but I feel like if it was to be given out at NYCC like the figures you mentioned, then yeah - I could see that being all of them. But since it was given out at the store, I feel like it's a different type of promo. I could be wrong, of course.

admiralheinrich - how was the figure packaged? Was it a polybag? Special packaging like the Bizarro, Shazam, Spider-man and Phoenix figures form SDCC? Ziploc?

[admiralheinrich]

Honestly, I don't know - but I feel like if it was to be given out at NYCC like the figures you mentioned, then yeah - I could see that being all of them. But since it was given out at the store, I feel like it's a different type of promo. I could be wrong, of course.

admiralheinrich - how was the figure packaged? Was it a polybag? Special packaging like the Bizarro, Shazam, Spider-man and Phoenix figures form SDCC? Ziploc?

No packaging, just a circular card backing with a 2x2 plate glued on and Krang on that. The guy at the store had a sack of them (literally), and was handing them out to those with bandanas, masks, costumes or Ninja Turtles t-shirts. I scored two, as he gave one to my girlfriend for accompanying me in full mask. One is mine, the other I put in a ziplock (one of the LEGO replacement parts baggies) immediately, you can see it on my flickr.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/32579267@N05/8090889895/

Polybags seem to suggest the minifigure is offered elsewhere, but unlike Maul, Hulk or TC-14 there was none to be found here. I'd assume this was the only opportunity to grab this.
ALSO I wanted to share that there is very slight back of head printing on Krang. Just some more android details hidden under his hairpiece.

[vynsane]

Interesting... so the minifigure isn't glued to the 2x2 plate, I'm assuming?

It's hard to judge where this will go in terms of desirability, or if it will show up as a promo elsewhere...

[admiralheinrich]

No, no glue on the fig.

[1brickshyofcrazy]

Wow the prices on these are crazy - I think I'm good with waiting for just the normal set figs on this one.