List of sets to be discontinued in 2013 Germany + Benelux (2014 international)

[Wolf Knight]

hmmm good to know, thanks!!!
Now to rush off, before these beauties disappear!!!

[Baron Marshall]

I didn't find much on the list that surprising, but I do think that there are some big hints at more theme turnover in the future, smaller production runs, and a shift to a 2 year shelf life instead of the 3-5 we have been used to. Its a rough business model for collectors as they have to buy everything more quickly but if kids are your primary target there is (for some reason) a "need" to change sets all the time.

-I think the cavemen were designed as a learning tool/classroom diorama type line so once everyone bought them for that they ditched the line as additional sales were unlikely (much like the Egyptian line IMO)

-Soccer stuff will be out again next time they think it will sell... so it is just shelved... I dare say same with the Olympic stuff

-Dragon Knights are being replaced by Fairies... so that makes sense

-That house has been around for a while

-Legitimately sad to see the Ferry go... but how many people are really going to buy a bunch of those? I did not see the Harbor itself on there though so perhaps looking good for the return of the Suzanne?

-A few sets here and there from various themes are probably just being replaced by newer versions/sets... Top Agents is getting a few new sets so it makes sense to take a few out.

-Future Planet just costs too much I think... all the "extras" that they put into it make it a hard sell... perhaps they will be retooling and taking out some of the Tech to make it a more affordable TOY instead... and not having good guys and bad guys but cooperative space exploration (that we can make our own good guys and bad guys with) or focusing more on near future space instead of far future... and they probably also think they need to release pink aliens 

I AM SHOCKED! That the 123 Castle is being discontinued... it is a lovely set... though perhaps they are just retooling it so it is expandable?

[Rhalius]

Seeing how that several themes are going to disappear, it gives hope for good new themes or a new batch for those themes.

Zoo is definatly going to be back, same for the house. Will just be new stuff. Might not hurt to skip Zoo for a year perhaps so it can be brought back in a grand fasion, and they have time to work out some new ideas.

Kind of hoping they will release a historic theme again now that dragon knights and stoneage are discontinued. It would make sense.

Future planet is indeed a bit overpriced and Playmobil never was overly succesfull with the space theme as far as I know. That's why decent pricing is more important here, to convince customers. I expect that they will not release space stuff anymore for now, then again the agents theme is pretty much a space theme as well with the new batch.

[Bolingbroke]

Mmm. I'd really love them to start developing their themes more, over time. Second waves etc, that way there would be more continuity, like there was in the past. A new zoo every couple of years is a pain, I think, for people who collect that theme. Same goes for other themes. The fact that some themes are being discontinued already shouldn't come as a surprise either. Some of them - initial hype notwithstanding - were pants.

[Redmao]

I tend to forget that these sets will still be available for another year outside of Germany. 

The sports theme was timed with the Football cup and the olympics so it's only natural that they're going.

2 years of production is still a long time these days.
In the action figure world, products fly off the shelves and if you missed it, it's gone!
At least with Playmobil you can take your time and don't have to rush to get everything.

[bonniebeth]

A new zoo every couple of years is a pain, I think, for people who collect that theme.

Yes, it is a pain. Every time they redesign it, there's a new type of fencing that isn't compatible with the old, which in some ways is ok, because every zoo has multiple types of fencing. But in a miniature dio, where you see it all at once, different fencing can tend to make things messy. I like the fencing from this last zoo much better than the yellow stuff, so I hope they keep it for the next theme.

It's also a pain though, because every time they do a new theme, there has to be a new entry design, and they have the same expected animals... giraffes, elephants, lions, and tigers. I'd much rather skip having a new entry and fencing and repeats of the same animals, and just have a continuation with new animal sets including fencing and props. Much like the Asian zoo set. It would be great to have other themed areas like that with different animals.

[Bolingbroke]

Perhaps then, the way forward is the Lego way. More than one member has pointed out that nowadays two years is a long time for sets to be on the shelf. What PM could do is shorten that time (Lego releases sets for a particular theme twice a year, discontinuing the old ones as they are replaced by newer sets), but keeping the same themes. Meaning: the zoo/knights/dollshouse theme would be there all the time, but the sets would change more often. Though changing is the wrong word. If say in 2012 theyre realising a jousting set, a hunting set, a peasants set for the knights theme, it would be followed in 2013 by a royal set, a thieves set etc ... WHILE at the same time making it continuous in terms of motifs, heraldry etc. Then a complete overhaul every five or six years.

Now, if themes aren't selling, then they have to see what the problem is. It could be the idea behind the theme was a poor one, or poorly implemented. It could be that the marketing wasn't very good ... it could be so many different reasons. (Though if you ask me, marketing's the main problem.)

[Hadoque]

Themes indeed get discontinued sooner and sooner... The Roman theme was already shortlived, the Egyptian one even more... Now the Cavemen and Future Planet themes are already phased out... they were introduced in Germany/Benelux around september 2011, so they have only been around for 1 year!!

On the pirates' theme front, the smaller set 5136 with 3 pirates, some accessories and cannon is being axed...
I find that a bit odd, as I assumed people would easily buy this one (at a reaonable price of about 10 - 11 euro) to have a few additional pirates to go with the pirates ship or the island.
I had rather expected to see the rowboat with 2 pirates and shark go (which is more expensive at 15 to 17 euro), or the small British cannonboat as there will the new remote-controlled Pirates schooner next year...
So I hope they come up with a new pirates-crew set, the theme has sofar never existed without an additional crew-set.

[PlaymoMan]

We just got some of this stuff in stores! Harbour, Future Planet, Olympics, Cavemen...
Too bad, those are some nice sets.

[Rhalius]

Best if they dont follow the lego way. Lego has rather boring sets to be honest when compared to playmobil, overall playmobil keeps offering good quality sets with much more playvalue than lego sets.

The current rotation speed is good. Plenty of new stuff every year and enough time to buy the good stuff. Its no good either when kids save money to buy something, and when they have the money its gone.