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

[Pynedor]

I'd have to agree with Bolingbroke here. The current Lego knight sets do seem to offer a lot more of the things people have been asking of Geobra to include (though on an unrelated note I think both Lego and Playmobil have been suffering currently with some cheaper designs). I don't particularly like the franchised sets much, but that's probably just because I'm not interested in some of the franchises that they make toys based on. But they do bring in a lot of cool parts (and money), and Lego still produces its own non-franchised sets, like the knight sets mentioned. It's not like they only produce franchised sets, which is what seems to strangely anger lots of people here.

It's not really that they "sold out" either, since they still retain their own sets and could stop making franchised sets whenever they'd like (no contracts are indefinite).

As a last note - if people can't be creative and imaginative even with more specific, franchised sets, then that's certainly not the fault of the toy-maker. I like both also, and the similarities between the two are fine with me, since I like knights, pirates, and similar themes. Both have made interesting sets that clearly have no influential ties to the sets of the other, and so, again, I don't think there is any problem. If Geobra wants to release Playmobil sets at a similar rate to that of Lego in an effort to increase sales, then I think that could be a wise move. Ultimately, it doesn't even seem like that's the case here, so I wouldn't worry.

[Rhalius]

As a child I played with playmobil and lego pretty much equally, in playmobil I still recognize the toy it was back then, my early ninetees playmobil fits perfectly with whats currently available. My Lego from the same period does not seem to match at all with current lego sets.

Of course it is partially nostalgia talking, but seeing how for playmobil I'd only say that the knight's theme is not what it used to be and everything else being improved or of similar quality whereas I feel that lego is overall a lot weaker across all themes, I can safely say that its not a snap judgement on my part.

Lego had a briliant Pirate theme going on. A trade post, beautifull ships, all kinds of pirate islands, Natives, etc. And they traded it in for Pirates of the Carribean.. It simply seems like a huge step backwards to me. Then again, they did release a new batch of pirates a few years ago and it wasnt that special either aside from the brittish battleship.

As for its knights theme, its true that they have some civilian sets. Their current knight theme is better than the utter garbage they released some years ago when they had power ranger knights that looked more like robots. I fear it is going to make room for lord of the rings lego though.

Just like the entire lego space theme made room for star wars. Kind of a shame, like with the pirate theme Lego did an awfull lot here that Geobra could learn from.

[PlayMo.re]

It is being said that Lego has much better marketing and bigger distribution ability than Geobra, and that Lego is therefore following better & smarter business practices, but let's also remember that those things grew with Lego as their products grew in popularity.  Geobra really can't spend huge amounts of money on marketing and increasing their distribution and market presence (especially needed in the USA) until they increase sales.  The profits from sales could then of course be used to increase distribution and marketing.  And, this would make sense because demand for their product would be present. 

Now, let me just say that I prefer Playmobil over Lego, partly b/c I like to fight for the underdog, and partly because I do feel that PM has done a better job of sticking to its original plan and values better than Lego.  Lego has sold out in a way, by going with franchises like Star Wars, Harry Potter, and Pirates of the Caribbean, and also by stretching outside the limits of a square brick made out of hard plastic (e.g. rubber dragon claws and cloth capes).  Which, by the way, makes today's Lego pieces much more like Playmobil pieces).  But, attaching itself to licensed/franchised themes was also a very smart move.  When the Star Wars theme came out in the 90's, Lego's sales, brand-recognition, and popularity went up dramatically.  I really, truly doubt that Lego would have the popularity it has in the US these days, if it hadn't started making sets with known characters in them.  The economic structure of the world is built on supply and demand, so it just makes sense to attach yourself to something which you know to be well-established and popular from before.  I think Playmobil would be smart to allow themselves to do this as well, if only to stay competitive enough to keep making their classic, wonderful, non-licensed sets.

Just one more small note... I actually just returned home an hour or so ago from a day at Legoland... I was surprised to find that they are selling a few books recently published "unofficially" by Lego fans (these included "Cult of Lego" by John Baichtal and Lego: A Love Story by Jonathan Bender), "unofficial" meaning they were not initiated, produced or even sanctioned by the Lego corporation when they were written.  But, now they are being sold in the Lego-exclusive stores at Legoland.  I'm just wondering if this is just smart business practice (why let others make the profits?), a way to show support and openess to Lego fans & authors, or some other attempt at maintaining their monopoly now that their brick patent has run out... I'm open to any ideas anyone has 

[spiked_spiegel]

I wanted to chime in on the Lego debate.  I grew up with Lego and without Playmobil (it was very hard to come by in small town in the 80s). It wasn't until I bought Playmobil for my son for Christmas that  I became hooked.  With that being said I find I don't prefer one over the other as I tend to switch back and forth between each. (my long absence on this site was due to getting a Lego collecting bug again).   I do agree though that Lego does seem to have "lost its way" over the years.  Especially when compared to Playmobil. 
Part of me thinks it's simply rose coloured glasses of playing with Lego as a child and comparing it to now. (I don't have this issue with Playmobil as I never played with it as a child). I agree with Rhalius that  Lego sets of the past cannot really be combined with the sets of today whereas I find Playmobil doesn't have that problem. To me this is now Lego's biggest flaw.  I find it has to do with to the evolution of faces on klickies vs. minifigs.  Both started off with two eyes and a smile (you could say Lego actually copies that from Playmobil).  But whereas klickies have retained that same smile and dotted eyes (for the most part I know there are variations of the odd angry face etc)  all Minifig faces now have expressions, eyes with pupils, etc.  This may not seem like a problem but placing an 80s classic spacefig with a smile face beside a grinning spacemarine it looks like two different products.  The expressions on a face also peg that figure as well which limits imaginative play IMO.
To get back on topic.  I'm actually amazed the Future sets are being discontinued.  It only feels like they just got here and now they're going away.  I hope it brings a discount along with it as I would love to own the E-rangers turbojet (5150). 

[Bolingbroke]

Then again, 'lost its way' is what we say about PM when we discuss for eg the 1990s golden era 

[Rhalius]

Well the modern themes didnt really kick off untill the later ninetees to be honest, and seems to have only improved ever since with many wonderfull little details.

Both western and Medieval where kind of ahead of their time in the seventies compared to all other themes, with all the wonderfull buildings. In the ninetees they did make somewhat of a comeback, combining such buildings with detailed clickies. But now its mostly just forts and castles for those themes with little else.

But as far as historic themes go, the pirate theme certainly hasnt weakened. Well aside from the odd projectiles perhaps but thats a safety regulation that they cant do much about. But furthermore there may be a decision here and there thats not agreed with, but overall every single batch of pirates seems to have a lot to offer.
The last pirate ship is the very best one, at least to me it is and I played with a classic pirate ship my entire childhood.  The shape is just a lot more pleasing than that of the classic pirate ship.



 

[Bolingbroke]

Except that the latest one is based on a much better older one 

[Bolingbroke]

Also, another thing that was mentioned wast he fact that you can't put an old Lego figure next to the newer generation ones, because they look so different. But isn't it the same with PM as well? It's already bad enough comparing newer klickies with 90s ones, let alone the latest ones with those from the early 80s.

The thing which annoys me is this, really: when PM does copy Lego, it is always the crummy things it does copy. Like the surprise figures or the silly faces.

[Redmao]

So.. Is this still about the discontinued sets? 

[Bolingbroke]

Yes, let's.

So I take it the Pirate Island, which was mentioned some weeks ago as a possible discontinued set, is going to be available for another year? I never got round to buying that one. It was too big and expensive, and there wasn't much going for it. In fact - if I may say so myself - the last Pirates theme might be the first time in PM history when the red coat sets were better than the pirates ones. The three-pirate set that's being discontinued, for eg, I'm not really surprised: it was one of the poorest in recent years. The asian klicky who looks like he's just come out of a 1970s disco, for eg: what's that about? And the cannon-firing boat: much has been said about that. It would be nice - really nice - if for a new pirates theme they give us a big redcoats ship (which would be the main ship for the theme), with the pirates having to make do with a smaller ship. Isn't real life like that, anyway?