So if the episode seven product is on the water, and I believe it is, but no one can release what it is, how do stores order it? I feel confident that someone somewhere would spill the beans. We saw it with wave 7. I mean even price points would tell us a lot. Are flgs going to get product on the 4th? Should I be planning to camp in front of Barnes and Noble the night before? Obviously I can't pre-order unannounced miniatures.

I don't think FFG has the infastructure for such a release. We will get info, sure, and be available immediately for stores to order.

Maybe they'll get x-wing back into Target. They might be having a midnight thing. Hopefully FFG can at least tell us when and where to go once we are within a week or two.

it better be available worldwide

I predict announcement, with immediate release to distribution channels. You probably won't physically buy until somewhat later.

I say 'you' because we'll inevitably be several weeks behind that again, unless they're allowing international wholesalers in on the fun, or pre-stage international logistics. Ha.

Maybe they'll get x-wing back into Target. They might be having a midnight thing. Hopefully FFG can at least tell us who and where to go once we are within a week or two.

Expect a lot of Star Wars announcements at D23.

D23.com

This would be very, very epic if they some how sneak all this right under our noses and release some Ep. 7 product with very little notice. I would love that so much. Spoilers are really exciting in the moment, and fun to discuss, but excitment dies over time. Can you imagine if instead of spoiling waves up to 6 or 7 months ahead of release, they did it a week before it was in your hands? That may be what happens with Ep. 7 product. And if that is what happens, I will be PUMPED. Yes, a week notice is a stretch, but any short wait time then what we've had in the past would be A-MAZZZ-ZA-ZING.

Let me preface this by stating that I have not been solicited for FFG episode VII products. However, I can say that I there are products from other companies that can be orders now. You have to order them blind and are not allowed open the boxes until the 4th.I can say that if I could order the skus blind from FFG I would. So it is possible that FFG might do something similar.

a stork drops it into the chimney of each game store after reading the hearts of all the lovely boys and girls waiting for their toys.

The Mouse has more power than Santa. They have the capital and the resources to pull off epic retail of this magnitude. They have done it before too. They often re-release their classics without warning and for a limited time. Stores only know they are ordering a limited run Disney DVD/Blu-ray and don't know what it is until it arrives.

The Retail Force is strong with The Mouse!

I work in the bike industry and the business models are pretty comparable to FLGS.

For your bog-standard new model year releases we would start by having analysts estimate how much product is needed and place an order with our manufacturer. Once the product is near completion we would have our dealers sign Non-Disclosure Agreements, show them the new product, and then place preorders. The preorder process removes some of the risk of unsold product and guarantees them stock. Product ships from the factory, briefly touches down at our warehouses for QC and other miscellaneous stuff, then turns around headed for dealers. I suspect a very similar process goes on for the FLGS.

For special, one-off, releases - similar to what we might be seeing with Episode VII product - we skip the preorder-phase and bring the product into our warehouses. This reduces the possibility of a leak, creates an element of surprise, and means that product can be available through dealers immediately after announcement instead of forcing consumers to have to wait for the boats to make the long journey across the pacific. The downsides are increased risk to the brand, lack of guaranteed stock and minimal time to plan an appropriate order for the dealer, and possibility of bad timing for the consumer (i.e. "Aw man, I just blew $100 on old product and now they release this cool new stuff!").

Considering how big of a deal Episode VII is I don't think there's much risk that FFG would end up sitting on lots of product dealers/consumers don't want - the big questions are: 1) how much product can FFG have prepared for shipment, 2) how quickly can they ship the product to dealers, and 3) will they preview the product with dealers (thereby creating the opportunity for an early leak)?

I don't think FFG has the infastructure for such a release. We will get info, sure, and be available immediately for stores to order.

Asmodee might

I don't think FFG has the infastructure for such a release. We will get info, sure, and be available immediately for stores to order.

Asmodee might

I believe they do in certain regions but part of their reason for merging with FFG was more US presence. Overall, this may have increased the potential for this to happen.

The Mouse has more power than Santa. They have the capital and the resources to pull off epic retail of this magnitude. They have done it before too. They often re-release their classics without warning and for a limited time. Stores only know they are ordering a limited run Disney DVD/Blu-ray and don't know what it is until it arrives.

The Retail Force is strong with The Mouse!

I don't think Disney is funding X-Wing's release in any way whatsoever.

Expect a lot of Star Wars announcements at D23.

D23.com

This is true but most toy and collectible announcements are expected on September 4th.

If it's a good release I can forgive the raider situation.

I do worry we will have a glut of tie fighters though if we get movie ones as well as the two with the goz.

Also is there anything for scum?

The Mouse has more power than Santa. They have the capital and the resources to pull off epic retail of this magnitude. They have done it before too. They often re-release their classics without warning and for a limited time. Stores only know they are ordering a limited run Disney DVD/Blu-ray and don't know what it is until it arrives.

The Retail Force is strong with The Mouse!

I don't think Disney is funding X-Wing's release in any way whatsoever.

The Mouse is controlling ALL things Star Wars now. They get final say, every step of the way.

Expect a lot of Star Wars announcements at D23.

D23.com

This is true but most toy and collectible announcements are expected on September 4th.

If you replaced "most" in your comment with "the rest of the", I'd agree with you.

If it's a good release I can forgive the raider situation.

I do worry we will have a glut of tie fighters though if we get movie ones as well as the two with the goz.

Also is there anything for scum?

From leaks and rumors, I know of one Scum-like ship that'll be in Episode 7 and I don't think it's much of a combat vessel. It's a huge ship, though, so that could mean that it would work like the GR-75: Doesn't technically shoot, but lumbers around doing other things that help its fellow Scum ships and hamper opposing ships.

The Raider situation was caused by Lucasfilm not getting around to giving approval to the design, BTW. I heard it from a birdie at GenCon. FFG could have shipped it months ago but Lucasfilm is so busy giving approvals for everything from novels to highchairs that it didn't have time to approve the Raider until FFG said "hey, we're going to this 60,000-person convention, it's kind of a big deal, we need to release this!" That's when Lucasfilm finally got around to reviewing it and giving it the OK. The Raiders are all sitting in warehouses right now, they're not on the boat anymore, and they're going to ship out this month. Could be as early as this week?

The Mouse has more power than Santa. They have the capital and the resources to pull off epic retail of this magnitude. They have done it before too. They often re-release their classics without warning and for a limited time. Stores only know they are ordering a limited run Disney DVD/Blu-ray and don't know what it is until it arrives.

The Retail Force is strong with The Mouse!

I don't think Disney is funding X-Wing's release in any way whatsoever.

The Mouse is controlling ALL things Star Wars now. They get final say, every step of the way.

They control licensing but if FFG says, "we can't make that happen on that date," I don't think Disney/LFL are going to throw cash at them.

If it's a good release I can forgive the raider situation.

I do worry we will have a glut of tie fighters though if we get movie ones as well as the two with the goz.

Also is there anything for scum?

I've had my guesses about what it's going to be elsewhere (falcon, x wing and tie, not sure of the last after the Gozanti) But I am willing to bet if the 3 "spare" codes are the release it won't be a scum ship. I'm put money that we are going to get iconic Rebel/Empire ships.

If it was me, I might have taken the opportunity to plant the 3 "unused" codes just to screw with every one in topics like this :-) Then announce 6 ships in Sept and make more of a but load of money off us :-)

I was also talking to a retailer who said they were now getting a bit of a heads up on what was being shipped. As Danthrax said they got the word the raider might be shipping late this week.

The Mouse has more power than Santa. They have the capital and the resources to pull off epic retail of this magnitude. They have done it before too. They often re-release their classics without warning and for a limited time. Stores only know they are ordering a limited run Disney DVD/Blu-ray and don't know what it is until it arrives.

The Retail Force is strong with The Mouse!

I don't think Disney is funding X-Wing's release in any way whatsoever.

The Mouse is controlling ALL things Star Wars now. They get final say, every step of the way.

They control licensing but if FFG says, "we can't make that happen on that date," I don't think Disney/LFL are going to throw cash at them.

Have you not recently heard what the hold up on Wave 7 and 8 was caused by!?!?

I was working at a Toys R Us when Episode One toys were ready to hit the market. During the time leading up to launch day any merchandise that came off the truck was put into a corner of the stockroom and all the employees knew it was hands off or else. But I remember we were receiving merchendise almost two month before launch day. So it wouldn't surprise me if most retailers already had 60-70% of the stock they need to for September 4th. I'd go as far to speculate that if its not sitting in FFG warehouse that's it's already at the retail stores waiting for that special day.

I don't think FFG has the infastructure for such a release. We will get info, sure, and be available immediately for stores to order.

If FFG couldn't guarantee a product for September 4th release day I don't think they would have got the incense to produce any games for episode 7.