Written by The more you make, the cheaper it costs.
A typical ‘rule of thumb’ in the toy production industry, this economic principle basically means – if the production volume of a particular toy increases… the cost of each individual toy decreases. This is based on 1. Raw materials being cheaper when bought in bulk… and 2. Fixed costs like freight, rent, molds, machinery decreases per toy (when spread among more toys.)
So when it was first reported that the New Masters of the Universe: Origins Snake Lair V2 Playset crowdfunding campaign needed 4,000 more customers to order the $300 playset (from 6,000 to 10,000 backers) to unlock extra toys: one being the “Lady Slither’s Two-Headed Serpentine Steed Chimera”, it made sense.
One would naturally think an additional 4,000 orders for Snake Lair Playsets would reduce the manufacturing expense enough for Mattel to include the cost of these extra toys. Otherwise, Mattel would not be able to assumingly afford to include that two-headed steed (and still make an adequate profit.)
But then, something changed.
Right before the crowdfunding campaign began August 1st, a great deal of fans were publicly raising objections towards the $300 price-tag. They considered the playset extremely overpriced compared to its Origins Castle Grayskull and Snake Mountain playset counterparts which were similar in size and scale. (It was also compounded with very high shipping costs for international customers.)
So after many Masters of the Universe collectors proclaimed they would refuse to back the Origins Snake Lair playset based on its lack of value, suddenly Mattel…added value!
Mattel removed the extra 4,000 backer requirement for the Two-Headed “Chimera” figure at the last minute, revealing that the 1.2 Million Dollars in extra revenue was no longer needed to give fans the extra Two-Headed “Chimera” to begin with.
Before, 6,000 people who spend $300 each on a playset would only unlock the playset itself…
…but now, 6,000 people who spend $300 each unlocks the playset and the figure addition.
This apparent course correction seemed to indicate that (unless Mattel is in the business to lose money), the price-tag for the Snake Lair was seemingly padded, where the asking price already had the necessary profit built in at 6,000 units to give fans a deluxe ride for Lady Slither.
Which then begs the question: If the Snake Lair had enough profit built-in with 6,000 units ordered to add another expense at the last minute, why couldn’t Mattel just decrease the price-tag below $300 for the playset itself and leave the Two-Headed “Chimera” bonus figure unlockable at an extra 4,000 backers?
We don’t know the answer to this question, but as this latest chapter of the Origins Snake Lair Playset plays out… the question seems fair to ask.
The Masters of the Universe Origins Snake Lair Playset Crowdfund campaign runs through August 28th, 2025 on the Mattel Creations website.
We’ll see you next time.
In my opinion, this is another case where the answer lies within the question itself.
My guess is if things don’t look better fast they’ll call a Priest in lol.
It’s INCREDIBLE that they outright asked if 300 bucks sounded right like that was the only criteria, like it didn’t matter if the set actually had that value. My god, they still want you to panic for Lady Slither!
I imagine they’ll do the politician thing of answering their own questions at the Q&A and throw in some payment plans like they’re doing you a favour. Whatever happens they need to be pulling Plundor out of a hat – there’s actually a slim chance the backing could, well, go backwards if they try to defend the asking price without success.
I gotta ask….does anyone remember how many days it took for Eternia to be fully backed? The fact that they threw in the 2-headheaded monster/horse is telling that they’re scared. All 3 of these items should be included for $300.00. Honestly, I liked the old design wayyyyy more. We’re getting less for more now and this is a cheap shell of a set that has no nostalgic value for me at all. Give me the slime pit! I’ll back that!
Eternia was fully backed the first week. I agree at $300 all those items should be included and not advertised as stretch goals.
Every first step Mattel takes with the Snake Lair is the wrong one.
Facts.
Catching up with Geek Dad Life and there’s a suggestion Mattel sent out a 20% off code for the Lair? I didn’t receive anything and it’s the first I’ve heard of it…
Also they did a poll on their previous show (for what that’s worth) and amongst MOTU fans 86% said they wouldn’t back it. That’s all kinds of telling.
It’s a 20% off code for some of the stuff they have in stock. You can’t use it on the Snake Lair but you can buy another 40th Anniversary set with it. 🤣
Lol. Why do they only send these codes out to certain people? It’s bizarre.
I don’t know why they only sent it to certain people. The whole thing is bizarre dude and it’s clear the motu brand managers will throw in as much shit to sweeten the deal but they ain’t lowering the SL price for nothing. Got to make those sales numbers for the quarter.
Jay (GDL) did a poll asking that, at the current 30+% of funding, did the chat members think the Lair would fund. Only slightly more than half (58%) thought it would. Mattel are gonna throw Pythonus in minimum after the early bird ends is my guess. Well, Slither and Pythonus.
@sketchyskeletor They should throw in Keclar to the Snake Lair set. They put him on the table in 2022 and now 3 years later there’s still no sign of his figure. What a joke this company is.
I feel people would have been less bothered if there were no “gifts" to unlock and it was $300 for everything. The cost would have felt less like a ripoff and hardly anyone would have felt insulted by it
Also there’s a good chance with how crowdfunds have been going for the big two recently that slightly retooled tiers and indeed repainted crowdfunds as standard releases are gonna be a thing. There’s persistent rumours a stripped down/repainted HISS Tank is going to retail. And Mattel have just put out the Spacesuit (the piece many really wanted) from the SDCC set) again. They’re getting less precious about their golden geese, potentially. Keclar’s name continually comes up…
This was getting backed up by Mattel way quicker than I thought (!) with them talking about maybe releasing Keclar, Pythonus and Rattle Trap somehow.
I’d get it for 100 or less in that parallel world where it gets a normal shop release. Prolly as usual twice; one for the kids. 200 going for something else then.
I have a strong feeling that I’ll have to give serious thought to the playsets space allocation. This lair might force me to reconsider my plans sooner than expected.
Schadenfreude is kicking in and I really wanna see how Mattel will prop the Lair up tomorrow!
It crept past 40%.
That’s what fandoms do bitch and moan until we have to pay more for a smallefor less. And since Origins is is modular it would’ve been simple to remove the parts you didn’t like.
They already told us that original Lair (the one that looked bothing like the poll sketch) would have cost more than V2. And absolutely nobody is happy about 300 bucks for the V2 set they foolishly just proved was retail-sized.
Fandoms aren’t around to just suck up whatever and be thankful.
It’s now at 50% after 11 days. Presumably it’ll see a small uptick from people trying to lock in Lady Slither in a few days, but even with that, 17 days to do basically another 50% when you’ve initial-backer-peaked… my guess is it’ll only limp over the line if it actually gets close.
The lack of a payment plan is NOT helping.
I believe those numbers as much as I believe their voting results.
This is it, from the most half-assed poll anyone’s ever seen to a massive, fully functional prototype in no time at all. Then one of the voting options goes to retail. Oh, and even the Mattel staff voted for other options!
Latest edit – 114 backers needed for the base offering. I believe it’ll fund but I’d laugh my head off if it didn’t after all that!
Previous edit – a suspiciously high 93% of funding now off the basis of a Lady Slither figure and still a few hours left for said offer. Basically it’s gonna fund whatever for the sake of around 400 backers.
The funding is at 67% now so I imagine it’ll go well over 70 in it’s final early bird day. All for a roody poo Lady Slither lol.
It’s still really difficult to tell if it’ll fund, like if you waited this long… there only is 2 weeks left as well, I can see Mattel having to call the Priest in just whatever. They’re bloody stupid if they don’t.
Edit – 75% now.
Goddammit, I’m literally blaming scalpers lol. In all seriousness though, there’s folks claiming they’re buying 2 or 3, so… I think it’s a fantastic playset with the potential to be the best in the whole line, but nobody should be encouraging that price tag ever. You’re signing up to be kicked between the legs every year and bringing everybody else with you.