Yesterday, I mentioned a new LEGO Star Wars set that was a long time coming. Building instructions for the LEGO Star Wars Bespin Duel (75294) set was made available online via LEGO’s Customer Service Portal, hinting on the fact that the set will be making a physical appearance anytime soon. However, as it turns out, the set itself will be available not at LEGO Shop@Home, but on another retailer’s website.
Toys R Us Canada (yep, TRU seems to be doing well up north) has now listed the LEGO Star Wars Bespin Duel set as a TRU exclusive. Retailing for $49.94, the set comes in at 295 pieces and interestingly carries the 18+ branding. This is by far the smallest set to be labeled and marketed as such with LEGO adult fans in mind. I also find it curious how LEGO determines when a set should be branded as an 18+ set. I always have this notion that it has to do with the complexity and size of its build, and the aesthetics that go with it.
But perhaps the larger question in my mind is that why would LEGO opt for this long-awaited set to be a regional and retailer exclusive? I’m no fan of such marketing strategies since I’ve always felt that it severely limits access for well-meaning fans, and it creates an artificial and a kind of exploitive inflation of its value for collectors and scalpers. I also feel that this is like backpedaling on LEGO’s part since they made it a point before to limit, or do away with regional exclusives. I also understand that this set may have been originally intended as an event-exclusive, but still, I think LEGO is capable of producing more of these sets for the benefit of the larger fan community. I just hope that LEGO will reconsider releasing this set over at LEGO Shop@Home to allow more fans to have access to this LEGO Star Wars gem.
Anyways, let’s hear what TRU’s Canada’s website has to say about the LEGO Star Wars Bespin Duel (75294). Please take note that as of this posting, this set is currently out of stock in just less than 24 hours after it was listed over at the site. So if you’re looking forward to this, then perhaps your last resort will be eBay for now.
Let me know in the comments below how you feel about this set, and if in case you spot this at your local retail stores.
LEGO Star Wars Bespin Duel (75294)
295 pieces | $49.94
R Exclusive, only available at Toys R Us Canada. Disconnect from the daily grind and reconnect with nostalgic Star Wars memories with this detailed Bespin Duel build-and-display LEGO model (75294). Marking the 40th anniversary of Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back, it cleverly recreates the iconic Luke Skywalker vs. Darth Vader Cloud City duel scene. Build and display This fun, creative construction set features Luke Skywalker and Darth Vader LEGO minifigures with lightsabers. It also has a display stand with a 40th-anniversary nameplate to complete a wonderful centerpiece for your home or office. And don’t worry if you are a LEGO newcomer – step-by-step instructions are included so you can enjoy a stress-free building experience. Mindful relaxation The LEGO Group has been recreating iconic starships, vehicles, locations, and characters from the Star Wars universe since 1999. This building set for adults makes a super gift for yourself or Star Wars fans and hobbyists in your life looking for a mindful way to unwind from the daily grind.
- Take time out to relax, reawaken nostalgic Star Wars memories and celebrate the 40th anniversary of Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back in LEGO style with this Bespin Duel (75294) build-and-display model
- With this construction set, you can recreate the iconic Cloud City duel scene on a stand with a nameplate, adding lightsaber-wielding Luke Skywalker and Darth Vader LEGO minifigures to complete a classic display piece
- This beautifully detailed Bespin building set makes a great addition to Star Wars fans’ memorabilia collections, and any LEGO enthusiast will love to show it off alongside their other creations
- This 295-piece Star Wars construction kit is great for solo building or sharing creative fun with your friends. It also makes a super birthday or holiday gift for the Star Wars fan or hobbyist in your life
- The buildable model measures over 8″ (20cm) high, 9″ (23cm) wide and 4″ (11cm) deep – it doesn’t need a huge amount of space for display, but its striking, authentic details are sure to grab people’s attention
You can go directly to the LEGO.com website, enter the model number and the full build instructions are there. Then, if you have enough time and patience, fine all the pieces of Lego and make the set yourself. Some pieces I had to respray, but not many. A few I bought specially. But the final cost for me was £4. This may tide me over until the official is released. But to be honest I really love the one I made. Perhaps LEGO should do this with other sets, release instructions and builders can just build. After all, it’s what we did as kids. Don’t get me wrong, I love what LEGO has done, but hunting around for all the parts I needed was a load of fun. Especially in a lockdown.
You should see the Dr. Strange Sanctum Sanctorum I’m building…
Hmmm… the issue is, most people would want the official box art too. This is an iconic set, a 40th anniversary of ESB set, and the sticker will be needed too.
Don’t get me wrong, I agree with the fact that LEGO are buildable toys, but sometimes it’s the whole package that matters too.
LEGO Shop@Home will sell this set in the US and Canada, as well as Target. On SW.com, it was announced yesterday (August 20th) that it is a Target exclusive (rubbish since LEGO.com itself sells it). Which is not true…
The concern of a lot of people outside the US and Canada is when and if this set will be made available here (I’m a Canadian ex-pat in Germany). There is no information, and TLG makes no announcement. It is not listed on the website, although the building instructions are indeed there too (which is like a slap in the face of most LEGO SW collectors here). Some people have claimed that LEGO staff in the UK have doubted it would appear over there, so this looks bad, especially since TLG officially stated not to produce and sell regional exclusives anymore…
I fear it might be the time for a petition… 🙁
Yeah, I guess at this point it is official that 75294 is now listed at shop.LEGO.com particularly for its US and Canada shopping portals (it is slated to be released on the 27th). I really don’t know if I’ll be happy about it since it is now confirmed that the set is no longer a Target exclusive. But the fact still remains that it only seems to appear for now at those regional online shopping portals, which makes most geographically limited LEGO SW fans unhappy. I do hope that TLG will still remain true to its promise of not offering regional exclusives anymore, especially to a commemorative set such as this.
Not sure I understand why the fact that the set not being only a Target exclusive is not a good thing?
On my side, I am not at all a fan of exclusives, and would wish that if a set is fantastic (such as this one), then it should be mass-produced according to actual demand – and this one would be very good.
Typically, people do not enjoy larger release when they plan on cashing out on a set on eBay, not for their personal use/display.
I enjoy sets not because they are rare, but suoerbly crafted. I never had a sense of satisfaction for something just because others cannot get it too. Rarity is bogus as soon as we talk about thousands of copies anyways. The only such things I do own and proud of are prizes (such as the Rebrick minifigure), because they remond me of an accomplishment. But to me they have no financial value. 🙂
So for me, having the Bespin Set released in LegoShop is actually a good thing — more of my local friends will be able to get it, and some will attemt to get one for me too. It is one positive outcome emerging from the cancelled SW convention…
The set will clearly NOT be sold outside of US/Canada and only for this limited time. Here’s the description on the Canadian Lego.com site:
“While originally planned to be available at an event that is no longer taking place, this set will now be available at LEGO.com!”
So, this IS stated openly now as an “Event exclusive”. Such item fits the conditions for LEGO to sell it asa regional exclusive, based on their prior statement on stopping regional exclusives.
Case closed.