The LAAT HasLab has 2,757 backers after one week. This means it is the slowest launch of a TVC Haslab ever since the Khetanna, which was somewhat of a special case, because it was the first ever HasLab and HasLab was not as much of a well-oiled machine back then. In fact, the LAAT has fewer backers than the ill-fated Rancor even at the same time. Click through for more details!
The Ghost had 8,769 backers after 7 days, the Razorcrest 9,010 and the Cantina 4,664, the TBS Rancor had about 4,000. This shows you how dramatic the decline for the current TVC HasLab is.
The Rancor ended up with close to 8,500 backers, only a couple hundred backers short of the 9k funding goal. If that is any indication then the LAAT may fail. If we look at the 59% of the Cantina backers the LAAT currently has it would fund with approx. 8,695 backers, which would however not even unlock the 1st tier and barely fund the gunship in the final few hours. So unless the campaign picks up speed or has a fantastic last week it could very well mean people who pay $450 (or more outside the US) for this would only get the basic package, the LAAT and two troopers and none of the Jedi. If at all.
But HasLabs with such low numbers may have campaign dynamics that are very different. For example, the Rancor eventully lost backers when people lost hope that any of the tiers (especially the Rancor Keeper) would be unlocked. The Cantina got a massive push on day 29 when it was finally unlocked and added close to 1k backers on that day alone, which immensely helped with reaching tier 2 eventually. If the LAAT is still not funded going into its final day all bets are off.
And the GI Joe Snow C.A.T.? Is at a snail’s pace. It is still not funded (it will certainly get funded though). The toy added only about 260 backers total in the past week. Not even 40 per day. Something that could also very well happen to the LAAT in coming weeks. But one thing is different, the GI Joe Haslab had 5,069 backers after one day. The LAAT not even 1,700. So the Snow C.A.T. can get away with a mid campaign that has slowed to a crawl. The LAAT may not make it if backer count slows to a similar dribble.
Maybe Hasbro should have chosen their HasLabs more wisely this time. Any A New Hope HasLabs were probably off the table, because Hasbro will certainly only make something for the 50th anniversary, so 2026 HasLab with 2027 shipping date. And as mentioned in my other article the two HasLabs collide virtually head-on with the $1,000 LEGO Death Star that will be released on October 1st. Maybe Hasbro should have paid more attention to the competition and timed it all differently?
How do you feel about it all after one week? Will you wait until it is funded and then pull the trigger? Will you wait and see if the Jedi will be in reach somehow and not back if if they will not be unlocked? Are you one of the few who already backed it and who now bites their nails? Or will you just sit this one out and not even bother?
You can spend $450 on the LAAT on Hasbro’s HasLab page!