[Jmacq1]

I think it's pretty telling that even the largest and most successful action figure line (Star Wars) isn't confident enough in "large playsets" to produce them on their own merits, but instead has to market them as "large vehicles" (Turbo Tank, AT-TE, and the recent Millennium Falcon, all of which blur the lines between vehicle and playset). Even the G.I. Joe Pit has a "vehicle mode."

In a nutshell, if the Star Wars team at Hasbro isn't confident enough in the idea of "pure playsets" to produce a definitive "Death Star" playset (which they have long since stated would be their first choice if they were in the playset-making business), I think it's a pretty good sign that large playsets simply aren't what they used to be, sales wise and possibly never will be again.

Even the playsets they produce for "movie years" tend to be lackluster, or end up getting recycled between lines.