Rumoured LEGO Star Wars ship for 2024 seems unusually cheap

A rumoured LEGO Star Wars set is $20 cheaper than an earlier iteration of the very same ship – and it's not the only ship to get the same treatment.

Thanks to Instagram users 1414falconfan and childish_landino_chronicles, we've got a flurry of exciting LEGO Star Wars rumours to unpack. From unheard-of minifigures to new takes on ships, there's a lot to address – and one set that seems suspiciously cheap: 75383 Sith Infiltrator.

With a rumoured price of just $69.99, that puts it $20 cheaper than its predecessor, 75096 Sith Infiltrator, which retailed for $89.99 at 662 pieces. It's believed to include the same number of minifigures as the earlier version (although a different line-up of Darth Maul, Qui-Gon Jinn, Padmé Amidala, and Captain Panaka), so the price doesn't mean it's skimping on characters.

While no price count has been suggested yet, this does seem unusually cheap for a popular LEGO Star Wars ship. Maul's Scimitar made quite the entrance during Episode 1 and is an unusual silhouette. All logic says this should be as expensive if not more than previous versions – so why is it so cheap?

Well, the truth may lie in looking at some other LEGO Star Wars sets that have also downsized over the years.

LEGO Star Wars sets downsizing over the years

For example, the classic TIE Fighter has had several iterations throughout 25 years of LEGO Star Wars, the largest of which came in 2015 with 75095 TIE Fighter, a whopping 1,685 pieces priced at £179.99 / $199.99 / €199.99. The scale and price of TIE Fighter sets have shrunk with every redesign since then, falling to £64.99 / $69.99 / €69.99 and just 519 pieces with 75211 Imperial TIE Fighter in 2018 and even further with 2021's 75300 Imperial TIE Fighter at £39.99 / $44.99 / €44.99 for 432 pieces – and that's not even the smallest TIE Fighter we've ever had on the market.

The drop-off in price and price count is clear, with far less detail on the body of the TIE Fighter as the years go on. The connectors between the hull and the solar panels were almost delicate and curved in 75095 TIE Fighter, before becoming more blocky six years later in 75300 Imperial TIE Fighter.

It's not just iconic Imperial ships that have got a similar treatment. The X-Wing, the Rebels/Republic's answer to the TIE Fighter, has also shrunk down over the years, with more affordable, accessible versions entering the market. From 2013's enormous 1,559-piece UCS 10240 Red Five X-wing Starfighter, we moved down to 2018's 75218 X-wing Starfighter with half the piece count and then to 2021's 75301 Luke Skywalker's X-wing Fighter at just over half again.

As with the TIE Fighters, the X-wing predictably changed in its design style as the budget and size shrunk. The latter two models don't come with a display stand (although still with a resting foot) and have spring-loaded shooters, suggesting they lend themselves more to play than display.

That's not to say there aren't modern UCS models available as well (looking at you 75355 X-wing Starfighter) but there's certainly been a growing trend of downsizing iconic sets, bringing smaller, cheaper, and marginally less detailed sets to the LEGO Star Wars theme. Indeed, it's something LEGO Star Wars designers themselves have commented on – and confirmed that it's not something they shy away from.

For better or for worse...

Now, while everyone loves a huge LEGO Star Wars UCS set, the idea of downsizing sets isn't necessarily a bad thing for fans. After all, not everyone has the space or budget for even one enormous build – and certainly not enough valuable shelf space for every single LEGO Star Wars ship if it comes in at over 1,000 pieces. Unless you're lucky enough to have your own dedicated LEGO room, these smaller LEGO sets are a more accessible way to still have a full Star Wars garage without breaking the bank – or your shelves.

More affordable is all well and good but serious collectors would often argue that the sacrifice of getting a less detailed ship is not worth the payoff. It really depends on the kind of LEGO Star Wars collection you have (or want to have). For themes like LEGO Star Wars, there are enough fans to support both types of set, with hardcore collectors with plenty of space buying up the UCS models and those who want to stick to the more compact builds enjoying the mid-range builds.

Returning to 75383 Sith Infiltrator

Coming back to the rumoured 75383 Sith Infiltrator, the drop in $20 could well see some design compromises. As with the series of TIE Fighters and X-wings we dug into above, a lower price with the same amount of minifigures means that it's likely the ship that will see some compromises.

2015's 75096 Sith Infiltrator came with side builds of a speeder, along with tiny models of the surveillance drones that Maul used to hunt down Qui-Gon, Obi-Wan, and Padme. We could easily lose these miniature builds with that $20 drop-off, as well as likely a smaller main build for the Scimitar itself. That could mean less space for minifigures in the cockpit or less mobility in the wings.

What's more, the cheaper the set, the less focused on display LEGO Star Wars ships tend to be. 75383 Sith Infiltrator could therefore include more play-centric features, like spring shooters or other interactive weapons.

For now, this is all firmly in the realm of speculation. It's worth noting that a cheaper price doesn't mean a worse set overall – but perhaps expectations should be measured for those hoping for a more detailed or larger version of Darth Maul's ship in 75383 Sith Infiltrator.

Featured image: Lucasfilm

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