The Spider Demon, Plague Angel, and other classic models from our original Kickstarter are designs that both ourselves and the community loved. Unfortunately we had to discontinue production of some of these classic models due to technical issues with our original master copy.
Ultimately we knew that this classic Creature Caster model had to return and we went all out in updating the design for its rebirth. All the things that we loved about the original are still there, but with an updated anatomy, sharper details, and a bit of added flair.
During this process we came to the realization that updating and breathing life into some of our older models was a hugely rewarding experience. It was something that we wanted to do on a more regular basis, and as we started brainstorming as to what this process would look like, we came up with an exciting plan. Moving forward many of our models will be released as Limited Run Variants!
It is a great source of pride that Creature Caster models are some of the most sought after sculpts in the industry. Because we use a very boutique – hand poured resin – process for many of our models, our run sizes are naturally limited. Silicone molds used in this way burn out after just 30 pours, and need to be remade in order to preserve as much of the detail and sharpness of the original master as possible. The short run nature of this production process already lends itself readily to the Limited Run concept, so why haven’t we implemented this process earlier?
First off, it is important to us that everyone in the world has access to our models and never feel like they are unattainable or difficult to get. In addition to this, our future plans include gaming systems, and for such systems to be successful models need to be available over the long term. Lastly, our catalog was relatively small to start and maintaining stock of the full catalog was relatively easy. Our primary focus was releasing new things to fill in our product range, not on producing new versions of older models.
So why go with Limited Runs now? All our limited runs will be variants on a base model. That means that while the variant will only be available for a limited time, the model will still be available in our catalog, just in a different form. This resolves issues around our future plans, and also around the idea of missing out on a model.
As since resin casting lends itself well to short runs by planning for variants in advance we are able to consistently refresh and update older models to make them feel new and exciting again. As a lot of our time is now spent on the back catalog, being able to refresh it in a meaningful way is great for everyone. A restock will now be relevant and fun for everyone. In addition to this, we will be able to let everyone know exactly how many of a specific version is available, and countdown to when that stock is about to run out.
As the size of our catalog has increased, maintaining permanent stock of all items at all times is not possible. We will also be able to announce months in advance when a restock of a specific model will occur and how many of that model will be made available again. Logistically this is going to make our lives much easier, and provide a much better customer experience.
Many of our customers feel that Creature Caster models are little works of art, and we are incredibly proud of them. We want these models to feel special and maintain value over time. By having limited runs everyone will feel like they are collecting parts of Creature Caster history, and not just a generic model.
Lastly, we want to have fun creating new and unique parts time and time again. Remaking the Spider Demon has been an incredible experience, but we wanted to do even more. Elven queen head? Bone swords, or entirely new weapons? Perhaps a new torso or base? Yes – we want to make them all. We have so many ideas, but in order to offer a hand cast resin model at this scale and at a reasonable price, only some of the options could be produced. Now we get to bring all these options to you down the road, which is amazing! No more ideas left on the cutting room floor!
Having Limited Edition Variants for our models will give us a ton of creative freedom, and keep older models feeling vibrant and new each time they are restocked. We are hoping that this is appreciated and enjoyed by our community as much as it is by our team here. We are excited to get your feedback and to see how this program evolves. We can’t think of a better way to start it off than bringing such a special model from our past back to the Creature Caster Catalog!