Hi Neopians,
We have some tough news to share today. We are cancelling the Neopets x MLB Players, Inc. Mega Kacheek Figure. Every single pre-order is being refunded in full, and you don’t need to do anything on your end to trigger it. The refund process has already started, you’ll get an email confirmation shortly, and the money should be back on your original payment method within 10 business days.
We want to be completely open with you about what happened.
When we opened pre-orders back in March, we had a prototype sample we were really happy with. However, what we couldn't manage to do was get from that initial sample to a finished product at production scale. Over the next several rounds, we kept pushing for fixes to the paint application, surface finish, structural stability, and durability. Our team was actually in the factory checking physical samples in person, round after round. Some things got better, but other things came back completely unchanged, or even came back with brand-new problems.
Eventually, we had to face the reality that our manufacturing partner just wasn't going to get there consistently, so we ended that arrangement. To be entirely clear, this was a manufacturing issue on our side of the project. MLB Players, Inc. has been an incredible partner the entire time.
We did consider holding onto your pre-orders while we go find a new factory. But sourcing a new partner, redoing all the engineering, and running a whole new series of samples is a long road with no guaranteed finish line. Keeping your money tied up through all of that just didn't feel right to us.
We were so excited about this one. A giant Kacheek felt like exactly the kind of thing this community would love to have on a shelf, and we really wanted to be the team that got it right. The good news is we’ve already started talking to potential new manufacturing partners. What we won't do, though, is announce another date. When there is a version of this figure we are genuinely proud of, sitting finished in front of us, that’s when you’ll hear about it.
We’re also changing how we do things going forward. We aren't going to open pre-orders on a collectible like this until we have signed off on a final production sample instead of a prototype. On top of that, for any future long-lead items, you’ll hear from us on a regular cadence, even when the update is just "still in sampling."
Everyone who ordered from this collection will receive the coupon code “MLBP” for $20 of credit toward your next purchase. This will be sent to the email address on your order, and it'll be valid store-wide; it stacks with sales and expires on Dec 31, 2028. You will still receive the “Kacheek Homerun” avatar (MLB Players, Inc. Kacheek Avatar) which is awarded by playing with the “Hydrate with a Slushie Badge” item via your unique prize code.
How to redeem:
Log into your neopets account and visit Grundo Warehouse at neopets.com/code. Enter the code and find the item in your inventory! This code is unique to you and can be redeemed once. Please don’t share it. If you have any trouble redeeming it, please reach out to us at the Support Centre with your order number and Neopets username.
We know an avatar, a badge, and a store credit don’t replace the collectible you actually wanted. They’re just a small token of appreciation for your support.
We also want to be straight with you about why this took so long. We weren’t sitting on a decision we’d already made. Every single round, we honestly believed the next sample would be the one, and we kept believing it for a tad longer than we should have. The optimism was sincere, but it was also our responsibility to recognize sooner that it wasn't going to work, and to come to you earlier. We didn't, and that's on us.
If your refund hasn't arrived after 10 business days, or the amount doesn't look right, contact us at the Support Centre, and we'll sort it out. Your refund fully covers original shipping costs.
The question we kept coming back to was a simple one: would we be proud to send this to our community? The answer was no, so we stopped. We'd rather make a hard decision now than send you a disappointing product later.
Thank you for supporting us, and for holding us to the standard you deserve.
TNT Dom
As a result of the mentioned rare item code, the avatar that was due to be released with the figure is now available:
You can obtain this by playing with the Hydrate With a Slushie Badge, as the email mentions. That means that the avatar is lendable.
One of the other items that was slated to be included with the figure, the Baseball Kacheek Stamp, was briefly spotted stocking in shops last week via the Companion App, but is currently not fully activated and does not show in inventories once purchased. It is still unknown if this will be fully released as a regular stamp, or released via other means. Also unknown is the fate of the other items initially advertised as being rewards from the figure.
)
Hmm.. that's a bummer.