PNSO : New for 2023

[TheImmortalEye]

How do the promo images look so much worse than the actual product? Since PNSO likes to be different than other companies, maybe they're trying the opposite approach from the usual "show heavily edited images of perfect prototype that the final product won't match"?

I dont think its intentional , i think pnsos biggest strenght, their near perfect machine color fading and realistic pigment like coloring, translates terribly to these renders and photoshopped promo images . In hand for example the sinraptor is gorgeos, in pictures it looks boring as tar.

[Psittacoraptor]

How do the promo images look so much worse than the actual product? Since PNSO likes to be different than other companies, maybe they're trying the opposite approach from the usual "show heavily edited images of perfect prototype that the final product won't match"?

I dont think its intentional , i think pnsos biggest strenght, their near perfect machine color fading and realistic pigment like coloring, translates terribly to these renders and photoshopped promo images . In hand for example the sinraptor is gorgeos, in pictures it looks boring as tar.

I don't think it's intentional, either. It's just odd that they choose to advertise their products like this, Cameron also looks way better in reviews than in promo shots. That's why I always wait for reviews with this company.

[Medzo]

I'm not sure that's the tendency now, but better be. Only 1-2 years ago their promotional images were always way detailed and better in quality than the actual product.

[postsaurischian]

 If you're a clever manufacturer you do not announce your product with perfect pictures.
 You'd want all your customers to go: "Wow! It's even better than I've expected it to be!". Of course the pics shouldn't be too bad either. It's a fine line.
 I have always thought that it was a small mistake PNSO has been doing with their very perfect pictures. Expectations are going through the roof.

[Concavenator]

I think I prefer this slightly over Safari Ltd's, although the latter certainly has lips, which is in line with the recent paper.

I feel the same way. When I saw this PNSO Daspletosaurus announced, I liked it, but I also like Safari's. Both are close for me. But I also think I like this PNSO a bit more, especially after seeing in hand pics. So I will probably settle on it when I end up getting a Daspletosaurus. In any case, I'm glad about Daspletosaurus receiving more attention in recent years, it has always been my favorite tyrannosaurid.

No question on the Albertosaurus though, I definitely prefer Safari's over those leaked images of the PNSO. The only thing I prefer on the PNSO is that elegant running pose, the Safari is much nicer in every other aspect imo. I even like its colors (hot take: I prefer the factory colors to even the repaint @Flaffy shared). Not that I plan on getting either though, I'm holding out for a Gorgosaurus instead and looks like we will be finally getting it at long last.

@Bread I wouldn't worry about the Gorgosaurus or Albertosaurus being cancelled. About the rumors, yeah, take them with a grain of salt. Considering the recent releases, Bistahieversor seems believable to me, Irritator and Medusaceratops may come as a bit random. Unless we get a new Museum Line Spinosaurus, seeing the current trend, an Irritator wouldn't surprise me in that case.

When it comes to Spinosaurus and Irritator, if I were to get either I would go with the Mesozoic Life and Dino Hazard versions, if given the chance. They're outstanding and it would give small companies a chance to take the spotlight.

[Bread]

@Concavenator yeah I figured. I am just hoping for an Albertosaurus or Gorgosaurus to go with the Haolonggood's Pachyrhinosaurus, so any rumors springing up before their said releases worries me

Regarding the Lythronax and Daspletosaurus, I knew Lythronax was going to be much more desirable as I find Daspletosaurus too directly related to Tyrannosaurus to not need it. So regardless if one or both would be better in hand, I just find the Lythronax as a superior genus as it's different enough compared to Daspletosaurus (even being fragmentary).

[Sim]

Thanks for sharing the rumors @Concavenator!  All three species interest me!

Anyways, the Bistahieversor is interesting to me, more so than Albertosaurus or Gorgosaurus. Also makes me wonder if this could be one of those blank sculpts we saw with those two Tyrannosaurs.

I don't think one of the two unpainted sculpts we saw is a Bistahieversor.  They look like two albertosaurines to me.

Then again it doesn't say when these might emerge (if they are even accurate), for all we know we might see an Irritator only in 2025.

In the past, rumored species tended to get made quite soon after the rumors appeared.  The only time this didn't happen was when there was a rumor of Lingwulong and Suchomimus (both did get made soon after) and more sauropods (which haven't been made yet).

[Sim]

I too think I prefer PNSO's Daspletosaurus to Safari's but I think I'll have both in my collection, especially if they represent different species.  And I also prefer Safari's Albertosaurus to PNSO's, and I prefer the Safari Albertosaurus's factory colouration to the repaint that was shown earlier as well.

Regarding the Lythronax and Daspletosaurus, I knew Lythronax was going to be much more desirable as I find Daspletosaurus too directly related to Tyrannosaurus to not need it. So regardless if one or both would be better in hand, I just find the Lythronax as a superior genus as it's different enough compared to Daspletosaurus (even being fragmentary).

I feel the opposite, I find Daspletosaurus more desirable and superior to the Lythronax.  In the photos that were shared, the Lythronx looks more like Tyrannosaurus than the Daspletosaurus does.

[Faras]

I feel the opposite, I find Daspletosaurus more desirable and superior to the Lythronax.  In the photos that were shared, the Lythronx looks more like Tyrannosaurus than the Daspletosaurus does.

Yep in person Lythronx's wide head and robust neck (honestly the neck seem too thick to me) are very similar to T. rex's. Its paints feel more "muddy" or "dirty", with bigger patches of skin with obscure scales around hips and tail. Daspletosaurus' lower jaws are slightly too small (1mm gap between upper and lower) Mine stand less well than Lythronx. On the bright side, Daspletosaurus' head isn't too big and I'm rather fond of its "dangerous adolescent" vibe.

[Dan]

If you're a clever manufacturer you do not announce your product with perfect pictures.
 You'd want all your customers to go: "Wow! It's even better than I've expected it to be!". Of course the pics shouldn't be too bad either. It's a fine line.
 I have always thought that it was a small mistake PNSO has been doing with their very perfect pictures. Expectations are going through the roof.

Expectation is a funny thing, isn't it? It's interesting to see how a manufacturer's photos can become more flattering as the price range rises, only to result in some buyers' disappointment. We might be among the minority who remember that trend in the Sideshow Dinosauria series.

[Prehistory Resurrection]

[Prehistory Resurrection]

[Quiversaurus]

The Lythronax somehow looks better imo. Dinosdragons pointed out something I had been feeling but was unable to articulate - the Daspletosaurus looks like a juvenile indeed. Legs a little too long for the body, especially when compared to the Safari Ltd version.

Looking forward to the Albertosaurus.

[SRF]

While I see the problems with the Daspletosaurus, I still find it a very nice model. I'll definitely pick it up during the next sale. I like the Lythronax even better. In this video, the coloration of the Lythronax seems very well done. Probably my favorite color scheme for any Tyrannosaurid PNSO has done.

[Remko]

Watched the reviews and liked what I saw.

Just a weird pose for the Daspletosaurus, especially the right leg. Like it stepped on a piece of Lego and now is limping.

I'll also just regard them as the same about scale. For Lythronax we only have a single partial skull and some post cranial material. So who knows how big this animal could have become in real life.

Will make a nice comparison with the other Tyrannosaurs from PNSO. Hoping for Albertosaurus and Gorgosaurus to be released soon as well.

Just ordered the three figures and the baseball caps from PNSO's store and got a nice surprise: a € 38,- discount or "price adjustment".  Don't know why exactly, but have found this to be true more often with AliExpress. For the big sauropod figures from Lana / Jurassic Zoo I also had the pleasent surprise of a price adjustment of over € 100 when ordering them. Still expensive figures, but it certainly helped justifying the purchases.

[Bread]

I still find the Lythronax to be superior between the two. I think it is really just because it is slightly bulkier and the skull shape is a lot more varied of the two. As the Daspletosaurus still looks to be a younger Tyrannosaurus.

Regardless, splendid reviews and models.

[Carnoking]

Love the Lythronax from a head on view! The more I see of that figure, the more it becomes my priority of the three so far.

[Sim]

Just a weird pose for the Daspletosaurus, especially the right leg. Like it stepped on a piece of Lego and now is limping.

I find the pose natural.  To me it looks like it was standing still and is now starting to move.  It's pleasant.

[Remko]

Just a weird pose for the Daspletosaurus, especially the right leg. Like it stepped on a piece of Lego and now is limping.

I find the pose natural.  To me it looks like it was standing still and is now starting to move.  It's pleasant.

Well, maybe it's less weird if you have the figure in hand. So I'll just have to wait a week or two. Rest of the figure looks great though.

[Halichoeres]

Maybe, Joel1905.  I love my sauropods and they aren't as commonly produced as theropods.  However, that said, even if conservatively coloured I'd like more hues than brown.  Not necessarily more hues on each animal, but each animal looking different in base colour from its fellows. There are other conservative colour palettes possible, e.g. based on grey. And despite my love of sauropods (and ornithischians), I still prefer to have a varied line-up.  Even if the end result is the same - for the sake of argument, let's say 5 tyrannosaurs, 5 diplodocids, 5 centrosaurines, and 5 alvarezsaurids over the space of a year - I would prefer them interspersed rather than released in discrete blocks.  There's a great deal in the saying "variety is the spice of life".

Yeah, variety is key. I've found this year's PNSO releases to date really monotonous. They're not just really similar to each other, they're also from very small clades that are already among the best-represented in the market.

To answer another question from up-thread, there's nothing so far in PNSO's lineup that I would vote for in a Top 10 poll. There's too much good stuff from CollectA, Safari Ltd, Haolonggood, Wild Past, and Creative Beast. (The latter is also mostly tyrannosaurs this year, but at least they have the excuse of parts-sharing.)

In 2021, PNSO had a really theropod-heavy first few months of the year, but then later in the year they put out a pretty interesting variety, to the point that they had the most diverse offerings of any company, by one metric. Maybe they'll manage something similar this year, but if the rumors and leaks are anything to go by, it doesn't look promising. Maybe the good stuff they released in late 2021 didn't sell well; maybe they cast their pearls before swine and the monotony of the current offerings isn't really their fault.