Star Wars Models and 3.75" figure question

[Rogue II]

Is the maker of Star Wars models (AMT/ERTL) owned by Hasbro? If not, is there anything preventing them from making models the same scale as 3.75" figures? I ask this because it seems that there is an interest in playsets, but Hasbro is relucant to make them. In the past, they made models of Jabba's throne room and Hoth, but they were a smaller scale.

[JediTricks]

No, they are not owned by Hasbro. Hasbro's contract with LFL may prevent AMT's contract with LFL from allowing playsets at that scale (for example, Lego's contract with LFL is prevented from making "action figures" because of the Hasbro contract, so they can only include minifigs which are building toys that require assembly, and not over a certain scale), but I could be wrong and they just don't want to risk that much expense on a model kit that size.

[DarkArtist]

I think the idea has potential.
Afterall if Hasbro is not willing to give us playsets or enviroments for our figures then perhaps another compnay can jump on the bandwagon and petition LucasFilm for a playset license. Provided that they are made actually and detailed and in scale to the figures, people will buy them.
I not sure of the company that does them but for the real soliders line the playsets are to scale, detailed and semi-cheap. I think a townsquare set went for about $15 bucks and it came with a figure.

[Rogue II]

I wouldn't think something like a Star Destroyer Bridge or Echo Base command center would be too big for them to produce. Even a Cantina model shouldn't be too large.

It would be interesting to see what the agreements are. Ultrarama seems to be able to make display "stands" and sell it with Star wars backgrounds. Looking at their pictures, they sell the ultrarama system with backgrounds of various Star Wars locals. They are labeled as "Space Station," "Sci Fi", and
"Ship Interiors." Do they get around it by not calling it a "playset" or because they aren't using the words "Death Star" etc.?

[JediTricks]

Yeah, Ultarama are only stands, and UNLICENSED stands at that, they have no agreement with Lucasfilm, the background images that they come with are stuff they created (while they are similar to Star Wars images, they are not identical - although that Space Station set of backdrops is bordering on copyright violation, I suspect).

[Darth Cruel]

Although, I would ptefer that Hasbro continue to make the playsets, vehicles and other accessories (not because they do a wonderful job on them, but just for continuity, I would really like to see them improve the vehicles and playsets), if they are just not going to do them, I would be happy to see them farmed out like they did with the 12" to Sideshow.