Stuff goes in and out of print all the time. Once stock starts to run low, reseller prices go up. When there's a reprint, prices come back down. And as the other use mentioned, Bandai also announced some price hikes. If all of the big retailers have something at the same price, my guess is that it's the latter. If the big retailers have spotty stock, it's probably the former.
I grabbed it for my spouse on sale at like $100 for just under $200. I think it was the tail end of the original print. For that money you can get a PGU.
That's unfortunately about right. I think I got mine knocked down from 275 to closer to 200 bc I was buying other stuff too. They gave me time to actually verify they were offering a deal. It was certainly not far in price from my PGs
Your comment made be go find the receipt lol. Turns out my memory was playing tricks on me, was closer to $170 (sale price plus coupon). I have edited my unintentional exaggeration, but yeah, I was (relatively) happy with the price.
Anyone here also into Masterpiece Transformers? Yeahhhhhhhhh... now that shit is crazy expensive. Gunpla is a steal IMO.