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Court Jester wrote:

Confiscation of toys - under any circumstance - is douchebaggery - and I gotta call shenanigans. Sure, it's legal to do so. Sure, they have the right to stipulate anything under their official convention. But, this doesn't sound extreme to anyone? These are goods that have been legally bought by the dealers - most of which do not directly bootleg any official molds of Hasbro or actually cross the line of IP theft defined by the courts of our nation. But to take said goods without payment is just point. blank. wrong.

Agreed!


El Duque wrote:

All this really means is you'll being seeing/buying third-party items in the dealers private hotel rooms rather than the actual dealer room.

YYYeeeuup! Agreed.

KyleHudson1996 wrote:

God ppl, stop backing up Hasbro b/c we all know they can do better.

Yea, I don't think their pulling their weight here. They have such a potential market for growth through good product production and their just not meeting up to their potential...period. And now to be all big and bad and c__k block 3rd party stuff like this just wreaks of desperation on their part.

Rated-X wrote:

Sadly, this will be my last year at Botcon. Id rather spend extra money on aftermarket e-bay prices than on a plane ticket and hotel to see a room full of Hasbro crap. I’m sure Funpub just put the nail in their own coffin. Selling dealers tickets months ago and announcing this at the last minute is a really low blow.................The good news is there will be plenty of 3rd party stuff for sale in hotel rooms and parking lots after 430 PM. If you want some of that “plastic crack” then just holla at the dope man slangin on the corner.

You took the words right out of my mouth. I was going to say that in all likleyhood that this would probobly be my last Botcon. I don't think Hasbro realizes yet just how big of a mistake this is. Alienating a huge portion of your customer base is just not logical...
And the dumbest part of all of this is this is an anouncment that should be made right AFTER a Botcon event in preparation for next year, not right BEFORE. Many of us have made plans etc under the assumption that we would have access to all types of "bot" stuff, official and otherwise. Does this mean that vendors can't sell any Ghostbuster, StarWars, or any of the other myriad of items I've seen offered at a Botcon in previous years? How do they plan on policing this policy. This was a real shitty thing to do at the last minute Hasbro. Between this and TFCC's debacle, I think I'm going to have to take a break from this hobby for a while. It's just become a huge hassle and it isn't fun anymore. And for those of you defending Hasbro's action on this thread, maybe Hasbro will bring some Stormtrooper outfits for you to wear and deputize you as official watchdogs of the Botconian Empire for a more safe and secure society. You all can go around undercover and expose all of the backroom plastic crack deals that will ensue because of this. And you call yourselves Transfans?
I know Transformers as a franchise will survive this, but this feels like the begining of some dark forshadowing times ahead.
So in recent years I've had to endure: Bayformers craptacular film franchise...TF Prime shinanigans...TFCC butt-rape...and now the arrogance of HasTak...

I tell you, it just doesn't pay to be a Generation-1 Transformers fan these days.
Thanks Hasbro, and big "F" you, right back at ya!

Vicalliose wrote:The issue to me here is they state that the majority of their profits come from children under 13 and they treat the Club as just something to throw the collectors market a bone, yet they treat 3rd party companies as if they are somehow capable of damaging their profits. Legal implications aside they simply should not care.

You're working on the assumption it's about protecting their profits. I see it as them protecting their property (which flows on to profits)

G1 Legacy wrote: I don't think Hasbro realizes yet just how big of a mistake this is. Alienating a huge portion of your customer base is just not logical...

Well, your buying 3rd party eliminates you as their customer base.
You are supporting off brand companies, not Hasbro.

G1 Legacy wrote:And the dumbest part of all of this is this is an anouncment that should be made right AFTER a Botcon event in preparation for next year, not right BEFORE.

We'll have to wait and see how this impacts dealers on the floor.

G1 Legacy wrote: Many of us have made plans etc under the assumption that we would have access to all types of "bot" stuff, official and otherwise.

Plans change, it's not like you can't order 3rd party now online, and guess what, you'll have it in hand way before the event.

G1 Legacy wrote:Does this mean that vendors can't sell any Ghostbuster, StarWars, or any of the other myriad of items I've seen offered at a Botcon in previous years?

Well, Star wars is a Hasbro brand and Ghostbusters isn't ripping off IP from Transformers as a brand.

G1 Legacy wrote: How do they plan on policing this policy. This was a real shitty thing to do at the last minute Hasbro.

It certainly throws a wrench into the works for many people.

G1 Legacy wrote: Between this and TFCC's debacle, I think I'm going to have to take a break from this hobby for a while. It's just become a huge hassle and it isn't fun anymore. And for those of you defending Hasbro's action on this thread, maybe Hasbro will bring some Stormtrooper outfits for you to wear and deputize you as official watchdogs of the Botconian Empire for a more safe and secure society. You all can go around undercover and expose all of the backroom plastic crack deals that will ensue because of this. And you call yourselves Transfans?

Dude, if Hasbro gave me Stormtrooper gear you better bet I would wear it.

G1 Legacy wrote:I know Transformers as a franchise will survive this, but this feels like the begining of some dark forshadowing times ahead.
So in recent years I've had to endure: Bayformers craptacular film franchise...TF Prime shinanigans...TFCC butt-rape...and now the arrogance of HasTak...

I tell you, it just doesn't pay to be a Generation-1 Transformers fan these days.
Thanks Hasbro, and big "F" you, right back at ya!

It's Botcon, Hasbro's officially licensed convention, not Transformingrobotscon. If you are a G1 collector I don't quite understand your position of angst. The only G1 toys made by 3rd party companies are direct bootlegs. Any true G1 collector wouldn't waste his time with bootlegs, the collection would be as fake as the toys themselves.

That really seems silly but not really surprising of course. I don't go to the cons but if I did, I would want to see everything Transformers related. Letting third party's do somethings inspire and strengthen the community and culture for all. At the very least, Hasbro and Takara should think about letting third party join/license/or register in some way that they can still exist, but not profit too much on a license owned by someone else. I dunno, I am bummed to here that news.

Thetoymuseum wrote:That really seems silly but not really surprising of course. I don't go to the cons but if I did, I would want to see everything Transformers related. Letting third party's do somethings inspire and strengthen the community and culture for all. At the very least, Hasbro and Takara should think about letting third party join/license/or register in some way that they can still exist, but not profit too much on a license owned by someone else. I dunno, I am bummed to here that news.

Takara is a bit more laid back in that aspect: it has granted special 1-day selling licenses for some 3rd party products.

And I'll leave with this quote:

"Never bite the hand that feeds you"

Up to you to figure it out.

Almagnus1 wrote:Hasbro really needs a Transformers line aimed at the adult collector - it's the niche the 3rd Parties are filling.

Or perhaps create some way to bring the 3rd Parties into the fold and profit off of them.

I believe they already have - that's what the Masterpiece line is for, right? But I would totally support, both verbally and financially, a mainstream deluxe-to-leader class line, available on the shelves, that was more aimed at homages and adult collectors.

As soon as I typed that, I realized that line is Classics. So to sum all this up... they just need to bring back an official Classics line, instead of a few figures here and there.

Autobot032 wrote:

RhA wrote:If Hasbro cannot dictate what can or cannot be sold at THEIR convention, then I can set up a dealerstand selling blow-up partysheep. No one can take my stuff, right? Not even if I promise to only sell Transformers up front.

WTF? Are you serious? That's not even at all what I said. Nowhere, not once.

I said they have every right to dictate what can and cannot be sold at their convention.

I said I have problems with the confiscation/threat portion of the notice.

Please, please, please READ what I posted. Don't piece together pieces of it to make it into something it's really not.

I like you, dude. I really do. Let's not let a lack of understanding change that.

I discuss with people I like in real life all the time. It´s the people that provoke thought I usually like, so there´s a compliment for you. Never a hard feeling!

Back on track: I feel it's a lot simpler then you make it out to be, if Hasbro wants to ban 3rd party stuff, they have their right to do so. For whatever reason! You list a series of things Hasbro COULD do, bringing it back to 'why' they can, my argument holds up fine. What they do if 3rd party stuff does get in... is up in the air. At the very base I think they can call the cops on it in an extreme case. Cops are not meant to discuss the law with who they arrest, that's what we got lawyers for. They only pop out afterwards.

Hoitytoity wrote:

Almagnus1 wrote:Hasbro really needs a Transformers line aimed at the adult collector - it's the niche the 3rd Parties are filling.

Or perhaps create some way to bring the 3rd Parties into the fold and profit off of them.

I believe they already have - that's what the Masterpiece line is for, right? But I would totally support, both verbally and financially, a mainstream deluxe-to-leader class line, available on the shelves, that was more aimed at homages and adult collectors.

As soon as I typed that, I realized that line is Classics. So to sum all this up... they just need to bring back an official Classics line, instead of a few figures here and there.

Yup. Usually ugrades and stuff center around fan-favorite stuff Hasbro already put out or a concept we really like. Hasbro knows what makes s happy and they DO listen.

I'm looking at my Generations Skyshadow and feel happy as a clam.

Discharge wrote:

Well, your buying 3rd party eliminates you as their customer base.
You are supporting off brand companies, not Hasbro.

Oh no,no,no your not getting away with that, it's not as cut and dry as that and I suspect you know better. I have an entire stash of HASBRO products going back decades. ALOT of third party items are designed to enhance or improve Hasbro's existing stock figures and actually encourages sales of said figures by the lure of customization options etc.
Beezleboss replacement heads for BumbleBee/Cliffjumper for example. FansProject Superion and Bruticus Upgrades....Ultra Magnus, HotRod Parallax upgrades....Optimus Prime Trailer + accesories. Any of the numerous items that Venksta puts out through his Renderform company....all of these afformentioned items are third party but are designed to coinside with existing HASBRO TAKARA products.....Soooooo YES, I am their customer base! If they would pay more attention and show clear outward willingness to listen to customer feedback and the wants and needs of the people who pay for their salaries, their might not be such a need for 3rd party accesories now would there?
The bottom line is it's human nature to want to customize stuff, human beings have been doing it from the begining (just look at society, automotive, fashion trends etc etc). Hasbro knows this and yet their still choosing to go this route to cut off their nose just to spite their face and its not wise. Yes time will tell, yes we "the hardcore fanbase" will adapt either way, and yes its dumb to pull the rug out from under people that signed up expecting "A" and then serving them "B". Thats not good business ethic and it demonstrates a lack of patience and acceptance of this hobby and how its expanding outsiide of the control of HAS/TAK.
(and I'm aware that I'm impatient and intolerant myself on the film franchise, thats just my opinion as a person that grew up with G1).
Yes its a HASBRO's Transformers Botcon, not Gobots or Gundam etc, but they know that its grown to become more than just a simple TF convention, I mean people's vacations and social lives revolve around this event now...do you think that these people who take this hobby this seriously are just gonna let HASBRO call all of the shots over this hobby that many of us are passionate about? I dont think so...

So, "WELL" excuse my angst.

Since Hasbro definitely has the power to shut down the sale of 3rd party figures if they find whichever one is worth attacking with their army of lawyers, its probably best to just let Hasbro have Botcon... I mean, If you ask me, thats just one convention. I rather just go along with a few of the little things as long as they are not shutting down actual 3rd party figures. I'd be very dissapointed if Hexatron was suddenly cancelled because of Hasbro. But then I also hope that this event doesn't lead to more and more bannings of 3rd party whatever.

Burn wrote:

bionic_radical wrote:You clearly have never been pushed, sir. And by categorizing a group of people you most certainly are baiting with that comment. If calling you out on that would be pushing, I don't know what to tell you. Once again, please refrain.

So now you're challenging me?

Okay. Fine. Please explain to me how I have categorised a group of people. Because I called 3rd party companies unoriginal? That's my opinion, that's how I see it. They take existing characters, existing looks, and give their spin on it. The spin is original, I'll concede that, but the look, the essence of the character, they had nothing to do with that. Unoriginal.

Or am I categorising in another way?

And I've clearly taken the bait.

Burn wrote: Please explain to me how I have categorised a group of people. Because I called 3rd party companies unoriginal?

No, I'm referring to its "rabid supporters", as you put it. Rabid by definition being extremely zealous or enthusiastic; fanatical, even.

I can't say that I would throw everyone that buys a third party item as "rabid", but ok, some people DO go nuts for these things. The problem lies in the fact that you claim that thing which these people are all about are a product of laziness, and by proxy, labeling those people.

You claim "these people" are "anti-Hasbro". Do I really need to explain to you how that is labeling a group of people?

Furthermore, you know this is a matter that has people up in arms about, and you know that third party supporters are going to be reading this post. You are entitled to your opinion, of course, but this clearly seems as though you're trying to pick a fight. I don't see this as being the first time you've done it either.