That Bot wrote:Even if you put aside Bot Shots, Prime and Generations are the same kind of Transformers we've always had.
Yes and no. "Generations" (an unusual label, considering that the entire line consists of Fall of Cybertron characters) are smaller and lighter (but we'll get onto that subject shortly), and the Prime line seems to consist of new molds of the same damn group of characters, combined with what are now four (Thundertron, Predaking, Lazerback, Ripclaw) beast-themed figures with the same goddamn uninspired quadruped-to-biped transformation. Technically, they are Transformers figures; but they are along a number of axis (size, material weight, transformation complexity) quite terrible and therefore different from what has gone before.
That Bot wrote:Okay, yes, the're lighter, and they seem to cost more. But they really don't.
The problem is quite simple: Transformers are made from plastic; plastic is derived in large part from oil products; the cost of crude, despite fluctuations, is generally following an upward trend. Hasbro, rather than adjusting prices to match, have instead chosen to reduce the degree of plastic in their figures. This started with the second iteration of Classics, and has become horrendously noticeable with the the Fall of Cybertron figures.
Are figures more expensive now? Yes; regardless of whether Hasbro raises their prices, or reduces the size and amount of material in each figure, the outcome is the same - a worse cost to material ratio for the consumer.
That's a red herring though; I don't actually care if the figures are more expensive. If anything, I'm probably one of the few people that wishes Hasbro would actually accept the inevitable, raise their prices further, and produce figures that scale well with previous releases.
Going back to what you were saying earlier: Hasbro are currently diversifying the product lines under the Transformers brand umbrella, and that's great. However, one of the fundamental principles for business success is to focus on core competency; and I think an argument could be made that right now, Hasbro are over-diversifying at a time when their core product - in this case, figures - are positively lackluster.
You can counter that Hasbros core lines are fine; I'll agree to disagree; we will go our separate ways, and only time will tell if BotShots, Kre-O and Construct-Bots are the next big thing... or the next Robot Heroes and Built To Rule.