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Mindmaster wrote:Dear Hasbro,

Make them available to all retailers and stop making Toys "R" Us the dominant seller of Masterpieces in North America.

Warm regards,

-Mindmaster and pretty much most of the fanbase

I think Hasbro gets a lot of flack from the fandom for the TRU exclusives, but I don't think they're to blame (necessarily).

We all know Masterpieces have historically performed poorly at other retailers, and TRU seems to be the only retailer willing to pick up that slack. From a business perspective, I'm sure Hasbro would love to have a wider presence at the big box department stores, but those stores are probably unwilling to play ball.

Even with Masterpiece Optimus, I'm fairly certain that Hasbro manufactured to the quantities TRU decided to order, so throw stones at TRU for vastly underestimating demand. Same with the price point - Hasbro set the suggested retail of 99.95, and sold product to TRU at prices based on that suggested retail. It's TRU that jacked up the price.

What we're seeing now is a symptom of poor performance in the past. If we were able to have Target or Wal-Mart go to bat for Soundwave, we might be able to end the vicious TRU epidemic, but I wouldn't count on it.

I wish Hasbro's online Toy Store had the gumption to sell this stuff directly. That may be the most realistic (if not likely) solution to this short-supply, TRU & scalpers market.

Give me some photos, I don't have time for predictions, Hasbro.

Too bad it's too late to cancel my MP Soundwave order from BBTS. Anyone wanna buy a brand new MISB Takara Soundwave?

XDMan wrote:Give me some photos, I don't have time for predictions, Hasbro.

It's probably going to still look the same:



Maybe put in a few subtle changes here and there like they did MP10, but that's it. Be patient, brah. Hasbro will deliver.

'cause everyone is CLEARLY waiting for an Acid Storm... /sigh

*goes back to saving pennies for a 110% overpriced Starscream import*

DinobotSix wrote:'cause everyone is CLEARLY waiting for an Acid Storm... /sigh

I'm actually interested in Acid Storm. If he's all camo-y like his Universe Deluxe was, I'd get him.

Great news, I cannot wait to pick up both!

This makes me happy that i cancelled my pre order at the last minute. I wasn't feeling the 200 dollar ,after shipping, price tag on Soundwave.
I had a feeling he would get a Hasbro release. Now i just gotta wait and deal with the frustration of TRU and the scalpers scooping them all up as soon as they hit the shelf. sigh
Maybe he was worth the 200 hundred after all.

I just realized I made a faux pas. I posted that I was excited about getting Ratbat...we're not actually getting him, are we? Buzzsaw instead. Is that correct?

Even though Ratbat would have been the more logical choice to me, given that Buzzsaw only showed up in one, maybe two episodes of G1, and Ratbat's involvement, though brief, in the movie.

Then again, there is the deluxe "Senator" Ratbat. Though I doubt he'll see U.S. release.

Nemesis Maximo wrote:I just realized I made a faux pas. I posted that I was excited about getting Ratbat...we're not actually getting him, are we? Buzzsaw instead. Is that correct?

Even though Ratbat would have been the more logical choice to me, given that Buzzsaw only showed up in one, maybe two episodes of G1, and Ratbat's involvement, though brief, in the movie.

Then again, there is the deluxe "Senator" Ratbat. Though I doubt he'll see U.S. release.

Don't be too hard on yourself. Even if he is a vicious, unstoppable killing machine, we all forget about Buzzsaw occasionally.

I lay odds on a $100 price point, later jacked up to $125 after the initial (short) supply is purchased. Still, I'm happy we're getting him. Guess I'll need to sell yet another of my body's redundant organs.

All I need to know is price. Anything under $200 will be a steal

chuckdawg1999 wrote:All I need to know is price. Anything under $200 will be a steal

Right on man, anything would be a steal! But if I had to guess actual retail price (cue the Price is Right theme ) I would say about $89.99. Sorry Acid Storm but you suite me as a deluxe seeker and that's that but to SW...c'mon Hasbro here is my money.

If Soundwave is going to be a TRU only release, we better make sure we are prepared for plenty of aggravation. It will start at $149.99, will be scarcely available both in-store and online, will sell out, magically re-appear, go up to $189.99, and the influx of complaints about eBay scalpers will be burning up the forums from the first sighting. Then, there will be people like me without access to a store having to depend on the TRU site, which is it's own nightmare.

All I can say, if it is indeed TRU only, is good luck. To all of us. And pick up extras if you can. Of course the "one per customer" rule could effect that as well, if the store follows it.

*** SIGH ***

Don't know how I feel about acid storm... Not sure if I need a masterpiece version, and definitely not picking up the sunstorm.

Awesome news about Masterpiece Soundwave but I already have the Takara Version, but this does make me rethink about buying the Takara Masterpieces cassettes

So does this mean we're not getting Sideswipe?

glad i decided to hold off on getting the takara version. getting all the cassetes is a nice suprise.

Lets see. Takara: about 200 for Soundwave. Plus 120 for the Frenzy, Rumble, Ravage, and Buzzsaw. Total: roughly 320 plus shipping. Hasbro: I'm guessing no more than 200 for all 6 figures. Go Hasbro

IJK Productions wrote:Lets see. Takara: about 200 for Soundwave. Plus 120 for the Frenzy, Rumble, Ravage, and Buzzsaw. Total: roughly 320 plus shipping.

Anyone paying that much only has themselves to blame. I paid $139 for Soundwave and with how things are shaping up, I'll be paying around $70 for both Cassette sets (+ shipping of course). People seriously need to shop around and preorder.

In terms of the price difference, if this winds up at around a $190 price tag like some people are saying, the price difference will be minimal.

Im in the UK and have paid about $330 including shipping for SW including all cassettes (not sure if I am going to have to pay import tax though). Whilst it would be pretty painful if SW was over here for that price to me is worth the extra money just to ensure I get him (plus the takara box is a bit nicer).

On the other hand, if Hasbro see the takara versions going for that much why would they charge only $90 for SW or $20 for 2 cassettes rather than the $200 and $50 / $60 they go for on the net? Cant really see that much of a mark-down happening myself.

PadForce wrote:Im in the UK and have paid about $330 including shipping for SW including all cassettes (not sure if I am going to have to pay import tax though). Whilst it would be pretty painful if SW was over here for that price to me is worth the extra money just to ensure I get him (plus the takara box is a bit nicer).

On the other hand, if Hasbro see the takara versions going for that much why would they charge only $90 for SW or $20 for 2 cassettes rather than the $200 and $50 / $60 they go for on the net? Cant really see that much of a mark-down happening myself.

The reasons Japanese items cost so much are multiple. The main reasons are:

- Conversion from Yen to US Dollars
- Import Duty
- Profit margin set by the middle man (ie. the stores that carry such items)
- Shipping

With Hasbro supplying directly over the world, most of those costs are offset.

JelZe GoldRabbit wrote:

PadForce wrote:Im in the UK and have paid about $330 including shipping for SW including all cassettes (not sure if I am going to have to pay import tax though). Whilst it would be pretty painful if SW was over here for that price to me is worth the extra money just to ensure I get him (plus the takara box is a bit nicer).

On the other hand, if Hasbro see the takara versions going for that much why would they charge only $90 for SW or $20 for 2 cassettes rather than the $200 and $50 / $60 they go for on the net? Cant really see that much of a mark-down happening myself.

The reasons Japanese items cost so much are multiple. The main reasons are:

- Conversion from Yen to US Dollars
- Import Duty
- Profit margin set by the middle man (ie. the stores that carry such items)
- Shipping

With Hasbro supplying directly over the world, most of those costs are offset.

Yeah, being UK most of those factors are different but I am happy anyway, even if it is £50 cheaper in the end whenever (if) it gets to the UK that extra £50 ($75 odd) is worth paying now to definitely get it.

Not that I'll have any chance in hell of seeing either of these in Australia. Pretty much goes for most of the figures shown at the toy fair this year. I kinda feel that we get jacked here Down Under. I mean, all I seem to be able to find are a buttload of Bumblebees of all persuasions, Cyberverse (which I'm just not interested in), or the play sets. I haven't seen any decent Generations stuff on the shelves since I bought Wheeljack ages ago. I really wanted Wreck-Gar but never, ever laid eyes on it. I'm hanging for FoC Magnus and Starscream but doubt I'll ever see them. Grimlock? Fat chance. Any of the Masterpiece figures? Pffft! As if! I saw a Hasbro cartoon-accurate-colour-scheme Starscream years ago and nothing since. And it's not like I live out in the middle of nowhere either. I live in Melbourne and check the TRUs and Kmarts and Big Ws and Toyworlds. Nothin'.

Mindmaster wrote:I'm actually interested in Acid Storm. If he's all camo-y like his Universe Deluxe was, I'd get him.

Yeah, I'm sure some folks will be happy for a variant seeker and I actually like his colors. So, by all means enjoy!! =)

It sure seems odd though, to release a character which is never named in G1 and leave the main seeker and one of the most popular characters of the franchise in an inferior mold from 6 years ago and out of production? The idea seems poorly conceived. I could see if they were releasing a Generations Deluxe of Acid Storm for the kiddos, but an MP for a collector market? Especially the North American collector market, which doesn't strike me as the same level of hardcore (and thus more likely to buy obscure characters) as the Asian collector market. Why not an Ultra Magnus from the mp10 mold instead? At least he's a popular G1 character. *shrug*

More than just an apparently odd decision to release Acid Storm, it's just the overall feeling that Hasbro apparently sees little to no value in the North American "collector" market, that strikes me as strange. I'm not angry at Hasbro. They're the ones who have to work hard at running a business and turning a profit. I respect that. I just think they're missing an opportunity to make a nice little profit by intelligently embracing their collector market.

As someone else mentioned, they've said NOTHING about Sideswipe or Red Alert and I guess no word on mp17, 18 and 19 yet either?

Ah well. At least Takara is MAKING these wonderful figures available...so I guess I should be glad for what we DO get! Even if I can't afford to buy many of them.

As to pricing, I have to think that if Hasbro Soundwave is coming with 5 cassetes, he's gonna be over $120...I just can't see 6 MP grade transformers in one kit, costing less than $120. I wouldn't be surprised to see $129.99 at release.

Mindmaster wrote:I'm actually interested in Acid Storm. If he's all camo-y like his Universe Deluxe was, I'd get him.

Yeah, I'm sure some folks will be happy for a variant seeker and I actually like his colors. So, by all means enjoy!! =)

It sure seems odd though, to release a character which is never named in G1 and leave the main seeker and one of the most popular characters of the franchise in an inferior mold from 6 years ago and out of production? The idea seems poorly conceived. I could see if they were releasing a Generations Deluxe of Acid Storm for the kiddos, but an MP for a collector market? Especially the North American collector market, which doesn't strike me as the same level of hardcore (and thus more likely to buy obscure characters) as the Asian collector market. Why not an Ultra Magnus from the mp10 mold instead? At least he's a popular G1 character. *shrug*

More than just an apparently odd decision to release Acid Storm, it's just the overall feeling that Hasbro apparently sees little to no value in the North American "collector" market, that strikes me as strange. I'm not angry at Hasbro. They're the ones who have to work hard at running a business and turning a profit. I respect that. I just think they're missing an opportunity to make a nice little profit by intelligently embracing their collector market.

As someone else mentioned, they've said NOTHING about Sideswipe or Red Alert and I guess no word on mp17, 18 and 19 yet either?

Ah well. At least Takara is MAKING these wonderful figures available...so I guess I should be glad for what we DO get! Even if I can't afford to buy many of them.

As to pricing, I have to think that if Hasbro Soundwave is coming with 5 cassetes, he's gonna be over $120...I just can't see 6 MP grade transformers in one kit, costing less than $120. I wouldn't be surprised to see $129.99 at release.

This is great for those who wanted Soundwave but either can't find or can't afford the Takara version. I have him and it truly is a masterpiece. I will still be getting the Takara cassettes because I normally buy my Masterpieces from them but again, this is great for those who can't afford them.