The Energon Pub

Mon Mar 16, 2015 6:34 pm

So I'm currently watching season 1 of TF Prime. I was going online to find Arms Micron Breakdown, since I thought having that version of him might be cool-Why is this guy so expensive? I realize this mold is exclusive to the arms micron line, but why is a voyager going for USD 180 online? Is it due to his popularity (because the Silas version is much cheaper)?

News Credits: 241 · Mon Mar 16, 2015 6:55 pm

Moosey wrote:So I'm currently watching season 1 of TF Prime. I was going online to find Arms Micron Breakdown, since I thought having that version of him might be cool-Why is this guy so expensive? I realize this mold is exclusive to the arms micron line, but why is a voyager going for USD 180 online? Is it due to his popularity (because the Silas version is much cheaper)?

You just answered your own question. Arms Micron Breakdown is the only version of the show character available aside from Silas Breakdown and the Legion (which is way too tiny). Since that version is considered the "main" version and Hasbro is unwilling to release him (citing price point issues), everyone goes for that one which drives up the price. Same is true for Jet Vehicon, especially considering army-builders (I hate them, so much).

Mon Mar 16, 2015 7:41 pm

JelZe GoldRabbit wrote:
Moosey wrote:So I'm currently watching season 1 of TF Prime. I was going online to find Arms Micron Breakdown, since I thought having that version of him might be cool-Why is this guy so expensive? I realize this mold is exclusive to the arms micron line, but why is a voyager going for USD 180 online? Is it due to his popularity (because the Silas version is much cheaper)?

You just answered your own question. Arms Micron Breakdown is the only version of the show character available aside from Silas Breakdown and the Legion (which is way too tiny). Since that version is considered the "main" version and Hasbro is unwilling to release him (citing price point issues), everyone goes for that one which drives up the price. Same is true for Jet Vehicon, especially considering army-builders (I hate them, so much).

Ah, thanks. I'm not sure I understand your meaning when you say that Hasbro won't release him due to price point issues, though. It sure is a shame that Hasbro didn't release him, I bet that would help fill a gap in a lot of people's collections.

News Credits: 7 · Mon Mar 16, 2015 8:16 pm

I don't think anybody really understands what Hasbro meant. The original blurb is so vague it could mean just about anything:

The company knows that the mold is available, says Aaron Archer, the Vice President of Hasbro Design, but was "not made to the same standards." He did not elaborate on this, but he claims that the figure is in "no man's land" cost-wise.

News Credits: 241 · Tue Mar 17, 2015 10:11 am

Noideaforaname wrote:I don't think anybody really understands what Hasbro meant. The original blurb is so vague it could mean just about anything:
The company knows that the mold is available, says Aaron Archer, the Vice President of Hasbro Design, but was "not made to the same standards." He did not elaborate on this, but he claims that the figure is in "no man's land" cost-wise.

Hasbro has very strict guidelines when it comes to budgets and Price Points. TakaraTomy is a lot more flexible in that aspect, always has been. And that's what gives Hasbro problems at times (RiD 2001 Wedge and Bullet Trains are prime examples). For instance, if a figure is too big for a Deluxe, yet not big enough for Voyager... you get the idea.
Also, I think I heard that Hasbro has stopped working on Breakdown during development, and TakaraTomy picked him up and finished him, following their own guidelines and not Hasbro's.

News Credits: 9 · Tue Mar 17, 2015 10:30 am

I thought it was the "standards" issues of drop/ safety test that was being referred to in that quote with the"no mans land" being the costs it would take to make a remold that would pass said tests.

News Credits: 3 · Tue Mar 17, 2015 12:50 pm

triKlops wrote:I thought it was the "standards" issues of drop/ safety test that was being referred to in that quote with the"no mans land" being the costs it would take to make a remold that would pass said tests.

That's part of the issue with what Archer said. It's such a non-answer that we'll most likely never know what he actually meant because there's 2-3 viable reasons what he said could mean.

Tue Mar 17, 2015 4:16 pm

Midnight_Fox wrote:
triKlops wrote:I thought it was the "standards" issues of drop/ safety test that was being referred to in that quote with the"no mans land" being the costs it would take to make a remold that would pass said tests.

That's part of the issue with what Archer said. It's such a non-answer that we'll most likely never know what he actually meant because there's 2-3 viable reasons what he said could mean.

Well that sucks. Maybe someone should start a petition on change.org? :lol:

On another note, I'm thinking that maybe Generations Roadbuster might be able to be custom-painted into breakdown-the chest is bulky enough and in general their body is sorta similar. Honestly though I don't have much experience painting, I feel like it wouldn't be that hard to paint. (though I have no Idea who could donate the head)

Tue Mar 17, 2015 7:40 pm

It wasn't that expensive when it first came out but since it's so popular, it sold out at most places

News Credits: 668 · Tue Mar 17, 2015 10:27 pm

It's a nice, solid figure. One of the more intricate molds of the line, but with that intricacy comes delicacy and he's actually quite thin in terms of plastic and build. That alone will help pad his prices as well.

News Credits: 4 · Wed Mar 18, 2015 5:37 am

He's 3 years out of production, he's a popular show character, and he was only available in Japan. Those three reasons put together explain his current asking price.

News Credits: 656 · Wed Mar 18, 2015 12:09 pm

LegendaryAntiHero wrote:It wasn't that expensive when it first came out but since it's so popular, it sold out at most places

It indeed sold out very, very quickly upon release. There were some occasional restocks, but this guy came out, sold out, and went up to about $75-$80 within about two months of release. Probably the only thing in the entire Arms Micron line that went like that.

For comparison, I paid $70 for Breakdown and bought it about 6 weeks after release. The most I paid for any other Arms Micron Voyager (outside of the limited Black Unicron) was $50, and even then some of them were had for $20 down the road.

News Credits: 13 · Wed Mar 18, 2015 8:09 pm

its a shame Hasbro didn't just whip out the Ultra class for him, even if he was more that the other voyagers he'd be worth it. Let's hope he ends up in Generations some where down the line

Sat Apr 04, 2015 7:54 pm

Too much of a Voyager for Ultratown, too much of an Ultra for Voyagertown.

Sucks, because I really wanted a (good) toy of the big guy. ADAM FREAKIN BALDWIN, c'mon!

Freakin cyberverse one wasn't even a commander... I'm so sad...