The Energon Pub

News Credits: 3597 · by **Seibertron** » Wed Mar 31, 2010 11:09 pm

Question #1:

At best, it has been really difficult to find the Toys R Us exclusive Transformers Animated Arcee and Cybertron Mode Ratchet. Rumor has it that these two figures have been cancelled after their extremely limited initial release. Can you let us know what's going on with those two toys as well as the rest of the remaining Transformers Animated figures we saw revealed last summer at BotCon 2009 such as Rodimus and Blackout?

Hasbro's Answer: The current plan for the release of the current Animated figures is this: Toys R' Us will be carrying two waves of Animated Deluxe. The first wave will be released this Spring and will include Arcee and Cybertronian Ratchet. The second wave will be released this fall and will include Rodimus Minor and Cybertronian Ironhide. While we cannot promise that any other figures will be released, we continue to examine all of our options to make those figures that were completed available to you.

As for availability of these figures, while we do not know what Toys R' Us stores currently have inventory of the Arcee and Ratchet, we can state with certainty that orders have not been cancelled and are currently available.

Question #2:

It seems like Hasbro's toys and IDW's comics are missing an opportunity to cross promote each other. In the past, it seemed like it was a very successful venture of promoting current toys in the current comic books (such as the G1 toys in the Marvel comic books back in the 80s). Can you explain why the current comics are not being used as a marketing device by Hasbro to directly promote a current series of Transformers toys (outside of the ROTF comics ... this is more of a reference to the Classics / Universe toys in relation to the ongoing G1-themed comics)?

Hasbro's Answer: The comic and toy markets are in a very diferent place than it was in the 80's. Currently the comic and toy business speak to very different audiences. We work with IDW on our in-pack comics and behind the scenes help us in various ways to enhance the brands. You will see characters like Drift in the toy line soon that is where the most cross pollination fits in.

by **JediFlaherty** » Wed Mar 31, 2010 11:14 pm

If this is an April Fools joke, it's suicide for me.

News Credits: 3597 · by **Seibertron** » Wed Mar 31, 2010 11:28 pm

JediFlaherty wrote:If this is an April Fools joke, it's suicide for me.

We do not do April Fool's Day jokes here. Never have. Never will. Not my thing in the least.

News Credits: 10 · by **Lapse Of Reason** » Wed Mar 31, 2010 11:49 pm

Seibertron wrote:
JediFlaherty wrote:If this is an April Fools joke, it's suicide for me.

We do not do April Fool's Day jokes here. Never have. Never will. Not my thing in the least.

Wise choice. Best not to mess with a man (or woman) and his/her Transformers news

by **ang3l3s** » Wed Mar 31, 2010 11:55 pm

That drift pic got me salivating, i knew the arcee fig wasn't that rare.

News Credits: 18 · by **leokearon** » Thu Apr 01, 2010 1:49 am

Hasbro's second answer is a load of rubbish, Hasbro do the Marvel Universe Toy Line which is directly influenced by the comics.

News Credits: 1452 · by **Blurrz** » Thu Apr 01, 2010 1:56 am

leokearon wrote:Hasbro's second answer is a load of rubbish, Hasbro do the Marvel Universe Toy Line which is directly influenced by the comics.

Yeah... but compare TF Comics to Marvel Comics. Huge difference, Marvel puts out 10+ titles a week, Transformers puts out 0 to 1.

News Credits: 8 · by **Megatron Wolf** » Thu Apr 01, 2010 3:25 am

Until Arcee & HotRod are in my hands i dont believe it, and why TRU they suck when it comes to exclusives

News Credits: 1082 · by **Tigertrack** » Thu Apr 01, 2010 6:54 am

It is very good to know that TFA Hot Rod will still be produced.

As for the other, if they can do DRIFT, they can do NOVA PRIME. Or Thunderwing, or...

Nah they won't.

News Credits: 21 · by **dragons** » Thu Apr 01, 2010 7:21 am

thats good to here but what about the other animated figures some other fans may want wing prime, blackout, dont remeber the others.

that drift ges better & better

News Credits: 2 · by **goshjosh95** » Thu Apr 01, 2010 12:14 pm

Thanks for the updates, Seibs... one of the many reason we love this site. Can't wait for TFA Rodimus & Generations Drift! Still holding out hope that we'll see a TFA Blackout & Wingblade Prime.

by **Iacon sentry** » Thu Apr 01, 2010 12:47 pm

Yay! Rodimus is back baby!

News Credits: 3 · by **ShGarland_1383** » Thu Apr 01, 2010 3:21 pm

I want to see these guys come out.

Seibertron wrote:Question #1:

At best, it has been really difficult to find the Toys R Us exclusive Transformers Animated Arcee and Cybertron Mode Ratchet. Rumor has it that these two figures have been cancelled after their extremely limited initial release. Can you let us know what's going on with those two toys as well as the rest of the remaining Transformers Animated figures we saw revealed last summer at BotCon 2009 such as Rodimus and Blackout?

Hasbro's Answer: The current plan for the release of the current Animated figures is this: Toys R' Us will be carrying two waves of Animated Deluxe. The first wave will be released this Spring and will include Arcee and Cybertronian Ratchet. The second wave will be released this fall and will include Rodimus Minor and Cybertronian Ironhide. While we cannot promise that any other figures will be released, we continue to examine all of our options to make those figures that were completed available to you.

As for availability of these figures, while we do not know what Toys R' Us stores currently have inventory of the Arcee and Ratchet, we can state with certainty that orders have not been cancelled and are currently available.

Hadn't Arcee and Ratchet come out already? For some reason I feel like they had. If I'm wrong here, I stand corrected, which is good for me, because I wanted Animated Arcee.

I don't see the point in releasing these guys under the Animated banner, though. With Animated (the series) over for a while now seems more appropriate to release these figures under the Generations banner. If they were gonna keep Universe 2.0 up, I'd say release these four figures there as "animated series" figures.