The Energon Pub

News Credits: 1 · by **Cheetron** » Wed Mar 11, 2009 9:12 am

Excuse me Hasbro, didn't you already make a Titanium Soundwave that transformed into a CASSETTE PLAYER? So if kids don't know what it is, why'd you already make one?

News Credits: 12 · by **GuyIncognito** » Wed Mar 11, 2009 9:18 am

Why do they ever offer to answer our questions if they're not actually going to answer them? Every answer is the same: "We will continue to look for opportunities to make figures when it makes sense to do so."

News Credits: 217 · by **Diem** » Wed Mar 11, 2009 9:22 am

GuyIncognito wrote:Why do they ever offer to answer our questions if they're not actually going to answer them? Every answer is the same: "We will continue to look for opportunities to make figures when it makes sense to do so."

To be fair they're pretty good at saying "no" to stuff. They just have trouble saying "yes".

News Credits: 49 · by **Scaleface** » Wed Mar 11, 2009 9:36 am

That's why questions like "Will yo make figure XXX" kinda waste a question. We'd all love to know the answer, but Hasbro probably wouldn't tell us most of the time. We get more accurate information from the stolen toy pictures coming out of Chinese manufacturers than from the Hasbro execs about upcoming releases.

For instance if people had asked this month "Will we ever see a return of 6 inch titanium figures?" Hasbro would have answered something like "We want to make sure the release of a figure will occure when the time is right, but we cannot say right now." Whereas Chinese toy sellers with cameras give us pictures of Target exclusive Titanium Hot Zone, Thrust and Optimus Prime in boxes! Thanks Chinese toy sellers. No thanks Hasbro.

News Credits: 3 · by **Highbeam** » Wed Mar 11, 2009 6:48 pm

Stormrider wrote:Regarding the movie repaints - I am starting to get the feeling that the characters in the movie are dilebrately a different color than their G1 counterparts, just so that Hasbro can release a G1 repaint version later. Am I being too cynical?

No, it makes sense from a marketing standpoint. Sell the correct figure right away and have less luck selling repaints later. Sell the oddly painted ones first, people will buy them thinking it's the only version or maybe they just like the new colors, and then when the properly colored one comes out, they go back and buy more.

From a buyer standpoint, yeah it sucks because we want the ones that look the closest to the originals first, or as the only ones we buy. That's kinda my generalized take on things.

by **SentinelA** » Thu Mar 12, 2009 10:53 am

As usual we get no REAL answers.

by **Rodentus Prime** » Mon Mar 16, 2009 12:48 pm

Tformers Q&A finally posted - not much actual info though -

Will the Transformers Animated show or toy line continue past season 3, even under a different name?

First, thank you for your interest in Transformers Animated! While we cannot discuss the long term vision for the Animated series, we are excited about the upcoming launch of Season 3 in a couple of weeks and Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen. As for plans post 2009, it is still a little too early to discuss get into specific details.

What were the hardest engineering problems in the Transformers: Revenge of The Fallen toys?

As with the Movie 1 product line, the Transformers styling creates unique challenges for the design of the transformation. The real challenge is to continue to raise the bar even further from in capturing realism in both robot and vehicle modes. We hope that you will agree with us that we have surpassed our goal when you see the entire Revenge of the Fallen line!

Besides Bludgeon, what other characters did you want to get into the Universe line that had to be shelved for whatever reasons?

Our design team certainly has favorite such as Perceptors, Soundwave and believe it or not Wheelie. We added Wheelie into the line as a Legend because we thought it was a good fit for his character. But moving forward we would love the opportunity to redo Wheelie (paying homage to the G1 character) in Deluxe and really making him a very cool robot with an extremely cool vehicle mode. I think that would be a great design challenge and it would be interesting to see people's reactions to an awesome Wheelie! Hopefully we will be able to get this figure into an upcoming release.

News Credits: 409 · by **Stormrider** » Mon Mar 16, 2009 5:19 pm

Our design team certainly has favorite such as Perceptors, Soundwave and believe it or not Wheelie. We added Wheelie into the line as a Legend because we thought it was a good fit for his character. But moving forward we would love the opportunity to redo Wheelie (paying homage to the G1 character) in Deluxe and really making him a very cool robot with an extremely cool vehicle mode. I think that would be a great design challenge and it would be interesting to see people's reactions to an awesome Wheelie! Hopefully we will be able to get this figure into an upcoming release.

Hasbro, we'll give you a hint what our reaction would be: "What the....?!! Wheelie a second time!" Who is going to buy a second Wheelie?

Come on, give the fans what they want. I just read the translated interview with the Henkei designers and really seems like Hasbro is holding group back with characters and designs that the fans want (Ex - Voyager Galvatron).

http://www.tfw2005.com/transformers-news/general-articles-25/translated-version-of-the-takara-tomy-transformers-henkei--classics-staff-interview-167073/

by **Prime Riblet** » Tue Mar 17, 2009 3:36 am

Stormrider wrote:
Our design team certainly has favorite such as Perceptors, Soundwave and believe it or not Wheelie. We added Wheelie into the line as a Legend because we thought it was a good fit for his character. But moving forward we would love the opportunity to redo Wheelie (paying homage to the G1 character) in Deluxe and really making him a very cool robot with an extremely cool vehicle mode. I think that would be a great design challenge and it would be interesting to see people's reactions to an awesome Wheelie! Hopefully we will be able to get this figure into an upcoming release.

Hasbro, we'll give you a hint what our reaction would be: "What the....?!! Wheelie a second time!" Who is going to buy a second Wheelie?

Come on, give the fans what they want. I just read the translated interview with the Henkei designers and really seems like Hasbro is holding group back with characters and designs that the fans want (Ex - Voyager Galvatron).

http://www.tfw2005.com/transformers-news/general-articles-25/translated-version-of-the-takara-tomy-transformers-henkei--classics-staff-interview-167073/

You are totally right. There is a huge stock pile of awesome characters that EVERYONE wants, and they talk about making a "better/cooler" Wheelie. To say they want to see what the reaction will be just seems kind of stupid as far as marketing. Why would a company not make a figure of a character that they know for an absolute fact will sell, as opposed to second guessing the public. Maybe they think the Wheelie character will appeal with a new generation of TF buyers, even though older folks like me will likely pass on it since Wheelie is kind of a bozo. I just don't get it.

News Credits: 88 · by **DavidT** » Tue Mar 17, 2009 11:32 am

Prime Riblet wrote:
Stormrider wrote:
Our design team certainly has favorite such as Perceptors, Soundwave and believe it or not Wheelie. We added Wheelie into the line as a Legend because we thought it was a good fit for his character. But moving forward we would love the opportunity to redo Wheelie (paying homage to the G1 character) in Deluxe and really making him a very cool robot with an extremely cool vehicle mode. I think that would be a great design challenge and it would be interesting to see people's reactions to an awesome Wheelie! Hopefully we will be able to get this figure into an upcoming release.

Hasbro, we'll give you a hint what our reaction would be: "What the....?!! Wheelie a second time!" Who is going to buy a second Wheelie?

Come on, give the fans what they want. I just read the translated interview with the Henkei designers and really seems like Hasbro is holding group back with characters and designs that the fans want (Ex - Voyager Galvatron).

http://www.tfw2005.com/transformers-news/general-articles-25/translated-version-of-the-takara-tomy-transformers-henkei--classics-staff-interview-167073/

You are totally right. There is a huge stock pile of awesome characters that EVERYONE wants, and they talk about making a "better/cooler" Wheelie. To say they want to see what the reaction will be just seems kind of stupid as far as marketing. Why would a company not make a figure of a character that they know for an absolute fact will sell, as opposed to second guessing the public. Maybe they think the Wheelie character will appeal with a new generation of TF buyers, even though older folks like me will likely pass on it since Wheelie is kind of a bozo. I just don't get it.

I'm almost afraid to say that with Wheelie being in ROTF, in the legends figures, and Hasbro wanting to make a deluxe version that maybe we will be seeing Wheelie as a regular character either later on in Animated season 3 or 4 if the show makes it that far or whatever the next Transformers series is. I think Hasbro wants to make him a mainstream character.....

Booooo!!!!!

.

by **Prime Riblet** » Tue Mar 17, 2009 4:47 pm

It is basicly like looking down and seeing a chunk of gold and a piece of gravel, and then picking up the gravel and telling everyone that it's the best thing ever created. If Wheelie does become a constant, then it is just a waste of time and effort-at least right now, anyway.

News Credits: 217 · by **Diem** » Wed Mar 18, 2009 7:08 am

Ah, the Wheelie hatred thread. I'd personally love to see a deluxe Wheelie, especially if he were indeed to be "a cool looking robot with a really cool vehicle mode." He can form a michevious team of entertaining youngsters with Cheetor, Bumblebee and Hot Shot. The fun and whimsy of Henkei, rather than the soulless seriousness of IDW.

News Credits: 3 · by **MagnusPrimal** » Mon Mar 23, 2009 9:54 pm

There aren't many Universe/Classics figures I feel compelled to pass on.

Wheelie would be an easy one though.

News Credits: 409 · by **Stormrider** » Tue Mar 24, 2009 12:45 am

MagnusPrimal wrote:There aren't many Universe/Classics figures I feel compelled to pass on.

Wheelie would be an easy one though.

What, you don't want another Wheelie? He's an awesome character.

News Credits: 49 · by **Scaleface** » Tue Mar 24, 2009 5:38 am

Wheelie works well as a Legend. I'm happy with him as a Mini-Bot/Legends for $4 or so.

News Credits: 217 · by **Diem** » Tue Mar 24, 2009 8:51 am

Stormrider wrote:
MagnusPrimal wrote:There aren't many Universe/Classics figures I feel compelled to pass on.

Wheelie would be an easy one though.

What, you don't want another Wheelie? He's an awesome character.

I take it you've not read the literary classic "Wild Boy of Quintessa" where it reveals that Wheelie is a nutbar hardcore survivalist orphan? If you can look past him rhyming gimmicks he's one of the most intense and interesting characters in the movie and season 3.

He's a dick in Headmasters though.

News Credits: 409 · by **Stormrider** » Tue Mar 24, 2009 6:49 pm

Diem wrote:
Stormrider wrote:
MagnusPrimal wrote:There aren't many Universe/Classics figures I feel compelled to pass on.

Wheelie would be an easy one though.

What, you don't want another Wheelie? He's an awesome character.

I take it you've not read the literary classic "Wild Boy of Quintessa" where it reveals that Wheelie is a nutbar hardcore survivalist orphan? If you can look past him rhyming gimmicks he's one of the most intense and interesting characters in the movie and season 3.

He's a dick in Headmasters though.

I agree the comic has helped with Wheelie's image, but is he that great to deserve a second figure? For me, it's not a case that I hate the character (I actually have considered buying the Jizaitoy version). The problem that I have is that Hasbro has these foolish ideas from time to time of what the fans want or what they need.

This is the example that I am citing from the Q&A:

But moving forward we would love the opportunity to redo Wheelie (paying homage to the G1 character) in Deluxe and really making him a very cool robot with an extremely cool vehicle mode. I think that would be a great design challenge and it would be interesting to see people's reactions to an awesome Wheelie! Hopefully we will be able to get this figure into an upcoming release.

I don't doubt that Wheelie could be designed into a better figure as a Deluxe. My question is why? Why spend the trouble and money designing another figure of the same character when there are so many other more interesting characters that could be chosen? Why make him out of scale as a Deluxe, when he has always been percieved as a Scout size?

This is similar to Hasbro making Universe Galvatron into Deluxe because they thought there are too many tanks already on the market.