The Energon Pub

Can you guys(Hasbro) make more Human Alliance figures beside the one's released, Barricade, Mudflap, and the rumored Ironhide and Nest Bumblebee? Examples could be:

1.Soundwave and Ravage (don't know where he would go but a bigger Soundwave would be very nice )
2.Megatron or a constructicon(perferably Scrapper) with the Doctor(Scalpel)
3.Sideways with Alice
4.Jazz with one of two people: Glen or Maggie from the first movie
5.Jolt with Ron or Judy Witwicky

I know you said you're not going to do it but PLEASE stretch your budjet some how to get out a Leader Class Grindor? And if it's also a voice problem, since he didn't talk in the movie, you could use Fred Tatasciore's awesome voice from the game !

That's not a question Bumblecade, those are demands. Ironhide and Nest Bumblebee are not rumours from Hasbro, they're rumours from fans who just want those figures. Nest Bumblebee is a Deluxe Bumblebee repaint, and we've seen nothing of Ironhide. The only thing we've seen other than Cade and Mudflap is a supposed Ratchet.

Bumblecade23 wrote:Can you guys(Hasbro) make more Human Alliance figures beside the one's released, Barricade, Mudflap, and the rumored Ironhide and Nest Bumblebee? Examples could be:

1.Soundwave and Ravage (don't know where he would go but a bigger Soundwave would be very nice )
2.Megatron or a constructicon(perferably Scrapper) with the Doctor(Scalpel)
3.Sideways with Alice
4.Jazz with one of two people: Glen or Maggie from the first movie
5.Jolt with Ron or Judy Witwicky

I know you said you're not going to do it but PLEASE stretch your budjet some how to get out a Leader Class Grindor? And if it's also a voice problem, since he didn't talk in the movie, you could use Fred Tatasciore's awesome voice from the game !

Wow. That would ruin Hasbro since %25 of the fanbase or so doesn't like the movie. The sheer cost to make those would be astronomical. I mean your Human Alliance Sideways, Jazz and Jolt I can agree with. But apart from that, Megatron, a Constructicon and Soundwave would be freakin' huge and WAAAAAAAAAY to expensive! Also, I would only pay for a Grindor with the "SHEEEAGH!!!" sound effect.

how come takara gets so many exclusive molds and retools (musiclabel soundwave black zarak etc.)
yet they dont sell them internationally ?
this only makes the molds harder to find and the prices for them on ebay and such are outrageous

Swiftknife24 wrote:

Dead Metal wrote:

Swiftknife24 wrote:"JelZe GoldRabbit"

Thanks but with respect, this board is for questions to Hasbro, so I would like Hasbro to answer them!

You say the Premiums were to correct faults? No, they were for more realistic colour schemes! The only 'fault' they altered was the Leader-Class Optimus Prime (changing the gun to a sword) and when I got Premium Barricade, I noticed there was a fault in his foot; it doesn't transform or clip into place properly. Plus, the arm on my Deep Space Starscream can't be held in by the body properly. Plus, most of the ROTF figures have major faults in them (my Sideswipe, Sideways and Bumblebee suffer from something, the only ROTF figures I'm really pleased with is Soundwave and Wheelie) so by your rationale, Premiums *will* be on their way!

They are definitely holding back on the Premium line...I think there's something shifty going on...

He didn't state that they where there to fix the toys, they where there to make them more move accurate colour wise.

And we have made it our policy to answer questions that have already been answered by Hasbro so that we can pick the questions that are new as we only have 3 to spend. And hasbro has already stated that there will be no premium line for ROTF.
So it's wait and see if they will do them but I'm pretty sure they won't make any as the original premium line deputed around this time in 07 and we haven't seen one indicator for it happening again save for Takara's Buster Prime.

Okay, fair enough as you've said before, but I know as I've said before that I've seen at least one Q&A session where Hasbro were asked about ROTF Premiums and the answer was a positive; that's why I'm still hot on the subject.

But I do have another question; why are we, in the UK, so behind on transformers? The two lines I am after (ROTF and Star Wars) were released earlier this year, and we still haven't advanced, whilst the USA gets all the latest lines and figures. Why are we lagging behind the US in everything (sure, obvious answer is 'UK', but that's not the point)?

It's Hasbro UK's fault. They have a very poor Transformers distribution as the toys don't sell as well as other lines, that's why they don't invest in a better advertisement of the product. Also The retailers buy loads of the first few waves and will only order any new wave once they've sold the stuff they already have. And a new liune like ROTF will be more attractive than an older line anyway.
It still beats Hasbro Germany that only deliver wave one of every toyline and increase the prices every time a new line comes out.

Blurrz wrote:That's not a question Bumblecade, those are demands. Ironhide and Nest Bumblebee are not rumours from Hasbro, they're rumours from fans who just want those figures. Nest Bumblebee is a Deluxe Bumblebee repaint, and we've seen nothing of Ironhide. The only thing we've seen other than Cade and Mudflap is a supposed Ratchet.

I'm pretty sure that's just a concept figure of some sort.
I mean, it's just a retooled voyager.
I wouldn't necessarily call that "supposed."

cannonfodder4000 wrote:how come takara gets so many exclusive molds and retools (musiclabel soundwave black zarak etc.)
yet they dont sell them internationally ?
this only makes the molds harder to find and the prices for them on ebay and such are outrageous

To quote HASBRO, "We release what makes sense for our market base, Takara Tomy releases what makes sense for their market base. They are not always the same, thus the differences in products released."

That's the corporate answer we have been getting.

1. Setting aside the 2 limited G1 Reissues planned for this year, how does Hasbro plan to reach out to the adult collector market? With Alternators not planned for the near future, the homage based Classics "on hold", and no further Special Edition figures announced, there appears to be more incentive for adult collectors to purchase reissues and other more targeted merchandise from outside import vendors. Why has Hasbrotoyshop.com not established a collector service to provide Encore, Alternity, and Masterpiece figures in the same manner that MattyCollector is attending to their adult fan-base?

2. Please elaborate on the relationship Hasbro has with Fun Publications in terms of convention organization, exclusive toys, and the timing of BotCon. We have seen both increasing prices for the convention as well as diminished time between the announcement of the date/location. Have these trends been identified by Hasbro as well? While the convention has been successful, how is Hasbro helping to make certain that BotCon remains accessible to fans?

Counterpunch wrote:1. Setting aside the 2 limited G1 Reissues planned for this year, how does Hasbro plan to reach out to the adult collector market? With Alternators not planned for the near future, the homage based Classics "on hold", and no further Special Edition figures announced, there appears to be more incentive for adult collectors to purchase reissues and other more targeted merchandise from outside import vendors. Why has Hasbrotoyshop.com not established a collector service to provide Encore, Alternity, and Masterpiece figures in the same manner that MattyCollector is attending to their adult fan-base?

I like this question. Wonder if their answer would be "because our handling service blows for shipping and we know most of the product would just be returned..." Would be awesome to be able to get this stuff without the added online store markup, though.

Kibble wrote:

Counterpunch wrote:1. Setting aside the 2 limited G1 Reissues planned for this year, how does Hasbro plan to reach out to the adult collector market? With Alternators not planned for the near future, the homage based Classics "on hold", and no further Special Edition figures announced, there appears to be more incentive for adult collectors to purchase reissues and other more targeted merchandise from outside import vendors. Why has Hasbrotoyshop.com not established a collector service to provide Encore, Alternity, and Masterpiece figures in the same manner that MattyCollector is attending to their adult fan-base?

I like this question. Wonder if their answer would be "because our handling service blows for shipping and we know most of the product would just be returned..." Would be awesome to be able to get this stuff without the added online store markup, though.

I think it is certainly worth hearing their POV on why they tend to ignore adult collectors, and niche market in both Transformers and GI JOE, when they cater to Star Wars collectors left and right, and other companies see the value in re-creating/re-releasing previous collector oriented goods, or brand new ones based on beloved properties ideas.

Well thought out.

tigertracks 24 wrote:

Kibble wrote:

Counterpunch wrote:1. Setting aside the 2 limited G1 Reissues planned for this year, how does Hasbro plan to reach out to the adult collector market? With Alternators not planned for the near future, the homage based Classics "on hold", and no further Special Edition figures announced, there appears to be more incentive for adult collectors to purchase reissues and other more targeted merchandise from outside import vendors. Why has Hasbrotoyshop.com not established a collector service to provide Encore, Alternity, and Masterpiece figures in the same manner that MattyCollector is attending to their adult fan-base?

I like this question. Wonder if their answer would be "because our handling service blows for shipping and we know most of the product would just be returned..." Would be awesome to be able to get this stuff without the added online store markup, though.

I think it is certainly worth hearing their POV on why they tend to ignore adult collectors, and niche market in both Transformers and GI JOE, when they cater to Star Wars collectors left and right, and other companies see the value in re-creating/re-releasing previous collector oriented goods, or brand new ones based on beloved properties ideas.

Well thought out.

I definitely agree, this is a great question!

Mattel has reached out to adult collectors with their Classics MOTU line. The packaging is designed seemingly with display considerations in mind and even has "Adult Collector" printed on it, which I think is a nice touch. As I understand, the MOTUC figures have mostly sold like hotcakes.

Adult collectors are a significant division of the consumers that buy things like Transformers. There's more money to be made if Hasbro puts more focus on adult collector services.

Convotron wrote:

tigertracks 24 wrote:

Kibble wrote:

Counterpunch wrote:1. Setting aside the 2 limited G1 Reissues planned for this year, how does Hasbro plan to reach out to the adult collector market? With Alternators not planned for the near future, the homage based Classics "on hold", and no further Special Edition figures announced, there appears to be more incentive for adult collectors to purchase reissues and other more targeted merchandise from outside import vendors. Why has Hasbrotoyshop.com not established a collector service to provide Encore, Alternity, and Masterpiece figures in the same manner that MattyCollector is attending to their adult fan-base?

I like this question. Wonder if their answer would be "because our handling service blows for shipping and we know most of the product would just be returned..." Would be awesome to be able to get this stuff without the added online store markup, though.

I think it is certainly worth hearing their POV on why they tend to ignore adult collectors, and niche market in both Transformers and GI JOE, when they cater to Star Wars collectors left and right, and other companies see the value in re-creating/re-releasing previous collector oriented goods, or brand new ones based on beloved properties ideas.

Well thought out.

I definitely agree, this is a great question!

Mattel has reached out to adult collectors with their Classics MOTU line. The packaging is designed seemingly with display considerations in mind and even has "Adult Collector" printed on it, which I think is a nice touch. As I understand, the MOTUC figures have mostly sold like hotcakes.

Adult collectors are a significant division of the consumers that buy things like Transformers. There's more money to be made if Hasbro puts more focus on adult collector services.

Maybe they don't want more money?

tigertracks 24 wrote:

Convotron wrote:

tigertracks 24 wrote:

Kibble wrote:

Counterpunch wrote:1. Setting aside the 2 limited G1 Reissues planned for this year, how does Hasbro plan to reach out to the adult collector market? With Alternators not planned for the near future, the homage based Classics "on hold", and no further Special Edition figures announced, there appears to be more incentive for adult collectors to purchase reissues and other more targeted merchandise from outside import vendors. Why has Hasbrotoyshop.com not established a collector service to provide Encore, Alternity, and Masterpiece figures in the same manner that MattyCollector is attending to their adult fan-base?

I like this question. Wonder if their answer would be "because our handling service blows for shipping and we know most of the product would just be returned..." Would be awesome to be able to get this stuff without the added online store markup, though.

I think it is certainly worth hearing their POV on why they tend to ignore adult collectors, and niche market in both Transformers and GI JOE, when they cater to Star Wars collectors left and right, and other companies see the value in re-creating/re-releasing previous collector oriented goods, or brand new ones based on beloved properties ideas.

Well thought out.

I definitely agree, this is a great question!

Mattel has reached out to adult collectors with their Classics MOTU line. The packaging is designed seemingly with display considerations in mind and even has "Adult Collector" printed on it, which I think is a nice touch. As I understand, the MOTUC figures have mostly sold like hotcakes.

Adult collectors are a significant division of the consumers that buy things like Transformers. There's more money to be made if Hasbro puts more focus on adult collector services.

Maybe they don't want more money?

Isn't this what the Transformers Collector's Club was supposed to be? While I love everything they've done, I'd really like them to either get prices lowered, or step up the release schedule. I don't know if the cost is justified yet.

tigertracks 24 wrote:Maybe they don't want more money?

It's a financial strategy that a lowly peon like myself can't grasp. I must bow to the wisdom of Hasbro!

Razorclaw0000 wrote:Isn't this what the Transformers Collector's Club was supposed to be? While I love everything they've done, I'd really like them to either get prices lowered, or step up the release schedule. I don't know if the cost is justified yet.

That's what I thought when I first heard of the OTFCC. It doesn't seem to have a whole lot of steam behind it, though. Now, bear in mind that I haven't subscribed to the club so I don't have the inside scoop on things.

I'm just very impressed by how Mattel executed the MOTUC line. I'd love to see something similar from Hasbro. However, I have heard of some issues surrounding Mattel such as the Gleek debacle.

Let's keep this Q&A please

Kibble wrote:

Counterpunch wrote:1. Setting aside the 2 limited G1 Reissues planned for this year, how does Hasbro plan to reach out to the adult collector market? With Alternators not planned for the near future, the homage based Classics "on hold", and no further Special Edition figures announced, there appears to be more incentive for adult collectors to purchase reissues and other more targeted merchandise from outside import vendors. Why has Hasbrotoyshop.com not established a collector service to provide Encore, Alternity, and Masterpiece figures in the same manner that MattyCollector is attending to their adult fan-base?

I like this question. Wonder if their answer would be "because our handling service blows for shipping and we know most of the product would just be returned..." Would be awesome to be able to get this stuff without the added online store markup, though.

I second that, and why is HTS selling AFA graded stuff instead of some TFs that people would actually buy?

Blurrz wrote:That's not a question Bumblecade, those are demands. Ironhide and Nest Bumblebee are not rumours from Hasbro, they're rumours from fans who just want those figures. Nest Bumblebee is a Deluxe Bumblebee repaint, and we've seen nothing of Ironhide. The only thing we've seen other than Cade and Mudflap is a supposed Ratchet.

Oh. My bad. I thought they were coming out as actual human alliance figures. I don't want my questions to seem like demands, I just like the Human Alliance line and i wanted to see some from it, especially Decepticons since so far there's only one. I also don't want to demand Grindor as a Leader Class, I just would like to see something like that. Again my bad.

Primus1101 wrote:

Bumblecade23 wrote:Can you guys(Hasbro) make more Human Alliance figures beside the one's released, Barricade, Mudflap, and the rumored Ironhide and Nest Bumblebee? Examples could be:

1.Soundwave and Ravage (don't know where he would go but a bigger Soundwave would be very nice )
2.Megatron or a constructicon(perferably Scrapper) with the Doctor(Scalpel)
3.Sideways with Alice
4.Jazz with one of two people: Glen or Maggie from the first movie
5.Jolt with Ron or Judy Witwicky

I know you said you're not going to do it but PLEASE stretch your budjet some how to get out a Leader Class Grindor? And if it's also a voice problem, since he didn't talk in the movie, you could use Fred Tatasciore's awesome voice from the game !

Wow. That would ruin Hasbro since %25 of the fanbase or so doesn't like the movie. The sheer cost to make those would be astronomical. I mean your Human Alliance Sideways, Jazz and Jolt I can agree with. But apart from that, Megatron, a Constructicon and Soundwave would be freakin' huge and WAAAAAAAAAY to expensive! Also, I would only pay for a Grindor with the "SHEEEAGH!!!" sound effect.

Yeah, you're right. I didn't think for a second they would make all those, I was just hoping they would at least use one of those suggestions if they saw my question, which they probably won't. Plus with the Scrapper/construticon/Soundwave/Megatron thing i was hoping we could finally get a Scrapper toy out there or a bigger Soundwave. Actually, I really don't know why I had Megatron.

Your Grindor idea is a really cool idea, though.

Mkall wrote:

tigertracks 24 wrote:

T-RAV wrote:
2. Are we going to get a release of Universe Red Alert in the U.S.?

I thought this was answered as a 'No'.

I believe it was more like "We have no plans for any further characters to appear in the current universe line." which I interpreted as "Look for him in wave 1 or 2 of Universe 3

I hope this the case. Otherwise I guess I missed out on getting him.

Some of thr marvel crossover transformers are quite good, with slight remolds will we ever see them as real transformers!

And will we ever see gi joe crossovers

Why haven't there been Ultra class figures in the movie lines that weren't repaints?

Any chance of seeing some headmasters in either the encore or universe lines? Apeface & Snapdragon preferably
Any chance of seeing some Hearts Of Steel figures?
Can I please get a Trypticon Encore figure? I mean Omega Supreme & Sky Lynx have been done
Any chance on the Dinobots getting the Encore or Universe treatment? I know we got a Classics Grimlock, but I would like to see a full set(especially a good Swoop)

Will we see Scout class figures again in future lines?

The basis of how a Transformer is made has changed a few times over the life of the franchise. The initial release were retools and redecos or toys previously available from a few different Japanese companies. With RID, the direction seemed again to be one of primary Japanese basis with North America getting things a bit later. The Unicron trilogy as well as the Classics have shown a good amount of give and take from design teams on both sides. And most recently Animated has shown an entirely North American directive on the look and designs of the figures. With this diverse background, at the future lines unknown to the public at this time, are we more likely to see more projects like Animated with a US controlled line, Collaborative works with Takara, or more adaptions of Takara's projects?

Forgotten wrote:Any chance of seeing some headmasters in either the encore or universe lines? Apeface & Snapdragon preferably
Any chance of seeing some Hearts Of Steel figures?
Can I please get a Trypticon Encore figure? I mean Omega Supreme & Sky Lynx have been done
Any chance on the Dinobots getting the Encore or Universe treatment? I know we got a Classics Grimlock, but I would like to see a full set(especially a good Swoop)

Encore is not HASBRO it is Takara. HASBRO does not make those choices. From the looks of it, they are trying the G1 re-releases again. The best way to encourage them to do more in the domestic lines, would be to purchase them, and encourage your friends to buy them too.

Jacob P. Galvatron wrote:Why haven't there been Ultra class figures in the movie lines that weren't repaints?

Ultra class is not a class that is used in the movie line. No figures have been developed for this size class for the movie, only from previous lines. I know this is your questions, but I'm not sure we are going to get much from this.

ausbot wrote:Some of thr marvel crossover transformers are quite good, with slight remolds will we ever see them as real transformers!

And will we ever see gi joe crossovers

Answered numerous times, GI JOE and TRANSFORMERS have no crossovers planned. They do not seem to believe that this is something that the general public will like.