The Energon Pub

I've stated that from the time the backers fell *behind pace* that I personally thought this project will not achieve it's goal. Even though I am not personally participating, I hope I'm wrong. I'd love to see a swarm of 2-3K backers in the last couple days pull this off, but I have my doubts.

Looks like it did get a huge *bump* either from a large submission of online retailers submitting their orders, or from International orders finally being counted (whichever one wasn't, hopefully will be soon).

But I do have a couple of other thoughts. Although Hasbro isn't extending the deadline, I'm sure when the price and number of backers was discussed, they weren't using a borderline number. For example, lets say it ultimately gets 6000 backers. That would be 3.45 Million Hasbro would be walking away from (even if only a sliver of it was profit), it would still be profit. I don't think they came up with those parameters with zero margin of flexibility.

I think if it doesn't get 8K backers, it comes back again at some point, in a slightly different form. I mean the bottom line with Hasbro is profit. But how much would it suck, even for line managers like John Warden for the next 20 years to see a Unicron prototype at conventions on display that could have been, but isn't.

Sabrblade wrote:

Dr. Caelus wrote:Ultimately, I just don't really want it. Even setting aside the unemployed-with-a-newborn thing, it's just the notion of spending $600 on a single Transformer that won't scale with any other Transformer in my collection. Even if it were the same price as Piranacon, I'd rather have Piranacon.

Then spend $150 now and save up the rest to pay it off a year-and-a-half from now.

Money doesn't work that way.

If I set aside a little money each month to buy something in 18 months for $600, I'm still spending $600 on it - the timeframe over which I'm spending that money is of logistical importance, but $600 now vs. $600 over 18 months is still $600, even if it doesn't feel that way. Hard life lesson, but still true. If Unicron is worth $600 to a person, they should definitely buy him, but if he's not, then he's not, and they shouldn't be lulled by the 'only $30 a month' framing.

The part that sucks is that I missed the preorder deadline for Snaptrap and Skalor yesterday, so I guess I'm not getting them, either, and I really did want them.

Dr. Caelus wrote:The part that sucks is that I missed the preorder deadline for Snaptrap and Skalor yesterday, so I guess I'm not getting them, either, and I really did want them.

*wrong thread I know*, I just checked, and they are still up.......

o.supreme wrote:

Dr. Caelus wrote:The part that sucks is that I missed the preorder deadline for Snaptrap and Skalor yesterday, so I guess I'm not getting them, either, and I really did want them.

*wrong thread I know*, I just checked, and they are still up.......

I already tried. It rejected my order

o.supreme wrote:I've stated that from the time the backers fell *behind pace* that I personally thought this project will not achieve it's goal. Even though I am not personally participating, I hope I'm wrong. I'd love to see a swarm of 2-3K backers in the last couple days pull this off, but I have my doubts.

Looks like it did get a huge *bump* either from a large submission of online retailers submitting their orders, or from International orders finally being counted (whichever one wasn't, hopefully will be soon).

But I do have a couple of other thoughts. Although Hasbro isn't extending the deadline, I'm sure when the price and number of backers was discussed, they weren't using a borderline number. For example, lets say it ultimately gets 6000 backers. That would be 3.45 Million Hasbro would be walking away from (even if only a sliver of it was profit), it would still be profit. I don't think they came up with those parameters with zero margin of flexibility.

I think if it doesn't get 8K backers, it comes back again at some point, in a slightly different form. I mean the bottom line with Hasbro is profit. But how much would it suck, even for line managers like John Warden for the next 20 years to see a Unicron prototype at conventions on display that could have been, but isn't.

I very much hope it comes back in a different form - regular retail, smaller, proportionally cheaper, some more accessories/features.

If this doesn't make it why do you think hasbro would jump to make it titan class? There would be horrible compromises, as already explained else where in the thread by people more versed then me. If you want a smaller unicron then I suggest getting one of the many versions of Armada Unicron.

If the preorders do surpass the minimum required, will HasLab make only as many pieces as were ordered by the end of 8/31? Or will they continue to take orders?

Rodimus Prime wrote:If the preorders do surpass the minimum required, will HasLab make only as many pieces as were ordered by the end of 8/31? Or will they continue to take orders?

Hasbro stated on the Pulse page for Unicron that no orders will be accepted after the 31st. All support must be received by 11:59 PM EST on August 31, 2019.

Stargrave wrote:

Burn wrote:

Stargrave wrote:Are you in Burn?? Did I miss that??

Strewth lad, what bloody rock have you been hiding under?

$100 deposit, then nothing to pay for 18 months? Be a bloody drongo to pass on that one.

The best bloody rock where all the best bloody parties are at ya bloke

Yes! I’m stoked for you dude.

You know me I’m a goofy bogan up in here I can barely keep track of my own tail feathers.

Please stop using words you don't understand incorrectly. It's ... cringe worthy.

Omegatrion84 wrote:

Rodimus Prime wrote:If the preorders do surpass the minimum required, will HasLab make only as many pieces as were ordered by the end of 8/31? Or will they continue to take orders?

Hasbro stated on the Pulse page for Unicron that no orders will be accepted after the 31st. All support must be received by 11:59 PM EST on August 31, 2019.

So you must order by then, or you will be hoping places like TFsource have extras when the time comes

I need to put that down payment option in a story I keep losing sight of that.

ThunderThruster wrote:

Burn wrote:Reducing his size to that of a Titan would be pointless.

He's not a Titan.

He's Unicron.

He's a class unto himself.

Titans are the biggest of Transformers.

This guy is a GOD.

By this logic, we ought to be getting a 12 foot tall (at the minimum) Unicron.

Unicron should just be bigger than the titans. That's what I get from that statement and I agree.

God Sunstreaker wrote:

ThunderThruster wrote:

Burn wrote:Reducing his size to that of a Titan would be pointless.

He's not a Titan.

He's Unicron.

He's a class unto himself.

Titans are the biggest of Transformers.

This guy is a GOD.

By this logic, we ought to be getting a 12 foot tall (at the minimum) Unicron.

Unicron should just be bigger than the titans. That's what I get from that statement and I agree.

Indeed - it's not about scale, it's about status.

megatronus wrote:

God Sunstreaker wrote:

ThunderThruster wrote:

Burn wrote:Reducing his size to that of a Titan would be pointless.

He's not a Titan.

He's Unicron.

He's a class unto himself.

Titans are the biggest of Transformers.

This guy is a GOD.

By this logic, we ought to be getting a 12 foot tall (at the minimum) Unicron.

Unicron should just be bigger than the titans. That's what I get from that statement and I agree.

Indeed - it's not about scale, it's about status.

Agreed. I've seen so many comments saying to shrink this figure down. As the ultimate interpretation of this character he absolutely needs to be the biggest Transformer ever made.

Stargrave wrote:- They remind us that Blaster and Astrotrain are still coming down the tracks

Did anyone else notice that pun?

Triggerdick Megatron wrote:

Stargrave wrote:- They remind us that Blaster and Astrotrain are still coming down the tracks

Did anyone else notice that pun?

No but now I feel like I should give out awards.

Triggerdick Megatron wrote:

Stargrave wrote:- They remind us that Blaster and Astrotrain are still coming down the tracks

Did anyone else notice that pun?

We try not to encourage Stargrave and his bad puns.

It’s a condition, like hiccups that won’t go away or blue things tasting like the number four. If it wasn’t for the regular comical egg on my face or foot in my mouth they would have gotten rid of me ages ago

I hope it fails so Habro realise that people outside the US want this without having to go through a 3p at great cost and risk.

Just do official distribution to other fan hubs and I'd be surprised if that didnt slap on an extra 500 - 1000 orders straight away.

PadForce wrote:I hope it fails so Habro realise that people outside the US want this without having to go through a 3p at great cost and risk.

Just do official distribution to other fan hubs and I'd be surprised if that didnt slap on an extra 500 - 1000 orders straight away.

But they have done deals with non us companies, Japan goes through TT Mall and Australia has EB Games. The rest of the world has various options through the 3p companies or BBTS which is an official affiliate for Unicron. Is it ideal? No but its a lot better then nothing. I wonder where this idea comes from that if this fails a better deal comes along, as there's no proof at all of that happening.

Well UK does not have an official partner there is a distributor offering it but their turnover from the units they say they have is 3 times greater than their balance sheet. I'm not happy putting my money into a completely unsecured company like that.

I am certain that if they are close to making this a reality and it falls a bit short that Hasbro will take a look at what went wrong and come back harder, because money.

Just took the Unicron plunge; backer 5350!

So a thought just occurred to me, if Hasbro plans to remove all plastics from it's toy packaging, how will this giant of a figure be shipped? In a large paper bag . Or even if it's in a solid cardboard box, like Titans are now, without any clips, tape, or tie-downs to hold it in place, I guess it's just going to flop around loosely in the box.

o.supreme wrote:So a thought just occurred to me, if Hasbro plans to remove all plastics from it's toy packaging, how will this giant of a figure be shipped? In a large paper bag . Or even if it's in a solid cardboard box, like Titans are now, without any clips, tape, or tie-downs to hold it in place, I guess it's just going to flop around loosely in the box.

Cardboard inserts can be designed to hold contents steady in the packaging. I feel like some of the Titans had folds and flaps that contained parts. Also I'd bet they would move back to the raffia ties instead of wire or the plastic ones they use now. There was a time when They used raffia ties and I'm not sure why they stopped.

There's plenty of options far greener than plastic, but it has always seemed to boil down to cost for Hasbro. I wonder if this green initiative will cost more for them to produce, and drive up the already rising prices?

Cobotron wrote:Also I'd bet they would move back to the raffia ties instead of wire or the plastic ones they use now. There was a time when They used raffia ties and I'm not sure why they stopped.

Interesting, that must have been during the time I wasn't purchasing toys

*googles Raffia Ties*



ahhh...makes sense