The Energon Pub

Nuclearxpotato wrote:

Sabrblade wrote:

Nuclearxpotato wrote:but TMNT was Mattel's big ticket item.

TMNT is Playmates, not Mattel.

For some reason I thought TMNT was owned by Mattel in the past. I guess that'd make Hotwheels Mattel's hot ticket boy item.

They also have Jurassic Park. Their biggest ticket though in general is Barbie. Barbie was the best selling toy brand last year.

Also TNNT is no longer playmates. They are with Spin Master now.

william-james88 wrote:Also TNNT is no longer playmates. They are with Spin Master now.

They're with everybody now including Playmates. Spin Master does new Nick stuff, Neca does original cartoon, games and LA movie based stuff, Super 7 does new toys based on the original toy line and ReAction, Hasbro is doing Power Rangers crossovers in the Lightning Collection, Mattel probably still as the Mega Blocks and Hot Wheels rights and Playmates is doing vintage reissues which are the only Ninja Turtles toys I've seen at Walmart in the toy aisle lately (saw a Neca Super Shredder in Electronics today).

Emerje

Emerje wrote:

william-james88 wrote:Also TNNT is no longer playmates. They are with Spin Master now.

They're with everybody now including Playmates. Spin Master does new Nick stuff, Neca does original cartoon, games and LA movie based stuff, Super 7 does new toys based on the original toy line and ReAction, Hasbro is doing Power Rangers crossovers in the Lightning Collection, Mattel probably still as the Mega Blocks and Hot Wheels rights and Playmates is doing vintage reissues which are the only Ninja Turtles toys I've seen at Walmart in the toy aisle lately (saw a Neca Super Shredder in Electronics today).

Emerje

TMNT is a mainly a media-based IP, not a toy-based one like Transformers is. As such, it was originally owned by Mirage Studios, but now it's part of Viacom/CBS. Just a bit of clarification

Still waiting on Kingdom Wave 3 hitting my Walmarts, I want my Wingfinger!

Jelze Bunnycat wrote:

Emerje wrote:

william-james88 wrote:Also TNNT is no longer playmates. They are with Spin Master now.

They're with everybody now including Playmates. Spin Master does new Nick stuff, Neca does original cartoon, games and LA movie based stuff, Super 7 does new toys based on the original toy line and ReAction, Hasbro is doing Power Rangers crossovers in the Lightning Collection, Mattel probably still as the Mega Blocks and Hot Wheels rights and Playmates is doing vintage reissues which are the only Ninja Turtles toys I've seen at Walmart in the toy aisle lately (saw a Neca Super Shredder in Electronics today).

Emerje

TMNT is a mainly a media-based IP, not a toy-based one like Transformers is. As such, it was originally owned by Mirage Studios, but now it's part of Viacom/CBS. Just a bit of clarification

Still waiting on Kingdom Wave 3 hitting my Walmarts, I want my Wingfinger!

Same, went on a hunt today and came back empty handed

Haven't seen any deluxe wave 3 in stores yet either...sounds eerily familiar...I got Wingfinher from Amazon a couple weeks back.

o.supreme wrote:Haven't seen any deluxe wave 3 in stores yet either...sounds eerily familiar...I got Wingfinher from Amazon a couple weeks back.

At least we had plenty of wave 2, unlike last year.

I have seen every Wave 3 figure at retail at least once except Wingfinger and Tracks...but that was over a month ago, both my Target and my Walmart have been completely bare of anything Generations since then except some blink-and-you'll-miss-it Magnus', Galvatrons, and Grimlocks at Walmart. While I don't know what Walmart's excuse is, I did confirm with a Target employee that they have actually been getting stock in regularly, it's just getting wiped out as soon as they open by "collectors" (I suspect this is more accurately scalpers, or at least a mix of scalpers and other collectors, considering the Target has been so meticulously picked clean that I genuinely thought they just hadn't been restocking).

And while the only Wave 3 figure I want at all is Wingfinger, the thing can concerns me about this more is how available Wave 4 is gonna be, considering I want basically everything in it.

I noticed something, comparing the Ark to Rodimus. The age on the box is different, even though the Rodimus toy is by all accounts more complex. This reminds me of the discussion we had regarding what is made more for fans as opposed to kids and vice versa. It changes for each class, it seems. So the ark is 15+ on the box. Also, it is being sold online predominantly (or only?). So, that toy is clearly marketted for older fans only.

Rodimus, on the other hand, has the same 8+ age range on his box. And not only that, but he is being stocked in stores physically, next to the other toys that are marketed as much to kids as older fans. It seems Hasbro is indeed considering kids (and parents of course) a viable market for that toy. At least fare more than the ark, where the kid market is completely ignored. Now it makes even more sense to me how the playset play pattern was not implemented (which I personally find too bad).

And speaking of that, I was looking at the upcoming MOTU toys made just for kids and they do have pricier playsets. Many brands have playsets and Transformers had some too a decade ago. Could be fun to bring that back.

Just wanted to share some facts and thoughts.

The arks right next to rodimus in our toy stores (fortunately) I cant see them not selling the ark to a parent for their kids unlike video game stores (worth their salt) that refuse to sell GTA to a parent buying it for their kid.

Playsets are good for me, we technically had some cardboard payset going on with the Netflix figures (and whichever Baynus exclusive Dinobots). can't see it being long before they come back around. I'm pretty sure we will get another mighty max style thing soon and hasbro doest seem to mind doing the teeny tiny bots.

I would like some masterpiece RID 2015 in the style of bandai spirits maybe but there probably isnt much chance of that if there is no WFC styled rescue bots characters etc.

Playsets are nice, like I could totally go for a MTMTE oil drilling platform. Better than playsets, though? Vehicles! Gimme the Turbo Cycle, Turbo Racer, and Turbo Jet!

AcademyofDrX wrote:Playsets are nice, like I could totally go for a MTMTE oil drilling platform. Better than playsets, though? Vehicles! Gimme the Turbo Cycle, Turbo Racer, and Turbo Jet!

LOL Guys that turn into cars driving cars. The best!

AcademyofDrX wrote:Playsets are nice, like I could totally go for a MTMTE oil drilling platform. Better than playsets, though? Vehicles! Gimme the Turbo Cycle, Turbo Racer, and Turbo Jet!

Speaking of playsets, I've been enjoying rodimus' trailer far more than I feel like I thought that I would. There's just something more to it than the one that came with prime

sol magnus wrote:LOL Guys that turn into cars driving cars. The best!

I cannot confirm nor deny that my Wreckers may have commandeered the Barbie corvette and RV from my daughter's room on occasions.

william-james88 wrote:I noticed something, comparing the Ark to Rodimus. The age on the box is different, even though the Rodimus toy is by all accounts more complex. This reminds me of the discussion we had regarding what is made more for fans as opposed to kids and vice versa. It changes for each class, it seems. So the ark is 15+ on the box.

It was speculated a while back that the reason for the 15+ on the Ark was because of the inclusion of the Optimus Micro figure, which could be perceived as a choking hazard. My Titan Omega, and Scorponok both say 8+. The only other two items so far to have micro figures (Haslab Unicron & the Centurion Drone Set) were not sold at retail. My Centurion Drone set says 8+, but because it was available online only, perhaps that's how Hasbro was able to get around that requirement? I don't know if Unicron has a suggested age on it or not.

o.supreme wrote:

william-james88 wrote:I noticed something, comparing the Ark to Rodimus. The age on the box is different, even though the Rodimus toy is by all accounts more complex. This reminds me of the discussion we had regarding what is made more for fans as opposed to kids and vice versa. It changes for each class, it seems. So the ark is 15+ on the box.

It was speculated a while back that the reason for the 15+ on the Ark was because of the inclusion of the Optimus Micro figure, which could be perceived as a choking hazard. My Titan Omega, and Scorponok both say 8+. The only other two items so far to have micro figures (Haslab Unicron & the Centurion Drone Set) were not sold at retail. My Centurion Drone set says 8+, but because it was available online only, perhaps that's how Hasbro was able to get around that requirement? I don't know if Unicron has a suggested age on it or not.

Interesting, thanks

TF-fan kev777 wrote:

sol magnus wrote:LOL Guys that turn into cars driving cars. The best!

I cannot confirm nor deny that my Wreckers may have commandeered the Barbie corvette and RV from my daughter's room on occasions.

For those wanting vehicles, we are getting some in the upcoming Botbots line

I'd forgotten about those, there hasn't been any news in months. I was buying them by the dozen before the pandemic hit and it killed their distribution. Hopefully there will be a big push when the animated series comes out.

I guess in the meantime I'll need to figure out if I can fit any of the Core class characters in or on other guys, maybe have Starscream straddle one of the Earthrise jets.

william-james88 wrote:For those wanting vehicles, we are getting some in the upcoming Botbots line

Is anyone even selling them? no store I've been to has any, or any shelf space allocated for them

Hellscream9999 wrote:

william-james88 wrote:For those wanting vehicles, we are getting some in the upcoming Botbots line

Is anyone even selling them? no store I've been to has any, or any shelf space allocated for them

That's because there havent been any to sell. The new ones are coming as cross sell promotion for the upcoming Netflix show. Just like last time, when there will be product to sell, the stores will make space.

My wife stopped by our local Target here in Springfield, MO and look what she got me. Pretty awesome to find him on the shelf.

SGM

Congrats! I was glad to find him in store and surprised when the same store restocked him a week later.

TF-fan kev777 wrote:Congrats! I was glad to find him in store and surprised when the same store restocked him a week later.

Same on all counts . In fact I know my closest Target got 3 shipments total, all sold relatively quickly. The only mystery is whether the Titans come packed 1 per case, or 2. In the past it has always been 2 per case, but as some Amazon customers have been receiving their Ark with an additional Hasbro outer box, it certainly raises the question.

*I can't tell for sure, but in that photo, it appears perhaps there was another Ark behind the one pictured.

Thanks, you are correct, forgot to mention there was two. I don't ever recall seeing any restock of the Titans at my local Target. Strangely enough between the two Targets that are in my area, only one had the price tag listed on the shelf.

o.supreme wrote:

TF-fan kev777 wrote:Congrats! I was glad to find him in store and surprised when the same store restocked him a week later.

Same on all counts . In fact I know my closest Target got 3 shipments total, all sold relatively quickly. The only mystery is whether the Titans come packed 1 per case, or 2. In the past it has always been 2 per case, but as some Amazon customers have been receiving their Ark with an additional Hasbro outer box, it certainly raises the question.

*I can't tell for sure, but in that photo, it appears perhaps there was another Ark behind the one pictured.

I'm pretty sure they come both ways, individual packs for Amazon and cases of 2 for brick and mortar stores. The ones I found originally were very clear that they were in the same case based on the crushing pattern on one of the corners.

I've also seen them 2 at a time all 3 times I saw them.