The Energon Pub

Cyber Bishop wrote:

GuyIncognito wrote:I'm probably being too optimistic here, but maybe TRU will look at the popularity of MP Soundwave (surely SOMEONE at corporate has noticed that this $125 item is flying off the shelves faster than they can stock it), and say "Hey, let's talk to Hasbro about doing the other cassettes. If everyone who bought SW buys the cassettes, it's more easy money for us!"

This would be so gravy if they did this.

Do stores actually know what items they stock? Or rather, what other related items could possibly be made before Hasbro comes out with the news?

GuyIncognito wrote:I'm probably being too optimistic here, but maybe TRU will look at the popularity of MP Soundwave (surely SOMEONE at corporate has noticed that this $125 item is flying off the shelves faster than they can stock it), and say "Hey, let's talk to Hasbro about doing the other cassettes. If everyone who bought SW buys the cassettes, it's more easy money for us!"

You're better off wishing on a falling star.
A) TRU communicates inventory/sales with Hasbro???
B) Hasbro is paying attention and NOT asleep at the switch?
C) Hasbro cares about what you want to buy?
D) Hasbro has ever responded to a mass-sell-out of a popular item with a restock of said popular item?

Ehhh, I guess I don't get your optimism or out-loud dreaming. Seems like wasted energy, when realistically, none of what you said is ever going to come true (unless a magic star granted your wish, as previously stated above).

It would have been better to do more 2 packs

Slugfest and Overkill
Beastbox and Squaktalk
Ratbat and AutoScout
Wingthing and Enemy

leokearon wrote:It would have been better to do more 2 packs

Slugfest and Overkill
Beastbox and Squaktalk
Ratbat and AutoScout
Wingthing and Enemy

Look, you guys are horribly ungrateful. Think about how Hasbro feels: those disc 2-packs aren't moving at all, and THEY GAVE YOU WHAT YOU WANTED!!!!

So from Hasbro's point of view, I think they are flipping you off for making such an obnoxious request.

Metrosuplex wrote:

GuyIncognito wrote:I'm probably being too optimistic here, but maybe TRU will look at the popularity of MP Soundwave (surely SOMEONE at corporate has noticed that this $125 item is flying off the shelves faster than they can stock it), and say "Hey, let's talk to Hasbro about doing the other cassettes. If everyone who bought SW buys the cassettes, it's more easy money for us!"

You're better off wishing on a falling star.
A) TRU communicates inventory/sales with Hasbro???
B) Hasbro is paying attention and NOT asleep at the switch?
C) Hasbro cares about what you want to buy?
D) Hasbro has ever responded to a mass-sell-out of a popular item with a restock of said popular item?

Ehhh, I guess I don't get your optimism or out-loud dreaming. Seems like wasted energy, when realistically, none of what you said is ever going to come true (unless a magic star granted your wish, as previously stated above).

A) Yes, TRU communicates with Hasbro. These TRU exclusives don't appear out of thin air. They're part of a collaboration between TRU and Hasbro.
B) Yes, they gave us an awesome Soundwave set that includes cassettes not included with the Takara version. If they were "asleep at the switch", we wouldn't have MP SW.
C) Yes, I think Hasbro cares about SALES.
D) I never said anything about restocking SW, so I'm not sure what you're even arguing there.

I'm psyched for both of these guys! G2 Sideswipe and Soundblaster look fabulous - and that Ratbat!

I think the complaining about Ratbat being packaged with Soundblaster is unwarranted. What else were they going to package Soundblaster with? If it were any other cassette, I have a feeling people would be complaining fairly hard about the continued absence of Ratbat. I highly, highly doubt Ratbat will see a stateside release.

Also, I wouldn't get my hopes up about the other cassette pairs. They've been doing mold repaints and retools where possible to get additional characters out, but they've probably already moved on to other 1984 lineup molds. We'll see.

SoundBlaster preordered! Although tempting I'm passing on G2 Sideswipe

I passed on MP-12, because I said "I love Sideswipe, he's my favorite regular Autobot by a good stretch, but I want G2 Sides."

Then they announced it, and I said "I sincerely hope they get the deco right."

And then they did.

I'm going to say something, and I'm going to say it and MEAN it like I have NEVER meant these words before, because something like MP G2 Sideswipe is, quite literally, my grail.

SHUT
UP
AND
TAKE
MY
MONEY.

Ratbat looks spot-on from what I can tell, but I don't care for Soundblaster (don't even have Soundwave yet!)

Hard to see the details for Ratbat but looks like his weapons are incorporated in the cassette (gold edges on the cassette).

Metrosuplex wrote:

leokearon wrote:It would have been better to do more 2 packs

Slugfest and Overkill
Beastbox and Squaktalk
Ratbat and AutoScout
Wingthing and Enemy

Look, you guys are horribly ungrateful. Think about how Hasbro feels: those disc 2-packs aren't moving at all, and THEY GAVE YOU WHAT YOU WANTED!!!!

So from Hasbro's point of view, I think they are flipping you off for making such an obnoxious request.

Well, the disc 2-packs are (1) poorly detailed & (2) kinda pricey, especially considering (1).

If anyone just wants Soundblaster, I just want the Ratbat. Mayhaps we can work something out?

(unlikely, I know, but it's worth a shot)

Mkall wrote:If anyone just wants Soundblaster, I just want the Ratbat. Mayhaps we can work something out?

(unlikely, I know, but it's worth a shot)

I feel like a lot of people are in your boat

Hasbro should take MP Ratbat and Generations (Senator) Ratbat, and put them in a sort of "Ratbat: Then and Now" 2-pack with a boxback bio written to depict him as IDW Ratbat to go along with the current IDW G1 theme of the Generations line.

Perhaps Hasbro will release their own SoundBlaster/Ratbat set. I know that a MP is a far cry from a $20 voyager, but the Generations SoundBlaster shows their willingness to do the character. I think the $75-$80 range would be good for the combo. Hasbro is going to have a shortage of MP's to release in the future considering all the licensed cars coming out and their unwillingness or inability to attain the licenses. I suppose they could release another seeker of some kind next summer.

LOST Cybertronian wrote:Perhaps Hasbro will release their own SoundBlaster/Ratbat set. I know that a MP is a far cry from a $20 voyager, but the Generations SoundBlaster shows their willingness to do the character. I think the $75-$80 range would be good for the combo. Hasbro is going to have a shortage of MP's to release in the future considering all the licensed cars coming out and their unwillingness or inability to attain the licenses. I suppose they could release another seeker of some kind next summer.

For good reason, Hasbro tends to shy away from:
(1) high price points
(2) Japanese characters

There are obviously notable exceptions to either rule (e.g. FOC Soundblaster), but an MP Soundblaster would be both of these things. I would love to see him stateside, but I continue to be pessimistic about this possibility.

Well there is an easily pass - well, there was an easy pass until they announced it with Ratbat. Damn my plastic crack addiction to Masterpieces.

I am feeling the same way as many others - I want Ratbat, but it's hard to reason buying Soundblaster after just buying Soundwave. If Soundblaster can come with some different accessories then it would be easier to swallow.

I have a feeling this is not the last time we will see MP Ratbat.

I knew a MP Soundblaster repaint was on the cards, thankfully is now a reality. I'm super excited for MP Soundblaster, and Ratbat is the cherry on the top

I pre-ordered and paid for mine as soon as it was listed this morning, can't wait.

Ok they both look good, I had to preorder both just to add them to my mp collection, but I'm tired of seeing the same old remakes different colors, I have six different optimus's, now they have soundblaster coming out duh black Soundwave, why not autobot blaster, instead of g2 sideswipe why not rachet or ironhide, or better yet a mp devastater, or more dinobots, got both grimlocks, maybe some of the little guys like huffer or cosmos , seaspray, powerglide , or even a jazz mp

How about coming out with blaster or jazz or some of the other g1 characters

Mkall wrote:If anyone just wants Soundblaster, I just want the Ratbat. Mayhaps we can work something out?

(unlikely, I know, but it's worth a shot)

Do what most assholes are doing with TRU Soundwave: buy Soundblaster, take out Ratbat and then sell Soundblaster on ebay for twice of what he costs new.

is it me or do the feet on soundblaster look like keds or cheap tennis shoes to you all?


oh and bring on rat bat

VioMeTriX wrote:is it me or do the feet on soundblaster look like keds or cheap tennis shoes to you all?


oh and bring on rat bat

Yes, they do. Ugh.

Sabrblade wrote:Hasbro should take MP Ratbat and Generations (Senator) Ratbat, and put them in a sort of "Ratbat: Then and Now" 2-pack with a boxback bio written to depict him as IDW Ratbat to go along with the current IDW G1 theme of the Generations line.

Great idea, from a collector's viewpoint.

But it occurs to me that no matter how much we want just the cassettes without paying big bucks for another MP Soundwave repaint, if they're packaged with anything that doesn't require enormous, hard-to-open-inconspicuously Masterpiece packaging, they will be shoplifted worse than any TF in history. Toys'R'Us policy is that items costing $100 or more require spider-wrap security devices to go out on the shelves, though the sheer number of high-price TFs lately has bent the rules just a tad; at my local TRU, Platinum Grimlock vs. Bruticus consistently has them, along with Acid Storm despite his lower cost, while Metroplex doesn't get them because he's usually kept behind a counter as they don't want to devote that much shelf space to anything selling out so regularly, and there aren't many little bits one would see any point in swiping from his box anyway, right? But spider-wraps are a necessary deterrent wherever MP cassettes are concerned, and they only fit on big boxes.

Actually, you know what extras would get fans to jump at an MP Soundwave repaint? A dozen extra fingertips, half of them color-matched to MP2! Complain to Hasbro's customer service about your MP Soundwave being dis-indexed and maybe it'll happen! Of course then TRU'd REALLY need to spider-wrap each box...