The Energon Pub

News Credits: 293 · by **shajaki** » Mon Apr 27, 2015 10:49 pm

There's 17 pages in this thread, and I'm going to guess most people haven't read every post. Blue, you could have dropped the same post only politely and informatively. Let's try to respect one another shall we?

News Credits: 4835 · by **william-james88** » Mon Apr 27, 2015 10:53 pm

The start of this thread is page 1. The video news landed you here so you could be part of the latest conversation but this is still part of the Cyber Series thread which contains the previous known info on the products such as the prices found on Hasbro's website.

Also, back to the whole G1 aesthatic, this feels to me more like a combination of G1 and movies, just like Prime tried to do. The Megatron feels like the Megatron from the recent WFC video games (which is a cross between G1 and ROTF) and Grimlock feels like the G1 Dino with the snout of RID 2015 and the colors of the AOE toy. It's actually really smart design that brings in old and new fans together. I am still just really surprised by how low key this whole thing is.

News Credits: 41 · by **Cobotron** » Mon Apr 27, 2015 10:57 pm

william-james88 wrote: this feels to me more like a combination of G1 and movies

Yup. I see dat.

News Credits: 331 · by **chuckdawg1999** » Tue Apr 28, 2015 1:57 am

Shockwave7 wrote:
chuckdawg1999 wrote:I cannot agree since the basic movie toys; one-steps, power battlers, are far and away my most watched reviews. In fact they continue to get more views than anything from CW or RID. Just looking at those numbers CW and RID are failures not the simplified toys

As I said, I'm not sure what the actual sales numbers are on the 'for kiddies' movie4 toys. But I'm not sure that 'most viewed' reviews translates to 'cleaned up in actual sales'. It may be the viewers were just curious to see if it was worth it, saw the review, then said 'that's not for me'. Or it could be the reverse - we just don't know for sure unless we have the real numbers.

While the G1 figures were simpler - they were the most advanced for their time. Topspin and Twintwist didn't come out until after the G1 figures had been on the market for a couple of years. (I started collecting in 83 when I was just going into High School.) I suppose the 'one step' and other simplified movie4 stuff could be said to be the 2014/15 equivalent of Topspin and Twintwist.

I stopped collecting in 88 because the figures were becoming too blocky, too simple, and too garish. They moved from neat figures into gimmickry, with the target masters, headmasters and 'micro masters'. Possibly for the same reasons. Sales were down, and they wanted to rope in a new generation of younger buyers with flashier colors, simpler transformations, and neat-o gimmicks.

It didn't work then either. Sales continued to drop until the 90s, when they went to 'G2', which was mostly just the G1 figures with 90s day-glow paint jobs. The real Transformer renaissance didn't take place until the 'Classics' figures started coming out in the mid-2000s.

The CW line DOES actually have simpler transformations, at least compared to some of the movie 'advanced' figures. The deluxes and voyagers are comparatively simple and fun, compared to say, Evasion Mode Optimus. You don't get the impression that you're trying to solve a puzzle when you transform the CW figures. I'm not sure what the review view ratio is compared to the sales ratio, but the CW figures are really hard to get from HTS, and even harder to find in stores because they sell out so fast.

Whereas you have your pick of the movie4 simplified toys, which have tons left unsold.

Make of that what you will...

I don't know the view to sales ratio either but what I can share is my most watched CW video is Air Raid with over 4,000 views, compared to Power Battler Prime which has over 160,000 views. Keep in mind the average number of views my TF reviews get is roughly 2,000. AOE simple toy reviews average 4,000 with most over 10,000. Another bit of info for the period of March 16th-April 15th, which was the most recent earnings cycle, out of my top 10 videos only 2 were non movie toys, but they were the RID One-Step wave 2 figures and Hyperchange Prime.

News Credits: 3 · by **Shockwave7** » Tue Apr 28, 2015 10:32 am

I admit, I'm curious. Does each video view/review count as a 'buyer'? Or is it just people who want to check out the figure to see if it's worth buying or not?

For my part, I haven't needed the video reviews to help make up my mind whether or not to buy the CW figures, I know I'm buying them

by **BlueBefore** » Tue Apr 28, 2015 10:39 am

Shockwave7 wrote:I admit, I'm curious. Does each video view/review count as a 'buyer'? Or is it just people who want to check out the figure to see if it's worth buying or not?

I'd say it's more the latter. I've watched chuckdawg1999's videos and bought 5 one steps. Though I was already into Rescue Bots at the time so I wouldn't say it's a causative relationship.

News Credits: 4835 · by **william-james88** » Tue Apr 28, 2015 10:54 am

The idea of a review at the root is to give information to potential buyers. That's why I despise heavily sponsored reviews since that just becomes like a commercial for the product.

So while the amount of times a review is watched might not directly translate into sales numbers, it is obvious that the amount of times a review is seen is directly related to the interest on these figures. If nobody cared (which is what is insinuated with the comments on these toys being worthless and shelfwarming) then no one would be watching the videos. But it seems people were very interested by those figures.

I myself have bought one of these simplified figures, I know Cobotron and Kanrabat have done so too, and I am sure many other people on these boards have bought some simplified figures as well.

News Credits: 41 · by **Cobotron** » Tue Apr 28, 2015 11:16 am

I often look at reviews after a purchase to see if I am transforming something right.

I new after seeing Chuck's review of RID15 Warrior Drift, I would be buying him. I would have probably got him anyway because I like the line, but the review definitely solidified my decision. Chuck and others are usually very helpful with discovering things like weapons storage, and anything else that is left out of the instructions.

My point, there are lots of good reasons to watch video reviews.

This might make a good thread topic, "What do you get out of video reviews?"

by **Stryfe Convoy** » Tue Apr 28, 2015 11:26 am

I like watching the reviews, simply because most of the time, the reviews come out before the toys hit the shelves in my area. I can tell if I'm going to like it or not by seeing it in motion. It's nice to have something to look at in case I have a problem with the transformation as well. Though recently, that's mostly the 3rd party stuff, but anyways...

News Credits: 8 · by **NuclearConvoy** » Tue Apr 28, 2015 1:37 pm

Yeah, I have the same feelings about reviews.

News Credits: 331 · by **chuckdawg1999** » Tue Apr 28, 2015 2:28 pm

Shockwave7 wrote:I admit, I'm curious. Does each video view/review count as a 'buyer'? Or is it just people who want to check out the figure to see if it's worth buying or not?

For my part, I haven't needed the video reviews to help make up my mind whether or not to buy the CW figures, I know I'm buying them

I don't look at views counting as buyers, I think of it as a general portrait of interest. I've been doing video reviews since DOTM and I've seen peaks and valleys in views the line up with interest in the brand. Keep in mind a larger reviewer who has 10,000 plus subscribers can't really see this since they have enough habitual viewers that they wouldn't notice a dip here and there. I think in my case the views came from people baffled by the horrible instructions on the packaging and curiosity in the figures. Personally if I were to get say 11" Optimus Prime to review, I don't expect it to do more than 2K views, that's if it gets front paged. The casual fans who are only into the movies aren't looking at the TF brand now so they're searching less on YouTube for related content.

I am very curious if what was speculated on in another post is true, is Brazil a emerging market for Transformers? I was under the impression the economically they can't sustain leisure pursuits such as toy collecting. Fascinating times.

News Credits: 4835 · by **william-james88** » Tue Apr 28, 2015 2:36 pm

chuckdawg1999 wrote:
I am very curious if what was speculated on in another post is true, is Brazil a emerging market for Transformers? I was under the impression the economically they can't sustain leisure pursuits such as toy collecting. Fascinating times.

They are definitely considered emerging markets. Their middle class is growing every year, and more and more people are able to spend more money on leisure activities. Same with India, China and Russia. Other countries are still stuck with only dollar store KOs though, like Vietnam.

What I dont get is the how expensive imports in Brazil are. Imports seem to be about twice as much as the price they cost in north america. Does that mega premium go to the government or do the exporters get some of that crazy money?

by **mtma** » Tue Apr 28, 2015 2:48 pm

Well, actually our problem here in Brazil is basically corruption. Every single politician takes out money from public projects and other stuff for themselves.

This eventually leads to taxes rising, because there is not enough money to maintain the country itself.

Hasbro has been very... Irregular when it comes to releasing Transformers here, so I'm impressed there's al ine onl we are getting. IT still doesn't make me happy because CW wave 1 deluxes are not coming here ._.

News Credits: 3 · by **Kyleor** » Sat May 02, 2015 9:11 am

chuckdawg1999 wrote:
Seibertron wrote:Are these up on eBay or somewhere I can purchase them yet so that I can do proper galleries of these for Seibertron.com?

I've tried doing every conceivable search possible for these. I can't find them. FYI there is no eBay Brazil either.

Did you do searches in Portuguese?

News Credits: 331 · by **chuckdawg1999** » Sat May 02, 2015 4:36 pm

Kyleor wrote:
chuckdawg1999 wrote:
Seibertron wrote:Are these up on eBay or somewhere I can purchase them yet so that I can do proper galleries of these for Seibertron.com?

I've tried doing every conceivable search possible for these. I can't find them. FYI there is no eBay Brazil either.

Did you do searches in Portuguese?

That I did not. I only speak English and I'd be very hesitant to do business with a non English site.

News Credits: 3 · by **Kyleor** » Sat May 02, 2015 5:59 pm

chuckdawg1999 wrote:
Kyleor wrote:
chuckdawg1999 wrote:
Seibertron wrote:Are these up on eBay or somewhere I can purchase them yet so that I can do proper galleries of these for Seibertron.com?

I've tried doing every conceivable search possible for these. I can't find them. FYI there is no eBay Brazil either.

Did you do searches in Portuguese?

That I did not. I only speak English and I'd be very hesitant to do business with a non English site.

Finding is half the battle.

News Credits: 331 · by **chuckdawg1999** » Sat May 02, 2015 7:00 pm

Kyleor wrote:
chuckdawg1999 wrote:
Kyleor wrote:
chuckdawg1999 wrote:
Seibertron wrote:Are these up on eBay or somewhere I can purchase them yet so that I can do proper galleries of these for Seibertron.com?

I've tried doing every conceivable search possible for these. I can't find them. FYI there is no eBay Brazil either.

Did you do searches in Portuguese?

That I did not. I only speak English and I'd be very hesitant to do business with a non English site.

Finding is half the battle.

No, half the battle is red lasers. The other half is blue. Trust me I'm an expert.

Seriously though, are you trying to tell us something? Links would help.

News Credits: 100 · by **-Kanrabat-** » Sat May 02, 2015 7:20 pm

chuckdawg1999 wrote:No, half the battle is red lasers. The other half is blue.

And none of them hit anything.

by **Moosey** » Sat May 02, 2015 9:49 pm

-Kanrabat- wrote:
chuckdawg1999 wrote:No, half the battle is red lasers. The other half is blue.

And none of them hit anything.

So how do green lasers fit into this? :-?

One of us has to have our facts wrong.

News Credits: 3 · by **Kyleor** » Sun May 03, 2015 9:15 am

chuckdawg1999 wrote:
Kyleor wrote:
chuckdawg1999 wrote:
Kyleor wrote:
chuckdawg1999 wrote:
Seibertron wrote:Are these up on eBay or somewhere I can purchase them yet so that I can do proper galleries of these for Seibertron.com?

I've tried doing every conceivable search possible for these. I can't find them. FYI there is no eBay Brazil either.

Did you do searches in Portuguese?

That I did not. I only speak English and I'd be very hesitant to do business with a non English site.

Finding is half the battle.

No, half the battle is red lasers. The other half is blue. Trust me I'm an expert.

Seriously though, are you trying to tell us something? Links would help.

Red & blue lasers are a quarter of the battle, each.
I was just suggesting searching in the language of the country where they've been found.

News Credits: 331 · by **chuckdawg1999** » Sun May 03, 2015 2:38 pm

Kyleor wrote:
chuckdawg1999 wrote:
Kyleor wrote:
chuckdawg1999 wrote:
Kyleor wrote:
chuckdawg1999 wrote:
Seibertron wrote:Are these up on eBay or somewhere I can purchase them yet so that I can do proper galleries of these for Seibertron.com?

I've tried doing every conceivable search possible for these. I can't find them. FYI there is no eBay Brazil either.

Did you do searches in Portuguese?

That I did not. I only speak English and I'd be very hesitant to do business with a non English site.

Finding is half the battle.

No, half the battle is red lasers. The other half is blue. Trust me I'm an expert.

Seriously though, are you trying to tell us something? Links would help.

Red & blue lasers are a quarter of the battle, each.
I was just suggesting searching in the language of the country where they've been found.

You're correct and knowing is the other half.

News Credits: 293 · by **shajaki** » Tue May 12, 2015 11:07 pm

Seibertron sponsor Robot Kingdom appears to be the first to have Transformers Generations Cyber Series up for pre-order! The line has size classes called Commander (Optimus Prime and Bumblebee) and Battalion (Optimus Prime, Bumblebee, Megatron, Starscream, and Grimlock). These figures have been elusive, but causing quite a stir in the Energon Pub, so if you want to be one of the first to get these figures head over to Robot Kingdom and snag them! Stay tuned to Seibertron.com for all your Transformers News!

News Credits: 41 · by **Cobotron** » Tue May 12, 2015 11:24 pm

Could this point to a stateside release?

News Credits: 456 · by **Sabrblade** » Tue May 12, 2015 11:26 pm

Cobotron wrote:Could this point to a stateside release?

I wouldn't take RobotKingdom to be a good sign of this happening since RobotKingdom is based in Hong Kong and regularly import their items anyway.

News Credits: 331 · by **chuckdawg1999** » Tue May 12, 2015 11:40 pm

Robot Kingdom is good with dates but I have a feeling these won't be in until the end of the month. It'll be $115 for the whole set, not including shipping.