The Energon Pub

SCROLL PAST THE NEXT FEW PARAGRAPHS TO GET TO THE IDEA AND SKIP MY POVs

So I was doing a little thinking about Hasbro cracking down on unlicensed products. I know that the whole subject of Ko's has been beat to death in the forums, but I have just a few more thoughts on the matter.
I buy Ko's strictly as customizing fodder. I buy them because I can get parts of characters in varying sizes, and not have to commit the sacrilidge of destroying a vintage piece to construct my various customs. I also buy them for replacement parts for my transformers that are in need of rehabbing. I buy them because of the lack of availability of certain figures as well.
I'm pretty much all for KO's, except for the ones that try to masquerade as originals such as the Dinobots or G1 Optimus Prime clones on ebay right now.
Hasbro will argue that it cuts into their profits, and takes valuable income from their pockets, but lets face it. Other than ebay and various online stores, the only places where I've found KO's are where people go to NOT spend $40 on a transformer. The only places I find them are at flea markets, big lots, and dollar stores. So I argue that the parents who shop at those places, aren't going to spend the money on official products anyway.
But thats not the thing that really gets me. What bugs me is that Hasbro isn't just stopping there. They are going after the guys who also make custom casted parts also. The guys who can provide valuable replacement parts to customizers that are no longer available from the original toys, or upgrades so that we can make that figure just right. What I'm trying to say is that Hasbro is trying to squeeze down on a market that they have no vested interest in.

SO HERE'S MY PIPEDREAM

What if Hasbro were to open a site or store section that carried a range of replacement parts? They could either cast the parts in a different color than the original, or make a small copyright stamp that designated a replacement part. They could offer a wide range of the same popular parts that the guys making recasts offer. Could you imagine how many pairs of G1 seeker or Prime fists they would sell? Replacement Headmasters or Targetmasters?
In reality this would probably never work, but it would at least give them a reason to pursue the guys like GTG customs, who are only trying to give the collectors or customizers the parts that they need.
It wouldn't have to stop there. How about offering un-assembled and unpainted transformer figures as kits for customizers?


I know that this'll never come to pass, but a guy can dream right!

& that, good sir, is a dream worth dreaming.

In a society and world where more and more people want and EXPECT
options, choices, customized products, etc.,
this is a GREAT idea.

In fact, maybe it won't happen any time soon, but that could be the future of action figures--
Yeah companies will still release toys that correspond with cartoons, movies, etc.,
but a kid or adult getting to (within reason) create their own toys?
That could be huge.

Thanks guys! All I really want is for Hasbro to step-up and give the collectors and customizers what we need(and profit by it), or back-off and let us do our thing.

returnofplex wrote:It wouldn't have to stop there. How about offering un-assembled and unpainted transformer figures as kits for customizers?

I've wanted this for a LONG time. I, personally, have been very reluctant to repaint figures, because I don't want screw up a perfectly good figure. But if we could get unpainted TFs, where the whole point of getting the figure was to do your own painting, then there wouldn't be anything TO screw up.
Love this idea.

Replacement parts are what I really want. Fifteen dollars for a gun on E-Bay is a bit much. Heck, sometimes the loose figures is cheaper than the parts.

One of the first things they could have done was with the Alternators line.

Put out body kits that would allow you change/add spoilers, intakes, side runners etc and really make your Alternators look unique.