The Energon Pub

Is it illegal to buy knockoff transformers? Sometimes I like their coloring better. Are they just repaints of original transformers or is their quality a lot worse?

-Thanks

Its not illegal to buy them. Its copyright infringement or IP infringement to make then.

You can buy them all you want.

KOs are usually of lesser quality though. As cheaper plastics and paints are used, and many times features or gimmicks are taken out to make them cheaper to make.

It's not illegal, but it is a very bad idea. For one, KOs hurt the industry and are the product of blatant theft. For another the quality is usually absolute cack.

Don't buy KOs.

KOs are awesome !!!

The other day I brought my truck to the local mechanic and got a KO oil change for only $19.99. I could have taken my truck to the dealership and got an "official" oil change for $39.99 but now I got some beer money !

But in all seriousness, CHMS taught us that if Hasbro wont give the fans the colors and decos they want somebody else will. Quality control will vary depending on the audience the KO is being marketed for. The guys making KOs aimed at collectors arent stupid. They know a lemon review on youtube will kill their chances of making a profit. So they are stepping up their quality since the CHMS days. Not you got Hexatrons in exclusive decos and oversize MP grimlocks that are likely as good or better than the original. One KO company is even announcing improvements they have tweaked on the MP seeker mold. They are really stepping up their game and im totally digging it.

CHMS was actually pretty low quality.

I mean, I don't have regrets in getting them as troop builders. And the quality isn't the usual KO complete waste of time. But it was also nothing to write home about either. Especially with the prices they used to command.

*checks ebay*

Or maybe amend that to "still do command."

Actually some are still being produced at FAR lower quality. A while back I broke my CHMS black Starscream. But he was still available at Uncle Billy's so I rebought him. And the quality STUNCK! Lower quality plastic, piss poor paint apps ... whatever praise could have been heaped on CHMS in the past is definitely a thing of the past. I used it as a junker for parts. The blacks don't quite match, but whatevs.

Delta Magnus wrote:It's not illegal, but it is a very bad idea. For one, KOs hurt the industry and are the product of blatant theft. For another the quality is usually absolute cack.

Don't buy KOs.

I'm also guilty of buying some KOs (G1 Grimlock, Devs and WJ only). In the end nothing beats the originals (Just realized that not all the super mode features of G1 Devs is available for the KO G1 Dev and so on) though as spare parts....I can live with them unless the molding don't make them compatible.

Though not a KO, I purchased a loose (no box minty from Korea) Sonokong Big Convoy to replace my original Takara's shattered shoulder part. So those things do have some use.