The Energon Pub

Air Commander Starscream wrote:Theres no room for the toy line. With the Movie toy line now out, there is also Alternators, Titaniums, SWTF's and the upcoming toy line for the new TV show (wonder what that is going to look like since its going to be samurai jack animation). It was a great toyline and cool idea, but it was simply a filler between Cybertron and the Movie Toyline.

But Alternators will soon be dead. Supposedly after Rodimus, that's it. And all this Movie stuff interferes w/the other lines. Go read my thread about finding Titaniums. It's impossible. Same for Alts. I haven't seen Ravage or Rumble yet. I don't really care for the SWTF line, so I'm not considered about that. The point is, if they continued the line, it would be eaten alive by the Movie line.

Decepticlone Soundwave wrote:(snip)... I know there was concept art to do Cosmos, but I don't think that will gon anywhere unfortunately. (snip)

SUPPOSEDLY someone found a reference to a 6" G1 Cosmos Titanium, along with a 6" G1 Arcee Titanium. Perhaps they passed the concept art on to the Titanium folx...

I'll add too that Hasbro has indeed revisited hiatus'ed product. Seen them do it twice in the last few years with Star Wars. First on the Action-Fleet scale vehicles (halted in 2002), which were recently revisited as Titanium Ultras. Next was their 7inch Unleashed; put on hiatus in 2005 and now seeing some new product.

Well I live in OKC, perhaps not as big as say LA or NY, but its a pretty big city, and every Walmart, Target, and Toy's R Us in this city ended up putting classics on clearance, and other then Starscream you could find every figure in the line on the shelves when it happened, and even after they were put on clearance it still took over a month before the majority was gone. Every store had at least a few Primes, Ramjets, and BBs left on the shelves as of last weekend.

As much as I'd love the line to come back I don't think it will.

I also have to disagree with you on the movie bombing. I don't know a single person who doesn't plan on seeing. For transformer fans there might be some hesitation because of the new looks, but for the average Joe it has all the makings of a perfect summer action flick. It might not top Pirates or Spiderman, but I'm fairly certain its gonna do some really good business.

Last I heard the Classics line, like the Alternators line, were on Hiatus until after the movie has finished selling it's plastic crap. Hasbro doesn't want Hollywood nicking their profit, and so are waiting until the movie's done with.
Then, I expect they will go back and have a good think whether it's profitable to continue these two lines. And of course, they need to really get a move on with the next cartoon and toys.




I wouldn't suggest holding your breath, cos you'll go purple. But I have a feeling we haven't seen the last of the Classics line.

But, but Universe IS dead.... Has been for some time. The Aerialbot Micromasters took forever to finally trickle out and those have been planned for nearly two years. The repackaged Energon toys released to discount stores don't really count now do they? Alts are as good as dead. Classics unfortunately looks dead too. When there's a huge lull in news for a specific toyline, it usually indicates the line is done. I bought all of them too.

tentagil wrote:Well I live in OKC, perhaps not as big as say LA or NY, but its a pretty big city, and every Walmart, Target, and Toy's R Us in this city ended up putting classics on clearance, and other then Starscream you could find every figure in the line on the shelves when it happened, and even after they were put on clearance it still took over a month before the majority was gone. Every store had at least a few Primes, Ramjets, and BBs left on the shelves as of last weekend.

As much as I'd love the line to come back I don't think it will.

I also have to disagree with you on the movie bombing. I don't know a single person who doesn't plan on seeing. For transformer fans there might be some hesitation because of the new looks, but for the average Joe it has all the makings of a perfect summer action flick. It might not top Pirates or Spiderman, but I'm fairly certain its gonna do some really good business.

Funny Shrevport isn't nearly as big as OKC and asside from Mirage most of the Classics figures were nearly imposible to find shortly after their release.

Funkmaster Fleximus wrote:With any product that is sold to consumers, the bottom line is the numbers on the accounting sheets. The numbers are what ultimately tells you whether or not something is or isn't moving.
I've seen the Classics go discount as well, but only after Bumblebee or all those other smaller figures sit for weeks on end. Everything else moves pretty quick: Starscream, Hot-Rod, Jetfire, Optimus, Grimlock, Astrotrain and even Mirage, who alone seems to get shipped by the truck load. Contacts I have at TrU and other specialty toy shops tend to agree that the line moves well, and despite almost non-existant marketing. Even the TF Ultimate guide called the line a hit.

Counterpunch: Dude, you need to take a broader view. First off, where you live is a factor. Do you live in a big Metropolitan city? Armpit-Suburbia? Somewhere inbetween? I live in a fairly large city and what I've seen doesn't at all agree with what you've seen. Maybe there aren't many kids in your area or maybe their aren't enough adult collectors. You have to take these things into account before you get so eloquantly absolutist

Bonger: I didn't say that the line was a 'wild' success, only that it did better than Hasbro intended. Good enough that it would be silly to just let the line finish off completely. Ultimately, yes, we have to wait and see what happens.

I'm laughing about this Business advice, it's quite 101.

Counterpunch wrote:

Funkmaster Fleximus wrote:Those of you in the 'nay' camp aren't thinking like business people. When something does that well in sales, you don't just hang up the hat and call it a day when the initial run is completed; you find ways to make more and thus sell more. By the sounds of it the line proved to be more popular than Hasbro expected it to be. The likely outcome then is that the line is on hiatus until the movie hype dies down.

My prediction for the film is that its going to bomb, and that the toys won't be far behind. With that Hasbro will be all-too-eager to go back to what was already working for them with this franchise.

:BLEHHHH!!!:

Whoo-hoo-hoops! I just vomited all over everything!

Let me pose a quandary to you…when the majority of a line goes on clearance, has no media (ie TV or movie) support, and has no gimmick which specifically appeals to children…what do we call it folks?

6" Titaniums, Star War TFs, Attacktix, even Alternators could be a good name for it.

Personally, I was disappointed with the Classics line for the same reason the Movie toys are disappointing me.

Lack of scale.

I know as a kid the scale inconsistency between say, Prowl and Streetwise, annoyed me.

Don't get me wrong the toys look nice but they don't fit together. Cars larger than helicoptors just look wrong.

It's a pity that HasTak didn't give us cool repaints for the line instead of the Heroes of Cybertron passing as G1 crap.

What I would have liked to see was

Clocker as Hot Rod
Robotmasters Mirage repainted as G2 Double Clutch
RM Road Rocket as Actiionmaster Rad
Energon Divebomb as Banzai-tron
Battle Ravage as Rampage or Catilla
Strong Arm as Road Buster
More Robotmaster Seekers like Sunstorm and the Drones

Mostly Basics and mostly recent molds

Hopefully the 6" Titanium series will make up for it.

Ratchet and Ironhide, we all want but what about the likes of First-Aid, Nosecone or Sinnertwin?

Inner Robot Cloudburst or Skullgrin would be awesome!!!

GetterDragun wrote:

Counterpunch wrote:

Funkmaster Fleximus wrote:Those of you in the 'nay' camp aren't thinking like business people. When something does that well in sales, you don't just hang up the hat and call it a day when the initial run is completed; you find ways to make more and thus sell more. By the sounds of it the line proved to be more popular than Hasbro expected it to be. The likely outcome then is that the line is on hiatus until the movie hype dies down.

My prediction for the film is that its going to bomb, and that the toys won't be far behind. With that Hasbro will be all-too-eager to go back to what was already working for them with this franchise.

:BLEHHHH!!!:

Whoo-hoo-hoops! I just vomited all over everything!

Let me pose a quandary to you…when the majority of a line goes on clearance, has no media (ie TV or movie) support, and has no gimmick which specifically appeals to children…what do we call it folks?

6" Titaniums, Star War TFs, Attacktix, even Alternators could be a good name for it.

Smoooooooth

GetterDragun wrote:

Counterpunch wrote:

Funkmaster Fleximus wrote:Those of you in the 'nay' camp aren't thinking like business people. When something does that well in sales, you don't just hang up the hat and call it a day when the initial run is completed; you find ways to make more and thus sell more. By the sounds of it the line proved to be more popular than Hasbro expected it to be. The likely outcome then is that the line is on hiatus until the movie hype dies down.

My prediction for the film is that its going to bomb, and that the toys won't be far behind. With that Hasbro will be all-too-eager to go back to what was already working for them with this franchise.

:BLEHHHH!!!:

Whoo-hoo-hoops! I just vomited all over everything!

Let me pose a quandary to you…when the majority of a line goes on clearance, has no media (ie TV or movie) support, and has no gimmick which specifically appeals to children…what do we call it folks?

6" Titaniums, Star War TFs, Attacktix, even Alternators could be a good name for it.

True, but hold up on judgement for a minute there.

Attacktix has a huge gimmick, it's a game.

Star Wars Transformers is a gimmick in of itself. Not only that, but it appeals to two markets (mainly a Starwars one).

Alts and 6" Titaniums, have a higher price than they should really and seem to come out in lower numbers. Those lines aren't dead because they almost always sell out. Even all the Titanium Megatrons, Alt Riccochets, and Alt Swindles didn't stay on the shelves indefinately.

Anyway, I do see where you're coming from.

Okay skeptics, let me ask this: Do you all want Classics to go adios muchachos?

I can see the points that are being made, but some of you sound like you want this line to be done for good. If so, fair enough, If not there's still the highly effective route of fan outcry. Instead of remaining skeptical or dejected why not instead unleash a barrage of good 'ol fashion consumer demand? This is easily the biggest and busiest toy-franchise forum I've ever visited, so if the line truly was kaput, I'd imagine if most everyone here got involved in a petition...oh my yes, Hasbro would listen.

Funkmaster Fleximus wrote:Okay skeptics, let me ask this: Do you all want Classics to go adios muchachos?

I can see the points that are being made, but some of you sound like you want this line to be done for good. If so, fair enough, If not there's still the highly effective route of fan outcry. Instead of remaining skeptical or dejected why not instead unleash a barrage of good 'ol fashion consumer demand? This is easily the biggest and busiest toy-franchise forum I've ever visited, so if the line truly was kaput, I'd imagine if most everyone here got involved in a petition...oh my yes, Hasbro would listen.

You forget that there is only a limited shelf space that Hasbro is alotted. Counterpunch was right that there is no additional promotion for classics. After the movie, there should be more kids interested in TFs and they need a line that is aimed towards kids. Hence, Transformers: Heroes (not to be confused with Robot Heroes). It will have a show and all the good stuff that goes a long with a real series. Do I want classics to contiune? Yes. But realistically, without redoing all of G1, what more could they have done? Technicaly we got all of the first series of Decepticons, save a new mold for Soundwave. And a lot of good Autobots, I'm sure we could have gotten a Hound, Prowl, and an Ironhide, but how much more? Do you then go into Headmasters (which I think would have been cool, but I think a detachable head is going to be viewed as boring to kids today), Insecticons, Combiners, and if so, what's the story behind all that?

I've got an idea, lets wait till Botcon, if they don't state that the line will be continued then from that moment on we can safely assume it well and truely is dead and it will be forbidden for anyone to start new "will classics come back?" threads.
I think the line is dead, though the new cartoon will probably have a few classics style toys in it.

Getter Dragun:
Yes, obviously any toy-line has limited shelf space, but in my kneck of the woods TF's has quite the monopoly on it: Cybertron, Alternators, Classics, a hodge-podge of peg-warmer remnants from other lines and a slew of Movie toys are currently occupying some prime real-estate at all my local TrUs. Cybertron and Alternators are pretty much done are they not? We of course know that movie toys tend to be more finite than other lines. You've got this Heroes line next, but what else? I'm only seeing opportunities in all that leftover shelf real-estate once the movie is done . The kids must get their line, true, but Hasbro still needs to give us bigger kids some lovin too. If Alternators is wrapped, then Classics can fill the bill. The beauty of Classics is that it too was also geared towards kids, and not just we of the older variety.
As for where to draw the line era /characterwise? Easy; I think everything up to and including the first movie qualifies as G1. That gives us Galvatron, Cyclonus, maybe Scourge and Soundwave (since they've already been Titaniumized), Blitzwing, Insecticons, Combiners from both sides, Kup, Springer, Arcee, Blurr, Sharkticons, more Dinos, Hound, Sideswipe, Prowl, Wheeljack, Tracks...etc.
A lot of possibilites still there, so there's no reason that this well needs to dry up just yet.

Uncrazzimatic wrote:I've got an idea, lets wait till Botcon, if they don't state that the line will be continued then from that moment on we can safely assume it well and truely is dead and it will be forbidden for anyone to start new "will classics come back?" threads.
I think the line is dead, though the new cartoon will probably have a few classics style toys in it.

Good point, if they don't make the point to say it themselves, the question will certainly be raised by an outspoken audience member...

My guess is Archer will have something to tell us about it, good or bad...

You know what's funny?
While alot of people here are going, "So what if the movie looks different? Transformers need to evoooooooooooooolve!"

...that there's no large majority bellowing that the Classics line needs to move on so we can see more stuff that looks like the movie toys?

There's a damn good reason for that. The original source material has plenty to work from.
To not tap it is just laziness.

I'd love to see the movie line continue because I love the look of them. I'd also like to see classics continue because I love the characters and look of them as well.

The movie figures will get a resurgence in a year or two when the planned sequel comes out. And I can hope for more classics, but Hasbro said originally it was a filler line and it wasn't expected to go past the movie, we'll see what they say at Botcon, but unless we get some news I don't think its coming back.

Alts probably will in some form, especially if the G1 colored Starscream actually is a Hasbro release as the rumors say. But since I don't collect Alts that really doesn't matter to me.

Funkmaster Fleximus wrote:Getter Dragun:
Yes, obviously any toy-line has limited shelf space, but in my kneck of the woods TF's has quite the monopoly on it: Cybertron, Alternators, Classics, a hodge-podge of peg-warmer remnants from other lines and a slew of Movie toys are currently occupying some prime real-estate at all my local TrUs. Cybertron and Alternators are pretty much done are they not? We of course know that movie toys tend to be more finite than other lines. You've got this Heroes line next, but what else? I'm only seeing opportunities in all that leftover shelf real-estate once the movie is done . The kids must get their line, true, but Hasbro still needs to give us bigger kids some lovin too.

First off, what you described is poor sales. Cybertron, Alternatrs, and other peg-warmers, even classics? It means the store didn't move that inventory. That's not good. The shelf space fro teh movie toys now is only permanent, they do that with every movie toy line, you don't think the front of a TRU is going to be filled with Transformers from this pint forward? After the mvoie, theygo back to thir typical shelf space...which is geared for one series, plus an accessory series.

And not for nothing, Hasbro making a whole line dedicated for adults just won't fly. In reality, us adult collectrs, look forward to the main line series, because that's what TF is. It's a regular toy line and that's why it's been so successful.

Funkmaster Fleximus wrote:Okay skeptics, let me ask this: Do you all want Classics to go adios muchachos?

Ummm, yea. I want some reissues, not remakes.

GetterDragun wrote:
First off, what you described is poor sales. Cybertron, Alternatrs, and other peg-warmers, even classics? It means the store didn't move that inventory. That's not good. The shelf space fro teh movie toys now is only permanent, they do that with every movie toy line, you don't think the front of a TRU is going to be filled with Transformers from this pint forward? After the mvoie, theygo back to thir typical shelf space...which is geared for one series, plus an accessory series.

And not for nothing, Hasbro making a whole line dedicated for adults just won't fly. In reality, us adult collectrs, look forward to the main line series, because that's what TF is. It's a regular toy line and that's why it's been so successful.

Doesn't look like you read my post fully, brah.
I believe I already stated that those other lines were warming the pegs. In an earlier post I had stated too that the Classics in this group that weren't selling were those tiny figures. I also did not say anything about an adult-only line. I had said that adult collectors need lovin too, and the beauty of Classics was that it WAS targeted to adults AS WELL AS kids.
As far as there being too many lines and too little shelf-space after the film go, I'd say we're going to have to agree to disagree. Hasbro is a business and surprise, businesses are about making money. As such, why would Hasbro limit themselves to just two lines? Especially when they've found that people still want to buy retro-based characters? Regardless of any new series, there's always going to be a market for toys that are based on G1.

Well, I'd bet Hasbro milks the movie and Heroes lines for as long as possible. If and when sales from those slack off, I wouldn't be shocked to see some more "Classics" fill the shelf space while they cook up a new scheme.