The Energon Pub

[Bumblevivisector]

I just love how Hasbro assumes that I am a 18+ year old boy :/ ... I think it's time to update the whole boy/girl division in the toy market.

The gender divide and aiming of the brand is really disheartening. I'm surprised they haven't caught up with the Let Toys be Toys campaign. The whole Angry Birds Girls (PINK!!) and Nerf Rebelle (PINK!!) is actually ridiculous.

...AND YET, from my perspective in TRU, Rebelle ended up being the THE hottest toyline last holiday season. No other line was more demanded, or sold out of its non-tiny items more consistently. And no, it didn't seem to be lack of supply, because my store kept getting them in regularly until Christmas.

Call it silly all you want, but if Hasbro painting Nerf pink was what it took to unseat Monster High for a season (with an assist from Equestria Girls putting a crack in Mattel's stranglehold on the fashion doll market), you can't call it a dumb decision from their perspective. It's apparently what people actually wanted. Demographics matter, regardless of how it looks to us collectors.

[Va'al]

I just love how Hasbro assumes that I am a 18+ year old boy :/ ... I think it's time to update the whole boy/girl division in the toy market.

The gender divide and aiming of the brand is really disheartening. I'm surprised they haven't caught up with the Let Toys be Toys campaign. The whole Angry Birds Girls (PINK!!) and Nerf Rebelle (PINK!!) is actually ridiculous.

It sure is..especially when you go in to the older Walmarts' and they still have the "Boys" and "Girls" signs hanging from the ceiling to separate the toys. I remember I went into a Toys R Us in CT last year and had my hands full of TF's, an older woman and her husband were standing their probably shopping for their grandson or whatever, gave me the oddest look then asked me "Are those for your son?"

Damn I don't think i've heard people in a store turn that dickish that quickly

Come on people, enough of this oh I'm so offended nonsense. I'm assuming you're all adults or close to it, but the fact is that the majority of people don't look at adults buying toys and assume they're collectors. I'm a guy in my early twenties and I get those same looks every now and then or I'm asked if I need a gift receipt. And regarding gender placement on toys, its not as if Hasbro or any other toy company is trying to be sexist or something. They have their statistics that show what the majority likes in terms of boys and girls. Signs like that also help sell products by making it easier for people who don't know much about toys when they're buying for someone else.

They're not trying. They are. And not necessarily maliciously or intentionally. It's engrained in our culture. See the link I posted above.

[Dr. Caelus]

I just love how Hasbro assumes that I am a 18+ year old boy :/ ... I think it's time to update the whole boy/girl division in the toy market.

The gender divide and aiming of the brand is really disheartening. I'm surprised they haven't caught up with the Let Toys be Toys campaign. The whole Angry Birds Girls (PINK!!) and Nerf Rebelle (PINK!!) is actually ridiculous.

Actually, I like them; if I collected Nerf toys, I would have gotten some of those for me...

That's what I mean, though! Why separate the boy/girl lines, when they could all be the same? Is there really a need to differentiate toys?

The whole boys like cars/guns, girls like dolls/pets is unfounded anyway. Compare this, for example. It's all about social conditioning.

I agree, I'm just saying I don't think the Rebelle toys themselves are inherently ridiculous. Nerf toys are required to be ridiculously colored, and I like the white/pink/purple sooooo much better than the traditional yellows and oranges.

To be fair, Hasbro's sort of playing a game with the market. The reality of the situation is that society enforces oppressive gender norms proscribing what boys and girls can like. Girls don't want to play with guns because those are 'boys toys'. It's not as if that is the sole fault of Hasbro or any other toy company. The retailers bandy it about, and the retailers do so because the parents endorse it. What Hasbro is doing, however, is taking a toy that is traditionally associated with a masculine gender role, and marketing it overtly to girls, effectively saying, 'no, seriously, it's okay for you to shoot things.'

[Va'al]

Before this goes further, I'm willing to have this discussion again, but not in this thread!

Let's keep it on topic as much as possible.

[Bumblevivisector]

I just love how Hasbro assumes that I am a 18+ year old boy :/ ... I think it's time to update the whole boy/girl division in the toy market.

The gender divide and aiming of the brand is really disheartening. I'm surprised they haven't caught up with the Let Toys be Toys campaign. The whole Angry Birds Girls (PINK!!) and Nerf Rebelle (PINK!!) is actually ridiculous.

Actually, I like them; if I collected Nerf toys, I would have gotten some of those for me...

That's what I mean, though! Why separate the boy/girl lines, when they could all be the same? Is there really a need to differentiate toys?

The whole boys like cars/guns, girls like dolls/pets is unfounded anyway. Compare this, for example. It's all about social conditioning.

I agree, I'm just saying I don't think the Rebelle toys themselves are inherently ridiculous. Nerf toys are required to be ridiculously colored, and I like the white/pink/purple sooooo much better than the traditional yellows and oranges.

To be fair, Hasbro's sort of playing a game with the market. The reality of the situation is that society enforces oppressive gender norms proscribing what boys and girls can like. Girls don't want to play with guns because those are 'boys toys'. It's not as if that is the sole fault of Hasbro or any other toy company. The retailers bandy it about, and the retailers do so because the parents endorse it. What Hasbro is doing, however, is taking a toy that is traditionally associated with a masculine gender role, and marketing it overtly to girls, effectively saying, 'no, seriously, it's okay for you to shoot things.'

More like The Hunger Games and Brave told girls it's cool to shoot things with arrows, and Hasbro wisely seized an opportunity that neither Mattel nor anyone else had the resources to crank out enough role-play toys to properly cash in on.

EDIT:Agreed Va'al, but as long as this stays largely about putting Rebelle into perspective, and Hasbro has some reveals for it somewhere near the TF display, this thread won't get too off-topic, yes?

[The Dude]

I'm just looking at that awesome Jetfire and wondering if Harmony Gold is gonna "recall" it like last time...

[Bumblevivisector]

I'm just looking at that awesome Jetfire and wondering if Harmony Gold is gonna "recall" it like last time...

Just one more damn reason they should've finally done a proper Skyfire jet mode. I mean, I like the way this looks, but still.

Also, are they seriously going to crank out more MP Soundwaves, or did I read that wrong?

[Va'al]

The MP Soundwave only showed up in the slideshow, there was no actual mention of it. I wonder if they're just using it as a example of something that appeased the older collectors.

Agreed Va'al, but as long as this stays largely about putting Rebelle into perspective, and Hasbro has some reveals for it somewhere near the TF display, this thread won't get too off-topic, yes?

Yep.

[Uncontrolable_myosin]

PLAT SOUNDWAVE!

[Nemesis Maximo]

Oh HELLS YEAH!!! Windblade looks good. Thank GOD we did not get another Airachnid.

But Jetfire! Oh my God! That is exiting!

[dragons]

It's nice bot mode when will we see alternate mode for her? Close to thrust jet or completely different one entirely

[Va'al]

There will be more reveals as the weekend progresses!

[griftimus prime]

windblade is lame

[Dead Metal]

Windblade looks fantastic, what makes her seem even better is the fact that she doesn't look like she turns into anything. I love it when the bot-mode makes it vague, like that tank from the Energon Bruticus set, it's bot-mode screams 1930s fighter pilot.

A little disappointed in Jetfire/ Skyfire though. He looks awesome and is almost cartoon accurate in bot-mode, the only thing holding him back is the booster design, it would have been perfect if it folded together and then connected to his back by covering the black thrusters. He would have been perfect that way.

But he still looks fantastic either way!

[craggy]

I've not really followed this kind of thing before, but that investors panel vid had a few points I picked up on.

-"TF1 was about a boy getting a car and getting the girl" "TF4 is about a truck finding a friend" - this really encouraged me. First good bit of marketing news I've heard. In the first 3 films the bots were tertiary characters at best, or the iceberg in Titanic at worst. Saying the new film is about a truck (Optimus presumably) suggests the title characters might get more...well...character.

- "Boys aged 18+" is somewhat condescending, but hey, I'm not overly offended at being called a boy. Its at least the same gender. That whole discussion is one I don't really want to get into, but I do find the inherent sexism at play disturbing. Not intentional I'd wager, just ingrained, like old people being casually racist.

- Have Hasbro so openly admitted the importance of collectors in such a forum before? Sure they didn't go into loads of detail but the slides did show three demographics with adult collectors being given equal footing on those pages at least. Might have been nice to see more specifics about upcoming "Generations" or "collector oriented" releases, but the recent waves of Generations show they've got a decent handle on what we want and are giving it to us in a greater hit:miss ratio than often in the past.

[Va'al]

Courtesy of news site USA Today, we get a look at some official pictures of upcoming Age of Extinction toys, from Deluxe to Leader class. The line, also confusingly named Robots in Disguise, includes Grimlock, Optimus, Bumblebee, Drift, Lockdown, Hound, Crosshairs, finally named Stinger and Slash! Check out the images below and remember - this line is intended for quick, easy transformations for a younger audience, as pointed out in the presentation earlier.

Coming later this year, the Transformers: Robots in Disguise line from Hasbro is built with the younger set (ages 5-and-up) in mind and features a variety of characters from director Michael Bay's upcoming fourth Transformers film, in theaters June 27. Many of the toys will be on display Sunday through Wednesday in New York City as part of Toy Fair 2014.

Eighteen Autobot, Decepticon and Dinobot personalities roll out in the One-Step Changers assortment ($9.99 each, available in May). Youngsters can convert heroic Autobots such as their leader Optimus, loyal soldier Hound, the new Dinobot named Slash and former Decepticon tactician Drift — as well as bad guys like ace Decepticon bounty hunter Lockdown — from robot to secondary vehicle or dinosaur form in one move.

Fans of Optimus' trusted Autobot confidante Bumblebee get a treat with his Mega One-Step figure ($29.99, August). Not only can he switch from robot to sports car quickly, but he also comes with a disc launcher. Just avoid shooting the family dog with flying discs, kids.

Children of the 1980s grew up loving Grimlock, and the ancient warrior returns for a new generation with Chomp and Stomp Grimlock ($79.99, August). The Dinobot boasts a chomping jaw and light-up in eyes in beast mode, and has an easy transformation to sword-swinging robot, too. Grimlock also interacts with his fellow toys — he comes with a nonconverting Optimus so kids can relive the extremely nerdy moment from the trailer where the Autobot rides Grimlock into battle, plus unlock sounds and pop-out weapons. Plus, he can be used with other One-Step Changer figures and has different lights and sounds whether you pair him with an Autobot or Decepticon.

[ScottyP]

Wow, those are hot garbage. Really hope this is some sort of subline :/

Edit: Didn't see the blurb at the top. Ok, no problems. These are activators, essentially. Grimlock is also kind of neat.

[dreadwing95]

so that was grimlock on that jacket! he looks so cool!

[Noideaforaname]

Is that... a feathered raptor?! Score one for scientific accuracy!

[SW's SilverHammer]

Wow, those are hot garbage. Really hope this is some sort of subline :/

USA today's saying this is A.o.E's mainline.

Oh yeah I also forgot, these look like ****.

[GuyIncognito]

Enough with the "simplified" toys. Where are the real figures?

[Autobot_Benz]

Lets hope some of the Age Of extinction toys will be for collectors. I am all for easy stuff for the kids but that is all I am seeing these days.

[Mexikollektor]

Are they out of their goddamn mind, seriously WTF with that crap, hell! that makes some happy meal transformers look like masterpiece compared to that crap, i just can´t believe this, i only hope we could get "More than meets the eye" with an additional ans more collector oriented line, or i definitely ain´t buying any of them!!!.

[welcometothedarksyde]

Where did they get those pictures to represent the age groups? They're pretty hilarious if you ask me
Alright, these are gonna be the Age of Extinction toys that are gonna be on the shelves. No one complain, I think we were all expecting about this much. Just hope that the stores don't over order them and leave the shelves clogged for the years to come.

[SW's SilverHammer]

Where did they get those pictures to represent the age groups? They're pretty hilarious if you ask me
Alright, these are gonna be the Age of Extinction toys that are gonna be on the shelves. No one complain, I think we were all expecting about this much. Just hope that the stores don't over order them and leave the shelves clogged for the years to come.

Something tells me they already did. The thing about the main retailers, targert walmart, toysrus, when a movie year rolls around, they always order to much movie product, and that odd transitional wave, like the Hunt for the decipticons/2010 line, gets shoved aside into obscurity.