The Energon Pub

News Credits: 17 · Mon Mar 20, 2023 7:47 pm

Pulse should be shipping the Deluxes this week based on the email I got Saturday

News Credits: 60 · Mon Mar 20, 2023 9:22 pm

I had updated shipping for Skyquake and the 2 deluxes from Amazon, but decided on Pulse to hopefully reduce the number of boxes the wife sees! Plus I have flashbacks of Amazon updating shipping date, only to backtrack.

As far as the Tarn discussion, my samples seems to be holding quite fine, however I do agree with you on clear plastic pieces that get stressed- I was sweating bullets when I combined the clear God Fire Convoy for the first time this year!

News Credits: 56 · Tue Mar 21, 2023 11:43 am

It's odd, but it seems like Hasbro is shipping fewer and fewer assortment packs, and going for more whole case packs as the shift to online ordering becomes more dominant, and these toys are sighted in stores less and less often.

Now there are exceptions. Every Target in my area is seemingly doing well with getting the Voyager Evo wave 2 case (2 Metalhawks to 1 Twincast). But I've not spotted any of this years deluxes aside from a single Needlenose over a month ago. Also via Amazon : Breakdown arrived in January, but Scarphook not until March 1st. More evidence these are shipping individually instead of in assortment cases. Also Online sites like BBTS, EE etc... dont have the option to purchase whole assortments for the newest wave, just each individually. Later on however.... full assortments become available, after they get in plenty of stock (seems to be the case now with wave 1).

Also while 2022 wave 3 was released months ago online, I only finally saw them as a whole assortment at retail (Walmart of all places) last week!

I know the statement distribution is crazy is beating a dead horse, but it seems the more individual release strategy vs releasing whole waves may be part of the change in release method Hasbro was talking about a while ago. This works ok online, but not so much at B&M, where variety and selection is the reason people will want to go to a store. If they just have a couple of items, or none at all (i.e. Walmart most of the time), then yes, people will shop online more and more.

News Credits: 11 · Tue Mar 21, 2023 2:55 pm

o.supreme wrote:It's odd, but it seems like Hasbro is shipping fewer and fewer assortment packs, and going for more whole case packs as the shift to online ordering becomes more dominant, and these toys are sighted in stores less and less often.

Now there are exceptions. Every Target in my area is seemingly doing well with getting the Voyager Evo wave 2 case (2 Metalhawks to 1 Twincast). But I've not spotted any of this years deluxes aside from a single Needlenose over a month ago. Also via Amazon : Breakdown arrived in January, but Scarphook not until March 1st. More evidence these are shipping individually instead of in assortment cases. Also Online sites like BBTS, EE etc... dont have the option to purchase whole assortments for the newest wave, just each individually. Later on however.... full assortments become available, after they get in plenty of stock (seems to be the case now with wave 1).

Also while 2022 wave 3 was released months ago online, I only finally saw them as a whole assortment at retail (Walmart of all places) last week!

I know the statement distribution is crazy is beating a dead horse, but it seems the more individual release strategy vs releasing whole waves may be part of the change in release method Hasbro was talking about a while ago. This works ok online, but not so much at B&M, where variety and selection is the reason people will want to go to a store. If they just have a couple of items, or none at all (i.e. Walmart most of the time), then yes, people will shop online more and more.

It could be something that varies depending on retailer, region or country. Here in the UK for example, I've seen entire waves together on the toy shelves at once, but often Voyagers or Leaders will be released before Cores and Deluxes. Funnily enough, in my region at least, figure availability at brick and mortar stores has actually gotten better, not worse, since covid. Ten or twelve years ago you couldn't get any main line figures anywhere, and even specialist retailers like Forbidden Planet rarely stocked Deluxes and Voyagers, but now it's fairly easy to find what you're looking for as far as Generations is concerned. For me right now, it's a balance between shopping online and going to a brick and mortar, I do prefer the latter for the experience, and I only buy a figure online if I think it's going to be highly sought after and a pain to get hold of.

Tue Mar 21, 2023 4:20 pm

instant buy for tigerhawk and silverbolt bw

News Credits: 241 · Wed Mar 22, 2023 11:55 am

OK, this has been gnawing on my mind for a few weeks, but... has any of you people's Walmarts done away with Legacy Core Class? My local ones no longer has the associated peg tags, just the ones for Studio Series Core Class, I'm starting to get worried. :???:

News Credits: 388 · Wed Mar 22, 2023 3:17 pm

Well this is a surprise! We've gotten word of an until-now unknown 2-pack that was sighted at a Canadian GameStop store, consisting of two characters from the G1 episode War Dawn, those of Ariel and Dion, Orion Pax's girlfriend and best friend, respectively. These two figures look to be remolds and recolors of Legacy Prime Arcee and Studio Series 86 Kup. Ariel's name is spelled "Erial" here, likely as to not conflict with a certain trademarked mermaid.

These were found at the GameStop store by leobreaker1977 of the TFW2005 boards, and posted by @id_armed on Twitter. As the set was street-dated for early April, it wasn't able to be purchased, but we do have images of both the front and back of the box.

So what do you all make of this? When it's released, do you plan on picking it up? Let us know your thoughts below.

News Credits: 56 · Wed Mar 22, 2023 4:01 pm

I have no interest in this set, but it's really exciting to see that there are still some surprises in the world of collecting that aren't leaked at all. This set compliments the Alpha Trion/ Orion Pax Pulsecon set very well.

News Credits: 1 · Wed Mar 22, 2023 4:01 pm

It's a shame it's a two-pack. I might have picked up that Erial, but Dion is a skip. I've never really cared for any of the Kup designs.

News Credits: 462 · Wed Mar 22, 2023 4:03 pm

o.supreme wrote:I have no interest in this set, but it's really exciting to see that there are still some surprises in the world of collecting that aren't leaked at all.

Apparently, this is a leak. It wasn't supposed to be revealed until April.

News Credits: 1 · Wed Mar 22, 2023 4:05 pm

Wow, one of the last G1 cartoon only characters finally gets a toy! I loved these Cybertron lore filled episodes.

Who'd left who hasn't got a modern toy? A-3, Steeljaw, and Sea Spray's girlfriend right?

News Credits: 17 · Wed Mar 22, 2023 4:07 pm

I like it as a two-pack, I just wish it had accessories like the last one. When I first saw the box front, I thought maybe we'd be getting energon cubes. These will be my fourth of each base mold, but at least they'll look different.

News Credits: 241 · Wed Mar 22, 2023 4:09 pm

Sabrblade wrote:
o.supreme wrote:I have no interest in this set, but it's really exciting to see that there are still some surprises in the world of collecting that aren't leaked at all.
Apparently, this is a leak. It wasn't supposed to be revealed until April.

Ooo, heads are gonna roll...

Pretty interesting that Orion and Dion share molds now, even with the latter's new accessories.

Wed Mar 22, 2023 4:18 pm

This set just convinced me to find that Trion and Orion. I love how these guys look, even if (A)riel kinda has a small head.

Now, I want figures of the Decepticon sentries we saw in War Dawn, those truck units and the cuboid units they carry (a core class figure, easy army building).

News Credits: 1 · Wed Mar 22, 2023 4:21 pm

Oooo, this is a must buy set the minute it becomes available.

Already have the Orion Pax and Alpha Trion one, anyway. :lol:

Kinda wondering if they'll make a third set for the next chapter of the Legacy line, and if it'll be Decepticons troop builders. :-?

News Credits: 101 · Wed Mar 22, 2023 4:54 pm

That's an interesting 2 pack and at a very good price too.

I'll keep an eye out for it.

News Credits: 30 · Wed Mar 22, 2023 4:55 pm

This War Dawn 2-pack seems an easy pass for me. I never got the Kup figure, or Legacy Arcee. Didn't care much for either.

News Credits: 1 · Wed Mar 22, 2023 6:14 pm

Ariel's trademark safe name is messing with my head everytime I read it, because it means "wasteland" in spanish. Like I read it and think "Is that a new Decepticon?"

News Credits: 22 · Wed Mar 22, 2023 6:15 pm

"War Dawn" you say? Time for new Aerialbots? :-D

News Credits: 22 · Wed Mar 22, 2023 6:21 pm

Brokebot wrote:It's a shame it's a two-pack. I might have picked up that Erial, but Dion is a skip. I've never really cared for any of the Kup designs.

Maybe you can split it with someone who doesn't care for Ariel? I do find it odd that they're just calling it a 2-pack instead of putting the characters' names on the packaging.

News Credits: 56 · Wed Mar 22, 2023 6:46 pm

Jelze Bunnycat wrote:OK, this has been gnawing on my mind for a few weeks, but... has any of you people's Walmarts done away with Legacy Core Class? My local ones no longer has the associated peg tags, just the ones for Studio Series Core Class, I'm starting to get worried.

Until a couple weeks ago,I hadn't seen any Legacy period at any Walmarts near me. It was like they filled the space with Velocitron stuff only. I was shocked to see Legacy deluxe wave 3 last week at one store, but I haven't seen core in a long time either at Walmart. They did the same with Titan Masters and Battle Masters though. All Walmarts stopped after the first few waves.

Wed Mar 22, 2023 7:08 pm

Ooooo, I'll likely pick up this set. I like the Prime Arcee mold and I'm glad Dion's gotten a new toy.

Wed Mar 22, 2023 7:19 pm

I never had the Legacy Prime Arcee mold. This Ariel/Erial redeco might be enough to get in on it. But what happened to the wheels that was behind the shoulders?

Dion is a nope though. Got Kup & Orion Pax from this mold already and they weren't great as a toy. This just makes me want to paint my PTOP Kup into Dion to save some much needed dough.

Wed Mar 22, 2023 7:22 pm

cloudballoon wrote:I never had the Legacy Prime Arcee mold. This Ariel/Erial redeco might be enough to get in on it. But what happened to the wheels that was behind the shoulders?

Dion is a nope though. Got Kup & Orion Pax from this mold already and they weren't great as a toy. This just makes me want to paint my PTOP Kup into Dion to save some much needed dough.

Likely attached to the kibble on the back, if I recall correctly that's also a way to store it on the original toy as well.

News Credits: 4 · Wed Mar 22, 2023 7:53 pm

Not to go to off topic, but I kinda like "Erial" as the spelling over name "Ariel". Same pronunciation so it doesn't really bother me. As for the figures, I really need to see better pictures before I can make a solid judgement. Wasn't happy about seeing the SS86 Kup mold again, especially on Dion with Orion sharing it, but I guess it makes sense (especially if somehow you're someone who still likes to think Dion became Ultra Magnus at some point). Erial being on the Prime Arcee mold is...underwhelming, mainly because of the issues I have with the bot mode as usual. But at least she has new hands, blaster, and bike parts to go along with the new head.

On the other hand, would anyone else be interested in an Animated repaint of the Erial rendition of this mold? Honestly wouldn't surprise me if Hasbro decided to go that route.