The Energon Pub

[LE0KING]

D-Maximal really summed up what the problem is quite well.

Exactly. I couldn't have said it better myself. I can feel their passion for this thing I love and can immediately relate.
I desperately hope we've drawn wrong conclusions here, and this isn't another G1 overtake. Even if I could see the current team doing just that.
I don't even like the movies, but I like the toys and I like that they aren't based on an outdated aesthetic.

[Sabrblade]

Keep in mind that next year is the 35th anniversary of the movie and we know how much HasTak loves their 5 year anniversaries.

Sadly, it's also the 25th anniversary of Beast Wars.

What's sad about it is how they both share anniversary years with each other, but only one of them ever gets their due attention since the current brand team took over.

Well, there is the new IDW series coming next year, I guess.

[Rodimus Prime]

I wonder how these decisions are made at Hasbro. Like, who gets the final say? I'm pretty sure it's not the designers. Is it the beancounters? Do they set Hasbro's yearly budget in advance (like most corpirations) and then go through the sales data to figure out what makes the most money, and then allocate the majority of the budget for that? Maybe that's why G1 is evetywhere, because it makes the most money. Don't misunderstand, I'm not advocating for this, I'm just trying to see things from their view as a large corporation. They don't care about what fans actually like, they care about what people will buy. And not all their customers are fans like us. I wish we got updates on figures from other lines, even if it's under the WFC banner. Like Magnus and Galaxy Prime. When was the last time we got a Megatron that wasn't a **** tank, even in SS, outside of DoTM Megatron and the 1st movie voyager? I would say TR, but even that had a tank mode, as bad as it was.

[D-Maximal_Primal]

Keep in mind that next year is the 35th anniversary of the movie and we know how much HasTak loves their 5 year anniversaries.

Sadly, it's also the 25th anniversary of Beast Wars.

What's sad about it is how they both share anniversary years with each other, but only one of them ever gets their due attention since the current brand team took over.

Well, there is the new IDW series coming next year, I guess.

And 25 is a far more recognizable anniversary that 35 too. More points to my feelings on the subject

[LE0KING]

I wonder how these decisions are made at Hasbro. Like, who gets the final say? I'm pretty sure it's not the designers. Isit the beancounters? Do they set Hasbro's yearly budget in advance (like most corpirations) and then go through the sales data to figure out what makes the most money, and then allocate the majority of the budget for that? Maybe that's why G1 is evetywhere, because it makes the most money. Don't misunderstand, I'm not advocating for this, I'm just trying to see things from their view as a large corporation. They don't care about what fans actually like, they care about what people will buy. And not all their customers are fans like us. I wish we got updates on figures from other lines, even if it's under the WFC banner. Like Magnus and Galaxy Prime. When was the last time we got a Megatron that wasn't a **** tank, even in SS, outside of DoTM Megatron and the 1st movie voyager? I would say TR, but even that had a tank mode, as poopy as it was.

I'll do you one better, when was the last time we got an entirely new cast of characters? Beast wars? Armada? Why can't we do something new and creative? Like spaceships or aquatic vehicles or heck cybertronian modes that aren't earthmodes with greebles. Is there really no market for originality?

[Rodimus Prime]

I wonder how these decisions are made at Hasbro. Like, who gets the final say? I'm pretty sure it's not the designers. Isit the beancounters? Do they set Hasbro's yearly budget in advance (like most corpirations) and then go through the sales data to figure out what makes the most money, and then allocate the majority of the budget for that? Maybe that's why G1 is evetywhere, because it makes the most money. Don't misunderstand, I'm not advocating for this, I'm just trying to see things from their view as a large corporation. They don't care about what fans actually like, they care about what people will buy. And not all their customers are fans like us. I wish we got updates on figures from other lines, even if it's under the WFC banner. Like Magnus and Galaxy Prime. When was the last time we got a Megatron that wasn't a **** tank, even in SS, outside of DoTM Megatron and the 1st movie voyager? I would say TR, but even that had a tank mode, as poopy as it was.

I'll do you one better, when was the last time we got an entirely new cast of characters? Beast wars? Armada? Why can't we do something new and creative? Like spaceships or aquatic vehicles or heck cybertronian modes that aren't earthmodes with greebles. Is there really no market for originality?

I'm with you on that. And if we can't get all-new characters, at least it would be nice if Hasbro compromised and gave us obscure toy updates, as well as feature little-known characters in fiction.

Okay, this is the SS thread, let's not stray from that. But I think we're all a bit frustrated with G1 being everywhere. And that's coming from someone who prefers G1.

[Sabrblade]

I'll do you one better, when was the last time we got an entirely new cast of characters?

Last year:

[LE0KING]

I'll do you one better, when was the last time we got an entirely new cast of characters?

Last year:

Well played. I continually forget rescuebots still exists.
And I would actually collect poseable transforming figures of them if they existed.

[TFanPage101]

Its also possible '86' is just the number of the figure, like SS06 is Starscream

[chuckdawg1999]

Me watching people lose their minds over Studio Series getting 86 Movie toys:

[Rodimus Prime]

Me watching people lose their minds over Studio Series getting 86 Movie toys:

Way to contribute to the conversation.

[DedicatedGhostArt]

ew why, keep G1 in the G1 lines, unless they're actually in a live action style movie. Studio Series is for the big boy stuff. Wth.

[Stormshot_Prime]

Keep in mind that next year is the 35th anniversary of the movie and we know how much HasTak loves their 5 year anniversaries.

Sadly, it's also the 25th anniversary of Beast Wars.

What's sad about it is how they both share anniversary years with each other, but only one of them ever gets their due attention since the current brand team took over. I think I heard the current brand designer is a G1 diehard? I remember the design teams trepidation to do PotP Primal, since they apparently weren't fans of Beast Wars at all.

Well, there is the new IDW series coming next year, I guess.

And 25 is a far more recognizable anniversary that 35 too. More points to my feelings on the subject

It would be the best time to release MP Rattrap and Rhinox, as great as the Generation(s) toys were.

But what you said before, you're right. Things can't just become a blended mix of mostly G1 forever. I mean, good toys of previously under represented characters (ie BOTH Combiner Wars Magnus and Siege Magnus, Springer) are great, but is this it? There's so much potential elsewhere. I can't imagine how things would go wrong for HasTak if they were even a little willing to be experimental. Shattered Glass cartoon anyone?

What's next, G1 characters, but in neon colors pretending to be new toys? Oh wait.

There's nothing wrong with going back to G1, but there has to be more. There's gonna be a generation of kids who know nothing besides Bayverse and 10 minute episodes.

Personally, bring back proper Pretenders lol.

[Sentinel_Primal]

Personally, bring back proper Pretenders lol.

I mean, they made Earthrise Arcee. That's gotta count for something.

[Jeddostotle7]

I think, more than anything else, the reason I think this "86 Grimlock" is absolutely not going to be an actual G1 figure is because that would be a level of... brand confusion, I guess? that I don't think even this brand team would do. If this IS at all G1 related, I'm expecting just a G1 redeco of SS Grimlock.

[Sentinel_Primal]

I wonder how these decisions are made at Hasbro. Like, who gets the final say? I'm pretty sure it's not the designers. Is it the beancounters? Do they set Hasbro's yearly budget in advance (like most corpirations) and then go through the sales data to figure out what makes the most money, and then allocate the majority of the budget for that? Maybe that's why G1 is evetywhere, because it makes the most money. Don't misunderstand, I'm not advocating for this, I'm just trying to see things from their view as a large corporation. They don't care about what fans actually like, they care about what people will buy. And not all their customers are fans like us. I wish we got updates on figures from other lines, even if it's under the WFC banner. Like Magnus and Galaxy Prime. When was the last time we got a Megatron that wasn't a **** tank, even in SS, outside of DoTM Megatron and the 1st movie voyager? I would say TR, but even that had a tank mode, as bad as it was.

Honestly, I doubt that they have a budget for the different eras. I feel it's definitely more up to what the current design philosophy is. We had a bunch of new versions and updated versions under Aaron Archer, but then there was a noticeable shift towards adult collectors and thus pivoting back towards more "recognizable" versions, but the result was the going back to the G1 designs, which feeds into the "G1 sells" idea. Hopefully the success of the Studio Series line supports the idea that "good figures sell" and we can see other designs like UT, Animated, Prime, but considering now the movies are going to be more G1 styled after Bumblebee, I'm not holding my breath

[ZeroWolf]

Well that was a read. After a sleep on the issue I'm resigned to the fact that this is most likely a new mold with a closer scale Wheelie. Now the question is, if Grimlock is being relegated to a sister line instead of being a integral part of WfC... Who did his space go to? I realise that this is more of a question in the Earthrise thread, but it seems to me that warden and co want to maximise the toy space the two generations line give.

There is an upside to all this. Once these G1 updates are done... They'll have to move on as even they know that there's a risk of burn out.

[Bumblevivisector]

First off, how is the '86 Movie "GEEWUN"? That was the beginning of GEETOO, when real Transformers was first ruined forever!

Secondly, if any TF movie can be studio series, that could also include Predacons Rising to flesh out the Prime toys that weren't up to snuff, and the Beast Wars II movie for a Hasbro release of MP LioConvoy and God Neptune. Unlikely, but if Hasbro's playing a game of SS=any TF movie...?

And D-Max, while I do understand and sympathize with your point, you said yourself:

This line has been great for the live action movies, and as i noted a while ago, it only needs a good year to finish off the original trilogy and maybe 2 to catch the rest from the first 6 movies.

...and maybe that actually is the point. Sticking strictly to the Bayniverse and B-Movie designs might have exhausted the possibilities for viable toys based on the existing live-action movies in just two years, from the perspective of whoever's calling the shots at Hasbro.

BUT, if TF:TM toys take over for a year, or even just pad it out a little, that could add another year or two to the Studio Series line, ensuring that it lasts until the the next live action film. Given that the Covid Crisis has left the future theatrical release date of every movie in doubt for at least the rest of this year, who knows what kind of delays the next two announced TF films might have? Synching up corresponding toy releases with any movie might be so difficult from now on that the Studio Series approach of making toys for every TF film, past and present, is more important than ever. Studio Series must survive...by any means necessary. Even if that means defiling the purity of Michael Bay's artistic vision with a little more boring G1 omnipresence.

The immediate torrent of backlash against this one unconfirmed listing reminds me of how we all hated Herp-n-Derp soooooo much in RotF that we railed and RAILED against their ever appearing again, and lo and behold, Bay actually listened to us, proving that he cared about fan concerns more than generic explosion-porn!

And what was our reward?

We denied ourselves the satisfaction of seeing Sentinel slaughter them on the silver screen. I really would've loved that, but hooray for our outrage. We achieved something.

And if we all keep railing against Hasbro's latest insidious move to Ruin Studio Series Forever, based on one abbreviated listing that we know literally nothing about, they might just listen to us and scuttle the whole line, and we'll be back to no new live action toys in the spaces between movies. Instead of waiting a little longer for those 2 years worth of figures, we end up not getting them at all. Just my speculation, but no more unfounded than anything else in this thread.

I don't care much for any Bay film besides AofE, so I've hardly bought any SS figures, yet I love the live action films for injecting so much energy into the franchise since 2007 that we're getting all these awesome G1-inspired figures now, something I never would've thought possible back in '91 as I watched the Marvel comic die, assuming that was truly The End of the Road for all of Transformers, before any of us knew "Generations" would be a thing in any context. If injecting a little of that first generation into Studio Series is what it takes to stretch out the line so that we keep getting a steady stream of live-action TF toys in the long run, then maybe quit bitching just long enough for G1 to return the favor, and we'll all get what we want.

I was ecstatic when I saw this article's thunbnail, because it might mean a few G1 toys that HasTak couldn't quite pull off in any other line, for whatever reason. Say, I dunno', "Sleep Mode" retools of all of TF:TM's casualties, similar to that battle-damaged Gundam subline.

And if it ensures Bayniverse toys keep churning out continuously for all you live action fans, I'll be even happier, even if I never buy a single one.

[blackeyedprime]

Kind of feels unnecessary with generations already encompassing generations of transformers even though it makes sense for a movie line to have the movie toys in it (there's only been one transformer movie anyways :p). It's likely just baynus grimlock downsized to voyager size with a tiny wheelie to justify its £50 price tag.


They could get creative and give cybertronian modes to studio series figures that have never been seen, its not as though the baynus line has much continuity anyways. Either way, new toys that can be taken or left is okay with me if they encompass all the characters (even dick bot) for those that want them and if it slightly increases the chance of getting leader sized (tho they might have to be commander class now with the shrinkage that's been happening) g1 dinobots I'm fine with that.

It could always just be throwback to the figures that included a G1 style figure with them and they need to clear out stockpiles of studio series grimlock and titans return wheelies

[ZeroWolf]

Actually I would have thought they would have just paused the studio series line, replacing it with something else when they finished all possible figures. Then revive it when the new movies come out.

[Bumblevivisector]

Actually I would have thought they would have just paused the studio series line, replacing it with something else when they finished all possible figures. Then revive it when the new movies come out.

Thing is, if they tried that, what guarantee would we have that it would actually come back? The design team and resources would surely be reallocated to other TF lines in the meantime, and when the next movie did come out, they'd more likely go back to just giving each movie its own toyline for a year, then no more live action toys until the next one, especially if Hasbro's execs feel that Studio Series already updated the most important characters, and has therefore served its purpose.

Sorry if that's blasphemy to live action fans, but I don't see how Studio Series could go on a hiatus that wouldn't end up being permanent. I love the attention to quality that the line stands for as well, so I don't want to see it take that kind of risk. Tweaking its generational mandate just a bit to keep it going is best.

[ZeroWolf]

Let me put it this way, if Studio Series put the last of the movie characters out, movie fans wouldn't complain if the line finished. Then when the movie comes out, Hasbro could decide to continue Studio Series as part of the movies toyline, or wait longer then bring the line back when there was a backlog of characters to do. Comprising the line to pad it out is worse then just letting it meet its natural end. The 86 gang could just find their proper place in the other generations (which has also been trying to look like the toons stepped from the screen).

Also to back track to your first point hasbro would only extend the definition of studio series movies to films that got theatrical releases... And probably English language only at that.

Unless of course... This is the ground work before the launch of the animated prequel movie So they can point back to this and say "look! Animated movies are fine within Studio Series!"

[ScottyP]

Let me put it this way, if Studio Series put the last of the movie characters out, movie fans wouldn't complain if the line finished.

The Movie universe has been spoiled with product going on 13 years now with only very short breaks. My theory is that this isn't how its fans will react when it eventually (doesn't yet!) looks like the future of Movie products is just a MPM twice a year. I'm being overly and unfairly general with this, but I think Movie-verse fans are the "spoiled children" in our hobby in for a rude awakening when these things get a proper reboot and Hasbro moves on. At that point, welcome to the club - we have Mini-Con faction symbol shaped cookies, RiD 2001 on VHS but no VCR, and the tears of Derrick J Wyatt in cold freeze

[Dr. Caelus]

Siege and Earthrise still have creative liberties taken, blending different media appearances with old toy designs. Since Studio Series is devoted to screen accuracy, I would expect figures that are aesthetically more like MP-44 or MP-36 (how was he NOT MP-38?), maybe with cel-shaded decos.

[LE0KING]

Let me put it this way, if Studio Series put the last of the movie characters out, movie fans wouldn't complain if the line finished.

The Movie universe has been spoiled with product going on 13 years now with only very short breaks. My theory is that this isn't how its fans will react when it eventually (doesn't yet!) looks like the future of Movie products is just a MPM twice a year. I'm being overly and unfairly general with this, but I think Movie-verse fans are the "spoiled children" in our hobby in for a rude awakening when these things get a proper reboot and Hasbro moves on. At that point, welcome to the club - we have Mini-Con faction symbol shaped cookies, RiD 2001 on VHS but no VCR, and the tears of Derrick J Wyatt in cold freeze

Calling movieverse fans spoiled children when the G1-ers are complaining that their third generations astrotrain figure doesn't look exactly like a poorly drawn 35 year old cartoon seems a bit nescient.