The Energon Pub

[o.supreme]

Were there trading cards in the T30 line? It may have been just a part of the Prime Wars Trilogy. I kind of wish in the US we would have got them instead of the pack-in comics on the deluxes from wave 2 on. I happen to get some of the deluxe trading cards because the some of the deluxes I got happened to be from non-US markets. I wasn't trying to collect them all or anything, but my son thought they were neat .

[william-james88]

Were there trading cards in the T30 line?

It was comics. The cards came about when Hasbro wanted to save money on packaging variation and make everyone in north america have the exact same trilingual packaging. That was only cemented in Titans Return.

[leokearon]

Hurray for more packing waste, and probably a price hike at the shops

[Nathaniel Prime]

While I am more than happy with the regular Studio Series style packaging, this feels a whole lot more premium, and I dig that. Price will definitely increase at stores, but I'm fine with that.

[jtanimator]

I've been dying for Hasbro to bring the Studio Series style packaging to Deluxe classes in the Generations line, so THANK YOU!! FINALLY!

[ScottyP]

Were there trading cards in the T30 line? It may have been just a part of the Prime Wars Trilogy. I kind of wish in the US we would have got them instead of the pack-in comics on the deluxes from wave 2 on. I happen to get some of the deluxe trading cards because the some of the deluxes I got happened to be from non-US markets. I wasn't trying to collect them all or anything, but my son thought they were neat .

Yeah putting old RiD back issues in as "Combiner Wars" comics was weird. That was a strange time.

[ZeldaTheSwordsman]

Gods, some of the collector cards from Combiner Wars... I had a look at scans of them on a site, and a number of them are completely wrong when it comes to the art. Optimus Prime, Hot Spot, Motormaster, and Drag Strip are some of the big offenders

[Megatron Wolf]

Hasbros using this wasteful packaging to "justify" the price hike, its also why theres no more trading card with the figure. They'll say "we got rid of the card to "improve" the packaging". I already had a feeling i was priced out of this line but seeing this makes it official, no way these will be under $20 in that packaging. Hasbro you just lost a 30 year return customer

[o.supreme]

Hasbros using this wasteful packaging to "justify" the price hike, its also why theres no more trading card with the figure. They'll say "we got rid of the card to "improve" the packaging". I already had a feeling i was priced out of this line but seeing this makes it official, no way these will be under $20 in that packaging. Hasbro you just lost a 30 year return customer

I do feel the packaging is a bit wasteful, but my feelings aren't quite that strong, especially since my wants in this line aren't really that many to begin with.

If it helps...I know there are a lot of aftermarket sellers on eBay that sell the items slightly discounted w/o packaging. I'm not sure how reliable they are, but they do exist.

[Evil Eye]

Ha! Only just over $20. Try over £20 MINIMUM a deluxe, AKA $26.

[Skritz]

Hasbros using this wasteful packaging to "justify" the price hike, its also why theres no more trading card with the figure. They'll say "we got rid of the card to "improve" the packaging". I already had a feeling i was priced out of this line but seeing this makes it official, no way these will be under $20 in that packaging. Hasbro you just lost a 30 year return customer

I'm pretty sure the price hike isn't just from packaging alone but a mixture of factors, such as:
-Their bottom line hurt by The Last Knight and The Last Jedi shelfwarming. How fitting given their name.
-The figures do seem to be a bit less cheap than what we got during early T30 and they aren't engineering one mold to be 5-6 figures. They are using paint and not crappy stickers this time around.
That said yes, the price hike is annoying but I doubt it is purely packaging. It is also possible Hasbro is testing out the market for trying to have Generations appeal even more to older collectors, hence trying to market this as a more high end product with paint apps, more articulation (a lot of at least partial ankle tilt in Siege so far) and more accessories, especially after the drought of anything more complex than a solid plastic slab in TR or a crappy baby-carrier combiner hand in POTP.

I think they're honestly trying to make a more 'high end collectible' line while at the same time dealing with money issues. We forget that, technically speaking, Generations is purely optional. It does not get advertisement with a cartoon and it definitely appeal more to older fans.

[ZeroWolf]

Gods, some of the collector cards from Combiner Wars... I had a look at scans of them on a site, and a number of them are completely wrong when it comes to the art. Optimus Prime, Hot Spot, Motormaster, and Drag Strip are some of the big offenders

A lot of that is down to them reusing the art from the legends mobile game instead of commissioning new art. It was a cost cutting measure.

Haven't we already seen the RRP for these?

[Cyberpath]

The simpler the package the better as far as I'm concerned. Like, don't even put artwork on it. Makes it easier to throw away.

[Skritz]

That said: I'll honestly only know for sure if Siege is less 'cheap' once we start having reviewers who look at these figures more closely beyond those doctored test shot and painted prototypes. We know Hasbro has been prone to hide the sides of figures with unsightly kibble and hollow parts. That said it does seem slightly less cheap and hollow than what we got recently.

[ZeldaTheSwordsman]

^^^Thank you for that post, Skritz.

Seriously, did you people forget about the fact that these figures are coming with more accessories (and more complex accessories) than they've had in a while, while still being the same size as most prior Generations deluxes? And the paint detailing (even going by the stock photos and not the toy show prototypes)? Sheesh!

And I think making the packaging on the Deluxes a box instead of a blister card is about making it more collector-friendly to retain for storage (The protruding part of a blister card is a nuisance and a half when stacking) while still giving space to the eyecatching graphics. A more space-efficient box would be nice, I admit, but it could be worse. Way worse

The simpler the package the better as far as I'm concerned. Like, don't even put artwork on it. Makes it easier to throw away.

Guess what pal? Packaging serves a function beyond just holding the toy and its parts: Catching the eye of customers in the stores. It has ALWAYS served that function in Transformers. That is why it has art on it, that's why on the boxes in this line they've done that cut corner with an image of the character... They're trying to get customers' attention, because that increases the chance of the toy being bought.

Also, these boxes still don't waste as much space as the average Hasbro G1 package did. Those remain the kings of wasted space.

[jtanimator]

Hasbros using this wasteful packaging to "justify" the price hike, its also why theres no more trading card with the figure. They'll say "we got rid of the card to "improve" the packaging". I already had a feeling i was priced out of this line but seeing this makes it official, no way these will be under $20 in that packaging. Hasbro you just lost a 30 year return customer

I'm pretty sure the price hike isn't just from packaging alone but a mixture of factors, such as:
-Their bottom line hurt by The Last Knight and The Last Jedi shelfwarming. How fitting given their name.
-The figures do seem to be a bit less cheap than what we got during early T30 and they aren't engineering one mold to be 5-6 figures. They are using paint and not crappy stickers this time around.
That said yes, the price hike is annoying but I doubt it is purely packaging. It is also possible Hasbro is testing out the market for trying to have Generations appeal even more to older collectors, hence trying to market this as a more high end product with paint apps, more articulation (a lot of at least partial ankle tilt in Siege so far) and more accessories, especially after the drought of anything more complex than a solid plastic slab in TR or a crappy baby-carrier combiner hand in POTP.

I think they're honestly trying to make a more 'high end collectible' line while at the same time dealing with money issues. We forget that, technically speaking, Generations is purely optional. It does not get advertisement with a cartoon and it definitely appeal more to older fans.

I agree with this completely. To assume that Hasbro is simply trying to find an excuse to "hike" up the prices of generations figures is irrational. Not only can you tell (if you take a close look) that the company really does seem to be trying harder to appeal to its collectors (from past complaints like using paint instead of stickers, better articulation, etc), but they also have to appeal to the mass market. So for Hasbro to simply do something to hike up prices wouldn't do anybody any good (including them) if it lost them customers such as yourself. Instead, they seem to being making changes to the line to improve their figures and overall appeal towards the collectors (us), and adjusting the prices accordingly. To me, the trade off seems worth it. By the look of this line, I can already see a more premium quality put into these, and I really appreciate it. And my gosh is that packaging beautiful. I feel sorry for any of the collectors who feel otherwise.

[william-james88]

I'm pretty sure the price hike isn't just from packaging alone but a mixture of factors, such as:
-Their bottom line hurt by The Last Knight and The Last Jedi shelfwarming. How fitting given their name.

This is inconsequential and should be eradicated from our collective minds as a possible reason.

What you see in store shelves means NOTHING to a supplier. It is the retailer's problem if something shelfwarms, Hasbro already got all the money for those shelwarming toys. The more toys you see, the more money Hasbro got.

What is directly related, instead, is unsold product from hasbro proper, so product that retailers chose not to buy. And there is no way to know that unless Hasbro tells us directly, which they did.

They (Brian Goldner) specifically said that Star Wars toys were not all bought by retailers, but all the TLK toys made for retailers were bought by these retailers. The output matched the demand.

Which is why Transformers got a boost as a toyline with more product output now than ever before. We currently have 4 simulataneous lines of constant product destined to the same shelfspace. So Hasbro's bottom line is in no way hurt by Transformers related properties at the moment, its why they are making more.

Haven't we already seen the RRP for these?

We have not, Hasbro has not disclosed that info (as far as I know).

[Skritz]

Catching the eye of customers in the stores. It has ALWAYS served that function in Transformers.

Oh right, I forget that there are people going in stores, look at these things and go "Huh you know what? This looks neat." I'm so used now to knowing months in advance what these figures will be like (and knowing the character) that I forgot about that part.

[Emerje]

Haven't we already seen the RRP for these?

We have not, Hasbro has not disclosed that info (as far as I know).

Though there is that Walgreens listing for $17.99. That's the same price they currently sell Deluxe at so either they haven't updated their price to the new MSRP or the price is staying the same because I can't imagine them selling at the same price or less than Walmart. But then they also had the Ratchet exclusive listed at $18.99 and their exclusives are usually the same price as their regular figures so if that's their actual new Deluxe price then the MSRP could just be $17.99, only a dollar more than it is now.

Seriously, did you people forget about the fact that these figures are coming with more accessories (and more complex accessories) than they've had in a while, while still being the same size as most prior Generations deluxes? And the paint detailing (even going by the stock photos and not the toy show prototypes)? Sheesh!

Uh, what? More and more complex accessories? Each PotP Deluxe comes with a regular weapon and an armor/weapon piece consisting of four moving parts (fingers, two thumbs, and a peg) and a plug in the middle that doubles as a third weapon. That's a six-part accessory, nothing in Siege comes even a little close to that.

Emerje

[Skritz]

The POTP accesories, however, were mostly the same mold or a variation of the same engineering. Only the details on the plastic chunk changed and even then there's only 2-3 variations. Even less for feet.

[william-james88]

The POTP accesories, however, were mostly the same mold or a variation of the same engineering. Only the details on the plastic chunk changed and even then there's only 2-3 variations. Even less for feet.

All my potp guns for deluxes look unique to me. Were they not for the most part?

[Full-Tilt]

Shockwave still looks like some late-series bad guy mobile suit from some older Gundam series. Not that it's a bad thing.

paint shockwave red and remove the legs. no one will tell the difference.

[Skritz]

The POTP accesories, however, were mostly the same mold or a variation of the same engineering. Only the details on the plastic chunk changed and even then there's only 2-3 variations. Even less for feet.

All my potp guns for deluxes look unique to me. Were they not for the most part?

I meant the Combiner Hands version 2.

[D-Maximal_Primal]

I really like that packaging!

[Skritz]

Let's just hope that price hike ain't too painful. On the flipside? No more combiner teams (for now?), so no need to hunt down every single figure to complete a 'set'. This is a much more 'buy what you want' line, really. Which is good.

...Even if I still want more combiners.