The Energon Pub

iGear is back in the news with what appears to be another all original design. They have updated their facebook page with a computer image of their upcoming IG-TF005 Skarkticons. The image has been mirrored below for easy viewing.

I'll take a dozen please!

Well, maybe just 3

Hell yeah!

These look quite good from the rendering, highly impressed with iGear as of late. I'd love to add a box of these guys to my collection, depending on the price I may add two.

So they DO transform into robots?

This shall be my first 3rd party purchase ever. I've always liked the Sharkticons for some reason, and this is a nice update from the original toy. I'm just hoping it won't be too much.

These are looking spot on, which leads to one problem. With all of these third party offerings looking more and more accurate, how long until Hasbro starts leagal action. I remember them saying at a Botcon one year that the add ons, like City Commander, Protector, and the Universe Bruticus upgrades, they don't mind so much because the consumer still has to buy their product for it to work. It's hard to say when the rest will be "crossing the line."

Axalon_Prime wrote:These are looking spot on, which leads to one problem. With all of these third party offerings looking more and more accurate, how long until Hasbro starts leagal action. I remember them saying at a Botcon one year that the add ons, like City Commander, Protector, and the Universe Bruticus upgrades, they don't mind so much because the consumer still has to buy their product for it to work. It's hard to say when the rest will be "crossing the line."

I see what you're saying, but I don't honestly know what legal action Has/Tak could take. This figure may look similar to look of something Has/Tak produced (in the past), but it is an entirely new mold designed by iGear. As long as they don't call it a Sharkicon, I don't see iGear having to worry about anything (granted this is also a company which produced KOs for some time, so I don't think they worry at all).

Axalon_Prime wrote:These are looking spot on, which leads to one problem. With all of these third party offerings looking more and more accurate, how long until Hasbro starts leagal action. I remember them saying at a Botcon one year that the add ons, like City Commander, Protector, and the Universe Bruticus upgrades, they don't mind so much because the consumer still has to buy their product for it to work. It's hard to say when the rest will be "crossing the line."

Just my two cents, I have the same sentiments as Hasbro about the accessories since the original figures need to be purchased to use them, leading to more sales for Hasbro, but when a 3rd party starts making figures, that's where it crosses said line. To me it doesn't matter if it is a direct copy of the original toy, or an updated version, quite like these are, its still an infringement of Hasbro's/ Takara's intellectual property.
I know someone is going to say that these 3rd party developers are too small and don't have the ability to produce the figures on a scale similar to Hasbro to cause a drain to said company's bottom line, but it really doesn't make a difference. Even if there is no new official version of a figure being released for the foreseeable future, and 3rd parties are only making these "for the fans", it is still considered a copyright infringement. Essentially, a knock off is a knock off is a knock off is a knock off, doesn't matter what name you give it, everyone knows what the figure is based on, and the prices they charge don't help their case either. I know its because of the small amount of figures they produce leads to higher prices to make them, but I still feel they are making quite a bit off of what they charge us, why else would there be so many newcomers starting to jump on the bandwagon?

and everybody knows the Universe 2.0 Sunstreaker/Sideswipe/Red Alert alt mode is a Lamborghini. Should Lambo go after Hasbro for violating their IP?

Didn't iGear release a Sharkticon before, a mini Gnaw?

This is a much better design - something new, not just a miniaturized knock off of an existing design.

Son of Primus wrote:I see what you're saying, but I don't honestly know what legal action Has/Tak could take. This figure may look similar to look of something Has/Tak produced (in the past), but it is an entirely new mold designed by iGear. As long as they don't call it a Sharkicon, I don't see iGear having to worry about anything (granted this is also a company which produced KOs for some time, so I don't think they worry at all).

I don't think the 3rd party market is quite has huge a threat as our enthusiasm likes to suggest. Compared to Hasbro's products, 3rd parties are still very limited in number and expensive in price. Most of them, the first run is all we get. Now what might annoy Hasbro is the sheer number of them popping up these days. Then there might be an accumulative effect that actually registers "money they aren't getting". But even still, most of that money is for things Hasbro wouldn't produce anyway out of not seeing the project worth that much time, expense, or energy.

El Duque wrote:and everybody knows the Universe 2.0 Sunstreaker/Sideswipe/Red Alert alt mode is a Lamborghini. Should Lambo go after Hasbro for violating their IP?

I'd be very surprised if HasTak didn't ask for Lamborghini's permission before going ahead w/ that trio.

If I'm not mistaken, HasTak wanted to make Classics Bumblebee's alt mode to be a VW New Beetle, but VW didn't give them permission, so HasTak went w/ some generic subcompact car design.

Joetx wrote:Didn't iGear release a Sharkticon before, a mini Gnaw?

This is a much better design - something new, not just a miniaturized knock off of an existing design.

I think they scrapped that project.

El Duque wrote:and everybody knows the Universe 2.0 Sunstreaker/Sideswipe/Red Alert alt mode is a Lamborghini. Should Lambo go after Hasbro for violating their IP?

I just knew someone was going to say this too. I guess after I make a rebuttal to what you said, you'll say something along the lines of "Kia's Forte has the same design as Honda's Civic, should Honda sue Kia?" This is just a never ending circle, so I won't bother to continue an argument that you are wanting to prove "how stupid I am and how right you are", which is the reason why these arguments exist in the first place, right? All I'll say is what I posted is how I feel on this subject, you have a differing opinion and that's cool, but if you want to actually debate and not flame, I'd recommend typing more than just a couple of arbitrary/ blanket sentences that you used to try to prove that everyone steals ideas from everyone.

I'm hoping that they will come in sets of 3's so I can buy at least 2 sets. Maaaybe 3 sets, depending on price.

Looks awesome, but I just know it'll be too expensive for me.

El Duque wrote:

Joetx wrote:Didn't iGear release a Sharkticon before, a mini Gnaw?

This is a much better design - something new, not just a miniaturized knock off of an existing design.

I think they scrapped that project.

Yeah, wasn't that going to happen in alternators too? A Volkswagon 2.0 If I recall. That was a cool mold. I wish hasbro wouldn't cancel so many good ideas. I mean, the Volkswagon thing is understandable, they didn't want their vehicle to be seen as a part of conflict, that I remember. With Alternators using REAL Vehicle's brand names for a change, the decision for bumblebee to be a VW Was the only one worth making, but due to Volkswagon's view on the situation, it never happened.
Now, as for the deluxe version, I don't see why hasbro couldn't just make a car that resembles a VW like those "Lamborghini" bots. No permission needed, they just LOOKED like lambos. Why not have a clasics bee that looks like a VW? Do they still need the permission?
*EDIT:
And to further this, Arent third parties Kinda doing the same thing here? They LOOK like hasbro Products, but they are not. Transformers LOOK like Lamborghini and VW in alt mode, but are not. Same thing. Really, it's just the fact that automotive is stronger than third party, so I guess hasbro listens to them and ignors third partys? Cars do the same thing. look at the Pontiac Solstice. For crying out loud, that body frame's been used like 5 times, probably more! Besides, If I were hasbro, Id'e be happy that Certain Figures are being made that I never had the time or money to make. Takes off what little stress Id'e have on that particular character.

Man these "can-diggin' grill-crackin' things" look bad ass!
I think 5 is a nice number for a set to be sold but 3 would be fine. Enough to surround Classics Hot Rod and Kup that is if they are near deluxe class...?

IAmThePeej wrote:

El Duque wrote:and everybody knows the Universe 2.0 Sunstreaker/Sideswipe/Red Alert alt mode is a Lamborghini. Should Lambo go after Hasbro for violating their IP?

I just knew someone was going to say this too. I guess after I make a rebuttal to what you said, you'll say something along the lines of "Kia's Forte has the same design as Honda's Civic, should Honda sue Kia?" This is just a never ending circle, so I won't bother to continue an argument that you are wanting to prove "how stupid I am and how right you are", which is the reason why these arguments exist in the first place, right? All I'll say is what I posted is how I feel on this subject, you have a differing opinion and that's cool, but if you want to actually debate and not flame, I'd recommend typing more than just a couple of arbitrary/ blanket sentences that you used to try to prove that everyone steals ideas from everyone.

Wow, you're reading quite a lot into my statement. I'm not trying to make you look stupid, I'm just pointing out that Hasbro does their fair share of IP theft. That's not an attempt to flame it's a fact. You have your opinion on these type of figures and I have mine, and I'm cool with that.

cant wait! they look great!

speaking of sharkticons, anyone have a spare RIGHT ARM of G1 gnaw they care to sell me? PM

El Duque wrote:

IAmThePeej wrote:...All I'll say is what I posted is how I feel on this subject, you have a differing opinion and that's cool, but if you want to actually debate and not flame, I'd recommend typing more than just a couple of arbitrary/ blanket sentences that you used to try to prove that everyone steals ideas from everyone.

Wow, you're reading quite a lot into my statement. I'm not trying to make you look stupid, I'm just pointing out that Hasbro does their fair share of IP theft. That's not an attempt to flame it's a fact. You have your opinion on these type of figures and I have mine, and I'm cool with that.

Really, I wasn't reading anything into it. I'm just annoyed when someone tries to flame me (I do consider your simple statement as an attempt to flame), so I just type what I feel will effectively kill the argument before it can start. Also, nice re-branding of the last part of my last post (see quoted part).

yea im gonna need like 20 of these guys. im gonna recreate the scene from the movie when the dinobots rescue hot rod and cup. haha

Captziltoid wrote:yea im gonna need like 20 of these guys. im gonna recreate the scene from the movie when the dinobots rescue hot rod and cup. haha

Seriously, since we're on the topic of knock offs, this place needs to have its own knock off of FaceBook's ability to "Like" things. Captziltoid's post is proof that its necessary. I seriously laughed just thinking about it.

i just can't get my wallet to open for knock offs,some of the work is impressive,i just dont like the fact they're unoffical.and the price range is not my cup of tea.