Dear Hasbro,
Now, Hasbro....you know I like you, and friends tell each other things, right? Well, I'd love for you to sit down, because what I have to tell you isn't gonna be easy to hear, but I'd rather tell you and let you know now than risk fallout later.
You pack your cases of Transformer figures kind of randomly, Hasbro. For instance, Cliffjumper should no longer be packed in ANY wave. You could walk into ANY store that sells TF:Prime merchandise and find Cliffjumper. He's not hard to find. At. All. So...no more of a figure that died five minutes into the first episode of a show and isn't coming back.
The proper case assortment for Wave 4 SHOULD have been Airachnid (popular and anticipated character) x2, Dead End x2, Soundwave x1, The latest in a long and neverending line of repainted/retooled Bumblebees x1, and Vehicon x2.
Why Vehicon? well, you must have realized when you made the Vehicons as mass troops that more devoted fans of the show would build armies with them. This leaves none for those who just want the whole cast once over. Packing him?/them? one to a case for ONE round just isn't cutting it.
Now on to the big black and yellow elephant in the room, Hasbro. I realize Bumblebee is your cash cow. Kids love him, and you want to make as many Bumblebee variations as you can so kids will keep buying him, and you keep making money, but there is a point called "oversaturation", which means every household in America has at least three Bumblebee toys of various incarnations. This point was reached approximately three movies and one tv series ago. Packing Bumblebee one to a case should be your maximum from now on. Otherwise you risk the rage of not only the more, shall we say, enthusiastic fans of your show, but from parents everywhere who don't want to buy "one more d**n Bumblebee toy!"
The same might be said for Optimus Prime and Megatron. Yes, they are stars of the current TV show, but there are other figures, like Bulkhead, who could stand to be packed in more cases, so everyone can enjoy one. Mix it up a little more! If for no other reason than to mess with people.
Now, Hasbro, don't get all bent out of shape. I say this out of concern. I'd love for you to keep making Transformer toys, but Transformer toys that will sell, and that people will want. You could make more money that way! Thanks for listening. Buy you a shot of chilled Energon?
Hugs, Me.
P.S. Some more exclusives from Asia in the US as well wouldn't be a bad thing. Just sayin'.