The Energon Pub

[El Duque]

During a recent Q&A session Ashley Wood of 3A revealed that they have acquired a license for Transformers! No word on what we can look forward to, but exciting news none the less.

Q: With 3AA almost upon us, I would love to know what licensed figures will we see in 2014? You mentioned Marvel specifically and hinted other designers and artists. I know that 3AA doesn't have written in stone plan, but better hint would be great! SGDM and MaK maybe?

A: Actually our plans are 90% original content, I see 3A's strength as bringing original ideas to market, regarding licenses thought we have more Halo, Marvel, MGS, Valve universe and Transformers and not forgetting Micronauts. Thats more than enough! Naturally we have some surprises in these realms as well!

About 3A:

WE CREATE WORLDS

3A is a toy, publishing and entertainment company founded in 2008 by Kim Fung Wong and Ashley Wood.

Best known for creating the toy series from Ashley Wood's Popbot, World War Robot and Adventure Kartel - 3A has extended its award-winning design and production techniques towards licensed properties such as Valve's Portal 2 and Team Fortress 2, Konami's Metal Gear Solid and 343 Industries' Halo franchise as well as an upcoming toy series with Marvel designed by Ashley Wood.

[welcometothedarksyde]

I've heard the name before, but I don't know what they do. Does anyone have any guesses as to what they'd do with the Transformers license?

[TimothyR]

I've heard the name before, but I don't know what they do. Does anyone have any guesses as to what they'd do with the Transformers license?

my guess.. or maybe i should call it my hope, is that they give us something along the lines of the DMK kits/robot replicas... accurate, quality, non transforming toys.. i don't know.. but i'm very interested. some of their toys are pretty nice looking.. here's hoping.

[El Duque]

To be honest I don't know a lot about them either. I have a friend who really likes their stuff and he's showed me a few of the ones he owns. Their highly detailed figures and I'm interested to see what they have to offer. Here's some of their products:

http://www.bigbadtoystore.com/bbts/menu ... egory=4866

[RodimalToyota]

I'm a 3AA member, and this might be a little premature as Ash sometimes types the wrong word getting a message across.

However, it doesn't mean they won't make a mind blowing transformer weathered and detailed beyond your imagination. They already work directly with Takara with the aquired Microman license.

If they do, it won't be cheap!

[Dead Metal]

Oh wow, please be Prime related, please be Prime related

[njb902]

Oh wow, please be Prime related, please be Prime related

As in Transformers Prime or Optimus Prime?

[Dead Metal]

Oh wow, please be Prime related, please be Prime related

As in Transformers Prime or Optimus Prime?

NO, PRIMAL PRIME!

Yea no, I did mean TF Prime, but that would include Optimus Prime. Man a line of highly detailed, highly articulated screen accurate TF Prime figures that are in scale with each other would be amazing.
Especially Megatron and Predaking.

[Jelze Bunnycat]

Given the timing of it all, I'm expecting to be Age of Extinction-related. Just my five eurocents (we got rid of the 1 and 2 cent coins years ago).

[RodimalToyota]

It's either G1 or AOE. If it's AOE it's probably a Robot mode figure.
If it's G1, it might be done Ashley Wood's style and not really look like what most are expecting.

[PrymeStriker]

Oh wow, please be Prime related, please be Prime related

As in Transformers Prime or Optimus Prime?

NO, PRIMAL PRIME!

Yea no, I did mean TF Prime, but that would include Optimus Prime. Man a line of highly detailed, highly articulated screen accurate TF Prime figures that are in scale with each other would be amazing.
Especially Megatron and Predaking.

At long last, I am not alone.

Wasn't there word on some new Movie, G1, and Prime minifigures? Could this be related to them?

I hope they are instead of being a bunch of Kreons.

[Mindmaster]

Noticed that Halo was mentioned in their previous works. Curious, I looked them up. Imagine this:






...But with something like this:


Photo c/o our very own GetRightRobot

Probably won't transform, but based on their Halo figures, we can expect some insanely detailed (maybe even light-up like the above Spartan Commando/Carter), articulated figures, loaded with gimmicks and accessories.

[SKYWARPED_128]

Probably good news for very wealthy collectors, and bad news for wallets in general.

From what I know of 3A's products, expect to see insanely beautiful weathering and detailing, massive sizes, and prices in excess of 300 USD.

Not quite sure about the ability to transform, though. Should be no problem if 3A's and HasTak's designers form a creative team for a TF project.

Give me a transforming, super-detailed, and screen-accurate ROTF or DOTM Megatron that scales in with ROTF leader class OP, and I'm a happy camper.

...hopefully somewhere within the 200 USD mark.

[RodimalToyota]

Probably good news for very wealthy collectors, and bad news for wallets in general.

From what I know of 3A's products, expect to see insanely beautiful weathering and detailing, massive sizes, and prices in excess of 300 USD.

Not quite sure about the ability to transform, though. Should be no problem if 3A's and HasTak's designers form a creative team for a TF project.

Give me a transforming, super-detailed, and screen-accurate ROTF or DOTM Megatron that scales in with ROTF leader class OP, and I'm a happy camper.

...hopefully somewhere within the 200 USD mark.

3A works directly with Takara so expect something Takara wants to do.
Won't have anything to do with Hasbro since they are the reason the 3A 1/12
Star Wars figures never got approved. No one is find of Hasbro over there.

For reference google 3A's Metal Gear Solid Rex, and Threezero's Zoids offering.
You can expect stuff like that.

[SKYWARPED_128]

Probably good news for very wealthy collectors, and bad news for wallets in general.

From what I know of 3A's products, expect to see insanely beautiful weathering and detailing, massive sizes, and prices in excess of 300 USD.

Not quite sure about the ability to transform, though. Should be no problem if 3A's and HasTak's designers form a creative team for a TF project.

Give me a transforming, super-detailed, and screen-accurate ROTF or DOTM Megatron that scales in with ROTF leader class OP, and I'm a happy camper.

...hopefully somewhere within the 200 USD mark.

3A works directly with Takara so expect something Takara wants to do.
Won't have anything to do with Hasbro since they are the reason the 3A 1/12
Star Wars figures never got approved. No one is find of Hasbro over there.

For reference google 3A's Metal Gear Solid Rex, and Threezero's Zoids offering.
You can expect stuff like that.

Yeah, I know all about 3A's products. Heavily weathered, and super detailed. In fact, I just pre-ordered ThreeZero's Fullmetal Ghost.

Didn't know about their dislike of Hasbro, though.

[RodimalToyota]

Probably good news for very wealthy collectors, and bad news for wallets in general.

From what I know of 3A's products, expect to see insanely beautiful weathering and detailing, massive sizes, and prices in excess of 300 USD.

Not quite sure about the ability to transform, though. Should be no problem if 3A's and HasTak's designers form a creative team for a TF project.

Give me a transforming, super-detailed, and screen-accurate ROTF or DOTM Megatron that scales in with ROTF leader class OP, and I'm a happy camper.

...hopefully somewhere within the 200 USD mark.

3A works directly with Takara so expect something Takara wants to do.
Won't have anything to do with Hasbro since they are the reason the 3A 1/12
Star Wars figures never got approved. No one is find of Hasbro over there.

For reference google 3A's Metal Gear Solid Rex, and Threezero's Zoids offering.
You can expect stuff like that.

Yeah, I know all about 3A's products. Heavily weathered, and super detailed. In fact, I just pre-ordered ThreeZero's Fullmetal Ghost.

Didn't know about their dislike of Hasbro, though.

Since Hasbro had the idea for their 6' inch line, they made sure to have Lucasfilm turn them down.
It's glory compared to the crap Hasbro consitantly puts out..



These have cloth, and armor, plus have like 35+ POA.

[SKYWARPED_128]

Probably good news for very wealthy collectors, and bad news for wallets in general.

From what I know of 3A's products, expect to see insanely beautiful weathering and detailing, massive sizes, and prices in excess of 300 USD.

Not quite sure about the ability to transform, though. Should be no problem if 3A's and HasTak's designers form a creative team for a TF project.

Give me a transforming, super-detailed, and screen-accurate ROTF or DOTM Megatron that scales in with ROTF leader class OP, and I'm a happy camper.

...hopefully somewhere within the 200 USD mark.

3A works directly with Takara so expect something Takara wants to do.
Won't have anything to do with Hasbro since they are the reason the 3A 1/12
Star Wars figures never got approved. No one is find of Hasbro over there.

For reference google 3A's Metal Gear Solid Rex, and Threezero's Zoids offering.
You can expect stuff like that.

Yeah, I know all about 3A's products. Heavily weathered, and super detailed. In fact, I just pre-ordered ThreeZero's Fullmetal Ghost.

Didn't know about their dislike of Hasbro, though.

Since Hasbro had the idea for their 6' inch line, they made sure to have Lucasfilm turn them down.
It's glory compared to the crap Hasbro consitantly puts out..



These have cloth, and armor, plus have like 35+ POA.

That's such a shame. Those look sweet!

[BERSEKAEL]

I hope they will add something very important to any transformers toy line they will produce... SCALE

[Genyosha]

Here's an Ashley Wood cover, A glimpse of what may be coming from this 3A deal. I'm excited.

[Convotron]

Won't have anything to do with Hasbro since they are the reason the 3A 1/12
Star Wars figures never got approved. No one is find of Hasbro over there.

Since Hasbro had the idea for their 6' inch line, they made sure to have Lucasfilm turn them down.
It's glory compared to the crap Hasbro consitantly puts out..



These have cloth, and armor, plus have like 35+ POA.

Did Wood or any other employee of 3A speak of the alleged ill will towards Hasbro and/or Hasbro's involvement in their 1/12 figure proposal with TakaraTomy in an interview or through some official channel of communication?

I ask this because this allegation of bad blood and sabotage doesn't make sense to me.

From what 3A proposed in 2011, their 1/12 Star Wars figures would not compete with Hasbros 6" Black Series toys. Why would Hasbro quash a proposal between 3A and TakaraTomy for a product line that would not be sold in the chain retail market, where Hasbro mainly does its Star Wars toy business? It wouldn't be a product that would be sold outside of Japan in retail, only through specialty stores that deal in high end/collectible toys.

The prototype samples of the 3A Star Wars toys use what is basically the 1/12 bodies that are used for other 3A 1/12 figures, specifically the Action Portable toys.

The clothing is fabric and uses scaled down threads to simulate 1/12 scale stitching. The layering of the clothing, at least on the Boba Fett figure, which has been reviewed, is likewise involved.

The proposed 3A 1/12 Star Wars toys would easily cost over $50. They would not be sold at Wal Mart, Target, etc. so why would Hasbro care enough to sabotage 3A's deal with TakaraTomy? Unless 3A intended to compromise their toy designs significantly and make $20-ish 1/12 Star Wars toys, which would then compete with the 6" Black Series toys, why Hasbro would perceive any threat from the proposed Action Portable Star Wars toys?