3rd Party Ban at Botcon 2012?

And the downward cycle begins....

No only was it a matter of time, but I, for one, welcome this.

Hasbro/TT do own the intellectual rights to these properties. While I'm quite impressed by the work 3rd parties have been doing, they really aren't TFs. The one 3rd party I have - Warbot Defender - is Springer, but the moment Has/Tax puts out a real Springer, I'll likely scrap it. If people want to create their own toys, go for it. But that doesn't mean that they are real TFs.

The Singapore Cybertron Con this week proved that focusing entirely on Has/Tak TF's in no way curtails the quality or supply of goods available. Kudos to you Mr. Archer and co for making this decision and following through on it.

Hasbro/Takara is just mad because these Third Party groups are turning out better things than they ever could, thus cutting into their wallets. It's all political BS.

First steps? Or saving face? Either way, it's not like you have a shortage of things to spend money at Botcon.

Maybe they got tired of being upstaged?

Dark Ops wrote:Maybe they got tired of being upstaged?

Is all I can say, to that.

I put the blame for this on whatever KO Toys did to get shut down. First them. Then the WSTFs from Justitoys (I believe it was them) disappear. And now this. It looks like Hasbro's FINALLY getting tough on them. Really, I think they're just sick of people using their intellectual property ... and I can't blame them. I know there's some who will, but it *is* the OFFICIAL TF con, after all.

It was only a matter of time. Actually, I'm surprised it didn't happen the first year the 3rd party started! People joked that the 3rd party booth was right under the Hasbro rep's nose and here's the consequence. But it was preatty expected.

Hopefully this doesn't happen at TFcon.

wolverinetodd wrote:Hasbro/Takara is just mad because these Third Party groups are turning out better things than they ever could, thus cutting into their wallets. It's all political BS.

Yeah, third party stuff is REALLY affecting their sales.

I always looked at Botcon as a celebration for Transformers. While knock offs being banned I can understand, but all 3rd party products? That's a shame.
All it will do is limit profits made by dealers. People who want them will
undoubtedly get them online anyway.

Listen, people are going to have these at Botcon, in hotel rooms, the trunks of their cars, under a bridge.

It's gonna work like the guy selling fireworks in the
parking lot of the local BP(yeah, I've bought them there).
You're gonna ask "Where's the good stuff?"
He's gonna size you up, point his finger in the air and whisper "Wait til this guy here leaves." He's gonna ask what you're interested in, you're gonna tell em and he probably will be able to help you out.
All the time you've spent getting illicit goods is gonna pay off. You're gonna get your fix and geek out in your hotel room with your buddies and the 3rd party stuff you worked so hard to procure.

I think it is a shot-in-the-face to fans. I get it's their ip, but with the exception of KO-Toys and some of TFC toys, many are trying to give a more faithful version of the characters than Hasbro is trying to do.

I see this getting tighter every year. I was impressed with most of the 3P stuff over the years. We already got Springer, a repaint of Cybertron Evac, and it was not a triple changer. Worse it didn't even match the comic they threw in.

Fans Project Warbot isn't perfect but it's close as to Springer as you can get.

I think they are worried about being upstaged by design, not by profit. FansProject enhanced many of the sorry repaints (Ultra Magnus) to a new level.

I don't attend Botcon. To be honest paying 10x to 50x mark-up for a repaint and slight remold is getting absurd now. And the way Hasbro has been playing their hand along with FP, I think I know why I am moving faster away from the hobby.

I made a vlog about this along with a bunch of other stuff just yesterday. I think they are feeling the heat from 3rd parties and would rather just cut them out entirely. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l_Gc9dJKm8c&feature=plcp&context=C4c53d5eVDvjVQa1PpcFPL92PPu7-l9kchmMXCtFPR_R6e5-i9nWc%3D
Check it out if you guys would like.

well it looks like besides box set and souvenier sets I will not be spending money at botcon. because if it isnt an affordable tf prime first edition toy or a 3rd party item. they will be saving me money.....

When third party is making your own fuckin product better than you hasbro/ takara WHAT THE FUCK DO YOU EXPECT TO HAPPEN?!?!??!?!?

We have asked for a G1 accurate Arcee that turns into a car, they give us excuses.WHen asked about it at last years botcon by my homie they gave a bullshit answer stating "if we do an Arcee it will only be used from the Arcee from the tf prime series. We have asked for numerous triplechangers like an official springer or a blitzwing we get more BS(and dont give me that horse shit about "they did a blitzwing for animated" because quite frankly I dont give a damn. 3rd party is giving us what we ask for in thier own way which actually breaths new life in toys that we would probably throw in a closet or on ebay(because honestly how many people would have kept a naked ultra magnus optimus prime repaint before just dismissing it as a cheesy pallet swap?) As much as I have stood by hasbro and some of the stupid shit they do And now asia is getting all this awesome shit I heard about and we are here in the states high and dry I have to say at this point fuck them. I am 3rd party with good quality all the way this year.

I doubt Hasbro if "feeling the heat" from 3rd parties. Look at what they're selling: movie toys, Prime toys ... anything except what the 3rd parties make. And they seem to be doing well for themselves.

But if you don't defend your IP you lose it. You just do. With that in mind ... I can understand what they're doing. It sucks and I'd be pissed were I going to Botcon (since all I've been getting lately are not-Transformers), but I can see what's happening.

I would say they would do better defending their IP by not ensuring a Bumblebee to warm every shelf from every generation, or not releasing a toy of a character meant for collectors at one website only for over $150 when they know a third party is selling a representation of the character with higher distribution. But what do I know?

I'm well aware that they have corporate heads to answer to and so forth, and that's why we don't see the characters we want and so forth and so on. And yeah, it's their IP. Not to mention even if they did do a "no more third parties" move, their sales would probably be most unaffected.

Yet this still puts a sour taste in my mouth for Hasbro and Botcon on the whole.

Never understood why with all these 3rd party companies out there and all their rabid supporters who are so anti-Hasbro that they've never bothered to develop their own universe, their own characters, something that will set them completely apart from Hasbro and Transformers.

Oh wait, that would require originality, and it's so much easier to rip off an existing character that someone else owns.

Oh no, here it goes again...

There was already a HUGE discussion about these news at tfw2005:

http://www.tfw2005.com/boards/transformers-conventions-get-togethers/543548-attention-botcon-2012-dealers-third-party-toys-banned-botcon-73.html

It has evolved to an interesting discussion regarding property rights. Summing up:

- Botcon has become Hasbro party and so Hasbro has the right to say who can sell what, although Hasbro doesn't have the police power to confiscate anything (but they can ask sellers to leave...)

- Property rights of concepts and designs (intangible things, no trademarks) are a great thing to reward innovation, that's why creators have exclusive rights of their creations for years, but after sometime those rights cannot be abused to justify monopolies, and that's why things should become public domain after the "reward period", especially old almost forgotten (neglected?) concepts and designs.

- There is no crystal clear line separating what is something original and what is an illegal cheap copy. Yes, when you just copy everything, that is pretty illegal, but how much modification is necessary to something become original (or at least not illegal)? Hercules has the concept of Devastator, but its engineering is much more complex, for example. HasTak also have modified some car designs just enough to avoid problems with their manufactures, so where is the line?

- Anyway, 3rd part has been growing enough (filling some voids left by HasTak) to start taking more risks and making original characters. I'm all up for more competition by creativity.

I'm tired now of this discussion, enjoy, I'm reading other stuff

PS: Ah, I forgot, please, this is not about love or hate HasTak or 3rd part companies, nobody is innocent and constructive critics putting passion a little at the side are always good.

This talk is a little too corporate-centric for a gathering of fans of transforming robots.

Confiscation of toys - under any circumstance - is douchebaggery - and I gotta call shenanigans. Sure, it's legal to do so. Sure, they have the right to stipulate anything under their official convention. But, this doesn't sound extreme to anyone? These are goods that have been legally bought by the dealers - most of which do not directly bootleg any official molds of Hasbro or actually cross the line of IP theft defined by the courts of our nation. But to take said goods without payment is just point. blank. wrong.

But if you're gonna take a stand like this, you make a statement to the fandom that embrace this part of the hobby (the customizer, the painter, the aspiring toy creator, the CAD modeler, the freelance line artist and colorist, the fanfictioner, the corner shop small business, and everywhere between). To me, that statement is this - don't bother with Botcon. No biggie. No resentment. Info simulated.

See you at TFCon - late July right? Encline is also hyping a Northern Cali convention (word spreads fast within our fandom).

Burn wrote:Never understood why with all these 3rd party companies out there and all their rabid supporters who are so anti-Hasbro that they've never bothered to develop their own universe, their own characters, something that will set them completely apart from Hasbro and Transformers.

Probably because people aren't so much attached to Hasbro as to the fictional representations of the characters seen in the cartoons, comics etc. People want that image they grew up with so they can lift that thing up and feel nostalgia. If someone wants Bruticus because they loved the character in Sunbow's cartoon, and you show them Fansproject's vs the WFC toy, which do you think they'll go for?

Burn wrote:Never understood why with all these 3rd party companies out there and all their rabid supporters who are so anti-Hasbro that they've never bothered to develop their own universe, their own characters, something that will set them completely apart from Hasbro and Transformers.

Oh wait, that would require originality, and it's so much easier to rip off an existing character that someone else owns.

Mecha Workshop is an exciting new line of transforming robots made by none other than fan favorite, Don Figueroa! It involves unique, interesting characters that are sure to be followed by original content! I've provided a link for you to check out!

http://mecha-workshop.deviantart.com/

Also, a facebook page!!

https://www.facebook.com/Armarauders

You should check them out, and please take your time, in hopes that we don't have to read any more of the baiting statements you provide.

Kung Fu Man wrote:

Burn wrote:Never understood why with all these 3rd party companies out there and all their rabid supporters who are so anti-Hasbro that they've never bothered to develop their own universe, their own characters, something that will set them completely apart from Hasbro and Transformers.

Probably because people aren't so much attached to Hasbro as to the fictional representations of the characters seen in the cartoons, comics etc. People want that image they grew up with so they can lift that thing up and feel nostalgia. If someone wants Bruticus because they loved the character in Sunbow's cartoon, and you show them Fansproject's vs the WFC toy, which do you think they'll go for?

I like how you only partly quoted me, thus missing my point. Well done.

I don't go to botcon for 3rd party stuff - I get most of that stuff online. I go to the con to see what Hasbro will be showing us next year.

This doesn't particularly affect me, although last year there were shops dedicated to only selling KOs and CHMS stuff, I hope to see them replaced with more interesting sellers.

bionic_radical wrote:You should check them out, and please take your time, in hopes that we don't have to read any more of the baiting statements you provide.

Baiting? Don't push me. I'm entitled to my opinion as much as you are.

I have seen Mecha Workshop stuff and I really hope it does succeed.

Burn wrote:

bionic_radical wrote:You should check them out, and please take your time, in hopes that we don't have to read any more of the baiting statements you provide.

Baiting? Don't push me. I'm entitled to my opinion as much as you are.

I have seen Mecha Workshop stuff and I really hope it does succeed.

Yeah that stuff looks killer, I can't wait for it.

All this really means is you'll being seeing/buying third-party items in the dealers private hotel rooms rather than the actual dealer room.

Burn wrote:

bionic_radical wrote:You should check them out, and please take your time, in hopes that we don't have to read any more of the baiting statements you provide.

Baiting? Don't push me. I'm entitled to my opinion as much as you are.

I have seen Mecha Workshop stuff and I really hope it does succeed.

You clearly have never been pushed, sir. And by categorizing a group of people you most certainly are baiting with that comment. If calling you out on that would be pushing, I don't know what to tell you. Once again, please refrain.

bionic_radical wrote:You clearly have never been pushed, sir. And by categorizing a group of people you most certainly are baiting with that comment. If calling you out on that would be pushing, I don't know what to tell you. Once again, please refrain.

So now you're challenging me?

Okay. Fine. Please explain to me how I have categorised a group of people. Because I called 3rd party companies unoriginal? That's my opinion, that's how I see it. They take existing characters, existing looks, and give their spin on it. The spin is original, I'll concede that, but the look, the essence of the character, they had nothing to do with that. Unoriginal.

Or am I categorising in another way?

Im SICK & tired of ppl saying that Hasbro "can do it, they have a right" & "Their actions are justified"! You cant own/copyright a word, transform is a general idea, not something owned by 1 person. Even if it is, there are still going to be other companies that want to provide something similar! They are not trying to f*** up your company, just trying to provide a good product! Hasbro was the first & is still the biggest, but that shouldn't mean you have the right to limit or block other companies just because you feel a little threatened! (Thats a monopoly & monopolies are unconstitutional)If you cant provide a good enough product that the others can, then its your fault! And instead of attacking the other producer companies, play fairly & start making better products, u are the leading company after all it shouldn't be that hard to make something better than your lesser known counterpart(s)! Your a BIG business, a good ~90-95% of your consumer base cant access the others so you shouldn't even feel the LEAST bit threatened! You make WAY more money than any of the other companies so start using it & make better PRODUCTS!

God ppl, stop backing up Hasbro b/c we all know they can do better

Burn wrote:

bionic_radical wrote:You clearly have never been pushed, sir. And by categorizing a group of people you most certainly are baiting with that comment. If calling you out on that would be pushing, I don't know what to tell you. Once again, please refrain.

So now you're challenging me?

Okay. Fine. Please explain to me how I have categorised a group of people. Because I called 3rd party companies unoriginal? That's my opinion, that's how I see it. They take existing characters, existing looks, and give their spin on it. The spin is original, I'll concede that, but the look, the essence of the character, they had nothing to do with that. Unoriginal.

Or am I categorising in another way?

You're right. Point taken. However it's opinion and many will disagree with you. But this is not the debate or issue, this is about the dealers. Get ready for a private sale folks.
Most dealers are affected by this. I know one right here where I shop at who has some 3P stuff he was gonna unload. May not hurt him since he is really a G1 collector, but the 3p stuff he bought was to sell along with his Hasbro stuff. I'm gonna ask him how he feels about the change tomorrow when I head out for a hunt.

El Duque wrote:All this really means is you'll being seeing/buying third-party items in the dealers private hotel rooms rather than the actual dealer room.

Precisely..Captured prey has already stated that they will be right after the parts party (acc their facebook). Hasbro can ban them from the actual dealer floor but 3rd party stuff will be their in some way shape or form..

I honestly can't say that I'm surprised, and frankly I think they're well within their right to do this. I can't help but wonder if some dealers are going to have some "under the table" deals. More likely though, they'll just sell things from their hotel room after hours.

Still though, there goes my plans on getting Herc and FP Insecticons next month...

Hoitytoity wrote:I honestly can't say that I'm surprised, and frankly I think they're well within their right to do this. I can't help but wonder if some dealers are going to have some "under the table" deals. More likely though, they'll just sell things from their hotel room after hours.

Still though, there goes my plans on getting Herc and FP Insecticons next month...

Trust me.. You'll be able to but them there...A ton of selling and trading goes on after the dealer floor shuts down.I know Im bringing a suitcase full of goodies

Hasbro really needs a Transformers line aimed at the adult collector - it's the niche the 3rd Parties are filling.

Or perhaps create some way to bring the 3rd Parties into the fold and profit off of them.

Well, it's their right. It's their convention.

However, I don't see this as being a big hit with the fans. This is something that should've been implemented long ago. This last minute rule change crap doesn't sit well with me. Especially after everything that's gone on so far.

Not to mention the whole confiscation thing. Kick 'em out, go ahead, but forcefully taking possession of the items seems rather illegal to me.

I'd like to see how that holds up in a court of law. Plus the whole turning over to the authorities thing? Yeaah...not gonna happen.

Without incident? Heh...someone's playing Equilibrium the home game... "No. Not without incident

Before it's all said and done, watch them change it to include the "parts" parties. That should reeeeeally make the people get P.O.ed.

LiKwid wrote:

Hoitytoity wrote:I honestly can't say that I'm surprised, and frankly I think they're well within their right to do this. I can't help but wonder if some dealers are going to have some "under the table" deals. More likely though, they'll just sell things from their hotel room after hours.

Still though, there goes my plans on getting Herc and FP Insecticons next month...

Trust me.. You'll be able to but them there...A ton of selling and trading goes on after the dealer floor shuts down.I know Im bringing a suitcase full of goodies

How bout hook up some of your fellow Seibertronian's? You think you can put together a list of what your bringin and what your prices are?

And just a general comment, PERSONALLY, I don't collect cool transforming robots. I collect TRANSFORMERS and most of my buying decisions are based on the character, not the toy. If it is a Character (or not-character) I really don't care who makes it. I want to throw 100% support to Has/Tak, but right now, they just aren't selling me. Now the new MP Sideswipe, most of the WFC, ofcourse, sold.

Almagnus1 wrote:Hasbro really needs a Transformers line aimed at the adult collector - it's the niche the 3rd Parties are filling.

Or perhaps create some way to bring the 3rd Parties into the fold and profit off of them.

Agreed. I collect sixth scale figures from companies like Sideshow Collectibles and Hot Toys, which sell very accurate representations of movie, game, and other characters, that sale for 100 to over 200 dollars, and obviously they are making enough profit to come out ahead and to continue wanting to make these collectibles, so I don't see why Hasbro wouldn't consider making more accurate and complicated transformers that adult collectors would buy, just on a smaller scale and maybe through a website. I don't want to seem like I don't appreciate the great toys they have given us, but "masterpiece" quality of some of my favorites from different universes would be something I would buy at a higher price.

I see this as a good thing and a bad thing. Personally, this is a wake up call for - ironically, not for the 3rd party companies, but for Hasbro/Takara themselves. 3rd party companies had been able to supply the fans and consumers with characters that were neglected by Hasbro/Takara (i.e. Springer, a combiner Bruticus, etc.) that fans WANT but not able to get for years.

Meanwhile, Hasbro/Takara churns out quadrillion versions of Optimus Primes and Megatrons while totally ignoring the other characters in the Transformers Universe. Sure, you can say that this is not true now that we've been getting the TF Classic/Universe/Generations line, but even within that line we're getting several versions of the same character.

It may be that the 3rd parties are borrowing ideas from Hasbro/Takara to create their version and interpretation of Transformers, but in a free market society, the consumer should have the right to chose where and to who they spend his money. If Hasbro/Takara continues to make garbage or continues to make and sell Debutante Power Optimus Prime and thinks that people will eat it up like it was the greatest thing in the world, then having the options provided by a 3rd party company is a GOOD thing because it gives the fan an alternative to not spend their money on garbage from a company that couldn't care less about the rich history of TFs so they can make a quick buck.

Then again, I am not going to say "boycott Hasbro" or "boycott Botcon" - that's a stupid thing to do, but at the same time, if you don't like this arrangement, then DON'T buy the official TFs or go to Botcon if you don't want to - voice your distaste with your dollars. Keep in mind, though, that you have to understand Hasbro/Takara has the right to protect their interests, no matter how petty their actions may seem.

There weren't any third party items for sale at Cybertron Con last week and I didn't hear any complaints.

Almagnus1 wrote:Hasbro really needs a Transformers line aimed at the adult collector - it's the niche the 3rd Parties are filling.

They had a good chance to do something different with Alternators by offering up parts to help customise them.

This isn't crossing the line unless Hasbro starts throwing their weight around at all the other conventions. It's a Hasbro event, they call the shots, the rules are spelled out and any of you who think the 3rd party guys aren't messing with Hasbros IP are delusional. It's ALL their stuff on a basic level, theirs and Takaras. Without their stuff as a basis there would be no need for "upgrades", "improvements" or whatever else we get from our 3rd party guys that vastly improves our collections. Don't play dumb folks, it's not very becoming. We just accept it and move on. I happen to love the 3rd party stuff myself and I would hate to see it go away, and that's not a fear of mine. It won't go away. We just won't see it at BotCon. This may be the biggest show but it's not the only show out there and Hasbro can't say sh** or confiscate anything at the other shows. BotCon is "their house" and you don't screw with someone in their own house, at least not if you have an ounce of respect or common sense which, sadly, means that a portion of our fan base is in trouble.

Damn I cant even read half the comments due to all BS saying 3rd party is better...I'm sorry but what? HasTak has produced ALOT more awesome toys than ALL 3rd party toys combine. Seriously just cause they produce some crappy toys in PRID line doesnt mean they are getting worse. Everyone have their downfall once in awhile. Oh and to those who wonder what awesome toys? Well here's some :-

MP-10 Optimus Prime
Leader movieverse Optimus Prime
Unicron
FE Voyager Optimus
FE Voyager Bulkhead
FE Deluxe Cliffjumper
WFC Deluxe Optimus
WFC Deluxe Megatron

I can name more but you get what I'm trying to say. Stop saying BS like "3rd party is so much better" and so on. Jesus christ without HasTak you guys wont even have those memorable 1980s toys. Oh and btw HasTak have every rights to ban 3rd party products based on TF. Stop whining about them trying to ban the 3rd party products. If it were up to me I wish ALL 3rd party toys got banned to the point selling them can get you arrested.

PS : Dont expect me to reply..I wont be checking this topic ever again.

Sadly, this will be my last year at Botcon. Id rather spend extra money on aftermarket e-bay prices than on a plane ticket and hotel to see a room full of Hasbro crap. I’m sure Funpub just put the nail in their own coffin. Selling dealers tickets months ago and announcing this at the last minute is a really low blow. They should offer a full refund to any dealers who want to opt out. With a little luck, maybe a dealer will bring a lawsuit on the basis that this is “Bot”con and the contract they agreed to upon purchasing a dealers ticket did not prohibit the sale of non-Hasbro “bots”. And yes, I saw the dealer contract that stated "any item". But you would be surprised what lawyers these days can come up with. Hell, O.J. walked free !!! Any dealers on this site, I encourage you to print out the contract and have your attorney review it and expose the loop holes. Im sure theres a smoking gun in there somewhere. It would be nice to see Hasbro’s own b**ch ass legal tactics used against them. Watch how quick Hasbro backs down and flip flops faster than you can say “Texas Republican”.

The good news is there will be plenty of 3rd party stuff for sale in hotel rooms and parking lots after 430 PM. If you want some of that “plastic crack” then just holla at the dope man slangin on the corner.



I always felt the term “intellectual property” was one big joke. It is a b**ch made argument made by men that sport a mangina. Hasbro really put on their thongs and high heels this year. Well Im sure all the my little pony fans are happy.

It wont be long before a 3rd party convention comes into being. Maybe to add insult to injury they can ban the sale of Hasbro products. I know I would go. Hold it in Cancun so Hasbro cant even interfere and we can indulge in other vices too.

HasTak needs to think a way how to keep the fans from not buying/supporting the 3rd party products; and the easiest and best solution for that is to stop making different variations of bumblebee! start making what fans really like! Common HasTak start reading the forum here in seibetron if you want to know what I mean!

I just composed a reply but it got lost. I'll just say this... its about damn time HasTak took a stance on this stuff.

Burn wrote:

Almagnus1 wrote:Hasbro really needs a Transformers line aimed at the adult collector - it's the niche the 3rd Parties are filling.

They had a good chance to do something different with Alternators by offering up parts to help customise them.

Personally I found Alternators to be too niche. I think what Hasbro could do would be to release some figures in the 40-50 dollar range of characters that would appeal ONLY to collectors, have a ton of accessories, and would fit well in our Classics line. Overlord and Star Saber for example.

Yeah, I know I'm dreaming - but whatev

combiner711 wrote:HasTak needs to think a way how to keep the fans from not buying/supporting the 3rd party products; and the easiest and best solution for that is to stop making different variations of bumblebee! start making what fans really like! Common HasTak start reading the forum here in seibetron if you want to know what I mean!

It's not about what fans want, it's what makes them money.

Mkall wrote:I think what Hasbro could do would be to release some figures in the 40-50 dollar range of characters that would appeal ONLY to collectors, have a ton of accessories, and would fit well in our Classics line. Overlord and Star Saber for example.

Yeah, I know I'm dreaming - but whatev

Yeah, again, they'd be targeting a smaller market. Really Hasbro AU tried it when they imported Takara's MP-02 for Target. A few of him sold, but in the end a lot got marked down. Admittedly that was when the dollar was low and he was selling for over $100AU.

Which, knowing how Hasbro AU works, your figure of $40-$50 would still be about $100AU even with our dollar up.

In that regards, Hasbro needs to look at their pricing structure, not just what the fans want.

So what?

3rd Party stuff was banned by Hasbro UK from Auto Assembly for the past 2 years, it was still sold by dealers.

Adding to that, all this means is that you won't be buying 3rd Party stuff in BotCons's dealer room, where Hasbro reigns supreme.
You'll still get it in stores and on-line stores.

Also both sides in this argument are delusional.

both, Hasbro/Tak and 3rd Party companies rip off other people's ip and designs, they both make awesome stuff and they both make shite.

I'm happy with my mixed collection of 3rd Party, Hasbro and Takara products.

bionic_radical wrote:

Burn wrote:Never understood why with all these 3rd party companies out there and all their rabid supporters who are so anti-Hasbro that they've never bothered to develop their own universe, their own characters, something that will set them completely apart from Hasbro and Transformers.

Oh wait, that would require originality, and it's so much easier to rip off an existing character that someone else owns.

Mecha Workshop is an exciting new line of transforming robots made by none other than fan favorite, Don Figueroa! It involves unique, interesting characters that are sure to be followed by original content! I've provided a link for you to check out!

http://mecha-workshop.deviantart.com/

Also, a facebook page!!

https://www.facebook.com/Armarauders

You should check them out, and please take your time, in hopes that we don't have to read any more of the baiting statements you provide.

Those aren't 3rd Party figures, that is an all new, original line of transforming robots, it's a new IP.

Hilarious how people complain about prices for new and orginal characters going up in recent times (OMG I WON'T PAAAAAY MOOOORE THEN 12$ FOOOOR AAAA DELUUUUXE RIPOOOOOFFFFSS)and when a 3rd party releases something that looks like somthing you already own for 79.99$ they are your god and savior.

Ban it.

Pft, what bs. This is most likely the result of some stupid exec who decides that they want that much more cash in their pockets. Botcon can bite it

why you gotta hate hasbro?