Transformers Legacy toyline

[Haywire]

I agree that retail distribution for Transformers is pretty bad (I work in retail auto parts, so my preference to support brick and mortar is more on principle as a solidarity thing), and I have a Pile of Loot at BBTS for the "must-haves", so it's not like I don't buy online at all, I just prefer to make most of my purchases in-person; beyond the reasons already stated, I do like the thrill of the hunt, and there are a lot of figures I want to see in-person before I pull the trigger on them.

That said, I have probably been unnaturally lucky: the last wave of figures I never saw in retail was the Devcon/Axlegrease deluxes. Before that was way back in Earthrise, the Sunstreaker/Trailbreaker wave (and the Runabout Target exclusive). I found Netflix Bumblebee and Soundwave, Velocitron Cosmos and Crasher, and Toxitron Sideswipe, all in stores, at least twice. It probably helps that my wife regularly travels to Ohio to visit her family, and is willing to check Transformers when she stops at stores along the way, on top of having several Walmarts and Targets within a 60-mile radius that we fairly regularly visit on family excursions (we're more Journey people than Destination people). Even then, I come away empty-handed more often than not.

So, yeah, for most people, I can see the appeal, and even need, to rely on online sources for Transformers, the retail stores just aren't that reliable and consistent a source most times. And yet, it seems like the retail sales numbers are what determines what Hasbro's product offerings are. So, it's definitely a conundrum.

 

[Badgertron]

It's interesting, the new deluxe Prime is a bit smaller than I'd prefer (most would probably agree Voyager would have been better), no trailer, there are some paint apps/sticker details missing, places that are gray where they could be silver with more budget, the matrix is clear blue instead of normal colours. If we weren't already apparently getting a Studio Series 86 Commander Prime, I'd say this was all a setup to have a "premium" rerelease of the deluxe Prime down the road, with the trailer and slightly different deco. Doesn't it kind of FEEL like that, though? (for the record I think it looks pretty good for what it is).

 

[unluckiness]

They’ll probably have some sort of premium release with a trailer at some point, maybe in a year or so, probably as an exclusive, as to not compete with missing Link. Might even use the rumored SS Commander trailer.

 

[PrimalxConvoy]

I don't really see this as Anti-Consumer in any way. If the Core Class is going away, they had to find something to pack it in with. These being Studio Series figures, they were going to be with someone from the movie. Blaster would make more sense, but since that's a voyager that would make for a more expensive set, and would be just as redundant. Perceptor is also in that scene, so he's the next most logical character to pack them in with.

If I had my druthers, they'd come with opaque Eject and Rewind as a 4-pack of cassettes, but since Eject/Rewind is built into the Blaster mold (I believe), I don't think that's an option.

They could have sold them with Steeljaw instead or even via a non-SS line with some other cassettes (Enemy, Roseanna, Sundor etc). Heck, even a repainted deluxe as a brand new character wouldn't have hurt. Instead, the only way to get a new mold is to buy it with a figure many of us already have, at a price that's much more than it would have been on its own. I'd say that was pretty anti-consumer.

 

[PrimalxConvoy]

They’ll probably have some sort of premium release with a trailer at some point, maybe in a year or so, probably as an exclusive, as to not compete with missing Link. Might even use the rumored SS Commander trailer.

Missing Link is also available without the trailer though, so isn't it competing with that version now?

 

[unluckiness]

Yeah but the version without the trailer is in cartoon colors. It's different enough.

 

[LBD "Nytetrayn"]

I know most fans resort to online shopping now, but I still lean retail.

I have never seen a single core class Dinobot on the shelf. Ever. At any store.

Let that sink in. Multiple nearby Walmart and Meijer stores. Even when visiting Target locations in bigger towns.

Zero Dinobots. Plenty of that Pretender character though.

I lean heavily toward this being a distribution issue. I know Hasbro can’t fix the “assortment” policy retail demands of them. But if your toys don’t make it to shelves…yeah, it’s gonna fail.

I just wanted Scarr, because the ankylosaurus is my favorite dinosaur and I'm glad there's finally a Dinobot toy of one.

Alas, no such luck...

 

[PrimalxConvoy]

I just wanted Scarr, because the ankylosaurus is my favorite dinosaur and I'm glad there's finally a Dinobot toy of one.

Alas, no such luck...

i believe there was a dodgy 3P/KO Dinobot combiner that had an ankylosaurus bot that wasn't half bad for around $30 dollars. You might want to get it just for that figure?

 

[Gizmoboy]

It's interesting, the new deluxe Prime is a bit smaller than I'd prefer (most would probably agree Voyager would have been better), no trailer, there are some paint apps/sticker details missing, places that are gray where they could be silver with more budget, the matrix is clear blue instead of normal colours. If we weren't already apparently getting a Studio Series 86 Commander Prime, I'd say this was all a setup to have a "premium" rerelease of the deluxe Prime down the road, with the trailer and slightly different deco. Doesn't it kind of FEEL like that, though? (for the record I think it looks pretty good for what it is).

I went ahead and put in a pre-order for him just to have an Optimus to put on my desk at work. I think he looks cool for what he is, but he won't be in with my primary collection display. Now if before he's released we hear about a new premium edition , I might cancel this preorder.

 

[Steevy Maximus]

I went ahead and put in a pre-order for him just to have an Optimus to put on my desk at work. I think he looks cool for what he is, but he won't be in with my primary collection display. Now if before he's released we hear about a new premium edition , I might cancel this preorder.

You should know how this works by this point…
They’ll announce a premium deco/extra special version with all the bells and whistles AFTER you get the basic deluxe version

 

[CrockAlley]

I wonder if TakaraTomy would do a premium repaint of Optimus like they did with the Kingdom beast toys. I know they just did Missing Link, but still. They could include the existing trailer and Roller. I have Missing Link and I'd still buy it!

 

[CoffeeHorse]

Has Takara ever been afraid of redundancy?

 

[Haywire]

You should know how this works by this point…
They’ll announce a premium deco/extra special version with all the bells and whistles AFTER you get the basic deluxe version

I guess I'm lucky; once I get the basic Deluxe version and Hasbro announces the extra special new hat version, I can give the first version to my kid to play with so he'll stay out of my premium version. (TRUTH: He won't stay away from my premium version even if he has his own version. The line between my collection and his toys is really blurry right now...)

 

[CoffeeHorse]

My collection is always years behind, so I'll definitely end up with the premium deco whenever they release one.

The trouble's going to be if Hasbro and Takara both do their own slightly different premium versions.

 

[Sabrblade]

Currently, Dramatic Capture Series is the Takara premium redeco line that has succeeded Beast Wars Again, so we'll have to keep our eyes out for whatever comes next for DCS.

 

[Platypus Prime]

Eh, anyone who claims a hard line between kids Transformers and adult Transformers is fooling themselves. I and my nephew live next door to each other, and the back-and-forth has only increased as he gets older. I just note that I'm cheaper to 'shop' at than a Wal-Mart run and he's more likely to find what he was looking for. It also confirms something I said years ago when he was born. Some said I'd have to be careful with the 'collectibles' and I said he was a little boy and that was a bunch of toy robots. Anyone who thought those two concepts would NOT collide at an intersection was delusional.

On that note, Dead Optimus took some serious damage after his last trip (which barely shows due to the subject) but I've decided to get the simpler Legacy cab Prime rather than the Dramatic Capture or Earthrise reissue, simply for solid fists over thumbs. The trailer from Dead Prime will work.fine with it too.

 

[Haywire]

Eh, anyone who claims a hard line between kids Transformers and adult Transformers is fooling themselves.

For sure, I've always considered my collection to be a "playable" one (I was never an MISB collector), and I'm happy to have a son to share my hobby with. Besides, as he likes to point out, he gets it all anyway when I die. (Pretty dark humor for a 5-year-old, but he's not wrong.)

 

[PrimalxConvoy]

...Besides, as he likes to point out, he gets it all anyway when I die. (Pretty dark humor for a 5-year-old, but he's not wrong.)

Unless you sell it all on eBay or do something similar in your will...

 

[Exatron]

For sure, I've always considered my collection to be a "playable" one (I was never an MISB collector), and I'm happy to have a son to share my hobby with. Besides, as he likes to point out, he gets it all anyway when I die. (Pretty dark humor for a 5-year-old, but he's not wrong.)

My kids have no interest in my Transformers, but they argue about how they're going to divide my video game collection when I die. At least I don't think they're planning to kill me off yet...

 

[Platypus Prime]

Until the day the police report reads "Cause of death, head struck with a cinder block. Possibly self inflicted, seems he jumped INTO the block rather than being hit with it. Robbery not a motive, many gold coins found scattered around the body, untouched..."