They could sell them like Prime Masters (or combiner wars Ultra Magnus) with (legend) sized figures combining (or just going inside) a larger transforming figure as its "armour".
That's what I expect from a future Thunderwing, honestly. A variation on how CW Magnus did it, but as a space jet.
In other words, like HasLab Star Saber.
Thunderwing wouldn't need the brainmaster
Meh, the gimmick wasn't really utilized by the HasLab anyway. Twas a half-baked attempt, at best.Thunderwing wouldn't need the brainmaster
It's kind of a hard gimmick to pull off in the modern world of toy design... and given the scaled down size of the whole thing it was going to be tiny anyway.
The biggest trouble for Pretenders is the legs. With modern jointing, you can't just leave them empty and hollow directly connecting into the torso for extra space. On the other hand, Double Pretender Megatron/Grand Maximus's shell didn't use that space anyway and still fits a lot more than a core class inside it, and its not that big. So I don't doubt it can be done. The question is if it can be done as well as the original Mega Pretender. I myself have never seen how it actually operated, I should look that up on YouTube.
I think they could do this way will all the pretenders, including the originally non-transforming ones like Skullgrin, Catilla, Bludgeon, etc.
Sure, they could do that. They could do lots of things, but probably won't at this point.
I'm thinking of whatever would be quick, cheap, easy, and not leave a bunch of naked Decepticons wandering around peoples' homes in the dead of night.
I don't understand about the naked 'Cons, but the idea I proposed is pretty easy. They could also reuse the titanmaster gimmick and do it that way for both pretenders and powermasters.
For example, Bludgeon could be a core "master" block bot (in his core robot colours) and have a small green tank/weapon that he can combine with and a Pretender shell that turns into a vehicle and Samurai Skeleton. The mini green tank could attach to one of his arms via 5mm ports (further homaging the original toy) and the inner blockbot could go inside a cavity (such as inside an opening chest). Voila, pretender. We could also use our existing mini Bludgeon Pretender as extra armour/play value of we wanted. Heck, they could even use done if that rubbery plastic they use for swords for various parts of the shells to simulate "skin", etc.
At some point you have to start asking if you're still producing a good toy that works in tandem with the rest of the line, or just hell-bent on producing something, anything, that can be wadded up and put in a shell, for the sake of saying you have something you can put in a shell.
Pretenders didn't even bother with the inner robot most of the time, so I think it's an acceptable compromise to cut out the middleman and have the shells transform into approximations of the inner robot's altmode.
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If the new line was basically pretenders and powermasters, then the toys would be good and work in a unified play pattern with each other. However, popping a Titanmaster in a small compartment is no different than a matrix or internal weapon storage IMO. Also, we're getting (and have gotten) combiners, Targetmasters and all sorts of other figures in the Legacy line, so Pretenders and Powermasters don't really need to "work in tandem" with any other figures, right?
The main problem with Pretenders for me was that the way they did them in G1, the shells were very fragile, with tabs that were easily broken. It also lead to limited articulation and an inability for the main shells themselves to really DO anything. Any modern rendition would need to be smaller figures that go just inside the torso. Maybe some panels open like CW Ultra Magnus. It would probably be better if the shells could transform into something the smaller robots could ride in. It's a shame Core class is mostly going away, as this would have been a great use for that price point.
Personally, the characters are what make the Pretenders prominent and I find the very concept of pretenders flawed and in need of reworking. If the gimmick of your toyline is that you can completely ignore the existence of half the package, it's not a very good one is it? Maybe if putting the robots inside the shells activated features of some kind, there'd be a selling point but as it is, if you can't even tell if the robot is inside, what's the point? Schrodinger's bot is a decent thought experiment, not so much a product.
Also, now that I think on it, Hasbro may not be willing to dilute the brand by populating the toyline with knockoff Centurions, bootleg Ninja Turtle mutants and He-Man rejects for a few years.
Also, now that I think on it, Hasbro may not be willing to dilute the brand by populating the toyline with knockoff Centurions, bootleg Ninja Turtle mutants and He-Man rejects for a few years.
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Yeah, toy-wise I think my ideal way to do Pretender updates would be "brute mode" types where the shells are instead additional armor in robot mode and trailer/accessory pieces in vehicle mode. Thinking guys like Energon Landmine or the PotP Leaders. I think this could work pretty well for the 'cons, as the monster theme lends itself to an armor design. Might be a bit thematically weird for the Autobots but could do it more IDW1 style where they don't have human shells, just human-esque looking protective suits.
The big drawback obviously would be size constraints, as all the examples are Ultras/Leaders and I'm not sure if even a Voyager would be doable this way. And it's a difficult gimmick to engineer for every different toy. But I can dream.
The big drawback obviously would be size constraints, as all the examples are Ultras/Leaders and I'm not sure if even a Voyager would be doable this way. And it's a difficult gimmick to engineer for every different toy. But I can dream.
You mean, like how combiners, Headmasters, Targetmasters, Brainmasters and Powermasters basically hide the smaller robots away to complete a larger robot? In the case of combiners or Headmasters, the larger robot isn't even complete without the smaller robots.
Honestly I prefer how they're treated now. Designs that mix the inner robot and shell design. I have no interest in trying to make the shell concept work.
No, not at all.
I don't know why I have to point this out but if you leave combiner parts out, you form a big robot missing limbs if you can get anything at all. Conversely, you can keep Pretender shells empty and short of picking them up and shaking them, nobody is the wiser.
Of course this isn't practical for every Pretender design.
I think it could work as the successors to the Weaponizers. Make a robot that can reassemble into a vehicle or be disassembled into armor that is compatible with most figures but has extra functionality with their intended character. Release a deluxe Octopunch who turns into a crab and release deluxe Pretender™ Flotsam who turns into a boat and disassemble into gloves, boots chest armor and weapons that make Octopunch look like his shell. This also means you can put the diving bell helmet on other figures for lols.
Of course this isn't practical for every Pretender design.
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The new line will be the TherapyMasters, representing all the things kids from the 80's saw RUINED FOREVER as the concepts were JaAm'd into a modern era with different budget requirements and material cost estimates.
TherapyMasters hide their deep seated inferiority complexes inside!
The tech specs will be nothing but micro-scaled printouts of internet arguments about the figures themselves.
TherapyMasters hide their deep seated inferiority complexes inside!
The tech specs will be nothing but micro-scaled printouts of internet arguments about the figures themselves.