Combiner Wars wave 1 toys official images

[griffin]

Hasbro have released official images of the first wave of Voyagers and Deluxes of the Combiner Wars Generations toys, which can be seen here without watermarks (http://www.seibertron.com/transformers/news/official-images-of-generations-combiner-wars-optimus-silverbolt-alpha-bravo-dragstrip-and-more/31654/).

Voyager
Optimus Prime
Silverbolt

Deluxe
Firefly
Skydive
Alpha Bravo
Deluxe Dragstrip

Looks like there are no comics with them after all, or these are non-American versions.
Each toy has a bio-card included, and from these images you can get an idea of the interchangeable hands and feet accessories.

[Gofigure]

Surprised in the absence of 'buy all 5 and build menasor/superion' tag on package

I'd assume this would be a big selling point?

Regardless look great and would feel like not far off retail :)

[Zommael]

I'd kind of decided on "no" at first look for these, but seeing them in package, my resolve is wavering. I do not know if I will be able to help myself if they do end up being released at general retail in Australia. At very least, Prime and Menasor I might get.

[Bidoofdude]

Most of the paint apps (especially on the heads) look really nice. Hopefully they retain all of them by the time they hit shelves.

I have mixed feelings about the lack of comic. I thought they'd definitely include it with deluxes, seeing as the whole new IDW storyline is based upon the combiners. Collector cards are pretty cool though. I hope they turn out to be decent quality.

[Paulbot]

Those jet modes sure so have a lot of exposed limbs. But the Aerialbot robot modes look great.


Surprised in the absence of 'buy all 5 and build menasor/superion' tag on package

I'd assume this would be a big selling point?


That'll be what that "look at the back" call out is all about, based on what we saw of the back of the voyager boxes previously. Not enough room for it with the multilingual packaging.

[SuspectimusPrime]

Holding out for more detailed info/reviews. Initial promo shots of FOC Bruticus made it looked fantastic as well.

[Verno]

Oh, no.

I was quite excited about getting a Silverbolt, but that mustard colour is horrible.

And does he even transform?! He looks far too simplistic for a Voyager-sized toy. Fold the nose back, stretch the arms and legs out.

[Paulbot]

And does he even transform?! He looks far too simplistic for a Voyager-sized toy. Fold the nose back, stretch the arms and legs out.

That's pretty much all the Leader version from a few years ago did.

[Ode to a Grasshopper]

Pics are up at seibertron.com too.
And does he even transform?! He looks far too simplistic for a Voyager-sized toy. Fold the nose back, stretch the arms and legs out.It's G1-accurate.:p

But yeah...these aren't looking as good as I would have hoped for. Superion looked great in the video from a few days back, but the plane modes just don't work, and Silverbolt's robot mode isn't too flash either.:(

[griffin]

Pics are up at seibertron.com too.


Excellent. I've changed the link and saved the images.

[Hursticon]

Your move, Hasbro AU/AU Retail.

[Lord_Zed]

The robot modes look pretty nice in the packaging, but the jet modes are terrible, Alpha Bravo the fake Arielbot ends up with the best alt mode, natch.

The Stunticon has a far better looking alt mode, but a lackluster robot mode.

It looks like Skydive, is mistransformed in altmode, going to assume the wings/shoulders slide back.

[klystron]

My excitement for the Aerialbots is waning somewhat. I cannot get over how lack luster the alt modes are. Guessing all the magic is in the combined mode though.

[CBratron]

Those jet modes sure so have a lot of exposed limbs. But the Aerialbot robot modes look great.



That'll be what that "look at the back" call out is all about, based on what we saw of the back of the voyager boxes previously. Not enough room for it with the multilingual packaging.

Yep. The Aerialbots have that yellow "Combine to form" stickers.

[dirge]

Silverbolt's kibble is awful. Prime is underwhelming also - given that he's not combining I'd expect better.

[Bidoofdude]

I think the main source of lackluster alt modes is the absence of Air Raid, who has the best alt mode (he's in the second wave)


Silverbolt's kibble is awful. Prime is underwhelming also - given that he's not combining I'd expect better.

Optimus does combine. He officially combines with the whole first wave.

[Verno]

I'm curious about the use of additional pieces forming the hands and feet. Do people feel it's a step backwards? Or just a necessary evil?

[Firestorm]

The packaging looks VERY nice, hoping we'll get to see them on shelves here

The obvious combiner ports in all the limb-bot's chests is a little disappointing as are the vehicle modes of all the wave 1 aerialbots (excluding A.B)

Will probably still Pick up all of them except for Optimus


I'm curious about the use of additional pieces forming the hands and feet. Do people feel it's a step backwards? Or just a necessary evil?

Personally I see it as a step backwards, it shouldn't be THAT hard to build the appendages into the limb-bots. I can see why they did it I guess but I still think it's a pretty silly idea.

[SharkyMcShark]

That Silverbolt looks like absolute garbage, which to be fair is hard to hold against it because every attempt at a Silverbolt ever (including TFC's third party attempt for the Uranos combiner) has amounted to a robot really obviously squatting under a model plane.

Firefly looks decent - the really obvious arms are probably helped by the fact that the white on them blends with the background and the wings. The painted on canopy is getting me down though.

Skydive looks pants. Really poor effort.

Alpha Bravo actually looks really really good but I'd be more tempted by the obvious Blades/Vortex redeco.

Dragstrip looks decent, and is obviously mistransformed (shoulders should be higher).

[Lint]

That Silverbolt looks like absolute garbage.

I'm with you there as far as the alt mode is concerned. I know it's a curse being a concorde, robot AND the centerpiece of a combiner but with the promising work they did with the triple changers I expected better.

The others I can deal with.



T
Personally I see it as a step backwards, it shouldn't be THAT hard to build the appendages into the limb-bots. I can see why they did it I guess but I still think it's a pretty silly idea.

I personally prefer separate appendages if it gives the alt and bot modes of the limb-bots better form and function and the combine bot better stability. It can't be fun trying to hide a giant fist or foot into a transforming robot and they seem to have a hard enough time giving us decent fists and feet for our 'regular' toys.

[5FDP]

Any excitement I had for these are now gone after seeing these images :( I could possibly live with a helicopter limb, but as others have said, Silverbolt looks like crap. You just know that TakTom will come out with their own version with corrected gold paint apps, but there is nothing they can do about that horrible alt mode. Oh well.

[griffin]

The helicopter keeps making me think of the Energon Optimus drones (one of the most disappointing toys of that era)... and it's probably going to look very similar when combined with the Voyager Optimus too.


Silverbolt's kibble is awful. Prime is underwhelming also - given that he's not combining I'd expect better.



Optimus does combine. He officially combines with the whole first wave.

As he said, Optimus ends up being a combiner, because Motormaster is a redeco of Optimus (with a new head) for the second wave.
I'd imagine that they had Motormaster planned first, and made Optimus from it to get more out of the mould... but then released Optimus first for some reason. It would have made better sense to release Motormaster first, so then the core for the Stunticons is ready for whenever the rest of the Deluxe Stunticons are released. Because often, 2 or 3 waves of Deluxes can hit stores before they restock the second wave of Voyagers.
Besides, Optimus will sell as a character no matter how bad the toy looks (for being a pre-emptive redeco of Motormaster), so Optimus in the second wave instead of Motormaster could have done just as well as selling the core of the second set of Deluxes in wave 2 (to force people to keep going back to the stores to find it later).

[rodent]

That Silverbolt looks like absolute garbage, which to be fair is hard to hold against it because every attempt at a Silverbolt ever (including TFC's third party attempt for the Uranos combiner) has amounted to a robot really obviously squatting under a model plane.

Exactly this. I can't consider it a proper Silverbolt if it didn't have all that bot kibble underneath. Maybe I'm just nostalgic, as the Aerialbots were my first TF's ever (in fact, I still have them all, intact for the most part).

[UltraMarginal]

Those jet modes sure so have a lot of exposed limbs. But the Aerialbot robot modes look great.



That'll be what that "look at the back" call out is all about, based on what we saw of the back of the voyager boxes previously. Not enough room for it with the multilingual packaging.

I'm a little disappointed by how exposed the limbs are. and that helicopter really looks like a space shuttle in disguise with all those windows laid out like that at the front. I see a combaticon remold or two coming out of that guy.


Silverbolt's kibble is awful. Prime is underwhelming also - given that he's not combining I'd expect better.

As mentioned above, prime is essentially a remold/repaint of Motormaster. It looks like the alt modes and robot modes of a lot of these figures has been sacrificed to some degree for the combined form. but most people will probably display these in combined form and most kids will have them combined for a lot of play. Why wouldn't you:)


I'm curious about the use of additional pieces forming the hands and feet. Do people feel it's a step backwards? Or just a necessary evil?

The concept of having all parts attached in all modes is very cool and attractive but it puts a lot of limitation s on geometry that is already trying to achieve 3 modes. While I liked the FOC Bruticus a lot of it's issues stemmed from having to incorporate the hands and feet in the toys, I don't think it's a step back in overall terms, especially if it means we get good hands and feet.


I'm still cautiously optimistic about this line, only time will tell;)

[Lord_Zed]

Exactly this. I can't consider it a proper Silverbolt if it didn't have all that bot kibble underneath. Maybe I'm just nostalgic, as the Aerialbots were my first TF's ever (in fact, I still have them all, intact for the most part).

While this is true, it seems like this iteration of Silverbolt is taking it to a whole new level. It's almost like they took Blaster in altmode and stuck him to the bottom of the SST mode.

[philby]

that collector card for optimus prime uses art from the transformers legends game. i cant quite tell if any of thd others do though

[doublespy]

It looks like Silverbolt is slightly mistranformed in alt mode compared to the photoshop'ed stock photo. The arms under the wings should be able to bend inwards a bit more sit be parallel to the fuselage. It might help a little bit...

I don't get it. The triple changers made Generations so promising, and then the level of engineering has dropped dramatically. Now we get something like voyager Brainstorm, whose transformation to me is on the same level as the original G1 Brainstorm designed near 30 years ago(who actually hides the face BETTER when in headmaster mode).

It is just the difference between designers? Or is it simply the development time? (Springer apparently had been in development for 2 years.)

The Deluxe Stunticons IMO are better in every mode. In combined mode they don't have individual limbs hanging off everywhere.

[Ode to a Grasshopper]

I'm curious about the use of additional pieces forming the hands and feet. Do people feel it's a step backwards? Or just a necessary evil?I don't mind it - incorporating the hands/feet into the gestalt limbs often seems to compromise the rest of the toys in Scramble-city-esque combiners. As long as HTT allow for some sort of storage of all the accessories in all the modes then I can allow them a cop-out or two.
Sadly the days of the likes of Tripredacus and Rail Racer (which even then had its flaws with the team members for the sake of the gestalt - Midnight Express is a bit on the leggy side, for example) are long gone.:(

[Lord_Zed]

Hasbro know how to make decent car TF's better than jet ones, so it's not s surprising the Stunticons are better. I can't help but notice the alt modes are rather lacking in paint aps also. Prime in particular could do with a lot more paint to mask that Hasbro gray, and those boring wheels.


that collector card for optimus prime uses art from the transformers legends game. i cant quite tell if any of thd others do though

Silverbolt's card art sure doesn't match the toy, so possibly his does too.

[dirge]

Wait.... Motormaster shares that mould? How... awful. I'm skipping Motormaster if that's the case. I'll probably just get his Stunticon limbs then.

I don't really want these guys as combiners anyway; just G1 classic charactes.

[griffin]

Wait.... Motormaster shares that mould? How... awful. I'm skipping Motormaster if that's the case. I'll probably just get his Stunticon limbs then.

I don't really want these guys as combiners anyway; just G1 classic charactes.

The official images for Motormaster were mirrored in the first post of this topic (http://www.otca.com.au/boards/showthread.php?t=19078).
I think it is just the head that does it for robot mode, but truck mode is so unlike Motormaster, it's like the Cloud Starscream - the Gen1 colours might work, but it's not Gen1 Starscream in jet mode.

[Bartrim]

The individual toy images don't really bother me as I'll be displaying them as Superion and Menasor. I'm not going to complain because I'll be buying them anyway:o

[Sinnertwin]

It'd make sense to release Optimus first from a business and marketing point of view, but no Bumblebee or Grimlock? Shame on you, Hasbro, shame. on. you.

[FruitBuyer]

It'd make sense to release Optimus first from a business and marketing point of view, but no Bumblebee or Grimlock? Shame on you, Hasbro, shame. on. you.

It's a comic-book tie in and they're not involved in the stories for various reasons.

[griffin]

I think that would be tongue in cheek, as it would be surprising to not have toys of those two characters padding out a new toyline after so many of each this year.

[Lord_Zed]

So if the IDW comic has hinted that Slingshot is dead, I wonder what happened to Wildrider?

[Golden Phoenix]

So if the IDW comic has hinted that Slingshot is dead, I wonder what happened to Wildrider?

He retired and bought a farm where he planted an energon garden which he tends to during the day.

[UltraMarginal]

Wait.... Motormaster shares that mould? How... awful. I'm skipping Motormaster if that's the case. I'll probably just get his Stunticon limbs then.

I don't really want these guys as combiners anyway; just G1 classic charactes.

Personally I think Motormaster looks better than prime in both modes, I won't be getting the prime but I'll very likely be getting the Motormaster.

[reillyd]

I really hope a third party manufacturer or Takara make a Slingshot pronto. No love for Alpha

[CBratron]

Personally I think Motormaster looks better than prime in both modes, I won't be getting the prime but I'll very likely be getting the Motormaster.

A lot of people have been saying that since they were revealed. Prime was revealed first and everyone was all "That's a terrible mold". Then the Stunticons announcement a few days later it was "I like him as Motormaster more. It's not so bad now".

[SuspectimusPrime]

Wait.... Motormaster shares that mould? How... awful.

At least it's not a AOE-deco Galvatron (mostly likely will come out anyways as a TFCC/Botcon exclusive).


I'm skipping Motormaster if that's the case. I'll probably just get his Stunticon limbs then.


But you will have an incomplete set of collector cards... :p

[klystron]

I think I'm going to opt out of these two now.
The comics will probably make me regret that later on, but I think the funds saved may go toward some 3P figures instead.

[griffin]

Images of Dragstrip in-hand have surfaced (http://www.tfw2005.com/transformers-news/generations-classics-44/combiner-wars-dragstrip-in-hand-images-181577/), so these toys appear to be in production already... which isn't surprising if sources were true in claiming that they were being released at the turn of the year.

[griffin]

Images of another first wave Deluxe (http://www.tfw2005.com/transformers-news/generations-classics-44/transformers-generations-combiner-wars-alpha-bravo-in-hand-images-181595/) - Alpha Bravo, the helicopter replacement for Slingshot.

[liegeprime]

hmmm. I wonder whose decision was it to name that figure as such.... kinda lame :p

[SuspectimusPrime]

Why is Dragstrip consistently crying tears of blood?

[Bidoofdude]

Why is Dragstrip consistently crying tears of blood?

It's pretty cool IMO.

[BigTransformerTrev]

He retired and bought a farm where he planted an energon garden which he tends to during the day.

Oh great, out of all the TF's I could emulate it turns our I'm fricken Wildrider

Could have been worse, I could've been Wheelie :p


The name thing really shi*s me sometimes - I don't see why they couldn't have 'Aerialbot Slingshot ' and 'Stunticon Wildrider' the same way they did 'Decepticon Brawl' and 'Autobot Ratchet'. It seems Hasbro could find ways around name copyright if they tried

[Golden Phoenix]

Oh great, out of all the TF's I could emulate it turns our I'm fricken Wildrider

Could have been worse, I could've been Wheelie :p

Didn't Animated Bulkhead grow up on an energon farm?

[BigTransformerTrev]

Didn't Animated Bulkhead grow up on an energon farm?

Oh man! Now I'm fat too :p

[Golden Phoenix]

Oh man! Now I'm fat too :p

Well you ain't BigTransformerTrev for nothing :P

[BigTransformerTrev]

I wonder what happened to Wildrider?


He retired and bought a farm where he planted an energon garden which he tends to during the day.


Oh great, out of all the TF's I could emulate it turns our I'm fricken Wildrider



Didn't Animated Bulkhead grow up on an energon farm?


Oh man! Now I'm fat too :p


Well you ain't BigTransformerTrev for nothing :P

Heh - I'm 37 mate - I've spent the last decade slowly transforming from a sleek muscle car into a bloated transport truck :p

[griffin]

The next toy to show up in a gallery is Firefly (Fireflight) (http://www.tfw2005.com/transformers-news/generations-classics-44/transformers-generations-combiner-wars-firefly-in-hand-images-181603/).

[Lint]

The next toy to show up in a gallery is Firefly (Fireflight) (http://www.tfw2005.com/transformers-news/generations-classics-44/transformers-generations-combiner-wars-firefly-in-hand-images-181603/).

Interesting that Hasbro lost the trademark to Fireflight but is able to use the far more populous and popular name of Firefly. I guess it's a generic enough word that it is unable to be trademarked? But then you get things like 'Autobot Jazz'



Oops, solved. Just remembered Firefly is a GIJoe trademark.

[griffin]

Amazon listings for some of the 2015 Generations toys.

Legends Huffer and Blackjack (http://www.tfw2005.com/transformers-news/generations-classics-44/new-stock-images-of-combiner-wars-blackjack-and-huffer-181613/) (Huffer is a redeco of Optimus with new head, Blackjack is new and combines with the Stunticons).

And for those that missed it on the RID news posting (http://www.tfw2005.com/transformers-news/robots-in-disguise-201x-48/new-amazon-listing-transformers-robots-in-disguise-and-combiner-wars-181599/), also on Amazon are Voyager Optimus, Voyager Silverbolt and Deluxe Skydive.

[griffin]

The fourth and final first-wave deluxe has been shown off - Skydive (http://www.tfw2005.com/transformers-news/generations-classics-44/generations-combiner-wars-skydive-in-hand-181615/).

[Akky82]

The fourth and final first-wave deluxe has been shown off - Skydive (http://www.tfw2005.com/transformers-news/generations-classics-44/generations-combiner-wars-skydive-in-hand-181615/).

Actually dont mind that head now that i look closer, but still, as soon as air raid comes he'll be a limb forever, cant wait for these, wouldve been nice if they had hit the shelves for xmas, then i could tell my family what to get.

[Bidoofdude]

Sky Dive is probably my favourite besides Air Raid (which we have yet to see pictures of in hand) and Silverbolt. Weird too, because he was my least favourite Aerialbot. I still love them as much as I did when I was tiny (though I didn't know they combined).

[griffin]

For those collecting the official images, or bookmarking future Amazon listings, the remaining first wave Deluxes are now listed as place-holders (http://www.tfw2005.com/transformers-news/generations-classics-44/new-amazon-listings-combiner-wars-181621/) (not in stock or for pre-order).
That's all six of the first wave Deluxes and Voyagers now listed.

[Verno]

http://static.seibertron.com/images/toys/uploads/1417803251_c9.JPG

Wow. I thought the one-step changers were just an AOE thing.

[Paulbot]

http://static.seibertron.com/images/toys/uploads/1417803251_c9.JPG

Wow. I thought the one-step changers were just an AOE thing.

That's just Silverbolt's thing. Always has been, always will be.

http://40.media.tumblr.com/1ea31a45805e8c4c22524a6b845ca4d1/tumblr_ng4srxn35s1qbguy1o1_500.jpg

The transformation of the Combiner Wars figure looks at least as complex as the Ultra class toy from six years ago

[Ode to a Grasshopper]

What they should do is design him in such a way that you can separate the jet and robot halves, and advertise it as a "2-in-1" toy.:p

[Verno]

How much is a Voyager-sized toy from an Aussie retailer these days? $45-$50?

[Bidoofdude]

Yep, usually around $50. You could say Silverbolt is slavishly G1 toy accurate with the transformation. :D

[DELTAprime]

I really want to see what Takara's Combiner Wars line is going to look like so I can decide on preordering the Hasbro versions or wait for TT.

[Bidoofdude]

I really want to see what Takara's Combiner Wars line is going to look like so I can decide on preordering the Hasbro versions or wait for TT.

Interesting to see if Takara will end up releasing Alpha Bravo and Offroad, or just skip them and retool Wildrider and Slingshot from the other moulds.

[griffin]

In-hand images of Silverbolt (http://www.tfw2005.com/transformers-news/generations-classics-44/transformers-generations-combiner-wars-silverbolt-in-hand-images-181632/), from the same source as the others it seems... so someone somewhere (who isn't Hasbro) already has the first wave.

At a Singapore event (http://www.tfw2005.com/transformers-news/generations-classics-44/transformers-generations-combiner-wars-images-from-singapore-event-181633/), a display case of the first wave of Legends, Deluxe and Voyagers were shown off... again suggesting that these toys are VERY close to being released.

[FruitBuyer]

TFW2005 has in-hand images of Superion (http://www.tfw2005.com/transformers-news/generations-classics-44/transformers-generations-combiner-wars-superion-in-hand-images-181638/).

He's beautiful, absolutely beautiful. Between the Dinobots Unleashed and Superion, this is shaping up to being one of the best Christmas' ever.

[Verno]

Yep, usually around $50. You could say Silverbolt is slavishly G1 toy accurate with the transformation. :D

So, people are 'ok' with paying $50 for a seemingly simplistic toy, just because he combines?

[FruitBuyer]

So, people are 'ok' with paying $50 for a seemingly simplistic toy, just because he combines?

Well yes. He's always been like that and it's simply the flaw of his alt-mode. Look at RotF Jetfire, he had the same problems.

[Verno]

Hasbro have come a long way in designing TFs, but are yet to make a jet with a neat undercarriage? Can't they take a leaf out of the Masterpiece Seeker design?

[Trent]

So, people are 'ok' with paying $50 for a seemingly simplistic toy, just because he combines?


Well yes. He's always been like that and it's simply the flaw of his alt-mode. Look at RotF Jetfire, he had the same problems.

Not everyone's ok with it. While I understand the price restrictions that the final product had to no doubt comply to, I don't these are worth the money. The alt and combined modes look like arse.




Hasbro have come a long way in designing TFs, but are yet to make a jet with a neat undercarriage? Can't they take a leaf out of the Masterpiece Seeker design?

F-15 is easy to do, it's a box with wings. Other planes are different.

[FruitBuyer]

Hasbro have come a long way in designing TFs, but are yet to make a jet with a neat undercarriage? Can't they take a leaf out of the Masterpiece Seeker design?

If you want to pay over $100 for a voyager that you will almost never display by himself, go petition to Hasbro for it.

[Bidoofdude]

Superion looks superb. Really beautiful.

[Sky Shadow]

Wow - the production piece looks so much better than the prototype or promotional images. Now I'm off to buy one...

[griffin]

The current Hasbro strategy with Transformers changed last year to make the toys simpler and easier to transform, and therefore more playable by their target demographic.
Complexity was something that they recognised was giving them bad feedback and sales from parents, who's kids want the main size-classes (voyager and smaller) to be quick to play between the modes (with their friends or by themselves), leaving the larger sizes or collector figures to be the challenge toys.
Remember, the last two years of Hasbro presentations (like SDCC, BotCon and the quarterly investor reports) have stressed their dedicated divergent strategy of targeting three groups of demographics - young kids, pre-teen kids, and collectors.
Generations toys were for both Collectors and pre-teen kids, so it has to compromise to accommodate both as much as possible, without putting off the bigger of two customer groups (the younger ones).
The masterpiece and leader toys are the ones aimed at just collectors, so are the ones for us to demand higher standards, complexity and more realistic engineering. That leaves the smaller size toys to be "best they can get to being realistic" without putting off their main meal ticket of the younger kids and parents who buy most of their products.
When collectors become their largest customer base, then they'll dedicate the toyline's products to us instead of kids... similar to the purpose of Hasbro HK exclusives, FunPub characters and Matty Collector's MOTUC.

Realistically, when you know the factors involved in generating the most complex action figure toys on the market, for the budgets the toy designers are given, and the change in corporate direction from the one that wasn't selling enough product to their target demographic (creating significant shelfwarming), this is probably the best compromise at the moment, as they could just ignore collectors completely and just produce gimmick toys for the kiddies. They'd sell more of the high-profit, simple toys, and not have to listen to adult collectors who expect to be their primary focus.
I agree it'd be nice, but it would be delusional for me to think that they should spend more time and money making less toys (and less money) to have "perfect" toys, when these still look pretty good from at least one angle or mode for their intended purpose (being a triple-changer, because they have to combine).
Combiners and triple-changers are always more work, because more parts and joints need to be included that one or two modes don't use.

[Tetsuwan Convoy]

Was intedning to skip Superion, but that looks pretty cool!

I hope BlackJack is meant to be Micromaster Blackjack.

Dayum. Looking good. My wallet is weeping.

[rodent]

Well said, griffin :)

It's the unfortunate reality of the situation and I reckon we've got it pretty good with the 'collector' classes of TF's. The local pricing of those releases, on the other hand, is a matter for another debate!

[Lord_Zed]

All things considered they look a pretty good effort for Hasbro's current Generations line. I'm tempted by one or two, but not a full set strangely.


Hasbro have come a long way in designing TFs, but are yet to make a jet with a neat undercarriage? Can't they take a leaf out of the Masterpiece Seeker design?

Some of the old extended Bayverse movie jets had pretty minimal undercarriages, but that was at the heights of deluxe TF design and complexity.

[kaiden]

just saw the pics of prime combined with various limbs... and it is hideous. (http://www.tfw2005.com/transformers-news/generations-classics-44/combiner-wars-optimus-prime-in-hand-181640/)

my first thought was 'HIIIISSSSS KILL IT WITH FIRE!!!!!!'

It looks like Prime is awkwardly standing on top of 2 other guys especially when you see the back view (http://www.seibertron.com/transformers/news/inhand-images-transformers-generations-combiner-wars-optimus-prime-including-ultra-prime/31759/)

im just gonna stay away from these.

[griffin]

Well said, griffin :)

It's the unfortunate reality of the situation and I reckon we've got it pretty good with the 'collector' classes of TF's. The local pricing of those releases, on the other hand, is a matter for another debate!

One thing I forgot to mention, is that we should still voice our concerns, desires and complaints, as major toylines like Classics and Generations, which don't have movies or cartoons or gimmicks to sell them*, only exist because of the interaction of the fans with Hasbro's Designers... and even fans becoming Hasbro Designers. We just have to be realistic with what they can deliver to us collectors.

I've found that they are pretty good with the serious toy fans/collectors through conventions and observations of fansites, and don't just hastily dismiss/ignore us or what we like or dislike... but they can only go so far.


(*it is extremely rare for retailers to take on an action figure toyline that doesn't have tv/movie backing or a gimmick - as we've seen in this country in the last couple years with Generations - so if it wasn't for the collector interest and demands for these homage toys, I seriously doubt Hasbro would ever risk creating a major line that is not an easy sell to their customers, the retailers)

[Gofigure]

I actually dig these the more I see. That superion is coming out quite good. I will probably only buy for my kids next year along with stunticon however I would almost consider these for myself :p

[Bidoofdude]

One thing I forgot to mention, is that we should still voice our concerns, desires and complaints, as major toylines like Classics and Generations, which don't have movies or cartoons or gimmicks to sell them*, only exist because of the interaction of the fans with Hasbro's Designers... and even fans becoming Hasbro Designers. We just have to be realistic with what they can deliver to us collectors.

I've found that they are pretty good with the serious toy fans/collectors through conventions and observations of fansites, and don't just hastily dismiss/ignore us or what we like or dislike... but they can only go so far.


(*it is extremely rare for retailers to take on an action figure toyline that doesn't have tv/movie backing or a gimmick - as we've seen in this country in the last couple years with Generations - so if it wasn't for the collector interest and demands for these homage toys, I seriously doubt Hasbro would ever risk creating a major line that is not an easy sell to their customers, the retailers)

And yet from what we see/hear, whenever a new Generations product hits the shelves in the US (and here when FOC came out), they sell out pretty quickly, with most of the mainline (stuff with media) toys still lining shelves. They still sell, but new Generations stuff seems to sell like hotcakes.

It may only be from the perspective that we see it, but when I was at the Armageddon Expo here in October, there was a bunch of TF stuff available and I saw many kids go through the shop (Alternate Worlds) and the only things they ever picked up and had a look at were the Generations toys. They essentially ignored all the AOE, Construct Bots and Beast Hunters. A lot of kids looked at Gears and Skids, in particular.

I don't think we've had that much of a strong media presence for TFs here anyway. Prime and Prime Beast Hunters shows didn't hit here until long after the hype and the episodes shown were few and far between on paid channels (Cartoon Network).

[griffin]

A gallery of Voyager Optimus (http://www.tfw2005.com/transformers-news/generations-classics-44/combiner-wars-optimus-prime-in-hand-181640/), on its own and combined.

[griffin]

It's worth checking out the source site (http://blacklai1979.blogspot.com.au/) (while it exists) for the seven Generations toys recently shown off, as there are a lot more photos there than were mirrored at the TFW links. (I just use the TFW links as it is more likely a permanent archive of its mirrored images)

[Tetsuwan Convoy]

Wow. It's interesting to see what a difference colour makes. While I agree that Prime looks like he's standing on a couple of dudes, i think it's due to the blue clashing.

I think Motormaster will look much better thab Op. I was going to skip Op and just get MM. I will be sticking to that plan.

[Bartrim]

just saw the pics of prime combined with various limbs... and it is hideous. (http://www.tfw2005.com/transformers-news/generations-classics-44/combiner-wars-optimus-prime-in-hand-181640/)

my first thought was 'HIIIISSSSS KILL IT WITH FIRE!!!!!!'

It looks like Prime is awkwardly standing on top of 2 other guys especially when you see the back view (http://www.seibertron.com/transformers/news/inhand-images-transformers-generations-combiner-wars-optimus-prime-including-ultra-prime/31759/)

im just gonna stay away from these.

That does... not... look good.

I think it might have something to do with Prime being the colours that he is. I don't intend to get Prime anyway. I'm sure the combined Menasor toy will look a lot better and I am loving Superion.

[k.wong23]

Superion Looks great!

I agree with griffin's perspective that there needs to be a balance for the three demographics. As collector's we can't be selfish and have it all...without the young ones generating a large portion of demand perhaps we wouldn't have as many products and the TFORMERS franchise as big as it is today.

Waiting for MotorMaster :)

[Gofigure]

Wow. It's interesting to see what a difference colour makes. While I agree that Prime looks like he's standing on a couple of dudes, i think it's due to the blue clashing.

I think Motormaster will look much better thab Op. I was going to skip Op and just get MM. I will be sticking to that plan.

tend to agree man....will make a great MM

Cant wait....love all these actually and find it very cool we actually are getting G1 combiners so cool!!!!!!!!!

[Verno]

Very well said indeed, Griff, and thanks for the info -- I was unaware of the change in target demographics. That point leaves me a little confused, however.

From what you've said, it means Hasbro is chasing a relatively young audience as its main bread and butter (you identified "young kids" and "pre-teen kids" as two of the three main demographics), but if my memory is correct, all four of the Michael Bay Transformers films have had a rating of M here in Australia (not recommended for children under 15) and PG-13 in the US, yet that seemingly isn't Hasbro's target market for the toys?

TF1 came out in 2007, which means a kid of 13 years-old then is now 20.

You also said that (and I'm assuming you're citing Hasbro on this) "Generations toys were for both Collectors and pre-teen kids", but I find that hard to believe given the comparatively obscure media (comics) featuring the characters. Perhaps with the upcoming Combiner Wars event in the IDW comics, Hasbro will advertise the toys and comics more to try and increase awareness, but at present, they're hardly mainstream, and pre-teens are unlikely to get on-board because they haven't got that relation to character that a Movie or TV show brings. Basically, what I'm saying is that Generations seems to be solely targeted towards Collectors.

Take the upcoming Superion for example. He's had the occasional toy, but Superion as a character: he's been seen in ancillary media (computer games and expanded universe fiction), but not in a mainline TV Show or Movie since... the 80's? And yet here he is, getting an updated toy. I can understand the appeal of a gimmick (combining) by retailers, and it does help attract additional (non-Collector) buyers, but this guy is clearly for the Collectors -- aged 25+.

I'm not disagreeing with anything you've said, Griff. I think I'm just very confused about Transformers full stop.

[Tetsuwan Convoy]

Very well said indeed, Griff, and thanks for the info -- I was unaware of the change in target demographics. That point leaves me a little confused, however.

The way I kind of see it, with the main bread and butter being the simpler toys, Hasbro can make a higher profit off of them as they are simpler to design and make. So they therefore can make more money off of them as although the RRP might be a little cheaper, they cost less in design time/resources.

While the movies have an M rating, that kind of adds a bit of edge to the movie. If the movie were rated PG, it would be less appealing to the older movie goers. The M rating doesn't stop younger viewers going to it, and makes the film seem more 'edgy' (? ) to everyone else. In a way, the name alone of the movies gives a bit of oomph to the toy side of things.

I think the appeal of Generations line for collectors and pre-teen is admitting that pre-teen to teens to collectors will want something a bit more complex than the bright coloured simple toys. While the Combiner wars hasn't got much in the way of media support to get the advertising out there, a cool looking robot that transforms into a cool vehicle and THEN combines to make a big robot is enough to nab the eye of an errant kid that is not interested in buying a one step changer.

The generations line is essentially trying to be two things. It is trying to tickle our G1 Nostalgia, as well as provide younger kids with a bunch of cool toys.

Sure they might not know who Superion is, but back in the days of G1 Superion and the Aerialbots were new characters as well. When I was a kid, I bought Transformers because they looked cool and were fun to play with, not because of nostalgia. Hopefully the Generations can provide us with nostalgia, as well as giving young-uns newly discovered characters that are cool.

[xlojnr]

marketing toys to kids does not rely so heavily on having related media.

My 2 (almost 3) year old nephew is getting into transformers. How? Youtube clips - my own enthusiasm for the series, and that's about it. Somehow his primary school aged cousins knew about the series as well (not sure how exposed they are to the new animated series) even though none of them have seen the movies.

Even though my 2 yo nephew was only really exposed to old g1 clips on youtube; kids will be kids and which toys does he want? All of them. He sees the movie versions of the toys and wants them. He doesn't have a connection to the movie characters, he just calls them "evil optimus" or "evil grimlock" (because the jagged edges give them a more sinister appearance in his eyes). Obviously these characters don't even exist in the existing TF media, but he doesn't care.

Pretty much any toy that will transform, he wants. His mum will buy cheaper, easier toys. Which is the point that Griff was bringing up. His grandfather splurges on the kid... only 2 year old I know who owns legends jetfire (has to ask an adult to transform it between modes). He, and kids like him, are a toy company's bread and butter because they don't care what it looks like, he just wants it all - and he has adults who will either spoil him, buy him gifts, and/or see a $15 toy and think, meh it's just $15.

[Verno]

I think the point I was trying to make with the '13 year-old in 2007' scenario is that fans grow up, not down, and so the generation of new TF fans that have been brought into the fandom by things like the recent Movies and TF: Prime are now older and wiser than when they started.

But I guess Hasbro's shift in focus was pretty plain to see with the announcement of the newest TV show -- RID. It's a follow-up to TF: Prime, but it appears to have a much lighter, child-friendly tone from what I've seen (which admittedly is only the trailer).

TF: Prime dealt with some pretty heavy stuff for a weekly children's cartoon, and I'm proud to say that that was a tradition started nearly 19 years ago in Beast Wars. My question is then: Where do the now teenage TF fans get their fix? The three demographics Griff outlined don't cover teenagers at all. If they jump on board with the Generations toys, they're faced with names and characters they've perhaps never heard before, and while xlojnr attests that marketing doesn't have to rely on related media, I can speak from experience that when I was a young man of 11 when Beast Wars was on TV, I only wanted the toys that were on the show.

I realise this thread is in the News section and not a place for discussion per se, but I am finding everyone's thoughts very interesting, so thank you for humouring me.

[xlojnr]

It would be interesting to see how big the sale demographic of teens would be for the toys.

I was talking more in relation to pre-teen children. Which would fit with the child-friendly transformers tv series being released, and the stated simplifying of the toys (because parents want their kids to be able to transform the toys themselves).

So as to your question of "where do the teenage fans get their fix?"; Maybe they can't, and it's just a gap due to market viability?

complex toys such as the masterpiece range will sell because they are appealing to the nostalgia of older g1 viewers/collectors, would teens really feel that much nostalgia for things that they have only recently grown out of? Would complex toys targeted at teens sell?

And generations toys will sell due to the appeal to the older toy owners who had these toys as kids - and children now who just like playing with any toy (with no current related media). Do a lot of teens nowadays play with physical toys anymore? In my experience teens move onto gaming consoles and other hobbies.

In my opinion, I don't see the majority of teenagers as being collectors, or users of toys - and therefore would not represent a demographic that toy companies would want to target.

*edit* should state that this was just my opinion based on my experiences. i haven't really met that many teenage collectors; and so my assumption is that there aren't that many out there - coupled with my experience of teenagers having less/no disposable income and/or other purchasing priorities, leads me to believe that the teenage market may have been ignored because it could be small in size.

[griffin]

With the issue of age-groups and simplifying toys (after a period of improved engineering and sculpting), there's probably graphs somewhere at Hasbro that show that as the age goes up, sales to each year-group go down as more and more kids/adults stop collecting, so is best to cash in as much as possible on the younger demographics that don't need anything more than simple cheap toys.
And as such, less demand means less toys for the older age-groups.
This is probably why they now split their focus on three age-groups, so that they can make a massive amount of cheap/simple toys that will then help fund the higher cost of producing the more expensive limited-edition collector toys on the other end of the spectrum.
And in the middle is the "pre-teen" (10-14) range, that relies on recycling (or homaging) the characters those older collectors are familiar with, who are also likely to buy some or most of them as well (but the priority for Hasbro is the bigger middle demographic, so budgets and quality reflect that).


Something else to keep in mind that is putting pressure on the design budgets is that physical toys are being squeezed for electronic devices, games and apps... plus the resources to manufacture them (plastic from oil) will keep getting expensive, so cheaper toys offsetting these issues, means simpler toys and/or lots of redecos.

Then throw in the change of strategy with Transformers movies to be more in line with other movies that have toys. This year Hasbro appeared to adopt the "movie merchandise" model for TF4 by having a short & fast line of less regular-release toys and moulds.
Most movies that have toys are treated as like any other non-toy merchandise, in that they are only intended to be in stores for a short time and with a small range, because the "Brand" is only being promoted while the movie is in theatres and then on DVD. Transformers as a Brand is normally able to sell itself even without a cartoon or movie, but for TF4, the product line was designated to start just before the Movie (May) with the last new products scheduled for October release to cover the release of the DVD is released in most countries (but some items were delayed). That's a big wind-back for a Transformers movie line, as each previous one lasted at least 12-18 months. This one was barely 6 months of release, which is more like the standard model for other movie toylines we see in stores (which then shelf-warm for a year or two).


I fear that long-term (probably within 5 years), the Transformers brand will continue to expand their range of short-lived, simple gimmick lines (like Construct-Bots, Hero Mashers, Battle Masters, Angry Birds) outside of multi-year cartoons... but hopefully they will still be able to have enough demand from retailers and non-adult collectors to keep producing the occasional Masterpiece and Generations-styled homage toys.

[Bidoofdude]

I am currently a teenager (15) and I was mainly fed on the G1 cartoon, so I have just as much nostalgia as any adult fan, but most my age would have watched Energon/Cybertron. The Masterpiece toys aren't all that difficult for me and I'm sure even the least competent would be able to transform them and enjoy them, if they're a fan of that stuff.

For most preteens (around 12, 13 years old), it suddenly becomes uncool to like anything really that isn't 'grown up'. It starts to wear off around 14, from my experience. Then everyone's on the train.

[griffin]

Just to respond to specific things not included above.



From what you've said, it means Hasbro is chasing a relatively young audience as its main bread and butter


Yep, their parents and relatives buy more than the older age groups, and more of the "cheaper" products that are cheaper to buy and have bigger profit margins for being cheaper to make.



but if my memory is correct, all four of the Michael Bay Transformers films have had a rating of M here in Australia (not recommended for children under 15) and PG-13 in the US, yet that seemingly isn't Hasbro's target market for the toys?


As someone else noted, the movie isn't made for the kids whom most of the toys are bought for... while the toys are mostly being bought by adults (for their kids and kids of friends and relatives), because they are more familiar to those characters than the other Transformers toys on the pegs that are actually more for the kids.
It was also noted that sometimes movies are made to meet a rating to improve its potential box-office takings... as the 1986 Transformers Movie had things intentionally added to push it up into PG from G, just to improve its chances.

The problem with the current movies though is that Bay had so much power after the first one, that it wouldn't have mattered what Hasbro wanted its rating to be, Bay had final Executive say on everything.



You also said that (and I'm assuming you're citing Hasbro on this) "Generations toys were for both Collectors and pre-teen kids", but I find that hard to believe given the comparatively obscure media (comics) featuring the characters. Perhaps with the upcoming Combiner Wars event in the IDW comics, Hasbro will advertise the toys and comics more to try and increase awareness, but at present, they're hardly mainstream, and pre-teens are unlikely to get on-board because they haven't got that relation to character that a Movie or TV show brings. Basically, what I'm saying is that Generations seems to be solely targeted towards Collectors.


I've seen that Generations have at times been pegged to the adult collector demographic, but usually its when they are talking about high-end things like Masterpiece toys and Leader Class Jetfire.
I think the Hasbro people tell the audience at BotCon, Toyfair and SDCC that the regular Generations toys are aimed at them (the adult collectors), but since they are general release items to retailers for regular shoppers, it was probably just to make us feel special or important.
(and even if the primary target for Generations is the adults because of some of the more obscure characters or 80s homages, since the younger group is their main "bread and butter", the toys would be designed to also interest them and be able to afford them)




Take the upcoming Superion for example. He's had the occasional toy, but Superion as a character: he's been seen in ancillary media (computer games and expanded universe fiction), but not in a mainline TV Show or Movie since... the 80's? And yet here he is, getting an updated toy. I can understand the appeal of a gimmick (combining) by retailers, and it does help attract additional (non-Collector) buyers, but this guy is clearly for the Collectors -- aged 25+.


I think based on the persistence of character toys like Optimus, Bumblebee and Megatron that have elements of their original forms to varying degrees... is not for the fans who were from the 80s (and would now be averaging 40 years old), but for everyone younger to see it as something new (to them) AND the 80s fans as a bonus who would buy it for the homage.
The point is that these iconic characters from Gen1 keep recurring in new mode forms and in homage mode forms, because it is easier to produce than creating a character and toy from scratch... and the designers know that that type of vehicle and colours (and gimmicks like combining) was a winning formula so is less risk for their budget.
It's less "fan-service" and more reliability/convenience/laziness.

Generations Silverbolt is like Movie Dinobots - both are homaging mid-80s characters and toys that us long-term fans immediately recognise as a homage, but for the majority of people who buy the toys, they won't know that until later (if they become a collector and learn about the history of the Brand). To them, toys like Silverbolt and Grimlock are no different to Crosshairs or Slash... and won't see any of those four figures being aimed for a different age-group or demographic (based on the packaging or engineering of each).
And that's where we come in... to enlighten the newbies... to teach them about the 30 years of Transformers, and help them learn about all the various incarnations of those "new" characters that they have recently bought.
:)



I'm not disagreeing with anything you've said, Griff. I think I'm just very confused about Transformers full stop.

That's all good. It's such a complicated beast these days, and most fans are too excited by the toy reveals at those presentations to take note (or notes) of what is being said about the breakdown strategy they've been adopting in the last 2-3 years.
The US Toyfairs are the best for details and Brand strategies, so when the next one is on in two months time, check out the slides and details of how the next year's toys are being marketed (and designed).

[Verno]

This is probably why they now split their focus on three age-groups, so that they can make a massive amount of cheap/simple toys that will then help fund the higher cost of producing the more expensive limited-edition collector toys on the other end of the spectrum.
So Hasbro does love us! They're duping younglings (and their parents) with cheap rubbish to bankroll better stuff (and I'd include Generations toys in that) for the longer-term fans.

Again, I really appreciate the in-depth analysis, Griff. If I may just pick your brain on one last topic -- one quite close to my heart.

2016 will be the Beast Wars 20th Anniversary. Do you see a small number of new Generation-style Beast Wars toys fitting into Hasbro's current mode of operation? Is it likely on its own? Or does it require a tie-in with an IDW Comic miniseries, much like the Combiner Wars toys coming in 2015? I'd love to hear your thoughts.

[BigTransformerTrev]

Pre-orders for Wave 1 are now up on BBTS: http://www.bigbadtoystore.com/bbts/menu.aspx?menu=3593

[griffin]

As a disclaimer, that everyone should already be aware of - I don't work for Hasbro, and don't claim to know everything they know or do. Since I have an obligation here to report news, I try to find out as much as I can from any Hasbro source (like their quarterly reports, conventions, Toyfair and talking to their marketing people whenever I get the chance), and then try to fill any gaps remaining.
I'm probably one of the few who have more interest in reading their quarterly reports and studying the graphs and statistics at conventions, than the toy reveals... because the toys will be plastered everywhere eventually for me to catch up on, but often the technical background info that explains the reason those toys exist, is only released once. And those reasons give an idea of what their future potential is, and what is unlikely.


2016 will be the Beast Wars 20th Anniversary. Do you see a small number of new Generation-style Beast Wars toys fitting into Hasbro's current mode of operation? Is it likely on its own? Or does it require a tie-in with an IDW Comic miniseries, much like the Combiner Wars toys coming in 2015? I'd love to hear your thoughts.

I'd be surprised if there was a year-wide theme for 2016 like Combiner Wars is 2015, but based on the types of characters in the last two years of Generations toys, and the fact that so many of the key Hasbro and Takara people were fans of Transformers before they got their jobs, I'd be surprised if they didn't do something to either acknowledge the anniversary or squeeze in a number of homage toys into the Generations line. After all, we saw the 2014 Generations line have three Beast Wars toys, one Beast Machines toy, one RID toy, and one Armada toy... so the designers are able to successfully pitch non-Gen1 characters. (and I don't think it matters if IDW includes them or has to tie into the IDW universe... the IDW people have said that they use upcoming toys if they can make them fit, but aren't bound by anything Hasbro does, or vice-versa)
Even Kreo had a number of Beast Wars microchangers, so that series is not something alien or avoidable to them.


I really don't want to get anyone's hopes up, but I honestly think there will be something... even if it is just a token effort from the (fan) Designers by way of some individual toys if management didn't approve of a larger BW theme for the year. (the one thing working for you in this is that it is a non-movie year, so Hasbro won't be prioritising a movie line and will need a theme to market the 2016 Generations toys to Retailers)

I guess we will find out in June at BotCon, if they've been able to commit toys or a theme to the anniversary.
(unfortunately it would be too late to petition for this to happen if they haven't already started, as new toys and line takes 18+ months to brainstorm, develop and design - but you could petition IDW to include more BW characters in key roles, as their more popular characters are more likely to then be done as toys... it might miss the anniversary, but you never know)

[Verno]

Quiet optimism, I love it. Thanks again, Griff.

I'll let the discussion return to the Combiner Wars toys, and the evolution of the Scramble City design.

[Bidoofdude]

If combiner wars proves successful (which it looks to be headed that way), we could possibly see some other gimmicks come to fruition as Generations toys. Nothing for certain, but I think it would let Hasbro test the waters a bit more.

[griffin]

More images from (http://www.tfw2005.com/transformers-news/generations-classics-44/new-in-hand-images-of-combiner-wars-legends-deluxe-and-voyager-figures-181646/) what looks like the Singapore event mentioned a few posts ago.
This time focussing on the four Legends toys - Windcharger, Powerglide, Thundercracker, Bombshell.

It looks like all the Legends toys have been designed to combine with the combiners in some way, as two photos show Windcharger and Thundercracker as alternate chest-pieces. With Powerglide turning into a gun, Bombshell possibly turns into a gun too.

It might look a bit weird having a whole car just sitting on the front of the combined mode, but the original Menasor had that.

[Bidoofdude]

I would love Bomshell to turn into a grenade.

[griffin]

That'd be funny... like that suicide bomb Decepticon from IDW (I think it was).

[BigTransformerTrev]

2016 will be the Beast Wars 20th Anniversary. Do you see a small number of new Generation-style Beast Wars toys fitting into Hasbro's current mode of operation? Is it likely on its own? Or does it require a tie-in with an IDW Comic miniseries, much like the Combiner Wars toys coming in 2015? I'd love to hear your thoughts.

For the 10th anniversary of BW they rereleased some of the BW figures, some recoloured to be more show accurate (I picked up a Waspinator) and if you got them all you could make a Transmutate. It's possible they may do something similar. I reckon the 20th Anniversary will be acknowledged in some fashion. Personally as someone who doesn't like organic looking alt-modes I'm hoping for some Transmetal figures :)


I am currently a teenager (15) and I was mainly fed on the G1 cartoon, so I have just as much nostalgia as any adult fan, but most my age would have watched Energon/Cybertron. The Masterpiece toys aren't all that difficult for me and I'm sure even the least competent would be able to transform them and enjoy them, if they're a fan of that stuff.

For most preteens (around 12, 13 years old), it suddenly becomes uncool to like anything really that isn't 'grown up'. It starts to wear off around 14, from my experience. Then everyone's on the train.

Dude - you are only 15!?! Had no idea. You come across way more mature than that, which I totally mean as a compliment :D

[Bidoofdude]

Dude - you are only 15!?! Had no idea. You come across way more mature than that, which I totally mean as a compliment :D

Thanks a bunch. Still don't have the cleanest record...

[Ode to a Grasshopper]

Hot damn @Griffin...those are some really-well-thought-out posts there. Really wish I'd had the chance to meet you while you were here.

On-topic: interesting to see the Legends-Combiner cross-playability factor. I wonder if that was planned from the start, or if it was a relatively recent retool? If the former, maybe the Minicon-style Targetmaster partners will be compatible in some way too.
Also, so want a Kickback to complete the Legends Insecticon trio.

[Sinnertwin]

Hasbro/TT doing something for Beast Wars for 2016? Oh, you may get the odd bug here and there, maybe a cheetah or two... an elephant...perhaps a donkey if we're lucky.
We all know how the Thrilling 32 turned out as a homage to the 30th anniversary of the entire franchise, so I can't see them doing something earth shattering as a tribute to BW.

[Bidoofdude]

Hot damn @Griffin...those are some really-well-thought-out posts there. Really wish I'd had the chance to meet you while you were here.

On-topic: interesting to see the Legends-Combiner cross-playability factor. I wonder if that was planned from the start, or if it was a relatively recent retool? If the former, maybe the Minicon-style Targetmaster partners will be compatible in some way too.
Also, so want a Kickback to complete the Legends Insecticon trio.

In the panel at NYCC (was it?) they answered that they won't disappoint with Kickback, or something along those lines.

[griffin]

Hehehe... I was just trying to remember where that was from, because I was going to post that Hasbro have essentially assured us that Kickback is coming, but I wasn't sure either where it was from. Definitely recent, so either NYCC or SDCC... or maybe even BotCon.

Looking again at the SDCC panel (http://www.tfw2005.com/transformers-news/san-diego-comic-con-33/sdcc-2014-hasbro-transformers-panel-live-180745/), it was only as recently as July that Hasbro were saying that the Deluxe toys would still have comics with them... so maybe the samples showing up in the last week are the non-American alternate packaging version. Or it was just a really last-minute cost-cutting measure.

[Bidoofdude]

Hehehe... I was just trying to remember where that was from, because I was going to post that Hasbro have essentially assured us that Kickback is coming, but I wasn't sure either where it was from. Definitely recent, so either NYCC or SDCC... or maybe even BotCon.

Looking again at the SDCC panel (http://www.tfw2005.com/transformers-news/san-diego-comic-con-33/sdcc-2014-hasbro-transformers-panel-live-180745/), it was only as recently as July that Hasbro were saying that the Deluxe toys would still have comics with them... so maybe the samples showing up in the last week are the non-American alternate packaging version. Or it was just a really last-minute cost-cutting measure.

Hopefully. I'm not exactly in a position to buy comics every month for the less than stellar prices here.

[Verno]

Hasbro/TT doing something for Beast Wars for 2016? Oh, you may get the odd bug here and there, maybe a cheetah or two... an elephant...perhaps a donkey if we're lucky.
We all know how the Thrilling 32 turned out as a homage to the 30th anniversary of the entire franchise, so I can't see them doing something earth shattering as a tribute to BW.

In the Chinese Lunar Calendar, 2016 is Year of the Monkey. There's a good omen if ever I've seen one.

[Ploughmans Lunch]

Unfair. When will it be the year of the truck

[griffin]

Whenever Optimus is used in the toyline, it is always year of the Truck. :p

[FruitBuyer]

Whenever Optimus is used in the toyline, it is always year of the Truck. :p

Then every year is the YotT?

[Zommael]

In the Chinese Lunar Calendar, 2016 is Year of the Monkey. There's a good omen if ever I've seen one.

Horrible, horrible ways Hasbro can ruin that for everyone because I am a sadist:

Platinum Edition Optimus Primal - RID air attack Optimus Primal with all the electronics taken out, colour scheme based on Universe (2004) Optimus Primal.

Platinum Edition Maximals Unleashed - Overpriced boxed set of the Universe and Generations Maximals toys so far released but in much better colour schemes than the already released figures so everyone ends up with dupes.

Generations Optimus Minor - 'nuff said.

Preferring to celebrate the anniversary of Beast Machines in 2019, with no releases of anything in 2016, but an entire range of exciting toys three years later all of which have visible heads in vehicle mode because fan-trolling.

A new Beast Wars cartoon series... from the same people who gave us Energon.

[Verno]

You're a monster...

[Zommael]

You're a monster...

BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHA!

One thing that would actually be cool:

A new Generations Beast Wars line but with each character based on the same techno-organic aesthetic of BW10th Megatron and Optimus Primal. Re-release Megs and Primal with the key gimmick replaced to round the line out.

[Verno]

A new Generations Beast Wars line but with each character based on the same techno-organic aesthetic of BW10th Megatron and Optimus Primal. Re-release Megs and Primal with the key gimmick replaced to round the line out.

You are pure evil!

[Sinnertwin]

In the Chinese Lunar Calendar, 2016 is Year of the Monkey. There's a good omen if ever I've seen one.

We'll see...

[DELTAprime]

The first wave has been spotted at retail in Singapore. Hopefully it won't be long till they show up here.

[Sinnertwin]

amazon has them listed for a 03/31 release

[VERT]

I just got a shipping notice from RK the first 4 Deluxes and Prime and Silverbolt are on the way now :)

[MayzaPrime]

I just got a shipping notice from RK the first 4 Deluxes and Prime and Silverbolt are on the way now :)

Me too... :D :D :D

[megatren]

Is there any news if the combiner wars will be sold in Austrlia? I already saw a lot of them in Hong Kong, Philippines and Singapore. I am also planning to get powerglide and silverbolt but I am not sure if I can get the rest in Au.

Fyi. I already got aoe deluxe snarl at $20 in HK.

[Sinnertwin]

Is there any news if the combiner wars will be sold in Austrlia?.

Currently scheduled for a Feb-March release.

[griffin]

Is there any news if the combiner wars will be sold in Austrlia? I already saw a lot of them in Hong Kong, Philippines and Singapore. I am also planning to get powerglide and silverbolt but I am not sure if I can get the rest in Au.


Release info here (http://www.otca.com.au/boards/showthread.php?t=19917).

[griffin]

I'm sure there have been photos from Americans already who received their Combiner Deluxes from online stores like BBTS, but this is a photo of the toys in an American retail store (http://www.tfw2005.com/transformers-news/generations-classics-44/combiner-wars-deluxe-wave-1-released-at-us-retail-181754/), completely ruling out comics with these Generations Deluxes. :(
(previous pics of the toys in packaging were mostly from Asian sources, so could have been explained as being a non-American market release, like last year's Generations toys that were found without comics... but now I know that the American release is definitely not having comics any more)

Some might not care either way (I don't care), but one of the early announcements mentioned that IDW comics would continue into 2015. Maybe a cost-cutting measure.

[Verno]

Maybe in Wave 2? The "Combiner Wars" event hasn't started in the Comics yet.

[Bidoofdude]

Maybe in Wave 2? The "Combiner Wars" event hasn't started in the Comics yet.

That was my immediate thought. Since they're coming out earlier than expected, Combiner Wars hasn't happened in the comics yet. Wave 2 (maybe even later runs of wave 1) will probably come with the comics.

[Verno]

That was my immediate thought. Since they're coming out earlier than expected, Combiner Wars hasn't happened in the comics yet. Wave 2 (maybe even later runs of wave 1) will probably come with the comics.

If we take a past Generations toy as an example -- let's go with Rattrap -- he was released mid 2014, and yet came with an Comic Issue first released in December 2013. So I'd say there's a pretty good chance we'll see Comics in later waves because Hasbro obviously have no qualms including Issues that are 6+ months old with their toys.