Toyfair Australia 2011 TFs display

[griffin]

Prepare to be disappointed, if you've seen the US Toyfair reports, photos & videos. Our display was rather small and didn't appear to have anything
new this year. And this year, they were more strict on the photos. I was allowed to take some overall photos, and was only able to take 4 before
one of the other Hasbro people rushed over to tell me that I shouldn't be taking any photos.

I guess Hasbro US want all the fame and glory when it comes to them encouraging full coverage of their Toyfair display, and telling other
branches to not allow it.

WARNING - MOVIE TOYS/SPOILERS




The main Hasbro display.
Only featured Movie toys this year, which isn't surprising, but would have been nice to see some other lines thrown in on the side to mix it up a little.



A closer look at the Main Line, MechTech




And the big bad boy, Ultimate Optimus Prime with Trailer (slated for Aug/Sep, for *about* AU$150)




The smaller figures (used to be called Legends and Scouts - now called Legion and Commander) and playsets, called Cyberverse.




The Gimmick lines (Activators, Go-Bots, Revving Robots, Roleplay, Masks), to be called Robo Power




And finally, the Speed Stars, covering Minivehicles, Stealth Force, Battle Chargers and Mini Changers 2-packs.




Additional Transformers themed items in other lines include, Star Wars Crossovers (now in 3 size classes)




A new product to compete with Lego, called Kre-O, launching with Transformers first




And a new Playskool Heroes line called Transformers Rescue Bots
(no photo, as I was stopped before I could get to it)


At the front of the Hasbro Exhibit was a yellow Camaro done up to look like Bumblebee.




A list of Transformers toys on display...

Mechtech
- Deluxe - Bumblebee, Starscream, (Jolt), (Topspin), Roadbuster, Sideswipe.
- Voyager - Skyhammer, Optimus, Ironhide, Shockwave
- Leader - Sentinel Prime, Bumblebee, Ironhide
- Ultimate - Optimus Prime
- (A Super Secret item that they decided to hide from public display when I got there, and made me promise not to even say what it is until it is
confirmed sometime in the next few weeks. But it is BIG... big news... something that isn't going to be released in America! Stay tuned for an update in the coming weeks)

Cyberverse
- Legion (was Legends) - Barricade, Crankcase, Crowbar (D), Bumblebee, Autobot Skids, Autobot Topspin.
- Commander (was Scout) - Sentinel Prime, Powerglide, Blackout w/ Scorponok, Ironhide, Optimus, Megatron
- Action - Bumblebee mobile Battle Bunker, Starscream Orbital Assault Carrier
- Ark set - Autobot Ark w/ Roller

Robo Power
- Activators - Bumblebee, Optimus, Starscream
- Go-Bots - Sideswipe, Bumblebee
- Revving Robots (was Powerbots) - Bumblebee, Optimus
- Optimus Cyber Blaster (fires nerf type darts)
- 3D Cinemasks (Optimus, Bumbebee), Battle Mask (Bumblebee)

Speed Stars
- Minivehicle - (Revealer) Barricade, (Metal Heroes) Optimus
- Mini Changers (2-pack) - Sideswipe Vs Starscream, Bumblebee & Sentinel Prime
(back of packaging also had - Crumplezone Vs Bumblebee, Optimus Vs Starscream)
- Stealth Force Basic - Barricade, Classic Leadfoot, Bumblebee
- Battle Charger - Optimus, Bumblebee
- Stealth Force Electronic - Optimus, Bumbelbee

Star Wars Crossovers
- Class 1 (new 'Legends' size) - Grevious/Grevious Starfighter, Obi Wan(?)/Episode 2 Starfighter, Anakin(?)/Episode 3 Starfighter
- Class 2 (was Basic) - assorted wave 1-3 Series 4 (black) packaging figures
(back of Quad-changer packaging also had shown - AT-TE (green)/Clone Captain Keeli, Troop Transport (blue)/Clone Commander Wolffe, ATT
(brown/orange)/Battle Droid Commander)
- Class 3 (was Deluxe) - Anakin/Vader quad-changer

Kre-O
- Starscream (Gen1), Optimus (Movie), Bumblebee (Movie)

Playskool Heroes - Transformers Rescue Bots
- Firestation Prime (big playset) w/ Heatwave vehicle (non-convertible)
- Bumblebee Garage (small playset)
- Figure Pack (human figure + small vehicle)
- Robot Pack (convertible robot)
Note - Figure Packs and Robot Packs pair up, on the packaging and with their colours.
(Figure pack + Robot pack) Charlie + Optimus, Cleveland + Boulder, Cody + Heatwave, Jack +Chase, Sawer + Blades.


Q&A tidbits:
- MP Rodimus, and just about every US TRU exclusive for 2011 should end up in AUS TRU stores this year.
- The Transformers: Prime cartoon is not yet signed up to a network in Australia, and won't be aired here before the Movie Season ends (Sep/Oct).
- They want to continue releasing as much non-Movie figures as possible during the Movie season, because they (Generations etc) are selling better
than the yellow packed 'movie' figures. But I think this will still be limited to what non-movie toys Hasbro US have available during that time.
- We shouldn't see any more Reveal the Shield assortments, which means missing Voyager Deep Dive, and maybe the Scout wave with Rumble,
Downshift and Bodyblock. We missed certain AA waves (like Voyager Highbrow) because of stores like Kmart ordering a massive amount of
wave 1 figures and not needing to re-order for ages.
- The TF3 Preview toy (Optimus with 3D glasses) found in US TRU stores last week is not being released here, or anywhere else, as it was
apparently a Cartoon Network promo, and only TRU America was able to take them at such short notice.

[1AZRAEL1]

Kind of annoying that they won't allow photos, but at least you snuck some in

Not really alot that tickles my fancy, not much of fan of the movie figures anwyay, but I will probably by that Kreo Starscream, looks pretty cool for LegoKreo

Q&A tidbits:
- MP Rodimus, and just about every US TRU exclusive for 2011 should end up in AUS TRU stores this year.

Worried about the price tag for this, wonder if he will shelfwarm.

- The Transformers: Prime cartoon is not yet signed up to a network in Australia, and won't be aired here before the Movie Season ends (Sep/Oct).

And companies wonder why people download shows. That kinda sucks, was looking forward to seeing it on local tv.

- They want to continue releasing as much non-Movie figures as possible during the Movie season, because they (Generations etc) are selling better
than the yellow packed 'movie' figures. But I think this will still be limited to what non-movie toys Hasbro US have available during that time.

Well that's good to see. A filler line that is selling really well. Hopefully that continues.

- We shouldn't see any more Reveal the Shield assortments, which means missing Voyager Deep Dive, and maybe the Scout wave with Rumble,
Downshift and Bodyblock. We missed certain AA waves (like Voyager Highbrow) because of stores like Kmart ordering a massive amount of
wave 1 figures and not needing to re-order for ages.

I wanted to get Rumble, hopefully we still do see him. Stores order so much stock that they don't need to order more is silly on their part. I like seeing stores trying to sell figures that came out yonks ago.

Thanks for the wrap up, was good to see some of this.

Edit:

I just noticed this

- (A Super Secret item that they decided to hide from public display when I got there, and made me promise not to even say what it is until it is
confirmed sometime in the next few weeks. But it is BIG... big news... something that isn't going to be released in America! Stay tuned for an update in the coming weeks)

I hate secrets lol. But I can't wait to see what this big news will be.

[Tetsuwan Convoy]

Yeh, shame about the stopping of photos. Surely most of the stuff has been seen before?

What were your impressions about the Trailer combining Prime Griffin? Was it impressive in the plastic?

[Hursticon]

Bloody photo Nazis!

Indeed, cheers for the write-up Griff, I too would like to hear your thoughts on Ultimate Optimus, like ROTF Leader Optimus size comparison maybe...

Also, any signs of a Voyager Soundwave???

[reillyd]

That's an awesome photo spread, well done Griffin!

You said nothing new though, but Skyhammer is new isn't it? I can't make out from the photo but is it some kind of aerial fortress or spaceship?

[Demonac]

I can probably answer some of these questions.
Skyhammer is a voyager class helicopter.
We couldn't really 'compare' the Prime to anything. It is nice & heavy, and seemed fairly sturdy. Being the first day of a trade show, I didn't want to risk transforming it & making a shambles of it.
There was no Soundwave there.

[optimus1]

Nice report griffin (on what you were able to say/take photos of)

I like the part on Rodimus coming to Aus
Less so on the TRU part

[Tetsuwan Convoy]

We couldn't really 'compare' the Prime to anything. It is nice & heavy, and seemed fairly sturdy. Being the first day of a trade show, I didn't want to risk transforming it & making a shambles of it.

Thats fair anough I guess. But did it have an 'air' to it? You know, that feeling you get when you look at an awesome transformer? Fort Maxx has it, Spec ops Jazz has it. For me, Wincharger has it. Any good vibe, is kind of what I am asking, as vague as that may be...

[Hursticon]

We couldn't really 'compare' the Prime to anything. It is nice & heavy, and seemed fairly sturdy. Being the first day of a trade show, I didn't want to risk transforming it & making a shambles of it.

Thanks for that Demonac, I guess we'll just have to wait until they're on shelf to get an idea eh?

There was no Soundwave there.

Not even a mention?

[Sam]

Cool, thanks for sharing.