Titans Return Toyline: Rumors, Speculation, Ideas etc

[FatalityPitt]

The G1 Reflector toy didn't even come out until 1986, and even then only as a mailaway exclusive! (as you know, but for the youngins readin' this )

I suppose the real challenge with Reflector is the sheer oddity of the figure. 3 robots who combine into a camera. The original toy transformed into a microfilm camera, but I wouldn't mind seeing a new one transform into a modern digital camera (similar to say a Canon DSLR or something). But of course, this would require HasTak to invest time and money to R&D the moulds that they really can't redeco into any other character. Unless say they did a toy-accurate version first, then released a show-accurate redeco later. Sure, some nerds would complain about the initial release and get enraged that Hasbro didn't release a show-accurate version... but a lot of people would buy the initial toy-accurate version. Then they'd release the show-accurate version and it'd sell like hot cakes. We've seen the same thing happen with CW Alpha Bravo/Quickslinger, Off-Road/Brake-Neck, and Rook/Groove. Some geeks may whinge about the initial releases, but it would work for Hasbro. They wouldn't do it the other way around otherwise the less popular versions would pegwarm.

I wouldn't know how else HasTak could manage Reflector in a way that's economical for them. I only thought of the TR Perceptor as a potential "mold candidate" for him/them because Hasbro once considered another Perceptor toy (RTS) as a potential Reflector-redeco; and words like "Reflector", "Camera", and "Microscope" all relate to optics and lenses. So in some sense, there is some commonality between Perceptor and Reflector, but it's weak.

Reflector is weird because I can't think of many (or any) other Transformers that become cameras, let alone 3 robots that become the camera. I wouldn't mind seeing them do a specific mold for Reflector that's faithful to the original concept (both cartoon and toy versions) as you described. But it's somewhat questionable whether it'd sell well enough for the investment to be profitable. Young fans these days are unlikely to know who Reflector is/are (unless he/they appears in the RiD cartoon), and are cameras still "cool" these days?? TR Blaster turned into a boombox, and he shelf-warmed like a mutha. It seems like the safest choice of alt-modes (from a marketing perspective) are still cars, planes and tanks.

Then again, Titan Return have heaps of lesser-known characters in its line-up and it's selling like crazy, so who knows?

EDIT: I'd love finally see a Reflector released on mass retail, but I understand if HasTak are only able to deliver it as a redeco of another toy.