Robosen auto-converting Optimus released in Australia

[griffin]

Coming out here in June is the Robosen licensed auto-converting Optimus Prime figure, exclusive to EBGames and Zing.

Originally revealed by Hasbro in America in April last year, and released over there in October last year... Hasbro Australia were trying to get it released here as well, but since it isn't a Hasbro product, it has to imported and distributed by someone else, which took a fair bit of time to finally make happen.
As such, EBGames will be the one responsible for promoting this item, through their own social media sites.

Product page at EBGames

Product page at Zing

It is listed for au$1400 (deposit $200), which is a little more than I was expecting, but it is not coming through Hasbro Australia, so there might be a couple of middle-men distributors getting their commission in the chain of handling (on top of EBGames probably pricing it high because it is exclusive).
But when you look on the Robosen website, they are currently selling it direct from the source for us$1000 (just under au$1400) to countries like ours that don't qualify for the $200-off promo, PLUS shipping and taxes (GST and Duty, because it is over au$1000), so this EBGames price is actually cheaper than buying from the source.

Hang on, you may be asking, wasn't it us$700 in America?
Well, yes it was... but only as a limited-number, promotional price for its first release through the Hasbro Pulse website, and then their price went up to us$800 and then us$750. Either they got a good deal from Robosen, or it was in the license contract.
Most other online re-sellers were listing it for up to about us$1100, which converts to more than EBGame's price... and now six months later, some of those re-sellers are starting to discount their unsold stock, like this place in China - but be careful, as they sell KOs, and boast about not declaring the full value on the box to avoid taxes (GST and Duty), so if it was checked by Customs here, it could be seized or you could be fined. It makes it harder to trust that sort of "business", and harder to risk spending that much money there, in case it is defective or damaged/lost in the mail.

Also, if you were going to pay over a thousand dollars on a single toy, maybe it is better to pay a little more to have the reassurance that if it is defective or damaged in the mail, you will get your money back from an Australian retailer - something that isn't guaranteed if you import it.
(I can't find out how you recharge it, but if it is by powerpoint, this Australian release should have a plug you can use here (I would hope), as I read that people in the UK had to buy an adaptor to charge theirs, as the stock being sold so far was from America, for American powerpoints.)

Two of the official images from one of the links above. We are probably getting stock from the second run (or third if the second run was just for north america), so the packaging could be different, but shouldn't be.





For images of one being unboxed and shown in both modes in-hand, check out this link at tfw.

The Hasbro Pulse product page is still up (no longer in-stock), which had it priced at us$750. (first release was us$700)

Introducing an industry first Auto-Converting, Interactive, Programmable, Voice Activated, Mobile Controlled - Optimus Prime Robot. In collaboration with Hasbro - Robosen brings your favorite TRANSFORMERS hero, Optimus Prime, to life with a fully immersive experience through voice activated actions, mobile app controls, and endless hours of creative and fun ways to program Optimus Prime to walk, punch, blast, drive, and convert at the swipe of your finger, or command of your voice! The world has never seen an easier way to convert, and roll out!
Includes:

• Battle Axe and Blaster, as well as: Charging Cable, Instruction Guide & Travel Case
• Mobile App - available through Apple App Store & Android App Store - Search: ROBOSEN Optimus Prime
• 2 built in rechargeable Lithium-Ion Batteries (1200mAh)

Features:

• At an incredible 19" tall when in robot mode, the TRANSFORMERS Autobot leader is awe inspiring in size and capability.
• Optimus Prime is equipped with 80 sound effects, voiced by the original voice of the Autobot leader, with genuine “converting” sounds, as you watch and interact with Optimus Prime.
• Authentic G1 design with detailed emblems, chrome accents and lighting throughout. Built in speakers and 1 microphone bring Optimus Prime to life!
• Witness each punch, blast, breathe and conversion, all done with seamless precision, right before your eyes. Enjoy the most amazing TRANSFORMERS experience the industry has ever interacted with.
• Optimus Prime is built premium throughout, with the world's most advanced collection of premium materials assembled together with over 5000 components, 60 microchips and 27 servo motors making this a one-of-a-kind, Collector’s experience!
• Turn on and ROLL OUT! Optimus Prime speeds away in truck mode via voice or app. You can seamlessly control Optimus Prime in robot or truck mode via voice or mobile app commands.

Quoting myself from last April, commenting on the price in America, and guessing correctly what it would be here...

Robosen Optimus Prime - the concept is good (I think I've seen some custom jobs that were self-converting in recent years), It's price is MORE than Unicron. Unicron was us$575 in America, while this is us$700. If it was to come to Australia (it's not a Hasbro product so if it comes here it would be done by some other distributor), I would expect it to be au$1200-1500.