Why not release G1 in mainstream toy market?

[GoktimusPrime]

I'd love me a Lio Kaiser reissue long time. But yeah... it seems that post GeeWun reissues may hold a too limited appeal to be viable. :/ I remember reissue God Ginrai shelfwarmed badly -- even import stores in Sydney slashed prices down to $20 a pop to get rid of the dead stock!

[Tetsuwan Convoy]

yeh, i saw God Ginrai on my second trip to japan, but didn't get it due to no more $$. then when I got married, I asked my bro inlaw to go to the shop and pick it up. I was shocked to see that he was successful! This was a good year or so after I saw it...

It's a shame really, I would be in for some long time loving of Lio kaiser too. Overlord would top of my list as well. Heck, pretty much all the masterforce would be there too.

[kurdt_the_goat]

I'd love me a Lio Kaiser reissue long time. But yeah... it seems that post GeeWun reissues may hold a too limited appeal to be viable. :/ I remember reissue God Ginrai shelfwarmed badly -- even import stores in Sydney slashed prices down to $20 a pop to get rid of the dead stock!

Calling all Sydney-siders who bought doubles and triples at that time, to sell to me now for cheap!

[Tetsuwan Convoy]

I just thought of this this morning. Would there be royalty fees on the alt modes now as well?

Most of the Autobot cars are definitely identifiable as a specific type of car, eg Sideswipe is definitely a Lambourghini, Megatron is a Waltham, whereas now they have a tendency to use a generic 'sports car with lambourghini influences.' So back in the 80's I am sure that there may have been some flexibility in the licensing etc. wehreas now, Lambo would be all over it for using their IP.

That could add to the cost of the toys as well. Especially if they are having to fork out to so many different companies.

[kup]

I just thought of this this morning. Would there be royalty fees on the alt modes now as well?

Most of the Autobot cars are definitely identifiable as a specific type of car, eg Sideswipe is definitely a Lambourghini, Megatron is a Waltham, whereas now they have a tendency to use a generic 'sports car with lambourghini influences.' So back in the 80's I am sure that there may have been some flexibility in the licensing etc. wehreas now, Lambo would be all over it for using their IP.

That could add to the cost of the toys as well. Especially if they are having to fork out to so many different companies.

Obviously for Binaltechs and Alternities, royalties must be paid as the figures are accurate scale models of real brand cars. For toys which 'resemble' brand name cars like Classics Sunstreaker - I doubt it. Hasbro in a sense plays the same game as FansProject, they make a car that resembles a real car model (Lamborghini for Classics Sunstreaker) but with enough changes so that there are enough differences in it so it can be argued that it's something new they made up and not have to pay royalties.

I think the movie figures a a bit of a different story they fall more into the movie 'product placement' category. A deal must have been struck with GM to include toys when the TF Movie was being negotiated.

[GoktimusPrime]

yeah but we're talking about G1 reissues. I suspect that they don't need to pay royalties for reissuing existing moulds. The royalties and permission would have already been obtained at the time the toys moulds were created and patented, and after that I think that's it.

One reason why I suspect this is so is because look at Bumblebee. We know that for a long time Volkswagen has persistently refused to allow any of their vehicles to be associated with war, which is why the only post-G1 VW Transformer mould we've seen has been the Donald Duck Disney Label TF (since Donald Duck isn't portrayed as being a warrior/soldier in that toy). Yet HasTak have been able to reissue the original Bumblebee mould ... repeatedly! And they were able to reuse the mould for Glyph and Bug Bite.

[kup]

yeah but we're talking about G1 reissues. I suspect that they don't need to pay royalties for reissuing existing moulds. The royalties and permission would have already been obtained at the time the toys moulds were created and patented, and after that I think that's it.

One reason why I suspect this is so is because look at Bumblebee. We know that for a long time Volkswagen has persistently refused to allow any of their vehicles to be associated with war, which is why the only post-G1 VW Transformer mould we've seen has been the Donald Duck Disney Label TF (since Donald Duck isn't portrayed as being a warrior/soldier in that toy). Yet HasTak have been able to reissue the original Bumblebee mould ... repeatedly! And they were able to reuse the mould for Glyph and Bug Bite.

I agree that G1 reissues probably don't apply as the molds were made ages ago. However I disagree that there was any licensing obtained back then in regards to toys. Back then the corporate culture of suing anybody for whispering your trademark didn't exist at the ridiculous level that exists now.

For example, Porche back then didn't care if you made a kid's toy matching their car model as long as you weren't making cars yourself or cutting into their profits. If Porche knew about it, they would probably feel complimented at the gesture and as a form of free advertisement. Nowadays there is a somewhat industry which is dedicated to tracking down any form of trademark infringement to sue for profit.

In regards to the VW beetle, people are way over sensitive these days with all the PC bullcrap and that's why VW is afraid of anything that vaguely resembles war given their role during WWII

[SkyWarp91]

In regards to the VW beetle, people are way over sensitive these days with all the PC bullcrap and that's why VW is afraid of anything that vaguely resembles war given their role during WWII

Yeah, somehow Bumblebee is an ethnical cleansing warrior.... **looks at Decepticons**