But for the moment, we remain content to chastise the production of KOs while we happily accept the offerings of mass-custom producers.
I certainly don't. I don't collect anything that is fan-made (my collection is after all, a (licensed/official) Transformers(r) collection). That's because I personally feel that they contaminate the purity of my collection.

As for this forum, I also don't condone promoting of unnofficial items, and make sure that any news items clearly state they are not official items. If it is an item that copies or aims to imitate an existing or upcoming figure (like Drift), I would probably even omit mentioning it in the news section, unless it is to warn people off of it (like we do with KOs/counterfiet figures).

As it was mentioned in an early posting in this topic, a fan-made, original accessory that actually encourages the purchase of a legitimate product, is much more desirable (probably even by Hasbro), than a copied product or accessory that prevents the purchase of a legitimate product.

Like,
- Superion parts being available while Superion is still in stores, helps sell a combiner many weren't planning to buy.
- Universe/Henkei Inferno ladder while Inferno is still available in stores, generates the same added interest in a currently released item.
- As does Autoscout while Soundwave is in release.
- City Commander being available while stores (mostly online stores) still had Ultra Magnus in stock, means more turnover of TFs inventory for that store, prompting them to continue ordering more of the brand. Same happened with the Cliffjumper add-on package.

None of those falsely claim to be a real Transformers product, or aim to replace an existing item. As such, each item is having a positive impact on Hasbro/Takara sales.

But,
- A fan-made Drift toy is being produced despite it being announced by Hasbro that there will be an official toy soon, and people are less likely to buy both.
- A Gen1-styled Arcee toy is along the same lines, if it is released before or during the retail sale of an official Gen1-styled Arcee toy in Animated packaging.
- Masterpiece Convoy trailer is an example of what happens when there is an official release of a fan-made item. Even if it is already in circulation, additional first-hand and second-hand sales of the unnofficial product negatively impacts on the sale of the legitimate one. (it was because of this one that I don't risk buying fan-made stuff in case a real one is released and I need to replace it to keep the collection 'pure')

People purchasing a fan-made/KO figure (especially if it is cheaper or is an almost exact replica of the real thing) are less likely to purchase the real thing, and thus negatively impacts Hasbro/Takara sales.

Not to mention that Replica out-of-release figures (that don't directly impact on sales), irritates fans/collectors of real TFs products, who can no longer purchase an item with the piece of mind that it isn't a fake. It can also indirectly impacts on legitimate sales (albeit a negligible amount), by the occasional newbie/kid/parent who gets stung by a counterfeit, and gets turned off the whole franchise/fandom.

This isn't a criticism towards anyone here who buys fake TFs or items that compete with legitimate items, because there is too much demand overseas for cheap immitations for us (the fans) to ever stop it. If it really is a problem to Hasbro's bottom line, they need to step up, pull their finger out, stop all the talk, and do something affirmative about it for once.

As it stands, Hasbro and TakaraTomy will only spend more money on significant existing investments - the unreleased Animated toys and Titaniums Prowl & Grimlock already got to mould stage, so most of the expense has been made and they needed to be produced to offset the prior significant investment, as opposed to the other Titaniums (Arcee, Shockwave, Cosmos) which didn't get to mould stage, so not enough expense warranted taking them further to be produced.
Replicas of past items are probably not of great concern to Hasbro/Takara, as it would be deemed a waste of money stopping them if they didn't feel that it would tarnish their brand's image enough with their continued existence.