Cyberverse - are the toys getting too simple or are people getting dumber?

[shockNwave]

Unfortunately, if TakaraTomy are now just a clone of Hasbro (no more alternative versions of Hasbro toys) and Hasbro are producing less dedicated-collector toys, with the focus being on Cyberverse, Rescue Bots and Movie toys (being mostly aimed at under 10s), the unauthorised toy producers are going to get a lot more popular in the next few years as fans look for more homage toys or toys of characters that have never been produced officially.
I may not support or advocate unauthorised toys, but I understand and accept why they exist and why the demand is growing... because Hasbro are almost giving up on catering to the dedicated collectors, by eliminating the fan convention and cutting back on exclusive toys, which are getting harder to acquire (really limited release in very few countries).

As Gok pointed out, the early 90's spelled the end for G1 due to lack of diversity and it looks like a lesson was learned as TFs became so diverse that the brand could handle damage caused by a persona non grata such as Michael Bay.
So if what you're saying stays true Griff, then that means there's a devolution towards an early 90's direction.

Could that be because the brand has become too diverse like Lego did to it's own detriment in the early 2000s?

[GoktimusPrime]

So if what you're saying stays true Griff, then that means there's a devolution towards an early 90's direction.

I wouldn't go that far.

Remember that in the early 90s nearly half of the Transformers line was Action Masters. The only things you could buy were either Action Masters, Micromasters or early G1 reissues. But as far as new moulds were concerned, all we had were Action Masters and Micromasters. It starved the line of diversity.


As terrible as these Cyberverse toys are, they're just one part of the 2018 assortment. We still have:
* Power of the Primes
* Studio Series
* Masterpiece (G1, BW & Movieverse)
* Bumbleformers
* Movie the Best
* SF2 x TFs
* Rescue Bots
* G1 reissues

The problem with Action Masters wasn't just that they were crap. It's that they were crap that dominated the toy line. Everywhere you went there were just Action Masters shelfwarming like nobody's business. Cyberverse only compromise a fraction of 2018's lineup. Now of course, this doesn't justify making rubbish toys like Cyberverse. Shelfwarmers hurt the brand. Okay, it's not as devastating a blow as Action Masters, but it sure isn't going to do the brand any favours.