Quote Originally Posted by JJJ View Post
The triumph of marketing. And now Hasbro are locked into perpetually churning out that same damned character over and over and over again.
It's also dependent on what people are willing to buy. Hasbro keeps on using the same tired-old characters ad nauseum because they know it sells, especially Optimus Prime.

e.g.
+ Canon camera Optimus Prime - okay, they also did Reflector, but why also Optimus Prime? The answer to my own question comes from the fact that I have noticed that the Optimus Prime toy sold faster than Reflector. It sold out on The Gamesmen's website long before Reflector. I bought Reflector but skipped Prime.
+ Volvo VNR Optimus Prime - why is this not Huffer? Oh, because Optimus Prime sells. Granted I bought this toy too.
etc.

Also, how well are new character toys selling vs known characters? I personally love buying new characters, like Axlegrease, Crashbar etc. Although there are some that I skipped simply because I just didn't like the toys or concept; e.g. half of the Fossilisers and the current Legacy Infernac Armourisers (or as I call them, "Flintstoneformers"). I do appreciate that Hasbro are giving us new characters, and I do hope that these toys sell well, but they're not for me.

I did buy Legacy Skar, who was the only Core Class Legacy Dinobot that I bought, because I really don't care about having combining Dinobots - I already have the Dinobots as Deluxe CHUGs and I'm one Swoop away from having them as Studio Series Leaders... I don't need the set again as Core Class figures. But as Skar is a new character, I happily gave Hasbro my money for one. Not only that, but only the third Ankylosaurus Transformer after Beast Wars' Bazooka and Robots in Disguise Slapper (repaint of Bazooka, not the Predacon... so not confusing). Also happily bought Cloudcover and G2 Sandstorm etc. and other new characters based on abandoned concepts or prototypes etc. I skipped most of the other Toxitron range like Sideswipe & Dorito Jazz because they're just new versions of existing characters. I did get Laser Cycle, who's based on an abandoned toy for Jazz, because her name's not Jazz. tfwiki's listed her as a Jazz toy (and I understand why), but to me, she's a new character. And yes, I've head-canonised her as female, since she's using the Legacy Prime Arcee's body (Legacy Road Rocket's is also female, despite the original G2 toy being male). I have no issue with Transformers changing genders, it's an entirely social construct for their species anyway. I just prefer Laser Cycle being a unique character. I have more than enough CHUG Jazz toys.