New Animated Deluxe Ratchet toy 'found'.

[griffin]

The new Animated Ratchet toy is of his pre-earth form, and looks to be an unfinished prototype (judging by the deformed face).

http://www.tf08.net/forum/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=436

No vehicle mode just yet, but should resemble the one in the cartoon, which has appeared in a couple of episodes so far.

[Gutsman Heavy]

Ironhide retool incoming in 3... 2...

[Paulbot]

Ironhide retool incoming in 3... 2...

My thoughts exactly

[Golden Phoenix]

Looks horrible.
The arms really irk me. I am hoping it is a really early prototype and horribly miss-transformed

I do hope they do some of the others too. It is a pretty good way to get a new toy while not having to make up new characters. We can pick our preferred version.
But it is one of those things that is only good on the odd occasion. I'd hate to see a line with 20 toys but only 5 characters

[SMHFConvoy]

Don't they (as in Hasbro) intentionally screw up the paint jobs? So that it prevents figures being pinched? Although I have heard that it just makes them more valuable...

[Stompy]

The waist area looks too bare and exposed. I think it's mis-transformed. Perhaps the treads are to fold in to make a more fuller waist.

The arms are a tad chunky and those thighs are awfully slim that makes it look like its an Activatir or scout class.

Either way it's not too bad. I'll get any animated release.

[GoktimusPrime]

Although I have heard that it just makes them more valuable...

I doubt that. I'm sure there's someone (re: a sucker) who would pay some obscene sum for a piece of crap like that (let's face it, most pinched factory prototypes _are_ crap), but overall I'd say it wouldn't be terribly valuable in the collectors market - i.e.: the majority of collectors aren't that stupid. At least I hope not.

Still, as they say, there's one born every minute. :/

I think forums shouldn't be encouraging factory theft by giving stolen prototypes any attention. JMHO.

[jaydisc]

I think people shouldn't throw the word "theft" and "stolen" around without proof or any evidence. This could have been found in dumpster behind the factory. This could have been given to a worker by a manager from a pile of discarded toys. Just because Hasbro doesn't approve of it, or it violates a Hasbro contract or agreement, does not constitute it as theft or even illegal activity.

[griffin]

I've removed 'stolen' from the title, as it is indeed without proof.
And we don't 'promote' these unreleased sort of toys here (prototypes etc), because I don't put up any ebay links to generate interest or demand for these sort of unreleased items. Links are usually to sites that hosting images, so that we at least get to know what future figures to expect.

[SMHFConvoy]

I doubt that. I'm sure there's someone (re: a sucker) who would pay some obscene sum for a piece of crap like that (let's face it, most pinched factory prototypes _are_ crap), but overall I'd say it wouldn't be terribly valuable in the collectors market - i.e.: the majority of collectors aren't that stupid. At least I hope not.

Still, as they say, there's one born every minute. :/

I think forums shouldn't be encouraging factory theft by giving stolen prototypes any attention. JMHO.

In order to make pre-production toys (mostly test shots and pre-production samples) less "attractive" to buyers, Hasbro have tried out all kinds of different methods, from the aforementioned "Not for sale" markings (which used to be etched in, but are now simply stamped on) to off-color paint applications to deliberately "damaging" the toys (often achieved by slapping ugly splotches of red paint all over the face). However, to some collectors, those efforts have the opposite effect, making them even more attractive in their eyes due to their apparent uniqueness.

Source: http://transformers.wikia.com/wiki/Prototype

No... I'm pretty sure there's a market niche for toy prototypes... Like there is for sneakers, art and pretty much anything else. Because it's so limited and unique it's going to be expensive regardless of it's fuglyness.

It's damaged and has bad paint applications it's probably the real deal. May I also point out that the figure has Ratchet's war wound so the EMP generator will fit it. Making this figure a Deluxe class...

There's also a niche of collectors who buy moulds of toys so you can imagine how much they're worth.