Masterpiece Convoy 3.0 Revealed

[GoktimusPrime]

Here's the thing though... people are wanting a new MP Convoy at the same level of engineering as more recent MPs like Ironhide, Inferno, MP36 etc. You know that when you jump the tech level up that it's going to cost more.

MP10 was nearly twice the price of MP01
MP36 was about double the price of MP05
MP Sunstreaker was about double the price of MP Lambor
...etc

So it should come as little surprise that MP Convoy Mk 3 would be about double the price of MP10 (x2.27 to be precise).

Is the toy worth it? I honestly don't know. It depends on whether or not the toy's design and engineering can justify it. It's not so much the price but value for money. The MP Coneheads are examples of really poor value for money, and IMO MP9 was also not great. But you look at toys like MP36 and MP Sunstreaker, both pretty expensive toys. But I'd say that most people would agree that they are worth what you pay. MP36 is twice the price of MP5 because it's twice as good. MP Sunstreaker is about twice as good as MP Lambor. So if MP Convoy Mk 3 can be about twice as good as MP10 then it could be said that it's worth its asking price.

Or it could be like MP9 or the MP Coneheads and be rip offs. The difference is that MP9 and the Coneheads are the only MP toys of those characters (well, until Hasbro offered a cheaper MP Rodimus Prime sans trailer). MP Convoy Mk 3 is not the only game in town. We have MP01 and MP10. So really... if this toy is too much for you, then just stick with your existing MP Convoys! That's what I'm planning on doing. I don't need a third MP Convoy.

P.S.: There's a chance that this toy might shelfwarm, encouraging retailers to slash prices to move dead stock later.

[danny-boy]

Details coming through;

MP44 Optimus Prime Master Convoy (Optimus Prime) Version 3. Official price 50,000 yen / box, 2 boxes /

box, content:

- main body X1 (Bot)
- compartment X1 (trailer)
- cabin anti-aircraft gun X1
- small ball X1
- energy axe X1
- beam special effects X2
- laser rifle X1
- energy treasure X1
- energy supply tube X1
- Spike X1
- Carly X1
- Spike Pula (Sparkplug) X1,
- Rocket Backpack X1,
- Starscream Head X1,
- Starscream Wings Accessories X1,
- An Unknown Item X1,
- Replacement Head Carving X1,
- War Damage Head X1,
- Battle Damage Chest Parts X1,
- character card X1

[Other]

The small ball has to be a basketball from when the Autobots played it in The Master Builders. It's nice they're including the Jetpack this time around, shame they never bothered to ever include one in any release of Sideswipe

[DaptoDog]

Here's the thing though... people are wanting a new MP Convoy at the same level of engineering as more recent MPs like Ironhide, Inferno, MP36 etc. You know that when you jump the tech level up that it's going to cost more.

MP10 was nearly twice the price of MP01
MP36 was about double the price of MP05
MP Sunstreaker was about double the price of MP Lambor
...etc

So it should come as little surprise that MP Convoy Mk 3 would be about double the price of MP10 (x2.27 to be precise).

Is the toy worth it? I honestly don't know. It depends on whether or not the toy's design and engineering can justify it. It's not so much the price but value for money. The MP Coneheads are examples of really poor value for money, and IMO MP9 was also not great. But you look at toys like MP36 and MP Sunstreaker, both pretty expensive toys. But I'd say that most people would agree that they are worth what you pay. MP36 is twice the price of MP5 because it's twice as good. MP Sunstreaker is about twice as good as MP Lambor. So if MP Convoy Mk 3 can be about twice as good as MP10 then it could be said that it's worth its asking price.

Or it could be like MP9 or the MP Coneheads and be rip offs. The difference is that MP9 and the Coneheads are the only MP toys of those characters (well, until Hasbro offered a cheaper MP Rodimus Prime sans trailer). MP Convoy Mk 3 is not the only game in town. We have MP01 and MP10. So really... if this toy is too much for you, then just stick with your existing MP Convoys! That's what I'm planning on doing. I don't need a third MP Convoy.

P.S.: There's a chance that this toy might shelfwarm, encouraging retailers to slash prices to move dead stock later.

That's generally not how technology works. The prices of TV's, Computers, Cars etc have not doubled in price as technology has greatly improved. They generally stay around the same price. The main difference here is that those products are super competitive whereas Masterpiece Transformers face little competition and so Takara is exercising pricing power. The market will determine whether it will accept this.

I agree it could shelfwarm depending on the production run. I'm thinking I'll pre-order one and wait to see if it goes on sale before grabbing a double to display. If it sells well you know there will be a reissue at some point.

[Lord_Zed]

Oh, is it time for Takara Tomy's patented pre-release MP price hike panic again!

Yup sounds like it might be ridiculously expensive, however as we still lack official confirmation, I rather think everyone is losing their minds prematurely.

At least wait for confirmation before it's time...https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RzybAS7zltE

Not sure why people are freaking out. Yeah, it's expensive, but consider this...

MP01 = 10290JPY
MP10 = 22000JPY
New MP Convoy = 25000JPY

MP10 was over 200% the price of MP1.
MP Convoy Mk III is about 13% dearer than MP10.

I... don't get it. This toy is obviously offering more in engineering in regards to screen accuracy, but that's obviously going to come at a cost. MP36 was about twice as expensive as MP5 and MP Sunstreaker also about twice the price of MP Lambor, yet nobody cared about that.

Assuming that is the correct price then I agree with your assessment, however by my recollection we did go through this with MP Sunstreaker, Dinobot, Rodimus Prime, All three Coneheads, Megatron V2, the repaint, the Shockwave repaint, and the most recent Beast Wars toys.
Honestly it seems like this happens more often then not, I'm not defending their prices, but I'm surprised that people are shocked every time the prices go up.

[MEEEGGGAAATTTRRROOONNN!!!]

TFSource has a preorder up for US$450:

https://tfsource.com/masterpiece/mp-...optimus-prime/

And also at BBTS for the same price:

https://www.bigbadtoystore.com/Produ...nDetails/84183

[DELTAprime]

With 6 months to save I can totally afford him. But at this point I don't think I will buy him on the grounds of this is a massive amount of overcharging that's going on here.

[hYpNoS]

Details coming through;

As expected, it'll come with damaged parts to go with mp36, didn't expect the starscream parts to recreate that *one* scene from g1.

Now I need to await the gimmick features, I'm certain it'll have a voice box like mp36 (its back looks like it has speaker holes) but it'll be built in, worth the 50,000yen though?

I don't think so and will be awaiting either a sale or some crazy repaint, another dead optimus would be a fine redeco if only so my mp10, mp10B and mp01L can have a unique place

[FruitBuyer]

Another thing about ridiculous pricing hiking each time is that they are making it harder for fans to purchase them.

The problem isn't the engineering may not be worth the cost (I have nothing but praise for Sunstreaker, Megatron and Dinobot), the problem is that if you keep increasing engineering and adding more and more accessories then costs will creep out of more people's range. There will still be lots of people that have the money that can afford this $500 Prime but logically it will be less than MP-10.

So what about all the fans with smaller pockets but still want a cartoon accurate Convoy? Takara is leaving them in the dust.

So you know who will win here? 3P. There are two 3P cartoon Convoys in development at over half the price. I'm not saying that I'm interested in them but there would be people that will give them a chance simply because they can't afford MP-43.

[1AZRAEL1]

I'd want one, but not at that price. And a 3P cartoon accurate Prime? Yea nah, I'd rather buy official. Just not at it's current rumoured price. Down to about 250 amd I'd think about it.