Unite Warriors Defensor

[Zommael]

I was about to post saying I agree with the 'games' comment, but now I'll say I can see it both ways. Maybe thats why they're sticking to the original team for the combaticons? Either way, Defensor will be the last time I buy 5 deluxes for 1 combiner, and am leaning towards UW now. We'll see with Bruticus (and also depends how sexy the set packaging looks for the ones coming).

Personally, I'm planning to shift Alpha Bravo over to the Protectobots anyway, since he's the same mould as Blades but the same primary colour (white) as the other limbs. I'm hoping to pick up a Quickslinger but have no interest in Brakeneck. I'll get a full set of Computron if it's released, newbies or no newbies, but I'm not going to go out of my way to replace Rook with an alternate version of Groove. As it stands my version of Defensor might end up being a total mess if Prowl and Ratchet are released, as I'd rather have them than First Aid and Streetwise.

But that kind of emphasises the point: Hasbro are giving fans options. For every fan who absolutely MUST have the G1 remakes, there's another who'd rather have a set of different moulds rather than a repaint. I'm glad they've decided to give us the choice rather than force us into one or the other, and I don't feel like I've been tricked into buying anything.

[ampoldj]

^yep the packaging will really do the talking for me
Hope the UW Series come in combined form in-package.

[griffin]

As noted, TakaraTomy are more focused on the smaller collector market because they don't have to produce as many units for their customers (Japanese Retailers), while Hasbro have a global marketing strategy that requires hundreds of thousands of units to be sold, via Retailers, who won't know if characters are "correct" to Gen1, but do have issue with a group of toys looking too similar if they are supposed to be different characters.


I love this toyline so much that I welcome the new characters and extra variety in the Hasbro line.... as we can't be 30 years and still have the same combiners and characters. I know it didn't quite work with the 4 Kreo Combiners that were released last year that were original characters, but there might be better reception for the regular toys, especially if it is a popular toyline. Already we have a couple of extra Voyagers and Deluxes, so I'd like to see more original characters in the mainline (if the fan-vote female combiner ends up being a limited edition exclusive).

[millhouse]

At the end of the day, they're not G1 accurate anyway. Not that that's a complaint, but it's worth noting.

Having an extra non-G1 limb might come in handy though, particularly with Cyclonus/Galvatronus and other potential future voyagers.

[Golden Phoenix]

C'mon 'newbie member of the Combaticons only to have the member the replaced also be released', papa wants a full set of spare limbs to form Rejector.

[TAAUBlaster]

I don't really think Hasbro are intentionally playing any sort of "game" with regard to the release of the G1 characters. They (rightly, IMO) decided it would be better to have a set of unique moulds make up each combiner, and so created new characters to take the spots of the two most redundant characters. Then, after Takara went a different direction and they were able to gauge fan demand, they decided to release redecos that would serve as those characters. It's not game playing or an attempt to trick anyone, it's just marketing.

I don't think Takara's version had much (if any) influence on Hasbro's decision to release the original team members. The first listings for Slingshot and Wildrider in the TRU computers came only a week or two from when the first silhouette teaser of UW Superion was shown. Hasbro has never (to my knowledge) buckled under to fan demand over something like this - especially in such a short time frame

If Hasbro never originally intended to release those two figures, I have a hard time believing they decided to change their minds just for some of us who prefer the original characters. When have they done anything like that in the past? And by making them "shared exclusives" their production run can't be that large, so it's not like Slingshot and Wildrider will become cash cows for them.

I don't have a problem with new molds or new characters. I might not like them, but I'm not having a go at the fans who do. However, I'm annoyed with original team members being replaced, and then suddenly announced/offered a short time after the new characters' figures have already been bought.

But it looks like I'm in the minority.

[Bidoofdude]

Deluxe motorcycle Groove could change my mind. It'd have to be pretty good though, Hasbro's legend class figure looks great.

[Mythirax]

indeed

It's a shame, the Combiner Wars look to be my favorite of the generation stuff out since the wfc/foc figures. Yet Hasbro releasing these random characters are killing me. I've deliberately held off buying any of hasbro figures for CWs so far. So I can't wait to get my hands on all this takara stuff.

[Starscream77]

C'mon 'newbie member of the Combaticons only to have the member the replaced also be released', papa wants a full set of spare limbs to form Rejector.

I love it!!!
I want a Rejector too

[griffin]

Well, the original characters can't be that bad, as I just noticed on BBTS, that just like the first wave original figure Alpha Bravo, the third wave original figure Rook was also the first of the wave to sell out. So more people are buying them, than people only buying the Gen1 characters and holding out for the missing member.

I can't recall how Off-road did though as the second wave is listed for restocking.