I had a few G1 TF figures when I was a kid in the 80s, far fewer than my neighbors or friends in school. When the first live-action movie came out in 2007, figures like the first leader class Optimus (later outdone by the ROTF version) were very impressive engineering-wise, which kickstrarted my adult TF collection. That's when I found TFW2005 as well, and picked up a few of the early hard-to-find movie figs from forum members. As I monitored news and new lines like RTS, Generations, and Prime over the next five years, I found myself gravitating back toward the classic/G1 style. I think Maketoys Giant and TFC Hercules (I ended up getting the former) pushed me in this direction permanently, and now I have a new focus for my collecting habits.

With that little missive aside, I think that, as fans/collectors of Transformers, this year has been the best one in a long while. Third-party offerings increased in number and quality, and there have been three MP figures released so far this year, with three more upcoming. Here's a list of things either released or slated for release that I can think of off my head:

TFC Hercules
TFC Uranus
FansProject Menasor (first figs)
Maketoys Giant
Maketoys Battle Tanker
IGear Van Brothers
MP-10 (Takara and Hasbro)
MP-11
MP-11S (Sunstorm)
MP-11 Thundercracker
MP-12 (Red Alert & Sideswipe)
Toyworld Hegemon
Toyworld Throttlebots
Toyworld Prime (2012 release?)

This is only the main G1/comic bots, not mentioning the great Prime figures (which I like, but decided not to get, focus, focus, focus) We've also had a number of exciting things announced as well, like Maketoys Computron and other third-party gestalts, upcoming MPs, etc.

Can we make the argument that this year has been the best year for collecting ever (or perhaps the worst, if you wanted all of these but couldn't get them all   )?

 

I dunno the Prime stuff came out sporadically and took us on a rollercoaster of "Want it? sorry! Asia only" and all that other crap. Was a solid year though, overall, esp for 3rd party groups.

 

hasbro no, not at all. 2008-2010 had better years. more classics, enough 3rd party that everyone that really wanted them all could get them without breaking the bank

takara and 3rd party, pretty close for that section of collecting

 

To be honest, 2012 has been VERY generous, start to end.

MP 11 Starscream, which kickstarted the Sunstorm\Thundercracker releases
MP10 Convoy Re-issue in japan, complete release in the US.
MP12 Sideswipe, officially licensed, dragged out of the cartoon likeness
MP13 Soundwave with Laserbeak, FFS people.

FOC Bruticus, be it retail, SDCC or G2 version. A proper, five member gestalt member of cybertronian alt modes.

More FOC figures
Most FE figures finally coming to the US.

And I'm talking hasbro\takara only.

Which other year has been as generous, really?

 

only 5 of the 14 items you've listed are Transformers.....

 

I think all the years before bayverse had better lines and better toys. Bayverse just took it into a whole new direction that i didnt care for. Other than that i love that the classics line is still going and 3rd parties are stepping up their game. If it wasnt for 3rd parties coming thru id probably be out of the game imho

 

This year has been boring for me.

2010 was a lot more fun.

 

I guess I should have used the term 'transforming toys' instead so as to not offend the purists  .

And, I can't believe I left off mp-13! For you guys that were happier with 2010, what made it better that this year? Not trying to stir the pot, just want to find out what I missed.

 

Absolutely this. I don't buy 3rd party stuff (for money as opposed to moral reasons!) and this year has been, frankly, dire. There's been a few highlights from the Prime line, but the pickings have been nowhere near as rich as in previous years. There was a time when movie, animated and classics stuff was on the shelves simultaneously, and I like to don my rose tinted spectacles and look upon those days fondly!

 

It really depends of what line you like best. Myself it's great for a Prime fan since it has figures that really stand out awesome.   Generations seems to be pretty promising so far.

As for which has the better years sure we're in a bit of a down year so far with things but then again we also had worse years in the past. If we're able to get past them then it's likely that it'll pass for us in due time.

It's all about different taste in the end so no year is really better or worse for people who think differently then others. I mean as fun as classics is it's not the only brand Hasbro focuses on because not everyone's into it.

 

2012 has been a snore fest with barely anything worthwhile coming out.

2009-2011 was much more exciting.

 

As somebody who usually doesn't buy high-ticket items, this year has been very disappointing. The only new releases I picked up were like, the three Prime deluxes I could find at retail that I think are at least decent and two Cyberverse figures. Everything else simply doesn't appeal to me, wasn't interesting enough to warrant a purchase at the higher price marks, or both.

 

We had the tail end of ROTF with great stuff with leader class Starscream and human alliance Jazz, along with two personal favorites of mine, Hailstorm and Highbrow. Bonus mention: Lockdown was the first TFA original character that crossed into another TF series, and his toy was awesome.

We had two classics lines running at the same time (RTS and Generations) just to crank out as many classics toys as they could, which included a new Lugnut mold among tons of classics characters that people had been demanding for years, like Jazz, Tracks, Wheeljack, Kup, Perceptor, Thundercracker, Dirge, Thrust, Red Alert, Blurr, and the huge surprises of getting figures of both Straxus (darkmount) and Black Shadow (Sky Shadow).

We had Amazon Unicron

We had reissue Piranacon and Predaking (in an awesome metallic paint job).

We had MP Rodimus and the US release of MP Grimlock.

We got the final waves of Animated in the US, giving us Animated Arcee, Cybertronian Ratchet, Ironhide and last but not least, Rodimus, who is widely considered one of the best deluxes, even to some who otherwise hate Animated. We also got the rest of the Animated line courtesy of Takara Tomy, giving us guys like Wingblade Optimus Prime, Jetpack Bumblebee and Blackout, who were never released in the US.

The Allspark Almanac II.

Meanwhile, in 2012, we have... what? like 5 MP figures. We also have smaller, more expensive mainline transformers and voyagers with terrible weapons that don't look like anything unless you're pushing down on them.

2012 is pretty lame aside from the MP figures and third party stuff. Not that Prime isn't a fun line, it is. But nothing compared to what we got in 2010, either in design or sheer volume.

 

I can't say 2012 is the best year when only three figures in your list are official, and only two are entirely new molds.
2008-2010 was the recent golden age for me, Hasbro were making money hands over fist with the movie toys and I still got to enjoy Animated and Generations.
I love third party more than most, but I judge a year by official releases. This year I feel is a huge disappointment after recent years, but I can deal with it as I have had some AMAZING third party offerings.

 

This is why I would say "NO".
Perhaps next year with mp soundwave, FOC Grimlock, etc but since hasbro shrank the deluxes and increased the price, im sure the collectors' dissatisfaction will continue.

 

But strangely I think I've bought quite a few more toys this year. Expanding my collection with Rescue bots, KREO, and Bot Shots.
Its been fairly dull though. I've had more time to shop online for older robots or hit up TJmax regulary for random hasbro toys.

Third partys are exploding with new stuff. But I think the best are about to come especially with all the stupidly large toys planned.

 

Agreed. Totally.

 

Third party maybe. Official stuff definitely no.

 

The new MP/3rd party collector in me says yes with out a doubt. The old retail collector in me says hell no. This year is WHY I'm no longer collecting retail figures.

 

2012 was definitely not the best year of collecting for me personally. We got some great stuff, but there was even more frustration than actual product.