Honestly, they can't put up a pre-order saying that Arcee, Golfire Grimlock and H. Bumblebee will be coming out at this date or that date, and then totally get rid of it saying it's canceled.

That is like saying something and totally doing a 180 on what you just said.

Does Hasbro even care about Animated fans, or Transformers fans in general? I mean, it seems they keep 'effing over Arcee fans. Is this a sight of whats to come? Only movie repaints of figures we've seen twice or even three times already within the line? Oh, I see it now. "CITY LIGHTS SIDESWIPE!", "JUNGLE OPTIMUS PRIME!", "NIGHTWATCH BUMBLEBEE!"

Oh joy!

 

well....they can...and they just did.

 

I couldn't tell you if the execs care or not; it's a money thing for them. However I'm utterly CERTAIN that the design team damn well do.

 

Animated is what mostly got me back into transformers. Seeing it go so quickly is pissing me off a bit. But I still like the movie toys. I do agree with the repaints complaint though. Jazz got 5 repaints if you include rotf Smokescreen, and 1 retool. That is way too much. For some molds, like the seeker mold, I don't have a problem. But the movie line does have a lot of senseless repaints.

I blame it more towards the retailers than hasbro. They wanted more movie figures, so hasbro put animated on haitus. And looked what happened, the movie figures sold like crap for those 5 months.

EDIT: I agree with Draven. The animated design team is probably PISSED.

 

I hope so. I want that Arcee, I don't care if I have to pay $50 for that figure in the end I want it.

 

Yeah, I can tell that the design team cares, A LOT. But who knows what is going on in the minds of Hasbro execs? I mean honestly, the movie line is more likely to sell more than the Animated line. It makes sense. And then they will release those molds they already made, a couple years down the road, when Hasbro has little going on.

I have made my peace with Arcee's loss. Perhaps we will get more info at Botcon. A couple cancelled preorders does not a confirmation make.

 

I think we should all just wait another week. They'll be telling us something at Botcon. Even if we don't get them now, I can still see the figures they've already put work into being released eventually. Though I'm just going to wait patiently till we find out something official, then if we won't be getting them, I'll fan rage for a little while, then build a bridge and get over it. If we do hear we'll be getting them, I'll be happy, and just continue on normally.

As for whether they care or not, I'm not so sure about the execs, but I wouldn't be surprised if the designers working on Animated cared. I can't imagine how it would feel if something you had been working on for several months got canned.

 

They care. the people who actually make the toys really, really care. but they arent in control. even the people at the very top of the food chain can't do things just because they want to.

They are a business, so they have to change plans due to marketing and economic conditions, even if doing so conflicts with what they personally want to happen. They answer to the retailers who are very likely not going to want anything NOT connected to the movie right now. they answer to budgets where the movie line has to take priority over everything else due to it's incredible success in 2007/2008.

just because hasbro cant do something doesnt mean they don't want to do it, or that they don't care.

 

This. C'mon people. We act like Hasbro is a rogue government oppressing it's people. They are a business. One that must do whatever is necessary to maximize it's shareholder's profitability. They just happen to make toys.

 

Hasbro is a Business!
Corporate Information

When will people learn that they don't make things to please just certain fans!
They have a multi-million dollar film coming out! I think its obvious where their business priorities are.

 

meh beforei judge illwait to see what comes out at Botcon as it will be all over these forums fast after it is announced

 

can't really blame the retailers either. they're just doing what makes sense. they know the movie line will sell. so thats where they're going to spend their money. not on a handful of figures that finish off a line that's going to require a good chunk of shelf space, even though they'll only be getting two deluxes and three voyagers. that's shelf space for toys that many kids will be less interested in because of the movie, and toys that honestly just might not sell until they hit clearance. when parents go to buy transformers for their kids, they're gonna focus on the movie line, because it's going to be EVERYWHERE in a week. True, there will be some kids, collectors and parents that would still buy animated stuff. but it doesnt compare at all to the hundreds of thousands of people going after movie stuff.

everyone is only doing what makes sense. you can't fault anyone for it. No one is really to blame.

 

designers yes, accountants no, PR reps no, sales people no and CEO's no

 

Hasbro does care, however, they are also a business and have to deliver what their customers - their real customers, the retailers - want. Plus what is going to sell better, a toy line whose show is done, or a big budget blockbuster movie that is going to be snaring the imaginations of whole droves of kids? Retailers know what they want, they tell Hasbro they want the Movie toys that sell well, therefore:

This is the most truthful answer to the question. Hasbro's not spiting fans, far from it. They're just doing what they have to in order to keep their customers happy and to make a profit.

 

There are a lot people involved in the process of designing and delivering toys. The design team cares quite a bit. I'm sure there are guys in executive positions at Hasbro who care, and probably care as much as many of the fans. As it goes down the distribution chain, based on the number and breadth of lawsuits against them, I'd say Wal-mart definitely does not care (about anything except the Walton estate, anyway).

Transfans get more access to their toyline than almost anyone else, and get updates on obscure characters that only the fans know about. That's quite a lot of attention from a huge magacorp. If the guys at Hasbro can figure out a way to sneak the remaining Animated stuff in, they will.

 

Oh Kickback, you and your misinformation campaign...