I would venture a guess that these "decisions" are being made at the factories in China. There could be a communication breakdown somewhere.

 

I guess it will, but not because of that. (Botcon is always fun  )

I've been to 9 Botcons and 2 OTFCCs; the weeks before the convention there's always someone from the boards saying how they will tell Hasbro's designers what they "deserve" (like the designers are to blame for everything Hasbro does or fails to do) and when the Hasbro Panel Q&A comes ... nothing. Just your regular questions.

I guess people are more polite IRL.  

-airfox

 

no. it is about Hasbro trying to be Cheap as possible...that and non fan's deciding how transformers will be painted and what colors....to the outrage of Fans.....

 

Welcome to capitalist Production...they are faced with rising costs and they cut the $ somewhere...in the QC and paint...I wholeheartily agree that they have fucked the job lately on QC and paint...but they are doing this probably because they are afraid/not able to raise their prices to absorb all the raised costs from china lately....

 

I agree....this stuff they call toys lately most has been crap...Galvatron that exploded like a C3PO anytime you want to touch it...the tacky paint on the newer universe cars that fans have reported and shown with pictures...If i could get the time and ever make a botcon i would definitely be one with the WTF? banner going on....

 

And I have been to all but two Botcons/OTCC and I will -most- definately be striking up a conversation with Aaron and/or Greg Lombardi.

This is not about what they "deserve," but what I as a fan feel is a complete implosion re Quality on the brand and product that I have supported for 25 years.

If they do not know what is going on (which I highly doubt), then they can point me in the right direction.

Just FYI on -some- of the products that I have used my hard earned money on:

1. Universe Prowl: Paint actually -rubbed off- on my fingers when transforming back to vehicle mode. I had paint on my fingers that took forever to get off and a smudged Prowl. Gee, lovely $10.00 value there.

2. Leader Animated Megatron: Oh, look at this, paint on the cockpit smudging off onto my fingers. $40.00 out the window.

3. Universe Galvatron: This is GREAT! I not only get a Transformer, but a literal Partsformer when I try to transform the figure.

4. Animated Lockdown: The right leg fell off and would never stay put -- ever again.

5. I bought TWO Animated Cybertron Deluxe Optimus Primes. One had a deformed antenna and paint splashes everywhere, and the second one ... it was beautiful until I transformed into robot mode and noticed the right antenna was not even painted yellow.

6. Voyager Starscream: Fists fall off if you look at them wrong. My, save much Hasbro by not using metals pins? Oh, the rudders would fall off, and one leg would disconnect when transforming.

7. General Observation: Hasbro's lovely new "pegs" in place of ratcheting joints.

8: Bought Animated Roll-Out Prime. Can ==ANYONE=== respond to this and tell me you found just ONE that did not have paint scratches or botched paint apps, (and oh, the right side of the yellow might actuallu be yellow, and the other is just so barely sprayed on that you can see the blue plastic below)?

8. General Observation: Remeber when you could just walk up to an aisle of Transformers and JUST PICK ONE UP? Now you have to eye perhaps EVERY SINGLE ONE to find -JUST ONE- that does not have a craptacular paint job.

And yes, I sent them all back. Yes, I filed a formal/professional complaint (both written and verbal). And yes ... I am awaiting a response.

Ugh.

 

Wow! That sucks man.

I think I have all those figures (except Roll Out and Command Optimus Prime and Galvatron), and didn't have problems with mine.

The only problem I remember from the latest Universe and TFA toys I've gotten is Bumblebee's stingers breaking when I opened the figure. Other than that, I've been lucky (or I'm easier to please).

You should do it at the panel. If it's a trend and not just bad luck on your part - and judging by other's complaints, I'd say it's a trend - chances are you'll get support.

-airfox

 

This has been my experience too...bought a dropshot...missles were crooked out of the box...such cheap plastic that you cannot bend it straight...yeah it will bend to the right or left but not straight...
Encore omega supreme...mine never worked out of the box...getting it to walk...but that is takara so another issue...
Fracture...bought three of them and all have been jacked on either joints or paint jobs..not both though...good joints/crap paint or vice versa....

Actually this is sad to say but the pre production samples/ lifted items that chinese ebay sellers have been selling have been better lately than the retail shit hasbro has released....

Case in point....got a nemesis prime via ebay about a month and half before SDCC hit...bought 2 of the guys off HTS and the ebay one has far superior paint and joints....

Treadbolt...same case...i know 3 people that have had issues with their TF with paint or joint issues...mine off of ebay...zero issues...no problems....

Crankcase...got mine off ebay months before the guy released retail...no issues...Lots of people complaining on this site about alt mode alignment problems or joints or plastic defects....


This is totally sad....

 

Wow. All this for some kids toys...  



Chris

 

YES.

The toys aren't made for us.

Sure, they do a lot of homages and stuff as a bonus for the longtime fans, because there's a chunk of customers who will buy stuff for that reason, but the toys are marketed towards kids.

Most kids won't care that Cyclonus' nosecone is grey, for instance. Or that Nightstick isn't supposed to be those colors.

It's easy to forget that.

 

my bitch and rant mainly is about the quaility vs money being spent thing...just like if you spent good money on a car or truck and it was a pile of shit you would be pissed off too....

My thing is about being screwed...last couple of lines of TF have sucked...the last line that came out with mainly no problems that i can remember was cybertron....as long as you did not get the smallest TF class...scout or basic ....whatever they call it now....

Hasbro has a very short time with my view to get their shit right...if the 25th ann. line comes out and if it blows then i am done...i ordered the ehobby guardian and want to get maybe 1 or two after that for this year....probably will get the seacons if they still have stock thru november....

But i refuse to keep giving hasbro money if they keep chucking shit nuggets out onto the market called transformers....just cannot see wasting money on this junk especially with all the other stuff going on with $$$ and the economy right now...and hasbro will lose a customer that on average spends $500 to $1500 a year on TF's.....

 

It may be a kid's toy,but it's still the parents whom will buy these toys.

Heck I've known many a parent who have had stories of their kids getting hit in the eye with the spring loaded missle crap that the Transformers have been plaged with lately.

 

It's irrelevant if these are made for "us" or not. As consumers who spend money and buy the product, we're allowed as much as anyone to raise a fuss if the quality sucks or is defective, is not what we paid for, and/or ends up being an inferior product to what's being (falsely) advertised through offical channels.

Where the Universe line is concerned, it is as a matter of fact VERY MUCH directed at older collectors... as evidenced by Hasbro's own website as well as their on-the-record statements about the series at Botcon. On that note, if most kids won't care that Cyclonus' nosecone is grey, then they won't care if it's purple either. It could have been a very easy 'best of both worlds' fix accomodating Joe Nobody kids as well as the older collectors... many of which got excited in the first place *because of* Hasbro's official promo photos... photos that almost seem doctored *for* the collectors to get gah-gah about.

I'm not sure what's more annoying on these boards - the people who all talk about why something does or doesn't happen like it's somehow fact even though it's based on nothing more personal opinion (ie: what kids will or won't buy, who is or isn't popular enough to warrant this or that, etc.), the people who constantly claim that old school fans & collectors mean exactly ziltch to anything, the people who accuse others of being whiners when they speak up about buying increasingly shoddy merchandise, or the people who attempt to be ironic by pointing out that 'they're just kids toys' even though they're signed up & posting to a forum solely built around and dedicated to Transformers.

Generally speaking, and NOT in direct reference to the members I quoted, I'm pretty sure multi-billion dollar corporations like Hasbro must thank their lucky stars everyday for so many lemmings who will do, say & think whatever they're told to like good little mindless consumers. It's amazing the lengths some people will go to not only be spoonfed whatever they're given, but to get so incredibly defensive when poor little Hasbro gets criticized.

 

QFTW, my friend. QFTW.

 

Wow.

I hate Universe Galavatron, so much garbage to go through to transform him.

What is with the should/arm joints on Sunstreaker? You can slide the arms right off!!

I got a Crankcase from Walmart.... it was missing the small metal pins that hold the wheels in, so when i go to fold them in, they slide right out!

At least someone here GOT Fracture...

I haven't touched animated... wonder how many things are wrong with those figures.

I just don't get it. They show these AWESOME looking images of what could be... and when we get them... it's crap. I usually don't buy the Henkei because its more expensive than the USA releases, but I am going to wait and see if Takara can do a better job on CYCLONUS.