Is Universe Classics Really Going On Hiatus When The ROTF Line Comes Out?

Discussion in 'Transformers Toy Discussion' started by GrimlockAutobot, Nov 25, 2008.

  1. GrimlockAutobot

    GrimlockAutobot Volcanicus Torso

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    I'm sort of in disbelief about the Universe Classics line. Next year is supposed to be the 25th anniversary of Transformers. Shouldn't the quarter century anniversary be worth at least a year-long celebration? Why end the toyline that marks this celebration after 6 months? The Transformers 25th anniversary is worthy of more than a 6-month toyline.

    Heck, even the G.I. Joe 25th anniversary celebration/figures lasted longer than 6 freaking months. If Hasbro is cutting the celebration short then they're really dropping the ball on this one. By putting the Universe Classics toyline on hiatus, they're doing just that because Universe Classics is the line that's coming out with the 25th anniversary figures.

    While I enjoyed the first movie and I liked the character designs and SOME of the toys that were a result of these designs, I hope the ROTF line crashes and burns. That way hasbro realizes the mistake they're making by virtually ignoring the 25th anniversary of one of the most successful toylines ever.
     
  2. Opticron Primal

    Opticron Primal Comin' up OOOs!

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    I really hope the sales go down when the line signs off for the summer. Not drastically go down, but enough to be noticable, so Hasbro can see where the TF money is coming from.
     
  3. Lumpy

    Lumpy Taylor Swift Action Master Super Mod

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    oh, you mean from the kids and parents who buy most of the transformers?


    and i'm bummed too, but its part of what happens...obviously they are going to push the movie the most...and then after that, its animated because season 3 will be starting by then...and they only want two lines at once now, so universe takes the hit...we still dont even know how long the hiatus will be for... it could just be may june and july...
     
  4. DJCHARTERS

    DJCHARTERS Well-Known Member

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    i bought most of the movie figues and then sold them.....im not excited at al for ROTF figures! at least it means i will have a break to spend my money on other things
     
  5. GrimlockAutobot

    GrimlockAutobot Volcanicus Torso

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    As a fanbase, this is a perfect example of why we get shafted more than fans of any other toyline.

    "WOW TFs have been around for a quarter-century? Let's just give 'em a lousy 6-month celebration toyline. Heck, G.I. Joe should get more than that!! Let's give 'em more crappy movie toys!!" (What Hasbro executives said to themselves when planning out the TFs 25th anniversary.)

    I believe this is a product of the 2007 movie and toyline being overhyped and flying off the shelves as a result. Now Universe Classics and the anniversary are paying the price for this.

    Don't get me wrong though. I liked some of the movie toys and the movie itself. But, the toys were overhyped and flew off the shelves. I think this is going to come back and haunt Hasbro and collectors when the ROTF line is released. I don't think they're going to sell as well and it'll leave Hasbro and collectors wishing Universe Classics was still around.
     
  6. Mad_Jester

    Mad_Jester Wreckers

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    I don't know. I love the Classics 2.0/Universe line more than anything, and it's a huge part of why I got back into buying TFs, but in this economy, it's not a bad thing to not have too much product out there at once. It sucks that the 25th anniversary doesn't get a full year to be celebrated, but I'm not too upset because my wallet can only handle so much in one year.

    I'm just waiting for the 50th anniversary.
     
  7. Peanut04

    Peanut04 Under Construction

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    I thought I had read that Universe/25th Anniversary is going on haitus officially during the movie, but we would still see some store exclusives pop up. I agree with you though Mad Jester, my wallet will enjoy the break. Times are tougher and it's getting a bit harder to justify some of my purchases.
     
  8. Switchblade

    Switchblade Well-Known Member

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    It makes sense, really. Hasbro wants to focus most of its output on the movie toys, since they sold like hotcakes last year, and one of the other main lines has to be temporarily shelved. Of the two - Animated and Universe - it's pretty obvious that if one is going to be cut back on it's the one with no supporting media (although even Animated is getting scaled back during the movie).

    I honestly don't mind much, really, since this time, at least, we know that Classics will be coming back. (now if Animated was suspended for half of '09, then I'd be upset).
     
  9. ams

    ams Generation All Veteran

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    From our perspective, a year-long celebration would be fantastic, and there's no doubt in my mind that Botcon will have some pretty special things going on to recognize the milestone. Let's be realistic - only a FRACTION of the people who purchase TFs (us) even care AT ALL that it's the 25th Anniversary of Transformers.

    Too many products on the shelves = confusion for parents and kids. I absolutely LOVE the Universe line, but TFA and the movie style provide a counterpoint to one another; two distinct ideas under the TF brand name... they're diversifying the brand, but without oversaturation. And as we've already seen, some Universe-style toys will be released in ROTF packaging, so maybe there will be some Universe-y stuff coming anyway.

    Do you really want ANY Transformers line to fail outright? Do you think that could ever be a good thing? TFs are back in force BECAUSE of the movie, not in spite of it.

    No. Sorry, but this is absolutely false. We have more interaction with brand leadership than just about any other toyline. We've received more homages and fan-wanks in the last ten years than I can even count.

    So overhyped you couldn't find a toy on the shelf for three months? Would it have been better if the movie line had ended up like Spider Man 3 and Hulk toys, instead of being an overwhelming success?

    Wishing failure on what we all come here to enjoy just doesn't doesn't make much sense to me.
     
  10. Zherbus

    Zherbus In Shogo Hasui, we trust.

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    I just go with the punches. If we miss a year of a 'Classics' line, then it gives me a year to either get what's new if it's any good or to just work on the older stuff I want.
     
  11. Robogeek28

    Robogeek28 Proud grandpa

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    I'm actually kinda looking forward to the hiatus, it'll give me a chance to actually SAVE money for once.:lol 
     
  12. Grimlock_13

    Grimlock_13 Currently facepalming at your post

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    I'll definitely miss Classicverse when it goes away for a few months but if you think that line would outsell the movie sequel toys, I want to know what you're smoking.
     
  13. GrimlockAutobot

    GrimlockAutobot Volcanicus Torso

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    You make some good points here. But, there's a couple of things you failed to address. For G.I. Joe's 25th Anniversary Hasbro gave fans and collectors one of the longest, largest, and most diverse lines they've seen. Why didn't we as TF collectors get the same love for our anniversary? You said hardly anyone cares about the 25th anniversary.....if that's true then the same could be said for G.I Joe. Why would Hasbro give one anniversary this treatment and the other the opposite if no one cares either way?

    I don't think it's because more collectors care about G.I. Joe than they do TFs do you?

    I'd like to see Hasbro learn some humility for once and if that means one of the toylines failing then so be it. Look what happens with movie toylines. The toys from the first movie usually sell well then when the sequel comes out the toys don't sell as well. If there's another sequel the toys usually shelfwarm. Hasbro suddenly doesn't realize this?

    Why is this? Because kids, parents, and collectors watch them milk a movie line until it becomes stale and boring. Hasbro is pushing the 25th anniversary aside for more of this corporate movie-milking garbage and it's wrong IMO.
     
  14. Switchblade

    Switchblade Well-Known Member

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    Well what else has GI Joe had going on in the last couple years? A new movie? Not until next year. A new cartoon series? Nope. The Anniversary Joe line has been running on like this because there's nothing else for a GI Joe line to do. Transformers has to split its attention between the new movies, the new cartoon, and the fan-service line.
     
  15. ams

    ams Generation All Veteran

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    Absolutely. It's my understanding that the GIJoe collecting community is substantially larger than the TF community, and the brand slants much more heavily to adult collectors.

    Again, I'm disppointed Universe will be sitting on the bench for a while, but even as an outsider that really knows nothing about selling toys, it seems unwise to me to have THREE mainlines going at once. It's more than the market needs... and the stylistic differences between TFA and the movie keep a lot of variety on the shelf.
     
  16. Rewind

    Rewind Swoosh!

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    ...keeping in mind that there has been three completely separate TF lines on the shelves for months now with Movie 1, Animated and Universe and the brand hasn't exactly keeled over from the stress...
     
  17. Sol Fury

    Sol Fury The British Butcher Veteran

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    Universe's hiatus is purely because Universe was originally conceived as a continuation of the realistic toys seen in the Movie. It's the "realism" series. Movie 2 means it is taking up that torch, for a while.

    Chances are Universe will take over Movie 1's background role, with a few exclusives and what have you to keep it in peoples minds.

    Additionally, I'm sure the GI Joe 25th Anniversary series would have cut short, if the GI Joe Movie had launched during its run.
     
  18. GrimlockAutobot

    GrimlockAutobot Volcanicus Torso

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    This is true. There has been 3 TF lines on the shelves at the same time for months now. Why not continue it? It hasn't exactly hurt the franchise in the last 6 months.
     
  19. Mister D

    Mister D Bloosh Compatible

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    You think they don't know?

    They have good reason not to try to compete with their own product. They have contracts with Paramount, and don't want to take the spotlight off the film.

    But they "paused" the Classics line once, and brought it back because they recognized the market for it. They'll almost certainly do it again.
     
  20. Vangelus

    Vangelus Long Live the New Flesh Moderator Content Contributor

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    Where's the uproar for Universe Generation 2?? Inferno's crying over in the corner now.

    Like Sol Fury said, Universe was created to continue the "realistic vehicle" motif from the first movie line. Once the second movie line has run its course, I won't be surprised if Universe pops back in.