Ok, "doing a show" is not as simple as it sounds, unless you want a crappy show to come out. While even a crappy show might make some people happy, we would get tons of complainers that it was crap. Hasbro has gone lengths to at least attempt to make a high quality show (TF Prime). The end product is still being tested at this point, but thus far I think its pretty good.

But seriously, the Generation/RTS Lines???? There is such a hodge-podge of different characters from different storylines AND we already have WFC game with figures in the Generations line. A lot of the "Classics" figures are in the RTS AND Generations lines which already have a show (Gen 1).

I think hasbro does a decent job of keeping it fresh, so to speak. They manage to keep many of us happy with classics AND movies, and video games that pays good homage to the 80's genre that started it all. Fans that want what you are requested are mainly part of this (and other) fansites and possibly number in the small thousands (very rough estimate) and you speak very loudly. Hasbro is marketing to the millions.

Back on topic, I understand your frustrations, but your are having "knee jerk" reactions. As most have already said, be patient. While there is a good chance we will not get a Windcharger, there is still possibility that it could get released in a few months at discount stores, the Generations line is SUPPOSSED to continue through and after the movie, and at the very least, I do believe that Frumble will get released in some sort of alternate packaging, whether it be in the future Generations, or movie packaging. 

 

Overpay online?  

I got the Warpath case from BBTS. Whether doubles for customizing or helping out a friends I had a use for every item in the case. It was $100. With the POL feature I paid about 3% shipping and no tax. So $103, round it up to $104 to then divide by 8 it comes out to $13 per figure.

In retail stores deluxes are $11.99. With tax that comes to somewhere around $12.90. So I overpaid 10 cents per figure? Only if gas money of fruitless retail search after fruitless retail search is ignored.

Not everything can be had online at such deals, but if you plan ahead and know what you want to buy, it's never going to be $50 for Windcharger as normal. And in the cases when the online figure costs $2, maybe $5 more... the savings in gas money and time make up for it.

There... fixed that for you.

 

dude if you really have tohave it now just go bbts. Its a few dollers more sure but you will save on gas and you will have peice of mind knowing that they are on the way to you.

 

No, you overpaid by $13 x 7 figures that you didn't want in order to get your hands on the one figure you did want. Just because you happened to be able to so easily get rid of the other figures or rationalize their extra cost as doubles-for-customizing doesn't mean everyone who wants Warpath will have that same experience.

 

I guess it's hard for me to look at Prime as being fresh when it's so based on the movie aesthetic. As far as using the Classics/Generations/RTS-style toys/designs in a series, it wouldn't be that difficult. I see those as being "updates" or "homages" to the original releases, and I think most others do too. On the surface, such a thing would be for "the kids" anyway, and they're not going to know or care if every little trait of the new characters matches up with the old characters. It's really a good way to include everyone in the fandom into the same series without intentionally splintering people into certain groups. There are always going to be those who like something and those who don't, but the way things are now, people just look at it and say "Oh, the Generations/Classics line is really just to keep the collectors happy" and that in and of itself is going to limit the financial success of the line...which is what we all agree Hasbro cares about most.

 

Your best friend is online. If you also have the money, you might as well go for the United line, better paint apps anyway.

 

This is so true.

Gas = ~4.00 a gallon

When you're out hunting for Toys, you'll probably get hungry.

That's more money right there.

Between all the other expenses that go with Toy Hunting (unless the one you want is in massive quantities at the local TRU or Target), it is so worth it to just pay a few more dollars and buy online.

 

^This. If you want to be a collector of anything, you have to be patient. You also have to come to terms with the fact that some of the stuff you want may end up being expensive.

 

Not just TF's but if you're aiming to be a completist in ANYTHING you've got a steep hill to climb. Patience alone will not be enough.

 

So...you're a completist for every "Classics style" figure (note that nearly everyone has a different idea what this means), but you demand that you pay retail, nothing more, for them? And you demand that shelves be stocked all the time with your chosen line?

Good luck with all that.

I actually like seeing Hasbro change it up, probably because movie toys don't make me break out in hives and develop epilepsy. I also wouldn't want Hasbro to be running a line constantly, for years, that I was collecting all of (like Generations). Because then I would have to stop, in all likelihood.

BB and Optimus are inspired by their movie versions, but stylized. No one else from Prime could REMOTELY appear in the movies.

 

I think the main thing is not so much that shelves be stocked all the time...that's of course outside of Hasbro's control after a certain point. However, releasing lots of repaints while a line is going strong and then waiting until the very end to release new molds, knowing that they're not going to have much (if any) retail presence is pretty crappy. It's not like this is new, and it's something that Hasbro themselves could change.

Yep. Just the two most famous, recognizable characters. Nothing at all to support my point there.

 

Outside of the rumored cancelled ones, in this hobby (like others have said) you have to order online, or you gotta want it more. With the POL and price of gas, BBTS is as cheap as anywhere if you order wave sets or cases. If you are looking at retail, you gotta hit stock days at stores like TRU or Target (not hard to figure out), and stock times at Walmart. If you can't do that, then your best option is online. Can't expect the product to be on the shelf when you roll into a store at 6pm when you are looking for it when there are guys like me who will be there around opening or right after Walmart stocks at 11pm. Even when distribution is terrible, most TRUs (atleast on the westcoast) have been getting a case or two in per week, but they are gone within hours. Same with most Targets. The reality is you gotta order or gotta go hard. Sure it sucks, but its how it is.

Edit: Or make friends in the local community. Our last meetup saw Wreck Gars, Warpaths, T-Crackers, Wheeljacks, and (from me) a Windcharger change hands at cost. If you can't get to retail at the right time, find friends who can.

 

^This.
i am considering the idea of using the Junkion Exchange to get my paws on a Warpath (to avoid heartache.)

At least at the JE, you can haggle a modest price for a figure instead of paying 3x the amount on eBay.

i don't mind paying a little over for someone to ship me a figure, but not Mafia prices, lol.

 

You know. I think what you have to figure out is what is reasonable to you and if something is worth it. Personally, peace of mind and having the ability to spend more money on things because I'm spending less in gas is well worth the online mark up and shipping. Especially with BBTS' POL... you save tons on shipping with that.

As for Warpath, Windcharger and Frenzy/Rumble... I preordered those guys at BBTS' as soon as I could. With Warpath... yeah I overpaid at $24.99, but who's to say he'd ever show up in my area? Though... I paid nothing to have him shipped as he added no shipping to my already large POL. Also, $18 for Windcharger and $45 for United Frenzy/Rumble is also "overpaying", but remember that it's only "overpaying" if you don't think it's worth it. To me; my free time and peace of mind at knowing I'm going to get the figures I want for my collection are well worth the extra money. Savings in gas (somewhat offset by the higher online prices) and savings in shipping through BBTS' POL also help to sway my current buying practices.

At the end of the day you have to decide if something is worth it to you or you have to deal with the idea that you may end up with "holes" in your collection. Especially with end of the line items like the aforementioned characters.

That said; it sucks that some of these guys may have been canceled at this point though I'm sure we'll see the F/R mold released at some point in US retail. Windcharger I'm not so sure about as he was released in Canada and other places and the online shops such as BBTS did get him in... he just apparently never made it to US brick and mortar retail... so I don't think you can conceivably call him canceled so much as a victim of circumstance.

 

What an odd thing to say.

1) Fans are chomping at the bit for Generations repaints.
2) When (example) Straxus is at a given point in the production process, Skullgrin can be at that point too. Some people liked 'em both, got both, they might as well both come out around the same time. Nobody said "All right, fuck Darkwing out of a new mold by bumping down Warpath."
3) It is generally agreed that Hasbro's release strategy for the last few new figures was sub-optimal, and no doubt they'll hear about it at BotCon. These things are really hard to pin on one or two people though. Hasbro stocked a few stupid case assortments, retailers obviously wanted to phase into movie product a bit earlier, and it's hard to precisely coordinate all that with the designers, factories, etc who are actually making these new molds exist.
4) Out of well over a dozen new classics molds, you are agonizing over three. And you know, if you wanted them badly enough, you could get them. Let me rephrase. If you want them so badly that their absence is making you want to sell your whole collection, perhaps you should just suck it up. If not, don't worry about it, because (trust me) no one cares how "complete" your Classics collection is except yourself. (Plus, if you're not buying any movie toys you could just hunt for United Frenzy and Rumble, Windcharger, Warpath, etc.)

I'm sorry you're upset, but a casual glance at Hasbro's business model reveals that it does not cater to completists. So...work a little harder and spend a little more. I sucked it up and spent $60 all told on Windy and Warpath, because I decided that they were worth that to me. I could have lived without them though.

Generations itself was such a blessing that fixating on the negative gets a little wearying, that's all. Plus, honestly, there are quite a few other threads that address the subject.

Think really hard about why that is.  

Meanwhile, there are like a dozen new character models which look nothing like the movieverse. To rub it in even more, Arcee, Bulkhead, and Ratchet have by far larger and more interesting parts than the "big two." For an especially good example, Prime Ratchet could not look less like movie Ratchet. Megatron and Starscream are also completely devoid of their movie characteristics, except perhaps for Megatron's alt mode having wings and Screamer being gray.

 

If it's generally agreed, then I guess it's not such an odd thing to say, right?

I'm sure it's because having familiar-looking mainstream favorites is just going to make the show an easier sell. Knowing the marketing/money reasons for it doesn't make it any more palatable.